The Mountain

From two Facebook posts:
September 18, 2019

4:22 PM

Ever since I was a kid I wanted to be in movies. I was always Brando, Dean, Pacino, DeNiro, Ford. I was all movies all the time.

Couple years ago I got a message from a good friend of mine asking me if I wanted to be in a Jeff Goldblum movie. She didn’t have to ask twice.

That day was like Christmas to me. I got to meet several actors I would later cast in my own film, and then was asked to not only background act, but stand-in for Tye Sheridan while they set the cameras.

In came Jeff, who sat right next to me, talking to Rick Alverson who I would a night or two later realize was an indie god. Jeff sat there, talking through his character’s backstory with, basically himself, twirling his fork, practicing his moves. I didn’t move a muscle.

I compare what I gleaned in that moment to what must be the knowledge one gains from a whole year of acting school. Once we were in full swing, everything ran like clockwork: every intonation and flinch was so perfect from both actors. I soaked it all in. It was surreal to say the least.

I might be in the movie for two seconds or not at all; but it was so worth it, an experience I will never forget.

The film went on to be selected at several big fests, garner mostly negative reviews from the general populous, as I had hoped; and after years of waiting, landing other small gigs, and finally- inspired by that experience- playing the lead in a film I helped make- tonight - I’m going to see it on the big screen.

11:20 PM

One of the greatest experiences of my life was seeing myself in a/that movie! Absolutely loved it! (Most won’t, that’s kinda the point.) Chilled with the lovely Liz Cameron, my scene co-star, after. We were on cloud nine that day and today. Just about as surreal as the film itself. Took this pic at 11:11. Everybody was gone so I did it myself.