Tony signing autographs for fans outside JKL Studios
Tony Goldwyn chats with Examiner.com:
Gladiators at large who are currently in “Scandal” withdrawal were treated to a good-looking dose of Tony Goldwyn when he stopped by “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on June 27 to chat with Jimmy Kimmel.
The conversation quickly turned to Goldwyn’s hit show, “Scandal,” in which he plays the dashing and delicious fictional President of the United States, Fitzgerald (Fitz) Grant. Kimmel asked Goldwyn if he’s heard if real life politicians watch the show.
Goldwyn replied, “Amazingly, yeah, to the point of kind of obsession.”
He went on to discuss attending this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, at which he was politically starstruck by all of the powerful people around him. According to Goldwyn, his show was a surprisingly popular topic of conversation among them.
He said, “I was kind of starstruck by all the brilliant people I was around who do, like, really important things for a living, and all they wanted to talk about was ‘Scandal.’ I’d get pinned in the corner by people who wage wars and stuff.”
Kimmel asked Goldwyn if he models Fitz Grant after anyone in particular and Goldwyn admitted observing sitting POTUS Barack Obama and former president Bill Clinton in preparation for the role. He praised both leaders, saying:
“Clinton has this extraordinary ability to connect with people. He has the ability to talk to a thousand people and make you feel like he’s talking just to you. He has great heart. Both of them are brilliant men and yet are very down to earth, I think. I wanted Fitz to have that quality so I kind of studied them. They’re both brilliant speakers.”
Goldwyn also shared that he’s talked with members of First Lady Michelle Obama’s staff, who say she loves the show, and that others tell him everyone in the White House is watching it.
Michelle Obama keeps good company with millions of viewers including other celebs like “Girls” creator/writer/star Lena Dunham, Grammy winner Mary J. Blige, talk show mogul Oprah Winfrey, and yep, former POTUS William Jefferson Clinton.
What is it about “Scandal” that holds us all, from Capitol Hill and beyond, so helplessly captivated and practically panting for more each week?
For starters, the plot is wicked fresh and twists and turns so quickly and so fiercely that we’re always trying to catch our breath to keep up. Plus, it’s created by Shonda Rhimes, the single mom turned television genius who gave us “Grey’s Anatomy,” which is heading strong into its tenth season and “Private Practice,” the GA spin-off which highlighted some of the most important socially relevant issues on television over the course of it’s brilliantly executed six seasons.
Above all, though, is the mercury-busting chemistry between Fitz (Goldwyn) and Olivia (Kerry Washington). Their relationship is taboo, it’s scandalous in every facet, but seeing Olitz together is what we crave!
The rest of the cast deliver absolutely compelling characters to support them. We love loathing Mellie (Bellamy Young) and we love getting frustrated at Cyrus’s (Jeff Perry) well-meaning but heavy-handed interference.
Put all of this together and we’ve got the hottest show on television, hands down.
Goldwyn told Kimmel that his family also watches the show, but his daughters, who are 18 and 23, have a totally different take on his love scenes with Kerry Washington.
He said, “They send me snarky texts whenever there are romantic scenes between me and Kerry Washington. Things like, ‘Eww’ and ‘gross’.”
It’s obvious millions of Gladiators completely disagree with the Goldwyn girls – but, it does give us pause to think of our own dads in this kind of role – and we totally get where they’re coming from!
As previously reported, Fitz and Olivia are once again split, as Fitz looks at heading into a re-election race with Mellie by his side. We don’t want this and we’ll undoubtedly spend a lot of season three time pining for Olitz to find their way back together. If Olivia isn’t in grave danger from her own father, that is, and if her trusted friend Cyrus hasn’t turned to the dark side to work with her father against her …
Source: http://www.examiner.com/article/tony-goldwyn-talks-scandalous-love-on-capitol-hill
