Interview: Justin Kirk On “Weeds”

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

We caught up with Justin Kirk, the man who plays irreverent stoner Andy Botwin on “Weeds” just as he was jumping in the car heading over to his agent’s office. Although I tried to get a scoop about his upcoming projects, it seems I was about an hour too early, so that will have to wait for another time.

But we did find out some good stuff about what’s happening for him right now and how he’s planning to spend the day leading up to the airing of the upcoming season 4 finale on Showtime:

FC: The Weeds finale is Monday night, so how do you feel about how season 4 played out?

JK: I’m a big fan of the show and I would watch it even if I wasn’t on it, but I love how the move to the new town has rejuvenated the show, with the writers and the actors, and the way we’ve been able to come up with new plot lines that maybe weren’t available to us before.

FC: And being on premium cable, that gives a lot of freedom as far as storylines and scheduling right?

JK: Right, I think it gives the writers plenty of time to make every episode very dense. I wouldn’t want to do series television 24/7 and panicking all the time.

FC: So you feel the relaxed atmosphere and the less hectic schedule is a benefit then?

JK: It makes for a better show. And the topics we’re able to explore are a little edgier than you’d normally find on television.

FC: So true. Speaking of which, I have to thank you for Lou Dobbs, Lou Dobbs… it’s been working for me.

JK: You know, that’s funny. The day after that episode aired I was driving in my car and I had the radio on, because I think he has an AM show and I thought, “I wonder if one of his PAs or somebody who works on the show went up to him and said, ‘Mr. Dobbs, you were mentioned on this TV show last night.”

FC: Oh right, and he would be like “well what did they say about me?”

JK: Yeah, and they would say something like, “well it was something about your engorged, mottled flesh.” Yeah, that’s been one of the funnier things I’ve liked about my character, getting to say things like that.

FC: Speaking of which, do you get alot of people calling you “El Andy” now?

JK: Yeah, there’s been some of that going on. But the great thing about that is how we get to work with all these Latino actors who get to play these little parts. There’s so many great actors around who are not always working so it’s great when they get a chance to add something like that.

FC: So you have them following you around on the set, chanting “El Andy” trying to get into the scene right?

JK: Yeah, I’m a big star in Tijuana now. And I did get to keep the velvet painting of me in that scene, plus we’re coming out soon with a painted “El Andy” T-shirt, so be ready for that.

FC: So season 5 is a go, but have you heard anything beyond that?

JK: Yes, we’ve been picked up for a 6th season…

FC: Oh that’s great, I hadn’t heard that yet…

JK: Yeah, normally you don’t know for sure if you’re getting picked up until the last minute, but with the way the show has been rolling, they gave us another 2 seasons.

FC: Any word on your character, are you in for the long run?

JK: Well, I try to stay humble, happy to do my bit, but from what little I’ve seen of the story, I feel fairly confident I’ll be around for awhile.

FC: So no “Crewman #3, report to the transporter room” kind of premature death right?

JK: Right, I’m not living under a roof with a large boulder hanging over it.

FC: Thinking about season 4, there were so many highlights, but I have to ask you, what was it like to work with Albert Brooks? You had some good scenes with him, even though he was only in 4 episodes.

JK: Well we were all a little frightened, but he completely inhabited the part. He’s an actor, you know, and he’s known as “the Woody Allen of the West Coast” but I think he did that just so he could give himself parts to play. It was a lot of fun.

FC: Can you give us any hint on what’s coming up in season 5?

JK: Well, I don’t get to see much of that myself, but have you seen the finale?

FC: No, I’m ashamed to say I don’t get the previews, but that’s OK because I like to experience it like everyone else.

JK: Well then, I don’t want to spoil it for you, but there’s a scene in there that I still find hilarious, and it kind of gives you a hint about what to expect next year.

FC: Speaking of the finale, where will you be watching it?

JK: I will be in Minneapolis, my home town this weekend, so I get to watch it with my family and a bunch of friends.

FC: Oh, that’s great, you get to experience it with your family. That must be a great feeling.

JK: It’s fun, because I’m such a fan of the show, and it’s great to see it with them too.

FC: How do they feel about all the drug stuff on the show? Does anybody ask you for pot?

JK: I get it a little bit, but not as much as you’d think. And I have to say this is one of the most drug-free workplaces I’ve ever been in. A good chunk of the people don’t have anything to do with it at all, so I end up having to give some of the younger actors tips on how to look natural, and we can go on the internet if we have to.

FC: Right, for like how-to videos and stuff like that. But that is a major aspect of why the show has caught on isn’t it? The taboo nature of the subject matter?

JK: True, but pot is like this thing that so many people do and even though it’s illegal and we deal with drug use on TV, marijuana is so wide spread that it’s not so much about that anymore. Like I said before, we’re starting to go places we haven’t before, like heroin, coke and under-age prostitution…

FC: So now you have people coming up and asking you about that…

JK: Right. Now THAT I can help them with.

FC: Speaking of the pot on the show, what’s that all about? Obviously you are not really toking up, right?

JK: No, it’s all fake. The weed is all props. The stuff we smoke is what’s called “Honey Rose Tobacco” and it’s an herbal tobacco, what you see actors smoking all the time with cigarettes, so there’s no big deal there. And the stuff you see on screen is made by our brilliant prop department, with some glue and other things to make it look real.

FC: Yeah, but still, it’s got to give you some kind of buzz, right?

JK: Actually, I remember in season 1, I was doing my first scene with Kevin Nealon and as we were doing it, it was like “did somebody just slip us something here?” But you get used to it.

FC: Well, thanks Justin for taking some time out of your busy schedule to fill us in. Good luck at your agent’s office and congratulations on your 6th season pick-up. We’ll be watching on Fancast. Drive safe!

JK: Thanks, you too.