Why David Eigenberg Thinks His Personality Always Lands Him This Character Role

Plenty of actors would be thrilled to play just one iconic character during their careers, but David Eigenberg has been lucky enough to snag two. For six seasons, the actor's name was synonymous with that of loveable bartender Steve on "Sex and the City." Other fans recognized him as the beloved and hardworking Lieutenant Christopher Herrmann on "Chicago Fire." Despite his onscreen success, the unfailingly humble New Yorker admitted to Entertainment Weekly in February 2021 that he doesn't consider himself to be "the best actor." In fact, he reacted to praise from "Chicago Fire" showrunner Derek Haas with embarrassment. 

"That's very sweet. There are a couple of [performances] that stick out to me," Eigenberg told the outlet, reasoning that "[Haas] is the showrunner and things leap out to him." However, Eigenberg also argued, "I'm not a 'best' guy. Like when someone says, 'You know what the best hamburger is?' I care about having a good hamburger." The "SATC" alum, who reprised his role on the reboot, "And Just Like That," is grateful for every opportunity that comes his way. As for why he's consistently typecast within a certain kind of role, Eigenberg has a theory.

As Entertainment Weekly notes, the one major thing that David Eigenberg's characters in "Sex and the City" and "Chicago Fire" have in common — aside from being bonafide fan favorites — is that they both tend bars. The actor isn't a former bartender, nor does he hold part ownership of a drinking establishment, as both of his most famous characters do, but Eigenberg acknowledged that there may be a reason as to why he is continually cast in such roles. "There's something about my personality about that bartending thing," Eigenberg opined to Entertainment Weekly. "I find it weird because I've been sober for 34 years." Though he admitted to having done "charity bartending events" over the years, the actor can't make many drinks himself. As such, his bartending roles are "just a weird coincidence. I guess there's just a part of me that I guess is part of me."

Back in 2008, while promoting the "Sex and the City" film to Entertainment Weekly, Eigenberg shared that he's often seen as his character Steve when he's out and about in the real world. However, the actor is happy to be so closely associated with the work he's most proud of and acknowledged that there's no guarantee where his career will go in the future. "I'm happy to work when I've worked, and you've got to take the hard times with the good times," he said, via Entertainment Weekly.