Holloway Champions Sawyer's Lost Cause

Is Sawyer, the sexy bad boy on ABC's Lost (Wednesdays at 9 pm/ET), turning all good on us? Not if Josh Holloway has anything to say about it  and does he ever, in this TV Guide interview!

TV Guide: In this week's episode, Sawyer finally gets some more flashback love. It's about time!
Josh Holloway: I know! Of course, he got shot, so he was kind of out of commission for awhile. Now he's healed enough to be back in the game.

TV Guide: By the Lost time line, though, it's only been a matter of days since he was shot by the Others, right?
Holloway: In reality, he wouldn't be able to use his damn arm. I guess those antibiotics are workin'. That Jack is one wonder doctor! [Laughs]

TV Guide: So give us the scoop on Sawyer's episode.
Holloway: Sawyer's focus is revenge [against the Others]. But he's at the mercy of Jack and Locke's decision-making, and that's not a place he likes to be. So he's gonna be Sawyer. His actions are gonna be selfish. I don't know how people are gonna feel about him afterwards.

TV Guide: I heard you begged producers not to make Sawyer too likable. True?
Holloway: Yes. I trust them implicitly, but I don't ever want Sawyer to lose his edge. More edge and a tiny little inkling of humanity  that's where I wanna keep him.

TV Guide: You actually filmed a different Sawyer episode that was supposed to air at the beginning of the season but never did. What happened?
Holloway: The show took a good stance there. ABC was trying to mandate the story somewhat. They wanted to capitalize on [Sawyer's popularity] for the opening of the season, but that's just not where the story was  the story needed to be about Mike and [the kidnapped] Walt. So after three days of filming, [producers] pulled it. I was hurt as an actor a little, but I understood. They got back in line with the integrity of the story, and that I have huge respect for.

TV Guide: Will that episode ever air?
Holloway: I don't know. If they wanna tell that story, they have it.

TV Guide: Now that Jack's rejected Kate, will she be seeking comfort from you?
Holloway: There's no major love scene yet, but it's definitely heading in that direction. He's got an in with Kate right now because he's been injured, so don't think he's not gonna work that angle. He's definitely using the "poor me" thing. It's heating up, which is good. Sawyer's got needs. He hasn't gotten any action since he's been on the island.

TV Guide: Why's he having so much trouble?
Holloway: Kate's a tough cookie to crack! I would've thought he'd at least [have] gotten a little on the side, just to use as jealousy.

TV Guide: Was it your idea to give Sawyer a haircut?
Holloway: Oh, yes. It's in your face all the time and ruining some of your best takes. The hair was in the way.

TV Guide: In October, you and wife Yessica were robbed at gunpoint in the middle of the night in your Hawaii home. What happened?
Holloway: We startled him. I got up to have a smoke, opened the door and boom! Gun to your head. He was scared. You wanna do something... [maybe] attack the guy... but you don't wanna give him a reason to shoot. So I just kept myself between him and my wife. I told him, "I'm not looking at you, dude. It's cool." It was like, calm him down and get him the f--- out.

TV Guide: They've since arrested a suspect. How are you dealing?
Holloway: It's hard when it happens in your house because that energy stays awhile. I had to find some bright side, and I tell you what: It sure is a lot of ammo to use as an actor.

TV Guide: On a lighter note, you've filmed a movie called Whisper. Tell us about it.
Holloway: I'm playing this guy kind of like Jack. Of course, he's not a doctor, he's an ex-con. [Laughs] He agrees to do the ol' "one last job" and kidnaps this evil little bastard. It's kind of like an Omen-ish thing.

TV Guide: Have you considered asking Lost cocreator J.J. Abrams for another job, now that he's a big film director?
Holloway: I told him, "I die well, man. Shoot me in the first scene of Mission: Impossible III. Blow me off a roof or something."

TV Guide: A speeding ticket you got in Hawaii made national headlines.
Holloway: That wasn't speeding! I was doing 53 in a 35!

TV Guide: And how is that not speeding?
Holloway: That's the Honolulu police department not having anything better to do. [Laughs] I was like, "Come on, let me at least get a real one  120 in a 35!" At least it'd be in line with my character!