Kevin Rahm – Lethal Weapon

By starrymag | November 13, 2018

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

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

A) Currently, I am fulltime on “Lethal Weapon” and here and there some episodes of “Madam Secretary.”

Q) Was there anything you added to your character Brooks Avery that wasn’t initially scripted for you?

A) Maybe just a little bit of snark. [laughs]

Q) And the look!

A) At the start, Genevieve [Tyrrell] (our costumer) did an amazing job and continues to do an amazing job with each of the characters. They are all distinct and I feel like she does an amazing job with that. The one thing I tried to add early…They described the character in the pilot as more politician than cop who clearly had his eyes on running for office. So, the original hair look was supposed to be modeled after Gavin Newsom. But my hair just doesn’t hold as his does, so we ended up cutting it in Season 2.

Q) What has it meant for you to be a part of an iconic movie turned TV series?

A) Anytime you get a script and it is based off something that is iconic there is a fear you’re not going to live up to the original. Because it’s immediately going to be compared to the original! My first reaction was “no chance do I want to be a part of that.” Then, I read Matt Miller’s script and thought it was a great script. If you took away the “Lethal” name then you wouldn’t have any of that problem. I felt like it was a chance at reinventing the name and I feel like even more exciting is having the diversity in the cast. I feel like we’ve accomplished that. I feel like the people who watch the show when they hear the name “Lethal Weapon” they think of the show as opposed to the movie at this point.

Q) Do you get much input into how Brooks continues to evolve throughout the seasons?

A) No. That’s all Matt Miller and the writing staff.

Q) “Lethal Weapon” is always pushing boundaries and testing characters’ limits and their relationships. How does this season go one step further?

A) I feel like, at least with the Murtaugh family, with Trish becoming a different type of lawyer it is going to test boundaries as far as them being able to balance their work and home life and taking care of all the things they need to take care of. Avery was tested heavily early with losing the election, which he believes is based on their actions of blowing up the train. And I think adding Sean’s character will test Murtaugh (Damon Wayans) in a different way than he was tested before. There is a great new character of “The Gute,” which I think is my favorite character name on the show. She is going to test Bailey. I think they’re starting to spread out a little bit. There is great character development happening this season. I think everyone is tested.

Q) Will we be seeing Avery bonding with anyone new this season?

A) I don’t know what they have planned. We’re shooting episode ten or eleven right now. So, I don’t know what they have planned for the final four or five episodes. I do know that the Brooks/Murtaugh relationship is pretty strong, having been partners in the past. I feel like that is already strong. What has been interesting is how his relationship is growing with Cole. We go into the field together a couple of times this season. It’s fun to get out of the office periodically, too. I look forward to the relationship growing with Johnathan Fernandez’s character, Scorsese, as well. I would like to see more of that.

Q) Talk about working with Damon Wayans. Is it hard keeping a straight face with such an iconic comedic actor?

A) It’s hard to keep a straight face with everyone on that show. Everyone is funny. Half the time we’re laughing between takes. Damon is hilarious. Sean William Scott is really funny. Thomas Lennon is maybe one of the funniest humans I’ve ever met. Half of what he says that you see him saying on camera is embellished. And he continues to embellish even when he’s not on camera, which makes it difficult when you’re on camera. But it’s fun! We’re having a good time.

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

A) I had a great time in I think episode four of this year where Murtaugh is abducted and Cole and I have to go looking for him. We were on a rooftop on downtown LA for a long time. That day my daughter got to come on set and hang out a little bit with me on the rooftop. That was fun. Then, there is an episode coming where I’m in the field with Murtaugh looking to find Cole. I think it has been out of the office mostly this season. Then, last year when Thomas Lennon’s character got married on the show. Oh my gosh! That day was hilarious. That was a full day of us laughing outloud.

Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy the instant fan feedback you receive to the episodes?

A) I do. I’m not a huge fan of live tweeting just because if you’re tweeting you’re not watching. I like to actually watch the show. So, most of the time when I’m live tweeting I’m not watching it. I’ll join in. I try to live tweet during the East Coast feed and I can tell by what they are saying what is happening. But I prefer to watch the show and tweet later, but I love how engaged the fans have been and I’m grateful for that.

Q) You seem to have the innate ability to balance both comedy and drama within the same role. Is that something you’ve worked at or is it just a natural ability you have?

A) It all starts with the writing. If it’s not funny on the page, then it is not possible to be funny when you’re saying it. So, you have to give the writers credit. I don’t know if it’s something I have necessarily worked on. All the way back to “Judging Amy,” I think Barbara Hall is secretly a comedy writer. I think Matt Miller is the same way. They can write a serious scene that has heart and is funny. I think I gravitate to those scripts. I don’t know if it’s something I’ve worked on or if it is just innate, but I do enjoy doing it.

Q) We’re also seeing you now on “Madam Secretary.” What can you tease in store for the season?

A) Again, they don’t give me a lot of heads up on what is coming. They are shooting currently the hundredth episode and it is a two-parter. It’s exciting. There is some really exciting stuff on that one. This last week I went back and forth to New York and I’m grateful to be a part of that milestone with them. As she is slowly admitting to the people around her that she wants to run for the highest office, hopefully we will see a little bit more of Mike.

Q) You have been a part of a number of iconic series. What have been some of your favorite projects to work on?

A) Well, it depends on which ones you judge as “iconic.” [laughs] It’s been a good run so far. It’s funny, from my point of view the work is always the same. You get a script, you read it, you make choices, you memorize and then you go play with the other actors. So, I had as much fun working on “Judging Amy” with Tyne Daly and Amy Brenneman that I did working on “Desperate Housewives” with everyone and “Mad Men.” How it is seen outside of that is completely beyond my control. The work is always rewarding and then it’s always a little exciting when people are excited, and it becomes iconic in that way. It’s funny, especially on “Mad Men…” And on “Desperate Housewives” as well, I came in after the show was already what it was – it was iconic in its own right. It was daunting, I guess, to walk into. I guess I was more aware of it than they were because when you’re doing it from the beginning you don’t see the outside perception of it as much. They were both so big. They were in the zeitgeist at the time so that was daunting. But like I said, it all goes back to a good script and fun scene partners. That’s the most exciting part.

Q) What advice would you offer up and coming actors and actresses?

A) As far as advice goes, I’d say go to school and do it. You have to do it. If you’re a guitar player or a piano player or a writer, those things you can do solo. But as an actor you need scene partners and you need an audience. So, I’d say go do plays, go take a class, go read the classics, read plays and read good scripts. Then, go be a part of it. That’s the only way you can do it. The only way to get better is by doing it and I was lucky when I first got to LA, I found a theatre company in Venice that I joined called Pacific Resident Theater and that became like my actor gym – where I would go anytime I wasn’t working. I was doing a play or doing lights or helping with sets – just being around it, being a part of it and being a part of that creativity, I think can only serve you well.

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

A) Thank you so much. I’m unbelievably grateful. I have my dream job. I get to do it for a living and it’s a good living. So, I’m enormously grateful to the people that have watched the shows I have been in and continue to support me. I can’t say that enough.