CULT PERSONALITY
For TV film, ‘Scandal’ star studies Warren Jeffs
Tony Goldwyn, who plays President Fitzgerald Grant on the huge ABC hit “Scandal,” next portrays a very different — and far scarier — personality: the title character in “Outlaw Prophet: Warren Jeffs,” a TV film about the infamous polygamist religious cult leader, premiering at 7 p.m. Saturday on Lifetime.
Q. In preparing to play Warren Jeffs, what did you discover about him?
A. The thing I found most fascinating about the whole thing, which is how I found my central approach to it, was how the script was more than simply a biographical story or retelling or his story. It’s really kind of a study of someone who takes the compulsion and lust for power and control — both sexually and in general — to manipulate others, very much to an extreme. Those impulses and addictions live within many of us, but normal people repress them and don’t act on them.
But in this very small, repressed society this man became a dictator really, in the most extreme sense of the word. The way I prepared was to read a lot, but also Warren made audio recordings of himself. I think he’s a pathological narcissist. From a pretty early age, from when he was just a schoolteacher for the community, he recorded all of his lessons for these young women about being plural wives and what was expected of them. For the young men he did them as well, telling them how to act. So there is a lot of material on him.
Q. As a TV president, have you actually met President Barack Obama?
A. I just met him recently at the White House Correspondents Dinner this year. In fact, his first comment to me was, “Where’s your gray hair? You look so relaxed!” [Laughs] I told him, “My job’s not nearly as hard as yours, sir!”
Q. You spent some time here recently when you filmed “Divergent.” Your thoughts about Chicago?
A. I love Chicago. I have a daughter who’s at Northwestern now, so I’m back a lot. It’s such a great city. The food first of all. The restaurants are terrific. It’s a small big city. People are so accepting and kind, and yet it’s also a very sophisticated place. The architecture is great.