(The site was hit with a theme hack recently so we are using a basic theme while we repair and restore and should be fixed up in a few days).
Recently I got to speak with Keith Allan who plays Murphy on the hit SyFy series Z-Nation. Keith was kind enough to talk to us about what to expect in the remainder of Season 2, what is to come, Pie Girl, and that Zombie makeup.
Your character has undergone a real transformation this year both physically and emotionally, how much do you see this evolving over the course of the season and series?
Quite a bit actually. The more the plot progresses Murphy’s evolution becomes central to the Z Nation story. He’s a regular guy whose been thrown into this extraordinary circumstance and the interesting thing for me is how he deals with his new strength and not only physically but ethically. When you take the down trodden and give them the ultimate power, what happens? Thats where I think Z Nation really stands out in this genre by asking in a way we haven’t seen before.
Your character still has his “me first” ways but has shown compassion and sympathy toward others at times. Do you see this as always being there or being manifested by his situation?
I think Murphy’s soft side will always be there. It’s how much he denies it that’s interesting. He wants to be a bad ass but it’s his not a position he’s been in before. I think once you’ve been on the bottom you are always going to have some empathy for those that are still there. That’s part of why he is on team Zombie. Everyone hates zombies…fears them. Murphy keeps asking the question “What if you’re wrong”?
How difficult has the makeup process been for you as the character has changed?
First let me give props to Synapse Effects who does ALL the make-up for the show. All of the zombies, the dead bodies laying on the ground, the exploding heads, the gross guts, the new types of zombies and the beauty make-up on the pretty people. They do it all. This season my make-up was more extensive since I’m now an awesome blue color. It’s about 2 hours every day with two people painting me just to do my hands and face…5 hours if we do the whole scars effect on my chest. It’s a ton of work with about 11 different layers of color going into it.
What have been some of your favorite scenes and what have been some of the more challenging ones?
It’s the apocalypse….they’re all challenging. The locations can be just amazingly disgusting and filthy. Half of the time your running around, covered in blood and wearing 3 layers of leather and it’s 110 degrees outside. It’s a tuff show….not for wimps. I have a lot of favorite scenes. One of my favorites was from season 1 where I got to proclaim myself The Zombie messiah!! One of the hardest was in episode 2 of this season where I land in a swimming pool full of writhing zombies. Dozens of zombies and myself covered in blood and guts in a dirty old hotel swimming pool. Good times.
Who is the biggest cut up on set?
Boy thats hard…we all have our moments. We do laugh a lot and give each other shit all the time. I’m pretty damn funny if I do say so myself. It will all depend on the scene and how intense it is. We all have a respect for the scene and what is about to happen so we pick our moments.
Where would you like to see the character go moving forward and have you and the writers discussed this, especially when and if you get to California?
Well they have broad ideas of what happens over the course of the entire series but I’d like to see Murphy get more and more powerful. I want to see his star rise and for him to be a force to be dealt with. It’s payback time.
How did you get into acting and what would you say was your big break?
I’ve been acting since I was able to. I took drama in high school and haven’t stopped. I’ve always loved the art of acting and the people you meet. It’s very therapeutic for me. You learn a lot about yourself by playing someone else. Z Nation is probably the biggest break for me as far as exposure. I’ve done lots of fun theatre and smaller roles on TV that most people might never have seen… but Z Nation is allowing me to showcase my skills to a much broader audience then ever before.
What attracted you to the part and are you a fan of the genre?
I’ve always loved the horror and scfi genres. Me and my theatre buds in high school would go to the drive in movies ( anybody remember those?) and see all the fun scary horror movies and scream and laugh…so much fun. As far as my Z Nation character goes I didn’t know a lot about it while I was auditioning for it. Truly what drew me to it was the fact that I needed a job and it was a paying gig. But from the outset I could see that Murphy was definitely a character I could tackle. I got his vibe right out the gate.
How was your experience at San Diego Comic Con this year as it seemed like the fans were thrilled to see you all and hear more about the characters and show.
Comic Con was a blast. Exhausting…but a blast. I was filming till about 3:30 that morning then flew in to that giant monster …The Con. The fans were fantastic. So enthusiastic and supportive. It’s a thrill to have been acting for so long and to suddenly have people super jazzed for you and the work you are putting out there. Amazing feeling.
Will your characters “Mail Fraud” be explored more and I am sure Jr will as well.
We touch on my criminal history a bit in season 2 but for the most part the show stays in the present. The apocalypse is where all the action is baby! As far as my baby goes…yup you will see my spawn. Adorably creepy and ready for a fight. I would not want to mess with this baby.
Do you see a battle for affection coming up between Pie Lady and Cassandra?
Yea it’s tough having two super crazy women wanting a piece of you. But what can I say…I’m a psycho chick magnet.
What do you like to do in your free time?
What’s that? I truly just finished filming season 2 over the past 6 months so I have to figure out what to do.
I love nature!! Hiking, biking, getting out on the water, camping. I also love going to theatre and the movies…love it. I’m also working on developing a film called “Hearts Like Fists” that I did as a play in Los Angeles….I want to see that project take off…super fun.
Anything coming up between seasons we can look forward to seeing you in?
Well nothing yet. I’m going to be doing a few conventions over the next few months. Walker Stalker in Atlanta is the first one. There is also a cool film I was in going around the festival circut now called ‘Kill Me Deadly” which is a lot of fun. Check out my website www.keithallanactor.com for updates. There are also links to some of my short films I’ve directed which I think you would enjoy….they are fun and messed up!!
