Jezebel Magazine
~Interview with Rob Lowe~
THE SWEET LOWE DOWN
December Jezebel Magazine Cover, 2007
JEZEBEL:
What do you like most about your character, Sen. Robert McCallister, onBrothers & Sisters?
ROB LOWE:
I love where he is going this season. You’ll see that there is a price for the ambition that he has; nobody gets to where he is without making sacrifices. Last season, the viewers got to know him on a romantic note, but this season they’ll see him as a true man who is deeply flawed. McCallister is an honorable, decent man. You can be that and way and still have flaws; it gives me a lot to play with as an actor.
JEZEBEL:
You definitely can see the chemistry between McCallister and Calista Flockhart’s character, Kitty Walker. Tell me about the relationship between them.
ROB LOWE:
You never know about chemistry because it’s hard to quantify– like when it happens or why it happens. It’s definitely fun to see where the two characters are going to wind up each week.
JEZEBEL:
Do you know what is going to happen with the script before you read it?
ROB LOWE:
I’m actually in a unique situation because I have never come on to a pre-existing show. I was told who this character is and who he is going to become, so I have a pretty good idea of where he is going, though there will be [some] twists and turns that surprise me.
JEZEBEL:
In what ways are you similar to McCallister?
ROB LOWE:
We both love politics, of which I was a student even before The West Wing. I remember selling Kool-Aid for George McGovern when I was 8 years old. Also, McCallister really values family. The question is, how much is he willing to risk for his ambition? I have two sons, and my wife and I have been together for a long time, so I get that about him.
JEZEBEL:
What is your secret to juggling everything in life?
ROB LOWE:
For me, it’s important to have a life outside of my career, which is an adjunct to my family opposed to the other way around. Part of that, I feel, comes with age and the whole, “been there, done that” [mentality]. In my teens and 20s, it was all about starting the career, and that’s all you think about. But at this point in my life, if a project doesn’t work for my lifestyle, then I am not going to do it.
JEZEBEL:
That makes sense. Since you don’t live near the set, describe a typical day in your life.
ROB LOWE:
Last week, I put about 1,000 miles on my car since I live in Santa Barbara, Calif. There is a lot of driving to the Disney set, and a lot of Starbucks’ double macchiatos. I’m also producing a drama that I co-created for ABC next season about the anti-stalking unit of the Los Angeles Police Department.
JEZEBEL:
How did you get interested in that?
ROB LOWE:
My wife actually brought this matter to my attention. I have had some experience in that realm, being a public figure, and, fact is, there are going to be 1.7 million people who are going to be stalked next year. I was fascinated that the police have a unit for this specific threat, so we are hoping to put together a show that’s nail-biting, cliff-hanging and thrilling.
JEZEBEL:
Are your sons’ friends enamored by your celebrity, or are you just their dad?
ROB LOWE:
I have known their friends forever. I used to coach their Little League games and flag football teams, and I’ve taken them on trips. The West Wing was not their thing, but they love Tommy Boy and Austin Powers, so they talk to me about that. But from fifth grade on, all of the girls and their mothers want to know what is going on with Brothers & Sisters.
JEZEBEL:
What is the biggest challenge you deal with as a celebrity?
ROB LOWE:
I have no issues with the paparazzi because I have designed my lifestyle in a way that doesn’t throw me in that sphere unless I am promoting a project. When I was in my 20s, I did all that, but today it’s a very peaceful lifestyle.
JEZEBEL:
Well, you definitely look better than ever. Spill your secrets!
ROB LOWE:
When I’m not working, my sons and I grab our surfboards and catch some waves. That definitely keeps me in shape. Also, I chose to give up drinking 17 years ago. I still serve it at my house because I still want people to have a great time, but it’s not something I indulge in anymore.
JEZEBEL:
Do you have any advice for those trying to overcome an addiction?
ROB LOWE:
You've got to do it for yourself, and you have got to want it. If you are in that place and the timing is right, there is good help available.
JEZEBEL:
During your breakout years in the '90s, to what do you attribute your rise to fame?
ROB LOWE:
I am really happy that I have had decades of work and success, and part of it is that I have done a variety of things. Whether it was hosting [Saturday Night Live], performing on Broadway or teaming up with Mike Myers to do those insane comedies, I did whatever was available without fear of how it would turn out.
JEZEBEL:
You started your career at 8. How did you get into the usiness at such a young age?
ROB LOWE:
My parents and I went to a community theater in Dayton, Ohio, to see a production of Oliver. I saw it with child actors and knew right then that acting is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
JEZEBEL:
That is definitely a young age to know exactly what you want to do. What advice would you give to child actors today?
ROB LOWE:
We're living in such a celebrity-driven culture. When I started out, there were no magazines, programs or channels devoted to the celebrity lifestyle. If you were a child actor, you would only play a son or a daughter, and people got into it because they wanted to act and that's all they wanted to do. There is so much more to it now, you've got to ask why you want to do it. If it is just to be famous, then that's one thing. But if you are an artist, I believe those are the ones who are better performers with longer careers
JEZEBEL:
Given your interest in politics, what would you change about our country?
ROB LOWE:
Before I answer that, I have to say that I always read with trepidation when an actor is giving political advice. But I think that, first and foremost, what would make our country better is that everyone should have a proprietary interest in the process. I know that some people feel disenfranchised, but I think it is important that everyone be involved with voting because you cannot complain about anything unless you vote. Then, after tha, we can get into other issues.
JEZEBEL:
Do you think you might dive into politics or are you going to stick to acting?
ROB LOWE:
I definitely get the best of both worlds in what I do, so I think I am going to stick with acting. I have friends that belong to either party. I am an Independent, and I have voted for both sides. There is a lot to like and dislike a out each party, but, in my roles, I get to portray all those things that I think an ideal candidate should. On [Brothers & Sisters}, my character is what I would like the Republican Party to represent. When I was on The West Wing, I played the ideal Democrat, and that spoke to all of the things I like about that party.
JEZEBEL:
Brothers & Sisters definitely takes topics that would be considered taboo in primetime television and presents them in a very interesting way.
ROB LOWE:
We haven't seen a Republican like this on television for a long time. There are 12 million people that tune into this show so they can see issues being discussed in a balanced and interesting way.
JEZEBEL:
Did the role of McCallister have anything to do with you passing up the role for Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd on Grey's Anatomy?
ROB LOWE:
It does because this character is very suited to me and worked out very well. You can only work with who you are; otherwise, it just becomes artificial
JEZEBEL:
So just like McCallister, would you consider yourself a romantic?
ROB LOWE:
On a scale of one to 10, 10 being McCallister, I would consider myself a seven. But I tell the writers that I am ruining marriages everywhere because the wives are turning to their husbands like, "Why can't you be more like him?"
JEZEBEL:
What is one of the most romantic things you have done for your wife, Sheryl?
ROB LOWE:
Off the top of my head, I would say the surprise party I threw her for her 40th birthday in the Bahamas. She is impossible to surprise, and was completely thrown off.
JEZEBEL:
What can we expect from you in the next five years?
ROB LOWE:
This is hard to predict. I am developing a drama, a reality series and a movie, so you will definitely see a lot more of my work behind the scenes. In terms of acting, I hope I'm still playing characters that are interesting.
JEZEBEL:
What are your thoughts on the whole reality versus scripted TV debate?
ROB LOWE:
There is definitely a good place for both. I like the reality shows that give you something to watch, none of the fluffy material. But there is no substitution for good storytelling. Good storytelling has been around since the cavemen, so it will never be replaced
LOWE POINTS: Rob Lowe on.....
HIS BIGGEST SPLURGE
Vacations to tropical islands with the family! Anywhere from Fiji to Hawaii, just as long as the family is together.
HIS FAVORITE SHOWS
I am still mourning The Sopranos, but I like Rescue Me, Nip/Tuck, The Office and 30 Rock. But I just don't understand that TiVo.
HIS LEAST FAVORITE CHORE
Programming the TiVo.
HIS FAVORITE ACTORS
Right now, I love Clive Owen because Closer was just disturbing. I'm a huge fan of Jodie Foster's, and I think Sacha Baron Cohen is a genius. Borat was by far my favorite movie of last year.
HIS FAVORITE ACCESSORY
I am a watch guy, but not as extreme as some. My favorite brands are Rolex and Breitling. My day-to-day watch is Breitling's Emergency Transmitter. It definitely comes in handy when I go heliskiing, since the helicopter drops you off in the middle of nowhere for a ride down the slopes.
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