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Many of us first got to know Mackenzie Astin when he played Andy Moffet on The Facts of Life and we followed his career as he starred in movies like Iron Will, Garbage Pail Kids and In Love and War. Recently the actor was seen on Lost playing a pivotal role in Kate’s life and also appearing on a campy episode of Psych as childhood friend of Sean and Gus. He started off this TV season on Grey’s Anatomy as a husband who has to do something unthinkable to save his wife’s life and tonight he is guest starring on the 200th episode of NCIS. When I read he was going to be on the milestone episode, I wanted to see what is up with this extremely talented actor who has been acting for three decades. In fact he is filming a movie right now and graciously took a few minutes to answer my questions.
Seriously? OMG! WTF? – Tell me about your role on the 200th episode of NCIS?
Makenzie Astin – Without giving too much away before the episode airs, it’s safe to say that I play a gentleman who finds himself in way over his head.
SOW – What was your mother’s (Patty Duke) reaction when she heard you were going to be on such monumental episode of the show? You know since she is married to an ex-military man?
MA – I called her immediately after I found out I got the part, she responded with a shriek of joy, and I’ve yet to regain hearing in my right ear. Mom and her husband Michael (the former Sergeant First Class in the United States Army) have been fans of the show since well before its 100th episode, so to say that they were excited to hear about my appearance would be quite an understatement.
SOW – You have been on two huge episodes this season. First was the two-part season premiere of Grey’s Anatomy and now the 200th episode of NCIS. Do you only insist on doing the milestone episodes? LOL
MA – That’s exactly right, my representatives have been instructed to ignore any auditions that aren’t for important episodes. (#sarcasm)
The truth is, I’ve been fortunate recently to be the right guy for the part in the eyes of some successful executives. (#humblebrag)
SOW – Almost a year ago you took on the biggest role of your life, how is married life treating you? How did you meet? And all of that jazz?
MA – I’m blessed, plain and simple. Jennifer and I are best friends and we make each other laugh all the time. Add to this the fact that we find each other terribly attractive and it’s a recipe for success. We met about five years ago on a Monday afternoon in Baltimore. I was sitting at a café bar with two seats open to my left, she came in and asked if the one next to me was taken. We struck up a conversation that continues to this day. (Every word of which is jazz.)
SOW – You are currently working on a movie called Elf-Man, can you tell me about that movie? Do you know when it is coming out and such?
MA – Elf-Man is underway here in Frederick, Maryland and it’s shaping up to be a whole bunch of family fun. We should be finished by the end of the month and we’re aiming for a Christmas 2012 release. The story follows Jason “Wee-Man†Acuna as one of Santa’s Elves discovering his greatest strengths as he rescues a family from peril on Christmas Eve. (Jason is amazing, both on-screen and off.)
SOW – What else do you have anything else coming up?
MA – Well, pilot season has begun in Los Angeles so to paraphrase Bug Bunny: I’m hunting pilots. Things should really be heating up by the time I get back to L.A., and I’m looking forward to giving myself the opportunity to go to work on something people enjoy.
Even though Mackenzie is a Hollywood legacy, being the son of John Astin and Patty Duke, it is nice to see that he has remained humbled. His answers sincerely made me chuckle and I hope they did the same for you.
If you missed him on tonight’s important NCIS, you can watch the full episode on CBS.
Hopefully he will land a pilot and that show gets picked up, so we can have back on TV really soon.
Thank you so very much to Mackenzie Astin for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions and thank you to Jennifer Astin for setting it up.
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