Evan Roe, who plays the son on CBS' 'Madam Secretary,' is an Eagle Scout

Evan Roe was a Life Scout when Madam Secretary tapped him to join the family. Producers of the CBS drama wanted to cast Evan as Jason McCord, son of the title character played by Téa Leoni.

Slight problem, though. The show films in New York, so accepting the job would require Evan to leave San Diego and Troop 750 behind.

Rather than making a choice between Scouting and stardom, Evan chose option C: all of the above.

Lacking only his Eagle Scout service project, Evan planned it from afar. He identified a project site, recruited volunteers and crafted a plan — all three time zones away. When he needed materials from the hardware store near his project site, he sent his dad, Chris, who was still out west.

Evan flew to San Diego to complete the actual project: constructing a shade structure at Batiquitos Lagoon. All that planning paid off; Evan and his volunteers finished in half the time budgeted.

Back in New York at board of review time, Evan completed this final step by Skype — which is a BSA-approved practice as long as the council gives the OK.

“I think Scouting is a more flexible program than a lot of people realize,” Evan says. “I was a Life Scout, and I’d worked on it for seven years. I was so close to the finish line; it seemed pointless to give up.”

Behind-the-scenes photos

Here, some scenes from our visit to the set of Madam Secretary, the CBS drama that airs Sundays at 9/8c.

Evan’s dressing room includes chairs, a couch, a private bathroom and a rack that holds his wardrobe for that day’s scenes.

Evan and members of the *Madam Secretary* cast and crew watched a video of the “mannequin challenge” they had just completed on set.

A hair cut a day: Evan gets a trim before each shooting day.

The McCord family house looks like a real home, but this one has rows of lights instead of a ceiling and walls that can be removed.

Between takes, Evan and his fellow cast members keep things light while makeup gets retouched and props get reset.

Evan checks the stove to see if anything’s cooking.

Evan gestures to his fellow cast members, including the show’s title character, played by Téa Leoni.

The afternoon shoot on the day we visited included a breakfast scene, and the orange juice “prop” was very real.

During filming, Evan gives a hug to his on-screen dad, played by Tim Daly.

Photos by W. Garth Dowling.

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