‘Art Happens Here’: John Lithgow Offers Artistic Pursuits for His Characters From ‘Dexter’ & More (VIDEO)

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Learn some modern dance moves from Emmy and Tony-winner John Lithgow? Sure! The actor (Killers of the Flower Moon, The Crown, The Old Man) stopped by our suite at the Television Critics Association press tour and shared some of the artistic skills he honed while shooting the delightful PBS one-hour special Art Happens Here. In it, Lithgow joins students and teachers at four Los Angeles organizations to learn dance, ceramics, silk-screen printing and vocal jazz ensemble. (Watch the video above to see the entire interview.)

“As a kid, I had some wonderful art training in public high schools and I decided as a way of advocating and highlighting the importance of arts and education, I would go back to school in four different settings and hurl myself into four different and distinct art activities,” says Lithgow who works alongside and learns from young people whose lives are being transformed by art.

Lithgow threw himself into studies at Self Help Graphics & Art, a pioneering Chicano community organization at the intersection of arts and social justice; the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, a nonprofit school offering dance classes to people of all ages; the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge, home of a nationally renowned ceramics studio; and the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA), a specialized public school open to aspiring young artists throughout Los Angeles County.

The actor also indulged us in suggesting artistic pursuits for some of his famous TV characters. Dick Solomon from 3rd Rock from the Sun? “Dick Solomon was an alien who could master absolutely anything. You can’t teach him a damn thing. So probably the best thing to do is just to send him to a tennis camp. He attempted figure drawing and realized he was terrible. So he posed nude instead. He was very creative that way.” Trinity Killer Arthur Mitchell in Dexter? “He needs a little occupational therapy. He’s stone evil. I would’ve set him to work at the piano and if he could learn it very quickly, have him play Chopin, something to calm him down.” The FBI assistant director for counterintelligence Harold Harper on The Old Man? “Well, he needs lightning up. I would teach him the banjo.”

Art Happens Here, Premiere, Friday, April 26, 10/9c, PBS (check local listings) and streaming on PBS.org and the PBS app