Jeremy Sisto Talks to TV Guide

Jeremy Sisto recently had a chat with the Ileane Rudolph of TV Guide, talking about his role as Cyrus Lupo on Law & Order and a few other things:


“Between cleaning up the streets and helping ratings rebound, Jeremy Sisto has been busy on Law & Order (Wednesdays at 10 pm/ET, NBC). We caught up with the L&O newbie to talk about Detective Lupo’s future, his Six Feet Under pals and his weakness for poker.

TV Guide: You're known for playing complicated characters. Are we going to see Detective Lupo's dark side anytime soon?
Jeremy Sisto: I'd love to have a big breakdown episode, but I don’t know if that's in the cards. A big emotional arc would interfere with the show’s structure — its eloquence and sense of reality. And I don’t think Lupo is volatile in his emotions.

TV Guide: How will he evolve throughout the season?
Sisto: Lupo starts out fairly timid and humble, and over time he gets up to speed with his partner, Detective Green [Jesse L. Martin], and the rhythm of the city and the profes­sion. Seeing so much brutality makes him harder.

TV Guide: Is it a coincidence that you and Linus Roache, who plays ADA Cutter, were both in the short-lived 2006 drama Kidnapped?
Sisto: Probably. But I do know that [creator] Dick Wolf liked Kidnapped very much. Linus is really kicking butt with this role.

TV Guide: Do you have many scenes together?
Sisto: We do. Lupo is taking night classes in law, and it's very frustrating for him to solve a case and then just drop it off at the DA's office. He and Cutter actually get into it a bit.

TV Guide: Were you looking for another New York City-based show after Kidnapped was canceled?
Sisto: No. I went back to Los Angeles to mourn. My best friends, some of my family and my girlfriend are all in L.A. I love New York, but people are constantly in your face.

TV Guide: Who’s your girlfriend?
Sisto: Addie Lane. She produces still photography. She tries to come out and work here when she can.

TV Guide: Any chance Lupo will get a girlfriend this season?
Sisto: He really wants to be with his widowed sister-in-law Jenny [Guenia Lemos], who broke his heart. Whenever anyone else comes on to him, he can’t respond.

TV Guide: You work incessantly. What kind of project turns you on?
Sisto: If a job seems fun and I can find something interesting in it, I tend to do it. I’m also one of these guys who says yes if friends ask me to do one of their movies. Some critics thought I made a mis­step with My Boys, the TBS comedy. But I did it because my friend is the creator. Why would I deny someone’s dream to make a movie or TV show?

TV Guide: Because it could be bad for your career?
Sisto: I know it’s proven to be a much better career path to work as little as possible, or only on great things. But it's not how I'm built. If I were to give advice to young actors, I would advise them not to do what I’ve done. [Laughs]

TV Guide: Do you keep in touch with any of your Six Feet Under costars?
Sisto: I stay in touch with Peter Krause, but I feel a real bond with all of them because the show was such a special experience. And I’ve seen each of their new shows. It's nice to see them as different characters, particu­larly Michael C. Hall in Dexter. His char­acter is so very different from his character on Six Feet Under. When you’re watching the show, you’re like, “Wow!”

TV Guide: You've played in the World Poker Tour's Holly­wood Home Game. How good are you?
Sisto: Poker’s about not making that one stupid move. I usually make that one stupid move. I get bored of it after a while. I don’t have whatever it takes to be a professional poker player.

TV Guide: Do you ever play on the L&O set?
Sisto: No, no. But recently I've been playing with friends of Jesse’s. It's like old-school poker, before Texas Hold’em became the thing. Back when you used to play silly games that take no skill.

TV Guide: So what's the verdict from Law & Order's most demanding audience — New York City cops?
Sisto: They’re responding pretty darn well to me. I'm really happy about that.”

The link to the TV Guide article can be found here.






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