WEBVTT - The Spirited Actor - Will Catlett (04/27/2021) 0:00:00.080 --> 0:00:03.280 Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me 0:00:03.520 --> 0:00:06.440 Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and 0:00:06.480 --> 0:00:10.600 TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transitioned to 0:00:10.640 --> 0:00:14.200 a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New 0:00:14.280 --> 0:00:19.400 Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Domez. 0:00:20.040 --> 0:00:24.439 I auditioned every rapper from Biggie Smalls to Tupac, and 0:00:24.560 --> 0:00:28.200 I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help 0:00:28.280 --> 0:00:32.600 transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from 0:00:32.760 --> 0:00:37.400 Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Yee from The 0:00:37.440 --> 0:00:41.120 Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons, to name a few. I 0:00:41.240 --> 0:00:45.080 also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel 0:00:45.280 --> 0:00:48.720 I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director, 0:00:48.760 --> 0:00:51.320 I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an 0:00:51.360 --> 0:00:53.800 acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in 0:00:53.880 --> 0:00:54.440 that room. 0:00:54.720 --> 0:00:54.920 Now. 0:00:54.960 --> 0:00:55.200 I know. 0:00:55.520 --> 0:00:58.680 I know actors want to get the job. I get that, 0:00:59.120 --> 0:01:03.240 but being remembered by casting director that is powerful. 0:01:04.200 --> 0:01:05.479 Meditation of the day. 0:01:06.040 --> 0:01:09.960 Surround yourself with people who are going to lift you up. 0:01:10.640 --> 0:01:15.839 Oprah Winfrey. When I first started teaching twenty four years ago, 0:01:16.840 --> 0:01:20.839 my heart broke to hear of the stories of actors 0:01:21.080 --> 0:01:24.440 who had no support in pursuing their dreams of being 0:01:24.480 --> 0:01:28.600 an actor. These were loved ones or close friends who 0:01:28.640 --> 0:01:33.240 try to discourage them from being an actor. Now, I 0:01:33.280 --> 0:01:36.839 would never tell anyone to disown their family or friends, 0:01:37.560 --> 0:01:40.440 but what I will say is that you need a. 0:01:40.560 --> 0:01:43.040 Strong armor to be an actor. 0:01:43.440 --> 0:01:47.120 You need to hear the voice of encouragement because this 0:01:47.240 --> 0:01:52.080 is a journey. When people speak of negativity, bless them 0:01:52.120 --> 0:01:56.760 in your head and move on. Fear is what stops 0:01:56.840 --> 0:02:01.600 everyone from living their true dreams. Don't let it stop 0:02:01.640 --> 0:02:10.200 you today. I will pursue my dream unapologetically. Before we 0:02:10.240 --> 0:02:13.600 get started, i'd like to remind everyone to look out 0:02:13.680 --> 0:02:17.120 for my new show, Inside the black Box. I'll be 0:02:17.200 --> 0:02:20.280 co hosting with the great Joe Morton. We'll be on 0:02:20.440 --> 0:02:24.079 Crackle Network real soon. I'll keep you posted. 0:02:25.000 --> 0:02:28.960 Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. 0:02:29.560 --> 0:02:31.800 You know, the thing I love about this show is 0:02:31.840 --> 0:02:36.880 that I'm always bringing you the best of the best, 0:02:37.120 --> 0:02:43.359 the best working actors, and I have a wonderful team 0:02:44.040 --> 0:02:47.640 that always introduces me to the best of the best, 0:02:48.120 --> 0:02:50.799 and so I just want you guys to put your 0:02:50.880 --> 0:02:59.480 hands together for actor, producer, director, writer, Will. 0:02:59.639 --> 0:03:00.560 Cat liv. 0:03:02.600 --> 0:03:04.240 Hey, Will, how you doing? 0:03:04.720 --> 0:03:11.360 I am excellent, and I'm so grateful that Lean introduced us, and. 0:03:11.120 --> 0:03:14.920 Also that you got up early for us. Thank you. 0:03:14.960 --> 0:03:17.480 Oh yeah, oh yeah, I've rolled out of bed, but 0:03:17.639 --> 0:03:20.200 you know, well, I'm. 0:03:20.040 --> 0:03:24.480 Glad you're here, so listen. I just want to applaud 0:03:24.560 --> 0:03:28.760 you for your work. You know, a lot of times 0:03:28.760 --> 0:03:32.160 as a casting director, we know a lot of faces, 0:03:32.160 --> 0:03:34.520 but we don't, you know, know you, because you know, 0:03:34.560 --> 0:03:37.280 we see your work and we follow you. So I 0:03:37.520 --> 0:03:40.840 have seen your work for quite some time. And to 0:03:41.000 --> 0:03:43.880 have this pleasure of meeting you, I'm really excited that 0:03:44.320 --> 0:03:47.440 you're going to share with our Thestians. 0:03:46.760 --> 0:03:47.800 Who are on right now. 0:03:48.280 --> 0:03:49.760 Amen. Amen today. 0:03:50.120 --> 0:03:53.080 So let's start from the beginning. Will, How did how 0:03:53.080 --> 0:03:55.640 did acting start for you? Is this something that you 0:03:55.760 --> 0:03:57.440 wanted to do when you were younger? 0:03:58.680 --> 0:03:59.560 Where did it all begin? 0:04:00.360 --> 0:04:00.440 Not? 0:04:00.520 --> 0:04:00.760 Really? 0:04:00.800 --> 0:04:04.360 I was playing basketball in college, and you know, my 0:04:04.480 --> 0:04:07.520 thing was I was trying to be like Kobe, you know, 0:04:07.800 --> 0:04:10.440 but then you realize you're not jumping out of the 0:04:10.480 --> 0:04:13.440 gym like Kobe Bryant, You're not shooting the ball as 0:04:13.480 --> 0:04:15.920 good as Steph carry which is on fire right now, 0:04:16.480 --> 0:04:18.440 so you start thinking about different things. 0:04:19.040 --> 0:04:21.240 And I met a guy at the mall. 0:04:21.320 --> 0:04:23.120 I was buying some G units at the time when 0:04:23.120 --> 0:04:25.200 he was fifty cent had his G units going out, 0:04:25.520 --> 0:04:27.880 and the guy had the whitest teeth I've ever seen. 0:04:27.920 --> 0:04:29.200 So I asked him to said, brother, how you get 0:04:29.240 --> 0:04:31.880 your teeth? So White said, press white strips. I said, okay, cool, 0:04:31.880 --> 0:04:34.520 Where are you from? He says, I'm from Maryland. I said, okay, 0:04:34.520 --> 0:04:36.600 I'm from back that way. I'm from Alexander, Virginia to 0:04:36.680 --> 0:04:38.280 DC or a DC Maryland area. 0:04:38.560 --> 0:04:40.120 He says cool. I said, well, what do you do? 0:04:40.600 --> 0:04:43.120 He says, I'm an actor And I don't know why, 0:04:43.240 --> 0:04:45.680 but inside of me, he said, HM always wanted to 0:04:45.680 --> 0:04:46.040 try that. 0:04:46.279 --> 0:04:48.040 Well, you should come to my acting class. 0:04:48.279 --> 0:04:50.239 So when I went to his acting class, the class 0:04:50.240 --> 0:04:54.520 that he was going to as Bobby Chance Studios, expression unlimited, 0:04:54.640 --> 0:04:57.600 and I just knew that that's that was the path 0:04:57.640 --> 0:04:58.400 that I should go down. 0:04:59.040 --> 0:05:00.240 Wow. 0:05:00.279 --> 0:05:04.119 And you know, we all talk of we always talk 0:05:04.200 --> 0:05:06.800 and stress on this show about training. 0:05:08.080 --> 0:05:09.400 Because in my. 0:05:09.520 --> 0:05:13.280 Experience as a casting directors, people think that they can 0:05:13.440 --> 0:05:16.040 just say some words and that's it. How important is 0:05:16.120 --> 0:05:19.600 training to you, even to you know, considering the fact 0:05:19.600 --> 0:05:23.919 that you are a working actor today, how is it 0:05:24.000 --> 0:05:26.320 How important is it even to today? 0:05:26.720 --> 0:05:28.279 Well? I think it depends, you know. 0:05:29.200 --> 0:05:32.120 You know, some people may just have the gift and 0:05:32.160 --> 0:05:34.360 they can naturally fall into it and they might not 0:05:34.560 --> 0:05:38.880 need all the technicality what comes with acting, right, But 0:05:39.640 --> 0:05:43.280 every great artist must refine their gifts. So for me, 0:05:43.760 --> 0:05:48.120 I remember my teacher Richie Chancey saying, well, man, when 0:05:48.160 --> 0:05:50.719 your gift catches up with your talent. So what he 0:05:50.800 --> 0:05:53.560 was trying to say, You have all this will of 0:05:53.680 --> 0:05:57.680 gifts that you can naturally do things, but your talent, 0:05:57.800 --> 0:06:00.800 meaning your skill level, has it called up with the 0:06:00.880 --> 0:06:04.239 gift you So once that talent catches up with a gift, 0:06:04.279 --> 0:06:07.560 then you get Michael Jordan in his prime because everything 0:06:07.640 --> 0:06:09.600 makes sense. Now he can shoot the ball at will, 0:06:09.800 --> 0:06:11.560 or he give you the fade away. He don't have 0:06:11.600 --> 0:06:13.000 to go to the hole and dunk on you no 0:06:13.080 --> 0:06:15.880 more because he knows the game. So that's the beauty 0:06:15.960 --> 0:06:19.000 of studying. And you never stop studying. I'm always studying. 0:06:19.040 --> 0:06:22.560 You know, different actors, different people, different behavior. Then it's 0:06:22.600 --> 0:06:25.200 different levels of study. And you got class study, then 0:06:25.240 --> 0:06:28.200 you got on set study. That's a whole other thing. 0:06:28.440 --> 0:06:28.680 You know. 0:06:28.960 --> 0:06:30.719 That is its very important. 0:06:30.760 --> 0:06:35.240 That's an excellent point, and it's very rare that actors 0:06:35.320 --> 0:06:36.039 talk about that. 0:06:37.279 --> 0:06:42.360 But that is you know, I say that doing your. 0:06:42.240 --> 0:06:45.560 Self tape, that's one thing, right, and then you do 0:06:45.600 --> 0:06:46.200 a great job. 0:06:46.279 --> 0:06:46.720 You get a. 0:06:46.680 --> 0:06:49.679 Callback, that's another thing, and then you get the job. 0:06:49.960 --> 0:06:52.160 But the work really starts when you're on that set. 0:06:53.120 --> 0:06:57.200 Actually, the work really starts even before the auditions. Oh true, 0:06:57.800 --> 0:06:59.960 you know, it's how you show up in the world. 0:07:00.400 --> 0:07:02.640 How did you feel about yourself? I was doing an 0:07:02.720 --> 0:07:07.640 audition and my friend that was taping me in Atlanta, Tracy, 0:07:08.160 --> 0:07:10.800 she was taping another young lady and I'm going over 0:07:10.840 --> 0:07:12.920 my lines because I got to put the audition on. 0:07:13.040 --> 0:07:14.840 I had just got it, but I wanted to turn 0:07:14.880 --> 0:07:16.840 it in because I'm working at the same time. And 0:07:16.880 --> 0:07:19.840 I hear the young lady reading and it disturbs my 0:07:20.040 --> 0:07:21.800 spirit that I have to go down and take the 0:07:21.800 --> 0:07:24.560 computer from Tracy, and I say, hey, listen, you're more 0:07:24.600 --> 0:07:28.880 than enough. You keep trying to get the lines right. 0:07:28.920 --> 0:07:31.720 It's not about getting the lines right. But see, in 0:07:31.760 --> 0:07:33.960 your life, you feel like you never wanted an any 0:07:34.000 --> 0:07:36.840 chan You feel like you're too old to accomplish the 0:07:36.960 --> 0:07:39.680 things that you want to accomplish. So you haven't got 0:07:39.720 --> 0:07:42.960 an audition in a while, so you're banking everything on 0:07:43.000 --> 0:07:46.720 this one audition. You've already lost because now you're not 0:07:46.840 --> 0:07:49.520 free as an artist to just go and explore. And 0:07:49.560 --> 0:07:52.160 after we had that conversation, she begin to cry and 0:07:52.200 --> 0:07:54.800 then she did the take and it was amazing because 0:07:54.800 --> 0:07:57.160 now she didn't have all that weight on her that 0:07:57.240 --> 0:07:58.920 I have to do this, I have to get this right, 0:07:58.920 --> 0:08:00.400 I have ton't press the castle or if I have 0:08:00.440 --> 0:08:02.840 to do this. The casting director is always going to 0:08:02.960 --> 0:08:06.840 cast the role if the role shows up, not will 0:08:07.600 --> 0:08:11.080 If the role shows up, then that's like, that's the role, 0:08:11.240 --> 0:08:13.560 that's the person that I want. So when you have 0:08:13.720 --> 0:08:16.680 that mindset before you even get the material, it. 0:08:16.600 --> 0:08:20.120 Allows you even free to make mistakes because. 0:08:19.840 --> 0:08:22.720 Some of the beautiful moments come from when they're not 0:08:22.760 --> 0:08:25.600 rehearsed or when they're not you know, so planned out. 0:08:26.000 --> 0:08:29.360 So I think that starts at the beginning and then 0:08:29.400 --> 0:08:31.840 you work your way and then when you get on set, 0:08:32.400 --> 0:08:34.720 it's about do you have a good attitude? Are you 0:08:34.760 --> 0:08:37.440 going to show up when it's eighteen hour days? What 0:08:37.480 --> 0:08:39.400 are you going to do when they keep calling you 0:08:39.440 --> 0:08:41.280 out of your trailer, but they're not ready because they're 0:08:41.280 --> 0:08:42.120 waiting on the number. 0:08:41.960 --> 0:08:42.960 One to show up to the set. 0:08:43.600 --> 0:08:46.240 Right, you know, how are you going to maneuver around 0:08:46.240 --> 0:08:49.000 those things? Are you going to always hang your clothes 0:08:49.080 --> 0:08:51.360 up the same way that they came to you? Are 0:08:51.360 --> 0:08:53.640 you going to hang the trash up the same way 0:08:53.679 --> 0:08:55.840 that that trash was empty before you put trash in it. 0:08:56.160 --> 0:08:59.640 These are things that build excellence in yourself. It's not 0:08:59.679 --> 0:09:01.880 about the person recognized and that you put the tracks 0:09:01.960 --> 0:09:05.120 behind the door. It's not about the clothing department recognizing 0:09:05.160 --> 0:09:08.080 that you're put the close up. It is strictly about 0:09:08.120 --> 0:09:11.440 you and you being excellent and everything that you do well. 0:09:11.840 --> 0:09:17.679 You sound like you have an amazing spiritual foundation. You 0:09:17.760 --> 0:09:21.360 also sound like you motivate and inspire other actors in 0:09:21.400 --> 0:09:26.640 your work, which is great and so kind and generous 0:09:26.720 --> 0:09:30.120 of you. I have to say, from a casting director's 0:09:30.120 --> 0:09:35.559 point of view, there there's you know, there are thousands 0:09:35.559 --> 0:09:38.559 of people who are cleverly disguised as actors, but very 0:09:38.600 --> 0:09:39.680 few talented people. 0:09:40.400 --> 0:09:42.920 And that excellence and that. 0:09:44.160 --> 0:09:47.400 Work ethic that you are speaking of does not come 0:09:47.400 --> 0:09:48.319 from everyone. 0:09:49.160 --> 0:09:52.840 And you know, just in my experience over. 0:09:52.760 --> 0:09:57.360 Thirty years in casting, you know, you wonder why there's 0:09:57.400 --> 0:10:00.400 a certain percentage of actors that work and there are 0:10:00.440 --> 0:10:03.880 certain percentages that don't and the ones that you talk about, 0:10:04.000 --> 0:10:08.800 those are the ones that work. Because I believe, and 0:10:09.920 --> 0:10:11.959 you know, a casting director, we don't have a power, 0:10:12.720 --> 0:10:17.800 you know, unless we're producing. We strictly, highly recommend, strongly 0:10:18.000 --> 0:10:20.960 courage and beg and plead. But there are too many 0:10:20.960 --> 0:10:24.120 other element you know, producers and studio heads and all 0:10:24.120 --> 0:10:29.600 of that involved. But blessed, our words are matter and 0:10:29.679 --> 0:10:36.080 mean something. And I believe that the audition process is 0:10:36.160 --> 0:10:40.319 fifty percent talent and fifty percent personality. 0:10:40.080 --> 0:10:43.240 Because we have to we have to like you, you 0:10:43.320 --> 0:10:43.800 know what I mean. 0:10:43.840 --> 0:10:46.840 It is really come down to a director saying, out 0:10:46.880 --> 0:10:51.240 of these two women Tracy, who has the better personality? 0:10:52.640 --> 0:10:54.120 And when you you made. 0:10:53.880 --> 0:10:56.280 A point about getting somebody out of the trailer, I 0:10:56.440 --> 0:10:59.800 produced a film where our leading actor would not come 0:10:59.840 --> 0:11:01.920 out out of the trailer because his eggs. 0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:04.800 Weren't cooked properly. It's eggs. 0:11:04.920 --> 0:11:11.160 So you know, I strongly I can't even emphasize enough 0:11:11.200 --> 0:11:13.720 for actors to really take in what you're saying. Here 0:11:14.080 --> 0:11:19.000 because work ethic is important, your personality is important. And 0:11:19.120 --> 0:11:23.320 my company is called the Spirited Actor because my concern 0:11:23.679 --> 0:11:26.480 is the spirit of the actor, is the morale of 0:11:26.520 --> 0:11:30.480 the actor, and the work ethic because that is a 0:11:30.520 --> 0:11:34.440 part of the process as well. So I'm grateful for 0:11:34.520 --> 0:11:38.439 those words because it's very rare that we hear about that. 0:11:38.760 --> 0:11:41.600 You know, it's always about, you know, chasing the job. 0:11:41.640 --> 0:11:43.760 We're trying to get a job, and I believe, you know, 0:11:43.840 --> 0:11:45.080 the joy is in the journey. 0:11:46.040 --> 0:11:48.840 That's what I believe, because you've got jobs. 0:11:49.679 --> 0:11:54.200 So now that you have a job, and let's start 0:11:54.240 --> 0:11:56.560 with Black Lighting you know, because you've been on that 0:11:56.679 --> 0:11:59.440 series for twenty two episodes. 0:11:59.480 --> 0:12:03.280 I believe. When I was doing my research, I. 0:12:03.280 --> 0:12:05.080 Don't even know how many episodes I've been on it. 0:12:05.120 --> 0:12:07.800 Well, let me tell you. Let me tell you. You've 0:12:07.840 --> 0:12:14.080 been on twenty two episodes. You guys. Wow, Now you 0:12:14.120 --> 0:12:15.360 talk about a work ethic. 0:12:15.520 --> 0:12:19.960 What is a day in the life of Black Lightning 0:12:20.040 --> 0:12:23.119 and especially Will with the COVID situation. 0:12:23.679 --> 0:12:25.679 Yeah, I'm gonna put a pin in that, and I'm 0:12:25.679 --> 0:12:28.200 gonna come back to that in a second. I didn't 0:12:28.240 --> 0:12:31.559 want to run over the title of your podcast. 0:12:32.240 --> 0:12:35.480 The spirited actor. I believe that when. 0:12:35.280 --> 0:12:39.200 A writer writes down a character on the page, they 0:12:39.200 --> 0:12:43.360 have written down spirit. That's why always tell actors, if 0:12:43.360 --> 0:12:46.040 you get the spirit of the role, you know everything 0:12:46.040 --> 0:12:48.640 you will need to know about that role. So it 0:12:49.200 --> 0:12:51.800 it allows you to tap in beyond what is written 0:12:51.800 --> 0:12:54.120 on the page. You actually get into the spirit of 0:12:54.120 --> 0:12:56.840 what the way the words came from. So I didn't 0:12:56.840 --> 0:12:59.160 want to run over your title because your title is 0:12:59.160 --> 0:13:02.880 so important. To always start in the spiritual first and 0:13:02.920 --> 0:13:03.920 then't make it physical. 0:13:04.160 --> 0:13:06.880 The words go in, then they must come out, you know. 0:13:07.040 --> 0:13:09.960 So I think that's very important and kudos to you 0:13:10.080 --> 0:13:11.640 for that because. 0:13:11.360 --> 0:13:13.560 That is a divine title. 0:13:13.960 --> 0:13:18.160 Now as far as Black Lightning and COVID, the process 0:13:18.280 --> 0:13:21.880 right now is I'm in La like Lightning was shooting 0:13:21.960 --> 0:13:26.520 in Atlanta. So you would test at Warner Brothers maybe 0:13:26.559 --> 0:13:28.720 three or four times before you get on the plane, 0:13:29.160 --> 0:13:31.280 or forty eight hours before you get on the plane. 0:13:31.600 --> 0:13:35.439 If your test is negative, then you get your flight, 0:13:35.440 --> 0:13:38.280 itenter aarya. It's all depending on if that test is negative. 0:13:38.600 --> 0:13:41.559 All your contracts are depending on if that test is negative. 0:13:42.080 --> 0:13:44.880 So you know, and right now, COVID is what I'm 0:13:44.880 --> 0:13:47.280 hearing is about ten percent of the overall budget, so 0:13:47.360 --> 0:13:49.280 it's a big part of the whole thing. 0:13:49.600 --> 0:13:53.319 And then you get there and right now what you're doing. 0:13:53.360 --> 0:13:55.680 You have to some shows, you have to you have 0:13:55.720 --> 0:13:58.760 to quarantine for about five days and then you'll be 0:13:58.800 --> 0:14:00.880 ready to go to the show. Then some if you're 0:14:00.920 --> 0:14:03.320 testing in a protocol, then you'll be able to go 0:14:03.400 --> 0:14:06.880 straight to set. So each each each production company has 0:14:06.920 --> 0:14:09.120 things a little different, but you're going to be taken 0:14:09.120 --> 0:14:11.520 to anywhere from three to three to four times a week, 0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:14.480 and that's pretty much that process, which is. 0:14:14.440 --> 0:14:16.560 Not bad, you know what I mean. I mean, you're 0:14:16.640 --> 0:14:17.120 guest star. 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:19.600 You're getting paid two hundred and fifty dollars for it, 0:14:19.960 --> 0:14:21.440 so they compensate you for your time. 0:14:21.480 --> 0:14:22.560 If you're seriously regular. 0:14:22.560 --> 0:14:24.920 They don't put it in your contract already, so they're 0:14:24.920 --> 0:14:25.720 not gonna pay you for that. 0:14:26.760 --> 0:14:29.480 But you know, it's good that you know people are working. 0:14:29.680 --> 0:14:32.360 Sometimes it was a little difficult in the beginning because 0:14:32.400 --> 0:14:34.880 you're rehearsing with the other act, with the other actor 0:14:35.160 --> 0:14:39.800 with the masks. You know, that was a little difficult 0:14:39.800 --> 0:14:42.080 to get used to it if you don't feel that connection. 0:14:42.560 --> 0:14:45.680 But as it kind of rolled back, I think the 0:14:46.080 --> 0:14:48.720 ads and the producers was letting it be a little 0:14:48.720 --> 0:14:51.640 bit more lenient, because if we're on set, that means 0:14:52.000 --> 0:14:55.600 that everybody's negative, that's in that rateting. So you know, 0:14:55.640 --> 0:14:58.240 you might you won't really need the mask to run rehearsal, 0:14:58.280 --> 0:14:59.960 and some actors do. So you just fill out the 0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:02.280 comfortability level with different actors. 0:15:02.280 --> 0:15:04.600 Some people may be a little bit more concerned. 0:15:04.320 --> 0:15:06.520 You know, but once you know they call pictures up, 0:15:06.640 --> 0:15:08.440 you know, the mask come off, you do your thing, 0:15:08.520 --> 0:15:11.080 and then when they say cut with the mask back on. 0:15:11.320 --> 0:15:13.800 You know, it's just how how we go. But you 0:15:13.840 --> 0:15:16.960 know it's beautiful, no, it is. 0:15:17.120 --> 0:15:20.560 I mean, you know, I love the fact that actors 0:15:20.600 --> 0:15:26.280 are adaptable. I did a film in November and the 0:15:26.320 --> 0:15:30.040 budget was one hundred thousand just for the COVID testing 0:15:30.240 --> 0:15:34.800 of everyone, and so as a producer you start to think, wow, okay, 0:15:35.120 --> 0:15:37.360 you know, in the olden days we have this budget. 0:15:37.360 --> 0:15:42.360 Now we have to incorporate COVID. And then as actors, 0:15:42.760 --> 0:15:48.800 you know, I even though like you're right, there's a 0:15:48.880 --> 0:15:51.720 comfort that people have to have, whether wearing the mask 0:15:51.760 --> 0:15:56.359 and being on set, but you know, the physical aspect 0:15:56.400 --> 0:15:59.680 of being able to see the face to react and 0:15:59.760 --> 0:16:04.560 to get that energy. Has that been a difficult transition 0:16:04.760 --> 0:16:07.360 for you or you know, like I said, you guys 0:16:07.400 --> 0:16:08.920 are adaptingable. 0:16:08.760 --> 0:16:12.000 Not really, because the eyes are the windows to the soul. 0:16:12.680 --> 0:16:16.680 Absolutely, whatever your eyes are saying, your mouth and ears 0:16:16.720 --> 0:16:19.800 and face, your expressions will follow, you know. And even 0:16:19.840 --> 0:16:21.640 if it doesn't follow, you can look into someone in 0:16:21.640 --> 0:16:23.680 the eyes and tell that they're telling you the truth 0:16:24.360 --> 0:16:26.880 or if they're lying to you. I remember over Opportunity 0:16:27.040 --> 0:16:31.680 one of the greatest acts, you know, very great mentor 0:16:31.720 --> 0:16:34.920 of mind, and he said, well, you know, acting is 0:16:35.040 --> 0:16:37.360 just looking someone in the face and telling them the truth. 0:16:38.000 --> 0:16:40.680 And you know, and it's like that is it? At 0:16:40.720 --> 0:16:44.400 the simplits of it, That's what it is. How much 0:16:44.440 --> 0:16:47.040 shop are you telling? Even if you're lying, it's still 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:49.680 your truth even in that line, at that moment in time. 0:16:50.200 --> 0:16:52.320 So you know. 0:16:53.040 --> 0:16:54.440 Yeah. So I mean, when. 0:16:54.080 --> 0:16:56.560 People have the mask on, you just look and then 0:16:56.600 --> 0:16:58.680 you go and then they take it off, you know, okay, 0:16:58.720 --> 0:17:00.400 and they may give you a little more, little less. 0:17:00.480 --> 0:17:02.440 It just depends on the artist that you're working with. 0:17:04.080 --> 0:17:05.200 That I love. 0:17:05.320 --> 0:17:09.040 I worked with Obabapa Tende in a film Carl Weber, 0:17:10.200 --> 0:17:12.960 The Preacher's son and got to know him. 0:17:13.000 --> 0:17:16.200 What amazing And then I got here. I got to New. 0:17:16.119 --> 0:17:19.960 York from San Francisco in eighty three and got a 0:17:20.040 --> 0:17:22.520 chance to see him on Broadway and dream. 0:17:22.320 --> 0:17:23.440 Girls and fell in love. 0:17:23.640 --> 0:17:24.200 That was it. 0:17:24.480 --> 0:17:28.680 That was it. That was my dude, great, great, great person. 0:17:29.400 --> 0:17:32.119 I want to ask you, Will, what is your dream 0:17:32.280 --> 0:17:34.440 role or what is that role that. 0:17:36.119 --> 0:17:36.359 You know? 0:17:36.560 --> 0:17:40.639 I don't feel like and this is just my first 0:17:40.680 --> 0:17:45.399 introduction to you, but I really feel a peacefulness to 0:17:45.480 --> 0:17:48.359 your journey. I don't feel a sense of urgency. I 0:17:48.359 --> 0:17:50.719 don't feel you tapping out on your recent scratch him. 0:17:51.200 --> 0:17:55.480 I feel like, you know, And it's such a pleasure. 0:17:55.640 --> 0:17:59.399 It's such a pleasure to breathe that in because that 0:18:00.920 --> 0:18:03.360 all of my friends are actors, all of them, and 0:18:03.400 --> 0:18:06.399 so I'm always you know. That's why I name my 0:18:06.440 --> 0:18:10.200 company The Spirited Actor. It's about the person inside the actor. 0:18:10.560 --> 0:18:13.000 That's our ar mantra. 0:18:13.640 --> 0:18:20.560 And so I feel like, man, I just feel at 0:18:20.640 --> 0:18:21.560 ease with you. 0:18:22.240 --> 0:18:25.320 What is that role? What's that role for you? 0:18:26.040 --> 0:18:28.880 I think I'm still completing some of the greats work 0:18:28.960 --> 0:18:29.840 that they laid down. 0:18:30.440 --> 0:18:33.720 It's like Sidney Poitier, he broke one part of the 0:18:33.760 --> 0:18:36.160 color Brier I the other. 0:18:37.119 --> 0:18:39.320 It's a be a beautiful thing when an actor can 0:18:39.359 --> 0:18:43.399 get on stage. And although I'm African American, you see 0:18:43.400 --> 0:18:45.800 me as an artist, you see me as an actor. 0:18:46.520 --> 0:18:48.840 I know the shell that I look, but all our 0:18:48.920 --> 0:18:49.919 shells will passed. 0:18:50.520 --> 0:18:53.359 You know. What will remain is the spirit will remain forever. 0:18:53.920 --> 0:18:57.360 So my goal is when I do work, is that 0:18:57.400 --> 0:19:01.280 you can see no color, because that allows me to 0:19:01.320 --> 0:19:03.399 be free. So now when I look at Rose, it 0:19:03.440 --> 0:19:07.480 may be Caucasian thirty five, but that may identify with 0:19:07.920 --> 0:19:10.119 my spirit, you know what I'm saying. 0:19:10.320 --> 0:19:13.240 It may be you know, hey, yeah five. 0:19:13.359 --> 0:19:15.480 I may have to go to Spain get my Spanish 0:19:15.560 --> 0:19:18.159 up real quick, you know, and then maybe I'll be 0:19:18.160 --> 0:19:20.960 able to do that. So I want to be free. 0:19:21.000 --> 0:19:22.920 And that's the same thing I told Mara in Love 0:19:23.040 --> 0:19:26.320 Is when I was doing Love is Love and we 0:19:26.320 --> 0:19:30.360 were talking about it and I said, Marrow, your story 0:19:30.440 --> 0:19:32.919 means nothing if it doesn't touch somebody. 0:19:33.280 --> 0:19:35.119 That's right, And that's the goal. 0:19:35.680 --> 0:19:38.679 The goal is to go beyond what you're watching and 0:19:38.800 --> 0:19:42.120 actually having an experience. That's always been the actor's goal, 0:19:42.560 --> 0:19:44.960 even from when it was just theater back in Greece. 0:19:45.000 --> 0:19:46.000 And they was doing all that. 0:19:46.200 --> 0:19:48.080 They will tell you what was to come, what was 0:19:48.119 --> 0:19:50.520 to come in politics, what was to come in social 0:19:50.560 --> 0:19:52.439 what customs they wanted to introduce you to. 0:19:52.520 --> 0:19:54.919 And they still do it now with the news. They 0:19:55.040 --> 0:19:56.200 trying to introduce things. 0:19:56.240 --> 0:19:59.520 They slowly program you to get used to things you know. 0:19:59.640 --> 0:20:03.439 And so so the actor is so important to telling 0:20:03.760 --> 0:20:09.320 the world's story, almost like the comedian is the last newscaster, 0:20:10.040 --> 0:20:13.639 you know, because they able to say everything that the 0:20:13.920 --> 0:20:16.240 people won't say. That's why I love Dave Chappelle so much, 0:20:16.600 --> 0:20:20.480 because if Chapelle does not do his thing, then we 0:20:20.520 --> 0:20:22.720 don't get to go to another level and get the 0:20:22.840 --> 0:20:26.000 truth because there's no barriers on the comedian to do that. 0:20:26.040 --> 0:20:28.280 And so as the actor, the actor is the one that. 0:20:28.240 --> 0:20:31.480 Is holding the gems in the truth and the revelation 0:20:31.720 --> 0:20:33.960 of where the world needs to go. That's why I 0:20:33.960 --> 0:20:36.520 tell actors, never limit yourself. Never let nobody say, oh, 0:20:36.560 --> 0:20:37.320 you're just the actor. 0:20:37.800 --> 0:20:38.119 You're not. 0:20:38.720 --> 0:20:41.400