Few people know more about both the making of a Broadway musical and making it as an actor on Broadway than Brian d’Arcy James.

And now James, whose on and off Broadway credits include Time Stands Still, Sweet Smell of Success, The Good Thief, Titanic and Shrek (as Shrek!), is set to star in a TV show about those very subjects.

Smash, which premieres Feb. 6 on NBC, tells the fictional story of the making of a musical about Marilyn Monroe and how it consumes not just the lives of the show’s stars, producers, songwriters and director but each of their families as well. 

James stopped by The Interview Show last month in Brooklyn, where we talked about his role as the husband of one of the musical’s songwriters (played by Debra Messing), his career on Broadway and how he reacted when he was asked to audition to be Shrek. Plus, he high-fives his sister (Schadenfreude member Kate James) and performs one of his favorite songs.*

Hope you enjoy.

*We sincerely apologize for part of the performance being cut off. If you call us, we will sing the beginning of the song to make up for it.