You know, you cannot be objective about your own work. It’s impossible to like it. But, at the same time, you learn from it and it’s kind of addicting. You keep looking for the next role where you’re just going to disappear. Poof - gone. It’s a scary process.
What is your process?
I find the more work I do, the more complicated it gets. I didn’t train as an actor. Each role is like a different suit or something. You have to cut it up, sew it, make it fit you.
Do you feel formal training might interrupt the intuitive process?
I think you have to be smart about what’s working for you and what’s not. I think a lot of these people who go to school get duped. Teachers really tear them down so they’re self-conscience and insecure so they have a lot of pain to draw from, which I think is kind of a back-asswards way of doing it. It’s like dancing, you either have rhythm or you don’t. I mean you can “learn” to dance but either you have rhythm or you don’t. Acting’s the same way. You have this thing or you don’t, you can’t learn that. But it is a craft. And it’s a job. You can learn how to do your job more efficiently.
Is there a level of success you’d like to get to?
I don’t want the pressure. I don’t want the pressure of having to make any money back. You know what I mean? It drives me nuts! The bigger budget things I stay away from because then I don’t have to worry about making money back. I’d like to be able to make small movies about whatever theme is moving me at the time. I’d like to have enough of an audience that we can just keep making those. We can keep satisfying each other. That would be the ideal.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Interviews with Chris Klein & Jena Malone / Kevin Spacey & Matthew Hoge
"The United States of Leland" Photo Gallery
"The United States of Leland" Movie News, Credits, and Websites
