gorham

I had the opportunity to sit down and have dinner with actor Christopher Gorham and ask him a few questions. OK, so maybe I didn’t get to sit and have dinner with him…a girl can dream, can’t she?

He was kind enough to take time from his busy schedule and I really appreciate it. Chris will be on tonight’s episode of Ugly Betty, playing Henry (of course) who shows up in NY after Betty drunk-called him last week.

Chris has been busy over the past year filming the movies My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend (out later this month), Trivial Pursuits, and currently working on The Ledge. You may remember him playing that crazy sister-loving serial killer, Henry Dunn, in Harper’s Island. He will also be in the USA Networks Covert Affairs due to start in July. Shall we get started?

TwoCents: How much do you think an actor’s social responsibility and beliefs should align with the kind of films, television, and plays they select?
Christopher Gorham: I wouldn’t say that actors “should” work on projects that align with their beliefs. I would say that we often do simply because we’re drawn to do work we have some emotional connection or response to. For instance, I love the character I play in The Ledge because he has an optimism to him that I find admirable. Another film I worked on last year that aligns with my personal beliefs, Trivial Pursuits, is about the importance of the little things in life.

TC: Your career has really taken off lately. You have just finished three movies and currently on your fourth, and a new television series starting in the summer. I have to ask: How has your life changed – the good and the bad things that come with the territory? And if you had to stop acting…what would you do?
CG: This last year was a banner year for me. Thanks for noticing! I’m really proud of all four films I was a part of, and my new show on USA Network, Covert Affairs, is going to be one of the most ambitious shows on TV. My life hasn’t changed much, honestly. Sorry, I feel like I’m disappointing you! I have been traveling a lot, which is always difficult since I have a wife and three kids at home. But I feel like Anel and I are finally beginning to accept that travel is just part of the gig. Neither one of us had family in show business, so when we started we had no idea that so many shows and movies shot outside of LA! We’ve learned. Now, if I had to stop acting I’d probably have to sell my house so I’ll say I’d go into real estate.

TC: Now that you have done drama and comedy…which do you find more challenging ?
CG: Oh, come on now. Everybody knows comedy’s harder!

TC: What was it like to be back on the set for the final episodes of Ugly Betty? Was it tough to fit it into your busy schedule? The way you kept it from your Twitter followers was very impressive!
CG: Well, I’ll tell ya, I just ❤ that America Ferrera. We’ve always had a great time working together, so I was glad we had another chance. It was disorienting to be on the sets because most of them are the same sets from when the show was shot in Los Angeles. So after an hour in MODE, I’d walk off set and expect to be at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood! Trust me, it’s a strange feeling. Mostly I feel bad for Vanessa, because she missed me this time and it’s pretty obvious that she’s hopelessly in love with me. As for my Twitter secrets (twecrets?), the Betty brass specifically asked me to keep it under wraps and, if you watched Harper’s Island you know, I can keep a secret.

TC: If you can answer a question on Covert Affairs: How have you prepared yourself for the role of being blind?
CG: During prep for the Covert Affairs pilot I met with representatives of The Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Their help was invaluable and I’ll be working with them again as we near production on the series.

TC: Bonus Q: You have so many fans that love the work you do. Did you realize this before going on Twitter or did Twitter open the doors to a whole new way of communicating with them?
CG: Oooh, a bonus! : ) @Alyssa_Milano is the one who got me into Twitter. I’d been tossing around the idea of doing a web site for, literally, years but never really had the time to do the upkeep that a good site needs. Enter Twitter! It’s given me the perfect platform to get out the information I want to get out without requiring any real work. I’m still not convinced that most of my followers are actual people, but I have been blown away by how they’re spread out all over the world.

I just want to say thank you to Chris for doing this interview… and you can never disappoint me!

Don’t forget to watch Ugly Betty tonight at 10:00 pm on ABC to see what happens to Betty and Henry.

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