Stage 32 presents char·ac·ter
Stage 32 is proud to bring you the festival favorite char·ac·ter and offer exclusive, never-before-seen interviews with your favorite actors.
char·ac·ter: the film
"Exquisite... conversations crackle with wit, humor and insight..."
LA Weekly (Ernest Hardy)
"This is a valuable record of significant individuals articulating the workings of the creative process."
Film Journal (Frank Lovelace)
I met Dabney Coleman at Dan Tana's restaurant in West Hollywood back in December of 2001, and we've become close friends over the years. During that time I had been auditioning and doing some theatre around town.
It was always a treat, and still is, listening to Dabney lament about acting and the friends that he came up the ranks with such as some of the guys in the film: Mark Rydell, Charles Grodin, Sydney Pollack, and Peter Falk.
One day I said to Dabney why don't we just take a camera, I'll follow you around, and we'll talk to all these guys about acting and make a documentary about it.
He was a bit hesitant but eventually he started to get jazzed about the idea and said let's do it and I'll call the guys for you. We talked about how we would do the interviews, where we would do them, and what questions to ask. I also pulled in some very close friends to help produce the documentary and from there the project just started to evolve. But Dabney was the one who opened the door for us and gave us access. I knew Harry Dean as well but not as close to him as I was with Dabney. Dabney put a great deal of trust in us.
I was pretty nervous stepping into this project, I think we all were. I was really nervous when we walked in to Sydney Pollack's office. That was a little nerve racking to say the least. I didn't know what I was doing and I didn't want to say the wrong thing. Pollack had such a presence. He taught acting at The Neighborhood Playhouse. He was Dabney's teacher.
It took a little while to get all the guys together for the interviews. The majority of the interviews were done at everyone's home. We also traveled to New York to film Dabney at the Neighborhood Playhouse and Grodin in Connecticut. The peer relationships, the dynamic of Dabney as the interviewer created an ease amongst the guys, a familiarity, a second hand. It just unfolded organically and there was never a second take. It's and honest film and I'm very proud of that...
- Drago Sumonja
char·ac·ter features Dabney Coleman, Peter Falk, Charles Grodin, Mark Rydell, Harry Dean Stanton and Sydney Pollack.This unique and inside glimpse at this revered collective exposes as much about each individual as it does about acting.
*Featuring last-known interviews of Peter Falk, Sydney Pollack.
char·ac·ter: the interviews
Bringing you into the living rooms of legendary actors and directors for candid and insightful dialogues on life and acting, this incredible new series from filmmaker Drago Sumonja will offer insightful interviews from some of the greatest character actors such as:
Alfred Molina · Robert Forster · John Savage · Sydney Pollack · Jack Klugman · Charles Durning · Dabney Coleman · Peter Falk · Charles Grodin · Burt Young · Rutger Hauer · Bob Gunton · Charles Napier · William Sadler · Nick Searcy · Joe Morton · Ernie Hudson · Ed Begley Jr. · Bill Duke · Mark Rydell · Doug Jones · John Diehl · Henry Winkler · Peter Mark Richman · Dom De Luise · Dan Lauria · Edward Asner · Stephen Root ·Billy Drago · John Doe · Scott Wilson · Eddie Jones · Richard Riehle · Saul Rubinek · Larry Moss · L.Q. Jones · Geoffrey Lewis · Mike Fenton · Robert Loggia · David Paymer · Bruce Smith · Robert Easton
char·ac·ter: Burt Young
This was the very first interview we did when we started this project. Mr. Young is a soft spoken and humble man. He is intense and passionate about life and his art.
char·ac·ter: Mark Rolston
My friend John Carroll Lynch put us in contact with Mark Rolston. I suggested to John to come along and interview Mark. I thought that this might bring out an interesting peer dynamic relationship in the tone of the interview.
char·ac·ter: Rutger Hauer
The first part of the morning we spent interviewing Alfred Molina then headed to the set of a new film Rutger Hauer was working on. We waited for him to finish his lunch and then he emerged.
char·ac·ter: Bill Duke
I've alway been intrigued by Bill Duke. One of the most humble and straight forward human beings I've ever met. He is passionate about not only his work but his fellow man. Such integrity. Those eyes of his say it all. He is the real deal. This interview took place at his home in Los Angeles.
char·ac·ter: Robert Forster
Mr. Forster is one inspiring gent. He was very forthcoming and held nothing back as you will see in this interview. The feeling I had was as though I was sitting down with my favorite teacher listening to him pour out gold after gold. It is no wonder why Robert has had the career and respect of his fellow colleagues for many years.
char·ac·ter: Alfred Molina
Alfred Molina is a great actor and a great guy. I spoke to him on the phone the day before we met and he was so generous and humble. Our producer, Shawna Waldron, worked with him on a television series years prior and thankfully for her we were able to interview him. Alfred is an actor's actor and I have great respect for him. His passion and dedication to acting is inspiring as you will see from this interview.
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