Exclusive: Being Human’s Sam Witwer on Aidan’s Addiction, Losing Everyone He Loves, and Lots More
Steve Barton
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Syfy’s “Being Human” is officially in its third season with more twists and turns than the scariest roller coaster ride, and Dread Central recently got to talk one-on-one with some of the amazing cast from the show as a supplement to the Q&A’s we recently posted.
First up is Sam Witwer, who plays the hunky but not glittery vampire Aidan Waite. Read on to learn more!
AMANDA DYAR: Obviously, Season 2 of “Being Human” ended with Aidan stuck in a precarious situation with some unfinished business with Mother. Would you have liked to see the two characters meet one final time during the new season, and how do you think that confrontation would’ve gone down had it happened?
SAM WITWER: Well, on one hand that might have been nice. It also might have been violent, and I don’t know if that’s ultimately satisfying. Last year I pushed for Aidan to get his psychological licks in before they locked him in the coffin… That line about, “You killed the only person who ever loved you.” I think with that we’ve probably gotten all the revenge we needed, even if we think we want more. And she dies shortly after. Most likely in misery.
For Aidan’s evolution as a character, having him come out of the coffin, planning to tear her head off, and then to learn that she’s dead, I think that leaves the character off balance, yet in a place where he has room to ask some interesting questions of himself. And in the [third] season you’ll see that.
AMANDA: As Season 3 of the show begins, things are looking pretty grim for Aidan’s blood brothers. How do you believe Aidan would react to becoming the last of his kind if the virus were to kill off all vampires but him? Also, with the virus spreading, will it allow Aidan to cope with the recent sad moments of his life by realizing everything happens for a reason?
SAM: The virus – It ain’t a good thing. We’ve barely scratched the surface here. This is a story that lasts. So here you have this guy who’s trying to go clean and hates his old “drug buddies,” the vampires. He goes under for a year and a half and comes back, and they’re all dead. It’s a “be careful what you wish for” situation because while that particular demographic is very harmful to his development, they’re also the only people on the planet who truly understand what he’s going through, and there are many that he cared about!
Take Bishop. He’s gone… And while there were scenes of animosity between Bishop and Aidan, I think it’s very clear that these two men cared very much for each other. It’s the same thing here but on a cultural level. There was shame there, but there was also comfort and familiarity and family.
As for coping with loss, that, too, lasts all season. I’m very happy to say that. Not because I wanna see the poor guy suffer, but because this character is about loss, and how fascinating might it be to go to the very center of that. I really shouldn’t say more. This is an important season for my character. Just wait.
AMANDA: Aidan has seemingly the worst luck of any characters on “Being Human” with some of the saddest parts of his life coming in bunches during his time as a vampire. Do you see any event that could make the character reach a breaking point and give up on his nice streak?
SAM: That’s always a danger with this guy. He’s a recovering drug addict. Sure. That is where we focused out attention in Season 1. Well, he’s also (figuratively and literally) a soldier back from war. How does something like that change you? How do you even attempt to re-assimilate into civilian life? It would be so much easier to be the person he’s been trained to be rather than the man he was… or wants to be.
What’s wonderful about that tension is that it plays out to maximum effect around “civilians.” And when I say “civilians” in the context of our show, I suppose I mean human beings. Last season he was around vampires. This season it’s all human all the time.
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AMANDA: With the numerous vampire films and television shows around today, do you feel any added pressure to make Aidan stand out above all of the other bloodsuckers? What do the writers and you bring to the character of Aidan to make him distinguished in the crowded horror and supernatural genres?
SAM: I don’t watch those shows so I really couldn’t tell you. I just try to inhabit the character honestly and with as much craft as I can bring to it. With the exception of the mythology of my show, I really don’t know much about vampires beyond Bela Lugosi or maybe Christopher Lee…
How our show stands out, I would think, is that (especially this year) it’s far more interested with issues like, “How do we pay rent?” or “Dude, your girlfriend moved in? Were you gonna ask me?!” The show is called “Being Human” after all. My character is a drug addict; we happen to call him a vampire. We’re not trying to make a supernatural show. We’re making a show about some lonely people who have only ever wanted to live normal lives. That’s the heart of it.
Look for more from the cast of “Being Human” soon, and be sure to tune in next Monday, February 4th, for Episode 3.04, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Die.” All images courtesy of NBC Universal, Inc.
For more visit “Being Human” on Syfy.com, join the Syfy Google+ circle, “like” “Being Human” on Facebook, and follow “Being Human” on Twitter.
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