Mike Houston – Orange is the New Black

By starrymag | July 5, 2017

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

Q) What are the recent projects you have been busy working on?

A) I’ve got a production company called The Collective and we have some short films making the festival rounds. So, we are busy pushing those out. We have one called Uncle Silas that is going to be at the SoHo International Film Festival. Individually, I don’t have anything at the moment. We had Sneaky Pete come out in January on Amazon Prime with Bryan Cranston and Giovanni Ribisi. I had a lot of fun working on that and come out.

Q) What were your first thoughts when you were told you would be in the midst of a riot and you would be in your underwear all season?

A) That is a really good question. It was kind of a fascinating conversation because knowing we have a five to six month shooting schedule, to know that we are going to have to take the time and really take the script and understand the time placement for everything we are doing…So, knowing you’re going to be without your clothes for a long time shooting and then showing up that you are keeping that heightened state. What we shoot over two weeks time is actually in the show forty-five minutes you see as time as passed. It was really interesting and really exciting to get it and dig it in that way.

Q) Did you have any nerves knowing you’d be mostly unclothed?

A) Not really. I trust kind of the process and our writers. I trust the story. I came in on Season Four and was able to be a part of something special. It was different from what “Orange” was and what it became in Season Four. There is a little bit of a transition and I felt very honored to be a part of that and put all my faith in the writers and creators and what they wanted to do with this season. So, it wasn’t a lot of trepidation about the fact that I would have to be hanging out in my underwear for most of the show. Again, I also understood in the circumstances that the guards in Season Four were pretty unsavory from an audience’s point of view and there were repercussions to that. So, when we finished the way we did in Season Four with Daya (Dascha Polanco) with a gun we know there is going to be a turn of events. It wasn’t surprising as an actor that it was something we had to do. In terms of the scene where I am stripped completely, I wouldn’t call it trepidation. I would say that I had never had to do anything like that before on camera. So, I think it was just a matter of realizing this is Dixon and this is what his journey is. Also, the fact that in the four years prior they have asked so many women on the show to do the same thing in terms of telling story it was just like this is what we do. This is how we tell the story. And I trust them.

Q) Given Dixon’s military background, are you surprised he isn’t more of a take-charge kind of guy with this riot and the prisoners?

A) I thought a lot about that and the one thing I always kind of felt (and still feel) about Dixon is that his role in the military I never saw him as extremely active. Dixon is the kind of guy who goes along with whatever the group is doing. Dixon kind of tags along with that. He’s not a guy who really wants to be a leader and make those kinds of decisions. It’s more like what’s in it for me, what can I get out of this and how much effort can I get away with not putting into it. I think there is one moment in that episode four of season five where he does make a decision to be the one that tries to strangle Linda. There is an attempt and, of course, Caputo (Nick Sandow) comes in and puts the kibosh on that right away. That’s as far as he was going to go with it. Also with there being a hot gun in this prison…We talked a lot about that. When we see the gun we know who has it, but when we don’t see the gun we don’t know who has it. So, you have to kind of treat it that way the entire time. You have to just assume that the gun is near you and all of your actions from that moment could be used against you.

Q) What was it like filming in Spanish Harlem and then also in the church being stripped?

A) That was great. As far as being an actor, you love stuff like this because it forces you and your character to start thinking how it effects Dixon. Does he sympathize or come back with feelings of retribution? I think he kind of felt a little bit in between, especially during the cavity search. I think it was hard for him to understand, “This is what we do to other people.” But going into that room being stuck with everybody felt claustrophobic. And you have to imagine that over three days time it starts to smell and everyone is hot. It’s just uncomfortable. So, it was fun as an actor to play in that confined space.

Q) I noticed how no one gives Artesian special treatment for being the only female guard captive. Was that discussed?

A) That’s a good question! I would love to know how she felt about that. It wasn’t really talked about. In Season Four when we’re all established and having been in the military with that unit mentality there is not special treatment in the service. Everyone is treated the same. It’s whatever your rank is and whatever your job is. I think we tried to treat it the same way. We’re a team of essentially vets. We also learned from last season and a couple of times McCullough (Emily Tarver) drops a few hints here and there that she might be a little more dangerous than people think she is. She has had some experiences that she might be able to handle herself. More importantly, I thought it was that we were all a part of this together. I agree with you that none of us really stood up for her and took the heat off.

Q) I kind of felt bad for Dixon the inmates were making fun of his body.

A) Hey, everybody is human and everybody has bodies. One of the things I love the most about this show is that they show real people all the time. This is how real people look like, this how real people dress and this is real underwear that people wear. I had on compression stockings and that was actually a choice because I used to wear them when I’d bartend. When you are on your feet for long periods of time and you’re a big person, it helps with circulation. I just thought it would be an interesting insight to who these people are as every day people – that he would wear these compression stockings because he’s a guard and on his feet all day long. I thought it would be a fun choice for him to wear throughout Season Five in his underwear.

Q) Nick Sandow mentioned to me that there was an email sent out asking for the talents of the guards. What were some that you had listed?

A) Singing was number one. It’s been something I have done my whole life. I love singing. I said I can sing, play guitar and some special talents I mentioned to the production team that I was a cheerleader in college. But I did let them know that back then I could do things that as you get older and bigger you can’t really do anymore. I said I couldn’t really do the backflips anymore. If I could, it would be pretty awesome. Those were the three main ones that I put out.

Q) Did you get much input into the song you performed?

A) No. That was actually written in and I was psyched because I love Hall & Oates. I love that song so I was really excited that they were able to put that into the script. Also, it gets a little high there and I was excited. I thought, “Oh, there are some people out there that don’t really know that I can get to these notes.” So, it was written in and I thought it was a perfect song.

Q) Did you have to put a vocal on tape for them to then figure out what you would sing?

A) That’s a really good question. No, they just picked that one. Because we were put in the situation where it had to be acapella anyway that I could pick the key where ever I needed it to be most comfortable. But I wanted to honor Darryl Hall. He’s a talented man and I wanted to honor him as much as I could. I tried to get up there. I’m still not anywhere close in that song with that rendition of how high he gets.

Q) How did you prep to do the singing scene?

A) I just kind of went back to my training. Getting the script and knowing the song, I just sang it a bunch at my house. I didn’t have to work with anyone in particular. Also, it was just the intro of the song. I also thought it would be important to show Dixon that this was a little surprise. I personally thought it was hilarious because I thought that nobody would see this coming. Then, I thought I didn’t want to make it too worked out because then I thought it would seem like it was something he was always participating in. I thought Dixon was the guy who was always singing in the shower when he got the chance and he loves that idea, but to be put on the spot (especially in front of all these people and someone with a gun) you can’t sound too spot-on.

Q) What is he thinking during Stratman’s performance?

A) [laughs] That’s a great question! I think he kind of got a kick out of it because it’s like, “Never in a million years would I think Stratman (Evan Hall) had that in him. That’s impressive.” For about thirty seconds to a minute and then I think he gets a little tired of the show because I think he really wanted to win. I know when I was doing it I wanted to win that show! I thought that I did. I thought my talent, my singing, was a little more impressive than a guy who was shaking his butt. Dixon got a little tired of the showboating towards the end of it. Also, Stratman got a little longer than the rest of us, which was a little unfair. When Dixon is doing his warmups and Boo (Lea DeLaria) tells him he has five minutes he says, “thank you, five,” that’s a very popular term used in theater when you are hanging out and the stage manager lets you know that the show is going to open soon. That’s how you respond, “Five minutes to open. Thank you, five.” This is a talent show so of course he wants to win. But, of course, Josh shows up in his purple underwear and speaks Italian and looks beautiful and he wins.

Q) Your costars Nick Sandow and Laura Prepon directed episodes. What was it like having them as directors?

A) It’s awesome. It’s a lot of fun. I have been a big Nick Sandow fan for a lot of time. He had a film that he directed that came out last year that I went to see and I just really, really enjoyed the movie. It’s called The Wannabe and I love it! So, when I found out that he was directing an episode. It was just really excited. Nick has been doing this a really long time. He’s an incredibly talented human being and it’s always fun to be able to work with someone that has been in the world that you’re in that has been created because they can speak to it in a way that even other people can’t. We have amazing directors throughout the seasons all the time and most are returning directors – people who have worked on the show since maybe even Season One. It’s exciting when someone from the cast gets to be behind the camera and you can see kind their vision of things and what their style is to get you to give your performance. Nick was just outstanding to work with and Laura was fantastic. That was also extremely exciting to work with someone who had such a brilliant storied career to date. Then, also being able to get behind the camera and give you some opportunities – that was awesome.

Q) Did those locked in Spanish Harlem become closer friends after spending so much time together in such close quarters?

A) That’s a great point. We have a text chain in my phone as “Guard Life.” So, you develop a really good bond. People are coming to my wedding that were in that bubble with me. I would think it is the same as when the women develop their ensemble from Season One and throughout. We were new guards and introduced last year. Very often we would work on separate days. Nick Dillenburg and I worked on so many opposite days last year that I didn’t really get to know him until towards the end of the season in the breakroom. This season, of course, because we are in that room as often as we are you get to know each other really, really well and you definitely develop that bond and relationship. We still get together as often as we can and we have that little text chain going. That’s how it works. The other beautiful part of it is that you come to terms with things you may never have wanted to know about our characters…Knowing that Stratman has that ability to dance – that is fantastic. Also, did I really need to see him get to that point? No. Knowing that Blake is Mormon…Each character has to ask themselves, “How do I feel about these things?” It was a lot of fun to learn and also as Luschek (Matt Peters) goes through…We get more of him and his whole insight into knowing these dirty films that add some sort of context to the situation is quite hilarious.

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming this season?

A) The Litchfield Idol day…As the character and as the actor, that was a lot of fun to work on. And to watch everyone bring everything they could to the talents they were given was really exciting. Again, working with Nick and having him direct. One of my favorite scenes is when we were hanging out with Suzanne (Uzo Aduba) and kind of living in her world and trying to understand. I don’t think Dixon was incredibly concerned about her well-being, but there was a moment of acceptance where we’re in this now and we’re just going to participate. I also (as an actor) enjoyed working on that scene. I could watch Uzo do anything any time anywhere. I always appreciate opportunities to be able to do that. Obviously, the strip search moment just because…We were showing something that most people don’t generally see. It’s not something that normally gets put out here in storytelling as often. So, I was proud to participate and be part of the story to drive the idea of how crazy things can get when you have spent so much time putting someone down giving them some power and control, where does that take you? That’s the brilliance of the season. We spend so much time learning about these women, their stories and where they are that we haven’t seen them as what it would be like if they gained some of that power, some of that control and some of their humanity. To watch that kind of unfold and see who these people are…Again, these are human beings that we are talking about all the time. In the real world, I think we tend to forget that. We forget the people we put in these situations that find themselves in these penitentiaries. These are human beings. It’s way more complicated than just putting a number on somebody and saying “you’re a prisoner.”

Q) What have you taken away from your time working on “Orange is the New Black?”

A) Looking at our prison systems differently. Understanding the real dangers of privatized prisons. When you strip humanity away from a person and make them a commodity it is a pretty scary process and result. I kind of took away from these two seasons working with these people and in these stories. Personally, what I try to put my focus on is looking out for those kind of stories and also giving a benefit of the doubt that I maybe wouldn’t have five years ago to someone to say, “I don’t know much about this person other than what I have been told about this thing that they did.” But the backstory of why and what led them to this place has been a big takeaway for me. The other thing, as an actor, I’ve just become a better actor I think. Working with some of the best people you can find in both film and television – we’re so blessed as an ensemble cast to work with so many people who are incredibly talented. I’m a big believer for anyone who does this is that I always try to be a student. As much as I’m trying to bring what I bring, I’m trying to watch others and learn more and more. I think you can find with this cast you can learn from some really great people.

Q) What kind of responses have you gotten to this season?

A) One of the bigger questions was, “Is it scary expose yourself in such a way?” We talked a little bit about that and it was a big thing for me. I think the key thing is to ask yourself as an actor, “Does it really further the story?” When you have an ensemble of that magnitude you can really trust that they are doing it for the right reasons. And Litchfield idol! Those are the two big moments for me as an actor and I got to do something that no one has ever seen me do.