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

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? 26 00:02:29.722 --> 00:02:33.065 And at what point did you know that this was something that you wanted to do? 27 00:02:33.847 --> 00:02:38.501 You know, I tell a story about my grandmother a lot and how she was a big influence on my life. 28 00:02:39.403 --> 00:02:40.146 She used to... 29 00:02:41.422 --> 00:02:48.467 come and tell the teachers at my school that I had doctors or dentist appointments, and she would take me to the movies. 30 00:02:49.508 --> 00:02:51.910 She would, as soon as we'd get out the door, we're going to the movies, baby. 31 00:02:52.130 --> 00:02:52.350 Wow. 32 00:02:52.991 --> 00:03:00.516 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. 33 00:03:00.877 --> 00:03:02.498 I think I'm six or seven years old. 34 00:03:02.738 --> 00:03:03.879 Oh, wow. 35 00:03:04.399 --> 00:03:07.502 And I don't know, it was the magic of being in this dark room. 36 00:03:08.513 --> 00:03:16.462 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. 37 00:03:16.502 --> 00:03:19.044 And there was something about that that kind of triggered 38 00:03:19.934 --> 00:03:20.935 it in me, you know. 39 00:03:21.455 --> 00:03:26.980 And then later on seeing Sydney and Raisin when I was old enough to really appreciate it. 40 00:03:27.480 --> 00:03:40.390 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. 41 00:03:40.971 --> 00:03:44.053 And I didn't know how or where to go to be an actor. 42 00:03:44.354 --> 00:03:45.815 So I kind of put it on the back burner. 43 00:03:46.922 --> 00:03:49.384 But that's kind of where it started for me as a youngster. 44 00:03:49.984 --> 00:03:52.386 And I just knew that is what I would like to do. 45 00:03:52.406 --> 00:03:55.208 But I had no guidance or anywhere. 46 00:03:55.589 --> 00:03:58.531 You know, they didn't have any acting classes in St. Louis. 47 00:03:58.631 --> 00:04:06.557 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? 48 00:04:06.577 --> 00:04:07.538 This is what I want to do, yeah. 49 00:04:07.798 --> 00:04:18.404 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? 50 00:04:18.584 --> 00:04:20.025 How did you end up finding your way in? 51 00:04:20.465 --> 00:04:24.727 As I grew up, I got in a band, which was entertaining. 52 00:04:25.167 --> 00:04:30.170 And I became a radio DJ, which were all these things that I still wanted to do. 53 00:04:30.210 --> 00:04:31.351 But up under all of that, I 54 00:04:31.771 --> 00:04:32.872 I wanted to be an actor. 55 00:04:32.912 --> 00:04:34.954 I was a radio DJ, very successful. 56 00:04:34.974 --> 00:04:36.575 I was in a band that was very popular. 57 00:04:37.016 --> 00:04:42.441 But that didn't satisfy me the way that I thought being an actor would. 58 00:04:42.501 --> 00:04:43.081 I never knew. 59 00:04:44.182 --> 00:04:46.704 But what happened is that 60 00:04:47.605 --> 00:04:52.608 I, after the DJing job, I DJed actually at a country western radio station in Texas. 61 00:04:53.328 --> 00:05:02.373 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. 62 00:05:03.053 --> 00:05:07.656 And my dad said, come on out to LA and you can sleep on my couch. 63 00:05:08.256 --> 00:05:08.836 And I did. 64 00:05:09.577 --> 00:05:14.700 And within, and this, this is crazy because they say when the student is ready, the teacher appears. 65 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:16.861 I'm at a job that I hated. 66 00:05:17.875 --> 00:05:22.156 And this young lady walks up to me out of nowhere and she says, you should go to the Groundlings. 67 00:05:22.596 --> 00:05:22.836 Yeah. 68 00:05:23.256 --> 00:05:27.238 And the Groundlings is one of the top improv centers in the world. 69 00:05:27.478 --> 00:05:27.738 Yeah. 70 00:05:27.858 --> 00:05:28.058 Yeah. 71 00:05:28.078 --> 00:05:28.298 Yeah. 72 00:05:28.338 --> 00:05:29.838 The Groundlings, I didn't know what that was. 73 00:05:30.418 --> 00:05:31.559 And so I went to the Groundlings. 74 00:05:31.599 --> 00:05:32.839 I was there for a couple of years. 75 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:41.181 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. 76 00:05:41.701 --> 00:05:42.922 I workshopped my way. 77 00:05:43.182 --> 00:05:43.882 I didn't go to, 78 00:05:45.783 --> 00:05:47.184 college or university. 79 00:05:47.845 --> 00:05:53.508 So I workshopped my way through the craft and it just was one workshop after another. 80 00:05:53.528 --> 00:05:55.290 Some bad ones too, some terrible ones. 81 00:05:55.910 --> 00:05:57.171 They gave me a lot of bad advice. 82 00:05:57.691 --> 00:06:00.353 And then I started doing stand-up comedy as well. 83 00:06:02.927 --> 00:06:13.269 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. 84 00:06:13.409 --> 00:06:14.449 Yeah, okay. 85 00:06:14.489 --> 00:06:15.909 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 86 00:06:16.089 --> 00:06:18.910 And basically they said I suck. 87 00:06:19.370 --> 00:06:19.790 No. 88 00:06:19.810 --> 00:06:20.850 Yeah. 89 00:06:20.970 --> 00:06:24.811 And there was something in me that it lit a fire. 90 00:06:25.031 --> 00:06:31.072 I don't want anyone else to give that type of

review about anything about me, but specifically about my auditions. 91 00:06:31.682 --> 00:06:33.846 And I found this class, it really changed my life. 92 00:06:34.687 --> 00:06:42.361 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 93 00:06:44.450 --> 00:06:48.771 I'm not saying that there was doubt in your mind there because there wasn't because it lit that fire. 94 00:06:49.371 --> 00:06:54.772 However, being told that you couldn't do it or that you weren't good enough lit that fire. 95 00:06:55.792 --> 00:06:57.832 Something similar like that happened with me when I was at school. 96 00:06:58.292 --> 00:07:01.913 You know, I tried to join the choir and the headmaster's teacher. 97 00:07:02.213 --> 00:07:05.994 Basically, I didn't get on with the headmaster and the headmaster's wife was the choir master. 98 00:07:06.014 --> 00:07:09.794 And she told me, she told me you can't sing basically. 99 00:07:09.814 --> 00:07:11.435 And it totally knocked my confidence. 100 00:07:11.895 --> 00:07:13.355 And I actually never... 101 00:07:14.055 --> 00:07:16.858 Because singing wasn't what I wanted to do, it wasn't like it was acting. 102 00:07:17.959 --> 00:07:26.068 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. 103 00:07:26.789 --> 00:07:33.656 And I went to it and you know, it's totally different to, you know, a theatre audition or a film TV. 104 00:07:33.976 --> 00:07:36.399 You know, we're all in the room, it's all musical theatre people. 105 00:07:37.019 --> 00:07:42.405 And so it was my turn to come up and do it while everyone's watching and these all have trained dancers and singers. 106 00:07:42.845 --> 00:07:43.906 And I came in too late. 107 00:07:44.306 --> 00:07:45.608 Then I came in too early. 108 00:07:46.008 --> 00:07:47.029 And then I came in right. 109 00:07:47.089 --> 00:07:49.351 And at that point I was already, my confidence had gone. 110 00:07:49.552 --> 00:07:51.133 But yeah, it was all up here. 111 00:07:51.353 --> 00:07:52.535 But I did get a recall. 112 00:07:53.175 --> 00:07:53.435 And... 113 00:07:54.096 --> 00:08:03.506 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. 114 00:08:05.107 --> 00:08:09.372 And that wasn't, you know, my agent obviously wasn't happy. 115 00:08:09.392 --> 00:08:09.492 Yeah. 116 00:08:10.293 --> 00:08:24.209 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. 117 00:08:24.710 --> 00:08:25.831 Would you say that having... 118 00:08:26.832 --> 00:08:32.602 That sort of ability to do what you did and make some changes and dedicate yourself more to it. 119 00:08:33.082 --> 00:08:41.135 Do you think that unwavering belief as an actor is something that is necessary or do you think it can get in the way? 120 00:08:41.798 --> 00:08:42.759 I'm glad it happened. 121 00:08:42.959 --> 00:08:43.179 Yeah. 122 00:08:43.359 --> 00:08:44.440 You know, it was the best thing. 123 00:08:44.741 --> 00:08:50.185 I talk about these moments on the way that have happened to really change things for me. 124 00:08:50.225 --> 00:08:52.607 And there always was something as a reason. 125 00:08:53.188 --> 00:08:53.788 How do I say this? 126 00:08:54.369 --> 00:09:00.914 Something bad had happened to make me take that right turn to go in the right direction. 127 00:09:01.294 --> 00:09:02.636 I got kicked out of high school. 128 00:09:03.796 --> 00:09:09.618 And because I got kicked out of high school, I was in this program called Upward Bound. 129 00:09:10.078 --> 00:09:12.899 Through Upward Bound, I got to see the Negro Ensemble Company. 130 00:09:13.359 --> 00:09:19.942 I'd never seen that many black people on stage ever in my life, people whose names we know now, and they were incredible. 131 00:09:20.462 --> 00:09:26.764 And that helped guide me back to what the casting director said to my agent. 132 00:09:27.304 --> 00:09:29.045 Two months later, my agent cut me loose. 133 00:09:29.725 --> 00:09:32.226 You know, he said, you know, we don't want to represent you anymore. 134 00:09:32.786 --> 00:09:38.531 And all of those things helped me find this place where I was supposed to be. 135 00:09:38.691 --> 00:09:38.971 Yeah. 136 00:09:39.271 --> 00:09:45.015 And it really made me dig my heels in and just only concentrate on the work. 137 00:09:45.356 --> 00:09:50.540 And as you said earlier about teaching young actors, when I work with young actors, I tell them to stay out of the results. 138 00:09:51.160 --> 00:09:51.981 Stay out of the results. 139 00:09:52.261 --> 00:09:53.382 Just keep doing the work. 140 00:09:53.723 --> 00:09:53.923 Yeah. 141 00:09:53.983 --> 00:09:57.306 If you keep doing the work, everything else will fall in place. 142 00:09:57.786 --> 00:10:00.188 But everybody wants it so bad in the beginning. 143 00:10:00.269 --> 00:10:00.549 Yeah. 144 00:10:00.789 --> 00:10:02.811 And I tried to share my experiences with them. 145 00:10:03.071 --> 00:10:04.152 And they're like, ah, really? 146 00:10:04.192 --> 00:10:04.893 You know, I want it. 147 00:10:04.933 --> 00:10:05.613 I want it now. 148 00:10:06.134 --> 00:10:08.476 And it never comes in the time that you want it. 149 00:10:08.998 --> 00:10:09.298 Yeah. 150 00:10:09.658 --> 00:10:18.821 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. 151 00:10:19.501 --> 00:10:28.144 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? 152 00:10:28.404 --> 00:10:30.307 Most definitely, even actors who have. 153 00:10:30.508 --> 00:10:31.870 You know, it never comes when you want it. 154 00:10:32.110 --> 00:10:33.913 But I look at it like any other career. 155 00:10:33.934 --> 00:10:38.601 If you want to be a teacher or a doctor or whatever it is, you know, your endeavor... 156 00:10:40.750 --> 00:10:42.991 It never happens when you think it's supposed to happen. 157 00:10:43.011 --> 00:10:45.591 You got to study, you got to grind, you got to put the work in. 158 00:10:46.132 --> 00:10:51.393 And that's what I try to share with young actors and my peers. 159 00:10:51.733 --> 00:10:52.834 Let's just do the work. 160 00:10:53.134 --> 00:10:57.755 If we're rehearsing for a play or a scene, let's just do the work. 161 00:10:58.055 --> 00:11:04.017 And one of my mentors, Martin Landau, he says, Stan, remember, it's always just a rehearsal. 162 00:11:04.857 --> 00:11:06.158 And what that did for me was, 163 00:11:07.358 --> 00:11:10.040 It helped me to relax into the character, into the scene. 164 00:11:10.100 --> 00:11:12.621 It helped me not to try to get it right. 165 00:11:13.162 --> 00:11:17.484 Is that during takes or just everything? 166 00:11:17.504 --> 00:11:20.486 And I think I introduced you to Marty when you came to the actor's studio. 167 00:11:21.547 --> 00:11:26.109 Huge Oscar-winning actor and just an incredible actor. 168 00:11:26.129 --> 00:11:27.070 He took me under his wing. 169 00:11:27.090 --> 00:11:31.472 He said, one thing I want you to understand, it's not about getting a job. 170 00:11:31.632 --> 00:11:35.355 It's about doing the work and remember that every take 171 00:11:36.055 --> 00:11:38.616 Even the takes that they keep is just a rehearsal. 172 00:11:38.636 --> 00:11:48.418 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. 173 00:11:48.438 --> 00:11:49.679 They never thought of it that way. 174 00:11:50.059 --> 00:11:52.119 So that has always helped me. 175 00:11:52.139 --> 00:11:54.140 And that's what I try to encourage young people to do. 176 00:11:54.400 --> 00:11:55.700 Don't be afraid to make mistakes. 177 00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:57.020 Don't be afraid of looking silly. 178 00:11:57.341 --> 00:11:59.021 Don't be afraid of falling on your ass. 179 00:11:59.181 --> 00:12:01.322 Yeah, because you can get back up. 180 00:12:01.403 --> 00:12:04.324 You know what I'm saying? 181 00:12:05.385 --> 00:12:11.609 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. 182 00:12:12.110 --> 00:12:17.613 I've said theatre makes you good, film makes you famous, and TV makes you rich. 183 00:12:19.474 --> 00:12:22.256 And I've stolen that from, I forget who said it originally. 184 00:12:22.616 --> 00:12:25.678 Film makes you famous, TV makes you rich, but theatre makes you good. 185 00:12:25.818 --> 00:12:26.059 Yeah. 186 00:12:26.219 --> 00:12:26.559 You know? 187 00:12:26.959 --> 00:12:33.221 And I won't work with actors if I'm teaching or coaching. 188 00:12:33.601 --> 00:12:35.682 I won't work with actors who don't want to do theater. 189 00:12:35.842 --> 00:12:37.023 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 190 00:12:37.063 --> 00:12:40.224 That is the groundwork, the basis. 191 00:12:40.384 --> 00:12:43.585 And it's like going to the gym. 192 00:12:43.805 --> 00:12:44.426 Yeah, it is. 193 00:12:44.766 --> 00:12:53.678 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. 194 00:12:53.778 --> 00:12:59.204 And what, for me, what I love about theatre is that for a start, you actually have... 195 00:12:59.705 --> 00:13:23.371 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 196 00:13:24.211 --> 00:13:25.491 and then breathe at the end of it. 197 00:13:25.511 --> 00:13:26.392 Right. 198 00:13:27.012 --> 00:13:36.374 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. 199 00:13:37.315 --> 00:13:46.277 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? 200 00:13:46.457 --> 00:13:46.737 Exactly. 201 00:13:47.277 --> 00:13:56.944 And if that is how you are, are there particular methodologies or practitioners that you follow to get into a character? 202 00:13:57.985 --> 00:14:02.969 You know, because I'm a member of the Actor's Studio, it's what they call method. 203 00:14:03.149 --> 00:14:03.389 Yeah. 204 00:14:03.529 --> 00:14:04.270 Method acting. 205 00:14:05.811 --> 00:14:09.894 I believe that everything from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet is my instrument. 206 00:14:09.914 --> 00:14:10.114 Mm-hmm. 207 00:14:11.015 --> 00:14:15.539 And my instrument has to be in tune. 208 00:14:15.639 --> 00:14:21.243 So I'm working with everything, my fingers, my feet, the floor. 209 00:14:22.564 --> 00:14:32.131 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. 210 00:14:32.692 --> 00:14:35.213 I don't know if they say that in the air or not, going into the room. 211 00:14:35.954 --> 00:14:39.537 And what I've told young actors, if you treat it like a room, that's what it's going to be. 212 00:14:40.392 --> 00:14:49.200 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. 213 00:14:49.240 --> 00:14:50.321 They're going to see you in a room. 214 00:14:50.661 --> 00:14:50.901 Yeah. 215 00:14:51.262 --> 00:15:03.773 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? 216 00:15:03.833 --> 00:15:04.073 Yeah. 217 00:15:04.173 --> 00:15:06.656 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 This is a paid advertisement from BetterHelp. 609 00:38:17.931 --> 00:38:24.353 With Strip the Script, it was really important to me that we only partnered with brands that felt aligned with what this series is about. 610 00:38:24.893 --> 00:38:34.736 That's why I'm genuinely proud to have BetterHelp supporting Series 1, because so many of the conversations you're going to hear are about us talking about the things that we don't normally talk about. 611 00:38:35.216 --> 00:38:41.158 Self-doubt, rejection, uncertainty, and that age-old question, am I doing enough? 612 00:38:41.998 --> 00:38:46.420 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 00:38:57.886 --> 00:39:05.550 Nearly half of the BetterHelp UK members are trying therapy for the first time, so if you're thinking about therapy, you're far from alone. 615 00:39:06.330 --> 00:39:08.691 Feeling better looks different on all of us. 616 00:39:09.031 --> 00:39:17.575 Whether you're trying to help manage stress, build healthier habits, or simply checking in with yourself, therapy is a great way to move forward. 617 00:39:18.335 --> 00:39:26.099 Sign up and get 10% off at www.betterhelp.com forward slash act to flow 10. 618 00:39:26.899 --> 00:39:35.103 That's www.betterhelp.com forward slash act to flow one zero. 619 00:39:35.803 --> 00:39:38.964 Strip the Script is also brought to you by MyActorFlow. 620 00:39:39.405 --> 00:39:46.787 Now, one of the reasons I created this series is because I know exactly how hard it is to build a creative career when nobody gives you a roadmap. 621 00:39:47.308 --> 00:39:52.490 On the show, we've heard the lessons, the setbacks, and the turning points on other people's careers. 622 00:39:53.110 --> 00:39:56.252 My Actor Flow helps you take control of yours. 623 00:39:56.852 --> 00:40:00.614 It's an all-in-one career platform specifically built for actors. 624 00:40:01.175 --> 00:40:12.221 It's a place where you can track your auditions, organize your contacts, learn lines, analyze scenes, manage your materials, and helps you stay focused on where you're trying to get to. 625 00:40:12.581 --> 00:40:20.486 They even offer free workshops with leading casting directors, producers, and directors, a service we normally have to pay for. 626 00:40:20.986 --> 00:40:22.407 Because talent matters. 627 00:40:22.967 --> 00:40:25.949 but so does the structure we put around that talent. 628 00:40:26.749 --> 00:40:36.015 If you're serious about wanting to sustain a career as an actor, go over to myactorflow.com and type in STS15. 629 00:40:36.476 --> 00:40:40.478 That's STS15 to get a 15% discount. 630 00:40:41.179 --> 00:40:49.664 Strip the Script is all about the conversations I'd wish I'd heard earlier in my career, and My Actor Flow are the tools that you'll need to sustain it. 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.