Audiences know him for his role as an extraterrestrial in the hit sitcom “3rd Rock from the Sun,” as Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the Netflix series “The Crown,” and most recently as a prosecutor in the film, “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Actor, author, humorist and renowned performer John Lithgow is an accomplished Golden Globe, Emmy, Tony and SAG Award winner, and he attributes his success to his childhood exposure to the arts.

He’s now taking us back to school in a new PBS special premiering in April called, “Art Happens Here.” Lithgow immersed himself in singing, dancing, printmaking and pottery classes, right here in some of our SoCal classrooms.

Lithgow joined Lisa McRee on “LA Times Today.”

Click the arrow above to watch the full interview.

Watch “LA Times Today” at 7 and 10 p.m. Monday through Friday on Spectrum News 1 and the Spectrum News app.