9021One on One: Mark Damon Espinoza

Where are we talking to you? Where are you? I'm at home in the living room in l A. Yeah, I live here downtown. You'll never believe where we are. You are well, they told him, right, no, I don't wanna tell me anything. I'm looking at the one You'll never or now. It looks totally different inside. If we showed you the view out, it's not West Covina right, No, you mean Elsa Gundo. No, we that's that's the beach.

I think he's hinting what we think he's hinting that the beach house and Kelly, which was which is in her most speech. Wow, and one of the locations I never went to years. I don't think Jesse ever came over for a barbecue. Never. Never speaking of Jesse, how you were on the show for a long time. You had a long run, No, well, two years, the year and a year and three quarters, but that was it. There was episodes or because they did the episodes a year, right,

good old days, good old days. Oh my god. That I don't think anyone does that anymore. You did not come on to the scene until your biggest bartending scene in season four, early on season four, Uh, the anniversary episode for Yeah, we just watched it. Yeah, will never forget you, Like, that's one of those iconic moments over the ten years when we first see Jesse, Like, everyone

always remembers that the bartender. Yeah, the cheating bartender. The cheating We got to that because I, in learning and in looking up some of the facts about your character over the years, I had totally forgotten that this was a part of Jesse. Like, let's start with when you came onto the show, what was your understanding of your character and your role and how long you would be on the show. We go back to the audition to start. Yeah, it's not it's not a long story, but um, I got.

I got that audition, I think the day before the night before. And back back in those days, you go and you pick up your sides at the casting office. Remember that before they would back them to you, they would leave them out on the like the chair or something. Yeah.

And I had had two auditions that day. One was for yet tatted up gang member on NYPD Blue and an audition for nine O two and oh, and I thought, there's no way, there's no way nine o two and these kids are like super cool and gorgeous and popular. And what I'm gonna be a you know, a gang member on that an NYP Blue. So the tile actor, that's what you are? What's that versatile actor? Well? I went in and I was late getting to the casting office and they uh to Diane's office and uh, that

day there was nobody left in the waiting room. So I went in and did the audition and she said, well, can you come back later? Are on this afternoon and meat producers? And I thought, what me? Come on? Really? Uh? And I was wearing a white monogram shirt that I bought at a thrift store with someone else's monograms on it. But it was the nicest shirt I owned that was basically living out of the back of my Toyota pick

up at the time. And uh, I went back that afternoon, and that afternoon they were it's just the legion of like all these good looking dudes with hair, you know, and like, you know, twenty inch waistline. You don't know about hair, you have hair? You had hair. I didn't.

I didn't. Well not I have less now, but I had I had ton't have a whole lot then either, And so what I would do is I would push it towards the middle and and just you keep your head up a little bit and it looked like you have a little more air that these guys were in there doing this and that, flicking their hair. And we had a lot of guys with gorgeous hair on the show. We right, no more hair inside burns. We were done.

Those guys looked like it belonged there. And anyway, to try to make a long story short, I went and did the audition. They was so nice, everyone was so cool. And I got a call later that day saying, well, they want you to come meet Mr Spelling when they want you to meet Aaron and at that time age and it told me, it's it's probably it could be a two or three episode gig as a boyfriend. This is what I was told then, So I went that Monday.

They gave me another scene and went that money met met your pop, and I guess I did what I was told. Later, I did what you're not supposed to do, and that was going around the desk and shake his hand. And that's the first thing. Well, I've never heard that one. Tell me more. They told me, you know, we should have told you ahead of time. You shouldn't, you know, break the barrier. He shouldn't go just go shake his hand.

That's that's by the way. He was so nice, and I think he actually appreciated the fact that I went up and shook his head um and did the audition went really well. Uh got a call later that day saying, you booked it. We'll find out when the episodes are gonna air. So I got I got called two days later after they negotiated a deal, and he said, my agent said, you're not gonna believe this. They want you

for two years. And I just remember sitting down on the bed completely blank because I you know, I was staying at a friend's apartment, sleeping on a bared mattress next to his piano, with everything I owned in the back of my seventy seventy six toy to pick up Um. And I had no concept of what that meant, because I would see you guys, uh, you know, when I check out the grocery store. I'd see you guys in the magazine and you were everywhere. You were everywhere, like

the worldwide. At that point, it was insane, and the very notion of being in the company of these characters was I wasn't worried about that as an actor so much. I was more so stressed out, like what are they going to be? Like? What do I do? I don't know how to behave like this. All I've ever done was theater, you know, and it's a very different world. Everyone was so nice. Everyone was so incredibly nice. Um. I can't say enough good things about the cast, event

and that show. Two years. I mean, they hadn't even seen you on camera yet. Now I had done one little episode of Gabriel's Fire as a burrito sales. No, I mean they hadn't seen you on on the show, and they just committed to year. I'm hungry right. Yeah. I think I think part of that was also Gab was four ft eleven and she was getting pregnant and showing real fast. I think they had to do something that was she like, did you have a chemistry read with her? Did she come into my dad's office with you?

That's why I met Gab on set that night, the first night, uh, and we chatted she uh the minute I met her, I knew, I knew where would get along. I knew I was in the right hands. Uh, incredibly welcoming. So she was GABU hasn't changed a bit. We're still best friends, still see her. I'm going to see her in a couple of weeks. As a matter of fact, I was so nervous and just be here for the first time put me at ease completely completely. So that's Gab. Yeah.

So I didn't realize this, but your character Jesse was actually based on our executive producer Jessica Klein, her college boyfriend. Right. I found that about. I found out later his last name was Voskez, and if had she married him, she would have been Jesse Voskuez or j Jeez. I said it wrong. It's a qu's and you should hear people with slaughter Espina? Oh my god, kidding. So going back to the character, did you know what they had in store for you? Like, did you did they talk to

you about like, Oh, here's what's going to happen. And you just knew that Gab was pregnant, So your characters got together real fast, real quick. Correct? And I think they had to speed things up because she was getting pretty pregnant pretty fast. And I haven't seen the show in the episode right right, I haven't seen like what happens next with you guys, or what starts to happen even But so you're saying, does she get pregnant with your baby on the show? Just for a little backstory,

I have no idea. She's a very method rewatch podcaster, so she has decided to go into this forgetting everything that happened on the show so she can view it wasn't it wasn't unfortunate. So wait, so you remember Jessie and Andre get pregnant with a baby right away? Uh? Pretty quick? Yeah, And so then she got it, got it? So then they have her pregnancy, her real pregnancy be Andrea's pregnancy. Yes, correct, Wow, good to know Okay, now

it's a spot for you. What are you gonna do? Okay, he'll still enjoy it, So you do you guys, realize that I've got friends who have kids who have kids who are watching this show. Nowez. My daughter's in college. Uh here in her roommate's boyfriend. He's a huge nine o two and oh fan, he's a film he's a film student, and he's watched every episode of all ten seasons. What's his name? Uh Aram tell Aram? Hi? Hey, wrong, thanks for watching. That's nice that we're reaching the young guns.

It's insane well that the show has as a longevity and as it still has a validity because they tackled so many personal issues. It wasn't a sensationalist kind of show. You talked about the things that kids. It doesn't matter what generation you're in, you're gonna be dealing with those issues. And I think it does have an appeal still today obviously. So sorry. Going back to the casting, So you meet my dad, He's like, oh, yeah, this is the guy. That's so good. I feel like I'm with him. I

don't remember. I assume he had to obviously go to Fox, even though if he didn't he would say like this is who I'm using anyway, like with Yuke, with Luke Um. But we have heard that. Our showrunner at the time, Larry Mullen, says in an interview, he was dismayed at the casting of you what is this? What does that mean? News tomorrow? That's what we were told we should ask. Larry Mullen, we haven't been running here in an interview said he was expressed dismay at the casting of what

do you think dismay means? Like? What does that mean? When? When referring to Mark Espinoza in a two thousand ten interview, former writer, because I when I did an episode with the Yes, the other pod, the ship, the other one, the other he in so many words, said that that you know he didn't realize what they had then with me as an actor, he had a new appreciation for what I did. Maybe that means maybe initially he was like, I'm not sure, but then you want him over, like

you want all of us over. Wait, but so Jesse becomes a cheater, like I know you guys are having a baby now, but now you're cheating. Well, no, I cheated later, I mean, oh, I don't tell her don't tell her, You're I don't want to talk about it, for your sake. She was cheating. First, Wait what listen, listen, listen. You're gonna have to watch the show all night, and I don't know if I'm gonna love it. This is a lot. Don't tell her. Okay, So the relationship, it's

the skids. Let's just say that, right, she said, skins. But I can't believe that. But so do you? How so you were there for two seasons? How long do you guys stay together? Like? No, what'd you break up to the least script? I want to know to be I don't know what happened. I left together, and apparently I think I guess we're still together. But they are Andre and jesserom so together. But us they were trying trying to get a divorce or thinking about a divorce.

That's all I know. So, if it came back today or you know, like the other nine O, two and oh, when it came back in c W, they had different storylines created. What had happened, Like Kelly and Dylan had ended up together? How did a child together? David and Donna had a child together. But we're in the midst of separating, possibly getting a divorce. If Andrea and Jesse had come back, where would they be in your opinion, I am in my life would still be married and

probably grandparents are great. I like it. I like it happily ever after. I mean, I have to be to be honest. You know who doesn't. Yeah? Yeah? Um so if you okay, So you went on after have a long acting career, you're still acting, I'm assuming. Yeah, what are you working on right now? You were an American Horse Story? How did I Miss It? Is my favorite? How did I miss you? In it? He were you as scary characters? I only had a couple episodes I got. I got to work with Jessica Lange and that was

She's okay. So you're either in season one to three or four? Wait what season? Season? Season? Uh? The season too? The I can't watch it? Miss this now I have to go back. Yeah I can't. It's one of my own. That makes you. That makes me that much closer to Ryan Murphy. Just because you were on there? Was it a great experience? What was it like? Uh? Well it was Jessica Lange and I was so worried. Maybe you know,

maybe she's not real nice. And I don't know, you know, because I've only met a handful of people who weren't nice. You know. On set? She who are those? Amazing? Such a pro and we we did probably takes and she gave it and thousands every single time. Such a such a pro, amazing, just an amazing, amazing person. Who's somebody else that you've loved working with over the lounge of your career, There's been a lot. I mean, I just I just did a Jenny that's not the answer. I

was on tap, but okay, okay. I just finished working on a show called The End Game on scenes that I think you can get on Peacock or Hulu or something like that. They didn't renew it for a second season. But it was the best job I've ever had. I think the Castle crew were amazing, but it was Marentha Backer and in Rayma show Bath. Uh, there's been There's been a lot of actors that have been great. I just did an episode of Quantum Leap with Raymond Lee

and nice guy, nice, nice nice. It all comes back, you know what it all makes. It makes a difference when to show up on set and everyone's pleasant I've been on sets where people aren't pleasant or there's an ego thing going on, and it just it just it's a wedge between you and the work. And yeah, I like to think of myself as you know, uh, Jerryman, who just wants to come in and do his job. You know, you were so kind and so fun and we loved always being with you. But take us back

to those days. Did you feel like, uh that ever happened on our set? I mean, everyone was at the height of their career, like it was young people. We didn't always get along and it's so nervous when you asked this question, like what if it's me that day? Well, you guys, you guys are crazy nice to me, uh, And I never felt uncomfortab We didn't have a lot of work together because so much of my stuff was

with gab or Or it was a big group group stuff. Yeah, we didn't know when we do all those those were fun. I remember. I remember stressful days for different reasons, you know, and things were a little askewed at times, But as far as people being professional and being nice to each other, and the crew was amazing as well. No, I have I have nothing but good memories on set. To be honest,

I mean I feel the same way. All the all the bad little moments are stressful moments seemed to fade away and you're left with all the best memories because it was such a magical time in all of our lives. Well that I can't imagine what it was like for you. I remember Jason coming in probably my first couple episodes. I was in for fitting and Jason walks in and with the ten dollar bill and Molly who was Moll

David David we call him spo Swoopieooo. Jason Jason bill in his hand, and he goes, can somebody please go buy me a package of tube socks? Before guy could not go to a mall and buy tube socks because you guys were so famous. Wait, I thought he was like doing a prank and like I'd like to buy a pack of tube socks. That would be meaning like doesn't tu socks mean something else? Like what like like like a sausage, like a penis? What would you want a penis? Tube socks? Guys? Am I off base here? Yes,

there's there's some someone older Randy. Wait, do you know what tupsocks used to mean? Too steak. It does have a dirty I apologize, I apologize. She's always apologizing for me. And how do you? How do you? How do you do it? How do you? How do you hold up? It's not easy? She goes off on tangents, but they're fun. You're talking about tube socks. Yeah, he couldn't buy his own socks, so we had to ask Molly to do it. It would have been the same for you guys. You couldn't.

You probably couldn't run into McDonald's and grab a big mac if you wanted it, because you've been bombarded. We did it, We actually didn't. That was It was definitely a weird time. I don't think any of us were quite prepared for it. And but the best memories from it, Oh my gosh, it's such appreciation for you know, all of that good, the bad, weird, well, because you know, as you know, get older, life throws you enough bs

so you can look back and relish. They're really good times and it gives an appreciation for what you have now in your life as well. Wait, I want to know what you have in your life. I heard you're a girl. Dad. I've got three, I've got I've got we have a modern family. I've got a partner of twenty years. We've got three three dogs, three rescue dogs. I and the father for three gorgeous daughters. Ones in college, ones in um uh high school, and the other is

finishing up middle school. So I started way like, wow, the middle school. How old is your youngest? She's gonna be fourteen in March fourteen fourteen. Yeah, it's the best though, right, three girls, I'm three girls life. I remember what life was before life. I remember what life was like before them. But it's a blur because you know, you've always heard how you guys have kids. You've I've always heard you never love anything more than you love your kids. And

I assume that's probably true to a certain level. I didn't realize the depth, Darvin, I would. I would throw myself on the tracks for them. I wouldn't think you wouldn't think twice about it, You would just do it. You love them so much, even when they're rotten a really crappy day, You adore them. You love them more than you love anything. And being in this business where it's me, me, me, me me all the time to be able to set aside and go I love something

more than I love myself. That that's a revelation. I think on a certain level it is. Yeah, it is well, But she doesn't love herself at all because she has five kids to love. There's no love left over, no left, no love left. Don't love me. I'll love herself. I love you more than I love myself. But that's another would for me. Yeah, that's a good friend. I'm sweet. Is that mean I would? I would do whatever, I could stop the train, like, I don't know if I would,

you know what I mean? I would think that out first, Like what if you didn't have a moment. I mean, I guess if I had, I don't know. I'm like when it comes to things happening, I'm not like a strong person. I wouldn't imagine, but when something happens, I dive in deep, like I'll go fast. So I probably would not think about it and throw myself on the train attraction, and then I'd feel really guilty. If would you, um, you would say my eulogy? Yes, okay, No, you'd make jokes,

of course I would. Oh, it's so fun to talk to you and catch up with you. Yes, it's been a really long time, you honestly look the same. It's weird, it's bizarro. I knew. See, we all have our like personal things we are self conscious about, and you brought it up earlier, so we knew we were to say your okay, aside from your hair, you're still as exactly from fella. It's like a man swoon over you. Did you notice that or you didn't get it because you're like, oh,

Jason Priestly Luke Perry, like you're swooning over me. Girls loved you, by the way. I go back to my my thirty and forty years men, everyone they they all liked a little Jesse. I that's a long story, but I well, no, I just like it's so bizarre. I

couldn't I couldn't find a date in high school. And you go back to your high school reunion and you hear these these girls, women, young women have grown up to be women, and they're all still gorgeous, and they say, I had such a crush on you in high school. What nobody had a crush on me? And I couldn't find a date to home coming? So do people recognize

you from from Nino too? I know? Is that like the most recognizable thing that you find people seeing you out in public from Yeah, that people still do it. When I was on The End Game, people would stop me about the End Game. Uh. And the character is a really serious character, doesn't smile at all, And one kid stopping and said, dude, you smile. I really like the show Man. Uh. But yeah, I still get the night. But people look at you a little bit like, yeah, yeah,

maybe I go to school with you. Yeah, get a little foggy for people. Well, I played a lot of cops and doctors and judges, so on occasion people stop and start talking to me like I'm a professional, like a dude, I just playing on TV. Man. That's the best response. Was this your most notable like character playing a leading man sex symbol? Uh? Jesse? Yes, Well, I mean I don't. I don't. I wouldn't consider him a sex symbol. I still wear plaid, by the way I might.

I might ask plaid and stone washed jeans. I mean, maybe you don't hear you didn't hear it as much as we did. But girls used to like fawn over you, and I can't take it anymore. No, I don't remember that it is. I will say, I will I will. I will to backtrack a tiny bit. I moved from Chicago back to l A. And in those three weeks before I had the nine or two and o audition, I was only in town less than a month. When I got the audition. Those three weeks, I was trying

to find a job waiting tables. I could not get a job waiting tables anywhere. Uh, And the idea of asking someone out on a date was impossible. You fast forward, all of a sudden, I'm eating at restaurants I couldn't get a job at and I'm getting you know, women were giving me their business cards and things like that. But at that point it doesn't seem real, you know, you You wonder about their motives in that respect. So I if someone thought I was a sex symbol, I

never heard it. Well we do, yeah, we heard it. We thought it. Still do. Yeah. Look at that smile, always the best for this thing. Best smile. It's so great catching up with you. We really really appreciate your green now on the pod. It's so good. It's so good to see you. Likewise, you guys look amazing, Oh my gosh, than mirrors smoking mirrors, no good genetics, good living gorgeousness period so thank you. No periods. Well, we hope we see you soon. Look up, look up the

end game. It's it's it's a really fun show. It's a great show. Okay, lets everybody go out and check out the end Game. See Mark Espinoza in actually wearing some really nice suits. We miss you. We it's so great seeing you hopefully. Well, I know we have talked before with Gab about getting together with you, and and all said they're eating they have a pot luck, so hopefully that works out. I'll see you in a couple

of weeks, so I'll bring it up. Yeah, tell her we want to We still want to do that the pot luck year. Yeah, in the new year. Okay, we love you, Love you guys. Oh my gosh, what fun it is. That was Mark Damon Espinosa. He literally looks the same. It must be nice being a man because you basically, for the most part, you look the same. It's not always true either age or you don't. And if you age the same, he looks exactly the same thing.