EXCLUSIVE | '68 Whiskey' star Sam Keeley talks about his role and the challenges of working on a dark comedy
This story contains spoilers for Season 1 Episode 1 of '68 Whiskey'.
Playing the role of Cooper Roback on Paramount Network's '68 Whiskey', an Army medic deployed in Afghanistan, has taught actor Sam Keeley one thing. "(The show has) been a real eye-opener for me. It's really impressive what people will do for each other when there's literally bullets coming at your face," he tells MEA WorldWide (MEAWW) at the red carpet of the show's premiere night.
Paramount Network's '68 Whiskey' follows a multicultural group of Army medics to a forward operating base in Afghanistan, where they must maneuver all kinds of hurdles in order to survive. A military dramedy with a palatable plotline, '68 Whiskey' is a story about the adventures and misadventures of the group while offering a keen commentary on socially relevant issues.
Roback is the kind of protagonist whose shenanigans drive the story forward. In the first episode, he has the idea of a brand new business venture of dealing medicines for hashish. At the same time, Roback has one too many secrets.
"A young man who is certainly running away from a lot of things," Keeley describes his character. At the same time, Roback is blessed with a helpful nature and a "big heart". "Because of his upbringing and the background he came from, he has this huge heart and this drive in him to be the man (father figure) that he never had in his life. He might be a thorn in everybody's side but at the same time, he's kind of a lovable rogue that they can't help but keep listening to and entertaining his plans."
In essence, '68 Whiskey' is a dark comedy as it follows a very diverse group at a base. But was it difficult bringing a comedy to scenarios that aren't exactly funny, we ask Keeley, who points out that it is very much like real life where people laugh at funerals — "not all of us obviously, weirdos like me".
"It is the same thing in real life — you could be hanging out with your friends and you're talking generally about some funny stuff even though there could be quite a heavy subject in the room at the same time. So, it was difficult for me as an actor to challenge me and come along and inject a bit of comedy into the roles that I am playing but it was easy because it's just like real life in many ways."
Keeley believes that his global background — from Ireland and Iceland — facilitated a different perspective of an American.
"It is always interesting coming from a different place and playing an American because you are always going to have a different spin and become a different kind of American. I feel like I'm very rude as an American — my vernacular stays the same. I swear a lot as an Irish person and when it translates into an American accent, it becomes coarse," he said.
"Playing a very American character to do with very American themes in a war that America is involved in so in many ways, I'm a blank slate in terms of being able to portray that from an unbiased position and so yeah I'd like to think it helps me," the actor added.
Working on '68 Whiskey' has not only taught Keeley practical things such as medical procedures but has also taught him about bigger things like life and humanity.
"I'm fascinated at the men and women who do this for a job. I think they're a credit to their nation, their families, and everybody. And learning how people cope under pressure, I think that's what's been a real learning curve for me. What the human body is mentally and physically capable of under situations that every other person on the street can't imagine."
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