Being ultra-secretive and mysterious, former Lost star Dominic Monaghan will only say that he is going to be playing Simon on the upcoming ABC television series Flash Forward.

During the Television Critics Association Press Tour, the actor admitted that he was told more, up front, about Lost than he was for this new venture, which he signed on for without even a script. But, he also explained that the draw for him was the great writing and the ability to play a character that was vastly different from his last.

In the pilot episode, a mysterious global event causes everyone to black out simultaneously for two minutes and seventeen seconds, and each person sees a glimpse of their lives six months from now. When they wake up, everyone is left wondering if what they saw will actually happen.

Q: What do you play on the show?

Dominic: All I can tell you, right now, is that I play a character called Simon. He’s not going to show up until later on in the show. I don’t appear in the pilot.

Q: What did you find intriguing about this character?

Dominic: It’s important for me to try to play someone different. After talking to David and Jessika Goyer, they alluded to the fact that I could play someone drastically different, if that’s what I wanted to do. That’s what I’ve always been attaining to do, in my career. With each part that I play, the next part has to be different, so that no one is able to say, “This is what he is, as an actor.”

Q: Did you know as little about Charlie, when you went into Lost, as you do with your character on Flash Forward?

Dominic: When I went into Lost, I probably knew a little bit more because there wasn’t as much mystery about my character, from the writers and creators. When I went into Lost, it was a relatively open book. They told me that Charlie was a rock star, a junkie and a mess. Whereas, David is much more protective, for good reason, over where my character is going to go, how he’s going to be revealed, and what he’s going to turn out to do in the show.

Q: How would you compare Flash Forward and Lost?

Dominic: There are, obviously, similarities. There is a large ensemble cast with a very ambitious storyline, which is a very easy way to sell the show, internationally. There are also distinct differences, at the same time. I don’t think necessarily we’re dealing with something as deeply rooted in a mythology that needs to be solved. I think this is a show that is, not necessarily to use the word “simplistic,” but is probably not as sophisticated in that deeply rich mythology, as Lost is.

Q: Obviously, you have a great comfort level in this kind of storytelling. Where does that come from?

Dominic: I pick projects based on good scripts. I don’t stipulate between film or theater or television. I receive scripts, and I read them. And, when I read a script that’s good, I then get married to it and talk to my agent about what happens next.

For me, what happened was that I was actually in Hawaii when I read Flash Forward. I loved the pilot, and I called my agent and said, “I love the show, but there’s nothing that I can do. I don’t see a part in here for me.” I didn’t want to take a deeply American part away from someone who is authentically American, and pretend to be American, when I’m from Manchester. So, my agent said, “Why don’t I talk with the prerogative and see what they say?” And, David and Jessika very generously said, “Why don’t we meet, and we’ll discuss and chat, and see what’s going on.”

So, we met at a bar called Delancey on Sunset, and it was one of the more special business meetings in my life because David said, “What do you want to do? What do you want to do next? What’s your plan?” And, I said, “It’s important for me, as an actor, as it has been throughout my career, to try to do something drastically different from the last character that I played.” The last character that I played being Charlie on Lost, who David and Jessika knew quite well. So, they said, “We think that we can do that. We think that we can find a character for you that would help you to get there.” And then, all we needed to talk about was money.

Q: Do you think you’ll be back on Lost this season?

Dominic: I don’t know.

Q: Would you want to be?

Dominic: Sure. I had a great time on that show. I loved the character. It’s a great character. It’s a character that I enjoyed playing. It was a great time in my life. It’s the last season, so if they wanted to do it, they have one more chance.

Q: Would you have time to do it?

Dominic: Maybe. I don’t know. With David being such a fan of Lost, if it was available, they might let me do it. Anything is possible.

Q: How do you feel about being back in L.A.?

Dominic: I’ve been living in L.A. now for eight or nine years. Obviously, I went to Hawaii to do Lost, but I’ve had a house in L.A. and I know it well. All my friends are here, my animals are here, and my life is here, so it’s not a big change for me.

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