TVGDave: Welcome, Marco, glad you could join us tonight.

Marco: Hello everybody and thanks for coming by!

PAMELA507: Hello Marco!! I really enjoy the Sons of Thunder and want to know if CBS is going to bring it on as a regular series?

Marco: We won't know until the last episode airs. Right now CBS is looking at the ratings and they are pretty much going to base the decision on that. But right now they are very excited about the show and how it's been doing, so it looks good.

Radioman28111: We love the show, How are the early indicators as to how the show is doing?

Marco: The first episode performed better than any Walker episode this season, which is impressive considering the numbers Walker gets. So it's very positive, it's looking very good right now.

ladyj_66106: Hi Carlos, I loved you on Walker and love you on SOT. Was the transition easy?

Marco: Very easy. I play the same character. I work with the same people, crew wise. The only thing that was difficult was having to work more hours. I went from being a co-star on Walker to being one of the leads on Sons of Thunder, so it requires a lot more from me, the days are longer. But all the same, I'm having a great time, enjoying myself a lot.

beckypadilla: Actors obviously have to bring a lot of themselves to a character -- how much of Carlos is a part of you?

Marco: Almost all. I think this character is good natured but can be tempermental sometimes. He has a dry sense of humor as I do. I've never actually fired a handgun, though. I think this character's heart is in the right place but sometimes he makes some impulsive decision that gets him in trouble. The way I express myself is pretty much the way I express myself when I'm on camera.

Sunshine48_49: Have you learned anything new working with Chuck Norris?

Marco: Yes. I went to UCLA and I was a theater major there and took stage combat classes. But doing fight scenes for a camera required different techniques which I've learned over the course of my time on Walker. With Chuch Norris, martial arts is new to me as well, and I've been able to learn some of that from one of the best.

SOTFS: Do you do your own stunts?

Marco: Yes. I won't flip a car or jump it over a bridge, but when it comes to fight scenes, they don't really require things that I'm unable to do. If I'm in danger, then of course my stunt double will do, but most of the fight scenes are pretty much choreography, and once you get it down, it's pretty easy to execute safely.

CelticSwrd: First of all I would like to tell you that you are an inspiration to me. I'm an actress also and you have shown me that if you work hard and believe in yourself, you can do anything. With that said, how is Sons of Thunder different from other projects you've done? Also, out of all the characters you have protrayed, which character stands out in your mind the most?

Marco: Thank you very much for that compliment, it means a lot to me. This sort of work is different from my past work in that this show is much heavier on action. And it places a different set of requirements on you. So I'm learning a lot about doing action work. I did a TV movie about six years ago, called Gunsmoke, The Long Ride. That was a very satisfying role for me. I played a character who starts bad and gets hurt and gets his leg cut off, and redeems himself by the end of the story. It was fun because it was a western and I enjoy doing period pieces. And lastly, that was my first trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico, a place I quickly fell in love with and have visited many times since.

tigerntx: I assume you prefer life in LA, but how do you like Dallas/Ft. Worth?

Marco: Yes I do prefer LA. But Dallas, Ft. Worth has impressed me. There is a lot more to it than I had anticipated. Culturally, and I've met some really nice people out there. So I've had a good time although I still miss home.

beckypadilla: Carlos seems to have trouble getting a girl -- does Marco have a girlfriend?

Marco: Yes I do have a girl friend. We've been together for two years, and we're very happy together.

ladyj_66106: Do you guys all get along like it's projected on the screen? I mean the chemistry is amazing!

Marco: We get along very well, we have a good time working together. There's a lot of funny moments that never find their way to the camera.

kat3214: how did you get started acting?

Marco: It was something I've always wanted to, even since elementary school, and something I began pursuing in junior high and high school. And when I went to UCLA I majored in theater, and by my sophmore year I was pursuing agents, and got one, and got my first job in Knots Landing. And that turned into a recurring role, and it's pretty much been a roller coaster ride since then. Many ups and downs.

Fauregab: Ted Raimi mentioned that you were one of his best buddies on the set of seaQuest. A bunch of us are headed down to Texas next week to see him---any messages?

Marco: None that I didn't already give him two days ago. We got to catch up on St. Patrick's Day. In fact he was leaving the day after. Ted is most certainly one of my best friends, and thanks for mentioning him.

OrtizNovia: In a celebrity chat in '94 you said you still keep up in touch with the guys from seaQuest. Do you still keep in touch, or have you grown apart?

Marco: That was one of the best things to come out of seaQuest, lifelong friends that I met there. I made an independent film with Michael and Peter DeLuise, and speak with them quite often. As I mentioned I saw Ted Raimi two day ago. Ed Kerr just left my apartment ten minutes ago. He and I went on a hike this afternoon. And Don Franklin left a message on my machine today that he was in Hawaii and looked forward to catching up when he got back.

abspringer: I have heard about your new movie, Between the Sheets. When is it due out in the stores?

Marco: I don't know, Michael DeLuise would actually be the one to ask. He's been shopping it around the film festival circuit.

tigerntx: What do you find most demanding about filming a weekly series?

Marco: Taking care of yourself actually, eating right and getting enough rest. If you're not taking care of yourself, that really shows on camera. If your eyes are dead, so is your performance.

Lillandra4: Hi!! Do you ever read any of the fiction based on your characters on the internet? If so, do you like it?

Marco: I've heard about it but I haven't had a chance to read any of it, so I really can't comment. But I appreciate the enthusiasm of the fans that write it.

PAMELA507: If you could write a story for Carlos what would you like to see happen?

Marco: LOL! I want to see him meet a girl! I want to see how he handles himself in a romantic relationship. I think that's something we haven't seen yet with his character.

PAMELA507: Will anything happen romantically between Carlos and Kim?

Marco: I don't know.

little_snuggle_bear_989: The fight scenes are fantastic...do you get to use any of your ideas for them?

Marco: We have a fight coordinator that pretty much orchestrates the whole thing. But it's one thing to have an idea in your mind, and it's another thing to try and implement it. So when we're all there together trying to get the scene shot, everybody collaborates as much as possible. And a good idea is a good idea and gets used regardless of who it comes from.

Ms_Doolittle_1: Chuck Norris is very geared toward helping the younger generation to better themselves. What is your stance on this issue? Do you feel the same way?

Marco: Yes, I think education is something that is a very important issue to me. I'm the youngest of four and none of my siblings nor my parents went to college. They came from Cuba in the early sixties. So I didn't have anyone to look for as an example in that sense. And I know that that period in a young life is frightening especially if you don't have someone to look to as an example. That is why educational programs that reach out to kids such as I was, are very important. But by the same token I'm very leery about being regarded as any sort of role model. My desire to be an actor stems from my desire to act, not my desire to tell anybody how to live their lives.

alleyae: Did you just start auditioning or did you have formal training?

Marco: I studied acting at UCLA. And then just started auditioning.

JoxerLuver: Who was your mentor?

Marco: I have many. I could list them but I don't think anyone out there would be familiar with them. They are friends and family that have been a part of my life.

Shayna1999: What actress would you most like to work with?

Marco: Hmmm. Mira Sorvino. I think she is very interesting. She's a very strong actor, and I find her very compelling. I have to finish watching anything that happens to be on cable that has her in it.

Mysteree7: Are you interested in working behind the camera as well as in front? Perhaps writing, producing?

Marco: Very much so. I'm not ready to do that at this point, but I do have some ideas that I'd like to develop in the future. I think producing, writing and directing are all things that I have every intention of looking into.

Ratgirl_15: (Last time, I'll die happy if you answer it) Do you have a tattoo? If so, what is it?

Marco: I do not have a tattoo and I do not have a pierced ear. I have nothing against them, I simply haven't gotten either.

Ruthe_99: So, do you have any hobbies or interests that you like to do in your free time, or are you always busy?

Marco: Lately I've been very busy and I haven't had time to do a lot of things that I enjoy doing. It's been hard to find time to just read. In Dallas, there is not much hiking to be done. It's flat. There are many things I enjoy doing, none of which I have time for these days.

ALERO9788: about how old are you Marco?

Marco: 29.

Radioman28111: We enjoyed seaQuest. Any possible reunion show in the works or better yet, a movie?

Marco: We would all love to do that. As I said, we're all good friends. Unfortunately, I don't forsee that happening. Sorry! Yeah.

tigerntx: Is there any particular role/type you'd like to play that you haven't already?

Marco: Yeah. Lately I've been interested in the life of Che Guevara. Not because I'm a fan of his, obviously my parents are anti-communist and fled to the United States, but I think he was interesting because he was a young man who thought he was changing the world for the better. And went about it in some ruthless ways. And those contradictions are very attractive to an actor. And I also want to have a better understanding of that period of time, and of the circumstances that brought my family to this country.

Sunshine48_49: Who has helped you the most career wise?

Marco: Hmm. My parents. They've given me a lot of support when I've needed it, both moral as well as financial. They put me thru college and they've been there thru some pretty tough times.

babylulu_18: Marco, are you as down to earth as you seem?

Marco: LOL! I hope so! I have no idea how I seem to be! But I sense that that was a compliment, and I appreciate it very much.

n2musichope: You mentioned that you would like Carlos to meet a girl...what type of girl do you think could hold Carlos' attention?

Marco: LOL! Hmmm. Somebody with a pretty strong personality. Preferably one that overwhelms him, so that we see how he responds under pressure.

abspringer: How do you compare with Carlos? Likes and differences?

Marco: I personally am a little less serious than he is. Carlos is somebody who is a very noble rogue. He got into the police force because he wanted to fix the world. He had some bad things happen in his family life. I, on the other hand, am a gypsy, which is why I became an actor. I don't think I'm qualified to fix anything. I simply observe and comment on it.

Ms_Doolittle_1: A friend of mine recently ran into Chuck Norris at a restaurant and her son asked him for his autograph. He was very polite about it. Does that sort of thing offend you or do you not mind having your personal life so open when you go places?

Marco: I'm always flattered to hear that people enjoy my work. However, sometimes it can be difficult. I went to New Orleans with my girlfriend a few months ago, and we were having lunch. And one person came up, and then another came up. And then people were taking pictures of me. And meanwhile, we weren't able to have our meal, we weren't able to have a conversation. And so I'm sure how you can see how that would be difficult, marrying a desire to spend time with your girlfriend and enjoy your vacation, with your appreciation for fans that enjoy your work.

MYRRAMIR: Funny moments? Is there a blooper reel?

Marco: I hope so. Because there are many funny moments. I enjoy cracking jokes while the camera is still rolling. When you are shooting a scene the camera will often keep rolling after the scene has ended just in case there is something left to capture. I often take those opportunities to be silly and I hope somebody is keeping those somewhere. And my co-stars do the same.

Lillandra4: Okay.....the room wants to know..... "boxers, or briefs?"

Marco: LOL! That's a hard question to answer, because I wear these Calvin Klein boxer-briefs if you can believe it. They go down the middle of my thigh but they are made of the same material as briefs.

Shirl324: Do you have your own website?

Marco: Not of my own, although there are more than a few sites that keep track of my work. I was very surprised about a year and a half ago when I punched my name into a search engine and saw all these web sites. I had no idea anyone was paying attention to what I was doing. And I was very flattered. I have e-mailed a couple of the people responsible for those sites, thanking them.

daviebesst: Will you and Jimmy be doing any promotional touring for Sons of Thunder?

Marco: We already did a press junket at the close of the last episode and nothing else has been discussed.

TVGDave: Thanks for joining us, Marco. Good luck on SOT and all your future endeavors. Please come back and chat again.

Marco: I want to thank everyone who participated. I hope you enjoy the show. And I look forward to doing this again with you sometime!

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