Michael Steger

Tell us about your role in 90210…

My character is that of a journalist who produces a campus newspaper called The Blaze. Navid Shirazi is a highly ambitious person but is very sensitive to the needs and feelings of the people around him. He has always been interested in Adriana (played by Jessica Lowndes) and he lends her a lot of support in her battle with drug addiction.

You have primarily played Asian characters. Do you now want to break free and look at different roles?

I have my looks to blame, I guess! (laughs). But honestly I have enjoyed playing every character that has come my way. It’s always good to bring in characters from different backgrounds. The challenge lies in playing them in a way that every character has a life of its own and turns out different from the previous one.

How has the 90210 experience been like so far?

Smooth. Interesting. Enriching. I think the writing is getting stronger with each episode, with the script throwing up a lot of surprises. It’s been great working with the cast and crew. We have a great time on the show as well as on the sets.

Considering the super success of the earlier 90210 series, was there any pressure on the team of the new series?

I think the pressure existed till the time we shot the first pilot. We were nervous as hell before that. But then after the first pilot was shot, our publicity manager told us that no other pilot had ever elicited so much reaction from the audience. That gave us a lot of confidence. After that we were all right.

What’s the best compliment that you have got for 90210?

The best compliment? Now that’s a really tricky one. What comes to my mind offhand is someone coming up to me and saying, “You are a pretty caring guy for someone in high school.” I think that was pretty sweet.

You have been to India a couple of times. Your impression of the country?

I love India. I think it’s an amazing country, so culturally rich and interestingly diverse. Whenever I go to India, I feel like I have taken a trip back in time. It’s a magical land. I particularly liked Mumbai. I think that city has a lot of life.

Any plans of trying your luck in Bollywood?

I am quite a big fan of Bollywood films and also of Shah Rukh Khan. I really liked Chak De! India. And yes, I am looking forward to working in India. I’m just waiting for the offers to come in.

When he is not acting, what does Michael Steger like to do?

I love travelling. I want to see the whole world in this lifetime. I also workout a lot and everyone thinks I sleep too much!