JP Manoux – ER

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

A) Right now, most of my time is spent working on “ER.” I play a new surgeon, Dr. Crenshaw, who is an evil prick. He thinks he is smarter than everyone else in the hospital and he’s going to make sure they all know it. It’s a lot of fun to play a guy who is petty, sarcastic and down right mean.

Q) Please tell us about your new character Dr. Crenshaw on “ER.”

A) Dr. Crenshaw is a fourth year resident so he’s not yet in charge of the whole surgical department, but he’s planning to be. When he breezes down to the ER, he ignores people and puts them in their place. He, basically, makes everyone’s life miserable (mostly for Parminder Nagra [who plays Neela]). She goes into surgical rotation this season and has to make me happy, which is a very difficult thing to do!

Q) What made you want to be a part of the show?

A) “ER” is a television institution! I was absolutely thrilled to get the opportunity to join the cast and I was also grateful that the producers didn’t notice that I had been previously been cast as a different character. Not very many people have noticed that! Tell all of your readers to keep that on the down low!

Q) What is it about the show that keeps drawing in viewers?

A) It’s amazing! After thirteen years, the show has not jumped the shark! With all shows, I think it’s writing, writing, writing. There are brilliant writers on the show. Even though the cast has gone through a bunch of changes over the years, they always manage to find incredibly talented people and give them great stuff to do. I am sure viewers will be really impressed with John Stamos this season. He’s just very charming and funny, as people know from his other work. When they see him playing Dr. Gates this season they’ll be very impressed how convincing he is as a doctor.

Q) How did you prepare for your role?

A) I didn’t have a lot of real preparation for it. It’s not like I followed real surgeons around the UCLA medical center, or anything like that. Most of my preparation is trying to memorize the medical jargon. I had a twenty-two letter word in the script the other day, esophageal jejunostomy. Most of my time is spent learning how to say those words convincingly. There isn’t a whole lot of preparation necessary because they have real doctors on set to make sure that none of us look like idiots, especially for scenes in the operating room. They tell us exactly where to put our hands and when to grab what so we know what we’re doing, even though nobody does.

Q) What was your most memorable moment from filming?

A) I’ve only done five episodes so far. Esophageal jejunostomy, again, is memorable because I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget it. It’s been pounded into my head. That twenty-two letter word will be bouncing around until the day I die. Also, we did a scene in the operating room where my character is moving too quickly and not paying attention to details. I accidentally light a patient on fire with a cauterizing gun that isn’t grounded. Filming a scene with a body on a table going up in flames was very memorable.

Q) You play the supervising doctor for Parminder Nagra. What was it like working with her?

A) She’s fantastic! She’s a brilliant actress! She’s smart, funny and beautiful. To be perfectly honest, I have a huge crush on her. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Dr. Crenshaw is going to fall in love with her. They’re saving that for Dr. Gates.

Q) Why should viewers take the time to tune in to “ER” this season?

A) There are new cast members that I think they’ll be really excited to see. As I said before, the writing is top notch. You should also tune in because I’m on it! You’ll never get a better chance to see me in all of my glory, viewers!

Q) You’ve been in numerous commercials and on various TV shows. What is your favorite project that you’ve worked on?

A) I love working on “Phil of the Future.” I thought that was a blast! It was one of the few kid shows where the adult actors also got to be funny. I think that on most kid shows the parents just kind of go, “Well, I don’t know Timmy. Have you thought about all the consequences of your actions?” On “Phil of the Future,” Craig Anton, Lisa Simms and I got to be ridiculous characters in our own right. It was especially fun for me because I got to play two different characters and I got to direct an episode. That was fun in lots of different ways!

Q) What do you do in your spare time?

A) I like to go see my other friends’ bands and comedy shows around town. There is a great club just a few blocks away from where I live called Largo. Paul F. Tompkins and Greg Proops perform there regularly. I am a big fan of those guys. I also am in a coed soccer league so that occupies my Monday nights. I feel like I am the last person to the Myspace and YouTube party. I just discovered that recently so it’s occupying more of my time then I should.

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

A) You have excellent taste! Don’t ever doubt that! Also, go to http://www.jpmanoux.com!