Dr. Daniel Charles’ empathy for patients and their families on NBC’s Chicago Med makes you almost want to be in an emergency room — providing Oliver Platt’s character was around to guide you through the crisis.
The journeyman actor plays Charles on the Wednesday evening NBC Chicago dramas, returning Sept. 25. Besides portraying the kind psychiatrist, and dozens of other TV roles, Platt’s acted in movies (Lake Placid) and on Broadway (Guys and Dolls). Speaking from his Chicago home, Platt answers our “5 Questions.”
1. You’ve played Charles longer than any other role. What has that been like?
It has been a good fit. It’s a privilege to be telling stories about mental health that hopefully destigmatize mental health issues, to an audience of around 10 million people a week, and that’s a really great thing. But aside from the public service aspect of it, they’re really interesting stories. If you’re on a show that could last for a while, you stay away from heavy exposition about the history of a character and reveal it through the seeds of the stories of their life.
2. What has it been like juggling Chicago Med and Hulu’s hit The Bear?
It’s incredibly lucky to be able to do them both, and I’m so grateful to Dick [Wolf] and NBC for letting me do The Bear. The headline is — it’s fantastic because they complement each other, for me as an actor. These two characters that could not be more different from each other. When I really embraced this whole idea of coming to Chicago, I didn’t know how long I was going to be here. I just enjoyed the job and telling these stories about mental health support, and I love the people that I work with, and I love the security. There I was seven years later; I didn’t need to look for any other jobs. It’s great because it’s very easy for me at this point to sort of like fall into Dr. Charles. Otherwise, it could be confusing.
3. Tell us about a time when you were starstruck.
The truth is, I am constantly starstruck. The last time was not that long ago. I was a few people away from Greta Lee and her incredibly nice husband at the photo line at the SAG Awards. And I got up the courage to tell her I was a fan of hers. What’s so fun about events like that is you actually get to meet all these people who you admire.
4. What job did you have before making it as an actor that influenced you? Working as a bartender at a fancy restaurant. I’ll never forget the first time I had to go into the walk-in freezer. There were all these fancy things, but in aluminum containers with Saran Wrap on them. And it felt a bit like The Wizard of Oz, like going behind the curtain. And it totally changed going to a fancy restaurant, for a long while anyway.
5. What’s the ideal day for you?
Nothing to really do; have two or three cups of coffee, read the paper, call a couple buddies.
