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To call Keith David one of the hardest working actors in Hollywood is hardly hyperbole.
The final scene in The Thing.
In 1979, the year he graduated from Julliard, David landed his first onscreen role.
He hasnt looked back since.
Youve been acting for 40 years.
My goal was to be a working actor.
If you received a residual check for $1 or less, you got a free drink.
Success is what you give yourself.
I read that and I immediately went home and put that in my journal.
Youre in a business where youre often defined by other people.
Its easy to get lost.
It happens to the best of us, even when youdohave a sense of yourself.
In this town, that has been rewarded for a long time.
If thats what you want to do, fine.
Who am I to dog that?
I dont have to agree with it, I dont have to like it, but people do that.
People get called on to do it, and people get paid very well to do it.
You jump a lot between film, television, and theater.
Do you have a preferred medium?Yes.
In whatever form it comes.
Though you began your work in the theater, your breakthrough role on the screen came inThe Thing.
What was it that attracted you to that project?It was a job.
I was almost going to answer that for you.It was a job.
And it was my first movie job.
Tommy Waites and I spent some time at Julliard together.
It was a phenomenal first experience.
With it being me, and then with it being Kurt.
And then, you know, who knew?
Thats not the answer I wanted.All I can tell you is, it wasnt me.
You worked with Carpenter again onThey Livein one of the greatest fight scenes in film history.
Did you know what you were signing up for?Are you kidding?
That was one of the selling points for me!
You were fighting Roddy Piper, who was huge at the time.
He was very hungry to learn as much about acting as he possibly could.
I thought, Its a great idea, but shes ambitious and this is never going to happen.
Little did I know, for the four songs that I had to play, Ilearnedhow to play.
Rogers was a phenomenal guy.
It was my first real TV spot, and I felt really honored to be onMr.
He was one of a kind.
Before we talk aboutGreenleaf, but I have to ask you aboutRoad House.
Youre one of the first credited actors on the film and originally had a much bigger role.
It was a four-week job that turned into 11 weeks.
I had a great role.
I got to fight with Terry Funk and a couple of other guys.
I had a really good time.
The day after the wrap party, [the director] Rowdy Herrington called me.
What was your reaction?What do you say?
Im like, Oh, shit, okay.
And I still get residuals.
I also got to meet Sam Elliott, who I admired greatly.
We got to do another movie [2001sPretty When You Cry] years later.
Youre kicking off the fourth season ofGreenleaf.
Im blessed because of all the actors on the show.
Its an exception, not a rule, because we all got along wonderfully.
Its almost cliche to say that we became a family, but we really did.
For these four seasons, Ididspend more time with them than I did with my own family.
Thats some sacrificial time, but it was time well spent.
My wife and my children got to visit.
From the very beginning, weve had wonderful communication with the writers onGreenleaf.
Do you just not like to sit still?You sound like youve been talking to my wife.
How do you view your career and body of work?Im a working actor.
But Im also a team player when Im playing the lead.
I was taught that in the theater.
In fact, Lloyd Bridges taught me that.
Would I welcome more opportunities to lead in the film?
Of course I would, but it would all depend on the story and the circumstances.
I have nothing but gratitude for the opportunities that God has given me in my life.
I have played some great parts.
Ive played with some great people.
