Gary Sinise on Mac character: ‘I’m a bit goofier’

WHEN Gary Sinise talks, he sounds exactly like Mac Taylor. But the actor insists he’s a lot more fun than his “CSI New York” character. “I’m a much sillier person than Mac. Mac is serious and very straightforward and no nonsense. I’m a bit goofier in my personal life than he is.”

Gary is not just passionate about acting — he loves music as well and plays bass guitar in the Lt. Dan Band, which is named after his “Forrest Gump” character. His “CSI” life and musician’s life have been harmonious — he’s even played bass in a episode of the show. “I’ve been going overseas on tour with my band for the last three or four summers and I noticed that the crowds have gotten bigger and bigger as we’ve come over there and I think part of it is the popularity and the growing audience of ‘CSI New York.’”

How did they get you to say yes to this role?

I hadn’t really considered settling into television at that point. I had a wonderful dinner with Anthony who told me he had the very first episode of “CSI New York” in his head. He described the episode to me. We had more conversations after that before I decided that it was something that I wanted to do. Soon, it became clear that it would be a positive step and I was very glad I did it.

What is it like playing the same character for so long?

I was used to playing different characters all the time. I thought it was going to be monotonous. But there’s a security in playing the same character and a freedom in the fact that it’s a successful series. There’s always another episode. There’s always something to try. It gives me a stability as an actor that some of my friends don’t have when they’re out there looking for the next job all the time. I like the security of it.

Why do you think “CSI”-type shows are doing so well?

The audience can tune in at any point and they don’t really need to know anything about the characters. These shows aren’t dependent on the soap-opera aspect of the interaction with the characters and the relationships and all that. It’s dependent on solving the crime and tricking the audience and trying to let the audience guess who committed the crime.

Because you’re getting more recognized as Mac Taylor, is it easier for you to talk yourself out of a ticket with an LA police officer?

I haven’t had to try that yet. But I will tell you one quick funny story. I was driving down the freeway one night after working and it was stop-and-go traffic, very crowded. I stopped and got hit from behind. I started to get out of the car and the guy who smashed into me pulled around the side and sped off down the freeway. So I jumped back in my car and took after him.I sped down the freeway trying to go after him and he was going 90 miles an hour and I was not gonna let him get away. I was in my cop mode. I went into Mac-Taylor-cop-chase-the-bad-guy mode. And he pulled across three lanes and he went down the ramp on the freeway while I had to make a split decision. I just missed the ramp, I got over the edge and down the hill and came in behind him. I jumped out of my car and bashed on the window and I told him to pull over. He pulled over, turned out he was drunk. He got out of the car, I was screaming at him, I called the cops and waited for the cops to get there. He was trying to talk me out of it, he was saying “Please, please, I’m gonna lose my child if my wife finds out I’m drunk.” And then he looked at me and he went, “Gary Sinise! You’re Gary Sinise! Hey, don’t turn me in, man!” And then the cop pulled up. I said, “Hey this guy is drunk and he slammed into me, you gotta do something.” And he went “Okay I will. He’s gonna go to jail... Gary Sinise! How you doin’? I’m a cop! My brother works in the NYPD..” And I said, “Can you please take this guy to jail and just let me go?” That’s my cop story. The cops seem to know who I am based on the TV show. They seem to like me, I guess.

Choose one — an Oscar, a number one on the Billboard Top 100 or a performance at Madison Square Garden with your band?

Madison Square Garden with the band.

So you’d rather be a musician than an actor?

The band thing is something I do on the side. I played music before I was an actor. I always fantasized about playing in front of big crowds. Now I do. The band actually draws pretty big crowds. It’s kind of the curiosity of what kind of band the “CSI” guy is gonna have.

Why do you think actors are settling into television now?

I think part of it is the writing, there are great writers working in television now. If you look at the “CSI” shows, they’re like little movies every week the way they’re shot.

How different is Mac Taylor from the lead characters of the other “CSI” shows?

I’ve worked with (David) Caruso on a couple of episodes for “CSI Miami” so I kinda know what he does in that show. Billy (Petersen) I’ve known for a long time, but I haven’t watched their shows a whole lot. Anthony Zuiker and I talk about my character being an ex-Marine with a military background. One thing that Anthony did mention to me is that Billy’s character is very science-minded, Caruso’s character is very cop and my character is somewhere in between. I’m sort of a blend between science and a Marine drill sergeant.

Are you a good shot? Do you own a gun?

I use fake guns on my show. They don’t fire so I don’t know what kind of shot I am. I’ve fired guns before but I never have on this show. I’m not a gun expert or anything. I actually do own a gun, I was given a gun by another actor, he gave me a gun as a present. I have it tucked away somewhere.

You play the leader on the show. How does that translate in real life working with younger actors?

I really enjoy all these folks. We have a great time on the set. I may play the lead on the show and Melina’s the co-lead on the show but we don’t ever look at it that way. Everybody’s important. First and foremost, the writers, if they don’t write the scripts, we can’t do anything. So I’m always supportive and impressed with our writers. We have a very pleasant environment on our set.

Do you want to go back to movies?

Until the television series is over, I just don’t see it. I can’t say that it’s not possible if the right part, the right project, the right director came along.