If there's one "SOA" character that stands out from the pack as a fan favorite, it's Alex "Tig" Trager. The wild, violent, and freaky biker has been a source of bloody entertainment and comic relief throughout the show's run. And we wouldn't have Tig without actor Kim Coates.
Coates has been working on film, stage, and TV for decades, and his career doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon. The versatile Canadian-born actor has appeared in everything from "Entourage" to "Waterworld" to "A Streetcar Named Desire" on Broadway.
Moviefone had the chance to chat with Coates about what fans will see this season on "Sons of Anarchy," as the show comes to its bittersweet end. He also revealed a bit of what we can expect in the show's finale and how he envisions everything coming together for Tig (assuming Tig is safe in the first place). He also discussed his favorite Tig kills, what it's like to play a crazy bad guy, and what it means to be considered "awesome" by fans.
Moviefone: I was gathering questions from fans of the show, and a friend's mom said, "I'm the biggest 'Sons of Anarchy' fan. I love Tig. He's so crazy!" The variety of fans of this show is wild.
Kim Coates: [Laughs] She's a very smart girl, first of all. She's obviously a very, very smart woman. Come on, it's nuts, right? When my daughter was going to UCLA a few years ago, in her junior and senior year, like 64 kids on their dorm floor would take Tuesday nights off from that 10 to 11 slot when there was no homework to be done. And it goes all the way up to my mother and my aunts in Ontario who are all the way up in Canada. They're 84 years old and they got their thing of popcorn and their glass of wine and they will watch this show and will get as intensified watching it as we all do when we're doing.
We've seen one episode of Season 7 so far and things are already getting violent and crazy, as one would expect. How would you describe the last season as a whole?
Obviously, I can't tell you anything or I'd have to kill you, but I will say this. We are, today, actually starting filming the tenth episode out of thirteen. We're still doing this show until the end of October. so the fans will get, you know, six to seven shows before we're even done filming. How's it going? It's sad. It's not a happy place, and there ain't no happy meals. It is full out, full throttle, wiping everybody out. I can't say who or why or when or what, but it's just madness. This show has become to me, personally, Kim Coates, it's madness.
What can you tell us about tonight's episode in particular?
Let me tell you about Tig a little bit. The second episode we filmed so long ago in June, so that was a long time ago. I will say, for Tig Trager, that there's not a lot of comedy on this show anymore ever, but if there is, [Kurt] Sutter seems to give it to Tig. I think I'm really, from the outside looking in, and I've said this in interviews before obviously, I think for Trager losing Clay last year was the end of a certain bit of a ride for him. When I ripped off my own Sergeant-at-Arms patch, it was because Clay did the things to Gemma that I was so appalled by, and he's lucky I didn't punch him out myself, but I just didn't want to be any part of that club from what I was seeing.
And I think this final season, I mean, he's a champion of the underdog. Whether it's a dog or Venus Van Dam, he really champions the underdog. He's a really cool cat. He doesn't speak a lot this year so far this year, but when he does he fires from the hip like he always does. That's all in Kurt Sutter's hands, how this whole thing is gonna end. The violence continues to grow.
The overwhelming question from everyone seems to be: Do you feel like you are safe?
You know, again, I love saying this because I've been wrong 100% of the time. I did a million interviews at the end of last season and every single one I said that there will be nobody left alive. Maybe one of us or maybe two. Maybe Chuckie, or maybe my dog. I really thought he was going to wipe everyone out and now -- and obviously I can't tell you anything as to whether that's becoming true or not -- but I'm probably going to be wrong. That's all I'm gonna say. I know that we have four shows left and this ride is getting lonelier all along this season. I have no idea. I wish I knew.
Looking back, Tig has had a lot of wild moments. What was your favorite Tig kill or fight scene?
Boy, oh boy. You know, I don't know if I have a favorite. I'm not very good with favorites. But I will say that first show in Season 6, where I just lost my daughter the season before, and that guy mentioned to me something about "you need to watch some porn because your daughter..." and he pushed this button about my daughter... well, we know what happened to him. He got smacked up on and then he got rained on by me. Then I got to sing "The Dock of the Bay." That was pretty special day for me. In a weird, twisted, memorable way.
It seems like everybody wants to be on your show. I've seen interviews where people say they wish they could be on "Sons of Anarchy." Who would be your dream guest star?
I have three incredible buddies in this business -- Matt Craven, Billy [William] Fichtner, and Eric Bana. They're all my brothers and Bana got really close to doing a guest star and they just couldn't pull the trigger and Billy Fichtner was up for something but it was too long for him as well, and Matty was also up for something and it didn't quite work out. But I know those three guys are just amazing actors and my best buddies.
This is a crazy question to answer, but how would you like the show to end? What's your dream scenario for everyone, including your character?
[Laughs] Kurt Sutter said six months ago or five months ago when we were about to start filming the very first show that he wanted this show to end with the feeling of it's not really over. In other words, it's not all planned upon this incredible finale finish. He wants it to just quietly go away in the most epic way, I think. None of us are really sure what this means other than don't be surprised if it ends with an "Is it over? Is it done? What's gonna happen now?" Well, there is no now. It's over. So, I don't know how I'd like to see it end.
I don't oppose dying as Tig or living as Tig. I've always wanted to play this guy with stuff to do. I just want stuff to do. It's tough to write for ten guys all the time, I get it. And I do know that when Sutter does write for Tig that it's some of the best stuff on the show. I'm very blessed to play this guy that way, but I have no idea. I just hope I've got my dog and maybe someone else and a leash and a cigarette and a sunset and a bottle of booze and a bike.
We always try to end with a question from a fan, and we got this one from Facebook: "Why are you so awesome?"
[Laughs] That's sweet. I don't know. Why am I so awesome? How do you answer a question like that? Honestly, I'll look you right in the eye when I say this: I'm far from awesome. But that's the sweetest thing because I do love my fans. I do love our fans. I'm a people lover, and I don't leave my box very often these days because it's harder to walk the streets as Tig Trager, just as it was as Kim Coates before, but I'm so blessed with my charities and the things that I'm doing on the side of my life with helping people out. It really warms my heart that I'm in a position to do that.
Guys like Theo Rossi and I who do so much for charities and it's a great place to be in and I'm proud to be in it. And all my guys have supported One Heart Source, my daughter's charity. Charlie Hunnam, Tommy [Flanagan], Boone, Unser, all the boys -- they just give their time back for me and my child. The amount of money we've raised and all the awareness for all these kids in Africa who have nothing, it means the world to me.
I'm not awesome but that's very sweet of that gal. A big kiss and a hug right back.
"Sons of Anarchy" airs Tuesdays at 10 pm on FX.
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