Or make that a con artist for a long time.
How did Ventimiglia bring this hustle to life?
What kind of scams will Charlie be running?
Milo Ventimiglia and Catherine Haena Kim on ‘The Company You Keep’.ABC
And can two people hiding a huge secret from each other find an honest romance together?
Here, star/executive producer Ventimiglia tells all about theCompanythat he now keeps in this rom-con.
I’m curious."
Catherine Haena Kim and Milo Ventimiglia on ‘The Company You Keep’.ABC
Charlie Nicoletti in my mind is unremarkable.
He’s very plain, very simple.
He’s got to be a chameleon that kind of just disappears.
So it’s complicated.
I like that complexity.
What kind of different skins will Charlie be slipping into?
And what jot down of con skills will you be showcasing, whether it’s coin or card tricks?
The fundamentals of conning is reflecting who you’re going after, reflecting their emotional state.
If you’re happy, I’m happy.
If you’re sad, I’m sad.
If you’re anxious, I’m anxious.
Yeah, we’ve got some slight of hand.
It makes him a good bad guy.
That’s a play on the words two-fold.
He’s good morally; his heart’s in the right place.
But he is also a bad guy, in terms of profession.
But he’s also talented at what he does.
He’s a good bad guy.
He can excel in that world where he doesn’t excel in his personal life.
How would you describe the dynamic between Charlie and Emma?
He’s hiding it from her out of judgment.
“She’s not going to accept this side of my life.
And that’s Charlie’s torture.
Emma’s is very different.
She’s hiding something, but she’s hiding it for good reason.
The good and the just.
And it’s also operational security.
And that’s one of those unfortunate positions.
So, the complications that happen with just simply two people who find love for one another.
Everything is going to get in their way, including themselves.
What immediately struck you about your chemistry with Catherine?
She was in the first round of tapes that we saw for Emma.
And then once we got in front of one another, it just made sense.
And it’s wonderful.
You want to work with people that want to be there.
Will that story continue throughout the entire season, with each episode also containing a con of the week?
That’s exactly what it is.
I would love the show to be all about character.
And that’s the kind of structure and the shape that it takes.
No, no, no, no, no.
We have an opportunity with her talent.
We have an opportunity with her character.
It’s such an ambitious show creatively, but it is truly five different shows.
And the duality between those two worlds.
They’re all kind of criminals, just wearing different hats.
The dynamics of an entire family of con artists are inherently fraught.
How much agency did Charlie have in that arena?
Can you ever fully trust a family member who lies for a living?
Like, Charlie’s really f—ing good at it.
He knows that’s the sword he’s got to fall on.
He can succeed and he can look out for his family.
What appealed to you about bringing the show to a broadcast data pipe?
Some calledThis Is Usthe last big web link TV hit, but obviously you see more potential there.
I’m a product of broadcast.
I really, truly am.
I mean, everything that I’ve done is broadcast from HeroestoGilmore Girls.
The only thing that I think I did on the other side wasMob City.
That was basic cable.
It wasn’t even cable-cable.
There’s a trend for actors thinking they can push the envelope in cable.
And that’s true.
you’ve got the option to toy with storylines and characters, language and subject matter.
And as long as broadcast is embracing me, I’m going to embrace it.
Even down to standards and practices.
Just the other day, I’m like, “Wait a minute.
We’re Sundays at 10 p.m. What kind of language can we get away with?
How far can we actually push things to give an audience a closer-to-cable experience?”
We’ve got two bites at the apple.
There’s something exciting about that.
That’s truly priceless.
What’s one thing about this show that you’re free to guarantee?
There’s action, there’s excitement, there’s romance, there’s deep emotional notes.
I think there’s just a lot of fun to be had.
How do I know you’re not conning me right now?
That’s the trouble, man.
You have no idea.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
