Last week we had the opportunity to interview Peter Jacobson who plays
Proxy Snyder on the truly addictive USA Network show, Colony. Peter is no stranger to hit shows having been on the Fox series House for several years. As the provisional governor of the Los Angeles Block, Jacobson plays a character you love to hate and he does a great job.
The roundtable interview’s transcript is below and was moderated by NBC/Universal.
Megan Tucker: Hi everyone. Thank you so much for participating on this call today. We’re really excited to have Peter Jacobson, one of the stars of the USA Network’s drama series Colony. He plays Proxy Snyder — the opportunistic leader from the Green Zone in an occupied Los Angeles — and we’re happy to have the call pegged to Episode 106, airing tomorrow. So at this time I’m going to turn it over for the first question.
Operator: Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, if you’d like to register a question please press the 1 followed by the 4 on your telephone. You will hear a three-tone prompt to acknowledge your request. If your question has been answered and you would like to withdraw your registration, please press the 1 followed by the 3. If you’re using a speakerphone please lift your handset before entering your request.
And our first question comes from the line of Jamie Ruby with SciFi Vision. Please proceed with your question.
Jamie Ruby: Hi. Thanks so much for talking to us today.
Peter Jacobson: My pleasure. Can you hear me?
Jamie Ruby: Yes. Yes. I can hear you fine.
Peter Jacobson: After all these – after all this is (unintelligible), I’m – just want to know if we’re actually human beings talking to each other. But we are. Okay. Good.
Jamie Ruby: Yes. Yes. We’re good. Can you talk a bit about developing your character? Did you take it all from the script? Was there, kind of, any person or character maybe that you took inspiration from or anything like that?
Peter Jacobson: I’m sorry. Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear the first part of the question. So just try it one more time.
Jamie Ruby: Now you can’t hear me.
Peter Jacobson: Right. I got it.
Jamie Ruby: No. I said could you talk about developing the character? Did you take everything from the script or was there somebody that inspired you or that you, you know – just how did you develop it?
Peter Jacobson: Right. Nobody particular inspired me. I was inspired certainly by the script itself and by the way the character was described in the script and also how he, you know, he plays out in the script. So, you know, what was one of the things that I liked most about the script when I read it was that Proxy Snyder sort of jumped off the page to me as — at me, really — as somebody who is in sort of, you know, obviously in a very unique situation and is sort of a unique character in that we don’t necessarily see him right away as sort of the typical villain. He’s somebody who has a lot of mystery to him and he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy whom would necessarily be in the position of power that he’s in. And I thought that was very interesting.
Jamie Ruby: Oh. Cool. And can you talk about how you got the role? Hello?
Peter Jacobson: Yes.
Jamie Ruby: Okay.
Peter Jacobson: Hello?
Jamie Ruby: Sorry. Okay. See, my phone must be going bad. I don’t know. Could you talk about how you got the role?
Peter Jacobson: Oh. I thought you were just bored by the answer and it was just this (unintelligible).
Jamie Ruby: No. No. My phone must be…
Peter Jacobson: No. I’m kidding. I’m kidding.
Jamie Ruby: …must be having…
Peter Jacobson: Yes. I was given the script to look at and asked if I wanted to audition and I had never met Carlton or (Ryan) before. I think the casting director, (April Webster), knew who, you know, knew my work and thought “Well this could be an interesting fit.” And when I read the script right away I, you know, I thought “Well, this is really a terrific pilot and an even more terrific character.” And so I was able, you know – so then I had the audition and then wound up getting the part.
Jamie Ruby: Okay. Great. Thank you so much.
Operator: The next question comes from the line of Suzanne Lanoue with TVMegasite. Please proceed with your question.
Suzanne Lanoue: Hi. Thanks for talking to us today.
Peter Jacobson: My pleasure.
Suzanne Lanoue: I was wondering if you have any interesting or fun stories about filming the show or getting the part — anything like that.
Peter Jacobson: There was nothing interesting or fun about – well, it’s always interesting and fun to audition for a character that is himself interesting and fun. But it wasn’t unique in – or anything particularly interesting about getting the role. In fact, it’s pretty un-fun to wait until you hear that you actually got it. But that’s what every actor goes through with, you know, just about every audition.
And in terms of interesting or fun on the set while we’re shooting, it is an interestingly fun group of people. Only that I, you know – it’s just every person who we, you know – who’s on the show has been so great and fun and nice to work with. (Josh) and I have gotten along really, really well. He’s just always fun to work with. (Sarah) is great. The two of them are great together.
I always find it sort of fun to work with (Josh) especially just because he and I are such different physical – everything. We’re just so different and I always feel like this sort of, you know, strange little homunculus next to that guy. It’s just always so fun. I think the contrast between the two of us as human beings and as characters brings a lot of, sort of, spirit and interesting, you know – sort of brings an interesting cake to the relationship and it’s always really fun to work with him.
Suzanne Lanoue: Thanks. I enjoy the show and I’m glad it’s doing well.
Peter Jacobson: Oh. Good. Thank you.
Operator: The next question comes from the line of Greg Staffa with Your Entertainment Corner. Please proceed with your question.
Greg Staffa: Thanks for taking our questions today. This show is fascinating. Can you give us a little bit of insight of how much you know about your character? There’s a lot of mystery around him. How much did you know going in and how much do you know of his future?
Peter Jacobson: I only knew going in what was in the pilot. And — as I said — one of the things that fascinated me about him is that you don’t know all that much about him. It’s just, you know – interestingly, he was just sort of – atypical person very much in charge. And that intrigued me so I did – but what I liked again with it, I didn’t really know why he was there and how long he was going to be there. And that’s – and then, you know – that’s part of being in Carlton, you know – in a show with Carlton Cuse. You don’t always know what’s coming down the line.
So I just knew from the pilot what was there. I never really knew much more than an episode or two ahead while we were shooting the first 10 episodes, which served me fine. Some actors like to know, you know – have a much better idea what’s, you know, what’s coming down the pike, you know, at – way down the line. And that can certainly be helpful but I knew I wasn’t going to get a lot of real specifics on this. And so I was real happy to just sort of go along knowing, you know, an episode or two ahead what was coming. And as of now I certainly know what happens all the way through the season because we shot it a while ago. But I have no idea what’s coming or what’s going in Season 2.
Greg Staffa: Thank you.
Operator: The next question comes from the line of Robin Burks with Tech Times. Please proceed with your question.
Robin Burks: Hi. Thank you for talking to us today. Really appreciate it.
Peter Jacobson: Oh. Sure.
Robin Burks: My question’s actually kind of following up on what you just said. We don’t have a lot of background information on Snyder yet. But what can we learn – what can we expect to learn about Snyder’s motivations and maybe the reasons behind why he’s joined the Transitional Authority?
Peter Jacobson: Real good question and I’ve had many of those questions as the season – as we shot. And it was always interesting to talk about, you know – and talk about why he’s there. This episode coming up tomorrow — Yoknapatawpha — will be the moment in the season when you really do begin to really sort of get some more detail and some specifics as to why Snyder is where he is and how he got there. That being said, I can’t guarantee that the explanations he gives are necessarily the truth. I don’t mean to make it more confusing than it is but it’s – to me, it’s my favorite episode of the season really for that reason — that we sort of begin to sort of see much more about, you know, who Snyder is and why he is who he is.
And — again — even if some of that he might be hedging or might be fibbing or might be not being completely direct, that in and of itself tells you even more about who he is. And again it’s a very exciting episode. It’s the three of us. It’s (Will), (Katie) and Proxy Snyder stuck together in a very tight space for a very long time and it’s not necessarily a threesome that is enjoying each other.
Robin Burks: I’m looking forward to seeing that episode. Also there’s this big mystery around the invasion. Are we ever really going to learn any more about that in this season possibly?
Peter Jacobson: Yes. You will learn more. I’m not at liberty to say how much. There will be, you know, you will learn more but it’s a very Carlton Cuse – in a very Carlton Cuse-ine way. The information will be doled out sparingly and the second season you’ll be learning a lot more.
Robin Burks: Okay. Great. Thank you.
Peter Jacobson: Okay.
Operator: The next question comes from the line of Erin Conrad with – I’m sorry – yes – with Three If by Space. Please proceed with your question.
Erin Conrad: Hi, Peter, from a fellow Chicagoan.
Peter Jacobson: Erin. Hey. I recognize you from Twitter too. Right?
Erin Conrad: Yes. Absolutely. And that was the…
Peter Jacobson: Right.
Erin Conrad: Yes. That was the first part of my question. How do you like the Twitter end reaction and is this new to you?
Peter Jacobson: Oh my God. It couldn’t be newer. I’m not of this – of the – I’d like to say of this generation, which is silly because I know many people my age and older who are, you know, very much involved in Twitter. But I just came really late to it. And it’s – what’s really neat is the immediacy of it. That there are so many people out there who are loving the show and are – you’re hearing it right away. In terms of the live tweeting, I still always feel like I’m about three minutes behind which is very frustrating.
But, you know, as I get better and get – am able to sort of really fly with it as it goes, again, it’s always just, you know, it’s always just exciting to sort of be in the direct feedback and to hear what people are thinking and to be able to respond to them directly. And it’s been great because there are so many people out there who are really loving the show. And how exciting is that for any actor to have that much contact and to be, you know, hearing great stuff? I mean, if it was a kind of thing where everybody was telling me how much they hated it I probably would be a little depressed. But that’s not the case. It’s really been a great, wonderful, positive reaction.
It was just really — for me — mostly getting to learn how to do it. I’m a real moron when it comes to anything technological. So I’m still learning.
Erin Conrad: Well, we’re really glad that you are tweeting with us. It’s a lot of fun. And…
Peter Jacobson: Yes.
Erin Conrad:…how do you like the feedback that you’re getting about the character? You know, you get people kind of like me, because I’m, you know, on the Resistance side I guess – if we’re going to…
Peter Jacobson: Right.
Erin Conrad:…(unintelligible).
Peter Jacobson: That’s great. I mean, I mean USA has done so much wonderful work in terms of supporting us and giving different outlets for people who are into the show to have fun and engage. And then, when I engage with them I’m aware of, you know, the energy that has been generated around this and around, you know, questions like that — like, “Are you – do you want to be – would you be part of the Resistance or would you collaborate?”
And within that there’s a whole group of people that are very, you know, very much sort of seem to be fans of Proxy Snyder and are, you know, real engaged in, you know, what would he do? Why is he doing this? Who is he? Love him, hate him. And it’s really fun to bat that stuff back and forth within – with those people because more than most I, you know, happen to be a little bit more intimate with the character and I’m able to really have a good time. And that kind of energy and that kind of interest is just wonderful. It’s really fun.
Erin Conrad: Great. Well, thank you very much. I’m looking forward to chatting with you tomorrow night during the show.
Peter Jacobson: All right. Great. Yes. Good. Nice to talk to you, Erin. Bye-bye.
Erin Conrad: You too.
Operator: The next question comes from the line of (Tyson Gifford) with (The Mighty Me). Please proceed with your question.
(Tyson Gifford): Hi. Thanks for your time.
Peter Jacobson: Sure.
(Tyson Gifford): I just want to know. Your character is currently presented as, like, the worst kind of collaborator operating almost purely out of self-interests. Is there more than him? And does he believe his own altruistic claims that he’s doing it for the betterment of everyone in the colony?
Peter Jacobson: Great question. There is certainly much more to him — much more to him than that. But, yes. And he absolutely believes that the way he’s going about it is
COLONY — “In From the Cold” Episode 108 — Pictured: Peter Jacobson as Proxy Alan Snyder — (Photo by: Isabella Vosmikova/USA Network)
the right way. I’m sure that Snyder is, you know, like anybody would be, you know, confused about whether or not it’s always, you know – whether or not things are going to work out in the way that he hopes that they will and has moments of doubt about whether or not he’s doing the right thing. But ultimately the passion that he expresses about “This is the way it should be done” is absolutely real and I think he believes it to his core.
(Tyson Gifford): Thank you.
Operator: The next question comes from the line of James Hamilton with Geekstronomy. Please proceed with your question.
James Hamilton: Hello, Mr. Jacobson. Thanks for talking with us today.
Peter Jacobson: My pleasure.
James Hamilton: I’m just curious. I look at the character of Snyder as, I mean, he’s just like (Will). (Will) is collaborating for the best of himself and his family. We don’t know if Snyder has a family but that’s how I look at him. And I’m curious. How is it to play such a villain as opposed to playing a good guy?
Peter Jacobson: Absolutely. Snyder does have a family and he absolutely is doing what he thinks is the right thing. I think — interestingly — any, you know, anybody in the situation like this with this kind of occupation would ultimately do what is best for them and their family. And Snyder believes that that’s what’s going on. So everybody is a collaborator in that regard. Playing a villain like that I absolutely love. I’m very used to playing a lot of doctors and lawyers and they’re often terrific roles. But rarely do I get to play somebody who’s, you know – has this much power and is this capable of some pretty bad behavior. I mean, I’ve played obnoxious people before. I’ve played bad guys before. But this is the baddest that I’ve ever gotten to play and I just love it.
James Hamilton: Well, the one true evil thing was him putting Geronimo to death last week. I mean, that was…
Peter Jacobson: Yes.
James Hamilton: Yes. That was absolutely evil. But one other very quick question, how long did it take you to learn how to pronounce The Yonk’s proper name?
Peter Jacobson: I’m not going to answer until I hear you say it.
James Hamilton: I can’t do it. I can’t. I’ve tried.
Peter Jacobson: I did not – I was able to – I got it relatively quickly. I had five years on the show House in which I was tackling even more difficult words every week with some disease that I couldn’t pronounce. And I got pretty adept at that kind of thing and I’ve built it into my muscle memory pretty quickly. So The Yonk was actually no problem for me.
James Hamilton: Okay. Well, thank you very much. Good luck with the show.
Peter Jacobson: Thank you. Thank you.
Operator: The next question comes from the line of Bruce Eisen with Here Is TV. Please proceed with your question.
Bruce Eisen: Hi. Hi, Peter. Thanks for joining us.
Peter Jacobson: Hi, Bruce. Sure. Thank you.
Bruce Eisen: So, when you’re not busy working — just to change subject a bit — do you like to watch TV? And if so, what do you like to watch?
Peter Jacobson: I love to watch TV. I at times feel overwhelmed because there’s so much good TV out there. I mean, there’s just – sometimes it’s like there are too many things to watch and I just shut down. I don’t even know where to go. My interests tend some – more towards the political. So shows like The Americans and House of Cards — even though they’re very, you know, different kinds of shows — I like stuff that has a political edge to them. I love It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which I got to do an episode of a few years back. I just love something like that that’s just raw and very, you know, holds no – pulls no punches and is just, you know – it’s pretty brutal.
So I’m trying to think if there’s anything else. I haven’t seen Breaking Bad, which, I feel like I’m the only person on the planet who hasn’t and I almost feel ashamed that I haven’t. That’s next on my list. And I wish I had more time to watch because there’s – again, it’s just this almost – it’s almost paralyzing. I just – there’s too much to watch. It’s like a kid in a candy store.
Bruce Eisen: Excellent. Thank you. I appreciate it.
Peter Jacobson: My pleasure. Thank you.
Operator: The next question comes from the line of (Vanessa Frith) with (Enstarz). Please proceed with your question.
(Vanessa Frith): Hi. Thanks for talking with us today.
Peter Jacobson: Yes.
(Vanessa Frith): You previously mentioned that Snyder has a daughter. I was wondering if you could tell us if she’ll fold into the story at some point or if having a child will color his perception of helping (Will) find his son.
Peter Jacobson: Well, I think we’ll learn – what we’ll learn tomorrow is that having the child definitely has colored his – how he’s, you know, how he’s dealing with (Will). Again, to what extent you believe the depths of Snyder’s feelings about it — that’s always up for question, which is what I love about the character. My daughter does not play an active role plot-wise until the very end of the season.
There’s a little bit more of, you know – she has a little bit more of a presence. But right now, you know, from this point of the season through until the end it’s more just sort of the sense of who is she in Snyder’s life and how is she impacting his decisions and what he’s doing. And it’s more of an emotional question. And hopefully — as an actor — I’m, you know, letting that stuff come through and indicating – not actually indicating but, you know, emotionally indicating where my daughter is at play in my mind and in my feelings. But she’s, you know, at this point she’s not front and center. But she’s definitely there.
(Vanessa Frith): Okay. Thank you.
Operator: Ladies and gentlemen — as a reminder — to register for a question, please press 1, 4. Our next question is a follow-up from Greg Staffa with Your Entertainment Corner. Please proceed with your question.
Greg Staffa: Thank you. You’re well known for your role in House, which lasted for several seasons. How hard is it as an actor to transition – you know, is there a transition to go from a show like that to a show like this? Do you approach things differently? And then I have a quick follow-up after that.
Peter Jacobson: I don’t approach it – as an actor there’s no difference for me. It’s all about the character and the relationships and the, you know, the life of the show. And Dr. Taub in House was just – that was that world and I had the great luck of being able to be in that world for five years. And, you know, that was a good three years ago and I’ve played some other things in the interim. But this is the first opportunity to sort of dive into a — again — a long arc of a character where I knew I had at least, you know, I had 10 episodes to really flesh it out.
But in terms of my approach it’s just, “Oh. Well here’s a new person.” And this guy is nothing like Dr. Taub. At the same time, it’s me. So I’m going to bring, you know – the qualities that I brought to Taub, I’m going to bring them to Snyder. But they’re going to obviously be manifested in very different ways. And I – certainly nothing is more fun for an actor than to have really, you know, a wildly different character to play. And I see that, you know, the jump from Taub to Snyder is a pretty big one. And that’s been really fun.
Greg Staffa: And quick follow-up. Your view — like I said — you’re the guy from House. Anytime your name is mentioned it’s the guy from House, and now for Colony as it grows. Who do you see yourself as? Who are you to you? You know. You’re a father. You’re a parent. Who is (unintelligible) you?
Peter Jacobson: In terms of characters that I play or just me in my life?
Greg Staffa: Because we associate you with your characters, my question…
Peter Jacobson: Right.
Greg Staffa:…is, kind of, who are you? I mean…
((Crosstalk))
Greg Staffa:…yourself?
Peter Jacobson: Right. Interestingly, I have — for the last seven or eight years, starting
with House — been playing mostly people who were there – not bad guys, but there’s a certain negative quality that our — I’ll put it this way — negative qualities are in the forefront. And I don’t think that’s somebody that I am in real life. I think that I’m
COLONY — “98 Seconds” Episode 103 — Pictured: Peter Jacobson as Proxy Alan Snyder — (Photo by: Danny Feld/USA Network)
generally a more, you know, sort of a positive and friendly and nice person and I’m not playing a lot of those guys. And I’m not quite sure why. I think it’s been funny and fun and interesting but definitely Peter Jacobson is not a power-hungry, you know, philandering asshole lawyer. I’m just – I’m a nice guy and I love being with people. And I think people who know me and love me think of me as a pretty friendly, fun person. And strangely that’s not who I’m playing.
Greg Staffa: Thank you.
Operator: The next question is a follow-up from Robin Burks with Tech Times. Please proceed with your question.
Robin Burks: Hello again.
Peter Jacobson: Hi.
Robin Burks: Last week, you know, we saw the first major death on the series, which was (Phyllis).
Peter Jacobson: Yes.
Robin Burks: How is that going affect the Transitional Authority and how will that affect Snyder going forward?
Peter Jacobson: Well there will be — certainly — ripples in terms of who’s in what position of authority. I will act to fill that vacuum. I already did. I put (Will) in her position. So already we begin, you know, the ripple effects to her death. It’s certainly the death that motivates Snyder in a big way because the shocking nature of somebody of that status being, you know, killed in the Green Zone — the place where we’re all supposed to be protected — you know, just shows how potentially more dangerous the Resistance is and can be.
So Snyder’s got that very much on his mind and it really does propel him forward in terms of the actions that he takes and also the fears and concerns that he has that fuel those actions. So it was a very pivotal moment. And again we’ll see that in the more intense, personal, human level – the ways in which it’s playing out for Snyder in this episode tomorrow night when, you know, three people stuck in the same spot under these intense circumstances. There’s going to be a lot of sparks flying and a lot of – frankly, a lot more honesty than what we’ve seen so far.
Robin Burks: Great. I look forward to seeing it. Thank you.
Peter Jacobson: Good. Thanks.
Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, we do have time for more questions. As a reminder, if you’d like to register please press 1,4. The next question is a follow-up from the line of Erin Conrad from – with Three If by Space. Please proceed with your question.
Erin Conrad: Hi again, Peter.
Peter Jacobson: Hi, Erin.
Erin Conrad: Hi. I wanted to ask you. You’ve done a lot of stage and some feature film work. What do you prefer — TV, film, or stage — and why?
Peter Jacobson: TV and film are more similar. Stage is a completely different animal. I started out doing nothing but stage and it was my first love as an actor. And it’s been a long time since I’ve been doing it. And I miss it but I love, love, love doing film and television — much more television than film for me — in the last few years. I just love the intimacy of it. I like the schedule better. I like the money better.
But mostly it’s just a much more internal process and it’s quieter and it feels more real. And that’s just something that I’ve – as I’ve gotten older and stayed in TV I’ve just really begun to love and appreciate even, you know, more and more as I go. It’s just – it feels very, very intimate and I like that. It, it just – some of the more – the artifice of the theater — of making sure that you’re out there projecting every night and hitting your mark and doing it for a paying audience — is thrilling.
But for some reason that’s not been as exciting to me as the sort of – again, the immediacy of TV as in – you always get the, you know, you get the chance to do it over again in the moment, which is nice. The bummer is that once you’re done, you’re done. That scene is over forever. And in theater you get to try again the next night and make it better.
Erin Conrad: That’s interesting. And if you come to Chicago let me know and I’ll take you out for a drink.
Peter Jacobson: Thank you. I don’t know when I’m coming back, but hopefully soon. I’ve got a lot of family there.
Erin Conrad: That would be great.
Peter Jacobson: All right. Take care.
Erin Conrad: Thanks.
Peter Jacobson: All right.
Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, to register for a question, you may press 1,4. The next question comes – is a follow-up from the line of Greg Staffa with Your Entertainment Corner. Please proceed with your question.
Greg Staffa: You said that you wrapped filming for this season. Can you give us some insight on some future projects that you’re working on?
Peter Jacobson: I am currently playing a recurring role on The Americans — as I mentioned as a show that I like. And that’s – I like it even more now that I’m on it. And we’re – my character comes on the end of the fourth season, which – and so I’ve been doing that for the last few weeks and I’ve got a few more weeks on that. And just, you know, poking around looking for other stuff to fill the gaps until we get revved up again for Colony.
Greg Staffa: Thank you.
Operator: The next question is a follow-up from the line of James Hamilton with Geekstronomy. Please proceed with your question.
James Hamilton: Hello again.
Peter Jacobson: Hi.
James Hamilton: I’m just curious. Now, characters such as Snyder eventually get their comeuppance. Out of whose hands would you like to see him go?
Peter Jacobson: That’s a good question. I’m so lost in the righteousness of Snyder’s – of what Snyder’s doing that it’s hard for me to, you know, break outside enough to see –
COLONY — “Geronimo” Episode 105 — Pictured: Peter Jacobson as Proxy Alan Snyder — (Photo by: Isabella Vosmikova/USA Network)
and see him going in any way, shape, or form. He feels immortal to me at the moment. But in terms of the characters, I mean, I’m – I really do think that (Katie) is – I mean, I just – she’s so – all these characters are beautifully drawn but I just, you know, again, her conviction and the intensity with which she pursues what she wants and what she thinks is right in the face of everything she’s up against just as a, you know, as a fellow, you know, as a fellow person who is that committed. I would find it honorable to go at the hands of (Katie).
James Hamilton: Okay. Thank you.
Operator: Miss Tucker, there are no further questions at this time. I will turn the call back to you.
Megan Tucker: Yes. Thank you. I just wanted to remind the group, thank you all for joining today. And after this call you will be receiving an email with photos and a Colony clip. And just wanted to see if anyone had any other questions. We have some time left today.
Operator: Again, to register for a question please press 1, 4. One moment.
Megan Tucker: We’ll also have a transcript being sent out following this call.
Operator: And we do have a follow-up question from the line of Erin Conrad with Three If by Space. Please proceed with your question.
Erin Conrad: Hi. I’m all full of questions today.
Peter Jacobson: My fellow Chicagoan. Of course.
Erin Conrad: What do you think you — Peter — would do if you were in this kind of a situation? You know. All of like to think…
Peter Jacobson: Right.
Erin Conrad: …we know we – ourselves one way or another.
Peter Jacobson: Right. I like – yes. I like to think that I’d, you know, I’d do something heroic. I know my first, you know – first and foremost I would be doing whatever I could do to make sure my family was okay. And my sense is that the Gray Zone in the situation like this is what’s more dominant — that people are doing what they can to protect themselves and their loved ones — but that, you know, we’re not – that most people would not be, you know, heroes or villains. That they would sort of live in that mid-range where you do what you have to do to get by and, you know , and what I think is beautiful about the show is that it’s not, you know – there’s certain mundane quality to life, you know, under this occupation.
Obviously the terror is always there. But on a daily basis you just, you know, most – I would guess most people are just sort of trying to function. And certainly in the show, the extremities are who we’re dealing with — from, you know, (Will) and (Katie) and Snyder and all the others — the Resistance and those who are collaborating. But, you know, in the middle there is where most people — I think — in real life would live. Where I would just be, you know, save my family, try to get by. Don’t be a hero.
Erin Conrad: Yes. Yes. One of the things that intrigues me about this show is the way morality seems to slip past some people at this point.
Peter Jacobson: Right.
Erin Conrad: With the government basically saying “It’s okay to be a jerk. It’s okay to hurt your fellow man.” You know.
Peter Jacobson: Right.
Erin Conrad: “Go ahead.” And…
Peter Jacobson: Right. Right.
Erin Conrad: That’s a…
Peter Jacobson: And how would you respond to that? How would, you know – with those shifting social mores, how would, you know – what would you do?
Erin Conrad: Right. Right. I think that’s – it’s an interesting question that the producers have begun to ask.
Peter Jacobson: One of many. Yes. I agree with you.
Erin Conrad: Great.
Peter Jacobson: All right.
Erin Conrad: I don’t want to monopolize if other people (unintelligible)…
Peter Jacobson: That’s all right. It’s lovely talking to you.
Erin Conrad: You too.
Peter Jacobson: Nobody else is, every – they’re all done.
Erin Conrad: Well then, I’ll ask another quick question. If you were going to put Snyder’s motivations into a chart where do you…
Peter Jacobson: Into a church?
Erin Conrad: …think things would – to a chart.
Peter Jacobson: Oh. A chart.
Erin Conrad: Where would you put, like, a fear of the house? Your self-serving belief that you’re the best choice to help people like somebody else would be worth and your enjoyment of being in that kind of a high position. Where do you think those three and maybe others – where do they fall?
Peter Jacobson: I think enjoyment is number one. Even though he’s smart and he’s
COLONY — “In From the Cold” Episode 108 — Pictured: (l-r) Ally Walker as Helena, Peter Jacobson as Proxy Alan Snyder — (Photo by: Isabella Vosmikova/USA Network)
terrified of what could be around the corner and who’s up there. That’s the sort of – that’s the neat part about Snyder, is that all three of those things are very there. You sort of hit it on the head. You know. What, you know, what he’s made up of. But my feeling is that it – what’s cool about him is that, you know, you really have this sense that he just loves being in this situation. And I love playing that. That’s fun.
Erin Conrad: Yes. Definitely from tomorrow night’s episode you get that feeling.
Peter Jacobson: Yes. Good. Good. Good.
Erin Conrad: Well, thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Peter Jacobson: All right. Thank you. Take care.
Operator: The next question is a follow-up question from the line of Greg Staffa with Your Entertainment Corner. Please proceed with your question.
Greg Staffa: You’ve been on many different shows. You’ve guest-starred on many different shows. Is there a particular genre that you find yourself drawn to? And is there any guest stars that you would love to have visit Colony or that you’d love to work with?
Peter Jacobson: That’s a good question. I don’t think that, I mean, I don’t think I have a particular genre that I’m always itching for. I mean, I think that I’d – if there was a – if I ever had a chance to do something like, you know, be a cowboy or, you know, ride off into the sunset or, you know, something like that — something that I’m so – would never do — that’s always fun. You know. All of the sudden you getting that chance to do something that is so outside your wheelhouse. Not that there are that many cowboy shows out there.
But I just mean something like, even like Game of Thrones where, you know, it’s just not what people would normally think of me as and when I don’t normally think of myself in that world. That’s the world I want to try to be in, which was what kind of neat about, you know, about Colony was – here’s a guy with a lot of power who can be a real asshole. He’s in charge. Why is this guy in charge? That was what’s exciting. I didn’t anticipate that that would be the kind of role that, you know, I would be drawn to or that others would be drawn to me in terms of playing it. That was a long-winded answer to the first part. What was the second part of your question?
Greg Staffa: Anyone that you would love to work with.
Peter Jacobson: Oh. God.
Greg Staffa: You know a good reputation as a great actor. Is there anyone that you kind of like, “Ooh. I’d love to work with”?
Peter Jacobson: Oh. So many. I literally can’t even begin to – I mean, that, you know – that was one of those, like, being on Colony is like “Oh. This – it’s (Kathy Baker) this
COLONY — “Geronimo” Episode 105 — Pictured: Peter Jacobson as Proxy Alan Snyder — (Photo by: Isabella Vosmikova/USA Network)
week. And well, there’s Carl Weathers and, you know, and Paul Guilfoyle. People who, you know, I had known and respected and love their work and, you know, was sort of, you know, fascinated by for a long time. And here I am working with them. It’s just, I – you know, that’s the thing. I’ve been around for long enough now that I’ve seen and met so many great actors and I – it’s just hard to pinpoint one. It’s, you know, (Dee Moore) is, like, you know, like a superstar. Like, I would love to, you know, have
Robert Duvall or Al Pacino show up. But I don’t think they’re going to be playing guest on a TV show anytime soon.
Greg Staffa: Sure. Thank you.
Operator: Miss Tucker, there are no further questions at this time. I’ll turn the call back to you.
Megan Tucker: Great. Thank you. Well, I just wanted to say another thank you to Peter for taking time today to chat with everyone. And…
Peter Jacobson: My pleasure. Thank you, everybody.
Be sure to watch Colony Thursday nights at 10 pm only on USA Network
