daveinter6

ERIK PALLADINO TALKS ABOUT "FAMOUS PEOPLE," AND MMC
By Richard Hutzler

It can be a strange experience to go home at night after a long Thursday at work and turn on the highest rated show in NBC history, E.R., to watch one of your best friends from college play an obnoxious, womanizing, self-centered, callow (but funny and oddly endearing) intern named Dave Malucci. But that's exactly what I do each Thursday night, because Erik Palladino, who was my first roommate in New York City when we were both students at Marymount Manhattan in the late 80's and early 90's, plays "Dr. Dave."

Erik, who was born in 1968 in Yonkers, N.Y., to Peter and Queenie - a heating contractor and a junior high school teacher, respectively - took a moment between interviews one day to speak with me on the phone for 71st Street. Erik started his acting career at a young age, including a teenage stint as the host of a weekly television show called "Heavy Metal Meltdown," before entering MMC in 1986. After graduating in 1991 with a B.A. in Theatre, he spent a few years as lead singer of an alternative rock band called No Happy Faces, in which he shared the stage with Chris, one of his two older brothers, who was lead guitarist. He also had a successful stint as a VJ on MTV. Soon after, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he quickly earned a reputation as one of the most persistent and hardworking young actors around.

After a leading role on the short-lived sitcom Love and Marriage, recurring roles on the WB's Malcolm and Eddie and UPN's DiResta, and a recurrent guest spot on the critically acclaimed Murphy Brown, Erik came to the notice of the producers of future summer blockbuster U-571, scheduled to open nationwide this May. He was quickly cast as a young New Yorker caught in the midst of World War II with the crew of a submarine. The film features an impressive ensemble cast including Harvey Keitel, Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton and Jon Bon Jovi.

Almost immediately upon his return from Italy, where the film was shot, Erik was offered the role of second-year resident Dr. Dave Malucci on NBC's perennial ratings-grabber E.R. Dr. Dave's literal battle scars may be the reason behind his abrasive personality. Erik hinted as much when we spoke in February, just as the mass audience that E.R. attracts began stopping him at deli counters in New York, or calling his name out on the street. We spoke about his time at MMC, his experiences in Hollywood, and his profound awareness of where he's been and where he would like to go in the future.

RH: Since I've known you, you've been extremely dedicated to the craft of acting, and you've been the most persistent person I've known, in terms of auditioning, networking, etc. How much of your current success do you attribute to perseverance, and how much to being in the right place at the right time?

EP: That's a tough question. That's a great question. I would say it's all luck, and it's all perseverance. I would say it's a combination of both, because you could be the luckiest person on the face of the earth, but if you're not ready - especially if you're an actor, if you're not taking your craft seriously - when it's time to step up, you're not going to be able to bring it. So you've got to have both.

RH: You've got to have both.

EP: Definitely. You've got to be damned persistent. You've got to accept "no," and not take it personally. And not let it hurt your ego.

RH: How true is the common perception that most people in Hollywood are shallow, self-centered, and more concerned with looks and money than with making art?

EP: Completely true.

RH: Completely true?

EP: Mmmm-hmmmm.

RH: Everybody?

EP: Every person I've met. I've only been here for four years, you know, so, maybe it will change.

RH: There are a couple people out there you don't know yet.

EP: Yeah, there are a couple people I haven't met yet. (Laughter.) I hear Bea Arthur is one of them. I here Bea Arthur's really nice.

RH: Bea Arthur! I've heard good things about her, too.

EP: Bea Arthur. I've heard she's very down to earth. (Laughter.) No, seriously, in answer to that question, the only thing I can say is that it's who you surround yourself with. If you surround yourself with a bunch of shallow, Hollywood types, then that's all you're going to see. But I have a tendency to surround myself with pretty good people, you know, due to my upbringing. And friendship has always been very important to me. And having lasting friendships is very important to me, so I have a tendency not to gravitate towards people who are shallow and very "Hollywood."

RH: That's a relief. Here's the third question. You studied full-time in college and received a bachelor's degree, and also managed to audition almost continuously. Do you think young actors should attend college, or do you feel it would be more advantageous for them to skip school and just audition?

EP: Well, I think for each individual it's different. It depends on the person. Me, I know I needed college. But the thing that's so great about college is you get the opportunity to work with a bunch of different teachers. And if you get lucky you find one or two who inspire you in a way that you won't get if you're just auditioning, if you're just out there taking blind shots. It seems to me that there are a lot of actors out there who are just auditioning, who might take a class here and there, but it's not going to be such an intensive medium like college is. In college you're really studying the craft and getting to know the craft, and at a real college you're getting to know a lot of other things, too. And every actor who really does it for his art - without sounding completely pretentious - will tell you that study and hard work and building a technique are the basis for every great actor. For instance, one of the main things Harvey Keitel kept saying to every young actor on the set of U-571 was, "you have to have a technique." You have to have a technique. If you don't have a technique, you'll maybe get one or two movies, you'll maybe get a series, but will you have longevity? Will you be respected? Will you make a career out of it? As opposed to becoming a "famous person?" And I really didn't get into this to become a famous person. I got into it because I just love acting. I love it so much. So I think it's up to the individual. But if you can get the opportunity to study the craft of acting for four or five years, I think you should take that opportunity. Because just those four years out of your life to get that chance - if you want to make a career out of it - are only four years, at the end of the day.

RH: That leads me to another question. Marlon Brando has been quoted numerous times as saying that acting is a useless activity that has no social value whatsoever. Do you agree with that statement?

EP: Well, I think he probably didn't think that as much in his younger days. I think he feels that way now because one activity that he finds a heck of a lot more useful is...eating. (Laughter.) So, I suppose that he now spends his time with food, instead. But hey, if you want to do Macbeth, that's great. And if you want do McDonald's, that's great, too.

RH: (Laughing hysterically): I can't believe you said that.

EP: (Trying not to laugh): So. It depends on the person, again. It's totally up to the individual. (Laughing.) That was good! Oh, man. You know I'm kidding. Hey, folks! Listen, that's comedy!

RH: Alright. Now that we know you'll never work with Marlon Brando, let's move on to the next question. Was there a particular teacher at MMC whom you felt really changed your life? And if so, why?

EP: Well, Rick, you know who it is. Lesly Kahn. She came to MMC my junior year. But, I would also have to say Michael Jameson. [NOTE: Michael Jameson, long-time Professor of Theatre Arts at MMC, died of AIDS in 1991.] The one thing Michael kept saying to me over and over again was (doing a dead-on imitation of Michael Jameson's inimitable voice): "Erik, if you would just get over yourself, you'd be a wonderful actor. Get over yourself, Erik." (Laughs.) He would always say that to me, and I never knew what he meant. Well, alright, I kind of knew what he meant. But, it's just taken on a different meaning the older I've gotten. And I hear him in my head sometimes saying that to me. And it's calming for me when I go to auditions. I hear him say "get over yourself" when I'm sitting there getting all neurotic about being horrible or something. Even when I know that I've already done the work I needed to do for the audition. But that little quote stays in my head, so I can say, "Okay, I'm going to get over myself here in this moment. Just get over yourself, Erik." Get over my own nervousness, get over my own ego, and just do what I love to do. And that calms me a lot. But Lesly Kahn..... everybody says they have that one teacher, and Lesly Kahn was that teacher for me. She taught me how to act, and she taught me how to be comfortable with who I am, because what makes each actor special is him or herself. Your individuality is important, because that's all you have as an actor: yourself. That's all you get the chance to bring to the table. When you get a character that you're working on you have to bring as much of yourself to it as possible - all the best actors do that. When I first started studying at MMC, I was really involved with "being the character," which as a concept is so separate from me, and being so intense about it, being this tortured young actor trying to be completely "Method" with the character. Then Lesly came along and said, "Well that's great, some of that stuff. But you have to be you within that character." You know? And you have to bring what is uniquely special about yourself to it. She taught me that. So now, each role that I do, they might not be such polar opposite characters - there is something that's unique and different about each character - but a part of my personality is in each one. Lesly taught me that. I don't think I would have learned that if I had never met her at MMC. And I still study with her today in California. She teaches privately out here now.

RH: That leads me now to another question. Can you discuss one thing you learned at MMC - and it doesn't necessarily have to be about acting - that has affected your life in a profound way?

EP: Wow. That's a tough question, because there were quite a few things I learned at MMC that have affected my life in a big way. I think I got a lot of confidence in myself going to MMC. I developed a real belief in myself. Because, let's face it, when I started I was not the greatest student. So to think that I was going to get a college degree, that it looked like it really was going to happen, was just beyond me. You know, for some reason part of me always felt confident about making it as an actor, but as a student, before I started MMC, I didn't really feel like I could get a degree. And to be honest with you, my fellow students really helped me out with a lot of those courses. (Laughs.) But seriously, the confidence that I developed in getting a college degree, in being able to accomplish that, really carried me through, even as an actor. The other thing about having a college degree is that a lot of people say, "you don't need that to become an actor." And that's fine for some people, I guess. But I do feel, when I go on an audition now, I'm one of the few guys who has a real four-year college degree - and I know it might sound strange - but I feel I've got a certain amount of confidence that they don't have because of that. I did take all these classes, and I did get a bachelor's degree, and I did work really hard, and I do really have that accomplishment in my life. And I know a lot of other actors haven't done that. And a lot of other actors haven't been trained in their craft as much, and there is a real confidence that comes from that hard work. And it was hard. You remember, Rick, it wasn't easy for me. But I did it. And I take a lot of pride in that. Sometimes as an actor, you know, those chances are few and far between, the chance to say, "I'm really proud of that." Especially me. Sometimes I'm completely neurotic when it comes to my work. I'll watch something I've done and completely tear myself apart. But the older I become I'm doing that less and less. Now, I can see myself and say, "Oh, ok. That was pretty good," you know? I could change this, or I could have done it this way, but I don't kill myself anymore like I did in my early and mid-twenties. Of course, that was probably because in my early and mid-twenties there were a lot of things I could have changed! (Laughs.) And the other thing is - even at MMC, when I look back at some of the performances and showcases and stuff like that, I was pretty confident outwardly about my acting. And interestingly enough, in a way, I'm probably less confident about my acting now, outwardly. After I got out of college I started realizing that I wasn't quite...as good as I thought I was (Laughs). And then when I got a little older and settled in to it....Look. Confidence is huge for an actor. Not cockiness, but confidence. Just believing that you can do something is unbelievably huge. Just thinking to yourself, "I can do this." So any place you can gain real confidence, like in college, if you can get confidence from that situation, then go for it. Anything that makes you feel good, you should do it. And even if you don't realize it at the moment - that it's making you feel good - those waves will hit you later on in life. And believe me, they'll make you feel strong. So, I think maybe I was a little too cocky about my acting back in school. But I wasn't confident. MMC helped me become confident - and not only about my acting. So that's the answer to that question. I don't know if I was all over the place on that one, but....

RH: No. Not at all. I think that made perfect sense. I've got two final questions. The first one is: is there a particular role you would like to play someday from a play or movie? Or is there some historical figure you've always been interested in whom you would like to portray on stage or film?

EP: (After a long pause.) No. No. I haven't found it. I haven't been drawn to anything like that. Because the roles that I've always been attracted to in my mind are roles that have already been done so well, you know? I don't even want to go there. It's kind of like touching a painting. Why would I want to mess with it? Like, say, A Streetcar Named Desire. Why would I mess with Raging Bull? You know what I mean? "I would love to get to do the remake of The Godfather." What are you going to do? Because there's nothing there to improve on. I guess....I'm having trouble remembering it, because it's been so long since I've read it. You know what I'm talking about, that short play by Harold Pinter. You remember the one that I wanted to do.

RH: One for the Road.

EP: Yeah. One for the Road. I would still love to play one of the male characters in that play. Because I just think that play is so....disturbing. And I would like to do True West again, like I did in the directing projects at MMC. I would love to do that on Broadway or off-Broadway someday.

RH: You know they're doing a production of that now? It's on Broadway with Phillip Seymour Hoffman and John C. Reilly.

EP: Well, maybe in another five years I'll get the shot.

RH: Okay, last question: if you could give any piece of advice to the current theatre students at MMC, what would it be?

EP: That's easy. Have as much fun as you can, and love what you do. And love it every day. I know everyone has a tendency to be tortured about it, because I was tortured about it in college. I would tear myself up about it. Even though people thought I was so confident on the outside, and that didn't really serve me. And you know, I think that even if you're going to be tortured, then just enjoy that. (Laughs.) Because a lot of my friends here who are working actors get so down and frustrated and angry, and they tear themselves apart when they have to go to auditions and get real nervous, and then they tear themselves apart about being nervous. I didn't become an actor to be "happy" all the time, you know? But I did become an actor because I just love it, and isn't that what true "happiness" is? And I think sometimes it's easy to forget that. That's one of the most important things, to love it. Because as soon as you stop loving it, you shouldn't do it. It makes no sense. I mean, why bother doing it if you're not going to love it? There are so many other things you could be doing that might give you that sense of fulfillment and challenge. If you're doing it for other reasons like fame and money..... You've got to be doing it because you love it. If you don't love it then don't do it. That's what probably happened with Marlon Brando. He just stopped loving it, so now he refers to it as a useless thing to do with your life. Nothing's useless if you love it. And if you love doing something, you're not going to be a useless person. You will have value, just because you've dedicated yourself to something that's important to you.

RH: Great answer. Erik, this has been fun. Thank you.

EP: Wait. One more thing. More advice from your big brother. Be nice to each other. You people who are in the Theatre department now, be nice to each other, for God's sake. Have some sense of camaraderie about what you're doing, about being actors together in college. I mean, you know how important that is, Rick. That's the thing we had when we were in college together that was great. We supported each other, you know? There wasn't much cattiness going on. College is a safe place. When you get out into the business, there's going to be enough of that then. So try to get rid of that over-competitiveness as much as you can, because there's enough of that in the world already. And that goes for everyone in any major at MMC.

RH: Why can't we all just get along?

EP: (laughing) Exactly. Let's just get along!

RH: Well, Erik, thank you. It's been a pleasure.

EP: Thank you. Are you going to go work for Rolling Stone now?

RH: I think I'm too old, aren't I? Don't you have to be like 20 to work for Rolling Stone?

EP: Maybe you're right. But Kurt Loder's still on MTV. Look how old that guy is. He's like Dick Clark.

RH: True. True.

EP: Thank you.