The Librarians kicks off tonight on Syfy in the UK and it promises to be a show that you won’t want to miss.
The show centres around a secret organisation hidden in the depths of the Metropolitan Public Library. Charged with protecting the world from magical threats (among other terrifying and mysterious things), The Librarians must go to any lengths to keep the peace – and they’ve got their work cut out! They must solves impossible mysteries, fights supernatural nasties and recovers powerful artefacts, including the Ark of the Covenant, the Spear of Destiny and Excalibur.
We caught up with Christian Kane, one of the stars of the show, to find out more about it, talk about what attracted him to the role, and to discuss other aspects of his impressive career.
What can you tell us about the series?
It’s Indiana Jones with a lot of magic. It’s a childhood dream for me because any time Harrison Ford does a movie, to do a spinoff, it’s unbelievable. Noah Wyle has done an amazing job of paving the road for us and we’re very fortunate to be walking where he walked.
Were you a big fan of those adventure films and series growing up?
I was, yes, and it will be ten years to the day that the first The Librarian came out, so it’s not as if we’re creating a new show but it’s for The Librarian fans out there. We kind of get to pick up where it was left off which is fun.
You play Jake Stone, what can you tell us about his character?
Jake Stone is a little bit ahead of his time. He’s from Oklahoma, which is where I’m from. He’s a little shy about talking about the fact that he’s so smart. Being from Oklahoma, that’s not so cool. In Oklahoma, it’s cool to whoop somebody’s arse and drink a beer, but now he’s around all these other intelligent people, he’s opening up and realising it’s okay to be who he is.
Was it that character that drew you to the series?
It was John Rogers that drew me to the role. I’m still uncomfortable playing this role because I’m not so used to being the smart guy. I’m used to being the other Oklahoma guy who does drink beer! But it’s fun as an actor because you get to challenge yourself every day. The reason I was drawn to this role was because John Rogers has written this role and anything he does, I want to say his words. So playing Jake Stone was a stretch for me and the fact that I get to say John Rogers’ words was the reason I was drawn to the series.
The series has a fantastic ensemble cast. What was it like behind the scenes?
It was great. I’ve known Noah Wyle for a number of years so we’re old friends and he’s a good guy. He’s actually my boss! I played Rebecca Romijn’s brother in King and Maxwell a year earlier so we kind of have this brother / sister relationship which is great going into the show because I think our characters were also the closest in the show. They fight like cat and dog but they still like each other and we’re like that in real life!
What would you say makes The Librarians different from the big sci-fi shows out there like it at the moment?
This is definitely a sci-fi show. What’s beautiful about it is that the real world is becoming a bad place, but for an hour a week you can transport yourself out of your own life and come and live in ours for a little bit. This is why I’m an actor and a fan of this genre because we want to get out of our world. I remember as a kid watching Star Trek and for an hour I got to not be me anymore and transported into another world and realm that made me happy. The Librarians does that and I think that’s what we’re trying to do.
You’ve had some great roles over the years and people often talk about your role as Lindsey in Angel. Was that show really important to you in your career as an actor?
It was and Joss Whedon – as much as he tried to kill me! I stuck around for 5 years. He tried to kill me like 5 times and me and David Boreanaz were the only two actors that were in the pilot and the final episode. I owe Joss Whedon and I can’t talk about him enough. He gave me a life in this business and I’ll never be able to repay him. He created Christian Kane!
We understand you’re a musician too – are you still doing that?
I actually haven’t had a lot of time to get out and play so I’ve been writing and we have some new songs and in 2015 I promise we will be back out there.
How would you describe your fans?
My fans are rabid and crazy and I love each and every one of them. You have to be crazy in order to hang with me because I’m the same way so it’s been a blessing! I’ll meet people out on the road who are as insane as I am. Just crazy in love with the movement and the music as I am! If you meet any of my fans you’ll see they are an extension of me.
What are you doing for Christmas this year?
I’m going to rent an RV and I’m going to drive across the states from LA to Oklahoma to see my family with my dog. I can’t fly with my dog because he’s like a wolf but the sweetest dog in the world – I love him so much.
The Librarians starts on Monday 8 December at 8pm on Syfy. Watch the trailer for the show below:
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