There’s a very candid interview with Oscar nominated actor Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire, Revolutionary Road, Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys II, etc.) in the current issue of Malibu Magazine. I just wanted to share one excerpt with you that addresses the notion that as a crazy genius, scared-stiff artist, you are not alone:
“I always show up at the beginning of a Boardwalk Empire shoot, thinking I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing. I’m scared, I don’t want to be here, I’m not right for this—all the terror we all experience. But then I sit in the makeup chair, and they do my hair, and I stare in the mirror I think, “maybe I can pull this off.” I look at the script and think, “well, it isn’t really that many lines, if they give me a few tries, they can find enough good versions to cut it together. I think I’ll be fine.”
Then he courageously steps in front of the camera, fear and all, and just does the work!