🎬 Taping Ears & Tricking Litigators: How This Boston Professor Reclaimed His Acting Passion | Michael Roberts
In this episode of I Saw You In That Thing I Saw You In, host Stephen Lomer tracks the wildly diverse, non-linear journey of actor Michael Roberts.
Michael is a tenured professor who balances founding a master's degree program in occupational therapy with a jam-packed schedule of independent film, commercial shoots, and high-stakes immersive dinner theater. He shares hilarious, practical insights on what it takes to transition from a commanding stage theater presence to the subtle nuances of screen acting, proving that life in your mid-50s is the absolute peak time to embrace the craft.
Inside This Episode:
📌 De-Theatering the Actor: Michael shares the jarring realization of seeing his first screen performance after years of trying to "hit the back row" with large gestures and booming theater projection.
📌 The Oscar Multiplier: How one split-second mistake on the set of the Academy Award-nominated film The Holdovers with Paul Giamatti gave Michael his perfect "clearing the shot" background moment.
📌 The Red-Eared Gaffer Fix: A genius behind-the-scenes trick from the set of Sleepwalkers involving a fog machine, a bright backlight, and using gaffer's tape to hold down his giant ears from glowing red on the monitor.
📌 Telehealth Sign Language: Quick-thinking on a Blue Cross Blue Shield commercial where Michael had exactly 10 minutes to learn authentic sign language lines right before the cameras rolled.
📌 Immersive Murder Mystery Strategy: Michael reveals the grueling psychological prep required for a three-day Keith & Margo's Murder Mystery weekend in Vermont—including how he successfully fooled a true-crime novelist and a litigator by planting fake backstories on a dinner menu.
📌 The "Quincy Can't Escape" Sitcom Protocol: Breaking down the meta-concept student short film where Michael played the quintessential set-upon sitcom dad dealing with a co-star whose brainwashing randomly wears off mid-scene.
📌 Act Like You’re Not a Dirtbag: Crucial, grounded advice for young actors on networking, memorizing lines, showing up on time, and stuffing down your "inner dirtbag" to treat every grip, PA, and crew member with ultimate respect.
Connect with Michael Roberts
Instagram: instagram.com/michaelrobertsactor/
Support the Show & Our Sponsors
🎯 Parody News Network (PNN): From getting painted head-to-toe in fake blood to playing unforgettable characters, Michael is a premier PNN collaborator. Check out his hilarious comedic work and subscribe here: youtube.com/ParodyNewsNetwork
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