‘Chicago Med’ welcomes Steven Weber
Before we get to his new stint on “Chicago Med,” let’s talk about how Steven Weber celebrated his 60th birthday recently while on a break from shooting season six of the NBC drama.
The actor — who has many, many film and TV credits, including starring on the 1990s sitcom “Wings” — played the role of chef for the big day. He said he prepared boneless lamb roasts; pasta salad; a spinach, goat cheese and pear salad; roasted potatoes and Yorkshire puddings for a small group of friends at a socially distanced gathering in Los Angeles, where he lives.
“I just turned 60 today,” Weber
said by phone on March 4 before joking, “I have a swimmer’s build, and I can still remember how to get to the store and back on my own.”
Another reason to toast: Weber has a recurring role as Dr. Dean Archer on “Chicago Med.”
Q. I’m curious about your character on “Chicago Med.” Can you talk to me a little about him?
A. Dean Archer, he’s a former Navy surgeon. He was actually Ethan Choi’s superior while they were in the Navy and was very much a mentor to Ethan (played by Brian Tee). Since then, I don’t think they’ve been in particularly close contact at all. But for a variety of reasons, he’s been asked to join the team at the hospital, and he does so happily. Except now he’s under Ethan’s authority. Dean is an older guy, got a lot of experience, and a lot of it was as the head. Now he’s no longer (in charge), so it’s a little hard for him to make the adjustment. But he seems to be.
Q. And how many episodes should we expect you on?
A. I think I’m doing at least seven. I’m so good and so pleasant to work with that they just keep adding episodes. So I don’t want to mislead you. (Laughs.) But seven. I’m always grateful to have a gig, but something like this is extra special for me.
Q. Were you a fan of “Chicago Med” before you got the gig?
A. Well, I can’t say that I was, only because I don’t really watch that much network TV. And that’s not a function of me being a snob or anything like that. My TV habits are kind of old-fashioned. I tend to have comfort food versions of television. I watch “Seinfeld” reruns and “Shark Tank” and old movies. And that’s kind of it.
Everybody’s always telling me to watch cool, new shows and everything, but of course, I’m aware of “Chicago Med” and the whole “Chicago” universe. I have friends who have worked on (those) shows and also they worked on the other Dick Wolf universe, “Law & Order,” and so I’m aware of them. I’m aware of the high standards of the show in terms of the production and the drama and the writing and also the way they treat cast and crew. I’ve known about it, but I haven’t really watched it.
Q. Is it difficult at all coming into a show like this that’s been around for so many seasons?
A. One of the challenges for being a journeyman actor is that you often have to hop aboard a train that’s running and fit in as quickly as possible. But you do it, and everybody’s welcoming. Everybody’s aware of that particular challenge, so it’s not like there’s any hazing going on. It takes a second to adjust, to figure out what to do. The thing is that I had not worked for about 10 months because of the COVID situation, so I had a few creaky bones. I tripped a little bit here and there, but I think I found my balance. And I began to fit in.
Q. Speaking of COVID, so many protocols have been implemented because of the pandemic. Did you find it difficult to work under these new guidelines?
A. Actually, no, and that is because “Chicago Med,” NBC and a lot of other production entities and facilities want to keep working, and they want to keep producing. So in order to do that, they have to implement the most rigorous but livable and accessible COVID protocols, and that’s what they do. The only thing that you have to do is keep your mask on and not embrace everybody. They’re very good at running this ship, and everybody gets tested, cast and crew. At least for the actors, as far as I know, twice every other day. It’s very efficient, and it’s not that bad. We just have to make room for these protocols and adapt. It’s necessary. Just wear your mask, wash your hands. It ain’t that hard.
Q. Do you have, besides “Chicago Med,” any other projects coming up?
A. Not really, no, like I said, I’ve done some microgigs, a couple of which maybe have yet to be released. But no, this is the big, cool job that I’ve been lucky to snare. So this is it. I’m focusing on Dean Archer, “Chicago Med” and the inevitable spinoff.
Q. Well, it is a big time for spinoffs and reboots of TV shows. Any chance we’ll get a “Wings” reboot?
A. I’m asked that so much, but the people who can make that happen haven’t been inquiring as much as normal citizens. I think it would be hilarious. I think it’s still, even after all these years, a fairly beloved show. It was never controversial. It was always good-natured without being corny, and it would be interesting to see if they can reboot it. But you know what? Times have changed. People have changed, and the industry has had to evolve, thankfully. “Wings” might just be a relic.