Walking my dogs twice a day provides me with an opening and closing of my day, and I've learned to use those walks for a walking meditation, which had never occurred to me until a friend gave me Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn years ago. It helped me take advantage of moments that already existed in my day and turn them into something more expansive.
Just so we're clear, I'm not zen by any stretch of the imagination. However, what I've read about change being the only constant is a concept that I can grab onto and have used quite a lot.
Actors and preachers are people who stand up on stage and have no problem talking and they have no problem saying, "Listen to me. Follow me. I know what I'm talking about."
It's important to feel and to be connected to your emotions, whichever way they play out.
At some point in my career, I was thinking, "Why am I not a star? Why am I not Brad Pitt? Why am I not Tom Cruise?"
As much as I'd like to pretend that I'm not performing, I think any actor sometimes has themselves outside of themselves and is trying to direct themselves and control what you're seeing and thinking.
I'm so blessed to have been a working actor. If they still would like to make me a superstar, I'm available, but so far, being a working actor has been great. It's taken me everywhere.
I think any actor will tell you that they always assume they'll never work again, so every job becomes important. But Better Call Saul is a real capstone for me, a once-in-a-career opportunity, I think. I'm so happy they decided to invite me to their party. I can't wait to see where it takes me.
I think 20 years of experience really came to fruition and enabled me to be able to play Cotton Marcus.
I am not the center of the universe. And it's a lesson that I keep having to learn; it's my ongoing work, I'd say. And being in a career that is predicated on a degree of self-absorption, that is a tricky thing to negotiate sometimes.
Being a part of the crowd with incredible musicians onstage summoning the muse and delivering that to us - doesn't matter if it's an orchestra, two bluegrass banjo pickers, a solo singer, piano player, or Bruce Springsteen - when it all comes together, you can just feel as if you are a part of something bigger and grander than yourself.
I think any actor will tell you that they always assume they'll never work again, so every job becomes important.
Well, I have a lot of appetites and try to revel in almost everything, so inspiration can even come from a well-appointed submarine sandwich, you know? Potentially in the form of The Godmother from Santa Monica's Bay Cities [Italian Deli &] Bakery. But for a primal "Wow, every sense is on fire!" moment, it would have to be live music.
For me, there's still plenty of ground to be covered, as I get older. It's worked out great so far. I take it one job at a time. I'll just keep my eyes toward the next job and see where it takes me.
I would love to play the President. Give me the suit, give me the power, give me the oval office. That would be really fun.
You make a horror film that's not very good. You'd be joining a long line, in a long video aisle, of stuff that doesn't work.
This is a boyhood dream, but I've always wanted to play the sheriff. I've wanted to be in a Western, in the hat, playing the sheriff.
Love is hanging out at the ocean, watching my wife and little girls play in the sand. I know, I threw up a little too, but it's true.
The notion that "this too shall pass" is comforting, both in knowing that whatever pain I'm in will change into something else and allowing myself to experience the pain, not trying to blunt it or brush it aside. It's important to feel and to be connected to your emotions, whichever way they play out.
Wouldn't it be great if we could be a little less judgmental and a little more forgiving of each other's humanness? We're only here a short time. Let's pay more attention to the good and not the bad in one another.
I hit my knees every morning and every night to give thanks for being alive and all the blessings I have. And in the middle of chaos, it's been suggested to me to stop and truly look around, notice the sky, the trees, the grass, and realize you're part of it all, which is hard when you really want to focus on what you think is bothering you. However, one of the smartest things I do is check in with my awesome wife, who is really good at screwing my head back on when needed.
I've been blessed with two beautiful daughters. It is amazing how inadequate I can feel in being able to protect, teach, and take care of them. I'm not talking about a paranoid the-world-is-a-dangerous-place kind of way. I mean when they just give me a simple look or ask me something like "Where do stars comes from, Daddy?" I'm opened up in a way I had not thought possible.
I find, however, it's a much more freeing way to live. It certainly beats walking around with the "Don't you know who I think I am?" voice in your head. I find that only leads me down dark monkey-mind paths and patterns of behavior that benefits no one.
I'm an ambassador for Best Friends [Animal Society], an incredible organization that's devoted to the welfare of animals - in particular, trying to help make every animal shelter a no-kill shelter. My two dogs were rescues, and I'm a firm believer in finding every dog or cat a home.
When jobs come up, like a low-budget film like The Last Exorcism, you say yes and you see where it takes you.
