9021One-on-One: Gregg Daniel

It's nine O one.

With Jenny Garth and Tory spelling.

This is very exciting. We have Greg Daniel. He played Dean Whittemore on nine O two and zero. His character worked with Chancellor, Arnold and Brandon, and let's bring him on in. Hi, Greg, How are you?

Good morning, ladies? How are you hello?

You look so handsome. Nice to see you. Where do we find you today?

Where are you upstairs at my office at home in LA in Los Angeles? Yes, I'm in New Yorker, but I live in Los Angeles and have been for some time.

Now.

Okay, well, which do you like better? New York or La?

Oh? Why would you go there? Okay?

I know you can't like.

I've never been an elitist.

I never felt like a New York had was superior. Because of this, I kind of accept each state for what it is. I love a Los Angeles. The first thing I did when I got out was suah, I got a invertible car because I know I can't I wouldn't have one in New York.

So I got a convertible to learned how to scuba dive.

So there were all these things I could do out here that I wouldn't necessarily have done in New York, so I equally loved them both.

You've taken full advantage of California.

As I'm continuing to as well.

That's good. That's good.

We were talking about you at playing Dean Whitmore, yes, and we were just wondering, you know, how you came about getting the role and what that was like, Like did you have to audition?

I didn't, you remember?

I did? I did.

There was a flurry. In fact, it was a few years after I had moved out here, so a few years. It hasn't really been thirty years come home.

Yes, I know sad to say.

But it's been a little It's been a very fulfilling and productive thirty years. But I remember shortly after I got out of here, one of the many auditions I went on, of course, was nine O two one zero, and I was pleased to get it, but also because I had a chance to recur. And with the recurring roles, I'm sure you like now you get a chance to build a characters, not a one off we jump in and just say your lines, get out, But with a recurring role, you really get to sort of build a character.

You know, it was a pretty tumultuous time.

So when you got the role, did they tell you how many episodes it would be?

No, they just said recurring. They just gave that phrase recurring, And of course I just took that to me. Nothing absolutely nothing. No, you just miss it and you want no You just say okay, fine, great, and you listen until you get another call that says, oh they want Dean Whitmore to come back, and oh so by the second one I knew, okay, so they're sort of developing

But I was pleased.

As I said earlier, I was pleased that I recurred in that particular role.

The show in season five was sort of about the peak of the height of its popularity. I guess you would say, had you ever watched the show before.

You came on it?

I had, I actually had watched.

So actually, in the episodes I was involved in, I was kind of impressed in some of the topics that you guys were handling. I mean, one of my favorites was I think my first one, hate is just a four letter word.

You may remember it, but.

It was about an African American minister was invited who had anti Semitic views, was invited to the campus to speak, and of course it was a huge protest. But it's interesting how it mirrors what's happening on the campus today with unfortunately the attack the seventh and the war in God. But it's really interesting how and I also teach at USC School Dramatic Arts, so how the universities now will

So they were really mature subjects. I thought they were.

These is not just glossy kind of you know, okay, we ate that up. That's the media special for today.

But there were really.

Something having topics and handled sensitively. I really particularly that first one Hays, just to follow the word. I thought the way that hearing the views from each side was very balanced, very fair, and very unmature.

Yeah, surprisingly well done, honestly for such a big topic.

At that time. Absolutely, so I was really involved. I was really pleased about that.

And did you meet Jason first? Was he the first cast member you met?

Yes?

In fact, I one of the episodes Jason directed. I remember he directed one of our episodes, so yes, so I kind of had a nice one on one with him because I was involved with him more than just actor as a actor, but director to actor as well, and we took to each other terrific, you know the Canadian.

To each other, and I enjoyed working with them. I was surprised.

I didn't know that he was actually direct, could direct and would direct. But again, working with him in that episode that I did was most respect for actors, really made it easy, really protected your performance. So I enjoyed, and he had a great sense of humor. He just had a you know, The Woods was refreshing. Everyone had a great.

A great sense of humor, you know, which made it just a pleasure to be.

Yeah, I was going to ask you. You said you teach at U C l A.

I do I teach you a school of dramatic arts? That's correct?

And do I know I think your students are probably too young, but do any of them recognize you?

From nine to two one oero?

Now from nine and two one on? What I still? Actually so I've done. I was a series regular on True.

Blood, and I probably more their speed.

Yeah, yeah, exactly. They're like, wow, give mean the remake? No, no, no, no, guys, the remake? I know the original.

And I had a recurring on Insecure for a number of all all four four or five season, so you know they love that. They get a gas out of there, but they go back and look at the credit sometime and go you did.

You know?

So I feel trying not to feel too Jurassic like a dinosaur, but you did.

I mean, they must be blown away by your body of work. You've word so much. It's probably very inspirational for yourself.

I've been blessed.

But I always tell them, you know, it's not when you get out and doing one series or one feature or whatever.

It's thirty forty years.

Down the line. Always tell them this. It's the longevity of your career that you want to encourage. It's not just doing one or two projects. But if you can say, twenty thirty years out the line, since you've graduated from whatever acting program you may or may not have gone to, if you're still working in the industry and doing the things you love to do that success.

What would you say it takes to have that kind of longevity in a career variety?

I mean the ability to do a number of things, because I've done multi camera sitcom, I've done single camera episodic, I mean veraight comedy, drama. The more verse till you are, the more versatile your instrument is, the more you'll get hired. It's as simple as that. I mean, if you can move in and out of certain genres, I think it's the best way to ensure that you're a versatile actor

Are you on TikTok yet?

Yes? Yes, I want to talk. I kind of had to be dragged onto ticket. But my daughter was the one that it was my publicist, actors. I should have be, should be on TikTok. And what's the gas about it is that when I do do TikTok, I do a little dance routines with my daughter.

Oh my god.

Oh I can bust the movie, y'all. I can bust the move now, I believe it. I do some. So we come up with a little.

Dan Wait, wait, what's your TikTok handle?

I think it's Greg Daniel. I think it's to retain my name.

You up.

She comes over and we work on these little routines, just this little I don't know, sixty second routines. But it's so much fun to have father and daughter doing that. She really is the pleasure while I'm on TikTok.

She really is that your only daughter?

Yes it is, Yes it is. And she's not in the business.

How old is she?

She's twenty five now, thanks for asking. She's twenty five now. Oh official Greg Daniel.

Someone just wrote in and chat official Greg g r E double g Daniel. That's there you go.

That's your TikToker.

That's my TikTok for me.

Yeah, we are going to look you up do and.

Just be careful now. And everybody can do those moves, so be careful now, be careful.

I don't going to try them.

It's a lot.

It's a lot because now she grew up watching a lot of the shows, and of course I think I did a series of Disney shows kits, and that's when I became oh.

You're an actor? Did anything else? Yeah, I did a couple of Disney Kids shows. It was a lot of fun. But that's when she's sort of like, oh, okay, so you're a serious actor now, dad.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, look beyond Disney a few other things.

But yeah, we have a close, very close relationship.

Other than TikTok.

What are you working on these days? We heard you have a project coming up, a.

Number of projects coming Actually I'm proud to say I'm in the Joker movie, the next one.

Then really what do you play?

I don't know.

On the NDA, I think I can say, because the trailers out that I'm a music instructor.

I think I can say that. Please don't get me in drop.

But it was it was a pleasure working with Todd Phillips and Gaga.

Wow, that was a pleasure. That was an absolute delight.

Tod Phillips and the director is brilliants, really excited. He's thinking of what ecosystem and worlds he has within his head.

I think it's I released in October November.

But in fact, you'll hear my voice and the trailer that just dropped maybe a week or two ago, right at the top, you'll.

Hear my voice and there rating it's and it looks so good visually, it looks.

So exciting if you've had if you've seen the trailer yet, it looks when.

You saw the trailer, were you like, hey, they put my voice in the very absolutely?

No? Absolutely. In fact, it was one of my students. Just what you should tell you. It was one of my students that said, oh, professor, your voice, that's you.

You know they dropped the jump and that's your voice, right, And I had no idea Honestly, I have no idea how they could recognize that that was my voice. So yes, I was very please and very surprised.

I was what else? What else?

Well?

I also am a stage director. I'm also a stage director, and I have a beautiful play running right now. The Appulitzer Prize winning playwright August Wilson. He wrote ten plays and we're doing number nine. The title is King Headley the Second and it had a Noise Within Theater Company in Pasadena.

Beautiful play. I have a Helo cast Hella.

Design team and it's been running for the last few weeks and we have at least a week left.

So that was that was one.

We've committed to doing all ten plays this theater company and Noise Within and I. So we're we're moving through the cycle of plays they termed the Century cycle, so we've been working through them. But that's really and my wife is the lead. My wife is n was also a very gifted and talented actress, so she's the lead.

So it's been that's that's been oneerful. That's been really good.

Have you worked with your wife before on that level?

A number of times? Yeah, I have. People are say have you guys worked together.

You know, it's kind of a shorthand because we understand the world of acting and what the you know, the pitfalls as well as the triumphs. So we sort of have that kind of sensitivity and understanding about it. So it's a it's a pleasure to work with her. It's a pleasure to work with her because again we speak a common language. We know what those challenges are, and we try not to bring it home when we get in.

We don't talk.

About so today the character of Ruby did no. We try to talk about life stuff. Hey, we do you want to go for spring break?

Hey?

Where do you want to go for? What do you want to have dinner? You heard about that new restaurant in Larchmont. So we try not to dwell on it when world right.

Yeah, that's the healthy way too.

And we've been married twenty eight years.

Now, So congratulations.

I think we're doing something right.

I think so Clearally, you met her after you were on nine or two, I know then.

No believe or not.

I met her first time I got out here, but there was no sparks, no sparks blow.

I met her casually when I first got out here, and.

I thought, Okay, she's nice, and then I started to see her recurring a few more times, and I thought, wow, she's cute.

She's kind of cute.

Oh she grew on you.

She I'd say, probably I grew on.

Well, yeah, I was going to ask about she's.

Honestly, you know, truth be told. I grew on her.

So then I finally asked her out on a date. But it was the first time or two. I was like, no, I don't think that. I don't think she's my type.

I don't think Wow, yeah, I know, I know, Tori.

It's like you could have almost missed the boat.

I know. But you know, that's what happens. That's what happens.

Sometimes you think you know what your type is, you've defined it and all that, and then something comes wrong and disrupts your thinking. Thank god, your thinking. You're wound, And twenty eight years later you go, wow, boy, did I meet my princess? So glad we're married.

Oh gosh, it's so great to touch base with you and hear all about what you've been doing. What a great life you've had, instill are so much ahead of you, what a it's a good success story.

Well, I've been blessed.

I said, I've been doing this now up with like thirty five forty some years, and I've always had good projects, and nine O two being one.

I went back and looked at a couple episodes.

By the way, I gotta tell you, it's not only was I pressed with the content, but.

It looked silly.

Yeah, did you good?

I look so young then.

But it was nice to go down memory lane, particularly with things again. It was nice to see where I was and how I grew. It was it was one of those oh my god, no, not at all. I really was like, very grateful that. Okay, I see what I did. I see where I am now. So Grace extended, Grace extended, and Grace accepted.

Well, we're wrapping up season five right now, and you're obviously in season five, but you actually don't come back till season seven after this?

Is that right? Okay? Okay, what happened?

But I know we were going to ask you.

I don't know. That's interesting that.

Yeah, we'll talk to you.

We'll see it in a year.

I'm bad.

But again, the topics that were covered were really weighty, they were very mature, and I appreciated that.

I appreciate it. It wasn't fluff.

But whenever I was involved and I was trying to negotihade navigate something with Jason as the head of the student Senate, it was an important theme or topic and that I can be very I am very.

Proud of that.

Yes, I had an impact.

Absolutely, open conversation, started, conversation, open conversation.

That's all we can hope for. Well, what a pleasure.

It's my place. Thank you for having me, Thanks for the invitation.

So much for doing this.

You both look fantastic. You look, where's the fountain of you?

Tell me please, it's right here on our podcast.

Okay, be on it now.

We're gonna go to your TikTok right now.

Okay, please watch those moves, so you gotta come on.

Watch those moves official, Greg Daniel, yep, all over it.

Make sure you warm up. All I can say is make sure you warm up first.

Okay, got it?

Okay, Thank you both, perfect than of yourself. God bless bye.

Thank you,