A rare guest I didn’t know prior to sitting down here, what a revelation and a treat to meet Fred Melamed. Lovely from the start, I was unprepared for his brutal humility, fierce self-reflection, and unflinching honesty. A fascinatingly unique conversation focused on how life affected his work, and his work affected his life.

The Coen Brothers award-winning A Serious Man star talked being adopted, his producer father and visits to the Car 54 set; his unmothering mother, Chanukah as resistance and how it applies today; falling into acting and earning his way into Yale Drama with David Alan Grier, “Fran” McDormand & John Turturro; Broadway at 25 in Amadeus and the severe stage fright he battled nightly; not enjoying theatre, backing into voice acting, where great success followed until that market dried up, leaving the husband and father of two autistic boys panicked, until a call from Joel Coen, perhaps thanks to “Fran,” changed his life. As little as he liked working on the stage, he loved (s) film acting and took to screens big and small. Seven Woody Allen films, Lady Dynamite, In A World; Fargo, Curb, Suspect… over 100 films and TV shows later, with a few soon to drop… notably an Apple TV original with Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Anniston and Steve Carell.

The man has not stopped working, or self-examining. Learning the difference between happiness and comfort; shifting perspective and choosing joy, and gratitude, in his quest to be his best. From my vantage point, he’s doing a damn fine job.

I was provoked to think, to feel, to reach, through every moment. This time worthy and wonderful.

Fred Melamed on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Wed, 12/5/18, 7 pm PT/ 10 pm ET

With Christinna Guzman

Live on The Facebook

Full show replay here:

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