Conrad Goode
Conrad Goode is an American actor/writer and ex-NFL football player that has appeared in many films and television shows including: Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993), Bulletproof (1996), Don't Say a Word (2001), Anger Management (2003), The Longest Yard (2005), One Tree Hill (2006), Looking for Lions (2014) and is also appearing in the forthcoming comedy Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015). Conrad also wrote and starred in Watercolor Postcards (review coming soon); a wonderful drama about a small-town girl that returns home only to inherit more problems than she expected.
SN: Welcome to ScreenNut, Conrad and thank you for the opportunity and taking the time to speak with me. Now, looking at your life and career, it's fair to say that there are many strings to your bow, but lets go back to the start; you started out in the NFL playing for the New York Giants. Was there a responsibility that you felt to follow in the footsteps of your father and stepfather, or was there a natural passion for it being brought up around the sport?
Conrad: I didn't feel any responsibility at all. In fact there was zero pressure to play football until I decide I WANTED to play, then my step-father said "If you are going t play, you you to give everything you have and commit fully", which wasn't a problem because there was definitely a huge passion for playing on my part. I remember setting goals each year and living and breathed the sport. I was a very skinny kid and we had a weight room in our garage which I pretty much spent every waking minute I could, trying to get strong, from 14 to 18 years-old went I went off to College.
SN: It's not uncommon to see actors with sports backgrounds; what was it that lead you to retire from the NFL and how did you find yourself moving into the world of acting?
Conrad: It was two fold actually. First -- I was losing my passion for football. I'm not sure you have seen my film Watercolor Postcards or titled Home is Where the Heart Is in North America, but the monologue I give on why my character left the NFL is semi auto-biographical. And you can't play at that level and not have a passion for the sport. And to that note; why do anything if you're not passionate about it?
The second -- about that time an agent in NYC asked me to audition for a commercial with SNL actor Joe Piscopo. I got the gig and it led to a few others and I just fell in love with the craft.
I was an art major in college, I had always painted since I was young, and it was really the first time in my life I felt I had found myself, who I was suppose to be.
SN: I have watched it, and it is a wonderful little drama that undoubtedly has hints of personal parallels for you. What was the initial seed for this story and how did it feel to see it coming together with such a wonderful cast?
Conrad: Oh great! Glad you had a chance to see it. The genesis of the film began back in 2000. I was filming Don't Say a Word, playing a murderous bank robbing, kidnapper. I spent a lot of time in a room with a 8 yr.-old holding her hostage. Which meant her mother was on the set. She said, "You should write something else for you and SKYE, I've never seen her react to another actor like she does to you." I thought about it and literally went to my trailer between takes and wrote the outline. After we wrapped I had a finished the 1st draft in 3 months. It just poured out. We also had Brittany Murphy attached at one point. I could have sold it a couple times, but they wanted me to walk away from the project. I knew if I was ever going to be seen in another light other than murderous... I had to do it my way, maintaining creative control.
Well, 12 years later... finally technology made so you can actually make a low budget indie look like a studio quality production. We found an awesome director, RAJEEV DASSANI, the financing fell in place and I called on bunch of my longtime friends, JOHN C McGINLEY, JONATHAN BANKS, PAUL SANCHEZ, STEVE EASTIN, NED BELLAMY. We were so fortunate to get LAURA BELL BUNDY and BAILLE MADISON, and JOAN VAN ARK. All who brought everything they had, working for love of the project. I couldn't be more grateful. It was a long road and to finally see it was unbelievable. I couldn't be more proud of how it turned out.
SN: Yes, I've seen Don't Say A Word several times, it's one of my favourite thrillers, and what a charming gentlemen you were. You should be proud; Watercolor Postcards is a great achievement. Has the success of this inspired you to take pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) again and what genre would you like to have a go at writing?
Conrad: Ahh, thank you!
And yes, pen has been to paper. I'm currently trying to raise capitol for a film I wrote title A Role to Die For. It's comedy/thriller about a neo-Luddite, journeyman actor who figures out to get the part he thinks he deserves, his agent points out 7 of his best friends would have to die before he had a shot, all based on their TWITTER followers and IMDB ranks. He's being crushed by a system of popularity instead of talent. But when the actors who get cast, mysteriously begin to die, his best friend, a struggling screenwriter decides to write his masterpiece as this absurd story unfolds. Life imitating art? A movie in a movie. A lot of twist and turns.
I've also written another script with Jonathan Banks, title The Damage: When two seasoned, alcoholic hitmen, drive back to Vegas to complete a job, they find a 14 yr. old girl and her newborn, running from drug-dealing, killer. But when they decide to take the two illegals with them, they now must overcome their psycho mob boss and his double-dealing wife to uncover the truth and protect the only thing innocent.
And a TV show titled; Hard Country, we just went out with.
So YES! I've been a little busy.
SN: So, certainly a lot for your fans to look forward to, and also for fans of the wonderful Jonathan Banks. Would you say that you have a deeper passion for acting or writing? Or is it a case of one being akin to the other?
Conrad: I really enjoy doing both. Writing gives me a freedom to express myself that I don't always get in acting. But I enjoy taking on a character and seeing where I can go with it. With acting, everything between "Action and Cut" is fantastic.
SN: You have appeared in many great films and television shows to date; what have been some of your favourite characters that you have portrayed so far, and do you have any particular stories about the roles that stand out?
Conrad: Playing Butch in Watercolor was by far my favorite, hands down.
I did enjoy the character Max in Don't Say a Word. Even though he was a horrible villain, he did save little girl. Viking in Con Air was an incredible time. A lot of my scenes got cut, I understand why with such a huge cast. But it was one the best times I've ever had making a film. We had all the actors in the middle of Nevada for 2 months, a lot of laughs to say the least.
I have Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 coming out in April. My character Scott was fun. Serious criminal that gets foiled by Blart. Fun times with Kevin James.
SN: Any criminal that gets foiled by Blart deserves what he gets in my opinion ha ha! You seem like quite the chameleon when it comes to acting. What roles both challenge and satisfy you the most?
Conrad: Anything outside my comfort zone. Having played so many bad boys, being normal as in flawed as we are... Challenging. Comedy is a lot of fun. I'm really looking forward to A Role to Die For. And I've been super fortunate to work with a lot of SNL comedians. I won't name drop but 1st big gig in 80's was skit on SNL with Kevin Nellon and the late Jan Hooks.
SN: I must admit, I look forward to seeing you in a comedic role for sure. You seem like a man that is constantly on the go, professionally. How do find time to relax and what do you do to take yourself away from it all?
Conrad: Well I love what I do and feel privileged to be able to do it. I'm also not content when I'm not creating. I feel off balance when I'm not. But when I'm not working on a script, music is my other passion so I usually have a guitar in my hand.
SN: Following on from that and for those that are unaware, tell us a little something about 'The Chariot Waltz'. Also, you mentioned earlier that you majored at art in college. Do you still find time to paint and what is the biggest inspiration for you when you do?
Conrad:The Waltz was band I formed with a buddy of mine who has since moved to Tennessee so that dance has gone south, (pun intended) but we had a lot fun making a record. I've since been writing music solo. I wrote about 5 songs for Home is Where the Heart Is. 1 Track made the film, (Sometime Tomorrow) I sing a little of in the film and it's the last track on the end credits. I also was going to score the film before I raised more capital for the soundtrack. I turned a lot of those tracks into solo instrumental project title Dawn to Dusk. You can find it on iTunes
Yes, still paint. Inspiration depends. I see something and off I go. But I really enjoy push the oil around. Also did all the Watercolors for the film.
SN: They really are fantastic paintings. Back to acting for the moment; If you could bag yourself the dream role/character what or who would it be, and why?
Conrad: I think my dream role would be what Daniel Day Lewis did in Last of the Mohicans (or for that matter, anything he has done). But something along that line. Always somewhat flawed, but a redeeming trait that overrides. I have an idea for script that is based on my great-great-great-grandfather who walked from Virginia to Indiana, when the US was giving land grants away in the 1830's. After he got his parcel, he walked back to Virginia, bought an Ox and THEN a wife, in that order! Ha! Priorities I guess. But I think that character, his determination and drive to succeed at all cost could be interesting. Kinda like DDL's role in There Will Be Blood. All roads lead back.
SN: That sounds like a great story, I think a lot of people would definitely be interested in that, and with regards to his priorities; they seem fair to me. What would you say has been your biggest driving force throughout your career?
Conrad: It's (this business of acting, writing) something I couldn't have lived without doing. I couldn't picture me being happy doing anything else. There was no "plan-B" to fall back on. I don't believe you should have one or you will end up there. And there have been many a rough year, jobs were few or none, but you persevere. Sometimes at high cost of personal relationships, going hungry, but it's called being an artist. Wouldn't trade it.
SN: Finally, what is your most cherished memory of your career so far?
Conad: The last night of shooting HIWTHI, the final shot, 6 AM, bone ass tired, I was sitting on couch before final take with Laura Bell Bundy. The thread of film is me trying to finish this track Love is a Mountain. When she says "I can finish it" I pass her my journal... It's the actual journal I wrote the outline to the film in back in that trailer in Toronto in 2000. I showed LBB the first words I had written in long hand all those years ago. They were the same as the script we shot. I thought , "what a journey it has been to get here. Damn glad I made too!"
I'll never forget that moment as long as I live.
SN: That's a great answer, thank you. Conrad Goode, congratulations on Watercolor Postcards and everything else you have achieved in your life so far. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me, and good luck for the future. I look forward to following your career closely. Thank you.
Conrad: Thank you Mike! It was pleasure. All the best!!