It's Time for Justin Kirk to be a Star

In Hear Me Out, Primetimer staffers and contributors passionately espouse their pet theories, spicy takes, and even the occasional galaxy-brain idea.

Twice a year, television journalists gather in a hotel ballroom in Pasadena, Calif. while networks and studios preview their upcoming slates. It's a phenomenon known within the industry as the Television Critics Association press tour and at this February's gathering, there was one moment in particular that caused the room to collectively gasp: the reveal of the extended Interview With the Vampire Season 2 trailer. The preview was stunning in spectacle and an excellent showcase of what is coming down the pipe in the upcoming season, but the generator of most of the excitement was the blink-and-you'll-miss-it glimpse at Justin Kirk in the new footage.

At the time, AMC was being very tight-lipped about who Kirk was playing in the series, but who he is playing is not the point. Television critics rarely agree on anything, but we agree that Kirk is one of Hollywood’s objectively beloved actors. He brings excitement and intrigue to each of his projects, and it should be a crime that he isn't a household name.

Kirk first rose to critical acclaim playing Prior Walter in HBO's Angels in America miniseries. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for the role, but lost to his co-star Jeffrey Wright. The lack of trophy didn't matter. Kirk proved that he was a jack-of-all trades with the part, nailing Prior's comedic quips but also devastating the audience as the character contemplated his own mortality in the face of an HIV diagnosis.

Angels in America is stunning prestige TV, but it makes sense that it didn't make Kirk a star. It did pave the way for his co-starring role in Showtime's Weeds. It's here that the idea that Justin Kirk deserves more really started to take root. Kirk played Andy Botwin, the sardonic but loyal-to-a-fault brother-in-law of Mary-Louise Parker's narcissistic drug queen Nancy. Almost two decades before Challengers showed up and characters like Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) made the term "malewife" mainstream internet vernacular, Andy Botwin was endearing himself to fans by taking care of Nancy's kids and cleaning up her messes while she barely had the grace to acknowledge that Andy was in love with her. Andy deserved so much better and he never got it, but we've been hoping that Justin would find the success to make up for it.

Since Weeds ended in 2012, Kirk has shown up as a guest star in multiple beloved series like Modern Family and the devastatingly underrated Kidding. But outside of the short-lived Fox procedural APB in 2017, we have yet to see Kirk claim No. 1 on the call sheet and make the splash we know that he's capable of making. He's hedged his bets and stuck to commendable guest appearance roles.

Most notably, he played Republican presidential hopeful Jeryd Mencken in the final seasons of Succession, posing the terrifying question: What if Donald Trump had legitimate charisma? Mencken was an obvious threat to America's democracy, but Kirk still made you feel like you wanted to get a beer with him. He is an expert at making dark characters feel like friends, like people you want to root for.

Justin Kirk is one of the finest character actors we have today. He is always memorable when he pops up on various shows, engaging the audience, if not outright endearing them, with whatever moments he has within a show. He is a "where do I know that guy from?" poster boy for casual TV viewers. But TV fanatics have been clamoring for Kirk to get the spotlight he deserves for almost two decades now.

That's really the problem. Justin Kirk shouldn't be "popping up" anywhere — he should be a mainstay on TV. Why hasn't a network or studio crafted a project worthy of Kirk's talents? It's unclear whether Interview With the Vampire will be the show to step up to the plate. 

Sunday's episode of the vampire epic revealed that Kirk is playing the devious psychic Raglan James who is a major antagonist for Lestat in the Anne Rice novels the series is based on. Within the world of the TV show, Raglan is still a member of Talamasca, the shadow organization also introduced in AMC's Mayfair Witches, which means we are getting backstory about the character before his arc in the books takes place. His role in Talamasca could also allow him to travel between series in the growing AMC Immortal universe.

Audiences should feel confident that Interview With the Vampire will not waste Kirk's talents. He will be simultaneously charming and menacing, and probably beloved by the series' "fanspire" fan base. That's what he does whenever he's on screen. We only hope that if Kirk is not front and center in the upcoming season, that this is the beginning of something long-lasting and career-redefining for him. It's been too long coming, and Justin Kirk deserves to be a star.

New episodes of Interview With the Vampire Season 2 drop Sundays at 3:01 A.M. ET on AMC+ and 9:00 P.M. ET on AMC. Join the discussion about the show in our forums.

Megan Vick is a pop-culture reporter whose byline has appeared on TVGuide.com, The Hollywood Reporter, Billboard, Reuters and more. You can find her on the internet talking about K-pop or screaming about teen romances.