Media Scribbler

When it comes to both sci-fi and fandom love, it’s really hard to beat James Marsters. He’s always brought crowds to his panels at Dragon*Con. But to most of the women and at least half the men who stood in long, long, “Firefly” panel length lines to get into the “Torchwood” panels at Dragon*Con this year, Marsters’ Capt. John Hart was just part couple of strong TW eps and a really great love scene involving Capt. Jack Harkness (played by the incomperable John Barrowman.) He was a glorious guest star that undoubtably raised the young show’s profile.

But a big part of what keeps the fans following the ever-more-popular “Doctor Who” spinoff series about Capt. Jack’s angsty team of alien technology investigators (second series DVD due in stores Sept. 16) is Gareth David-Lloyd, who plays Ianto Jones, Torchwood’s coffee maker, jack-of-all-trades and Capt. Jack’s main squeeze.

For some, Ianto would be the only man they would ever want to see Capt. Jack get it on with other than the Doctor and themselves. Ianto is quiet and emotional, but also funny and clever. He’s basically the guy who keeps the Torchwood hub running when Capt. Jack is on a wild goose chase.

David-Lloyd doubtless shares those characteristics with the character, but in real life he’s not wearing a suit but casual, hip clothes and the lovely hair that all the men seem to get with their BBC contracts. He’s also just as ready to answer the questions in a fan-pleasing way as Barrowman.

When the two were introduced at their ComicCon San Diego panel earlier this year, they play-acted a passionate embrace to a screaming crowd. And at D*C, even without Barrowman there to play the Hugh Laurie role in their Fry & Laurie banter, David-Lloyd stood out with his ability to give the crowd what they wanted.

This video is a clip from the D*C panel with David-Lloyd, Marsters and Anthony Lewis last Saturday. Right before the beginning of this clip, an attendee asked Gareth and Marsters what it was like kissing Barrowman.

I caught up with the Welshman a day after that memorable panel. Even after three days of panels and signings and fighting the five-hour jet lag between Atlanta and Cardiff (where the show’s upcoming 5-part miniseries is being filmed), he was polite and gracious in agreeing to speak to “Media Scribbler” about his work on “Torchwood”, performing with his band Blue Gillespie, and what lies ahead for him on the sad day his work on “Torchwood” wraps up.

When asked how he’s liked being in the U.S. for two events in a month, he said, “I love it It’s great to come over and meet the fans and see the country. I’ve preferred Dragon*Con because there have been so many opportunities to meet the fans, from all the panels to the signings to just being around. And (the weather’s) a great change from Cardiff, where it’s raining all the time now.”

“In real life I’m completely different,” he said about his character Ianto, who spends his life in a three-piece suit and tie. ”It’s a nice change of pace to be so proper. I’m happy to keep playing him as he is.”

Indeed, his hard rock and blues ensemble Blue Gillepsie was described by him at one panel as being influenced by acts like Nine Inch Nails and Alice In Chains. The group (which lists David-Lloyd as the group’s lead vocalist and “crowd control” on their MySpace page), plans to travel to the U.S. and Canada for dates at the end of the year.

As far as the day job, David-Lloyd said it never gets boring playing Ianto, and he welcomes chances to expand what his character does.

“I think that would be fantastic,” he said when asked what he thought about the idea of the Torchwood crew leaving earth at some point in the future to actually visit an alien planet. “It would definitely be a new adventure for the Torchwood crew and would get them out of the hub.”

And when informed that at a “Doctor Who” panel earlier in the day, members of the audience yelled, “Ianto!” when the idea of a male Companion to the Doctor was breached, David-Lloyd laughed.

“I would love to travel with the Doctor. Anything’s possible! But maybe some things should be left to fan fiction.”

He said that at some point in the future, he would like to “stretch my wings a bit” by tackling non science-fiction parts, maybe with more drama roles or in plays.

“I love science-fiction, but I don’t want to limit myself,” he said.

And as for the porn star thing — when reminded of the online rejoinder “Pics or it didn’t happen,” David-Lloyd smiled and managed to gracefully leap out of that challenge.

“I’m a porn star in my mind,” he said.

(Photo: BBC Video)

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