CSI Files
Captain
<p>Season five of <i>CSI: New York</i> has delved deeper into the character of Sheldon Hawkes than any season before it, exploring both Hawkes' romantic past and his deep sense of integrity when faced with personal challenges on the job, from an old friend asking for an unethical favor to making a stand when a colleague calls in sick with the blue flu. <font color=yellow>Hill Harper</font> shared his desire for a romance for Hawkes in the future and what he likes best about the character with CSI Files' <font color=yellow>Kristine Huntley</font>, as well as his enthusiasm for the show and his outside projects--including a third book. Some spoilers ahead!<p><b>CSI Files:</b> You're finishing up season five of the show! How is the rest of the season looking?<p><b>Hill Harper:</b> Fantastic! I think that it has been one of the best seasons. It's been a joy. I think the writing has been great. The storylines have been really interesting. I've been really captivated by a lot of the episodes. I think they've been great--extremely well written. My mom calls me after every episode airs and she's really just excited. Every time she calls me, she says, "The writers are doing such a great job! All these storylines are so interesting and complex and entertaining." So that's a really nice affirmation.<p><b>CSI Files:</b> This has been a really great season for Hawkes--it's really opened him up a lot as a character. And we even got to see some of his romantic past in <A class="link" HREF="http://www.csifiles.com/episodes/newyork/season5/help.shtml">"Help"</a>. Did you enjoy getting to explore that?<p><b>Harper:</b> I thought that was great. The more love interest material they can give me, the better! I think it's great and I love it!<p><b>CSI Files:</b> That was obviously a more serious storyline given the fact that Kara had been raped while she and Hawkes were dating. What did you draw on to bring out the more emotional side of Hawkes?<p><b>Harper:</b> It's great because we're all actors on the show and we like to be able to play different emotional realities in different circumstances, but at the end of the day, it's a show that's a procedural. So when those opportunities come along you really relish and enjoy them as an actor because you can draw upon other things and very personal experiences. In my book <i>Letters to a Young Sister</i>, <font color=yellow>Gabrielle Union</font> wrote the forward and she talked about when she was raped as a younger woman and talked about her experiences. The young women that I meet across the country at book signings and things have talked about their experiences with violence and being in relationships in different settings. All of those things affect me in the real world and in real life, and certainly to portray a character that has feelings and is in a romantic relationship with someone that had been a victim of abuse on that level was just a really wonderful challenge and something that I'm proud that I got a chance to play.<p><b>CSI Files:</b> How do you think Hawkes coped with the dissolution of that relationship? Do you think he got over it, or do you think it's always haunted him?<p><b>Harper:</b> Over time, in his relationships I think that subtextually is pretty clear. He never says it and I don't want to spoil anything, but there is a situation where it [is evident that it] clearly had an effect on him. Before the season is over, he mentions it again. It's definitely had a real effect on him.<p><b>CSI Files:</b> Mac (<font color=yellow>Gary Sinise</font>) and Hawkes clashed a bit when Mac caught Hawkes staking out the suspected rapist in the episode. Did you like how that played out? Did you think Mac was right or did you sympathize with Hawkes more?<p><b>Harper:</b> That scene with Mac actually is one of my favorite scenes I've done on the show. It's very well written. There are a lot of givens there, a lot of layers to the scene. There's the professional element of overreaching or perhaps doing something that's not appropriate professionally and I think that both Mac and Hawkes take their professions very seriously. I think they're both very proud of the fact that they maintain a level of excellence in terms of their work. I think that's kind of born out--many of the characters come to Hawkes for their answers because he's really on top of his game when it comes to doing his work. He's very professional, and obviously Mac Taylor is the epitome of professionalism, so there's that layer. But then there's also the friendship layer--I think these two people are friends and I think that in a certain way Mac Taylor is a mentor to Hawkes. They've also developed a friendship and a collaboration, having worked together for such a long time, and a mutual respect. And so you have the layer of the professional not wanting to make a mistake professionally, to do something out of bounds, but at the same time wanting to protect a friend, but also wanting to be honest with a friend, to say, "You know what? This isn't right. It's messed up. Something's wrong here." Just being honest and being frustrated, wanting to do something but feeling hamstrung in a way. I think that scene played out really well and that really came through.<p><b>CSI Files:</b> Were you at all bothered by the fact that we didn't get to see Hawkes' reaction after the rapist was caught?<p><HR ALIGN="CENTER" SIZE="1" WIDTH="45%" COLOR="#007BB5"><p>To read the full interviews, please click <A HREF="http://www.csifiles.com/interviews/hill_harper5.shtml">here</A>.<center></center>
