Paul Campbell seems to be finding a very specific niche for his career. On Battlestar Galactica, be played the somewhat geeky Billy, and now once again he’s playing a geeky guy named Billy on a reimagining of a cheesy sci-fi show from the past. However, like BSG, the new Knight Rider is less about kitsch and more about making a modern update of a classic.
BuddyTV spoke to Paul Campbell during our exclusive Knight Rider set visit. The hot young star who BuddyTV named one of the sexiest stars to watch this season had plenty to say about his role on the series, his relationship to KITT and the original series, and the comparisons to his Battlestar Galactica role. Keep reading for the highlights and to watch our exclusive video interview.
-Paul Campbell plays Billy, the tech engineer in charge of keeping the physics and chemistry of KITT and the technology in the KITT Cave up and running. However, despite being “the guy who knows everything about it,” Campbell has yet to ride in KITT through the show’s first five episodes, though like many cast members, he’s eager to do so.
-Having been on two reimagined shows, Campbell has a unique perspective on how these versions relate to the originals. “On Battlestar Galactica as well as this, nobody is or was trying to remake the original show. It’s a reimagining, and you’re using the fundamentals, you’re using the concept, but it’s fairly loose. This is a man and a car, but it’s a whole different show.”
-Comparing the Knight Rider Billy to BSG’s Billy, Campbell acknowledges that while they’re both smart assistants, in Knight Rider he gets to play the comic relief, while Battlestar Galactica was serious all the time.
-Previewing episode 5, Campbell is quite excited about a scene in the KITT Cave where he gets to hold a gun. However, unlike the last time he was in a gun fight on a TV show, fans don’t have to worry about Billy dying this time.
-Interview conducted by John Kubicek
(Additional video footage courtesy of NBC)
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
John watches nearly every show on TV, but he specializes in sci-fi/fantasy like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural and True Blood. However, he can also be found writing about everything from Survivor and Glee to One Tree Hill and Smallville.
