Lights, camera, action! Peter Hermann gets into character for Us Weekly and reveals 25 facts about himself — including his favorite hobby, pet peeve and why he quit piano lessons.
1. A German pretzel with butter is my favorite food.
2. My wife [Mariska Hargitay] and my kids are the most influential people in my life.
3. I have a talent for helping our kids with science projects — while managing not to get overly involved.
4. My first concert was the Charlie Daniels Band. I went in eighth grade. Someone near us was smoking weed and I spent the whole concert wondering if I was supposed to call the police.
5. I procrastinate — often by reading articles about how to stop procrastinating.
6. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is walk our dog.
7. One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from my older sister, about raising kids: “First you give them roots, then you give them wings.”
8. I’d cast Hugh Jackman to play me in a superhero musical about my life. He can sing and dance his way through anything — and he’s got claws if he needs them.
9. If I weren’t an actor, I’d be a photographer or a teacher.
10. The last thing I do before I go to sleep is the New York Times mini crossword.
11. Christmas is my favorite holiday. We get an epically, ridiculously big tree every year.
12. My mantra is: “Our very life depends on everything’s/ Recurring till we answer from within. The thousandth time may prove the charm.” That’s from a poem by Robert Frost.
13. I was born in New York, then moved to Germany when I was 2 months old and lived there until I was 10.
14. I love ironing.
15. My favorite vacation was an RV trip I took with [my family] through the Redwood Forest in Northern California.
16. I’m still getting the hang of podcasts.
17. My biggest pet peeve is the misuse of the word “literally.” And loud chewing.
18. My ideal date night is finding a great obscure thing happening in some corner of New York and surprising Mariska with it.
19. My first job was selling suits in a men’s store.
20. I took piano when I was young, but my crush on my teacher made it impossible to concentrate.
21. I ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, when I was 21.
22. When I moved back to the U.S., the [only] English words I knew were “yes,” “no,” “orange,” “chest of drawers” and “shut up,” which I was never allowed to say.
23. I once wrote a text to my wife that said, “Have you seen my phone?”
24. I hate, absolutely hate, horror movies.
25. I tend to avoid playing board games. I don’t think of myself as a competitive person, but losing at board games bugs me.
Younger airs on TV Land Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET.
