Actor Ed Quinn chatted about Season 5 of “The Oval,” created by Tyler Perry, where he stars in the role of President Hunter Franklin.
Celebrating 100 episodes of ‘The Oval’
On celebrating 100 episodes with “The Oval,” he said, “It’s cool. I’ve been in this business for a long time, and 100 episodes is a huge benchmark.”
“I’ve been on a lot of series that celebrated 100 episodes, but they just weren’t ‘my’ series such as the ‘CSI’ series, ‘Castle’ and ‘2 Broke Girls’. I joined those shows, so I knew what it was like to be on a series that celebrated 100 episodes, but I never started on one. Now, I am starring in a Tyler Perry show [The Oval], which is very successful,” he elaborated.
Season 5
In Season 5, his character is incapacitated and bedridden. “That’s the actor’s dream,” he said about filming scenes while his character is “incapacitated” in bed.
“I had great scripts and I never have to get out of bed. I’ve been in my pajamas,” he said with a sweet laugh. “It has been great. I am thrilled with how much the audience has been liking this season because I think this is our best season, creatively.”
“I feel everything has been building towards a very good season,” he admitted. “I really think Season 5 is our best yet. I am really happy that everyone is enjoying it. Things are really good.”
“Our show is about escapism, making people laugh, and having fun,” he said. “I’ve been in this business too long to take anything for granted. Every season is a blessing so we will see how long we keep it up.”
Taja V. Simpson scene
He discussed doing a scene with Taja V. Simpson (who plays the chef and residence staff supervisor Priscilla. Taja’s character was giving Hunter pushback recently, when he was hitting on her.
“That scene was really good. I really liked it,” he said. “People should watch (or those who have seen it, re-watch) that scene.”
“Look at Hunter and see if he even means a word that is coming out of his mouth… or is he trying to figure out what she is up to. She is pushing back hard in that scene, and he is pushing every button. Hunter doesn’t seem to be listening to her response… Why is that?” he remarked.
Funny scene with Walter Fauntleroy
Quinn had positive words about filming a hilarious scene with actor Walter Fauntleroy, who plays Secret Service Agent Sam Owen. “That scene killed me so much,” he said with a laugh.
“Walter is an amazing actor, and he plays Sam with such gravitas, stoicism, and dignity. Walter himself loves to laugh and tell stories, and he is basically a goofball,” he said.
“Walter is nothing like his character, Sam, so trying to do that scene with Walter was so ridiculous yet so phenomenal at the same time. Tyler [Perry] was amused the whole time that we were filming it. I was just gritting my teeth and trying not to break character,” he added.
Stage of his life
Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, Quinn said, “Finish It!” “I am finishing an audiobook, a couple of scripts, and I am finishing putting my music album out,” he said.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Quinn said, “I don’t know how I feel about it. When I got in the business, there was something pretty magical about it because there was a scarcity to it.”
“Your shows weren’t On Demand, you had to wait for them to come out, and if you missed them. DVDs kind of helped that, and quite frankly, there wasn’t a lot to entertain you between that,” he said.
“It is great on one hand because there is a lot of content and a lot of opportunities to work but I am a little nostalgic where I miss the days when things are scarce and had a little bit more intrinsic value,” he added.
Ed Quinn: AI is the future of the industry
“AI is the future of the business,” he said. “I think there will always be a very necessary intrinsic value and the ability of people to tell stories. Art is human while computers are not. I also try to look at the bright side.”
“Great television, especially, is all about writing… it just is,” he underscored. “There is something so unbelievably organic and important about a writer’s room and how they stretch ideas and explore possibilities.”
“Some of that is lost, and that makes me sad. We all need great stories and people who look at the world differently than we do and can present these stories so that we can learn about the world and that we can learn about ourselves,” he explained.
Success
“I love working in film and I love acting. I dedicated my life to this profession, and I want it to continue to be vibrant and meaningful. I’ve had an amazing life; that to me, is the definition of success.”
Fans and supporters of ‘The Oval’
“Thank you for being so loyal and so passionate,” he told the fans. “I love their comments and live tweeting each Tuesday night. The memes and gifs just kill me.”
To learn more about Ed Quinn, follow him on Instagram, and check out his official homepage.
