Last week, I sent an e-mail to my nephew, Mark. I’ve written about Mark in the past — he’s a West Point graduate/Iraq War veteran turned actor. He’s appeared in several movies and has had some plum roles on various television shows. It feels weird at times, not only knowing, but, being related to someone who’s … well … famous. He admitted to me, recently, that even he finds it strange, seeing himself on screen.

He’s the star of a new program being aired on the Fox Network called “Human Target.” I sent him regards and wished him “good luck” with the show — which was premiering a few days from the time I wrote.

We had talked this summer about the project, but at the time he had only completed the pilot episode. Back then, he mentioned that production was at the hands of the network as to how many shows it ordered … or something of that nature. (What? Like I can remember?)

Mark is a great guy. Now, I know what you’re thinking: I’m only saying that because I’m his uncle. Not at all! Nor is it because Mark has dropped the stalking charge he filed against me while he was on a show called “Boston Legal” (I think it was him). That’s not it, either. You see, it’s because he’s a down-to-earth, regular type of guy. Whether it’s acting, writing or mountain climbing, he attacks each venture with a passion that leaves little — if any — room for the extraneous nonsense of ego. Notoriety isn’t bad, it’s just not that important to him.

I’m not even sure if he understands his stature in the business (or cares) as evidenced by the return e-mail he sent me. I figured it was a column-worthy anecdote and so I’ll share it with you (with his permission, of course).

First, you have to realize that here’s a guy who just last week had his full-page picture splashed across the country in all of the major newspapers. TV promos for “Human Target” have been airing regularly during major network programming. And a couple years ago he was listed in People magazine’s 50 sexiest stars. He’s also been the feature image on that iconic sign towering over Times Square several times during the last few years.

Now with that said, I offer this small nugget — his e-mail to me oozing with excitement — to demonstrate how admirably-grounded he is.

“Thanks, Uncle Tom, things are going well, really well. Reviews have all been good.” He was glad to hear about the reviews — a natural pride that anyone would have for something they had worked hard on.

But then it’s what came after that, that I found amusing. Mind you, this guy has made movies with the likes of Bruce Willis, Denzel Washington and Madonna, and he says: “Highlight of the day, today: I got a call from my publicist saying that Lee Majors had called! Can you believe that?”

In an interview with People magazine, Mark once mentioned that while growing up, Lee Majors was one of his favorite TV stars. Majors had seen it, read it and contacted Mark.

Lee Majors! He’s not star-struck by the big hitters of the industry but when the “Six Million Dollar Man” comes a-knocking, Mark’s on cloud nine.

Mark further wrote that when he returned Majors’ call, he “was like an 8-year-old trying to dial the phone.” Majors thanked Mark for the kind words and returned the compliment, telling him he was also a fan of Mark’s.

I thought I’d share that story with you to illustrate how proud I am that Mark represents what most of us would like to see more of in our world today — an innocence untainted by the narcissistic values that have somehow permeated our society as a way of being hip. That’s all I’m saying. I’m done.

As my nephew said to me about that chat with his childhood idol: “True story. Can you believe it? Too cool.”

Mark is the son of my brother, Mike … and my wife’s sister, Martha.

And, for this week, that’s the way it looks from the Valley.

Tom Valley is a Medina resident. His column appears every Thursday. Contact him at tvalley@rochester.rr.com.

Source

Spot on and Hilarious!

Source

Source

He first appeared in the comic books 38 years ago, fighting evil in the same issue as Superman. He’s even joined forces with Batman. But Christopher Chance—the heroic security expert played by Mark Valley in the new Fox series Human Target—can’t lay claim to any superpowers. He’s just your average wiseass adrenaline junkie with Mensa-level smarts and a big, fat death wish.

“This character has been sneaking around under the radar in comics and graphic novels for decades, never hugely famous, but somehow he’s managed to avoid obscurity because of one thing: The guy has unbelievable balls,” says Valley (Fringe, Boston Legal). “He’s the ultimate in suicidal bravery.”

And how. This bod-for-hire has no qualms about inserting himself into any dangerous—or dangerously stupid—situation in order to guard a client. He’s even willing to take on your identity if someone wants you killed, hence the name Human Target. In the show’s premiere episode, Chance gets on board a futuristic bullet train that’s headed toward a crash so that he can protect a dishy damsel (Battlestar Galactica’s Tricia Helfer) from death threats.

“There’s something so interesting about a character who looks like a movie star and is hilariously funny but lacks any sense of self-preservation,” notes series creator Jonathan Steinberg (Jericho). “It’s a conceit that allows us to do a show with no rules. Because Chance is not a cop tied down to solving crimes in the same old city, we can take him anywhere in the world and make the equivalent of a high-octane action movie every week.”

Chance’s backstory in the comics has him driven by childhood demons—he tried but failed to protect his father, who was slaughtered by a loan shark, and vowed to never again be so physically helpless. But it’s unclear if the series will borrow from that lore. “We probably won’t find out about Chance’s past this season,” Valley says. “But I do know there’s some sort of unconventional mentor who trained him, and that’s fascinating to me. It means we’re not doing a remake of ‘Die Hard’ completely.”

Not even Chance’s confidant and business partner Winston, played by Chi McBride (Pushing Daisies), is privy to his history. “There’s got to be some pretty big issue that makes Chance willing to go headfirst into a buzz saw, and my character wants to get to the bottom of it,” McBride says. It’s a double-edged sword. Winston, who has a past in law enforcement, brings in all these cases for Chance to solve, then he’s concerned that Chance isn’t being careful. But Chance lives by his own rule: ‘Don’t be careful. Careful will get you killed.’”

Also in the mix is Oscar nominee Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children, Watchmen) as Chance’s shadowy backup man Guerrero. “You can’t help but wonder what’s up with my character—he’s the cleaner and the fixer, yet his ethics are questionable,” Haley says. “The three form this weird sort of team. It’s like Chance is the recovering addict, Winston is the sponsor, and Guerrero is the drug dealer. Basically, they’re a dysfunctional family.”

Not only does Valley need to be intellectually and verbally acute for this show (and speak fluent Japanese!), but the intricately choreographed fight scenes put him in true danger. “With every other TV show I’ve done, it’s no big deal if you miss your mark or you’re slightly late on a cue,” Valley says. “If that happens on this show, I get myself punched in the head. So far I’m surviving on ice and ibuprofen.”

Source

VANCOUVER, BC – It was a thrill hanging out on the set, with the stars of the new FOX action series “Human Target”.

I knew the show’s star, Mark Valley, played a tough guy on TV, but didn’t realize he was also a champion thumb wrestler. I thought I had a chance to take him, and challenged him to a match, but he took me down in mere seconds.

Valley stars as Christopher Chance, a unique private contractor and bodyguard, hired to protect people who can’t be protected through normal means.

Valley is a former Army officer, who served in the first Iraq war. He says working on this show is kind of like joining the Army again.

“You develop a sense of teamwork and cohesion, and we have–for lack of a better word– a mission to accomplish every day”, Valley says.

Shooting “Human Target” in Vancouver allows Valley to work in the same town as his real-life wife, “Fringe” star Anna Torv. I asked Torv if they bribed somebody to get that arrangement.

“No. But I can’t say anything because it might go away. It’s like bursting the bubble”, Torv says.

Despite working in the same town, they don’t see a lot of each other. They are both very busy working on their respective shows.

“How is she? How is she doing?” Valley asked me, jokingly. “Hair is still blonde, right?”

Human Target also stars Chi McBride, and Jackie Earle Haley. It’s a show that definitely amps up the action…and some say decreases stress.

“Kicking ass is one of the most cathartic and therapeutic methods of dealing with stress”, Chi McBride says. “Stress is a killer. When someone stresses you out, you will find your stress level decreases dramatically if you kick their ass. It really is amazing.”

Jackie Earle Haley says it feels and looks like a big-budget Hollywood thriller.

“These guys are kind of mounting into doing the action movie of the week, in a sense. That’s what these things are like. They’re really big, really movie-looking.”

Source

Mark Valley gets a kick out of the title of his new show, “Human Target,” which moves to its regular time slot tonight at 9 on WFXT (Ch. 25).

“The title doesn’t give too much away,” Valley said in an interview in Pasadena, Calif. “It’s not too pretentious, and it had a much better ring than ‘Human Kmart,’ let me say that.”

The Ogdensburg, N.Y., native brings the same sarcastic humor to the role of Christopher Chance, a for-hire bodyguard who will do whatever it takes to protect his clients.

“One of the things that I felt was really fascinating about this character is he really walks a fine line between being acerbically disgusted with people, while at the same time being amused by it all,” Valley said.

“There’s something about him that really relishes some of the macabre stuff. I’m interested in the challenge of trying to convey that as an action character but still being not too cheery, not too chummy, not too jokey, because I feel like that’s been done.”

Last season, the 45-year-old actor played John Scott on “Fringe,” where he met his wife, actress Anna Torv. Prior to “Fringe,” Valley starred in “Boston Legal” and “Pasadena” and appeared on such as shows “ER” and “Swingtown.” He’s happy now to be playing a title character.

“I had just come off a couple of shows where I was playing a supporting character, and I thought I would like to play a lead character. Is that too much to ask?” he said. “Can’t a guy get his own show nowadays? What’s the world come to?”

Many still remember Valley as the title character in the critically acclaimed but quickly canceled 2003 Fox series “Keen Eddie.”

“Honestly, one of the reasons I think I’m doing this show is the collective guilt from the people at Fox,” he said and then laughed.

Valley graduated from West Point, a school, he noted, not known for its acting community.

“It’s like studying military history at Juilliard,” he said. The Gulf War veteran began acting while he was overseas serving in the Army and got a role as an extra in a film. When he returned to the United States, he landed the role of Jack Deveraux on NBC’s daytime soap “Days of Our Lives.” But after leaving the soap opera, he had trouble finding work.

“I picked up some bad habits,” he said. “They were great for that particular medium, but it didn’t really translate.”

The role on “Human Target” comes at the perfect time. “I feel really blessed now because I have the ability to look back and see, OK, ‘What’s this going to take from me? What am I going to need to be prepared for this? What kind of opportunity is this for me?’ I think I can answer those questions a lot more accurately now than I could 10 years ago.”

Source

MARK VALLEY IS A GUEST ON LOPEZ TONIGHT 11/10c on TBS. Don’t forget to tune in!!