Welcome! I’m running a series here on my blog Interviews With Professionals! where I’m specifically focusing on those in the acting industry! We have a great guest list lined up, so be sure to check back often for new interviews!
Today’s special guest is Mike Kimmel, a very talented actor, author, and all around multi-talented professional! He also works with other actors to help them become all they can be. Mike not only coaches them, but he has published several books containing monologues for actors of all ages! I just bought one myself and am enthusiastically looking forward to reading it. I recently had the opportunity to participate in Josh Grant's Diabolic Shrimp Holiday Special on YouTube, where Mike, myself, and several other talented folks got to answer trivia questions for charity. He also recommended Mike to me as an amazing individual to interview, so thank you, Josh, for introducing Mike and I! It’s my great honor to interview him today!
So without further ado, let’s begin the interview!
Tell us your name and how long you’ve been acting!
I’m Mike Kimmel from the Beautiful Bronx, New York. I’ve been acting, writing, and teaching for nearly thirty years in New York, California … and quite a few states in between!
What’s your story? What inspired you to end up in the exciting career of acting?
I’ve known since childhood that this is what I wanted to do with my life. I can vividly remember watching television as a child and being mesmerized by my favorite shows … and wanting to jump inside the TV set and join in all the action. There were no after-school centers or arts programs in my area when I was growing up, so I didn’t begin my acting career until somewhat later in life. As a result, I started working as a teacher and writer, as well. I find it very rewarding to combine the three professions.
Have you ever tried out voice acting?
I’ve done some voice acting and definitely enjoyed the process. I’ve primarily worked on-camera, but voice actors have training techniques and skill sets that I really do admire. I teach acting classes too, and incorporate several of these strategies into my own brand of on-camera actor training. I believe many actors don’t modulate their voices enough. I think vocal variety is the most under-utilized tool in the actor’s repertoire.
We have other actors and voice actors who subscribe to this blog. What piece of advice would you give to someone just starting out in these careers?
There’s no substitute for consistency and perseverance. We really need to practice our craft daily. You’d be amazed at the improvement you can make over time through daily discipline and practice. Aim for progress, not perfection. We can make incremental progress daily, and the results really do add up significantly over time.
The audience is interested in learning about the education path of various actors. Did you go to school for acting or did you study something else? If something else, what did you study and did you find it useful as an actor? Do you think it’s required for an actor to have a degree in this field in order to purse it as a career, or is it possible to self teach?
I went to a great college, Brandeis University, and completed a Masters Degree years later at California State University. I didn’t study acting in college or grad school, although I believe my areas of study, Psychology, English, and Humanities, are widely applicable to the acting profession. Outside of school, I studied acting with Michael Shurtleff, who wrote the book, Audition. I studied with many other teachers, but Michael Shurtleff is the one who really helped me develop and solidify my personal technique.
Any special tips or “hacks” for getting into character?
Yes, always remember that you’re never becoming a different person. Instead, in every role, you’re portraying an idealized version of yourself in that particular situation. Maybe it’s you on the best day of your life … or maybe it’s you on the worst day of your life. However it’s always you, so just try to imagine the best or worst version of yourself reacting truthfully to the new set of circumstances on the page.
We all have multiple aspects of our own personalities. Some are good, others are not so good. People tend to see the world in terms of black and white, all or nothing, but in reality we live our lives in varying shades of gray. That’s why it’s important not to beat up on ourselves too much for past mistakes, as well. Past mistakes and errors in judgment came about on days when we were not operating at our very best. Just remember that you’re not always going to be that way. You’ll have plenty of days when you’re at or near 100%.
What would be your dream role?
I’ve always been a fan of Neil Simon and am particularly fond of his play, Last of the Red-Hot Lovers. It’s not his best-known play, but it’s my favorite. Playing Barney, his slightly confused lead character, on Broadway would be my dream role. Barney’s going through an identity crisis and feels the need to make some major changes to catch up with the “in crowd” he sees everywhere around him. By the end of the play, Barney realizes that his life is just fine and he becomes much more grateful and content. I think there’s a little bit of Barney in all of us.
What role are you the most proud of that you’ve done so far?
I worked with Academy Award winner Francis Ford Coppola in 2015 on an original creative project that was very near and dear to his heart. Distant Vision was a semi-autobiographical project encompassing three generations of his own family. This was a tremendous opportunity to work with one of the greatest filmmakers of all time and observe his own creative process up close and personal on a daily basis. Mr. Coppola is an incredibly gracious and generous artist––and a true believer in film as a unique and collaborative art form. He’s been a tremendous influence on me too.
If you are currently cast in a role or have recently completed a role, tell us about it!
I recently completed a new book, Monologues for Adults, that is receiving some very positive attention. In fact, it just won a prize, the Best Indie Book Award for 2021 in the Acting category, so I’m very excited about that––and very grateful for the opportunity and recognition. Monologues for Adults received a very nice review in Publishers’ Weekly, as well. I'm glad that this new book is finding an audience, and I hope it be a blessing to adult actors.
Optional Bonus Question: We have a Christian community subscribed to this blog as well who like to hear about inspiring stories involving walks of faith. If you have a story you’d like to share about this, either related to acting or not, please feel free to do so.
I work as an actor, teacher, and writer concurrently and feel that all three aspects can work fluidly together as part of a greater whole. I’ve never believed actors should pigeon-hole themselves … or think of themselves as only being able to fulfill one distinct aspect of the entire creative process. That’s how the books I’ve written have come into existence.
I’ve also never believed in the concept of the “starving artist.” I think that’s another trap. “Millionaire artist” is a much more empowering label. There are plenty of millionaire artists out there, right? Our God created an abundant world and gave us dominion over all of it. Self-limitation does not factor into that equation––and certainly not into His plans for us.
However, I’ve known great actors through the years who told me they never wanted to do commercials, for example. I’ve known theater actors who wouldn’t work on screen, along with TV/film actors who refused to work on stage. I think those are all big mistakes. We don’t need to limit ourselves. It’s tremendously empowering, in fact, to use all your gifts and talents to create your own body of work for yourself and your friends.
I’ve had times when the acting work was a little slow but I was still able to keep busy writing and teaching. I don’t think actors need to limit our creativity to the roles we play on stage and screen. Actors can take a creative and proactive approach to developing the lives we want to live and the careers we want to have. For me, acting, writing, and teaching all go hand-in-hand.
This may sound a little strange, but there have been several times when I felt really stuck … and then looked down and saw a green pencil in my path. It’s always been situated at the exact same angle too. I was so powerfully affected by this recurring image, that I put a photo of the first green pencil on the cover of my book, Monologues for Teens. This was so specific––and has happened so many times––that I can’t believe it’s coincidental. Instead, I think the message is pretty clear. Green means “go” and pencil means “write.” In my times of difficulty, I believe God has been telling me, “Go write.”
Social Media Links
Instagram: @mikekimmelauthor
Twitter: @MikeKimmelActor
Websites: MikeKimmel.com and MikeKimmelAuthor.com