Because you were playing yourself?

No, because I was constantly on the outside looking at the character, which is death.

Which is the beauty of doing this play. We always talk about it afterward. When we're out there, we're really doing it; we're really fucking partying and fighting with each other. I gotta hug Josh for like 10 minutes after the show, because he's the sweetest guy in the planet but I fucking hate him for three hours. With "Third Watch" I was extremely green. It was a fantastic lesson for me.

Then you sort of did a tour of premium TV: a role on A&E's "100 Centre Street," a memorable cameo on "Sex and the City," a role on "Oz" -- which was probably the most menacing character we've seen you play before Phil ("Hurlyburly").

Well, I also was in [NBC's] "Kingpin" where I played this pretty nasty character. But they're so different.

Yes. But I think the parts we're most familiar with -- "Station Agent," "Will & Grace," "Third Watch" -- are pretty friendly, likable characters. Phil is sort of likable ... for a sociopath. How hard was he to play?

Well, the play is like one of my all-time favorite plays, and I very much always wanted to play that part. You know, when I first started auditioning in the city and didn't have an agent, and I'd go on [auditions], Phil was my monologue. I'd have Phil and Marc Antony of "Julius Caesar" -- and, you know, Phil was the money. [laughs]

But I also never saw him as a bad guy; I always saw him as this tortured person.

Was that something you and [director] Scott Elliott discussed, about making sure he seemed human? Because I'm not sure he's always seemed that way, either onstage or on-screen.

I know that from the very beginning we talked about making it an emotional "Hurlyburly." These were characters who were vulnerable with each other because they were so close, and to think about that. And I sort of just ran with that in every positive aspect I could with the character. He loves Eddie, and he loves his wife, and he knows exactly what the problems are. He even can express them. He knows exactly what he's doing. The circumstances prevail against him. But I think he thinks he can make it, and I love that about the guy. To play someone who is trying that hard is a heroic character to me.

You certainly play him that way. Was there anyone who inspired your portrayal? Anyone you used as a model?

Um, hmm. [Laughs ] I'm not going to answer that. I got to have a secret.

Interesting ... OK. Well, I wanted to ask you about how diverse your roles have been. Obviously, you've played gay a lot, and I wonder if you ever worried about getting typecast?

Nah, because you know, even with the gay roles, the fact that they're gay is like the last thing that's interesting about them. They're so different. The guy in "Oz" is so different from the guy in "Will & Grace"; then the guy on "Six Feet Under" -- who is like, you don't know what the fuck he is. And it's a testament to the industry, at least, that those roles are so common.

They're a lot more common, suddenly. But still, no one ever warned you that they could hurt your career?

Did anybody? Yeah, I mean people in the streets [assumes gruff voice], "Hey, Bobby, I saw you on 'Will & Grace,' you better watch it!" You get stuff like that. But not people who know me. And I don't think about it. I want to play good parts; that's the important thing.

And cops, you've played your fair share of cops.

Have I played a lot of cops?

Well it sounds like you're about to. And, well, Vince from "Will & Grace." You were a firefighter in "Third Watch" -- close! And the character from "Six Feet" is sort of . . .

Yeah, he's not a cop. He's a goon. But in "NY-70" I play a character based on Sonny Grosso, and what's interesting about this is his job is part of his being. In "Third Watch" -- well, forget "Third Watch." But in "Will & Grace," Vince is a cop, is a good cop, but he really just wants to be a personal shopper for someone.

Ha! But Vince is not a good cop . . .

No, he's not a good cop! [Laughs] He's been fired from the force. He gets written up 54 times for trying on gloves. But, you know, it's a different role.

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