“I just was trying to horrify my publicist, it doesn’t work.” These are the words Michael Shannon said to me as I walked into his hotel conference room with a sort of terrified look on my face after hearing him yell about his disdain toward the city of Toronto to some poor soul over the phone at the top of his lungs. Have you seen or heard Michael Shannon yell? It’s very intimidating. Even when you’re kinda certain it was a joke.
As it turns out, Shannon had just gotten done with an interview with the Toronto Sun and thought it would be funny for his publicist to hear him saying unkind things about Toronto. (I’m sure she loves that.) At the same time, it’s kind of funny to watch Shannon having fun with his intense persona. A persona that’s not really that true. I mean, he’s certainly intense and, in person, he’s an imposing figure, but he’s also very polite and funny, in a drawling, dry, Kentucky way.
Shannon is currently starring in Midnight Special, his fourth collaboration with director Jeff Nichols. Shannon plays Roy, a father who is on the run from authorities after stealing his son – a son who has some sort of supernatural ability – away from a religious cult. Like most of Shannon’s films, it’s an intense movie and an intense role.
We spoke to Shannon about, well, a lot of things. Everything from his relationship with Jeff Nichols, to his early roles in Groundhog Day and Chain Reaction, to when he used to do improv in Chicago, to his thoughts on the upcoming Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Are you happy with the response?
We’ve seen different responses. Some people love it and some people and kind of like, “What was that?” Because, I think the cat’s out of the bag at this point, it can be kind of a head-scratcher sometimes.
So can Take Shelter.
Yeah. But, you know, that’s the beauty of it to me. I like head-scratchers.
I can tell by the movies you’re in.
I like to scratch my head.
You’ve been in every Jeff Nichols movie. Could he call you with anything and you say no?
I don’t think so. Not unless that was his intention, you know? If he really went out of his way to disturb me somehow. I don’t want it to turn into a thing where it feels obligatory. If he called me up and said, “You’re going to sit this one out,” I’d be like, “okay.”
You’re at five in a row, but it doesn’t feel obligatory.
I’m real curious to see Loving, I only did a day on that one.
There’s a scene involving a Superman comic book. Was that an inside joke?
Heh. It’s funny. Originally he was reading a Wolverine comic. Then the movie wound up at Warner Bros. and that wasn’t going to happen. It’s actually a very beautiful little moment: this child has been locked up in this weird cult and hasn’t been exposed to any popular culture – seeing him ask a question about something that everyone on Earth already knows about.
How much do you want people to know about this movie? I went in knowing nothing.
Well, obviously, I would tend to agree that the less you know, the better – which makes it difficult to talk about it much. Look, it’s a movie regardless if you know a lot about it or don’t know anything about it. It’s still a piece of art. It would be great if the first time I saw the Mona Lisa in person was the first time I ever saw it, but that’s not the case.
It’s much smaller than you think it’s going to be.
Yeah, exactly.
I feel like you have been on a year and a half press tour.
I’ve done a lot of press. I’ve done a lot of work.
You’ve been talking about 99 Homes since 2014. I recently watched that and The Big Short back-to-back, they fit together well.
Yeah, I guess in a way it’s good we came out the same time as that, as opposed to last fall. I saw The Big Short. I really like Steve Carell in that movie. I thought he was real good. I think the pathos of the whole situation came out through him.
What movies do you see? If you go to the theater and say, “one ticket, please,” what are you seeing?
Wow. That happens so rarely. You know, a movie I saw last year I was real impressed with was I Smile Back.
With Sarah Silverman.
Yeah. I was very impressed with her performance. I thought it was an oversight she didn’t get more attention. It’s tough, because I don’t know how many people saw that movie. Outside of the industry, I don’t know if your average Joe on the street is getting to go see that.
Are you going to see Batman v Superman? You’re sort of in it.
Oh no, I’ll see it. I’m looking forward to it.
I have no idea if that’s your type of movie.
Oh, yeah.
I don’t mean that specifically, but superhero movies in general.
Well, I like Zack. I think Zack is the real deal, ever since I saw Watchmen. I’m excited to see where he goes with this.
I promise there’s a person out there who still expects to see you with flippers.
[Laughs.] Well, that’s good. You know, keep hope alive. Who knows, maybe they’ll add it in post. They can do that.
I found that answer to be the funniest thing. “Flippers.” And then you later reveal it was a joke.
Well, I had the benefit that it was a phone interview. So, I didn’t have to sell it with my face, just my voice. Yeah, it was just an inevitable reaction to having to field so many questions about something you’re not supposed to talk about. Eventually you break down and start saying nonsense.
I’m surprised that doesn’t happen more often.
Like if people say weird, goofy stuff?
It didn’t come off as “mean.”
You hear about how these people play. What’s the game everyone knows about? Someone will tell you a word that you’re supposed to try and insert into the interview. Like a funny word or something? “In your next interview, you have to try and use the word ‘penguin’ or ‘frankfurter.’” It’s an actor game that I’ve heard about.
I’ve done it. I was once dared to use the word “crestfallen.”
“Were you crestfallen about your performance in the movie?”
I think I won $10.
Crestfallen’s too easy, honestly. It needs to be like the word “lasagna,” or something. Or “octopede.”
If you had a bet with someone for this interview, you could win pretty easily right now.
Yeah, exactly. Hindsight is 20/20.
Was “flipper” a bet?
No.
You could have won some serious money.
I know. I could use it, too.
I feel like you’re doing okay.
I get by.
You’ve got that The Night Before money still coming in.
Oh yeah.
The greatest performance of 2015 was you as Mr. Green.
Oh, really? You think so?
I’ve been in discussions about this.
I sure loved doing it.
You were in a different movie than everyone else.
Well, it’s supposed to be like Clarence the angel from It’s a Wonderful Life, or something. They gave me a lot of freedom to screw around and try new things. That’s the way they work. They run up and give you lines and at one point I was like, “Can I screw around with this a little bit?” And they were like, “Sure.” And I have a little experience with improvisation. When I was in Chicago, I used to do improv a lot.
That seems like something you’d be good at.
You know, it’s not that far off from acting. It’s really just about awareness and listening: a lot of the things that make for good acting, only difference is you don’t have lines. You have to come up with your own lines, but it’s not as difficult as you think it would be. The hardest part is getting started when you walk out there and the lights come on. Once you find a place to start, it’s pretty fun.
People ask you about Groundhog Day a lot, but is that how you wound up in that? Being involved in improv?
No. Because I didn’t do Second City, which is where a lot of them came from. I really just got lucky. My acting teacher at the time was the casting director, Jane Brody. I was taking her scene study class. It was no secret people would try to get in her class because, at the time, one of the biggest casting directors in Chicago. If you could do good work in front of her, it would bode well for you.
How does one wind up in Chain Reaction?
[Laughs.] It’s the same woman! That was Jane Brody, too. Because she knew Andrew Davis, because I think she worked on The Fugitive or something. But, yeah, that director, Andrew Davis, was from Chicago and they shot it in Chicago. But, yeah, same thing: I went in and read for it. I mean, it wasn’t a huge responsibility. But, it was pretty crazy.
Why?
Just being in the company of those people. Big stars…
Keanu.
Yeah, and Morgan Freeman.
You have a movie coming out where you play Elvis.
Yeah.
What’s that going to be like?
I’m excited for it to come out. I’m pretty happy with it. What’s fascinating about it is that it’s based on a real event that nobody really knows anything about. Ultimately, Elvis and Nixon were left alone in the Oval Office and there’s no indication of what they talked about and there’s no recording or transcription of it. So, it’s just such a unique opportunity to do something based on a real event, but completely imagined at the same time.
Michael Shannon playing Elvis Presley. I’m in.
I tried.
Mike Ryan lives in New York City and has written for The Huffington Post, Wired, Vanity Fair and New York magazine. He is senior entertainment writer at Uproxx. You can contact him directly on Twitter.
