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The Librarians' Noah Wyle: I could easily live in Cape Town for the rest of my life

Cape Town - Channel24 talks to The Librarians actor Noah Wyle about spending time in Cape Town and the character - Flynn Carsen - he has been playing for 13 years. 

Speaking to Noah over the telephone, he recalls having been to South Africa twice: "We filmed The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines in both South Africa and Kenya, I went back again soon thereafter for another project."

When asked about perhaps visiting Cape Town as a holiday destination in the future he says: "What's a vacation? Occasionally my family get to come with me when I'm working and we call that a vacation.

"My father came to visit me in Cape Town when he was doing business there, and he and I both felt like it could be a place we could stay for the rest of our lives. We really love South Africa."

Well-known for his role as Flynn Carsen in the movie trilogy The Librarian, (2004) Noah went on to reprise his role in the TV spin-off series The Librarians, which first aired in 2014. 

THE SUCCESS OF THE LIBRARIANS 

"The Librarian franchise was a throwback to good old fashion TV movies, like Shakiest Gun in The West. These types of movies starred a slightly academic character who's thrown into an action situation. It was an attempt to have a nostalgic look back at an old time movie. And it did very well," he says. 

"The TV show resonated for total different reasons. There has been a push towards more edgier, more sophisticated television, where the envelope of what you're allowed to show on regular television has been pushed really far."

Flynn Carsen

Noah calls The Librarians "popcorn entertainment for the whole family." He says: "The show has a broad appeal, from grandparents to grandchildren and everything in between. The Librarians has found its own niche."

THE EVOLUTION OF FLYNN CARSON

Having had portrayed the role of Flynn for such a long time, Noah says the job has taken a real toll on him both personally and psychologically.

Speaking about how the character has grown over the last 13 year he says: "He has lost the ability to even care about social graces. He is completely committed to his work and his team. He has become a bit of an eccentric but that doesn't mean that he doesn't pine for normal human contact.

"There is something about Flynn that would be very hard to say goodbye to." 

The Librarians

Striking the right balance between goofy and tough, to play the role of the eccentric Flynn comes easy to Noah, as he says he is very much the same behind-the-scenes as well.

"There is a reason that I'm not in the posters. I was really ambivilent about saying that the show was fronted by Flynn because at the beginning I was't contracted as a series regular. I was just supposed to be a guest star. To help get the series off its feet.

"It's a delicate balance."

FROM ACTOR, TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, TO DIRECTOR, TO WRITER

"I'm an executive producer on the show, I direct and I write as well. So whether I'm acting or not, I'm cheerleading. Much like Flynn, I'm sometimes part of the esemble and other times leading the team," he says.

And for Noah it was not an unlikely move: "At a certain point you want to have a stake of ownership in what it is that you're doing. Having a producer credit and the opportunity to direct was a chance to feel more in contol my destiny."

And it all started when he found himself coming up with more ideas about scenes, struggling to resist the temption to take suggestions to the writers. 

He adds: "I love the challenge and being invoved with all the different departments."

The Librarians

MESSAGE TO HIS SOUTH AFRICAN FANS

Noah was abosultely blown-away when we told him about all his South African fans and he says: "I hope you are all excited about the new season. And I hope you enjoy it. I'm hoping to get the opportunity to visit and see more of the country and meet more of the people."

"Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday season." 

Watch season 4 of The Librarians on Thursdays at 20:00 on Universal Channel (DStv 117).

ALSO READ: We talk magic with The Librarians' Rebecca Romijn

(Photos: Supplied by Clockwork Media)

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