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This week’s guest is Chris Chalk. Right now he’s starring in Season 2 of HBO detective series _Perry Mason_, in which he plays former police officer-turned private investigator Paul Drake.

During the podcast, Chalk—who has also starred in _12 Years a Slave_, _When They See Us _and television shows _Gotham_, _Homeland_ and _The Newsroom_ among other things—digs into the show’s

1930s representation of racism, misogyny and that brutal society. He also reveals he will play James Baldwin in the new second season of Ryan Murphy’s FX show _Feud_. This time the anthology

series will center around Truman Capote, with Tom Hollander as Capote and with the title _Feud: Capote’s Women_. Chalk also has the film _All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt_ which screened at

Sundance earlier this year, and he just wrote and directed his first feature, _Our Deadly Vows_, co-starring with his wife K.D. Chalk. WATCH ON DEADLINE He discusses his philosophy for life,

advice he would give his younger self, his ideal dinner companion and his desert island film and TV picks. And he recalls his upbringing with a single mom, whom he cites as his strongest

influence and support. Chalk spent his early teens working the night shift at a burger joint with three hours of sleep before school. Despite that schedule, he considered studying math in

college (“I like logic”) before realizing drama was an option. Then came tuition from Philip Seymour Hoffman and in 2010, his first big break: starring in the Broadway production of_ Fences_

alongside Denzel Washington and Viola Davis. And the latter brought something to the set that changed Chalk’s perspective on acting. To find out more, click above to listen to Chris Chalk.

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