ST. LOUIS — Micheal Richardson is ready for his big Hollywood moment. He just walked over hot coals to get there.
I'm talking about the truly hot stuff, like real life emotional weight that can add fuel to a performance. Like it or not, it's an actor's best friend: a tool that thousands of creators have relied on in order to build conviction inside someone else's drawing.
In his latest film, Richardson joined his father, a man known as Liam Neeson, for the second time. While their screen time was limited in 2019's unkempt "Cold Pursuit," Richardson and Neeson find ample time to exchange lines and moods in James D'Arcy's "Made in Italy," which was released today on demand as well as select theaters. In the film, the father and son assume the same roles onscreen, but are estranged before being forced to come together and restore their late mom/wife's luscious Tuscan home.
What's the emotional weight here? D'Arcy's film involves a little shade of art imitating life, as Richardson lost his mother, Natasha, back in 2009. That was the same year Neeson became a full-fledged action hero, something he admitted was a part of the healing process. For Richardson, walking over those hot coals was something he welcomed and wasn't afraid of. We spoke about it during a one on one interview last week via Zoom.
After he complimented the open pantry with peanut butter sticking out, Richardson talked about tackling real life wounds on film. Having your dad around to trade lines with sure doesn't hurt. "We were relatively comfortable as father and son on set, as well as co-actors. We had a good rapport," Richardson said.
It was hard for the younger actor to keep his energy contained in one space onset, something he is picking up tips from his much-calmer dad on in the movie business. "I bounce around the set. I move around, checking on things. He's over there all laid back, peaceful while reading a book. So I'd bop around and try to get him out of his dressing room, because we were in such a cool setting."
As I mentioned earlier, "Made in Italy" finds the two men dealing with their demons, both real and manufactured. Richardson didn't mind the heat. "In the preparation, it can be challenging. Because you know the story and the emotions it's going to bring up," Richardson said. "But when you're on set, it's a day by day journey. The crew was so helpful and nice, which created a special environment that allowed these feelings and emotions to come up, and also be conveyed. Sometimes, it isn't just you're bringing up these emotions about your mom's death; sometimes, you're also an actor so you are conveying emotion."
Does Richardson see that intersection of real life and art as fuel as an actor?
"It's a good point. I would say so. One can say constantly working and acting, that you'll get better. The weird thing about acting is it's trying to live and convey. The time you have to yourself and the stuff you endure and go through in life makes you a better actor," Richardson said.
When I asked Richardson what his most fond memory was from the making of the film, he paid tribute to the little things that made the production come alive. "I would say working with an Italian/British film crew in Italy, and I also have to say working at the house," Richardson said. We mainly filmed at the house. Watching it go from this decrepit old place to this beautiful homey home ... we watched that evolution. That was something very special."
Thankfully, Richardson didn't have to do any work, at least not on the set. You could say he took something that may have seen incomplete or broken, and restored it. Isn't that what an actor does onscreen, right before our eyes? Take something seemingly normal and create something remarkable.
I have a good feeling Richardson will be doing that a lot more in the near future, whenever things get moving again in Hollywood. While he has only eight credits to his IMDB page, Richardson has already appeared in some big films, like "Vox Lux" and "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues." But his biggest moment may lie ahead.
In a casting decision that once again merges his creative lane with his father, Richardson could be in line to play Michael Collins-the Irish revolutionary his dad played very well decades ago-in the upcoming film, "The Rising: 1916." While it's only announced and still awaiting a production start, the stage is set for this young man to take off.
Whenever he goes, I have a feeling that Natasha will always be with him. I think he takes her to the set every day and imbues his heart with the dedication to the craft that she once demonstrated for many years. This is not a bad thing, especially when the life force that is Vanessa Redgrave is in your family. While you know him as Liam Neeson's son at the moment, the 25-year-old will break away from that soon enough.
If "Made in Italy" is any proof, the future is bright for this gracious young talent. After all, he's the first actor to compliment my dated kitchen wallpaper.
