Karen Black: On Acting

When I was a teenager, discovering the great American films from the late 60s and 1970s was perhaps one of the most formative experiences of my life. I became obsessed with movies such as Nashville and Five Easy Pieces and Easy Rider, and the spirit of these films and filmmakers has guided my entire career. But it was not just the filmmakers that kept catching my attention. Throughout so many of these movies were performances from an utterly unique, spellbinding actress named Karen Black. In 2007, I directed my second feature and needed to cast an actress to a play a guru, a powerful woman who imparts wisdom to a young writer. Luck twinkled, and Karen Black said yes. Over the years, Karen and I became close friends. When she asked me to interview her about what she'd learned as an actress, there wasn't a second of hesitation. The intention of this program is as a sort of "master class" about the craft of acting. It wasn't intended to talk about her career specifically, although she does often reference her iconic roles. I hope the film is informative. But more so, I hope it reveals the beauty and soul of an actress who is a true artist, intellectual, humanitarian, and rebel.