Interview: André Holland and Gemma Chan Discuss the Work of ‘The Actor’

When you watch The Actor, you’re going to notice two things. One is the distinct vision put forth by filmmaker Duke Johnson. The other is the work of André Holland and Gemma Chan, who have a gentle romantic chemistry that goes a long way towards winning audiences over. With the film opening this weekend, I recently conducted some interviews with Johnson and the main cast members. The former will go up tomorrow, but today, I’m happy to present my chat with Chan and Holland.

In my review of The Actor (here), I had the following to say about Chan and Holland:

André Holland is excellent here, as is Gemma Chan. Their chemistry pulls you along, even if the story itself does have to keep you somewhat at arm’s length. There’s a confusion and innocence to Holland’s Paul that sucks you in, while hinting at potentially something darker or deeper within. Chan plays Edna with an elusive quality, which actually does boost the romantic feel of their courtship. Together, they make their scenes come alive.

Below, you can hear my conversation with Chan and Holland. We talk about how they approach the material, working with Johnson, and how that compares to other filmmakers. For example, Steven Soderbergh is referenced. Both are very nice and very soft spoken, yet clearly passionate about the work. When you see The Actor, you’ll easily understand why…

Here now is my interview with The Actor co-stars André Holland and Gemma Chan. Enjoy:

The Actor is in theaters this weekend!