I kind of pride myself on coming onto things that are well-oiled machines and finding a way to bring what I bring and fit in, and raise it to another level if I can. And this [Code Black ] has been another one of those really fun success stories, much like Parks And Recreation, although obviously on the other side of the comedy/drama equation.
The only good thing I could say about Dr. Vegas was that it was fun working with Amy Adams. I like to feel I picked somebody great as my leading lady and was borne out. Oh, and I learned how to snap on a medical glove very easily.
[Code Black] doesn't look like any other CBS show... and I don't mean that as any sort of judgment. It's just unbelievably unique, it's gorgeous, and it looks like a film.
I went from doing something that was very original, sort of subversive, and specific in its voice - The Grinder - and loved every minute of it, but having done that, I was anxious to do something that had more broad appeal and to embrace the good things about that.
I have such amazing memories [about The Hotel New Hampshire movie], because Tony Richardson was such an amazing director, and the subject matter was so bizarre, and yet it was the most sought-after part at that moment. And then it had the good fortune to come out on the same day as Splash.
[Jodie Foster] is one of my favorite actors and people in the business.
We shot every scene of mine in the entire movie in five days. All my coverage, everything. I left. They went back and shot everybody else around me. Insane. The part [Billie in Crazy Six] called for a handsome, coiffed cool guy romantic lead, and I showed up like you see him in the movie. And they let me do it.
[On "John F. Kennedy" set] everybody was very interested in the accent. Even my collaborators were very curious to know if I was even going to do it. And I was, like, "You just can't not do it." I think everybody was worried that it was going to sound like the guy from... is it The Simpsons?
I think my thing is that I try and pick up on things that other people have maybe not picked up on.
I think I have a pretty good ear. I mean, even just starting with, like, Austin Powers, where I did young Robert Wagner. People were, like, "How do you imitate Robert Wagner? What does he sound like? What does that even involve?".
I also listened to hours and hours and hours and hours and hours of [J.F.] Kennedy, and I sort of built [ accent]. And then I got on set [of 'J.F.Kennedy' movie ] and forgot it.But that's what you want to do. You want it to just be real. And I think authenticity was better than - people always talk about when an accent doesn't work, and the phrase you always hear is, "It was inconsistent."
My first lessons in comedy, how to construct a joke, I learned from Eileen Brennan, who had unbelievable timing.
I literally knew nothing when I did that show ["Tony Flanagan"]. It was the first time I signed an autograph, it was the first time I got fan letters, it was the first time people screamed when I came out.
One of my favorite books [The Stand] of all time. I grew up reading it.
I had to learn American sign language. And I did stuff in it, stuff that was just for me and was fun, that I don't think anyone would ever notice.
Medical-genre shows have been around forever, they will be around forever, and I think this [Code Black] is a great iteration of the next generation.
I think [The Outsiders] really forged who I am as an actor, and it's one of the reasons why I keep being drawn to big ensembles where I'm surrounded by strong, successful actors or personalities. Because that was my initial foray into movie making.