Actor Christopher Gorham talks about starring in the new original series “The Lincoln Lawyer” on Netflix, which premieres on May 13.
‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ series
Gorham transitioned from USA’s “Covert Affairs” into the Netflix original series “Insatiable” after which he transitioned into the streamer’s “The Lincoln Lawyer.” “I am excited,” he exclaimed. “I am very happy with how it turned out.”
He stars alongside Neve Campbell, and it is based upon Michael Connelly’s best-selling novels. Gorham plays the role of Trevor Elliott. “Neve is wonderful and very sweet,” he said.
Gorham acknowledged that it was “very challenging” to portray his character Trevor. “It’s a tough role. Trevor is very smart and successful and he is fighting for his life, basically. The deck is stacked against him so he is really relying on this lawyer, who seems a little unstable,” he said.
“The showrunner Ted Humphrey and the whole writing team did such a great job. It was so well-written and that made it fun to play,” he added.
“I hope the fans enjoy the ride,” he said about “The Lincoln Lawyer series.” “It’s a really fun story, and I am proud of my work in the show. Aside from my work, there is plenty to enjoy including the wonderful writing of Ted and the wonderful performances that Neve and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo give. It’s a fun show and we did a great job in capturing the spirit of Michael Connelly’s books.”
‘One Night in Miami’
Recently, he appeared as the iconic talk show host Johnny Carson in Academy Award winner Regina King’s feature directorial debut film “One Night in Miami,” and he next stars in the CBS comedy pilot “Unplanned in Akron.” “I was so grateful to be in ‘One Night in Miami,’ it was wonderful and such an important story. The entire time I felt like a kid in a candy store,” he said.
“I just did this comedy pilot for CBS called ‘Unplanned in Akron’ so I am waiting to hear the fate of that,” he added.
‘Ugly Betty’
On the small screen, Gorham is known for his starring role in “Ugly Betty” as Betty’s accountant boyfriend, the endearing Henry. “Ugly Betty was great, it was a wonderful two years,” he said. “I still have friends from that show. I was proud to be a part of that show because it celebrated diversity before it caught on.”
Gorham then transitioned into the role of a cold-blooded serial killer in the Jon Turteltaub-produced series “Harper’s Island.”
He also starred as the father of a child with autism in the independent film “A Boy Called Po,” directed by John Asher, which won Best Feature Film at the 2016 Palm Beach International Film Festival.
Gorham made his feature film acting debut in acclaimed director Danny Boyle’s “A Life Less Ordinary,” with Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz. In direct contrast, he starred opposite Anne Hathaway as a missionary to Tonga in the film “The Other Side of Heaven” for producer Gerald Molen, and more recently reprised his role in the long-anticipated sequel.
Previously, Gorham starred alongside Liv Tyler, Patrick Wilson, and Terrence Howard in “The Ledge” which competed in the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.
Gorham adeptly turned into a leading man on the acclaimed action-adventure drama series “Jake 2.0,” where he starred as Jake Foley. He was also a series regular on the comedy “Out of Practice” opposite Henry Winkler, Ty Burrell, Stockard Channing, and Jennifer Tilly.
His other series regular television credits include “Medical Investigation,” “Odyssey 5” and Ryan Murphy’s “Popular.” He also voices the role of The Flash in “The Justice League” animated TV movie series.
On the stage, Gorham guest-starred in the off-Broadway production “Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell” at the Minetta Lane Theatre and performed in the play “The Water Children” at The Matrix Theatre.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Gorham said, “It’s fine, it doesn’t really change the job so much. The biggest difference is how the content is consumed. Also, the auditioning process is drastically different than what it used to be before COVID.”
He listed Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya of “Judas and the Black Messiah” as his dream acting partner in the entertainment business. “I would love to work with that dude,” he said.
Advice for hopefuls
For young and aspiring actors, he said, “It’s hard work like anything else. People underestimate how emotionally challenging it is to be a professional actor. Make sure that it’s something that you have to do, and then go for it. Trust yourself and work very hard.”
“Find ways to stay healthy, happy, and ways to be creative every day,” he added.
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Gorham said, “Big Changes.” “I have my 18-year-old graduating high school and going to college so it’s exciting and a big transition for my family,” he said.
Family and career
Gorham is a native of Fresno, California. While attending UCLA, he met his wife actress Anel Lopez Gorham. They now have two sons and a daughter and live in Los Angeles.
On balancing family life and his career, Gorham said, “I just do the best that I can. The pandemic has been a blessing over the last two years since it has kept me home, which has been nice because prior to that I was traveling a lot. Staying close to home has been really good for me.”
If he weren’t in the acting world, he would perhaps “go into real estate.” If he were to have any superpower, it would be “healing” and “getting rid of his headaches.” “I would be able to heal other people’s pain. That would be nice,” he said.
Success
On his definition of success, Gorham said, “Generally, success is when you and the people that you care about are safe, healthy, and feel loved.”
To learn more about actor Christopher Gorham, follow him on Instagram and visit his website.
