{"id":37950,"date":"2017-02-17T08:00:01","date_gmt":"2017-02-17T14:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=37950"},"modified":"2026-04-08T15:46:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T20:46:12","slug":"louis-bourgeois-interviews-johnny-mcphail-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/louis-bourgeois-interviews-johnny-mcphail-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"Louis Bourgeois Interviews Johnny McPhail (2013)"},"content":{"rendered":"

We recently received a brief interview local writer Louis Bourgeois did with local actor Johnny McPhail in 2013. With the McPhail being the prominent local actor he is, we felt it would best to release the interview during the Oxford Film Festival<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Louis Bourgeois: Please explain to our readers how you became an actor?\u00a0 Was acting something you did early on, or was it something you took an interest in later in life?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Johnny McPhail:<\/strong> I had never acted before\u2014not even a high school play.\u00a0 When I was in my early 50s, I was drinking coffee one morning at the old Smitty’s (now 208).\u00a0 The casting director of\u00a0The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag\u00a0approached me and asked if I’d ever thought about being in movies.\u00a0 She said that I had an interesting face, and gave me her card.\u00a0 I went by her office later and she cast me as “Detective Groves”.\u00a0 It was during this time that I met\u00a0Red West.\u00a0 I ended up taking acting lessons from Red and we formed a great friendship.\u00a0 Red was Elvis Presley’s main body guard for many years.\u00a0 I was hooked on acting from that point on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The first stage experience that I had was the portrayal of “Wade” in Larry Brown’s\u00a0Joe<\/em>\u00a0at the Hoka Theater.\u00a0 I was gratified to have a lot of positive feedback from the Oxford community.\u00a0 Later on, I portrayed “Randall” in Larry’s\u00a0Dirty Work\u00a0<\/em>also at the Hoka.\u00a0 I have played “Vincentio” in\u00a0Taming of the Shrew<\/em>\u00a0for the University’s Summer Showcase, and have been in numerous 10 Minute Plays in Oxford.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How many films have you appeared in since you started out?\u00a0 Do you prefer film acting to stage acting?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve been in at least\u00a030\u00a0completed films.\u00a0\u00a0Several are in post-production\u00a0right now, and should be in theaters or TV soon.\u00a0 I definitely prefer film acting.\u00a0 The only stage that I am currently involved with is the Tennessee Williams festival in Clarksdale, MS every October.\u00a0 Tennessee Williams’ works seem to be tailor made for my dialect and looks.\u00a0 I always feel right at home when speaking his words.\u00a0 He is, by far, my favorite playwright.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Who are some notable actors you’ve come across in your career?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Wow, this is hard because I have met some incredible people over the years.\u00a0 I’ve met Francis Ford Coppola, Joel Schumacher, Jon Voight, Matt Damon, Woody Harrelson, Danny Devito, Danny Glover, Arliss Howard, Harry Lloyd, Ray McKinnon, Mary Kay Place, Penelope Ann Miller, Alfre Woodard, Tammy Grimes, Tom Waits, Morgan Freeman,\u00a0 Roger Avery, Lee Caplin, and last, but not the least bit least—Debra Winger.\u00a0 Debra and I became friends on the set of Big Bad Love, and she is as down-to-earth as a person can get.\u00a0 I think the world of her and her husband, Arliss Howard.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What advice might you give young actors who are setting out in the film industry today?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Make Google and the internet your best friend.\u00a0 You can find out most anything online\u2014how to audition, where to audition, what parts are available, how to build a resume, how to make a headshot, what films will be shooting in what cities, and more.\u00a0 You can even view acting classes and instructions for stage and screen.\u00a0 Most of the auditions that I submit (first rounds) are filmed in my home and sent electronically to the casting directors.\u00a0\u00a0Be fearless and never give up.<\/span><\/p>\n

What current projects are you working on?\u00a0 What lies in the future for Johnny McPhail?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In early April, I wrapped a film in Shreveport called\u00a0Last Call.<\/em>\u00a0 It will be premiered in Shreveport in October and then on to the independent film fest circuit.\u00a0 Hopefully, it will be shown in Oxford.\u00a0 I have also been cast for two episodes of an HBO series–True Detectives.\u00a0 I play Robert Doumain, who is a bar owner.\u00a0 The series stars Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson and will air this fall.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As far as the future goes?\u00a0 I am presently getting a lot of auditions in New Orleans (some in Mississippi) and am pursuing film acting as fast and as furiously as possible. \u00a0\"The<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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