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Brian Krause
Proves Nice Guys Sometimes Do Finish First

Intervista di Chauncé Hayden
tratta da "Steppin' Out" del 14 giugno 2000

Southern California born actor Brian Krause, 28, has "charmed" his way into the otherwordly Halliwell household on the top-rated WB series "Charmed".
Krause portrays series regular, Leo, the handyman who serves as resident guardian angel to Prue (Shannen Doherty), Phoebe (Alyssa Milano), and Piper (Holly Marie Combs), Krause first rose to attention when he starred opposite Milla Jovovich in "The Return To The Blue Lagoon." Shortly thereafter he landed the lead role of Charles Brady in Stephen King's feline thriller "Sleepwalkers." Additional feature credits include "Breaking Free" with Jeremy London and Christine Taylor, "Naked Souls" opposite Pamela Anderson Lee, and "The Liars' Club" with Wil Wheaton.
In addition to his series regular work, Krause has starred on a number of series including "Walker: Texas Ranger" and HBO's "Tales From The Crypt," as well as a six month stint as Matthew Cory on the daytime drama "Another World."

Chauncé Hayden: Not only are you starring in the hit television series Charmed, but you also get to work alongside three of the most attractive women in Hollywood.

Brian Krause: Yeah, I'm feeling pretty lucky. It's great.

CH: How did you end up on the show?

BK: (Laughs) I have no idea! I feel so lucky just to be a part of it. I think my character brings reality to the girls. I tell them what to do and how to do it.

CH: You came to Charmed a star in your own right. However the selling point of the show is the three sisters. Does that ever frustrate you?

BK: No, because the whole premise of the show is the three sisters. I'd rather see them on a poster promoting the show than my ugly mug.

CH: How has Charmed changed your life?

BK: It's kept me very busy. Plus, when I'm not doing Charmed, I'm out there auditioning.

CH: What is it like working with Alyssa Milano, Shannen Doherty and Holly Marie Combs?

BK: The girls are great! They have a standard of professionalism that is wonderful. They like to come in and do it and get out of there. We're all pretty close. The girls have made everybody feel super comfortable and relaxed. They treat everybody as equals. It's really a great set.

CH: Shannen took some heavy hits from the tabloids during her years of Beverly Hills, 90210 as someone who's tough to work with. Well?

BK: She's really a super person. She makes you feel like you're important. She doesn't want anyone to feel intimidated by her presence. And all three of these women together have a huge presence. Their resumes are very impressive. They just make you feel comfortable. They're as funny as you can ever imagine. The set is really light. Nobody feels put off or like they shouldn't be there. Basically, it's all for the good of the show. So if you're for the show, then they're for you.

CH: Like about 50 million other guys, I grew up having a major crush on Alyssa Milano.

BK: You and me both.

CH: Is it surreal working with someone you watched grow up on television?

BK: She's wonderful as well. I watched her all the time on Who's The Boss? I watched them all, actually. So to work with them after watching them for so many years is pretty weird sometimes. I catch myself sitting back and watching them more than interacting with them.

CH: On Charmed, you play Holly's love interest. How does your wife feel about that?

BK: It takes a little extra special care sometimes. I have to confirm to my wife how much I love her. But my wife and Holly know each other from years back, and it's very professional. We don't get too personal.

CH: You've worked with some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, including Pamela Anderson and Milla Jovovich as well. So what's the deal? Did you sell your soul to the devil or something?

BK: (Laughs) I've been so lucky! I don't get it myself.

CH: And you're only 28 years old. And you're already married with a child.

BK: Yeah, it's pretty wild. My son has given me a whole new perspective on life. He's made me look at my life and place my responsibilities where they need to be.

CH: So what about your guy friends? Do they sound like me, asking a million questions about your costars?

BK: (Laughs) They want so badly to come to the set and meet the girls. They're always saying, "Come on!" Oh, man it's out of control! Every single one of them! That's all I get.

CH: Of course Charmed is based around witchcraft. Did you do any special research before taking the role?

BK: No, I didn't really read anything about witches. My character is based so much on reality, where for the girls it's a newfound power. For them, being witches is a new experience and lifestyle. But my character has been dealing with magic and all that stuff for over 50 years. So I try not to get too heavy with it. I try to think of being a "white lighter" as just being a normal job.

CH: Is there a lot of talk about witchcraft on the set?

BK: The girls have read some books, and I know they've done some investigating. They've even come up with some ideas for stories as far as where their powers could possibly take them. But our schedule is so fast once we start shooting that it doesn't lend much time to do any research from week to week.

CH: Do you ever go on the Internet and check out all the Web sites that are dedicated to Charmed?

BK: Yeah, I've seen a couple and it blows me away. I'm amazed by how much the show has taken off. Actually, I'm not.

CH: Why?

BK: Aaron Spelling has such a good eye for talent and brings in the best people, from the writers and producers all the way down. I have to say he was really smart putting the three girls together. He knew the right formula.

CH: What is the right formula?

BK: It's action, yet at the same time it's funny. It's dramatic, but it's not too heavy. I think they had a real winner just coming out of the gate.

CH: You've also starred in a number of films. Do you prefer television over film or vice versa?

BK: Basically, work is work. Whatever you have to do to keep yourself pumping. Is there a certain medium that I prefer to act in? Well, I would say I like the fact that in films, you have time to get everything exactly right. Television moves just too fast.

CH: I never could understand how an actor can remember all those lines from week to week. How do you do it?

BK: It can be overwhelming. I guess I'm good at it because of years of constantly doing it. I mean, I still have to stay up until two in the morning and hammer it out with my dog. But the girls come in and they just look at the script and they got it. That's how long they've been doing it. It's a snap for them. I know I would be the guy who always screws up. (Laughs) I was so afraid of that!

CH: I'm assuming you have friends who are celebrities and friends who aren't. Does it ever seem like two different worlds?

BK: Sometimes it does seem like two different worlds. There's a difference between events you have to go to at night and the places you hang out. But the friends that I have that are in the business are really down-to-earth guys. They still hang out with people they grew up with and so do I. Plus, if I ever get to far off in Hollywood land, my non-celebrity friends would kick my ass.

CH: Do you ever stop and think how remote the odds are of ever making it in Hollywood, and how fortunate you are?

BK: It's pretty crazy. From one end of the spectrum to the other, I feel so lucky to be able to do it all, from television to feature films. But I've also had my down times where I couldn't get arrested for 6 to 8 months at a time. I've struggled doing construction and electrical work.

CH: Do you ever worry that you'll go from starring in a hit television show to working a 9-to-5 blue collar job?

BK: Yeah! It's happened to me! A couple of years after my son was born, I wasn't working much, so I went and took a job as a bartender. I had to do what I had to do. And people would come up to the bar and yell, "Hey, I remember you from that television show!" or "Hey, I remember you from that film! What's the matter, can't you get work anymore?" It's always awkward. You feel like you have to explain yourself. It kind of brings your self-confidence down, to say the least. But it happens all the time.

CH: So where to you go from here?

BK: Right now, my plan is just to keep working and to get better at what I do. I watch these girls and they're all so amazingly talented. I learn so much from them about listening and acting. Of course, I'd like to eventually be in a situation where I can do anything I want to do. But without a doubt, life has been a real blessing. It really has.

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