Collider: I loved this because its such an interesting and different buddy dynamic.
BOMER: Yeah, and thats what I love.
But I do love that comedic tension in the character.
Hes trying to put on this brave face for the world, but hes just dying inside.
That was fun for me.
So was getting to do comedy and work with a great comedic actor like Alejandro Patino.
Image via Treasure Entertainment
Its a friendship that transcends a language barrier and cultural barrier.
These are two people who you wouldnt normally see getting to interact together.
John was incredibly collaborative and really open to improvisation.
Image via Treasure Entertainment
That was largely improvised.
The moment when I couldnt get the seatbelt to go down was improvised.
It certainly wasnt a schadenfreude bang out of situation.
Image via Treasure Entertainment
And we forget that everybody has a bad day at work.
Theres something about the labor-intensive aspect of that, that also feeds into Seans breakdown, when it happens.
So, it really is one of those things that completely sneaks up on him.
Image via Prashant Gupta/FX
He doesnt even really know whats happening, when it happens.
But we also really didnt want to make that a slapstick moment.
We wanted to make that as real as we could given the circumstances.
Image via DC Universe
What was it like to find and explore the dynamic with your co-star Alejandro Patino?
Was that a really natural, easy chemistry?
Hes so present in a scene.
Image via Treasure Entertainment
Hes just so lovely and open.
Ive been pretty blessed, over the years, I have to say.
BOMER: Yeah, and its so different every season.
Image via Treasure Entertainment
This season is so different.
Had you seen the other seasons, with Jessica Biel and Carrie Coon?
BOMER: Yeah, I had seen both.
I was a huge fan.
This character is very different from anything theyve done before.
I think they do a great job, each season, of reinventing the wheel.
BOMER: Or it could just turn into a procedural.
Its so much of awhydunitinstead of a whodunit, and its so character-driven and not procedure-driven.
This character could not be more different, as well.
Its just darker than a lot of the stuff Ive gotten to do before.
Except for maybeAmerican Horror Story, but thats a littlecampiersometimes.
He was also a vampire, who was 50 years old, or whatever.
[The Sinner] is really grounded in reality.
BOMER: Oh, my gosh, and with the same cast.
Everybody just brings so much great work to the table that itsgonnabe fun.
Did you have any idea that was going to go hand-in-hand?
BOMER: No clue.
So, I knew to trust him implicitly.
And obviously, JoeMantellois as good as it gets, in terms of theater directing, worldwide.
I didnt really expect it, either.
It was my first Broadway show, so I was just so excited to be on stage.
I was like, Is thisgonnalast two weeks, or is thisgonnalast five days?
That moved me to tears.
I think it will be different.
And then, there are little duets that happen, off to the side.
BOMER: Oh, my gosh, I just want more people to see it.
I am so in love with the show.
They called me and said, Listen, we have this character.
Hes one-part Montgomery Clift, one-part the Elephant Man.
Hes got this in his backstory.
This is his journey, over the first season.
It was so obviously character-driven and well mapped out.
And then, I read the script, and it was phenomenal and hilarious.
He doesnt come on full force, from the get-go.
And I knew that there would be creatively challenging aspects of it because I couldnt always be there.
I knew that wasgonnabe challenging, but I think it all came together really nicely.
That cast has just blown me away, at every turn.
I think what April Bowlby is doing as Rita Farr is so hard to do and so amazing.
Brendan [Fraser] just kills me, every episode, with his wit and humanity.
Alan [Tudyk] is phenomenal.Joivan[Wade] is great.
Timothy Dalton is phenomenal.
The whole cast has just blown me away.
They worked from sunrise on Monday until sunrise on Saturday morning, every week, almost.
I was like, Oh, my gosh, Im in Georgia shooting gay love scenes.
But they were hugging me after takes, and they were so amazing, through and through.
Im really grateful to them.
BOMER: Of course!
Yeah, of course you do.
That part is tough, especially when you love the piece and the character.
But, Im very grateful.
I remind myself to be very grateful, every morning, whether Im feeling it or not.
Who knows whats next?
BOMER: Thats the goal.
I think thats why I became an artist.
I never wanted to play myself.
I never wanted to just be me.
Even back then, people were like, Just be the leading man.
And I was like, I dont know how to just do that.
I justwannado different things.
So, I hope that I get to continue to have the chance to do that.
Papi Chulois in theaters and on-demand.
