Abbott Elementary's William Stanford Davis: The Rewards Of Never Giving Up!

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Strip the script
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Some careers explode overnight.
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Others are built over decades, quietly, patiently, and with perseverance.
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William Stanford Davis spent years doing what most people never see, surviving those moments between opportunity and recognition.
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Because long before audiences knew him as Mr. Johnson in Abba Elementary, before the awards, before the viral moments, and before the acclaim, he was a working actor navigating an industry that often celebrates speed, youth, and immediacy.
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His story challenges something dangerous in the business, the belief that if you don't make it straight away, you don't make it at all.
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But what's even more remarkable about his journey isn't the fact that he broke through in his 70s, it's the fact that he never stopped being the artist the moment required him to be.
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Behind the humor, behind the timing and behind the warmth that audiences have grown to love him by is a man who understands endurance.
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This isn't a conversation about late success.
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This is about the years you didn't see.
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It's about the moments that tested him.
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And it's about the clarity that comes from staying in the fight long enough to understand the journey.
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This is Strip the Script.
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And this is William Stanford Davis.
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That was a great intro brother.
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You know, I've put some thought into it because, you know, Stan, you're an actor who I've known since I just started out in acting.
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I believe I came here, and I'm not sure if we'd met prior to this, I think we probably had, but I was here on my 21st birthday.
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which was an amazing time for me because at that time you were running your own acting classes, which was a huge learning curve for me and something that scared me a little bit at the time.
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So I think it was before I'd started drama school, like just jumping in there, doing a lot of improv with great American actors coming from UK.
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And that was really informative for me and I valued it a lot.
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And you also took me to the actor's center, the actor's studio.
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And we watched an amazing scene study class with some amazing talent.
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And these were all things for me that sort of ignited a fire in me.
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So I really, really appreciate that.
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And it kind of leads me to the question of, I want to go back to that moment for you when you were younger, where you grew up and what drew you to acting?
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And at what point did you know that this was something that you wanted to do?
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You know, I tell a story about my grandmother a lot and how she was a big influence on my life.
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She used to...
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come and tell the teachers at my school that I had doctors or dentist appointments, and she would take me to the movies.
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She would, as soon as we'd get out the door, we're going to the movies, baby.
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Wow.
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So she would take me to the movies, and I think the first one I remember that really sticks in my head is going to see Sidney Poitier and the Defiant Ones.
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I think I'm six or seven years old.
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Oh, wow.
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And I don't know, it was the magic of being in this dark room.
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as we know, with the shared experience of everyone else in the dark room, but the look on her face every time she saw this amazing black man on screen.
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And there was something about that that kind of triggered
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it in me, you know.
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And then later on seeing Sydney and Raisin when I was old enough to really appreciate it.
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And I think that just kind of drove it, but you know, I'm from St. Louis, Missouri and far from the East and West Coast where, which were and still are the hubs of American film and television and stage.
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And I didn't know how or where to go to be an actor.
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So I kind of put it on the back burner.
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But that's kind of where it started for me as a youngster.
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And I just knew that is what I would like to do.
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But I had no guidance or anywhere.
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You know, they didn't have any acting classes in St. Louis.
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So what did you, if you kind of knew it from that early age, and was it like a definitive thing that you knew, like, you know, this is what I want to do?
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This is what I want to do, yeah.
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So how did you navigate from that thought in that period of time and not knowing how to enter it, not having the classes or the opportunities?
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How did you end up finding your way in?
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As I grew up, I got in a band, which was entertaining.
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And I became a radio DJ, which were all these things that I still wanted to do.
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But up under all of that, I
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I wanted to be an actor.
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I was a radio DJ, very successful.
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I was in a band that was very popular.
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But that didn't satisfy me the way that I thought being an actor would.
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I never knew.
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But what happened is that
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I, after the DJing job, I DJed actually at a country western radio station in Texas.
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And when I left there was either go back to St. Louis, which I didn't want to do as much as I love St. Louis, but I knew I would get back into that old habit of putting things off.
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And my dad said, come on out to LA and you can sleep on my couch.
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And I did.
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And within, and this, this is crazy because they say when the student is ready, the teacher appears.
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I'm at a job that I hated.
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And this young lady walks up to me out of nowhere and she says, you should go to the Groundlings.
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Yeah.
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And the Groundlings is one of the top improv centers in the world.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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The Groundlings, I didn't know what that was.
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And so I went to the Groundlings.
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I was there for a couple of years.
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I got in some comedy classes and, and I, unlike what you've done, I know your career and I know how hard you've worked.
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I workshopped my way.
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I didn't go to,
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college or university.
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So I workshopped my way through the craft and it just was one workshop after another.
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Some bad ones too, some terrible ones.
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They gave me a lot of bad advice.
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And then I started doing stand-up comedy as well.
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I had a really bad audition and my agent was about to let me go because of this audition and everyone knows now that it was for American TV show Friends.
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Yeah, okay.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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And basically they said I suck.
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No.
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Yeah.
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And there was something in me that it lit a fire.
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I don't want anyone else to give that type of review about anything about me, but specifically about my auditions.
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And I found this class, it really changed my life.
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Well, I think that's beautiful because, you know, there are certain times, and I'm sure a lot of actors and creatives will have these moments where
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I'm not saying that there was doubt in your mind there because there wasn't because it lit that fire.
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However, being told that you couldn't do it or that you weren't good enough lit that fire.
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Something similar like that happened with me when I was at school.
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You know, I tried to join the choir and the headmaster's teacher.
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Basically, I didn't get on with the headmaster and the headmaster's wife was the choir master.
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And she told me, she told me you can't sing basically.
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And it totally knocked my confidence.
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And I actually never...
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Because singing wasn't what I wanted to do, it wasn't like it was acting.
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But it was something that I never actually recovered from to the point of, I think my first audition out of drama school was for The Lion King.
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And I went to it and you know, it's totally different to, you know, a theatre audition or a film TV.
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You know, we're all in the room, it's all musical theatre people.
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And so it was my turn to come up and do it while everyone's watching and these all have trained dancers and singers.
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And I came in too late.
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Then I came in too early.
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And then I came in right.
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And at that point I was already, my confidence had gone.
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But yeah, it was all up here.
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But I did get a recall.
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And...
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I probably shouldn't say this, but when I got the recall, I was still so mortified about what my headmaster's teacher had said to me when I was a kid, that I didn't turn up to the audition.
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And that wasn't, you know, my agent obviously wasn't happy.
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Yeah.
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But it's one of those moments that, you know, when something happens that rocks you a little bit, you either have the opportunity or choice to dig your heels in, go to more classes and become better or to let it knock you down.
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Would you say that having...
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That sort of ability to do what you did and make some changes and dedicate yourself more to it.
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Do you think that unwavering belief as an actor is something that is necessary or do you think it can get in the way?
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I'm glad it happened.
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Yeah.
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You know, it was the best thing.
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I talk about these moments on the way that have happened to really change things for me.
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And there always was something as a reason.
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How do I say this?
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Something bad had happened to make me take that right turn to go in the right direction.
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I got kicked out of high school.
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And because I got kicked out of high school, I was in this program called Upward Bound.
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Through Upward Bound, I got to see the Negro Ensemble Company.
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I'd never seen that many black people on stage ever in my life, people whose names we know now, and they were incredible.
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And that helped guide me back to what the casting director said to my agent.
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Two months later, my agent cut me loose.
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You know, he said, you know, we don't want to represent you anymore.
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And all of those things helped me find this place where I was supposed to be.
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Yeah.
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And it really made me dig my heels in and just only concentrate on the work.
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And as you said earlier about teaching young actors, when I work with young actors, I tell them to stay out of the results.
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Stay out of the results.
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Just keep doing the work.
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Yeah.
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If you keep doing the work, everything else will fall in place.
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But everybody wants it so bad in the beginning.
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Yeah.
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And I tried to share my experiences with them.
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And they're like, ah, really?
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You know, I want it.
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I want it now.
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And it never comes in the time that you want it.
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Yeah.
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You know, like, I think this industry is there's a perception that sort of, like I said in the intro, that that things need to happen immediately.
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Do you think that's a dangerous narrative for up and coming actors or even actors who have been in the industry a while and it hasn't quite happened yet?
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Most definitely, even actors who have.
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You know, it never comes when you want it.
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But I look at it like any other career.
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If you want to be a teacher or a doctor or whatever it is, you know, your endeavor...
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It never happens when you think it's supposed to happen.
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You got to study, you got to grind, you got to put the work in.
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And that's what I try to share with young actors and my peers.
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Let's just do the work.
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If we're rehearsing for a play or a scene, let's just do the work.
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And one of my mentors, Martin Landau, he says, Stan, remember, it's always just a rehearsal.
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And what that did for me was,
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It helped me to relax into the character, into the scene.
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It helped me not to try to get it right.
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Is that during takes or just everything?
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And I think I introduced you to Marty when you came to the actor's studio.
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Huge Oscar-winning actor and just an incredible actor.
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He took me under his wing.
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He said, one thing I want you to understand, it's not about getting a job.
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It's about doing the work and remember that every take
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Even the takes that they keep is just a rehearsal.
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And what that allowed you to do was to free yourself up and make mistakes because mistakes and accidents might be something beautiful, you know, that they want to keep.
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They never thought of it that way.
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So that has always helped me.
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And that's what I try to encourage young people to do.
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Don't be afraid to make mistakes.
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Don't be afraid of looking silly.
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Don't be afraid of falling on your ass.
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Yeah, because you can get back up.
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You know what I'm saying?
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You know, you once said to me that theatre, I think I remember this right, if not, I've been saying this quote wrong for about 20 years.
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I've said theatre makes you good, film makes you famous, and TV makes you rich.
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And I've stolen that from, I forget who said it originally.
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Film makes you famous, TV makes you rich, but theatre makes you good.
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Yeah.
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You know?
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And I won't work with actors if I'm teaching or coaching.
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I won't work with actors who don't want to do theater.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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That is the groundwork, the basis.
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And it's like going to the gym.
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Yeah, it is.
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I think what theatre gives you is, you know, everything can be kind of quite rushed unless you're on like a really big budget film or unless there's loads of budget there.
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And what, for me, what I love about theatre is that for a start, you actually have...
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a solid rehearsal period where you know you've still got the script in hand for a little bit where you're just finding your feet and you can play you can discover the character arc and the journey from start to finish scene by scene and then when it's when it's time to to go on the stage and you've got the audience there you're on the ride and you can fully go on that emotional journey from start to finish
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and then breathe at the end of it.
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Right.
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You mentioned something a minute ago, which I found really interesting, which was about, you know, treating things as a rehearsal and freeing up your body.
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Are you an actor who's sort of in belief of, you know, it's not just about up here, it's about connecting the mind to the body, to the character?
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Exactly.
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And if that is how you are, are there particular methodologies or practitioners that you follow to get into a character?
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You know, because I'm a member of the Actor's Studio, it's what they call method.
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Yeah.
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Method acting.
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I believe that everything from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet is my instrument.
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Mm-hmm.
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And my instrument has to be in tune.
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So I'm working with everything, my fingers, my feet, the floor.
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And I'm glad you asked me that too, because one of the things that happens here, when people go for auditions, they talk about going into the room.
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I don't know if they say that in the air or not, going into the room.
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And what I've told young actors, if you treat it like a room, that's what it's going to be.
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If it's not a cold bus stop in Chicago in the wintertime and you have that behavior going on, then it's not going to, you know, they're not going to see that.
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They're going to see you in a room.
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Yeah.
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And so what my teachers have taught me, everything from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet is your instrument and you have to be in the reality of what the scene calls for, you know?
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Yeah.
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You know, and it's not just about...
218
00:15:07.376 --> 00:15:08.678
what's written on the page.
219
00:15:08.938 --> 00:15:10.480
It's always about human behavior.
220
00:15:11.020 --> 00:15:12.562
Human behavior, human behavior.
221
00:15:13.043 --> 00:15:15.425
If I'm behaving as a human being, then I'm not acting.
222
00:15:15.686 --> 00:15:17.488
Yeah, yeah, yeah, true.
223
00:15:17.568 --> 00:15:26.678
So if you have, because over the years, you know, you've worked in some of the biggest shows with some amazing talent involved behind and on screen.
224
00:15:28.415 --> 00:15:35.739
For any one of these projects, are there characters that you've struggled to understand straight away?
225
00:15:36.099 --> 00:15:44.043
And when you get an audition for one of those characters that you're not fully sure of, but obviously you have to do the audition, do you have...
226
00:15:45.203 --> 00:15:48.245
some roles will jump off the page to you and you can picture it straight away.
227
00:15:48.265 --> 00:15:51.808
You can recognize that person in an uncle, in yourself, in that.
228
00:15:51.828 --> 00:15:54.530
And there are others where you have to just work a bit harder to try and do this.
229
00:15:54.710 --> 00:15:59.353
And you always want to give a good audition, even if it's not right, because they may remember you for something else.
230
00:15:59.974 --> 00:16:11.942
So when those roles come up that you don't have an immediate in with, do you have a set set of protocols or methods that you use to sort of try and work your way into that character?
231
00:16:12.588 --> 00:16:20.335
Yeah, there are a couple of things, but, you know, the first thing I normally do when I get a character like you just described, I call a coach.
232
00:16:20.595 --> 00:16:21.877
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
233
00:16:22.757 --> 00:16:28.403
But, you know, once again, Marty, he said, every experience we have in life,
234
00:16:28.923 --> 00:16:30.804
It's filtered through our five senses.
235
00:16:30.844 --> 00:16:34.346
We see it, we touch it, we taste it, we smell it, or we hear it.
236
00:16:34.806 --> 00:16:37.288
And it affects us, like if this were seen right now.
237
00:16:37.468 --> 00:16:39.969
You know, every little thing, you nod in your head.
238
00:16:40.409 --> 00:16:42.830
Those specific things we do as human beings.
239
00:16:43.131 --> 00:16:45.232
So I try to find those things first, okay?
240
00:16:45.552 --> 00:16:46.132
What's going on?
241
00:16:46.192 --> 00:16:46.632
Where is it?
242
00:16:46.672 --> 00:16:47.453
What time of day?
243
00:16:47.493 --> 00:16:48.333
What time of year?
244
00:16:48.373 --> 00:16:53.396
What time in this century did this particular... Because now, if it happened in the...
245
00:16:53.976 --> 00:16:58.039
70s, my behavior is going to be different than it is in 2025.
246
00:16:58.059 --> 00:16:58.940
Is this 2026?
247
00:16:58.980 --> 00:17:00.461
2026.
248
00:17:02.302 --> 00:17:04.424
But, you know, I try to find those things first.
249
00:17:04.984 --> 00:17:08.167
What is his behavior?
250
00:17:08.587 --> 00:17:10.909
And why is he behaving this way?
251
00:17:11.289 --> 00:17:13.451
Because all of those things are specific.
252
00:17:13.831 --> 00:17:15.952
Everything we do as human beings are specific.
253
00:17:15.992 --> 00:17:16.673
It's specific.
254
00:17:16.693 --> 00:17:19.615
You know, the nodding of our heads, the responses.
255
00:17:19.875 --> 00:17:20.916
If a fly comes here.
256
00:17:21.296 --> 00:17:26.137
Everything, and what I was taught was nothing is thrown away.
257
00:17:27.118 --> 00:17:28.138
Everything is specific.
258
00:17:28.518 --> 00:17:34.599
So that's the first thing I try to find out, okay, who am I and why am I in this moment right now?
259
00:17:34.899 --> 00:17:35.840
Who am I dealing with?
260
00:17:35.940 --> 00:17:37.080
Am I dealing with one person?
261
00:17:37.100 --> 00:17:38.280
Am I in love with this person?
262
00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:43.061
Am I in doubt of who they are, you know, or how they feel about me?
263
00:17:43.362 --> 00:17:45.302
Am I dealing with several people in the scene?
264
00:17:45.742 --> 00:17:48.803
Then I have to be specific about who I'm talking to because,
265
00:17:50.202 --> 00:17:50.742
they're different.
266
00:17:50.762 --> 00:17:52.103
They affect me in a different way.
267
00:17:52.683 --> 00:17:56.124
And sometimes, as you said a minute ago, I get stuck.
268
00:17:56.884 --> 00:18:02.045
I get stuck and I have to stop, start all over again, start all over again.
269
00:18:02.605 --> 00:18:07.767
And it also begins with the word, what's on the page.
270
00:18:08.267 --> 00:18:12.828
And if it's something that I find that's
271
00:18:14.433 --> 00:18:17.254
I didn't use the word difficult, something that I don't understand.
272
00:18:17.274 --> 00:18:19.816
I immediately get on the phone with the coach.
273
00:18:20.236 --> 00:18:21.576
Can I come and see you?
274
00:18:21.616 --> 00:18:23.297
Let's work this out.
275
00:18:24.158 --> 00:18:24.998
And I never go in.
276
00:18:25.358 --> 00:18:26.279
This is the other thing, Jazz.
277
00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:27.059
I never go in.
278
00:18:28.260 --> 00:18:31.241
We all want the job, but I never go in expecting to get the job.
279
00:18:31.281 --> 00:18:33.902
I just go in now, just doing the work and leaving it there.
280
00:18:34.482 --> 00:18:35.023
It's a tough one.
281
00:18:35.303 --> 00:18:36.423
Yeah, that is a tough one.
282
00:18:36.463 --> 00:18:38.624
I mean, have you always been like that?
283
00:18:38.664 --> 00:18:40.465
Because, for example, recently, yeah.
284
00:18:40.745 --> 00:18:43.987
Like recently, I was, you know, I've been living in Barbados for a while.
285
00:18:44.007 --> 00:18:44.227
Right.
286
00:18:44.727 --> 00:18:49.329
And at that point, you know, I was living a life that I really enjoyed.
287
00:18:49.349 --> 00:18:52.230
I was in a beautiful country, the sun was shining.
288
00:18:53.031 --> 00:18:57.612
And when auditions would come in, you know, I'd have a self-take that was due last minute for whatever reason.
289
00:18:58.053 --> 00:19:03.495
And it was like, oh, sugar, we've, you know, we had plans to have this barbecue on the beach with our friends and we're hosting it.
290
00:19:03.995 --> 00:19:06.896
So it's like, you know what, let's go and do the let's go and do the barbecue that we're doing.
291
00:19:07.256 --> 00:19:09.377
And when I get back, I'll do the auditions.
292
00:19:09.938 --> 00:19:10.358
And I think.
293
00:19:11.198 --> 00:19:24.184
from that moment where I sort of had that mindset with it, there was less desperation on the job because if I get the job, great, I do really want the job, but at the same time, I'm really happy at the minute anyway, like I feel good in life.
294
00:19:24.544 --> 00:19:27.046
So it kind of takes that pressure off of it.
295
00:19:27.206 --> 00:19:27.386
Yeah.
296
00:19:27.946 --> 00:19:29.747
Is that, but I've only just learned that recently.
297
00:19:30.487 --> 00:19:31.668
You know, I agree with that.
298
00:19:31.728 --> 00:19:32.008
I mean,
299
00:19:34.706 --> 00:19:37.908
We're going to put pressure on ourselves anyway because we do want the job.
300
00:19:37.928 --> 00:19:38.089
Yeah.
301
00:19:38.209 --> 00:19:41.171
You know, but I agree with your approach that, OK.
302
00:19:42.372 --> 00:19:43.813
I've read the script.
303
00:19:43.893 --> 00:19:44.854
I've read it over and over.
304
00:19:44.874 --> 00:19:45.774
I've read the sides.
305
00:19:45.934 --> 00:19:47.275
I know who this guy is.
306
00:19:48.036 --> 00:19:54.441
I'm going and go and have the barbecue because I feel like I know I come back.
307
00:19:55.395 --> 00:20:04.520
I look at it again, I run it a few times, I tell the person who's taping, or if I'm in the audition with the casting director, let's just do it, let's do it.
308
00:20:05.860 --> 00:20:09.882
But number one thing is I'm prepared.
309
00:20:10.282 --> 00:20:12.824
And preparation is different for everyone else.
310
00:20:13.204 --> 00:20:15.425
Some people can't go to the barbecue.
311
00:20:15.545 --> 00:20:19.427
Some people have to lock themselves in the room overnight and keep running and running.
312
00:20:20.547 --> 00:20:24.488
The other thing is, like I said, being specific with the word.
313
00:20:24.708 --> 00:20:25.689
It starts with the word.
314
00:20:25.829 --> 00:20:27.429
If I got a, now that's another thing.
315
00:20:27.729 --> 00:20:31.430
If I got a two page monologue, sorry barbecue.
316
00:20:31.450 --> 00:20:32.210
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
317
00:20:32.510 --> 00:20:33.791
I'll see you.
318
00:20:33.811 --> 00:20:35.451
Save me a chicken wing or something, you know.
319
00:20:35.931 --> 00:20:38.652
But it depends on what it is, you know.
320
00:20:39.152 --> 00:20:40.773
But, and I say you know a lot.
321
00:20:41.813 --> 00:20:42.793
It depends on what it is.
322
00:20:43.713 --> 00:20:45.674
If I have a big monologue or something that
323
00:20:46.135 --> 00:20:54.178
that I feel like I'm going to be in my head about, then I will put everything else on the back burner and really prepare.
324
00:20:54.779 --> 00:21:02.542
But once again, if I feel like I have it, and once again, not putting the weight on myself, oh, I got to get this job.
325
00:21:02.822 --> 00:21:04.503
Oh God, please let me get this job.
326
00:21:04.963 --> 00:21:05.183
Then,
327
00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:09.439
I like that approach too.
328
00:21:09.619 --> 00:21:09.860
Yeah.
329
00:21:09.900 --> 00:21:12.621
You know, it eases everything.
330
00:21:12.982 --> 00:21:14.062
Now I'm just relaxing.
331
00:21:14.343 --> 00:21:15.323
It's not a big deal.
332
00:21:15.683 --> 00:21:16.844
I know who this guy is.
333
00:21:17.225 --> 00:21:17.765
Let's roll.
334
00:21:17.985 --> 00:21:18.265
Yeah.
335
00:21:18.605 --> 00:21:18.826
Yeah.
336
00:21:18.846 --> 00:21:19.106
Yeah.
337
00:21:19.846 --> 00:21:21.567
I mentioned... And whether I get it or not, you know.
338
00:21:21.768 --> 00:21:22.008
Yeah.
339
00:21:22.188 --> 00:21:24.269
I think that's important whether you get it or not.
340
00:21:24.289 --> 00:21:25.010
As long as you're...
341
00:21:25.570 --> 00:21:47.458
prepared and as long as you do the best job that you can do then um and i know and if you believe in yourself like if you know that listen i know that i'm a good actor i know that i did a good job i know that i'm prepared if i didn't get it obviously it's for for another reason i didn't quite have the energy that they wanted or i don't look like i could be that person's son um but regardless i know i was prepared and and i can just leave it at the door
342
00:21:47.833 --> 00:21:48.853
And there's several reasons.
343
00:21:48.973 --> 00:21:52.454
You said, I may not match with the parents or the kid or whatever.
344
00:21:52.474 --> 00:21:54.595
It might be they wanted to go younger.
345
00:21:54.655 --> 00:21:56.376
There are things that are out of your control.
346
00:21:57.056 --> 00:22:02.517
The one thing that I try to insist that young actors do is get other actors,
347
00:22:06.291 --> 00:22:07.432
Things going on in your life.
348
00:22:07.472 --> 00:22:10.554
Find other things to take the pressure off of you.
349
00:22:10.954 --> 00:22:19.900
Find a group of guys or friends that you can hang out with that get you kind of away from it, you know, get you away from the pressure of being in this business.
350
00:22:20.360 --> 00:22:21.921
I started playing golf.
351
00:22:21.961 --> 00:22:23.021
Not that I played golf great.
352
00:22:23.041 --> 00:22:25.443
I don't even play golf good.
353
00:22:25.783 --> 00:22:29.165
I told this guy, I said, Stevie Wonder could be me playing golf.
354
00:22:29.445 --> 00:22:31.647
But it got me away from the phone.
355
00:22:32.723 --> 00:22:36.105
When I got Abbott, I'd forgotten that I'd auditioned for Abbott.
356
00:22:36.385 --> 00:22:36.705
Really?
357
00:22:36.805 --> 00:22:37.085
Yeah.
358
00:22:37.245 --> 00:22:41.027
You know, when my manager, who you know very well.
359
00:22:41.047 --> 00:22:41.648
Yes, I see.
360
00:22:42.588 --> 00:22:45.469
When she said, you booked a job, I'm like, what job?
361
00:22:45.569 --> 00:22:45.790
Yeah.
362
00:22:46.290 --> 00:22:47.510
She said the job about the school.
363
00:22:47.550 --> 00:22:48.351
I'm like, what school?
364
00:22:48.591 --> 00:22:48.831
Yeah.
365
00:22:49.371 --> 00:22:50.032
That's the other thing.
366
00:22:50.072 --> 00:22:52.593
I try to leave it there and go and do something else.
367
00:22:52.613 --> 00:22:52.813
Yeah.
368
00:22:52.973 --> 00:22:55.595
Leave it there and go to the barbecue.
369
00:22:55.615 --> 00:22:55.775
Yeah.
370
00:22:55.915 --> 00:22:56.475
Go hang out.
371
00:22:57.915 --> 00:23:01.096
And then it's a nice pick me up when you get that call and it's like, you've got the job, which job?
372
00:23:01.496 --> 00:23:02.016
Oh yeah, sure.
373
00:23:02.036 --> 00:23:03.276
I forgot about that one.
374
00:23:03.296 --> 00:23:04.937
And that's where you want to get to be.
375
00:23:05.197 --> 00:23:09.398
Where you've forgotten about it because that is just a part of it.
376
00:23:09.598 --> 00:23:10.438
We audition.
377
00:23:10.498 --> 00:23:14.039
Auditioning is just a part of what we do as actors.
378
00:23:14.099 --> 00:23:17.660
And if I'm waiting on the phone, if it was that for me and all that, then...
379
00:23:18.520 --> 00:23:19.741
I'm still in a bad place.
380
00:23:19.781 --> 00:23:21.081
I'm not believing in myself.
381
00:23:21.622 --> 00:23:24.543
And, you know, I'm just putting more pressure.
382
00:23:24.563 --> 00:23:25.924
Yeah, there's too much desperation on it.
383
00:23:25.944 --> 00:23:26.304
Desperation.
384
00:23:26.684 --> 00:23:28.185
And then it can all become overwhelming.
385
00:23:29.798 --> 00:23:35.760
I think everything that, you know, I've always known you as an amazing actor.
386
00:23:35.900 --> 00:23:40.822
I believe that anyone you've worked with over the years believes that too.
387
00:23:40.942 --> 00:23:46.423
That's why the success that you're receiving now isn't a surprise to me.
388
00:23:47.624 --> 00:23:55.867
But before I talk about where you're at now with your career, because, you know, there's a lot of actors out there, 98% of us who aren't working.
389
00:23:57.367 --> 00:24:06.791
And so I want to just rewind it to those years where prior to now, because like I said earlier, you have worked on some amazing shows with amazing talent.
390
00:24:07.451 --> 00:24:20.116
And I just wanted to know, like in those years where it wasn't all connecting, as you may have thought, I'm sure there were moments where it was and moments where it wasn't.
391
00:24:21.537 --> 00:24:24.998
What did those years cost you personally?
392
00:24:26.613 --> 00:24:28.293
Wow, that's a great question.
393
00:24:29.794 --> 00:24:37.256
I talk about not being able to pay the rent, having cars repossessed.
394
00:24:37.916 --> 00:24:45.218
I make jokes about having ramen noodles in the cabinet and just living off of that.
395
00:24:45.912 --> 00:24:59.297
You know, there's gonna be a lot of roadblocks and detours and bumps in the road, but if this is something that you really, really have dedicated your life to, something that you really wanna do, don't quit.
396
00:25:00.197 --> 00:25:00.818
Do not quit.
397
00:25:00.958 --> 00:25:11.862
Keep pursuing it, like what you said earlier, it may not happen in your 20s, your 30s, your 40s, or your 50s, your 60s even, but the only way it won't happen is if you quit.
398
00:25:12.522 --> 00:25:14.124
And that's what I try to encourage people.
399
00:25:14.144 --> 00:25:19.090
If this is something you really love, do not give it up.
400
00:25:19.570 --> 00:25:20.371
Do not give it up.
401
00:25:21.294 --> 00:25:22.215
It's hard though, isn't it?
402
00:25:22.655 --> 00:25:22.855
It is.
403
00:25:23.155 --> 00:25:26.518
Like, but it's that thing, you know, I say it to people.
404
00:25:27.819 --> 00:25:44.131
And, you know, there are, and the reason I asked you that question is because I remember maybe in my late twenties, yeah, late twenties, you know, I was still producing some stuff and with a producing partner of mine and we did a couple of films together.
405
00:25:44.311 --> 00:25:49.995
You know, we was out in cans, we were selling the film, you know, we, in the film, we had some great people like.
406
00:25:51.597 --> 00:25:57.501
Kevin Smith, Stan Lee was in it, Terry Hatcher, so loads of cool people.
407
00:25:58.102 --> 00:26:03.526
And, you know, at that moment in my career, I couldn't...
408
00:26:03.546 --> 00:26:09.530
I found it hard to meet some of my friends because all of my friends had taken a conventional route where they were all bankers.
409
00:26:09.890 --> 00:26:11.372
You know, they were all at Goldman and Sachs.
410
00:26:11.952 --> 00:26:15.575
And I'm sure there's other banks, I don't know the name of them, but they were all at those banks.
411
00:26:15.995 --> 00:26:16.676
And even though...
412
00:26:17.336 --> 00:26:19.939
My life looked really cool at that point because I was in Cannes.
413
00:26:19.959 --> 00:26:23.242
We was on the red carpet going to premieres and, you know, it looked cool.
414
00:26:23.863 --> 00:26:25.104
I didn't actually make much money from it.
415
00:26:25.325 --> 00:26:30.951
So when I came back to England, I was like, you know, they're all going out and there's about 10 of us, 15 of us.
416
00:26:31.311 --> 00:26:32.212
And they'll just buy rounds.
417
00:26:32.512 --> 00:26:36.056
But a round of like 15 people is coming to like 400 quid.
418
00:26:37.978 --> 00:26:40.680
And I didn't want to be that guy who couldn't bite around.
419
00:26:40.900 --> 00:26:42.441
So I sort of retreated a little bit.
420
00:26:42.982 --> 00:26:51.649
And that's the reason I asked you that question, because I know that there will be other people who are listening and watching who have gone through those moments.
421
00:26:51.669 --> 00:26:58.694
I always think that actors have a lot of money.
422
00:26:59.074 --> 00:27:01.696
I'm trying to find the right way to say this.
423
00:27:01.817 --> 00:27:05.980
You know, 90% of working actors are, you know,
424
00:27:08.292 --> 00:27:12.533
less than, I don't even want to give a dollar amount, but they don't make a lot of money.
425
00:27:12.553 --> 00:27:13.854
They go from job to job.
426
00:27:14.174 --> 00:27:17.955
You know, they might make a couple of thousand bucks, who knows, you know.
427
00:27:18.676 --> 00:27:25.378
But a lot of people, I saw you on TV, you know, that type, and I saw you in this film, and they think you're a millionaire.
428
00:27:25.678 --> 00:27:26.858
It's not like that at all.
429
00:27:27.118 --> 00:27:28.919
It's a tough business.
430
00:27:29.079 --> 00:27:31.220
Most, 90% of actors,
431
00:27:32.180 --> 00:27:35.041
don't make a lot of money, even though you see them working, you know?
432
00:27:35.241 --> 00:27:36.381
Yeah, but you stick with it.
433
00:27:36.541 --> 00:27:36.701
Yeah.
434
00:27:36.901 --> 00:27:38.702
Stick with it, and especially, yeah.
435
00:27:39.062 --> 00:27:43.243
There's an actor from London who I became very close to, Eddie Marson.
436
00:27:43.563 --> 00:27:44.403
Fantastic actor.
437
00:27:44.423 --> 00:27:45.383
Incredible.
438
00:27:45.563 --> 00:27:45.763
Yeah.
439
00:27:45.783 --> 00:27:46.984
Incredible actor, man.
440
00:27:47.284 --> 00:27:50.865
I learned so much from this guy, and I learned so much watching him work.
441
00:27:51.585 --> 00:27:57.646
We, when we were doing Ray Donovan together, and his character had Parkinson's, I actually thought he had Parkinson's.
442
00:27:57.666 --> 00:27:57.906
Really?
443
00:27:58.406 --> 00:27:58.646
Yeah.
444
00:27:58.866 --> 00:28:00.607
We'd be on the, on the, uh,
445
00:28:01.685 --> 00:28:05.228
on the bus on the way to set and he'd be shaking.
446
00:28:05.689 --> 00:28:10.893
And I'd be looking at him and I'm like, maybe this guy, that's how dedicated he was to the craft.
447
00:28:11.314 --> 00:28:20.522
He was so on point and so focused and I learned a lot from that man watching him work and he's one of the most incredible actors I've ever seen.
448
00:28:20.682 --> 00:28:22.704
Yeah, he's one of my favourite actors.
449
00:28:22.744 --> 00:28:28.808
He's done some incredible projects, comes from a working class background, carved his own sort of lane.
450
00:28:29.468 --> 00:28:32.731
He's a big advocate for working class actors as well, which is great.
451
00:28:33.872 --> 00:28:36.894
And it brings me to ask you, you have worked with people like Eddie Marzen.
452
00:28:37.835 --> 00:28:41.818
You have worked with a lot of people, Octavia Spence and loads of others.
453
00:28:42.719 --> 00:28:52.268
Is there something in particular that you've noticed that separates actors who can sustain a career and those who sort of drop off?
454
00:28:53.949 --> 00:28:54.210
Yes.
455
00:28:54.230 --> 00:28:57.873
First of all, they don't quit.
456
00:28:58.073 --> 00:29:01.476
First of all, they don't quit.
457
00:29:01.736 --> 00:29:03.198
It's something you notice...
458
00:29:04.932 --> 00:29:12.616
not just in their work, but in their prep, how they carry them, they come prepared.
459
00:29:13.456 --> 00:29:18.938
They come prepared, you know, and that's the thing that a lot of actors don't do.
460
00:29:18.978 --> 00:29:22.100
They'll come with the page in their hand.
461
00:29:22.480 --> 00:29:24.341
I never saw that man with the page in his hand.
462
00:29:24.381 --> 00:29:26.562
I saw him come and that stuck with me.
463
00:29:27.022 --> 00:29:30.684
This guy was prepared every day and a lot of actors,
464
00:29:34.379 --> 00:29:35.560
want to have fun with it.
465
00:29:35.740 --> 00:29:36.621
Yeah.
466
00:29:36.641 --> 00:29:40.464
And of course it's fun, but you have to come prepared.
467
00:29:40.584 --> 00:29:42.425
This is not a party that we're coming to.
468
00:29:42.725 --> 00:29:43.886
This is real work.
469
00:29:44.006 --> 00:29:44.267
Yeah.
470
00:29:44.527 --> 00:29:48.210
And a lot of young actors especially don't understand that.
471
00:29:48.770 --> 00:29:53.294
And I've talked to young actors on the set and I said, look, you know,
472
00:29:54.014 --> 00:29:55.395
hey, you need to be prepared.
473
00:29:55.575 --> 00:30:00.258
And I still have problems with prep sometimes, you know, depending on...
474
00:30:00.999 --> 00:30:03.680
Especially with television, television works so fast.
475
00:30:03.860 --> 00:30:12.506
You know, you get the sides the night before, even though you've read the script over and over and over and over again, you don't know what they're gonna work on the next day.
476
00:30:13.006 --> 00:30:18.110
So you get your sides the night before, you come in, you better be prepared to work.
477
00:30:18.550 --> 00:30:20.871
And that's what I notice about a lot of young actors.
478
00:30:21.271 --> 00:30:23.452
They don't come as prepared as they should.
479
00:30:23.472 --> 00:30:26.332
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
480
00:30:26.352 --> 00:30:30.534
And I look at all the people whose work I admire, whose work just blows me away.
481
00:30:30.854 --> 00:30:34.355
And the one thing I know that they do is they prep.
482
00:30:34.675 --> 00:30:38.876
If it's a monologue, they work on it, like I said, two or three days in a row.
483
00:30:39.216 --> 00:30:40.617
They do not put that page down.
484
00:30:41.037 --> 00:30:44.599
And I'm kind of like that where I'm doing it in the car while I'm driving.
485
00:30:44.619 --> 00:30:45.059
Yeah, yeah.
486
00:30:45.079 --> 00:30:46.900
Well, you have to do it when you can, especially that quick.
487
00:30:46.920 --> 00:30:48.161
I'm in the shower.
488
00:30:48.201 --> 00:30:48.461
Yep.
489
00:30:48.681 --> 00:30:49.121
I'm running.
490
00:30:49.201 --> 00:30:49.781
Oh, my God.
491
00:30:49.861 --> 00:30:55.624
You know, and then I got, I have people that I work with, you know, I have an assistant.
492
00:30:56.385 --> 00:30:57.705
Let's run this.
493
00:30:57.825 --> 00:30:59.746
Tell me where I'm wrong.
494
00:30:59.766 --> 00:31:00.607
You know, tell me.
495
00:31:00.727 --> 00:31:04.969
And then I start layering everything because it does start with the word.
496
00:31:05.029 --> 00:31:05.209
Yeah.
497
00:31:05.369 --> 00:31:06.690
Then I start layering everything.
498
00:31:06.710 --> 00:31:08.050
I start putting the behavior on it.
499
00:31:08.070 --> 00:31:11.732
I start putting the time and place into it, who I'm talking to.
500
00:31:11.872 --> 00:31:14.374
Once again, the who, what, when, and where I'm at, all those things.
501
00:31:14.714 --> 00:31:23.378
I start layering it with all those different things that will make the scene alive and real.
502
00:31:25.285 --> 00:31:29.767
I'm going to come into Abbot Elementary in a moment.
503
00:31:29.787 --> 00:31:30.307
Sure.
504
00:31:30.547 --> 00:31:38.711
And just before I do it, I wondered if there was a moment where you nearly quit.
505
00:31:39.051 --> 00:31:42.812
I know you've mentioned, you know, always be prepared, don't quit.
506
00:31:43.153 --> 00:31:49.675
Has there ever been a moment that you can picture where you thought, you know what, this just isn't happening or this just isn't worth it.
507
00:31:49.735 --> 00:31:50.856
It's costing me too much.
508
00:31:50.876 --> 00:31:51.036
It's...
509
00:31:51.777 --> 00:31:54.364
costing me my relationships, my sanity.
510
00:31:54.906 --> 00:31:59.077
Has any of that ever entered your mind where you nearly walked away?
511
00:31:59.918 --> 00:32:00.418
Every day.
512
00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:08.462
Every day, you know, because you're going to have more bad days than good days or great days.
513
00:32:08.762 --> 00:32:19.487
Yeah, you know, I make a joke about it, but there have been times where I'm like, okay, man, you know, but there's nothing else that I could have wanted to do that would satisfy me.
514
00:32:19.948 --> 00:32:22.749
This feeds my spirit.
515
00:32:22.789 --> 00:32:24.110
This feeds my soul.
516
00:32:25.410 --> 00:32:26.751
I can't think of anything else.
517
00:32:27.171 --> 00:32:28.232
I've had other jobs.
518
00:32:28.292 --> 00:32:32.075
I've had jobs that when I was working these jobs, they paid decently.
519
00:32:33.236 --> 00:32:33.856
I couldn't wait.
520
00:32:33.976 --> 00:32:36.418
I was about to lose my mind.
521
00:32:37.338 --> 00:32:40.100
I was a supervisor over 20 people.
522
00:32:41.101 --> 00:32:41.741
I hated it.
523
00:32:41.761 --> 00:32:43.943
I hated it.
524
00:32:45.284 --> 00:32:49.707
But yeah, there have been times where I just said, okay,
525
00:32:50.637 --> 00:32:51.878
Oh man, this is not working.
526
00:32:52.658 --> 00:32:54.619
You want to do something else that I couldn't think of anything.
527
00:32:54.639 --> 00:32:55.560
Yeah, that's the thing, isn't it?
528
00:32:55.980 --> 00:33:00.843
Like, I always say that acting is a blessing and a curse.
529
00:33:01.303 --> 00:33:13.410
It's a blessing because we're fortunate enough to know what our passion is, and we are fortunate enough to know what burns that fire inside of us, which not everyone is as blessed to know that about themselves, what it is.
530
00:33:14.030 --> 00:33:18.253
And then we're cursed because we can't do anything else, even in what we can do.
531
00:33:18.693 --> 00:33:21.995
But we know that there's a life for us out there where we're doing what we love.
532
00:33:22.635 --> 00:33:23.596
Similar thing happened to me.
533
00:33:23.636 --> 00:33:26.158
I was working, doing some sales job.
534
00:33:26.318 --> 00:33:29.320
I was like the top salesman there, was doing really well with it.
535
00:33:29.940 --> 00:33:33.282
I think I was only there for three months in total because I was doing so well where I was.
536
00:33:33.302 --> 00:33:34.963
They moved me to another branch.
537
00:33:35.123 --> 00:33:35.283
Right.
538
00:33:35.623 --> 00:33:40.625
And when I got to that place, I was being micromanaged like massively.
539
00:33:41.126 --> 00:33:43.467
And I just said I just walked out one day.
540
00:33:43.547 --> 00:33:47.629
I was I just literally just walked out and then regret.
541
00:33:47.729 --> 00:33:48.690
Yeah, it was good for me.
542
00:33:48.730 --> 00:33:51.011
But then I think maybe the week later when.
543
00:33:51.671 --> 00:33:55.118
I realized I don't have a job and there isn't an acting job right this second.
544
00:33:55.499 --> 00:34:00.069
But then you adapt, you find other things and you make it work.
545
00:34:00.455 --> 00:34:01.656
I call them square jobs.
546
00:34:01.976 --> 00:34:02.377
Yeah.
547
00:34:02.517 --> 00:34:06.961
I had jobs that were easy, except for that one where I told you they made me a supervisor.
548
00:34:07.181 --> 00:34:08.603
But that was even a square job.
549
00:34:08.983 --> 00:34:11.826
I knew that I could just walk away from it and not have any regrets.
550
00:34:12.106 --> 00:34:13.187
I drove a limousine.
551
00:34:13.207 --> 00:34:15.629
I worked as a cook.
552
00:34:15.770 --> 00:34:19.173
You know, I had jobs that didn't mean anything.
553
00:34:19.493 --> 00:34:23.497
They may have put a little money in my pocket, but I knew it was easy to walk away from it.
554
00:34:23.677 --> 00:34:24.337
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
555
00:34:24.577 --> 00:34:25.358
I think it's important.
556
00:34:25.378 --> 00:34:41.944
I think, you know, if you're if you're an actor or work in the creative industry and you're not creating your own work like producing or writing or, you know, you have to have something else that one distracts your mind from from from the acting as long as you're still doing classes and so forth.
557
00:34:41.964 --> 00:34:44.665
But two, that enables you to have a bit of money in your pocket.
558
00:34:45.858 --> 00:34:50.220
I know that there are, I have friends who I've spoken to about this.
559
00:34:51.320 --> 00:34:59.544
So I just wondered from your point of view, because you are receiving so many accolades at the minute you've just won another NAACP award, which is just amazing.
560
00:35:00.604 --> 00:35:10.929
Were there moments prior to now where the rejections from auditions or roles felt personal rather than professional?
561
00:35:12.888 --> 00:35:14.269
Quite a few times, actually.
562
00:35:14.729 --> 00:35:30.821
You know, like I said, the one everyone knows about the Friends audition, that's the one we've talked about, because the way my agent explained it to... Actually, I was in a friend's office, and this friend I'd gotten...
563
00:35:31.842 --> 00:35:39.027
I'd gotten him with the agency that I was with, and he was speaking to my agent on the speakerphone, and...
564
00:35:39.507 --> 00:35:40.928
And he didn't know I was in the office.
565
00:35:41.449 --> 00:35:46.694
And he said, and so he asked him, Stan said this about his job, about the audition, I should say.
566
00:35:47.074 --> 00:35:48.916
And he said he thought he killed it.
567
00:35:49.436 --> 00:35:51.458
And the phone went dead-sided.
568
00:35:52.519 --> 00:35:55.242
And he said, man, they said he was terrible.
569
00:35:56.062 --> 00:35:59.926
They said that he maybe should, you know, maybe this isn't what he should be doing.
570
00:36:00.807 --> 00:36:03.970
And I took it personally because it felt,
571
00:36:05.052 --> 00:36:05.953
it felt personal.
572
00:36:06.033 --> 00:36:06.253
Yeah.
573
00:36:06.293 --> 00:36:07.874
You shouldn't be saying that to someone.
574
00:36:08.215 --> 00:36:09.075
You should talk to me.
575
00:36:09.095 --> 00:36:10.757
You shouldn't be saying that to someone else.
576
00:36:11.157 --> 00:36:12.338
And I just happened to be there.
577
00:36:12.818 --> 00:36:19.524
You know, there've been several where the, the casting director and casting directors, they have a hard job.
578
00:36:19.584 --> 00:36:19.804
Yeah.
579
00:36:20.024 --> 00:36:23.827
And, you know, they, they're under pressure from production.
580
00:36:24.028 --> 00:36:24.208
Yeah.
581
00:36:24.348 --> 00:36:27.150
And then you got to deal with a thousand people sometimes a day.
582
00:36:27.670 --> 00:36:34.376
And so I, I, I understand that they are under so much pressure and that,
583
00:36:36.727 --> 00:36:41.010
You know, it will sometimes seem personal.
584
00:36:41.151 --> 00:36:41.391
Yeah.
585
00:36:41.911 --> 00:36:50.979
And once I got past that, it made it easier and easier for me to, okay, when they said no or you weren't the one or that, then I didn't take it personally.
586
00:36:51.259 --> 00:36:52.480
But you do take it personally.
587
00:36:52.500 --> 00:36:54.001
Yeah, yeah, you can't help but take it sometimes.
588
00:36:54.041 --> 00:36:56.083
It feels like an assault on you personally.
589
00:36:56.183 --> 00:36:57.003
Yeah.
590
00:36:57.304 --> 00:37:06.411
You know, that you're not good enough, that you didn't look good enough or, you know, it's about you instead of about what they're looking for.
591
00:37:06.632 --> 00:37:07.352
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
592
00:37:07.593 --> 00:37:10.154
And the reason I ask that is because I know a lot of actors will feel like that.
593
00:37:10.174 --> 00:37:13.095
So to hear it coming from you makes a difference.
594
00:37:13.295 --> 00:37:18.418
And it is personal in a way because you've spent this time
595
00:37:19.525 --> 00:37:20.225
doing the work.
596
00:37:21.126 --> 00:37:23.147
And that's what I talk about all the time, just do the work.
597
00:37:23.367 --> 00:37:31.291
But you spent this time doing the work, you spent this time prepping, you spent this time going out, buying an outfit of something that you think that this guy would wear.
598
00:37:31.331 --> 00:37:33.152
I've got a whole cup in front of those sort of clothes.
599
00:37:33.172 --> 00:37:34.252
You know, all these things.
600
00:37:35.093 --> 00:37:43.337
And to hear that, you do feel the rejection, you feel rejected, you know, that, you know, wow, I thought I went in there and kicked butt.
601
00:37:43.417 --> 00:37:43.797
Yeah, yeah.
602
00:37:43.817 --> 00:37:46.098
And they're like, no, you know, we weren't, you know.
603
00:37:47.699 --> 00:37:52.661
In this business, I grew to understand that it's nothing like that.
604
00:37:53.181 --> 00:37:58.043
It's just your work was great or your work was good.
605
00:37:58.423 --> 00:38:07.747
It just didn't match up with this person or they decided to go somewhere another way or they decided they're going to make this judge a woman instead of a guy.
606
00:38:07.927 --> 00:38:09.708
There's so many things that are out of your control.
607
00:38:10.028 --> 00:38:14.250
That's why I said just only go in, do the work, focus on the work, leave.
608
00:38:14.870 --> 00:38:17.511
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609
00:38:17.931 --> 00:38:24.353
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610
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611
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612
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If there's one thing I wish I could do better, it would be worrying less about what's next.
613
00:38:46.860 --> 00:38:57.126
Because in this industry, it's all too easy to get caught up on the next job, the next opportunity and the next yes, when really, I'd love to be able to just appreciate where I am now.
614
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615
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616
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618
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619
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620
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621
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622
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623
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624
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625
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626
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627
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628
00:40:26.749 --> 00:40:36.015
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629
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630
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631
00:40:50.233 --> 00:40:51.074
Yeah, yeah, totally.
632
00:40:51.114 --> 00:40:51.314
Yeah.
633
00:40:52.135 --> 00:40:57.002
You said something earlier about when the student is ready, the teacher appears.
634
00:40:57.022 --> 00:40:57.402
Yeah.
635
00:40:57.642 --> 00:41:03.790
So I'm going to bring it now to Abba Elementary and the successes that you're receiving from this role.
636
00:41:04.651 --> 00:41:05.332
I heard that
637
00:41:05.973 --> 00:41:12.717
Initially, your character was a pilot episode character that was meant to just be in that episode.
638
00:41:12.817 --> 00:41:17.801
Fast forward a few seasons, NAACP winner, a fan favorite.
639
00:41:18.341 --> 00:41:24.985
How did, how did, what is it that you did that made, that went from being a pilot episode character to a series regular?
640
00:41:25.986 --> 00:41:27.967
I would have to ask Quinta Brunson that.
641
00:41:29.673 --> 00:41:34.214
You know, I just came in and I did the work, as I said before.
642
00:41:34.674 --> 00:41:35.634
I knew this character.
643
00:41:37.914 --> 00:41:39.535
Some pilots never see the light of day.
644
00:41:39.755 --> 00:41:44.196
It was something about this, not just the character, but the pilot.
645
00:41:44.596 --> 00:41:50.697
When we all got together, we were shooting the pilot, all the puzzle pieces came together, you know.
646
00:41:51.317 --> 00:41:55.878
And I was like, this seems very special, but still, you don't know.
647
00:41:56.258 --> 00:41:57.698
You don't know if it's going to make it or not.
648
00:41:59.855 --> 00:42:07.742
I'd go in, once we saw the trailer on TV, I was like, wow, this is nice.
649
00:42:08.002 --> 00:42:11.645
And I was in the trailer, but I only knew myself as being a guest star.
650
00:42:11.685 --> 00:42:18.050
I came home, I told Laura, and I saw Tyler, James Williams who plays Gregory Eddy.
651
00:42:18.631 --> 00:42:20.632
I saw him in one of the supermarkets here.
652
00:42:20.913 --> 00:42:22.214
I said, man, did you see the trailer?
653
00:42:22.694 --> 00:42:24.916
And he said, yeah, man, it looks great.
654
00:42:25.316 --> 00:42:25.897
But still,
655
00:42:27.176 --> 00:42:29.036
They sometimes never make it.
656
00:42:30.537 --> 00:42:33.538
So I got there when they decided they were going to shoot this thing.
657
00:42:33.578 --> 00:42:35.078
I'm still coming in as a guest star.
658
00:42:35.558 --> 00:42:37.038
They brought me in for episode one.
659
00:42:37.238 --> 00:42:38.639
They brought me back for episode two.
660
00:42:39.519 --> 00:42:41.619
I'm still thinking, okay, this is just a recurring.
661
00:42:41.899 --> 00:42:43.900
They brought me up for seven episodes in a row.
662
00:42:44.520 --> 00:42:47.381
Still a recurring character because I've done that on other shows.
663
00:42:47.421 --> 00:42:49.061
I've done that on Ray Donovan.
664
00:42:49.081 --> 00:42:53.922
I've done that on Lincoln Heights where this guy seems like he's going to be a part of the cast.
665
00:42:57.703 --> 00:42:57.964
Go.
666
00:42:58.784 --> 00:42:59.505
Man, go in.
667
00:42:59.865 --> 00:43:00.986
You're a guest on the show.
668
00:43:01.266 --> 00:43:01.806
Do the work.
669
00:43:02.146 --> 00:43:03.487
Don't knock over the furniture.
670
00:43:03.627 --> 00:43:04.708
Yeah.
671
00:43:04.728 --> 00:43:05.528
Get the lines right.
672
00:43:05.548 --> 00:43:06.429
Get the lines right.
673
00:43:06.849 --> 00:43:09.051
And keep moving.
674
00:43:09.131 --> 00:43:09.271
Yeah.
675
00:43:09.291 --> 00:43:09.651
You know?
676
00:43:10.251 --> 00:43:10.992
And, um...
677
00:43:12.830 --> 00:43:20.054
They kept bringing me back, and around episode seven, Quinta came up to me and kind of said, hey, I'd like to talk to you for a second.
678
00:43:20.094 --> 00:43:20.554
I said, sure.
679
00:43:20.574 --> 00:43:26.538
She said, we're thinking about making you a series regular, but you can't say anything about anything.
680
00:43:26.898 --> 00:43:28.058
And I walked away from her.
681
00:43:28.219 --> 00:43:28.459
Yeah.
682
00:43:28.699 --> 00:43:30.640
Because I'm like, she's messing with me.
683
00:43:30.740 --> 00:43:31.300
Yeah.
684
00:43:31.360 --> 00:43:32.041
This can't be.
685
00:43:32.401 --> 00:43:34.542
Yeah.
686
00:43:35.182 --> 00:43:39.485
And I came home, and I told Laura, I said, Quinta told me they're thinking about making me
687
00:43:40.105 --> 00:43:42.468
a series regular, but we can't say anything.
688
00:43:42.929 --> 00:43:44.871
And I said, please don't say anything to anyone.
689
00:43:44.891 --> 00:43:45.832
And you know how we are.
690
00:43:45.872 --> 00:43:46.493
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
691
00:43:46.533 --> 00:43:47.013
We jinx it.
692
00:43:47.194 --> 00:43:47.995
Yeah, yeah, totally.
693
00:43:48.115 --> 00:43:49.216
Actors are superstitious.
694
00:43:49.236 --> 00:43:49.396
Yep.
695
00:43:49.617 --> 00:43:50.958
And I really didn't want to tell her.
696
00:43:51.178 --> 00:43:51.399
Yeah.
697
00:43:51.419 --> 00:43:52.540
But I couldn't hold that in.
698
00:43:52.580 --> 00:43:52.901
I was like.
699
00:43:53.822 --> 00:43:54.342
You had to.
700
00:43:54.482 --> 00:43:55.624
Yeah, you'd get in trouble if you didn't.
701
00:43:55.644 --> 00:43:56.545
Yeah, she told me.
702
00:43:56.865 --> 00:43:59.366
She told me they're thinking about, you know, so we let it go.
703
00:44:00.167 --> 00:44:03.468
When they finally made the decision, I came home and I told her.
704
00:44:03.608 --> 00:44:03.848
Yeah.
705
00:44:03.888 --> 00:44:04.969
We both started crying.
706
00:44:05.169 --> 00:44:05.749
Amazing.
707
00:44:05.769 --> 00:44:06.510
Of course, man.
708
00:44:06.530 --> 00:44:07.410
We started crying.
709
00:44:07.690 --> 00:44:07.970
Yeah.
710
00:44:07.990 --> 00:44:11.752
And I make the joke about we were crying so loud, my dog started crying.
711
00:44:11.772 --> 00:44:12.853
Dog joined in with you.
712
00:44:13.253 --> 00:44:14.133
That's amazing.
713
00:44:14.153 --> 00:44:17.535
We thought the neighbors were going to call the police, you know, because we were...
714
00:44:18.474 --> 00:44:25.198
But, man, you know, once again, it goes back to just do the work and leave it there on a daily basis.
715
00:44:25.538 --> 00:44:29.381
If you're there for eight episodes, do that.
716
00:44:29.601 --> 00:44:31.582
And if it's meant to be, it'll happen.
717
00:44:32.419 --> 00:44:32.779
Yeah.
718
00:44:33.079 --> 00:44:43.645
You know, I was just thinking, as you're saying that, you know, I've just been thinking about all of that hard work because I know you as an actor and you've mentioned it a few times in this episode of do the work, be prepared.
719
00:44:44.145 --> 00:44:53.270
I know that you have to invest a lot emotionally, a lot of time, a lot of energy into this moment where you finally gotten to.
720
00:44:54.050 --> 00:44:58.893
Now that you've reached this place where you're having this continued success,
721
00:45:00.435 --> 00:45:05.837
What feels more important to you, the recognition or being seen?
722
00:45:07.518 --> 00:45:08.899
Wow, that's a good one.
723
00:45:10.599 --> 00:45:12.740
You know, people use the word star.
724
00:45:13.060 --> 00:45:13.341
Yeah.
725
00:45:14.121 --> 00:45:18.663
And it kind of, it doesn't bother me because, you know, that's,
726
00:45:20.209 --> 00:45:21.970
All I ever wanted to be was a working actor.
727
00:45:22.770 --> 00:45:25.811
All I ever wanted to do was do good work.
728
00:45:26.091 --> 00:45:28.312
However you perceive me, that's none of my business.
729
00:45:29.853 --> 00:45:36.276
I like the people, even when I was in London the last time, come up and ask me, are you Mr. Johnson from Abbey Elementary?
730
00:45:36.476 --> 00:45:38.036
That means that they're fans.
731
00:45:38.536 --> 00:45:41.358
And I try to, I try to,
732
00:45:42.598 --> 00:45:48.000
be as, I ain't even used the word nice, I thank them for not just being a fan and loving the show.
733
00:45:48.321 --> 00:45:53.383
When they tell me how much joy the show brings them, that's where I start welling up.
734
00:45:53.403 --> 00:46:00.005
This is something a little different than just, this brings joy at a time when we really need it.
735
00:46:00.426 --> 00:46:08.509
But, you know, when people recognize me, that means,
736
00:46:10.710 --> 00:46:16.914
It means a lot, you know, and I try to accommodate them.
737
00:46:17.715 --> 00:46:23.199
And I thank them and tell them I really appreciate that you love what I'm doing.
738
00:46:24.019 --> 00:46:28.802
I'll tell you, Stan, I'm going to be honest with you that, you know, even now I'm saying it, I got goosebumps.
739
00:46:29.363 --> 00:46:32.405
When I saw the success that you were having and have been having.
740
00:46:33.522 --> 00:46:34.662
I found it really emotional.
741
00:46:35.723 --> 00:46:36.263
I honestly did.
742
00:46:36.283 --> 00:46:43.265
I found it emotional because you're an actor that I respect, an actor I admire, one who I think is just super talented.
743
00:46:43.626 --> 00:46:44.986
And I feel the same way.
744
00:46:45.146 --> 00:46:45.546
Thank you.
745
00:46:45.626 --> 00:46:46.086
Thank you.
746
00:46:46.206 --> 00:46:47.847
I've seen your work and I know what you do.
747
00:46:48.277 --> 00:46:49.238
I appreciate you, man.
748
00:46:50.339 --> 00:47:01.126
So to see you, you know, enjoying this moment and the fact that you say, you know, when people come up and thank you for the work that you've been doing on it because it's touched them in some way.
749
00:47:01.546 --> 00:47:12.914
And to hear that the joy that you get from that in a sense of, you know, not joy in a sense of, oh, they recognize me, the joy that they are getting from the show and how it may help them through certain times.
750
00:47:13.815 --> 00:47:14.736
You know, I just love it.
751
00:47:15.036 --> 00:47:17.198
I absolutely love it.
752
00:47:17.218 --> 00:47:23.504
And every time I see you pop up, wherever it may be, wherever you are, I'm just like, yeah, Stan's the man.
753
00:47:25.065 --> 00:47:27.207
Because it also gives me hope as well.
754
00:47:27.888 --> 00:47:35.595
You know, you mentioned something earlier and I was thinking, you know, as the years go on, there's going to be less and less mixed race actors who are 40 and they'll all be dropping off.
755
00:47:36.176 --> 00:47:37.016
And eventually.
756
00:47:39.238 --> 00:47:42.461
I'm telling you like I tell the actors I work with, jazz, don't quit.
757
00:47:42.662 --> 00:47:43.603
It's coming.
758
00:47:43.643 --> 00:47:44.403
I've seen your work.
759
00:47:45.024 --> 00:47:45.825
It's incredible.
760
00:47:46.365 --> 00:47:47.046
It's incredible.
761
00:47:47.386 --> 00:47:52.551
And the right person and the right role will come your way and the right person will see it and recognize it.
762
00:47:52.591 --> 00:47:53.572
Yeah, thank you, Stan.
763
00:47:53.632 --> 00:47:55.454
You're an incredible actor.
764
00:47:55.934 --> 00:48:02.721
Then the trailers, what I've seen from the play, but other work I've seen you do, man, oh, my.
765
00:48:04.021 --> 00:48:07.022
I think it stems back to that first acting class I did with you.
766
00:48:07.042 --> 00:48:10.983
Oh man, I remember I felt so out of my depth in that class, but it was great fun.
767
00:48:11.003 --> 00:48:11.884
Yeah, yeah.
768
00:48:11.904 --> 00:48:15.765
The Actor's Studio, so many great actors have come from there.
769
00:48:15.785 --> 00:48:19.346
Robert De Niro, you know, Al Pacino, you name it.
770
00:48:19.766 --> 00:48:25.808
I tell people if you've had an Oscar winner for the last 50, 75 years, I bet
771
00:48:28.965 --> 00:48:31.430
40 to 50 percent of them were actors, studio actors.
772
00:48:31.610 --> 00:48:34.876
Yeah, that wouldn't surprise me because it's really about doing the work, like you said.
773
00:48:36.058 --> 00:48:41.087
A quick question before I start to wrap it up.
774
00:48:42.786 --> 00:48:48.150
Actors nowadays can feel exhausted after five, six, seven years.
775
00:48:48.170 --> 00:48:49.991
You know, a lot of actors quit within the first two years.
776
00:48:50.512 --> 00:48:54.375
Obviously, their desire to be an actor probably isn't as strong.
777
00:48:54.635 --> 00:48:59.579
But even for those people who do persevere but feel exhausted after five to seven years.
778
00:49:00.940 --> 00:49:07.865
Grafting for the decades that you have been grafting as an actor, how has that affected you psychologically?
779
00:49:08.725 --> 00:49:10.367
How has it made you grow or?
780
00:49:12.146 --> 00:49:15.582
It's like a roller coaster ride.
781
00:49:17.986 --> 00:49:22.967
Even now, some days are great, and that's because we're human beings.
782
00:49:24.068 --> 00:49:26.168
And some days aren't as great as others.
783
00:49:26.268 --> 00:49:41.252
But what gives me joy is knowing, not only that I have a job, but knowing what, like I said a minute ago, what this has meant to so many people, I get it online on a daily basis.
784
00:49:41.712 --> 00:49:44.433
But this is the thing I shared with a friend the other night.
785
00:49:45.193 --> 00:49:50.758
I said, what you see from the outside and what you think it is, there's nothing like that.
786
00:49:52.319 --> 00:50:00.467
It's taken me places and I've gotten to be around people that recognize me, whose work that I admire.
787
00:50:00.547 --> 00:50:01.428
I'm like, oh my God.
788
00:50:01.668 --> 00:50:03.129
And they know me, you know?
789
00:50:03.189 --> 00:50:04.891
And I'm like, oh my God, how do you know me?
790
00:50:04.951 --> 00:50:05.231
Yeah.
791
00:50:05.751 --> 00:50:09.315
And Laura says, because they see you, they know what, you know, you know what I'm saying?
792
00:50:09.335 --> 00:50:10.756
But, but it's,
793
00:50:13.257 --> 00:50:15.078
It's never what you expect it's going to be.
794
00:50:16.279 --> 00:50:21.262
There's this old saying, if you want to make God laugh, tell him what your dreams are.
795
00:50:22.673 --> 00:50:27.876
He's got way so much more in store for you than you could ever imagine.
796
00:50:28.336 --> 00:50:30.117
And that is what this has done for me.
797
00:50:30.317 --> 00:50:37.221
It's created opportunities and it's never what I thought it was going to be.
798
00:50:37.841 --> 00:50:39.462
It's so much bigger.
799
00:50:39.662 --> 00:50:41.043
Yeah.
800
00:50:41.323 --> 00:50:51.248
And in some ways it's not as, you know, it's once again a rollercoaster ride, but it's the most incredible rollercoaster ride I've ever been on.
801
00:50:51.682 --> 00:50:53.864
And I'm sure it's given you resilience.
802
00:50:54.004 --> 00:50:54.244
Yes.
803
00:50:54.564 --> 00:50:54.825
Yeah.
804
00:50:54.945 --> 00:50:55.125
Yeah.
805
00:50:55.185 --> 00:50:55.325
Yeah.
806
00:50:55.345 --> 00:50:55.465
Yeah.
807
00:50:55.485 --> 00:50:55.705
Yeah.
808
00:50:55.725 --> 00:50:55.946
Yeah.
809
00:50:55.966 --> 00:50:56.866
Of course it has to.
810
00:50:56.966 --> 00:50:58.168
I'm an old man.
811
00:50:59.549 --> 00:51:10.158
You know, it goes by so fast now, but you know, it just, man, I can't think of anything that has happened in my life that can match this.
812
00:51:10.178 --> 00:51:10.438
Yeah.
813
00:51:11.138 --> 00:51:15.862
And do you think it's been important for your journey that it's happened the way that it's happened?
814
00:51:16.683 --> 00:51:21.007
Yeah, because I would have messed it up if it happened when I was younger.
815
00:51:21.167 --> 00:51:26.212
I can say another word besides messed it up.
816
00:51:27.593 --> 00:51:31.557
And it happens, you know, and I think about that every day, Jazz.
817
00:51:31.597 --> 00:51:32.277
I think about...
818
00:51:33.743 --> 00:51:35.384
Blessing, people use the word blessing.
819
00:51:35.684 --> 00:51:38.546
This is way bigger than that, I wish there were, but it is.
820
00:51:39.566 --> 00:51:41.747
It's the most incredible journey I've been on.
821
00:51:42.028 --> 00:51:51.713
And I get to work with some incredible people, not just the people that you see on screen, but the whole crew, the cast, the writers, everyone, man.
822
00:51:51.913 --> 00:51:56.436
And everyone recognizes what this show is.
823
00:51:56.536 --> 00:51:58.617
And I'm just talking about this show now.
824
00:51:59.057 --> 00:52:02.479
Recognizes what they have, and everyone is so grateful for it.
825
00:52:02.839 --> 00:52:08.789
And we just try to really maintain that cohesiveness that has been created by, once again, by Quinta.
826
00:52:09.090 --> 00:52:09.591
Yeah.
827
00:52:09.711 --> 00:52:12.576
Yeah, yeah, no, it's been amazing to watch your journey with it all.
828
00:52:14.539 --> 00:52:15.281
When you were...
829
00:52:17.523 --> 00:52:20.405
navigating that journey to where we are now.
830
00:52:20.825 --> 00:52:33.031
Were there ever points where it, were you just completely about doing the work, going to workshops, doing the work, going to workshops, or did you ever take time to like, was networking a big thing for you?
831
00:52:33.071 --> 00:52:44.597
Were you pay, um, keeping an eye on who was producing what, what, you know, talk to me a little bit about the proactive stuff that you may have done in those periods or if you didn't, that is a part of it.
832
00:52:44.777 --> 00:52:46.058
You know, everything you,
833
00:52:46.738 --> 00:52:52.104
You got to network, which I'm still not good at, but I've gotten better at it.
834
00:52:52.524 --> 00:52:57.549
People have to know who you are, so you got to be out in the mix, not just through casting.
835
00:52:58.570 --> 00:53:06.238
I tell someone, I have this friend, Jazlyn Todd, and I want you to see him, and that may open the door for you.
836
00:53:06.278 --> 00:53:07.039
You see what I'm saying?
837
00:53:07.059 --> 00:53:07.339
Yeah, yeah.
838
00:53:08.280 --> 00:53:11.942
It's not just about going to auditions or knowing the casting community.
839
00:53:12.123 --> 00:53:16.906
It is about getting out there and letting people know what it is you're, oh, I need somebody just like you.
840
00:53:17.166 --> 00:53:19.988
You know, sometimes it may not come through the casting.
841
00:53:20.008 --> 00:53:23.030
It may just come through, and it's very important.
842
00:53:23.050 --> 00:53:24.010
Very important in that work.
843
00:53:24.551 --> 00:53:27.753
And once again, my wife, who you know very well,
844
00:53:28.213 --> 00:53:29.373
That's her strong suit.
845
00:53:29.673 --> 00:53:29.893
Yeah.
846
00:53:29.933 --> 00:53:31.754
You know, she really knows how to do that.
847
00:53:32.354 --> 00:53:33.594
And she's sincere about it.
848
00:53:33.614 --> 00:53:38.675
It's not just about going out and trying to get, it's about making relationships.
849
00:53:39.016 --> 00:53:39.236
Yeah.
850
00:53:39.336 --> 00:53:41.236
And I think that's a big part of what we do too.
851
00:53:41.596 --> 00:53:41.816
Yeah.
852
00:53:41.836 --> 00:53:43.677
I think sometimes, you know, actors can forget.
853
00:53:43.697 --> 00:53:46.617
It's the acting business.
854
00:53:46.657 --> 00:53:46.957
Yeah.
855
00:53:46.977 --> 00:53:47.578
It's the business.
856
00:53:47.618 --> 00:53:47.838
Yeah.
857
00:53:48.038 --> 00:53:55.799
And the business side of it is the networking, the keeping your eye on what's going on, trying to create a little gap for yourself.
858
00:53:58.380 --> 00:54:03.901
You know, once every couple of months, you know, I'll spend a day or two where I'm, you know, actively.
859
00:54:04.301 --> 00:54:07.102
I mean, I'm constantly actually thinking about it, to be honest with you.
860
00:54:07.502 --> 00:54:16.984
But every couple of months, you know, I'll take a day or two where I actually send out quite a few emails to to different producers, casting directors.
861
00:54:18.485 --> 00:54:28.007
You know, I managed to get myself a Zoom interview with Andrew McDonald, who produced, you know, 28 years later and The Beach and all sorts by doing that.
862
00:54:29.408 --> 00:54:42.595
so I do think it's important one do you think it's easier now with cell phones and so many technical technological things now it's so much easier I talk about
863
00:54:45.416 --> 00:54:50.818
delivering headshots in the car and dropping them off at casting offices.
864
00:54:51.158 --> 00:54:55.839
I talk about, you know, ending up, I know somebody's gonna be at this restaurant.
865
00:54:56.140 --> 00:54:56.300
Yeah.
866
00:54:56.340 --> 00:54:57.100
I'm gonna go there.
867
00:54:57.460 --> 00:55:02.982
It's so much easier now, not just because of what has happened, but it's just easier to
868
00:55:05.070 --> 00:55:11.074
get your face and what you've done out into the... Yeah, I believe it is easier.
869
00:55:12.315 --> 00:55:14.197
For example, like I'm a great networker.
870
00:55:14.417 --> 00:55:15.858
Like I enjoy that part of it.
871
00:55:15.998 --> 00:55:17.979
I enjoy seeing what's going on.
872
00:55:18.540 --> 00:55:20.081
What I'm not the best at is...
873
00:55:20.601 --> 00:55:26.365
So in regards to like getting an introduction or making myself known in that capacity, I feel very confident in.
874
00:55:26.946 --> 00:55:33.811
But what I sort of noticed a lot more recently is like even on Spotlight, which is like the Actors Access in England...
875
00:55:34.691 --> 00:55:38.652
You know, we now have to put our Instagram handle, our TikTok handle.
876
00:55:39.113 --> 00:55:44.574
And I've been a part of productions where I've heard conversations about someone's going to get cast in this role.
877
00:55:44.935 --> 00:55:51.737
And it's come down to, you know, aside from the talent, it's come down to this person's actually got like 70,000 more followers.
878
00:55:52.097 --> 00:55:53.297
This person's only got 2,000.
879
00:55:53.317 --> 00:55:54.518
This person's got 100,000.
880
00:55:54.718 --> 00:55:55.658
They'll help with the marketing.
881
00:55:56.058 --> 00:56:02.063
So I find I'm not great at that, at the whole Instagram being like, I'm not good with that side of things.
882
00:56:02.463 --> 00:56:03.984
So I think that's a bit harder.
883
00:56:04.525 --> 00:56:10.149
And I think what's also harder is every self tapes are great in some capacity.
884
00:56:10.689 --> 00:56:15.553
But I believe that, I mean, for me, it's great because it's allowed me to live in different countries other than England.
885
00:56:15.993 --> 00:56:17.674
And that's something that's been really important for me.
886
00:56:18.915 --> 00:56:19.176
But...
887
00:56:20.497 --> 00:56:22.558
I think it's really hard for actors.
888
00:56:22.718 --> 00:56:28.860
I've got friends who are incredible actors who, um, one of them was Daniel Francis Swaby was in a play with me.
889
00:56:29.540 --> 00:56:49.466
Um, he was in Steve McQueen's, um, small act series, uh, fantastic actor, but you know, he's contemplating not continuing at the minute because, um, the isolation that one feels within the industry, you know, before I could start forming my relationship with you from when I come into the casting room,
890
00:56:49.986 --> 00:56:52.828
And before we start, you know, I shake your hand.
891
00:56:52.868 --> 00:56:53.769
We have a little chat.
892
00:56:54.329 --> 00:56:56.230
You can pick up on my energy.
893
00:56:56.351 --> 00:56:59.293
Am I a good energy that's going to be on set?
894
00:56:59.393 --> 00:57:01.414
And then I can do my audition.
895
00:57:01.514 --> 00:57:02.295
And you can be like, you know what?
896
00:57:02.315 --> 00:57:03.435
That was a fantastic audition.
897
00:57:03.475 --> 00:57:04.556
And the guy's really nice.
898
00:57:04.576 --> 00:57:05.357
He's got a good energy.
899
00:57:05.677 --> 00:57:08.239
Whereas now, all it is is a face on a screen.
900
00:57:08.519 --> 00:57:09.480
Hi, my name's Jazz.
901
00:57:09.520 --> 00:57:10.820
I'll be reading for the part of Dean.
902
00:57:11.181 --> 00:57:12.342
I hope you enjoy the take.
903
00:57:12.802 --> 00:57:18.666
And I find that element of it, the disconnect between the collaborative approach to acting and
904
00:57:19.006 --> 00:57:19.867
I'm very fortunate.
905
00:57:19.887 --> 00:57:22.952
My partner's, she's not an actress, but she's, she could be.
906
00:57:23.532 --> 00:57:28.720
And she's really amazing with me with the self-take reads.
907
00:57:28.740 --> 00:57:29.581
She challenges me.
908
00:57:31.163 --> 00:57:31.964
Try it this way.
909
00:57:31.984 --> 00:57:33.466
I think it'd be better if you slowed it down.
910
00:57:33.606 --> 00:57:35.589
So in that sense, I'm getting that collaboration there.
911
00:57:36.370 --> 00:57:38.291
But a lot of the times I know a lot of people who don't.
912
00:57:38.612 --> 00:57:44.456
And also I would, as much as I enjoy that, I would love to have that collaboration process with the casting director.
913
00:57:44.536 --> 00:57:46.177
Exactly, I agree with you 100%.
914
00:57:46.998 --> 00:57:48.659
Especially now it is down to numbers.
915
00:57:49.019 --> 00:57:50.720
You go in there and kill it.
916
00:57:50.880 --> 00:57:53.042
And I go in there and kill it, we're up for the same role.
917
00:57:53.302 --> 00:57:56.524
You got 100,000 more followers than me, you're going to get the job.
918
00:57:56.544 --> 00:57:57.445
Yeah, exactly.
919
00:57:57.645 --> 00:58:01.028
And that's sad, but that's just the way it is now.
920
00:58:01.228 --> 00:58:01.928
And we have to adapt.
921
00:58:02.028 --> 00:58:04.050
And you have to adapt to it, yeah.
922
00:58:04.430 --> 00:58:07.412
But yeah, it's a changing business.
923
00:58:07.452 --> 00:58:23.502
I remember when they told me that I used to talk to actors about stapling your pictures and putting something into your career every day, you know, even if it's just putting your pictures together or, you know, you got to put something in the bank of your career every day.
924
00:58:23.642 --> 00:58:25.383
You still do, but it's just different.
925
00:58:25.403 --> 00:58:26.263
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
926
00:58:26.403 --> 00:58:31.386
You know, because of social media, it's changed everything.
927
00:58:31.687 --> 00:58:32.407
It's changed everything.
928
00:58:33.756 --> 00:58:42.882
I just wonder, with like where you're at now, all the different sets you've been on, and the different people that you've met along the way,
929
00:58:45.052 --> 00:58:58.459
What one bit of advice would you give to an actor who's at the very beginning of their journey, an actor who loves it, an actor who this is, you know, someone who like how you felt when you realized you wanted to be an actor?
930
00:58:58.659 --> 00:58:58.839
Right.
931
00:59:00.040 --> 00:59:02.981
Of course, I would tell them rule number one, don't quit.
932
00:59:03.222 --> 00:59:03.942
Rule number two.
933
00:59:05.346 --> 00:59:06.647
Never forget rule number one.
934
00:59:07.448 --> 00:59:12.313
But, you know, do the, I've said this several times this evening, do the work.
935
00:59:12.553 --> 00:59:13.614
Do the work.
936
00:59:14.595 --> 00:59:23.923
People want to work with people who, not just bring them joy, but people that, oh, he's going to be a lot of fun to work with on the set.
937
00:59:23.943 --> 00:59:24.184
Yeah.
938
00:59:24.244 --> 00:59:26.766
You know, you got to really understand what it,
939
00:59:28.587 --> 00:59:30.590
you got to understand what this business is about.
940
00:59:30.610 --> 00:59:31.731
It is a business.
941
00:59:32.653 --> 00:59:40.303
It's a business that makes a lot of money for everyone involved, particularly the people who are producing this, you know.
942
00:59:40.884 --> 00:59:43.608
And if you understand that aspect of it,
943
00:59:44.108 --> 00:59:51.112
Okay, now I know how to handle myself, but you want to be someone that they want to work with.
944
00:59:51.332 --> 00:59:53.994
You want to be someone who comes in prepared.
945
00:59:54.494 --> 01:00:03.659
You want to be someone that this is not what you eat, sleep, and breathe.
946
01:00:04.119 --> 01:00:05.160
You need to do something else.
947
01:00:05.200 --> 01:00:05.800
Yeah, yeah.
948
01:00:05.820 --> 01:00:06.361
You really do.
949
01:00:06.541 --> 01:00:07.621
So true.
950
01:00:07.701 --> 01:00:08.362
You have to be...
951
01:00:09.102 --> 01:00:12.744
I heard Ron Howard say, and I use this, people think I've said it.
952
01:00:13.125 --> 01:00:17.468
He said that being an actor is like being in a separate race of people.
953
01:00:18.348 --> 01:00:21.610
Because everything that you do has to be about your career.
954
01:00:21.790 --> 01:00:22.831
It has to be about it.
955
01:00:23.707 --> 01:00:25.848
type of clothes you wear or buy or whatever.
956
01:00:27.928 --> 01:00:32.049
Everything in your life, if you're an actor, it has to be about your career.
957
01:00:32.069 --> 01:00:34.109
If it's not, then you do something else.
958
01:00:34.149 --> 01:00:35.010
Yeah, yeah, totally.
959
01:00:35.690 --> 01:00:40.171
Stan, it has been such a pleasure to sit down and chat with you, man.
960
01:00:40.451 --> 01:00:42.771
You know, to hearing your wisdom, your advice.
961
01:00:43.472 --> 01:00:44.852
And again, I'm just so happy.
962
01:00:45.512 --> 01:00:49.093
for you to see everything that you're achieving in a minute.
963
01:00:49.113 --> 01:00:50.814
And like I said, it's a real inspiration to me.
964
01:00:50.834 --> 01:00:55.116
It gives me hope and it keeps me, it just keeps me happy.
965
01:00:55.156 --> 01:00:58.417
Every time I open up the phone and I see something there, I just love it.
966
01:00:58.917 --> 01:00:59.557
Thanks, Jess.
967
01:00:59.997 --> 01:01:01.278
I feel the same way about you, man.
968
01:01:01.318 --> 01:01:02.718
You're an incredible actor.
969
01:01:03.719 --> 01:01:07.500
And I know, you know, I can't wait to see the next thing that you do.
970
01:01:07.780 --> 01:01:08.361
Yeah, me neither.
971
01:01:08.922 --> 01:01:13.968
I can't wait because I know, man, I hope you guys bring the play here.
972
01:01:14.248 --> 01:01:15.249
Yeah, you know.
973
01:01:15.870 --> 01:01:18.473
Or put it up for me when I come to London.
974
01:01:18.493 --> 01:01:19.274
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
975
01:01:19.294 --> 01:01:21.417
We're going to do a special performance for Stan.
976
01:01:21.437 --> 01:01:22.879
Yeah, no, we will bring it over.
977
01:01:22.919 --> 01:01:24.080
That's definitely something we're going to do.
978
01:01:24.120 --> 01:01:25.142
Yeah, you know, and I know how much.
979
01:01:25.502 --> 01:01:27.125
I know how much you put into it.
980
01:01:27.185 --> 01:01:28.647
I know how much Lisa put into it.
981
01:01:30.249 --> 01:01:38.481
And to see it go from its infancy to what it became or what it has become, because it's still growing the way I feel.
982
01:01:38.501 --> 01:01:38.662
Yeah.
983
01:01:39.062 --> 01:01:39.403
You know what?
984
01:01:39.423 --> 01:01:40.024
I think...
985
01:01:40.504 --> 01:02:02.409
I think that will be, it will be very hard for me to top that moment in a sense of when we won the award, when I won Best Actor and Best Producer and the Play won Best Production at the Black British Theatre Awards, you know, there was a moment where I, you know, thanked my mum for her belief in the project and for writing it.
986
01:02:03.089 --> 01:02:05.089
And it was such an emotional moment.
987
01:02:05.109 --> 01:02:08.670
And when I mentioned my mum, the whole auditorium at the National Theatre was,
988
01:02:09.290 --> 01:02:20.593
all stood up, like all three, four thousand people stood up and gave my mum this standing ovation where I had to stop my speech for about 20 seconds while everyone was clapping her.
989
01:02:21.273 --> 01:02:36.157
And I think that because we went on that journey together, mother and son, and it was a lot of hard work, I honestly feel like when the day comes where I win a BAFTA, I don't know if it will top that moment.
990
01:02:37.297 --> 01:02:37.738
I don't know.
991
01:02:37.758 --> 01:02:38.058
Yeah.
992
01:02:38.278 --> 01:02:38.639
I don't know.
993
01:02:38.659 --> 01:02:41.321
It was such a special moment between mother and son.
994
01:02:41.521 --> 01:02:42.302
But we'll see.
995
01:02:42.362 --> 01:02:43.483
I'll tell you when I win the BAFTA.
996
01:02:43.503 --> 01:02:44.604
I'll tell you if it topped it or not.
997
01:02:44.644 --> 01:02:45.985
When you win BAFTA, I'm going to be there.
998
01:02:46.185 --> 01:02:46.745
Yeah, you will.
999
01:02:46.805 --> 01:02:49.688
When you're nominated for BAFTA, I'm going to be there in the audience.
1000
01:02:50.869 --> 01:02:51.729
Oh, man, I love it.
1001
01:02:52.670 --> 01:03:00.316
One last thing we do just before we wrap up is we have a section of it where we call it's called Pass the Mic, where you've seen how the interview's gone.
1002
01:03:00.496 --> 01:03:02.217
The sort of questions that it's about.
1003
01:03:02.257 --> 01:03:03.478
It's not about the fame.
1004
01:03:03.938 --> 01:03:07.141
It's about the journey of an actor or creative.
1005
01:03:07.761 --> 01:03:13.706
Is there anyone who you think would be a good guest that you set to me is sort of like a challenge to to try and get?
1006
01:03:13.726 --> 01:03:16.588
There's so many, man.
1007
01:03:18.749 --> 01:03:20.811
One of my favorite actors is Sam Jackson.
1008
01:03:21.286 --> 01:03:22.527
Like, I'll try and get him.
1009
01:03:23.867 --> 01:03:27.268
And he's really a nice guy, man.
1010
01:03:27.308 --> 01:03:27.829
Yeah.
1011
01:03:27.949 --> 01:03:34.311
And he's supportive of especially young black actors, you know, young black actors.
1012
01:03:34.531 --> 01:03:35.692
I would love to see you get him.
1013
01:03:35.732 --> 01:03:36.372
He'd be a great guy.
1014
01:03:36.696 --> 01:03:37.797
Well, challenge accepted.
1015
01:03:38.097 --> 01:03:38.697
Challenge accepted.
1016
01:03:38.717 --> 01:03:41.278
I would love to sit down with him.
1017
01:03:41.318 --> 01:03:42.138
I just love this.
1018
01:03:42.178 --> 01:03:45.120
The whole thing I love about this is being able to sit with other creatives.
1019
01:03:45.640 --> 01:03:52.443
And the whole way that this concept came up was I was just shooting a film called Daniel, which comes out later on this year.
1020
01:03:53.063 --> 01:03:57.485
And we were all, you know, because we were in India filming.
1021
01:03:58.106 --> 01:04:00.767
And, you know, there were days where some of us had like five days off.
1022
01:04:01.447 --> 01:04:03.809
And whereas if you were filming in your hometown, you know, you just go home.
1023
01:04:04.270 --> 01:04:07.112
We were all in the hotel together and we were just relaxing.
1024
01:04:07.212 --> 01:04:10.455
And we just started off having a conversation about what's your process to an audition?
1025
01:04:10.495 --> 01:04:12.257
How do you learn lines?
1026
01:04:12.677 --> 01:04:14.219
What method do you use to get, you know?
1027
01:04:14.239 --> 01:04:15.020
And I was like, you know what?
1028
01:04:15.040 --> 01:04:15.980
This is actually interesting.
1029
01:04:16.081 --> 01:04:21.325
I'd love to sit down with people like Stan and, you know, pick their brains and see what comes up.
1030
01:04:21.485 --> 01:04:22.827
Everyone's process is different.
1031
01:04:22.867 --> 01:04:27.351
I'm telling you another young actor who I think you would really mesh with is Stern and Kay Brown.
1032
01:04:27.611 --> 01:04:28.291
Oh man, I love him.
1033
01:04:28.671 --> 01:04:30.372
I just saw him yesterday.
1034
01:04:30.432 --> 01:04:30.992
Did you really?
1035
01:04:31.572 --> 01:04:35.012
Just as I asked that question, I was actually thinking of him.
1036
01:04:35.573 --> 01:04:39.133
I thought he was fantastic in This Is Us.
1037
01:04:39.213 --> 01:04:41.194
I thought that was such an emotional series.
1038
01:04:41.214 --> 01:04:47.375
I don't know whether it was because I saw it during lockdown or what, but the writing was fantastic.
1039
01:04:47.395 --> 01:04:49.955
The way the stories are woven into each other are brilliant.
1040
01:04:50.256 --> 01:04:52.276
You can't help but get caught up in the emotion of it.
1041
01:04:53.377 --> 01:04:55.019
And I love Paradise.
1042
01:04:55.240 --> 01:04:56.481
I think he's great in Paradise.
1043
01:04:56.622 --> 01:04:58.684
You know, I think he's a fantastic actor.
1044
01:04:58.745 --> 01:05:01.629
So I'll definitely try to chat with him as well.
1045
01:05:02.770 --> 01:05:05.654
You should put that out to my wife.
1046
01:05:05.694 --> 01:05:05.935
Yeah.
1047
01:05:06.255 --> 01:05:07.016
You know how she is.
1048
01:05:07.056 --> 01:05:09.500
She can... Finagle.
1049
01:05:09.540 --> 01:05:10.321
Find the ways in.
1050
01:05:10.361 --> 01:05:11.603
Yeah, she'll find a way.
1051
01:05:12.304 --> 01:05:12.624
Stan.
1052
01:05:13.406 --> 01:05:14.507
Thank you so much, brother.
1053
01:05:14.547 --> 01:05:15.248
Thank you, James.
1054
01:05:15.268 --> 01:05:17.131
Thank you so much for having me.
1055
01:05:17.391 --> 01:05:18.092
I'm loving this.
1056
01:05:18.112 --> 01:05:19.234
Thank you so much for having me.