
February 2, 2010 — New Hartford resident Michael Philip will appear on NBC comedy 30 Rock in February.
The episode was shot January 19 and features Philip as a prospective love interest for Tina Fey’s character, Liz Lemon.
“I catch her attention in the doctor’s office and she hopes to make (her current love interest) feel uncomfortable,” Philip said.
A Toronto, Canada native, Philip travels back and forth between New Hartford and New York City weekly to juggle his marriage, family and career. Normally he chooses guest appearances over featured roles on shows, but he said he couldn’t turn down 30 Rock, and he was glad he didn’t.
“It was kind of funny,” he said. “Tina Fey — she’s adorable. The directors and everyone there seem to have a good time. It’s a loose atmosphere. Also, there’s not as much pressure because it’s not shot in front of a live audience. So you’re not in front of 300 people. It’s a lot less stressful.”
30 Rock is shot in Silver Cup Studios in Long Island City, where other television shows like HBO’s hit series the Sopranos was shot, Philip said. The episode took five days to shoot.
Philip, 46, has guest-starred in several television programs, including sitcoms Married With Children, Will & Grace and Frasier. He also appeared in television dramas Charmed, Angel, and VIP; and guest starred in the soap opera, the Bold and the Beautiful.
Philip even hosted the 1998 science fiction television program Welcome to Paradox.
He was also in the 2009 action sci-fi thriller movie Surrogates, with Bruce Willis, where he played a uniformed police officer.
Of his job he said he wouldn’t trade it for any other.
“It’s a good time,” he said. “I cant complain. I mean, you get to hang around some cool people. And really, it’s all about meeting new people. You never know whats going to happen.”
It’s pilot season, Philip said, and he hopes to try to get another show on his resume.
“There’s a lot going on and I just picked up a new agent,” he said. “There’s a ton of new things happening.”
Philip lived in Los Angeles for about 25 years, where he met his wife, New Hartford native, Claudia. She was an aspiring actress. Now she is going back to school to try a new career in nursing, and with their two children, Isabella and Juliana, the couple moved back to the area.
“She was from here and we just kept ending up here,” he said. “I audition here (New York City) for work, and go home on the weekends.”
The 30 Rock episode is scheduled to appear some time in February. The show airs every Thursday at 9:30 p.m.