Scott Cohen – The Fix

By starrymag | March 18, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

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

A) Just finished “The Fix” for ABC. An anthology series premiering March 18th. I’ve been trying to get “The 10th Kingdom 2” off the ground but proving difficult. I just produced a film for the Hallmark Channel called Pearl in Paradise. And I have a couple of films coming out early 2019.

Q) Please tell us the premise for your upcoming series “The Fix.”

A) Lawyers seeking revenge, victims seeking refuge and the complication that arise over morality, ethics and winning.

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

A) The part is excellent. Ezra Wolf. Cutthroat, vile, beautifully contradictory and fights to the end. Never quits on his client or his intent. Big, fun, spiteful, caring to a fault and gambles his life away.

Q) How was Ezra Wolf originally described to you?

A) Scott Cohen like. I swear.

Q) Was there anything you added to him that wasn’t initially in his breakdown?

A) I think so. I added a deeply earned swagger, a sense of pride and never an ounce of humiliation.

Q) What kind of research did you have to do in order to help get into character?

A) I had Marcia Clark to confer with on lawyer things. She was indispensable. I read books on Tom Meserau and Leslie Abramson and read, re-read and re-re—read Sun Tzu’s Art of War. That was the underlying motivator for everything I did.

Q) Were you at all familiar with any of your costars before working with them on the series?

A) I was not. I knew of them did not know them.

Q) The series is co-written by infamous prosecutor Marcia Clark. Talk about working with her.

A) She was deliciously knowledgeable and saw the drama and conflict in everything. The moral and ethical conflict that arises when dealing with legality. She was super fun and supportive. I never asked her about the OJ case. I wasn’t interested in going back… I wanted her to look forward with me.

Q) We’ve seen you dive into working on more films recently. Do you have a preference for the medium you work in – film, TV or theater?

A) Everything is fun. All of it is a challenge or I make it so. I am interested in the story. If the story electrifies me, scares me in some way, I am interested. The medium to me doesn’t matter. It’s all acting and I love doing that.

Q) For the last few Thanksgivings the network UpTV has started a week-long airing of the entire “Gilmore Girls” series. It is kind of the gift that kind of keeps on giving. What has “Gilmore Girls” given to you?

A) Oh my. So much. Attention, fans, and the best of all my relationship with Amy Sherman-Palladino. I think she is a genius and I cherish the continued relationship we have. It was a very special thing to be a part of. I am very proud of what it was then and what it has become. I get notes from all over the world about people who watch it over and over for so many different reasons. It really is quite special.

Q) We love the work you do from “Allegiance” to “Billions” to “The Americans” and so many more. What have been some of your favorite projects to work on?

A) Well, “The 10th Kingdom” was one of my favorites. It really crossed a threshold for me in terms of character and habit. How to build something from within and also from outside myself to create all the complexity of the character and not hide behind things I knew always worked. It really changed my course of the work I do. My other favorite is one no one gets to see is Street Time, which aired on Showtime for three seasons. I wish it was out. That too changed my outlook on everything from politics to identity to authenticity. A remarkable experience.

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

A) Of course, I love it. I am very bad at responding and I am really bad at posting. I really wish I cared less and just threw everything out there, but I am caught in my head most often and by the time I am ready to speak the moment is gone. Oh well. I do try my hardest though. My wife, Anastasia, is a master at it. I should take her lead.

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

A) So much to say. I do what I do for everyone who sees it. It means nothing unless people engage with what I try to communicate. I only hope I can bring some joy, some challenge, some revelation, some peace to those who watch my work. The response is filled with such beauty, I cannot tell you. I am so moved to know what I do has an effect and I am so thrilled to see people from all over the world participate with me. I love it. If you ever see me in the street, a subway, a restaurant, etc. don’t be shy, say hello. It always means a lot.