EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Tim DeKay (Peter Burke) from White Collar

A couple of weeks ago, I attended USA Network’s 2nd Annual Character Approved Awards reception, where they honored innovators in various different fields of work. To learn more about the nominees (which include Green Day and Katherine Bigelow), you can visit the Character Approved website. Many of the stars of the USA Network shows attended the reception, and I was able to talk with the cast of one of my new favorite shows, White Collar. I had interviewed Tim DeKay (Peter Burke) over the phone in the past, and he was so wonderful to meet in person, and just incredibly nice and forthcoming. So forthcoming in fact, that he ALMOST revealed a huge location that would have given away a major plot point from the season finale. We talked about Peter and Neal’s relationship, the success of White Collar, and of course, what it’s like working with Matt Bomer.

What’s coming on the big season finale of White Collar?
You know, what, you’re a great interviewer, and I know you’re going to ask me all types of questions to get to the same answer. All I’m going to say is everybody’s involved. Certainly Neal and Peter, Mozzie, Elizabeth, Fowler, Kate, and even countries other than the United States.

Interesting! When you signed on, did you know White Collar was going to be so successful?
No. You never know. This was my 11th pilot, so I’m 3 for 11 with pilots. The others were all sort of…No I didn’t know! But because you have this guarded optimism as an actor because you think “Oh, I love this project, I love working with Matt, I love these characters,” don’t get too excited because you’re going to get the call and say It’s great, but it didn’t test well, or whatever. You know, there are so many people that make these decisions, to say “Yeah, let’s go with it.” But sometimes when you do these things, you feel all these, and you think all of these thoughts about the series or about the show, and then it’s confirmed by other people. You think, “Oh, I was right. It’s exactly what I thought people would think it was.” That’s a wonderful feeling.

Are we going to see more of Peter being watched by Fowler?
Yeah, the last episode, [he] becomes very stealth, I’ll use that word. The stakes are high, very high.

I know last time we spoke, you talked about shooting all over New York City. Do you have another location that you’ve filmed at recently that was one of your favorites?
We shot at — Oh no, I can’t tell you. I can’t tell you. I was just going to tell you and then you were going to say — Ohhh! You don’t even know when you’re asking good questions! You don’t even know!

(laughs) I didn’t mean it that way! Do you have a location that won’t give away anything?
They’re all good locations. I can’t talk to you. I was about to tell you a location that would have given a huge part of the story away!

I wasn’t trying to get you to spoil it, I swear! (laughs)
Bad, bad!

Talk a little bit about that scene at the end of the mid-season finale where you thought Peter was the bad guy.
Deep down, did you think Peter was the bad guy?

I didn’t. I thought he had good intentions for Neal, but I wasn’t sure.
Now I can talk about it. If he were a bad guy, the show would have no –

Grounding?
You wouldn’t be standing on it, you wouldn’t know who to trust. You have to know that even if Peter is deceiving somebody, it’s for the right reasons, and sometimes the right reason is not always the lawful reason. But there has to be that one block no matter what happens.

And Peter and Neal are both beginning to trust each other more. What has that development been like for you in terms of playing Peter?
It’s so fun to play. That episode where Peter stole the tapes, the surveillance tapes for Neal, he broke the law, he went on the other side to do that. But he knew that Neal was doing the right thing, and I just love those moments. It’s one of those where you realize “Oh, he likes Neal. He likes him.” He’s looking out for him in more than just making sure I get a good informant.

What is it like working so closely with Matt?
It’s a rich bond that we have. We trust each other completely. He can do no wrong in my eyes, no wrong. And he can maybe make a choice that would make me think “Wow, I never thought of that,” and I think he feels the same way about me–when you have that someone with you that says “Go ahead, jump. I don’t care. Don’t worry how you land. I trust that it’s worth it.”

Are there any guest stars you’d like to see in Season 2?
Any guest stars that I’d like to see? Oh I’ve got a whole bunch of friends that I’d like to see. It’d be interesting to see who would play Peter’s dad. He’s not old enough, but I got to work with Mark Harmon, and he’s the nicest man in show business, I would love to have Mark Harmon come over and kind of maybe NCIS and White Collar could cross. But the tone of the 2 shows are very different. I would like White Collar and Burn Notice to cross.

That’s what I was thinking.
That could happen.

And how about film?
I’m producing a movie with my brother right now that we hope to shoot in Mexico. It’s a bi-lingual farce, and it’s wonderful. So I’m working with him on that.

Are you going to be starring in it?
No. I will be producing it. I might play a small role in it, but it will be mostly Mexican actors.

Do you want to be in other films? Are you looking at roles?
Yeah there are a few things that are coming our way. Unfortunately, because of my schedule, I don’t know if I can do them.

Is there a specific genre that you’d want to work in?
There are a couple period films that take place in the 50s, there’s one that’s even in the 30s that I’d love to do. I would love to play a GI in the 30s or something like that.

After playing Peter, would you want to go work in a white collar crime unit?
No. No because the guy who did it with me, the real technical adviser, he says none of it is as glamorous or as exciting as what we’re doing.

Be sure to tune in tonight to USA Network at 10 pm for the season finale of White Collar!

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