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Timothy J. Cox
Actor
Star of:
Over Coffee, Socks
and Cakes, The Watchers |
Thank you
for participating, Mr. Cox.
My pleasure. Thank you for having me.
Allow me to get right to it: Why a
character actor? What is it about those
kinds of roles that draws you to them?
Well, I’m short, stocky…not overly
handsome…so where else would I fit? As far
as the draw…well, it’s the size of the parts
mostly…the fact that most of time, they are
very small parts. It’s kind of a nice
challenge for the actor…you come on, try to
score your points and then you go. I equate
it with being the 6th man on a basketball
team or the clutch hitter in baseball.
Did you always know that you were going
to go this character actor route?
I had great directors and teachers in
college who encouraged me to head in that
direction…cast me in a lot of supporting
parts, lots of Dad roles…but in the back of
my own mind, I always knew that if I was
ever going to have any success in this
business, it was going to be as character
actor.
Now, the bulk of your “character acting”
has been on the stage where you still go
from time to time. Which do you prefer? The
stage or film?
I love the stage more. Nothing beats that
live reaction. |
Where did you train to
be an actor?
I went to a small, liberal arts college in Marietta,
Ohio, which was great for me, as it was the first time I
was ever on my own…coming from Wilmington, Delaware…so
that was important and then the acting program at the
school was perfect for me. I did the classics, which I
fell in love with and still love. I was able to jump
right onstage and act right away and I quickly learned
that I didn’t know a damn thing about acting…so I fell
on my face quite a bit, but I picked myself up. I fell a
few more times and I picked myself up again. Overall, I
learned a hell of a lot.
What was the greatest lesson you learned?
That acting requires a hell of a lot of discipline and
commitment…and that you never, ever stop learning. Every
rehearsal and performance, good or bad, is important and
educational. You never stop being a student in this
work. To me, all actors are and should be works in
progress.
One of the many things
I’ve noticed in several of your performances, as I have
seen you on film as well as on stage, is that there is a
certain everyman quality to all of your characters. All
of them are everyday, living, breathing people that we
see on the street all the time.
Well, I think that’s one of the advantages of being an
“average Joe” type, that you can play those types of
characters, those every day people we see on the street
every day, who go to work, struggle and survive…and you
see their pain, their joy…there’s always a sense of
loss, of guilt…people just trying to make it through the
day. Those are the types of characters that most appeal
to me and what I try to do is bring a sense of truth to
these peoples’ lives.
Speaking of truth, in
Socks and Cakes, you brought plenty of truth and a kind
of sad world-weariness to the role of Harry. Was he
tough to play?
Every role has its complexities, that’s what makes it
fun…but in that case…I don’t know, the role just kind of
fit me like an old jacket. I knew that guy…a man who is
kind of lost in the world, uncertain of where he’s
going, but deep down has such compassion and warmth, but
you rarely see it as Harry is a guy who doesn’t want to
get too close to anyone or let anyone get too close to
him. I just trusted the material, which I thought was
very good, as well as Antonio (Padovan) and the cast,
all of whom were great to work with.
And then
you went in the opposite direction, playing
it big and broad, with your work as
tyrannical real estate boss Hamilton Rice in
Sean Meehan’s comedy Over Coffee?
I had a ball with that part and with Sean,
who was fun to work with. Yes, it was big
and broad, but as someone who has worked in
the real estate industry, I can tell you,
people like Hamilton Rice exist.
And in The Watchers, you play a shrink to
a man who thinks he’s being followed, but
the audience isn’t certain if you can be
trusted?
Sy Cody White and Jeff Moffitt wrote a
great part and they gave me the ball and I
just ran with it. It was an awesome
experience. |
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All three films have
been receiving great reviews and play all over the web?
Yes, it’s been very nice and encouraging. While the
reviews have been nice, I’m more pleased at the fact
that the films are being seen, as so many films are made
every year and then nothing is done with them, so I’m
thankful to have three that people seem to enjoy.
Who are your favorite actors?
Oh God! How much space do you have? There’s so
many…Spencer Tracy and Albert Finney are up there on my
list, as well as William H. Macy, Gene Hackman and Paul
Giamatti. My all-time favorite though is Jack Lemmon.
Now there’s an everyman!
You said it.
I saw on
your blog that you were inspired to become an actor
by watching Mr. Lemmon’s work in Days of Wine and Roses?
That performance hooked me and showed me that acting can
be more than just about entertaining. Entertaining is
vital, but as an actor, you can also illuminate, inspire
and enlighten and that is something that resonated with
me very deeply. I met Mr. Lemmon and told him that his
performance inspired me.
|
 |
No
kidding.
Yes, it was a year or so before he passed
away. I saw him in a restaurant here in New
York and after some prodding by a friend, I
went up and told him what an inspiration he
was to me. He was a true gent and even gave
me a hug. An actor can get drunk off a
thrill like that and I did that night.
That’s awesome! Who are your favorite
actresses?
I’ll watch anything that Kathy Bates
does. Same goes for Patricia Clarkson.
They’re both fantastic! Meryl Streep, of
course…seeing her on stage is a revelation
and I’ve had the honor twice.
Who are your
favorite directors?
Frank Capra, Mike Nichols, Billy Wilder,
Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman and the Coen
Brothers. I wish I could back to the 40’s
and be a part of Capra’s stock company of
actors…like Ward Bond and Thomas Mitchell
were. That would be paradise for me. |
What are your favorite
films?
The Godfather Films (even Part III), The Big
Lebowski, The Sting, It's A Wonderful Life, and The Odd
Couple.
I know that you update your
website regularly with information on your latest and upcoming
projects, but if you would, give us the skinny on what
you have coming up?
Well, I am about to open in the black comedy play
Avenue of the Americas by Martin Blank, which will be
running at The Tank in Manhattan from January 21st to
February 6th. Tickets are only $10 at www.thetanknyc.org
or call 1-800-838-3006. On the film side, I am hoping to
collaborate with the team that made The Watchers (Two
Man Crew Productions, Sy Cody White and Jeff Moffitt)
again on another film project, which is in the very
early stages of planning and development. All I can say
is that if the project becomes a reality, it’ll be an
exciting one.
Thank you, Mr. Cox, for taking the time to speak with
Cinema Crazed today.
Thank you so much for having me. It was a lot of fun. |
