Playing a real life prodigy is a challenge for British actor Elyes Gabel, writes Nur
Aqidah Azizi
ELYES Gabel seems to completely inhabit the role of Walter O’Brien in CBS’ new drama series, Scorpion, based on a true story about the life of Walter O’Brien, a genius with an IQ of 197.
The British actor is the spitting image of the genius and his serious, emotionless look adds colour and depth to his character.
But he proved to be completely the opposite when he spoke to members of the Press recently during a special interview to promote the show held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Los Angeles.
He was energetic and funny all through the 30-minute interview and he knew the best way to break the ice: A “wefie” moment with everyone in the room, which he gladly took the trouble to capture it himself.
“I love technology and although I don’t really consider myself an expert, I do know how to use the basic stuffs,” he said.
In Scorpion, he showcases a convincing character, that of a technology genius.
“That’s the challenge of my job... to give a believable performance. To make it look natural,” he said.
At 9, O’Brien was found to have an IQ of 197, higher than that of Albert Einsten. He started his own company, ScorpionComputerServices.com at 13 and, in an interview, O’Brien said his company now “is the largest think tank of high IQ individuals that exists”.
It was reported that his genius mind and technology had helped pinpoint the Boston Marathon bombing suspects last year.
Scorpion is a high-octane drama about the eccentric genius of O’Brien and his team of brilliant misfits (they comprise the last line of defence against complex, high-tech threats of the modern age).
As Homeland Security’s new think tank, O’Brien’s “Scorpion” team includes Toby Curtis, an expert behaviourist who can read anyone, Happy Quinn, a mechanical prodigy and Sylvester Dodd, a statistics guru.
Pooling their extensive technological knowledge to solve mind-boggling predicaments amazes federal agent Cabe Gallo, who shares a harrowing history with O’Brien.
However, while this socially awkward group is comfortable with each other’s humour and quirks, life outside their circle confounds them, so they rely on Paige Dineen, who has a young, gifted son, to translate the world for them.
The real O’Brien is also the executive producer for the TV series. To work closely with a living genius was no walk in the park, and according to Gabel, the experience was a little intimidating at times.
“It is exciting to play a real life character. But at the same time, it is also a very interestingly challenging to play him in Scorpion,” said Gabel.
“One great thing about Walter (O’Brien) is that he is always open to communication. He loves to share ideas and passes out information, so that helps me a lot in portraying him in the series.”
Gabel’s utmost challenge was to create the vulnerability in his character.
“I want to show emotions in the character. I try to make this character my own and to make it more interesting by dramatising it a little so as to hook the audience somewhat,” he said.
But it was quite tricky.
“I play a version of somebody who is still alive. I respect him, and as much as I want to make this character my own, I need to strike a balance and give justice to Walter,” he said, adding that a lot of the cases featured in the series are based on reality.
“The situations are real. The way we explain it, it is not necessarily precise. There are certain things that we are not able to explain in a short period of time. It will probably take 20 minutes just to explain the theory.”
Gabel is the heartbeat of Scorpion and with that comes with a huge responsibility as well as, challenges.
“I had amazing scripts in my hand. I had to deal with long scripts, which I thought was very challenging for me to take in and deliver, especially when dealing with technology terms. It is like talking a different language. But I am all up for it, and it is kind of fun too because I get to work and play with it,” said the 31-year-old actor, who has also acted in various films including World War Z and Interstellar.
“I think the scripts saved me from boredom and helped me to focus better,” he added, laughing.
Apart from that, Gabel was very much involved in many action scenes that demanded him to be fit. “It’s tough. At times, we do 15 takes to complete one action scene,” he said.
SAME SENTIMENT
Gabel’s sentiment was shared by his co-star, Robert Patrick. The heavyweight actor, whose film credits included the phenomenal Terminator 2: Judgment Daysaid working in the fast-paced environment brought a new experience for him, personally.
“Like Gabel, I think the action scene is the toughest. We have only one or two takes for scenes with long dialogues but it seems like forever to complete one action scene. Guess we are not that good at it,” he said, laughing.
“But we didn’t have that much room to feel bored. The scripts and the physical actions involved in Scorpion occupy most of our times on set.
“Before the camera rolls, we are always rehearsing our lines together and discuss on how we can deliver it better.”
In Scorpion, Patrick plays as Gallo, the federal agent who’s looking for a hacker named Scorpion.
He finds Scorpion in Ireland and realises what an asset he would be to the US government.
“Gallo takes Scorpion away from his family and puts him to work for the greater good. And there’s where all the drama and conflict start to arise,” said Patrick.
He has the most scenes with Gabel but said he was comfortable to act alongside the actor.
“He’s very talented and knows what he wants. He’s got an amazing talent,” said Patrick.
But Gabel is not the only regular face he sees on set. At times, the real O’Brien drops by too, giving Patrick the opportunity to get to know the living figure better.
“I like him. He seems to have all the answers that we need to know,” said Patrick, smiling. “I think it’s brilliant that he wants to share his life stories in the series. He has been given the opportunity to do good and provide help for so many people in so many ways.”
The show has a significant meaning for Patrick. “When I watch it, I feel like it gives comfort to viewers at home - to see different point of views that we did not catch the first time around. The show provided a lot of answers and made a lot of sense too,” he said.
MUSICAL TO ACTION DRAMA
Fans of Katharine McPhee were all exasperated when her popular musical series, Smash was cancelled during its second season due to poor ratings.
“I still have fans asking me about it. It is a warm feeling to have them still remembering about the show,” said the American Idol alum.
Now, fans can see her more often on the TV screen, as she portrays Paige Dineen, a single mother with a 9-year-old genius son.
“My character is not a genius. I think it’s probably one of the first characters that I’ve had a little bit more of a difficult time relating to since I don’t have a kid and I’m not a single mother,” she said.
McPhee who is reported to be romantically linked to Gabel added that in the series, Dineen works really hard to understand and connect with her son.
“Then O’Brien comes into the picture and helps me to understand my son better, because my child is not so much a special needs child but a real eccentric genius,” she said.
Perhaps the series looks and sounds too technical, but according to McPhee, there is a nice element to the show.
“It’s a high-action drama, but it’s actually quite funny,” she said. With all the geniuses around in the show, McPhee’s character seems to be the most relatable to the audience.
So how does her character help the team navigate the normal world? “She is the glue to help them understand the situation,” said McPhee.
CHEMISTRY
There is plenty of chemistry among the cast, which helps make Scorpion a believable show.
For Eddie Kaye Thomas, working with the rest of the cast has been a breeze for him.
“We have each other’s back. We feel good and comfortable being around each other and of course that helps a lot when we are filming,” said Kaye Thomas.
“I think to be a part of this team, is already a dream come true. Our relationship is strong and that’s what we want to also portray in the series.”
For Ari Stidham, being the youngest in the team is not a problem.
“All of the cast and the production team are really helpful. Each day is always a new learning experience for us,” he said.
“I’ve found a lot of interesting stuff while working on Scorpion, some which I never knew. I feel blessed.”