Anyone who still thinks of Eric McCormack as his TV alter ego Will Truman from "Will & Grace" will soon be in for a big surprise. The Emmy-winning actor has a new show called "Perception" coming to TNT, and it will no doubt change the way his fans view him.
Eric McCormack Became a Household Name on 'Will & Grace.'
McCormack became a household name on the sitcom about the two platonic friends living in New York. Portraying one of television's first gay characters, viewers came to know him for his comedic timing.
But "Perception" shows a different side of McCormack's acting skills. In the crime drama, he plays Dr. Daniel Pierce a college professor who teams up with a former student (Rachael Leigh Cook) to help solve mysteries. But, of course, there's a twist -- the neuroscientist is also schizophrenic.
Eric McCormack Is No Stranger to Drama.
At a press event, McCormack acknowledged that the role is quite a departure from what people have come to expect from him, a career move he purposefully made. "I wasn't actively searching for another gay role, let's put it that way… I can't top Will. Will's a thing. And I was really wanting to push other buttons."
Of course anyone who followed McCormack's pre-"Will & Grace" career knows that he's no stranger to drama. He frequently appeared on series like 'The Commish" and "Diagnosis Murder," and was in TV movies including "Lonesome Doves: The Outlaw Years."
Eric McCormack Acknowledges That 'Will & Grace' Had an Impact.
Still the actor acknowledged that although it was a sitcom, "Will & Grace" certainly had a bigger impact on society. He reflected on the series' influence, saying, "We were always careful to say that we're a comedy show, and we're not political. And any effect we had, I'm really grateful for. I don't take credit for it…. But I did take great pride. When the letters started to come in from 16-year-old boys saying, 'I finally came out to my mother because she loves your show.' It was great. And I always felt a sense of responsibility about it."
Now McCormack hopes to be a similarly shining representative for people afflicted with schizophrenia. And he does believe that "Perception" is on the right track to do just that. McCormack remarked, "I do feel that advocates, anybody with an advocacy group for schizophrenics, will be really happy with the balance that we find. It's not soft peddled, but it shows a lot of sides of the issues."
"Perception" premiers on July 9 at 10 p.m. EST/9 p.m. CST on TNT.
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