Morrow: Kingsport native switches on 'Lights'
Morrow: Kingsport native switches on 'Lights'
Kingsport, Tenn., native Matt Czuchry - who was last seen as Logan on "The Gilmore Girls" - is joining the cast of NBC's critically acclaimed "Friday Night Lights." His first airdate will be Jan. 18.
He'll play Chris Kennedy, a conservative Christian radio show host who befriends the spiritually reborn Lyla (Minka Kelly). His story will tie into the on-and-off romance between Lyla and bad-boy football player Tim Riggins (Taylor Kitsch).
"He goes to the church that Lyla goes to," Czuchry says of his character. "He occasionally gives sermons there as well."
Chris is "very strong in his beliefs, but, at the same time, he is very open," Czuchry says.
For now, Czuchry will appear in four episodes of "Lights," but he says room is open for possibly more appearances.
The Hollywood writers' strike is putting production of "Lights" at bay until issues are resolved.
Of "Lights," Czuchry says he's been a "huge fan of the show since day one." Fresh off "Gilmore," which ended in the spring, Czuchry auditioned for the "Lights" role.
"Auditioning is never easy," he says with a laugh.
"It was a challenge because I was working on a play at the same time. The audition was on a Friday.
"I got home Thursday night and went through the material. I stayed up until, like 2 in the morning. I was excited about it, though.
"I had put it out there to the universe that to do that show was at the top of my list."
Between "Gilmore" and "Lights," Czuchry did some traveling and starred in a Los Angeles-based play.
Getting "Lights" was like an answered prayer for Czuchry.
"I've been a fan of all the actors," he says. Because of his admiration for the show, he says "to go there and be a part of it has been really, really stressful."
Czuchry has flown between Los Angeles, where he lives, to Austin, Texas, where "Lights" shoots on location. Most of the actors on "Lights" have chosen to make Austin their home.
He's well aware that "Lights" has an uphill battle to face. While it has won major critical acclaim, the show has yet to find a wide audience and has been on the brink of cancellation more than once.
In Knoxville, "Lights," which airs 9 p.m. Fridays on WBIR, Channel 10, generally finishes second in its timeslot and garners a 5.0 rating. Nationally, the ratings are about the same.
Such a dilemma doesn't seem to dampen the cast and crew's spirits, he says.
"It really, really is a special environment," Czuchry says.
"It's a completely different show than 'Gilmore,' but, then, it's a completely different show from any other TV show I have ever worked on." |