From "Samm Levine Gets Lost"
Samm Levine’s been a Geek and a Basterd, and now he’s about to get Lost.
The former Freaks & Geeks star, who also appears as one of Brad Pitt’s troop of Jewish commandos in Quentin Tarantino’s Oscar-nominated "Inglourious Basterds," told TV Guide Magazine that he just wrapped a guest spot for Lost’s final season, a gig that came about thanks to his longtime friendship with series co-created Damon Lindelof.
“I got a paid 30-hour vacation to Hawaii, just like everyone wants,” said Levine, who kept us guessing as to exactly what he’ll be doing on the show. “I am the smoke monster and I lift the whole…no! I'm just making stuff up!
As a longtime Lost viewer, Levine also kept himself in the dark as to what exactly was going on when he appeared. “I wouldn't expose myself to any of the secrets because I'm also a fan and I don't want to get any spoilers.” He’s also been waiting a long time to get his invite to the island.
“I've been friends with Damon Lindelof, one of the producers of the show, for ten years,” he revealed. “I mean, six years ago when he started the show I sat in his living room and watched the screener of the pilot months before it aired, and I went, 'Oh my God, this is the greatest show ever! When are you going to get me on this show?' For six years he's been going, 'I'm going to write you something on the show.'”
“And so I was driving up to San Francisco a couple of weeks ago and I see a voicemail,” Levine continued, “and it's Damon and he says, 'Hey, man, me and Eddie [Kitsis] and Adam [Horowitz] wrote you a goofy thing. It's a one-scener but we wrote it just for you. Let me know if you want to do it.' I called him back and left him a message. I said, 'I don't care if it's one line. Of course I want to do it! It's the best show on TV!' Then just a couple of hours later I hear from the AD department confirming my flight.”
Levine said he’s enjoyed watching the impact of Lost’s huge following on his pal. “It's been quite a treat seeing Damon have this success because I used to hang out with him when he lived in a crappy one bedroom apartment in Hollywood, and then I watched him go from that to a small house to a bigger house to a really nice house.”
Their friendship also resulted in one extra special perk for the actor – regular guidance when it comes to the labyrinthine Lost mythology. “If I ever watched an episode and I wasn't quite sure of something, I'd just send him an email the next day going, 'What exactly does that mean?' He would go, 'It's from that thing four episodes ago. Now leave me alone.'”
