The i GROUP Exclusives, Emily Sutton Smith and Wallace Bridges, have appeared in almost every film that has cast in Michigan since the inception of the tax incentive. Together, they personify the quality of our talent with their high level of professionalism and commitment to the craft.
Emily and Wallace have extensive experience in professional theater and both advocate the art of observance and practice as key to successful film and stage performance. Emily recommends to those interested in being cast to “work on your craft; the ‘business’ of the business is meaningless unless you have something to back it up with.” However, both actors note they have had to learn a great deal on the set in order to accommodate the demands of film. Despite being a professor of theater at Eastern Michigan University, Wallace is still a student on the set, “the biggest thing I have learned about working in film and television is to tone it down, pull it in and throw it away.” This discipline to constantly analyze their development is the core tenet for Emily and Wallace.
Despite their alarming success, both actors approach their opportunities honestly and without hubris. Emily and Wallace respectfully remember their experiences on set as relaxed, enjoyable, and maybe most importantly, propaedeutic. For instance, Emily notes that Cuba Gooding Jr., with whom she spent 8 days on set with filming Gifted Hands, was “just a regular guy who loves his job.” This grounded perspective of the film industry has helped Emily and Wallace survive the ups and downs of auditioning. Both interweave self-confidence with faith in the process, recognizing that the decision making process is just business. As an actor in New York City, Emily found the process stressful and deprecating. Now, she combines the wisdom of that experience with the opportunity being granted the state as a whole: “I [audition and give my best] and know that if I don’t get the job that there’s a good likelihood that one of my Michigan colleagues will.” For aspiring actors, who hope to mimic their success, Emily and Wallace recommend acting classes and to gain experience on movie sets as an extra.
As the summer in Michigan starts heating up with film projects, the future for Emily and Wallace, and their fellow actors, looks to be exciting and flush with opportunity. Both Emily & Wallace, plus Sonja Crosby who was featured in the last issue of the iNews, indulged us by taking the now infamous questionnaire inquired by host James Lipton on Bravos’ Inside the Actors Studio. Please enjoy their answers below...
1. What is your favorite word?
Sonja Crosby: Love
Emily Sutton Smith: Concupiscence
Wallace Bridges: Perseverance
2. What is your least favorite word?
SC: Lie
ESS: Nuclear – when its pronounced incorrectly
WB: Lazy
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?
SC: Being True to oneself
ESS: Music
WB: Potential
4. What turn you off creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?
SC: Talking oneself out of dreams
ESS: People who are self focused and need to be right all the time
WB: Excuses
5. What sound or noise do you love?
SC: Children Laughing
ESS: So Many! Music, birds, Wind Chimes, water rushing, Food Cooking in a hot pan
WB: Music
6. What sound or noise do you hate?
SC: Children Crying
ESS: Industrial Noises
WB: Loudmouths
7. What is your favorite curse word?
SC: S**t
ESS: F**k Me
WB: Motherf*****r
8. What profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?
SC: Non Profit – working with Children
ESS: Historian / Archeologist
WB: Playwriting / Screenwriting
9. What profession would you not like to do?
SC: Trucking
ESS: Anything in Fast Food & Politics
WB: Law Enforcement
10. What is your motto?
SC: Love, Live, Laugh
ESS: Stay Open
WB: If you really want something, you have to work for it
11. If heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
SC: That I live my life the way HE wanted
ESS: The Bar is on the patio and the buffet is open!
WB: In spite of your flaws, you tried your best to do right by others
