Simon was on Jay Leno last night and I found a couple of videos.  I’ll try to get caps as soon as possible.

On the Warner Bros. set of The Mentalist, Baker is relaxed and comfortable talking to the small group of reporters gathered on his home turf. It’s quite a departure from a few years ago, when Baker starred in another CBS drama, The Guardian. Then, he came across as resentful and angry, much like the repressed and depressed character he played.

“[The Guardian] was a harder show emotionally; playing such a depressed character did rub off on me,” Baker says in his native Aussie accent. “I never thought I’d be the kind of actor who would be affected by the role that I’m playing, but playing it day in and day out, it does, yeah. But [Patrick Jane] is such a fun character.”

Baker says The Mentalist is all about entertainment.

“When I was doing The Guardian, I wanted to act and move people and move the world,” says Baker, 39, before breaking into a grin. “I was young.”

In the crime drama, Baker plays Patrick Jane, a man who used his powers of observation to become a celebrity psychic. When his wife and child are brutally murdered by a serial killer, he starts working with a special statewide police unit to solve crimes. While he deals with the devastating aftermath of the murders and solves brutal crimes each week, there’s a playful spirit in both Jane and the show in general.

But the spector of the killer known as Red John is always there, and viewers learned recently that Jane spent time in a mental institution following the death of his family.

Creator/producer Bruno Heller says the show will stick to solving the crime of the week rather than concentrating on that overarching storyline.

“We won’t be going back to the institution much. With Red John, that’s always part of his journey, but we’ll go there sparingly,” Heller says.

The simple gray set looks like a basic office, except one wall is filled with gruesome shots of a murder victim. Oddly enough, the office of Teresa Lisbon, Jane’s boss (played by Robin Tunney), has not one but two doors. And in the break room there’s an odd assortment of ads on the bulletin board including a cute picture of a horse for sale.

But the main draw on this set is the star of the show, Baker. He’s wearing gray herringbone jacket and a rumpled blue button-up shirt that looks like it’s never met an iron. On anyone else, you’d think Columbo. As for Baker, he’s more dreamy, a slightly eccentric college professor with a killer smile.

“Most people under scrutiny don’t expect a policeman to be candid, genial and relaxed. If you are in a bad mood, and someone smiles at you, it’s infectious, and it can be a way to disarm a person,” Baker says. “I play around with that [as Jane].”

One of the charming aspects of the show is the easy relationships between the characters, which include Owain Yeoman as Det. Wayne Rigsby, Amanda Righetti as Det. Grace Van Pelt and Tim Kang as Det. Kimball Cho. And then there’s that sizzling connection between Jane and Lisbon.

“Some of it can be attributed to workplace banter. Also, at times it can be paternal and maternal and sometimes almost like siblings,” Baker says. “But I think my character is flirtatious just in general, so [the relationship] works on a lot of levels.”

As for Jane having something dark and twisty in his soul, Baker says dark doesn’t quite describe it.

“It’s just a painful place,” Baker says. “A sad, sorrowful place.”

And a vulnerable place that makes his character all the more intriguing, especially to woman eager to help him heal.

source: film.com

OK! Interview: Simon Baker

With Naomi Watts and Nicole Kidman as godmothers to two of his kids, Simon Baker, star of the CBS drama The Mentalist, is part of Hollywood’s Aussie mafia.

Simon, 39, has three children with his wife, actress Rebecca Rigg: Stella, 15, Claude, 9, and Harry, 7. The actor has appeared in many movies including L.A. Confidential and The Devil Wears Prada since moving to the U.S. in 1995, but his biggest break so far is as Patrick Jane on The Mentalist.

OK!: Have you become more intuitive since exploring your character’s observational skills on The Mentalist?

I wish. In all truth, as a mentalist, I’m a decent actor, but as an actor, I’m not a very good mentalist.

OK!: What’s the best part of being a dad?

Just being involved in the experience. I love having a family. Watching them grow and develop, share ideas and thoughts, is amazing.

OK!: We hear you’re a fan of Gossip Girl.

I sit in bed and watch it with my daughter. She works hard on her school work, and that’s the one thing she’s allowed to watch on a weeknight. The storylines are so over the top — it’s a guilty pleasure.

OK!: Does it help your relationship with your daughter?

We don’t use Gossip Girl as a reference point for our relationship. It’s just hard candy.

OK!: Do you have a secret talent?

I’m pretty good at gardening. It consumes my time, and it feels like I’m doing something constructive.

OK!: Are you into male grooming?

No, I just clean my teeth!

OK!: What do you miss most about Australia?

The physical beauty of the area where I grew up. And I miss my close friends. I miss trivial things too… like meat pie!

source: okmagazine.com

With the lead role on TV’s top new show, Simon Baker has had a heckuva year — yet the Aussie star still has big plans for 2009.

“I signed for five years,” the actor, who plays a showbiz psychic turned sleuth on CBS’ The Mentalist, tells Parade. “It’s a good outlet for me.”

The father of three, who has a daughter and two sons with his actress wife Rebecca Rigg, also talks about turning the big 4-0 in July. “I think I’m going to be fine,” he says of the milestone. “I stay fit, mostly mucking about with the boys [Claude, 9, and Harry, 7]. And I love the wisdom that comes with age.”

He also loves America — and is thinking about becoming a citizen, having lived here since 1995.

“A few years ago, we went back to Australia,” he tells the mag for their Jan. 4 issue. “But after seven months there, I found I missed America and our friends here.” So he wants to make his stay here more permanent. “The morning after your election in November, I said to my wife Rebecca, ‘You know, I’m thinking about becoming an American,’ and then she said that she felt the same way.”

So will he be hiring a party planner to plan a U.S. Citizen bash anytime soon? “The show keeps me too busy. But it’s going to happen. People always talk about how great America is, but actions speak better than words.”

source: starmagazine.com