The sci-fi drama series Under the Dome based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel of the same name is produced by Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment. The series tells the story of the residents of the small town of Chester’s Mill who find themselves cut off from the rest of the world thanks to a mysterious barrier.
Things fall apart as a small group of residents try to maintain peace and also figure out what lies behind the dome. Actor and former fashion model Mike Vogel stars in the show alongside Rachelle Lefevre, Britt Robertson and Natalie Martinez.
Vogel, who has acted in films such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Grind, Poseidon, Blue Valentine, The Help and Cloverfield, talks about his role and future projects in this email interview.
Tell us about your role?
Dale Barbara, (Barbie), finds himself in this town under a certain work situation. He is a former Special Forces operator, so he certainly has a bag of tricks and some very special talents and skills. He is out of the military now and working for a bookie, collecting debts. And we kind of open this show on a rather nefarious, or what seems like a rather nefarious scenario. We come to find out that his hand was forced
How did you come to be attached to the series?
The reason it interests me is because of the things that are happening around the globe, and in our country, that somehow I believe that it possibly could happen in today’s world, or that things could de-escalate into a scenario like that. I think that’s the draw to it.
Which do you prefer — television or film and why?
I like the consistency of television. It actually feels like I am going to work every day, which satisfies the blue collar guy in me. Creatively, I prefer film. It is not necessarily an evolving storyline. You have a definitive start and ending, and everything else in between is where you can paint with your own brush and make it your own.
Your roles are mainly supernatural, horror or sci fi. Do you prefer these genres?
I don’t see my roles as mainly sci-fi or horror related at all. Certainly there are some in my body of work, but there are also many other dramas and comedies that I think outnumber them. To be honest, I don't watch sci-fi usually. That is why I like the realistic aspect of this show.
Have you read the Stephen King novel on which the series is based?
I didn't read the book beforehand because I knew that we would be adapting it to fit a television medium. I knew that there would be certain aspects of the book that would have to be changed to get it to transfer. I didn’t want to have a set idea in my head of what happens to the character according to the book, only to have it change, and then everything I had been playing would be pointless.
What preparation did you do for the role?
I think part of the thing that drew me to Barbie was that I understood him so well, which meant a lot of the preparation had already been done. I am close friends with many people in the US Special Forces community. In a way I felt that I have been preparing for him for a while.
What was your most memorable moment during the shoot?
I think my most memorable moments during the shoot have been the stunts. I am a bit of an adrenaline junkie and I love all the fun action scenes I got to do. Driving the car through a fence in the pilot was a ton of fun.
What is your favourite horror movie and why?
I watched It in my younger years and it was enough to scare me off of King for some time.
What next?
I have two films out there right now that are running the film festival circuits. One is called Mcanick with David Morse and the late Cory Montieth. It is a great drama. The other a great dramedy with Elias Koteas, Virginia Madsen and Jane Seymour called Jake Squared, a witty film with a serious twist.
Under the Dome airs on BIG CBS LOVE every Friday at 10 p.m.
