“Supernatural” returns this week for its 14th incredible season and Nerd Alert News is catching up with former guest actors such as Aleks Paunovic. Fans remember Aleks from his role as Gunner Lawless from season 11’s “Beyond the Mat.” Viewers have also seen him in the “iZombie”, “Continuum”, “Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency”, played Winter in “War for the Planet of the Apes”, “The 100,” and is soon to be seen in a new show called “Snowpiercer”. Of course lately, this super talented guy is playing the main role of Julius in SyFy’s popular series “Van Helsing”. Be sure to catch “Van Helsing” Friday 10/9 Central on SyFy Channel.
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Paunovic is an actor, writer, director, and producer with projects in the works such as a reality show about music called “Rescue Music”, “Hard Powder” opposite Liam Neeson, Laura Dern, and according to Aleks he has “I’ve got something big coming. I’m just waiting on the go ahead but it’s gonna turn some heads!”
Colleen Bement: “Supernatural” fans loved you as Gunner Lawless in the season the episode ‘Beyond the Mat’. Do you run into cast members from “Supernatural” once in a while?
Aleks Paunovic: I love those guys. It’s one of my favorite shows that I’ve ever done. I just had a conversation with another actor/friend of mine, Alex Calvert, who’s on the show right now, about how Jared and Jensen are the most amazing hosts. They welcome everyone in. It was one of my first gigs and I remember just starting out and saying that these guys know how to do it. They make everybody feel special and that they belong. Without them, the puzzle isn’t complete, so you really want to do well for them and the show. I was really lucky to have them as an example when I first started in film.
CB: You were fabulous in your role as Gunner Lawless. There were so many facets to that character.
AP: It was beautifully written and directed it was great, especially opposite those guys. It was my third episode. I started in season three with a quick little hit, and I think in season six did an episode ‘All Dogs Go to Heaven’, and then this one playing Gunner Lawless was great.
CB: How hard was it to learn wrestling?
AP: I guess it was mostly my ego because I come from a boxing background and I always felt like anything in a ring setting like that and it’s not boxing, it’s just not working my time. That’s how ignorant I was to the sport of wrestling. Then having to moves and to see the physical realm and how theatrical it was, it’s so much fun and it is hard on your body. Now I have nothing but immense respect for the sports entertainment of wrestling.
CB: Do you into any of the cast members from time to time?
AP: Oh yeah, because they shoot in Vancouver I spend most of my time here so I run into a lot of people who have either guest starred on the show. I just ran into Jared just a couple of months ago which is always great. They’re just loving guys. I love what they’ve done with the show and their lives, and it’s just a blessing to be a part of it in some small form. Yeah, Alex is my fastest growing friend. He’s literally one of the best dudes that I’ve ever met. Those guys picked a good one.
CB: I’m switching gears to season three of “Van Helsing” that just started last week. What’s going on with Julius? What are you allowed to share with your fans?
AP: The second episode is on Friday so everyone tune in to SyFy. It’s such a great channel. It’s a great medium for a lot of people that love the genre. The biggest thing is just to tune in or set your DVR on Fridays to all the shows, but especially mine (laughs). Julius is on a nice little arc this season. I can’t give away too much. All I know is that I really enjoy playing Julius this season. each season there is more growth and a little bit more depth, and Julius gets to do some really cool things and I can’t wait for the episodes to air so that I can gush about it even more. The ride is just gearing up, and everyone a part of the show, all the cast and crew, we had a phenomenal season shooting. We just want the numbers up so we can give you more “Van Helsing”.
CB: You are super popular on Twitter and you really engage with your fans.
AP: I came up with this idea because I’ll be in Los Angeles this Friday. I was like, I wanna watch the show why don’t i…with other people who are watching the show on SyFy, I want to Skype with them so that we can watch it together. I watch my TV and they watch their TV, and we talk about the show for like a commercial break, and then I’ll Skype someone else. I’m going to try that out on Friday. It will start on Friday when the show starts in Los Angeles at 10:00pm and I’ll Skype people during the commercial break. We’re going to have some fun.
CB: I checked your IMDB and I don’t think I’ve ever SEEN so many projects in the works. WOW, you’re busy. A movie opposite Liam Neeson, Laura Dern, and Emmy Rossum called “Hard Powder”, you’re starring in a film called “Way Out of Bounds”, and too many more to list. Please spill what you can for your fans about this super cool projects.
AP: What’s really great is it’s like working with Liam Neeson and Laura Dern, I just worked with Bruce Dern in a film that just got released at a festival called “Freaks” and was a huge fan of Bruce Dern so just getting to work with these amazing people; things I never thought that I’d be in this position with, I get to work on so many cool things, and that I get the opportunity. “Hard Powder” is going to be a really cool movie. I’ve got a nice little part and was just happy that I got to play with it for a little bit.
I’m also developing a reality show about music called “Rescue Music” which I’m really excited about. I’ll be directing and producing. In a nutshell, it’s basically using rescue wood; wood that has a meaning to that person–making it an instrument, and then presenting this person with that piece of wood that has too much history in that family. You rescue music, You rescue memories, you rescue love. Then having them pass it down from generation to generation. There’s nothing like the thickness of history in a piece of instrument that makes it that much more meaningful to play.
Plus, I’m excited about that project and I have two other projects. A couple of writers from “Van Helsing” and I got together and are super excited to do a project called “Under the Rock”. Simon Barry who directed “Continnum” who was the showrunner at the beginning of “Van Helsing” and we’re cooking up something amazing. I love creating with really good people and friends. I’m a really, really lucky guy.