John Lithgow (‘The Old Man’): ‘The operative word in acting is surprise’ [Exclusive Video Interview]
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“In the acting business you are learning all the time,” admits John Lithgow, who plays Harold Harper in “The Old Man.” For our recent webchat he continues, “People who know my acting at all, know me for excess and playing very different characters. All very different, but highly performative roles. This is a man for whom everything is contained. He is an ex-CIA man. His entire career has been about being covert. It’s an interesting piece of casting. I knew this was a very different version of John Lithgow. An awful lot is happening behind his eyes. I loved it.” Watch our exclusive video interview above.
“The Old Man” is an FX drama that follows former CIA agent and fugitive Dan Chase (Jeff Bridges) who is on the run from the FBI and assassins. The Bureau recruits Harper to lead the hunt for Chase. Lithgow says, “It’s mystery and suspense in the world of international intrigue. What’s unique is it involves two old men. The fascinating thing about this fugitive and his pursuer is they are old friends.”
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Harper and Chase have been forced to keep their distance for 30 years. Lithgow reveals because of two 10-month delays with filming (due to COVID and a cancer diagnosis for Bridges), the two actors had a long wait to perform together. He explains, “I finally got to work with Jeff two years after we started working. That was just the most glorious time. First of all, he’s a wonderful man, and he’s an effortless actor. In the final episode there’s a 20-minute long scene. We are stuck in a car crossing an entire country. That scene took six days to shoot. Six days in a car with Jeff Bridges. It was like crossing the country in college with your roommate. We got to know each other so well, became such friends, and created this terrific scene we are so proud of.”
Lithgow won three Emmys were for the ridiculously endearing alien Dick Solomon, in the 90’s sitcom “3rd Rock from the Sun.” He has won three other Emmys, two Tonys and been nominated for two Oscars. The actor reflects, “What I’ve enjoyed so much about this nutty career of mine is the variety. At the moment, I’m best known for “The Old Man.” A couple of years ago I was best known for Winston Churchill. Before that, the ‘Trinity Killer.’ Before that, “3rd Rock.” When you score like that, it completely takes people by surprise. It upends their expectations. That, to me, is the whole fun of acting. The operative word in acting is surprise. My greatest ambition always when I start a role is to be as different as possible from what people expected.”
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