Morris Chestnut on Keeping Emotions Private: “I Just Don’t Like People to See Me in That State”
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Morris Chestnut isn’t one to wear his emotions on his sleeve—unless it’s for a role.
In a recent conversation with PEOPLE for One Last Thing, the Watson actor, 56, reflected on the last time he shed tears. After pausing to think, he revealed, “I don’t cry. The last time was in 2019 when my father passed away. I just don’t like people to see me in that state unless it’s for a role.”
Chestnut shared that this has always been his nature. “I’ve just always held certain feelings in,” he explained. “As a father and head of the household, there may have been moments where I felt like letting it go, but I would just push through and do what I had to do.”
Despite keeping his emotions in check in his personal life, Chestnut acknowledged that acting has provided an outlet for him. “Crying for a character has helped me over the years,” he said. “It’s not like I’ve bottled things up for decades—I’ve cried, just on-screen. Holding it in for take after take allows me to process emotions in a different way.”
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Morris Chestnut’s “Lasts”
Beyond discussing his approach to emotions, Chestnut also shared some personal moments from his life:
Last DIY Project
“I don’t do DIY. When I was a kid, I used to cut people’s grass because my father did it for extra money. I told myself, ‘I want a job where I never have to do this again.’ It’s a bit of a trigger for me.”
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Last Moment of Bliss
“A few weeks ago, my wife, Pam, who doesn’t like flying, agreed to travel with me. We had dinner together—and then the [Philadelphia] Eagles won [the Super Bowl].”
Last Moment of Nostalgia
“I was driving through Beverly Hills and saw a building that used to be a corner restaurant. I had at least four meetings there when I was just starting out. Now, it’s vacant, and even the sign is gone. That took me back 20 years.”
Last Time I Danced
“I did a little move at the gym when no one was watching—or at least I thought no one was watching. It was just because of the music. Someone might have seen me, but I was just feeling it.”
Chestnut is currently starring as Dr. John Watson in CBS’ new medical drama Watson, bringing both intensity and heart to the role.