Michael Devine – The Undoing

By starrymag | October 25, 2020

By: Sammi Turano

 

 

Q) How would you describe the premise of HBO’s “The Undoing?”

 

A) “The Undoing” is a dark, twisty psychological thriller which centers around Grace Fraser, played by Nicole Kidman, a successful New York City psychotherapist who’s married to Jonathon Fraser (Hugh Grant), an oncologist, who, with their 12-year-old son (Noah Jupe), are leading a seemingly perfect life. Then, a violent death close to home triggers a chain of life-shattering revelations.

 

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

 

A) Once I had heard that this was a David E. Kelley project with Susanne Bier directing and starring Nicole Kidman, I was all in. To prep for the audition, I read the novel on which “The Undoing” is based called You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff-Koreliff and I was hooked. I knew this project was going to be special.

 

Q) How was the role of Detective Paul O’Rourke initially described to you?

 

A) O’Rourke was described as an NYPD detective who’s good at his job, but not quite as good as his partner, Detective Joe Mendoza, played by Édgar Ramírez. Where Mendoza is slick and polished, O’Rourke is a little rough around the edges.

 

Q) What were some challenges of playing the role?

 

A) I had some very intense and dramatic scenes opposite Nicole Kidman and I knew that I needed to bring my A-game. It required constant focus and preparedness.

 

Q) You are a former NYPD detective sergeant. How did this help you prepare for the role?

 

A) In my career with the NYPD, I found myself thrust into the middle of strangers’ lives, sometimes at their lowest point. I know what it’s like to search for the truth, to seek justice for a victim and a victim’s family. It’s what drove me and what drives my character, O’Rourke.

Despite the dramatic and intricate storyline of “The Undoing,” the show is ultimately about human lives and as such, the acting tone of “The Undoing” is ultra-realistic. I tried to play it as restrained and grounded as possible and to do that I pulled from reality and drew upon past experiences. This role felt like the junction of my two careers. There was a moment I truly felt like my worlds collided when I walked into the precinct set that was fabricated for “The Undoing.” Unknowingly, the set decorator used flyers that I had created in the NYPD, released at a press conference after a large-scale gang takedown. Seeing that, my head nearly exploded.

 

Q) How did you make Detective O’Rourke as authentic as possible?

 

A) I spent twelve years in the NYPD’s Detective Bureau and in that time got to know hundreds of truly great detectives. There’s a rhythm to the way they talk and a manner in which they carry themselves. Particularly in an interrogation, there’s a timbre and a timing. In many ways it’s an artform and it’s learned. I kept two particular detectives in mind and tried to embody some of their mannerisms and speech patterns. One of them hated wearing a suit at work and would rarely button the top shirt button under his tie. If you look closely, O’Rourke never closes that top button.

 

Q) Did you work with any other detectives/police officers during filming?

 

A) Before filming, Édgar Ramírez and I went to the 23^rdPrecinct where our characters are assigned in the story and spent time with the real detectives in their squad-room. We talked about interrogation techniques and watched videos of real interrogations. Also, we had a great technical advisor on set, Jim Nuciforo, who’s a 34-year veteran of the NYPD and is considered the gold standard in on-set procedural advising. He and I talked endlessly and discussed ways to approach each scene with respect to the real-world, how to find that sweet spot between keeping it authentic while keeping it interesting and always moving forward in tandem with the intensity of the drama.

 

Q) Were any of the scenes hard to film due to your real-life experiences as a police detective?

 

A) On the contrary, my experiences gave me a sense of comfort. It put me at ease to a degree. I’m confident in those skills and when I felt challenged as an actor, I drew upon that confidence.

 

Q) What are some of your favorite memories from filming “The Undoing?”

A) As you may have seen in the teasers, there are some courtroom elements to the show and we spent about two weeks shooting those scenes. Sitting in the courtroom, I literally had a front-row seat to the trial and some thrilling acting performances. Among our cast is the amazing British actress Noma Dumezweni, as well as Sofie Gråbøl, who’s a big star in Denmark. I can’t wait for everyone to see them in action.

 

Q) What makes this show different than some of the other police shows out there?

 

A) “The Undoing” isn’t a police show, per se. The police are just the safety belt on this roller coaster. This is Grace’s story, her undoing. In a way, we represent the audience who — along with us — is unravelling this mystery.

 

Q) What do you hope people enjoy about the new series?

 

A) In its essence, “The Undoing” is a good, old-fashioned whodunit. Susanne Bier, our brilliant director, gives a knowing nod to Hitchcock while making this all her own. While it explores an overarching theme that we never actually know some of the people in our lives, that theme provides a lot of fun for the audience—nothing is at it seems.

 

Q) What are some future projects you are working on?

 

A) I’ve spent close to ten years recording my second album. I have sort of a Josh Groban-meets-Celtic-meets-Broadway style. During the quarantine, musicians all over the world were working from home and were able to record remotely. I suddenly had access to some amazing performers! I made a lot of progress and just released two singles “May It Be” and “Into the West,” which are both songs from The Lord of the Rings.

 

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

 

A) I’m tremendously grateful for the support!

 

 

Michael Devine Social Media:

Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | IMDb

Music: Amazon Music | Spotify | Apple Music