This track record isn’t lost on DB Woodside who plays President Wayne Palmer this season. Brother to David Palmer (Dennis Haysbert) whose character was assassinated last season, in just 14 hours, Wayne Palmer has already found himself the victim of a botched assassination plot, fighting for his life in a coma and as of tonight, back to business and potentially warring with Vice President Noah Daniels (Powers Boothe) who is looking to usurp the Presidency for himself.

Like many of the talent involved with 24, Woodside is tightlipped as to what to expect during the rest of the season, but in an exclusive interview, he did speak with iF about his character so far this year and what separates him apart as President.

iF MAGAZINE: Last year you were kicking ass with gun alongside Jack Bauer, and now you’re the president. How does that happen?

DB WOODSIDE: I have no idea. I think he’s a unique guy. He does it all -- a true renaissance man. I think last season was probably him trying to find justice for his brother and now this year, he’s getting back to who he was. As far as not running around with Jack with guns -- that’s a part of Wayne. He probably feels more comfortable in the world of politics where it’s not so physically violent. It’s more spiritually violent.

iF: Will he pick up a gun any time this season?

WOODSIDE: No, he hasn’t. Wayne starts this day out with a bit of a challenge -- trying to emulate his brother so much that he feels he is not doing such a great job. He’s overwhelmed, he’s feeling insecure, but as the day progresses, I think the lesson he learns, it’s best that Wayne is Wayne and that means Wayne is going to go back to being more scrappy, intense and intimidating. I think that’s where he feels more at home.

iF: I’ve always wondered, do you get your lines fed by Kiefer when you’re talking to him on the phone?

WOODSIDE: He’s really good about that. Our scenes consist this year primarily of phone conversation and he’s there for me and I’m there for him and it works really well. I hope to get some scenes in the same room with him again, because he’s so much fun to work with. This year, doing scenes with Peter MacNicol and Jayne Atkinson are fantastic. Those two are a dream to work with. And can I just say, Regina King, who I have this amazing crush on, is just phenomenal and I’m so glad she’s been added to the show [as my sister].

iF: I think the writers are pretty amazing in that create such rich characters like Wayne Palmer that they can keep bringing back in different ways.

WOODSIDE: This show is great at bringing characters back. What’s fantastic is you’ll have a year where you’re there the entire year and the next year, you disappear, but they bring their characters back all the time, which keeps the world of 24 very immediate. I think those true fans that started out at the beginning of 24, they enjoy seeing those characters come back and it’s one of the brilliant things that these guys do. I believe it’s how [the writers] keep people so interested. The shows are so character driven, you end up falling in love with these characters and that makes great television.

iF: Was it nice to have this rich character history, coming into this season?

WOODSIDE: It is, because once the character has been established, it’s nice to come back, because you have a really nice sense of who that guy or woman is. As an actor, that’s really what you hope for, a really clear understanding of who you are, not to mention what they expect from that character.

iF: What else can you say is happening with Wayne the rest of the season. I know there was a lot written about how Wayne is wishy-washy, but I haven’t really seen that.

WOODSIDE: You know what I would say, I think some times people can forget in the world of 24, that this is one long day. So maybe Wayne didn’t get enough sleep the previous night and starting off this day, he was just very unsure of himself and probably his problem was he was initially emulating his brother a little too much. As the day goes on, you’ve seen Wayne realizing he’s not David and he can’t be David. Wayne has to be Wayne and what that means is going back to the willful, strong-minded, intimidating person that we remember.

iF: What do you think of some of the JFK/RFK similarities that has been written the Wayne and David?

WOODSIDE: I think people bring them out, because they’re two sets of brothers. I definitely think RFK was a scrappy guy, just like I think Wayne is very scrappy. I can see it from that angle.

iF: How do they contract actors for a season?

WOODSIDE: I think for these guys, it’s season by season. They really focus on one year. It’s a lot for them to do. They focus on one year, then at the end of the year, they take some time off and decide what they want to do next year. Hopefully I will be one of those characters that makes it to next year.

iF: It does feel like it’s a two season term for each president.

WOODSIDE: Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

iF: And finally, how was it working on BUFFY during its final season?

WOODSIDE: I just had a blast working with Sarah [Michelle Gellar] and James [Marsters]. It was fun. I hope they do a movie some day and I hope to be a part of it. And oh my God, Eliza [Dushku]. I will have a crush on Eliza until the day I die.