Smallscreen Features

'Chuck' chat with Zachary Levi and Josh Gomez - we agree, Adam Baldwin is awesome

By April MacIntyre Mar 6, 2010, 17:32 GMT

Chuck!!!!- Joshua Gomez, Yvette Nicole Brown and Zachary Levi - NBC Universal\'s Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour Cocktail Party - Arrivals - Langham Hotel - Pasadena, CA. USA © Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

On Monday, "Chuck" returns for a new episode.  But for many loyal fans, the E-ticket to the NBC's geek-turned-spy comedy is Chuck Bartowski's (Zachary Levi) stoic protector Col. John Casey (Adam Baldwin).

Baldwin has a legacy in film ("Full Metal Jacket") and a fandom created by smallscreen cultie "Firefly", but now Baldwin's tightly wound patriot Casey is a delight on NBC's spy dramedy "Chuck," which returned for its third season with a two-hour premiere back in January.

Zachary Levi and Joshua Gomez from NBC’s "Chuck" sweated a near-cancellation experience, and despite this almost major fumble on NBC's part, "Chuck" has come back with a vengeance.

Adam Baldwin is the strong third leg to their chirpy duo, and he plays the proud patriot Colonel Casey who works for the NSA, and decorates his apartment with bonsai trees and portraits of Ronald Reagan.

To celebrate the awesomeness of "Chuck" and the perfect cast ensemble, Monsters and Critics spoke exclusively to Zach and Josh about their castmate Adam Baldwin:

Hey guys. Hello.

Zachary Levi: Monsters and Critics, aren't you being a little redundant?

Well I didn't name the site. I just work for them. So you guys were, you know, brothers from a different mother and very similar in your passions and likes?

Zachary Levi: That was the widest way to say that. We're brothers from various mothers.

Joshua Gomez: Right......and the various and sundry whatnots.

Yes. How do you react with Adam Baldwin and his character over the years? I read his Tweets, he's very conservative, he's very pro-military, he's a tough guy. Do you guys goof with him everyday on set?

Joshua Gomez: He's a big sweetheart.

Zachary Levi: Yeah, he's a giant teddy bear.

Joshua Gomez: Yeah. It's so fun, yeah. I always feel bad talking about it because I think he might want to, you know, retain that image.

Zachary Levi: Oh you know what though, he is, the man is a rock. Of everyone on our show I think he's the rock,  he's been around the block multiple times and seen a lot and worked with a lot of incredible talented people. And present company excluded.

But he's just - he's such a trooper and he finds every little moment to make Casey great.

 And it's a pleasure to work with him, he's a family man, he's got three kids.

Joshua Gomez: Yeah.

Zachary Levi: And,  it's just part of the reason why we've found the audience that we have and the success to whatever extent that we have right now a large part of that is due to him.

And being a part of Firefly and everything else that he's done and having really dedicated fans that he's also very dedicated to.  So  he's an incredible guy.

Joshua Gomez: Yeah, no he is.  I think he's an absolute sweetheart. And I find it - it's just so much fun because to make - I love getting like Adam Baldwin to crack in a scene or something.

I know you probably have the pleasure doing a lot more than I do but like me and Zach - me and Zach will laugh at each other and we don't say anything, we're just a bunch of girls. Like we're just like two silly girls at a sleepover.

So like with Adam, man, and he's knocking down walls and he's knocking people out. But so like to make him laugh in the middle of a scene just gives me such satisfaction or, you know what I mean, doing something to get Adam after the scene - he'll hold it together and then it'll cut, and he'll got that was hysterical.

And he just has this... and he'll be like he'll shake his head and he goes that's funny, that's funny like that's about his like crazy as he's going to get. But it just like you'll like, yes, got Adam, nice.  But, yeah, absolutely everything that Zach said, I mean,  you kind of go he's the guy on our show who's the, he's the vet in a way.

So you kind of look to him like okay cool and he's been around. Like everything Zach was saying. And I love how he just goes about his business. He's a smart guy and he's just an absolute pleasure to work with, yeah.

How he tolerates us I don't know.

I read that you'll be pulling one of his teeth out with pliers, is that true Zach?

Zachary Levi: Well, I mean, there's a little sneak peek at the rest of the season that's on line right now. So, you know, people can infer what they infer from that I suppose.

Can't tell us any more?

Joshua Gomez: No deny or what is it - I could neither...

Zachary Levi: I can neither confirm nor deny.

Joshua Gomez: Confirm or deny, that's right.