Get to know Major Crimes cast member Graham Patrick Martin.
Graham will star in Major Crimes as a homeless juvenile whose character will be introduced in the final episode of The Closer.
TNT’s new drama series Major Crimes is set to premiere this summer, beginning Monday, August 13, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), immediately following The Closer’s series finale.
Describe yourself in one sentence
I’m a New Yorker from New Orleans who lives in Los Angeles.
What was your favorite show growing up and why?
The Wonder Years was the only show that I watched consistently growing up. It accurately portrayed pretty much every awkward and hilarious experience that a boy goes through from childhood to adulthood. I loved it.
What kind of research have you done to prepare for your new role?
I’m still in the process. The most challenging thing I’ve come to face in prepping for this role is the fact that Rusty was homeless for several months. It was very troubling for me because his experience living on the streets has a huge impact on who Rusty is, and I knew absolutely nothing about that world. As a result, I started going through different blogs and news stories online relating to the subject of teen homelessness. I was trying to gather as much information as I could without actually coming into contact with the teens themselves. I didn’t want them, or anyone, to think that I was going to use them for personal gain. As I learned more, I became truly moved and decided that I actually needed to meet these people. The vivid accounts of the hardships that teens often face made me realize that it would be disrespectful for me to just pretend to know what they have gone through. I’ve just begun the process of becoming a volunteer at a home for homeless youth in Los Angeles. This will definitely give me a more accurate sense of what these teens are going through. More importantly, I will be helping out a group that I have become deeply attached to.
What made you decide to become an actor?
I had two major influences that made me decide to start acting. My older sister was the first one in my family to take an interest in acting. Our parents have always been wildly supportive of nearly anything that we want to pursue, so they sent my sister, my two brothers, and myself to a performing arts summer camp called French Woods. I went for the water sports and horseback riding, but I somehow ended up auditioning for my first play while I was there. I was eight years old at the time, and I was cast in my first musical The King and I. I did three musicals every summer at French Woods, until I was fifteen. — The other influence was Leonardo Dicaprio. I saw “Titanic” in kindergarten, and decided I wanted to be just like him. Not much has changed.
What are you looking forward to most about Major Crimes?
I’m excited to work on a drama. For the past five years, I’ve pretty much worked on sitcoms and nothing else. I love sitcoms. They are so much fun, but I’m really looking forward to doing something different. Also, I’m thrilled to be working with this group of actors. I’ve been watching a lot of The Closer lately. They blow me away every episode.
