PODCAST: Michael Shannon

If you know actor Michael Shannon by name, chances are it's because of his searing, Oscar-nominated performance as head-case John Givings in last year's Revolutionary Road. Yet the Kentucky-born Brooklynite has brought his towering presence and curious intensity to dozens of projects, most notably Bug, World Trade Center, Shotgun Stories, and Werner Herzog's upcoming My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done. (Click here for my podcast with Herzog for Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, in which Shannon has a small role.) The actor's latest, which premiered at Sundance this year, is the post-9/11 noir thriller The Missing Person:

Writer/director Noah Buschel's third feature stars Michael Shannon as John Rosow, a private detective hired to tail a man, Harold Fullmer, on a train from Chicago to Los Angeles. Rosow gradually uncovers Harold’s identity as a missing person... [Plot spoiler redacted]. Persuaded by a large reward, Rosow is charged with bringing Harold back to his wife in New York City against his will. Ultimately, Rosow must confront whether the decision to return Harold to a life that no longer exists is the right one.

Sitting down with Shannon to discuss The Missing Person, our conversation segued to the first time music made him cry, a certain auteur's fake food, and the delights of being in Kangaroo Jack.

To listen to the podcast, click here. (18:50)

Podcast Music
INTRO: J.J. Cale & Eric Clapton, "Missing Person"
OUTRO: The Jesus Lizard, "Boilermaker"

[The Missing Person is now playing in New York, and opens in Los Angeles on November 27th. For more info, please visit the official site.]



Posted by ahillis at November 21, 2009 7:47 PM