'Fringe': Stephen Root Reveals How His Wife Helped Him Get the Role

Fox

"Fringe"

Fringe is taking a page out of The Office Space, literally.

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Guest star Stephen Root stops by Fox's sci-fi drama in tonight's episode, "And Those We Left Behind," with his real-life wife Romy Rosemont playing two married scientists who are more than meets the eye. It's also the first time the two have acted together in front of the camera. "They have something going on in this universe," he teased of his and his wife's alter egos. "We're both scientists trying to accomplish something."

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With a show as mythology-driven as Fringe, when the occasional guest appears, their character must serve the greater purpose -- and Root addressed that notion to reporters on a conference call earlier this week.

"Romy had went to Northwestern with one of the executive producers and we were actually at a party and talking to him," Root said of how the role came to him. "They were saying, 'Would Stephen be interested in doing a Fringe?' And Romy popped up, 'Well, yes, if you invite me.' And strangely enough, [executive producer Jeff] Pinkner a while later said, 'Yes. Please. Come on and do the show.' "

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Root revealed that most of his scenes were with Joshua Jackson, who returned to the fold recently as Peter Bishop. "It was kind of an insular episode for us, which was good in that there was limited involvement," he shared. "It's kind of a standalone thing."

When asked what the experience was like working alongside Rosemont, Root said, "I think to play husband and wife, it's easier to emotionally connect quickly to a big emotional place, since we're actual husband and wife. You don't have a lot of time on television to do that usually. Us knowing each other so well -- we're probably knowing where the other person is going to go emotionally, was a help."

Root, whose resume has been eclectic with recent appearances on True Blood, J. Edgar, Raising Hope, Justified, Childrens Hospital and 24 (not to mention more than 250 episodes of King of the Hill), is still a fan of television. "I love The Good Wife, I'd love to work on that," he said, adding that Starz's Boss "was pretty good."

Fringe airs Fridays at 9 p.m. on Fox.