Although Jonathan Tucker was thrilled to lead a network TV show, joining Debris wasn’t a snap decision — especially with 21-month-old twins at home.
“This isn’t a two-month movie. I could potentially be in this for a five-year long haul,” Tucker, 38, said on the Wednesday, March 3, episode of the “Watch With Us” podcast while promoting the new NBC series. “It’s daunting. I think, on one hand, you recognize how quickly life goes by. I certainly recognize that with my kids — all of a sudden six months [has passed]. I look at the photos and the videos, I can’t believe it. They’re like different animals! But you also have to, at least I think actors have to, take faith in the fact that careers are long too. And you need to be strategically patient in your life and in your career. I said, ‘This could be a home for me for a little bit.’ I think sometimes actors will, when they’re operating from a place of fear, will start to put up all of these reasons why they can’t do something, why they shouldn’t take that job.”
The Kingdom alum married Tara Tucker in 2012, and the couple welcomed twins, Hayes and India, in May 2019.
“It’s a euphemism to say twins because people think it’s like [one thing],” he added with a laugh. “No, no, no, it’s not. It’s two kids at the same time!”
As for how he balances it all, Tucker gives 100 percent of the credit to Tara, who he calls a “superhero” with how much she takes on.
“I feel like I just come home and, like, ravage through the refrigerator like a drunk bear, and then spread out on bed passed out like a starfish,” he told Us, adding that how he chooses roles has definitely changed since becoming a father.
“I think one of the things one starts to appreciate when they have children — other than their spouse more than they ever could have; my wife’s just been unbelievable — is a larger, like, almost political-economic issue of everything’s fine until one thing happens,” he told Us. “My wife has been just extraordinary in helping to keep everything working, but you recognize that, like, if one little thing goes down — like my wife having a little back spasm, all chaos breaks loose. It’s amazing how one small problem can be devastating for somebody.”
The Virgin Suicides star admitted that though he was a big fan of creator Joel Wyman‘s past work (including Almost Humans and Fringe), he was a bit hesitant to join Debris.
“One of my biggest concerns was, frankly, just what does that working relationship look like? Because you dedicate so much of your time to telling these stories, and there are so many sacrifices that one makes personally. You want to make sure that the creative process is conducive to great work and also to a good life — if you can,” Tucker told Us. “I think the moment Joel and I sat down across the table from each other, we recognized that there we were kindred spirits, and he’s a very good human being and a very talented writer. So that was kind of it for me.”
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Debris airs on NBC Mondays at 10 p.m. ET.