A couple of weeks ago --maybe three -- I received an email from my agent. This new feature film casting agency asked for a taped audition of me. I had a few days to get it done. Script was attached.
Lo and behold, it's not just an other feature film, but rather a Lionsgate movie, directed by Marc Forster who directed Quantum of Solace, the last James Bond film.
And who is the only other person to date who had been cast -- Gerard Butler. Since then Michelle Monaghan has been cast.
The title of the film -- Machine Gun Preacher. Anyone who wants to know more about the movie can research it on the internet at -- www.machinegunpreacher.org . Let me say, it's expected to be pretty big.
And the role they asked me to audition for is a contractor who has two scenes and dialog with Butler (Sam Childers) himself.
I take this very seriously. The script for my role has about 10-12 lines. I immediately called my acting coach, Matt Miller in Chicago -- www.mattmillerdirect.com . Of course he's in New York.
"Matt, I have this opportunity...." blah, blah. I told him the tape has to arrive by Thursday, and it's already Monday...only three days from now.
Matt tells me he'll be back Thursday night. I call my agent -- Dawn Gavin at BMG Model & Talent in Chicago -- and tell her the deal. Dawn is terrific! She says, "wait for Matt, do the tape and I'll get it there on Friday...it'll be fine."
Whew!.
I meet Matt Friday at TP&R Casting -- www.tprcasting.com -- in Chicago, one of the premier casting agencies in the Midwest. He's busy doing auditions for a national NFL commercial for Direct TV.
The commercial calls for a Catholic priest and the waiting room is filled with aging men dressed in dark suits, some with collars and hats (I forget what they are actually called).
Here I am in jeans and a powder blue sweater. Having studied my lines over the last three days my mind continues to go over, and over, and over them. I don't want to screw this up.
Matt takes a break from the audition and we go into a separate room filled with cameras and a computer. Matt is great. He's one of those people who can put you at ease effortlessly.
We start the audition, take after take. One scene at a time. "Do this, do that, move this way....." Finally Matt said "we got it. It's great." I was unbelievably relieved.
Matt says "Hey, while you're here, do you want to read for this commercial I'm doing?" I said "I thought you had to be 70 and have white hair. Plus, I hardly look like a priest in this outfit."
"No worries, they can color you hair. Come on let's do it," Matt says.
Sure. Why not. So while I'm there I do the audition for Direct TV. It was only one line of dialog, and very easy. But really, I would be stunned to get that role after seeing all the other guys who looked like the "real deal." But, it was good experience and for that I thank Matt.
Matt tells me he'll finish editing the film audition and get it to my my agent within a couple of hours. He seemed confident. "I think you have a shot; you have the look and everything."
But in this business the competition is extremely stiff, and I'm still a no name, rookie (as Matt politely reminds me).
So now it is past the original call-back date, but I still have hope. You never know. Things get delayed. There've only been a handful cast so far. My big concern is the movie starts shooting in mid-July in Michigan. The other location is South Africa, but my role will be here.
In any case, it was my first big film opportunity since I did Public Enemies. Because the scenes and lines are with Butler himself, I wondered if it was because I had lines with Johnny Depp that I even got called.
On a final note, the week before getting the email from my agent I noted my popularity on IMDb.com -- the internet movie database -- had skyrocketed from 160,000+ to 91,000. That doesn't happen. Remember, there are 2 or 3 million members on IMDb. I suspect they were checking me out.
Not to worry, I'm back down to my normal popularity -- about 170,000.
So if anyone from Machine Gun Preacher is listening (or reading this) I'd really like the role!
