Emmy-nominated actor Tim Matheson chatted about being a part of the hit Netflix series “Virgin River,” “The West Wing,” and the digital age.
The late U.S. Army general and former Secretary of State Colin Powell once said: “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” Tim Matheson is an actor and individual that epitomizes this wise quotation.
‘Virgin River’
In “Virgin River,” he is known for his portrayal of Dr. Vernon Mullins, the small town doctor. “This show is so much fun,” he admitted. “It’s like a family of friends, cast, crew, and actors. It is a treat to get back together for the fifth season.”
Matheson had great words about working with actor Benjamin Hollingsworth. “Benjamin is wonderful. He is great in the show and I just adore him,” he said.
‘The West Wing’
In the defunct NBC series “The West Wing,” he played Vice President John Hoynes, for which he earned two Primetime Emmy nominations for “Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.” “It was incredible to be there with all of those talented actors, and that amazing writing team,” he said.
“We’ve never seen any writing like that. It would get better every week, that’s how good Aaron Sorkin’s writing was. You had the greatest characters and the best actors to play with,” Matheson elaborated.
“In my first episode as Vice President Hoynes, my character’s first scene was in French where I am speaking to the French press,” he added.
On scoring two Emmy nominations for this popular TV series, he said, “The Emmy nominations were very exciting and unexpected. I didn’t even know that the nominations were coming out that day so it was a huge surprise for me.”
“Also, the best advice that I learned about the Emmys was the following: ‘if you don’t win, go home.’ Don’t go to the party afterward,” he added. “The parties are mostly for the winners to spotlight themselves holding their Emmys,” he said with a sweet laugh.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, he said, “I love it. I am so spoiled with streaming services as a viewer. These days, they drop a series that is viewed all around the world on the same day.”
For young and aspiring actors, he said, “Keep trying different things. I started studying different methods such as Stanislavski technique, and then I did Shakespeare and improv.”
Career-defining moments
Regarding his career-defining moments, he acknowledged, “There have been so many. I think ‘The Wst Wing’ was a great experience for me. Thankfully, I had done Shakespeare and I knew how to study text. Aaron would write with a specific rhythm, pace, and a flow to the way he wrote.”
“Also, I did a seven-year spin of westerns, and then I took up improv classes in Los Angeles,” he added.
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “Act III.”
“After ‘The West Wing,’ I moved more into directing and I loved doing that. I even directed an episode of ‘The West Wing’ and it sort of took over my life. Then, my marriage ended and I moved back to Los Angeles, and then I got into ‘Hart of Dixie’ and that was a delight. It was like a new home and a family that I worked with every day. Then, along comes ‘Virgin River’ and we have so many good people on that show,” he elaborated.
Success
On his definition of success, Matheson said, “Going to work every day and doing something that you love with people that you care about.”
“I am still acting and I still enjoy it. Acting is great therapy too. You get to play a variety of different emotions in characters that really explore different parts of your own life,” h explained.
To learn more about veteran actor Tim Matheson, check out his IMDb page, and follow him on Instagram and Twitter.
