'Gaslit' actor felt his character came 'from a very similar place'

Jun. 8—Intrigue took a hold of Patrick Walker when the script for "Gaslit" came across his eyes.

After reading the story, he was hooked, but knew the audition process had to go in his favor.

"The most unique thing is that the character's life has some parallels with mine," he says. "I knew how he could feel."

After an audition and callback, Walker snagged the role of Frank Wills in the Starz series.

"Gaslit" is a modern take on Watergate that focuses on the untold stories and forgotten characters of the Watergate scandal — from President Richard Nixon's bumbling and opportunistic subordinates, to the deranged zealots aiding and abetting their crimes, to the tragic whistleblowers who would eventually bring the whole rotten enterprise crashing down. It is also based on the first season of the critically acclaimed "Slow Burn" podcast. The season finale will air on Sunday, June 12, on Starz.

The story centers on Martha Mitchell, played by Julia Roberts. A big personality with an even bigger mouth, she is a celebrity Arkansan socialite and wife to Nixon's loyal attorney general, John Mitchell, played by Sean Penn.

Despite her party affiliation, she's the first person to publicly sound the alarm on Nixon's involvement in Watergate, causing both the presidency and her personal life to unravel.

As attorney general, John Mitchell is Nixon's most trusted adviser and best friend.

Temperamental, foul-mouthed and ruthless — yet hopelessly in love with his famously outspoken wife — he'll be forced to choose between Martha and the president. "Gaslit" also stars Dan Stevens as John Dean, Betty Gilpin as Mo Dean, Shea Whigham as G. Gordon Liddy and Darby Camp as Marty Mitchell.

Wills is the security guard at the Watergate who is the first to find evidence of the break-in, raising the alarm on one of the biggest political scandals in American history and altering the course of his own life.

"I had to imagine how Frank Wills' life changed with him speaking up," Walker says. "Frank and I come from a very similar place. We grew up in the South and our lifestyles are similar. The way he grew up was part of the fabric of my life. It wasn't too challenging to understand who Frank is."

Walker remained aware of working on such an important series, along with a superstar cast.

He also took the time to create his character from the ground up.

"When I read the script, it was like the character was jumping off the page," he says. "These words are fantastic and I did my best to make sure Frank came to life on screen. The words are bible to the character."

As Walker's profile continues to rise, he is adamant on making the best choices when it comes to projects.

With "Gaslit," he got to challenge himself alongside a veteran cast.

"We watch human beings every day and the challenge for me is always finding the truth and complexity," he says. "With Frank, I was grading myself. There are moments where he is confused and lost. I wanted to not only convey that, but also have a glimmer of hope that he will make it through. It's been great to hop into different character's and learn about the world they live in. With Frank, I got to step into a struggling man's body. And getting a chance to be in love. By paying attention, I can find out what people need and then I can work on how to change the world with the 'influence' that I have."

ON TV

The Starz TV series, "Gaslit," will air its season finale episode on Sunday, June 12. It is streaming on the Starz app and on demand.