JK: When did you know "The Wire" was special?CP: I think it was after the second year. I was living in London when I wasn't working. In the first year I flew to New York to visit friends. As I walked up 8th Avenue, maybe two or three people would stop me and say, "Oh, you're on that show." By the third year, it was hard to walk anywhere. Not only would the public stop me, but the police would stop me. It was then I realized that this is important. The police would thank me for telling their story. I tried to tell them I was just an actor, but they were having none of it.
JK: And you're the good guy, too. McNulty gets all the credit for being "natural police," but you're the guy with the investigative skills.
CP: The good guy is wonderful to play when the part is well-written. Lester is the kind of guy I would like to be when I grow up. He always tries to do the right thing.
JK: What did you bring from your personality or previous roles to Lester? [RG]
CP: I was watching the show one day, and I realized that, oh my God, those are my father's mannerisms. The approach to sarcasm that Lester has I definitely got from my mother. I like to pace the floor and try to be honest with the emotions as a scene starts, trying to remember to think and not act. If you are thinking the situation, the camera will pick it up on your face.
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