#249 Reel Directing and Acting Lessons with Michelle Danner

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Jeff Dwoskin 0:28

All right, Laurie, thank you so much for that amazing introduction. You get the show going each and every week and this week was no exception. Welcome, everybody to Episode 249 of classic conversations. As always, I am your host, Jeff Dwoskin. Great to have you back for what's sure to be an eight list episode. My guest today is none other than Michelle Danner That's right. film and stage director, world renowned acting coach Michelle has taught acting for over 27 years, she's worked with alias actors such as Abigail Breslin, Salma Hayek, Andy Garcia, and a million more. She's also an amazing director. We're going to talk about some of her films, the bandit hound, one of my personal faves, and her newest film. Miranda is victim Michelle is like a quadruple threat of creativity. You're gonna love my conversation. And that's coming up in just a few seconds. And in these few seconds, I want to remind everyone in my amazing conversation with TVs Michael Gray. That's right, Billy Batson from Shazam. Nope. Still just me, Billy Batson from Shazam. Nope. Anyway, it's a great conversation. Michael shares all his memories from that amazing TV show. Check that out. But first, check out my incredible conversation with Michelle Danner enjoy. My next guest is a teacher, storyteller, Director of stage and film world renowned acting coach for over 30 years working with some of the biggest names in the business. Welcome to the show. Michelle Danner.

Michelle Danner 2:10

How are you?

Jeff Dwoskin 2:11

Good. How are you?

Michelle Danner 2:12

Pretty good.

Jeff Dwoskin 2:13

You do a lot you act direct teach acting. I mean, it's like where do you find the time the directing sort of evolved from teaching acting, and I'm really interested in kind of the teaching acting thing. My goal is for you to teach me to be an actor by the end of this podcast interview. And then I can start your next movie.

Michelle Danner 2:32

You know, everything is possible. That's my philosophy. Yes, absolutely. Teaching was a great stepping stone to wanting to direct. And ultimately, what I understood is that when you're acting in someone else's project, when they say it's a wrap, you can go have postpartum depression, but when you know you're doing theater, for instance, that's an actor's medium. And the director has to give that up to the actors. So theater is an actor's medium you know movies is a director's medium and if you want to be the one to truly you know sign the painting it you have to direct that's what's so interesting directing is interesting because you get to choose a lot of different things the composition of how you want it to look the colors, the shape, the textures. And so I became fascinated by that.

Jeff Dwoskin 3:31

Did you go to any additional schooling for that? Is it all something that's kind of natural because your your main focus with the acting right is like how to have these players like these pieces of the larger puzzle that the director kind of puts all together but then to step back and kind of make that entire world a reality that's it's it's an amazing thing, but how did you kind of embrace that and just learn it and I just by just doing it, did you have mentors? Did you have like,

Michelle Danner 4:00

been mentors in terms of filmmakers? Yes, I wish I had gone to film school. My son is studying currently theater and film at USC, and I vicariously live through him. I did take some some film directing classes. Mostly I'm self taught. I've watched a lot of wonderful directors like Steven Spielberg and Mike Lee. I was definitely very inspired by the work of Mike Lee, the English director, and watch directors commentaries. Love James Brooks, Anthony Mandela, in its you just learned from watching a lot. And then from listening to the commentaries, studying interviews. Yeah, I was mostly self taught. But of course, I've studied my whole life acting. And so I studied with Stella Adler, and with Buddha Haagen, and with Herbert Bergdorf, and a countless number of extraordinary acting teachers, and very quickly, just became absolutely entranced with the craft of acting. What would it take to give this performance So, I that's what I, you know, I studied in depth. And so I love actors, I love working with actors, I love trying to figure out what you know, they can bring to a certain character, how they can inhabit it, how they can, they can break down the script, all the nuances, the colors that you bring, you know, to the palette, there isn't a day that doesn't go by that I don't feel very lucky that I truly get to do the, you know, the art form that I'm drawn to.

Jeff Dwoskin 5:29

I think it's amazing. Well, one, let me say I that's what I miss most about getting DVDs is the commentary, because the commentaries are fascinating. Like, it's almost like you're to watch a movie with the understanding of the person who did it, explaining why they did things and the nuances is amazing. No one's ever brought that up before I

Michelle Danner 5:48

agree. I love as my fact I watched with my kids, the commentary of Damien Chazelle. Whiplash, because early on I show them that movie when it came out and I wanted to talk to them about you know, what it meant to pursue excellence. You know, the definition of that. I obviously did not want them to literally believe that just metaphorically but sometimes there's a cost you know, there's a price to pay when you want to achieve that level of excellence.

Jeff Dwoskin 6:17

Whiplash, great movie. I watched the bandit out, loved it. I mean, for self taught, I've like amazing. It was such an enjoyable movie. I'll have it the story the acting everybody. Lou Ferrigno was awesome. John Hurt Tenzin those guys in a long time. It was funny and your son's in it.

Michelle Danner 6:35

Yeah, my son's in it my 11 year old son who now studies at USC. But what's interesting about that is I auditioned 30 dogs for that movie. They all came with their trainers, and they were just all wonderful dogs. And then I had just lost the Siberian Husky that I adored, that lived for 16 years. And we adopted two puppies to Australian shepherds are Blue Angel and evergreen. And very early on, I went there like really smart dogs. And so we got a trainer that came and train them it was on set every day with them, because I cast them in the band at home. So I was a little late to this podcast, because one of them blue angel, the main one, the one with the blue eyes, unfortunately, is shaking a little bit today. And he's 10 years old now. And so 10 and a half and of course, you know every little thing you're, you know, always concerned it's like a child. It's like your children.

Jeff Dwoskin 7:31

Is there anyone in your family not super talented, your son you your dog?

Michelle Danner 7:37

No, we're a family of artists. As a matter of fact, if you look at our front door, we have this like 16th century Indian front door. And I said whoever looks at this front door would know that there's a family of artists living in this house. But we're all about going to see things to the museum to the theater to traveling all over the world. We're watching I was watching last night at 130 in the morning with my 13 year old son, The Hunger Games and I hadn't seen that in forever and Donald Sutherland is in it who I just recently worked with, and we're constantly watching doing something exploring which leads us to creating which is what we're into.

Jeff Dwoskin 8:19

That's in Cabo sigh I have more bandit hound questions which is an amazing family film and your dog is quite the kleptomaniac so the idea of the movie for everyone so you can go check it out his this lovable dog basically is taught to be a bank robber and so he can literally steal stuff out of purses and stuff like that. It's adorable and it has so many cool people in it Vern Troyer. Okay, so if you go see this movie, Vern Troyer minimi, everyone, in as many ways slaps Lou Ferrigno, the hall, it's worth the price of admission just for that.

Michelle Danner 8:52

That's a great scene. Vern Troyer is a wonderful actor who sadly is no longer here on earth with us. I had to coach them. That's how I met him for a movie. And so when I asked him to do this, I knew Lou Ferrigno was going to do it. And so that was a great scene with them. Yes. Mini Me and the Hulk.

Jeff Dwoskin 9:09

It was a great it was. Oh, that's blue angel. That's like two stars on the podcast. I got the star.

Michelle Danner 9:17

You have sound design.

Jeff Dwoskin 9:19

Oh, and Jim O'Hara, isn't it? I just talked with Jim O'Hara nicest guy in the world. Tim O'Hare

Michelle Danner 9:24

is some wonderful actor and he did this great scenes with Paul Sorvino who also is no longer with us. Oh, my God, what's happening? So yeah, I did a couple of movies with pasta. Vina the bandit hound being one of them. And he was great. And Jim O'Hair was great. Judd Nelson was wonderful. I went to school with Janelle So we were in Stella Adler's class

Jeff Dwoskin 9:45

shad Nelson is I mean, the Breakfast Club is still one of my favorite movies of all time. He's, he's great. He is this was it was a super and then of course you you're in it as well. You played the mom who bully

Michelle Danner 9:59

right? play a bully. I play the opposite of who I am.

Jeff Dwoskin 10:03

Yeah, right. You're you're super sweet. I'm definitely playing Karen. And that in that movie of the kid was bowling your son, your real son. Exactly. It was really great. And as I got to say, I went to, like, I went to sound like, oh, this kid is good. And then once I was writing down the names, he wasn't on the first page of the IMDB and so I looked it up and I'm like, wait a minute, this is Michelle's son. So I was allergic and his say and compliment your son before I even realized he was your son. I was he was really a good net and earned it he earned definitely earned.

Michelle Danner 10:35

The summer he learned to play Minecraft in the trailer. While he was you know, shooter playing shooting between takes. Yeah, it was a great experience doing that movie also wonderful. Katherine Bell was in it. Joe Flanagan I had a great cast and it's just a little family movie. When I was teaching in Lima, Peru. I got calls that you know, there was a bidding war. Everybody wanted to distribute it. We ended up going with alchemy that was like the best deal they gave us. And then it turns out that they ended up going bankrupt. So another movie, and you know, company took it over? Yeah, it was a movie made made with love. So I'm happy that I did it.

Jeff Dwoskin 11:13

You mentioned Donald Sutherland. So he's in your, your new movie, your most recent movie, Miranda's victim. Yes. This is making the circuits right now.

Michelle Danner 11:24

It's playing the festival circuit. We were just a couple of weeks ago. It gets Bria Film Festival in Tampa, Florida in this beautiful historical theater. Before that we were the opening night movie. We were both the opening night movie for the two festivals. The first one was the Santa Barbara film festival, a lot of our cast came, walked the red carpet and supported the movie. And now we get a few more coming up. We're excited about the movie. It's a true story about this wonderful courageous woman Patricia Weir who stood up and fought for her story for her voice to be heard in 1963. And this court case led to the Miranda rights and so another movie that I did call the runner it opens with you have the right to remain silent anything you know and I never question where did that story come from? How did that come about? In this is what this movie the Miranda Vic Miranda's victim talks about how the Miranda rights came about. So we're very excited about it. Abigail Breslin is in it. i In addition to the wonderful Donald Sutherland Andy Garcia also joined our casting comm o'clock in and Ryan Phillippi and Luke Wilson and Emily VanCamp Josh Bowman, Dan Lauria Nolan Gould, wonderful Sebastian Quinn, who plays an estimate Rhonda, so I just so

Jeff Dwoskin 12:41

bragging now, Michelle, you're just bragging. You got big names and your movies?

Michelle Danner 12:47

Yeah, it was. It was a great cast. But not only was it a great cast, they were a heartfelt cast. They came with their heart and their passion and their beautiful choices. And we just played on set, we had an extraordinary filming time where we just played and everybody was excited to be there. Everybody wanted to contribute. Everybody felt that this was an important story that needed to be told that for some reason, was never told. I just had a grand time working with these wonderful actors.

Jeff Dwoskin 13:19

Sorry to interrupt, we have to take a quick break. But don't use this time to run off and watch Miranda's victim, you'll have plenty of time when the interview is over. In the meantime, I do want to thank everyone for their support of the sponsors. When you support the sponsors. You're supporting us here at Classic conversations. And that's how we keep the lights on. And now back to my fabulous conversation with Michelle Danner. It's funny because like as I was doing the research and I grabbed the blurb for this, you know, in 19 6318 year old Patricia, we are attacked by Ernesto Miranda, and I'm like, it never occurred to me that there was a story behind it either. You just see it's like you don't I never knew Miranda was a name or something. I just thought it was what they called it, you know, I mean, like, so yeah, I'm fascinated. I can't wait to see this movie

Michelle Danner 14:05

through stories is about justice, true justice, personal justice, justice in a court of law. And finally, what's also incredible about this particular story, it's about karmic justice. It comes full circle.

Jeff Dwoskin 14:19

I can't wait to see I went in reading this the blurb die and I'm realizing that Miranda was actually the attacker it made me wonder like why do they call it the Miranda rights versus like name it after the person who was brave enough to get these protections in place

Michelle Danner 14:34

for that you have to watch the movie and you will find out

Jeff Dwoskin 14:37

all right, a little teaser everyone shall what's the process of you make the movie and then because I know I saw like in all your films like The or you're just you're winning Best Director this that you're in the festivals you're showing and all the festivals that on that circuit? Is that just part of the process to then get a distributor and when you make a movie and you get it made and then you have this this the process isn't getting it really seen before it gets wide releases

Michelle Danner 15:04

a lot of depending what movie it is, but a lot of movies, do a festival circuit, and win awards, and then get distribution, or they already have distribution of the offset, in our case, CIA's repping, the movie, and they're looking at distribution. And we'll know fairly soon where we're going to land. And when the movie will come out, I think probably the fall. And yeah, hopefully, it'll have a great life and people will want to see we've already gotten some really wonderful reviews. eeper.com give it a great review. And we have another I think another maybe 10 grade reviews that came out. Everybody agrees the ensemble, you know, it's just great acting. And Abigail Breslin is the spine of the story. And she carries it and you really feel her, you're with her emotionally. She was extraordinary to work with, and really wanted to tell this story. We actually, we had coffee, I sent it to her. She read it right away. We met the day after we had coffee. We looked into each other's eyes. And we said we're going to make this movie we're going to make you know, you can make a great movie. And so hopefully a lot of people think that it is you know, a lot of people I'm not going to you know, toot my horn

Jeff Dwoskin 16:19

a lot. Allow me allow me. Yeah, this is a quote off one of the one of the posts from your Twitter feed. This is a powerful story that will no doubt speak to a lot of people. And I think Danner has done the material that justice it so rightly deserves, boom. Awesome.

Michelle Danner 16:35

Thank you. Well, that's good. It makes me feel good. That because I was offered this movie I did you know on on a Sunday, I always remember when I got the email, I came into the study which where I am right now. And I looked it was like, Oh, interesting. And I answered right away. Usually I waked answer emails on Monday, but I'm the one that answered and said, Yeah, this is right up my alley, I thought these guys must know that I'm into crime stories, and you know, this kind of stuff. True stories. And so the rest, you know, it took steps, but I was able to inspire the executive producers on my vision for the movie. And the rest is history. It fell into place, which when you look back at your life, you know that sometimes when things are meant to be it falls into place, and when things are just not meant to be, you can push as much as you want, but it's just not going to happen. But this one happened.

Jeff Dwoskin 17:30

That was gonna be my next question. Actually. Did this movie find you? Where did you find it to people? Normally, this is your seventh film. Right?

Michelle Danner 17:37

Thanks. So I'm looking.

Jeff Dwoskin 17:40

I've lost track. I've lost track how many?

Michelle Danner 17:42

12345? That's my six. Number six.

Jeff Dwoskin 17:46

Okay, all right.

Michelle Danner 17:47

It will be a seven. I just got offered a big movie, which is not announced yet. But it's going to be announced at the end of this week,

Jeff Dwoskin 17:55

bought a podcaster. That. Wraps. So it's under wraps. That sounds so when you're directing, and the actors, Abigail, and Donald and all that kind of stuff, do you have to stop being a teacher, and you're being a director is there like a difference in being able to approach because now they're they're working for you, and they're in this film. So they're coming in as the actor that they are,

Michelle Danner 18:21

I believe there's a big difference I really do. When you're teaching, you're teaching, you're demonstrating, you're showing, you know, your students how to get there, you're giving them the blueprint, your script, analyzing it together, you're helping them to get into the character, when you're directing, you don't have time to do any of that. So you're much more result oriented. And also, you know, you're working with actors that have done the work. They're coming in with a full fledged character in their bodies, they've made certain choices, and you look at the choices and you say, okay, or, you know, if I can add to the conversation, apparently, there was a time where all the actors had a drink, and together, and they talked about how happy they were with the notes that I was giving them. I was happy that 100% of my actors to 100% of my notes, that's an art to know. So my son is a filmmaker as well. So he was shadowing me doing this production. And partly what he wanted to learn was how to talk to actors, which is why there's a lot of directing classes in this town, because directors are intimidated. They don't know how to talk to actors, there's a way to, you know, be able to inspire them to give the best of them. But more than that, to get an actor to take risks, because I believe that ultimately, that's the gold when an actor is able to let go to the degree that they really can take risks and make those raw choices. Those choices that are so outside of the box that are so non mental, that are physical that are psychological that are that grip you as an audience and to be able to create an environment, a safe place that an actor can get to that place inside of themselves. And they can let go to that degree. That is absolutely the objective.

Jeff Dwoskin 20:19

Awesome. So going back in time for a second, you grew up in kind of entertainment household, right? Your father opened a William Morris Agency in Paris, France did you grew up in France?

Michelle Danner 20:32

I did. I grew up in Europe. I grew up in France, in Paris in the outskirts, close to the OSI. My dad opened the first offices of the William Morris Agency in that William Morris Endeavor off the shawnzy Leesy. And I was very, very close to my dad, he was just a great father. And he would take me to the office often, and I'd play under his desk and I would just be be privy to all these wonderfully big stars coming in and discussing their careers, their dreams, their vision board. Also, as a very young age, I was attracted to readings, I would always bring books with me, I was an avid reader would go to libraries and bookstores and just, you know, love to read something that has followed me throughout my life, except, you know, when you live and you're busy, you have less time to read all the things you want to read. I had a wonderful childhood. It was a childhood that had a lot of art in it. I was very exposed to the arts and exposed to actors and performers, singers, dancers, they would come to the house, they would have like parties that would be like hours and hours on end, where they would cook food in the kitchen and play the piano and share poems. It was a great artistic childhood.

Jeff Dwoskin 21:42

Any particular actors, dancers, anyone there that would kind of walked into your dad's office and you're like, it just sparked like, I'm like, This is what I need to do.

Michelle Danner 21:52

Well, he had many conversations with ADP F and Marlena Dietrich. They didn't come into the office. I remember Julio Iglesias coming into the office. I remember Liza Minnelli I remember shawls has never before. You know the old timers, those Benny Goodman, Bill Haley, although he didn't come into the office, my dad spoke to him on the phone. There's a whole story there.

Jeff Dwoskin 22:15

To tell.

Michelle Danner 22:18

Villa Haley had a thing with my mom, when my dad took him on tour. But anyway, my mom and dad stayed with my dad, because then I was born. So there you go.

Jeff Dwoskin 22:29

So that's interesting. So you were exposed to the visions, the dreams, the goals of, of all these actors. And then ternal eyes that took on acting yourself, but then also then tried to help other actors reach their greatest potential of becoming the best kind of actor they can be. And you're acting school. Yes. And

Michelle Danner 22:51

I'm very happy that I have this acting school. You know, when I teach, which I'm about to teach a bunch of classes now coming up. Sometimes I have a great faculty of teachers, I'm able to take a break and go shoot a movie. But when I am not in production, I usually teach classes and sit down with my students individually, one on one and I think that everybody is happy to come together in a community because that's what young actors that are learning to act long for they long for community, they long for this creative family, they can join. And this is what we have created both at the Los Angeles acting Conservatory in the Michelle then our acting studio. I'm just so happy that we have that space that creative home.

Jeff Dwoskin 23:37

Can you explain to me the different acting styles because I know there's like everyone always kind of says which one they do like Meisner technique. Lee Strasberg, there's a bunch of others. I'm not mentioning at that exact moment. But I know your style is to kind of put them all together into a golden box to create a tool set. How does an actor pick? Which one of these are and how did these different styles evolve? And what draws one person to one and one to another? And your concept of pieces probably make up? makes the most sense to me like I'm a little bit this I'm a little bit that but can you take me through that a little bit? Each me?

Michelle Danner 24:13

Yes. I think an actor today that studies acting needs to learn about Stanislavski, who's the grandfather? The you know, it started with him. He and Russia decided he was going to study actors to understand what is great acting, what gives you that great acting moment, that great performance. And so he studied it and documented it in a series of books that can be studied and read by actors, the translation, sometimes not great. I think there's a new translation that's out and sometimes his concepts are a little esoteric to understand. Both Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg went to study with slaves Lasky and they both understood two different things. That's the news last he was a proponent of using your imagination that was still his belief. At least strasburg's belief was that that The actress should draw on their personal life. And the truth is, is that studies Lasky believed in both and that's why they both heard those two things. He believed in using your imagination and using your personal life. But then, you know, this literally, you know, big fight continued with Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg were you know, they just, you know, went out each other because they both thought this is the way you do it. No, this is the way you do it and both had very dogmatic approaches. And standing. Meisner had another approach when he felt that the most important thing which he's not wrong, is to get your get it from the other person, put your attention on the other person. And that is also the basis of what great acting is, you know, I studied with Stella and I studied the method and I studied the Meisner technique with Bill Esper in New York. And I came to the conclusion that I hated dogma. Dogma just made me want to run away, I rebelled against it. I don't believe there was only one way to do it the same way. You know, when I looked around for schools for my children, I believed in progressive education. I don't believe that in this outdated, you know, there's only one way No, because then my rebellious mind goes, well, what about this? Or what about that? Or what about that. So I think that it behooves the actor to just read and learn about everything, and take, you know, tools that speak to them technical tools, and how to build the character, how to break down the script, how to make the choices, and add them to the golden box that I call that only the actor has their key to their very unique golden box. And to that toolbox, you add the lessons that you learn when you work on set, when you work in the theater, life lessons, all of these go in that very unique, personalized, creative box. So this idea of everybody come to the middle of this heard thing, everybody be the same. There's no such thing when it comes to actors, every actor is unique. And so the approach the technique, the craft that they have to study is a craft that works particularly for them for their sensitivity for their instrument. So that's my belief in terms of how actors should pursue that foundation, that craft will follow them for the rest of their careers.

Jeff Dwoskin 27:12

So if people are on set, is this like over religion to them? In the sense, you know what I mean? Like, in the same way, like a Mac or PC, you know, not in this and like, you know, what they believe believe what you believe. So if they like, it might Yeah, it might seem coming up, she's Meisner, oh, God, you know, in this, Emily Rosberg in this scenario. They're like, Alright, let's get through this. Do they? Is there any of that, like, where are just when they come to the table, they just do their thing. And, you know, one of the things that's like, loud, you know, like, Brian Cox is always kind of knocking. Jeremy strong, Jeremy strong, right? He's like, I've never seen an actor like goes his acting technique. You know, he's just like, annoying. Yeah, I think Kendall Roy is amazing.

Michelle Danner 28:00

Well, whatever it is, that's happening between these actors offstage. And however, they you know, talk about their techniques is obviously working for whatever's happening in front of the camera. You know, the same way when athletes they play a game, and they you know, talk shit. They try and get into the psychology, you know, what's happening? You know, it works. Everybody, listen, everybody should do what they want to do. When actors come to the table to work on a project together. They do. There's a there's a phase, there's a where you feel each other out. You go, you know, what kind of what kind of a performer Are you? What kind of an artist Are you? How do you like to work, but the truth of the matter, and that's why what Sandy Meisner taught, it was very powerful. And even Sidney LeMay talks about it in his book on Making movies is that there's a common denominator to all those actors, with all those different techniques, whether they're classically trained, or whether they're, you know, the method, or is that to just simply breathe and talk and listen to one another? is the key to everything, but it is true. I think that actors, you know, sense a little bit, have a moment to see, you know, how do you work? Are we going to work well together, and it doesn't matter that you get along or don't get along. As matter of fact, there's been, you know, several things that have been written throughout the years about actors that despise each other, and yet had great chemistry on screen. By the same token, you could have actors to get along with each other very well and have very little chemistry together. So fireworks are good.

Jeff Dwoskin 29:33

Oh, yeah. Well, I mean, you're right about that I'm talking share with each other. I mean, successions succession is one of the best shows on TV, and they're both amazing and

Michelle Danner 29:42

brilliant. Brilliant. Brilliant. Yeah. Because they met EJ to tell us the story of a group of very unlikable people. And because I feel for them somehow, I mean, the one that I feel the most for is Jeremy Strong's character. And I think that because Jeremy strong does something Very, very good is that he has justified his characters need for love in a very deep way. And you feel that he needs this love from the very first season when he's running to that board meeting trying to overthrow everything. And he's getting out of the taxi, and he's the car and he's running, running, running. You know, you just feel ultimately, it's not his need for power. It's his need for love, and acceptance. And we can all understand that.

Jeff Dwoskin 30:28

Absolutely. Excellent analysis. All right, Michelle. That's what you do, right? Yes,

Michelle Danner 30:35

that's what I get paid the big bucks to do when my kids tried to screw me over. And I say, Well, no, it's really this is what's going on. I say to them,

Jeff Dwoskin 30:46

sorry to interrupt last time, I promise. But we have to take a quick break. And we're back with Michelle Danner. So can I ask you about a couple of actors? I'll ask you about ones that were on your Twitter feed and honestly ones that you worked with, because I'm sure that's a little tighter relationship. You on your Twitter feed. You were talking about Brendan Frazier's amazing turn in the whale. And so you know, that's I think everyone loves that. They're going from Encino Man to, you know, to this. Unbelievable.

Michelle Danner 31:12

Oh, great. I was talking to somebody who was saying that everybody knew from the moment that movie came out that he was going to win the Oscar. Everybody knew that.

Jeff Dwoskin 31:20

It's interesting when you watch when I watched I'm blanking on names, because I didn't. Jessica Chastain when I watched Jessica Chastain and the Tammy Faye movie. The second night that movie was over. I'm like, that was one of the best performances I've ever seen. Like it like to me like I felt like oh, she's gonna win. And it's rare though that you watch something and you feel that close to it. Like where you're like it. I mean, that's, I think a real special thing when you witness that firsthand. And Brendan Fraser for sure. Add that as well. That's right.

Michelle Danner 31:49

Sometimes you feel when I saw the movie coda, because I knew the act of Troy katsu or consorts, how you say his name, who plays the father in Kota, I emailed him right away, and I said, you're going to win an Oscar for this performance. And he did I was right. It has to do with a certain authenticity, it has to do with a certain certain veins that you pop. It has to do with, you know the degree to which you go somewhere inside of yourself. And you make people feel it.

Jeff Dwoskin 32:17

Yeah, Kota. That performance again, yeah, you're right, another one. Absolutely. Incredible. And then you also had a Damian Lewis was on your feed as well. He's amazing as well.

Michelle Danner 32:29

Yes. I love Damian Lewis. He is one of my very favorite actors. I hope one day to work with him.

Jeff Dwoskin 32:36

You've worked with tons that Chris Rock, you're the one that said, Chris is your repeat everything you say?

Michelle Danner 32:43

Chris Rock was great. But he also taught me about life, gave me great advice on how to raise my kids. I'll never forget that. One of these days, I owe him a big letter of gratitude.

Jeff Dwoskin 32:54

Can you share that advice?

Michelle Danner 32:55

Yeah, you know, and I remember watching a documentary a long time ago, the race to nowhere about a certain parenting style, a certain parenting philosophy, which is, you know, to let let them breathe a little bit, don't have to push and just, yes, you orchestrate for them, you mentor them, you send them to school, you create all kinds of extra activities, so that, you know, they find the thing that they love to do. But ultimately, it's okay to let them have a period of time where they do nothing, and there's no pressure on them to do it. And so I've really, truly followed that. I just let them be. I think that really works. There'll be plenty of time in your adult life, to feel the pressures of life and want to do chins up and raise the bar and be driven and go after it. You know, I remember that actually, was a message that my dad had sent me it was an advice that my dad shared with me. He said, You don't have to rush to get it all done. It's okay, just breathe. And I follow that right down to how I drive. And I run into sometimes somebody muscular arises and they pass me and they you know, beat because I'm maybe not going fast enough. And then we both end up at the light at the same time. Except that person I look, they're super angry and, you know, and I'm just really calm. Because, you know, I don't feel that you have to do all that. You'll get there. It's okay.

Jeff Dwoskin 34:23

I agree. That's some very wise words. Oh, you worked with Seth MacFarlane.

Michelle Danner 34:29

Yes, I loved working with Seth MacFarlane. He was he was wonderful. He's obviously such a brilliant mind and talent and I love everything that he does.

Jeff Dwoskin 34:39

So brilliant. He's good. And the Orville, you did a good job. Let's talk about some of your other movies, shall we? Hello. Herman with Norman Rita's. This is a pretty serious topic as well about school shootings. Yeah,

Michelle Danner 34:53

that was something that I good friend of mine. John buffalo Mahler. The son of Norman Mailer wrote the screenplay. And it was about a school shooting. And obviously, we've gotten more school shootings since then, you know, at that time when he wrote it, but this was on the heels of Columbine. And I did want to tell that story. One of the things that I'm drawn to a theme is our children falling through the cracks and adults not being there for them enough. And so tragedies happen. And that theme runs, you know, rabid throughout some of my work, including another movie The runner, but it was just, I was so happy that Norman Rita's came to do the movie. He was another actor that was just phenomenal to work with. He and I get along really well. And you know, we tried to say something in this movie, a lot of people ended up seeing it when it came out. Unfortunately, it also came out months after what happened in in Sandy Hook in Connecticut. And that, you know, we obviously have such a problem with this in our country, and just Nashville just happened, which I can't even bear to look at it. It's just, it's just devastating. And it just breaks my heart. And I did a movie about that subject matter. It was a difficult movie to make.

Jeff Dwoskin 36:07

Yeah, I can imagine. Where is it available to stream,

Michelle Danner 36:11

I think on Amazon, Amazon. Its people say it's really powerful. I so this was the movie I did before the band at home. And so I remember doing a bunch of test screenings, and people felt gutted at the end of it. And I thought, and then I did test screenings for the band. And then people were like, so happy and such in a good mood. I thought to myself, I think I like to do comedies. People are, you know, just so much happier when they walk out of the theater. I just had to do hello, Herman. I wanted to say what I wanted to say in that movie,

Jeff Dwoskin 36:42

I imagined lighter fare with Jason Alexander and how to go out on a date and Queens. So that

Michelle Danner 36:47

was my first movie that was the equivalent of going to film school. I knew nothing, except I didn't know how to work with actors. But I learned about lenses. I learned about a color palette. I learned about a lot of different things. It was a great experience.

Jeff Dwoskin 37:06

Cool was Jason Alexander, Jason Alexander I, from what I've heard, he knows how to do everything. Was he helpful? ever being your first well,

Michelle Danner 37:14

Jason Alexander was the best to work with. He ended up staying way over time because he was so generous. And we can more siano which was one of my students. I was his first teacher, Enrique mercy piano, had a couple of scenes with him. And Jason stayed, so he could do the scenes with him. Now, Enrique and I have stayed in touch all these years. I watched him and bloodline I've watched him and without a trace, I've watched him and so many things that he's done. And every time I was getting ready to cast a movie, I called his agent to see his availability and he was always always booked. And so the same thing for Miranda's victim. I wanted to cast Enrique and so I called his agent good. Nope. He's doing the night agent, which is the number one show right now Netflix until July. I was like, shoot, really? And so I called him Rick. I said, just want you to know that I tried to call again to get you to come work with me. And Enrique whoa, wait a minute. He goes, That's okay. I'm going to get them to kill me off so I can come do this movie. And then rica came he came to do Miranda's victim. He plays detective Cooley the main detective on the case that goes after Justice for Patricia Weir. And Enrica gets like just wait till you see his performance. Oh my God, such a great performance. So he was in my first movie, you know how to go on a date and queens and he's in my latest movie. And I adore him. He's an incredible talent. And I'm sure that he's going to continue to give birth to some great things.

Jeff Dwoskin 38:47

That's awesome the year so you're building up your stable you got your like your go to people were close. I was Ron Perlman to work with.

Michelle Danner 38:57

Yeah, Ron Perlman was great. He's, you know, a great actor, as we know and talk about his body of work. He was he was fun. We had those scenes, which was a lot of fun.

Jeff Dwoskin 39:07

Tell me about working with the late great all Sorvino and bad impulse. I know he had a smaller role. And the bandit Hound is a chilly as the chief of police. But you also did bad impulse.

Michelle Danner 39:20

He told me when I sent him the script. He told me that he knew immediately how to play this character. And as my fact that I took my kids to Disney World, and I remember being on a ride. And Paul is calling me on it, you know, like up and down inside was Hi, Paul, can I call you back? Well, I just want to tell you that I really liked the script that I'm going to do it and I was just great. And, you know, he came and it was vintage pulsar V now. I was so so sad when he passed away because I mean, he passed away working he was you know, shooting something. You know, there's some actors that will just go out doing the thing that they love doing the most. You know, he was is one of them. Another great actor he will never forget, you know, his his scenes in in Goodfellows. You know that tomato sauce?

Jeff Dwoskin 40:09

I could watch that man cut garlic 24/7.

Michelle Danner 40:12

Exactly. Yeah. Slice garlic

Jeff Dwoskin 40:16

at left off of the In Memoriam.

Michelle Danner 40:18

Yeah, that was very upsetting every year they miss people. I don't understand how that happens.

Jeff Dwoskin 40:23

Is there not somebody just in charge of keeping the list and a Google sheet or something? You think it wouldn't be that hard?

Michelle Danner 40:30

Yeah, you with me? How can you leave out? Possibly? No, it doesn't make any sense

Jeff Dwoskin 40:34

not to negate somebody else. But they got the writer from the show from 40 years ago. You know, I mean, I but then how do you forget Paul Sorvino. I mean,

Michelle Danner 40:42

they need to look at these oversights, because they're just some people that they can't they can't leave out when they left out. Robert Blake to I don't know if that was, it was a reason for that.

Jeff Dwoskin 40:53

You think they could just crowdsource it to here's the list we got? Anybody? We're missing, folks? You know, I mean, people could just put it in, because they always say we don't have time. We ran out of time. So you had time you didn't have to cut to Lenny Kravitz for five minutes when there was no one on screen. You know, I mean, it's like your time you get to fit them in. So it's, I imagine devastating because, anyway, sorry. I just, I got triggered. So what's, what's next?

Michelle Danner 41:19

Well, I'm developing some projects, then offered this big movie that I've signed on to do. I'm working on an acting Book and teaching. And we're going to continue to do the festival circuit. We have several festivals that are coming up. We're going to WorldFest Houston at the end of April, and then a few more after that. And so yeah, I'm just doing I'm excited to just take one day at a time and see what what everything brings. I just keep working.

Jeff Dwoskin 41:46

Well. I don't know how you fit it all in. You're amazing. And I appreciate you fitting in this interview and spending time with me. It was great. I enjoyed it. Thank

Michelle Danner 41:54

you so much for having me. Thank you.

Jeff Dwoskin 41:57

All right. How amazing was Michelle Danner director acting teacher? I learned a lot in this episode. Definitely check out the band at Howard and blue angel who made a guest appearance early in the show who we're gonna I'm talking to Blue Angels agent. We'll have blue angel back for a full episode. Great in that movie. It's a real fun family film. If you're looking for something to watch with your family can't wait to see Miranda's victim. Sounds amazing. Michelle Danner makes incredible films go and support all of her body of work. If you need to become an actor. Check out her acting school, Michelle danner.com For all that goodness. All right. Well, this episode has come to an end. I can't believe it either. So thanks to Blue Angel. And of course my super special guests. Michelle Danner next episode is number 250. Yeah, Bert Ward's coming back to the show. That's gonna be fun. Huge thanks to Michelle Danner. And of course, huge thanks to all of you for coming back week after week. It means the world to me, and I'll see you next time.

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