Talking With Travis Richey about “Sugar” and “CSI:Vegas”

This edition of Talking With focuses on actor Travis Richey, who lands in the middle of two investigations on two hot TV shows. First, he encounters Colin Farrell as Private Investigator John Sugar in Apple TV’s new original streaming series, “Sugar.” Then, you can catch him as the latest victim during an episode of the CBS drama, “CSI:Vegas.”

Previously, Travis appeared on NBC’s “Community” playing Inspector Spacetime which led him to create the viral-hit spinoff series, “The Inspector Chronicles: Untitled Web Series About a Space Traveler Who Can Also Travel Through Time.” He’s been on “Pretty Little Liars,” starred in “Robot, Ninja & Gay Guy,” and more recently on “The Talk.” As if he wasn’t busy enough, his first novel, “The Vampires’ Curse (Decimus),” was published recently and he also launched a new podcast about movies and music.

To learn more, we are Talking With Travis Richey:

Why did you want to be part of “Sugar”?

TRAVIS RICHEY: Interestingly, when I auditioned for “Sugar,” it had a code name and was very hush hush, right? But I researched as much as I could and realized it was a Colin Farrell vehicle, and that my scene would be with him, and I really wanted to experience that. Then I was excited to lean that Fernando Meirelles was directing, because I loved his movie Blindness that he did with Mark Ruffalo and Juliane Moore.

Who is Gary Bascomb?

TR: Gary is the building manager of the condo that belongs to the missing subject of Sugar’s investigation. Sugar has to go through him to gain access to her place. Gary is affable and friendly, but Sugar exercises an effortless authority over him and winds up with keys to the entire building.

What was your favorite moment from working on the show?

TR: Probably the cast table read, which we did on zoom. I show up in the room and the app put me in a 2x2 square with me, Colin Farrell, James Cromwell, and Adam Arkin. Just to see me in a square with these absolute legends was kind of crazy.

How was it working with Colin Farrell?

TR: Colin was absolutely delightful to work with. We were shooting downtown in an actual restored building, and that necessitated a flexibility on the production’s part. Colin liked to rework the script on the spot, and he invited my input. It felt like a real collaboration. In between takes we would talk about his love of Broadway, me growing up a gay kid in Wisconsin, and his childhood in Ireland. It was super chill and fun.

You also just appeared on “CSI:Vegas,” right?

TR: Yes! I had met the casting director and auditioned for an episode earlier in the season that I didn’t end up booking, but they must have liked me, because they called me back to audition for another episode. The role was almost made for me, as I play the victim of the murder, who is identified because he has Bells Palsy, which is a partial paralysis on one side of the face. I was born with Bells Palsy, so in a very literal sense, this was a part I was born to play.

What was that experience like?

TR: “CSI:Vegas” had a number of firsts for me. For one thing, I had to get a full-face cast done, which means they put all this quick-drying goop on all of your face except for two little holes for you to breathe through. As a lifelong nerd, I love monster and alien makeup effects, which frequently require this process, so I’ve always wanted to do it.

I also got to bring my new puppy to the location with me. I adopted her last summer when the writer and actor strikes started. She got to stay in my trailer while I was on set, which is a little actor dream I had since I moved to LA a couple decades ago.

Then on set, I had a marvelous time. My character almost entirely through flashbacks, so I had to take a ton of pictures, which each required their own costume and settings. I chatted with the other actors during our downtime and got to explore the morgue sets. They took such great care of me.

Why do you think fans enjoy this show so much?

TR: Each episode is a mystery that gets solved, so you get to have a complete story with a sense of completion every single week. You meet new guest characters every week, which keeps things fresh, but you also get to follow the series regulars as they grow and change over the course of the series. There’s something great about seeing someone like Investigator Catherine Willows for 20 years. Its familiar and comforting, like inviting a friend into your home who tells you a thrilling story every week.

Where do you start when preparing for a role? And does that change depending on the genre or other factors?

TR: Figuring out the genre and tone of the project are of paramount importance. I start the moment I get an audition. I research the tone and feel of a show as much as I can. For something like “CSI,” that’s fairly easy; you just watch an episode. But for “Sugar,” a show that hasn’t aired yet AND is being treated very secretly, you must be a bit of a detective. Do they tell you who wrote it? If so, you can look at other things that writer has done. In the case of “Sugar,” I was able to find that and knew that it was a project that Colin Farrell was doing. So, I watched a couple of smaller films that he had done that I hadn’t seen, like “In Bruges” and “After Yang,” and also the films written by writer/producer Mark Protosevich.

Then you need to look at the actual text and make bold choices to create a real person to portray. Everything in a good script is on purpose and is useful information. In Gary’s case, there was a line in the action about the condo being located in West Hollywood. I made the choice that Gary was gay (as am I), so I wore a shirt that belonged to my character in “Robot, Ninja & Gay Guy,” and made sure that my Pride band for my Apple watch appeared in frame a little bit. But even that physical choice informed my performance. Gary found a line funny that someone else might not have.

Are you working on anything else these days?

TR: I always have several projects in the works. Acting-wise, I was just cast in a sketch on “The Talk,” which was a fun little gig that hearkened back to my roots performing sketch comedy at ACME Comedy Theater in Hollywood.

Besides that, I’ve been getting more into writing. My first novel was published recently from 4 Horsemen Publications. It’s a sexy gay vampire book called “The Vampires’ Curse (Decimus, book 1)” I wrote that over the pandemic based on an idea that I’ve had in my head since 2009, and I’m writing the sequel this summer. I’m also excited that the same publisher is putting out the first “Inspector Chronicles” book, based on my award-winning web series. That one is a time travel comedy, think “Doctor Who”-meets-“Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” I’ll be writing the sequel to that next, and switching back and forth between writing those series for a few years.

I also am producing a new series called “Timewrecked” with my co-writer Curtiss Frisle, who co-created “Robot, Ninja & Gay Guy” with me. It’s another time travel comedy series, but more along the lines of “Galaxy Quest” in tone.

And I’m also doing a great podcast for the last year and a half or so. It’s called “Exposing Ourselves,” and it’s about movies and music. I’m a big movie buff but don’t generally listen to music. My co-host Matt is the opposite. So, each week we assign each other something we love to watch or listen to and come together to discuss them. It’s kind of wonderful.

What inspires you the most creatively?

TR: That’s an interesting question. I’m very big into collaboration, and telling more fantastic stories. I like a little surreal in my storytelling. I’ve never had a shortage of ideas, only the discipline and organizational skills to set my mind on one thing at a time.

The first stories that really lit my imagination were things like Star Wars and Star Trek, and I really like the ability that science fiction and fantasy has to hold a mirror up to humanity. We can tell stories in a genre setting that might not be as palatable to general audiences otherwise.

Finally, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

TR: Well first, thanks so much for the questions. I’d definitely love to hear from your audience. Whether it’s responding to my comedy videos on my Youtube channel, giving some suggestions for movies to watch or bands to listen to on the “Exposing Ourselves” podcast, or maybe there’s a Patron out there who wants to make my the Leonardo DaVinci to their Medici family.

Lastly, I want to encourage anyone out there with a creative mind to also be a producer. Whether you’re an actor, writer, director, or anyone with a story inside them, don’t wait for someone else to give you the chance to exercise that creativity. Go use whatever resources you have to tell that story!

Keep up with Travis Richey on: YouTube.com/TravisRichey and Instagram: @TheTravisRichey