Hello Beautiful People,
You might know our next actor as The White Haired Man from Revenge. Or Bill Buchanan in 24. As the Director & Co-Producer of Showing Up, A conversation about the audition. As William White in Private Practice. Soon you’ll see him in Those Who Kill, on A&E. He has a new album out, Son to the Boy, (it’s phenomenal, but we’ll talk about that at a later date, but we’re very confident that all of our Write Teacher(s) Readers will love it.) He’s also a yoga instructor, associated with yoga works and The White Lotus Foundation. James is a man of character, wisdom, grace, and class. He’s a loving husband, and an outstanding father. I, for one, and so blessed an honored to call this man my friend and a mentor. He is by far one of the most gracious, giving, and intelligent human beings I know. He is a true actor, artist, and teacher, in every sense of those words. I am confident in saying that if the world had more people like him, well, this world would be a little bit brighter & better & more lovely. He has taught me more about this business that he even realizes, and words cannot fully express my gratitude. I am honored that he was able to do this interview for The Write Teacher(s). I am lucky to be able to call him a friend.
Ladies & Gents, meet James P. Morrison….
TWT: Ok, we have to ask, what was life like growing up in Alaska?
JM: Romanticized. When I moved to Alaska I was nine. Alaska became a state in 1959, and I moved there in 1963. It’s not the same place now, the pioneer feeling is sort of gone, and it’s grown. But, at the same time, I haven’t lived there for over 30 years. I’ve visited, but it’s just…different. It is much more conservative now, the hippie entrepreneurial spirit is not as alive. After all, Sarah Palin was elected from there. When I was in high school, Sarah Palin wouldn’t have been taking seriously. That just goes to show how much it’s changed.
TWT: You have experience acting on the stage, on the silver screen, and on the big screen. Do you find that there is a tremendous difference between all three?
JM: You always adjust technically to the medium that you’ve working in, but the truth of the matter is, is that all actors, whether they are working in film, TV, or theatre, will approach the work the same way, as an instrument of illusion.
TWT: What advice would you give to theater students in high school and in college?
JM: If you’re in high school, go to college and get a liberal arts education. Study everything. Study literature, philosophy, English, writing, art history, and anthropology. Study everything. Soak in as much as you can, because that’s going to inform your decisions about a career. Then, after you’ve finished your education, reassess what you want to do, because it may have changed. If you still, after studying writing and design, want to become an actor, then you’ve made an informed decision. I studied all different aspects of theatre, I was behind and in front of the stage, and it was after I experienced it all that I decided I wanted to be an actor. That’s how I came to a decision. You should also travel as much as possible. Take a summer off and go to Europe. Even if you only do it once, it’s worth it. Before you choose a career, it’s important to see and do as much as you want to do, before you make a decision; decide what you want to do based on the possibilities of life.
TWT: Did anything influence you to become an actor in high school? If so, what was it?
JM: It was a teacher, and I actually can’t even remember her name. We read The Glass Menagerie in English class, and in order to understand it, she wanted us to read it aloud. I think I was in tenth grade at the time, and we read it aloud, and she cast me as Tom. We read the play, and it had opened up my head like it had never before. I thought to myself, I need to start reading plays more, because this is amazing. When I finally realized what it meant to experience a play as it was intended, (reading it aloud), I was just moved. From then on, I said, I want to do this. I had always been drawn to that make-believe world, the world of pretend.
TWT: What three things would you warn young actors to be careful of?
JM: First, avoid subjective input, (your opinion of the story and the character that you’ve been assigned to portray.) Second, I would advise to avoid considering the technical considerations/methodology. Avoid the how in place of the what. Instead of thinking of how do I do this, how do I convey this, think of what am I? Who am I? You must accept the premise of I AM
If your job is to be in Hamlet, and you’ve been cast as Ophelia, you are Ophelia, and this is my story. It’s pretend. You are now someone who you are not. You are completely immersed in the world of the character that you’ve taken on, for when you are completely immersed, and when you believe that you are said character, the audience does too. Shy away from the notion that if you’ve never experienced it, you can’t portray it. You just have to substitute it, and that is the beauty of imagination. Live in that world in order to portray the character that you are playing, let your imagination go there. As Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is more powerful than your knowledge.” Use that.
TWT: Of all the roles you’ve played, is there some that are more memorable than others?
JM: The ones that come to mind are the ones written by the great writers. It’s also meaningful to revisit a role that you’ve played; I have done Cat on a Hot Tin Roof three times. Different memories are related to each role that you’ve played, so each one stands out for different reasons. 24, for example, was wonderful for my career, for the friends that I made, and for the people who I met.
I did a new play, El Salvador, at La Jolla Playhouse, and played a serial killer. I won the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Performance, and three Drama-Logue Awards. I wouldn’t do that part now, twenty years later. My criteria for what constitutes a rewarding experience has changed overtime. But, it’s probably my most memorable role that I’ve ever played, because it’s how I met my wife.
TWT: You’re an actor, a musician, a writer, a director, a husband, and a father. How do you juggle it all?
JM: There’s nothing more important than family. Everything I choose to do, everything I consider, always reflects what is in the best interest of my family. My son, Seamus, is thirteen now, but he was nine years old when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. No child should ever have to be denied healthcare, and thankfully we were able to get him care, but it makes you think about the children out there who are not as fortunate, and it’s just wrong. He is thriving now, and inspires us everyday, but something like cancer just puts things in perspective. It makes you realize what is most important in life, and for me, that’s Seamus and Riad. If I don’t think my son will approve of my work, I won’t do it. I try not to be away for filming more than two weeks at a time. They are most important, and everything else is secondary.
TWT: In today’s economy, arts programs in schools are being cut. What reasons would you give a politician for preserving the arts?
JM: A civilization without art is lost. The more you cut the arts, (theatre, music, visual arts, etc.), the closer you get to complete spiritual and intellectual annihilation. If that’s your goal, then cut it. But if your goal is to be the best person you can be, and the most productive member of society you can be, then you need to teach it all, arts, music, literature, science. Teach it all. We need to learn how to question our environment, and to question authority. That’s what the arts do, they question authority, and they force us to look at what’s most important beyond dogma. The people who live dogmatically want to eliminate the arts and science, because it calls into question their dogma. If their faith were that unshakable and that strong, then they wouldn’t have a fear of their dogma being questioned. And that’s why they’re trying to eliminate the arts and sciences. They do not want to lose control.
TWT: Who is/was your greatest teacher?
JM: My son Seamus, and my yoga practice. My yoga practice made me look at the possibilities of life, and my son is the possibility of my life.
Thank you, James!
Live, Love, Learn,