Michael Emerson interview

So there are limits to what Ben will do to get what he wants, at least in the Sideways?
Yes, Ben was presented with a parallel choice — a smaller one, but an echo of a bad choice he made in the island world — and he made a different call, a softer call that we’re happy about.

Was it nice to play Ben’s softer side?
I’ll tell you what was fun: When Ben tries to play his card with the principal but he hasn’t the confidence that his alter ego has. He trembles a little when he makes his big play because he knows he’s out of his depth. It was fun to find that shakiness because that’s a color they’ve never asked of me on the show before. It’s almost like I’m playing a different character this season.

Now that Widmore’s back, will Ben’s battle with him resume?
You’d think. [The producers] went to such pains to establish it. But there are three episodes still to film and that’s something that hasn’t been shot yet. I suppose it’s possible that the characters’ [conflict] can be resolved without facing off against one another, maybe through the agency of some third party.

Would that be disappointing?
I’m just a passenger on this ride. But I am anxious for answers that don’t seem to be coming in a rush. I think it’s partly my own personal misunderstanding of the narrative of the show and an over-expectation of climactic answering.

Some fans feel a similar frustration.
I think the answering is coming in a subtler way than many of us expected. But the writers’ agenda may not yet be clear to us.

When will you get the finale script?
Two days before we shoot it. If I get a complete one. You know with the finale of all finales, there are gonna be blank scenes in it that only the actors involved are privy to. I hope I’m on the show long enough that I’m in one of those secret scenes.

Wait — could Ben really not make it to the end?
There have been some casualties. Pretty soon, there’s only gonna be a few standing.

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source: TvWatchPeople