EXCLUSIVE: Eric Mabius: Parker Posey 'Inhabits Her Own Universe'

When Eric Mabius, 41, who is known for his roles in Welcome to the Dollhouse, Cruel Intentions and, more recently The L Word and Ugly Betty, signed on for the upcoming indie film, Price Check, directed by Michael Walker and also starring Parker Posey, he was partly inspired by the sacrifices his character, Pete, had made in the film to get to the point at which he started out — a married salesman at a low-end supermarket chain.

"The varying degrees of sacrifice I find interesting I guess because I'm going through it as a father, and it's fun to play the 'What if?' game," Mabius exclusively told Uinterview about working on Price Check. "I wanted to sort of revisit those things that I remember from college, and I was wondering on screen, 'Where are they now?'"

Mabius didn't just draw from his past to derive inspiration for the role, however. He was also galvanized by costar Posey's contagious energy. "The great thing about Parker is she’s so good at what she does, but there’s no fear of you trying to match her pace because it’s impossible," Mabius told us. "So she inhabits her own universe, which is what makes her so good at what she does."

And his character felt the energy, too. "The transition from dazed and confused Pete to energized and virile Pete, it was a fun thing to go through. He goes from an observer to a participant, and that's always a fun thing to do, to see a real arc and embody a real arc."

Price Check hits theaters Friday, November 16, 2012.

Check out Uinterview's full interview with Mabius here.

Watch a trailer for Price Check: