Jackie Spafford
By Jackie Spafford
Once again, the festival celebrated eight actors who delivered outstanding performances this year. The honorees were:
Austin Butler (ELVIS), Kerry Condon (THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN), Danielle Deadwyler (TILL), Nina Hoss (TÁR), Stephanie Hsu (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE), Jeremy Pope (THE INSPECTION), Ke Huy Quan (EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE), and Jeremy Strong (ARMAGEDDON TIME).
And again the panel was moderated by the genial and extremely capable Dave Karger, for the 13th year. The format included a clip from each actor’s performance, followed by a one-on-one conversation. After the eight short conversations, the whole group was brought out for a larger discussion and some group questions.
The actors were all between 30 and 50 years of age, with very different bodies of work but amazing similarities in their wisdom and desires. A few snippets:
Jeremy Strong (Photo: Fritz Olenberger)
Jeremy Strong: Before becoming an actor, he did several behind-the-scenes jobs in film, including working as Daniel Day Lewis’s assistant, and as a production assistant for Steven Spielberg. In Armageddon Time, which was based on director James Gray’s family experience, Strong played the father, who Gray described as a “Jewish Stanley Kowalski with a PhD.”
Ke Huy Quan (Photo: Fritz Olenberger)
Ke Huy Quan: After his acting jobs dried up in the early 1990s, he “suppressed his acting bug” and worked as a stunt coordinator and other behind-the-scenes jobs. These gave him great appreciation for the film business and all the talents that go into it. When he wasn’t actively working as an actor he always dreaded the red carpet question, “What are you working on next?” His manager coached him to answer, “I’m not at liberty to say right now.”
Jeremy Pope (Photo: Fritz Olenberger)
Jeremy Pope: He came to this even just four days after ending his Broadway run in The Collaboration, playing Jean-Michel Basquiat. He described shooting The Inspection in just 19 days in Mississippi, when it was 117 degrees most days. Like Jeremy Strong’s character, he was playing someone based on the director’s (Elegance Bratton) life. The film included several bootcamp training scenes for which he thought there would be an acting double – there wasn’t, and he had to train (again, in 117 degrees).
Stephanie Hsu (Photo: Fritz Olenberger)
Stephanie Hsu: (It must be noted that she was wearing the most beautiful dress – a voluminous Dior gown in an amazing fabric.) She talked about the many costume changes and elaborate hair and make-up her character Jobu went through in EEAAO, and how much fun it was to work with the team to prepare. She talked about the climactic parking lot scene, with Michelle Yeoh as her mother, that wasn’t shot until the end of the shoot, and how she carried the weight of that scene with her throughout the whole shoot.
Nina Hoss (Photo: Fritz Olenberger)
Nina Hoss: She said a turning point for her in understanding her Tár character was when she thought about Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, which plays a central part in the story, and realized that Mahler’s wife Alma shared many characteristics – both chose to be with a powerful partner. She also recalled that she and Cate Blanchett were both working on films shooting in Budapest, during the pandemic, but hadn’t yet met. She was eating breakfast with a crew member one morning when Blanchett walked into the room and called out her name – she admitted that was flattered and starstruck by this recognition.
Danielle Deadwyler (Photo: Fritz Olenberger)
Danielle Deadwyler: The first question from Dave Karger, after a scene from Till was shown, was “How was that not nominated for an Oscar?” The audience erupted in cheers of agreement. She said that despite the “snub” she feels the love for the film and her performance. The role was mentally and physically challenging, and she said that during the shoot she had very intense dreams every night. She journaled and spoke with the grief counsellors provided on set to deal with the emotions. As she said, the film production provided “community care.”
Kerry Condon (Photo: Fritz Olenberger)
Kerry Condon: In both the Banshees film clip and in conversation, Condon frequently used the word “fecking” which she claims is not a “swear word.” She had Dave Karger and the audience cracking up with her stories and her delivery. She recalled first meeting director Martin McDonagh when he came to see her acting in a play when she was 17. Remarkably, she has no formal acting training. She went on to act in many of McDonagh’s plays which is where she said she learned her craft.
Austin Butler: When asked how a shy person like Butler could take on a huge role like Elvis, he answered, “delusion.” He described the Elvis production in Australia being delayed for months on end because of the pandemic, and how difficult it was to stay mentally prepared. He was afraid to return home as he would lose the focus, so decided to “double down” and stay on in Australia in hopes it would eventually happen. In terms of the performance, he said he had to work hard on it not being an Elvis impersonation.
Photo: Fritz Olenberger
Once all eight actors convened on stage, Dave Karger posed some questions to the group. Some highlights:
Whose spouse would you want to play in a film?
Pope: Danielle Deadwyler!
Hsu: I want to join in for a throuple!
Condon: James Gandolfini
Austin Butler: Marlon Brando
What iconic singer would you want to play?
Deadwyler: Alice Coltrane
Strong: Leonard Cohen
Hoss: Barbara Streisand
Dave Karger then invited anyone who wanted to to sing. Jeremy Pope was the only taker, and he delivered a gorgeous rendition of What About Love? No one else dared to sing after that.
Finally the awards presentation – by Jane Lynch! She pronounced the evening a masterclass on acting, and advised any young actor to study this evening’s conversations.
All in all it was an evening brimming with talent and wonderful stories and revelations.
Photo: Fritz Olenberger
The 38th Santa Barbara International Film Festival runs through February 18. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, and celebrity tributes, will be held throughout the city, including at the historic Arlington Theatre. Passes and tickets are on sale now at .
