In a Spoiler TV exclusive interview, Once Upon a Time actor Raphael Sbarge talks about his role as Jiminy Cricket, his fellow cast members, Archie’s love life and his surprise at how much of a hit the show has become. Beware of mild spoilers if you have yet to watch up to the latest episode, The Stranger (1.20).
I started off by asking Sbarge about how much he understood about the role when he auditioned “This was the only role I auditioned for, they told me later that they had a hard time finding the right combination of qualities to make it the way they had envisioned it, but they responded to me.” His friends and family were very happy when he got the part, although it was difficult to explain to them what it actually entailed. “I believe that it had a deeper resonance once they were able to see the pilot and get a clearer picture of what that actually meant” he explains. “If someone hasn’t seen the show, and they ask me about the role, it’s a little hard to provide a context for it, other than saying you have to see it, to know what I mean.”
Asked if he expected the show to become an overnight success he revealed that he was completely surprised, “Not because I didn’t believe in it from the moment I read it” he is quick to add. “It has more to do with the wildly improbable odds that a show will find its audience. I am not a statistician, but having been in the business for quite some time, a million-to-one is right around where I think it starts. Needless to say, I am very grateful. “
Another thing that Raphael is grateful for is how little time he has to spend in the make-up chair whilst playing Archie’s alter ego. “My Jiminy make up was more about making me look young and beautiful than it was creating a wildly different look. [It’s] nothing compared to Rumplestilskin! He is two hours in, one hour out. And he has contacts that are rather uncomfortable as well” he chuckles. He obviously has help from the visual effect department with the actual Cricket look, and one thing he teases here is to check out the little device around Jiminy’s neck “Here is some insider information, by the way, that has not been explained as of yet, but will sometime in the future: it’s a cricket translator.” Without it he is unable to talk directly with humans, he explains.
I remind Sbarge about some promotional photos of a scene between Archie and David (Josh Dallas) that we published on the site back in January for Skin Deep (Episode 1.12) that didn’t seem to make it to the final cut when the episode aired. “What happened is that the episode came in 22 minutes too long” he remarks. “They called me and told me the scenes were great, but would have to be cut due to time.” Fans needn’t worry though as it looks like all cut scenes will be reinserted back in to any episodes on the DVD’s they are preparing for release very soon.
One of my favourite recent scenes was Mr Gold coming to see Archie a couple of weeks ago and admitting that he had a son. Sbarge reveals that this also was a great highlight for him “I was so excited to do my scene with Robert, and told him so when we arrived to shoot it. He was very gracious, and said he was excited to do it, too. I am, like many others, a huge Robert Carlyle fan, and we had a blast that day.” He continues “it could perhaps be an interesting exploration to take place next season, seeing this very dark and complicated character open up in this safe but personally exposed place. Archie is bound, by a code of medical ethics, not to speak about it to anyone, so it would be a fascinating place to get a window into his soul.”
I asked why the characters of Storybrooke seem to trust him enough to reveal themselves to him. “That is an interesting question” he replied. “Maybe they have some deep subliminal memory of who he is? Or maybe they trust his character.” Could we be seeing Regina paying him a visit one day “[she] would be breathtakingly fun to explore. Being that Archie is trying to help these two mothers, and deal with their painful complications around custody with Henry, it would make sense that she might visit a couch one day, as well. Needless to say, Archie’s first order of business has been to Henry. But, let me tell you this based on what is ahead with the finale, Archie will really have some job security on a going forward basis. People are going to need some help” he teases.
Another actor Sbarge is glad to be working with again is Tony Amendola, who plays Geppetto/Marco. “We have known each other for over 25 years, and done more plays together than we can even count. I adore him, and burst into tears when I heard that he was playing the part” he confesses. “We have, as they say, natural chemistry.” Which I guess must be a help on a show where just about every actor has at least two different roles to perform. I ask if there are subtle differences in how to approach his different characters. “Yes, of course” he replies “because there is awareness of our past in one reality, and none in the other (notice how I used the word reality, by the way). It’s so fun and interesting to move between the two.”
Lastly, one of the most popular questions on our site is will Archie get a love interest in the future, “I have been hearing this question more and more. A love interest is going to be very interesting.” Yet who could it be; someone we have already met or someone new? “I would imagine that it would be someone new” he replies. “A new stranger come to town, perhaps. With a past. And, a mysterious cross section, intersection to our story. Gosh, they do that so well, don’t they!”
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