Video Transcript

Phoebe Chongchua:
I am Phoebe Chongchua. We are at the LaCosta Film Festival. This is Live Fit Magazine. Ed, so glad to have you here and so excited about tonight. Tell me about your film, the retro screening that we’re going to be seeing tonight, Radio.

Ed Harris:
Radio. Filmed by that guy over there, Mike Tollin back in 2004, I think based on a true story about a young man, black man in South Carolina, I believe, and his coach. They’re still together. He’s still helping him out. Radio is his nickname, his name, his nickname, and played by Cuba Gooding Jr. And he mentally,

Phoebe Chongchua:
Sure,

Ed Harris:
What’s the word nowadays, he was

Phoebe Chongchua:
Well, challenged anyway.

Ed Harris:
Yeah, definitely. But a big heart sweet guy and loved football and the coach kind of takes him under his wing, helps him out. It’s a feel good story. It’s a really nice story and it continues to be, I mean, coach has been helping radio out for close to 50 years, 40 years.

Phoebe Chongchua:
I got to tell you, I cried my eyes out in it. I mean, it’s an amazing story.

Ed Harris:
I Haven’t seen it in a long time, so I’m looking forward to seeing it tonight. Yeah.

Phoebe Chongchua:
Tell me about being part of the LaCosta Film Festival.

Ed Harris:
Well, I wish I could. I just got here and it seems like a really cool thing. I met Michael, who was one of the founders, and I know that the festival’s grown a little bit this year from last year, and they seem to have really good intentions. The guy I looked through the program has some really interesting films here, so it’s nice to be here. Mike Tollin asked who’s kind of part of it because he’s at Mandalay Sports and they’re involved with the festival, and Mike asked me if I come down be part of it. So I said, yeah,

Phoebe Chongchua:
You’ve had an amazing career. What do you credit to that? I mean, you’re very talented. How did you do it?

Ed Harris:
I think of my hair. My haircut, perseverance and hard work.

Phoebe Chongchua:
I hear you. I hear you. Can you, last question, tell me a little bit about where you think the film industry is going—a lot of changes. I mean, we see folks out here shooting with their iPads, a whole different world.

Ed Harris:
Well, it really is. I mean, the one good thing about the film festival is that you get to see films that you’re not going to see otherwise unless you really search for ’em. I guess with the internet and all, maybe they’re more accessible, some of the very, very independent movies and documentaries and things. But in the theaters these days, they’re really going for big blockbusters and sequels and more and more making $150, $200 million movies. So I’ve made a slew of independent films in the last few years, but don’t, don’t really get released once in a while. One pops through and is successful. But I learned a long time ago that the fulfillment in this business is the doing of the work. You can’t rely on what’s going to happen to the movie afterwards. So, particularly as an actor, it’s different, I think, as a director because it’s your thing and you really want people to see it. But as an actor, it’s like working with other actors and doing a good job and learning about your craft as the years go by and just keeping on.

Phoebe Chongchua:
Thank you so much.

Ed Harris:
Pleasure, Phoebe.

Phoebe Chongchua:
I appreciate it. Nice to meet you.