Dylan McDermott had vintage underwear made for his role in the Netflix show Hollywood

When it comes to actors, Dylan McDermott’s long and varied career is something of a rarity. He’s worked successfully in films like Steel Magnolias, Wonderland and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. In the late ’90s and early 2000s, when network TV was on the decline, he starred in the hugely popular ABC show The Practice. And more recently he’s found his groove acting in shows on Netflix like American Horror Story and The Politician. 

So it’s no surprise to see him portray a pimp-producer-actor in the new Netflix show Hollywood. In an interview on CNET’s new podcast I’m So Obsessed, McDermott explained the concept behind the new show.

“Well the whole show centers around Hollywood, hence the title,” McDermott says. “It really is a revisionist story of Hollywood in the 1940s. What if women, people of color, gays were treated equally.”

Hollywood reunites McDermott with Ryan Murphy, the producer and creator behind American Horror Story and The Politician. McDermott describes Murphy as a genius and says that the key to their continued collaborations is trust.

Read: CNET’s Hollywood review: Intriguing Netflix miniseries dreams up alternate film history

My interview with McDermott was recorded at the beginning of April. In it we discuss how he prepared for his role in Hollywood, which included having underwear specially made for his character. The Emmy-nominated actor also talks about his mother, playwright Eve Ensler, starring with Will Smith in King Richard, the Venus and Serena Williams biopic scheduled for release next year, and the challenge of maintaining a street that was named after him.

Listen to my entire conversation with McDermott on Spotify or in the player embedded above, and subscribe to I’m So Obsessed on your favorite podcast app. In each episode we catch up with an artist, actor or creator to learn about their work, career and current obsession.