EXCLUSIVE: THE LOST KING OF SCOTLAND

Feb 17 2007 By Rick Fulton

[The bulk of this article is about Scottish Lost actor Henry Ian Cusick. The second section, excerpted below, is about Dominic.]

Another of Lost's stars is Dominic Monaghan, 30, who plays drug addict and ex-rock star Charlie Pace.

The actor, who also starred in The Lord of the Rings trilogy as Merry, is dating Evangeline Lilly, whose Kailua home on the island burned down in December last year.

The pair - who have never admitted they are together - are rumoured to be engaged and due to be married this summer, but are notoriously private.

When asked about how the fire happened, Dominic said: "You have to ask Evangeline that. It wasn't my house that burned down."

In the show, Evangeline's character's affections are fought over by Jack and Sawyer, while Dominic's character is a bit of aloser.

And while he's got the girl in real life, he admits to being a metrosexual.

He laughed: "I wear make-up and I paint my nails. I wear high heels. This is all true. I like wearing skirts. I should probably be gay but I like women too much.

"I am kind of metrosexual in the sense that, if I do get lost, I do ask for directions.

"I pull over to gas stations and ask. So I don't know. I guess guys have a lot of pride."

Of course, he's no simpering fashionista and is a keen surfer and environmentalist, who even owns a forest in India.

And he admits he likes to work out.

Dominic said: "I think my body looks better when I go to the gym.

"And it helps me eat more food, which I need to do. If I have a day at work, I'll come home and be three pounds lighter. Just from stress.

"So I need to eat a lot and work out. And I love surfing."

Of course, many of Dominic's storylines involve his continuing battles with addiction - not made easy when a planeload of heroin was also found on the island.

The actor claims he doesn't want to offer media-friendly soundbites about drugs but said: "It is obviously a personal choice that people have to make. It is a weird thing.

"It ruins people's lives sometimes.

"But I think Charlie is proof on camera that drugs are probably not a great idea. He is the effect of drugs."

Dominic won't reveal whether he's personally taken drugs.

But the actor, who has a tattoo "Living is easy with eyes closed", a line from Beatles hit Strawberry Fields, said: "I am a young guy that grew up obsessed with the Beatles.

"I know all about drugs. I know what it is like to lose control. There is a difference between someone who abuses drugs and someone who uses drugs."

Dominic admits he'd like to see more of his character but understands that being a big ensemble cast, that's difficult.

He said: "I would like to be in the show more but you have to kind of wait your turn.

"There are no small parts, just small actors. So you have to try to use the small amount that you have.

"I love it when Charlie goes dark. I love the dark Jedi thing when he puts his hood up. I love seeing him go down a dark pathway."

Lost is on Sky One tomorrow at 10pm.

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