Our very first guest! Sheila O’Malley is an incredible actor-focused film critic (Roger Ebert, film comment) and cultural essayist.  Her work has had a huge impact on Ryan.  If you love film, if you love acting… this episode will make you happy.
We talk Gena Rowlands, Bette Davis, and our favorite modern actors. We discuss John Cassavetes’ ‘Opening Night’, Streetcar named Desire at Williamstown, and the ever changing pipeline of how directors discover actors.  Oh, and also a whole lot of actor process talk. Enjoy.

xo
3:00
The impact of Sheila’s work on how Ryan thinks about film and culture
7:50
Sheila’s essay on ‘Streetcar named Desire’ at Williamstown. Stella being the key to the play.
9:10
‘who am I this time?’ And ‘Opening Night’ being some of the best films about acting
12:20
How Sheila developed her artistic perspective and started writing
16:00
Director vs actor focused film critiques
20:20
‘Raging Bull’ discussion and casting
26:10
How directors discovered and fall in love with actors
34:40
Green Screen being everywhere (even in TRUE DETECTIVE?????) and what we lose.
37:50
Dan Callahan’s 2 incredible books on American film acting.
Positive vs negative responses to life in performances
40:38
“A sense of searching” in performances. Gena Rowlands as an example
46:20
“Thin air acting”
47:45
More on Dan Callahan
Bette Davis. Playing the result not the cause
53:00
Ryan: “this is the most important minute of acting pre-brando”
56:20
Modern Actors we love
1:00:45
Gena Rowlands performance in “Opening Night”. Sense of truth.
Ryan’s favorite movie.
1:12:00
Cassavettes and relationship based movies.
1:14:04
Continuing ‘Opening Night’ discussion. Why it’s Ryan’s favorite movie.
1:16:00
How consensus about a film builds and
times when Sheila got a review wrong
1:18:05
Rebecca Hall in ‘Resurrection’
1:19:45
Discussion about younger actors that we love
1:29:20
The heir of Bette Davis
1:34:00
Meryl Streep and hints about her process