It’s pretty impressive that 2 Broke Girls’ actor Jonathan Kite bagged the role of Oleg, considering it was originally written for a 45-year-old bald Russian. But armed with a greasy vest top, killer Russian accent and an ability to whip out those cringey one-liners with a straight face, Jonathan manages the role seamlessly. We dig a little deeper to find out a bit more about the man behind the quick-witted quips.
So, what’s 2 Broke Girls all about?
It’s about 2 girls living in New York, one very poor, the other a rich socialite whose father is in prison after running a Ponzi scheme and has been left broke. The two girls have to work together to create a small business, the rich girl handling the business side and the poor one the baking. It’s kind of a microcosm for what America’s going through right now with the economy.
What’s your character Oleg like?
He’s from Ukraine; he’s a highly sexual chef and a friend of theirs. He helps them along the way with the business, you know, a supporting character in their life. It’s nice to play a character that’s removed from yourself in a lot of ways but I do think he’s a really smart guy, he always has a little business going on outside the diner.
That accent of yours is flawless. Do you ever use that it outside of the show?
I do a bunch of voice over work. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and there were so many different cultures around me constantly, I picked up a lot of tips from them. I used to greet people with an accent in bars when I was ‘less grown up’ to see if they would buy it. Australian, Canadian, South African...it worked out pretty well, I don’t think they ever found out.
What about those outfits?
I wore something similar at the audition, dressed in very loose, non-clothes like a sleeveless shirt, I had the mentality that he was a 24/7 heaven guy. He’s always ready to go, working late at the diner, to a bar or another job. In real life I’m more of a double-breasted waistcoat and bow tie kind of man myself. You don’t see them often which is kind of cool. I was interested in fashion at a really young age.
Where do you get your fashspo from?
I was kind of influenced by watching classic movies growing up and I’m always interested in what James Bond was wearing. For some reason he seems to have more tuxedos than I do suits. I like styles from other eras. Like the film Argo, with that 70s style. My closet looks like it should be called ‘After Hours’.
What about Kat, Beth and the rest of the cast?
We are very good friends. We all got so lucky because we were just friends immediately and I think that we all believe in each other.
Why do you think the show’s had such great success?
We’re dealing with a painful subject in a realistic way and I think that a lot of comedy is born from that. We make each other laugh and deal with it together.
How do you like Brooklyn?
In college I saw someone walk this ferret and it was like everything it looked at was the newest and coolest thing it’d ever seen. I was kind of like that in Brooklyn; there are just so many aspects and such a cool vibe to it. I was really impressed with their diversity, everything was so interesting and the detail was incredible - it reminded me a bit of where I grew up.
And if you weren’t an actor?
I’d love to be a clothes designer. Or Freddie Mercury, that would have been one hell of a ride.
Words: Anna Heaton
