James Marsters

James Marsters as Captain Argyus

Spike (AKA William the Bloody) on the hit TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and as Captain John Hart on Torchwood and Milton Fine on Smallville, actor James Marsters has a talent for playing anti-heroes and witty villains you can’t quite figure out until it’s too late. As Captain Argyus on Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Marsters again portrays a character who may not be all that he seems. Argyus appears in "Cloak of Darkness", the ninth episode of the series, airing on December 5th on Cartoon Network.

StarWars.com chats with Marsters about Captain Argyus, his childhood memories of Star Wars and why his proud to play so many roles in the sci-fi/fantasy realm.

How did the character of Captain Argyus come your way?

When George Lucas was casting The Phantom Menace he, for one day maybe, considered me for the role of Anakin Skywalker and possibly found that I was too old. But it was an honor to meet his production crew during the audition and to be considered. I also grew up in the same town, Modesto, as George Lucas and lived about a mile away from him in Marin County when Star Wars came out. I would go to the end of the earth for George, as would anyone else.

How did you prepare for the role of Captain Argyus? What was the reason you wanted to use a different accent instead of your normal voice for the character?

I was using what I understand to be Standard Stage American, which is what they train you for in school for Shakespeare — think of it as an island between America and England. I wanted the character to be a bit arrogant so I used kind of a stuffy accent. I hope it worked, otherwise George won’t hire me again.

As a voice actor do you feel like you have more freedom than you do with on-camera roles?

Yes, it’s like reading a book in the dark. You can create the whole universe. It’s wonderful.

Were you a Star Wars fan as a kid?

Yes! George Lucas actually invited my entire drama class in 1976 to go to the North Point Theatre in San Francisco to see the first public showing of Star Wars. We waited in line for 3 1/2 hours. When we finally sat down, George Lucas came downstairs and apologized before the movie and said that they were still editing and that the special effects weren’t perfect, but said that "I think you’ll like it." Then he went back upstairs and it started.

You’ve played iconic characters (both in front of the camera and as a voice actor) in beloved pop culture franchises like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Torchwood, Smallville, Superman, Dragonball and now The Clone Wars. Why are you proud to play characters in sci-fi, horror, anime and comic book realms?

I believe sci-fi and horror function as a jester. Back in the Middle Ages the jester was a fool and was the only one who could call the king a fat idiot, as long as he was funny. In sci-fi, as long as you’re talking about vampires and Clone Wars and bugs attacking nature, then we can be honest about human beings. We allow the audience to be blindsided and can really be brave about the theme.