Costas Mandylor on carrying the Jigsaw torch for SAW V!

By Oliver Pfeiffer / October 23, 2008

Costas Mandylor, an experienced character actor who has worked with the likes of Jack Nicholson and directors Sean Penn and Oliver Stone in his time, returns as supporting character Mark Hoffman, who had a small role in SAW III and IV but now continues his escapades in the fourth sequel in a more fleshed out and intricate role. As well as talking to Tobin Bell, OWF's Oliver Pfeiffer was surprised and elated to have the opportunity to talk to Costas about this Friday's release SAW V and his career as a whole. Your character like Tobin€™s started off as a small role and then evolved in subsequent sequels. Did you have any idea your character would develop in this way?

People would hint to me that there was a possibility that this character could evolve but nothing to such a major extent that it did€and then suddenly this character is alive and becomes central.

Did you feel any fierce responsibility to essentially €˜carry the torch€™ of John Kramer?

Yeah I felt a responsibility to carry the torch and to convey the true heart of this guy and to stay true to John€™s character. Yeah it was a big responsibility to get it right.

What was it like being on the set of these films and did you talk to Tobin Bell a lot?

For me I tried to have a lot of fun. Sure it was a bit weird and crazy at times but as soon as they called action I took the job seriously and got straight back into character. Tobin is great and a serious guy. But I used to get calls from him at like midnight and he would say €œcome to me I need to speak to you€ which I could sometimes get a little freaked out by, but he just wanted to go over something and discuss some ideas he had. I paid a lot of attention to him and learnt a lot from him.

Do you consider John Kramer to be a sympathetic character?

I thought he was quite a strange man in the earlier films but then you saw what happened to him with his wife in SAW IV and then you realise he is a very deep guy and a guy you could get to like, not love but like.

Do you think there will be a sixth film?

I am confident there will be a sixth movie, but then again your guess is as good as mine.

The SAW V tagline reads: €˜You won€™t believe how it ends€™ And the films are renowned for their climatic twist endings, where everything you thought you knew is turned on its head. Can you hint at any exciting developments we can expect from SAW V?

It€™s frustrating as you€™re not allowed to say too much. But believe me there are a bunch of surprises in store that you are not yet allowed to know yet€and I don€™t know too much either but there are twists to come definitely. I€™d rather be kept in the dark myself so that I can experience the film as a member of the audience €“ who wants to spoil that reaction you get from the reveals?

What was it like working with Jack Nicholson in THE PLEDGE?

Jack and Sean Penn (who directed the film) are authentic professionals and full of love and respect and that€™s why they have stood the test of time I guess. Also Oliver Stone is exciting but a mad man. I missed out in having a small part in ALEXANDER and he still owes me for that!

Are you fearless as a person?

I have been told I have guts and character. But fear makes you excited and pushes you to accelerate so its good positive stuff. No I don€™t think I am fearless.

What movies freak you out?

THE EXORCIST freaked me out as a kid and so do really good movies as I am always wondering: how did they do that? I feel with the SAW films they make you think more and are more mature than say the Elm Street series. They strive to maintain an audience and are quite heavy and demand that you think a bit more and are more puzzling. There not just about people getting chopped up €“ they have intelligence.

SAW V opens on Friday worldwide!