In Vincent Grashaw’s Gangland, Teddy Sharpe (Lou Diamond Phillips) is a longtime fixture in the Thunderstone Tribal Police Department who has to contend with the return of a violent criminal whose presence upsets the delicate balance that exists around him and a new partner (Dana Namerode) whose life experience and outlook certainly doesn’t match his own.
Awards Buzz spoke with Phillips about the significance of this role and how his portrait of a mentor compares with his own experience serving as a tone-setter for a younger generation of actors and crew members:
“I don’t know when I became an OG, but there it is, I’m a veteran. I tend to lead by example on set. Show up on time, know my lines, treat the crew with respect, all of that good stuff, right? But even more so, to create a space, especially if I’m high up on the call sheet, it’s like, okay, I have a responsibility for this set. I have a responsibility for the demeanor and the dynamics of what’s going on here. Especially in a film like this, where so many of the characters, for lack of a better term, are green, they don’t have a lot of experience, they haven’t delivered a lot of dialogue, I’m very proud of the fact that so many young people in this movie get their biggest role to date, whether it’s the amazing Elisha Pratt or Lane Factor was already on his way with Reservation Dogs, but Michael Tubby, Michael Blood, had never delivered dialogue. James Whitecloud had his largest role to date. And so it’s incumbent upon me to create a safe space and a platform where they’re going to do their best. Me helping them only helps the film. Right away, I try to take away that intimidation factor.”
Watch the video above to hear his praise for this film and reflections on a long and storied career, including his time on Longmire.
