Tanya Mosley

I'm Tanya Mosley, and my guest today is actor Oscar Isaac.

Recently, a documentary about the 2017 public theater production of Hamlet has been making its way to audiences.

It captures a deeply personal period in Isaac's life when his mother was dying, his first child was about to be born, and his wife, Elvira, was filming.

Your wife filmed this

life-changing year of you.

And before we get into it a little bit more, I just want to know how it feels to have this most intimate chapter of your life now available for audiences to watch.

I want to play actually a clip from the doc, if you don't mind.

And it's a moment between you and the director, Sam Gold, this director of Hamlet.

And you guys are talking about how you are processing the grief of your mother, but also how you process life.

Let's listen.

Yeah.

That was my guest, Oscar Isaac, along with director Sam Gold, in the new documentary King Hamlet.

Oscar, what an extraordinary connection between the play Hamlet and your mother's experience, her last days there.

Let's take a short break.

If you're just joining us, my guest is actor Oscar Isaac.

We'll be right back.

This is Fresh Air.

When did you realize fully that acting for you was more than a craft that you enjoyed and that you were good at, but also the way that you process life?

Yeah.

Sorry, I'm just thinking about what you're saying because I feel like you're talking about me.