Into ’The Deep End’ with Mehcad Brooks
Whether you know him from his stint during the second season of Desperate Housewives playing the son of Alfre Woodard or his turn as hunky (and often shirtless) Eggs Benedict on True Blood last summer, Mehcad Brooks is making a name for himself and not only because of his stunning good looks and ripped up physique but for his acting.
After high-profile roles on two very hot series, Brooks is now one of the cast members of the new ABC legal series The Deep End, which premiered recently on ABC. If producers of the new dramedy are smart, they’ll utilize both Brooks’s acting skills and, of course, find reason to talk about the legal case of the week while, say, working out in the gym or taking a steam.
EDGE’s Jim Halterman chatted with the charismatic and friendly Brooks last week about his new role as well as the wild ride on True Blood and his thoughts on playing gay.
Boston Legal meets Entourage
EDGE: What kind of character is Malcolm on The Deep End?
Mehcad Brooks: I kind of look at him like a young Barack Obama meets Jeremy Piven from Entourage; a loveable douche bag. He’s very wry, he’s very witty. He doesn’t sugar coat the pill and he also doesn’t care how you feel about him as long as he’s right. But, at the same time, he does have a softer side. He’s actually raising his twelve-year old brother because his parents passed away in a car accident two years ago. He’s a complicated character and I think he’s afraid just like the other people are but I think he’s learned how to have that protective layer and not to show it as much.
EDGE: The Deep End has been referred to in the press as Grey’s Anatomy in a law firm. Do you agree and is that selling your show short?
MB:: I don’t think you can sell a television show short if you’re referring to it as Grey’s Anatomy. That’s a wonderful show and we’d love to have a portion of the fan base. I take it as a compliment and I take it as flattery because if you look at Grey’s, it was one of these under-the-radar type of mid-season replacement character-driven dramedies that people really fell in love with because of the characters so if they’re saying they look at us and are reminded of that that’s a great thing. I love that show myself and it’s done really well and it’s done well because people get invested in the actors playing the characters. It’s quite flattering and a huge compliment. I’m not sure if tonally it’s accurate. I would say it’s more Boston Legal meets Entourage. Story continues on the following page.
Watch five things to know about The Deep End.
