By Michael Buckley
14 Jan 2007

	Justin Kirk

Nominated for a Golden Globe and a SAG Ensemble Award for portraying Andy Botwin on "Weeds," Justin Kirk considers acting honors "certainly nice, but you can't think too much about those things. They're so separated from anything you have control over. Of course, everyone wants to be told how great they are." (The Golden Globes are on NBC-TV, Jan. 15 at 8 PM ET; the SAG Awards will be seen on TNT and TBS, Jan. 28 at 8 PM ET.)

Does Kirk intend attending both ceremonies? "Definitely. It's my third time at the Golden Globes. It's quite a scene. You sit at tables and do some serious drinking. I plan to keep the tradition alive. [Laughs]"

How did his role in "Weeds" come about? "I had worked with Mary Louise [Parker, the series' star] on 'Angels in America.' I'd heard about the show, and that she was doing it. I got a call and they sent me some material. I was thrilled with the material — and that hasn't stopped. I had a meeting and the next day signed on for the whole deal [to play the brother of Parker's character's deceased husband]. I'm excited every week to see what's next. [The writers] do great things for me."

"Weeds" starts production again in April. "The first year, there were 10 episodes; I didn't come along until the fourth. Last year, we did 12, and this year, it's 15. It's a half-hour show. We shoot Monday through Friday for almost four months, with no breaks. It feels like we're doing a movie. It's very intense and then we're done. You can pay the rent and then try to do other stuff."

A native of Salem, OR, Kirk grew up in Union, WA, and knew at age three that he wanted to act. "I did my first play at seven. It was by Brecht at a college in Washington. I lived there until I was 12, at which point we moved to Minneapolis. I attended high school there — in a theatre. It was the changing point in my life. At 20, I moved to New York City to go to school at Circle in the Square.

"I worked there throughout my twenties. I was at school all day and went to work at night." One of his temporary jobs "was as a page at the Rainbow Room, working in the coat check, and wearing an outfit that looks like you're one of the monkeys in 'The Wizard of Oz.'" After graduation, "while trying to get my first acting job, I worked as a bellboy at the Royalton Hotel. It was my last day job.

"My first show out of school was a Bill C. Davis play called Spine at the George Street Playhouse in New Jersey. I got my Equity card. My second job was on Broadway in Any Given Day with Sada Thompson, Peter Frechette, and Andrea Marcovicci. [The character] was in a wheel chair, and I thought that it was the best part I would ever have. My next job was Love! Valour! Compassion! [in which he played visually impaired Bobby Brahms]." He later appeared in the movie version "with the original cast, except for Jason Alexander [playing Nathan Lane's role]."

Other New York stage credits include June Moon, Old Wicked Songs, and Ten Unknowns. "I was really fortunate to pay my rent as a theatre actor. Then, I did a pilot that was picked up for a Warner Brothers series, 'Jack and Jill,' and I've been in Los Angeles ever since — although I've been back to New York to do a movie or a play at least once a year.

"We did 32 ["Jack and Jill"] episodes. It was an hour dramedy about three boys and three girls — sort of like 'Friends.' I was a med student and Jaime Pressly, who's now on 'My Name Is Earl,' played my love interest, a dancer. Doing the series was great. I was green [about TV], and I learned to be comfortable on a set, which is such a foreign atmosphere when you've grown up in theatre. Doing your job with all these technicians around, I learned so much. And I was working on the Warner Brothers lot every day."

An Emmy nominee for his portrayal of Prior Walter in the cable movie of "Angels in America," Kirk was asked by playwright Tony Kushner "to lose 20 pounds, but not to look too emaciated. I had a trainer, did a lot of running, and cigarettes helped."

He has high praise for Mike Nichols, who directed. "I had auditioned for him to play Robin Williams' son in 'Birdcage,' the role that Dan Futterman ended up playing. Actually, before that I'm a picture of a dead brother in a photo album in 'Wolf,' which he directed, with Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer. [Costume designer] Ann Roth got me that gig. It was my first Mike Nichols film, but I don't think that Mike ever knew."

Kirk's most recent New York stage appearance occurred "during a hiatus in 'Angels.' I did The World Over at Playwrights Horizons. My most recent time onstage was home in Minneapolis. I was directed by my childhood mentor and worked with actors I had grown up worshipping — so that was a great experience. We did Joe Orton's play, Entertaining Mr. Sloane. They did it in New York a few months later. I like to think they were copying us. [Laughs]"

Justin Kirk would like to work in all media — "like Kevin Kline. You want to try to do all of it." He dislikes looking back. "Occasionally, I'll see something I did awhile ago, and I can't watch it. I keep trying to improve." Meanwhile, he's having "the greatest time of my like doing 'Weeds.'"