Exclusive: Nurse Jackie Star Dominic Fumusa Talks About Kevin, Working With Edie Falco, and the Rest of the Season

By: Adam Wright

Nurse Jackie is in its second season on Showtime, and I was fortunate enough to talk to one of its stars.

Dominic Fumusa plays Kevin Peyton, the husband to Edie Falco’s Jackie.

Here’s what he has to say.

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Adam: First let’s start at the beginning. How did you get involved with “Nurse Jackie”? And what drew you to the character Kevin?

Dominic: When I first read the pilot I thought it was one of the best scripts that I’d read in a long time.  That coupled with the fact that Edie Falco was in the lead role made it a very appealing project to me.  Then throw in that it was going to be shot here in NY where I’ve lived for the past 10 years and where I am now raising my family and it entered the realm of “dream job” status.  I initially auditioned for the part of the boyfriend “Eddie” (now of course played by the brilliant Paul Schulze).  I wasn’t right for that part but they thought I would be good for the husband so they brought me back to read for the role of “Kevin.”  On my call-back the producers had Edie read with me.  I had met Edie before socially and she was very kind and generous.  We hit it off and the audition went great. They offered me the part a few days later.

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Adam: Nurse Jackie debuted in the summer of 2009 on Showtime. What were your expectations before it premiered? Did you expect it to be as big of a success?

Dominic: From the beginning I felt very good about it all because I knew we had such wonderful people working on the show — from the writers, the producers, the directors and the crew and the actors.  Everyday at work that first season I felt like I was part of something special.  Of course you can never predict how things will turn out. I was cautiously optimistic it would do well — I was confident but not overly so.  And it’s been so exciting to see the positive response.

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Adam: You seem to have great chemistry with your on-air wife Edie Falco. What’s it like to work with the Award-Winning actress?

Dominic: Edie is hands down one of the most talented actors working in any medium today.  So it is a thrill to be her scene partner everyday.  She is also very kind, funny and down to earth.  She simply makes everybody around her better.

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Adam: Did you watch her on The Sopranos?

Dominic: Yes and I loved her and that show.  That show led the way.  It changed television forever. It raised the bar, showing us how good TV could be.

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Adam: Tony Soprano vs. Kevin Peyton in any kind of battle. Pick the battle, who wins, and how! (laughs)

Dominic: James Gandolfini is someone I respect so much as an actor.  The guy is brilliant.  That being said Kevin could definitely throw a football better than Tony.

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Credit: Giovanni Rufino/Showtime

Adam:  Back to Nurse Jackie, what’s it like to play Kevin, husband, father, business owner?

Dominic: I love playing this role and as the series progresses it just becomes better and better for me.  I think season one was about establishing the wonderful, loving home life they have together.  We needed to paint the outline of things so we could see the dichotomy of her life at home versus her (secret) life at the hospital. You saw a lot of Kevin being this great dad and husband.  And he certainly is all that. What I love about season two is we start to look a little deeper as the season progresses and Kevin and Jackie’s relationship becomes more fully realized.  All the love remains but we start to see some of the darker sides to their relationship too. As an actor when you get to play lots of different colors it’s so rewarding.

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Adam: We know that Jackie is hiding some dark secrets from her husband. Do you think Kevin has a sneaking suspicion of what’s going on? Do you think he will ever?

Dominic: Well, as I just alluded to he definitely starts to have some suspicions … and the writers do a fantastic job of keeping the tension going. Look, when it comes to the big questions about Kevin eventually discovering both her infidelity and her addiction to the drugs we know that it’s going to get ugly!  What’s so interesting is the writers never make the obvious choices.  They brilliantly take us on this unpredictable path and it’s a thrill every week to see what’s going to happen next.  I don’t know myself!  But I can’t wait to find out how some of these things will eventually be dealt with.

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Adam: Late into the 1st season, your character Kevin met Eddie, the man sleeping with his wife. Every scene you two have together have be sitting on the edge of the seat, wondering if Eddie will slip-up about the affair. What is it like to do those scenes with your new best-friend?

Dominic: Paul and I have such a great time working together.  He’s a very cool guy and a great actor.  It’s easy to play those scenes in the sense that just as Dominic and Paul truly like each other so do Kevin and Eddie.  Well, at least I can safely say that Kevin truly enjoys Eddie’s company.  That’s what’s so wonderfully screwed up: these two will, presumably, eventually, become enemies but in the mean time they are becoming best friends!  It’s so wrong!  I love it!

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Adam: Kevin and Eddie had been hanging out more during Season two. Will

Credit: Giovanni Rufino/Showtime

Jackie try to do something about that, to save her secret?

Dominic: She loves both men.  I think she truly does.  But she has kids with Kevin so by definition there is more at stake there. I think Jackie will become very protective of her family and her lifestyle.  Eddie will have to play by her rules or risk losing her.

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Adam: Jackie also is hiding her drug addiction. Do you think Kevin suspects it?

Can you give us a hint if he will ever?

Dominic: I think Jackie thinks she can keep this up forever.  Often part of the mindset of addiction is that the addict believes he or she can somehow out smart everybody and keep it going.  And obviously many people do do this for years.  Just how long Jackie can keep it up we all have to wait and see. Kevin may be unsuspecting but he’s not stupid.  There will come a day . . .

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Adam: Despite all her problems, Jackie is a character pretty well like. She’s the “anti-hero”. Why do you think people connect with her, despite everything?

Dominic: I think we love to see fictional characters behaving badly.  Maybe it’s because they get to do things we all think about but most of us probably wouldn’t do.  Jackie dares to walk on the edge of the cliff.  How thrilling and exciting and dangerous.  We are fascinated by this behaviour but we also know eventually she’ll fall and therefore most of us chose not to do this kind of thing in real life, even though many of us secretly wish we could.  Like have an affair. Or take painkillers and still function at a very high level.  And the other thing is Jackie does just enough GOOD in every episode that she doesn’t lose us with her bad.  We know at her core she is a good person.  But she is tremendously flawed — and that’s a thrilling mix to watch.  PLUS she’s played by the incomparable Edie Falco – so fuggehdaboutit!

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Adam: With medical dramas like Grey’s Anatomy, House, Mercy, and others on the air today, what sets Nurse Jackie apart from the pact? I truly believe it’s one of the most original shows on TV today. What are your thoughts?

Dominic: Honestly I don’t know the other shows well enough to answer this question.  I know that there are some really talented people on those shows as well, so we are keeping great company.

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Adam: What can you tell you about the rest of the season? What can we expect?

Dominic: It gets darker and it gets funnier and it just keeps getting better and better.

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Adam: Finally, I’m beginning to ask this to all my interviewees, you’re the first! What have you been watching on TV lately?

Dominic: My wife and I like to watch American Idol.  Is that bad?

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TVDoneWright.com thanks Dominic for his time. You can catch on Nurse Jackie, Monday nights on Showtime and TMN.

Exclusive: Nurse Jackie Star Arjun Gupta Talks About Sam, Feuding With Jackie, and the Rest of the Season

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Posted by Adam Wright on April 27, 2010. Filed under Features, News, Preview. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry