Forget horror icon, Kety Bates is an icon. She’s an acting icon. I was raised on so many of her films, everything from Misery to Fried Green Tomatoes to Delores Claiborne, all films that I’ve watched multiple times and been inspired by.
In that Freak Show environment, I got to spend time with so many of the actors who were part of that world. I just had the best time ever.
I took movement classes that I wore my double-breasted suits to. I worked on my elocution because people spoke differently then. I was really trying to toe the line. I think that if I had spoken exactly the way that people spoke back then, it probably would have alienated people.
What is ultimately motivating the character?
I see myself working, making a living and doing projects that I’m passionate about, regardless of the medium.
Kids aren’t born to be bullies, they’re taught to be bullies.
Look, none of the artists who I admire or respect have ever shied away from a role because it might make them unpopular with somebody.
My parents raised me right, so I always open doors for people and try to have good manners.
The best experience for me at CMU was being on stage so much, getting that comfort ability and learning that technique you can use with any type of work because you’re comfortable with it and know your skill as an actor.
I like characters with flaws, who have shadow.
I’ve been a con artist since I was 16 and trying to get my dad to buy me a car. I never succeeded, but I learnt a lot of tactics.
My standard uniform is a T-shirt and jeans.
I pretty much got busted for everything, but I definitely stretched out my boundaries as a kid, as well.
I’m a pretty chill person. I’m kind of a homebody and I like to just hang out with friends and have dinner. I’m not, you know – I’m definitely not Neal Caffrey in the sense that I’m not, you know, drinking a $500 bottle of wine at a nightclub. I’m just – I’m pretty chill.
If youre wearing suits and you want to create your own sense of style, get to the tailor.
Anybody who is rude to anyone in the service industry is automatically out.
If you gave your best to what you were given, at the time, it’s going to play out how it’s going to play out.
You can’t please everybody. There’s that old saying that there’s no sure formula for success, but the only sure fire formula for failure is to try to please everyone. You’re not going to do that.
When you really put your heart and soul into something, the temptation is to try to be in control of circumstances, however you can, and looking and seeing how people are responding.
Having done television for almost 20 years now, a pilot is kind of like a rough draft. It’s like bringing people into your ultrasound and hooking up to the monitor and going, “Isn’t my baby beautiful?” “Yeah. I can only see the outline of it, but it looks like it might be.”