triangle man, triangle man

So, uh . . . there’s a story about me in today’s New York Times.
Oh my god. The New York Times. And it’s incredible.
In 1000 words John Schwartz captures and communicates who I am, what I am, where I am, and (most importantly) why I am. I always hope that reporters will understand me, but John grokked me.
I spoke with John for about 90 minutes last week, and the story he wrote is in today’s edition of the Times: A Computer Is Also a Screen, Wil Wheaton Discovers.
I was going to buy the reprint rights so I could put it up here, but the Times wants $1,000 from me for a year, and as much as I’d like to spare you all the annoying-but-free registration, I think that money would be better spent on some bills. The bugmenot plugin for Firefox calls . . . 🙂 Update: or you can use this NYT-approved blog-friendly link. Thanks to countless e-mailers and commenters who pointed it out, and to Aaron Swartz who wrote the oh-so-useful code.
The absolute best part, the part that made me scream out in joy and run laps around my living room is:

Mr. Wheaton said that on the “CSI” set, he had to manage a potential conflict between his new writerly self and the professional actor. “It was unbelievably difficult for me the first two days I was working on the show to be very present,” he said. “They’d say ‘Cut!’ and I’d say, ‘I can’t wait to write about this!'”
If he was distracted, it didn’t show, said Duane Clark, the director of the episode. Mr. Wheaton had originally tried out for a smaller role, a hotel clerk. But after seeing his audition tape, Carol Mendelsohn, one of the executive producers, suggested giving him the meatier role of Walter, even though the writers had drawn him as an older alcoholic. A younger drug addict, she said, might prove more menacing, more interesting.
At first, Mr. Clark said, the writers said, “Wil Wheaton, a crack addict – are you nuts?” But Mr. Clark said that Mr. Wheaton brought “a lot of scary volatility” to the role.
“He really dug his teeth into it,” Mr. Clark said, “and on his own came up with a backstory of who Walter was.”
“He really filled out what could have been a caricature. ” he said.

Oh.
My.
God.
When I read that the producer and director believed in me, and the writers took a chance on me . . . well, I’m speechless.
And if all this wasn’t enough, John helps me put some nails into that “former child actor” coffin:

To Mr. Wheaton, the experience on “CSI” is proof, if any is needed, that he’s still in the game. “When you say a ‘former child star,’ you may as well say ‘failed child star,’ ” he said. “The fact is, Jodie Foster is a former child star. Ron Howard is a former child star. I am a former child star. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”

I can’t wait to watch CSI tonight, and see how I did. I haven’t been this excited to see something I did since the first screening of Stand By Me.

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204 thoughts on “triangle man, triangle man”

  1. this is awesome! as an afficianado of cop dramas, you are best freaked out, twitching, dreadlocked murderous hobo ever! baldwin is nothing next to you.

  3. This site is really fantastic. I just found it today.
    Awesome job on CSI. Your character kind of looked like Neil from “The Young Ones” (if you’re into British comedies from the 1980s).
    I think you and your site is great and I wish you and yours the absolute best.

  5. watching csi as i type. Great episode, and excellent acting. I just want to know one thing before this episode is over. Did you kill that little boy?

  6. Wow… that was great! Wish we had been able to see more of Wil, but damn – it was great seeing him on the screen even for just a few minutes.
    Dork Angel: I was kind of thinking some of the same – with a bit of Father Jack Hackett thrown in. Kept waiting for Walter to say, “Drink! Arse! Feck! Girls!”

  7. Just watched your performance on CSI. Great work! It must have been fun to beat up the camera with a pipe for the requisite “crime scene theory” sfx shot.

  8. Dude! I just saw it, and was thinking, “I know that voice… Who is that – WHA? That’s WIL! Holy crap, that psycho crackhead hobo is WIL WHEATON! And he was doing so well…” 🙂 But man, that was a good performance. Were it not for that definitive timbre of your voice I’d have been very hard-pressed to recognize you. Good job!

  9. Holy crap Wil!! I don’t watch CSI, but damn. That was just awesome. Oh, I left some crack under that bench in the park for ya. Yeah, that is how convinced I was.

  11. You make one unbelievably convincing crazy guy….That was so far on the opposite spectrum of the roles I’ve seen you in before. It makes me wish I lived closer to the west coast so I could see you perform in person!

  13. Well, I just saw the episode.
    Bra-vo! Even though I knew it was you, I still had no trouble believing it was Walter.
    Excellent job!
    Sauja

  14. Hi! Just watched my first ever CSI and … Wow. Great show, great Ep and GREAT ACTING WIL! I didn’t think your character did it, but like the one tech, I couldn’t wrap my mind around a kid killing his little brother.

  15. The fangirl part of me read this and screamed, “Look! Look at the awesomeness that is Wil Wheaton! Behold the special speciality of his specialness! Must print article, must find frame…”
    The snarky part of me? Wondered if one should really be all that excited about having one’s entire essence encapsulated in only 1000 words.
    I shut the bitch up with chocolate.
    Wil, you win at life.

  17. Wil had a pretty good performance tonight on CSI… I was kind of hoping for more scenes then what was shown… I didn’t think really get to see the character develop more than a few angry shouts – but that’s what happens when you introduce a character with only 25 minutes left on the clock :o)…
    Wil, was there anything that was cut that wasn’t shown tonight? I’m curious if there would have been more interaction that was reduced due to the time constraints…

  19. Just watched the episode, and this is my first reply to your blog. Just wanted to say that it was a great performance… My fiance kept saying, “He’s so cute.” I think she was refering to Wil’s ACTUAL appearance, but who knows, maybe she digs on that scuzzy homeless guy look…? I can’t wait to hear about all the ‘behind the scenes’ info and ‘deleted’ scenes…

  25. Nice job! And congrats on the NYT article. Well done. And, yes, you did look a little like Father Jack.
    Can’t wait to hear more about what you thought of the filming process.

  26. Well, Wil, I just finished watching your CSI episode and although I was disappointed that your role wasn’t bigger I was impressed with your portrayal of ‘Walter’. And OMG, I didn’t know your voice was that deep; of course the last time I saw you on TV was ST:TNG so I guess I’m not the most reliable judge. I have both your books and enjoy your writing; you’re the reason I started my blog. I look forward to seeing more of you on the screen, big or little.

  27. Freak’n fantastic.
    Walter scared the heck out of me.
    Loved the Walter voice. Very intense.
    Thanks Uncle Willie for doing such a
    great job. Best part of the show.

  29. Wil – terrific to see you on TV again. But I get the sense that you shot a lot more than made it into the final edit (reminded of the stunt you said you did, something to do with your hair…?) Can’t wait to hear your rundown.

  30. I’ve never watched a whole episode of CSI (okay I’ve never watched it), but I am so glad I did. I just wanted to stop back and say how awesome you were when I saw your performance.
    You.. dude. There are no words.
    Congrats, Wil. You must ne sooo proud.
    *Proud, too*

  31. NICE JOB WIL!!! I’m so proud! No one could have made that homeless guy any better then you!! Not only were you in my favorite Star Trek, you are in my favorite Crime Scene show!! Wow, that is great! You were wonderful!!!

  32. Okay, that totally rocked. I mean, we aren’t talking Oscar level, it was just too short. It WAS really, really creepy.
    I mean, you totally nailed “frakked-up crackhead”. If I hadn’t known it was you, I totally would have missed it, until the part where the detective asked when you found the shirt. That was really good work. Good enough that I can’t honsetly say that i would have recognized you if I hadn’t KNOW it was you from the beginning.
    I’m no actor, so i don’t know what it’s like on the inside. I don’t know if you had much of clue how short the apearance would be. Judging by the pacing of the ep, I can only guess that the script gave something of an idea.
    That makes all of the work you hinted at putting into Walter seem that much better.
    It never, IMO, broke the fourth wall. The whole time Walter was on screen (Excellent psycho attack for the garage height simulation scene, btw), I knew it was Wil Wheaton, but I didn’t see anyone but Walter.
    Here’s hoping they let you have some more edgy roles.
    Oh, and the Hotel Clerk role…it soooo rocks that you didn’t get that one. Walter was MUCH better.

  33. You were scary! Nice job! I hope this opens up some more acting doors for you even though you are this big successful writer now and everything!
    I can’t wait to read more about your experiences on the set.

  36. Initially, when I saw all the responses I figured I wouldn’t bother adding my own but everyone in this household was so alive just seeing your name pop up I thought, “Wil needs all the encouragement he can get,” so even if this comment is drowned out amongst the throngs of adoring fans, I’m going to offer my bit.
    We loved your performance, Wil. There wasn’t enough of you. The voice, the mannerisms, shifty eyes… amazing.
    My wife’s comments were, “your ‘homeless’ person gave me the creeps! I guess that’s a… compliment?”
    A M A Z I N G ! Can’t wait to see more.

  37. Great acting job! I’m not sure I’d’ve recognized you if I hadn’t been looking for you. A much better role than the hotel clerk, for sure.
    And that article was awesome!

  39. Very awesome performance Wil. Tuned in for the first time just to see ya. Crime drama’s are cool. Until they did the reenactment I wasn’t sure who did it.
    To bad you didn’t get that much screen time. I kept looking at the clock wondering when you would show up.

  40. yeah, I did the same as spi just above me. 8:17, no Wheaton. 8:33, no Wheaton. Finally, we get Wheaton-age, and it was good, and hey, where’d he go? Ok, he’s back in semi-transparent form, and then poof, fresh out of Wheaton.
    Wil, you just know your adoring fans are going “Yeah, the episode was good, but we had a fever, baby, and the only prescription is more cowbell, er…Wheaton!”

  41. My… name… is Walter. Awesome! I really liked the blue phase-shift Walter near the end. And you played it up so cool. No… not just cool. Edgy. F’ing edgy.

  42. w00t!
    Dude, you totally rocked as Walter! The rest of the episode was kinda flat (especially that Baldwin guy, is he famous or something?), but it was worth the wait to finally catch you on a quality show again!

  43. YOU WERE GREAT!!
    My mum practically watched you grow up on TV and didn’t even RECOGNISE you! You *were* Walter… and you were incredibly believable.
    I’m so glad it wasn’t Walter who murdered the boy… I wouldn’t have been able to shake your scary face from my head if that had been the case LOL.

  44. Wil, you were soooo awesome. I made everyone at work watch the show just for you and they all agree that you did a wonderful job. We all enjoyed it very much! I tuned in to the show for the first time and I’m afraid I’m gonna get hooked.
    I totally agree with Maverick’s comment about knowing it was Wil Wheaton but seeing only Walter. You really got an excellent grasp on this character and portrayed him to the fullest. You rock \m/

  45. I felt sorry for you, “Walter”…had to suffer the cold, as well as crack addiction. Glad you found that sweater… = )
    Great job, Wil! Look forward to more guest appearances on other quality shows!!
    Take care,

  46. And, to add, I was quite surprised to tune in expecting you to have pitched your voice more like Wesley’s only to hear Mr. Stitch…which also rawked. You’re just full of surprises, Wil. \m/

  47. Wil,
    It’s been great, reading about all your success as a writer and a performer. Seeing you on “CSI” tonight was great. It was nice to see that “the other guy” didn’t get that part.
    It’s too bad “Walter” can’t become a regular on the show. I liked the performance. It must have been fun to shoot.

  48. Great article! YAY!
    I missed CSI tonight but will watch it on the weekend. I’m avoiding reading spoilers until then.

  49. Holy Crap!!! Dude, I’ve seen just about every single acting performance you’ve ever put to celluloid, and I have NEVER seen anything so intense or focused!!!
    I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if you start getting some more acting opportunities from this!!!

  50. Yay, Wil.
    I wish there had been more, but you could tell that you put a lot into it. That made the character pop in the short time he was there. I honestly would not have recognized Walter as you had I not known ahead of time.
    Kudos, and here’s hoping for more (although I enjoy your writing better – it’s more…you)

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