Diego Klattenhoff seems constitutionally incapable of putting on airs. Living in Brooklyn, the self-proclaimed epicenter of hipsters, Klattenhoff relishes poking fun at pretentiousness. He holds tight to the values instilled in him while growing up in a lumberjack family in rural Nova Scotia. Klattenhoff chatted with us about having a blast in his second season of NBC’s The Blacklist, as well as his time on Showtime’s Homeland.
- You’re at a magazine rack and can only pick three titles. Which ones do you choose? “The Atlantic.” I love “The New Yorker” and why not go with “Vanity Fair,” too.
- If your TV carried just three shows or networks, what would they be? HBO. I am a bit of a junkie for the gold shows on Discovery, actual shows about dredging, and National Geographic Channel has good stuff on that, too. And PBS — Charlie Rose.
- What has been your strangest fan encounter? I was walking down the street and a guy was with his wife and baby — and I am looking at the baby — and he looks up and says, “Oh look, it’s Diego Klattenhoff.” It was just snotty. What’s that supposed to mean, pal? I come from the land of woods and the pulp went past your knees. I’ve got two older brothers and two younger sisters and we spent many days in the woodpile. One of my brothers came down here and we went to one of the bowling alleys in Brooklyn. He was amazed at the plaid shirt and knitted cap (look) and I said, “That shirt probably cost $200-250.” He said, “If he weren’t working, why would you go out like this?” And I said, “Look at their hands — they are all skinny and pink.”
- What are three things you have to have in your fridge or pantry? Milk for tea, Brita for a glass of water, and a good bottle of whiskey.
- Both “The Blacklist” and “Homeland” reflect the angst of our time; do they make you nervous? They are angsty. It is a sign of a good show if it can make the audience sit up and turn the light off and put you on the edge of your seat. I am really fortunate to be involved in these two shows at the right time. Right when you think something is over, these people from ISIS show up with a new threat.
The latest episode of The Blacklist, “The Deer Hunter,” airs tonight on NBC.
Credit: Justin Stephens/NBC
