MAGAZINE Lost alum Jorge Garcia CONFIDENTIAL talks about joining By MIKE COHEN Hawaii Five-0 cast When the fifth season of Hawaii Five-0 school classmate who proved to be a valu- On Once Upon a Time, another popular begins Friday night, September 25 (9 able asset to unit boss Steve McGarrett series in which storybook characters p.m.) on Global TV and CBS, Jorge Garcia (Alex O’Loughlin). come to life, he played the Giant at the joins the cast as a full-time member in “When I did three episodes in a row last top of Jack’s Beanstock in three episodes. the role of conspiracy theorist Jerry January, that is when it seemed like a seed That series too has former Lost writers. Ortega. was being planted,” said Garcia, who “That was lots of fun,” he said. “It is Garcia is best known for playing Hurley completed his Bachelor’s degree in filmed in Vancouver, where we did on the cult hit Lost from 2004 to 2010. Journalism from the University of Alcatraz. A really great group of people on Hawaii Five-0, the highly successful California Los Angeles (UCLA). “Around that show very fun and welcoming. reboot of the 1970s and 80s classic show pilot system it turned into an offer. The They’d come do little activities like go- kart racing.” "Jorge very quickly made Jerry an unlikely and valuable part of the Five-0 Ohana," said Lenkov. "We have many opportunities planned to put Jerry's unusual and infectious desire to put the bad guys to good use.” UP CLOSE WITH THE BOSS Peter M. Lenkov is one of those true success stories, someone who had an Tony “Cakeman” Medeiros with a fan objective in his youth and achieved it big time. He grew up in Chomedey, the son of it We will achieve that in November.” Abe and Ellen Lenkov, with two brothers The show stars Alex O’Loughlin Steve and a sister. At the age of 21 he headed to McGarrett (Alex O’Loughlin), who heads Los Angeles to pursue a career writing a government mandated task force on scripts for the TV and movie industry. crime known as Hawaii Five-0. Co-stars Through pure hustle he began working include Scott Caan, Daniel Dae-Kim, on a series of TVB projects, rising to the Grace Park, Chi McBride and Jorge position of producer pretty quickly. This Garcia. Since the series started, included the popular series Nikita in McGarrett has played a cat and mouse 2000-2001. He soon landed some top- game with a nasty crime boss named Wo ranked series such as The District, 24 and Fat. “In the 100th episode a lot of ques- CSI New York. Five years ago he stepped tions will be answered about Wo Fat,” Lenkov promises. Peter M. Lenkov and Jorge Garcia in as the executive producer of Hawaii Five-0, a reboot of the original 1970s cop When CBS switched the shows to of the same name, has been a ratings role is great. It’s been really fun. So much drama. Friday, some media pundis wondered if it smash hit. Chomedey native Peter M. of the crew are people I already knew. It The series, which I watch religiously, would survive on a night where many pre- Lenkov is the executive producer while was kind of like coming home at a certain has a very distinct Chomedey ending. Just viously successful programs have died. Côte Saint-Luc’s David Wolkove is a level.” as the final credits are rolling off the That did not happen to Five-0 as their rat- writer and story editor. The program has Will Jerry actually become part of Five- screen, the name 101st Television pops up ings remained strong. “It worked out well become a bit of a destination point former 0, a special government task force created with a house and the animation of some- for us,” he said. “I like the 9 p.m. timeslot Lost cast members. Daniel Dae Kim, who to investigate serious crimes in Hawaii? one shoveling the walk and then a snow and we added a younger demographic. plays Chin Ho Kelly, has been a regular “So far Jerry still has his visitor’s badge plough comes by and fills the pathway Kids aged 10 to 12 are now watching the since day one. Terry O’Quinn (John that keeps him on the outskirts,” said with the white stuff. “That’s my old house show with their parents. They do not have Locke) had a recurring role while Henry Garcia. “But it is not as if he not trying to in Chomedey,” to get up for school Ian Cusick, Tania Raymonde and Cynthia be part of it.” Lenkov told me by the next day.” Watros have all had guest shots. Some of As the love able Hugo “Hurley” Reyes phone last week. “I While Lenkov was the writing staff also worked on Lost, on Lost, Garcia was a huge fan favorite. do not know how too young to follow which was filmed in Hawaii. His character was famous for using the many people actually closely the original In a telephone interview with The word “dude” repeatedly, something that is wait until the end of Hawaii Five-0, his Suburban, Garcia spoke about Five-0 and even depicted in great detail on YouTube. the credits. But my dad "was a massive life since Lost’s dramatic final episode. The word is slipping through his lips now parents always do fan. I was very While he immediately got a number of on Five-0. “Yes they have started to work and that’s all that young, but I guest roles, it looked like he had found a some ‘dudes’ in,” he said. “On Lost it was matters.” remember sitting by winning Lost-type of show in Alcatraz. He always in the script. I’m not saying I did Lenkov still lives his knee when he portrayed Diego Soto, a PhD in both not say the word ‘dude.’ I grew up in in Los Angeles, but watched the show. criminal justice and civil war history and California and that was part of the vernac- generally spends one So I wanted to do it author of books on Alcatraz who became ular. I never said ‘dude’ to the extent week a month in partly because of the FBI’s “go to” person when people who Hurley did.” Hawaii. Filming for that." were thought to have been dead since What do most fans share with Garcia this dramatic fifth Daniel Dae Kim As the show run- 1963 suddenly come back to life in mod- about Lost? “A lot say how much they season began over ner, Lenkov has the ern day San Francisco. Despite a great loved it; that it was their favorite show,” the summer and continues through next final say on ever- premise, the show was cancelled after its he says. “Every now and then someone spring. The season premiere is this Friday thing. That includes choosing the cast first season. likes to point out that they did not like night (9 p.m.) on Global TV and CBS. Did and guest stars. Carol Burnett will be A number of other guest spots followed, the ending. I had no problem with it. he ever believe the show would have such back in a recurring role this season as including on high profile shows like How Hurley got the island.” staying power? “No,” he responded. “I had McGarrett’s aunt. Lenkov has had Ed I Met Your Mother and Once Upon a Time. The cancellation of Alcataz was diffi- hoped it would do well, but how many Asner on both Five-0 and CSI New York. On Hawaii Five-0 he immediately became cult, Garcia admitted. “I feel like Alcatraz series last five years? David Staph, the “Ed is a friend of mine,” he says. “Carol a fan favorite over the course of five did not get the chance to become the president of CBS, told me that when you Burnett has become one as well.” episodes as Chin Ho Kelly’s old high show we were hoping to make,” he said. reach 100 episodes you have really made COMICCON REVISITED So I finally made it to my first Montreal what’s around the bend for WB Games (manga), related gaming Comiccon (www.montrealcomiccon.com) and BioWare. Walking around, fans may and Japanese pop-culture. event recently at the Palais des congrès. I have rubbed shoulders with the City’s Last summer she travelled have never seen anything quite like it. Mayor, Mr. Denis Coderre, who attended to Gatineau for G-Anime, Over 51,000 attendees of all ages walked the event for the first time. another convention focus- through the halls of the Palais to take I could not believe the lineups to get ing on Japanese animation. part of the great pop culture gathering autographs and photos of the stars.While For Paola, this all that has become a must in Montreal. They I began taking photos on my own from remains a fun hobby. She came dressed as Wonder Woman, Super afar, I was told- as were others – at a cer- will return to school in the Man, Spider-Men, Starfleet officers or tain point that flashes were not allowed. winter and study to become Disney princesses, braving the sudden Later I was informed no photographer of a makeup artist. chill to be surrounded by their brethren the stars was permitted at all.