>>> WELCOME BACK. IT’S BEEN ALMOST 20 YEARS SINCE
OUR NEXT GUEST STEPPED INTO THE
ROLE OF DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF ON
TV.
TV. >> BRADLEY WHITFORD WON AN EMMY
FOR HIS WORK ON THE "WEST WING."
>> HE FREAKED US OUT IN THE
OSCAR-WINNING MOVE "GET OUT."
>> NOW HE PLAYS COMMANDER JOSEPH
LAWRENCE IN "THE HANDMAID’S
TALE" COMING BACK FOR SEASON 3.
GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING. IS THIS THE FIRST ROLE YOU TOOK
ON SOMETHING THAT YOU WERE A FAN
OF AND HAD ACTUALLY WATCHED AND
BEEN WATCHING?
BEEN WATCHING? >> I WAS VERY EXCITED WHEN THIS
CAME UP.
CAME UP. I WAS AWARE OF IT AND THEN I WAS
BINGEING IT.
BINGEING IT. AND BEING ON "HANDMAID’S TALE"
IS LIKE A GUEST SHOT ON
"GODFATHER 2."
"GODFATHER 2." YOU CAN’T BELIEVE YOU ARE THERE.
IT’S SUCH AN INCREDIBLE CREATIVE
EXPERIENCE, AND OBVIOUSLY,
UNFORTUNATELY, A LITTLE TOO
RESONATE CULTURALLY.
RESONATE CULTURALLY. IT’S AN AMAZING PLACE TO BE.
I HAVE TO SAY WHAT LIZZY MOSS
DOES ON THAT SHOW.
I MET HER ON "WEST WING."
SHE WAS 17 YEARS OLD.
SHE IS GIVING I THINK THE
PERFORMANCE OF A GENERATION.
>> SHE IS BEHIND THE SCENES,
TOO?
TOO? >> ABSOLUTELY.
>> ABSOLUTELY. SHE IS IN ON, YOU KNOW, ALL THE
SCRIPT DISCUSSIONS, THE SHOTS.
SHE IS TRULY THE CREATIVE FORCE
BEHIND THE SHOW.
>> LOOK AT THOSE EYES.
>> AMAZING.
>> AMAZING. >> RIGHT?
>> RIGHT? >> OH, GOSH.
>> MY GOODNESS.
TALK ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER.
YOU PLAY COMMANDER JOSEPH
LAWRENCE.
LAWRENCE. HE IS COMPLEX.
NOT ALWAYS GOOD IF HE IS GOOD OR
BAD?
BAD? >> WE WILL SEE WHERE HE LANDS.
>> THE CLIP I SAW, SEEMED LIKE
IT WAS GETTING TO BE PRETTY
CLEAR.
CLEAR. NOT TO GIVE AWAY TOO MUCH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. CREEPY, CREEPY WHITE PRIVILEGE
APPEARS TO BE MY WHEELHOUSE.
>> AT LEAST YOU ARE OWNING IT.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. WHO KNEW THAT THERE WAS A CAREER
OPPORTUNITY THERE?
OPPORTUNITY THERE? BUT IT’S VERY INTERESTING.
HE IS IN PLAY.
I WOULD SAY HE IS MORALLY IN
PLAY.
PLAY. HE IS INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATED.
IT’S ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING
CHARACTERS I HAVE EVER PLAYED.
>> THE IDEA THAT IT’S BEEN 20
YEARS SINCE THE "WEST WING"
DEBUTED.
DEBUTED. WHEN IS THE REBOOT HAPPENING?
WHAT’S THE HOLDUP?
EVERYTHING IS BEING REDONE,
REMADE.
REMADE. IT’S THE ONLY GREAT SHOW LEFT
THAT HASN’T BEEN.
>> I THINK I SPEAK FOR THE
ENTIRE CAST.
ENTIRE CAST. WE ARE, WE SERVE AT THE PLEASURE
OF AARON SORKIN.
>> NO.
>> NO. LOOK, THERE IS A DANGER, NOI.
>> WHEN WE WERE DOING THE SHOW,
I USED TO SAY YOU WANT TO, YOU
KNOW, GET OUT BEFORE THE BANANA
TURNS BROWN, IF YOU KNOW WHAT
I’M SAYING.
I’M SAYING. HOW LONG HAS THIS SHOW BEEN ON?
>> A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
>> NO.
>> NO. >> THE "TODAY" SHOW HAS A HOLD.
>> IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT YOU.
>> LISTEN, IF THEY COULD FIND A
GREAT WAY TO DO IT, WE WOULD BE
THERE IN A SECOND.
THEY ARE LIKE FAMILY.
>> SO YOU’RE IN?
>> OH, YEAH, I WOULD DO YARD
WORK FOR HIM.
>> GODZILLA CAME OUT.
YOU HAVE A NEW SHOW, TOO?
>> I DO.
>> I DO. ON NBC, "PERFECT HARMONY."
IT’S A LOT OF FUN.
THERE IS A BIG MUSICAL ELEMENT
TO IT.
TO IT. >> DO YOU SING?
>> I HOPE.
>> WE’LL SEE.
>> WELL, WE WILL WAIT FOR THAT.
BRADLEY, ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU.
THANKS SO MUCH.