Telling a story about Doctor Manhattan is pretty confusing, because stories involve words like “before,” “then,” and “after,” words that form sequences, signal timelines, and generally order a linear tale. Jon Osterman, however, exists simultaneously in his own past, present, and future. He’s not an easy guy to throw a surprise party for. But for the actor who currently plays him, finding out that he would portray Watchmen’s most famous character was a surprise—a surprise he learned after he’d already landed the part.