It's a pretty good time to be Morris Chestnut. The handsome 46-year-old actor stars in the new hit movie "The Perfect Guy," which topped the box office two weeks ago, and headlines the new TV show "Rosewood," premiering tonight on Fox.
Chestnut first garnered attention in 1991 when he burst onto the scene as Ricky in the hugely successful "Boyz in the Hood." He has since starred in movies and TV shows that have kept him gainfully employed over the last 25 years.
More recently, Chestnut has recurred on "American Horror Story" and "Nurse Jackie," and he hopes viewers will welcome into their homes every Wednesday night.
"There's a lot riding on this," he admitted exclusively to Headlines & Global News about starring on his own series. "But I just go to the set and do my job every day. As long as I'm doing the best I can do, everything else is up in the air."
Set against the vibrant backdrop of Miami, Chestnut plays Dr. Beaumont Rosewood Jr. who is the city's top private pathologist. He teams up with Det. Annalise Villa (Jaina Lee Ortiz) to uncover unseen clues and help the Miami P.D. solve their most challenging cases.
Chestnut's innate debonair flair shines as Rosewood and one thing is for sure - viewers will see the hunky doctor's impressive physique even if the actor is apprehensive to show it off.
"In the first three episodes my shirt is off," he shared. "I didn't want to do that. I am a lot more humble than Rosewood. I just don't take my shirt off in public. That's something I wouldn't do that Rosewood does all the time."
Chances are female viewers won't be complaining. He already has the full endorsement from the ladies of "The View" who gave their approval during his appearance for Man Crush Monday.
HNGN recently sat down with a fully clothed Chestnut who gave us the exclusive lowdown on "Rosewood" and what his wife thinks about his sexy shirtless scenes.
And don't forget to watch "Rosewood" tonight, Sept. 23 at 8 p.m. on Fox.
This is an exciting time for you. Are you nervous about carrying a new show?
I try not to look at things in terms of ratings and everything. When we first premiere am I going to be nervous? Yes. I want people to enjoy the show and watch. That's part of the business, but if I'm doing my best job acting on the show and promoting it, I'm doing my job. You never know what's going to catch fire. I don't think anyone thought that 'Empire' would do what it did. There are a lot of other shows out there that were supposed to be huge and fizzled.
So why should people watch "Rosewood?"
Because it's a fun, exciting show and not your typical procedural show or serialized show. It'll blend elements of those along with tone. It's fun, smart, hip and all of the characters are very dynamic. Whoever you are, you'll find something to relate to in the show.
You are so debonair in the show, is that all you?
It's all me. I'm just a debonair kind of guy [laughs]. No, really, I've tried to pull different elements of every character I've played into Rosewood. I try to pull out my own wit and charm and those affable aspects of me along with trying to be fun and endearing to people. All my characters have some elements of me. There are not many, but there are little bits of me in there.
Has any of Rosewood rubbed off on you?
Well the thing that I have that he doesn't, well he does to a certain degree, I am a lot more humble than Rosewood. Morris might have a billboard and Rosewood might like one [laughs]. The fun part of Rosewood is playing the aspects that aren't me. Sometimes I'll ask, 'Really? Is he going to do this?' Like in the first three episodes my shirt it is off. I didn't want to do that.
Why is that? I'm sure female viewers won't be complaining.
Well here's the thing, in the first episode I knew it was going to be there, but when the second script came along it was there again. I mean there are dietary issues you have to deal with, you have to prepare [laughs]. So I thought okay, but then in the third script I said to the producer, 'I can't do this. I can't do it in every single show.' But they get direction from networks and studios so I get it, but that's something I would never do. I'd never take my shirt off in public and I don't swim.
Really, why is that?
I'm just not a big swimmer. I'm not a big water person. Like I don't go to the gym and play basketball and take my shirt off. You would never see that. I just don't take my shirt off in public, that's something I wouldn't do that Rosewood does all the time.
Is that one of the things you might watch the show for, to see how you look?
[Laughs] No.
What does your wife think about you taking your shirt off on TV?
She's not down with it. She's not because I had to lose weight, she's like, 'Oh, you're so skinny.' She likes me with a little more, actually way more. I say, "Hey, I've got abs." But she's all. "You're so skinny." There has to be a trade-off.
Rosewood also has an awesome car with that classic GTO. Is that something you might drive?
No it's not. I'm not a big sun guy and not really a fan of convertibles. So that's not a car I would personally drive. I also like cars that have working air conditioning. One of the first cars I ever bought, I put together. It was a Porsche that probably cost about $20,000 yet looked like it cost $50,000. So I built this Porsche convertible but to build this particular car I had to buy an old one. I got a 1969 and converted it. The problem with that is the AC didn't work that well and I got very hot. I had the car for about 2 years and finally said, "No, I'm getting a hard top with good air conditioning." That's me.
But it sure looks cool?
Oh it's a cool car, really cool, but again that's one aspect of Rosewood that I can play off.
You're shooting in LA but it really looks like it's Miami.
We did shoot the pilot in Miami, but we're shooting the subsequent episodes in LA. However, there are some great locations that look like Miami and there'll be some visual effects to help out. Having to commute would just be horrible.
Rosewood seems pretty cool and collected. Will we get to see him cry or get really emotional?
You'll see in the second episode, which is one of the great things about having Lorraine Toussaint here is that she's the matriarch of the family as well as the entire show. She brings a certain balance and calm, so there is an emotional scene and he may not cry in the first five episodes, but there will be episodes where he deals with the reality with his mother. This guy loves strong women around him and all the women put him in his place, my mother, my sister, the Det. Villa character all tell me about myself, so there will be some deep scenes.
Is that anything like being at home for you? You've been married for a very long time.
Well, my wife always puts me in my place. I know my place so... having been married for 19 years, almost 20, now I just don't get out of line.
How happy is your wife that you're playing a doctor, albeit a largely shirtless one?
[Laughs] She actually likes the show and she's excited about it. Hopefully she'll watch this one because the last one I did she didn't like to watch. It was called 'Legends' and she just wouldn't watch it, she thought it was too much to follow.
