OMFG, Alpha is Wash! On tonight’s penultimate Dollhouse, the knife-wielding evildoer known as Alpha finally showed his face — and it belonged to none other than Firefly sidekick Alan Tudyk! Okay, so the reveal didn’t come as a complete surprise. Rumors have been swirling for months that Joss Whedon had tapped a member of his elite repertory company to play the rogue doll. Nonetheless, it was a pretty fraktastic twist to have Alpha masquerading as an agoraphobic environmentalist — not to mention the architect of the Dollhouse itself. Even more surprising: He and Echo are lovers! In his first interview since being unmasked, Tudyk reveals what it was like keeping the worst kept secret in tubeland, how he got pumped for the role, and why next week’s finale is going to blow fans’ minds.
Is it nice to finally be able to talk about this role?
ALAN TUDYK: [Laughs] Yeah, it’s been a long time coming, right?
Even though word already leaked out…
TUDYK: Unbelievable. I don’t know how they found out. I even spoke to a group of people in Baltimore after the rumor hit the web and I said, “Listen, there’s a rumor on the Web that I’m in Dollhouse and I’m not. Whoever said that is lying.” I totally lied and it didn’t help at all. My lies were all for nothing.
Let’s go back to the beginning: Did Joss personally offer you the role?
TUDYK: Joss told me about the role at a social function. I was asking about his new show and he started describing the role of Alpha. It sounded like the most amazing role ever, and I asked him, “Who’s playing him?” He really hyped it up. And then he said, “I want you to play it.” It really caught me off guard. I think it’s the best role ever written. As an actor there’s so much there to work with. I guess Joss always saw me as somebody who could be 43 different people at once.
It’s a different role for you — at least the Alpha part of it is. Were you surprised Joss saw that darkness in you?
TUDYK: I’ve always been a raving lunatic in front of Joss. He saw that side of me the time I trashed his house because I was crazy that day. [Laughs] I was really happy he saw me as that. It’s quite a compliment to offer me a role like this, because it’s not easy.
Speaking of which, you look like you put on some muscle for the part.
TUDYK: Yes, because they cast a damn body double that looks like the Hulk! Joss showed me the first episode where you see Alpha from behind and I was like, “Oh my God. I’ve got a lot of work to do.” But I have a Ned Flanders kind of body. When I’m wearing baggy clothes you wouldn’t expect that I have any muscle. Just like in tonight’s episode. I don’t look too wildly in shape at first. It’s when I put on the tight shirt that you see it.
You and Tahmoh Penikett made a pretty good comedy team.
TUDYK: That was a blast. Tahmoh was the perfect straight man. He was so fed up [with me]. He was like, “I just want to wring your neck. My character has not had to deal with anything like you at all.” [Laughs]
What can you tell me about next week’s finale?
TUDYK: Everything that Alpha has done has been about Echo. He’s obsessed with this woman. And next week you find out what his plans are for her, and why he’s obsessed with her.
Will Alpha’s other personalities emerge?
TUDYK: Yes. I think he has 43 of them. Tim Minear wrote and directed the next episode, and he outdid himself. It’s classic Tim Minear.
If Dollhouse gets renewed, will Alpha be back? I’m assuming your role in ABC’s V reboot — assuming that it gets picked up — could pose a complication…
TUDYK: Joss hasn’t said anything about the future of Alpha, but I could free myself up for it. That isn’t contractually impossible. I could get out as much as he needs me to.
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UGH POST ACTUAL NEWS!
how is this “big news” if we just saw it?
You mean, he and Echo are really lovers, right? (I’m on the west coast and it hasn’t aired yet.) ‘Cause if Alan Tudyk and Alpha are really lovers then the relationship is really meta or masturbation.
lame.
It leaked because IMDB had him listed as both Stephen and Alpha.
Wow, what an episode! It was frakkin’incredible.
Tonight was super entertaining! This is a far better way to go than the “Echo personality of the week” episodes. The Dollhouse and it’s story is the real character and interesting part of the show- keep the focus on that mythology and use everything else for variety- tonight was an example of how this could be a hit.
Um, you do realize that it was revealed MONTHS ago that Alan Tudyk was playing Alpha, right? Honestly dude, no wonder nobody takes you seriously.
I was blown away by Alan Tudyk’s performance tonight! It was even more amazing than I expected. Not only did he bring back some of the Wash-esque humor, he played the crazed, scalpel-wielding rogue doll beautifully! This is what I’ve been wanting from this show all season, and in these last few episodes it’s really starting to come into its own. I never doubted you for a second, Joss. Now I just hope Alan Tudyk and Amy Acker (and the whole show, obviously) stick around for another season.
This is news?
First of all: tonight’s episode ruled. So hard.
Second: shut up, whiners. I’ll take any mention of Dollhouse.
The episode was awesome and I love Alan Tudyk even more than I did before. What a great episode!
Big news? Really?
F U, Ausiello. You couldn’t have waited until after it aired on the west coast? I’m fine with you talking about it, but don’t put it on the front of f’n EW.com. You are beyond useless.
Shucks, Ausiello. I was kinda hoping it was “he and Alpha are really lovers” instead of he and Echo. That would have been a twist I didn’t see coming.
PS Sad to see that Dollhouse’s status has changed to “long shot.”
The episode was awesome, but Ausiello’s announcement was anti-climactic. Kristin Dos Santos announced this on Feb. 23.
I thought the guy who played ‘Victor’ acting like Reed Diamond’s gov’t spook was spot on too. He was genuinely creepy the way he captured Diamond’s bombastic reactions to things. But Tudyk truly rocked as the agoraphobic #My god, I haven’t laughed that hard on Friday’s in a looong time# and then as Alpha. Can’t wait til next week.
So glad I didn’t know who Alpha was before this. I literally gasped when he slashed Victor’s face. It sometimes pays to avoid major spoilers like that. Please give it a 2nd season Fox.
Wait, what? This is your big news? Lame.
Really good episode, one of the best to date, IMHO, though I did almost nod off a little bit during the “mission” with Echo and her sort-of younger self. What can I say? I’m an alpha male. (Except I don’t slice up people’s faces. Well, usually.) Speaking of which, huge bone to pick with IMDB: I (perhaps stupidly) swung my Alan Tudyk’s IMDB page early in the episode, and they’d ALREADY listed his character name as Alpha! What the frak?!?
I’m much more concerned about Victor. If his cuts are deeper than the doctor’s then is he permanently scarred? Will he be useless to the Dollhouse now? How will Adele react? Is she in love with him? Good Lord, they can’t cancel this show!
Ausiello – you should quit. No one likes you and you just ruin shows for everyone. I have to bypass the ew.com homepage because of your stupidity.
Exclusive? I don’t watch the show and I knew this from somewhere else before.
)
I’m sure all 5 people who watched were thrilled (just kidding fans
http://tvdonewright.com/2009/04/30/upfront-preview-how-leno-will-hurt-nbc/
Mike, ignore them. I’m glad to read the interview.
Seriously, why are people so rude? If you don’t watch Dollhouse, you don’t need to comment. If you do, the interview is nice.
….lame news. OLD news. Come on, my hopes were up for DVD news, 13th episode news, or renewal news. Jesus.
This episode was so intense!
Alan was amazing – I couldn’t recognize the sweet Wash that I previously tied the actor to. Alpha is damn scary.
Although, I still think Adelle is scarier. How can you defeat HER?!! She’s so…. messed!
I love this show!
The biggest thing that gave it away was him being listed on imdb as playing Alpha.
Tudyk is pretty much EPIC!
As someone who was consciously avoiding spoilers and IMDB, this *did* come as a surprise– before I would have guessed Ballard was Alpha. So Kudos to Tudyk for his amazing turn tonight! I absolutely cannot wait for next week!
Why is everyone complaining about “old news”? Mike himself wrote that it was “the worst kept secret in Tubeland”… he knows it wasn’t a shock.