Scott Paulin - Examiner 15 Agosto 2013

'Castle' Q&A with Scott Paulin: 'It's the warmest, sweetest place in the world'

We have a little over a month left until the “Castle” summer hiatus reaches its end, and I had the opportunity to interview a very special recurring cast member this week about his career, his role on "Castle", and his thoughts on season five’s cliffhanger concerning his character's daughter, Detective Kate Beckett.

Scott Paulin first appeared on "Castle" as a photograph in season 1's episode "A Chill Goes Through Her Veins", but has since made on-screen appearances in "Sucker Punch", a humorous deleted scene from "Knockdown", "Knockout", "Rise", "After Hours", and "Watershed". He’s appeared in numerous films, television series and plays over the last 40+ years, and is also both a director and teacher. Will we be seeing his character, the beloved Jim Beckett, back on our television screens in season six? And what does he think about that proposal? Read along to find out!

Castle Examiner: Before we get into the “Castle” questions, I’d like to talk a little bit about your life as an actor outside of our favorite crime drama. You’ve been in a number of movies and television shows during your career, and you also do live theater and have worked as a director as well. Personally, I was first introduced to your work from a movie in the late 80s—”Turner & Hooch” with Tom Hanks. You had quite an intense scene with Hanks and the dog at one point in the film. What was it like working with that huge, slobbery French Mastiff? Thrilling? Terrifying?

Scott Paulin: Hooch's real name was Beasley and he was remarkably sweet, truly hated chomping on anybody, much less my neck. Tom and I had a couple of training sessions where Tom insisted on going first into the jaws of Beasley. When it was my turn and the trainer said, "Beasley, CLOSE!" And he closed his slobbery wet teeth on my neck, Tom said, "Interesting sensation, isn't it?" The following week when we were actually shooting the scene, Tom forgot his line for just a moment while the camera was running, and he ad libbed, "Interesting sensation, isn't it?" That's how the scene ended up playing in the final cut. And it was a totally unique sensation, cold and sharp, gooey and slimy, hot dog breath, the whole thing. But it was all really fun, and, being a life long dog owner, dog lover, I was never really afraid of Beasley, who was beautifully trained.

What are some of your favorite roles that you've held as an actor?

I've been doing this for more than forty years. Wonderful roles have come and gone, and it's hard to single one out. In the groundbreaking NBC series "I'll Fly Away" starring Sam Waterston back in the early 1990s I played a charming, but alcoholic, Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper writer named Tucker Anderson. It was a role largely written by Emmy-winning screenwriter, John Falsey. The series dealt with the tumultuous early years of the Civil Rights struggle in the Deep South and the scripts were incredibly challenging and exciting to play.

It’s my understanding that you’re also an Extension instructor for an acting class at UCLA this fall. Can you tell us a bit about this class and your experience as a teacher?

I teach Acting for the Camera II at UCLA Extension in tandem with my wife, Wendy Phillips. Students work on camera every week. Any theory we teach is rolled into the actual filming. I learned film acting on set when I was in my 20s, and it was a bumpy road, missing marks and talking too loud. Wendy and I provide a safe environment to experience the freedom and intimacy students need to create truthful performances on camera. And people really seem to enjoy the class. And there's a lot of laughter going on, which I think is an essential component of all good filmmaking. Or maybe it's because we end the semester with a wrap party at a local restaurant in Westwood.

“Castle” fans love Jim Beckett. I know you mentioned in an interview a couple months back that you joked with ["Castle" creator] Andrew Marlowe and Stana Katic at the end of the season five finale, saying that you’d see them at the wedding. Do you know yet if there are plans to bring Jim Beckett in for any episodes in the new season?

As a recurring character on a television series you never know what's coming next. I'm certainly hoping to be back again this season. It's the warmest, sweetest place in the world to work. The crew is a slick machine at this point and from the second you walk on set you feel like you can do no wrong. Every time I get the call to come back to work it's like a fabulous trip to a happy planet.

Your role as Jim Beckett started out as a photo in Kate Beckett's apartment, but now we're seeing a lot more of him as the seasons go on and Castle and Beckett's relationship progresses. Last season, you worked with Stana Katic, Nathan Fillion and Susan Sullivan in a meet the parents dinner. Is there anyone on the cast that you would like to work with next, or something you hope to see the writers expand upon with your character in the future?

Susan and I joked last year that we should become an item. And certainly that would be fun. But Andrew and the writing staff have had the course of the show mapped out for a long time now. I'm just along for the ride, wherever it leads.

At the PaleyFest panel in 2012, Andrew Marlowe said that some of the cast members have come up with their own little backstories for their characters due to essentially living with that character 24/7 as an actor. For example, Stana has mentioned she thinks Kate’s favorite color is purple, and Tamala feels like Lanie must have had an ex-husband and that’s why she’s so commitment phobic. Is there anything that you've come up with in your own mind for Jim Beckett's backstory?

Jim is a distant cousin of the Irish writer Samuel Beckett and his favorite book is "Dubliners" by James Joyce. Early in his career he came across information about a group of Irish Americans funneling cash to a violent wing of the IRA in Ireland, leading to a crisis of conscience and a fateful decision. His favorite color is Kelly Green.

You and Stana Katic have shared some emotional father-daughter scenes over the years, the most recent being in "Watershed" where Kate discusses the DC job, and her relationship with Castle, with her father. Do you think Jim would be excited to learn that Castle proposed to his daughter? Or do you think he might have some reservations about his daughter becoming Rick Castle’s third wife if she says yes?

Every dad in this brave new world of relationships in America hopes his daughter will find love and commitment, that someday he'll have grandkids. But Jim stands behind his daughter's decisions, supports her choices, never looks back.

Lastly, do you have any projects you've been working on recently as either an actor or director? Where can "Castle" fans see your work next?

I've been directing the one actor plays of Conor McPherson the last couple of years. My theater partner, Michael McGee, and I will be presenting "Saint Nicholas" at the famed Del Monte Speakeasy in Venice, CA in late October and "The Good Thief" at The Mixed Blood Theater in Minneapolis, MN in early November. I'm shooting a role in the indie feature The POTUS Syndrome in September. And..."God willing and the creek don't rise" I'll be back on Castle before you know it.