Adam Kaufman – State of Affairs

By: Jamie Steinberg

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) “State of Affairs” has been all consuming since the end of July.

Q) What was it about the show that made you want to be a part of it?

A) For me, it always starts with the script and the story. When I read it, I thought it was really interesting. It was a story that was telling the side of analysts in the C.I.A. and putting together the daily briefing book for the President that I had never seen. I’d never seen shows like “Homeland” before and from what I hear they deal with more operatives, people who are in the field and are actual spies. They are getting foreign assets overseas to spy for the United States. This was a really different look at the C.I.A., these people that are analyzing the information that is being sent to the C.I.A. Their job is to break it all down and for this show they do the top ten threats facing the country every single morning. It was just a really well written script and after that, having Joe Carnahan and Katie Heigl involved with it, I put it down and thought, “I have to get in and read for this!” You sort of kick off all the different things you are looking for after story, I see it is Joe who write and directed it, it has Katie Heigl and it will be quality because it’s NBC. Then, it’s the character. I thought it was an interesting character because I couldn’t figure out what he was going to be. For me, that’s interesting.

Q) How was Lucas originally described to you?

A) Once I had been cast and we all went to New York, were doing the table read and Joe had us sit down and watch All The Presidents Men because it was his inspiration for how he wanted to shoot it, for the tone of it and the look of it. So, when I asked, “Who is Lucas? Is he supposed to be a red herring?” Without giving away too much, Joe said that he is intentionally put into this story as a mysterious character. People who are watching would know as soon as Acting Director Skinner was fired (in the pilot) I should have been gone as well. So, when I show up in the second episode everyone is wondering why I’m there, you eventually find out I was always hand picked to be in the position by Director Navaro (who would be coming in). He’s in the story to be this mysterious figure, this person who you don’t know. The audience shouldn’t know early on where my loyalties lie. I always thought that was a great idea for the character. People don’t know to this point if there is going to be a professional relationship Lucas has with Katie’s character or if it is going to be a personal relationship? Is it going to be just two people going at it with each other or one trying to take down the either? That is really the mystery they have played up this season and people will see it clearly unfolding as the episodes progress.

Q) Was there anything you added to your role that wasn’t originally scripted for you?

A) Nothing that was added that wasn’t originally scripted, but back in July we were brought in individually to sit in with the writers and Joe. They had a white board with each of the characters and different traits that they had come up with. We were very much involved in piecing together who our characters were going to be, who they are, where they came from and where we say them wanting to go. Not just within the context of this season, but in terms of human beings of characters – what was their ultimate goal in life. So, I wouldn’t say that I necessarily added as we were going along shooting. More just that we were all actively involved because the writers and Joe and everyone wanted us to be in carving out who these characters were going to be by adding what they had already come up with. That kind of inclusion by the writing staff and the producers was above and beyond. That doesn’t always happen.

Q) Was there instant chemistry when the cast began working together or did you spend time together to bond?

A) It was instant! It doesn’t always happen that way, but we all got along so incredibly well right off the bat. And the way that Joe directs he is not just open to improv, but he wants it! He asks for it! The cameras are rolling and he’ll say, “Start saying something,” or he’ll throw things out. Luckily for us, the chemistry came easily. We were all isolated in Pearl River, New York for the pilot. So, we kind of only had each other to hang out with. There were no egos and our senses of humor just meshed perfectly. There really was a lot of improvised moments of dialogue that were in the pilot and throughout the other episodes. We all got along so incredibly well right off the bat. Even over the summer Katie and her family invited all of us out to Utah and we were out there for four days. We just had the best time hanging out, talking, talking about the show and watching the pilot and talking about our lives. It’s been pretty amazing how incredibly close we have all gotten. It happened almost instantaneously.

Q) What have been some of your most memorable moments from filming “State of Affairs?”

A) One of the moments is from the pilot and it is the first scene after Katie and I meet on the elevator. She comes in and introduces me to the team and we’re all sitting around there. There is just so much improvisation in that scene that we shot. We had already been together for two weeks and there was that chemistry that we all had. In that  moment, in that scene, it was that magic that you are looking for where it sort of seamlessly flows. Outside of that moment, there have been a lot of them. I hope that someone puts together an outtake reel because there are a lot of really funny things that obviously doesn’t make it into the show. Early on, we were doing a scene where Charlie is going off the White House and it was a high moment where she is about to leave and it’s a really great moment. We had done a few takes of it and I have no dialogue in the scene so I am just sort of standing there. I said, “I need to do one more.” Everyone looked at me and said, “Why do you need to do one more? You didn’t even say anything.” I had timed it perfectly because Maureen (Sheila Vand) comes in and gives Charlie a hug. So, as soon as I saw her start to see her move, I jumped in, grabbed Katie and kissed her. I gave her a pat and said, “Go get em’!” It was one of those moments where everyone was standing around like, “You did not just do that!” In the context of where the storey goes, these were moments where we all kind of do these things. Someone will say, “I just need to do one more” and then they’ll do something funny.

Q) What can you tease is in store the rest of the season for Lucas?

A) I can say that he will have a love life that is revealed. He certainly goes through some personal turmoil that I don’t think anybody would be able to guess, but they will see it in the next couple episodes (certainly by episode six). You’ll start to see some feelings in terms of a love life and he’s got some personal issues that come to light for the team that may or may not cause some problems with us trying to break this terrorist cell and the Omar (Farshad Farahat) character.

Q)  Do you think Lucas has any role in those texts Charlie has been receiving?

A) I know the answer to that question… I can’t really give it away. No comment.

Q) If Lucas had to choose between supporting Charlie and Raymond, do you think he could pick a side?

A) Yes. I do think that he absolutely would pick a side. I will say this about Lucas’ character, as he has been drawn up, he whole heartedly believes in the direction of the C.I.A. as that they are always on the side of right. So, it’s a little bit black and white when it comes to that. I sort of see his relationship with Charlie as sort of a Mulder and Scully – if Lucas was Scully. I’m sort of looking at her like, “Okay, you have that position, you have that job, but I’m always going to keep an eye on you to see if you mess up and if you do, I’m going to have to take you down.”

Q) You are a part of social media. Have you been enjoying the instant fan feedback you have been receiving when the episodes premiere?

A) Oh yeah! I love it! I love it and it’s also really difficult because some of the questions you are being asked you want to answer for people. It’s such a fine line because all of us are tweeting with people and clearly the same questions come up like “Who is the texter” and “Who killed Aaron Payton?” It’s fun in a sense because part of these kinds of shows is that everyone enjoys the puzzle and trying to put it together. I will say that what is interesting with social media is that nobody has figured it out! I’ve seen a lot of guessing as to who the texter is, who killed Aaron and who is Lucas and what he is doing. The President is really a bad guy!” All these different theories are being thrown out there. I’m not saying that one is right or wrong. I’m just saying is no one has picked it at all. I have given tons of credit to the witting staff and Joe because I have yet to read one…There are some people who have gotten kind of close or one little piece of it, but no one has nailed it at all. I think it’s pretty impressive. A lot of kudos to the writers. Social media has been great though!

Q) What do you think it is about the show that has made it a quick fan favorite program?

A) Honestly, I really do think it always starts with writing. I’ll go back to what I was saying about this mystery, these mysterious are all puzzle pieces. You get the people who get wrapped up in it and want to see how it unfolds. There are people who think they are smarter than everybody else so they are going to put their opinion out there because they know, “I’m right. I’ve got it. I’ve got it figured out.” Then, the next episode airs and they find out they are wrong. “Maybe I don’t have it right.” Because it is that mystery show people love it for that and that ties into the writing. I think the characters are all really interesting and I think people are going to see that you really get to know everybody as the season keeps progressing. You are really getting to see Nick Vera (Chris McKenna), who he is and how he ties into Katie’s character. You really will get to see little things about Kurt (Cliff Chamberlin) and Maureen. Then, with the last episode, does Lucas have a thing for Maureen? He brought the launch coin back to her. Where does Dash (Tommy Savas) fit into all of this? All of that boils down to the writing and obviously there are the performances, the look of the show and we’ve had some really, really great directors. We’ve had some kick ass music on the show and it all ties together to make for a really fun show.

Q)  What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

A) I thank them and I hope they continue to enjoy the show. I can’t wait to hear everything they have to say about the show and Lucas as we get further and further down the line. I’m going to be really interested in hearing what they think about the show, Lucas and everything that will unfold. Thank you for watching and making the show a success.