LOS ANGELES _ Once upon a time, Andrew J. West landed what would have been a great role for any actor if it only provided half the amount of material to play. But the Indiana native feels doubly blessed because not only has he had the modern elements to play in ABC's "Once Upon a Time," he's also had the opportunity to deal with events in a magical fairy tale world.
"It's a dream come true for an actor," West says. "A lot of the actors on the show essentially get to play two different characters or three or four. I feel like I get to do that with Henry because we see such a different version of Henry in Fairytale Land than we do in the real world.
"It's fun to get to step into that. In Fairytale Land there is this optimistic confidence we often get to see with Henry that is fun to play. In the real world there's a cynical vibe to him. He's a little more down and out. To get to tap into those two different aspects of the character _ in the two different worlds he is in _ is a dream."
That's the world West has been living in this season after "Once Upon a Time" went through a major overhaul going into this year. During the first six seasons, Henry Mills was only a youngster as played by Jared Gilmore. The reset this season made Mills an adult with no knowledge of his family or former friends. How all that will play out will be revealed through the final episodes leading up to the series finale of "Once Upon a Time," scheduled to air at 8 p.m./7 p.m. Central May 18 on ABC.
"Once Upon a Time" creators and executive producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz released an official statement in regards to the show coming to an end. They thanked the fans for their support through all seven seasons. Those fans came back despite most of the original cast _ including Jennifer Morrison, Josh Dallas and Ginnifer Goodwin _ having left. The series shifted from Storybrooke, Maine, to the cursed Seattle neighborhood of Hyperion Heights. Original cast members who returned included Lana Parrilla as Regina/Roni, Robert Carlyle as Rumpelstiltskin/Weaver and Colin O'Donoghue as Hook/Rogers.
The character of Henry remained, but in the older form, creating the need to recast. Taking on a role that had been played for several years by another actor is challenging because there must be enough in the performance to keep continuity with the character, but leave room for the new actor to put a new spin on the role.
"I was concerned about it and a little intimidated because this actor had played the role for six years," West says. "But, the writers and producers have done an amazing job re-creating this character. I can bring my own spin, but it is really them who have taken the show in a new direction."
Unlike the beginning of this season, there will be no reset. West will no longer get to work in a world where there have been days that have given him some of the best acting experiences of his career.
"There are days when I have the costume and the cape on and I am running through the woods where I feel like a little kid again. This is the fantasy of what my 8-year-old self would believe my professional life would be," West said.
"Once Upon a Time" is just the latest television work for West, who started his onscreen career playing the young Christian Troy in the FX show "Nip/Tuck." That was followed by simultaneous recurring roles on "Greek" and "Privileged," plus guest-starring spots on "Bones," "CSI:NY," "Ghost Whisperer," "Castle" and "Body of Proof." He also landed the lead in the web series "Rockville, CA." His film credits include "Antiques" and "The Middle Man."
Out of all his credits, "Once Upon a Time" felt the closest to West because when he was growing up, everything from Greek mythology to fairy tales to comic books spoke to him. The Disney animated film "Sword in the Stone" was one of his favorites.
"I remember when I got this job, I realized I was about to take part in something that is storytelling in its purest form. Which is something I've always wanted to do," West says. "As an actor, wanting to be an actor since I was a young child, I have always wanted to be involved in the storytelling.
"'Once Upon a Time' is just pure storytelling. It's pure magic. It's the type of storytelling that speaks to the kid in all of us."
There are only a few more stories to be told. How the fairy tale and real-world lives of the characters played by West and the others will be played out in a finale that may or may not leave everyone living happily ever after.
