The Actor-Writer-Musician-Playwright Life with James Morrison

James Morrison is a familiar presence on the stage and screen, having had key roles in the hyper-kinetic "24" where he played the head of the counter-terrorism unit, and the prison warden in David Lynch's "Twin Peaks" (co-written by his friend and fellow Ojai resident Mark Frost. Having looked forward to this conversation for ages, he did not disappoint. Besides sharing that we were both the fifth of six children, he talked about hitchhiking the  length of the Alcan Highway (look it up), being a problem child at Anchorage, Alaska's West High School, where he found salvation in the footlights, and his struggles with addiction and his finding strength through his yoga practice, which he learned from the renowned Ganga White. We talked about his pandemic routine, the ways in which the entertainment industry is adapting and to all those struggling through this covid-era. He talked candidly about his issues as an up-and-coming actor who would often show up at rehearsals hung over until a mentor noticed and said, "'It's going to kill you and just your luck it's going to take you 50 years to die.'" His wise words to those who are feeling the strain of loneliness and pressure in this covid-era? "There’s any easier, softer way. Just please keep in mind ... You are not alone." He has produced and directed films, including the well-received documentary “Showing Up,” about the audition process with 50 well-known actors. He and his wife Riad Galayini co-directed and produced the doc which featured luminaries like Kristin Chenoweth, Nathan Lane and Sam Rockwell. As a singer-songwriter, he has also written and performed two albums. He talked about his pride in his son Seamus, now a student at UC-Santa Barbara and a published writer (in Ojai's own OQ magazine), who survived brain cancer at age 10. Morrison developed the experience into a one-person play that was selected for the workshop process through the prestigious Ojai Playwrights Conference with (former podcast guest) Robert Egan. And yet, Morrison wants us to know that's just he's another Ojai friend and neighbor. He quoted  Oscar Wilde: “We are not a noun, we’re human beings." Check out his profile on IMDB.com — you’ll get finger fatigue from all the scrolling. You are also encouraged to check out his website, jpmorrison.com.