 
GW: You were pretty dramatic in your change of physique. Was that your idea or were you asked to get "pumped?"
CN: No, the physique change, actually, was my idea. When I did the last episode of Season Five, I was much trimmer. But when I worked with Chris Judge -- number one, just seeing how big he is. I realized that if I didn't bulk up I was going to disappear on screen. Richard Dean Anderson is, like, 6'3. He's a really tall guy.
I just knew that with the cast being as big and as tall as everybody is ... even Amanda Tapping, she's like, 5'10. So I knew I had to bulk up.
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His time with SG-1 allowed Jonas to see the galaxy, and fight for his people. |
So I spent the three or so months between when they wrapped that, before they started Season Six, drinking four weight gainer shakes a day. I'd go to the gym twice a day. I'd go in the morning and in the afternoon. I literally was in the gym almost six days a week, practically for that full three months. I put on like close to 25 pounds or something like that.
GW: It was substantial.
CN: Yeah, it was huge. The clothes -- I went up four pants sizes. Literally. So I put on all that bulk.
And it's funny, because I bulked up for the show and everything and then it took me a while to finally get it off. Once I trimmed back down to what my weight pretty much was before going on to the show, everybody was, "Are you sick? Are you OK? You look so thin." I'm like, "Check me out in everything I did previous to Stargate. I look exactly the same."
GW: So, you didn't like it that much to keep it on afterwards?
CN: I didn't see the point of it because as an actor it's about versatility, and for me the majority of the parts that I played didn't require the necessity of that kind of bulk. And now, with memory muscle I can work out for three and a half weeks and the difference in how I look is crazy.
I don't really worry about it too much. If I need to get big for something, I can get big; in the meantime, I run a lot. I stay healthy. I keep myself trim and in what people call fighting shape, fighting weight.
" I'd say 95-plus percent of the fan base grew to like the character and accepted the character overall."
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GW: Now when you got on the show, you and Jonas both had a tremendous burden replacing a popular character, a popular actor on the show. Do you think that Jonas was given a short shrift by fans?
CN: No, actually. I think, initially, the initial backlash from a very small core, outspoken group of the fandom had a bit of a volatile reaction to it, which is totally natural. But at the same time, that's not my line of work. I'm an actor and I'm coming in to do my thing, so it wasn't challenging in that respect.
Interestingly enough, I'd say 95-plus percent of the fan base grew to like the character and accepted the character overall. Especially by the time Season Six ended, I think people were pretty much, "Eh, OK -- I'm cool with that." For the most part.
But coming in on the set and everything, it could have been more difficult, except that everybody is just so cool. All the actors and everybody, everybody is so welcoming and laid back. Also they wrote the character in really well. They gave a nice arc, where the character had to prove himself, and the push and the pull of it all.
GW: Especially to Colonel O'Neill.
CN: Yeah! So they allowed that organic arc to take place which also assisted in the development of the character relationships.
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