If you haven’t been watching Touch, you have not only been missing out on some amazing television but a fabulous cast, as well. Recently, I was given the chance to sit down and have a chat with Bodhi Elfman, who plays Abraham. We chatted about his character, his life, and his guilty pleasures. Bodhi is witty, engaging, and totally random – including a nice moment of embarrassing me to start out with about my Canadian accent and saying “aboot” instead of “about.” *shrug* It happens. 🙂
Jump ahead and check out some more details about this entertaining guy.
When I asked him what it was about this character that drew him in, he was quick to respond that he had been “interested in playing a young rabbi with a sense of youth for a while.” The part of Abraham came up, and he just “knew this part” and was ready to run with it.
We’re so glad he did, because Abraham has quickly become one of my favorite characters, especially in the way he relates to the rest of the characters.
Speaking of the cast, Bodhi had nothing but amazing things to say about his fellow actors, especially the talented Kiefer Sutherland. He told me that “Kiefer is a pro and really knows this business. I’ve been doing it for 21 years, and I’ve done over 50 television shows, and I’m a baby compared to Kiefer. I was impressed by his knowledge, and he was so helpful.”
Bodhi’s character, Abraham, has an astounding number of lines and lots of big monologues, so I personally say that Bodhi himself is also a pro.
As for his character in the upcoming episode, he told me that “There is a lot of controversy and skepticism on the show, especially about whether or not Josh is one of the 36 righteous people. Abraham has a theory he is one of them. They never know who they are. In the upcoming episode, I know some answers, and I may play a part in helping Jake.”
Abraham is such a complex and kind character, and his prescience makes the show more interesting. I love the interaction with the character of Jake, where Bodhi’s love of children helps his scenes appear so genuine.
His love of children and family values is apparent in his marriage to the beautiful Jenna Elfman and their two boys. When I asked how he balances his home and work lives, he responded that he “often combines them.” Bodhi was quick to say, “I’ll bring my kids to set and let them see us work. If you were a cobbler, you’d let your kids watch you cobble. Jen and I like to have the kids with us.”
I agree with Bodhi’s view on how there shouldn’t be “different rules for the entertainment business;” kids should get to be part of their parents’ everyday lives regardless. It’s a good way to keep family together, in my opinion.
Family is important to Bodhi, and he often works with his lovely wife, Jenna (who starred in the hit show Dharma & Greg for one), and will be working on a TV project in the future about marriage. This beautiful couple has been married for 21 years and are an inspiration for many.
They are also working on a show about kids, with a kind of Kids Say the Darndest Things feel to it, which promises to entertain. He also took a moment to plug Jenna’s new show, 1600 Penn, which premieres on NBC in the Fall and is HILARIOUS. (Trust me, I’ve seen the pilot, and it is not to be missed!)
We wrapped up with a few quick questions about his preferences in TV and music.
Favorite TV Show: Past – Brady Bunch; Present – Louis and Girls.
If He Could Guest Star On Any Show: He’d love to be on Girls.
TV Crush: Past – Marsha Brady; Present – Lena Dunham from Girls.
What’s On His Playlist: Lots of Beck in honor of the concert he had just attended.
Guilty Pleasure: He’s a cupcake and dark chocolate nut, but his real guilty pleasure is loving to flirt with girls. He has been a faithful husband for 21 years, but he loves to flirt, and Jen finds it amusing. He promising to still be flirting with girls when he’s 90 and needs Jen to wheel him over to see them. 🙂 (Ladies – as for the kind of women he loves to flirt with: interesting, smart, funny women. He finds beauty in all.)
I had a wonderful time chatting with Bodhi, from his good natured teasing about my accent to our sharing a love of randomness in life. He was a treat to chat with.
Make sure to tune in to the 2-hour season finale of Touch on FOX tonight, Thursday, May 31, at 8/7c. You would be a fool to miss it!
