As Betty's fellow equestrian Arthur Case, actor Gabriel Mann raised eyebrows with his not-so-subtle pursuit of Don's wife. Here he gives us the scoop on what he learned from Matt Weiner and about horseback riding in Season 2.

Q: You seem like a natural equestrian. Did you ride when you were growing up in Vermont or was this something you learned for the role?

A: I had only one prior experience on horseback. But we had an amazing trainer, and January and I took riding lessons together. With a horse it's an unpredictable element when working a scene. January loved it and she was very comfortable, but I'm glad I wasn't the one jumping over hurdles.

Q: The series has a number of surprises for viewers. Were there any moments for your character that surprised you when reading the scripts?

A: Always. You don't see script until you sit down for table read. With Matt [Weiner], what you think it might be is never what it's going to be. Every time we sat down it was some new layer for the character or storyline. I had no idea that I'd end up sleeping with Sara Beth. There's this air of ambiguity, but for an actor that's a gift.

Q: Did you know how many scenes you'd have in Season 2 or would you wonder after each episode: Will I be back?

A: I had no idea. I thought I was maybe the guy who said hello to a couple of characters on the back of a horse. And as it expanded, and turned into this story line, it was thrilling.

A: She is really brilliant. And that was another source of thrills, going to fittings and seeing what we were wearing. Like the tennis shorts (Season 2, Episode 6, "Maidenform"). I thought, "Wow, people really wore short shorts back then!"

Q: What sort of guidance did Matt Weiner give in you terms of Arthur's character?

A: Matt gives a lot of guidance. They hire fantastic directors for the show, but it's Matt's show and he knows exactly how everything should be. Every detail counts. In one scene, we were in the stables and there was a rope attached to the horse's bridle and Matt came in and said, "No, that rope is not right, it wouldn't be that type of rope." Just meticulous.

Q: Tell us about the movie you're currently working on in New York City.

A: It's called Zero Sum. It takes place in 2003, with a group of friends dealing with political repercussions of 9/11. It's basically drug abuse, sex, drugs, and politics in a loft in New York.

Q: We've heard about these Mad Men revues. Have you seen one? Did you perform?

A: No, I haven't participated but I will say that the people that like the show, really like the show. It's an all-or-nothing thing. You get it or you don't. People get quite obsessive about it, myself included. At the end of the day, I'm a bystander TV-watcher myself. I can't wait for Season 3!

Be sure to also check out the interview with one of Arthur's pursuits from Season 2, Betty Draper (January Jones).