M I K E D I C K M A N
Interview} Ken Waller
Photographs by} John Russo
Location} United Kingdom
Mike Dickman is represented by Kristin Tarry at TCG Artist Management Ltd.
To learn more about Mike Dickman
KW: Can you tell us what led you to acting?
MD: I’ve always harbored a passion for it – I did a lot of theatre at school and university but when I graduated I felt that I owed it to my parents to pursue a more ‘stable’ career…I worked in finance, then on the commercial side of Manchester City Football club in the UK Premier League – a totally different world to acting! I was one of those people that had a bit of an epiphany during the pandemic – I remember thinking about the vital form of inspiration and escapism that film and tv offered to people during an incredibly tough and isolating time and I started feeling, very acutely, that life is short and if we’re lucky enough to be able to, we all owe it to ourselves to pursue our dreams – what was it Wayne Gretsky said? ‘You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take..’ – that’s how I felt about pursuing acting at that stage. I knew that I wanted to play a direct part in creating those stories and characters that move and inspire people…So I jumped on a plane to LA, enrolled myself in acting school and rolled my sleeves up. I was extremely fortunate to receive a lot of encouragement from Producers and show-runners that I met in the US and also from my long-time friend and now producing partner, Matt Barber, who starred in Downton Abbey and is a fantastic actor and writer – he was a huge support and advocate of me making the leap…
KW: In 2017 you produced a movie, “Love is thicker than water”, How did this project come about? What was your role?
MD: I was working in finance and I was approached by Ate De Jong, who directed ‘Drop Dead Fred’ to raise some money for a film he had…I loved the whole idea so I jumped straight in and started making myself busy…negotiating actors contracts, securing locations, hiring the production team and ended up co-producing with Ate and my good friend, Matt Barber. We had some great cast in that one – Johnny Flynn, Jess Gunning, Henry Goodman – wonderful people to work with…I really wanted to jump in front of the camera then…but I didn’t feel I had the right to!
Alongside acting, I’m delighted to say, Matt and I are now producing again together with Liz Trubridge (Downton Abbey, Tin Star, Last Kingdom) and we’re excited about what’s coming down the line.
KW: How did your roles in Barbie and Indiana Jones come about? How was your experience working on these films?
MD: After my time in LA I essentially started hustling…meeting anyone I could, trying to piece together how the industry worked. I was very lucky that I managed to find a route to the casting team for Barbie at just the right time as they were looking for Will Ferrell’s villainous board members – my part was small but spending 10 days on set with Will Ferrell and Margot Robbie was a hell of an intro. to the industry…their ability to glide seamlessly from ultra-professional to hilarious for every take was very cool. And with Indiana Jones I’ll never forget my first morning – the scene was quite physical and I was a bit concerned about accidentally hurting someone – Harrison Ford just put his arm around me and said, ‘don’t worry about me – I’m not gonna take it easy on you either…’ – and he was right!
KW: In your upcoming film, Secrets, coming out on Prime later this year, you have a starring role. Can you tell us about your character?
MD: I’m excited about this movie – written and directed by an emerging talent in the UK, Chris Norton – it’s a psychological thriller about a woman with (you guessed it) secrets(!) to hide…her world appears to be unravelling but she’s got no idea why – I play her partner and step father to her young daughter – doing my best to support her – the problem is no one knows what we’re up against…
KW: What genre of roles has been the most challenging for you to play? (the Bad guy, the love interest, the hero etc)
MD: I consider myself very lucky in that I’ve had an opportunity to play a few ‘types’ in productions that are due to be released this year and next. The one where I had to make the biggest leap was definitely my role in ‘Gandhi’, set to release next year. They say you should always bring something of ‘you’ to a role – it’s a really interesting challenge when the period, country, background, accent, moral code – just everything about the character is so far from you as a person – essentially stepping outside of yourself entirely and into someone else’s skin.
KW: In your upcoming film Gandhi, an 8-part series set for release early next year -you play a character called Harry Sparks that epitomizes the antagonism Gandhi encountered when he came to South Africa. How did you prepare for this film?
MD: I’m so humbled to have had a chance to play a role in a depiction of such a seminal story. An investigation of the man and the impact his actions had on him and those close to him – the why of him, not just the what. It was a great responsibility to try and convey the sentiment and the tone of opposition that he encountered – and of course the issues are still so prevalent today – we still have to tolerate prejudice, bigotry, and oppression in many forms. I ended up immersing myself in Gandhi’s history and his incredible accomplishments as well as the culture of South Africa at the time – and of course working on the accent! My girlfriend was sick of me by the time we wrapped as before 12pm everyday I’d only talk to her in an Afrikaans accent!
KW: What did you learn from working on this larger scale production?
MD: The whole production was a fabulous experience – Hansal Mehta, the Director, was a joy to work with – his social dramas are renowned and he’s got a way of capturing moments – and that was a joy to witness. It was also a logistical behemoth – and what really struck home was that on all projects – and especially something of this scale, as an actor, you’ve really got to show up and bring your A-game from the off – otherwise you’re doing a disservice to the rest of the team and the hard work that’s gone into the preparation and the endless logistics on a shoot this big – we actors are just a tiny component of that. What you see on screen is just a fraction of the operation that surrounds it.
KW: In yet another project shooting this year, “The Manor”, you play alongside Mena Suvari. Are you excited about playing alongside such a seasoned actress? Can you tell us about your character?
MD: I’ve been an admirer of Mena for years – I grew up watching her in blockbuster movies like American Beauty so to act alongside someone of her stature and talent is such an honour. All I can say is it’s a very cool, quirky ensemble cast for this one and another interesting challenge. My character Julian is somewhat louche, cosmopolitan, and ever so slightly out of touch with reality!
KW: Hollywood is in an odd place at the moment. It seems that everyone is conforming to one overall political ideology and those who do not are ostracized and cancelled. As a younger actor entering this field how does this make you feel?
MD: On a human level I find the current state of global society in general, frustrating. As a race, our inability to learn the important lessons from history and instead repeatedly indulge virulent cycles of prejudice, division and subjugation is remarkable. If we spent more time appreciating that there is context and nuance to almost every situation we encounter, we might be capable of producing more positive outcomes.
KW: If you could play opposite one major actor, who would it be and why?
MD: I’ve been so lucky already…Harrison Ford was a hero of mine growing up…likewise Will Ferrell! If you backed me into a corner I’d have to say Woody Harrelson. He’s effortlessly cool and he can do it all – drama, comedy, thrillers, action – even theatre. I saw him over in London this year with his play, Ulster American alongside Andy Serkis, another actor I admire greatly. The play was genius and their performances were mesmerizing. From what I gather, Woody is also a big environmentalist and plant based eater – as am I. I’m a big believer in disrupting the food ecosystem and reducing our consumption of animal products in order to safeguard our long term future – but that’s a whole other topic!
KW: They say everyone has a story to tell, whose story do you want to tell on thru film?
MD: I would flip it and say that I would want to tell any story that inspires, motivates or changes someone’s life for the better. It’s my whole reason for wanting to do this. The endorphin rush and the fresh perspecive we can gain from engaging with powerful narrative content is incredible. In my production work I also want to try and shine a light on stories that ‘deserve to be told’ – great feats of human accomplishment, often against the odds and by oppressed or disregarded parties – some things should never be forgotten and thanks to our industry, they don’t have to be.
Mike Dickman is represented by Kristin Tarry at TCG Artist Management Ltd.
To learn more about Mike Dickman
Mike Dickman