Jeffrey Donovan may be best known for being on TV’s Burn Notice and in the Clint Eastwood-directed film Changeling with Angelina Jolie, but the handsome 40-year-old is an accomplished theater veteran as well, having appeared in Boston’s Shakespeare in the Park, among many other shows. Windy City Times recently talked with him about being in the acclaimed theatrical production Don’t Dress for Dinner, which will run at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted, through Sunday, Jan. 11.

Windy City Times: You’re quietly becoming a triple threat. [ Donovan laughs. ] I loved you in Changeling, by the way; I really wanted to hurt [ your character ] .

Jeffrey Donovan: Yeah. I get that a lot—not just on-screen. [ Laughs ]

WCT: Then there’s Burn Notice, which I like primarily because the chemistry you have with Sharon Gless, Gabrielle Anwar and Bruce Campbell is very palpable. [ Donovan smiles. ] I’m sure everyone’s been asking you what it’s like to work with Angelina Jolie or Clint Eastwood, but what’s it like working with Bruce?

The star of USA Network’s popular Miami-set series Burn Notice, about “burned” secret agent Michael Westen, Jeffrey Donovan has left sunny Florida for a wintry Chicago run of the play Don’t Dress for Dinner. Meanwhile, he’s starring opposite Angelina Jolie in Changeling. We sat down with him at the Royal George Theatre.

You’ve said, “I don’t want to be Magnum P.I. I don’t want them saying, ‘Hey, Michael Westen!’” So is this French farce an effort not to be seen as just Magnum P.I.?
Jeffrey Donovan: Somewhat. It’s more specific to me wanting to just be back on stage. I worked on Broadway and Off Broadway for ten years. The excitement I feel on stage has never been similar in TV and film.

What’s specific about the stage?
Jeffrey Donovan: You get something back. You feel it. I did Changeling for three months before six months of Burn Notice—you don’t get anything back. And this farce: I know there’s going to be laughter—hopefully—and that immediate energy refuels you so you can go back in front of a camera for nine more months.

Thanks Lisa!

Amesbury’s Jeffrey Donovan hits a home run in ‘The Changeling’
By Katie Curley

Amesbury native Jeffrey Donovan may have left town for Los Angeles long ago. But the actor now starring alongside Angelina Jolie in the new Clint Eastwood drama “The Changeling” is still very much a Red Sox fan.

Even in describing his latest role, he couldn’t resist drawing an analogy with the hometown team’s recent trips to the World Series.

“When you’re in a film with Clint and Angelina, you just hope you don’t strike out,” Donovan said in a phone interview from Chicago last week.

“If (slugger David) Ortiz hits a home run in the minor league, it’s no big deal. But if he takes us to the World Series or hits it in the series, then it’s pretty important.”

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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.

Burn Notice‘s Jeffrey Donovan chats to TV WEEK about being a super-spy

Where do the Burn Notice writers get all their information about spies?
The head writer has contact with a certain operative in the field. I don’t know what agency he works for, whether it’s American or foreign. They go over stuff that will be practical and used in conducting cases. He’ll learn all that stuff and then apply it to the show. But there’s also a lot of stuff out there that you can read. I’ve read a few spy manuals and it’s really interesting what you can get your hands on at the library.

Do you ever try to follow people without them noticing or elude people who are following you?
Yeah, I’ve been doing that since before I got the show. [Laughs.] No, it definitely gives you a sense of how paranoid these people must be. One of the things I learned [about spies] is you can never make new friends unless you are the person who initiates it. All the people who come up to you, you can’t be friends with because you never know what their agenda is. But if you go up to someone, that’s OK. That limits a lot of social life. It’s a neat character but someone I wouldn’t want to be in real life.

As a celebrity, you’re kind of in the same situation, aren’t you? You have strange people wanting to come up and talk to you…