Private Practice Finale Scoop: Who Is Addison's New Mystery Man?

Just as Addison (Kate Walsh) and Sam's relationship has fallen apart on Private Practice, a mystery man enters the picture with a very tempting proposition for Addison.

Law & Orderalum Benjamin Bratt discusses playing the new guy and what he might have to offer. "He is as yet an unnamed mystery man, and I'm certain that's by design," Bratt tells TVGuide.com. "Is he a doctor? Is he a lawyer? Is he a playboy? Is he kind of wealthy? We don't know. That's part of the intrigue, not only for the audience, but certainly for my point of view, too."

Benjamin Bratt joins Private Practice

One thing that's certain is that his character is sexy, and Addison has a history of getting into trouble around handsome men. (See: Mark Sloan, Alex Karev, Pete Wilder... need we say more?) "They meet by chance in the produce section of a grocery store," Bratt says. "The first thing that the audience will notice is that there's an immediate attraction. From there, almost through an act of kismet, they meet again."

As we know, Bratt's character has a proposition for Addison, so it seems likely that he'll offer her the one thing she wants most: babies. "It might" have to do with that, Bratt says coyly before changing the subject. "The finale is a kind of introduction to what he might represent in terms of romantic possibilities for Addison down the road as he becomes involved in their larger ensemble."

Bratt's wife got him hooked the show, so as a fan himself, he understands why viewers might be wary of his character's introduction, especially if it means a roadblock for Addison and Sam (Taye Diggs). "I'm not worried because if you go on the blogs, you hear that there are probably equal amounts of people who want [Sam and Addison] to stay together, balanced with those who think they're better off moving on."

Private Practice finale scoop: Will Sam and Addison's relationship survive?

Executive producer Shonda Rhimes had initially approached Bratt for her new ABC pilot, Scandal before offering him a role on Private Practice. Although he finds it a welcome return to series television after a two-year hiatus following the cancellation of The Cleaner, he knows it will take some time to adjust. "It's funny how life will imitate art on some level in that just as my character will be a new introduction into the already well-established group, I will be coming into a family that's not used to having an outsider step in," he says. "There is going to be a period of adjustment as well."

Though it's already been established that Bratt will join Private Practice full-time next season, there's no indication in the finale that cements his place in the group, "Which is so damn frustrating and will be for the audience," Bratt says, "but it's also what gives you that cliff-hanger element."

The season finale of Private Practice airs Thursday at 10/9c on ABC.