Great Scott!
‘New Orleans’ star Bakula on TV’s mostwanted list
Scott Bakula is having the best year of his long, distinguished career. His new cBS drama “NCIS: New Orleans” (9 p.m. tuesday) is one of the few bona fide hits of the season, and Bakula surprised everyone by being the best thing about “Looking” — HBo’s whiny gay version of “Sex and the City” — with his portrayal of a silver daddy who has almost given up looking for love. (10 p.m. Sunday).
Bakula, 60, is the kind of actor who can step into any role and make it seem like a natural fit.
He talked about his varied career to the Post from New orleans, where he films his cBS series.
QUANTUM LEAP (1989-93)
Bakula played Dr. Sam Beckett, who jumps back and forth in time while physically embodying different characters.
“It allowed me to break the boundaries in what I thought acting was about and the parts you could play. the kinds of things I had to do on the show were: You’re staring down the barrel at the back of John F. Kennedy’s head, go. or: You’re Marilyn Monroe’s chauffeur, go. When it was all over, people didn’t know what do with me because they thought I was playing all these different roles.”
MURPHY BROWN (1993-96)
In a recurring role, Bakula played Peter Hunt, a reporter who dates Murphy Brown (candice Bergen).
“I had just come off of ‘Quantum Leap.’ I had done a bunch of half-hour shows, kind of my staple coming from New York. I’d never worked with anybody liked candice. We had a ball and became fast friends.”
STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE (2001-05)
Bakula starred on the NBc series as captain Jonathan Archer.
“that came along at a great time. It was an opportunity to stay at home. My initial response was, ‘I don’t want to be the captain.’ then they said, ‘You’re 100 years before Kirk and Spock.’ I knew that would be good. then I wouldn’t have to follow all the other great captains.”
BEHIND THE CANDELABRA (2013)
Bakula played choreographer Bob Black, an associate of Liberace.
“He was a real person ... He was a choreographer, but there were never any pictures of him ... one of the ways Bob stayed in favor was helping [procure] the young fellas for [Liberace].”
LOOKING (2014-)
Bakula plays Lynn, a businessman having a relationship with a 40-yearold waiter.
“there were no pages I could read when I met with [series creator] Andrew Haigh. We had a lovely hourand-a-half breakfast. Andrew pitched this idea of the character to me. All the guys are so sweet and excited and brave in what they’re going for.”
NCIS: NEW ORLEANS (2014-)
Bakula joined the mighty cBS franchise as Special Agent Dwayne Pride.
“At my age, with my years in the business, to have an opportunity like this is amazing, and I don’t take it for granted. I’ve never been in a situation where the show leading me is the number one show on the planet.”