...Anthony Edwards, Actor
In one of the most heart-wrenching story arcs in ER history, we watched as Dr. Mark Greene came to terms with his terminal cancer and passed away in the place of his birth with his wife and children at his side.
The story of ER was his story, and even though he entrusted the care of the ER to Dr. Carter when he left, the echoes of Dr. Greene’s humanity still ring through the halls of County General.
This Thursday, November 13th, Golden Globe winner and multiple Emmy Nominee Anthony Edwards will reprise his role of Dr. Greene in a special flashback episode titled "Heal Thyself." Recently, Edwards took some time to answer questions about the episode and share his TwoCents with readers...
Question: How surprised were you when people started to seriously say we can really do a good episode with [Dr. Greene]?
[photo: Matt Dinnerstein/NBC]
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...Anthony Edwards, Actor
ReplyDeleteIn one of the most heart-wrenching story arcs in ER history, we watched as Dr. Mark Greene came to terms with his terminal cancer and passed away in the place of his birth with his wife and children with him. The story of ER was his story, and even though he entrusted the care of the ER to Dr. Carter when he left, the echoes of Dr. Greene’s humanity still ring through the halls of County General.
This Thursday, November 13th, Golden Globe winner and multiple Emmy Nominee Anthony Edwards will reprise the role of Dr. Greene in a special flashback episode titled "Heal Thyself."
Question: How surprised were you when people started to seriously say we can really do a good episode with [Dr. Greene]?
Anthony Edwards: Well you know what, basically what happened was I was at home and I got an email from John Wells saying listen we’re all sitting here in Hawaii and we’re trying to figure out the last season of ER. And we’ve come up with a way of getting Greene back and we’d love to bring everybody back into the show for the audience’s sake. And, you know, I - it makes such perfect sense how they did do it but I certainly could not have pictured it before.
Q: What made [coming back to ER] right for you?
A. Edwards: I can understand people’s hesitancy of wanting - of coming back because, you know, when you’re a part of something you feel like you did so well. You kind of also don’t want to screw it up, you know. I don’t - I think there’s a natural respect for this show that you want to, you know, you want to be respectful of.
And for me what really kicked in also is perfect timing and the fact that I was about to launch a big fundraising campaign to build the largest children’s hospital in Africa. And that’s with the charity I work with -- Shoe 4 Africa. So when John Wells asked me, I said I’m happy too but, you know, don’t pay me. Let’s get Warner Brothers to donate to the hospital.
So in lieu of payment they gave me $125,000 - gave the hospital $125,000 which, you know, Steven Spielberg found out about and he matched. And John Wells kicked in $50,000. So, you know, for me it was really great because, you know, they are two things that are really dear to me which is the experience that I had for eight years which certainly changed my life being on the show and then this whole new part of my life which has to do with running and it has to do with children’s health, and it has to do with Africa. So, you know, it was really a win/win for me on all of that way.
Q: What was it like being on set even though a lot of faces have changed and putting on those scrubs once again?
A. Edwards: It was really like going back to high school and in the best way. It was like going back to your favorite class, having your favorite teacher and there was no test that day. It was actually, you know, what - everything that you liked about it. You know, none of us got any older and we all - you know, it was - you know, it really - it took about a half an hour.
And after about a half an hour it really felt like I’d never left. The same conversations were happening that were happening six years ago, the same dynamics between the crew members the same, jokes. The - you know, and they had gone to great effort to make it look like it did six - you know, when I look at the show now I see how different the ER looks than when I was on it. And they went to great effort to have all the props, everything back to 2002. So it was really - I had a really great four days there. And then, you know, followed up with some time in Chicago which was great, too. So - and I got to work with Angela Bassett, so how lucky was I?
Q: Is it difficult when you have to come back to a character who you’ve kind of put away for so long?
A. Edwards: You know, it isn’t because obviously, you know, when you do a series and you do television like that for so many years, so much of the character is similar to yourself. You know, writers pick up on things that you do that they add to the character. So, you know, I’m not as - I’ll never be as smart as Dr. Greene, but there’s a lot of familiarity in who he is.
So I mean I think that bottom line thing that I always cared the most about him was there, which is that he really loved being a doctor. So that’s a - that’s not a hard thing to jump back into. And, you know, I’m also - television lives on. It’s like I’m reminded of it everyday. You know, people are always I mean stopping me here or all around the world, you know, because I’m the doctor from ER. And so he kind of lives in other people, too.
Q: Can you talk about why you think Greene touched so many people?
A. Edwards: You know, I used to joke about it and I think part of it’s true though, is that, you know, people would watch Greene and think you know what, my life will never be that bad. So I think that’s good, the things that went for him - you know, he always had problems, you know, whether it was with dating or women, or relationship with his daughter, or work and bosses.
And, you know, ultimately, you know, dying. I mean he really just had so many kinds of struggles that I think people all related to in a way. So - and I think people liked him that way. And I think it’s that thing of - I don’t know, when you get on an airplane you hope that the pilot really loves flying. And I think that’s what Greene had. I mean he’s - you do want to go to a hospital and have a good doctor who loves being a doctor there. And that’s what he had, I think.
Don’t forget to tune into ER this Thursday on NBC to see Dr. Greene’s return.
Oh man you guys interview the best people. I absolutely would have killed to listen to Anthony Edwards speak about Mark. He was such a good character. I died when he died. :( Thanks again. :)
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