It's pretty strange. I think it's just beginning to hit me. I feel a bittersweet mixture of immense relief and nostalgia.
McNulty went through a lot of changes in the first four seasons. Does that continue in the final year?
[Laughing] I think in the fifth season we realize that he's actually not changed at all. One of David Simon's big themes is that you can't change the world, you have to change yourself, and for a guy like McNulty to change himself is very difficult. He does transform himself in season four, but in season five we see him back to his old tricks. He has to go through the mill to have any chance of liberating himself from his demons in season five. Bunk says to me that I'm bad for everyone around me.
It must be fun to play a character like that, though…
Oh yeah. What's great about “The Wire” is that everyone is so well-drawn and three-dimensional. There's no good guy who doesn't have a dark side.
What's the hardest thing about being McNulty?
The accent. I use a general east coast American accent. People tell me I have a great Baltimore accent, but it's not really a Baltimore accent at all.
Do you have a favorite scene?
Probably the one where I'm undercover in the brothel and I get caught in flagrante. I remember thinking at that point how ridiculous my job is.
“The Wire” has constructed quite a detailed universe over the course of the series—will it all be resolved?
I don't know what the exact tally is, but I think David has over 350 characters! And he's kept tabs on all of them. What's amazing about season five is the way he ties up every single story strand of the series.
So, in the final estimation, will McNulty be OK?
I think he's going to be fine.
The fifth and final season of “The Wire” premieres Sunday, Jan. 6 at 9 p.m./8c on HBO.
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