William Mark McCullough
“I never approach a character by labeling him as a villain.”
Some of the best characters are villains. They’re the ones we love to hate and also hate to love. They can often make or break a story, so a good villain is essential in storytelling.
Actor William Mark McCullough has been portraying a variety of villains for years – and loving every minute of it. His most recent is Kobi, a Miami drug cartel thug in the new Spectrum original series L.A.’s Finest. A spinoff to the successful Bad Boys franchise, L.A.’s Finest tracks Sydney Burnett (Gabrielle Union), a former DEA Agent who leaves to become an LAPD Detective partnered with Nancy McKenna (Jessica Alba).
William left his Savannah, Georgia roots behind years ago to settle-in opposite some major Hollywood stars. Most notably, he appeared with Tom Cruise in American Made, Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage in Arsenal, Channing Tatum in Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh’s Logan Luck and Academy Award winner Mahershala Ali in Free State of Jones.
Up next, William appears in an episode of the new DC Universe Swamp Thing. He also has several other projects coming soon, including HBO series The Outsider, OWN’s Greenleaf and the horror-thriller film Shookum Hills alongside Will Patton. Being bad is proving to be very good for William.
William Mark McCullough recently took some time to answer a few questions:
For anyone who hasn’t seen it yet, tell us about your role in L.A.’s Finest.
WILLIAM: I play Kobi, a violent and sadistic drug cartel member from Sydney Burnett’s (Gabrielle Union) past when she was working for the DEA in Miami. Kobi kidnapped and tortured Syd while she was investigating the cartel. As a result of her physical and emotional injuries Syd left the DEA and moved to Los Angeles. In the present day, Kobi goes to LA for cartel business where Syd sets out to capture him with her team.
You have some pretty intense scenes with Gabrielle Union. What was that like?
WILLIAM: Filming the torture scene with Gabrielle was exhausting. Because Kobi is always calm, cool and collected in public, we wanted to really dig into his visceral, sadistic dark side during the torture. By the end of the day I was covered in blood. Luckily, it was fake.
Did you audition for the role and how much did you know about the character heading into that?
WILLIAM: I did audition for the role. I was working on a TV show in Atlanta when I got the audition notice, so I had to tape my audition and send it to my agent rather than attend the audition in person in LA. The only description I had for the character was that he was evil and menacing. So, I just jumped in and had fun with the character.
We know you’ll be back in the show again later this season. Is there anything you can tell us about that?
WILLIAM: Unfortunately, I can’t say anything except it is a shocking moment for Syd.
Why do you think you’ve had so much success playing bad guys, like Kobi?
WILLIAM: We all have certain qualities that we give off on camera. These qualities aren’t necessarily true to who we really are in our regular lives, but they are things the camera sees as true. I learned a long time ago that when I’m on camera I exude darker qualities such as violent, intense and unpredictable. In reality, I’m a kind, thoughtful and sweet person (just ask my mom), but the camera does not see those qualities. So, when I’m acting, I simply let my essence shine and I don’t get in the way by trying to “act.” This approach allows me to play villains without trying to “act” like a villain. In my opinion, great acting should appear effortless and by leveraging the natural qualities I exude on camera I am able to bring these bad guys to life in a very realistic way. As I often say, the cobra doesn’t act scary. The cobra is scary.
Is there anything specific you do to prepare for these menacing roles?
WILLIAM: This is a question I am often asked. The most important thing for me is what I don’t do when preparing to play a menacing villain. I never approach a character by labeling him as a villain. Everyone is a hero in his own mind. I find the character’s internal justification for the actions he takes. And there is always justification and an internal logic for the character. Nobody wakes up and says, “I’m going to be a villain today.” People take actions they feel are necessary for some good purpose in their minds. It is others who define those actions as villainous. The other thing I never do is judge the character I am playing or the actions they take in the story. Actors are simply assistant storytellers and every hero’s journey needs a villain. The story of Jesus requires Judas; John McClane needs Hans Gruber just as Luke must face Vader to complete his hero’s journey. Villains are essential parts of almost all good stories. So, I simply jump in and play make-believe without judgment.
Related: Aladdin European Gala Red Carpet Interviews with Will Smith, Guy Ritchie & More
Even in a more comedic film like American Made, you still play what’s considered a bad guy (a drug smuggler). Does that bother you?
WILLIAM: Absolutely not! Pete was such a fun character to play. And working with Tom Cruise was one of the absolute highlights of my career. My character in American Made was based on a real person. The real-life Pete was not a bad guy. Of course, he did things we might not approve of, but he was smuggling drugs and guns for the CIA because he believed in the cause and he wanted the money to provide for his family. He also loved the adrenaline rush that came from evading the DEA and trying to outmaneuver the Colombian drug lords.
If you could choose any type of role next, what would it be?
WILLIAM: I would love to be a series regular on an intense drama playing a complex, compelling villain who is intricately tied to the storyline throughout the series.
You’ve appeared opposite some major stars, including Tom Cruise, Channing Tatum, Mahershala Ali, Nicolas Cage and others. What’s been the biggest take-away from working with them?
WILLIAM: All those amazing actors taught me to always have a sense of fun when I’m acting (even if doing an intense dramatic scene), to treat everyone on set with respect, to stand up for what you think is right for your character and to always bring my own unique specialness to every role.
Before you go, we know you’re in the new DC Universe Swamp Thing. Is there anything you can share about that?
WILLIAM: I am so excited about this show! I think audiences are going to love it. Swamp Thing is going to be dark, a little scary and really fun. I play a violent redneck living in the swamps of Louisiana. I had the pleasure of working on the show with Jennifer Beals, who was such a talented actress and a real sweetheart.
