Tony Goldwyn has some sage advice for aspiring “Law & Order” extras, including Jenna Bush Hager.
While interviewing Goldwyn on July 17, the TODAY with Jenna & Friends host offered to loan her acting skills to the NBC prime-time drama when the cast starts filming the 25th season in the coming weeks.
โWell, if youโre looking for a dead person,โ she said.
Jennaโs guest co-host of the day Octavia Spencer chimed in and said, โNot me!โ
โNo, sheโs an Oscar winner,โ Jenna said.
The mother of three went on to clarify that she wasn’t intimidated by the task.
โIโd play a dead person,โ Jenna said.
“Would you really? Can I give you some advice?” Goldwyn asked.
In unison, Goldwyn and Spencer both said, “You don’t want to do it.”
Jenna laughed then Goldwyn explained why the experience of playing a dead person is “the worst.”
“I’ve been a dead person on screen,” the 65-year-old said.
“And I’ve been killed. It’s not fun,” Spencer added.
Goldwyn estimated that he’s been killed 15 times on screen, and Jenna was impressed.
“God, you’re so lucky,” she joked.
“Am I? Well, I guess because I’ve come back to life every time,” he said.
Jenna was curious to know why the experience isn’t fun.
“Because you just have to lay there or what?” she asked.
“Yeah, you’re laying there for hours, and people are working around you, and you’re ready to get up after about 20 minutes,” he said. “And they say, ‘No, you have 12 more hours laying on this slab.'”
“Oh yeah, that doesn’t sound good. Never mind,” Jenna said.
“No, it doesn’t,” Spencer agreed.
As Goldwyn prepares to film his third season of “Law & Order,” he told Jenna the experience has been “great” so far.
“I took over about a year and a half ago when Sam Waterston retired after many years. … And itโs just a great group of people, and itโs a New York institution,” he said.
Goldwyn is also known for playing the president of the United States in “Scandal,” an ABC series that wrapped up in 2018 and recently began streaming on Netflix.
Spencer pointed out the show is “gaining a whole new legion of fans.”
“How fun is that?” Jenna asked.
“It’s great. Like every day, people come up, and its as if it just happened. They’re like, ‘Oh my God, I’ve been binging your show. It’s so amazing!'” he said.
It’s a surreal experience for Goldwyn since the show ended seven years ago.
“What a great time. We’re all still very close friends,” he said of the cast, which includes Kerry Washington, Bellamy Young, Scott Foley and Katie Lowes.
