Like a lot of superpowers, the chip on Mike Colter’s shoulder isn’t visible, but it’s there when he needs it. Cursed with a stable home and supportive parents, he often manufactured his own chips to keep himself motivated as an actor (which he planned on being from the age of eight). But later, the chips got real: Acting teachers who told him he wouldn’t make it. Years of broke-ass struggle pursuing his art. Agents who said he could only play one kind of role. Well, throw obstacles at a guy like Colter and he’ll thank you for them – before smashing them to pieces. He’s at a point now where he could be kicking back and enjoying the ability to pay for groceries, but he has something else to prove: If you think you know who Luke Cage is, you don’t. We’d add that if you think you’ve seen everything this actor can do, you haven’t. Not by a long shot.
Like a lot of superpowers, the chip on Mike Colter’s shoulder isn’t visible, but it’s there when he needs it. Cursed with a stable home and supportive parents, he often manufactured his own chips to keep himself motivated as an actor (which he planned on being from the age of eight). But later, the chips got real: Acting teachers who told him he wouldn’t make it. Years of broke-ass struggle pursuing his art. Agents who said he could only play one kind of role. Well, throw obstacles at a guy like Colter and he’ll thank you for them – before smashing them to pieces. He’s at a point now where he could be kicking back and enjoying the ability to pay for groceries, but he has something else to prove: If you think you know who Luke Cage is, you don’t. We’d add that if you think you’ve seen everything this actor can do, you haven’t. Not by a long shot.
One of the most joyful and rewarding experiences we can have as humans is the discovery of something we passionately love to do– and even better, the discovery that we’re really good at it. For Thandie Newton, that revelation came as a naïve 16-year-old on her first film set. It also came with a horrific experience of abuse. Unfortunately, and incredibly, it was not the last one dealt her by the business she loved. So she had a choice. Be a victim, or do something about it. Newton fought hard for herself, and then seemingly couldn’t stop. As she’s achieved success, she’s used her position to champion women and children not only in her industry, but throughout the world. It wasn’t easy finding her voice, but now that she has, look out. Here, she uses it in one of our most wide-ranging, honest and inspiring conversations yet.
One of the most joyful and rewarding experiences we can have as humans is the discovery of something we passionately love to do– and even better, the discovery that we’re really good at it. For Thandie Newton, that revelation came as a naïve 16-year-old on her first film set. It also came with a horrific experience of abuse. Unfortunately, and incredibly, it was not the last one dealt her by the business she loved. So she had a choice. Be a victim, or do something about it. Newton fought hard for herself, and then seemingly couldn’t stop. As she’s achieved success, she’s used her position to champion women and children not only in her industry, but throughout the world. It wasn’t easy finding her voice, but now that she has, look out. Here, she uses it in one of our most wide-ranging, honest and inspiring conversations yet.
One of the most joyful and rewarding experiences we can have as humans is the discovery of something we passionately love to do– and even better, the discovery that we’re really good at it. For Thandie Newton, that revelation came as a naïve 16-year-old on her first film set. It also came with a horrific experience of abuse. Unfortunately, and incredibly, it was not the last one dealt her by the business she loved. So she had a choice. Be a victim, or do something about it. Newton fought hard for herself, and then seemingly couldn’t stop. As she’s achieved success, she’s used her position to champion women and children not only in her industry, but throughout the world. It wasn’t easy finding her voice, but now that she has, look out. Here, she uses it in one of our most wide-ranging, honest and inspiring conversations yet.
Mark Duplass says that early on, he and his brother Jay wanted to be the Coen brothers. After 10 painful years of failure and self-doubt, he realized they were much better off being the Duplass brothers. Sticking to their shared gut got them promoted to Hollywood, where Mark found that success came with too many strings–and meetings–attached. That’s when his creative genius (he calls it “fear of making a bad movie”) turned to the business itself. What emerged was a model for making films exactly the way he wants to, while earning enough to keep making them. As they say, if you want something done right (not to mention better, faster, and cheaper) do it yourself. Could he be any happier? Yeah, probably– if we stuck him in a grimy old 110-degree shed with a drum kit and a Walkman.
Mark Duplass says that early on, he and his brother Jay wanted to be the Coen brothers. After 10 painful years of failure and self-doubt, he realized they were much better off being the Duplass brothers. Sticking to their shared gut got them promoted to Hollywood, where Mark found that success came with too many strings–and meetings–attached. That’s when his creative genius (he calls it “fear of making a bad movie”) turned to the business itself. What emerged was a model for making films exactly the way he wants to, while earning enough to keep making them. As they say, if you want something done right (not to mention better, faster, and cheaper) do it yourself. Could he be any happier? Yeah, probably– if we stuck him in a grimy old 110-degree shed with a drum kit and a Walkman.
Mark Duplass says that early on, he and his brother Jay wanted to be the Coen brothers. After 10 painful years of failure and self-doubt, he realized they were much better off being the Duplass brothers. Sticking to their shared gut got them promoted to Hollywood, where Mark found that success came with too many strings–and meetings–attached. That’s when his creative genius (he calls it “fear of making a bad movie”) turned to the business itself. What emerged was a model for making films exactly the way he wants to, while earning enough to keep making them. As they say, if you want something done right (not to mention better, faster, and cheaper) do it yourself. Could he be any happier? Yeah, probably– if we stuck him in a grimy old 110-degree shed with a drum kit and a Walkman.
