Interview Timothy V. Murphy for NCISLA Magazine

UPDATE!

by Diane (@Phillydi) 

Timothy V.  Murphy loves staying busy so much that we had to grab him on the run for a short but sweet interview regarding his return to NCIS Los Angeles.  With the opening episode of season five we may see the last of Sidorov, so we wanted to circle back and ask him some final questions about his return as the nasty villain we all love to hate.  Here’s what he told us about his time spent on the set of NCIS Los Angeles:

Welcome back to the set and your return as Sidorov!  Like Christopher Lambert’s Chameleon, you play one of the longest recurring villains in the history of the show.  Were you able to develop this character a bit more over the course of last season and leading to the new season by working with the writers and cast?

Thank you! Yes, I was over in Monte Carlo this summer and met a lot of rich Russians I could base my character on and add to what was already there last season and what is in the script.

Those torture scenes got a lot of attention for a network television show. Were you surprised by some of the backlash from the fans and was there a lot of discussion on how to play the scenes with the director, Eric Christian Olsen and LL Cool J? 

I actually didn’t see the backlash. There was not much of a discussion with the director but torturing people comes naturally to me 😉

We enjoy your work on Sons of Anarchy.  What’s the difference working on a procedural show like NCISLA and a character driven one like SOA?  Do you like one style better over the other?

 It’s all acting…you just do it with confidence and believe you are the smartest one in the scene!

What was it like to return again to NCISLA to play this wonderfully layered and multi-dimensional character?

It was great…they are a great bunch of actors and crew…very welcoming

Sidorov was described (by Michael Synder) in the episode Rude Awakenings as a disciplined sociopath. How do you get into the mind of such a character?

I play “bad guys” but I don’t ever look on them as bad…they always have a reason for doing what they do.

Did you have to work with a language/dialogue coach? 

There was a great dialect coach on set.

How do you prepare for a procedural drama such as NCISLA? 

I read the script, learn my lines and treat the other actors with respect. They are so talented; they make my job very easy!

What was your experience working on the set with this group of actors and crew? Any stories you can share with our readers?

It was great working with Chris as a director. I’ve been a fan of his work since Circle of Friends and Scent of a Woman.

Can you tell us a little bit regarding your next role, The Frankenstein Theory and any projects you are currently working on? 

The Frankenstein Theory is a found footage movie I shot in Alaska being released this month. I haven’t seen it yet but hopefully it’s scary! Also out in limited release this month a great film I actually shot a few years ago called The Treasure of the Black Jaguar. I love a good western and have a few coming out this year including Disney’s The Lone Ranger this summer and the indies To Hell With a Bullet and Hot Drink Stiff Bath. I just shot a wonderful short by the Funk Brothers called Looms in Osage, Iowa. Iowa in February is freezing! And in addition to going back on NCIS LA, I’m also shooting a spoof on Taken called Tooken and developing a TV show. I love staying busy!

Thanks go out to Timothy V. Murphy for taking some time out of his busy day to speak with NCISLA Magazine.

You can find out more about Tim by going to his IMDB site: Timothy V. Murphy