'Jigsaw' Tobin Bell Panel Recap - Live From Walker Stalker Con Atlanta

Tobin Bell, who plays John Kramer (Jigsaw) is brought onto the stage to applause. After he is introduced, the panel moderator asked about Jigsaw's personality.

"I wouldn't necessarily do what he does (laughs). My job is to figure out what's on his mind and why he's doing what he's doing. To be able to fill his carcass with human qualities so that the audience can relate to him even for a moment."

Tobin is asked about the topic of karma in the Saw films.

"Do you reap what you sow in life? It comes up a lot in the Saw films and I feel like those are my favorite traps in the series. I like when the traps relate to the person's life."

Now, the floor is open to fan questions.

"Why did doctor Gordon end up becoming an apprentice?"

"Saw is very complex. This new film is a standalone film, you don't have to have seen any of the previous films to go and see Jigswaw. As far as Dr Gordon went, people always asked what happened to him after Saw 1. They wanted to show what actually happened to him in the other films. That part of the story has not yet been told."

One fan asked about Bell's influences in the horror genre.

"If you go back and time and look at Alfred Hitchcock or Billy Friedkin - there are so many great horror films in the past. There are concepts introduced into Saw films that make you think, things in every day life that we deal with ourselves. I'm very impressed with horror films"

Bell goes on to recommend modern horror films like Wolf Creek and The Descent. "It's all about the script. You can accomplish as much in horror films as you can in any other genre of all film, it's all about your writing."

Will we ever find out where Billy the Puppet came from, or what has happened to him?

"That part of the story hasn't been told, yet. I am very excited about the possibility of talking about Billy someday. We haven't had that discussion yet."

Which Saw was your favorite to make? Will there be more Saws to come?

"To the credit of these producers and Lionsgate, they wait to see what fans feel about the previous film to decide that they want to do moving forward. Whether there will be more of not, I don't know. But I do think there is story to be told. My favorite is Saw II because I got up off the floor and had the opportunity and get an idea as to what's in this guy's head."

Bell goes on to say that seeing people concentrate on the appreciation for life that fans relate to after watching the films makes it all worth it. After being asked about the theater world, Bell says that he has thought about Saw on the stage, since he has a Broadway background.

Is there any particular character that you thought needed to learn a lesson?

"All of them (laughs). For John Kramer, liars and hypocrites are at the center of his gripes. It's not personal with John, he's doing all this for a particular reason."

Are there any other villains or roles you've really wanted to portray?

"There are some movie villains I like. I would recommend watching Tommy Lee Jones in The Executioner's Song. I like those kind of villains that you can relate to. You may not approve of what they do, but you understand their complexities. Those are the kind of villains I enjoy. In real life, most bad guys don't think of themselves as bad. They justify what they do and feel victimized. Life is way more complex."

What directors would you like to work with?

"Steven Spielberg. Rob Reiner is a brilliant storyteller, and I'd like to work with him."

Have you ever thought about directing?

"I was just thinking about that. I don't minimize the time-consuming nature of directing. You have to give up a lot of your time, but I was thinking about it yesterday because, if you want to get your story told, sometimes you have to take hold of it yourself."

What about directing a Saw film?

"I kind of have my hands full with John Kramer. To direct something as an actor, it needs to be a pet project. I already have some input with the Saw movies, so as long as I can keep giving some input I'll be happy with that."

Tobin went on to talk about his role on The Flash.

"I loved working on The Flash. They really develop your characters on that show. I played Dr. Alchemy and that ended up turning voicing Savitar. That voice work was fun to do."

Bell and the moderator talk about one of his past times, which is coaching little league baseball. As they talk, a fan dressed as Billy the Puppet is brought onto the stage.

Panel end.