“The West Wing” actor Bradley Whitford best summed up Josh Lyman, the fictional White House staffer, as a man with “emotional constipation,” in a campus visit Monday night.
In an event sponsored by the College Democrats of Madison, Whitford reminisced on his days attending Madison East High School, where he said he fell in love with acting, and his experiences on the beloved NBC political drama.
Whitford, a Madison native, said his time at East High School was a socially “incredible” experience, although he said the academics could have been improved. Nonetheless, Whitford fell into drama after participating in many school plays, ultimately leading to his casting in “The West Wing.”
He said many of the show’s depictions of political life were extremely accurate. According to Whitford, in any political debate, substance doesn’t matter, but the debates are more about zingers, memorization and humor.
In the age of television, personality plays an extremely important role, Whitford said, citing President Barack Obama as an example.
“If Obama was bad on TV, he wouldn’t be president,” he said.
Because of this reality, Whitford said he prefers reading about politics to focus on content rather than being distracted by other characteristics of the candidate.
Whitford also discussed his experience working with Aaron Sorkin, the Academy and Emmy Award-winning screenwriter, saying he has great admiration for Sorkin.
Whitford said Sorkin is an “incredibly talented writer” and that he feels “very protective” of him and his work.
Many audience members asked how Sorkin handled The West Wing on September 11, 2001. Whitford said there was “crazy pressure” that came along with acting out an episode that would hit close to home with many people. Ultimately, Whitford said the cast was glad Sorkin chose to pursue the episode because it was an honest reaction to something that was unprecedented.
Whitford said Allison Janney, who played the White House Press Secretary, was the actress he enjoyed working with the most.
He said although Janney “doesn’t give a shit” about politics, her role on the show was so politically involved. He added there was not a fake moment performing with her on screen, regardless of whether they were filming a dramatic moment or a comedic one.
Whitford said while no one had expected “The West Wing” to be taken seriously, it was surprisingly accurate and became one of the best shows on television.