‘Odd Couple’ actor says ‘Selma’ cast mate is his current muse

MATTHEW Perry (left) and Wendell Pierce in “Odd Couple”

“It’s watching my cast mates, who are some of the most talented people,” says actor Wendell Pierce, when asked in a recent phone interview about the most rewarding part of being in the new sitcom “The Odd Couple.” His costars are funnymen Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon, from “Friends” and “Reno 911,” respectively.

“I’ve been a big fan of theirs for quite a while,” he adds.

Serious fare

Pierce, 48, has been an actor since the late 1980s. He starred in more serious fare like the police drama series “The Wire” and the New Orleans-set “Treme.” His film credits include “Malcolm X,” “Waiting to Exhale,” “Sleepers,” “Ray” and “Selma.”

“The Odd Couple” (Fridays, 9:55 p.m., RTL CBS Entertainment) is about two mismatched roommates played by Perry and Lennon. Pierce plays Teddy, buddy to Perry’s character Oscar.

Pierce describes television as a very different medium from when he started acting. He explains, “It’s a lot more diverse. It’s also more like film, and people are getting to experiment a little bit more. And [audiences] aren’t afraid of that. I think television now allows people to do a lot more.”

Elated, the actor, a graduate of the Juilliard School Drama division, adds that universal ideas are also well-received: “It’s great to know that American shows are all over Asia.”

Keep it moving

Working on a sitcom, Pierce says, is a different challenge. “Acting is acting, nothing changes about [that]. Except that, for a sitcom, you have to work really fast, think fast… you have to be quick on your wit, quick on your feet,” he says. “You can’t have long pauses. That’s the only difference, but it’s the same sort of acting ‘muscle.’”

He’s learning new things about acting, he adds: “The more fun you have, the more ideas you come up with and the more relaxed you are. You really have to keep it moving; that’s what I am learning.”

About acting influences, he says, “As times goes on, it’s just the last performance that inspires you. I was just moved by Carmen Ejogo, who was in the movie ‘Selma.’ She was absolutely stunning. She is my latest muse.”

More personal

Pierce says working in the American entertainment industry for decades has taught him to value two things: “The work you do and the people you meet. You want to do great work because that will likely be the reason that you’d get another job. About the people you meet, it’s a lot more personal in Hollywood than people would think… In the business, the most important thing I find is really good work, and [I] develop good relationships!”