Celebrity Interview: Dale Dickey, Star of Stage and Screen, Talks on the Making of "A Love Song"
- Details
- Category: Celebrity News, Interviews, Pictures
- Published on Wednesday, 03 August 2022 14:44
- Written by Janet Walker
A Love Song, from Bleecker Street and Stage 6 Films and directed by Max Walker Silverman, is receiving serious critical acclaim and features Dale Dickey, star of stage and screen, in the lead role of Faye.
Having the opportunity to speak with Dale, we talked on how the role came to her, working during the initial stages of the pandemic, her personal insecurities, and her upcoming projects. Below is our interview.
Celebrity Interviews: Andie MacDowell Talks on Life, Love, Spirituality and Aging in Hollywood
Janet Walker: Hi Dale: How are you?
Dale Dickey: Hi Janet I'm doing well. How are you?
Janet Walker: Doing well, thank you. Congratulations on the film. I really enjoyed it and it is a really great performance. So, describe how the role of Faye came to you and you know the casting process. I've learned a little bit more about it so if you want to describe how Faye came to you?
Dale Dickey: Yeah, in a beautiful way. I got a missive. I got a letter from Max Walker Silverman talking about how much he admired my work and wanted me to play this role that he'd written. And that was touching enough and then I read the script and just fell in love with it. I met Max and we talked about it, and I was his first choice and Wes was his first choice and I lucked out. How could I turn this down? I could tell he was a talented filmmaker from watching his short films but really, he's quite a tremendous young man and I'm lucky I got this chance.
Image courtesy of Kory Mello (Obscured Pictures).
Janet Walker: Well, it is beautiful. There are so many beautiful elements to the film and so when you first read, I'm I don't want to assume anything, but when he sent you the letter, did you then read the script before you agreed to go forward?
Dale Dickey: Yes, I did. I read the script and I also watched both of his short films. It's good for me to get a sense of how a director works and his style. The script was just so pure and simple and full of raw beauty and quiet, which is so unusual. I loved that so much more said in silent moments than we speak. So, I look forward to working with him and it was going to be a big challenge. I was nervous and insecure, but I wanted this opportunity to do this kind of role I had come to do before.
A Love Song Review – A Quiet, Compelling, Love Story
Janet Walker: You have such a strong filmography and background and you played so many different characters so why were you nervous about this role?
Dale Dickey: Because I was in every frame just about. I knew there were going to be a lot of close and I have a crazy face. I'm just not used to that, and it was really beautiful that Max wrote a love story for two weathered character actors in middle age. I've done a lot of lead roles on stage but not on film. And there are so many great actresses that I watch, and I want to be able to do what they do there's this pure simple stillness there's nothing but from here [she gestures to her eyes] I mean I could go down a list Frances McDormand obviously Jennifer Lawrence. I mean all the good ones have that capability and I wanted to push myself and see if I could achieve that kind of still presence and being in the moment and sustain that for an entire film. I was a little nervous, but I was in good hands.
Janet Walker: Well, you did well.
Dale Dickey: Thank you Janet thank you.
Janet Walker: You're more than welcome. So, it's not an overt emotional role but there's a huge investment in this this relationship. So how did you prepare for it I mean for all that?
Dale Dickey: Well, I could relate to say on many levels as I've heard other people from festivals and stuff that I've gone to do Q&A's and audience reaction. A lot of people can relate to isolation and loneliness during this just COVID problem in the country, particularly people that are alone. But I definitely can relate to isolating and not dealing with grief, I will fall into depression and have trouble getting through grief over a loved one, so I understood all that innately and the isolation. I often need a breath of fresh air and reminder that life is out there and so that's what Faye gets with all these different quirky characters. But the emotional underpinning of having spent seven years, she tells Lito was so sad and lonely I couldn't talk to anybody this is a huge risk for her. Generally, if I'm just telling the writer's story and listening to his words and organically taking that journey the emotion generally will come simply as long as I'm invested in it usually, I hope.
Image courtesy of Kory Mello (Obscured Pictures).
Janet Walker: Well, very nice. So, tell me about working with Max and Wes?
Dale Dickey: Well, they're both horrible people. I'm joking. It just couldn't have been a better group; I mean I knew Wes from his earlier roles, and you know he terrified me in "Last the Mohicans." I think I had nightmares about him, and meeting and he's sort of small and wiry and a kind gentle funny soul. So, we got together well, personally. Which added to the spark on screen, and we kept that spontaneous, we didn't discuss the characters too much together. And Max just has this touch he's got a vision and I think maybe because he studied acting years ago, he knows how to talk to actors. I told him early on I need a strong director for this, and these are the things I'm insecure about and he was right there to guide me and keep me on track and he was working with a group of 9 to 11 film crew kids he'd gone through school with, so it was a well-oiled machine, and everybody is very passionate and professional and I had a great amount of respect for everybody, mainly Max. I think has a great vision and as well as just being a pretty terrific human being. So, I would love to work with Max again.
Janet Walker: Did you meet either of them before the filming began?
Dale Dickey: No, I had done a Zoom with Max. Wes lives in New Mexico and I was in LA when I agreed to do the film, I did tell Max it was too early in COVID, and I would not get on a plane, this was before vaccinations, before anything. It was just too scary. So, I drove 18 hours to Colorado and Wes drove up from Santa Fe. And my first night in Telluride I got there at nighttime and Max's mom Lindsay, the crew were already there and there were seats in her backyard 6 feet apart and she served each of us dinner. So, my first night meeting everybody was sort of in the dark with masks on, but it instantly felt like a family, and I knew that we were in good hands.
Celebrity Interview: Norman Reedus – End of an Era
Janet Walker: Well, you know that kind of lead into my next question of it looked like it was shot in the initial stages of the pandemic.
Dale Dickey: Right. It was my first job [during the pandemic] and it was a perfect film for a shooting during COVID because it was mostly outdoors, and it was a very small cast and a minimal crew. We were like Guinea pigs and were all nervous about it. But Max's mom, Lindsey, was the COVID coordinator. They were very strict, you know, with masks and how we were given our meals and we had to get tested, you know, driving through the little town of Norwood to get your nose tickled at 6:30 in the morning it's just part of the new way of life and we managed to get through with no COVID cases at all. So, they did a great job.
Image courtesy of Kory Mello (Obscured Pictures).
Janet Walker: Yes, they did. So, do you have a memorable moment from the film?
Dale Dickey: There are many. But I have to say I guess it's a spoiler but the hike to the top of the mountain. It was just a tremendous thrill. It was the last night of filming, and it was sort of our wrap party, and we were going to camp out, but the weather changed but we were all up there together as a family. We could finally unmask and hug each other and look at the stars and thank each other for all the hard work so that was a pretty glorious night.
Celebrity Interview: Director Craig Roberts and Writer Simon Farnaby Talk on The Phantom of the Open
Janet Walker: So, what's next for you get it Dale?
Dale Dickey: Well, I got a couple of little gigs in New York working on a couple of TV shows that like guest star stuff that I'm working. Oh, I finished a series that's premiering next week on Amazon prime. It's the new series of "A League of Their Own" and I play the girls chaperone so I'm kind of in every episode. It was a fun role. The girls of terrific, I think it's a really good series. I think people if they'll stick with it will really enjoy it and it starts, I think August 12th.
Image courtesy of Kory Mello (Obscured Pictures).
Janet Walker: Well, that about wraps it up for me. Thank you so much for your time.
Dale Dickey: You're welcome
Janet Walker: The role is great; it was a quiet compelling love story and wonderfully done so thank you.
Dale Dickey: Thank you for your kind words and your support Janet.
Janet Walker: You're more than welcome. Bye now, have a great day.
Dale Dickey: You, too.
A Love Song is playing in select cities nationwide. Checking local listings.
Images courtesy of Kory Mello (Obscured Pictures).
