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The io9.com website interviewed Jim Caviezel just recently concerning his involvement in AMC’s remake of The Prisoner.  Here are some highlights from that conversation and you can read the full interview at this link.

i09.com: Were you a fan of the original? Is that why you got involved with AMC’s Prisoner series?

JC: No, I never knew anything about the original, I had just read the six screenplays that were brought to me and I was actually going to shoot another movie and I was able to get out of that to do this. What got my attention first was Ian McKellen.

The second part of that was AMC and what they were doing, but I didn’t really fully understand everything AMC had been doing with Mad Men. I hadn’t seen Mad Men yet, and I became a huge fan of the network because I really got to see the ins and outs of what they were doing in The Prisoner. But what truly brought me to The Prisoner was the first two screenplays… I had no idea where the story was going, at any time as an actor when you get a role like this, it’s kind of like one of those little trophies you can put on your mantle and be proud of. I’m definitely very proud of this.

i09.com: One of the interesting things about AMC and their shows right now is their attention to detail in their production design, it’s really evident in The Prisoner, it’s sort of “sandy sleek”. What was your favorite little world-building moment that AMC or the production crew created?

JC: Well, I can be more specific to you, and in fact when I see movies like Giant, when I see George Stevens or any classic fimmakers, or when I see Gregory Peck and Charlton Heston but it [The Prisoner] reminded me of classic Hollywood great fimmaking… Every time I get a movie I think, “oh I’m never gonna be working in this town again if I don’t get this one right,” and I certainly felt that way making this because of the rapid fire of all the screenplays that were there and also the reediting and rewriting the scenes literally right there but I think we were able to pull out something pretty special here.

I’m so focused on the story and just trying to survive and the frustration of wanting it to be good and not knowing if it’s going to turn out and in fact I remember one day we got to one particular scene with Ian McKellen and myself and we realized in that moment that I’m not supposed to be in this scene. So there’s an element of running around like a chicken with your head cut off. So I’m sitting here acting, thinking what did I take away from that, I think the most valuable thing I got from it is I can work in some of the most extraordinary circumstances and be able to pull up performances in dire strait situation and I really kind of like that.

Read the full interview at io9.com

Find out more about AMC’s remake of The Prisoner at their website