Interview with Bryan Batt

Photo credit: Michael Helms

Even though he’s a closet case, Mad Men’s Salvatore Romano is a relative breath of fresh air on the television landscape. Instead of being a campy assistant to the boss, he’s the art director for the Sterling Cooper advertising agency. Rather than being the gossipy best friend of the office sex-pot, he’s just one of the guys – or at least he’s trying to be. And while he is up to his neck in mothballs because he’s so deep in the closet, his sexuality doesn't make him a joke at work.

Salvatore’s angst over his situation is vividly brought to life by forty-five-year old Bryan Batt, a New Orlean’s native best known for his stage work. But it’s Mad Men that has lifted Batt’s profile to a whole new level netting him many new fans, both gay and straight. Batt took time out of his busy schedule during the Television Critics Association Summer Tour to talk with AfterElton.com about his role as Salvatore, being an out actor and much more.

AfterElton.com: So what’s going on with Salvatore that you can tell us about?
Bryan Batt: That I can tell you about? Well, the funniest thing is people ask me on the street, “I’ve seen the show. When is he coming out?” And I find it so interesting because they are projecting, it’s just unnatural. They seem to project what should happen, or what would happen today.

But this is 1962. It’s a corporate world. He’s conforming. He’s conforming to everything . . . that being said, his options are limited. And this season – I don’t want to spoil it, but –

AE: I won’t give anything away.
BB: Imagine the torture. I don’t think he really has come to complete grips with it [being gay], at least in the scripts. But I’ve seen, like he’s acting at work, he’s acting.

AE: Given what happened with the businessman in the bar last season, is Salvatore completely compartmentalized to the point that he doesn’t even think about his real sexuality?
BB: The way I’m playing it and what I’m getting from the scripts – we don’t get the script until right before we shoot it, so we make some decisions early on … [but] Matthew [Weiner, Mad Men’s creator] is so brilliant with giving you a hint of what’s going to happen so you know what you’re playing. But as far as plot lines and twists, we don’t get that until right when we get the script, right before the table read and then the next day we start shooting.

Batt with Paul Keeley (right) in Episode 108: "The Hobo Code"

AE: Obviously with such a large cast of great people, it’s hard to have any one storyline show up too much. But to tell you the truth, we were a bit frustrated that we didn’t see much of you last season. Will there be more this season?
BB: Oh, of course. There’s more. There’s more than last year. Last year I was just in 11 of the 13 and so far I’m in ten of ten, but hopefully I’m going to be in the entire season.

AE: Is any of that relating to this character coming out?
BB: There’s one big episode that I really have a lot to do.

AE: Which episode?
BB: The name of the episode is “The Gold Violin.” I think it’s episode eight, because they’re changing orders. Like Matt said, sometimes we film out of sequence, so what is chronologically eight might end up being seven – they slip one in, but look for “The Gold Violin.” [Editor’s note: "The Gold Violin" aired this past Sunday.]

AE: But it has to do with your character’s sexuality?
BB: Yes, and his, how should I say it? Well, he, um, maybe I can say this. His eyes start to wander, for the first time. Believe me when I tell you it goes so far. It gets so great. I love the first episode, but it gets wild – not wild, but so rich.