Anson Mount is an actor probably best known for playing Cullen Bohannon on AMC’s Hell on Wheels. The son of former professional golfer Nancy Smith and former Playboy sports editor Anson Mount II, Mount grew up in the South (he was born in Tennessee) and is an extensively trained theater actor with an MFA from Columbia, which naturally led to him making out with Britney Spears in Crossroads (High five, Anson!). He also has excellent taste in New York City bars (RIP Siberia).
Anson was nice enough to take a few minutes out of his busy schedule recently to answer questions from us.
1. You walk into a bar. What do you order from the bartender?
Small batch bourbon, preferably one I’ve never tasted. If the bartender looks at me blankly and offers an Irish whiskey or scotch instead, I walk out.
2. Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter?
I follow my sister @KristinMount because she’s funny, my brother @MecPilot because he had a good heart, and my horse @Quigley_Horse because he’s sassy.
3. What’s currently waiting for you on your DVR/TiVO?
The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, Tosh.0 and Sharknado of course.
4. It’s your last meal — what are you going out with?
I’m going with a pile of pulled pork BBQ, sides of green beans and mashed taters, swallow it down with about a liter of coca-cola.
5. What websites do you visit on a regular basis?
I like this: https://hungoverowls.tumblr.com/
And I like this: https://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=irule
6. What’s the most frequently played song on your iPod?
Bob Dylan’s cover of “House Carpenter” off the Bootleg Series.
7. The first face that comes to mind when you think “punchable”?
All political pundits (regardless of what side they’re on) and 9/11 conspiracy theorists.
8. What’s your favorite meme?
Do yourself a favor and follow @CloydRivers. ‘Merica!
9. Dogs or cats?
Dogs. I’ve been jonesing for a dog in my life for a while, but things are a little hectic. Once I can breathe again, I’m thinking about a French Bull.
10. Best concert of your life was…?
Pixies. Dublin soccer stadium. Summer of 2001.
11. What book are you most likely to give as a gift?
I do this a lot. It’s usually the last thing I read. I think most recently it was Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake. Gave it to my step-father Ed.
12. What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
Once, when I was 14 or 15, my Mom got me a part-time job at the golf shop where she worked.. I was outside breaking down card-board boxes when a couple of street toughs wandered up and began to place bets on who would hit me first. I went back inside and Mom immediately knew something was wrong. When I told her, she grabbed a 7 iron and walked outside looking for blood. I love her so much.
13. South Park or Family Guy?
My friend Branan says that 50 years from now South Park will be seen as THE critique of our time. I agree.
14. You have an entire day to do whatever you want. What would you do?
I like Anthony Bourdain’s answer to this so I’m just gonna cut and paste it in here: “Read close to a body of water. Play with my daughter. Nap frequently. Cook pasta with Ragu.” Except for the whole part about playing with Anthony Bourdain’s daughter. I wouldn’t do that.
15. What movie can you not resist watching if it’s on?
The Breakfast Club. I have no idea how it does this, but it actually makes me nostalgic for a period in my life I never want to go back to.
16. Android or iPhone?
I refuse to participate in any discussion which has me promoting a product. (But get an iPhone. They are so cool.)
17. Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
Once or twice a year, I go upstate camping with a group of my best buds. The first night we always spend about 3-4 hours slow roasting a couple of ducks on a spit. Then we carefully lay them on some tin foil, take out our knives, pass around a bottle of really good bourbon and go to town. My friend Branan is convinced that there is a specific chemical in the brain which is released when you consume duck fat, and that this chemical’s job is to make you feel like everything’s going to be okay. I agree.
18. The last movie you saw in a theater?
The Iceman. I’d probably pay to watch Mike Shannon shave. But just his face.
19. Who was your first celebrity crush?
Bernadette Peters. Then, now, and always. I defy you to watch The Jerk and not fall completely in love.
20. What would you cook if Nic Cage were coming to your house for dinner?
Whatever the f*ck he wants. (Note: I believe I am the first person to ever answer question 20 correctly. You can, therefore, retire said question and begin commissioning speculations as to the culinary tastes of Christopher Walken… as you should be doing anyway.)
Follow Anson on Twitter here.
