How Scott Patterson 'Healed' Himself Before Becoming an Actor
Scott Patterson's latest role is a departure from Luke Danes on Gilmore Girls, and one that scared him.
"The depth of the emotion that I was gonna have to bring to bear. That's scary for me," the actor, who was cleared by SAG-AFTRA to do publicity for Sullivan's Crossing, explained to Parade in a recent interview.
Patterson plays Sully, the estranged father of neurosurgeon Maggie, in The CW's new drama, Sullivan's Crossing. Following a professional scandal in Boston, Maggie (Morgan Kohan) returns to her childhood home of Sullivan's Crossing, where she reunites with her dad.
While "there was a lot to hide behind" in Gilmore Girls between the show's jokes and fast dialogue, Patterson says, Sullivan's Crossing has been a "more raw experience" for actor. It's also a role he doesn't know whether he could have taken on if he wasn't a parent in real life. The I Am All In podcast host shares his son Nicholas with his wife Kristine, whom he married in 2014.
"I think the thing that informs me, the thing that saves me, the thing that helps me find what I need to find in this role is because of my son and the way he makes me feel and our relationship, because we're so close and we love each other so much," the Gilmore Girls alum shared.
"I have a very tight-knit family. My wife and I and our son are very, very tight-knit, so it's difficult to be apart from them," Patterson added. "He informs my heart every day that I get to put into this, so it's really, if you will, an homage, emotionally speaking, to my boy."
Continue reading for more from Parade's interview with Scott Patterson, including how he healed himself before becoming an actor.
What made you say yes to this project?
The writing. The initial Zoom call with [showrunner] Roma Roth was supposed to be 15 minutes, 20 minutes. It went 90 minutes. We both missed appointments. We both hit it off really well. She sent me some scripts. I loved the scripts. And I just sort of fell in love with her, and fell in love with the material and the whole idea of it and the complexities of Sully and the opportunity to play this guy. He scared me. I didn't know whether I was gonna be able to pull it off and that's really a reason to do it.
What was it about Sully that scared you?
The depth of the emotion that I was gonna have to bring to bear. That's scary for me. In another show I was on, I was supported by all the jokey jokes and all the speed in the dialogue and there was a lot to hide behind, which kind of made it interesting in its own unique way. But this was gonna be a more raw experience, where I was gonna have to get naked in front of the camera, emotionally speaking, pretty much on a daily basis and pretty much in every scene. So, that's terrifying. And I thought, "If you're worth your salt as an actor, get your butt over there and see what you can do. Prove it to yourself."
As a parent, does this role feel personal or hit close to home in any way?
The birth of my son nine years ago gave me my heart and Roma gave me a stage in which to show my heart. So, perfect time.
Has playing Sully taught you anything about yourself or being a parent?
No, I think being a parent taught me more how to play him. I don't know if I could have tackled this role being childless. I think the thing that informs me, the thing that saves me, the thing that helps me find what I need to find in this role is because of my son and the way he makes me feel and our relationship, because we're so close and we love each other so much. I have a very tight-knit family.
How did you get into this headspace for the character and to understand the dynamic that Sully has with his daughter, Maggie?
I've lived a really hard life, Alex, let me tell you [laughs]. I've been through the wringer. I've put myself through it just like Sully. I've been through a lot of trials and tribulations, if you will. I just turned 65—I don't feel 65, but then again, I feel about 650 sometimes—so I have a lot to draw upon. And that's why I felt like I'm now prepared for a challenge of this magnitude, and I gave it a shot and so far it's working out.
Fremantle
Did you see any parallels between Sully and Maggie and Luke and April?
Well, yeah, both [daughters are] gifted. Both incredibly intelligent, high IQ people. But you know, that [relationship] was not the spine of that other show, and it wasn't well received, as you know, by the fanbase, even though Vanessa Marano [who played April] is a terrific actress and a lovely person. But this relationship between father and daughter is pretty much the spine of Sullivan's Crossing. That's really the main difference, and we get to explore that territory with an audience in far greater detail with far greater consequences than the other show. It is ever present. It is a constant pressure in both our lives.
Like Maggie, have you ever felt like you needed to get away to escape or heal? Where did you go?
Yeah. I went to Europe for a year-and-a-half and just got lost, to escape and to heal. I did that a long time ago when I was a young man in my mid-20s. I'd had a career [in baseball] that didn't pan out the way I had hoped. I was in need of change. I'd never been to Europe and I wanted to go. That was maybe the best year-and-a-half of my life until my son was born.
When I returned from Europe, I moved to New York City and started studying acting. I healed in Europe. Basically in southern Europe, where the water is really warm. I ate some great food, met some great people, and returned to New York feeling refreshed and decisive and got into acting classes in New York and studied, studied, studied, and forged a new life for myself.
Related: Chad Michael Murray on Romance and Sullivan's Crossing—Exclusive!
Fremantle
If you had to pick a place to live, and I know it's probably going to be a tough question, would it be Sullivan's Crossing or Stars Hollow?
I would have a summer home in Connecticut, but I'd have my main house in Sullivan's Crossing.
A very diplomatic answer. Do you see similarities between the two places?
They're both close-knit communities. They both have some wacky people in them [laughs]. Sullivan's Crossing is a place where people trust each other and lean on each other and depend on each other and help each other out. A lot of people have come there to heal in a beautiful setting. A lot of people have come there to start their lives over. A lot of people are from there. It's just a wonderful place, where people—like let's say they're in the legal profession, they're in a big corporation, they really don't feel like they're making a difference in anybody's lives. They'll come to Sullivan's Crossing, open up a law practice and they'll make a difference in people's lives. It's that kind of a place. And I believe in small towns. I grew up in a small town.
Related: Best 'Gilmore Girls' Quotes
Fall is in full swing, and I've seen some people refer to it on social media as Gilmore Girls Fall...What do you think makes Gilmore Girls a popular fall watch?
I think people love the show because it's such a safe, warm place. They know they're gonna get a million laughs. They know they're gonna feel good. And, you know, [Stars Hollow] is a beautiful, leafy place. Sullivan's Crossing is similar, but there's a little more water involved. I think Sullivan's Crossing has the potential to become this annual event. Sure, people are gonna watch the other show until the end of time, but I think they're gonna watch maybe one less entire binge of it and one more of Sullivan's Crossing.
And what does a perfect fall day look like to you?
Big elm trees, sweaters, hot cocoa, walking outdoors in the woods with your loved ones. Going to a bonfire. That's a perfect fall.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
Sullivan's Crossing airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on The CW