Archived Q&A with John Gallagher, Jr.

• Q

  

  HBO

  Thanks to John Gallagher, Jr. for joining us for today’s Q&A. Welcome John! What do you think motivates Jim Harper?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I think he's somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to his job and even though he's a realist he still strives for the truth to win as often as it can.

• Q

  

  addsername

  The karaoke bar seems to be a recurring scene in the show- is there any possibility you'll sing at all on the show?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Jim never summons the interest or the courage to get up on stage at the karaoke bar but you just might catch a glimpse of him playing guitar with Will McAvoy in a later episode.

• Q

  

  xbelieveinpeace

  Do you enjoy playing a character full of passion and motivation in his work?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I'm a workaholic when it comes to my job and Jim Harper is a workaholic when it comes to his so I definitely relate to that character and enjoy throwing myself into a role that in turn throws himself into his work.

• Q

  

  LoveUMore

  what was it about the show that stood out to you that lead to you audtioning for jim?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I've been a fan of Aaron Sorkin's since Sports Night and a fan of HBO's original programming since The Larry Sanders show so the combination of those two made the project a no brainer to me. Plus the script of the pilot episode was just so unbelievably good and the character of Jim lept off the page so much so that I knew I had to go after it.

• Q

  

  Toni Bifano-Field

  Hi John, What attracts Jim to Maggie? Toni

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I think Jim sees a lot of himself in Maggie. A dedicated and hard worker with a lot of brains who is also flawed and nervous and clumsy and to top it all of she's beautiful. I think whether he fully knows it or not at least some part of him is aware that he's met his soul mate in her.

• Q

  

  jennathenerd

  How does the sense of community on "The Newsroom" compare to that of your theater productions? How does it contrast?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  The camaraderie that is shared on the set of The Newsroom feels very much like the type of union that I've felt working on plays and perhaps it's because so many of the actors on the show have worked in theater and are aware of the importance of a strong ensemble. I look up to every single performer on the show and look forward to seeing them at work everyday.

• Q

  

  LaurenMilazzo

  What would you consider Jim's biggest flaw?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I think his pride can certainly get in the way when it comes to his work. In his personal life I'd say social anxiety can get the better of him.

• Q

  

  jadachin

  I know you're a huge fan of bluegrass folk music. Do you have a favorite musician or band?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I've seen The Avett Brothers about 10 times live and never tire of the experience. While not a typical bluegrass outfit I've still never witnessed that style of music played better than The Punch Brothers do it. There is an incredible bluegrass guitar player/singer/songwriter named Michael Daves who plays every week in New York. I try to see him as often as possible even though watching him makes me feel like giving up playing guitar because I'll never be able to play as well as him.

• Q

  

  hum__hallelujah

  How do you think Jim's experiences while embedded have affected him? Will we get more glimpses into this side of his character?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Jim's experiences being embedded have made him a strong and fearless journalist but I think coping with his affection for Maggie terrifies him more than being shot at.

• Q

  

  WillDoolin86

  I work in news, so I know how it goes. For your role, is there any one real-life person in the news biz that you modeled Jim Harper after?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Not especially but I'm very lucky to have Gideon Yago on set as a writer. He worked in journalism for years and has been embedded numerous times at a younger age than most people in his field. But if you saw him in a bar you could easily mistake him for a bass player in a rock band. That duality is so interesting to me. The difference being that Gideon is cool and Jim is a nerd but I still take some inspiration from him.

• Q

  

  thefredglick

  Do you compare yourself with any previous Aaron Sorkin character?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I always couldn't help but relate to Josh Malina's character on Sports Night. I feel like Jim Harper and Jeremy Goodwin are cut from similar cloth.

• Q

  

  kschmidt_

  What's your favorite part about playing Jim? About the show in general?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  It's so much fun to play someone who is really good at his job. I wouldn't last a day in a real bullpen but playing the role gives me a taste of what it would really be like. Also Aaron's dialogue really is just tremendously fun to deliver. I always particularly look forward to my scenes with Alison Pill and Emily Mortimer.

• Q

  

  Carrie Elder

  Did you do any type of research on broadcast news before stepping into Jim's role?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Sadly I didn't have much time. I showed up on the set of The Newsroom just days after leaving a production of a Broadway play. I wasn't able to do much else than watch a lot of cable news and do some research online. After that I just joined in and went for it.

• Q

  

  Mary Peralta

  What was your reaction when you were told you were cast as Jim?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Stunned mostly. I really didn't think I was going to get the part. It took a while to sink in but after my first day on set the elation kicked in and hasn't gone away since.

• Q

  

  peytoonie

  How much of yourself do you see in Jim Harper? Are there any lines blurred?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I can definitely relate to Jim in that he is so obsessed with his work that often times he's clueless as how to act when it comes to his own personal life. I think both Jim and I could afford to work on that trait a little bit.

• Q

  

  AmandaThomas_

  What is the most challenging thing about working on a television show as opposed to working on a Broadway show?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Having to learn a lot of new dialogue with every day of shooting can be difficult. Also theater actors become so spoiled because once the show is up and running they can sleep in every day if they're so inclined. When shooting a TV show you will rarely have a call time that's after 8:00 am but it's well worth it so I'm not complaining.

• Q

  

  Sam Elberg

  What would you like to see happen to your character on the show next season and seasons to come?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I'd love to find out a little bit more about Jim's backstory with Mckenzie especially how they met and what the experience was like with them being embedded together.

• Q

  

  hettieface

  Do you see yourself more as an actor or as a musician?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Music and acting both serve such different needs of mine but it all comes down to the enjoyment of telling stories I guess. The difference is with music that I get to write and control the stories. With acting I'm just one element of the story telling process.

• Q

  

  of_silverandsky

  How would you describe Jim and Mac's relationship?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Jim and Mackenzie are sort of like the Batman and Robin of cable news producers if Batman and Robin were a married couple who fought all the time and finished each other's sentences. They drive each other crazy most of the time but there's a deep love and respect there and they basically can't live without each other.

• Q

  

  alwayscamellias

  What are some adjustments you've had to make doing TV in LA after theatre in NY? What has taken some getting used to?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I've lived in New York City for almost 10 years and haven't owned a car since I was 18 so driving to and from work everyday was an adjustment for me.

• Q

  

  Erin Karll

  Out of all the characters you've played so far, what did you like and not like about each? What would you change if you were the director?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I've found something to love in every character I've ever played and I've been lucky enough to work with really smart directors who I always saw eye to eye with.

• Q

  

  Tara Young

  Huge fan of your work on the show! Will we get to see more of Jim's relationship with Mack and how they came to trust each other so much?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I hope so!

• Q

  

  Joanna Rice

  Who would you like to guest star on the show?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  It's hard to say. We've already had such amazing guest stars on season 1. Jane Fonda, Adam Arkin, David Krumholtz, Paul Schneider. Hope Davis. It'll be exciting to see who else joins us in the future.

• Q

  

  ThaianyGouveia_

  How would you describe Jim's relationship with Don?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Jim and Don are both very stubborn people who do their jobs very differently from one another and so immediately they start butting heads. I think Jim is also a bit envious of Don for being in a relationship with Maggie and holds Don to a high standard when it comes to the way he treats her.

• Q

  

  nordlicht_

  What are your favorite shows on TV right now? Is there a show that you would like to be part of?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I'm absolutely obsessed with Breaking Bad, Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire. Haven't missed an episode of all three. I also really love Treme. I'm a big David Simon fan and a fan of New Orleans and am very much looking forward to the third season this fall on HBO.

• Q

  

  sarah_derupo

  Why do you think it was important for the show to be set a few years in the past in terms of actual events that took place? Thanks!

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I think we suffer as a nation from a collective attention deficit at times. Once a news story isn't popular anymore it disappears. Our show takes place in the not so distant past and I think it's a great opportunity to look back at what's happened to this world and how far we have come since it happened and what it's taught us.

• Q

  

  hettieface

  What do you hope for your character in the future?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Maybe he'll get his own office someday. Although I think Jim likes being in the bullpen with all the other staffers.

• Q

  

  blinkbomber

  Be honest now. do you think Jim and Don would be friends if Maggie wasn't between them?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I do actually. I think they would have a lot to teach each other that could probably make them both better at their job. I think they are stubborn and go up against each other from time to time but there is definitely a lot of respect between the two of them.

• Q

  

  Clare C. Hagan

  How much have grown as a person and as an actor since your first appearance on a Sorkin show ("20 Hours in America," The West Wing)?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Considerably! Internally and externally. I was 18 when I shot The West Wing and I'm 28 now. I can barely remember the person I was back then but I know that he had an unfortunate haircut.

• Q

  

  thefinefineline

  What is the silliest song you've ever written about?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I wrote a song in high school that basically just listed all the films Linda Blair starred in. That was pretty silly.

• Q

  

  Sam Elberg

  What is your favorite HBO show other then Newsroom? Oh by the way I'm a huge fan and your doing a wonderful job on the show!

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I love Boardwalk Empire and I think The Wire is easily one of the top five best series to ever air on television.

• Q

  

  imsarahmoore

  Who is your favorite Sorkin character (besides Jim)?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I really love me some C.J Craig and Leo McGarry.

• Q

  

  Miranda Peloquin

  What Hogwarts house do you most identify with?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I don't even know what they all are. I've never read a Harry Potter book but it's on my list of things to do.

• Q

  

  Victoria Styles

  If you could go back in time and see any moment in musical theater history, which would you pick and why?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I would've loved to see West Side Story.

• Q

  

  SomeTorist

  How does it feel to be reunited with Allison Pill after so many years?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Great!

• Q

  

  Mary Peralta

  if you could create your own tv show, what would it be about?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  It'll just be about boxing families. Just to show people what boxing is really about, how much you have to sacrifice for training how much we have to go give up. Basically a reality show about the life of a fighter.

• Q

  

  Mister_Wang

  Does Sorkin keep you in the dark about your character's plotline as the season goes along or not? Which do you prefer?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  He may tease a few hints here and there in passing but for the most part I never know what's going to happen until I get the script for the next episode.

• Q

  

  Tina Ramos-Ingold

  Aaron Sorkin has definite opinions about news-gathering. What's your opinion about the state of journalism? Do you consider yourself a news "junkie"?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I for one am not entirely against being so connected in this day and age but I have observed that the 24 television news cycle can not always be our friend. Because ratings become so important stories that may be distracting us from the real matters at hand can often hijack the news. Stories of actual global consequence might not attract wide viewership and therefore they disappear suddenly. That doesn't seem right to me. But I don't pretend to be an expert on the matters covered in the show. I'm not necessarily a news junkie though I enjoy the immediacy following stories online as they develop. Luckily for me, coming from some experience onstage memorizing hours of dialogue I was prepared to tackle the abundant wordplay of Aaron Sorkin's writing.

• Q

  

  beckyayay

  How have you used your experience in serious roles, like Spring Awakening, in your role as Jim Harper?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Everything I do somehow informs the next thing I do mainly because I learn something new with every role. It's hard to pin down though and single out. It's slightly more elusive than that

• Q

  

  ValentinaMonte

  As a singer/ songwriter, do you still work on your own music while working on The #Newsroom?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I'm always working on music and writing songs on the side no matter what my main focus is. I wrote a few new songs for both my solo project and a band I'm in with two New York friends while shooting The Newsroom and played a few shows at the Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles on weekends.

• Q

  

  Olina Stathopoulou

  What are some of your stage dream roles and do you think you'll go back to Broadway after The Newsroom?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I'm rarely not thinking about when I'll be able to get back onstage. I'd love to be on Broadway again but I'm also excited by the work being done at smaller Off-Broadway venues. Intimate places like Playwrights Horizons, the Rattlestick Theater and Soho Rep. I'm mostly interested in new plays by more emerging playwrights but have a fantasy about doing A Long Day's Journey Into Night with three of my friends who are brilliant actors. I'm too old for it now but I've wanted to play Ricky in Alan Bowne's play Forty-Deuce for years.

• Q

  

  ChristineUssher

  Do you prefer film or the stage? What are the pro's and con's to each?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I like them both for different reasons and am very lucky that I've been afforded being able to do both. There is nothing that compares to being on stage in front of a live audience and the opportunity to work on and refine a performance night after night but the schedule can be very harrowing and difficult. I miss the luxury of ample rehearsal time that comes with theater when working on television and film but at the same time there is something liberating about having to throw yourself into shooting a scene. I also like the possibility for quieter moments that exists on screen.

• Q

  

  Asthmaniac

  Is there a specific news event you look forward to covering on the show? Or that you already filmed?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I was oddly hoping that there would be some reference in season one to Harold Camping of Family Radio's prediction that the rapture would occur in May of 2011. I found it fascinating and upsetting that that story started being covered on news programs and that people around the world were believing it and selling off their houses and savings to the church in order to spread the word and prepare for the event. Obviously my fascination with it was not shared by Aaron Sorkin as it did not make the cut but that's why he's a brilliant writer and I'm just an actor.

• Q

  

  Katey Holm

  I've been a huge fan of yours for years and I'm loving you on The Newsroom! But I'm still waiting for a John Gallagher Jr album! Have any plans to record your music?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I'm hoping to get into the studio and make a record before production starts on season two of The Newsroom. I'll be sure to keep people posted about when this might happen and when the record would be made available.

• Q

  

  LaylaxN

  What has been the biggest challenge in playing this role?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Learning the dialogue for upcoming scenes throughout the week while shooting the episode.

• Q

  

  Carrie Elder

  What's your favorite line of dialogue from the Newsroom?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  There are far too many lines Aaron wrote that I'm in love with. It's impossible to pick just one. All of Sam Waterston's lines have a special place in my heart though. I'm particularly fond of "I'm a marine Don. I will beat the shit out of you. I don't care how many protein bars you eat." Also the story in the pilot about how sometimes things fall into your lap. Also his final lines in the pilot about anchors having opinions and doing the news well and why he brought Mckenzie to ACN. Ok I'm stopping now.

• Q

  

  SomeTorist

  News stations have charted some of the most significant moments of human history. If you had a time machine, "when" would you go and why?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  That's a hard question because any great moment in history probably involved a lot of hardship and struggle so I'd feel bad going on a trip back in time like an amusement park ride. That said, it's such a cliche but I'd probably go hang out in the 1960s. Between the revolutionary moments in culture and politics and insane advancements in art and technology, there would be a countless number of amazing things to experience.

• Q

  

  MayorMcNom

  What similarities does your character in, "The News Room" have with your characters in American Idiot and Spring Awakening?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Not very many aside from being passionate individuals. Johnny from American Idiot and Moritz from Spring Awakening are very self destructive and not entirely able to focus on the completion of tasks. Jim Harper may have been somewhat of a social outcast as an adolescent which is similar to Johnny and Moritz but he certainly is capable of grace under pressure and worked hard to obtain a prestigious and impressive job at a young age.

• Q

  

  MetropoLois

  What is your take on Jim and Maggie?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I don't think either of them ever considered that meeting their soul mate was a real possibility for them in their lifetimes and now that they have found just that in each other it at once excites and terrifies them which is why they're always being pulled back and forth from showering each other with adoration and driving each other crazy.

• Q

  

  xbelieveinpeace

  What's your major inspiration when it comes to songwriting?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I get it wherever I can find it. I like telling stories. Some of them are things that have happened to me, some are things I want to happen to me or hope never happen, some are things that have happened to people I know and some of them are just things I've imagined. More often than not the songs tend to be about something that I'm going through and working on about myself.

• Q

  

  oliverdore

  Has it it been a challenge adapting to Aaron's style of scriptwriting and fast-paced dialog?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  I found the most challenging aspect to be that I had a limited amount of time to learn it. I did a play in New York in 2008 by Beau Willimon called Farragut North which was later adapted into a film called The Ides of March. It was two acts and I was in every scene playing a press secretary for a presidential hopeful and the dialogue of the play was not entirely unlike Aaron Sorkin's writing so I've had some practice. The main difference is that when doing a play you have almost a month to learn those two hours of dialogue and then run them for another few months. With television your constantly learning new scenes every week as you shoot the episodes. Aaron's lines are so much fun to deliver and are written with such musicality and rhythm that once I got working on them they tended to stick a lot easier than I had thought they would.

• Q

  

  Sangeeta Ranade

  Which superhero do you relate to the most?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Batman! He's self made and all of his powers are human. Plus he's so dark and tortured.

• Q

  

  Rebecca Rosen

  What is the dynamic between the cast like on set when you are not filming the show?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  It's a pretty serious love fest. We're all such fans of each other as professionals and people and there's not a one of us that doesn't recognize how fortunate we are to be working on such a show with such an amazing group of individuals in every department from Aaron himself all the way to the caterers. And thank goodness for the caterers. They are on set both earlier and later than I am and we all spend a lot of time looking forward to lunch and congregating at craft services. When you work for Aaron Sorkin and HBO you get to be part of a team and that's a great feeling.

• Q

  

  HBO

  That's all the time we have for today's Q&A. A huge thank you to John Gallagher, Jr. for joining us. Anything else you'd like to say, John?

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  John Gallagher, Jr. says:

  Thanks much for joining the Q&A, I appreciated all the questions and all the love for the show. I had fun! Keep watching The Newsroom Sundays at 10PM on HBO.