-Our guest tonight is an Emmy-winning actor you know from
shows such as "The Office," "The Practice," and "Boston Legal."
He stars in the ninth season of "The Blacklist,"
which returns to NBC on Thursday, October 21st.
Let's take a look.
-During the past two years,
I've learned what to hold on to and what to let go of.
If I look at that, if I come back even once...
I fear all that work will be for nothing.
There would be names to be taken,
people would be held accountable.
Down the line, things would get very dark.
-Please welcome back to the show our friend James Spader.
♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ]
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[ Cheers and applause ]
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James, welcome back. -Thank you.
Fred's lockdown was so different from...
-I know, right? -...anyone else's that I've --
-I feel like one of the things a lot of people did in lockdowns
was forget people's birthdays. -Yeah.
-And it seemed like Fred really managed --
-But he was also going into crowded places.
Like, the doctor's office had tons of patients.
-Can you imagine going to a doctor's office
twice in 10 days? -He's like going for --
He's going to the sub shop. There's tons of people there.
-Yeah, you were doing a lot of being out there.
-I was busy. [ Laughter ]
-So, this is --
I'm actually fascinated. I want to ask you something.
Because we've had guests on this week who I had interviewed
during the pandemic via Zoom, but you actually were here
in January in this studio without an audience.
-Yes. -How -- Do you remember
what that was like for you? Did you think it was weird
being in this big studio with nobody here?
-I really have no memory of it. -Yeah.
[ Laughter ]
You're kind of a reverse Fred in that way.
-I guess. [ Laughter ]
Really, I have no memory of it at all.
-I can tell you this.
Hopefully you have some memory of being here.
You have been on the show now 11 times.
-11 times. -That's really --
The other thing, because I remember --
[ Cheers and applause ] Yeah. 11 times. That's great.
This show and "The Blacklist" started the same year.
You were actually out here. -And boy, have things
gone downhill. [ Laughter ]
-Right? We don't even have labels on the water anymore.
[ Laughter ]
Can you believe you've been doing the show
as long as you have?
-It is a long time. Ninth season.
-Yeah. I noticed from the clip you had a shaved head.
-I did.
-Is that a bald cap or did you actually --
-No, no, no, it was a shaved head.
-So you did it? -Yeah.
-Alright. -I mean, it isn't that much
further than this. [ Laughter ]
-Yeah, how long did it take to grow back?
-It's just a couple more passes really, you know?
Yes, this year starts -- this season starts two years later,
and he was, you know, sort of lost for a couple of years
and came down with terrible mange and so...
[ Laughter ]
Terrible hot spots. -Oh, yeah.
And they had to get rid of it.
-So he just had to get rid of all it.
Yuck, and start over.
-You've always talked on this show admiringly
about the writers on "The Blacklist"
and how they continue to be inventive and not just keep it
fresh for the audience but for you.
Does that continue to be true?
Are you still excited to see where they're going to take it?
-Yes. No, it's completely self-serving in that --
You know, but, in all seriousness, I mean,
that really was what I think you have to look for in material
that you're going to be doing for a television show,
especially if it seems like something that you want to
stick with for a little bit.
And I read the pilot of this, and it was clear that
there was so -- you know, the landscape was pretty broad
and the tone was very...
you know, at turns was very irreverent and funny
and at other times incredibly intense.
And I realized that this character really
could go anywhere and you could take so many twists and turns
and surprises, and it still continues to.
-This is not your first foray into television.
You were on "The Office," we mentioned.
You were also on "Boston Legal,"
where one of your costars, Bill Shatner...
-Went to space. -...went to outer space.
Of your costars in your career,
would he have been your first choice to send?
-I think he'd be one of --
I think he might be one of --
I think was the best-suited. -Yeah.
[ Laughter ] -Really, I mean, he really was,
besides that great suit he was wearing.
-Yeah. [ Laughter ]
He did let you -- Right. It was --
I think for most men his age... -Yes.
-...if you put them in that suit, it would be jarring.
And yet with him, it looked like
that's what he should always be wearing.
-Yeah, no, I hope he kept it.
And if he did, I'm sure it'll show up on his website.
[ Laughter ]
-We'll be right back with more from James spader.