Dan Levy: Having an iconic woman play my mother is a requirement (EXCLUSIVE)

Six years after Schitt’s Creek wrapped, Dan Levy is back on screens with Big Mistakes, his new Netflix crime comedy co-created with Rachel Sennott.

Following two siblings blackmailed into the world of organised crime, Levy plays Nicky Dardano, a gay pastor hiding a relationship from his church – about as far from David Rose as it’s possible to get.

Here, the actor speaks to Attitude about taking on the role, why queerness should never be a lesson to be learned, and what it takes to get Laurie Metcalf to play your mother.

Attitude: Tell us about Big Mistakes and your character.

Dan Levy: It’s a crime comedy about two siblings who find themselves blackmailed into the world of organised crime. I play Nicky Dardano, who is a gay pastor who is supposed to be non-practicing when it comes to his homosexuality, but has found a boyfriend and is keeping him a secret from the church. So he’s gotten himself into a little bit of trouble with love.

How different is Nicky to David Rose?

In terms of character similarities, I really can’t find almost anything. David wore all of his emotions on his sleeve. He was incredibly open with his judgment of people and things and what he believed to be right and wrong. Whereas Nicky is incredibly sensitive to people’s needs. He’s a genuinely well-intentioned, good person who wants to do good in the world. I think David was slightly more self-serving in his approach to living life. David had the confidence. Nicky, I don’t think, has the confidence.

Nicky being gay is incidental to the show rather than the whole story. Do you think TV is past the point of making queerness the whole narrative?

Well, I felt like we were exploring that on Schitt’s Creek many, many years ago. I just don’t have any interest in having sexuality be a lesson to be learned. It doesn’t interest me at all. I would rather just show characters for who they are, tell their stories with the same level of care and nonchalance and respect as I would every other character in the show. That, to me, feels like progress.

You had a real pastor vetting the scripts. Was there anything he flagged?

No. In fact, a lot of what he was telling us was don’t tiptoe around the fact that we are real people – we can swear, we can mess up, we can do things behind closed doors. It was really about the most authentic approach: don’t make him a saint, but rather focus on his commitment to his faith and honour his relationship to religion, versus making him this untouchable character who could do no wrong.

You’ve now had two iconic women play your TV mother – Catherine O’Hara and now Laurie Metcalf. Is that becoming a requirement?

From here on out, yes it is! I’ve just been very lucky that two incredible women responded to the material. Laurie is a dream. Working with her was like a masterclass. What she brings to this character is so electrifying. It’s a huge honour to get to write for her and to share this performance with the world.

Do you hope Big Mistakes will become as much of an institution as Schitt’s Creek?

I don’t think you can really hope anything other than that people like what you’ve made. Schitt’s Creek is an anomaly in the sense that it hit at just the right time. This is a completely different show. Schitt’s Creek was a warm hug; [Big Mistakes] is a roller coaster ride. My hope is that people will get on board and enjoy the ride.

Big Mistakes is streaming now on Netflix.