You know his ass from the movies, but now you will know his face from television. Ken Davitian, recent star in “Get Smart” and “Borat,” will be featured on an episode of the NBC comedy “Chuck.”
Davitian will play the character “Uncle Bernie,” designed by creators Chris Fedak and Josh Schwartz to be a shout out to “Uncle Bernie’s Vacation.”
“They wrote the character with me in mind,” Davitian said.
The episode Davitian is in, set to air this Monday, follows the current “Chuck” plot line where title character Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi) is searching for his missing father.
Davitian is a member of Fulcrum, a rogue spy agency Chuck and his NSA and CIA handlers have been fighting against. Davitian’s Uncle Bernie goes to a “very close friend’s daughter’s wedding;” the daughter being someone he has previously recruited to Fulcrum.
“Unfortunately, due to my large derriere, I have a heart attack,” Davitian said about Uncle Bernie. “My character is dead to my knowledge, but who knows what they’ll do with it after.”
Though the characters did not find out anything from Bernie due to his untimely demise, Davitian said they did end up finding where to go next in the search for Mr. Bartowski.
Davitian also let it slip Chuck’s ex-girlfriend Jill will make an appearance in the episode. Chuck is also interested in his CIA handler, Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski).
“They never give me those sexual tension roles,” Davitian said. He also noted for all casting directors out there his top two picks are Anne Hathaway (his co-star from “Get Smart”) and Scarlett Johannsen.
“They keep saying that 50 is the new 40, and I believe if I wait long enough, 300 lbs will be the next 150,” Davitian joked.
Making a TV episode is much like making a mini-movie, Davitian said, citing the 18-hour-a-day, eight-day effort it takes to film just one episode. He said there wasn’t much nerdiness or joking around while on the set.
“[The “Chuck” set] was a well oiled machine,” Davitian said. “The writing makes you stay funny while you’re acting serious.”
He was especially impressed by Levi, who he met before, Davitian said. When asked if Levi was as big a nerd in real life as he is portrayed on the show, Davitian said, “When I was young, we called them nerds. Now they’re considered intellectual and intelligent because I’ve got to tell you, I don’t know how to work that box they call a computer.”
Davitian is starring in an upcoming romantic comedy called “You May Not Kiss The Bride” alongside Katherine McPhee, Mena Suvari, Vinnie Jones and Dave Annable. He plays McPhee’s father who is trying to get his daughter married so she can get her citizenship.
He had shot a sitcom with Bernie Mac previous to the late actor’s passing. He also is set to star in a film where he plays Luciano Pavarotti.
“I really like making movies, but I also like television,” Davitian said. “You just want to be somewhere in front of a camera.”
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