Dan Bucatinsky on ‘Scandal,’ ‘Web Therapy’ and the Evolution of Gay Characters on the Small Screen

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Dan Bucatinsky is a very busy man. The actor, writer and producer is currently playing a recurring role in ABC’s Shonda Rhimes drama “Scandal” as James Novak, a former political journalist whose return to work has caused some serious, potentially administration-shaking conflicts for his husband Cyrus (Jeff Perry), the White House Chief of Staff. Off screen, Bucatinsky serves as a consulting producer on Rhimes’ other current TV series “Grey’s Anatomy” and, along with his spouse Don Roos (“The Opposite of Sex”), works on and sometimes appears in his producing partner Lisa Kudrow’s web series-turned-Showtime comedy “Web Therapy.” Bucatinsky’s also written a book about his experiences becoming a father with Roos, the memoir “Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight?” Indiewire caught up with Bucatinsky on the phone between table reads to talk about “Scandal,” the changing portrayals of gay men on television and making a web series into something that also works for cable.

When “Scandal” was a pilot, I came in and read to play Huck, the part that Guillermo [Diaz] does so beautifully. I knew in my gut that I wasn’t that guy. It was described in his past that he was homeless, and I’m clean cut. It was an amazing part – even in the room it was a really fun scene to play – but I wouldn’t even cast me in this. Then they called to see if I would play the husband of the Chief of Staff, played by Jeff Perry – who happens to be a friend of mine, so that was a little awkward but fantastic. I of course said yes. I think at the time they just didn’t know what would happen. This is a show that’s so dense, so rich and there’s so many storylines going, they don’t necessarily know every detail of where the character is going so far in advance.

Dan Bucatinsky on ‘Scandal,’ ‘Web Therapy’ and the Evolution of Gay Characters on the Small Screen

The character development and the possibility of exploring a fairly modern marriage – a new twist on a DC political e more and more exciting for them. Luckily for me, I got to play some really juicy stuff, because they got excited to play to the fabric of that relationship within the show that’s also about these other scandals, about the romance between Fitz [Tony Goldwyn] and Olivia [Kerry Washington]. And I’m thrilled because so much of my real personal life I get to draw on for this role.

I wanted to ask about that – you wrote a book about adopting your children, is that an experience you brought to the role in terms of shaping it or is it more just an opportunity to bring part of your personal life to the character?

The first episodes were really just about introducing James as this husband to the Chief of Staff. I think in the back of Shonda’s mind she always wanted the character to want to be a dad and to let that drive his character, but around that time, she and I discovered that what we had in common was our adoption stories. The way in which both of us became parents was quite similar even though that she’s a single straight mom and I’m a gay dad in a marriage. We had both read Dan Savage’s book, “The Kid,” and gotten inspired by that. She was the first person I sent my book to, and she sent me a very nice blurb which is on the book right now. But whether it’s the tail wagging the dog… I don’t think so. I think it’s a coincidence and also something that allows me to tap into a lot of stuff that I can relate to.