TIFF21 sees the première of The Middle Man, a darkly humorous social satire directed by Bent Hamer which takes place in a small town experiencing an epidemic of accidents and deaths. The film has a wonderful cast of ACTRA Toronto members, including Paul Gross, Rossif Sutherland, Don McKellar, Kenneth Welsh, Sheila McCarthy and Bill Lake. We were able to have a quick chat with the talented and prolific actor Kenneth Welsh about his role in this compelling film.
ACTRA: What drew you to the role of Martin Miller in The Middle Man?
Kenneth: Talking with Bent (Hamer) mostly, I had no idea what the script was about. But I thought it was kind of a fascinating, oddball character so I thought this is a kind of a clip I thought I could play.
The dialogue was very well written. What I enjoyed very much was extending myself and working with Bent and acting with Pål (Sverre Hagen). It was a lot of fun. I was drawn to it by the interesting nature of the character of the script and the way it was written – very unordinary. I hate ordinary scripts. It’s not the least bit boring. It is fascinating the way it is written.
ACTRA: What does it mean to be an ACTRA Toronto member?
Kenneth: Seriously, I have a very strong belief in my union. They’ve always looked after us. The kind of treatment we get, the kind of money we get. ACTRA, I believe, has always been there to be on our side, to be on the set, to be with us, to make sure we’re looked after correctly. I have a great deal of respect for my union. Honestly, they do take care of all residuals that are coming to you, they make sure you get them. And you can always call them. Another great thing about ACTRA, you can call them with any problem you have.
Many thanks to Kenneth for chatting with us! Be sure to check out The Middle Man at TIFF this year.
Note: interview has been edited for length and clarity.
