Zoot be praised! Zoot lives! Because Danny James (ZOOT) himself appeared live to chat with Tribe fans on The Tribe’s official Facebook page earlier in 2011 and we’ve got the transcript of Danny’s questions and answers available for the first time right here!
Thanks to Danny again for appearing (and to all the fans who participated) and Danny was also kind enough to speak to two lucky competition winners after his chat.
Got something you want to know about Zoot? There’s a good chance you’ll find out everything you want to know in this entertaining and informative question and answer session from the person who knows Zoot more than anyone else, Danny James!
Danny discusses many subjects to do with The Tribe on and off-camera – and in some answers, shows that you shouldn’t believe everything you read or hear about The Tribe or members of The Tribe cast on Wikipedia or other websites! 😛
There’s only one place to get the latest news and accurate info and that’s the official Tribe site, Tribeworld.com (don’t listen to Tribemaster though! *shudder* :P) and we hope to announce some more Tribe chats and exciting news in the near future, you’ll hear it here first…
Thanks once more to Danny, and on with the questions and answers!… <3
Message from Danny: Hi Tribeworld – Power and Chaos!!!! How is everyone? I look forward to taking your questions
Q Hi Danny! How are you doing after the Earthquake, I hope you and your family were safe and came through it ok. I (we) were worried about all the cast!
^ I’M FINE, LUCKILY I WAS THE OTHER END OF THE COUNTRY SO EVERYTHING WAS FINE BUT REALLY TRAGIC WHAT HAPPENED
Q Hi Danny-Did the contacts you had to wear hurt?
^ NOT NORMALLY 99.9% OF THE TIME THEY WERE FINE BUT ONE SCENE I DID THEY HURT WHEN I DIDN’T CLEAN THE LENSES, SO USUALLY IT WAS OK! 🙂
Q Hi Danny, If you could choose any other character (that isnt Zoot) to play in the Tribe who would it be and why?
^ PLAYING THE BAD GUY IS ALWAYS SO MUCH FUN, GOOD CHARACTERS ARE GREAT… HMMMM. I ALWAYS THINK PLAYING THE CHARACTER OF LEX WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT OF FUN BECAUSE HE WAS THE SORT OF GOOD/BAD GUY
Q Hi Danny! Lisa beat me to it. 🙂 What’s your favorite season?
^ I ACTUALLY STILL THINK SEASON 1 WAS THE BEST FOR ME, I ENJOYED THEM ALL BUT SEASON 1. SEASON 5 WAS FUN TOO WHEN I WAS ON THE CREW
Q Good Morning Danny, and Power and Chaos to you too 🙂 What I was wondering.. When you started filming on the Tribe, did you know that Zoot would die in episode 8, or was that a change that was made because you needed to leave?
^ YES! (NOTE FROM TTO – DANNY DID KNOW ZOOT WAS GOING TO DIE)
Q Can you tell us more about the cast reunion that you guys had a couple years ago? We’ve seen some pictures and saw the video of Meryl Cassie singing, but I’d like to know what it was like. How did it feel to see people that …
^ IT WAS LIKE A BIG FAMILY PARTY WHERE YOU HAVEN’T SEEN ANYBODY IN A LONG TIME, REALLY GREAT FUN AND THERE’LL BE ANOTHER AGAIN!
Q Hi Danny, What have you been upto after leaving the tribe? Would you ever go back at this present time??xx
^ I CERTAINLY WOULD GO BACK IN A HEARTBEAT IF THE OPPORTUNITY EVER CAME UP! I’VE BEEN VERY BUSY AND DOING A FAIR BIT OF BUILDING!
Q What was the best thing in playing Zoot?
^ IT’S GOTTA BE THE POLICE CAR DOESN’T IT! THAT WAS AWESOME, HEHEHE, I REALLY ENJOYED THAT, IT WAS GREAT!
Q OMG!!!!!!! Dan…… the scene’s with Brady where your holding him and looking evil,where they hard to film??,,like making urself look terrible with a baby,how did that make u feel??
^ THAT WAS ACTUALLY HARD BECAUSE MY BIGGEST CONCERN WAS ANY SECOND NOW THIS BABY’S GONNA BURST INTO TEARS AND FILMING WAS VERY DIFFICULT! IT WAS ACTUALLY MORE RELAXED THAN I EXPECTED (THE BABY)
Q Hey Danny! Thanks from the bottom of my heart for doing this !!
^ OH YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME, IT’S MY PLEASURE!
Q Danny if The Tribe decided to resume the series would you be willing to be on the show again & would you be willing to make promotional appearances in the United States for the show?
^ FOR SURE! YES!!
Q Hey Danni, I always wondered, how does it feel to be one of the least seen characters but the main plot and cause of the story??
^ IT’S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION AND QUITE DIFFICULT TO ANSWER… THE MYTHOLOGY WAS ALL IN RAY THOMPSON’S HEAD BUT I LOVED IT!
Q If a remake was to be shot, would you consider joining another cast playing Zoot? (even if it was in Australia 😀 )
^ IT’S AWESOME THE REACTION IN AUSTRALIA ON ABC, THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT! HOPEFULLY WE CAN MAKE ALL THINGS POSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE!
Q What was your favorite scene to shoot?
^ WELL, JUST THINKING FOR A SEC… YEAH IT WAS THE MEETING WITH LEX IN THE TRAIN RAIL YARD WHEN THE CAR PULLED UP AND I JUMPED OUT, WALKING DOWN THE FRONT OF THE POLICE CAR. A LOT OF FUN AND REALLY COOL!
Q I just have to say that I’ve never been more glad that I’m a night owl. (It’s just after midnight in California). You are my favorite actor from the show and Zoot was ALWAYS my favorite character. So I just have one question: Did you ever wish that Zoot could return in the flesh and not through a dream/hologram/someone else pretending to be Zoot?
^ THAT’S GREAT, THANKS FOR THE NICE COMMENTS! WELL I THINK IF THERE WAS SOME WAY RAY THOMPSON WAS ABLE TO WRANGLE ZOOT BACK TO LIFE THAT WOULD BE GREAT!
Q How did you feel that you got cut out of the show so quickly?
^ SAD BECAUSE IT WAS A LOT OF FUN BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT ALLOWED ME TO GET INTO ANOTHER SIDE OF THE FILM INDUSTRY AS I WAS STILL INVOLVED SO BITTERSWEET
Q Hey danny when was your first audition what was it like and what made you want to start?
^ HI! MY FIRST AUDITION WAS WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OLD, I MET RAY THOMPSON AT CLOUD 9 AUDITIONING FOR THE ENID BLYTON ADVENTURE SERIES, MY FIRST EVER AUDITION! I WENT BACK AGAIN AND GOT A PART IN ANOTHER CLOUD 9 SHOW, THE ENID BLYTON SECRET SERIES
Q Hey Danny! Hope your good. (: Did you enjoy going around in a police car? 😀
^ YES, LOVED IT! ONE OF MY FAVOURITE ASPECTS OF THE WHOLE THING!
Q I was wondering how your audition went for the part of Zoot. Did you go for that character initially or did you go for another character and ended up getting chosen to play Zoot? I’m glad you did play Zoot though. You suited him perfectly.
^ RAY THOMPSON HAD THOUGHT OF ME FOR THE PART OF ZOOT THOUGH I DID READ FOR THE PART OF LEX INITIALLY TOO – RAY INSISTED THERE WAS ONLY ONE PERSON TO PLAY ZOOT THOUGH AND THAT WAS ME!
Q hi danny!!! I just wanna ask if there is any chance of there being anymore new episodes of the tribe?? If there isn’t why??? Thanks:D♥ Ps- your an awesome role model/actor!! Zoot be praised!!!
^ THANKS FOR THE KIND COMMENTS AND YOUR SUPPORT! I AM HOPING THERE MIGHT BE SOME NEW EPISODES AT SOME POINT AND APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS, I REALLY HOPE THERE’LL BE SOME NEW EPISODES IF EVERYONE KEEPS UP THE PHENOMENAL SUPPORT THEN EVERYTHING’S A POSSIBILITY
Q What did you think of the writers bringing you back into the show as a computer animation? Did it make sense to you?
^ ANY WAY THEY FOUND TO BRING ZOOT BACK WAS A LOT OF FUN AND GOOD FOR ME, ALWAYS AMAZING THE WAY IT WAS WRITTEN IN THERE AND I REALLY ENJOYED IT, IT WAS GREAT
Q I’m sure you got this alot Danny if Zoot had lived what road do you think he would have took
^ I THINK IT WAS INEVITABLE HE WOULD REMAIN THE BAD GUY BUT I THINK HE WOULD HAVE BECOME A MORE CONFLICTED BAD GUY WITH BRADY INVOLVED, GETTING TO KNOW HER.
I KNOW RAY HAD IN MIND THAT ZOOT WAS ALWAYS A REVOLUTIONARY LIKE CHE GUAVARA, A LEADER TYPE
Q HI Danny 😀 Did you pay anyt attention to season 2 and 3? If you did can you remember Zoots four wishes? :p What did you think when you found out that there was a tribe who had Zoot as their God?
^ YES, THE CHOSEN! I WAS WORKING ON SERIES 2 AND 3 BEIHND THE SCENES AND IT WAS QUITE FUN, DEFINITELY A BIT BIZARRE TO BE WORSHIPPED, GOT LOTS OF JOKES FROM THE CAST AND CREW
Q How do you feel about the sucess of the tribe?
^ HI! I FEEL HUMBLED I SUPPOSE, IT’S REALLY BEEN SUCH AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE AND I HOPE EVERYONE STAYS WITH THE SUPPORT IT HAS TODAY AND KEEPS THE DREAM ALIVE
Q did u like the hairstyle?
^ WHEN THE TRIBE FIRST STARTED IT WAS HOW MY HAIR WAS THEN, IN DREADLOCKS! I WAS YOUNG AND THAT’S HOW I WAS!
Q did u do ur own stunts in the balcony death scene ?
^ NO I WASN’T ALLOWED FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES (RAY WOULD HAVE FAINTED HEHEHE)
Q If Zoot had lived do you think he would have been with Ebony or Trudy? Or do you think he would have agreed with Jaffa and chosen Tai San to be his true Supreme Mother?
^ THERE’S THE RUB! PROBABLY EBONY TO BE HONEST THEY WERE A PRETTY TIGHT KNIT AND WELL ESTABLISHED TEAM.
AND YES – ZOOT WOULD HAVE AGREED WITH TAI SAN BEING SUPREME MOTHER AT THAT TIME
Q Thanks for taking the time to do this, Danny. Question? Ummm… Apart from friends and family, what three things in your life currently are the most important to you?
^ WOW… THINKING… I WOULD SAY RAY THOMPSON WOULD HAVE BEEN ONE OF THEM, THE HOUSEPARENTS TOBY AND SARANNE WERE AN IMPORTANT PART OF MY GUIDANCE, AND A GUY CALLED BRENT MCCAULEY IS IMPORTANT TOO
Q Hey there Danny, we met at DragonCon in Atlanta. Hope you’ve been well! What do we have to look forward to in your future? Are you interested in ever pursuing any musical endeavors?
^ HI THERE, HOPE YOU ARE WELL TOO! I LOVE MUSIC AND IF THERE’S ANY OPPORTUNITY IN THE FUTURE I WOULD LOVE TO BE INVOLVED, LOTS OF PLANS!
Q Are you really married to Victoria? If yes how did this story start?
^ HEHEHE, NO! NOT HEARD THAT RUMOUR BEFORE
Q If you had the power and devoted followers that zoot had, what would you do with it ? And who would you claim worthy supreme mother ?
^ HHMMMM. I THINK I WOULD TRY VERY HARD TO IMPROVE THE WORLD, MY IMMEDIATE WORLD ANYWAY AS BEST AS I COULD. HOW ONE DOES THAT IS UP FOR DEBATE OF COURSE!
SUPREME MOTHER WOULD BE MY GIRLFRIEND
Q Hiya Danny!! Greetings from a sleepy Dane here 😉 Hmm.. Has there been a particually memorable scene for you to shoot? I hope that you are well and happy, have you found a special someone yet? Wish you all the best, POWER ‘N’ CHAOS!! ♥
^ HI MIRA – AND HELLO DENMARK! I WENT TO COPENHAGEN AND LOVELY PLACE. PARTICULARLY MEMORABLE SCENE WOULD BE THE MEETING WITH LEX AND RYAN IN THE TRAIN, ALSO THE MONOLOGUE AT THE END OF SEASON 5 WITH MEGA, FUN AND CHALLENGING SCENES RESPECTIVELY
Q Have you still been in contact with the others after the end of season 5? And if not: How was it to see them all again at the tribe reunion in 2008? (Some of them were so grown-up!)
^ YES I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT, THE 10 YEAR REUNION OF THE CAST NOT THAT LONG AGO, SO STILL IN TOUCH
Q Hi, do you think they should make a season six?
^ THERE MOST CERTAINLY SHOULD BE! IF ENOUGH FANS WANT SERIES 6 IT WILL HAPPEN – KEEP THE DREAM ALIVE! 🙂
Q hey dan was there ever any plans to bring any of the adults back and do you have any season 6 gossip from the new novel.
^ FROM WHAT I HEAR IT SOUNDS REALLY EXCITING – CAN’T SAY MORE THAN THAT FOR NOW SORRY!
Q How do you feel being the biggest and the main character in the whole series?
^ REALLY GREAT IT FEELS GREAT, WAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF FUN AND DEFINITELY A HIGHLIGHT OF MY LIFE EXPERIENCE
Q what do you think zoot would have made of the technos ?
^ I DON’T THINK ZOOT WAS A VERY TECHNO-LOGICAL FELLA TO BE HONEST, THEY WEREN’T CUT FROM THE SAME CLOTH. WOULD HAVE FOUND SOME WAY TO GET ALONG, SOME COMMON GROUND IN WHAT TO ACHIEVE BUT NEVER REALLY SEEN EYE TO EYE
Q What is your favorite animal? (Mine’s a Tiger and apparently Dwayne’s is a Snow Leopard)
^ MY DOG! SHE IS AN RSPCA SPECIAL AND HER NAME IS STELLA ;D
Q Who was the last cast member that you have seen ?
^ NICK MILLER, PRIDE
Q Just wanted to say hi! I’m desperately trying to think of a question but nothing is coming to mind ha ha!
^ AWWW, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR LOGGING ON AND SUPPORTING, ALL THE FAN SUPPORT IS VERY MUCH APPRECIATED!
Q Danny, whats the best thing you have done in your life so far??xx
^ WELL THE TIME DOING THE TRIBE, THERE’S BEEN LETTERS FROM FANS SAYING THE TRIBE HAS HELPED THEM CHANGE THEIR LIFE IN SOME WAY FOR THE BETTER AND JUST BEING A PART OF THAT HAS BEEN REALLY AMAZING, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO THAT YOU HAVE HELPED SOMEONE IN SOME WAY
Q Danny you should check out wikipedia! they also say you have one son and one daughter 🙂
^ HAHAHA, NOT THAT’S NOT RIGHT BUT I DO HAVE ONE DOG AND ONE CAT! 😀
Q Morning Danny, just a quickie. You’ve been part of an international phenonemon for over 12 years which over time has become known as a cult classic and you’ve been involved in many of the promo tours which must have been a lot of fun. When you originally started filming, was there any inclination that the show would be as well known as it has become and that you’re still in demand?
^ HI, I THINK WHEN YOU START A PROJECT YOU ALWAYS HOPE IT WILL BE A SUCCESS BUT FOR IT TO ACTUALLY COME TO FRUITION SO TO SPEAK IS DEFINITELY REALLY AMAZING, THANKS TO ALL THE FANS
Q Danny; Dream occupation (other than acting)?
THAT’S REALLY HARD… YOU KNOW I WOULD LIKE TO BE A ROCK STAR, IF I HAD MY DREAM OCCUPATION!
Q What is one of your guilty pleasures? (Like, Calen’s is Jilly Cooper novels, and Dwayne’s is Chocolates)
^ LOVE CHOCOLATE, CERTAINLY A GUILTY PLEASURE. GOING FISHING WHEN I AM SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING. INFACT EVERYTHING INVOLVING A BOAT WHEN I AM SUPPOSED TO BE DOING SOMETHING ELSE
Q Do u get power and choas shouted at yot at all? by the crazed fans? ! hi from england!
^ HI FROM NZ! WHEN WE DID THE TOUR IT DID HAPPEN A LOT, WE HAD PEOPLE DRESSED UP AS ZOOT SHOUTING IT OUT!
Q Do you have one favourite song that you listen to over and over again?
^ HMMMM. PROBABLY NOT ONE SONG, THEY CHANGE ALL THE TIME SO I STILL LISTEN A LOT OF METALLICA STUFF. RIGHT NOW, LATELY, THE NEW KINGS OF LEON ALBUM I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO QUITE A LOT
Q Danny since you have told us your dog is named Stella can you tell us what your cat’s name is?
^ MY CAT IS CALLED NIKITA. OR FAT PANTS IS THE OTHER NAME FOR MY CAT, I THINK IFEED HER TOO MUCH!
Q Do you think zoot would have stayed with Trudy and the Mall Rats if he didn’t die? And if you had stayed do you think you would have turned good? Thanks, Hope Ive not missed it. I’m well mad now because it said it had changed to 10pm which is 9am in England, I even had an email to say it had changed bah not fair cus I missed the other chat aswell 🙁
^ I THINK IF ZOOT HADN’T DIED HE PROBABLY WOULDN’T HAVE STAYED WITH TRUDY, POWER AND CHAOS WAS VERY MUCH THE ONLY WAY, HE WOULD HAVE WANTED TO GIVE TRUDY THE OPTION TO GO WITH HIM BUT I DON’T SHE WOULD HAVE OR THAT HE WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH THE MALL RATS
[MESSAGE FROM TTO – EMAIL YOUR PHONE NUMBER, ADAM, TO CONTACT@ENTERCLOUD9.COM AND FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY WE MAY BE ABLE TO ARRANGE A PHONE CALL WITH DANNY!]
Q Danny, do you still get requests for signed posters/pictures? I’m an Aussie fan, new to The Tribe and would love to know whether any of the cast would still be willing to sign things for fans 🙂
^ THANKS! I HEAR THE FAN CLUB MIGHT BE REACTIVATED AND I’M ALWAYS HAPPY TO SIGN!
Q Last question before I fall asleep on my laptop: Were you allowed to keep any part of your costume?
^ NO, IT’S HANGING UP STILL IN THE WARDROBE DEPARTMENT AT CLOUD 9
Q Omg… I’m so shattered I missed this. Oh god. You don’t even know 🙁
^ I’M STILL HERE! HOW YA DOING! 😀
Q I always thought you should’ve played Darryl in season 5 (since he was supposed to have looked so similar to Zoot that he actually convinced people he WAS Zoot). Did you think the same thing when you saw Season 5? :p
^ NO, I THINK JOSEPH DID A REALLY GREAT JOB IN SEASON 5
Q I would like to know what you did behind the show for work and how it was to let Zoot be alive for time to time. He definitely wasn`t a character who just was dead. For the view as an actor isn`t it bette…r to know your character can came back all the time? However, we were happy to see Zoot all the time ….
^ MOST DEFINITELY GOOD FOR ZOOT TO COME BACK, A HUGE AMOUNT OF FUN HOW RAY FINDS WAYS TO BRING ZOOT BACK AND ALL THE MORE INTERESTING! I DID A LOT OF THINGS IN THE SHOW WHEN NOT ACTING
Q Was it weird singing in this is the place?
^ NO, IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY GOOD, LOT OF FUN
Q Danny there was a scene where ebony had a flashback to all the things that Zoot made her do before joining the locusts that were really creepy did you find any of it creepy or was it fun?
^ IT WAS A HUGE AMOUNT OF FUN, NOT SO MUCH CREEPY BEING A LOCO, REALLY ENJOYED IT
Q Have you worked with any of the cast since the Tribe?
^ NO
Q what’s it like knowing hundreds of people probably have a picture of you on their wall?
^ I’VE NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BUT IT IS COOL!
Q Would you ever come back to the UK? either with other Cast of generally (love the con idea)?
^ SURE! I’D LOVE TO
Q if they where to say would you do another season of the tribe would you do it? who was your favorite cast member on the show? did you like being zoot? If you could go out (date) one character/actor from the tribe who would it be???
^ TO DATE ONE CHARACTER… PROBABLY NONE OF THEM BECAUSE THEY’VE ALL BEEN SUCH GOOD FRIENDS FOR SO LONG IT WOULD BE LIKE DATING YOUR SISTER, THEY’RE ALL LIKE FRIENDS AND FAMILY! 😛
There’s also a few more questions answered by Danny on The Tribe’s Official Facebook page discussion forum (you don’t need to be a member or signed in to read these) 🙂