TV

Josh Duhamel on playing attorney Joel Schwartz in The Thing About Pam: 'I would've lost my s---'

The actor tells EW the role was one of the "more difficult jobs" he's had.

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Published on April 12, 2022 11:00AM EDT

In many ways, Joel Schwartz (Josh Duhamel) is the hero of The Thing About Pam. From the jump, he's the guy who recognizes that all signs point to Pam Hupp (Renée Zellweger) being the murderer, and he's the main person trying to prevent the conviction of Russ Faria (Glenn Fleshler). And even though he losses the original trial, in the end, he's the guy who sticks around until he's able to get Russ released from prison.

For Duhamel, playing Joel was a challenge, one that required a lot of preparation (and one very curly wig). Ahead of the true crime drama's finale Tuesday, EW spoke with Duhamel about his experience on the NBC series.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How'd you get involved with The Thing About Pam?

JOSH DUHAMEL: I was first made aware of it because my manager also represents Renée Zellweger. He told me about it and he said they were thinking about me for Joel, and did I want to read it? And I was like, "Well, if I get to work with Renée, yeah, of course." I've known her forever, never had a chance to work with her, so this was the first time for me. So that was it. I knew a little bit about the story. I'd seen the actual Dateline episode because I watch Dateline religiously. I go to bed at night and it's like my binky. So I knew a little bit about it. Read the script, loved it. And that was kind of it.

The first time I saw you in this, I did not realize it was you.

It's the wig, right?

The wig does a lot of work.

I know, it really does. I'm almost afraid to admit it, but I didn't want to wear the wig at first. I was like, "Why? We don't need this. Nobody knows who Joel Schwartz is to know if I look like him or not." But it really did do something to me biologically when I got that thing on. It's like I became somebody different. I felt like him. Especially when I put that suit on, I really did feel like a different person. It's funny how much it changes your whole demeanor.

How long was the process of getting that wig on?

It was like 45 minutes. Not too crazy.

I know Judy Greer did not meet the person she was portraying. Did you meet Joel?

Yeah, that was one of the first things I did, was have them connect me with Joel, just because I had a million questions for him, both legally — what certain things meant, why he approached things certain ways — but also emotionally, what he was going through. Especially after that first case when they lost. That's what I really wanted to get inside of his head for, was to figure out, how did that affect you? The amount of frustration that you must have had, knowing that you had an inept jury, you had an inept district attorney, you had a judge who didn't belong there. You had all these people, like this perfect storm of ineptitude, really. And the fact that they wouldn't even look at Pam, even though it was very clear to him that she was the one that did it, had to be incredibly frustrating. How did he deal with that emotionally? Because I would've lost my s---. How did he keep his cool throughout that? That was one of my big questions.

Josh Duhamel and Ben Chase on 'The Thing About Pam'. Skip Bolen/NBC

So what did he say? What did you take away from that meeting?

These attorneys, especially defense attorneys I think, have a certain ability to numb themselves from feeling too much sometimes. Because, especially a guy like Joel who's spent his career defending mostly guilty people, I think you got to be able to turn part of your brain off in order to really defend some of these people. So he's got this crazy ability to do that, and I think that he was able to channel some of that frustration and anger and sadness that he had for Russ Faria into just, okay, I'm going to do one good thing here. I am going to make sure this guy gets out of jail and we're going to make sure that justice is served here.

Have you heard from him now that the show's out? Has he said anything about your portrayal of him?

Oh yeah. We talk quite a bit. He was very happy with the stuff in the courtroom and all that. I could only imagine being somebody who was sitting there at home watching somebody else play you and how critical I would be. I really wanted to do right by him. I really wanted to do right by the show because I really felt like it was something cool and kind of special. And different, especially for NBC.

I do want to touch on those courtroom scenes because I talked to Judy not long ago and she talked about the work you guys put into it, but also the challenge it presents as an actor, because you're not acting opposite anyone for some of those big moments. What was that whole experience like for you?

It was one of the more difficult jobs that I've had, to be honest, because it was so much legalese. You can't really go off book at all. You have to be word perfect. And if you jump off the rails a little bit, it's hard to steer it back on. And so I really, really had to work hard to make sure that I knew this stuff inside and out. And some of those cross examinations of Pam were tough, because she was such a slippery little thing. I had to not only psychologically battle what she was trying to do, but also word things in a way that would bait her into taking something so that I could make a point. It was a total mind f--- between those two, he was really trying to catch her in these lies. And he did, but she was very, very good.

Well, you started this by saying obviously a big draw of the show was working with Renée. Walking away from it, how was the experience?

Oh, she's the best. Amazing. She is so prepared, she's so sweet. Even after all that she's accomplished, she's a small town Texas girl. I love that about her. She's thoughtful, she cares about everybody else, she comes in in a great mood and prepared and she's wicked talented. I mean, it's crazy to watch. Even in a scene I found myself going, "Wow, that was good."

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

The Thing About Pam airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.

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