Ricardo Chavira – Scandal

By: Lisa Steinberg

Q) Do you have any upcoming projects that you are working on?

A) Well, that’s always a possibility. I’m taking meetings for new projects in the works for different networks.

Q) How did you get involved with this latest season of “Scandal?”

A) I was in Texas, where I live, and I just had gotten home from working over the summer in the theatre and I had a film at the Toronto Film Festival so I had gone up there for that. I was spending time with my wife and children so I put myself on tape for it. To have the opportunity to play this type of character, a young budding politician, I thought was great. It took a little bit of time, but they called and said the job was mine.

Q) How has it been working on a political drama during the current Presidential election?

A) I would say the industry is the industry. We talk about politics as much as we talk about sports. The actors will talk about the politics going on in the scene we’re filming. I, personally, pay more attention to the political arena of what is going on to get a feel of what I was getting into.

Q) What can you say with regards to Vargas as far as changing from how he was originally described to you?

A) I think what you are seeing is exactly what they had designed for him. They keep things very close to the vest with “Scandal” and Shondaland so I find out what is going on with my character with the release of every new episode. So, we’ve already taped the current episode and I’ll find out what is going on with the next episode when the next script comes out.

Q) Your character seems a lot cleaner compared to the other characters.

A) People keep saying that so I’m wondering if there is going to be some dirt uncovered with my character. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Q) Your campaign is being led by Cyrus. Is he the right person to be heading up such a clean candidate?

A) I think that will probably be investigated and looked into within the next couple of episodes. If it is somebody, it looks like a relationship is starting to form between Vargas and Cyrus (Jeff Perry). So, it will be interesting to see how that plays out with regards to his candidacy.

Q) Has Vargas done his due diligence when it comes to his employees? Cyrus has quite a history…

A) I would like to think that he has, but I think with any situation sometimes emotions can get the best of us.

Q) Is there anyone you’d like to have scenes with in the future or more scenes with?

A) I could see myself wanting to work with any of these actors on the show. They are all very professionally, gifted and talented. It’s a very warm set. It’s a very polished set.

Q) They also seem to have some great behind the scenes fun. Will you be sharing any behind the scenes photos and live tweeting your episodes?

A) I hope that I get to be a part of that. I have not been there on the nights when the live tweeting takes place because I make my home in San Antonio. So, I have been flying back and forth to be a father to my two children.

Q) What have you taken away from your experiences working on “Scandal?”

A) It’s not unlike when I was working on “Desperate Housewives,” the kind of not wanting to let any information out and being very private in regards to the new script with keeping them under wraps. As well as the information kind of coming to you last minute and it being a large set for a very popular show. Thankfully, my eight years on “Housewives” groomed me for being able to be plugged into a situation like this.

Q) Is there a specific moment coming up that you can tease you are most looking to seeing a fan reaction to?

A) There is a moment like that in every script I’ve seen. Even if it is not in regards to my character, there is something happening with another character where we are all like “Wow! It’s crazy they all went there.” There are some really great episodes that are pushing the envelope this season. So, I’m looking forward to seeing how it all turns out. Kerry’s [Washington] storyline is taking a very interesting turn as well.