Timothy Simons Names 'Charmless' GOP Senator Who Inspired 'Veep' Character Jonah

“Veep” star Timothy Simons said his insufferable character Jonah Ryan is rooted in reality.

On Tuesday’s broadcast of “Late Night with Seth Meyers ,” Simons revealed how he first based the fictional character on a “smash together” of different Washington lackeys who only care about proximity to power.

But as Simons’ character developed and began his own congressional campaign, the actor evolved, basing him on the “charmless,” “graceless” and “universally disliked” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

“Begrudgingly you have to admit that Ted Cruz, he has fallen ass-backwards into some sort of power and until he’s out, everybody just has to deal with him, and that’s very much Jonah’s vibe, that’s his thing,” Simons explained.

Check out the interview above.