Weeds Newcomer Is High on His Role

Showtime's dope new dramedy, Weeds (Mondays at 10 pm/ET), is getting good — and legal — buzz. With Mary-Louise Parker as a pot-peddling widow, Elizabeth Perkins as her uptight PTA pal and Kevin Nealon as her accountant/best customer, the series sports spot-on casting. On Aug. 29, the ensemble sparks up more with the arrival of Justin Kirk (Angels in America, Jack & Jill) as Parker's on-screen bro-in-law. Is the actor ready for some reefer madness? Ohhhh, yeahhh.

TVGuide.com: How do we meet Andy?
Justin Kirk: Well, he was mentioned in the first episode [as the one who put Nancy in touch with her supplier], and he pretty much just shows up, like a bad case of VD, I guess. He's the sort of guy who's always somewhere in the world pulling some scam, some new deal. He arrives unannounced at the house and hilarity ensues.

TVGuide.com: What's his dynamic with Nancy? Are they "buds"?
Kirk: It's slightly antagonistic, mostly on her part, with a little bit of love, one would hope. But her kids love me. I'm the "fun uncle" — probably not necessarily the best influence on them — and that is a lot of fun to play as an actor.

TVGuide.com: Will Andy bring some green into this cash-strapped household?
Kirk: [Laughs] More than I'm taking out? It remains to be seen.
TVGuide.com: He gets wise to what Nancy is up to?
Kirk: Yeah, that happens pretty quickly — and then I want a little piece of it. One of my particular skills is I'm a bit of a master gourmet cook, and so I've made it that I can contribute in that way if Nancy decides to go the way of "baked goods" and such.

TVGuide.com: Plus Andy can serve as a person for Nancy to talk to about her business.
Kirk: Exactly. Kevin Nealon and I strike up a bit of a relationship and then become the sort of Beavis and Butthead of the show.

TVGuide.com: This is quite a departure from your usual type of role.
Kirk: Yeah, it's awesome! I just did a play in my hometown where I was a murderous thug. After many of years of getting cast in sweet, angelic roles, I'm finally getting to play closer to my real life as a horrible person.

TVGuide.com: Speaking of angelic: You worked with Mary-Louise Parker on Angels in America, right?
Kirk: Yeah, yeah, absolutely. We actually had two scenes together, but only one made it into the movie.
TVGuide.com: That miniseries earned you both Screen Actors Guild and Emmy nods. Did you know at the time that you were making something very special?
Kirk: We knew that when we were doing it, which is what made it a fairly daunting job — and fairly stress-filled for over a year. [Laughs] Obviously, I'm thrilled to have been a part of it, but yeah, at the time it was pretty freaky. And all the stuff after it was also a learning experience, I suppose....
TVGuide.com: Such as...?
Kirk: Mostly, I think I came out of it a different actor; I'll never be intimidated by anything again, I don't think, because that was about the height of it in terms of the material and the people you're working with.

TVGuide.com: I was going down the Jack & Jill cast list and everyone seems to be doing well. Amanda Peet? Doing movies. Jaime Pressly? Has a new NBC show--
Kirk: Jaime's on a new show?
TVGuide.com: Yeah, she's playing Jason Lee's ex on My Name Is Earl.
Kirk: Oh, really? Good for her. [Jack & Jill] was a great experience for me. I was a New York actor when I got the gig. I learned a great deal, mostly about being on a set and getting a new script every eight days. It lasted just the right amount of time.

TVGuide.com: You're also in good company in Ask the Dust [a feature drama due for a December release].
Kirk: Yeah, those were some folks there as well. It's pretty much Colin Farrell and Salma Hayek, and then I'm in it here and there, and Donald [Sutherland] is in it here and there.

TVGuide.com: Lastly, I have a note here that says you are a "self-described radio nerd." Um, what is a radio nerd?
Kirk: Ah, yes, press from five years ago haunting me on the Internet! Well, I love the radio; we've got a great station in L.A. right now called Indie 103 that I missed desperately while I was gone this summer. I just love the idea of radio. I probably can't do this anymore, but if you said a city, I could tell you a couple of stations in that market.
TVGuide.com: Okay... Hartford, Conn.
Kirk: Oooh, um, that's not so big [a city].
TVGuide.com: Chicago?
Kirk: Oh, now there you've got your big one.... Aw, f---ing hell. See, I'm not good anymore. But what was the one that was a big station that was....? Oh, forget it, I'm no good.
TVGuide.com: Hey, no problem. My short-term memory isn't what it used to be, either.