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. I had interviewed Tim DeKay (Peter Burke) over the phone in the past, and he was so wonderful to meet in person, and just incredibly nice and forthcoming. So forthcoming in fact, that he ALMOST revealed a huge location that would have given away a major plot point from the season finale. We talked about Peter and Neal’s relationship, the success of White Collar, and of course, what it’s like working with Matt Bomer.

What’s coming on the big season finale of White Collar?
You know, what, you’re a great interviewer, and I know you’re going to ask me all types of questions to get to the same answer. All I’m going to say is everybody’s involved. Certainly Neal and Peter, Mozzie, Elizabeth, Fowler, Kate, and even countries other than the United States.

Interesting! When you signed on, did you know White Collar was going to be so successful?
No. You never know. This was my 11th pilot, so I’m 3 for 11 with pilots. The others were all sort of…No I didn’t know! But because you have this guarded optimism as an actor because you think “Oh, I love this project, I love working with Matt, I love these characters,” don’t get too excited because you’re going to get the call and say It’s great, but it didn’t test well, or whatever. You know, there are so many people that make these decisions, to say “Yeah, let’s go with it.” But sometimes when you do these things, you feel all these, and you think all of these thoughts about the series or about the show, and then it’s confirmed by other people. You think, “Oh, I was right. It’s exactly what I thought people would think it was.” That’s a wonderful feeling.

Are we going to see more of Peter being watched by Fowler?
Yeah, the last episode, [he] becomes very stealth, I’ll use that word. The stakes are high, very high.

I know last time we spoke, you talked about shooting all over New York City. Do you have another location that you’ve filmed at recently that was one of your favorites?
We shot at — Oh no, I can’t tell you. I can’t tell you. I was just going to tell you and then you were going to say — Ohhh! You don’t even know when you’re asking good questions! You don’t even know!

(laughs) I didn’t mean it that way! Do you have a location that won’t give away anything?
They’re all good locations. I can’t talk to you. I was about to tell you a location that would have given a huge part of the story away!

I wasn’t trying to get you to spoil it, I swear! (laughs)
Bad, bad!

Read more…

I am so excited that White Collar is returning tonight. It has become a fast new favorite of mine. The show centers around FBI Agent Peter Burke who hires former con-man Neal Caffrey to be his new partner. It is a unique show that is shot beautifully around New York City and it is very different from procedural dramas out there. I recently had the chance to participate in a Q&A with Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay (Neal and Peter respectively), about what’s coming up this season, their character development and even the fashion of the show. And be sure to tune in tonight at 10 pm on USA Network for the mid-season premiere.

It seems that both Neal and Peter seem to toe the line between right and wrong on the show, especially after seeing the cliffhanger in your fall finale.  My question is what types of real life shenanigans have you gotten yourselves into that you can draw inspiration from?

M. Bomer: Tim, do you want to go?

T. DeKay: I know we only have a little under an hour so I won’t be able to go through all of my real-life shenanigans.  That’s a good question.

M. Bomer: I snuck my brother’s car out of the driveway in the middle of the night and was trying to run over trash cans with it.  I was 16 and I got a flat tire and literally tried to go to the gas station to put air back into it.  It was nothing but shredded rubber and the rim.  I came home and by the time I got home the rubber from the tire was literally slapping on the concrete so loud the entire neighborhood – my dad was waiting for me at the door and my license was revoked for quite some time.  I wouldn’t say that I have the same kind of criminal savvy that Neal does.

T. DeKay: Is that a shenanigan?

M. Bomer: If that’s not a shenanigan I don’t know what is.

T. DeKay: That’s an excellent shenanigan; I can’t top that one.

Tim, the show obviously took a large step, something that you don’t always see in a mid-season finale.  What did you like about that last scene and what can you tell us about the ramifications as we move into the second half of the first season here?

T. DeKay: Jeff Eastin approached me with that last scene a couple weeks before he was going to put it on the script.  I said, “You’re the writer; this sounds exciting, let’s go for it.”  I love the scene and I love the continuation of the scene as well.  I think it’s some great writing and some great storytelling and very exciting and it’s a perfect cliffhanger.  That’s all I’m going to say about it.

That last scene in the aired episode I don’t know if you can tell us this or not.  Was it a coincidence or was it just a red herring or is there a reason, if you can tell us, that the actress that plays Kate looks an awful lot like with Tiffani-Amber Thiessen?

T. DeKay: This is Tim.  I’ve been asked that and I never realized that they look alike.  Now that it was brought to my attention I do see the similarity, two beautiful women.  I think it was, I don’t know, maybe the writers have something up their sleeves that I don’t know.

As far as you know it’s coincidence?

T. DeKay: I believe so, yes.

The season finale had one hell of a twist that I really don’t think many people saw coming, if anyone saw it coming.  How has this suspicion between the two characters changed the series, as it’s been the first half of the season to the last half of the season?

M. Bomer: I think it actually comes to resolution pretty quickly.  It’s not something that is as dire as it might seem; it’s something that resolves itself relatively quickly in the second half of the season.  Ultimately it’s one of those things that ends up, I think, really bringing the two characters closer.

T. DeKay: I couldn’t have said that better myself; I concur.

Over the first half of the season, Neal seems to have been developing a kind of trust in Peter and Peter has become kind of protective of Neal.  With that last twist and having seen the second half premiere, it seems like, as you said, things do resolve.  Could you speak to the development of each character in regards to the growth of trust and that sense of protectiveness?

M. Bomer: In terms of trust I think that Peter is the first person in Neal’s life that he’s really been able to have that with, but I also think it’s an interesting dynamic that’s always kind of liquid between the two of them given their history and given the fact that Neal’s not really ready to jump over to the other side of the moral spectrum immediately.  It’s something that he’s struggling with and it’s kind of his journey on the second half of the first season to figure out if I’m going to buckle down and be with the FBI or am I going to do whatever I have to do, legal or not, to find Kate.  I think the trust thing is sort of everything in the relationship, but as opposed to normal relationships where it can be a little bit more black and white, in this particular relationship, it can be more liquid.  He has more trust for Peter than he’s ever had for anybody else.

T. DeKay: As far as the protection that Peter has for Neal, I like that observation a lot.  At first, Peter’s protection of Neal was a bit self-centered.  He’s protecting himself because he made that decision to take this guy out.  But as time has gone on he’s gotten to know Neal in a different way and is now protecting him because he sees a great potential in this guy.  He’s protecting him on more than just a professional level.

Matt, what’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned so far in the world of con men?

M. Bomer: I think the most interesting thing I’ve learned is how much of it is about just like a good actor does his research on a role and does all the homework he needs to do to know a character inside and out, the amount of work that goes into a skilled con artist’s game, the amount of research, the knowledge of the mark and the amount of confidence it takes to pull it off are all really fascinating to me.  The similarities to the craft of acting are actually fascinating as well.

Read more…

White Collar is USA Network’s newest hit show that centers around an interesting partnership between an FBI Agent (Peter Burke) and a con-man (Neal Caffrey). The parternship was suggested by Caffrey, who when caught by Burke, came up with an alternative plan to going back to jail. The show is full of intrigue, mysteries, and atypical cases. The acting is phenomenal, and I find myself constantly looking forward to the next new episode. I think what sets White Collar apart from other law dramas on TV is the premise. There really is nothing like it on TV. I recently had the chance to chat with Tim DeKay, who plays Peter Burke, about his character, shooting in New York City, and his idea of a perfect crime. He was gracious enough to take time out of his busy filming schedule, and we also had the chance to talk about Ithaca (his hometown and my college town).

What originally drew you to the role of Peter?
Really two things. One, I’ve always loved a good mystery story. But secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the character was so interesting. It wasn’t your typical FBI Agent. And certainly, the relationship that he has with Neil, was not your typical FBI Agent slash bad guy con-artist relationship. It seemed like the heart of it, underlying all of what you see between these two guys, they like each other.

Are you anything like Peter? Or are you anything like Neal?
(laughs) Am I anything like Peter? I guess so. I think I am to a degree in that I love the chase. I love figuring out the crime, solving it. And I enjoy the chase in anything in life. Once the goal is achieved, it’s wonderful but I’d rather the game continue. And I think to a degree, that’s what Peter wants as well.

The partnership between Peter and Neal is obviously a very unique one. Why do you think their relationship works so well?
Two reasons. I think it’s because Jeff Eastin [the creator] writes very clear characters that are not two dimensional. And the other part that I think works well is that I’m fortunate enough to work across from Matt Bomer. And the two of us really feed off each other well. And the chemistry that is between us, that energy that is between us, is just as important as each of our individual energies. We just seem to  — from the first time we auditioned — we got along really well, and it’s fun to act with him.

Did you happen to talk to any FBI agents as research to prepare for your role?
I did. You know what was interesting — I talked to an FBI Agent who is since retired, but now does White Collar security for a large [cosmetic firm]. He gave me this great bit of information. He said that yes, you have one case that you’re working on, and that you seem to be focused on this, but even when that one is finished, there are always four or five others that are still out there. And he said he always felt like he was chasing ghosts. Which is kind of cool.

Interesting.
Yeah, isn’t it? Just when you lay your head down on the pillow and think okay, I’m done with that case. It’s like oh yeah there are those two other guys that I still haven’t caught.

And were you a fan of, or did you watch any buddy cop shows? It’s different than that, but White Collar centers around a crime-solving team.
Yeah. There was a movie that I loved that there’s certainly part of the essence that these two people had — called “Midnight Run” with Charles Grodin and Robert DeNiro. It’s a movie where the two of them from the beginning — you would think that they would not be a likely pair. But throughout the movie you realize Oh, they kind of like each other. And when that happens, when you see that those two kinds of people like each other, then you’re okay as an audience member, you’re okay if one of them does something to annoy the other.

I think White Collar is incredibly unique. But what do you think makes it stand out from other crime-solving television shows?
Well, one of the reasons is the way our Director of Photography Russell Fine is shooting it, it’s just so beautiful. And most of the crime dramas that you see are certainly intentionally filmed in such a way where it’s grittier. And usually a death has occurred on a stoop or a back alley. But here, crimes are being committed in glamorous, beautiful places. I’ve gotten to arrest people at Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, at Columbus Circle, you know all these really glamorous, kind of high end places. And Russell, and the show, doesn’t shy away from that. And I’ve said this before, New York City is another character on the show. It’s an homage to that. And also I think that this show — we go home with Peter Burke, we see what his home life is like. We see what Neal’s home life is like, which is not as typical [compared to] other crimes dramas. Also, not every episode do we draw a gun. And not every episode do you ever — there might be one or two — but most of our episodes, you don’t even see a murder happen. You might see the murder victim after the fact, but you never see a murder happen which is — as cliche or corny as it may sound — parents can sit kids and watch this show.

You were saying that New York City is an integral part of the show. What has it been like filming there? Have you had any interesting experiences filming all over the city?
There hasn’t been one location where we’ve shot where I haven’t walked in and gone “Oh my goodness, this is gorgeous. I didn’t even know this building existed.” It’s fascinating. And New Yorkers are so honest. So if you’re shooting, they’re excited to watch you shoot. But if you’re in their way, like a cabbie’s got to get through an intersection, forget it. He doesn’t care what you’re shooting, he’s got to get through that intersection.

In a recent episode, you filmed on a private rooftop garden at Rockefeller center. Was that just amazing?
Oh it was. What was cool was that the day before we shot, we were up in this gorgeous penthouse apartment that overlooked the gardens. So Betty Gordon, our director, went up to the window — and we were up on the 49th floor — and she said “look down there, you see that green garden at Rockefeller Center, that’s where we’ll be shooting there tomorrow.”

Wow. That’s great.
It’s just incredible. So many of the places that I’m shooting, I realize “Oh I couldn’t afford to get into this place.” Thankfully I’m shooting here, because I couldn’t get in here on my own.

Right. And what is it like joining a USA Network show? The network has put out some really big hits lately. Do you see any common threads between your show and other USA shows that are out there?
Yes. I think it ties in with their logo: Character’s Welcome. I mean Bonnie Hammer and everybody at USA has done just an incredible job. They truly respect and know that a character is interesting. Yes, certainly a story is interesting, but this is a show — this is a network where you’re going to get to know these people, in ways that you would not get to know them on other television shows. And as an actor, I love that and appreciate it.

What is your idea of the perfect crime?
Oh, someone asked me that and I gave some corny cheese ball answer that had to do with food. For me, there is something about stealing food that would be a perfect crime. You know, I could get very philosophical on one hand look like I’m this great guy by saying “Oh the perfect crime would be to steal the I don’t know — the anecdote to cancer or something,” which would be wonderful, yes. That would be the perfect crime, but that’s impossible. The perfect crime is where nobody would get hurt — either physically or emotionally or financially — and I could benefit from it. And somehow, I go to food, when I think of that. Like stealing a pie from a window sill, or something like that.

That sounds pretty good to me.
Oh good, I’m glad you agree.

I do definitely. Can you give us a little preview of what’s coming up this season?
What I can say, is that the Kate anthology–that has to do with Neal looking for Kate, is very interesting. Who is involved with Kate, and and how that plays out. That’s very fun and very exciting. But you know, just look for more glamorous locations where I’ll be arresting people.

Be sure to tune in tonight for an all new episode of White Collar on USA at 10 pm.

White Collar is an action packed crime drama, that centers around the unique partnership between a FBI Agent and a con-man who he’s been chasing for years. When FBI Agent Peter Burke (played by Tim DeKay) catches criminal Neal Caffrey (played by Matt Bomer, “Chuck”), Neal suggests that he should assist the FBI with their investigations, and in return, he won’t go back to jail. White Collar also stars Tiffani Theissen (of “Saved By The Bell” and 90210 fame) who plays Burke’s wife, and Willie Garson (“Sex and the City”) who plays Neal’s crime buddy.

I find that some crime-solving TV shows can focus too much on the crime, and not enough on the characters. However, White Collar is very much the opposite. The acting is truly phenomenal. And in the midst of crime and serious cases, the show has it’s incredibly funny moments as well. I think the premise is unique, and it works very well. In the beginning of the episode, Burke is frustrated by his FBI team of Harvard graduates who can’t seem to solve any cases. Along comes Caffrey who knows everything about crime, because he’s already committed them. The partnership is interesting not only because they are sort of yin to each other’s yang, but also because deep down, they each have an extraordinary amount of respect for one another. (Even if Burke’s “respect” for Caffrey is more of a masked, hateful respect).

In any case, I don’t want to spoil too much more. But I will say that I have incredibly high hopes for this show, because the pilot is just fantastic. Also, Matt Bomer is pretty nice to look at as well.

Don’t miss the series premiere of White Collar TONIGHT at 10 pm on USA Network.