The TV Chick

A couple of weeks ago, I attended USA Network’s 2nd Annual Character Approved Awards reception, where they honored innovators in various different fields of work. To learn more about the nominees (which include Green Day and Katherine Bigelow), you can visit the Character Approved website. Many of the stars of the USA Network shows attended the reception, and I was able to talk with the cast of one of my new favorite shows, White Collar. Willie Garson, who we all know and love as Stanford Blatch from Sex and The City, spoke about who he bases Mozzie on, the fashion on White Collar and even a little bit about the upcoming Sex and the City movie.

How do you like playing Moz on White Collar? I love the character.
Oh it’s really great. They write it to me, they came to me with it, they write exactly in my wheel house. I get to play around with it a lot, just the fun of being able to play different characters depending on the scam and it’s great fun.

Have you done any research into what exactly your character does?
Oh God no. Yes, of course. You know, I start — because I’m kind of a gigi actor, I start with how things look. And I looked at those guys in Tompkins Square Park who play chess all day. And I figured, they must make a living, they must do something for a living — so that’s what I base Mozzie on mostly and then scams. Whatever scam we’re doing on that episode, we find out all about that as we go along.

The fashion is amazing on the show. Have you been enjoying working with the costume designers?
Stephanie’s great. We have a very specific look for Mozzie. It took actually a few episodes to find it, so we won’t be having the Scooby Doo neckerchief anymore, but again, it’s those guys in the park playing chess. They’re clean, they live somewhere, they’re just wearing kind of unique pieces. They’re one of a kind, and Mozzie’s one of a kind. And we knew, USA knew, by bringing me, I have, I’m a little fashion iconic, so they knew they had to kind of build to that. I couldn’t be wearing like an airline jump suit, people are expecting me to be dressed. So that’s why Mozzie has to be kind of dressed, because I’m playing him.

Right. And do you have a favorite moment from filming the show so far?
A favorite moment in the show…we have great moments. I love being out on the street in New York. And we have a lot of fun and especially because it’s me on the street– there’s always an adventure when we’re shooting out on the street. People are interrupting takes, screaming Stanford in the middle of it — so New York’s always a blast. It’s hilarious.

And can you tell us anything about the new movie coming out? [Sex And The City 2]
I can tell you that it IS coming out.

Any chance there will be a Sex and the City 3?
I have no idea. I hope so! I would like some vacation probably.

What it was it like working on the sequel?
Great. It’s just a gift from the fans that we’re [going to be] doing this. I mean, we joke about it. We’re like what are we Bonanza? We started talking about the pilot in 1996. This is crazy that we get to still do this. And it’s because the fans are letting us. So, God bless ‘em you know!

Did you have any idea it was going to be such a big phenomenon?
Oh God no. God no. That’s at the beginning at the show, and certainly when we released the first movie–we would never be so bold as to think that we’d end up with whatever, 500 million dollars worldwide. It’s like what? We just were making it for our fans. We didn’t realize how many of them there are. So, we love them. We love them, love them, love them.

Who did you hang out with on the Sex and the City set?
Sarah Jessica and I are pretty close, for almost 25 years now. She’s my best friend, so if I didn’t say her, I’d be lying.

Be sure to tune in tomorrow night to USA Network at 10 pm for the season finale of White Collar.