'Covert Affairs' star on directing, globe-trotting

[November 07, 2013]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Christopher Gorham plays a globe-trotting CIA agent on USA Network's "Covert Affairs," and he's starting to feel like one in real life.

"I mean we've all become kind of little spies," Gorham said of the cast and crew, who are well-versed in the art of international travel. "We have our bags that are just ready to go. ... We all have NEXUS cards now. So we're just zipping in and out through immigration and, yeah, we've gotten really good at it. I have a lot of frequent flyer miles."

The spy drama is known for filming on location around the world and has made recent stops in Denmark, Italy and Colombia. Gorham just returned from shooting season four's final two episodes in Hong Kong.

"I mean it's kind of become a staple of our show. We are the ones who actually pack up and go to the cities and shoot and the cities really become a character in the episodes," Gorham said in a recent interview.

"Covert Affairs" follows the on-again, off-again relationship between young CIA agent Annie Walker (Piper Perabo) and Gorham's blind tech operative, Auggie Anderson.

Gorham, who takes his second turn in the director's chair on Thursday's episode, said the cast and crew enjoy hazing him when he's in charge.

The first time Gorham directed, they came to the set wearing paper masks of his face. This time around they created mugs that displayed an embarrassing photo when filled with hot liquid.

"When they brought around coffee for the crew, everyone was drinking out of shirtless Chris Gorham mugs," he said with a laugh.

Gorham described directing and starring in the episode as both challenging and rewarding.

"I love acting and really taking on another person, another life," he said. "But when you're in charge of the entire story ... it's really exhilarating."

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Online:

http://www.usanetwork.com/covertaffairs

[Associated Press; By NICOLE EVATT]

Follow Nicole Evatt at http://twitter.com/NicoleEvatt.

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