Jeff Daniels

I had the good fortune to attend a small interview and discussion with actor and (did you know this?) musician Jeff Daniels.  He is in Austin not to act, but to play a few gigs and promote his latest album, which he uses to raise money for his theatre company in Michigan.  He's not staying at the Four Seasons, he's staying in an RV park with his son.  "I like the anonymity," he says.

I admire Jeff for a lot of reasons: mostly for his down-to-earthness and the fact that he does projects he wants to do because he wants to do them (to say nothing of his enormous talent).  The interview, led by Texas Monthly editor Evan Smith, touched on the major steps in his career (getting his start as a stage actor, his first role in RAG TIME, working greats like Woody Allen and Clint Eastwood, etc.), his dark view of the Hollywood system, and what life holds for him in the future.  Throughout the discussion, Jeff maintained a delightful but honest disposition.  He has a sense of humor regarding his career and the business, but also takes creativity and self expression very seriously.  He just turned 52, and says that it's great: he now pursues the things he wants to pursue, and lives "in a very creative place."  We should all be so fortunate.

Jeff's career has taken him through entirely different roles: from DUMB AND DUMBER to SPEED to THE SQUID AND THE WHALE.  He is an immediately recognizable figure, and yet despite his many wonderful performances, he has resigned himself to the fact that he'll never win an Oscar.  He was staunch in defending his belief that comedy matters as much as drama or, has he put it, "the Greeks held two masks."  I imagine he would identify well with Bill Murray, who also must surely feel that he's been overlooked by his peers for any formal recognition, despite his ventures into more serious territory.  I suppose we all know that Jim Carrey, his D&D costar, has had a similar experience.  Once you're seen as a comedian, everyone wants you to make them laugh.  They have a hard time seeing you as something more than a comedian, despite the fact that those three actors have shown enormous range.  Hearing Jeff speak, it emphasized to me that everyone appreciates recognition on some level, even those who do what they do sherely for love of the craft.

Jeff owns a theatre company in Michigan, for whom he writes, directs, and acts.  He has released three CD's, and he has graced our lives with many memorable performances in many of our favorite films.  Through all of that, he has stayed true to himself as a person and as an artist.  His connection to his roots as a midwesterner, and his appreciation for that, reminded me to not lose sight of where you come from.  Keep it up, Jeff.

Comments

[Brett]

At some point I found out about Jeff's music-playin'...I think when he was in town a few years ago to play a gig, and I found a site with a bunch of live versions of his songs. He's a capable guitarist and vocalist with well-written, if not exactly weighty, songs. I'm sure seeing him live would be a treat, as he's a great storyteller and obviously has a lot of charisma.

It's good to remember that there are a lot of people in the movie business who are able to stay away from the trappings of celebrity and lead stable, happy lives...

As romantic as becoming rich, famous, overexposed, tortured, and self-destructive is, it's much better to be a nice guy who does a job he loves and has a cool wife with well-raised children.

Weeee!