Falling Water's Zak Orth on Understanding Bill Boerg
Posted on 12/13/16
Zak Orth has an interesting approach to playing Falling Water's dream scientist, Bill Boerg: he never reads ahead. We spoke with Orth about his mysterious character and the moment he realized what was going on with Bill.
USA Network: When you started working on Falling Water, did you know much about what kind of guy Bill Boerg is?
Zak Orth: No. Not in the least. I didn't know a thing because we only get the script that we're shooting maybe a couple of days in advance, but there's not a whole lot of explanation about it. There was definitely a moment or two where Blake Masters would come over to me, and be like, "You know, you're actually doing it because of this reason," and I'd be like, "Okay. I'll do that then!"
USA Network: There are dream scientists who believe that some of the stuff that your character is doing isn't that outside the realm of possibility. How do you feel about that?
Zak Orth: I think it's fascinating, and I think that if it were possible to really achieve lucid dreaming, that alone would be tremendous. If it were possible for people to communicate that way, I don't know what it would be, because it's so bizarre.
USA Network: Do you consider yourself to be a good dreamer?
Zak Orth: No. I don't think so. I think I usually have a great deal of difficulty even remembering the dreams I have the next morning. I tend to have sort of unpleasant dreams when I do remember them. I guess they are kind of nightmares, but they're not horrifying; I think they're just my anxiety working itself out in my sleep. I definitely believe that it is a sort of problem-solving function for me.
USA Network: Since you're not given the scripts in advance, when did you first really get a sense of what's going on with Bill?
Zak Orth: I will tell you that the big smack-my-forehead moment with was with Blake on the set. It was the first time that Bill dreams with Tess and he lets her run to go find the boy and then he goes back to face the monsters and he starts to vibrate. My whole take on that was, 'Oh, the guys in the dream are affecting Bill and making this vibrating happen to Bill, and that was when Blake was like, "No. You're doing it. You're a good dreamer." I was like, "Oh. Okay. All right. I can totally take that note. That's no problem." That was a real surprise to me -- that I was doing it.
USA Network: What else can you tease about your character for the rest of the season?
Zak Orth: I don't know how much of a surprise it comes to the audience that Bill is definitely hiding a lot. He definitely has a thing for her. In his mind, I think he's like, "Maybe I can bait her. Or, maybe she will see how much I care for her with alll this stuff -- regardless of the fact that he's really messing with her on a very important level!
Find out what happens on the next Falling Water, Thursday, at 10/9c! You can binge-watch the whole season on USANetwork.com and the USA Now app!
The Well
S1 EP8
Burton pursues the trail of the Woman in Red. Taka loses his footing with Sabine but gains new insight about the Green. Tess and Bill follow a lead on the Boy and meet a familiar face.
