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« Prison Break Blog
Season 2, Week 4
Hello everyone, I'm Wade Williams, Captain Brad Bellick on Prison Break, and this is my first post on TVGuide.com.
Two years ago, I was knocking on more doors than a door-to-door salesman, making a living doing TV shows, films, commercials… whatever I could book. Now, I am privileged to be in a great show with fine actors, writers, DPs, directors and crew members, a show that people actually watch!
It's like winning the Super Lotto. I used to think about changing my name to "Cast" Williams, so then on the set, I would always have a chair with my name on it. That's one thing given to me by this show: I got a chair with “Wade Williams” on the back! Now I want to change my name to Wade "Grateful" Williams because to be one of the team on Prison Break is an honor indeed, and I am truly grateful. This show has made a big difference to my family and that is the best reward.
OK. I'm grateful.... You get it.
This season the boys are on the run, and there are three stoked villains gunning for them. The question is: When they get caught, are they going to be dragged to justice dead or alive? Time will tell.
Last season, we shot most of the show in the bowels of Joliet Prison, about an hour-and-a-half drive (no traffic) from Chi Town. This season, the chase has brought us to Big D — Dallas, Texas — to hunt those convicts down. For the last episode in season one, “Flight,” we were shooting at night for two weeks, two hours north of Chicago near the Wisconsin border. The scenes at the airport, running with the dogs, convicts running through the woods — it was minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit. Now we have moved to Dallas to shoot Season 2 and the temps have topped 122 degrees. F'n hot! People are dropping like flies — having to go to the hospital to get cooled down and hydrated. So a lot of that uncomfortable-agony acting we're doing isn't acting. Lucky for us, it works for the show.
Besides the searing 120-degree temps, the sledgehammer sun, some great scripts and a lot of sweat, there's not much else to tell. Like the song says, "It's Too Darn Hot."
We've had some very sad departures this season so far: Robin Tunney's character ate lead in the first episode. We'll miss Miss Tunney: Robin's a wonderful actor and a right-on sister. Best of luck, Robin. You should catch her new movie Hollywoodland. Word is it's fabulous.
There will be more le mort to follow. People are dropping like flies in this show; nobody's sacred. So don't get attached to anyone — we all gotta go sometime.
It's a fantastically different season this year. The walls of Joliet Prison were one of the most imposing characters in the show last year and we all wondered: "What the heck are they going to write now that they're out?' I, too, was worried... until I read the first episode, “Manhunt,” and I am not going to be a-worryin' no more. Now that the characters are free of the walls of Fox River, their true unfettered selves are emerging. Those imposing prison walls may have protected those convicts and sickos as much as they contained them, but now the characters are free from the restraints, rules and morbid culture of the joint. If anything, they are in even more jeopardy.
Who's gonna get those pretty boys? My bet's on Bellick — he's gonna catch 'em, gut-shoot 'em and drag them back to the hole where they're gonna die slow pretty-boy deaths. Except for T Bag... Bellick's got better plans for him.
Episode 4, “First Down,” will air on Fox this Monday, Sept. 11, 8 pm/ET, and love is in the air for Captain Bellick. Bad boys need love, too. Why is it that the convicted criminals are the heroes on this show, while guys like Bellick, who's just doing his job, are the bad guys?
It's an upside-down world.
Don't miss all-new episodes of Prison Break, Mondays at 8 pm/ET on Fox.
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Sep 6, 2006 6:09 PM
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Wade,
My wife & I are huge "Prison Break" fans and we both want to wish you a big congratulations on your success with the show and the show's wonderful success. Please also take it as a compliment that we hate Bellick--he's one scary guy! 
Your performance has been a very strong point of the show and along with other great villanous performances like Paul Adelistein as Agent Kellerman, Patricia Wettig as President Reynolds and Robert Knepper as T-Bag, it's given your series a deep resevoir of rich characters with deep and mixed up backgrounds. I guess credit also goes to the creators and writers of the series of putting such a deep face on everyone.
Anyway, keep up the great work and though we are always a little nervous when Bellick is on screen, we hope you are around the show for a long time. You also played terrificly off Wentworth Miller & Dominic Purcell. Good luck with the show but no luck in catching the brothers!
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Sep 6, 2006 10:19 PM
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Wade,
Congrats on a job well done portraying Bellick, he is one nasty, scary guy. I always enjoy watching your scenes with Wentworth. Will Bellick finally kiss.......I mean capture Michael? Sometimes it seems there is something more to Bellick's motives in capturing Michael. I know no one is safe but I have my fingers crossed for Michael and Lincoln to get the $$ and start a new life in Mexico.
Thanks for taking the time to write on this blog, I look forward to reading more of your thoughts about upcoming episodes.
Melissa
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Sep 7, 2006 1:13 PM
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Hello Wade,
It's great that you have a blog! Prison Break is an awesome show. I'm glad that they've found a way to keep your character in the hunt!
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Sep 8, 2006 3:36 PM
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Hi Wade,
Welcome to the wonderful world of Blogs! Dont take this personally...I hate Bellick!! (Dont worry, I think you are a great actor!!) Every time I see you as Bellick, I cringe. I have never been locked up, (nor do I ever want to be) but if I was, I would hate to see Bellick walk up! Thank you for taking the time to write this blog for us. It really makes the fans feel appreciated!!
Thanks again,
Jill
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Sep 8, 2006 3:57 PM
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Love, Love, LOVE Prison Break. I also love that it came back nice and early too.
About Bellick: What are the chances they can make him a little nicer this season, to let you stretch? Maybe losing his job will soften him up. I'm sure under that mean, gruff exterior is a guy with a heart of gold! That scene last season where Bellick tried to pick up Dr. Sara was too cute.
Keep up the good work!
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Sep 8, 2006 5:23 PM
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Wade,
I really enjoyed reading your blog post and look forward to reading more in the future. You're a fantastic actor (as are so many of the actors on Prison Break) and I hope Bellick will be in the show for a long time -- even though you tell me not to get attached to anyone.
topoopon mentioned the scene with Dr Sara and the gift card and I must say it's a great scene for Bellick as well as for you as an actor. Before that, Bellick's been kind of a "villain" all the time and you're great portraying that side of him, but in that scene you get to see this vulnerable side of the character as well and you're amazing showing that.
Hope to read another blog post soon!
/AKS
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Sep 8, 2006 5:45 PM
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I am a huge prison break fan!! i mean i never miss an episode. i think your character is s cool!!!
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Sep 9, 2006 1:00 PM
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Love the show, love the blog. But I just had to respond to your comment, "Why is it that the convicted criminals are the heroes on this show, while guys like Bellick, who's just doing his job, are the bad guys?" I work in a prison and have for over 20 years. Your character is obviously not "just doing" his job--like a lot of "real-life" guards, unfortunately. Loss of freedom is punishment for comitting a crime. It is not the guards' responsibility to "make them pay" for what they've done. We love bad guys (and knowing the brothers are not bad)and that is why we root for them (even the "bad" characters) and not a jaded guard. That aside, you play the character to perfection and am pleased that you are still on the show.
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Sep 9, 2006 10:55 PM
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Hi Wade,
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to write a blog. I have to comment, as I have in the general Prison Break Blog that your bringing Bellick more alive this season than last. I loved the fighting scene with you and Roy. LOL...too funny Wade. I saw you on CSI and now Prison Break- Keep up the good work and tell everyone there we love you guys!
Aileen
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Sep 11, 2006 9:30 AM
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C'mon, Wade, I would think an Oklahoma boy like yourself would be used to the heat!
Love your character; in fact, I have a thang for bad-boy Brad Bellick, who looks sexy in leather! It's a shame you'll be out of uniform this season, but maybe you can indulge us fans with an undershirt or something. If your character wants to get lucky with the ladies, though, living with Mom can be a real date-killer.
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Sep 11, 2006 11:11 AM
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Wade,
Great blog! I think you are great on the show. My friends and I "love to hate" you, and T-Bag too. Shows that are unpredictable and action-packed are so much fun to watch (your show and "24" are the best examples ever).
I'm glad the guys finally got out of prison, but kind of sad personally since I live in Illinois and it was cool to think that you were filming so near to where I actually live.
I'm so glad Bellick will be hunting the guys down and look forward to seeing you on many more episodes! Keep up the fantastic work, and I hope you do more blogs too.
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Sep 11, 2006 12:45 PM
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"... he's gonna catch 'em, gut-shoot 'em and drag them back to the hole where they're gonna die slow pretty-boy deaths. Except for T Bag... Bellick's got better plans for him..."
Is this Bellick talkin or you?!
Great job on the show, arguably the best actor along with T-bag. Keep it up!
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Sep 11, 2006 1:17 PM
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I've been a fan of yours since your guest appearances on Buffy. Every time I see you, I think, "Hey, it's General Forehead!" Imagine how thrilled I was to see you as a regular on Prison Break. Not to mention the fact that the talent over there is neck-deep, which is a great bonus for all of us.
Best of luck, can't wait to see what Bellick is going to pull next!
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Sep 11, 2006 4:54 PM
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Hi Wade. Congrats on such a great gig. Bellick is truly one of those "love to hate" characters, and you really nail it. I was hoping he'd up turning bounty hunter this season, and that's just what happened which is great because it would have been a shame to lost him with the prison.
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Sep 12, 2006 3:17 PM
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