Daily Actor - The Actors Online Entertainment Resource » Interviews
By Lance Carter
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Podcast Description
Daily Actors interview series featuring some of the hottest and most popular actors working today.
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Interview: Joe Anderson Talks ‘The Grey’, Rehearsing the Film and Acting in -20 Degree Weather | (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Joe-Anderson.jpg)In Joe Carnahan’s excellent film, The Grey, Joe Anderson plays Flannery, a loudmouth who constantly gets under the skin of his fellow oil-riggers. When their plane goes down, he and the rest of the survivors (Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts, James Badge Dale, Ben Bray and Nonso Anozie) are forced to work together to fend of packs of wolves hungry for their blood. Anderson is the son British theatre actors and he told me that even though he grew up surrounded by the profession, he didn’t think he’d ever actually be an actor. After backpacking around the world, he decided he wanted to become a director. But since he couldn't afford coming to America and go to film school, he thought he’d go to drama school to learn about actors. And the rest is history. Joe talked to me about the shoot and what it was like to work in freezing weather, working with Liam Neeson, and one particularly bad audition where he had to play an espresso machine. For the full interview, click the audio link above or download it from iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/interviews-actors-acting-tips/id336861386) I saw The Grey the other night. Freakin’ fantastic film. Joe Anderson: It’s a fun one. It’s intense, right? But it’s got a lot of heart in there, a lot of heart. It took me by surprise, the script. Before I read it, I was thinking of kind of a dude’s movie with guys in the snow and fighting wolves and it is but it’s kind of a way more than that. I was kind of really surprised by that. What was in the script, was that the movie that it turned out to be? Joe Anderson: Yes, very much so, very much so. But also I know that Joe, Joe was working a lot on the script and as we were shooting, you know, his style is very much… he likes to just make it real. Sometimes, when you’re observing, I guess as a director, I know for sure as an actor, you see this hole that could be filled or there’s a little clunk there in the scene that could be ironed out with the use of, I don’t know, maybe some additional dialogue here and there. And he’d just throw us stuff every now and then and say, “can you just say that here or say that there?” And with the ease and the confidence that he’s there with, you kind of trust him and believe him 100% and then when you watch the movie, there’s the line that you what you thought of. It’s like you’re cooking. It’s like, “I’ll just add a bit of this. I’ll add a bit of that.” It’s kind of magical to be a part of in that sense without sounding cheesy. Your character, he adds moments of levity to the early parts of the movie. As an audience member, everyone is tense and on the edge of their seat and then you’ll say something funny. Joe Anderson: You know, it was an interesting one for me to get my head around to be honest. Because one, you can look at the guy and just sort of find him as an a*****e because essentially, he’s that guy. He’s that annoying guy who just shoots to mouth off all the time. He’s young and he’s scared, and he’s that guy. I think it’s very brave of Joe to write a character who speaks like that and to give that character that screen time where he’s speaking about stuff that, neither here nor there, drives plot. He just lets you know about this guy so that when the s**t hits the fan, when you see how each individual character reacts to this situation, I think you have a very true cross section of what it would actually be like. And I think that you would have guys that are raging against it. You’ll have guys that are out of it completely, that are in denial about the situation. You’ll have the guys that just won’t shut up. So I thought it was totally clever in that sense. How did you get the part? Joe Anderson: I went and met Joe and just walked in and he went, “Flannery” and I said, “Okay.” I was like, “Do you wan | 1/30/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Q & A: Adam Baldwin Talks ‘Chuck’, the Last Days on Set and Playing a Character for 5 Years | (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/adam-baldwin_chuck.jpg)Fans of Chuck will soon be saying goodbye to their much loved series. Over the past 5 years, as Chuck Bartowski has been learning to use and hone his newfound spy-secrets, he’s been protected by the NSA’s John Casey. The great Adam Baldwin plays Casey and he said in a conference call that he loved his time on the show. Why? "They gave me a lot of fun s**t to do," he said. I remember first watching Baldwin in My Bodyguard and have been a fan ever since. From Full Metal Jacket, Serenity/Firefly and the over 60 film and TV appearances, it’s always fun to watch him on the screen. I talked to Adam and Series Co-Creator Chris Fedak about what is was like to work on the show, playing a character for 5 years and what’s next for the prolific actor. For more Chuck, check out our interviews with Joshua Gomez (http://www.dailyactor.com/2011/11/joshua-gomez-interview-chuck/) and Mark Christopher Lawrence It’s been a fun show to watch and it looks like it’s been a lot of fun to make over the years. What do you guys take away from this series? Adam Baldwin: What I take away from Chuck first of all, a five-year run on any show these days is a true blessing and to have been able to go through it with people who are nice and creative and funny and hardworking and just lovable. I mean, we’re gypsies really in this business -- we’re circus players -- and we travel from town to town it seems like and we travel from family to family on different projects. So to land on one for five years has been a joy and, you know, it’s sad to see it go. But at least we have those five years together and we appreciated it while it was happening. So I just feel blessed and honored to have been a part of it. Chris Fedak: That’s a great point. And I think the other thing, you know, going off your question this show was a lot of fun to make, but it was also an incredible challenge. It must be one of the most difficult shows to do especially in the amount of time we have. And to do something that challenging to work with such a great team is really, you know, it’s fantastic. To have worked with a great team like this is really one you’re going to measure the rest of your career against. Adam Baldwin: I don’t and I haven’t envied the work that writers have had to put in, you know. They’re locked in basically in a cage and having to figure out how do we make this - how do we walk this tightrope and for them to have through week in and week out for us has just been - what a great reward. Oftentimes writers have an idea for their final image or scene or whatever, years in advance. My guess is because of the nature of the way Chuck worked that you guys probably didn’t store stuff up that way or did you? Chris Fedak: You know, we had a couple of - Josh and I had a couple of big moments that we wanted to get to in the show. You know, we knew, you know, we wanted to do the end of Season 2. We knew we wanted to, you know, bring Morgan into the spy world. We knew that we wanted to explore Casey’s back story and his family. And so we had these big moments that we kind of knew that we wanted to be part of the show each season. In regard to the very final moment of this season, it was something that we came up with at the end of last season and it was a part of our pitch to NBC, you know, for bringing us back. And so this year we knew we were heading toward this final moment of the show and so that was a year in the making. (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Cast-of-Chuck.jpg)Adam, what’s next for you? Adam Baldwin: Well, we’re working on that. When you’re on a show for five years and then it ends, then you got to find another job so we’re in the process of looking and finding. It’s the beginning of pilot season. Hopefully we’ll land one of those. If not, there’s other things but it’s right now in the period we like to call being at | 1/27/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Interview: Christopher Heyerdahl Talks ‘Hell On Wheels’ and Acting in 2 TV Shows at the Same Time | (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/christopher-heyerdahl.jpg)Christopher Heyerdahl had a great 2011. He started it filming the last of the Twilight movies where he plays the vampire Marcus, one of the leaders of the Volturi coven. He then went off film season 2 of the SyFy hit, Sanctuary, where he starred as 2 characters (one has since been killed off). If that wasn’t enough, during filming, he got word that he booked yet another part as ‘The Swede’ in AMC’s Hell on Wheels. Thanks to some creative scheduling, he would film Sanctuary in Vancouver, leave set and rush to the airport. At 6am the next day, he’d be sitting in hair and make-up in Calgary ready to film Hell on Wheels. Just the normal life of a busy actor. And, it was just announced that Heyerdahl would join the cast of True Blood for it's upcoming season. Looks like Christopher’s 2012 might be as hectic as his last. I talked to Christopher about Hell on Wheels and how he got the part, working two jobs at once and more! For the full interview (including Twilight questions), click the audio link above or download it from iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/interviews-actors-acting-tips/id336861386) You had a great 2011 with Hell on Wheels, Sanctuary and Twilight. Has that been the best year career-wise, so far? Christopher Heyerdahl: Well, yeah. I guess it has been the best year so far in as much as I’m alive and well, and I’m working. What other actor doesn’t want’ that? It has been pretty intense. I mean, I started off the year doing Twilight. I got to go to New Orleans. It was a great way to start the year and then Sanctuary got renewed which is always a tenuous thing with a show that’s privately funded and within maybe two months into doing Sanctuary, I got The Swede on Hell on Wheels. Chad Oakes and George Horie, Chad is with Hell and George is with Sanctuary. The two of them got together and said, “We can make this work” because it was a crazy scheduling, scheduling that I think any producer just wouldn’t normally not want to invite into their daily routine because I was getting on a plane pretty much every night after work, flying off to Calgary or vice versa, coming back to Vancouver in order to do each show. It was crazy for them and that was a blast for me. (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/christopher-heyerdahl-swede.jpg) When you were working on Sanctuary or before it was picked up, had you already auditioned for Hell on Wheels? How did that come about? Christopher Heyerdahl: No, I had a buddy of mine called me up on a Sunday night and when I say a buddy of mine, I really mean it - a buddy who’s an actor. He was getting ready for an audition on a Monday and he said, “I love this character that I’m auditioning for but each time I read it and each time I go through it, I just keep thinking of you. Are you auditioning for this character?” Monday comes and I’m asked to come in as well and so anyway, we were both going on for the same role. There is a buddy, a true buddy. Absolutely. Christopher Heyerdahl: You know, most actors, the last thing they are going to do is call up a friend who possibly got a better shot at getting the job than they do and anyway, that’s how it started. I just went in and threw my hat into the ring and did an on tape audition. It resonated with them and went in for a call back and bish bash bosh. The rest is, you know, the H word. I hope you bought that guy a nice steak dinner. Christopher Heyerdahl: Oh, believe me, like I said, he is a good friend and so yeah, we definitely celebrated. Yeah, it was pretty amazing. We were already shooting Sanctuary and this came along. The character that I, because I played two characters on Sanctuary and for the most part, one of my characters had been killed off at the end of the previous session and so it opened up the schedule. There was a window of possibility there which allowe | 1/25/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Q & A: Kiefer Sutherland on ‘Touch’, Coming Back to TV and ’24′ | (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/kiefer-sutherland-touch.jpg)Kiefer Sutherland returns to FOX in Touch, a show that attempts to ask the question: Are we all interconnected? Sutherland stars as Martin Bohm, a widower and single father, who is unable to connect with his seemingly autistic son, Jake (David Mazouz). Jake never speaks, shows no emotion and never allows himself to be touched by anyone. Soon though, Martin finds out that Jake has a gift that allows him to see the random events of the universe and how they’re connected. Touch was created by Heroes mastermind Tim Kring and Sutherland said that even though he wasn’t ready to come back to television, when he read the script, ““It was something that I knew I had to do.” In this interview, Kiefer talks more about the reason he came back to TV, his hopes for the show and the legacy of 24. Touch airs tonight at 9/8c on FOX in a special sneak preview. The shows begins airing regularly on Monday, March, 19th. For the full interview, click the audio link above or download it from iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/interviews-actors-acting-tips/id336861386) At what point did you connect with your character and when did you know that this was a story that you wanted to tell and be a part of? Kiefer Sutherland: It was funny. I was doing a play in New York on Broadway. I had a film that I knew I was going to go do and so I read Touch almost reluctantly. I don’t think I was completely ready to go back to television yet. I was enjoying some of the different opportunities that I had had. I think it was around page 30, I remember going, “Oh, ...,” or I guess something you could print, ..., which I just knew I would be so remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity that Touch was. I identified with him out of the gate. There was something interesting because obviously this is very different than 24.Yet there is a real similar through line in the kind of character of the man. Jack Bauer would be faced with unbelievable circumstances in the course of a day and he would never win completely. (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/kiefer-sutherland-david-mazouz-touch.jpg) You mentioned about how much you like the script. One of the things is that in the history of television when somebody has a great even groundbreaking series like 24, they rarely come back to television and now it’s just been two years since 24 ended. Was it just the script that made you come back or what was it, what prompted you to come back to television? Kiefer Sutherland: Well, it was a combination of things. I had an unbelievable experience on 24. We shot 198 episodes and I was as excited about shooting the 198th as I was the first. So that experience, and I had a great relationship with Fox, both the studio and the network. And so that combined with this script, it wasn’t even really a choice anymore. It was something that I knew I had to do. And I remember thinking about it really strongly when I was crossing the street in New York and the person who I work with Susan …, I remember saying to her if we don’t do this, how are we going to feel in September watching it knowing all of its potential and how great we both think it can be. And that answered my question for me. I didn’t want to be sitting there watching this fantastic show in September if I had had the opportunity to be a part of it. But you’re right, it certainly is a daunting thing having 24 been not only the great experience on a personal level for me, but it was an incredible success. It’s nice to have that in your pocket and let it be, but this was certainly something I just couldn’t say no to, so I think it’s been a little longer than two years, but it feels a lot shorter than that now I have to say. For people who are used to seeing you on 24 as Jack Bauer in that action star sort of role, how do you convince them to give the show | 1/25/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Interview: James Cromwell Talks ‘The Artist’, Auditions and the Best Perk of an Academy Award Nomination | (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/James-Cromwell.jpg)Any day I can talk to James Cromwell, I consider a perfect day. James has had such a wonderful career. He had his first TV appearance on a 1974 episode of The Rockford Files followed by a recurring role on All in the Family (which he auditioned for and "had a great time," he told me). Dozens (and dozens!) of TV and film work followed when, in 1995, he got a part in Babe as Farmer Hoggett. The role only had 16 lines but he was so memorable in the part that he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. 16 lines! As you probably know, The Artist was just nominated for 10 Academy Award Nominations, most notably for Best Picture, Actor (Jean Dujardin), Supporting Actress (Berenice Bejo) and Director (Michel Hazanivicus). Cromwell was a big part of the success of that film. As I told him in the interview, I saw a lot of The Artist through the sympathetic eyes of his character, Clifton, George Valintin’s (Deaudrin) devoted chauffeur. The Artist is absolutely one of my favorite films of the year. If you haven't seen it, what are you waiting for? We talk about his work on the film, auditioning and his career. And check out the advice he gives - it's great! For the full interview, click the audio link above or download it from iTunes (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/james-cromwell-the-artist.jpg)How were you first approached about the film? James Cromwell: My agent called me up and said there’s some French director who is doing a black and white silent film with two people you never heard of. I thought, “the guy has to be nuts.” Then they sent me, not the script, it wasn’t a script, it’s a short story. Printed on very nice stock, it was spirally bound. Photographs of Jean and Berenice in costume, you know, in front of Paramount or whatever, and I thought “Wow, somebody has put a lot of thought into this and they are here doing it, you know? The least I can do is meet with the director.” I had a lot of questions. It was a very long lunch. I didn’t want to be in the film, especially not being paid very much and I didn’t want to do a character that was just in the background… I’ve done my 16-line character. It got me an Academy Award nomination but, you know, I thought, “Well, why do it?” So, I wanted to know whether he was just using the silence and the black and white as a gimmick and that the story might not have any relevance to a contemporary audience, just be a sort of an homage. Because I’d just seen a not very good silent film prior to working on The Artist and I thought “Well…” But when you meet with Michel, of course, besides the fact that he is charming, he knows exactly what he wants to do and he is very clear about it. He’s not at all pretentious. I think, when you audition a director because that’s what you do, they think they audition you, but you audition them as well. In your category, you audition. I’m the one that is been begging for the roles. James Cromwell: Well, you always have to remember, it’s sort of Even Steven. You mustn’t give up all your power. If you do, it’s to your detriment. But he was delightful and I think I got him. I liked his sweetness. I liked his certitude. I liked the vision that he had. I liked the fact that he was an artist and not only was he gonna get to do his art - because somebody else believed in him - but he had the courage to be an artist and not compromise it. I thought, “Yeah, I want to be a part of that.” Before you left the meeting, did you say, “Yeah, I’ll do it” or were you kind of coy about it? James Cromwell: Oh yeah. I said “Yeah, let’s do it.” John Goodman said “yeah” in about five minutes. I’m a little slower than John. No, no. When I choose, I choose. I don’t do coy. How did you prepare for your character because there wasn’t a lot on the page. James Cromwell: Well, my first role in film | 1/24/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Q&A: Sam Witwer, Sam Huntington and Meaghan Rath talk ‘Being Human’ | Sam Witwer, Sam Huntington and Meaghan Rath star as Aidan, Josh and Sally on Syfy's Being Human. The story of the vampire, werewolf and ghost roommates started it's second season last week and moves the series far and away from it's BBC counterpart. (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/cast-of-being-human.jpg) Last year, I talked to them right before the series premiere, they were excited about the show and eager to see how audiences would respond to it. Well, they didn't have to worry too long. The show garnered great ratings and was quickly given a second season. I talked to the Sam's and Meaghan about the new season, how their characters have grown and if there were any specific challenges they had to face in season 2. Check out our previous interview with the cast here! (http://www.dailyactor.com/2011/02/interview-being-human-sam-huntington-meaghan-rath/) Follow Sam Huntington (http://twitter.com/SammyHuntington) and Meaghan Rath (http://twitter.com/meaghanrath) on Twitter! Being Human airs on Mondays at 9/8c on Syfy For the full interview, click the audio link above or download it from iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/interviews-actors-acting-tips/id336861386) (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Cast-of-being-human-2.jpg) What it’s been like to film season two? How is it different to play these characters in the second season? Sam Huntington: I think I can speak for all of us when I say that and so we were all really, really excited to get back. And you know the funny thing is I personally expected it to feel a lot like just one giant bout of déjà vu and to be honest, like it really just felt as though we never had the hiatus. It just felt because it was all the same crew and a lot of the same cast it just felt like we had maybe a two day break and then we just rolled into season two, it was bizarre. But at the same time it was great because I felt like we were able to really just pick up right where we left off which was a really cool spot. So yeah, anyway, like that. Sam Witwer: Yeah, I guess I didn’t expect it to be - I mean okay there’s me and Sammy and Meaghan and we bonded I think all the way back during our first audition together. But I guess you know you go away, we were so exhausted after the first season, for months afterwards even the thought of doing season two would make me sleepy. And when we got back I guess I hadn’t expected to be as happy to see everyone as I was. The crew and all the directors and everyone and that kind of carried for me that carried me through the season. I wasn’t as exhausted this year, there was something about having a successful season one behind us and knowing the characters and having that momentum that was really positive this year. Meaghan Rath: Yeah, and I think it was just script wise it was a lot easier to just fall back into it this year because there was no establishing who our characters were and what our circumstances were, we just jumped right into it. Sam Witwer: Absolutely, and in the first season there was so much heavy lifting on everyone’s part to establish these characters and to try make this all work and now we had a - some - what do you guys think, I think we had a little bit of competence going on this time. Sam Huntington: So much more, there was so much uncertainty in season one, it’s like imagine like any television show, your season one is you’re kind of biting your fingernails the whole time just saying to yourself God I hope people like this and I hope people watch this. Sam Witwer: Right and you’re second guessing yourself. It seems like your characters this season are tempted by the darker parts of their natures. How do you maintain their humanity when playing the dark parts and what kind of challenges there are in doing that? Meaghan Rath: I think for me it’s important to keep in mind that these are real people and not to get sucked into the supernatural element of the whole thing. | 1/23/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Q & A: H. Jon Benjamin talks ‘Archer’, Yelling and Burt Reynolds | (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/h-jon-benjamin-archer.jpg)H Jon Benjamin is the voice of Sterling Archer on Archer, Bob of Bob’s Burgers and also has his own show on Comedy Central, Jon Benjamin Has a Van. Each one of them are great fun to watch and Jon's dry-humor is evident throughout. I got a chance to talk with him on a conference call where he chatted about Season 3 of Archer, how he does a lot of yelling as the character, hidden references in the show and Burt Reynolds. Archer airs on Thursdays at 10 on FX For the full interview, click the audio link above or download it from iTunes You’ve been the voicing ‘Sterling Archer’ for quite a while now. What’s your favorite thing about voicing the character? What do you like best about him? Jon: I like the way he looks. He’s handsome. That’s a big advantage. I’m not so handsome, and I like all the stuff I get to say, obviously. I like being rude, and it gives me a good opportunity to do that. (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Archer-splash.jpg) How did you get the part? Jon: It’s not a great story. Adam Reed, the creator of Archer, God rest his soul [said jokingly], he called me—I think he had heard me do some other work on Adult Swim Shows, and he called me to read the part. I don’t know if other people had been asked. I don’t know if I was first choice or like literally last resort—probably last resort, right? Right? So, yes, and then I accepted and then it worked out well. But I was tentative because I didn’t think I could pull off a spy. If you knew me, you’d know all the reasons why. How did the casting Burt Reynolds come about? Jon: Which Burt Reynolds thing? Wait, he was in it? Oh. Man, no one tells me anything about this …. That’s great. I can’t believe he’s still doing stuff. He should take a break. It’s been like 60 years. Like just stop. I think, they mentioned him—I think it was the natural—well, not the natural progression, but ‘Archer’s’ obviously referenced Burt Reynolds a lot, so I’m sure it popped into Adam Reed’s head to just to try and cast him. It’s funny that I shouldn’t be calling like these people and you must think like they’ll never do it and then they’re probably like, “Of course, I’ll do it.” How much improve or ad-libbing do you get to do on the show? Jon: Very little. There is not a lot of room. The scripts are tightly written and he encourages sometimes on occasion, he’ll be like do you want to add anything, and I’ll say no. So it’s not the same kind of production as Bob’s Burgers, which is a lot improvising all the time, but the scripts don’t really require it. As Archer, you seem to do a lot of yelling, which must get tiring at some point. Has there ever been a point where you wish a few of the scripts just has ‘Archer’ whispering and not talking at all? Jon: I would love to in parentheses …. Just once. It is, and I have to say, like I recently, whenever I finish—it’s not grueling or anything, but my vocal cords don’t recover for like a day after an Archer session. So they owe me. And it’s not like I’m at war, but it’s hard on the throat. But, yes, I would like to do … someday. One thing that is great about the show are those hidden references like to “Bartleby the Scrivener” or “Lord of the Rings,” things of that nature. But some of them are pretty obscure like I have to bring up my computer and Google things while I’m watching. Jon: Yes. I occasionally do as well. Jon: There’s like a 50/50 ratio of me knowing and me not, but I’m always getting questions about that, and occasionally I don’t have the answer. I forgot to check. Fortunately, I’ve read some Melville, so that’s good, and some …, so I knew a couple, but there is some stuff like the guy who invented or who started eugenics—I didn’t know that was him. | 1/19/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Q & A: Jamie Pressly and Katie Finneran talk ‘I Hate My Teenage Daughter’ | (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Katie-Finneran-Jamie-Pressly.jpg)Jamie Pressly is back on TV with the new FOX sitcom, I Hate My Teenage Daughter. She’s joined by Katie Finneran, who you may have seen in the filmed version of Company (starring Neil Patrick Harris (http://www.dailyactor.com/2011/09/neil-patrick-harris-its-important-as-an-actor-to-be-as-broad-in-your-demographics-as-you-can/)) and last season’s Broadway revival of Promises, Promises. The two play best friends who were bullied in high school and now, as single moms, have found out that they are raising daughters to be just like the girls that used to menace them. Jamie was looking to return to TV but was looking for a “multi-camera format” and wanted her character to be completely different than her Emmy-Winning role as Joy in My Name Is Earl. Katie had just had a baby and thought that the sitcom format was the best schedule for her to raise a family. The two talk about how they got their parts, Katie’s transition from Broadway to TV and what they think of the title of the show I hate My Teenage Daughter airs at 9:30/8:30c on FOX For the full interview, click the audio link above or download it from iTunes For both of you—what was it about the premise of the show and about your characters in particular that made you want to participate? Jamie Pressly: I can say for me it was—in order for me to come back to TV, being that Earl is still on and that character, Joy, was such strong character, I have to be able to play something that was completely opposite of her so that everybody didn’t think I was playing a different version of her. And this character is definitely that. She comes from a religious background and a military father, is completely unaware of anything that has to do with pop culture, and she had her daughter when she was in college and is really kind of the more grounded one, but, is quite quirky and a bit of a dork. Both characters are a bit of goof-balls. But, I also like the relationship between the two of us—myself and Katie—Nicki and Annie—because, that’s really what this show is about. Because as a single mom, myself, I know that I couldn’t do what I do without the support of my friends and my best friend since I was five is named Katie Mack and when I met Katie Finneran they were so similar, it just kind of felt like the right fit. Katie Finneran: I just love the sitcom format. I think there is so much comfort in it. I loved watching sitcoms growing up. I love that it was about best friends—Laverne & Shirley was like my favorite show growing up. I’m dating myself again. I am a healthy 40-year-old woman and I enjoy Laverne & Shirley. There you have it. I really wanted to do a sitcom because I had just had a baby. When I auditioned, my baby was four days old when I auditioned, and I knew that that format would be the greatest schedule for me to raise a family. And also, I just always feel silly when I play doctors or very serious roles. I can do it and I enjoy working in any capacity, but when I have to say, “He had a thrompoctomy” and the seriousness and somebody dies, I just always want to giggle behind my surgery mask. (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/I-hate-my-teenage-daughter.jpg) What do you all think of the title of the show? Katie Finneran: Love it. We love the title. Jamie Pressly: I think it’s great because, for one thing, it’s grabbing people’s attention one way or the other. Whether it’s upsetting them, or they like it and they agree with it, it’s grabbing people’s attention and that was the point of it in the first place. And it’s like Katie always says, we’re just saying it for you, ‘cause it’s a moment that everybody that as a parent has actually had where they actually just want to say, oh, my God, I hate my teenager. But, you don’t really. You just, on occasion, they can do things that ma | 11/30/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Q & A: Denis O’Hare on ‘American Horror Story’, ‘True Blood’ and His “Addiction” to Theatre | (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/denis-ohare.jpg)Up until 2 years ago, Denis O’Hare had a terrific career; moving seamlessly from TV (Brothers and Sisters, CSI: Miami), Film (Michael Clayton, Baby Mama (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BL96K2/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=ultimredsk-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B001BL96K2), Milk) and Broadway (Cabaret, Assassins, Sweet Charity). But once he was cast in True Blood, his career went to another level. As Russell Edgington, he made the show 10 times more fun to watch with his portrayal of the Vampire King of Mississippi. From there he went back to Broadway in Elling and now, he’s starring in FX’s American Horror Story. He plays Larry the Burn Guy, a man who was disfigured in a fire started by his wife when he revealed his love for the neighbor, Constance (Jessica Lange). In this Q&A, Denis talks about the make-up process for the show, how he got the part and how he’s “addicted” to theatre. Follow Denis on Twitter (http://twitter.com/denisohare)! American Horror Story airs on Wednesdays at 10pm on FX For more American Horror Story, check out our interview with Dylan McDermott and Connie Britton For the full interview, click the audio link above or download it from iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/podcast/interviews-actors-acting-tips/id336861386) You’re playing such a dark character, and a lot of times actors say that you have to like who you’re playing to be able to play that character convincingly. Do you like anything about your character, and how do you connect with him? Denis O’Hare: You know, it’s funny. I love this character, and I love him because I feel like he is engaged in a sort of timeless epic struggle. And I see him as kind of a Dante-esque figure. He’s somebody who is trapped in a circle of hell, and he’s trying to work his way out. And he’s a human being who’s flawed, and he’s obviously weak, and he’s given into temptation and made bad choices. But through that all he’s still got this sort of, I don’t know, passion and dream to achieve something. And he’s—it’s an odd character. Like no other character I’ve ever played in my life, I find that I have to reach for a metaphor to describe him. I have an innate sense of who he is, and when I’m playing him it’s all very instinctual. But to describe it I find myself running to literature, and so I think it’s sort of like Igor in the Frankenstein mythology, or an amanuensis in some other mythologies, or a psychopomp as they call them sometimes, somebody who traffics between worlds. And it’s a really odd, beautiful character. (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/American-Horror-Story-Dylan-McDermott-Denis-OHare2.jpg) You seem to really be able to lose yourself in every role you play. You’re so great all the time, but it always takes a minute to go, “Oh, it’s him!” because you’ve become that character so incredibly. How does that happen with you? Denis O’Hare: Well, part of it is the richness of the character. A part of the reason I’m drawn to characters like this guy, or like ‘Russell Edgington,’ or like even the guys like ‘John Briggs’ in Milk, is that they’re sharply etched, and they’re clearly defined. And so I, as an actor, have an easier task. I know where I’m going, and if you add to it an aspect that’s larger than life like someone like ‘Russell Edgington’ who’s 2800 years old, or someone like ‘Larry’ who’s got a very severe physical deformity, it takes away part of your resistance as an actor, and you simply give over to the character’s features and the character’s characteristics. You know, Ryan [Murphy] wanted me to have a wooded arm and sort of a limp. So the minute you start putting these things on you feel different and you feel like someone else, and that then forms everything. What is it that you like and disli | 11/23/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Q & A: Joshua Gomez on Bad Morgan, Fight Scenes and the Final Season of ‘Chuck’ | (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Joshua-Gomez-Chuck.jpg)NBC’s Chuck, now in its fifth and final season, has pushed Chuck’s best friend, Morgan, into the spotlight as the Intersect. Fans of the show know that the Intersect is what initially gave Chuck all of his super-spy skills. At the end of last season, Chuck lost the Intersect and Morgan, by accident, acquired it. Joshua Gomez plays Morgan and he said he found out about the change his character would go through right before shooting last season’s final episode. His first thought? “Oh boy, I’m dead.” After that initial reaction, he soon became excited and told me that he was eager to “change up and try new things” with the character. Joshua talked to me on a conference call about the sudden turn of his character, shooting fight scenes and what he has lined up after he finishes Chuck. Follow Joshua on Twitter (http://twitter.com/JoshuaEGomez)! Chuck airs on Fridays at 10pm on NBC With this big change for Morgan and all the fighting you get to do now, how much training do you have to do before you have to film one of those scenes? Joshua Gomez: Well there’s not much training, as I don’t know if most of you know, it’s like, we have about seven days to make an episode of Chuck. And our episodes are just, just dense, you know there’s so much to them. Just a lot of layers, you know, from, you know, actually trying to pull off action scenes and comedy scenes, and you know, it’s a very stylized show. And so, seven days is not a lot of time to do an hour show what with, you know, explosions and gun fights, and then, you know, things like that, so, and of course, you know, kung fu scenes. So there’s not a lot of training, there’s not a lot of time. (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Joshua-Gomez-Zachary-Levi-Chuck.jpg)And, you know, I remember showing up to the set that day, and there was a sort of miscommunication, and just sort of a - no one’s fault but just, they didn’t bring me in for a little bit - you usually get a little bit of a fight rehearsal. You know, to kind of work out the deeds and do all this kind of stuff, and I show up and they’re like okay we’re ready in five minutes. And I was like five minutes of what, you know, it’s kind of like what? And I have to fight nine dudes. So, bam, you just got to roll with it and it’s just what we’ve kind of become accustomed to, and so, you know. Fortunately I have a decent memory - I’m pretty good at memorization so that’s all I could really rely on. Not the physical side of it, because that I’m just awful. But just memorizing steps, you know, and just kind of doing all this, it’s like a, you know, like a dance, it’s obviously choreographed like a dance, so. So you get through it, and it actually turned out to be - I thought it was one of the, you know, I thought it was one of the best things I’ve done up to this, you know, point. So I was pretty proud of it. And I didn’t have much time to kind of learn it. So, yes, I guess that’s the long answer to your question is no, not really a lot of training or a lot of time. But it’s fine, it all works out, you know. You said you have a good memory, so when you get a script, you can basically memorize it like boom, like that? Joshua Gomez: You know I don’t - no I wouldn’t say, you know, it’s definitely not like photographic or anything like that, but I’m not bad at like, you know, I can look at it. You know, depending on what it is, I’ll look at it and I’ll see my scenes that I’ll have to do and they usually, you know, one or two reads and it’s in there. And then I’ll leave it alone and then like maybe, you know, and then we rehearse five minutes before the scene I’ll have my sides, you know, they have these sides printed out for the day, what you’re going to shoot that day. And you look at those and kind of go, oh yes, right okay. And then boom one or two more reads, y | 11/18/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Q & A: Emilio Rivera talks ‘Sons of Anarchy’: “It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life” | (http://www.dailyactor.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Emilio-Riviera.jpg)Emilio Rivera stars as Marcus Alvarez, the Founder of the Mayan Motorcycle Club on the FX drama, Sons of Anarchy. This season, as the Mayans and Sons team-up to run drugs for a Me... | 11/17/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 11 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
Great series of interviews
I have been following Daily Actor's website, Twitter and FB page for a couple years.
He lands top notch film and stage performers and conducts great interviews, and often asks questions specifically geared toward the person's individual process and their craft. (which, as an actor, I find the most interesting and informative.)
Keep up the great work!
Great interviews that keep getting better
I've been subscribed to this podcast since January 2010 and happy to be part of it's growth. Always great questions and not the same mundane stuff you get from regular news reporters.
Good stuff
Original interviews with great questions and answers. I thought the sound quality was just fine. How about a Jack Black interview next?
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