Adam Scott Reflects on His Career and Why ‘Severance’ Was His Dream Role: “it was everything that I’d ever wanted to do”
Adam Scott is likely best known for his role in the TV show ‘Parks and Recreation’ as Ben Wyatt, but true fame came with his intense performance in the psychological thriller ‘Severance.’
In the show, he portrays a loyal employee with a chip in his head that separates his work and personal memories, but his faith in the system begins to falter when he realizes the well-being of those around him may be at risk.
Scott recently commented on his career and admitted that ‘Severance’ is everything he ever wanted to do:
From the very first time I read a script for Severance, I felt like it was everything that I’d ever wanted to do, acting-wise.
The actor shared that when he read the script for ‘Severance,’ he felt it was the kind of story he had been working toward throughout his career. He admitted that at the time, he didn’t believe he would actually get the role, but he felt that after 20 or 30 years of acting, it was the culmination of what he had always wanted to do.
He also mentioned that the mix of genres reminded him of the stories he loved as a kid, which inspired him to become an actor in the first place.
It’s the kind of story, the mix of genres – everything that I felt I had been working toward and kind of felt like when I read it, if I get to actually play this role – and at the time, I was like there’s no way I’m ever going to get to actually do this, but if I do, it will be because I’ve been sort of earning my way towards this, my whole 20, maybe 30 years at this point. It is precisely the kind of thing that I loved when I was a kid and made me want to do this in the first place.
Scott explained that as a producer on ‘Severance,’ his main focus is being available to help and remove roadblocks, whether creative or logistical. He finds satisfaction in supporting the team and contributing to the bigger picture. While acting, especially in his show, fulfills his creative energy, producing allows him to think more broadly and offer helpful guidance.
I mean, as a producer, I try to just make sure I’m available to everyone, to be as helpful as possible. That’s what I kind of feel producing is, and that’s how I get the most satisfaction out of producing, is just trying to clear roadblocks away, whether they be creative or otherwise, and just see where I can be helpful. And so, with Severance, it’s great because I’ve been doing this for a long time and acting is incredibly satisfying, particularly this role. It takes up all of my creative energy, but I also like to be thinking about the big picture, as well, and I love being able to sort of be a voice to be helpful in that circumstance.
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