reH: How would you describe your character? What kind of guy is he?

Geoff: Well the character I play is called “Pockmark”. You should know before reading that while my character has a substantial part in the beginning of the film, the role of “Pockmark” is a SUPPORTING role, and not a STARRING role like Oded Fehr or Mike Epps. Pockmark is definitely NOT a “lucky convict” as reported on several false internet sites. He is one evil, sinister survivalist. Someone you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley at night. Or especially in the desert!

reH: You started out as a stunt man. Did you do your own stunts for Extinction?

Geoff: There was actually only one “real” stunt that my character had. I tried like crazy, pleading for them to let me do it, but alas as often is the case -- “Insurance”. I think the stunt coordinator was up for me doing it, but a couple of other people didn’t want to risk it. It was sort of a bummer, but you can’t have everything.

reH: Did you enjoy playing your part and working with the rest of the cast? Did you get to kill many zombies?

Geoff: I can’t say enough about how wonderful Milla Jovovich is. I mean, it’s crazy. I’ve worked with, and met many “stars”, and a lot of them have this really crappy attitude, but she was so great. The girl is beautiful, funny, and really nice and sincere. You’re in love with her the minute you meet her. Paul Anderson was a really cool guy, too. At one point he sat down and talked with me for half an hour. That was really exceptional for someone in his position to do. He told me I’d work for him again, so Paul, if you’re reading this, I’m holding you to that! Director Russell Mulcahy was really funny. He came over to me at one point laughing and said, “Wait until you see what we’re going to do to you”, and walked off. As far as zombies go, I had no action with them. Me and my crew of survivalists are scary enough.

reH: The two previous Resident Evil movies are very different from this one. What did you think of the previous movies and how well does Extinction compare to them in your opinion?

Geoff: Honestly, I wasn’t too crazy about the first one. I liked it and all, but nothing I was wild about. Now the second one “Apocalypse”, I loved. Perhaps it had something to do with Sienna Guillory having that jet black hair! But I liked the story, liked the characters, thought it had just the right amount of action, and I personally thought the Nemesis creature was bad ass. (I befriended the Firearms Tech on RE3, and he showed me footage of him testing the Gatling Gun the Nemesis creature used in RE2. It was pretty insane.) The third one I guess gets a little more character development and interaction. There’s still plenty of action, though. You also get a little better look into the “corporate” side of Umbrella I think,.

reH: Aside from the zombies, stalkers (super-zombies) and crows are there many other monsters in the movie? Any you feel fans of the games will particularly appreciate?

Geoff: I can’t elaborate on the creatures/monsters, but there is one in particular I think the audience will dig.

reH: Wesker is by far and away the most popular character in the games and is appearing in Extinction. Does he get much of a role or is the villain part occupied more by Dr. Isaacs?

Geoff: Wesker actually has a pretty sizable role in this script. It’s fun because Wesker and Isaacs are both such awful characters.

reH: We’ve heard the phrase “it’s very Mad Max like” in several interviews. Do the customized vehicles we’ve seen feature much in the movie, or are they mainly used to transport characters from scene to scene?

Geoff: I felt in “The Road Warrior” especially, half the film centered on the vehicles. You went to the movie just to see the goofy cars. In RE3, they are pretty much there just for transportation.

reH: You’ve played Resident Evil 4, what did you think of it? Anything that makes it particularly stand out from other games?

Geoff: I liked Resident Evil 4 because of the action. I know in the other games, there was a little more story to them. I guess I had just gotten done playing “Cold Fear” right before I bought RE4 and there‘s a moderate amount of story development in that, so I was eager to just shoot up a bunch of things when I got RE4!

reH: What was your top score in RE4’s Mercenaries mini-game and with which character?

Geoff: Ah, I actually couldn’t play the Mercenaries game worth a damn. I’m lousy when it comes to being on a timer. I played through the normal game 4 times with Leon, and 3 times with Ada in Separate Ways.

reH: Do you think the films captured the atmosphere of the games or do you feel it’s better to view them as a stand-alone product?

Geoff: Well, that’s a tricky question. It’s kind of like when they do the film version of a book. Things are always going to change. If I had to say one thing, perhaps the films didn’t have quite the suspense that the games had. But then again, the games are much more interactive because you‘re playing them, rather than watching them on a big screen, if that makes any sense.

reH: Ali Larter confirmed a fourth Resident Evil movie is already being planned. Do you feel there is a good chance you will star in it?

Geoff: Pockmark will not be returning, unfortunately.

reH: We’re getting several new characters, including Claire Redfield. How would you describe her and how does she compare to her character from the games?

Geoff: I never got to see Ali Larter, so how she plays Claire, I honestly couldn’t answer.

reH: We’re told that Alice is in voluntary exile for part for the movie. Does Claire Redfield have a more central role or does she have “side-kick” status like Jill did in the previous movie?

Geoff: Claire is definitely not a “side kick”, but at the same time, Alice is still the predominant female lead.

reH: You seem to play the bad guy a lot in films and TV. Does your character ever get tempted to ditch his fellow survivors or sell them out to Umbrella?

Geoff: Oh no, Pockmark has nothing to do with corporate life, ha ha. He’s loyal to his group.

reH: You’ve directed and starred in quite a few plays. Do you prefer theatre over film? Is it more enjoyable being closer to the audience?

Geoff: Of the three mediums, television, film, and theatre -- film is my 3rd choice. Theatre would be second, and television is my first. The reason being is TV moves so fast. You shoot maybe 9 to 15 pages a day, so you‘re working a lot. The only downside is, the money isn’t as good unless you‘re pulling something outrageous like a million bucks an episode like the cast of “Seinfeld“ did.. Theatre I enjoy when it’s in a small venue, like a 99 seat house. But when you’re on stage in a theatre that seats something like 400+ people, you end up having to “overact” so the people in the nosebleed section can see what you‘re doing. I’m not too terribly fond of that. My complaint about film is how slow it moves. You shoot 1 to 3 pages a day on a big budget film like RE3. So there can be a lot of sitting around and waiting.

reH: In Japan someone actually put on a Resident Evil musical. If given such a project to direct how would you tackle it? What songs would you choose?

Geoff: Ha! I’d use a vast amount of pyrotechnics, and definitely music like Slipknot and Static X.

reH: The Resident Evil films are an extremely profitable franchise. Considering the exposure it will give you, can we expect to see you in other film and theatre projects after this?

Geoff: I certainly hope so. I’ve always predominantly been a television guest star actor. About 10 years ago I starred in a martial arts film, and had several offers to continue in that genre, but passed on all of them. Right now I have a very small role in the film “Little Miss Sunshine” with is doing quite well. I‘ve gotten a script offer, a magazine interview, and tons of emails and phone calls. I’ve done huge guest star roles on big television shows like “ER”, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, “CSI Miami”, etc, yet have never received this kind of attention. While RE3 won’t be out for about a year, I definitely hope it looks good on my résumé.

reH: It was said that Sienna was “replaced” with Ashanti when she dropped out because of other film commitments. Will they explain or at least drop some hints about what happened to her character in the movie? Did the script originally have a part for Jill?

Geoff: Ali Larter was hired on to replace the loss of Sienna Guillory. As for the rest of the question, I’m afraid I can’t elaborate.

reH: The previous films have always ended on cliffhangers (usually with Alice waking up naked in a lab). Do you think Mulcahy will continue the trend?

Geoff: Oh YEAH

reH: Finally, is there anything you want to share with the fanbase, a comment/advice/anecdote/correction/criticism?

Geoff: I know there is a loyal RE game fan base out there. What I wish people would attempt to understand is that whether you’re a director, writer, producer, or actor -- you want to bring your “own” creativity to a part or project. What fun would it be to simply do something that has already been done, whether it’s a game, comic book, etc. That denies the very creativity of a performer. You want to add your own “touch”. For every person that likes something, there will always be that person that dislikes it. You can’t please everyone.

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Biography

Name: Geoff Meed
Character: Pockmark
DOB: December 31st, 1965
Wheels: I’m a motorcycle guy. I have 2 fast crotch rockets, and just bought a brand new, big 1300cc drag cruiser that is like taking off in a rocket ship. I’m not a car guy. After going that route and driving expensive SUVs and going broke to make the payments on them, I went and got my old college car from home -- a Geo Prism. I only use it to go to the grocery store, and take my dog to the vet. Otherwise, I’m always on one of my motorcycles.

How did you get involved in the film industry:
I got involved in the entertainment industry by coming out here to Los Angeles, and pounding the pavement, sneaking onto studio lots trying to get auditions.

First project:
My first official project I guess would be a horror film I did in college, called “Scream Test”.

Proudest moment as an actor:
There are a lot of moments that I guess I’m sort of proud of. The most recent was signing with a big agency.

Most difficult part of being an actor:
The most difficult part of being an actor is not knowing when you’re going to work again and having to use your money wisely. Often, it is feast or famine. For many, it’s the rejection, but I’ve learned to not take it personally. When I cast my first play that I wrote, and we auditioned people, I learned firsthand that it isn’t a personal thing. It’s just who is right for the role.

Favourite films:
I have a lot of favorite films. A few are ALIENS, ENTER THE DRAGON, HURLY BURLY, THE CROW (I was up for the role of “T-Bird”), SHOWDOWN IN LITTLE TOKYO (I’m a big Brandon Lee fan), and of course, RESIDENT EVIL APOCALYPSE.

Favourite video games:
My favorite video games are DEUS EX, FINAL DOOM, and of course, RE4.

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