Interview with Greenroom Magazine

Interview by Jason M Burns, Editor in Chief, The Green Room Mag

I have been a newly found fan of British Prime Minister, Tony Blair since the attacks of September 11th. I just find him to be one hell of a guy and equally one hell of a leader. Therefore it comes as no surprise to me that we have had two British actors appear in the magazine over the course of the past two issues. I think my sub-conscious has kicked into overdrive and I need to feed my Tony Blair hunger by talking with as many British people as I can.

Or, maybe it's because there are a lot of talented British actors working in America's Hollywood. Such is the case with Sean Maguire, the star of the WB's new sitcom, Off Centre. He is one of the new faces in the television line-up and a face that ladies will not be frowning down upon any time soon. You can also catch him opposite Christina Applegate in Prince Charming, which will hit the tube in 2002.

I sat down with Sean to talk about the new sitcom, getting a laugh and the women of Hollywood.

JB: It must be a strange little time to get back to work for a sitcom based in New York?

SM: Yeah it is, but you know what…it's a welcome change right now. I like the fact that I'm occupied and that I'm busy and I'm keeping my brain busy.

JB: I know you've had a musical career as well, but give me the lowdown on which is tougher to accomplish, a career in music or a career as an actor?

SM: I don't know? Well, I'm more successful at one more than the other, so that would lead me to believe that music is harder. I think really it's where your passion lies and where your first love is because if you love something, you just keep doing it regardless. You don't really see it as hard, you just see is as progressing. Music wasn't always something that I heartfelt pursued. It was just fun for three years. It was really more of a sidetrack than a career.

JB: You began acting at age 5?

SM: Yeah.

JB: How have you seen the acting world change since you first started out?

SM: Well, there's a vast difference between working in England than there is in America. That is a big change. In England I think we've just seen a change in the way that it works. The British have taken some tips from the Americans about how to make TV shows in terms of sitcoms and things like that. It's difficult to say one thing specifically. You just struggle to find the next job. That's really just any actor's task.

JB: What does it take for a television show to be successful in England? Is it similar to as it is here in the States?

SM: It's very similar to here. In England if you're the serious Saturday night drama and get anywhere around the 10 million mark then you've had a definite success. Anywhere below can be varying degrees of success. If you hit around like 7 or 6 million, that probably wouldn't go again. It's fairly similar in the numbers even though there are 260 million people here and there are only 60 million there. We have slightly less channels and things like that.

JB: Off Centre is going up against some ruff competition.

SM: Yeah we are. We're going against one of the biggest TV shows ever made, which I watched the other day and I thought was very good. (HBO's Band of Brothers) But, I think you're either in the mood to sit down and watch a wartime drama or you're in the mood to sit and watch two guys make fools of themselves. Comedy right now I think is welcome by a lot of people. It's a kind of welcome distraction and people don't really want to see people being blown up right now as it is happening right now. TV is mainly about escapism and you've got to ask yourself if you want to escape to WW11 right now? But, not to do that program down…I think it's brilliant. But, me personally I think I'd like to watch comedy right now.

JB: You guys are also up against some already established hits like the X-Files. Are you nervous about the show finding an audience amongst these other heavy hitters?

SM: Oh God yeah! I think we've got a really, really good show and I think the show should be judged on it's own merit. We've had some pretty harsh reviews and people think that we're vulgar and witless, but call me old fashion…this is what I want from a TV show. I want to see a couple of guys messing about, being very funny and lots of attractive girls…that's a half-hour sitcom to me. That's fun escapism. I'm not asking to win the ratings or get nominated for anything because that's just not going to happen. What all of us wants is to just stay on the air and carry on doing this job because we all really love it.

JB: Obviously it's based in comedy, did you have any fears about not getting the laugh or not being the funny guy on the show?

SM: Yeah, I think it's more a curve every week, trying to find the funny…trying to find the funniest way to do stuff. It's more like a process as opposed as to just thinking, "Shit, I hope I'm funny." The writers do 90% of the work. We're just merely the people that deliver the lines.

JB: Do you ever see a particular joke in script and really try to practice and nail your delivery so that the line meets up to what the writer had in mind?

SM: Oh God yeah, because sometimes you get such a good line and you're like, "I owe it to the person who wrote this to deliver it well." It must be a strange thing to have the genius of being able to think of something funny and then you go to someone and say, "You get the laugh." So, you kind of owe them that. You owe them to do a good job of it. A good joke can make a thousand people laugh at once and that's a pretty powerful thing, so you try and be respectful of the fact they've given you a great line so work it well. (Laughter)

JB: For a career that started at age 5, what has been the biggest highlight?

SM: Honest to God…no word of a lie…THIS! This is the most enjoyable job I think I've had. Knowing where I'm going, the people I'm working with I get along very well with and I don't feel there is any shame in saying that I am the happiest I have ever been, doing this job. You spend all day laughing and changing lines to find the funniest and they pay you for it. That's why it is the work to do.

JB: So you must have a sense of relief knowing you will be at work everyday while most people in this business don't know when the next job will come?

SM: Well, it's kind of an ambiguous security because you're like, "Hey, I got a job and I know what I'm doing next week." And then you kind of go, "I hope!" (Laughter) Shows get cancelled all of the time so you can't bask in the, "Oh, I'm all right and I'll go and do this and buy that" because it can change so quickly. But, I think in a way that's not a bad thing because it reminds you to enjoy everyday and every scene that you're doing. I'm really embracing everyday and not allowing myself to forget how good a job this

JB: In entertainment weekly they described you as "the British Stud". I'm curious if that gives you an "Aww shucks" feeling or a "Hell yeah" reaction?

SM: Neither really because I don't tend to take that on the fact that they're talking about me. They're talking about the character. If they meant me, they probably wouldn't describe me like that. (Laughter) TV Guide said, "He's the most obnoxious person of the new Fall Season." I kind of got a bit of a kick out of that. "Yeah cool!" But again, it's not me…it's just the guy I'm playing. As long as you make some kind of impact then you're doing something…even if it's good or bad. I think just to disappear into obscurity is the worst thing because you make no impact on the viewer.

JB: Finally…your first impression of American women weren't Hollywood girls were they?

SM: No. I've been over here quite a bit but they take a bit of, kind of getting used to. They're not the same as London girls. (Laughter)

Ain't that the truth!!!!