Sean Hayes is widely known for his role as Jack McFarland on NBC's Will & Grace, which ran for eight seasons. He won an Emmy Award, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, two TV Guide Awards and had seven Golden Globe nominations.
After Will & Grace, he appeared on Scrubs and 30 Rock. He then made recent appearances on Parks and Recreation and Hot in Cleveland. He appeared on Smash where he played a TV star making his Broadway debut.
His local backround served him well as Hayes was raised in Glen Ellyn, Ill., and attended Illinois State University, where he majored in performance.
He received a Tony nomination for Promises, Promises and hosted the Tony Awards in 2011.
His film credits include The Three Stooges, Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss and The Bucket List as well as voice overs in Cats and Dogs and Monsters University.
Hayes formed a production company with Todd Milliner called Hazy Mills Productions. They have produced television hits like Hot in Cleveland, Grimm, Hollywood Game Night and, now, Sean Saves the World.
Hayes plays Sean, a divorced dad who is single and gay with a career and family.
Windy City Times gave a call to hear more about the show.
Windy City Times: Hi, Sean. I'm calling from your hometown in Illinois.
Sean Hayes: How is it? Is it hot, hot, hot?
WCT: It's not too bad. It's perfect, actually.
Sean Hayes: Oh, good.
WCT: Can you first talk about landing Linda [Lavin] for the new sitcom?
Sean Hayes: That was actually the title we had at first, Landing Linda and then we just switched it to Sean Saves the World because that sounded too dirty.
Landing Linda is actually a great title. She is a living legend. A lot of people don't know her extensive success on stage and on Broadway. We've got a lot of theater folks on the show, which I think is a huge factor in cultivating a hit sitcom. Sitcoms I should say, are the closest things related to theater.
So in that sense, we are so fortunate to get Linda on board. Tony Award-winning Linda Lavin, who you could give literally any line to and she would get a huge laugh.
So aside from being incredibly talented and gifted in zingers and playing the truth of scenes, she is also an incredibly warm, down-to-earth person and we've developed this wonderful working relationship where I actually do feel like it's my real mom. Of course, nobody can take the place of my real mom but she certainly comes close.
WCT: You also have Megan Hilty on the show.
Sean Hayes: She's fantastic. I mean we were so fortunate to get her and to have her come on board to share her talent. I'm excited for our viewers who are fans of hers from either Smash or Broadway to see on a large scale her comedy chops which are brilliant.
She is just a delight to have around and adds so much comedy to the team. So we're very lucky to get her.
WCT: Have you thought about musical numbers, with all these Broadway stars on the show?
Sean Hayes: I know, right? I mean, my gosh, that would be fantastic. I always think it's funnier when people can't sing, but if we ever do get the opportunity, it would be great to showcase all of this talent on the show that has more than one threat going on besides acting.
WCT: What is more work: a Broadway show or the new sitcom?
Sean Hayes: Oh, hands down Broadway. Broadway is the most difficult thing or one of the most difficult things an actor can do. It's also the most rewarding. It's grueling but it's wonderful. It's like going to the gym and feeling great after.
WCT: Do you think you're going to try it again?
Sean Hayes: Yes, I am sure I will. I don't know about a musical but if the right one comes along and the timing is right then yes. I would really like to do a play and I'm working on something right now to possibly do next year.
WCT: Who are some people who inspire you?
Sean Hayes: Well, my comedy idols were Martin Short and Steve Martin. My music idols, classically, are Mozart and, in pop music, Andy Bell, which is a blast from the past. I just met him the other day.
WCT: What made you return to television with this project?
Sean Hayes: Well, everything is about timing. Everyone from fans to friends were asking me when I was coming back. When I met with Victor Fresco, the creator of this show, we were tossing around ideas and we landed on this one. I was like, "Yes, I've never seen that character on TV before, a single gay dad raising a family," or raising his daughter actually.
To me, television is all about characters you haven't seen and relationships you haven't seen. This one I haven't seen yet so I thought that was interesting.
WCT: How does it feel to play a lead character for a change?
Sean Hayes: It feels great being in my first leading role on TV. It feels familiar which I love, but yet it feels new and there's forward movement in me as a person and me as an actor, and hopefully America will see that.
It's definitely a different character than I've played before. This is a real leading-man kind of role in that he's a responsible grounded person with the voice of reason to the rest of the characters.
WCT: Where did the title of the show come from?
Sean Hayes: That was the first title that Victor came up with. I hate coming up with titles and he just loved the irony of my character thinking the weight of the world, quite literally, was on my shoulders, and balancing all of the crazy people in my life.
It's kind of fun for my name to be in the title. It just seemed that the title fit the show perfectly for what my character goes through every week.
WCT: Your character is single in the pilot episode. Is he going to stay single?
Sean Hayes: He's going to be a concubine and just ... no, of course the goal is for him to move forward and evolve as the show goes on. That includes more dating and, hopefully sooner than later, settling down with somebody and including that person into our family and mine and his.
WCT: Are you coming home for the holidays?
Sean Hayes: I am not. I will come home for other things but I think this year I'm not coming home for the holidays. I might, though; I don't know. I would love to; I miss Chicago tremendously and all my friends live there and a lot of family.
WCT: Well, good luck with the show.
Sean Hayes: Thank you so much.
Sean Saves the World airs Thursdays on NBC beginning Oct. 3.
