| Secret Scroll Digest chats with the very honest
and outspoken Tony Simmons from Scream For Me and My
Skin.
Where are you from?
I am originally from Washington, DC, having been raised mostly in
the Maryland suburbs around Washington.
What is your earliest memory?
I forget what my first memory is.
How did you get your start as an actor, is it something
you've always wanted to do?
After having spent most of my teens and twenties getting fucked
up and trying to get laid, I returned to my original desire, which
was to be an actor. I've always wanted to be an actor.
Do you have any background in theater? If so, what were
some of the roles you played?
In my early thirties, I entered the Theater Academy at Los Angeles
City College, which trains actor specifically for work in theater.
Some of the parts I've played theatrically include Lenny in Of
Mice and Men, Eddie in Hurly Burly, and Nick in Who's
Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
What was your first film role?
My first film role will remain a secret between me and my confessor,
as I was terrible in a shitty fucking movie. I have been in shitty
movies since, but never have I done such a rotten fucking job. My
old bestiality porn performances outshine that movie, so I just
can't talk about it. Whereas my natural inclination is to trash
the director/writer, the fact of the matter is my performance was
commensurate with the quality of the filmmaking, and therefore I
cannot in good conscience say anything more.
How did you get cast for Christopher Alan Broadstone's
My Skin?
I had auditioned for and then worked for Christopher Alan Broadstone
in an earlier short entitled Scream For Me, so we had a history
working together. I remember that the first time I talked to Chris,
he was faxing me sides for my audition for Scream For Me and I asked
him if there was any information he could give me about the character.
He responded that I should just read his stuff to see if I was even
interested. He really has a disturbed, demented take on reality.
Needless to say, I fell in love with the writing immediately. We've
since become good friends. AS LONG AS WE DON'T TALK POLITICS, that
is.
What was the shoot like?
The shoot on My Skin was long, hot and tiring. And very satisfying.
The people Chris pulls around him are committed and there's no bullshit
on the set. That's not to say that people don't have a good time,
because there's no fucking attitude at all. The only real pressure
is everyone trying to do his/her best work, and everyone pitches
in to help each other do their best. As it turns out on that shoot,
we had severe sound problems and ended up having to re-do all the
sound in post. For me, that was a really good learning experience.
.
What other films have you done with Christopher Alan Broadstone?
Chris has used me in three movies so far. Scream For Me,
My Skin and the latest called Human No More. We
both look forward to working together more.
What is he like to work for?
Chris is great to work for. He knows what he wants. He's really
quite specific. That said, he's also very open to outside ideas.
If he likes them, he uses them (and probably selfishly takes credit
for the idea) and if not, he doesn't. There's no ego shit going
on. He also likes to rehearse, which is a big luxury in filmmaking.
Generally, rehearsal in film or TV is simply a matter of very quickly
walking around on the set, to let the camera operator know where
the actors are going to be moving. Unfortunately, that does little
to help the actors develop a relationship with each other or even
the camera itself. The reason for the lack of rehearsal is mostly
a money/time issue, which is understandable, but nonetheless a bit
disappointing. With Black CAB Productions' vast resources and lack
of time restraints the opportunity to rehearse between the actors
is provided. For the last movie to an even greater extent than My
Skin, the relationship between the camera and my character was very
specific and needed advance coordination, so Schwarz Nipfargen (the
director of photography) and I got a chance to work together with
Broadstone's direction before we actually shot the films. Because
Chris and I have become good friends, working together is a very
satisfying experience. I have a lot of respect for his abilities
and I know that I can trust him to give me the guidance I need.
We both want the same end result, so...
What film contains your best work?
Without sucking up to Broadstone, I have to say that the three films
I've done with him are my favorites.
What was it like working with director Charles Band on
Dr. Moreau's House of Pain?
Charlie Band was a nice guy to work for. Frankly, however, because
I only worked one day for him and it was in the capacity of basically
a non-horror character part, the interchange between us was not
particularly deep. My part was a small one that was something that
could have actually been cut from the movie without interfering
with the overall story, so his focus on my moments was not necessarily
that demanding. Nice guy, though.
How do you prepare for a role?
It really depends upon the part, how I would want to prepare. Sometimes
it's a matter of stealing from a really good performance I've seen
in the past. Sometimes, if the role is really well written, it kinda
comes off the page at you. Sometimes, I may recognize someone I
know in a role and try to incorporate that person in the performance.
I've not really found myself in a position where I had to do a lot
of research like living with Norwegian whale hunters for six months
or something like that. I recognize that for all my abilities, if
the character is a female, Japanese, paraplegic, octogenarian, then
chances are that it’s going to be a little too much of a stretch
for me. But, otherwise, I notice that as I compile life experiences
(get fucking older), there is more of myself to draw from. In my
opinion, acting is fucking make-believe. I probably did my best
stuff when I was six years old in the backyard. With luck as I continue
to compile these life experiences (get fucking older, yet!), I may
grow to be as good an actor as I was when I was just a kid playing
with myself. (Not the penis playing with kinda playing, ya know)
What roles do you have lined up in the future?
I have no roles lined up for the future. Are you hiring?
If you could have a role in any film ever made or to be
made what role would you want?
As far as any role in any film ever made or ever to be made, there's
this great part for a female, Japanese, paraplegic, octogenarian
that I've been coveting. In all seriousness, I would really like
to play a televangelist fraud kinda guy, like some of those weasels
on Christian Broadcasting stations. There's something about the
hypocrisy, cunning and charm of some of those guys that really intrigues
me.
What do you do to relax?
Two of my favorite things to do to relax are sleep and jerk off.
I also really like to read. I don't know why. It's a hereditary
thing, I guess (not the jerking off part). My grandmother and mother
were and are voracious readers.
What are your favorite films?
Maybe because it was the first adult movie that I went to see, the
Godfather holds a special place in my psyche. That said, there are
so many hundreds of great movies out there, that it's really hard
to pick just a few. The seventies and eighties were when I came
into adulthood and therefore many of the movies from that time sit
fondly in my heart.
What comic would you most like to see turned into a film?
As far as what comic I'd like to see made into a movie, I say there
should be a fucking law mandating capital punishment for anyone
else who decides to fuck up a TV show or comic by turning it into
a movie! They always seem to just want to steal the general idea
and then turn it into some kind of focus grouped, watered down piece
of crap that's used to sell whatever fucking shitty pop music group
the production company also owns. That's not to say that the original
TV show and comic often weren't just pap, or that I wouldn't jump
at the chance to prostitute myself for big bucks by being in one
of those productions, but the fact remains that the crossing of
those genres often feels like someone with the executive qualifications
of a George W. Bush were making the decisions.
What film is in your VCR/DVD player right now?
Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? happens to be in one player and
The Indian Runner is in another. The more I see of Bette Davis's
performance, the more I am impressed with that actor's mastery of
the craft of film acting. I know it's a campy black comedy, but
on so many levels, I believe it's a very well made movie. It even
has something to say about how things are how we perceive things
to be. And the Indian Runner is just chock full of great performances.
Although, Sean Penn isn't in the movie per se (he wrote and directed
it), I am compelled here and now to proclaim my belief that he is
a fucking ACTING GOD! Oh, yeah Lost In Space discs are also in the
player. But, the TV show, not the piece of shit movie!
What is your biggest vice?
Jerking off is probably the most respectable vice I can talk about.
Having fried my lungs with cigarettes, my brain with various illicit
and illegal (i.e. FUN!) drugs and my liver with alcohol, I've had
to give up most of the more conventional vices and turned to bizarre
sex practices to keep myself from going completely insane. I also
am guilty of taking too many naps, like the lazy slob that I be!
Do you think you could subdue a rampaging alligator?
Last Wednesday, I bitch slapped a crocodile who impugned my chastity.
Does that count?
Where do you see your self in 5 years?
In five years, I see myself five years older, five years uglier
and with a little luck five years wiser. However, if I had my fucking
way, I would be my own version of Steve Buscemi and acting in every
independent movie made.
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