Dylan McDermott Interview On “STALKER”
Dylan McDermott at a Q&A for the Television Critics Association
McDermott talks about his role as Jack Larsen on CBS’ Stalker. Stalker airs on Wednesdays at 10/9c.
Dylan McDermott
In CBS’ STALKER, created by Kevin Williamson (of SCREAM and THE VAMPIRE DIARIES), Dylan McDermott plays Jack Larsen, a new transfer to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Threat Assessment Unit (based on the real LAPD Threat Management Unit). Jack is partnered with Beth Davis, played by Maggie Q. The job of the TAU is to investigate and take appropriate action in cases where someone is being stalked. Beth doesn’t welcome Jack with open arms, partly because she finds his ebullient manner baffling and partly because it turns out that Jack has followed his ex and their son cross-country in what may be stalking activity of his own.
McDermott, a Connecticut native, started out playing mostly good guys in movies like HAMBURGER HILL, STEEL MAGNOLIAS and IN THE LINE OF FIRE. He spent seven seasons on THE PRACTICE as dedicated lawyer Bobby Donnell and another series lead in BIG SHOTS.
Dylan McDermott is at CBS’ Q&A session for the Television Critics Association. When the panel ends, the actor remains for some follow-up conversation.
Given that Jack seems to belong among McDermott’s recent gallery of morally ambiguous characters, has the actor actively been seeking these roles out or is this what has been coming down the pike for him?
“Certainly after THE PRACTICE, probably beginning with I would have to say WONDERLAND,” McDermott relates, “I started playing some questionable characters. There’s something about that that I liked, and then DARK BLUE and AMERICAN HORROR STORY certainly, even HOSTAGES – they’re all gray. And there’s something about that that’s fun to play. People are gray, ultimately, and I think now with STALKER, there’s something we don’t know about him, exactly what’s happened in his past. It’s fun to learn and discover – I don’t actually even know what that is yet, but it is intriguing.”
Given that Jack is one of the protagonists and is tracking his ex, how does STALKER deal with this aspect of the character’s behavior?
“It’s a pretty big issue,” McDermott explains, “because there are a lot of parents, men and women, mothers and fathers, who don’t get to see their kids. Maybe the wife has fled or the girlfriend has fled with the child or the father has fled and they’re looking – obviously, the closest [people] to us is our children, so I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who are in similar situations. I’m not condoning it; I don’t think the show is condoning it. I just think this particular character has something inside.”
There are some aspects of Jack that offer McDermott new opportunities as an actor, particularly, he says, “The personal stuff, you know what I mean? This guy is a little bit on the autistic side. He says things, has no filter. That stuff was the most intriguing to me – this guy who doesn’t have a filter and the quirks that he has, that’s the fun stuff for me.”
Dylan McDermott opines that Jack may even be somewhere on the Asperger’s scale. “Yeah, somewhere, which is fun to play. I don’t have it, but I have sympathy for the people who do have it. I’ve kind of looked into that a little bit. It’s very fascinating.”
Given that AMERICAN HORROR STORY changes its plot and characters every year but brings back many actors, as in a repertory company, might McDermott go back for a third time? “I’m always open to pay a visit,” McDermott replies. “I love that show. The first two seasons were so much fun for me – I had a blast.”
Bloodyface, McDermott’s AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM character, is remarkably dark. He only appeared in a few episodes. Does McDermott think he could maintain that level of darkness for an entire season if called upon to do so? “I’m not sure. I enjoyed that guy. I had a lot of fun playing him. I enjoyed him. I love acting – I love to act. It’s always interesting to play different characters.”
Meanwhile, Dylan McDermott has some film projects coming out. One, in the preliminary stages, is reported to be from STALKER creator Williamson. Additionally, “I’ve got one with Milla Jovovich and Pierce Brosnan coming out. I’m not quite sure what the title is – the working title was SURVIVOR. I have a movie with Antonio Banderas called AUTOMATA coming up, and then obviously STALKER.”
Is there anything else Dylan McDermott would like people to know about STALKER at present? “I think if you like the scary stuff, and I think this is going to be one of the scariest shows on network television, certainly, I think that this is the show for you.”
by Abbie Berstein
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