As if we needed another reason to love Guillermo Diaz, the out actor who has blown us away for several seasons as the slightly off Huck on ABC’s Scandal, turns out he’s also a big fan of HBO’s Looking and already has it all planned out who he’d like to have an on-screen fling with if he ever landed a role on the show. (Michael Lannan, are you listening?)

The self-labeled shy actor sat down with us recently at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour and talked about shooting sex scenes on Scandal with real life BFF Katie Lowes (Quinn), what else he’s watching on TV besides Looking... and how a lot of people in Hollywood still don’t know he’s gay.

NewNowNext: It’s been a really interesting ride with Huck this season. Have you felt challenged differently?

Guillermo Diaz: Yeah. They’re dealing a lot with Huck and his son and that’s kind of something we didn’t touch on at all in the seasons before, so that’s been a bit challenging to try and figure out how Huck acts around his child. It’s a situation that’s very odd for him. It’s odd for me because I’ve been playing Huck and it’s all very awkward, which kind of works. So yeah, I’ve been completely challenged with that.

I feel like it would make sense that he would connect with his kid, like when they were playing video games together…

GD: Yeah, absolutely, he’s like on his kid’s level. That’s the one thing that they could sort of connect to.

What are we going to see moving forward this season?

GD: I can say that you’re going to see Huck interacting with characters on the show that he has never interacted with before…

Is Huck going to the White House?

GD: [grins] Maybe. So, that and the connection between Huck and Quinn is still very alive. It’s still there, so we’re going to kind of touch on that a little bit more.

Fans were going crazy about that when you started up together on the show, myself included. Were you paying attention to a lot of that chatter online, the good and the not so good?

GD: Yeah, I was. When I shoot those scenes with Katie when we’re making love on top of a car, and it’s all very aggressive and violent and we really go for it and we tell each other, ‘it’s all good like do whatever you want.’ I feel like that comes across and the audiences feel that because we really go for it.

It fits with the characters. It’s not like they’re doing something we wouldn’t expect. And Huck is a little bit of an animal.

GD: Yeah, he’s a little off, yeah.

Let me ask you this, would you, Guillermo, be friends with Huck?

GD: That’s such a good question. I want to say no because I don’t think that Huck would seek out new friends, and I’m way too shy [but] I feel like it would be way too much work to be Huck’s friend, so yeah, I would say no.

You say you’re shy. How does a shy guy build an acting career like the one you’ve had so far? I loved you back in the day on Weeds!

GD: I think I’m shy when I’m being myself, but when I’m on screen or on stage playing a person that’s not me, I find it liberating. I just feel way more comfortable being in someone else’s skin other than my own. I think it came with growing up in New York City, and being gay and being teased a lot and having to sort of put up this act, acting a certain way so I wouldn’t get beat up. So, I feel like I’ve been acting all my life, you know what I mean, which is kind of sad at the same time.

I think all gay people go through that, especially before we’re out and understand what’s going on.

GD: Yeah, totally. When I’m being someone else, it’s very easy.

You’ve been out for a long time, but are people still surprised when they find out you’re gay?

GD: Some people.

It doesn’t seem to be attached to your persona like a label.

GD: Right, which is great. I know. Here and there people get surprised and I think, ‘really, you’re surprised?’ But at the same time it’s kind of a cool thing that they never thought either way. That it wasn’t an issue-- or they never thought about it. It’s all very interesting, and I try not to think about all that stuff, but it’s all good.

Do you have a type in terms of men?

GD: You know, honestly I don’t. I always find it weird when people have types because I’ve been attracted to all sorts of different types, black, white, Spanish, like big, small. I never honed in on one type.

What else is going on outside of Scandal?

GD: I would love to do a film or something during the hiatus. I’m obsessed with the show, Looking. I love that show! I think they’re all doing such an amazing job and I’m completely hooked. I would love to guest star on that show or something if that ever worked out.

I think that should happen.

GD: I think it should happen too.

If you could pick, which Looking storyline or which character would you like to have scenes with... or even a romance?

GD: I love Raul Castillo who plays Richie. I would love to have scenes with him and Jonathan. I love Jonathan. I love Russell Tovey. They’re all so great. I’d give my left nut to do a scene with any one of those.

I know some people had issues with it in the first season.

GD: I know. The first couple of episodes were a little slow, but that was okay. I never minded that. It never deterred me.

What else are you watching? What else is like on your TV?

GD: I love The Walking Dead,  love that show. I love How to Get Away with Murder too. It’s so good.

Scandal airs Thursdays at 9pm on ABC.