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by Shavonne Bell<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Patrick Fabian, who plays Howard Hamlin<\/a> on AMC\u2019s<\/em> Better Call Saul, talks about unveiling his character\u2019s softer side and compares Jimmy and Kim to Romeo and Juliet.<\/em><\/p>\n Q: Writer Gennifer Hutchison<\/a> revealed that it wasn\u2019t originally planned for Chuck<\/a> to betrayJimmy<\/a> in Season 1, describing Howard as \u201cthe obvious villain.\u201d What did you think about that development?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: I think it\u2019s really interesting because it is more obvious to go ahead and make Howard the \u201cLord Vader\u201d and the cause of all of Jimmy\u2019s problems. It\u2019s much more insidious to have it closer to home and it also begs the question of what is Howard wrapped up with Chuck in? He\u2019s not related to him, but what does he owe Chuck? What are Chuck and Howard hiding? Is there a monetary issue? Is Howard incapable or afraid of running the firm by himself? It does make it a little more interesting and deeper.<\/p>\n Q: Have you experienced a change in how fans react to you since it became clearer that Chuck was the bad guy?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: Last season, a lot of people tweeted about how bad I was and then all of a sudden, after Episode 9<\/a>[Chuck\u2019s betrayal], it was like \u201cOh. Sorry about that!\u201d This year, they really liked Howard and thought he was a good guy, but then when everything started to go down with Kim<\/a>, people said, \u201cAw, man! You really are<\/em> a bad guy!\u201d People even accused Howard of having unrequited feelings for Kim and [suggested] that\u2019s why he was treating her so bad.<\/p>\n Q: We see a bit of his softer side when Kim gives her notice to HHM in Episode 8<\/a>. What do you make of their dynamic?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: He\u2019s still running a business and it\u2019s still his name on the wall. When she screws up, he doesn\u2019t punish her, but he sends a message to the rest of the company. That\u2019s just the way Howard runs his business. He\u2019s harder on those he sees the most potential in because he knows how far they can go. I think, without a doubt, Howard was hoping to see HHMW on the wall, but from Howard\u2019s point of view, Jimmy has poisoned it. Howard thinks he knows what the score is and the fact that she pulls a 180 and surprises him allows him a sense of softness. I\u2019ve always thought that Howard had a paternalistic feeling towards Kim. She\u2019s the favorite daughter, and this is the closest thing to saying \u201cI love you\u201d to a daughter. Between her and Jimmy, she got out of the mailroom. He wonders what mistakes were made along the way to make her go. Although, with Howard being Howard, the mistakes don\u2019t lie at his feet.<\/p>\n Q: You\u2019ve had virtually no scenes with Bob Odenkirk this season. Do you miss him?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: I do miss him. Bob is so fun to work with and he brings so much to the table. His character is always fun. Last season, I always got in trouble because with Jimmy McGill, you just want to be like him. He has these rambling monologues and these funny lines. As an actor, I found myself wanting to match that, but of course that\u2019s not my character.<\/p>\n Q: On the flip side, we\u2019ve seen a lot more interaction between Howard and Chuck this season. How have you been enjoying exploring their relationship? What are your thoughts on their dynamic?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: It\u2019s a real honor because working with Michael McKean is fantastic, and intelligent actors are always your best bet. Both Chuck and Howard are so good, and it\u2019s like playing tennis with someone who\u2019s better than you: You hope you get better every time you get beat. We\u2019ve seen Howard in Chuck\u2019s house and there\u2019s a familiarity that lends itself to letting us know that there is history and camaraderie. When Kim procures the Mesa Verde account, Howard doesn\u2019t give her much credit, but he certainly takes credit himself and goes to Chuck\u2019s house with that scotch. It implies that this is a ritual when they land a big fish. They drink to their success and that\u2019s inner circle stuff. It\u2019s not for consumption by the rest of HHM. Even though Chuck is sitting in the space blanket, there\u2019s a brief moment of normalcy and the way things used to be. I liked that a lot. I think they\u2019re buddies, but Howard is navigating Chuck\u2019s illness just like everybody else. Consequently, there\u2019s a sense of loss for Howard as well. It almost feels like Howard has to use kids gloves when talking about Chuck and to him.<\/p>\n Q: Howard briefly mentions how his father is the reason he\u2019s at HHM and not off practicing on his own. Is it safe to say that\u2019s our answer to who the other Hamlin is in Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: Yeah. I\u2019ve always thought that Howard was the second \u201cH\u201d and that his dad was dead, retired or indisposed. The fact that he\u2019s never mentioned as well also makes me think that. There\u2019s not even a chair for him. Howard is clearly the titular head of the company. That says a lot, too. The crown weighs heavy and everything he does, he does to protect HHM. So, he allows himself to have personality with Kim, but as soon as she leaves \u2013 literally when she\u2019s out the door \u2013 his game face is back on. It\u2019s like, \u201cWell, that was sweet. Now let\u2019s go!\u201d It was so fast like he maybe had a momentary lapse of reason. [Laughs<\/em>]<\/p>\n Q: You\u2019ve said you watch the episodes for the first time along with the rest of the fans, when they air on AMC. Why is that?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: The show, for me, is through Howard\u2019s eyes. Of course I read the script and what\u2019s going on because the writing is so good, but I film the scenes that I\u2019m in. It\u2019s a delicious reward that I get when I watch the episode like a fan. I almost wept watching Jimmy and Kim get together because since we know what happens with Saul Goodman later on, it\u2019s ill-fated. We know that eventually we see Saul Goodman as a solo practitioner. It\u2019s like watching Romeo and Juliet in the beginning. It makes me a little nostalgic.<\/p>\n Q: Is there anything that has surprised you this season?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: All the stuff with Hector and Nacho<\/a>. I didn\u2019t even interact with those guys, so the first time I watched Hector, I said, \u201cOh man! Whoa! He\u2019s talking and walking!\u201d Then, the handsome boy twins showed up again. I thought I<\/em> was supposed to be the good-looking one on the show! [Laughs<\/em>] I also love peeling the onion and finding more about Mike<\/a>, which I think most fans enjoy.<\/p>\n Q: You\u2019ve said that you went into your Better Call Saul<\/em> audition thinking that, at best, you\u2019d get three episodes of The Walking Dead<\/em> out of it. How do you think Howard would fare if he were transported into that world?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: Let\u2019s face it, Howard wouldn\u2019t make it to the first commercial break. He\u2019d try to take charge and he\u2019d say he knew how to handle a weapon, but would get his nose bitten off.<\/p>\n Q: Which Better Call Saul<\/em> character could hold their own?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: Mike Ehrmantraut. He\u2019s unstoppable. He wouldn\u2019t even have to run. He\u2019d come up with something.<\/p>\n Q: We\u2019ve asked your colleagues, and now it\u2019s your turn: Who would you rather have defending you in court, Jimmy or Saul?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: Oh, gosh. From Howard\u2019s point of view, he\u2019d go with Saul Goodman because Howard would be smart enough to recognize that even though it might not be by the rules, Saul would have a better chance of getting him off. I\u2019m assuming Howard would have done something awful and is nervous about losing his position, so he\u2019d try anything. He\u2019d try to make Saul wear something different to court, though.<\/p>\n Q: What about your personal pick? And what if we threw Howard into the mix?<\/strong><\/p>\n A: I\u2019d totally want Howard. You just know<\/em> he\u2019s good! I bet you he\u2019s so charming in the court room in a way that would probably make your skin crawl, but he\u2019d definitely win the case.<\/p>\n Read an interview with Rhea Seehorn<\/a>, who plays Kim Wexler.<\/p>\n Better Call Saul<\/em> airs Mondays at 10\/9c on AMC.<\/p>\n![\"BCS_HowardHamlin\"](\"https:\/\/patrickfabian.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/BCS_HowardHamlin.jpg\")
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