Off the Cliff
What Happens When You Don’t Have a “Plan B“
“…It’s okay to throw everything you have at trying to pursue the thing you dream of because even if it shifts course or it doesn’t come exactly true, you’re never going to regret what you learned in the absolute throwing yourself off a cliff for what you want.”
When Clark Gregg contemplated a career in the entertainment industry, he worried “so much” about it being a crazy idea. Although his journey to a successful career as an actor, director and screenwriter might look a bit haphazard on the outside, it was really a journey of following his heart one step at a time. In this episode, Gregg shares how he created his own path, “made his own work,” and refused to even think about a “Plan B.”
Robert Clark Gregg is an American actor, director, and screenwriter. He is best known for his roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films and the television spin-off series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Among numerous other performances, he is also known for his roles on The West Wing and The New Adventures of Old Christine. He has been featured in a number of supporting roles in films, such as Lovely & Amazing, The Human Stain, and In Good Company, and has also had many guest spots on TV series such as Will & Grace, Sports Night, and Sex and the City. His numerous writing credits, including the horror film, What Lies Beneath, the comedy-drama, Trust Me, and the black comedy Choke, which he also directed. Gregg was a founding member, and later artistic director, of the off-Broadway Atlantic Theater Company.
What You’ll Learn from This Episode:
- How different Gregg’s academic path was from those of his parents
- The road from “very short nerdy kid” to soccer player to auditioning for a play
- How SNL influenced an “epic talent show”
- Gregg’s colorful work history while living in New York City
- His twisted path to auditioning for Tisch and how being in a new wave band helped him get in
- The role that William H. Macy played in kick-starting Gregg’s career in an unusual way
- How the Atlantic Theater Company came to be and why the unique business model worked
- What it was like being Artistic Director of the Atlantic Theater Company
- What “make your own work” means to Gregg and why he still lives that way
- The two biggest breaks he got in his career
- Why he switched from writing for film and turned to television
- His favorite episode on The New Adventures of Old Christine
- Why being on a sit-com is great for family life
- His next artistic endeavor
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