Interview with Eli Kollman, star of Black Rabbit

Welcome to Eli Kollman, star of the television series Black Rabbit. Can you tell us how you got into the role of Joe?

Thanks for inviting me to chat! I’d say there wasn’t any particular prep for Joe, but one thing I did was go around to different night spots around the city and just sit at the bar, spectating the bartenders deal with the many people and orders thrown their way. That prepped me a lot, to just see that life in action.

Black Rabbit was launched a few weeks ago on streaming services. It tells a family story, but it's also a crime thriller. Do you have any anecdotes to share with fans about the prestigious cast you worked with? The cast includes Jude Law and Jason Bateman, among others.

Yea, I mean due to the close quarters of the set and the environment that the creators, Zach Baylin and Kate Susman, built, we all became close with each other quite quickly. It felt like a family by the end, the restaurant crew came to life and we all turned to each other in every circumstance. From Laura Linney and Jason throwing me a graduation ceremony on set, to Jude just letting me sit in his trailer and play him some songs, it all was just very organic and familial.

In addition to being an actor, you are also a screenwriter and director. How did your passion for cinema begin? What was the first film or director that inspired you?

I think it probably began with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, Indiana Jones and Star Wars were the movies of my youth. I watched their work over and over, so that was probably the beginning. Though, I think I really started to dwell on directing and writing when I got into High School and started watching Denis Villeneuve’s work as well as Paul Thomas Anderson’s. Because of them I was just inspired to build worlds and bring those images to life in my own way.

Is there a role you would have liked to play, or would like to play, in your acting career, and a film you would have liked to direct, or would like to direct?

When I think of roles I want to play, the first thing that pops into my head are the roles of Jack Nicholson, but specifically his run in the 1970’s. The Passenger, Carnal Knowledge, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Chinatown. Those roles that really defined him. The man in true conflict with self and surroundings, all almost Shakespearean with gorgeous visuals to boot and visceral character development. I love those roles and hope to have a run like that. In terms of directing, any of Cormac McCarthy’s work I would love to try my hand at. The highly coveted adaptation of Blood Meridian still hasn’t been done, maybe someday I could try that on for size.

You were also in the cast of A House of Dynamite, again with a very prestigious cast. Including Idris Elba and Rebecca Ferguson, to name but a few. What did you take away from that experience?

House of Dynamite was such a wonderful experience. I have respected Kathryn Bigelow for years and to be directed by her was a dream. I got to work with Jared Harris, and I think the work I did in that scene with him was truly just about how I can best support Jared in this moment, which in turn serves the story. I suppose I learned the work is better when your priority is the other actor.

You were also the director and co-writer of Nomad & Roadrunner. What is it about and where did you get the idea for your first film?

Nomad and Roadrunner was really just the spawn of a video my collaborator and I watched where Quentin Tarantino said, just go make a movie. And we were like, ok. So, we raised money and tried our hand at some guerrilla filmmaking, just trotting around the plains of West Texas and New Mexico for a month then editing it all together. It’s a story of family burdens passed down through time and the handling of those issues. It was just a beautiful way to learn how to raise money and how to communicate with people in and outside the industry. But the biggest lesson was, just go do it. No one is saying no. Go make a movie.

What are Eli Kollman's future projects as a director, actor, screenwriter, or in music?

As of now I’m looking at the many roads to wander down, and I believe, if done correctly, I can walk all. Only time will tell. I am currently working on my self-titled album with some folks out in Nashville, which has me extremely excited. Music has been another way for me to deposit overwhelming feelings. Very helpful. For directing, I have many ideas ahead of me for movies I want to make and when my feet are steady, I’ll pitch those and we’ll make something special.