Absolutely. I agree 100 percent. And I’m very glad you brought up your writing because we really loved The New Yorker piece you recently wrote.
Oh, thank you.
What feedback did you get on the piece? How have you felt about the response it received?
I have gotten some really amazing feedback. It was a piece that I worked really hard on, and [it] took a really long time. I was really hoping that it would be read in the sense that it was intended, but you can never know. You can never control how people read a piece, but I think, for the most part, it was really amazing. It was really positive. And even the people who disagreed with it, it didn’t bother me because I feel like it was a conversation. I wanted it to be a conversation.
And also, there was never to really disagree with, really, because this is just my personal experience. It was my personal experience, and my personal experience was really unique to me. So, I feel like, everyone can write their own personal experience. [laughs] But I think, for the most part, I was really, really happy with the feedback, especially from people I really admire, and people I have admired for a really long time.
And since you’ve been growing so prolifically as a writer, do you have any more writing projects currently in the works?
Yeah. I’m currently adapting a book that I’d like to direct as a film. So that’s one thing. So that’s screenwriting. But I’m also getting ready to do a collection of essays because that’s what I’ve written since I’ve published my novel a few years ago. I was going to write another novel, but with everything I’ve been doing, I ended up writing a bunch of smaller essays. And now, I actually have enough to have a collection. So, I’m probably going to do that before I do anything else.
I’m glad you brought up directing. Is that a venture you are looking to pursue soon?
Yeah. That’s pretty much the next one. [laughs] I feel like I’ve done pretty much everything I’ve wanted to do. But that’s really the last one, and I’m really looking forward to that.
Is it a mixture of excitement and nervousness, or just excitement to do it?
Well, I think there’s always nervousness involved in something you’re excited about. Because nervousness is creative energy just trying to get out. So, I think anybody who takes on a big project like that has to have some nervousness and trepidations. But, you know, I intend to surround myself with the very best crew that I possibly can, and the best actors, and I think if you surround yourself with real talent and let everybody do what they do best, I think it’s all going to work out.
Is there any advice that you’d like to give to both young actors and up-and-coming writers from your wealth of experience?
I think everyone has their own path. I don’t usually try to give advice to people, but if I were to say one thing, I would say: just do it. That’s how you get better at anything, is just to do it. A lot of people don’t want to do something that they’re not immediately good at, or they get discouraged. Certainly, in the acting business, and in writing, I think there’s a lot of rejection. It’s not an easy business; it’s not easy to take it on. But if you’re really serious about it, you have to do it. And just watch yourself get better.
