Alex MacNicoll: Brilliant Minds’ Dr. Van Markus
Hanes singlet (talent's own)
You may know New Jersey born actor Alex MacNicoll from his role as Luke Holbrook in The Society, or his portrayal of Colton in Transparent. His newest project in the lineup? Starring as sweet intern Dr. Van Markus on NBC’s Brilliant Minds. As the show progresses, viewers learn more and more about Dr. Markus, including a revelation that resulted in his diagnosis with mirror-touch synesthesia (essentially increased empathy). MacNicoll discusses how this discovery has impacted his relationship to his character, as well as what filming Brilliant Minds was like for him on a broader level.
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Right:
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What initially inspired you to pursue acting? Was there a specific movie, show, or play that captivated you as a kid?
I had a great English teacher in high school who allowed me to make films with my friends/classmates based on the book we were reading as a class…and then she graded me based on that rather than making me write a book report. I had so much fun making those films, but never thought of it as a future career…it wasn’t until college when I was figuring out what career I wanted to pursue, and decided that I’d like to pursue a career that I enjoy rather than a career that pays well or is guaranteed to have employment opportunities haha…cuz ideally I would have loved to be a professional athlete, but that wasn’t in the cards… acting was something that I had fun doing, and when I told my parents I was gonna give it a shot they were very supportive.
You’ve been a part of a variety of different projects such as The Society, Transparent, and The Last Rampage. How is Brilliant Minds different, and how has it challenged you to approach acting in a new way?
Brilliant Minds is a medical procedural show, so it was a bit faster paced as far as the filming schedule goes…and each episode there was a new guest star or multiple new guest stars introduced. But the ensemble aspect was similar to The Society in some regards…because in that show I was part of a smaller team within the ensemble cast known as The Guard, and on Brilliant Minds I’m part of a smaller team within the ensemble cast known as The Interns. I’d say the biggest challenge on Brilliant Minds was learning the medical jargon and experiencing the urgent/intense emotional situations. I’m not sure if it’s changed my approach to acting in a new way-but I certainly had to study the medical terminology and make use of our on-set medical consultants haha.
What did you tap into in order to portray Dr. Van Markus’s intense empathy?
I just tried to stay open and vulnerable as much as I could…and depending on the patient/situation, I tried to keep in mind real people from my life to make the situation more real and believable for myself…for example there is an episode where a father is distraught because his son (who is a patient at our hospital) has been diagnosed with a neurological disease, and statistically people with this disease have a shorter lifespan…so when we did the scene- I thought of all of my close friends who have children and how deeply they care for their kids and how they would feel if/when they were given news like this from a doctor. And that made the circumstances very real for me.
Aside from your character’s diagnosis, was it hard to keep up with the medical jargon? Did you have to do any research of your own to understand the situations your character was placed into?
Yes, the medical jargon was definitely a challenge and definitely did a lot of research on my own…fortunately Google was always there for me, and we had wonderful medical consultants on set everyday to help us with the vocabulary and to make sure we did everything properly and authentically.
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Hat By Stetson
Leather Trench by Outback Trading Company
Sweater by BARABAS
Denim Jeans by Levis
Shoes by Talent’s Own
Right:
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T-shirt by ALTER BROOKLYN
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Dr. Wolf refers to Van’s condition as a potential superpower instead of a curse; how do you think this will impact the way he approaches his diagnosis, as well as his patients, moving forward?
I think this is huge for Van… he now is able to understand himself and his interactions with others so much more; and make sense of his past relationships, and his life for that matter up until this point… I think now, rather than feeling like a burden, this will feel like an exciting advantage and a talent that can be utilized when dealing with patients and creating healthier bonds and relationships in his own life.
Has playing Dr. Markus taught you anything or changed your perspective in any way?
It has definitely taught me to be more aware of people who are suffering in silence…those who may have a disease or condition that doesn’t present itself physically-but causes immense pain or challenges mentally and emotionally…so I try to be aware of all the people around me who may be going through something along those lines. I think it’s granted me more empathy and patience.
Were there any scenes that were particularly challenging for you as an actor? If so, how did you work through those moments?
Honestly, all of the emotional scenes were challenging. Fortunately, I had amazing actors to work with that were very generous and talented and present…and excellent directors that helped navigate and explore the scenes…and in some cases a tear stick to help kickstart the emotions and physical reactions.
What was it like working alongside the rest of the cast on Brilliant Minds? Did the team dynamic influence your portrayal of Van in any way?
It’s such a lovely bunch…we’re all very close outside of work and all love each other. It was one of those sets where we all looked forward to work every day and were happy and excited to be there. It’s a dream job in that regard.
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If you could describe your experience filming Brilliant Minds in one word, what would it be and why?Oxcarbazepine. Haha it’s an inside joke amongst the interns because this was one of the first medical terms we had to learn and one of the most challenging terms early on…but we have a group text thread named “Oxcarbazepine” so it’s a word that, outside of its medical context, has a lot of nostalgia for me…and reminds me of all the fun and challenging times we’ve had together
Social Media.
Instagram: @alex_macnicoll
Talent: Alex MacNicoll
PhotoBook Editor-In-Chief: Alison Hernon
PhotoBook Creative Director: Mike Ruiz
Photography: Sean Patrick Watters
Fashion Stylist: Nikolett Nemeth
Hair + MUA: Coco Bennett
Tearsheets by Daniel López, Art Director, PhotoBook Magazine
Interview by Logan Dutra, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
*Shot on location at Rockefeller Dairy Farm & Kuester-Kelly Estate in Hudson Valley
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