Briarpatch is adapted from the 1984 Ross Thomas novel of the same name. Did you read the book when you were cast in the show?

I stayed away from the book when we were shooting the pilot - but after that, I dived into it a little bit. One of the things that intrigued me the most about this character is his unwarranted gregariousness, or what could be perceived at times as unwarranted. Who knows what he's thinking or feeling?

When I read the book and saw that it really wasn't an embellishment on the part of [showrunner] Andy Greenwald to make this character as over-the-top and crazily gregarious that I felt I could push the envelope a little bit further, which terrified me on a daily basis. It was very informative to read the source material for that reason.

What was it like to work with your co-stars, Rosario Dawson and Kim Dickens?

It was great. I have to admit that Kim Dickens was the one I had the hardest time getting through a scene with without breaking. It was delightfully hard. To be honest, I enjoyed how difficult it became!