Q&A With Silas Weir Mitchell of 'Grimm'

Veteran character actor talks about future episodes, Monroe's love life and offers some advice

By Minh Nguyen
Special to MSN TV

Silas Weir Mitchell has had recurring and memorable roles on "24," "Prison Break" and "My Name Is Earl." His role on NBC's hit "Grimm" as Monroe, has us intrigued and smiling as Nick Burkhardt's (David Giuntoli) confidante. Monroe is a Blutbad (think big bad wolf) and is always available to help Nick solve homicide cases with his expertise in the supernatural world. NBC has renewed "Grimm" for a second season. Good move on NBC's part! All we ask is that we get to see more of Monroe.

Bing: More about 'Grimm'

MSN TV: Did you think being cast as the big bad wolf, Monroe, was the perfect part for you?

Silas Weir Mitchell: Well, first of all, I did think it was a really, really good part for me. The head writer, Jim Kouf, and I had worked together before. I'm not saying that they wrote (the role) for me, because I don't think it's true. But when I came in and did the read-through, they realized it was a very good fit. Once they saw me, they began to write for me, which they do in every show. I just had a little bit of a head start because I already knew Jim.

Related: Has 'Grimm' been renewed for Season 2?

The big bad wolf is actually in our world, and the world of Grimm is actually what the Grimms in their fairy tales used to call Blutbad. That is what Monroe is. In the old days, fairy tales were kind of trying to sanitize or (put into) a metaphor of what actual people were doing, which is the idea behind the show. The big bad wolf is a made-up term describing the Blutbad, which is what my actual name of ancestry is.

Did you have any connection to wolves before you got this part?

I'm a total dog person. I've always been. I have more connection to coyote than wolf. When I was in high school, my mom gave me this card and it had this black-and-white print of a coyote. The coyote was black and it was on a white postcard. (I was) 15, 16 years old. I said, "Oh, Mom. That is such a cool image!" I really dug it. My mother gave me the same postcard with another image awhile later. Then for my 21st birthday, she actually found the artist and gave me a signed print. So hanging over my fireplace on the mantle right now is a big beautiful stone-cut print of a coyote. There was a point three or four weeks into the show, my wife sent me a photograph on her phone and said, "Look at this: Your destiny is hanging over the fireplace."

You're on location in Oregon. How is filming out there?

Oregon is fantastic.

When I watch the show, it seems like you guys are on location a lot. Is that a figment of my imagination, or are you actually in the studio?

Oh no, we are shooting in the woods at night in the dark. 

What can you tell us about this week's episode of "Grimm"?

The show is about how challenging it is to have an inner nature with societal norms, something a lot of people can relate to that may or may not admit it.

And of course, what about the season finale?

The season finale is like cliffhanger central. Every character in the show is in a perilous position.  They are going through life-threatening, career-threatening and relationship-threatening experiences. There's a lot going on in the last episode, and you start to learn the roots of this world that Nick has been introduced to go.

Can you give us any clues of what's ahead for Monroe's romantic life?

What romantic life?

We'd like to see him have some kind of romantic life.

You're very sweet. Monroe is challenged in the department of coming together.

You've been on a lot of different shows. Do you have any bits of advice that someone gave along the way?

I can't remember specific advice because I've had so much. If I told you advice that someone gave me, it'd be inauthentic because it's coming from someone else. It'd probably be something technical and actor-ish, and I don't want to talk in those terms.

I will say something I realized on my own is the only reason to follow this path, i.e. to be an actor, is if you love doing it for its own sake. If you're doing it to make money, to get famous, to pick up chicks, to see yourself in magazines, you're doing it for the wrong reasons. It's such a tough path and your ego will get shattered. The success rate is small. The only reason to keep at it is because you love it. If you don't love it and if you can't learn to love auditioning, then you're going to drive yourself insane.

"Grimm" airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.

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