Skip to content

Stephen Root is the Quintessential “Stephen Root Type”

Here's The Thing with Alec Baldwin

Hosted by Alec Baldwin

36m
Transcript

Original podcast

Summary

Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.

Actor Stephen Root joins Alec Baldwin to discuss his prolific career across film, television, and theater, reflecting on his transition from a traveling Shakespeare troupe to becoming one of Hollywood's most revered character actors. Root explains how he built iconic roles like Monroe Fuchs on Barry and shares insights into working with the Coen brothers, Bill Hader, and a generation of legendary performers. The conversation explores the shifting landscape of casting, the importance of strong scripts in choosing projects, and the unique longevity found in embracing an ensemble-focused career.

  • Choose to work on projects with exceptionally well-written scripts so you can build a strong foundation before adding your own creative choices. 7:20
  • Master your lines and material completely so you can safely play and improvise within the structure of the scene. 17:25
  • Pay attention to physical details like footwear and walking styles because physical movement helps your body adjust to the character. 11:41
  • Prioritize longevity in the acting profession simply by staying in the business and letting your body of work accumulate. 31:13

Chapters

  1. 0:00
    Intro and Host Greeting

    Alec Baldwin introduces the podcast and welcomes listeners.

  2. 0:35
    Ad: 911 Emergency Skit

    A comedic emergency call about murder hornets and a homicide detective.

  3. 1:36
    Ad: Chronic Hives Treatment

    Medical ad promoting Rapsodo for chronic spontaneous urticaria.

  4. 2:39
    Podcast Intro: Alec Baldwin Meets Steven Root

    Alec welcomes Steven Root, noting his calm demeanor and acting pedigree.

  5. 3:50
    Root’s Breakthrough Roles and Character Type

    Root explains how his roles on Barry and Widows Bay defined the “Steven Root” character archetype.

  6. 22:16
    Root’s Early Career and Shakespeare Roots

    Root discusses his beginnings in a traveling Shakespeare troupe and early roles.

  7. 25:41
    Working with Directors and Writing Quality

    Root talks about the importance of strong scripts and directors who let him improvise.

  8. 29:31
    Industry Changes and Casting Practices

    Root and Baldwin discuss how remote auditions have altered casting and actor development.

  9. 38:42
    Future Projects and Ensemble Work

    Root shares his interest in ensemble pieces and future roles he’d like to play.

  10. 42:22
    Closing Remarks and Credits

    Baldwin thanks Root and lists production credits before ending the episode.

Highlights

  • 3:55

    Rewriting the Pilot for Barrystory

    Stephen Root explains that his character Monroe Fuchs on Barry was originally written to be constantly screaming and shouting like Yosemite Sam. The creators realized it worked much better as a buddy dynamic, so they rewrote the part to start lower.

  • 5:10

    Separating Violence and Comedyinsight

    Bill Hader insisted that Widows Bay strictly separate violence and comedy rather than mixing them together, believing that mixing them dilutes the impact of both elements.

  • 15:46

    Coen Brothers' Rigid Storyboardinginsight

    Root discusses working with the Coen brothers, noting that they storyboard everything to the nth degree and maintain a rigid structure, though they allow actors to play around and improvise on the final take.

  • 17:05

    Improvising on Barrystrategy

    Bill Hader allowed actors to throw out failing scenes and move to a park to improvise what happened next, resulting in organic moments that made it into the final cut of Barry.

  • 21:22

    Early Shakespearean Apprenticeshipstory

    Reflecting on his time with the National Shakespeare Company, Root describes doing a bus-and-truck tour performing three plays across American colleges, where directors taught him early on to pull back his performance.

  • 25:41

    The Role of a Good Directorinsight

    Root defines a good director as someone who trusts the actor's gut instincts and provides minimal course corrections on intensity and style rather than over-managing the performance.

  • 28:19

    The Disappearance of In-Person Auditionsdebate

    Root and Alec Baldwin voice frustration over modern self-tape culture, arguing that self-tapes prevent casting directors from seeing whether an actor is truly directable in the room.

Quotes

  • “I think it's a good director, you've cast this person to do this role, so you must have an idea of what he does well, or she does well.”
    Unnamed speaker · 25:55
  • “When I was starting in the, this business, when I started, my dad was still alive.”
    Alec Baldwin · 12:01
  • “I have to say Matthew Rees, just because we had worked together before on Perry Mason for HBO.”
    Unnamed speaker · 34:11
  • “I would guess for me, in the last few years, to do Trump was the externalization of something nutty and loopy and crazy.”
    Alec Baldwin · 6:12
  • Granger 0:12–0:29
  • Rapsodo 1:53–2:33
  • OnDeck 19:24–19:56
  • Zillow 20:00–20:19
  • OnDeck 32:16–32:45
  • Zillow 32:52–33:28
  • Food Lion 44:32–44:57

About this episode

You would recognize Emmy Award-nominated actor Stephen Root from over 300 film and television credits including iconic roles in “Office Space”, “NewsRadio”, “King of the Hill”, “Dodgeball”, “Idiocracy”, and “Barry” - for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Stephen Root’s illustrious career on screen includes five Coen brothers films and prestige television series such as “True Blood”, “Boardwalk Empire”, “The Man in the High Castle”, “Perry Mason”, “Succession”, “Barry”, and AppleTV’s new comedy-horror series “Widow's Bay” - which has earned Root his second Emmy Award nomination. Stephen Root got his start in a traveling Shakespeare company, then continued to perform on and off-Broadway for fifteen years before becoming one of Hollywood’s most beloved character actors. See omnystudio.com/listener https://omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

0:00
36:36

8,284 words · 8 speakers

Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

Topics

  • Barry
  • Widows Bay
  • Coen Brothers
  • News Radio
  • Office Space
  • King of the Hill
  • Idiocracy
  • Dodgeball

Page updated · transcript and summary are machine-generated