Actor Tony Hale is really comfortable playing doormat characters. The two roles he's gotten the most attention for Gary Walsh on HBO's Veep and Buster Bluth on Fox's Arrested Development both fall squarely into that category.
"I guess I just do emasculated and meek very well," Hale tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross.
Gary, Hale's character on Veep, is the personal assistant to Selina Meyer, who is trying to win an election recount for the presidency this season. As Selina's "body man," Gary accompanies his boss everywhere, holding her over-sized handbag and whispering in her ear as needed.
"[My character] has no identity outside of Selina Meyer," Hale says. "She is so verbally abusive to him, but he doesn't hear it, he just bounces back ... and he is perfectly content where he is."
Both Gary on Veep and Buster, the youngest brother on Arrested Development, are prone to anxiety a feeling Hale can relate to. The actor suffered from panic attacks when he was younger, but has since found some degree of peace in faith and prayerful meditation.
"There's a reason why I do anxious characters it comes from a lot of personal anxiety," Hale says. "The great thing is, having that history, it's really fun to bring that into the characters ... and play with it."