How Adam Goldberg's Character On The Equalizer Keeps Him 'Intellectually Nimble' - Exclusive
Actor Adam Goldberg has carved out a unique niche for himself in Hollywood, often playing idiosyncratic characters, like philosophical nerd Mike Newhouse in 1993's "Dazed and Confused" and captivating hitman Grady Numbers on Season 1 of "Fargo." Those kinds of roles have served him well over the course of his 30-year career, leading him to be one of the most recognizable character actors of the Gen X era.
Goldberg's unmistakable knack for nailing anomalous characters continues with his current portrayal of master hacker Harry Keshegian on the wildly popular reboot of "The Equalizer," which airs Sunday nights on CBS. As the right-hand man of Robyn McCall (Queen Latifah), aka the Equalizer, Harry is both loyal and cerebral, making him an integral part of the series' dogged team of vigilante justice-seekers.
It's a role that Goldberg admits keeps him on his toes and "intellectually nimble," as discussed during an exclusive interview with Looper.
Goldberg views his intricate lines as a brain exercise
A hacker who faked his own death, Harry literally owes his life to McCall, whom he honorably repays with his superior sleuthing skills. This leads to a lot of technology-heavy terminology that Adam Goldberg has to memorize and recite, which he sees as a way to flex his personal brain power.
"I'm using this very specific part of my brain, which is probably good to keep me neuro-flexible as I age," he says. "I keep thinking that it's an exercise to offset any potential early-onset dementia because there's so much information in each episode, and on the periphery of it, and I'm always having to disseminate it."
It also opens up a new avenue for him to pursue, as many of his previous roles had him operating from a more emotional foundation.
"I definitely feel like I've been on every conceivable type of television show you could be on ... They each bring with them different challenges and opportunities," he says. On "The Equalizer," Goldberg explains, "there's totally different people, totally different stories, totally different nomenclature, totally different technology. I feel like it keeps me intellectually nimble, which is good. In that regard, it's a whole other kind of work."
"The Equalizer" airs new episodes on Sundays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.