‘Damages’ Tate Donovan: ‘Always chemistry when I work with a beautiful female’

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On the last episode of “Damages,” we found out some new information on relationships. The most startling, of course, came from the homeless man referring to Ellen Parsons as “Tommy’s girl.”

(By the way, Michael Laurence is indeed credited in the show as ‘Homeless Man’ — just in case you’re thinking I’m being insensitive by referring to him that way in my posts.)

I theorized the hints at a romantic relationship were a misdirect meant to throw us off a bit, but it was clear from your comments that some of you disagreed with my conclusion.

In the last “Damages” news conference call, I tried to pin Tate Donovan, who plays Tom Shayes, and executive producer Todd Kessler down on the nature of Tom and Ellen’s relationship.

“There’s always a lot of chemistry when I work with a beautiful female,” joked Donovan. “Sorry. Basically what happens is they get involved in something that gets involved in a lot. That’s basically what — I honestly, yeah. That’s about as succinctly as I can put it.”

OK, Tate, noncommittal much? So, I pressed on with Kessler. He spoke about the chemistry Ellen and Tom have had since Season 1, when Tom interviewed her for Hewes & Associates.

“It’s really, for us, following up on the seeds that were planted from the very beginning of these two characters,’ Kessler adds, ‘and how their lives are entwined and how they, you know, their relationship has evolved. I know I’m being intentionally cryptic because I don’t want to ruin the story for anyone. But we really think that it’s going to deliver and not disappoint people.”

So, obviously, neither one seemed to give a straight answer on the relationship.

I’m sticking to my theory that Ellen and Tom are not romantically involved and that it would be an easy mistake for the homeless man to believe that they are. I also don’t think that when Ellen asked Tom’s grieving wife if anyone knew about her and Tom she didn’t mean romantically. I believe we’ll find Tom and Ellen were working on a secret partnership to peel back the layers on the Tobin Ponzi scheme mystery.

Have Donovan and Kessler’s answers about the relationship changed your opinion of it at all?

Next week: We’ll be chatting with Campbell Scott, who plays Joe Tobin. If you have questions for him, leave a comment below!

– Jethro Nededog (Follow me on Twitter @TheRealJethro)
Related:

‘Damages’: Ellen is Tommy’s girl?

‘Damages’: Rose Byrne on the evolution of Ellen

All ‘Damages’ coverage on Show Tracker