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RICHARD SPEIGHT, JR. Richard Speight, Jr. is currently beginning his second season as a recurring character on the popular CBS drama Jericho. He has also starred in the award-winning miniseries Band of Brothers on HBO, The Agency on CBS, and has appeared in numerous other films and TV shows such as Thank You For Smoking, Yes, Dear, Into the West, Supernatural, and CSI: Miami. He also co-wrote and starred in Adrift: Open Water 2 for Lion’s Gate Films, as well as directing and starring in the feature film North Beach, a comedy The San Francisco Chronicle called “a little gem” and FilmCritic.com rated with 4 1⁄2 out of 5 stars.

Interviewed by Jennifer Moreno

So, since we last spoke with you, you landed a role on "Jericho", tell us how that came about.

Well, I had the good fortune of meeting and befriending a guy named Steve Chbosky while at USC. He was a screenwriting major and he used me in his senior year showcase piece. After graduation, he moved to New York where he wrote and directed a feature that went to Sundance, published a fantastic novel called “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” and wrote several features. Then, three years ago, he moved back to LA and was hired to write the pilot for “Jericho.” When CBS gave it the green light, he called me and asked if I’d like to wear the incredibly flattering tan and green polyester uniform of a Jericho, Kansas sheriff’s deputy. I had only two questions – “Can I wear a giant hat?” and “Where do I sign?”

What are some of the challenges indicative of working on a show like "Jericho"?

Figuring out where you fit in and how to do your job effectively. It is a massive cast. There are something like 10 regulars and 6 or so recurring characters (of which I am one). When you get screen time, it is usually brief, so you need to do your best to make strong choices in those moments so that you can begin to define your character, slowly but surely.

Recently, "Jericho" was cancelled briefly, but then picked up again for 7 more episodes. How did that happen and how did you handle it?

That was really cool. What the fans managed to pull off was incredible – they mobilized online and got people all over the country excited and organized. And CBS listened! I was already mentally moving on. I went to Germany to visit the troops with some of the WWII veterans portrayed in “Band of Brothers” and when I returned, one of the show creators called me and asked if I’d be willing to do an online radio interview about the ‘Nuts’ campaign to save “Jericho.” I said sure – now what the hell are you talking about? So I was in the dark until a week or so before everything happened. It was a very pleasant surprise.

How do you prepare for the times when you are not working?

Hard to say. I’m so used to it now. It’s just a part of the gig. Can’t say that I like it, but what are you going to do? I have a one year-old son, so I feel very blessed that I have time to spend with him at this age. When you are working a lot – even away on location – you miss a lot. So I try to savor the down time now. I also write a lot. That keeps my brain active and my creativity alive.

You are a husband and a father now, how have the roles that you go out for changed as you and your life have changed?

The roles I go out for are the same. Having a child changes your outlook, but I don’t think it changes much else. Unless of course you’ve been doing a lot of gay porn. In that case, you might want to cut back. Otherwise, work is still work. I just want my son to look at me and think, “I like that guy. I’m glad he’s my dad.” To that end, I try not to bring home the frustration and anxiety the industry can create. My son Steve doesn’t care how hard my day was. He just wants to wrestle. That’s all I want to do, too. The day I’m too stressed to play with him is the day I need to start doing something else. Life is too short and in the end, none of this Hollywood crap matters. It’s just a job.

Are you finding yourself wanting or needing to pursue other aspects of the entertainment business?

I’ve always written. Usually, I don’t get paid for it. Hopefully, that’ll change. I’ve also directed before - a feature called “North Beach.” I hope to direct more in the future. In fact, I’m trying to put together a film right now. But it is a bitch. Raising money is not my strong suit. But I enjoy the process of making movies. Who knows where it will lead? Perhaps in ten years, I’ll be primarily writing and directing and acting will be in the backseat.

What do you think is the most difficult part about the business these days?

The sameness of it all. Still auditioning, still pounding the pavement, still doing the same song and dance. Don’t get me wrong – I am thrilled that I am able to make a living in my chosen profession because that’s no easy trick. But unless you become ‘famous’, you still have to go out there and earn your roles. Sure, Steve Chbosky called me about “Jericho.” But I still had to go in and read for it – three times. I just don’t think the process ever seems to get easier. And that gets old.

What's gotten easier?

I don’t stress about it all like I used to. Jobs are going to come and jobs are going to go. I’ve got a beautiful wife, a great son, a roof over my head, food in the cupboard, and health insurance. Take away the ego of wanting to ‘make it’ and I’d say I have it pretty good.

What's the biggest mistake you've made, and if you could go back and fix it, would you?

I would have gone to school somewhere other than in Los Angeles. I was so desperate to get out here from Nashville and get started that I lost sight of the fact that I could’ve studied acting somewhere else and THEN moved to Los Angeles to begin the process of trying to do it for a living. I combined the idea of going to college and pursuing a career, and I think that was a naïve mistake. If I could do it all over, I would have gone to NYU or some other school in New York. I love it there but never got to live there and now am too old to make the switch. And I would have double majored in French, making sure to spend one semester abroad. Once you’re out of school, those travel opportunities go bye-bye.

What types of goals do you set and/or what are your expectations for yourself?

Right now, none of my goals have to do with the industry. The only thing I expect of myself is to do the best I can do. As long as I prepare, show up on time, and do what I believe to be the best I can do, then I sleep well at night.

How do you go about convincing people to see you for roles that they may not normally consider you for?

I don’t really. That is my agents’ job. And quite frankly, I’m not really at the level where anyone is going to let me explore too much. If they don’t see it in the audition room, then I’m not going to get hired to do it – and no amount of convincing is going to change that. Which actually makes sense to me. Put yourself in their position – they’ve got a project to do and they want to knock it out of the park. Are they going to hire a guy who, with a little work, could probably do a darn fine job, or a guy who simply nails it? You’ve got to go with the ringer. It’s good business.

Is there a specific role that you still really want to do?

I want to do more comedy. That was my bread and butter in college and for the first few years out in the real world. For the past few years, I’ve been doing more dramas. Commercials have allowed me to do comedy, but I’d like to more of it in films and on TV shows.

What's been the most surprising side of this business so far, good and/or bad?

The routine of it all. I look around at my peers and we are all still chugging away in the same way we’ve been doing for over 10 years. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It is just interesting. When you are on the outside looking in, it all seems so crazy and nutty. Which it is. And when it is on, it is on. But when it’s off, you go get the brake pads changed on your car, organize the garage, and balance the checkbook. I never knew being an actor could be so normal – and I find that incredibly weird.

Do you feel successful? Define success.

That is a loaded question. Next to my desk where I’m sitting right now, I have a wipe-away board with four words on it: Steve, Jaci, This house. I wrote that so that any time I am frustrated because I didn’t get the series I wanted or I have a big audition to prepare for or I don’t have many lines the episode I’m about to shoot, I can look at the board and remind myself that I have achieved so much in life. When you’re on your deathbed, you’re not going to think about the In Style party you got to go to or the sitcom you worked on.

The acting industry is like the hottest chick in your high school – no matter how much you love her and how hard you try to win her heart, she’s never going to give a crap whether you come or go. The sooner you can realize that, the better off you are. It took me many years.

Meeting the woman who would become my wife was the key to that transition for me. I have those words on that board so I never forget what life is really about. Do I still get frustrated? Do I wish I was on the ‘it’ list and getting offered movies right and left? Hell yes. My ego rears its ugly head every now and then. But for the most part, I am grateful that I am able to make a comfortable living in the profession I dreamed of being a part of as a little boy – and I’ve got my wife and son to share it all with. I think that’s pretty damn successful.

What's the one thing you would tell an actor trying to make a career happen in LA that you wish someone had told you when you started?

Be sure you’re not using your career as therapy. Don’t get into acting because your dad was never at home and so now you’re going to Hollywood to try and get all that attention and approval you missed as a child. That is a dead-end road. Do it because you love it. Do it because your passion for it consumes you. But remember - at the end of the day, it’s just a job.