For his role in NBC's dramedy "You Me And The Apocalypse", actor Rob Lowe undertook some homework of biblical proportions - he read the bible.
"This was a great excuse to do something that I've been putting off forever which was really, really, really spend some time reading the bible cover to cover", Lowe admits. "You know, I've read bits and pieces of it over the course of my life. But I never really sat down and taken it all in in a sort of scholarly way. So, that was great, a great opportunity to do that."
In the series, which also stars Jenna Fischer and Megan Mullally, Lowe stars as Father Jude Sutton, an unconventional catholic priest with just 34 days to weed out the crazies - all who come forth claiming to be the second coming - after it's announced that a comet's impact will decimate all life on Earth.
Having read the Bible cover to cover for the role, did you get anything from it that you didn't know or didn't understand before?
Honestly, every time I do any reading, I'm kind of struck with the same thing really other than, you know, if you're looking for guidance, then obviously you get different things from it depending on what you're looking to have answered. But overall, I'm just always struck with the language. It's so beautiful. I'm also struck with things like how many common phrases we have in our everyday casual vernacular that comes from the bible. You're like, "Oh, that's where that comes from?" I'm not breaking any new ground when I say it's such a work of depth, inspiration and beauty that I'm kind of amazed each time I open it.
If the end were coming, how would Rob Lowe like to be remembered?
Wow. I would like to be thought of as a father first. My two sons are amazing young men. I'm very proud of them. One of them is on "The Grinder" now as a re-occurring actor as he's getting a 4.0 at Stanford. My other is graduating Duke and going to law school. They're great human beings, and that's way more important than anything I've ever done in my career. Different people have different connections to me. Some are recent. Some go back 30 years. I think it would be an incredible legacy to be one of those people that has been in a relationship with an audience their entire lifetime.
You have played everything. Were you looking to play a priest?
There are certain archetypes that an actor should play before they you know move on, you know. Cop, check. Cowboy, check. President, check. Priest, check. So I'm working my way down the list now (laughs).
And you now have two shows on two networks?
It is really exciting. Two completely different characters in two completely different types of shows on two networks at the same time is really, for me, sort of an actor's dream.
Did you have to juggle the two shows?
I'd travel back and forth. I'd do three weeks in Europe on "You, Me And The Apocalypse" then fly back and work on "The Grinder". So to do it - not only to be doing them both at the same time- was a challenge, but also really fun. We finished "Apocalypse" in a time where I could then really do the meat of "The Grinder", which I'm still doing.
Megan Mullally also has a role in "Apocalypse" and is unrecognizable. What did you think of her role?
I didn't recognize her. And I've known Megan since 1984. You know she's a chameleon. She's an amazing actress. When she - when she was on "Will & Grace," people thought that's who she was. When she was on "Parks and Recreation" as Tammy, you know she just inhabits those characters. This is no different; I think even Megan Mullally fans, when they see her in this, at first probably won't even realize it's her.
If you could bring out one message to fans and viewers of the show, what message would that be?
I would describe the show to the fans as a boundary pushing comedy/drama that presents the end of the world in a way that you've never seen before- through extraordinary drawn and interesting characters with plot twists that you will absolutely never see coming.
