There are some actors that want you to call them by their character’s name and they have no relationship with you outside of the character. But I like to get to know who I’m working with so that we can relax together, and it’s more fun.
My wife, whenever I’d go off to work and I’d be kind of anxious, she’ll say, ‘Remember, have fun.’ Oh, I forgot, thanks for the reminder. Because sometimes we do forget. We take it all too seriously and there’s a lot of joy to be had wherever you are.
Basically, one of the hardest things about being an actor is getting your first break. I’m a product of nepotism. The doors were open to me. I’d done several movies before I decided what I wanted to do.
You know, it’s kind of a shame in a way but the more seasoned directors a lot of times have more difficult getting a job than first time guys. New kid on the block kind of thing.
Sometimes you’ll have a movie that you’re very proud of and you think it transcended all of your expectations but it doesn’t come out at the right time. I have done movies that have never been released. That can be depressing.
One of the things I want to do that’s outside the realm of acting and the arts – although both have their place in this – is ending childhood hunger here in America.
If you change partners every time it gets tough or you get a little dissatisfied, then I don’t think you get the richness that’s available in a long-term relationship.
One of the tough things about being an actor, probably the hardest thing, is getting your foot in the door, and my father handled that for me at a very early age.
