Brian d’Arcy James on Hopping Into Bed With Debra Messing for TV’s Smash

Looks like two-time Tony nominee Brian d’Arcy James will have some TV pillow talk with Emmy winner Debra Messing. James spoke to Broadway.com about filming the pilot of NBC’s proposed Broadway-themed series, Smash, in which he plays Messing’s husband, Frank.

“The first 15 minutes of my day on set were spent in bed in my pajamas with Debra,” the actor said with a laugh. “That can be a very awkward thing. However, Debra is an incredibly gracious and kind person, so she made me feel at ease.”

In the show, Messing plays a lyricist writing a Broadway musical about Marilyn Monroe. “I’m kind of representing the domestic side of things,” James said of his character, “watching her go through all the crazy rigmarole that is the making of a Broadway show. I get to look at it with disbelief and awe and contempt…all those things that you kind of try to figure out when someone else is running off to create something.”

So does James, a veteran of musicals like Shrek and Next to Normal, think the series will faithfully portray the Broadway community? “Everything’s in good form,” he said of the pilot. “It’s a great group of people, and needless to say it’s very exciting.”

Playwright Theresa Rebeck (Mauritius) wrote the Smash pilot, which features music by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Catch Me If You Can, Hairspray) and is directed by Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening, American Idiot). Steven Spielberg serves as an executive producer of the project, which also stars American Idol veteran Katherine McPhee and Broadway veterans Megan Hilty and Christian Borle.