Around 8:57 last night, I had a brief flash of panic: What if they cut my part down? I’m going to feel like the biggest jackass in history!
It was like that moment when you’re on a roller coaster, just before the chain catches and starts to pull you up the first hill: Is this going to be fun, or is it going to make me sick? But then the show started, and all I could do was watch.
I will admit that I felt my face flush when I saw my name on the screen. Anne and the kids cheered, and my stomach filled with butterflies. That was cool.
The show really reflected what I read in the script, almost word-for-word and beat-for-beat. I had forgotten that that is pretty common in television: so many people have to sign off on the story and dialogue that there is little change between what we shoot on the set and what the audience finally sees. It’s totally different in movies (theatrical or television) where the director and producers usually have much more time to cut something together, and there’s always a little bit of mystery about what is (and isn’t) going to finally make it into the final cut. Anyway, I mention it because I’d totally forgotten that’s how it is in television.
I knew that Walter was in the “B” story, and I knew that I only had a few scenes, so I relaxed. The only way they’d seriously cut my scenes down is if I just sucked out loud on the set, and I was fairly sure I didn’t.
When they found the shoe imprint under the kid’s window, Ryan turned to me and he said, “Oh! I totally know you did it, because that’s a Converse imprint!”
Before I could answer, Nolan said, “They had you wear your own shoes?”
“No,” I said. “I wore Converse from the wardrobe department that were exactly like mine but covered with dirt and oil and junk. It was funny to me that I’d take off my shoes each morning, and put on the exact same shoes, only dirty.”
“SHH!” Anne said. Apparently she was watching the show.
The show rolled on, and we all laughed out loud during the “only geeks say ‘da bomb'” scene. I guess I’m not a real geek, because I don’t think I’ve ever said “da bomb.” And if I do, I hope someone hits me in the back of the head so it never happens again.
I knew it would be a long time before I was on screen, but it still felt like an eternity . . . until someone mentioned “that creepy homeless guy” and my family cheered again.
“Oh! I know that guy!” I said, and laughed with them as my nerves started to get worked up again.
Then, suddenly, George and Gary drove into the park, and there was crazy Walter in his little tent.
I thought I looked a little chubby in my face (thank you, Stone Brewing company) but the real volatility that I was hoping for was definitely there. After they walked me off to the police car, Nolan said, “Man, that was scary!”
“It was cool, though,” Ryan said.
“Thanks, you guys.”
Couple of things about that scene:
- That was the first scene I filmed in the show, and I turned the excited “I can’t fucking believe I get to do this!” energy into “My! Name! Is! Walter!” and “It’s Mine!” Heh.
- We had to race to get it filmed, because the skies were really threatening to tear themselves open and rain all over us.
- They cut the scene before I got thrown into the police car, but on one of the takes, Joe Kelly threw me into the car so violently I flew across the seat and slammed my head into the door on the other side. In addition to the ringing in my ears, I got to enjoy the stabbing of a thousand wig pins. It really hurt, but because we were all worried about the rain, I didn’t say anything about it to anyone. I just quietly asked my costumer if she could hook me up with some Advil, which she did. So Walter’s totally hopped up on Advil in that scene.
- I had bruises for several days on my arms and in my ribs from struggling against the cops when they pulled me out of my cool little tent.
- Though it was on screen for about 22 seconds, it took close to two hours to shoot that sequence.
- We shot it in a park in The Valley, about a quarter of a mile from the location where the murdered kid’s house was.
Oh shit, it’s 11am. I haven’t showered yet, and I have to be at the Grand Slam Star Trek convention in 30 minutes.
It feels anti-climactic to stop this entry here, but I’ll write about the rest of the show later today or over the weekend.
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heh. You iz DA BOMB.
I could be even sillier and say you iz TEH BOMBXORZ, but that would be stupid on top of geeky.
…
Who am I kidding. I’m both.
You iz teh BOMBXORZ.
and one hoopy frood.
Television Without Pity had a great comment on your scene, and since they are pretty hard to please – I would definitely be proud!
http://www.televisionwithoutpity.com/story.cgi?show=15&story=7639
(The CSI recaplet for this week)
Damn, i wish i could see that show here in Holland 🙁 Bummer. Well cheers to you Wil ! Maybe i’ll see a bootleg or something from the net.
I really love reading about the “behind the scenes” stuff. I love hearing about what was cut, how long it took, and what was a happy accident. I particularly like hearing about you watching yourself with your family. This is this coolest crawl into an actor’s head since “Being John Malkovich”.
Wil, you’re a great actor, at least I think you are. For all I know you coulda been on crack when you filmed it, but you rocked the screen. Sorry about those bruises they gave you, but guess it’s part of the perks. 🙂
Kroeme
You can say “da bomb”… I’ll still think your cool…..
All in all… I was “hella” impressed..
Geeks can say “hella” right?
just think wil…in a parallel universe…if you were single…somehow ended up in vegas…and lost big at poker…you could be walter…not!.
i really liked the show…and especially enjoyed your performance…it was so cool hearing from the actor himself…what really goes on to make a scene happen in a television show…fewer people would want to be an actor if they really knew the truth…and you had the bruises to prove it.
you were da bomb diggity last night, yo.
seriously though.
Wil, you rocked! I don’t watch CSI, but I tuned in, anxiously awaiting your appearance. And you were fabulous. I hope this leads to many more roles (hopefully not all pyschos, though).
I recorded the show on my computer last night so I could watch it this weekend. It’s actually the first time I’ve even considered watching CSI. I wonder if their ratings were abnormally high just because of your appearance.
wait a second, is that guy up there joking? because i just wrote wil an email asking him where the hell keith coogan has been?
a.b.multi has it CSI.517 in HDTV, getting it now, will behold and be amazed 🙂
Hey Wil, Great job on the Show. I really was hoping you would have more but hey, what can ya do. I wrote up a smallish review on my Blog (for what it’s worth)
-Wizzer
Well. ‘Da bomb’ is out now? Weird because I thought it was out years ago.
That show was ‘da bomb’ Wil, and your performance was pretty damn cool/creepy/intense (all in a positive way). I hope to see you on a number of other great shows as ‘Guest Star’ in the near future (are you listening producers/writers/etc out there?)
I pity da foo who mocks using old cache phrases.
Now this may not be PC in the US nowadays with the Terminator in office, but have your agents been looking for parts for you up in mighty Vancouver yet? Lots of stuff going on up here, and plenty of opportunity for cool actors such as yourself I’d be willing to bet. Check into it Wil, I’d love to see you come do some work up here and as a side ‘job’ you could do some appearances/readings in the bookstores – that would be a thrill for your Canuck fans (you have a lot of them).
Here’s to more roles for the mighty Wheaton – a comedy next???!!
That was some excellent moments. I didn’t recognize it was Wil until the interrogation scene, and only due to the voice. Man, you play a crazed psycho homeless crackhead very well. Maybe this “happy life with wife and kids” is all a ploy, a cunning ploy to fool us, Mr. Wheaton… 🙂
Great work Wil! Last night I watched my first episode of CSI, and the only reason I watched it was because of you. I thought you really nailed the role of Walter the crazy homeless guy. Cheers!
Since you were in different storylines, I doubt you were on set at the same time as Stephen Baldwin. That’s too bad — it may have made for an interesting encounter. I had the random experience of sitting next to “Stevie B” on a flight about a year back and he told me all about his (right-wing conservative) politics and tried to get me to accept Jesus Christ as my Personal Savior. We talked for the entire flight (about 3 hours) and the conversation was weirdly fascinating and riveting. My politics are similar to yours, so you might have found him equally entertaining.
Wil, I just have to say that I was more excited to see CSI last night then you. For one, it was my birthday last night and me and my partner sat there and cheered when we saw your name. And when you came on it was great you did a great job. BTW Barrie said that he didn’t realize how deep your voice has gotten since ST:TNG. And we really liked your part. We pride ourselves on figuring out CSI before it’s over and were surprised that it was obivious as it was. Still you ROCKED!!! Can’t wait for the next part…Thanks for the BD present!
Hey Wil, you did awesome job on CSI. “Finder’s Keepers!!”
Wil, I’m not a geek but I wanted to know more about blogs so I started looking them up online.. I was ‘told’ that Wil Wheaton had the best example of a blog so I started reading.. and quickly got hooked. I LOVE your writing. It is so expressive and very human! I haven’t read your books yet but they are in my top 10 list. Now after watching you last night I will have to move them up.
Never watched CSI before but had to after reading all about it here on your blog.
Wonderful performance… only down side was it was such a small part. I hope to see you in more and soon!
OMFG, if I hadn’t known you were going to be on the show, I would have totally not recognized you. That was some great acting, there.
And I’m really glad you didn’t get the smarmy hotel clerk. It’d really be Wesley Crusher in a suit and tie instead of a uniform. I think the backlash could have been hurendous if you had that role. It seems to me this part really gave you a chance to prove yourself as an actor. Not that I’d know anything about that. What would be really nice is to see what you could have done if this was a cable show, you know? Just to be able to go off, that’d be great.
Overall, wonderful, wonderful job!
ummm… first time responder long time reader?
Just had to say No fair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had to work yet was really excited about seeing this episode… So I set my trusty replay to record all 3 CSI episodes listed for the 10th. Can you believe it? The last one was it!!! I eagerly leapt into my comfy chair and hit play. Great episode! I was enthralled! I WAS DISMAYED!!!! I get to the part where everyone’s lining up for the “whack a mole” experiment… and my replay stopped there….
heheh this is really killing me to miss the final part, so if anyone can give me a synopsis of the ending heck or just write it in story mode, it’d make me ecstatic!!!
you so rocked on CSI last night. I loved your character and I really hope this role brings all kinds of awesome new roles.
I also think it would be cool if CSI brought Walter back 🙂
Wil,
I totally threw you the goat when your name came up in the credits.
And you acted circles around Stephen Baldwin, even though you never shared any scenes.
One of my friends said today that she totally didn’t recognize it was you when they pulled Walter out of the tent.
Good job. Very believable performance.
My wife mentioned that Walter looked a little too “well fed” to be homeless. Although, I suppose Walter could have been recently homeless…
It was a good performance. Nice job.
Excellent job, Wil. Having dodged plenty of Crazy Homeless Guys on the Green Line, I think you got it. Just one question: no facial hair? Just about every CHG has a beard that’s so massive it could apply to the World Bank for development loans and foreign aid. Was that a wardrobe decision for character or for practical (ie no one could see your mouth) reasons?
What I’m taking away from this post: Wil Wheaton thinks he looked chubby on CSI. Just can’t let yourself have an untarnished happy moment, eh? If Joss Whedon were scripting your life, this failing might make more sense.
******For those who missed the show*******
http://chantellejoy.brianblades.com/videos/
You can download the fill minute-and-a-half of wil’s screentime!!!
(Wil, if you want to mention this in your blog, you’re more than welcome to).
First time CSI viewer. Loved the performance. “MY SWEATER!”
Sorry for geeking out, but I want more ‘Walter’ in the future!
‘Finders Keepers’
new meme
Good job, Wil.
And, your page on Wikipedia has been updated to show your CSI episode. Even has a picture of you as ‘Walter!’
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wil_Wheaton
I don’t usually watch CSI because I can’t stand storylines where children get killed. My heart hurts when I see hurt children, even though it is fiction. I made an exception for you 🙂 (And of course your storyline involved a kid-ouch)
I actually had butterflies for you! It wasn’t needed, because you were awesome! Good work!! I hope this opens doors for you so we can see you more on the tube or on the screen. 😉
Hi Wil, my daughter (14) and I were holding our breath the entire episode waiting for Walter to show up! And, boy, was it worth the wait! You were so demented acting, and if “we” all didn’t know it was YOU, I would’ve wanted more “Walter” anyhow!
Nice! Walter was awesomely crazy.
We both wanted more of you in the episode…instead of “more cowbell!”, we wanted “more Wil”!
Thanks for sharing with us all.
Yeah, I kinda noticed the no-beard feature, too, but he was so filthy that it was not tooo much of a distraction. Maybe Walter is not as old as we think he is, or maybe he has a hormone imbalance from the drugs that moves all his facial hair to the top of his head. ^_^
Well, I have to say that Wil was worth the wait. I have never watched an original episode of CSI before, apparently like so many others who wrote before me here, today. As it went on, I kept wondering, “where is walter?” There was part of me that hoped the whack a mole proved Walter to be the murderer, just so they would have to do further questioning… and so that jack-a** detective would be wrong. I learned two things last night… Wil has still got “it”. “It” being Intensity and Tenacity. Even more so than when he was on Trek. I will be posting a review on my journal. Check it out. http://www.livejournal.com/users/jayep/
It must’ve been Wil Wheaton day yesterday, CHCO TV in Kitchener, Ontario ran “The Light Brigade” ep of Outer Limits in the a.m.
Congrats on your CSI work!
I! Loved! Walter!
Man you’re scary when you want to.
Hope there are more (and bigger) parts out there for you in the future.
I! Loved! Walter!
Man you’re scary when you want to.
Hope there are more (and bigger) parts out there for you in the future.
Now back to watching The Yes Men, that’s one frickin hilarious movie.
Just watched my first episode of CSI ever, and I quite enjoyed it. Apart from the oh so cringe worthy ‘background extraction’ nonsense! Cutting edge? grr.
Gave a little cheer when Wil’s name came up, and a louder cheer when Wil turned up. Kudos to you man. Full on mentalist homeless guy. The screen time was a damn travesty when they spent so long with the slow camera pans and background music, but what ya gonna do?
Saying “WHUT?!” whilst shaking and scratching my hand is my new favorite way of freaking people out.
I rarely get stage fright myself, but I was so nervous for you, Wil, that I had to have a drinkie before I watched the show last night. You were so great and scary – and that energy – wow! Huge congratulations!
I’m glad I set my VCR, I wasn’t home when it was on, but I did watch it about 3 this morning. I enjoyed the story that involved Walter, wasn’t too crazy about the other one. Walter was “da bomb” (sorry, had to throw it in).
Hey Wil,
Great performance! I didn’t recognize you at all when they pulled you out of the tent. I might not be they first person to tell you this…but you are a very convincing crazy person.
🙂 Maya
. . . I soooooo wanted to see this – and I’m without tv and “watch tv at their house pals”. is there anyone out there that knows where I can view this now that it has aired – did anyone taped it? I’ll happily pay you for a copy . . . I don’t want to leave my email address on this very public site, but it’s clearly visable on my blog is you jump over there . . . 🙂 Katherine
Wil, I was so excited for you while watching last nights CSI. Heck, I cheered when I saw your name in the credits! :o) After reading your books and blog, it was like seeing a friend of mine on tv!!! I giggled with delight (I’m a chick, we’re allowed to do that!) Most excellent job on Walter – glad you got that role instead of the creepy hotel clerk role. And I love reading about your experience in filming so have fun at the convention and hurry back okay!?!?!?………anxiously awaiting the continuing story of the CSI experience……Melanie
Wil, congratulations on your appearance in CSI. The best compliment I can give you is that while your character was on screen, I wasn’t thinking “Cool! Wil’s here!”, more like “This guy really creeps me out.”. What was particularly disturbing was the way Walter’s hands would skitter across whatever he was touching – it was your body language that sold the character, as well as your voice. Looking forward to seeing you in more stuff in the future.
My office manager and I were discussing the show today. She didn’t know you played Walter, I told her you did, the following conversation ensued:
“Nuh-uh. No way was that Wil Wheaton.”
“And I would be making this up because…?”
“I have no idea, you’re strange like that.”
“I’ll prove it to you.”
*I show her the blog*
“Ok…so, this isn’t the most right I’ve ever been.”
*She starts looking through the pics*
“Aww…he’s all grown up!”
*Click, click…wait for it…she finds the pic taken at the red light*
“GOOD GOD…he grew up RIGHT.”
*I giggle for the next five minutes*
Add me to the list of people-who-threw-the-goat-at-the-tv when your name was listed in the credits at the beginning of the show. Great job! I’ve been saying FINDER’S KEEPERS aloud since last night. It’s a new meme, I think.
Would love to stop by GrandSlam and throw the goat at you live and in person, but not sure that’ll happen. Have a great time this weekend!
Again, great job last night. I watched it again today and it was reallllllly well done. Totally stole the show.
Wil, just great is all I can say! I just wished there was more of you for the show but I am greatful for everything we got. I am just very curious what the ratings turned out to be for last night. It would be interesting to see if there was a nice jump in ratings when you are involved. Keep up the good work and you know if your on it, we will watch!