Jeffrey Donovan Fans

TV Guide Interview

Aug 13, 2008 Burn Notice, Interview

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Burn Notice’s ex-spy Jeffrey Donovan remains tight-lipped about his USA Network hit and… kissing Angelina Jolie? (Burn Notice airs Thursdays at 10 pm/ET, USA.)

TV Guide: What’s coming up for “burned” spy Michael Westen? Any big cliff-hangers?
Jeffrey Donovan: My line is always “tune in and find out.”

TV Guide: You can’t reveal anything about what’s coming up?
Donovan: I like to leave that to other people. I’m never sure what I’m supposed to keep silent and what I can give away.

TV Guide: OK. While shooting Season 1, you got injured many times doing your own stunts. Any Season 2 injuries?
Donovan: Surprisingly, none. Here’s the funny thing: I’ve been hurt zero times on set and a few times at home. I walked off a boat and fell on the dock and ripped my knee open. And I was trying to open a drawer and the ceramic handle broke off and slashed my hand open. So I’m going to do all my own stunts on the show, and my stunt double is going to live my life.

TV Guide: You recently turned 40. I don’t believe it.
Donovan: I know. It’s a surprise to everybody. I just try to take care of myself. I’ve never smoked. I don’t do drugs. I just have a really clean diet. I’m really proud of it. I think I look good for 40.

TV Guide: Well, you’re making the rest of us look awfully lazy.
Donovan: It’s hard work — regular exercise and being strict on set. I’m not the guy eating Krispy Kremes and drinking Mountain Dews. I can’t. It will just kill me. With the energy I need for 14-hour days, it’s just impossible.

TV Guide: On top of that, you know all sorts of kung fu, right?
Donovan: I don’t know any kung fu. I have a black belt in karate and six years of aikido and about a year of Brazilian jujitsu.

TV Guide: So you could beat me up pretty handily?
Donovan: Only if you threaten me or my family. Otherwise, I’m talking my way out of it.

TV Guide: Do you ever go online and read what Burn Notice fans have to say about you?
Donovan: Hell, no. I’m scared to read something bad about me. What if someone said something mean like “Donovan can’t act”? I don’t want to read that. I like to live in my little fantasy bubble that people like me.

TV Guide: Clint Eastwood obviously likes you. He cast you opposite Angelina Jolie in his upcoming mystery, Changeling, out this October. How did you feel when you got the part?
Donovan: It was kneebuckling. To say that you’re the male lead opposite Angelina Jolie in a Clint Eastwood film — it’s one of the best memories of my whole career. And then they didn’t disappoint.

TV Guide: Are you the romantic lead?
Donovan: No. It’s a period piece where Angelina’s son disappears. I’m the police captain who finds him.

TV Guide: So you didn’t get to kiss Angelina?
Donovan: No.

TV Guide: Damn, I really wanted to live vicariously through you.
Donovan: [No answer. Absolute silence.]

TV Guide: All right. Did you party with Angelina and Clint at Cannes, where the film debuted?
Donovan: I did not. I was working on Burn Notice. I was actually going to poison everyone here for two days so I could fly over there. But I couldn’t find any poison.