Lost Lost's Terry O'Quinn on fans, singing and flying

Terry O'Quinn, aka the enigmatic Locke in Lost, reveals all about his theories about his character, life on the set of the hit US drama and how his wife saved his life

What do you love about Locke?
"He’s impulsive, curious and a dichotomy. He wants to be good, but he’s dangerous. He was a soul without purpose before he came to the island and now it’s like he was born on there. He also asks the questions that the viewers ask, things like, ‘Why are there polar bears?’ and ‘Why am I here?’"

Is he really dead?
"I’m not convinced he is. If it’s three years in the future, who says that’s the absolute future, or that he’s not going to come back. This is Lost after all!"

Is there any other Lost character you’d like to play?
"Hurley or Sawyer. Hurley’s the comic relief, but also the observer with a heart of gold, while Sawyer’s the bad boy."

Does the cast socialise much?
"It seldom happens, but on the few occasions when we all get together, it’s a party and we have a good time. We’ll all be sitting in a big circle and I’ll be playing the guitar and singing."

What’s your favourite song to sing?
"It would probably be an old Eagles number. Desperado or something."

Who else on the show is musical?
"Naveen Andrews, who plays Sayid, is fabulous, a remarkable singer. He can do Elvis with the best of them."

How do you cope with all the fanmail?
"My wife and I try to answer everything ourselves, but we’re about a year behind. You just manage to catch up and they bring another stack of 300 letters."

You’ve been married for 30 years. How has it changed your life?
"I got lucky. If I hadn’t met my wife when I was 27, I’d be an old, sick alcoholic living in a small, dirty apartment with a huge pornography collection. Instead I live in a beautiful house in Hawaii and have two beautiful sons."

Other than Lost, what has been your career highlight?
"I enjoyed guest spots on Star Trek and Millennium, but I think it was probably Alias. I was really in love with the guys who worked on that. I can have a great part and a great location, but if I don’t like the people, it’s ruined."

Which TV show would you most like to appear on?
"I’m a fan of Dancing with the Stars. I’d be the old guy they keep on for three or four weeks for sentimental reasons."

Do people get nervous on flights with you?
"On flights, people say, ‘Are we going down?’ and I reply, ‘We might crash, but we’ll be okay, I’ll take care of you.’ No one’s freaked out at me yet."

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