Benjamin Bratt/Grace Park (The Cleaner)

Shakefire was invited onto the set of The Cleaner as the drama filmed their second season finale. We also got to partake in a roundtable with its stars Benjamin Bratt (Miss Congeniality, Law & Order) and Grace Park (Battlestar Gallatica).

In its first season, The Cleaner averaged 4.2 million total viewers, becoming the number one original drama in A&E history.  The show is inspired by the true story of a real-life "extreme interventionist," played by Bratt who, after hitting rock-bottom from his own addictions after the birth of his daughter, strikes a tentative deal with God. Now along with his unconventional team, he helps people get away from their addictions using untraditional methods. Season two kicked off back in June with a guest appearance by Whoopi Goldberg who also appears in this year’s season finale. Unfortunately, Whoopi was not on set the day of our exclusive walk-thru.

I was of course excited to interview the extremely hot Benjamin Bratt, but I was only able to get in three questions during the half-hour roundtable conversation. When I say roundtable, I mean this literally, Benjamin, myself and the rest of the small media group were seated at a round mosaic table found on the detailed set of the show. On the table were other props including a poker chip set, Harley Davidson playing cards, a grungy ashtray with stubbed out cigarettes and a copy of Mustang and Ford Trader magazine from July 2004. Benjamin meanwhile was tall (6’2) and skinny, his skin darker than usual and was wearing jeans and a grey linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Like his character, the normally clean shaven actor was sporting a beard and mustache and I noticed some grey hairs in his side burns that looked quite attractive. The actor shook everyone’s hand (yes, including mine) and especially warmed up to the Hispanic media there and shared the fact that his mother is from Peru. 

I had my handy flip camera to record the audio as filming was not allowed. My first question was “If someone hasn’t seen the show, why should they tune in?”

Benjamin Bratt: “Chiefly, because it is good drama. I think we never lose site here as a collective to create a compelling hour of television. The subject matter we are dealing with helps us achieve that, we aren’t a cop show we aren’t a medical drama, yet we do have the stakes to allow for high drama, it’s a life and death scenario. It’s the kind of scenario I’ve never seen played out before on television before. It’s also modeled after a real person who actually does this for a living, that’s a pretty compelling back drop for what we are trying to do. I’m struck all the time how people I’ve never met before tell me how much the show means to them. How it reminds them of their own struggles or someone they know dealing with addiction and that ultimately is the best reward for us.”

The show is obviously about addictions, what is your addiction?

BB: “Chiefly, coffee! (Laughs). I’m addicted to my wife and her joi de vive, she makes me laugh and keeps me grounded. It’s easy to be addicted to love, once you find it. I’m so fulfilled by my own little family I often do not want to leave to go to work”

AWWW! He later shared that while filming he does 12-14 hour days and it usually takes about 5 months to film the 13 episode season. He added, “It’s a great job, but it’s a grind, not glamorous.” Thus, he went on to express his excitement for the upcoming break as he only had three more days left of filming before they hopefully start the third season.

How is it playing this character versus your Law & Order cop and other roles?

BB: “I always wanted to play such a complex character. I played a cop, played a scientist, but I never played someone so multidimensional, so deeply flawed yet heroic. I was never afforded such an opportunity” 

After speaking with Benjamin, he once again shook all of our hands and thanked us for coming. Then, actress Grace Park who plays “Akani Cuesta” on the show sat down at the table in Bratt’s place. She was also quite tall, her hair was pulled back in a pony tail and she was dressed in an 80s-like top.

How is playing Akani easier or harder than your roles on Battlestar Gallatica?

Grace Park: “Akani has this great personality and she’s really fun, but I think sometimes depending on the dialogue or the actors that day sometimes I can get thrown a little off. On Battlestar it was so intensely emotional and deep and usually life or death that at least I had that always no matter what was happening in the rest of the world that would always ground me. In here it is so much about the dynamic with Benjamin or Esteban and what is happening here. Also, before with Battlestar it was very an organic process here it is much more technical.”

How is the atomosphere on this set different?

Grace Park: “I’ve heard a lot of times this is a really good set and I can see that. People are really friendly and they all try to do their best work. I’d probably say probably more humor on this set, but also a lot more sarcasm.”