'Veep' actor Scott is a rascal on TV, romantic off

[September 28, 2013]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Reid Scott is used to being cast as an abrasive character, his latest being scheming Washington political aide Dan Egan in "Veep."

Scott jokes that playing jerks "just comes naturally," but he clearly has a softer side. This spring, he flew cross-country to San Francisco to ask Elspeth Keller's father for his permission to marry the actress.

And now Scott and Keller are planning a wedding that pays tribute to their combined family heritage.

"Her grandmother was a librarian and mine was a literature professor," said Scott, and that helped the couple pick the steps of a Los Angeles public library for their wedding next year.

Scott, 34, who portrayed a wanna-be player in "My Boys" and an oncologist in "The Big C," has more than wedding plans on his schedule. During breaks in taping HBO's "Veep," he filmed a trio of independent films including, most recently, "Sister" with Barbara Hershey.

"Sister," in which he plays a struggling actor whose family is coping with death and mental illness, proved to be the most "satisfying acting job in my career," Scott said. He expects the movie to screen at festivals before it makes its way to theaters.

He's glad to be back at work on "Veep," which nabbed Emmy Awards last weekend for cast mates Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Tony Hale. The gold trophies aside, "there's not a lot of ego flying around on set," Scott said.

"Julia is one of the most Emmy Award-winning actresses of all time, but she's such a jeans-and-T-shirt kind of gal," he said.

So did the cast do anything for the victorious duo when they got back to work?

"I think they should get us gifts," Scott replied, feigning irritation. "They're the winners. They get all the juice now. They've got to share the love with us."

Now that sounds more like his "Veep" character. And what's in store for the ambitious Egan, deputy communications director for Vice President Selina Meyer, when the series returns next spring?

"Dan is poised for a major, major fall," Scott said, sounding not a bit disappointed.

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[Associated Press; By LYNN ELBER]

Lynn Elber is a national television columnist for The Associated Press. She can be reached at [e-mail] and on http://twitter.com/lynnelber.

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