Michael Shannon on ‘George & Tammy,’ Meeting Jessica Chastain and Being Ready for ‘Saturday Night Live’

Though he’s often associated with intense roles like his Oscar-nominated turns in “Revolutionary Road” and “Nocturnal Animals,” Michael Shannon is funny. That’s now been well established. From scene-stealing cameos in “They Came Together” and “The Night Before” to his hilarious/terrifying reading of a viral sorority letter to often being the highlight of press junkets with his trademark dry delivery, the actor has proven his comedy bona fides. So, hey Lorne Michaels, give him his shot on “Saturday Night Live” already.

Asked if he’s ever been asked to host the iconic sketch show, Shannon replies, “I think Lorne Michaels is scared of me or thinks I smell funny or something. The guy won’t arrest me.”

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I can personally vouch that Shannon smells fine and there’s nothing for Michaels to be afraid of. And the actor seems a perfect fit for the show; “SNL” often likes to subvert expectations by utilizing actors perceived as “serious” and they particularly enjoy actors with a background in live theater – both Shannon specialties. “Yeah, I’m adaptable, I’m malleable,” he agrees. But he also says he has “lost hope.”

The only issue might be finding time in the actor’s busy schedule. On the day he joins Variety’s Awards Circuit Podcast, Shannon is ostensibly talking about his recent television work – playing George Jones in the Showtime limited series “George & Tammy” and starring in and producing “Waco: The Aftermath” for Paramount+. But he has just landed from New York, where his directorial debut “Eric Larue” premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. And after this interview, he’s off to the premiere of “The Flash,” in which he reprises his role as General Zod. Listen below!

“George & Tammy” marks a reunion for the actor and Jessica Chastain, who co-starred in Jeff Nichols’ 2011 film “Take Shelter.” In that film, Shannon plays a man with visions of an oncoming apocalypse who builds a shelter for his family, while Chastain – in one of her first film appearances – is his wife. They first met a few days before shooting started, though Shannon admits his memory is fuzzy. “The story she tells is Jeff took me to meet her and we approached each other in a parking lot and she put out her arms to give me a hug and I went for the handshake,” Shannon says. “Because I was, I don’t know, socially awkward or something. She said, ‘No, no, no I’m not shaking your hand.’ And she gave me a hug. And the rest is history.”

Shannon talks in detail about preparing to play music legend George Jones, including how much the costuming helped him as an actor and what it was like shooting scenes where Jones is drunk. It’s intended as a compliment to say he’s very believable in those moments – he credits not overthinking it. “Regardless of whether your character is drunk or not in the scene, there’s probably something more important going on. So it shouldn’t ever because the primary focus,” he says. “I can’t say I really have any tricks or methodology about it.  I guess I’m just maybe drawing from life experience.”

The catch is, most drunk people think they’re being wonderful and charming in the moment – they aren’t completely aware of how they look. This was posited to Shannon, who simply says, “Well, I mean, I can’t help but be wonderful and charming. No matter what the circumstances. It’s just my curse.”

Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast, produced by Michael Schneider, is your one-stop listen for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each week “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives; discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines; and much more. Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or anywhere you download podcasts. New episodes post weekly.

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