If you’ve been a struggling actor, director, writer or creative in Hollywood it’s easy to give up. It’s easy to say, “Well, I tried for a couple of years, but it’s time to try something else even though I really don’t want to.” Take a deep breathe because as he discussed in the latest episode of the 4 Quadrant podcast, Ben Mendelsohn‘s career should be a major inspiration for you.
READ MORE: ‘Darkest Hour’: Gary Oldman Is Simply A Force Of Nature As Winston Churchill [Review]
The 48-year-old Aussie actor began coming to the U.S. in 1990. He’d stay for a few months try to get that breakthrough role and then return home. He almost gave up a number of times but it was the stories of friends such as Nicole Kidman and Naomi Watts that convinced him to persevere. And that big break with Hollywood? It came with the indie “Animal Kingdom” almost 20 years later. And, in his own words, the “real” big break was “The Place Beyond The Pines,” two years later.
But, don’t take my word for it, take his. Listen to Mendelsohn reflect on his career, his role in Joe Wright’s “Darkest Hour,” his thoughts on the current sexual harassment scandals in in the industry and some tidbits about the new “Robin Hood” and Steven Spielberg’s “Ready Player One.”
READ MORE: Gary Oldman And Joe Wright Shine Some ‘Darkest Hour’ Light At The Academy
You can listen to this episode in the Soundcloud embed below or on iTunes. If you do listen on iTunes please rate, subscribe and share it with your friends!
Look for upcoming podcast episodes featuring Sofia Coppola, “Darkest Hour” screenwriter Anthony McCraten and two-time Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz, among others. And check out previous episodes with “Blade Runner: 2049‘s” Denis Villeneuve, “Thor: Ragnarok‘s” Taika Waititi, “The Florida Project‘s” Sean Baker, “Detroit‘s” John Boyega, get behind the scenes with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” producers and more on Soundcloud or on iTunes.
For more movie and Oscar insight follow me on Twitter @TheGregoryE