This week, I’m gonna talk to you about actor David Rees Snell. Heard of him? If you’re a fan of The Shield, then yeah, you have. But otherwise, maybe his name doesn’t ring a bell. Since it’s specifically his work on The Shield that I want to talk about, I’m gonna give a little The Shield 101 here, just to be sure we’re all on the same page.
David Rees Snell plays a character called Ronnie Gardocki, which started out in the first season of The Shield as the least visible member of the strike team led by Vic Mackey (played by Michael Chiklis). In fact, his character was originally billed as a recurring role, not a series regular. In most episodes, David spoke a line or two (if any) and has joked in interviews about always being sent “around back” when the real action was about to go down.
Like most fans of The Shield, I assumed Ronnie was put in place in season one for the purpose of being killed off sometime in the not-so-distant future. Nope. Here we are in season seven and Ronnie is still with us. But now he’s got lines. Lots of lines. And wouldn’t you know it, David’s got CHOPS! In seven seasons, David has gone from an actor doing featured extra work in most episodes to an actor delivering potentially Emmy-worthy performances. It’s been an awesome evolution, but it’s one not even David knew for sure was coming.
So, if you’re an actor being offered a completely unglamorous minor role in a new show on a cable channel (and remember, this would’ve been before FX — or any basic cable channel — had proven itself as a hot spot for original programming), do you do it? Let’s look to now and consider new media. Websites without track records for exploding new content, for instance. Do you commit to something for the long haul when producers aren’t really ready to offer you much more than a steady job? Or do you “pull a Caruso” and bail after the first season because you demand more screen time and money and respect?
Well, if you’re the kind of person who can put your ego in the back seat, your inner fanboy gets to work with some amazing fellow actors, brilliant writers, and fantastic crew members — knowing your lack of a series regular contract actually frees you up to do films and guest spots on other shows (something you could never do so easily as a series regular). And then, because you waited for it, you find yourself rewarded with more lines. Better lines. Storylines!
When I say that I think David Rees Snell is doing fine work, I mean that I think he will surely top some lists as a potential cornerstone for building a future series in the next couple of seasons. The “big” agencies will come a’courtin’ and he’ll have some pretty outstanding offers to field. But seeing as he was willing to wait for his moment on The Shield, I’m willing to bet that he’s the kind of guy who’ll stick with his awesome mid-sized agency and consider future offers with a level head and lots of humility.
I share this tale with the hopes that readers will remember it when faced with a “stick with it or make demands and bail” kind of situation. It’s really easy to get your head filled with loads of spin when things start going even the slightest bit better for you than when you were out there struggling. Without early prep for how to handle those decisions, it can become overwhelmingly tempting to let the fanbase, the message board buzz, the success you see your peers having cloud your focus. And two seasons on a hit show (even when you’re just a supporting player) could be enough to make you think you should walk. (But then you might spend the next few years right back at square one, rather than building toward that Emmy nomination.)
The moral of the story is: Wait for it. Or at least be mentally and emotionally prepared to do so going in. I think David’s fanbase of casting directors has grown significantly in a short period of time due to his choices over the past few years. And that’s something that’ll pay off for decades to come!
Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!
Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/000947.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.