American actor and singer Mandy Patinkin has admitted that his reputation for being difficult was well earned, but notes that it came about largely because he viewed direction as a form of criticism. The Tony Award winner, who is 60 years old this year, has previously battled depression and has a checkered history on television.
He held the lead role as Dr. Jeffrey Geiger on the first series of medical drama Chicago Hope in the 1990s, but left after the first season due to the fact that the show was filmed in Los Angeles and he found it difficult to be away from his family, who were based in New York. In the 2000s he also made headlines for walking away from the lead role in Criminal Minds after two seasons due to the disturbing nature of the show’s content.
Patinkin seems very grateful to have been given another opportunity in the world of television with his role in Homeland as the acting director of the CIA, Saul Berenson. “I struggled with letting in other people’s opinions,” Patinkin admitted in an interview with New York Times Magazine. “During Chicago Hope I never let directors talk to me, because I was so spoiled. I started off with people like Milos Forman, Sidney Lumet, James Lapine, unbelievably gifted people. So there I was saying ‘Don’t talk to me, I don’t want your opinion.’”
Patinkin admits that he “behaved abominably” and he is now embarrassed by how he acted, despite the plaudits that his performances received from critics.
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