TV.com

Eric Bogosian is one of those rare talents that can shine both on and off the screen. As a playwright, Bogosian authored Talk Radio (which garnered him a Pulitzer finalist nod), SubUrbia, and Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll--all of which were made into motion pictures. As an actor, Bogosian has appeared in everything from Miami Vice to Scrubs, and Igby Goes Down to Under Siege 2.

Now Bogosian plays Captain Danny Ross in Law & Order: Criminal Intent, which makes its season premiere on October 4 on its new channel USA. The actor took time out from a busy shooting schedule to speak with TV.com about his involvement with Criminal Intent, why the ladies love his costar Vincent D'Onofrio, and the significance of donuts.

TV.com: We're a user-driven site, so I went to the community and asked everyone for some questions to ask you. What came up most is, "What can we look forward to this upcoming season with your character?"

Eric Bogosian: So what can everyone look forward to with my character this year? Well, this is my second season. My character was new to the squad room last year and I'm in charge of the whole thing. I was new to a show that had already been on television for five years, so there was a certain amount of sort of diving into cold water last year. Sort of tense a little bit. And I think this year my character is going to be loosening up more.

I guess we're moving to a little bit of romance in my character's life. The audience has to watch very closely to figure it out--we're not going to give away what's exactly happening. But, if they're very sharp they'll see the clues. Including clues that I didn't completely understand. For example, when someone brings a box of donuts into the squad room for all the other detectives, that means that something has been consummated the night before. And we just shot that last night. I think basically Danny Ross is going to loosen up a little bit.

TV.com: How did you get involved in the show? Who approached whom?

Eric Bogosian: Well, it was a happy meeting of the minds. I had wanted to do a series. For many years I had resisted it, and then about three years ago I said, "OK, I'm ready to make myself available." And I had had an eye on Law and Order since they seemed to make a new one every now and then. I had said to my agents, if they screen a new Law and Order I want to be on the list of who they're considering for one of the leads. And what actually happened is that they were looking for a new captain for the major case squad and I was asked over to where they shoot it, over on the West Side, and [executive producer] Dick Wolf was there and said, "Would you be into [being on the show]?"

Actually it was perfect for me because I don't really want to be a main guy on one of those shows, it's a lot of time and a lot of exposure that I actually don't necessarily always want, but I love the acting style on the show and I really wanted to be able to do some stuff that was like that. I mean, the show has a very broad dramatic style kind of reminiscent of the very dramatic movies that were being made in the early 1960s and I like that kind of stuff. So, I wanted to be able to do some of it.

TV.com: In the off-season, NBC announced that the show would be moving over to USA. What was the reaction from the cast and crew?

Eric Bogosian: Wild celebrations and joy. No, we actually didn't know what that exactly would mean for us. I think our first reaction was just kind of a little guarded. What does that mean? Does it mean we have different contracts? Does it mean that people won't be able to find us? But it's pretty clear that USA is really behind the show and wants people to know about it, which we are quite happy about.

What we're learning is that we're one of [the network's] six shows as opposed to one of 40 shows, or whatever NBC used to have. And so for USA it's a new show. For a lot of the people on the show, this is their seventh season; for me it's a new show and for Alicia [Witt], it's also new. And I'm all for thinking about it as a new show. And I think getting into it that way, basically all bets are off. We can go anywhere with this. Who knows where it's going to go.

I think Vincent and Katie have been on it for so long, and are always ready to refresh it and say, "How do you make this renew itself?" Because you can't just do the same thing you used to do, you have to find new ways to do it. Good acting is always about letting a little bit of yourself kind of bleed through into the character, and as you change, your character should change when you're doing something like this.

TV.com: Absolutely. Now, with the move over to cable instead of a major network, does that change the tone of the show? Will it get rougher or grittier?

Eric Bogosian: Well, as far as I know, it's sort of living still in a network style. I mean, we're not allowed to swear or smoke. All our standards and practices are the same as they were before. I was hoping it would become much rougher. Television in general is always getting more explicit. But we were [already] going in that direction last year. So, I don't think it's going to change in any major way, other than ways that we're changing it to make it better. We can't swear and stuff, or have sex...

TV.com: You'll just bring in boxes of donuts.

Eric Bogosian: Yeah, I just get to bring donuts. You'll be happy about that. I don't want any explicit sex scenes. I got [a few] things I don't have to do. I had enough...my first movie, first scene I ever shot was an explicit sex scene and I'm happy to never do it.

TV.com: This is direct from a user, they want to know--and I'm going to read it word for word, "Is Vincent D'Onofrio anything like the character Detective Goren in real life." And then in parentheses, she says, "God he is sexy."

Eric Bogosian: Well, it's funny that she says that. I actually mentioned it to Vincent last night, I said,"You know, one thing that never occurred to me when I came on this job is how there are these millions of women who worship and love you." And he gave me a wink and said, "Not me...Goren." People have to have their fantasies, but whatever it is you think you're seeing on screen, it's going to be different that what it is in real life. First of all, Goren is a police officer and Vincent D'Onofrio is an actor. So, I think most people wouldn't want an actor to try to you know, protect them as a policeman. That would be a mistake to depend on us to enforce the law. As much as we look like we really know how to do it, we actually don't.

TV.com: This is another one from a user. I guess this is in reference to what you said before about Ross' romance. They want to know if Detective Eames and Ross are going to get it on. They think something's going on there.

Eric Bogosian: Well, Eames had a little bit of a flare-up of some kind of romance last year with somebody else. I would definitely not want to get something started with one of my detectives. I don't think there's anything going on there. In many ways I enjoy--and you see this in the first episode--I enjoy a more avuncular relationship with Eames. That's just part of my character. I'm older and I think--I'm Armenian--but in my mind the character is Jewish...Jewish-Armenian sort of. I don't know how to explain it. Just like ready to listen, ready to have--I'm a tough character, I'm a tough guy, I'm angry a lot of the time, but then when things are about really deeply personal stuff, I'm there. If not explicitly, I'm there with my heart. I get a sense that people see that and she knows that. But she's a tough cookie. All the characters are tough cookies, she doesn't like talking about her feelings. This will all come out in the premiere. It's a lot about Eames getting really stressed out in the premiere.

TV.com: How do the show runners give Criminal Intent its own identity, away from the original Law and Order brand?

Eric Bogosian: I think that's something they're always adjusting with Dick [Wolf] and other producers on the show. The original idea was, as the title says, Criminal Intent--what does it look like from the perspective of the criminal? Over years it's evolved into basically a whodunit with its own particular spin that we bring to it. The shows are distinctive like that because you're always trying to solve the crime, and that isn't really the issue on the other shows. So, as long as they focus on that, that keeps us distinctive. Also, of course the show has to be built around the strengths and styles of the lead actors and that's an ongoing process of writing for all of us. And really saying, what can we handle, what can't we handle, and where are we going with these characters. I mean, my character is so new that he's still evolving and we do have discussions about that. Like this notion that there may be some romance in Danny's life this year.

TV.com: Are you still currently working in the theater, or writing more stage plays?

Eric Bogosian: I'm still a member of Labyrinth Theater Group. I'm not right today writing plays, I'm not doing the solo shows anymore, and I can't be in a play right now because I'm doing the TV show all the time. So, it's on a little bit of a hold. I mean, if something came up in the summer at Williamstown or something, it's possible that I would do it. But, it's amazing how this thing just takes up your whole focus. Yesterday I did 15 hours [of work] and you're kind of left with a couple of days where you're just kind of shaking your head to get it clear before you go back there again to get back into it, which will be on Friday for me. So, I can't imagine doing anything else right now, certainly not acting.

TV.com: But you do plan to return to the theater eventually.

Eric Bogosian: I'm not going to be doing this [show] forever. I mean, it would be nice if it goes on for a while, but you know, I would assume that I probably won't do this kind of thing again. It's so hard to find a quality show shooting in New York that wants you as a lead, it's just so unlikely. I'm not going to move to LA. We're a very special show. We have a lot of people, terrific writers, and the whole photographic department in the show is of the highest level. Our postproduction has done a huge number of Woody Allen movies and everybody is just the high end, the top of their game. I can't imagine finding another show like this. So, probably when this is all done, Frank Langella will be old and they'll find some role for me to do on Broadway.

TV.com: Thanks for taking time to talk to us, Eric.