EXCLUSIVE:Kirk Acevedo on 'Fringe':"They Want Me for a Few Episodes"

EXCLUSIVE: Kirk Acevedo on 'Fringe': "They Want Me for a Few Episodes"
By Lee Hernandez 06/23/2011 - 11:00

It's been over two years since Kirk Acevedo was let go from FOX's hit show, Fringe, but the Puerto Rican actor — whose character Charlie Francis was a fan-favorite on the show — says he might be returning for several episodes in the fall. Acevedo, 39, spoke to Latina.com about his conversation with Fringe's show runners, what he'd like to see happen to Charlie on the show, and which of his Fringe co-stars he's excited to work with again.

Is there any truth to the rumor that you’ll be reprising your role as Agent Charlie Francis on Fringe?Yes. It all depends on my schedule. The only good thing is that I’m going to be in Los Angeles filming Prime Suspect, so it’s closer to Vancouver [where Fringe shoots]. I’ve got no problem [returning] if my schedule allows it.

But they do want you back, right?Yeah. I spoke to the show runners. They do! I know they want me for a few episodes.

If Charlie does return, what would you like to see happen to him?I want him to be kooky — the wilder the better for me personally. I'd rather play something really wacky.

Two years ago, you were upset about being let go from the show. How do you feel about it now?Obviously in the heat of the moment you take it personally, but it's not personal. I tell people all of the time that they would make any show in this business — whether it's Black, White, Hispanic, Jewish, Colombian, Dominican — whatever. They'll make it if it sells. It's a business. It's not personal. So I can't take it personally if people made artistic decisions on the show. My ego took it personal — that's the difference.

Who of your former Fringe co-stars are you excited to work with again?Oh, I love Ana [Torv]. Me and Ana got along well, so she definitely would be one of my favorites!

Do you think Ana might get some Emmy love this year?She should! She busts her ass on that show. And John Noble does, too. John definitely busts his ass on that show. They should both get at least a little something. And you know what, the writers, too. Because think about it — you've got to have imagination to write the dialogue and to come up with the plot line for alternate universes. It's remarkable. I don't know why it hasn't gotten any love yet. Ana should at least get a nomination. A nomination is a win.

Do you have a message for your loyal Fringe fans?That I enjoy Charlie Francis. I love everything about him — I even love his name. There's a lot of times that I hate my character name. I love the name Charlie Francis because I almost named my child Charlie Francis before I even got the show! And the fans are great — everybody's just so cool. I'm a sci-fi geek, too!
Source:latina.com

On set With Kirk Acevedo

The actor Kirk Acevedo took a time off between takes to talk about Scarlie.



Source: ChicagoNow

Fringe FAIL: Kirk Acevedo not FIRED, was "let go"

After the backlash from fans yesterday, CO-showrunner Jeff Pinkner did a little bit of damage control, and issued a statement to TV Guide regarding the status of Kirk Acevedo on Fringe:

“Like all things on Fringe, there is more to this story than meets the eye.” In fact Pinkner not only confirms to TV Guide Magazine that Acevedo “was not fired,” he hints that we’ll see more Agent Francis in season 2. Literally.

“We have already seen two of him on the show,” teases Pinkner. “We have already met the second Charlie. He had a scar on his face.”

Notice Pinkner doesn't actually say we'll see Charlie next season, he just "hints" at it (at least according to TV Guide). In fact, as of yesterday, I hear there were discussions on how Charlie could be written out of the story.

What's the real story? Pinkner is right about one thing, there is more to this story than meets the eye.

I contacted Fox and WB, and as per usual SOP, they declined to comment. However, my inside source did verify that Kirk's Facebook page was legitimate, and had this to say:

Kirk wasn't 100% happy with the way he was used on the show and was somewhat vocal about it.

Lee Hernandez of Latina.com was able to contact Kirk directly, and got a little clarification on his original statement:

"It’s called not picking up my option. But at the end of the day, you got fired!"

So technically, he wasn't fired - he was "let go" (or "made redundant" for our UK fans :). You say potato and I say potahto - the bottom line is that he won't be a regular on the show anymore.

A lot of this has to do with saving money. Kirk had a prety minor role on the show, but from what I hear, he was makin getting paid more that Anna Torv! So while I am a huge fan of Kirk (we even share the same last name!), if they needed to cut the cast budget (maybe to accommodate Nimoy), I can understand why this happened.

The good news, if we read between the lines (and maybe because of all this coverage), is that there's a good chance that we'll see Charlie again - if everyone can kiss and makeup.

Fringe FAIL: Kirk Acevedo Fired!

Kirk Acevedo announced on his facebook page today that he was "fired" from Fringe:

WELL BOYS AND GIRLS THEY DONE DID YER BOY WRONG! THEY FIRED ME OFF OF FRINGE, AND I'VE NEVER BEEN FIRED IN MY LIFE!!!!

While this is not "officially" official, I have confirmed this with an inside source. Details are scarce at this point, but Kirk is likely another victim of the WB's cost-cutting measures. The move to Canada has caused quite a shake up on the show, with numerous behind-the-scenes people leaving as well. More info to come...

* Thanks to TheODI for the screenshot

FringeTelevision Exclusive: Kirk Acevedo Interview

Kirk Acevedo was kind enough to take cover behind that blood-spattered police vehicle and talk with me for about ten minutes this morning. I asked as many of your questions as I could, and Kirk gave some hilarious answers. He mocks his Charlie Francis voice, does a Lance Reddick impression, and whets your appetite for the last five episodes of season one.

Oh, and the episode he's shooting right now? It isn't one of those...



Click here to read the full transcript

Adam Morgan: Who would win in a fight, you or Josh Jackson?

Kirk Acevedo: I don't even need to answer that. I mean, I think you guys can figure that one out on your own...

Adam Morgan: What's been your favorite scene to shoot so far?

Kirk Acevedo: I would say...the phone conversation with [our audio drops out here...can anyone decipher his answer?]

Adam Morgan: What about your favorite episode?

Kirk Acevedo: I'd have to say the Pilot.

Adam Morgan: What's it been like shooting in your hometown up in New York?

Kirk Acevedo: It's been cool. It's kind of bittersweet, because I live in Los Angeles now and I fly back and forth, so I kind of miss my family.

Adam Morgan: And how do you feel about the move to Vancouver next season?

Kirk Acevedo: I'll be closer to home. I go every weekend to see my family, my baby girl. The bad part about it is, a bunch of people are going to lose their jobs. We had a fantastic crew. Fantastic. The best crew that you can get. And I just hope that the Vancouver crew is on par.

Adam Morgan: What was it like working with your real-life wife in next week's episode, Unleashed?

Kirk Acevedo: It's cool. When I found out Charlie was going to have a wife, I suggested my actual wife Kiersten [Warren]. It's hard to create chemistry with someone you don't know, in a day. And also my wife's a real actress, it wasn't just like "Hey, how 'bout my WIFE?!"

Adam Morgan: How many different ways do people mispronounce your last name? Do you ever get "Avocado"?

Kirk Acevedo: Kirk Avacado, sure! Let's see. Ackaveedo, Ace DeVito, there's just so many.

Adam Morgan: Any funny moments or anecdotes from the set?

Kirk Acevedo: We all get along, we all crack jokes. Like Lance [Reddick] is so funny, because he'll come up to me and say "Dude, you always make me laugh." Because Lance is so serious. But he's always cracking up. Next episode, he goes up to Anna: "You always make me laugh, blah blah blah." And then you realize he's saying it to John [Noble]. And then you realize, it's just Lance. Lance has the giggles, and can't keep a straight face.

Adam Morgan: John Noble mentioned that everyone likes to do a take on Charlie's voice. Is that true?

Kirk Acevedo: Well, you know, I put on the "Charlie voice," because there's tons of exposition, and you somehow have to do the same stuff every week, right? So I'm a fast talker, and my register's a bit higher than Charlie's, as you can imagine. So when I gotta do the Charlie thing...[switches to Charlie voice] you just gotta drop it down...right about here...[back to Kirk]. You hear that? That's not the way I sound, at all. I can't do it like Kirk would do it, because it wouldn't come out as authoritative, someone you'd look up to, who you'd listen to, who's working in the best interests of your country, if I did it like me.

So I do the Charlie voice, and people...you know...like there was a line in an interrogation once, where I ask for a box of tissues. But the way I do it with Charlie is..."Can I get a box of TISSUES?" Like the Terminator, you know?

Adam Morgan: What can we expect from these last five episodes of the season?

Kirk Acevedo: Well the whole mythology of the show, we lifted up the folds more. We learn more about William Bell, which is really cool, in the last episode, who's played by Leonard Nimoy. Speaking of beautiful voices. I think he's gonna be perfect. He's a perfect foil for John Noble's character. You'll learn more about the impending war, what is it, stuff like that. We're currently shooting a standalone episode for season two...

Adam Morgan: I heard about that, before you move out of New York. Can you tell me anything about it?

Kirk Acevedo: What I'll say is it has a little bit of Ghost Whisperer in it...if you know what the ghost whisperer genre is.

Adam Morgan: Well I'm glad you don't die next week. After seeing the previews, I was a little scared...

Kirk Acevedo: No, no, no...I don't die.

What Would You Ask: Charlie Francis?

The Man With the Voice himself, Kirk Acevedo, will be doing an exclusive one-on-one interview with Fringe Television on Friday, April 10th to celebrate Charlie's emphasis in next week's ep, Unleashed. You guys have already given me great questions for John, Anna, and Jasika, so keep 'em coming below!

Fox Fix: Kirk Acevedo Interview

Fox Fix has a new interview with Kirk Acevedo, who plays Charlie Francis on Fringe. Host Jessica Holmes asks Kirk if his character is a good as he seems, does he know more than he lets on, and does he have feeling for Olivia? He also shares his interesting theory on how he thinks Fringe and Lost might be related.

Fox Fix also has an interview with J.J. Abrams and Roberto Orci, which we have posted in the Fringe Spoilers section.

Jasika Nicole, Kirk Acevedo and Anna Torv Are 'So Fresh, So Fox' For Winter

It's safe to say that the point of the So Fresh, So Fox: Winter Edition campaign is that FOX is hot, even in the dead of winter. And while the Fringe stars couldn't make the All-Star Photo Shoot (since it was in LA and Fringe is currently shooting in NY), FOX did release these new promo photos of some of our Fringe All-stars.

Kirk Acevedo Runs NYC Marathon

Kirk Acevedo, who plays FBI Agent Charlie Francis on FRINGE, ran the New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 2. The Bronx native placed an incredible 2,027 out of 40,000 runners with a time of 3:13:04, which qualifies him for the Boston Marathon in April. He's super-proud that he ran under-6-minute miles for the majority of the race, and just beat out the time of PI (3:14:15)! Kirk was back on the New York set of FRINGE on Monday, hobbling a bit but grinning from ear to ear.

Congratulations Kirk, and good luck in Boston!

10 New Fringe Behind The Scenes Videos and Interviews

1. "How the show was cast" featuers interviews from: * J.J. Abrams -- Co-Creator / Exec. Prod. / Writer * Alex Graves -- Director / Exec. Prod. (pilot) * Alex Kurtzman -- Co-Creator / Exec. Prod. / Writer


2. "B-ROLL" features behind-the-scenes footage from the filming of the Fringe pilot episode.


3. "How I prepared for my role" features interviews from: John Noble -- "Walter Bishop" * Blair Brown -- "Nina Sharp" * Kirk Acevedo -- "Charlie Francis"


4. "How FRINGE was created" features interviews from: * J.J. Abrams -- Co-Creator / Exec. Prod. / Writer * Alex Kurtzman -- Co-Creator / Exec. Prod. / Writer * Roberto Orci -- Co-Creator / Exec. Prod. / Writer


5. "Graphics" features animated Glyphs graphics.


6. "About the car chase" features interviews from: * Alex Graves -- Director / Exec. Prod. (pilot) * Mark Valley -- "John Scott" Plus, behind-the-scenes footage from the filming of the Fringe pilot episode.


7. "About The Script" features interviews from * J.J. Abrams -- Co-Creator / Exec. Prod. / Writer * Roberto Orci -- Co-Creator / Exec. Prod. / Writer * Alex Kurtzman -- Co-Creator / Exec. Prod. / Writer * Joshua Jackson -- "Peter Bishop" * John Noble -- "Walter Bishop"


8. "About My Character" features interviews from: * Anna Torv -- "Olivia Dunham" * Joshua Jackson -- "Peter Bishop" * John Noble -- "Walter Bishop" * Lance Reddick -- "Phillip Broyles" * Blair Brown -- "Nina Sharp" * Jasika Nicole - "Astrid Farnsworth" * Kirk Acevedo -- "Charlie Francis"


9. "About the foot chase" features interviews from: * Alex Graves -- Director / Exec. Prod. (pilot) * Joshua Jackson -- "Peter Bishop" * Anna Torv -- "Olivia Dunham" Plus, behind-the-scenes footage from the filming of the Fringe pilot episode.


10. "About FRINGE" features interviews from: * J.J. Abrams -- Co-Creator / Exec. Prod. / Writer * Alex Kurtzman -- Co-Creator / Exec. Prod. / Writer * Roberto Orci -- Co-Creator / Exec. Prod. / Writer * Joshua Jackson -- "Peter Bishop" * Anna Torv -- "Olivia Dunham" * Lance Reddick -- "Phillip Broyles" * Blair Brown -- "Nina Sharp"
    

Fringe Promotional Photos: Episode 1.01 - Pilot

Fox released these "episodic photos" from the Pilot episode of FRINGE, which premiers Tuesday, Sept. 9 (8:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

* Thanks to SpoilerTV. Photo credit: Ben Mark Holzberg/FOX

New Fringe Promotional Photos

Fox released a large batch of promotional photos featuring the Fringe cast. There's this creepy ghostly image, some glyph/equation shots, the standard mugshots. In the Glyph photos, it's interesting to note that the women are all with the leaf glyph, and the men are all with the hand glyph - except for Joshua Jackson who is with the apple. One other thing about Jackson's photo - check out what's displayed on his screen. It's not the standard mathematical equations like in the other photos, but a screen shot of the '80s video game Tempest.

Fringe Publicity Photo Shoot Video

Here is video from a Fringe Publicity Shoot for Fox, with photographer George Holtz, Joshua Jackson, Anna Torv, John Noble, Lance Reddick, Jasika Nicole, Blair Brown, Mark Valley, and Kirk Acevedo.

By the time you watch this video, Peter Bishop may already be dead ;)

Also, check out the FOX Fall preview commercial, with clips from all the new fall shows, including Fringe, which is described as "So Engaging" and "So Fearless".

Kirk Acevedo - Charlie Francis

Kirk Acevedo plays FBI Agent Charlie Francis: FBI Agent, ...



Kirk Acevedo - Web Album | IMDb | Wikipedia

PRESS:

J.J. Abrams has started putting together the cast for his new Fox series "Fringe." Kirk Acevedo ("Invincible") and Tomas Arana ("Gladiator") have been cast in key roles on the skein, which marks Abrams' first big series under his deal with Warner Bros. TV.

Acevedo's other credits include "The Black Donnellys," "Law & Order: Trial By Jury" and "Oz." ... Both thesps have also guest starred on Fox's "24." - Variety