TV.com Q&A: The Suite Life on Deck's Doc Shaw

I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV.

The Suite Life on Deck just got a little sweeter. Award-winning House of Payne actor Doc Shaw joins the Suite Life cast on October 16. Shaw plays Marcus Little, a singing and rapping sensation whose career ended when he hit puberty and his voice changed. After he jumps aboard, Zack and Cody help Marcus discover the fun he might have missed while he was off being a superstar instead of a normal teen. We caught up with 17-year-old Doc to chat about his new role.

How did you get the nickname Doc?

Doc is a nickname my granddaddy gave me because he wanted me to be something positive in life. He thought that giving me a positive nickname would motivate me to do something positive in life.

Tell us about Marcus Little, your character on Suite Life. What's he like?

He's a very cool guy. Growing up, he was a famous rapper/singer, but he grew out of it. He went through puberty, his face changed and his voice changed, so his record label dumped him. Now his management team put him on the boat to reinvent himself. He gets on the boat at the height of his stardom, but the group finds out about it, and Zack, who's played by Dylan Sprouse, tries to make him remember some of the things he didn't get to do as a child. So most of the time on the boat, he's doing things that a normal teenager would do, because he never experienced that while he was on the road touring.

What can we look forward to seeing when Marcus joins the show?

Well, Marcus Little is still in that business frame of mind, so when Zack lets him know that, 'Hey, it's fun to be a kid, and you're missing out on a lot of things, you get to see the childish side of Marcus Little come out. For the first couple of episodes you see the business side and his musical ability, but further on in the season you see that he just wants to have fun.

Do you have anything in common with Marcus?

Oh, of course. I mean, I try to get as much out of my childhood as possible before I turn into an adult and have to do things that I actually need to do.

Do you still feel like a normal teenager?

Things are different in that I have an actual working schedule, and this business really matures you in a fast-paced way, so I had to grow up really quickly. When I go back to Georgia, I still hang out with my friends, still go to the movies, and do everything a teenager would do. But when it comes to business and it's time to get ready to do something, then I'm a complete professional.

What's the atmosphere like on-set?

I went in a week early to meet the cast, and there was just an automatic connection. Me and Dylan [Sprouse] and Cole Sprouse hang out all the time. Everybody's a family on the show.

What actors do you see as role models?

I've always admired Tyler Perry, not only because I've worked with him, but also because of his business skills in the entertainment field. I've also looked up to Forest Whitaker, Jamie Foxx, and Will Smith. People in this business are always looking for someone to emulate. When I saw what they were doing, it just made me want to work harder to become the next Will Smith or Denzel Washington.

The Suite Life on Deck airs Fridays at 8:30 pm on Disney. Doc Shaw makes his Suite Life debut in an episode called "Roomies" on October 16.