Interview: Tim DeKay is a WHITE COLLAR Guy
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Interview: Tim DeKay is a WHITE COLLAR Guy
Written by Christina Radish
Monday, 01 February 2010 12:36
With a resume that includes vast experience on stage, television and in feature films, Tim DeKay can currently be seen on the USA Network hit original series White Collar, about the unlikely partnership of a con artist and an FBI agent who have been playing cat and mouse for years.
At the start of the series, Neal Caffrey [Matt Bomer], a charming criminal mastermind, is finally caught by his nemesis, FBI Agent Peter Burke [Tim DeKay]. When Neal escapes from a maximum-security prison to find his long-lost love, Kate [Alexandra Daddario], Peter nabs him once again. Rather than returning to jail, Neal suggests an alternate plan: He'll provide his criminal expertise to assist the Feds in catching other elusive criminals in exchange for his eventual freedom. Initially wary, Peter quickly finds that Neal provides insight and intuition that can't be found on the right side of the law, and the two develop an admiration and respect for each other that eventually leads to friendship.
In this exclusive interview with IESB, Tim DeKay, previously known for his work on HBO's award-winning series Carnivale and Tell Me You Love Me, talked about how much he enjoys playing a character who sometimes walks the legal line, but always comes out on the right side, in the end.
IESB: How did you originally get involved with White Collar? Were you looking to do another television show, or was there something specific about this show that appealed to you?
Tim: Certainly, the show appealed to me. I get a lot of scripts for pilots. Once I was released from HBO, I was able to venture to other networks and other projects, and this one came to me. The casting director suggested I read it and got it to my agent and, as soon as I read it, I thought, "This is a wonderful, fun, smart, funny television show." And then, when I read with Matt Bomer, it became twice as good.
IESB: When you were cast on the show, how much did they initially tell you about your character's backstory? As an actor, do you fill in the blanks for yourself?
Tim: They didn't tell me a lot of the backstory. Once I was attached to the project, Jeff Eastin and I sat down and started talking about where this guy might be from, what his background is socially and economically, what his education is, and all those things. We met at a happy medium, as to where this guy is, because it's tricky sometimes. If somebody has to get background specific, like a particular college the character graduated from, maybe that college has a certain connotation for me that doesn't actually fit my idea of the character. So, you have to talk about the backstory a little bit.
IESB: In what ways do you identify with Peter Burke, and what do you find most challenging about him?
Tim: I certainly identify with his sense of humor and his love of the chase. One of the most appealing things about Peter is that he loves the chase, as much as finishing the job or getting the "bad guy." That's the same for me as well. The process is nearly more fun than the finished product. The challenges that I find are all good challenges. We shoot this show in seven days, so you have to make quick choices, be on your toes constantly, and be ready to adapt to a new location, script changes, or whatever. But, it's a lot easier when you're working with the cast that I've been blessed to work with.
IESB: Both Peter and Neal walk the line between what's right and wrong, and push things a little to achieve their goal. How do you view this character? Do you see him as someone who is still working for the right outcome, regardless of the method he uses to get there?
Tim: That's a great question because I think Peter does work hard for the right outcome. The right outcome may not technically be on the same side of the law, at that particular time, but I think it eventually does fall on the same side of the law. That's been fun. Peter has learned to look at life in a little different way because of his being with Neal. He's learned from Neal. Another thing that's great about Peter is that he's open. I don't think the show would work, if Peter were simply by-the-book and rigid, all the time. You need that flexibility to have the kind of chemistry that this show tries to put out.
IESB: Your character has changed a bit since the show started. What are the biggest changes that you've seen in Peter, and were any of those changes surprising to you?
Tim: There were a couple moments where Peter truly did go to the other side of the wall. In the beginning, when I first took on this role, I wouldn't have seen him go there, and I don't disagree with it either. I think it's good that he's done the things that he does. One of the biggest surprises for me was Peter doing a scene with Kate. I had no idea that he would be in the same room with Kate, which was fun.
IESB: Since Peter seems to be a bit jealous or envious of Neal sometimes, what do you think he would want to do, if he could step into Neal's shoes for a day?
Tim: I think he would want to be a little more carefree. I don't think he'd want to wear a hat, but I think he would perhaps enjoy playing the role of Neal. That's something Peter would get a kick out of. He'd enjoy taking life as it comes to him, a little bit more than attacking life the way Peter does. I think Peter would love to play Neal for a day. It's that double-edged sword. You envy somebody because they can do it, and yet you admire them as well. There's an irony to it all. In the end, Peter likes Neal a lot. He even calls him his friend. He cares for him deeply.
IESB: What's it been like to work with Matt Bomer? How did you go about developing your relationship together? Did it just come really naturally?
Tim: It did come naturally. I went in to read with Matt. Matt had already been cast, and they had chemistry reads for a number of other actors with Matt. The second I when in there and we started reading, I knew that we had a special working relationship where we both trusted each other and realized that both of us were on the same playing field. We both welcome change. I always draw the analogy that he and I are throwing a ball back and forth to each other, and it's best when that ball is in between us and we're not quite sure who's going to catch it and who's throwing it, but we both trust that the other person is going to be on the other side of that toss.
IESB: Can you talk about working with Tiffani Thiessen? Has that relationship between fun to develop?
Tim: It's been wonderful to develop. It's great to play an FBI agent as somebody on the side of the law, where the audience goes home with that person. That doesn't always happen. It's nice to be able to live out the side of Peter that is an FBI agent, and then come through the door and be a husband. So, it's a joy to work with Tiffani. She's very smart and we can trust each other. I was cast in the role and then they brought in women to do a chemistry read, to see who I would click with, and it was the same story as it was with Matt. When Tiffani walked in the room, we started reading and I knew, right then and there, this could be my wife, in the world of Peter Burke.
IESB: How collaborative is the development of the show and the characters? Do you like to give input into your character, or do you prefer to trust in what the writers give you in the scripts?
Tim: We trust in the scripts and what they give us, but they are very open to having a discussion about moments or a scene when something doesn't quite feel right for me with Peter. The writers are always open to that. The other nice thing is that we'll do the scene in the script, and then they give us a little lee-way to do some improv towards the end of the scene, if the scene calls for it. That's where some fun happens.
IESB: What hints can you give to viewers, in regard to what's in store for Peter and Neal in the rest of this season? Is there anything in particular you're excited about viewers getting to see?
Tim: Yes. They'll go undercover again. They both have to go undercover. There are scenes and episodes where Peter goes above and beyond what an FBI agent should do for an ex-con with an anklet, and I think the result is rather entertaining. It also speaks a lot about the personal relationship between Peter and Neal. We delve even more into their personal relationship than their professional. What allows us to see these two people is that the show has hardly any violence. There's not that element of, "Oh, somebody could get hurt or killed here, if he does this or that." That aspect is just not there, so that allows us to see how each of them are going to trick each other, in each episode.
IESB: You've had such a varied career in film, television and the stage. Do you remember what it was that originally inspired you to become an actor?
Tim: There wasn't one particular thing that inspired me to be an actor. It was just one of those moments that I realized it was my life. I was doing community theater and working, and I realized, "I love acting. It's my life. It's what I do on my weekends when I have free time. I wonder if I can make it my livelihood." And that was when I decided to go to Rutgers. But, there wasn't one moment. I just always loved telling stories and pretending to be somebody else, ever since I played cowboys and Indians in the backyard.
IESB: Do you have that same passion about the craft? Are there specific things that you look for in projects now, that you didn't before?
Tim: Yeah, there are certain things that come into play. I now have a family. Even though I would love to go play Hamlet somewhere, that might not take care of the bills right now or put my career on a certain path that I want it to be on. But, when I'm acting, and I'm rehearsing or working on a scene and going over the script and living in the moment, it's then that I realize that I'm where I should be. No, I haven't lost any of the passion for acting.
IESB: With all the different types of roles and mediums that you've worked in, are there any types of roles or specific genres you'd like to work in, but haven't gotten the chance to do yet?
Tim: I just love telling stories that are very actor-oriented, I have to say. Perhaps because its' fresh in my mind, I just saw Inglourious Basterds and I think Quentin Tarantino just writes tension so well. I would love to be in a Tarantino scene. His films are very rich for actors. He sets up amazing circumstances, and he doesn't put that many people in a room either. That opening scene in Inglourious Basterds has just got two people in the room, but yet you know underneath that you're just waiting for the bomb to drop. And the other thing he does is that he delivers that bomb. He does not pull back on that. One might argue that he sometimes gets too gratuitous with the violence, but he gives you enough tension where he deserves it storywise, and you deserve to see that bomb drop.
WHITE COLLAR airs on the USA Network on Tuesdays
source: http://www.iesb.net/extensions/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8241:exclusive-interview-tim-dekay-is-a-white-collar-guy&catid=43:exclusive-features&Itemid=73
Written by Christina Radish
Monday, 01 February 2010 12:36
With a resume that includes vast experience on stage, television and in feature films, Tim DeKay can currently be seen on the USA Network hit original series White Collar, about the unlikely partnership of a con artist and an FBI agent who have been playing cat and mouse for years.At the start of the series, Neal Caffrey [Matt Bomer], a charming criminal mastermind, is finally caught by his nemesis, FBI Agent Peter Burke [Tim DeKay]. When Neal escapes from a maximum-security prison to find his long-lost love, Kate [Alexandra Daddario], Peter nabs him once again. Rather than returning to jail, Neal suggests an alternate plan: He'll provide his criminal expertise to assist the Feds in catching other elusive criminals in exchange for his eventual freedom. Initially wary, Peter quickly finds that Neal provides insight and intuition that can't be found on the right side of the law, and the two develop an admiration and respect for each other that eventually leads to friendship.
In this exclusive interview with IESB, Tim DeKay, previously known for his work on HBO's award-winning series Carnivale and Tell Me You Love Me, talked about how much he enjoys playing a character who sometimes walks the legal line, but always comes out on the right side, in the end.
IESB: How did you originally get involved with White Collar? Were you looking to do another television show, or was there something specific about this show that appealed to you?
Tim: Certainly, the show appealed to me. I get a lot of scripts for pilots. Once I was released from HBO, I was able to venture to other networks and other projects, and this one came to me. The casting director suggested I read it and got it to my agent and, as soon as I read it, I thought, "This is a wonderful, fun, smart, funny television show." And then, when I read with Matt Bomer, it became twice as good.
IESB: When you were cast on the show, how much did they initially tell you about your character's backstory? As an actor, do you fill in the blanks for yourself?
Tim: They didn't tell me a lot of the backstory. Once I was attached to the project, Jeff Eastin and I sat down and started talking about where this guy might be from, what his background is socially and economically, what his education is, and all those things. We met at a happy medium, as to where this guy is, because it's tricky sometimes. If somebody has to get background specific, like a particular college the character graduated from, maybe that college has a certain connotation for me that doesn't actually fit my idea of the character. So, you have to talk about the backstory a little bit.
IESB: In what ways do you identify with Peter Burke, and what do you find most challenging about him?
Tim: I certainly identify with his sense of humor and his love of the chase. One of the most appealing things about Peter is that he loves the chase, as much as finishing the job or getting the "bad guy." That's the same for me as well. The process is nearly more fun than the finished product. The challenges that I find are all good challenges. We shoot this show in seven days, so you have to make quick choices, be on your toes constantly, and be ready to adapt to a new location, script changes, or whatever. But, it's a lot easier when you're working with the cast that I've been blessed to work with.
IESB: Both Peter and Neal walk the line between what's right and wrong, and push things a little to achieve their goal. How do you view this character? Do you see him as someone who is still working for the right outcome, regardless of the method he uses to get there?
Tim: That's a great question because I think Peter does work hard for the right outcome. The right outcome may not technically be on the same side of the law, at that particular time, but I think it eventually does fall on the same side of the law. That's been fun. Peter has learned to look at life in a little different way because of his being with Neal. He's learned from Neal. Another thing that's great about Peter is that he's open. I don't think the show would work, if Peter were simply by-the-book and rigid, all the time. You need that flexibility to have the kind of chemistry that this show tries to put out.
IESB: Your character has changed a bit since the show started. What are the biggest changes that you've seen in Peter, and were any of those changes surprising to you?
Tim: There were a couple moments where Peter truly did go to the other side of the wall. In the beginning, when I first took on this role, I wouldn't have seen him go there, and I don't disagree with it either. I think it's good that he's done the things that he does. One of the biggest surprises for me was Peter doing a scene with Kate. I had no idea that he would be in the same room with Kate, which was fun.
IESB: Since Peter seems to be a bit jealous or envious of Neal sometimes, what do you think he would want to do, if he could step into Neal's shoes for a day?
Tim: I think he would want to be a little more carefree. I don't think he'd want to wear a hat, but I think he would perhaps enjoy playing the role of Neal. That's something Peter would get a kick out of. He'd enjoy taking life as it comes to him, a little bit more than attacking life the way Peter does. I think Peter would love to play Neal for a day. It's that double-edged sword. You envy somebody because they can do it, and yet you admire them as well. There's an irony to it all. In the end, Peter likes Neal a lot. He even calls him his friend. He cares for him deeply.
IESB: What's it been like to work with Matt Bomer? How did you go about developing your relationship together? Did it just come really naturally?
Tim: It did come naturally. I went in to read with Matt. Matt had already been cast, and they had chemistry reads for a number of other actors with Matt. The second I when in there and we started reading, I knew that we had a special working relationship where we both trusted each other and realized that both of us were on the same playing field. We both welcome change. I always draw the analogy that he and I are throwing a ball back and forth to each other, and it's best when that ball is in between us and we're not quite sure who's going to catch it and who's throwing it, but we both trust that the other person is going to be on the other side of that toss.
IESB: Can you talk about working with Tiffani Thiessen? Has that relationship between fun to develop?
Tim: It's been wonderful to develop. It's great to play an FBI agent as somebody on the side of the law, where the audience goes home with that person. That doesn't always happen. It's nice to be able to live out the side of Peter that is an FBI agent, and then come through the door and be a husband. So, it's a joy to work with Tiffani. She's very smart and we can trust each other. I was cast in the role and then they brought in women to do a chemistry read, to see who I would click with, and it was the same story as it was with Matt. When Tiffani walked in the room, we started reading and I knew, right then and there, this could be my wife, in the world of Peter Burke.
IESB: How collaborative is the development of the show and the characters? Do you like to give input into your character, or do you prefer to trust in what the writers give you in the scripts?
Tim: We trust in the scripts and what they give us, but they are very open to having a discussion about moments or a scene when something doesn't quite feel right for me with Peter. The writers are always open to that. The other nice thing is that we'll do the scene in the script, and then they give us a little lee-way to do some improv towards the end of the scene, if the scene calls for it. That's where some fun happens.
IESB: What hints can you give to viewers, in regard to what's in store for Peter and Neal in the rest of this season? Is there anything in particular you're excited about viewers getting to see?
Tim: Yes. They'll go undercover again. They both have to go undercover. There are scenes and episodes where Peter goes above and beyond what an FBI agent should do for an ex-con with an anklet, and I think the result is rather entertaining. It also speaks a lot about the personal relationship between Peter and Neal. We delve even more into their personal relationship than their professional. What allows us to see these two people is that the show has hardly any violence. There's not that element of, "Oh, somebody could get hurt or killed here, if he does this or that." That aspect is just not there, so that allows us to see how each of them are going to trick each other, in each episode.
IESB: You've had such a varied career in film, television and the stage. Do you remember what it was that originally inspired you to become an actor?
Tim: There wasn't one particular thing that inspired me to be an actor. It was just one of those moments that I realized it was my life. I was doing community theater and working, and I realized, "I love acting. It's my life. It's what I do on my weekends when I have free time. I wonder if I can make it my livelihood." And that was when I decided to go to Rutgers. But, there wasn't one moment. I just always loved telling stories and pretending to be somebody else, ever since I played cowboys and Indians in the backyard.
IESB: Do you have that same passion about the craft? Are there specific things that you look for in projects now, that you didn't before?
Tim: Yeah, there are certain things that come into play. I now have a family. Even though I would love to go play Hamlet somewhere, that might not take care of the bills right now or put my career on a certain path that I want it to be on. But, when I'm acting, and I'm rehearsing or working on a scene and going over the script and living in the moment, it's then that I realize that I'm where I should be. No, I haven't lost any of the passion for acting.
IESB: With all the different types of roles and mediums that you've worked in, are there any types of roles or specific genres you'd like to work in, but haven't gotten the chance to do yet?
Tim: I just love telling stories that are very actor-oriented, I have to say. Perhaps because its' fresh in my mind, I just saw Inglourious Basterds and I think Quentin Tarantino just writes tension so well. I would love to be in a Tarantino scene. His films are very rich for actors. He sets up amazing circumstances, and he doesn't put that many people in a room either. That opening scene in Inglourious Basterds has just got two people in the room, but yet you know underneath that you're just waiting for the bomb to drop. And the other thing he does is that he delivers that bomb. He does not pull back on that. One might argue that he sometimes gets too gratuitous with the violence, but he gives you enough tension where he deserves it storywise, and you deserve to see that bomb drop.
WHITE COLLAR airs on the USA Network on Tuesdays
source: http://www.iesb.net/extensions/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8241:exclusive-interview-tim-dekay-is-a-white-collar-guy&catid=43:exclusive-features&Itemid=73
