Eddie Marsan, TV & Film Actor Extraordinaire on his 'Slow Burn' to Career Success & the 'Power of Paradox' as Both a Life & Acting Philosophy

The Good Listening To Show: Stories of Distinction & Genius

Sep 4 2023 • 42 mins

I first saw Eddie Marsan in "Puss in Boots" in Chipping Norton in a Christmas Show circa 1990 (in a period of an acting career that many Actors often describe as being their 'wilderness years!') and then more recently I saw him again in a "BAFTA Retrospective" of his extraordinary career to date, hosted by renowned journalist & broadcaster, Miranda Sawyer. Funnily enough, Chipping Norton & "Puss in Boots" didn't actually come up during the BAFTA retrospective but suffice it to say, many of his subsequent TV & film 'Absolute Bangers' certainly did!

Eddie Marsan is a real coup for "The Good Listening To Show". He is a personal hero of mine - a wonderful, wise, enigmatic & generous actor indeed who I always very much look forward to watching.

You can also Watch/Listen to Eddie Marsan's episode on Vimeo here:
https://vimeo.com/chrisgrimes/eddiemarsan

This is a great conversation suffused with much wisdom and many top-tips for aspiring Actors on topics such as how to better manage and overcome rejection (which very definitely comes with the territory of the job) with a sense of calm, resilience, objectivity & perspective. And also he reveals his "never more than 2 weeks apart" formula for surviving a long and happy marriage, with his family positioned front-and-centre in everything that he does. Eddie also richly credits, as he did during the BAFTA Retrospective, his Acting Teacher of old, John Osborne Hughes, founder of The Spiritual Psychology of Acting.

The conversation also takes a philosophical turn as we dissect the 'Power of Paradox', a concept inspired by Lao Tzu's "Daodiching" and musings of a Swedish philosopher.

Eddie shares his thoughts on societal binaryism, delves into the impact of acting legends like Philip Seymour Hoffman and Toby Jones on his own craft as an actor, and discusses Neil Kinnock's stirring speech at the Labour Party Conference in 1985.

This thought-provoking discourse is packed with insights that will make you see the world and its paradoxes from a different perspective.

We also step into more personal aspects of Eddie's life, exploring his strong affinity to his working-class roots and how they've influenced his life and career. Eddie talks about his love for Tottenham Football Club and music, and praises the new generation's open-mindedness towards gender and sexuality.

We also touch upon his favourite films, his quirky-fact of a curious but harmless medical condition, and the wisdom & philosophy that he lives by.

Eddie Marsan is best known for portraying intense working-class blokes in both indie and blockbuster films. In a long & varied career to date (and it's not over yet!) Marsan has cemented his reputation as being the British counterpart to US Actor Paul Giamatti, with his unconventional looks and fearless performances keeping him perpetually in demand.

Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website.