Well, it certainly appears that Michael is indeed dead on Lost. Not that I had any doubts after Christian/Jacob told him “You can go now.” But there were some uncertain as to whether he, or Jin, actually died on the freighter.
It appears that at least Michael did.
Actor Harold Perrineau, who plays Michael, wasn’t very thrilled with the fact that his character died without ever having a reunion with his son Walt.
Here is an interview that TV Guide did with Perrineau, found via Seattle PI:
Shortly after he wrapped filming, an emotional Perrineau — who made a much-hyped return to the series in March after leaving in Season 2 — called to chat about his explosive second exit, the mad dash home to be with pregnant wife Brittany and why he feels the lack of a Michael-Walt reunion was “not cool.”
TV Guide: Did you know Michael was being killed off when you returned?
Harold Perrineau: I had no idea. It’s like, what the hell? I came back for that?TV Guide: You’re laughing as you say that, but you don’t sound particularly pleased.
Perrineau: I’m disappointed, mostly because I wanted Michael and Walt to have a happy ending. I was hoping Michael would get it together and actually want to be a father to his kid and try to figure out a way to get back [home]. But this is [the producers'] story. If I were writing it, I would write it differently.TV Guide: So when did you get the news?
Perrineau: [Lindelof and fellow executive producer Carlton Cuse] called before the finale scripts were out. They said they weren’t going to continue with Michael.TV Guide: And what did you say to that?
Perrineau: At this point, I’ve been on the island, off the island, back on the island — so I just went, “Oh, ok.” [Laughs] This is their show and they know what they can or cannot write. I thought it was disappointing and a waste to come back, only to get beat up a few times and then killed. I felt like it was sort of pandering to some fans who wanted to see Michael punished because he betrayed people.TV Guide: Are you referring to when he shot and killed Ana Lucia and Libby in Season 2?
Perrineau: Exactly. I honestly feel like Michael’s death served a really weird bloodlust for the fans.TV Guide: Were you disappointed Michael and Walt didn’t reconnect before your character died?
Perrineau: Listen, if I’m being really candid, there are all these questions about how they respond to black people on the show. Sayid gets to meet Nadia again, and Desmond and Penny hook up again, but a little black boy and his father hooking up, that wasn’t interesting? Instead, Walt just winds up being another fatherless child. It plays into a really big, weird stereotype and, being a black person myself, that wasn’t so interesting. [Responds Cuse: "We pride ourselves on having a very racially diverse cast. It's painful when any actor's storyline ends on the show. Harold is a fantastic actor whose presence added enormously to Lost."]TV Guide: Take me back to your last day of shooting.
Perrineau: My last day was kind of hectic. [Production] was trying to get me out because, at the time, my wife was a centimeter dilated.TV Guide: Was she in labor at the hospital when you got back to L.A.?
Perrineau: No, I got home and then for another week, the baby would not come! We were like, “Seriously, dude, I was in Hawaii rushing like a madman!â€? I was talking to the baby, my wife was walking around, practically hiking, but the baby just would not come out! [Laughs] So we went to the hospital a week later and induced. A beautiful little girl came on May 7. Wynter Aria — I thought it was a nice name. It’s poetic, and she’s a little poetry in our life.TV Guide: Let’s talk highlights. Surely, you had some positive experiences on Lost.
Perrineau: Doing the job in Hawaii was cool. Getting to meet and work with [co-creator] JJ Abrams was very cool. The day we found out the show [premiered] so well [in 2004] was an amazing day. We were all so hopeful and excited. The first season was one of my best years as a working actor. Not to say there weren’t tough times, but I loved the first season. And that one of my best friends, Dan [Dae Kim, who plays Jin], and I got to do pretty much the whole finale together.TV Guide: Dead characters have a way of returning to the show. Would you be open to that?
Perrineau: I’d love to go back and work with people I really like working with, but I would have to know what was happening [story-wise] before I showed up again. Because this [last] storyline, I full-on feel, “No, that’s not cool.’”TV Guide: What’s next for you?
Perrineau: This movie I did with Stephen Dorff called Felon is probably coming out at the end of the summer. And I’m in talks for a couple different films.TV Guide: Any final thoughts?
Perrineau: Just that I hope the show continues to thrill people. I’m sorry to have to go, but I’ll see you in another incarnation. I’ll re-create myself because that’s what I do. That part of leaving is pretty cool.
It’s one of the things that makes this show great, the fact that any character can be killed off at any time. I don’t know about the racial stuff, but the rest sounds like sour grapes to me.
I don’t know. I think he’s kind of right about it being a crappy ending for the storyline (the racist stuff is stupid). I mean, if you remember those episodes where they concentrated on him and Walt early in the show it was building up to be a big deal and then they just sort of forgot all about it. That sort of “sweeping under the rug” is my biggest complaint about Lost and the one thing I think that keeps it from being a truly great series. There’s a lot of little things that they’ve introduced or built towards and then just did away with that doesn’t make sense. I think he’s right about his story being one of them.
Yeah, I don’t think there is anything racial at all with this, and it sort of sucks that it had to be mentioned.
But otherwise…it is interesting that they had no reconciliation between the two of them.
@ Jason – I can understand frustrations with some things being swept under the rug, but to say it’s not a “great series because of it doesn’t fly with me.
I mean, if Lost isn’t a great series, then I don’t know what could possibly be better. All shows have their little quirks and issues, but Lost has done AMAZINGLY well with the story they are telling.
They can’t keep all characters forever, and Michael had a price to pay…and I think Walt will still come into play.
LOL… I guess if you are starting to watch season 1 of Lost, this title of this article tells me who gets offed already…
Sorry Cap’n
It’s such a long ways off from where you are though, and SOOOO many other people die in between
very interesting. he’s acting like he knows the final act of michael and walt’s story and i doubt this was the complete end. i’m sure the writers will reconcile it all somehow. he just is sounding bitter.
and a stephen dorff name drop…wow. there’s one i haven’t heard about in awhile!
nickys last blog post..Update from my bed.
Yeah, I don’t know how confident I would be in my future if it only included a summer movie with Stephen Dorff.
As for the Walt/Michael storyline, it seems to make sense that it would go unresolved (at least at this stage) because all of the characters on this show have issues with their Dads. Why should Walt be the exception?
Whatever…sounds like sour grapes to me. Dude has been apart of one of the best TV shows to ever grace the small screen and he is going to be bitter about it. I think he needs to get over himself and be grateful for being a part of the cast. And I don’t think that they have been stereotypical on the show either – Rose and Bernard are together and still alive, even though they may have a smaller role for the next two seasons.
The Trousered Apes last blog post..Who was Jesus of Nazareth? Parts 5 thru 10 of 10 with Dr. Craig
Sour grapes is a good way to describe it.
I mean, so many other people died before him, including a big one in the first season, and he didn’t whine this much
Yeah – just sad to see. But, I guess every party has its pooper and he is their’s…
The Trousered Apes last blog post..Who was Jesus of Nazareth? Parts 5 thru 10 of 10 with Dr. Craig
@Mike – I probably should have worded my comment a little better. I wasn’t trying to say that Lost isn’t “great” simply that I feel there are a few little things that keep it from being “truly great” as in the best it could possibly be. Of course, it isn’t over yet, so I’m not ready to crown it anything at this juncture. It could tie up everything in a pretty little bow that makes me eat all of my words or it could end with the dumbest explanation we’ve ever heard of.
@All – I think Harold has a right to be a little miffed. I don’t think he’s taking it too far. Questions were asked and questions were answered. They kept the guy on the fence about whether or not he even had a job for over a season and then they bring him back and get his hopes up that he’s going to be a part of the family again and that his character will matter only to kill him off without giving his character any kind of closure. I think he has some good points. Now, if he keeps complaining about it over and over for days and weeks on end…then I would be more inclined to say it’s just sour grapes.
@ Jason – I think it’s difficult to say they kept on the fence. Who knows what was and was not discussed. I’m just saying in light of the other actors who have been killed, nobody has had much negative to say except for Harold and I think he maybe set his expectations up too high. If that is the case, then he shouldn’t blame the writers or the creators. That’s all I’m saying.
The Trousered Apes last blog post..Who was Jesus of Nazareth? Parts 5 thru 10 of 10 with Dr. Craig
[...] we posted an article from a TV Guide interview with Harold Perrinaeu, who plays Michael on Lost. He appeared pretty [...]
i agree completely with harold, and the other guy about how story lines are swept under the rug. like the tail section story-that was so great, and i loved ana lucia and mr eko and look what has happened, all those episodes might as well not have existed…and YES i think there is something to say for how poorly they deal with black characters on the show, but not just black….several characters have had lame exits that felt unnatural, forced…..all this is something the cuse/lindeloff have drove me crazy with, as big a landmark as the series is, it hurts to not really have a character to root for and when you do have them killed like that….i bet they wont kill off kate or sawyer or hurley…no the writers are kind of cowards in regard to the characters, cant kill off the popular ones, well im getting tired of those sam eold group off characters…and when on earth are lame ones like desmond and juliet gonna die??????????…………..