Learn your craft, show up and deliver and hopefully realize that you are not more special than anybody else. You are just lucky that you got a special job that you should appreciate and rather than expect someone to bring you a coffee go and get someone else a cup of coffee instead.
I love that last statement! Now what would you say has been your most challenging role so far in your acting career?
Unemployed!
Ha! I did not expect that answer! That is different!
That is the most difficult one; once you are over that the rest is not so bad.
Every job and roll comes with its own challenges. As an example, I loved doing ‘12 Angry Men’ and 300 performances that was incredibly fulfilling, working with an amazing cast, doing 8 shows a week, but after 10-11 months I was a bit tired of crying 8 times a week. Having an emotional breakdown 8 times a week it can get to you after so many months, but the funny thing is when I finished the run of the play, I was ready to finish because of the emotional drain. But 3 weeks later I was ready to start doing the play again
Talking about theatre, a platform that requires a different level of acting. Talk to us about what have been some of your most memorable plays.
I would say the two plays that I did in London. Back in the 80’s Orphans and then 28 years later 2013 ‘12 Angry Men’. For me it was such a gift when Albert Finney and his wife Pene came to see 12 Angry Men. That was the night that Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson came and I had arranged for all of them to sit together then we all went for dinner.
Wonderful friends that I have met over the years that came to see the show, you came to see the show, how many times, 10?
''I finished the run of the play, I was ready to finish because of the emotional drain''
The audience embraced it and embraced all the characters. The demographics were quite varied but I honestly can’t explain the phenomenon and I think there will be quite a few people that I’ve worked with that can’t give a specific answer. Lost meant so many different things to the varied audience, we could talk to 10 people and have completely different views, that is one of the many things that makes something intriguing and entertaining. As for the finale of the 6 season from everything I hear people say, it seems half the viewers in the world liked it very much and half the viewers were disappointed. That alone tells you that it meant different things to people.
It gave everybody different answers. It’s just one of those great wonderful times in TV history where a TV show gels with that waiting audience all over the world and I feel very fortunate and happy that I was part of that. Met some great people and had a great working experience for the 3 seasons that I was on.
At the end of 2014 it was announced that you would join the cast of the very successful TV Series Justified. What was it like to be part of that final season?
It was fantastic. I loved working with the cast. Walton Goggins was a great man, what a fabulous actor he is and Joelle Carter a wonderful person and great actress. I loved working with both of them and all the different directors. It was a great experience.
Over the last few years we have seen you appear in some of the most known TV series of the decade which shows the world can't get enough of Jeff Fahey and there is still plenty more to come. As a veteran, someone who has been around for 40 years in the industry, can you tell us what is the secret to having longevity in an industry that is forever changing?
I would say part of it is definitely luck. Luck is part of the success in this industry. Hopefully one can deliver when the door is open but many times it is luck that gets the door open and then all your jazz is on the line and you gotta rock and roll baby.
I say dig the adventure and I think as you go on, you take things less personal.