Celebrity Gossip Report

On the heels of his first-ever Emmy nomination and his much-buzzed-about departure from television after 18 years, Matthew Fox is finally getting lost.

Together with his wife, Margherita, and their two children, the 44-year-old actor is settling into a 10-acre ranch in Oregon -- a world away from his former life shooting the series in the Aloha state. He discussed his Emmy nomination, his plans for a post-"Lost" future and, of course, that final episode.



AN EMMY NOM AT LONG LAST! ARE YOU FEELING VINDICATED?

Fox: I had no idea the awards were being announced that day, but it's very nice to be recognized. I thought the show had a really great season, especially with expectations being so enormous. I think that's really saying something. I'm just looking forward to partying with the cast and raising a glass to the show.

THE SERIES FINALE MET MIXED REVIEWS AMONG FANS AND CRITICS. WHAT'S BEEN YOUR RESPONSE?

Fox: Obviously, the show left room for interpretation when the white light poured through. I don't pay attention to how it was received. Damon (Lindelof, an executive producer) told me the ending two months prior and I was extremely moved. I thought it was absolutely beautiful.

DR. JACK SHEPHARD WAS ESSENTIALLY THE SHOW'S "EVERYMAN" CHARACTER. HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT CHANNELING SUCH AN ICONIC ROLE?

Fox: I put a lot of myself into him, so it was tremendously emotional. He started as the hero of the show and we thought the audience would be bored out of their minds if he were the knight in shining armor all the time. We wanted to take the first four years and destroy him. So, that's what we did. And in the end, Jack redeemed himself before he could move on; I think that's why I was nominated. It has more to do with Jack than anything I was doing for six years.

WHAT DID THE SHOW'S FIRST EMMY WIN IN 2005 FOR OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES MEAN TO YOU?

Fox: It meant that when the show won, a whole bunch of people jumped on the bandwagon that shouldn't have. To be honest, people felt like they were missing out, so they came, tested it and left. Then it was perceived that the show took a turn for the worst, and it wasn't. They weren't ever going to be "Lost" fans.

YOU HAVE SAID THAT "LOST" WILL BE YOUR FINAL AFFAIR WITH TELEVISION. REALLY?

Fox: I've done 300 hours of television. I've spent 12 years operating between two characters -- six years on "Party of Five" and six years on "Lost" -- and I'm at a point in my career where I want more flexibility. I want to call my own shots: when I'm working and when I'm not. It doesn't have anything to do with snobbery. Some of the best writing is on television right now.

IF YOU COULD STEP INTO THE CHARACTER OF ANY OF YOUR FELLOW LEAD ACTOR NOMINEES, COMEDY OR DRAMA, WHO WOULD IT BE?

Fox: Michael C. Hall's role in "Dexter" would be very interesting. To play a serial killer in a lead role, that's pretty cool!