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The Protectors® Podcast
Welcome to The Protectors® Podcast, where the valor meets the storyteller. Hosted by Jason Piccolo, a seasoned veteran and retired special agent, this series is a must-listen for anyone intrigued by the courage and tales of those who pledge to protect us. Beyond the front-line stories of bravery and dedication, this podcast goes a step further, weaving in the perspectives of those who bolster and narrate the protector's journey—featuring a remarkable lineup including New York Times Best Sellers and acclaimed Hollywood actors.
The Protectors® Podcast offers a diverse array of voices, from those who wear the uniform to the authors and entertainers who amplify their stories. It's a unique blend that highlights not only the raw realities faced by our protectors but also how their sacrifices inspire the narratives we cherish in literature and film. Each episode is a testament to the interconnected worlds of service and support, bringing listeners an unmatched depth of insight.
Dr. Jason Piccolo is a retired federal agent, former U.S. Army Infantry Captain (Iraq 2006), and author.
Past Guests Include:- Sean Patrick Flanery - Andrews & Wilson- Mark Greaney- Stephen Hunter- Remi Adeleke - Florent Groberg - Clint Emerson - Travis Mills
The Protectors® Podcast
#449 | Michael Broderick |The Craft of Acting: Insights from Marine Turned Actor
Michael Broderick joined The Protectors® Podcast to talk about acting career, serving in the U.S. Marine Corp, and giving back. You have seen Michael in everything from True Detective to NCIS.
Don't miss our riveting conversation with renowned actor, Michael Broderick, as he unveils the discipline instilled in him during his Marine Corp days, and how it fueled his acting career. Not one to shy away from sharing his journey, Michael opens up about the fascinating trajectory from a Marine to an actor, and how art has the power to manipulate emotions. He fondly reminisces about the impact of movies, television shows, and music on his life, and his burning desire to be a part of that world.
Rolling the lens towards the craft of acting, Michael shares the essentials of intense concentration and deep empathy for the character. He recalls his experiences from the set of 'True Detective', shedding light on the dynamic between the feds and the cops on the show.
We discuss Michael's deep-seated appreciation for CreativeVets, an organization that uplifts veterans. His article in Semper Fi Magazine is a testament to his inspiring journey into acting, and the unique elements that make this craft so special. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who loves a good story, enjoys acting, or is simply curious about the world behind the screen. So, tune in for an engaging conversation packed with awe-inspiring insights and entertaining anecdotes.
Make sure to check out Jason on IG @drjasonpiccolo
Welcome back to the Protectors Podcast. Another incredible, excellent, just a good dude guest today Michael Broderick. What's going on, brother?
Speaker 2:Hey Jason, how are you man? Great to be back on the show. It's been a while.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it has been a while.
Speaker 2:I don't think I was even great at that point, man. Now I'm like an old hermit in Nashville. I left LA and I'm like got my long hair and my beard.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, if you listen into this, you need to take a look at the IG or something. Take a look at what Michael looks like now. The last one, I think, was fathers and sons. We did the OIG, oh that's right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I had already let the hair go gray at that point, yeah, but it was shorter, much shorter. This is absolutely the longest I've had my hair in my adult life, for sure.
Speaker 1:Now with the tour. How does that do like? Are you willing? I mean because the last time I saw you on TV you were with what NCIS Hawaii.
Speaker 2:No, I did a guest star on New Amsterdam, the NBC hospital show, and they practically shaved my head for that. It was very short, but that was the last time I cut my hair.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because I think NCIS Hawaii, you had a little scruff going on with that. I had a beard for that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I had a little beard and the hair was kind of growing. But I'd always let whatever show I was on, I'd let them cut my hair however they wanted, I didn't care. And since I was usually playing a military role of some sort, or LEO or FBI, whatever it was, typically they'd keep it kind of within regs. And for New Amsterdam it was another military role. So they wanted to chop it off. I was like, yeah, whatever, just chopping off, and I'd been growing it for a bit. When I got a job on Quantum Leap which hasn't aired yet but I'd do another cop role, but I was afraid they were going to cut my hair and I kind of wanted to grow it to see where this could take me for some different roles.
Speaker 1:Get the Sam Elliott wrap. Yeah, I was going to say the Sam Elliott wrap. Man, the voice is good man, but that voice man, that Sam Elliott.
Speaker 2:He's way down here, man, you know what's funny.
Speaker 1:He probably had that full gray and long hair. He's probably only 25 in Roadhouse, right, he was 14, actually, yeah, he was 14. And he had that long ass gray hair. He's like 50 years unbelievable.
Speaker 2:I've always been a big fan of Sam Elliott man. I love his work. I just love his kind of you know I have no idea what the guy's beliefs are, but what he seems to represent, you know, that kind of old timey, classic, rugged individualism. You know what I mean. He always plays these great roles that are, you know, kind of that's like you're like, that's a guy I'd like to be.
Speaker 1:You know, I need to finish 1883 with him.
Speaker 2:I haven't seen that yet and I got it, but I'm still making my way through the original Yellowstone. So yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, brother, the reason I wanted to have you on was Semper Fi Magazine, you know. I know we've had because we've talked a bunch of times about your time in the Marines and how you really needed that discipline and you're a young kid man. But you've gone, you've done so much since then and now you like to be on the cover of something like this. This is huge man. It was a it was a.
Speaker 2:It was a great honor to be asked. There's a fellow by the name of Mike Searson. Who Searson? I only, I only I've only read his name. I, you know when I, when I met him, it was just Mike. Mike Searson.
Speaker 2:He's a former Marine, he's a writer. You'll see his work in recoil magazine, semper Fi and a bunch of bunch of different magazines. But when he asked, he said they want to do this, this cover stories, like could, could he interview me? I said yeah, man, I was absolutely on board. You know it's the magazine.
Speaker 2:For those who aren't familiar, semper Fi is the official magazine of the Marine Corps League and I'm a member of the Jersey, jersey, short attachment, because that's where I'm from originally. So kind of, you know, if you're going to join it to attachment, you want it to be like your hometown, you know. So I'm a member there and it was just exciting to be asked. And then I thought they did a great job on the article. You know, no-transcript. It was kind of cool to look back on some of the things I've done since service, you know, and talk about those with Mike a little bit. And yeah, man, when it came out it was really, really nice. I've never been on the cover of a magazine before, so that's a really cool experience, you know, and I can't wait to get my hands on a hard copy. It's online right now. I don't know whether they've mailed out the hard copies yet.
Speaker 1:You know, one thing about it is I always think, like when I think about you I think about, like a lot of the actors, like of past days. You know, like your Ernest Borgnine's, your, like so many Stuart, everybody that had that military background and you can kind of see how it parlays into their career. It's almost like you know, in the movie business it only by better off just to hire more people with the act that came from the military background, because one it's not just a discipline, it's time management, it's about getting someone that's on set, someone's going to know, like I see what you mean.
Speaker 1:But yeah, you know what I mean, man, it's discipline.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I think that that falls under the discipline thing. But yeah for sure, man, respect for for respect for the clock, for Pete's sake, especially in the entertainment industry. Man, you know, time is money. It's a cliche, because it's true. So you don't want to be late, you want to be. You don't even want to be on time, you want to be early, and that's you know, as a Marine, that's, that's what we're all about.
Speaker 1:That's been cool. Did you guys do like an in person or a telephonic interview?
Speaker 2:Well, I'd actually met him years ago in and at shot show and we'd kicked around the idea of an interview back then. But then this time we and you know, and we, you know, I did kind of a little impromptu interview in the media room at at shot show, which was fun. But then we, you know, we totally basically pulled some from that but totally redid it for for this new, for this issue, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:My life goal has been to be in a magazine. Wow, look like, seriously, I mean, that is like I don't know if it's like it's just something about being in a magazine man because, like growing up I'm obviously I love books man. I read all the time, listen all the time, do whatever I can to get that. Like books, nonfiction, fiction, everything but magazines man. I used to have subscriptions to everything and now, like, I mean to see your face on the cover man. That's pretty badass.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, it definitely would have been cool. I don't think, I don't think Semper Fi goes out like on shelves, I think it's, it's sent to members. You know like kind of like first freedom. You know the NRA magazine, you know it's only sent out to members. But man, I remember as a kid going down to the, down to the, down to the Crousers or the or the what was Cumberland Farms, where those little convenience stores, you know that were walking distance when I was a kid, you know we'd go down there and pick up, like Surfer magazine or you know, mad Magazine, skate was it skateboarding magazine?
Speaker 1:Like dude, I got to get these tracker trucks. I remember I ordered my bike at Dino. Remember Dino bikes man, I ordered a Dino from a magazine.
Speaker 2:I don't remember the ones that were big when I was a kid. I got a few years on you. The BMX bikes were big when I was a kid were Mongoose and red line, although I never. I never got it. I never got heavy in a BMX. But also, you know, we didn't have a lot of money. So basically, I took my bike that it's like this purple bike that I had gotten when I was six, because all of us in our family, when you're six years old, you got a bike, you know, and you learned to ride it and you had a banana seat, you know and like those handlebars and everything.
Speaker 2:And so I took the banana seat off and I put like a BMX seat oh, I could afford, basically was a BMX seat to make it look like a BMX bike and we used to jump, you know, down at Merritchie Park in my hometown, you know all these dirt jumps and stuff back in what they called the dumps. It wasn't a, it wasn't a trash dump, it was a. You know where they bring all the, the, the leaves every year and like so yeah, I don't call it like a land, not a landfill you know what I'm saying?
Speaker 2:Yeah, no they're big piles of dirt and lumber and you know uh huh branches and all that Jersey man.
Speaker 1:How much Jersey made it to brother. Yeah, you know.
Speaker 2:New Jersey. There you go. Yeah, we used to call it the dumps. You know we go back there and we jump, jump our makeshift BMX bikes. It was fun.
Speaker 1:When did the music start with you? Was that after the Marines or before the Marines?
Speaker 2:It was before the Marines man. I got my first guitar in 1982 when I graduated eighth grade. I the summer of 81 was when MTV first came out, right, and I remember. I remember waking up one day during the summer it was like August of 81 or something and I just flipped through channels before I go down to the beach and and I see there's like music on like the who was on. You bet, you bet right, and I'm like I'd never seen the who. I was familiar with them because I used to like jump around with like a tennis racket, you know, like air, air guitar and to won't get fooled again, and stuff, and they'd be on the radio. So I already liked their music. But I was like, oh, this is the who you know. You know, I see Pete Townsend, he's doing these like windmills and stuff and I was like this is awesome, you know. So I'm all amped up. I watched that for a while. I go down to the beach, come back at the end of the day I'm like, oh, I want to go to that channel. There's more music and they play like you better, you bet like three more times before I go to bed Because like they had like 10 videos at that point in rotation, you know. And and that was it, man, I said, I said I want a guitar and I got my first acoustic guitar. Then, you know, when I graduated the next year 1982.
Speaker 2:And yeah, I started playing in bands, or actually I started singing in bands and then, you know, was learning to play guitar and started playing, started playing some bands by the time I was junior in high school, you know. And then even in the Marines I had bands we played. I was, I was, I did a float on the USS Nassau, which is LHA, you know, for Helos and Harriers, and they had a band room next to the gym and you know, with all this equipment and drums and whatever, and I had brought my guitar. So we had a little band on the boat and we played on the hangar deck one time they had like a, like a I don't know hangar deck picnic or whatever you know and we played out in Haifa in Israel and that was awesome, we just just doing cover songs, you know. And then later, when I got back and I played with a bunch of artillery guys then, but when I got back to New River where I was stationed, I started putting together a band. We used to play the officers club and the enlisted club and play out on the town in Jacksonville and yeah, it was a good time, man. We you know all covers.
Speaker 2:You know I was never much of a songwriter and then when I went to New York to I got out of the Marines. I went to New York to be an actor but really kind of didn't know what the hell I was doing, you know. So I ended up meeting this guy who was putting together a band and you know this is 1992. And we were going to bring punk back, you know, because it was all grunge at that time. So got in this punk band and we gave it a good run. And but you know it was shortly after that Orange County and all that stuff which we didn't even know what was going on, but that blew up with like Green Day and all that stuff. So we were kind of behind the curve but you know it gave it a good run. I played, played guitar in New York for about 10, 12 years, something like that Then moved to LA to become an actor.
Speaker 1:Now, when you were in the Marines, was this acting thing? I know we've covered this before, but I want this is like kind of refreshing everybody about your career Because you've had an incredible career so far. To me, I think it's still it, I think it's just beginning, man, it's like one of those things like it's a We'll get into in a minute about this one. Actors always Dennis Farina.
Speaker 1:He didn't start to like stab you in the neck with a pencil, whatever it's like it was like 50 something years old before he started like really acting. But yeah, yeah, like when you were in the Marines, though, like were you doing anything creative? I mean, obviously, probably playing a guitar and singing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I was, I was playing in bands, but Creative like as far as acting or nah, no, there wasn't, there wasn't an outlet for that. I mean, I was, I was a goofball, you know. So I did entertain the, yeah, my fellow Marines, but no, I wasn't, you know, there just wasn't time for that man. Our operational tempo was pretty, pretty high. You know, I served during peacetime, but it was still, I think, at the time, hmla 167, which was my, my squadron. We I think we were the, the we had the highest operational tempo in the Marine Corps and I believe that that also contributed to the highest divorce rate in the Marine Corps. Now, somebody could check those numbers because, you know, we didn't have internet back then. We just know what what word on the street was. So, yeah, that was a, we were hard chargers.
Speaker 1:You know when did this acting bug kick you?
Speaker 2:when I was a kid, you know, I did a Gosh, I don't, I don't know. I, when I was a kid, I loved all. I loved Dick Van Dyke, I loved all those movies like Chitty, chitty, bang bang and Mary Poppins and all that stuff and I just, I just thought it was great, I just wanted to. It looked like the best thing in the world, you know, and it is. When you can get the work, it's awesome. But I just wanted to, I wanted to do that.
Speaker 2:I think you know what started out as as being starved for attention. You know, look at me, look at me, right. But you know, once I actually got to the point where I'm actually doing it and you start to really learn the craft of, you know of acting and, and it's, it's an art man and it allows you to share, share things inside that you wouldn't necessarily do otherwise and allow. And really, you know, I don't know if I've said this to you before, but it there is, there is a, there's access to power and being able to influence, to be able to change the way people feel or or Manipulate people's emotions. You know, and I don't mean that in a in a bad way, I mean in the best way possible. You know, like when you, when you see an incredible Painting or hear a song that just makes you want to weep, you know there's power in that and that's that's intoxicating to me. So to to, that's certainly part of it, that part of the attraction for me, just to kind of I remember what Movies, what affect movies and television shows and music have had on me in my life and it's always been Even when it's awful, it's always. It always fills you up you know what I mean and leaves you better.
Speaker 2:I think it on the other, on the other end of it, and I just wanted to, I wanted to be a part of that. So, yeah, ever since I now I couldn't have said that when I was a kid, but I think that was certainly part of it. You know, I just knew it made me feel great and I wanted to make other feel people feel great. So that was the beginning of it. And you know I did Plays in school and high school and we had a, we had a great community theater they still do in Spring Lake, new Jersey and I did, you know, plays during the summer and all that stuff. And then, you know I, then I went off to the Marine Corps at 17, so that kind of put the kibush on that for a while. But I fully intended to come out of the Marine Corps and go be an actor in New York. You know, just didn't work out that way. It's a later.
Speaker 1:The thing, like I started noticing this probably in the past few years is because, like, I think a lot of us get that that creative bug, that we want to do something Creative, whether that's behind the screen, in front of the screen or writing or whatever. But when you start watching films and like when you look at an actor who could just change a scene just by the look in their eye and how it's realistic, you can kind of see where they're going with it. It's not just always about the voice, it's about the whole. There is so much going on Behind the scenes and behind the actors eyes than just the voice man it's so it's so cool to watch.
Speaker 2:Well, that's really what it is about it. It is all in the eyes, you know it's. I was coaching an actor, an actor, recently for the for the first time. You know I'm trying out my legs as a coach and and and he had some experience, you know, in some like local theater and things like that. And you know I I took, I take for granted all the things that I've learned over the years. You know what I mean. And somebody who doesn't have as much experience Like realizing that it really is all in your eyes, especially on camera and stage, is a little different, because you know You're far away often, but when that camera gets in there, it's all about what's going in your in, on in your head.
Speaker 2:You got to be thinking the thoughts of the character, you got to be fully invested, Otherwise it's, you know. But when somebody is absolutely invested, you know thinking the thoughts of the character and like fully loaded emotionally, the camera just eats that up and therefore so does the audience. You know what I mean. So, and that's that's what was it Meisner said I think the thing that separates the great actor from the actor is is intense concentration, caring deeply about what the character cares about, and the ability to go for the jugular on stage or the will, forgive me, the willingness to go for the jugular on stage, but that uh, yeah, I think that sums it up intense concentration and caring, not just caring about what the character cares about, caring deeply about what the character cares about, and you know, your, your, your eyeballs tell that whole story. You know when, when the camera hits them.
Speaker 1:So that's important the favorite type of photos, a favorite type of anything. I like to look at our people. You know, landscape is cool. It's great, I love it. But when you look at someone and like you take a photo of them or you see him behind that lens and stuff and you're seeing like the reality of their face, the lines in their face, experience in their face when it comes to acting, you could definitely see who someone who's like invested in this role or invested in your career, rather than just like a tertiary thing. We're like I think I've become an actor. No, it's someone like. When you watch someone, it's like like holy crap, man, it's like a real art, it's like really, because when you bring up the emotion thing to me, yeah, I'm like an IMD database. I love movies. I'm always watching movies. I love it because of the emotion and if it's a crap movie, it's hard for me to watch it because I need to see something. It's I need to see like real acting.
Speaker 2:Right, well, yeah, it's funny, real acting.
Speaker 1:Listen, I love high concept. You know, you throw some like Michael Bay blows some shit up, I'm good. Oh, no, yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:But, but, but I think you nailed it, though. There is nothing like feeling like you're living through those same things via this, this Person on the screen, you know, and that's always. That always comes down to the emotion of it, and I'm not even saying it has to be Super emotional scene, it just has to be invested. You know what I mean? Well, that brings it like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was gonna say they bring it up to one of your roles Was like the true detective man that were true detective was I. Just there was something about that show man. It just a really like kind of Cripsia and if he put that, that must have been like whoa.
Speaker 2:Come on, man, you're talking about Nick Pizzolato, who's one of the I think he's one of the greatest writers out there, you know, and he's just the guy's a genius, I think, and so talented and to be able to like be a part of that, say his words was really Gosh milestone and certainly a high point for me. But I I Finding that character John Bowen was was easy for me and it wasn't a heavy lift. You know, my character John Bowen was just there to kind of help facilitate things, help move the plot along, you know, and Just add a little more scale to it. But you know, in support of Marshal Lee and Stephen Dorff, their characters, and Finding that was fairly simple, I played a Fed who was Thrust into this, you know, as part of it, as part of a task force with these local cops who are really at the heart of the case, and so you know, the the classic Fed versus cop Dynamic is always, you know, the cops resent the feds because they got the. You know the higher authority apparently.
Speaker 2:But I Tried to just take it as look, my goal is here to support In whatever way it is. I want to get past all the BS right. Of course it's gonna be a little rivalry, things like that, but I wanted to be a team player. I'd push back when I needed to push back, when I thought that Wait a second. You know maybe we're going about this the wrong way, but but otherwise I was there in a support role and I was gonna do that. So that was kind of easy to find health. You know, I was in the Marine Corps, I did logistics and embarkation. I was in support role. Then I've been in support role Practically my whole life you know.
Speaker 1:Well, the thing is, you was like being around, like, so you're one of those to me, you're one of the someone it's always learning.
Speaker 2:Always hopefully, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've. You know, I've seen like let's just follow you for the past years. Man is like, when you get into these big productions and you're like looking around or what are you picking up on the most Like, are you like always learning or are you just kind of like I did? I'm gonna go back to my trailer and chill.
Speaker 2:That's a good question. Well, I always certainly always try to be learning, but, yeah, sometimes there's limited opportunity for that, you know, because you know set works moves really fast and if you're on set you're part of what's going on. You got to be attentive to what's you know, attentive to your work and your job. However, uh, sometimes, when things are moving a little more slowly, I like to. I watched the number one, I watched it the you know the actor who's number one on the call sheet and watch what they do and I watch the way they. There's a big responsibility to be number one on the call sheet. You set the tone for the work environment. So I watch them so that you know when I get an opportunity to be number one on the call sheet. You know I take the good things, I leave out the bad.
Speaker 1:I dig it man. One thing that I really dig, too, is what you got going on next is helping out with veterans to get into acting man.
Speaker 2:Well, look, this is a new. Thank you for bringing that up. By the way, this is a new venture for me, just as a brief kind of pre-preglute to this. I kind of got the bug for teaching when I recently donated some hours of coaching private coaching to the Liv Morrow Foundation, who is a student at my old high school. She passed away. She was a big part of the drama club and her parents started this foundation to raise money to support the drama club at my Alma Mater Manusquan High School in New Jersey, and so my old principal had called me and said hey, you know, do you think there's something you could do for an auction we're having? I said, yeah, I'll offer coaching. So I offered five hours of coaching that people could bid on individually or as a block, whatever, and so when somebody bid on them, they got them, and so we started working together and I was like, wow, I think I have some things to pass on, some experience.
Speaker 2:So there's an organization here in Nashville called Creative Vets. It's creative with a TS on it, so it's kind of creative vets, creative vets, and they mainly deal with songwriting and visual arts, sculpture, painting, things like that poetry. They do a lot of work. Just a little bit about them. What they do is they'll they facilitate songwriting and other arts for veterans struggling with trauma or moral injury, right, something to help them deal with that in a healthy way and kind of, you know, get some of that out in a creative way and in a positive way and they'll bring in. You know they bring in like famous country artists and stuff that'll come in and write with with the veterans and they'll they'll perform and stuff. And so I had heard of them before and I drove by them once and I was like, oh that's, that's a. I just saw them on the Super Bowl or whatever. So let me pop in there see what they got going on.
Speaker 2:And I met Richard Casper, who's the CEO or founder, and we were just shooting the breeze and I said, hey man, do you ever consider starting an acting class here? You know I would love to to work with, you know, local veterans who you know are interested in acting and the craft of acting and it's certainly. Look, I know plenty of veterans, combat veterans. You know from back in LA when I was there through VMA, that it, you know, acting really helped them deal with some of the stuff they're carrying. So we were talking, I was talking to Richard and he said you know it's a great idea, I hadn't considered it.
Speaker 2:And then we started kicking the idea around and we're going to have our first class on this coming Monday no Tuesday, forgive me this coming Tuesday. And you know, we're going to make it a monthly thing to get off the ground and anybody, any veteran, who wants to come by and learn a bit about the craft of acting is welcome. And and we'll kick around some I don't know, kick around some monologues, some scenes and eventually start partnering people up and start working some scenes and really exploring the building blocks of what it is to be an actor and to express yourself through through the written work. So that's exciting. I'm really excited about that and I hope, you know, I hope somebody sees this in the national area and like, hey man, I'll give that a shot.
Speaker 1:Hell, yeah, you know, the funnest thing I did in the past couple of years outside of, you know, podcasting is I did a background for an FX series is coming up and it was so fun man, it was just. The whole experience was such a neat. Neat to be behind the scenes and see like a major actor and be like, wow, that is to see them work. You're like, even if it's just like 10 minutes or 20 minutes, you're like that is so cool man. Yeah, for sure, and I love it, man. I would love. I really, really want anybody who's in the national area to look you up, look up creative vets, and we'll definitely post links and stuff like that, because yeah, post the link please.
Speaker 1:I think it's a great, great outlet for you as well, man, and it's like another way, another mission, you know.
Speaker 2:Well, for sure, man, in the past I'd been involved with some great organizations like Gallant Few and Veterans of Media and Entertainment, and I've since moved on from those organizations. But I really was kind of feeling that you know that urge to kind of get involved again and give something back. I don't know, but it's once you do it, it's kind of it kind of you feel a need if you're not doing it. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1:You feel?
Speaker 2:like or at least I do, I feel like an empty hole if I'm not doing something. So, you know, I thought this was a great way to just share a little bit of what I've learned in the past 15, 17 years however long I've been doing this and who knows, you know, I think there's a burgeoning scene down here in Nashville.
Speaker 1:I'm pouring up your IMDB right now because I got to go through this. I got it. I wrote down some notes of your career man. But I love your career man. I got to get the, I love it. You know I watch most of these shows too. That's what the fucking part is From you know to you know, to talk to you, the kid that came off of the Garden State Parkway to you know, to Hollywood and beyond. It's like holy, we're going back now. Criminal Minds yeah yeah. Video games, the Mentalist yeah, I mean we're going the.
Speaker 1:Mentalist. Oh GI Joe, rise of Cobra the Screaming man.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's it. That was my first film. Yeah, yeah, that one, my face kind of got all crazy and like started like I don't know what that was like morphing, you know kind of transforming, and the Mentalist I was shot in the face. It was like you're getting shot a lot man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and remember the fourth episode of True Detective. I was in. I took an AK round of the head. Yep, in American Horror Story my head exploded. People don't like my head for some reason and you know, the crappy thing about that is you're not coming back. There's a flashback You're not coming back. In that situation they're like, yeah, Michael, we like it, but we don't like you that much. You never come back, oh man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like I'm going all the way back, like Bones Invasion 24. Yeah, and then all we have to like, you know, most recently, new Amsterdam, man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, new Amsterdam was like man, what a what a what a rewarding scene that was man Guest star role. So I got to, you know, I was kind of one of the sub plot lines of that episode and and just got to play this veteran who has to come back from serving overseas because his mom had passed away only to find that she had left her house, his childhood home, to the hospital and he felt like she was manipulated into doing that. And so there's you know he's button heads with the hospital administration. He plants on getting his house back.
Speaker 2:But what I loved about that one is, as opposed to playing the typical, you know, authoritative, hard-ass guy, this is a guy who's in a moment of crisis, you know, losing his mother and being away for it, you know he's just, he's carrying a you know about 300 pounds of guilt. So to kind of play that more vulnerable side was a nice exploration for me that I don't typically get to do and, yeah, I was really happy with how it came out. I loved working with the director and we kind of found a nice sweet spot for this guy where he was, you know, obviously upset. But you know you're still rooting for him, you know, because if you're going to have a go at the lead on a TV show, you don't want the audience to hate you. You know what.
Speaker 1:I mean.
Speaker 2:So we found that beautiful balance, I think. And yeah, man, it was a nice little thing and a good thing to come back from. I hadn't been working in a while because I'd moved to Nashville and without getting in a whole thing I wasn't going to take any more shots, if you know what I mean and so so you know. So it kind of excluded me from a lot of work. But fortunately on New Amsterdam they're just like just test. You know, you had to COVID test before you, before you work, and so that was fine.
Speaker 1:And that's what the guy wants my dream role.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, man Gosh, man, I dream role. I don't know man, you know, I'm actually writing a couple things right now and figuring out you know what I would want to be in that I wanted. I want to do a cowboy movie while I'm actually working on a Western right now. Right now, western. I'd love to be a hit man, but with the heart of gold you remember the hooker with? A heart of gold now with a hit man with the heart of gold, Exactly man. Like.
Speaker 1:Leo professional. Come on, man, he had a heart of gold.
Speaker 2:But you know, you know what film I really loved was. I don't know if it didn't get a lot of hype, but you ever see that film Nobody with Bob Odin.
Speaker 1:Kirk. Oh, that was such an incredible movie. I love that.
Speaker 2:I would love to do a little role like that. Yeah, that would be awesome. You know kind of a guy who's got to come out of retirement, kick some ass. And I'm also writing. Well, I don't want to tell you I'm writing another piece that you know. I've got something in mind for it. I would love to play, you know, an aging punk rocker, because that's exactly what I am, man kind of you know a dad and, and you know I don't know man, you dream role, I don't know.
Speaker 2:I would have liked to have been read. Read, richards maybe.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I can see. I can see what the hair now too, or you know what I?
Speaker 2:would love to do Golden Age Flash. Oh yeah, Jay Garrick. Yeah, definitely the Doughboy helmet, oh, except I hate to run.
Speaker 1:I hate running with man CGI. Come on CGI, they're running Jay. Garrick, Everything. Nowadays you don't have to run anywhere, brother.
Speaker 2:Jay Garrick. Yeah, I don't know. Dream, dream role. You know what I just want? I just want something that moves people. That's all I want to do, man. I just want to do good work, you know. And if Quentin Tarantino comes out of retirement and wants to hire me, I will happily say his words for for scale.
Speaker 1:You know there are so many. You know I've just been like because I just retire a little retire until I get another job, but I've been watching like everything I can now, man, and that lioness show was so good, oh, I haven't seen that yet. Oh, it's so good. And I'm thinking I'm like whoever's their tech person behind it and I mean they got it really down pat. And that's one thing I like about Hollywood and that's one thing I like about your background too, is like getting into these roles and like kind of knowing who to talk to about getting into that role, so you're not just like winging it. I've seen so many people play like the cop or the military person or or something. They just kind of wing it. But I like that about you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean there are some roles I've played enough where I don't have to. You know there's not a lot of research I have to do. Plus, look, you know I forget who said it, but they say steel like an artist, right, and we've all seen enough cop shows and everything else to be able to kind of do your own interpretation. But where was I going with that? I can't remember I got off track, but anyway, I'm thinking, I keep looking at you and everybody.
Speaker 1:I'm going to post some clips on IG and stuff like that for the audio out. There is like I see a Western man.
Speaker 2:I want to do a Western bro. That's on, that's on the bucket list and you know, if I, if I got to write it myself, I'm going to do it.
Speaker 1:You know, what I love about Westerns is like where the protagonist is like I love the Clint Eastwood ones, I love the man with no name type things. I like someone that's like, you know, kind of beat up, you don't know where they're coming from, but they got they, they're good. You know what I mean. They're good, they're fine.
Speaker 2:I'm drawn to. I'm drawn to the reluctant hero. Yeah, you know what I mean. I mean kind of. You know Gary Cooper, and high noon, you know something I like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm just picture my green chester is long range Dude and my my my, my draw is pretty good.
Speaker 2:Okay, single action, single action. There's a lot to that, bro. I got my through.
Speaker 1:I got my. I just you know I'm doing all this competition shooting, but I picked up my first western gun last year, so I picked up a Taylor Arms 357. But in order to do this, this Western shooting, you need to. So now I got to save my money up by another one. I got the Henry lever action. I'm ready to go, brother.
Speaker 2:So you know, like the single action, bro, if you don't cock it oh yeah, don't cock it properly You're not going to get the shot off. Yeah, so the draw right, getting that hammer all the way back. You know it's, there's a lot to it, and to do it well and do it quickly.
Speaker 2:It's not just like pulling a slush, you know, yeah, yeah, it's fast. So yeah, I'd work years ago. I worked on that a whole bunch so I got pretty good. So it would take me. You know it'll take me a little time to get back in one, but muscle memories there, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, if you need anybody to get shot, that's me. Man, just you can shoot me somewhere, hey actually Nick Pizzolato.
Speaker 2:Nick Pizzolato, creative true detective, is doing his next projects of Western. I should reach out to him. There you go, brother. I say hey, remember specialization, john Bowen, uh-huh.
Speaker 1:He shot him in the head. He directed that episode. Yeah, that was awesome. Anyway, I really appreciate you, man.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah what are you coming? I appreciate you having me on. I would just ask, before we go, to point everyone in the direction of creativevetsorg. Creativevetsorg I don't know if there's anything up there about my classes yet, because I think this is kind of a trial balloon. We're going to test it out and see what the response is, but they're just a great org doing great work. So I encourage everyone to check them out and support them if they can, or get involved if they need it. So yeah, creativevetsorg, check them out.
Speaker 1:Awesome brother, I appreciate you. I look forward to having you back on again.
Speaker 2:Dude, thanks so much for having me. Let me talk about my little Semper Fi article. So it was, like I said, a real honor and always good to see you, my brother. We'll catch up again soon, thank you.
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