Nick Offerman: The Man Behind the Mustache

[Brian Damage]

Your mustache has become a breakout character on the show.
It is! My mustache has a much better agent than I do. I quickly learned I was destined to be a hair actor. I’d always find a role by figuring out what crazy hairdo or facial hair the character has. I’ve had the full spectrum—shaved head, long hair, full beard. I’m lucky my hair grows like a weed.

You’re from a farm town in Illinois, not too far from places like Parks and Recreation’s Pawnee. Do you share other characteristics with Ron Swanson?
I have to say I do take breakfast food seriously myself. The thing I think is so funny about our show is the banality. Ron takes the most mundane detail in life and that’s his Holy Grail.

At first it looked like Ron and Leslie (Amy Poehler) were going to be adversaries, but she’s extremely useful to him.
The creators envisioned him as more of a Mr. Burns on The Simpsons, with a dark cloud over him all the time. Early on it actually became clear that he’s fond of Leslie and admires her for her ability to take the load off his shoulders.

You’ve had the chance to improvise on the series. Is there much of that in your background?
I’ve always enjoyed it in my acting when the opportunity comes. Lately I’ve done a lot of work at Amy’s Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre as a guest. It’s become the premier comedy theater in L.A., where everybody goes to cast comedies.

Why does Ron become Duke Silver when he plays the saxophone? Does he have an issue with showing his creative side?
I think he established himself during his rise in the Parks department—he had a tough-as-nails platform and didn’t want anyone to see any weakness. That’s where the subterfuge came in. I feel he created Duke Silver because he needed an outlet where he can let his flowers blossom.

Your wife, Megan Mullally, guest starred as Ron’s ex-wife, Tammy, this season. How realistic was that love scene in the diner?
We actually practiced. Megan is an extreme perfectionist. We knew a few places in the script [where] we had to disgust the other cast members when they saw us canoodling in the office. We spent a day exploring the boundaries of where we can go with that.

Does it help to be married to someone who is as funny as you are?
I make no bones about the fact that I consider my wife a comedy legend. I have so much respect and admiration for her as a funny actress. So finally getting to do something like Ron and Tammy, I felt like Luke Skywalker and she was Obi-Wan Kenobi.

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