Acting: The Roles of Ego, Truth, and Imagination

Matt: 00:00:00

Well, hey everybody.

Matt: 00:00:01

Welcome to this edition of the Faith and Family Filmmakers Podcast.

Matt: 00:00:06

Uh, my name is Matt Chastain.

Matt: 00:00:07

I was cast in the role of your host today, since we're talking to an actor, David Thompson, I'm going to try to talk into the, into those terms, in terms of acting.

Matt: 00:00:14

So, uh, really excited to be here with you guys.

Matt: 00:00:17

Uh, David, thanks so much for, for joining us on today's podcast.

Matt: 00:00:20

And I'm just really excited to have a conversation about your story.

Matt: 00:00:24

that's what we'll do in the first episode.

Matt: 00:00:25

And I think in the episodes.

Matt: 00:00:27

We are going to dive into what I'm going to nerd out into is the craft of acting.

Matt: 00:00:31

So thanks so much for joining us, man.

David: 00:00:33

Thank you, it's a privilege, and this is gonna be fun.

Matt: 00:00:36

I gotta tell you this, if you're listening to this, you may not see it, but one of the great things about David that I know makes him a great actor is your eyes, man, your eyes are piercing.

Matt: 00:00:44

I'm sure that's a great tool for you.

Matt: 00:00:46

I'm looking into you, I'm like, I'm mesmerized.

David: 00:00:48

got that from my mother.

David: 00:00:49

My brother has the same eyes, and everybody says, You two are brothers, aren't you?

David: 00:00:53

Well, yeah, we are.

David: 00:00:55

You know,

Matt: 00:00:55

Have you ever seen these videos where Angelina Jolie has a similar eye color?

Matt: 00:00:59

And they'll set actors down in front of her and try to make eye contact with her and they just, they can't keep eye contact with her because that color eye is just, I don't know, it's so piercing and it's overwhelming for people.

Matt: 00:01:09

So

Matt: 00:01:10

that's what I thought of it.

Matt: 00:01:11

You ought to, you ought to play that game with people, see if they can stare you down.

Matt: 00:01:14

Well, David, uh, let's, I want to talk a little bit about kind of your background and, and how, how you got into acting in the first place.

Matt: 00:01:21

of the things that I read about you is that you didn't, You've not camped out permanently in Hollywood, where, you know, in the center of the acting world.

Matt: 00:01:28

So, how does one get into acting, living in middle America, and more importantly, how do you stay there?

David: 00:01:33

well, I'll tell you my story.

David: 00:01:35

What happened was, I've drawn, you know, paper, pencil, ink, everything, since I was a kid.

David: 00:01:41

And so, eventually I set my sights on Disney to be a Disney animator,

David: 00:01:45

okay?

David: 00:01:46

Yeah, and I love to draw still.

David: 00:01:48

It's just, it's so healing and such a soulful experience.

David: 00:01:52

So, uh, one day I got home, when the phone was at home, and my mother left a message.

David: 00:01:57

And I picked it up and I said, you know, Hello, Mom, um, you sounded excited about something.

David: 00:02:03

What is it?

David: 00:02:03

She goes, Well, over in Richmond, uh, Michigan, they're having a Wizard of Oz audition.

David: 00:02:08

You know, stage play.

David: 00:02:09

And I go, Okay, she goes, why don't you try out?

David: 00:02:13

She was always there for me, always encouraging me, pushing me, and I got very nervous even over the phone I said, I'm not good in front of people.

David: 00:02:20

My drawing board is my stage, you know, and then she said this, Would you do it for me?

David: 00:02:27

And I said, you had to pull that out, didn't you?

David: 00:02:29

Okay, that's fine.

David: 00:02:30

I'll do it for you.

Matt: 00:02:31

She pulled the mom card on you.

David: 00:02:33

Amen, absolutely, and as only they can do.

David: 00:02:36

And so I went there.

David: 00:02:38

I was so nervous.

David: 00:02:40

I was sweating bullets and you know, um, but they were very nice to me.

David: 00:02:44

Really nice.

David: 00:02:46

And since I was a kid I used to do Saturday morning cartoon voices.

David: 00:02:49

You know, I can do like a hundred or more of them.

David: 00:02:52

So I just thought, okay, this is very, everybody knows the Wizard of Oz, and so I tried out for the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Lion.

David: 00:03:00

no, not the Lion.

David: 00:03:00

I'm not big enough.

David: 00:03:02

But then, I tried out for the Doorman.

David: 00:03:05

Who rang that bell?

David: 00:03:06

Okay.

David: 00:03:07

they cracked up, and I go, what?

David: 00:03:11

This is weird and fun all at the same time, you know.

David: 00:03:14

So then they, gave me the role of the Doorman.

David: 00:03:17

And over the next two months, you know, it's a musical, so it was, um, a lot of work.

David: 00:03:22

A lot of work.

David: 00:03:24

but on opening night, I went out there for the first time.

David: 00:03:26

It's the first time in front of an audience.

David: 00:03:28

You know, live audience, right there.

David: 00:03:30

And, the first words that came out was what I did, who rang that bell.

David: 00:03:35

They cracked up!

David: 00:03:37

And I go, I had to stay in character, but, you know, in the moment, but it's like, Whoa, this is so cool, you know.

David: 00:03:44

And afterwards, after it was all over, it was standing room only for like two weeks, then, they said, how do, how do you do that voice?

David: 00:03:51

I go, I don't know, but it was great!

David: 00:03:54

You made me cry, you made me do this and that, and I go, this is amazing.

David: 00:03:59

Lord, you know I love to draw, but, uh, lead me, because I don't know what I'm doing.

David: 00:04:03

I don't know what I'm doing.

David: 00:04:05

Tom Hanks, when he first did Myths and Monsters, he didn't know what the heck he was doing.

David: 00:04:10

He was a college dropout, and he stood out the field waiting for instruction, and to this day goes, I didn't know what I was doing, but they told me what to do, so I did it.

David: 00:04:19

You know, now your, your question is, Matt, um, how did you stay in it?

David: 00:04:25

Two things that I always tell myself and ask God for help and tell my students is, um, consistency and discipline.

David: 00:04:34

It's like, I'll go as far as this, okay?

David: 00:04:36

It's like a marriage, okay?

David: 00:04:37

If you're not consistent, things are going to show up.

David: 00:04:40

If you're not disciplined with that consistency, you're not going to be quote unquote successful or even more importantly fulfilled.

David: 00:04:48

You know, so every day, whether you like it or not, you need to do what you need to do and don't think you know it all, like the Bible says, learn from ordinary people.

David: 00:04:59

I love people.

David: 00:05:00

I love people almost to the point of tears, and that's how Jesus is, you know, and, it's like, I'm not saying I'm Jesus, I'm saying I, I try very hard every day to, you know, push yourself out of the way, and you do that in the way of, when you're learning about a character.

David: 00:05:16

The character needs you.

David: 00:05:18

You don't need the character, that's called ego.

David: 00:05:21

Okay?

David: 00:05:22

Edging got out.

David: 00:05:23

but, and also, I, I say this too, you, you're starting a fire here, I gotta warn you.

David: 00:05:28

there is no such thing as rejection.

David: 00:05:31

Rejection is redirection.

David: 00:05:34

It's not that you're not gonna feel the hurt or the dismay or whatever's going on because you put your heart out there.

David: 00:05:39

But you got to realize with your mind, because your emotions need direction, it's a redirection.

David: 00:05:45

Oh, they didn't like me, maybe because of my look, maybe because of my tone, whatever.

David: 00:05:51

But it's a business.

David: 00:05:53

You show, and then there's a business connected to it.

David: 00:05:56

The heart of a butterfly, the, the hide of a rhino, you know, you gotta maintain those

David: 00:06:02

. Matt: That's gotta be the number one challenge for actors, because actors are sensitive people.

David: 00:06:07

And I say that I'm, I'm an actor myself, and I seem like the least sensitive person in the world until you start talking about my acting.

David: 00:06:14

And that's very difficult to have constructive criticism about your acting performance it's like you can say anything you want about me, but, my creation, uh, my writing, and.

David: 00:06:24

You know, and I'm much more sensitive about that.

David: 00:06:26

And so, of course, that's going to be the biggest, uh, hindrance.

David: 00:06:29

If you can have that skin of a rhino and have that consistency and that discipline, then you'll get where God wants you to go, right?

David: 00:06:37

And you know what, I gotta jump off what you just said, there's so much truth in it.

David: 00:06:41

Um, Family is everything to me, okay?

David: 00:06:44

God created the family first, Adam, Eve, and then they had kids.

David: 00:06:47

I teach, like, acting's all about self discovery.

David: 00:06:49

The more you discover yourself, the more characters you can play.

David: 00:06:52

But I always tell people, I say, look, God gave you talent.

David: 00:06:56

Absolutely, 100%, I can see it, it's wonderful, it's amazing, and you direct it right and it shines for him.

David: 00:07:02

However, you've got to maintain a life of your own, okay?

David: 00:07:08

Adhere to your family, your friends, quote unquote normal things, okay?

David: 00:07:14

And then you are always fulfilled.

David: 00:07:16

You can't get water out of an empty well, you've got to fill yourself every day in order to give that overflow to other people, you know?

David: 00:07:25

And, there's no room for laziness or idleness.

David: 00:07:29

I'm pretty staunch on that with myself and with people that I teach, you know.

David: 00:07:33

does that make sense?

Matt: 00:07:34

that makes total sense.

Matt: 00:07:35

I'm just wanting to just sit back we're going to talk afterwards about how I can hire you to be my life coach.

Matt: 00:07:40

you do a lot of acting coaching, right?

David: 00:07:42

I'm a life results coach with Tony Robbins, so I've learned acting is life, life is acting.

David: 00:07:47

anything that is less than life is indicating, pretending, happy Halloween, you know, or, I've seen actors, you know, the flicker of their eye, and I've done this.

David: 00:07:58

I did this once on a set in, it was a nursing series, um, in New York, and I looked at the camera.

David: 00:08:06

I just looked at it.

David: 00:08:07

I didn't even know I looked at it.

David: 00:08:09

And they say, cut.

David: 00:08:10

they come up to me and go, you were looking at the camera.

David: 00:08:12

I go, no, I wasn't.

David: 00:08:14

And they said, yes, you were.

David: 00:08:14

I said, no, I wasn't.

David: 00:08:16

Yes, you were.

David: 00:08:17

And finally, I thought, okay, who am I talking to that can kick me off the set?

David: 00:08:20

okay, I agree.

David: 00:08:21

Let's try it

Matt: 00:08:22

You

Matt: 00:08:22

gotta go to Video Village.

Matt: 00:08:23

Did I do?

Matt: 00:08:23

Oh my gosh, I did.

Matt: 00:08:26

Man.

Matt: 00:08:26

Now, let me ask you this.

Matt: 00:08:27

Do you, um, cause I know you've been on Law Order, you've been on some things we would recognize you on, so you've been on some mainstream content.

Matt: 00:08:34

you done, and forgive me for not, digging too far into your IMDb, but have you done a lot in the faith movie category?

David: 00:08:40

I recently did one, film, uh, Nightwatch, it's called.

David: 00:08:44

And it was done in Michigan, Detroit, Michigan, actually.

David: 00:08:47

Um, last year, October of 2024.

David: 00:08:51

You know, and they're still in post, and I keep, contact because, well, number one, I'm anxious.

David: 00:08:56

Hey, I need this for my acting reel, and I just want to see how I did.

David: 00:09:00

You know, um, but I, I played a police sergeant, I had to do a sex trafficking, it was very well done.

David: 00:09:06

Uh, it was freezing cold all day that day.

David: 00:09:09

I couldn't wear a coat.

David: 00:09:10

Ha We were outside.

David: 00:09:12

face was numb, you know, but sometimes you have to, suffer through it.

David: 00:09:17

You know, it's a project and that's part of being dedicated.

David: 00:09:20

But yes, that's a really good movie that I did.

Matt: 00:09:23

Suffering, that's, I'm glad you brought that up.

Matt: 00:09:25

That topic has come up a lot lately.

Matt: 00:09:28

Last night I was, um, kind of leading a panel, a discussion panel at our church, kind of an apologetics discussion.

Matt: 00:09:33

and we're talking about, big question that everybody asks, you know, why does God allow suffering?

Matt: 00:09:38

a lot of don't understand that suffering is actually a blessing, right?

Matt: 00:09:42

and let's break it down.

Matt: 00:09:45

I know actors, I know Geoff Fahey.

Matt: 00:09:47

He's an actor who's just been in about everything.

Matt: 00:09:49

I

Matt: 00:09:49

mean, he's Longmore Man, he was, you know, he was in Wyatt Earp, Geoff Fahey's just a brilliant actor.

Matt: 00:09:55

Uh, we had him on a movie we, did here in Athens a couple of years ago, and, and when he showed up, we learned that, before he, takes a role, he fasts for 48 hours right before he arrives on set, he's been fasting for 48 hours.

Matt: 00:10:07

That is, that, that's suffering.

Matt: 00:10:09

Um, but it's suffering, for the, the purpose of growth.

Matt: 00:10:12

And, and the performances he gives after having fasted are just mind blowing.

Matt: 00:10:16

And, and I get why.

Matt: 00:10:17

So, um, it's interesting that you brought up the topic of suffering.

Matt: 00:10:20

Because I think suffering as an actor makes you way better.

Matt: 00:10:23

It's, it's such a blessing to suffer while you act.

David: 00:10:26

I am going to, with your permission, I'm going to use this on myself, Matt, what you told me, um, to fast.

David: 00:10:33

I'm going to suggest it too.

David: 00:10:35

is spiritual, absolutely, but a spirit man, woman living in a body, so your body actually benefits from that.

David: 00:10:42

It clears it out and more clarity and everything else.

David: 00:10:46

wow.

David: 00:10:46

There's an acronym that I made up.

David: 00:10:50

I believe, no, I don't believe.

David: 00:10:51

I know that God dropped it in my mind.

David: 00:10:53

It was like, A few years ago, quite a few years.

David: 00:10:56

But pain, P A I N, persistent action is needed.

David: 00:11:01

Persistent action is, present tense, needed.

David: 00:11:06

You cut your finger and you look at it?

David: 00:11:07

No, you go get some alcohol or a band aid or something and then you, you know.

David: 00:11:11

It's an alert system is what it is.

David: 00:11:13

So suffering, no one likes suffering.

David: 00:11:16

But I always say Jesus had to suffer for us, right?

David: 00:11:21

to say the least.

David: 00:11:22

And so when you compare your suffering to his, it's like, I'm sorry.

David: 00:11:26

Help me to get through this then.

David: 00:11:28

Because, you know, and it does, it makes you more mature.

David: 00:11:32

it's just the way it is.

Matt: 00:11:33

It puts you in a better state of mind to do the job that you have to do.

Matt: 00:11:36

Any job that you have to do.

Matt: 00:11:37

It's certainly acting, because people don't understand the mental process required to forget yourself enough to become the character so that your character is telling everybody the truth.

David: 00:11:50

Yes, it's the truth.

David: 00:11:51

Um, I'm filled with acronyms.

David: 00:11:53

God has really blessed me.

Matt: 00:11:55

ha.

David: 00:11:55

ACT.

David: 00:11:56

Always choose truth.

David: 00:11:59

Always choose truth.

David: 00:12:00

and when you choose it, then you focus on it.

David: 00:12:03

And then, hey, I'm not like this character.

David: 00:12:05

Okay, that's alright.

David: 00:12:06

That's called, being uncomfortable.

David: 00:12:08

But dig deep anyway, you know, so you can emulate that character because he or she or it is relying on you You know to evoke that in that that minute little twitch of the face that cameras catch Immediately

Matt: 00:12:23

Yes.

Matt: 00:12:24

Oh man, you're speaking my language now.

Matt: 00:12:25

wanted to wait till the next episode to get into it, but I can't, I can't.

Matt: 00:12:28

I've, I've got to talk more acting with you in this and we'll keep going into it.

Matt: 00:12:31

I've always, I've heard people say, you know, acting is just lying.

Matt: 00:12:33

if you're an actor, it means you're a good liar.

Matt: 00:12:35

And I'll say that's absolutely not true.

Matt: 00:12:37

I'll say For me, and I'd love to know if, if this is, if you share this opinion or if you have kind of different take on it, but for me, acting is lying to yourself so convincingly that you're telling everybody else the truth.

David: 00:12:48

you got to give me a moment.

David: 00:12:49

That's true Michael Douglas said it's lying and at first, you know, it was like a slap in the face and I go wait a minute, Mike Oh, wait a minute.

David: 00:12:57

It's Michael Douglas.

David: 00:12:57

Okay, I'll listen.

David: 00:12:58

So you have um It's imaginary circumstances.

David: 00:13:03

Here's a really basic thing, okay?

David: 00:13:06

And I appreciate everybody that works, Does something, okay, to serve.

David: 00:13:10

So, you're at work.

David: 00:13:11

You don't want to be that greeter at Walmart.

David: 00:13:13

You don't want to be, uh, working as a waitress that particular day, okay?

David: 00:13:18

However, you have to, quote unquote, lie to yourself and put on that smile and get out there and play that role to the point where you are.

David: 00:13:30

You please your boss, your own business, whatever you're doing, then when you get home, you get back to yourself, you know.

David: 00:13:38

And then you, oh, I had a rough day, so, you know.

David: 00:13:42

Or, I had a great day and, you sit down and you're yourself, you know.

David: 00:13:46

But it is, it is lying, but it's not a bad lie.

David: 00:13:49

It's, um, God gave you an imagination.

David: 00:13:53

You know, like the Bible says, um, the heart is, um, Um, I'm paraphrasing, I'm sorry.

David: 00:13:58

The heart is wicked, who can know it?

David: 00:14:00

Answer?

David: 00:14:01

God knows it.

David: 00:14:02

Imagination is not bad.

David: 00:14:04

Thank you, Thomas Edison, for inventing the light bulb.

David: 00:14:08

had to, he, he, you know, he

Matt: 00:14:10

That's right.

David: 00:14:11

and experiment.

David: 00:14:12

That's imagination.

Matt: 00:14:13

A hundred percent.

David: 00:14:14

yeah,

Matt: 00:14:15

So, maybe we should reframe it then.

Matt: 00:14:17

What if we said that, acting is, we wouldn't call it lying, we would call it accepting a set of, a set of perspectives that is completely outside of your own.

Matt: 00:14:27

Mm hmm.

Matt: 00:14:27

believing them to the point that you're telling everybody else the truth.

David: 00:14:31

I like that.

David: 00:14:31

That's good.

David: 00:14:32

Um, a Christmas party, and it's a family get together, and families have dysfunction once in a while.

David: 00:14:41

So you go to the Christmas party, and you're with your wife.

David: 00:14:43

And you walk in there, and you see people.

David: 00:14:45

Ah, I haven't seen you in a while, blah blah blah, right?

David: 00:14:48

And over in the corner, there's your uncle.

David: 00:14:49

Oh no.

David: 00:14:52

Now honey, listen.

David: 00:14:54

What?

David: 00:14:55

Put on a good smile.

David: 00:14:56

We're here to have a good time.

David: 00:14:58

Don't ruin it.

David: 00:14:59

You see this in movies all the time.

David: 00:15:01

So you go over.

David: 00:15:02

Hey , Uncle Joe!

David: 00:15:04

How you doing?

David: 00:15:06

What do you want?

David: 00:15:07

I just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas.

David: 00:15:10

Yeah, yeah.

David: 00:15:12

I'm gonna go get a drink and you know what?

David: 00:15:14

We'll talk.

David: 00:15:15

And then you don't talk.

David: 00:15:17

It's imagination.

David: 00:15:18

It's it's staying in the moment.

David: 00:15:21

If you want to be literal, it's staying in the moment.

David: 00:15:23

The moment you come out, I don't know about you, but on stage and on film, so many learning curves I've had.

David: 00:15:31

You jump out of the moment and you know it.

David: 00:15:33

You know it.

David: 00:15:34

Or you're listening, or you're listening for the cue and then you miss it.

David: 00:15:39

It's a very delicate balance.

Matt: 00:15:41

It's such a hypnosis.

Matt: 00:15:43

And that's the, that's the drug of acting.

Matt: 00:15:46

And it makes you want to do it over and over again.

Matt: 00:15:47

When you're in the right space when you have abandoned your own perspectives and accepted the perspectives of that character that you're supposed to lend yourself to.

Matt: 00:15:57

when you hear, forget who it was, was talking about this.

Matt: 00:16:00

It was a brilliant actor.

Matt: 00:16:02

He was just talking about how, when, when he hears the rhythm of, okay, everybody ready, camera is rolling.

Matt: 00:16:08

That's almost this meditative.

Matt: 00:16:09

He goes into, uh, it's almost hypnotic now, yes, this other world is There, but it's a, you're now in a dream.

Matt: 00:16:17

You're now in this, and that is absolutely the, and I've had scenes that I've done on film that it was just me performing it just didn't feel great.

Matt: 00:16:26

And, and then I've had scenes on film when I'm truly in this, hypnotic state.

Matt: 00:16:30

And I, I can completely see it in the reality of the performance.

David: 00:16:34

Yes, what you just said, it's, Takes my words away but for the sake of the audience, I'll say something.

David: 00:16:39

I know exactly what you're talking about.

David: 00:16:41

it's getting away from yourself.

David: 00:16:44

You know, I'll as far as this.

David: 00:16:46

Um, I'm a Christian man, and I always, Endeavor to try to relate to the Bible as it relates to me and how God walks with you and things.

David: 00:16:54

But you know what?

David: 00:16:55

I'm a Christian.

David: 00:16:56

And I say it very reverently, Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, he had to deny we have the sun, okay?

David: 00:17:02

And it's Gethsemane, he had deny himself.

David: 00:17:04

He had to deny himself, okay, for the sake of us.

David: 00:17:09

He could have, he could have said, no, this is too much, So in the same way, to the point where you've studied the script and you've done the roles and rehearsals and all that stuff and worked with me or whoever coach you have, and then.

David: 00:17:24

You know this person enough to where you're more comfortable with them.

David: 00:17:28

And then you can deny yourself a lot easier because this person has become more important, kind of like a father to a son or daughter or a mother to a son or daughter.

David: 00:17:36

This is more important.

David: 00:17:38

are more important than me.

Matt: 00:17:40

especially in this moment.

David: 00:17:41

Yeah, absolutely, 100%.

David: 00:17:44

I call it like the sweet spot.

David: 00:17:46

played this uh, psychopath once a play, you know.

David: 00:17:49

And

David: 00:17:50

I, I, have a hard time killing a spider, you know.

David: 00:17:53

But I was, I was up there and I didn't know what happened to this day.

David: 00:17:58

But I knew I connected with the audience.

David: 00:18:00

I was doing something.

David: 00:18:02

I was approaching someone and I stopped and I looked and there was a indescribable hush over the audience that I, to this day, I can't figure out.

David: 00:18:12

But the director in the audience said, David, you're way too scary.

David: 00:18:16

You scared me.

David: 00:18:17

And I

David: 00:18:17

go,

Matt: 00:18:17

a

Matt: 00:18:18

beautiful compliment.

David: 00:18:19

Yes.

David: 00:18:19

Yes!

David: 00:18:20

I did it.

David: 00:18:21

Yeah, exactly.

David: 00:18:22

let's do it again.

David: 00:18:24

And then you can't let the ego go Do it the same way the next day, you know, that's where discipline comes in because it's so easy to lean on your I did really good

Matt: 00:18:35

Right.

David: 00:18:36

You know, no yesterday was good, but it's gone forever.

David: 00:18:40

Time can't Time can't be

Matt: 00:18:41

You know what I'm learning from you right now?

Matt: 00:18:43

What I'm learning from you right now is that Christ followers, people who are truly able to deny their selves, die to self, um, kill your own ego, I can see why Christ followers could, should be better actors.

Matt: 00:18:57

Because that's what you're doing.

Matt: 00:18:58

You're able to, have, I got to take my ego, put it aside and, you know, in your day to day life, it's, I need the ego of Jesus to live through me.

Matt: 00:19:06

In this play, I need the ego of that psychopath to live through me.

Matt: 00:19:09

Right?

Matt: 00:19:10

So Christians, that's the best tool for acting that, we should have.

David: 00:19:15

That's beautiful What you said?

Matt: 00:19:17

Well, that was your idea.

Matt: 00:19:17

I just reset it.

David: 00:19:18

No, I liked how you said it better.

David: 00:19:20

That's wonderful.

David: 00:19:22

Yeah, and then you know what?

David: 00:19:23

It's like I'm getting pretty deep here

David: 00:19:26

But it's your fault.

David: 00:19:27

Okay, so we have, we have the sun, okay?

David: 00:19:30

that's wonderful.

David: 00:19:31

It's great.

David: 00:19:32

I love sunshine.

David: 00:19:33

However You go to the moon.

David: 00:19:34

How does the moon light up?

David: 00:19:35

It's through the sun.

David: 00:19:36

The moon doesn't have any, any power to light up.

David: 00:19:40

So in the same way, S O N, we allow Jesus to reflect off of us, which gives a glow towards other people, and they go, Moses, what's all over your face?

David: 00:19:50

I can't look at you.

David: 00:19:51

You know, from the Old Testament.

David: 00:19:53

and then they see something.

David: 00:19:55

You know, I was, I've been accused once, I was playing a detective in a film, an independent film, and I overheard something.

David: 00:20:01

But around the corner, they were talking about me.

David: 00:20:03

And they didn't know I was there.

David: 00:20:04

It was two in the morning.

David: 00:20:05

And I just was walking, thinking about my role and stuff, and then the scene, and preparing.

David: 00:20:10

And I heard, David's really cool, but there's something strange about him.

David: 00:20:15

He doesn't swear.

David: 00:20:17

And I looked around the corner, and I was friends with the director.

David: 00:20:21

I go, that's because they think swearing is dumb.

David: 00:20:24

There's so many other words you could use in this lifetime, and you're only guaranteed to give so many.

David: 00:20:29

Why mess it up?

David: 00:20:31

You can act without all that blah, blah, blah, you know?

Matt: 00:20:35

Mm.

Matt: 00:20:36

So as an actor, if you have a role that, say you're in a film, and you have a role that requires swearing, is that something that decline to do?

David: 00:20:43

Well, I've said, um, pardon me, I've said damn.

Matt: 00:20:46

Mm hmm.

Matt: 00:20:47

Mm.

David: 00:20:47

And hell, you know, there's a fine line, okay?

David: 00:20:50

God can use anybody, anytime, anywhere, okay?

David: 00:20:53

But there was one time when I played a, um, a restaurant owner, and um, there was F words, F bombs everywhere.

David: 00:21:00

And I, I stepped back, and I've taught my students this, I said, It doesn't hurt.

David: 00:21:04

Once they accept you, relax a little bit.

David: 00:21:07

I know you're still nervous, but they've accepted you.

David: 00:21:10

So, I said, you know, um, I respect what I read and things, but I think I could do a better job.

David: 00:21:15

Is there any way that, uh, we could drop some of the F bombs here and there?

David: 00:21:19

Because it interrupts the whole flow, let alone its profanity.

David: 00:21:23

But it interrupts the whole flow of the character, because he's all inside himself, and I can't, Get inside his heart because all that stuff is in the way.

David: 00:21:32

It's a bunch of garbage.

David: 00:21:33

And it doesn't reveal, hey, this guy is angry because he doesn't like his job, he's doing it because he has to, and he's miserable, but it comes out, fear often comes out a lot in anger.

David: 00:21:46

Or just, I'm stressed.

David: 00:21:47

No, You're afraid.

David: 00:21:49

No, I'm stressed.

David: 00:21:50

It doesn't matter.

David: 00:21:51

Fear is nothing to be ashamed of.

Matt: 00:21:53

Yeah,

David: 00:21:53

something to be addressed, that's all.

Matt: 00:21:55

that's brilliant.

Matt: 00:21:56

That is brilliant.

Matt: 00:21:57

yeah, I, I don't know where I fall on that.

Matt: 00:22:00

I'll be honest with you, I made a movie, and in that movie, I said the phrase, Oh, hell no, at one point.

Matt: 00:22:05

And that movie won Best Picture at the International Christian Film Festival.

Matt: 00:22:09

because my character in that moment would say that word.

Matt: 00:22:12

And obviously, I'm not going to drop a bunch of F bombs.

Matt: 00:22:15

Um, certainly not in a, don't know any film that's that's kind of exploring certain levels of Christianity, um, but it interesting to kind of hear different people's perspectives on, you

Matt: 00:22:24

know, as Christians, should we take roles that, that, like in a Christian movie.

Matt: 00:22:28

For instance, a lot of the, uh, criticisms would be that the bad guy.

Matt: 00:22:32

Doesn't really come across as a real bad guy.

Matt: 00:22:35

He's a Christian antiseptic version of a bad guy, right?

Matt: 00:22:39

He says, Oh darn.

Matt: 00:22:40

Okay.

Matt: 00:22:41

Yeah.

Matt: 00:22:41

That's a gangster from Guatemala City is going to say, Oh darn.

Matt: 00:22:44

you know, so I, where do we find that line?

Matt: 00:22:46

You know,

David: 00:22:47

fine line.

David: 00:22:48

I would say, and I've had my students do this, you know, well, David, I'm praying about this role.

David: 00:22:54

Okay, in the meantime, let's rehearse it and let's go over it.

David: 00:22:56

Your audition's coming up.

David: 00:22:57

But I get it.

David: 00:22:58

I know what you're saying.

David: 00:23:00

But let God know, ask and he shall receive.

David: 00:23:03

He knows, but he wants you to communicate.

David: 00:23:06

Lord, what do you think about this role?

David: 00:23:08

You know.

David: 00:23:08

Or, hello, um, in advance, Lord, in 2025, um, please send me roles that glorify you.

David: 00:23:15

That kind of sums it up right

David: 00:23:16

there.

David: 00:23:18

You know.

David: 00:23:19

But it has to be the truth.

David: 00:23:20

I mean, if you're playing a drug, a drug you know, a person addicted to drug or alcohol and things like that, and I've said this before, I'll say it again, tell me if it makes sense, please.

David: 00:23:28

the more you deny an emotion, the more it shows, because you're trying to hold back.

David: 00:23:33

But the whole synergy, the whole energy wants to desperately come out,

David: 00:23:37

a person that is in control like that, abusive, has the power, especially with the cringing wife, you know, they don't have to do anything.

David: 00:23:45

All they have to do is look at them.

Matt: 00:23:47

Hmm.

David: 00:23:48

And you know what I mean.

Matt: 00:23:49

Hmm.

David: 00:23:50

something like that.

David: 00:23:51

Then it's so powerful,

Matt: 00:23:53

Mmhmm.

David: 00:23:53

takes over the whole screen.

Matt: 00:23:55

100%.

Matt: 00:23:56

I think DeNiro, I heard him say that, he said, acting is, Feeling the emotion, because you are the character, but suppressing it because that's what people do.

David: 00:24:05

That's what people do all the

Matt: 00:24:06

Absolutely.

David: 00:24:07

a drunk, they're not going to be wandering around, you know, tripping over their own They're going to steady themselves as much as they possibly can.

Matt: 00:24:15

Don't be Otis from Andy Griffith.

David: 00:24:17

Ha Otis!

David: 00:24:18

I love Otis!

David: 00:24:19

Andy Griffith

David: 00:24:20

. Matt: That's a good place to end the first episode, I'm really looking forward to coming back with you in the next episode.

David: 00:24:25

We're going to dive a little deeper.

David: 00:24:26

What I want to talk to you about in the next episode is I want to really dig into advice for Christian actors, both, you know, how to approach roles the Christian film world, and then how to approach acting as, as actor in Christian movies, but just an actor who is also a Christian.

David: 00:24:43

Cause you, you've done both, right?

David: 00:24:45

Actor who's also a Christian who may be in the world of Hollywood, who may be doing mainstream TV.

David: 00:24:49

So that's, that's what we're going to talk about next time.

David: 00:24:51

But thank you so much, David.

David: 00:24:53

This has been phenomenal.

David: 00:24:54

I've really, really enjoyed this and we can't wait for next time.

David: 00:24:57

you very much.