Graham Patrick Martin Talks ‘Major Crimes’ [Exclusive Interview]

TNT’s Major Crimes is heading into its final season, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store.

I recently spoke with Graham Patrick Martin, who stars as Rusty Beck on the series, about what it’s been like to play that character for so many years and what we can look forward to from Major Crimes Season 6.

Martin has worked on Major Crimes for the duration of the series, and before that, he starred on The Bill Engvall Show as well as Two and Half Men, without much of a break in between roles. That all started with a short trip to Los Angeles.

“I started [acting] when I was twelve, living in New York, doing commercials and that whole deal, and then I got my first gig  — actually my agent in New York really wanted me to move to LA, and I had no intention of doing that because I loved New York so much. So he convinced me to come out to LA for two days,” Martin remembered.

“While I was out here, they sent me on an audition to see what an LA audition was like. It ended up being for this show called The Bill Engvall Show, so it was my very first LA audition, and I ended up getting the show. That moved me out to LA, and I ended up being on that for three years. And then after that, Two and a Half Men for three years, and then Major Crimes for six now,” he said.

“I’ve been lucky that I’ve had consistent work, which I feel like is the hardest thing to find in Los Angeles.”

Martin recalled his audition for the character of Rusty, who first appeared at the end of The Closer as a guest star.

“I had a night with my guy friends where we were out late, and I woke up the next morning — I was twenty years old — I woke up the next morning to a phone call, and I wasn’t feeling that great,” he said.

“I woke up to a phone call from my manager saying, ‘Hey, you have this audition for The Closer in three hours, can you make it?’ And I said, ‘Honestly, man, I’m not in the best state right now. I don’t think I can do it,” Martin remembered.

“He said, ‘Well look, just look at the sides. Let me know — if it’s good, you should go in on it.’ So I kind of like opened one eye and pulled up my email and I looked at the sides.” Martin said he was immediately struck by how good the material was when he read it. “I struggled to sort of learn the lines and work on the sides within this two and a half hours I had to prepare.”

“It ended up working out,” he continued. “I was not in the best state of mind. I don’t know if that took away any inhibitions I had!”

Martin went on to describe what it was that struck him most about the part, and what made that script so unique.

“I read these sides for a guest star on a cop drama, and it was as if I was reading an indie film that’s set to go to Sundance or something like that. It had so many layers, and it was so rich for a character that was just being created for the first time,” he explained. “It was just a powerful, powerful role. And it was to play opposite Kyra Sedgewick, and I just couldn’t pass it up.”

The rest, of course, is history. Martin said it was halfway through shooting that episode when the creator of the series asked if he wanted to continue the role on the spinoff series, Major Crimes.

Martin’s role as Rusty is one that has been praised by LGBT community, particularly because he’s so relatable. That’s one of the things Martin loves most about playing that character.

“It’s great. It’s one thing when people come up and say, ‘Oh my God, I love your show; I love the work you do.’ But playing this role, I’ve gotten something different than I’ve ever gotten, and that’s when people come up to me, and they say, ‘Thank you for telling my story,'” Martin shared.

“I’ve gotten that a lot from people in the LGBT community, and also people who have a history of being homeless — homeless youth — and people who have been in and out of the foster system. I get a lot of these messages via Twitter, which it’s so cool that anyone can reach out to you via Twitter these days,” he continued. “It’s really humbling. I’m really lucky to be able to play this character and help tell this story.”

Martin has also been encouraged by the way audiences have reacted to his character.

“When my character came out, when they showed my character kiss his boyfriend, it wasn’t — it didn’t break the internet,” he noted.

“I think that’s something that is so awesome, is that television is now at a point that having a gay character like Rusty isn’t necessarily considered revolutionary,” he continued. “I think it says a lot about us as a society. It feels good.”

As for what we can expect from the upcoming season, Martin offered a few hints.

“There is a lot of trouble in paradise with Gus, who is my boyfriend. And more importantly, Phillip Stroh, who is played by Billy Burke, is definitely creeping back into the picture,” he teased. “A lot of things that have been pent-up for a while are coming to a head, including the situation with Philip Stroh.”

In addition to working on Major Crimes, Martin has been working to expand his skills, and has even gotten some experience working behind the camera. He’s shadowed directors on Major Crimes, and recently directed a music video for Harlie’s “Tried to Be Nice.

“She gave me this song that’s about this women who’s been slighted, sort of taken for granted at the end of a relationship, and I crafted this concept about the two sort of reactions you can have from that. How you can look back on a relationship with fondness, but then how — you know, kind of the defiant side can eventually creep up and eventually take over,” Martin explained. “Harlie and I had a lot of fun putting that together.”

Finally, Martin shared a few fun facts about himself that he felt fans would be surprised to know.

“I hate cucumbers. I despise them with every fiber of my being,” he laughed. “I also get seasick.”

And perhaps the most surprising? “I know everything there is to know about late nineties one hit wonders,” he admitted. Martin even shared his favorite, which he said was “MMMbop” by Hanson.

You’re welcome.

Be sure to catch Graham Patrick Martin on Major Crimes, which returns for Season 6 Tuesday, October 31st at 9/8c on TNT.

*Featured image credits:

• Photographer: Dylan Lujano @dylanlujano
• Grooming: Matilde Campos @tildebymatilde 
• Stylist: David Nino @davidmnino

 

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