Ulrich: It’s Pretty Intense

Former Jericho actor Skeet Ulrich first guest-starred in the CSI: New York episode “LAT 40° 47′ N/Long 73° 58’W” as the Compass Killer, Hollis Eckhart. It was the first of three episodes to feature the actor, who recently came back to the New York set to film scenes for his second appearance. (Spoilers and embedded video after the jump!)

The Compass Killer evaded capture in “Lat/Long”, but he’ll be back in the upcoming episode “Cuckoo’s Nest”. “An incident happens in the beginning of the show that seems really outside the realm of what the Compass Killer was doing, so they’re trying to figure out if it was him, if he’s back,” Ulrich explained. “A group of people are throwing a party, and a body falls out of nowhere. They later find out that that was the third victim of the Compass Killer.”

“It’s pretty intense,” he continued. “They’re starting to zero in on this guy, and he’s kind of going to any lengths he can to finish what he started.” As the storyline continues, viewers will discover the source of the scars that mar the right side of Eckhart’s face. “You learn what it was from, and that’s obviously a great deal to do with his motives for who he’s become now,” Ulrich revealed.

“It’s amazing the stuff they’re able to do now,” Ulrich said of the prosthetic makeup covering his face and right ear to give the illusion of scars. “It’s a lot of work. It’s about two-and-a-half, three-and-a-half hours. I really just sorta get to sit there, and they slap it on. These guys are brilliant.”

Playing the Compass Killer is “a challenge”, Ulrich said. He added, “I think that’s a good thing. I always try and look for something I haven’t necessarily done before.” The actor was glad to work with the New York scripts. “I think great writing allows for almost any subtext as an actor, and you can sort of pick whatever it is you want to say with a line,” he said. “These guys are so good at their jobs, I don’t really need to say a whole lot.”

You can watch the full video below: