Joseph Sikora on how Tommy Egan would fit in on 'Ozark,' 'True Detective,' and more (original) (raw)
How much of a force would Tommy Egan be in the worlds of other hit shows?
With the Power fan-favorite headed to Chicago for Starz's Power Book IV: Force (Feb. 6), star Joseph Sikora speculates on how his slick, hotheaded New York gangster might handle arriving on some of the actor's past projects, from Ozark to True Detective to... Frasier?
Jason Bateman on 'Ozark,' Joseph Sikora on 'Power,' Matthew McConaughey on 'True Detective.'. Steve Dietl / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett; Starz; Photo 12/ Alamy
Michael Jordan
As a teenager, Sikora, a Chicago native, appeared in a McDonald's commercial opposite the Chicago Bulls superstar, who was about to bring the first of six NBA championships to the city.
"If Tommy was in the right space, he'd give MJ the credit that he deserves as the greatest basketball player of all-time — and that would be it. That'd be enough for Tommy. And I don't think Jordan would have anything to say to him at all. But he then might use MJ's gambling weakness to Tommy's advantage and be like, 'You want to invest in something, I got something for you to invest in.' Tommy would always be trying to work the angles in playing to the weaknesses."
Frasier
Early in his career, Sikora had a small guest spot on a season 9 episode of the Emmy-winning sitcom as "Man in Bar."
"He'd sit down with Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and Frasier (Kelsey Grammer), and Frasier probably offers him a sherry and he'd be like, 'Man, this s--- is sweet!' He'd pour himself a huge glass, and after his third bottle of very expensive sherry, I'm certain they'd find common ground, because they both are interested in psychology and understanding humans. They're almost opposites in the way that Tommy usually acts and then thinks, and Frasier overthinks everything before he acts and works himself up into a tizzy. So they'd complement each other well."
Prison Break
Sikora played Sara Tancredi's (Sarah Wayne Callies) boyfriend in a season 1 flashback episode of the runaway hit Fox drama.
"No pun intended, but Tommy doesn't force anything. One of the gifts that Tommy has is that he's able to get his point across and never try to be something he's not, and yet still fit in all of these different places. We showed that time and again on Power. Tommy was able to negotiate with the Koreans, the Tainos. Tommy was even able to negotiate with Angela (Lela Loren), until she became too big of a problem for him. Yes, it was an accidental shot [when Tommy killed Angela], but she would've gotten hers anyways. Tommy is incredibly malleable in so many ways, so he definitely would've gotten down with the [_Prison Break_] gang, because his street savvy and his intelligence and his drive are very attractive."
Sarah Wayne Callies and Joseph Sikora in 'Prison Break.'. FOX
Boardwalk Empire
Set in the prohibition era, the HBO crime series opened with Sikora in the pivotal first episode role of Hans Schroeder, an alcoholic and domestic abuser who Nucky (Steve Buscemi) has killed. With Hans now gone, Nucky soon began a relationship with the widowed Mrs. Schroeder (Kelly Macdonald).
"Tommy would end up being partners with Nucky, and then I think Tommy would takeover, because he'd know how to negotiate more of the elements that Nucky didn't know how to do. He'd be able to develop all of the money and the inventory to get down with Chalky White (Michael K. Williams). Also, that ruthlessness of Lucky Luciano, played by Vincent Piazza, I think that Tommy and Lucky would get on real well. Tommy would be like, 'Yeah, I like this anger, go even further.' And Tommy might have been able to flip Michael Shannon's character [Nelson Van Alden] and gotten him to the dark side quicker."
Joseph Sikora on 'Boardwalk Empire.'. HBO
Jack Reacher
The film adaptation of author Lee Child's wildly successful series of novels begins with Sikora's former Army sniper James Barr arrested and accused of assassinating five innocent citizens. Barr's response to the charges? "Get Jack Reacher." This sets up the arrival of Tom Cruise's famed hero.
"It'd be an epic fight — and I'd be nervous for Tommy. Jack Reacher might end up kicking his ass, but you can't make a mistake with Tommy. If Tommy was a boxer, he waits for that first mistake and then he capitalizes. So that one time Jack Reacher was a little bit off balance, Tommy's the guy who's all kill instinct. The only option you have with Tommy is either kill him, or don't even start. But they could definitely drink a beer together after."
Joseph Sikora in 'Jack Reacher.'. Paramount Pictures
True Detective
Sikora is almost unrecognizable in season 1 of the HBO anthology series as Ginger, a member of a meth-running biker gang. He faces off with Matthew McConaughey when the latter's detective, Rust Cohle, must reprise his undercover identity within the Iron Crusaders.
"He'd totally be a fish out of water. He'd love to talk about the drugs, how they were distributing the drugs, but that dysfunctional world would have Tommy at his wits' end, like, 'You know what, you all keep this little part of the South, I'm jumping ship.' I do think Tommy would probably whoop the piss out of Rust, but Rust would also confuse the hell out of Tommy; he wouldn't be able to talk to him. He'd just be like, 'Dude, you're on some kind of trip. You're bugging me out, brother.'"
Joseph Sikora and Matthew McConaughey on 'True Detective.'. HBO/ alamy
Ozark
Upon wrapping his six-season run on Power_, Sikora headed west — more specifically, to the Midwest — for a recurring role on the Netflix crime drama as Frank Cosgrove Jr., the trouble-making son of the head of the Kansas City mob. Sikora is set to return for the final season of_ Ozark_, which premieres Jan. 21._
"Tommy would've caught the Chi-Lites tribute band in Joplin, then he would've headed over to the Ozarks. Unfortunately for the Byrdes, if history serves us correct, he'd be working for the cartel. Marty (Jason Bateman) is always trying to avoid death and death surrounds Tommy, so Marty would have to watch his back. But Ruth (Julia Garner) would be really taken with him, because, even though Tommy is primarily a Motown and old soul guy, he's also into hip-hop, just like her, so they could talk shop a bit. Becoming enemies wouldn't end well for her, because Tommy's got the gentleman quality that you never hit a lady — but if the lady hits you, you might have to put a knife through her eyeball."
Joseph Sikora on 'Ozark.'. netflix/ everett
Power Book IV: Force debuts Feb. 6 on Starz.
A version of this story appears in the February issue of Entertainment Weekly_, on newsstands now and available to order here. Don't forget to subscribe for more exclusive interviews and photos, only in EW._
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