I chatted with “Homicide” alumnus Peter Gerety about his memories of the show and his new film, “Working Man”
Peter: You’re in Baltimore?
I am! I live in Highlandtown.
I know where you are! I almost bought a house in Canton. I did a couple years of “Homicide” down in Fells Point and then “The Wire.” I love Baltimore a lot.
That’s awesome. A quick story about that actually. “Homicide” was always filming in Southeast Baltimore. There was one particular evening where you, Callie Thorne, Kyle Secor, and Michael Michele were walking back from the alley you were shooting in. You sat down on one of those “Greatest City In America” benches waiting for your cars to pick you up. We got to meet you, Callie, and Kyle. You guys made our night!
You’re lucky you didn’t get stuck in filming in an episode! ::laughs:: I remember in one episode where we had to film a car chase. Callie and I were in our squad car and I was driving. The people we were chasing were in a red pickup truck. The streets we had to drive through were incredibly narrow. I don’t think we ever broke 25 miles per hour.
As you said, you were here for a few years filming “Homicide” and “The Wire.” What other memories do you have of Baltimore?
I had done a film with Dominic West, “McNulty”, prior to “The Wire” in France. When we got together years later in Baltimore, Dominic pulled me into his trailer..and wanted me to teach him how to talk Baltimore ::laughs:: So I sat down with him and taught him Bawlmore.
“Homicide” was a great group of people. Kyle, Callie..we became a family. I miss the hell out of Callie and Kyle.
Would you ever do a reboot of “Homicide?”
Sure I would. I’m too old to be used though ::laughs::
What is your new film “Working Man” about and who do you play?
The film is about what’s happening to this country. Things are changing and people need to figure out for them and their communities, how to deal with those changes. I grew up in Providence, Rhode Island. It’s a pretty industrial town. Way back, jewelry was their biggest export. Decades ago, all of that moved to the south. I was aware of factories closing and desperation when their livelihoods were taken away from them. Yes, you’re angry. Yes, you feel like your identity has left.
The film is about a town in the Rust Belt, whose industries are closing down one by one. The people who work in the factories no longer have jobs. They no longer have paychecks. They have no idea what to do..their identity is lost. They feel invisible. My character, who they refer to as the geriatric one, has lost himself. He falls into a depression until he finds a way to go back to the factory..
Why should people watch “Working Man?”
The movie has compassion for people out of work, whether it’s short term due to Covid 19, or permanently due to changing industries. I think people will identify with what my character goes through after he loses what he knows.
“Working Man” is available to stream/rent on all major Video On Demand platforms!
Also available via: Amazon
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