Adam Arkin | From "Sons of Anarchy" to MGM+'s "American Hostage" | Conversant in Many Styles

On this episode of Story & Craft, we sit down to chat with Actor and Director Adam Arkin from "Sons of Anarchy" and MGM+'s "American Hostage" to discuss his career and personal stories. Adam opens up about his seamless transition from acting to becoming one of television’s most sought-after directors. He shares behind-the-scenes stories of shifting gears between massive modern projects like "The Night Agent," "The Offer," and his newest true-crime thriller, "American Hostage." We explore the awkward challenge of directing himself in scenes, the immediate relief of admitting to a crew when a shot just isn't working, and the secret to building absolute trust on set by letting actors do their work. We also dive into his personal side, discussing the influence of his legendary father Alan Arkin and how he taught Adam to master multiple performance styles. From an early celebrity crush on Ursula Andress, to his deep appreciation for a perfectly simple summer tomato sandwich, it's a great look at the man behind the camera. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS [00:02:43] | Why releasing a new project brings out a mix of anxiety and excitement [00:05:08] | Capturing the true 1970s reality without talking down to a modern audience [00:07:49] | How his father Alan Arkin taught him to be conversant in many performance styles [00:10:09] | Helping an actor embrace the intimidating legend of playing Marlon Brando [00:13:30] | The awkward challenge of acting in a project you are also actively directing [00:15:34] | Why immersing yourself in the story is more important than having a recognizable visual style [00:18:21] | Finding immediate relief in admitting to the cast when a scene just isn't working [00:20:02] | Recognizing the exact moment on set when you capture pure on-screen magic [00:22:51] | Earning absolute trust by letting the actors do their work without interference [00:23:46] | The Seven Questions STAY IN THE KNOW Website: https://www.storyandcraftpod.com FOLLOW THE SHOW Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/storyandcraftpod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storyandcraftpod CONNECT WITH MARC Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airpreston Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcpreston Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.