The big break. For every actor those three words represent the major turning point. It represents the point where they get to show the whole world all that they've learned after years of training. Unfortunately that moment never comes for the majority of trained actors. Not even close. And when the big break does come about, it certainly doesn't manifest itself in the form of a major television film for HBO. But that is exactly what happened for Philip Martin, a rising star of the upcoming film "Phil Spector."
Martin was finishing up Jujutsu class when legendary writer-director David Mamet came up to him and offered him the role of James Lee, a member of Spector's defense team during the 2007 murder trial. Mamet, who had watched Martin grow through his training at the Atlantic Theatre Company, had told him that he was writing a role for him; however, the news still came as a huge surprise.
"I knew that I was capable of contributing and being a part of and being of service to a project of this caliber," Martin told this reporter during a phone interview. "To get this project is an absolute gift. "
The gift was multi-faceted. Not only did Martin get a chance to work with Mamet. who he is eternally grateful to for the opportunity, but the opportunity came with a chance to star alongside Academy Award winners Al Pacino and Helen Mirren.
"I'm beyond grateful. It was amazing to work with that high caliber of actors. They're absolute professionals and I learned so much from them of how to be the actor that I want to be professionally," he noted. "I think the best thing about it is that they are both great human beings."
While he did not spend a lot of time on set with Pacino, Martin got to do his first career close-up alongside Mirren, who decorated with wonderful compliments.
"She's there for your close-up. She's there for your wild line. She gives you support," he marveled. "For an actor on his first job, to have that kind of support from people that have done this for decades... It really instills a humble confidence about working with them. "
When recounting his journey to his big break, Martin, a Chicago native that grew up in San Francisco, explained that the defining moment in his life came during a UCLA arts camp in which he prepared a monologue from Arthur Miller's "All My Sons" for a casting director.
"To really fall into the character. To really understand the pain and the emotions and the time that was going on with this character. I really connected to it. It really inspired me with fulfillment and purpose," said Martin.
The casting director's reaction was what every actor would die for. "The casting director said 'Now that's goose bumps,'" narrated Martin. "In that moment I really realized that being able to tell stories, being able to create characters; it was something that I'd be completely satisfied to do the rest of my life.
That's when I fell in love with acting and I knew that I was on this journey."
Martin then studied under Jean Shelton from the age of 16 to 18. Martin credited Shelton with teaching him how listen and respond; what he claims to be the essence of "real acting." Once he graduated high school, he flew cross-country to study at the New York University Tisch School of the Arts where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts. After that he worked at the reputable Stella Adler Acting Studio for one year and eventually made his way to the Atlantic Theatre Company.
Martin noted that the training at Atlantic was intensive; he was expected to prepare eight scenes per week on top of engaging in movement and voice class. Additionally, major stars such as Kate Winslet and Richard Dreyfuss made appearance at the studio and engaged with the actors in training. "That work that I put in Atlantic really taught what I needed to do to be a working actor," Martin stated.
It was during his time at Atlantic that he met Mamet who worked with him during his acting classes and watched him during his jujutsu sessions. That solid working relationship translated well on the set of "Phil Spector" as Martin noted that "[Mamet] instills that confidence that we will make something phenomenal and we will get to the end. Everything that has happened on this project is just a manifestation of his genius and his passion and his heart."
The highlight for Martin came when Mamet told him "I knew you were capable of it, but you exceeded my expectations."
While he has yet to line up another project, he hopes to continue exceeding those expectations in any line of work; whether it is a play or any number of television and video productions.
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