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Luke Macfarlane: Charlie bonds with wife's bestie in 'Platonic' S2
1 of 4 | Rose Byrne and Luke Macfarlane return for Season 2 of "Platonic," premiering Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Apple TV+
NEW YORK, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Bros and Brothers & Sisters alum Luke Macfarlane says his Platonic character Charlie is more at ease with his wife Sylvia's close-knit, chaotic friendship with Will in Season 2.
"The anxiety and angst and insecurity has mostly been alleviated," MacFarlane, 45, told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.
"He doesn't have to worry about them getting together, so that gave Charlie a lot more room to actually really try to get to see and know who Will is as a person," the actor said. "This season, we really get to see him enjoy Will's company in a real way and maybe let Will offer him some advice."
New episodes of the comedy air Wednesdays on Apple TV+ The show co-stars Rose Byrne (Sylvia) and Seth Rogen (Will) as former best friends who reunite after a long separation, only to bring out the best and worst in each other.
Macfarlane understands why a happy couple might want a silly, playful extramarital friendship like the one Sylvia and Will share.
"it's very important for you to have friendships outside of your marriage," he said.
"I encourage my partner all the time to go and spend time with his friends," Macfarlane added. "The relationship is, obviously, very important, but it can't be everything. There's certain stuff that you [discuss with friends]. It doesn't mean that you're keeping secrets, but you can't tell your partner everything."
The series also spotlights how difficult it can be for adults to make new friends since they are often busy working and raising families.
"Our show really is a lot about friendships and times that you meet friends and I'm actually going through that stage of my life right now where I'm becoming friends with my 2-year-old's friends' parents," Macfarlane said.
"The periods in your life where you really actively get to choose your friends are kind of dwindling as you get older," he laughed. "When you're in college, those are people that you truly, actively, become friends with and it is a rare window in your life when you really get to be determined about that, which is all the more reason to hold onto them and move through life with them."
Charlie is a successful lawyer, as well as a kind and supportive husband and father.
He is also just quirky enough to be endearing as opposed to annoying in his perfection.
"A new friend of mine said, 'i just watched the first season of Platonic and I'm glad I met you before I watched because Charlie's a weird dude,'" Macfarlane said.
"I was like, 'Weird in what way?' And he said, 'He's sort of uptight,'" the actor recalled. "And i was like: 'Yeah, he's a little bit uptight, but that's kind of what makes him lovable. He really wants to make sure everybody's happy and taken care of.'"
Macfarlane said he is happy to contribute a sunny escape from a media landscape filled with darkness and division.
"I think we do need those kinds of things. I also think we need shows that aren't so super- duper high-concept," he said.
"Our show is quite clear and unselfconsciously human scaled and family scaled. I love that kind of show. It reminds me of the shows that I first started enjoying as a kid watching TV and the comedy can exist in very natural settings and it doesn't need to be huge or over the top, so I think it's a lovely antidote to a world that Is very messy right now."
Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne attend 'Platonic' premiere
Rose Byrne (L) and Seth Rogen attend the premiere of "Platonic" at Regal LA Live in Los Angeles on May 10, 2023. Photo by Greg Grudt/UPI | License Photo
