Wendell Pierce Career Retrospective | Conversations on Broadway

Wendell Pierce discusses his incredible acting career including stories about ‘The Wire’, ‘Death of a Salesman’ and ‘Jack Ryan’. Moderated by Richard Ridge, BroadwayWorld for the Conversations on Broadway series. This interview is part of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations program, an essential resource for actors, filmmakers and students of discussions with performers, exploring the process and profession of acting.

The views expressed in the presentation materials and films, and by the guests and moderators are solely those of the organization and/or individual providing them and do not reflect the opinions of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, its staff or Board of Directors.

Watch Past Q&A’s:
https://www.youtube.com/c/SAGAFTRAFoundation/videos

Follow the SAG-AFTRA Foundation on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sagaftraFOUND/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sagaftraFOUNDATION
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sagaftraFOUND`

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the most comprehensive, educational and state-of-the-art resources to SAG-AFTRA members. The Foundation believes that the contributions made to our culture by performing artists are not only valuable, but essential.

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation relies entirely on donations to provide emergency assistance and free educational programs to SAG-AFTRA artists. This conversation is made possible thanks to the generosity of our supporters.

During the pandemic, the Foundation has given over $7 million in disaster relief to more than 7,500 performers. If you are a SAG-AFTRA artist and need help, please ask. And, if you can help, please give at: https://sagaftra.foundation/donate.

All donations are tax-deductible.

0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:06 Death of a Salesman
0:28:00 Growing up in New Orleans
0:33:18 Attending Julliard
0:38:20 Auditioning, Bob Fosse
0:45:20 Boys of Winter, The Piano Lesson
0:49:00 The Wire
0:53:40 Treme
0:55:55 Film/TV vs Theater Acting
0:58:20 Suits, Meghan Markle
1:00:50 Ray, Taylor Hackford
1:03:00 Malcolm X, Spike Lee
1:07:22 Waiting to Exhale, Forest Whitaker, Whitney Houston
1:09:40 Independent Films, Student Films
1:15:10 Jack Ryan
1:21:19 Being a Producer
1:22:40 Advice for Actors Starting Out
1:26:00 Cold Reading, Auditioning Advice
1:33:30 Advice for his younger self