Tonya Mosley

I'm curious, what types of roles were you getting offered after Bill Durham?

What were the things that you were turning away that you felt like were profitable?

I just want to know where your moral compass comes from.

Like this, you know, I've heard you say like you've turned down $7 million offers.

Our guest today is Tim Robbins, Academy Award-winning actor, director, and founder of the Actors Gang.

Let's take a short break.

I'm Tanya Mosley, and this is Fresh Air.

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You mentioned that you had so many folks that really opened up your consciousness as a young man, as a boy.

a lot of theater, theater actors, but what movies, what art, what shows kind of like informed your consciousness and also informed your thoughts that this is something that you could do?

What was it about the play that made you feel like I can do this?

And take us to the time period.

1991.

But teaching you that humility and also why cheat yourself out of a great idea, it sounds like that's an ethos that you've taken with you throughout your career.

If you're just joining us, my guest is Tim Robbins, actor, director, and founder of The Actors Gang.

His new play, Topsy Turvy, explores how the pandemic's isolation changed the way we listen to each other.