Even after six seasons of being Mike Heck, actor Neil Flynn tells he’s more than happy to be stuck in
James Croot The Middle.
Neil Flynn admits playing The Middle’s Mike Heck is hardly a stretch for him. A product of America’s suburban Midwest himself, the 55-year-old actor says the hit sitcom’s characters and setting feel very familiar.
‘‘You could drive between my Waukegan, Illinois and Orson, Indiana (the home of the Hecks) between lunch and dinner. From the time I read the pilot, I felt like I knew these people.’’
That was six seasons and almost 150 episodes ago. But while both he and his limestone quarry managing alter ego have gotten older, Flynn thinks neither of them have changed much.
‘‘I think he wouldn’t see the need to change – he leads a pretty unexamined life. For me, I guess I’m a little more appreciative of finding some stability in a difficult business. It is very hard to find a job that runs for a long time.’’
It’s an interesting confession from an actor previously best known for roles in high profile films like The Fugitive, Mean Girls, Magnolia and Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull ,as well as playing ‘‘The Janitor’’ on long-running medical sitcom Scrubs.
Flynn says that Mike Heck is also pretty easy to leave behind at the end of a day or season’s shoot.
‘‘I’ve never been the type that is super absorbed with my character. When the camera stops rolling, you don’t have to call me Mike for me to stay in character. I’m also not delving into the depths of my soul to play him. He’s close enough to who I am for me not to have to struggle with maintaining or dropping character.’’
When asked what he attributes the success of the show to, Heck believes it comes down to the fact that ‘‘everyone, for better or worse, has come from a family of some kind’’.
‘‘For that reason it has a general relatability and I think this show has done a good job of taking that a couple more steps by portraying a family that, if it’s not like yours, then it’s like one that you know or wish you had known or been in.
‘‘That might be giving us too much credit, maybe we are not as likeable as I think, but I think it’s good that we show the family not celebrating everyday together and being happy and loving and everything is good and wonderful – that’s not how things are. These guys go through their crises, but you don’t doubt they love each other.’’
And what help keeps the show fresh, Flynn says, is a regular stream of guest stars, which in the past couple of seasons have included Brooke Shields, Dick van Dyke and Kirsty Alley.
‘‘It brings in a little fresh blood and creates a storyline you haven’t touched on before. It’s also great to have them, even if it is just to meet someone you have admired in the past.’’ ......................................................................
7.30pm, Wednesday,
‘‘I’m not delving into the depths of my soul to play him.’’
NEIL FLYNN ON MIKE HECK
TV2.