Actor Jeff Perry of 'Scandal'

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Long before he was Cyrus in ''Scandal'', Jeff Perry help found Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago.

"I fell into the love of my life, this art of pretending, with Gary Sinise on a high school bus going to see "Of Mice and Men" at the Guthrie when we were 16 years old," Perry said. "I would fall into what would become the next 40 or so years of the most amazing acting laboratory any human could be in the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. I never expected to have this kind of fortune when you grow up with Laurie Metcalf, John Malkovich and Joan Allen all 41 members of our company now, 40 years in, my God!"

Now, Perry has a scandalous acting family as Cyrus Beene, the loyal, ruthless White House chief of staff.

"I'm a gym rat when it comes to ensemble work, so for this to happen a second time," Perry said.