Opinion

S.A.’s ‘Last Ship’ star loves touting the Spurs

Jocko Sims of San Antonio co-stars with Britain's Rhona Mitra in TNT action thriller 'The Last Ship.' June, 2015 Jocko Sims of San Antonio co-stars with Britain's Rhona Mitra in TNT action thriller 'The Last Ship.' June, 2015 Photo: Karen Ballard / TNT Photo: Karen Ballard / TNT Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close S.A.’s ‘Last Ship’ star loves touting the Spurs 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

Actor Jocko Sims, who grew up in San Antonio and calls it his hometown, stars in TNT thriller “The Last Ship,” which returns for a second season at 8 p.m. Sunday.

He also had some memorably steamy scenes last season in Showtime’s “Masters of Sex.”

In a phone chat, however, the Madison High graduate stressed the role that means the most to him is being a lifelong fan of “my favorite team, my only team, the San Antonio Spurs.”

His devotion to S.A.’s NBA team grew even more feverish after his college move to Lakers-Clippers country, where “they hate the Spurs,” he said. Whenever possible, Sims added, he proudly displays his Spurs paraphernalia when out and about in Los Angeles.

One of his most treasured TV appearances, in fact, happened during a Clippers-Spurs game earlier this year. The TNT commentators “did a huge shout-out” during the telecast, first celebrating Sims’ role on “Last Ship,” then noting his colorful support of the Spurs.

“I had all my Spurs gear on,” he said. “Announcer Reggie Miller said: ‘Look at Jocko, glad to see he’s repping the Spurs. He’s wearing their colors and he’s not afraid to do so even in Staples Center.’

“I had so many phone calls from San Antonio after that,” added Sims, who said his grandmother, aunts, cousins and lots of friends still live in the Alamo City. “I’ve been acting 11 years, but I think that was my defining moment on television.”

Sims was born in Houston but moved to San Antonio at a very young age with his mom after she and his dad divorced. He attended Oak Grove Elementary, Krueger Middle School and Madison, where he excelled.

“I loved school,” he said, adding that he was in the top 5 percent of his class and in the National Honor Society.

“My original plan was going on to be a doctor or dentist,” he said.

But after graduating in 1999 and starting at the University of Houston, he had a change of heart.

“I wasn’t sure I wanted to be in school for the next 12 years,” he said. So he tried something different, a course in drama, and loved it.

Sims transferred to UCLA in Los Angeles, where his mom had relocated, and graduated with a degree in drama. Then the roles began mounting. He landed a bevy of guest shots in TV series — “NYPD Blue,” “The Shield,” “CSI,” “Private Practice,” “Castle” and “Bones,” to name a few. He also won small roles in movies such as “Jarhead” and, most recently, “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.”

Sims said his first really big break came in 2008, when he nabbed a regular role in TV’s “Crash,” which ran for two seasons on Starz.

“I was opposite the late, great Dennis Hopper,” he said. “Dennis fought hard to battle his cancer until the end. He was a dear friend, great guy.”

“Masters of Sex” was another high point. Last season, he received critical acclaim as civil rights activist Robert Franklin, who awakens William Masters’ wife, Libby, both sexually and politically.

Unfortunately, Sims’ character won’t return for season three of “Sex,” which jumps six years into the future — to the middle of the “Swinging Sixties” — when it returns July 12 on Showtime.

No worries. Sims is happy to report that his character’s storyline in “The Last Ship” blossoms on the hit TNT drama’s second season.

First, some background: Sims plays Lt. Carlton Burk, the head of tactical teams on the USS Nathan James, which is one of the few safe havens from a virus that’s already wiped out 80 percent of the world’s population.

He, the ship’s commander (Eric Dane, “Grey’s Anatomy”) and other members of the crew are doing their best to protect the world’s one hope — Dr. Rachel Scott (Rhona Mitra), who has developed an antidote.

However, everything explodes into chaos in the second season after Dr. Scott is taken from the ship and a bunch of baddies capture the Nathan James in an attempt to steal the formula for the vaccine.

“The first season was about discovering what the virus was and coming up with a vaccine,” Sims said. “The second season is about distributing the vaccine, first in America then around the world. Some people are immune to the virus and see that as an opportunity to gain power.”

Adding a little light to the darkness is a romance for Burk with an Israeli soldier named Ravit (Inbar Lavi).

“I think fans are really going to like our storyline,” he said. “There’s not a whole lot of love happening during this end of the world.”

Sims also looks forward to more laughs in his future. He nabbed a role in the big-screen comedy “The Sweet Life,” with Chris Messina and Abigail Spencer. It’s expected to open sometime next year.

Jeanne Jakle’s column appears Wednesdays and Sundays in mySA, and she blogs at Jakle’s Jacuzzi on mySA.com. Email her at jjakle@express-news.net.