During his visit, students asked Mr. Weller, a current Dalton parent, a variety of questions about his career accolades, the differences between acting on film and on stage, and the intricate relationship between actors and directors.

 

While fielding these questions, Mr. Weller shared a number of lessons he learned from acting school and throughout his career. Senior Maxe Hinds '19 asked how he got into the mindset of his characters. Mr. Weller explained that he is able to identify with the emotional state of his characters and not the abhorrent ideals and socio-political stances his characters take.

 

For others, the class visit was an opportunity to learn more about the business side of the entertainment industry. "Seeing him as an actor--on screen and off--truly has helped inform my understanding of key components of films and theater productions and the complex processes involved in creating them," commented Jamie Gelman '19.

 

Others asked what it was like for actors to watch movies and if he (Weller) was often critiquing the performances. "It was interesting to hear how a lot of his favorite acting performances were in lesser known projects and performed by actors who don't necessarily get top billing", said Albert Lim '19.

 

Faculty member Yom Fox said, "I appreciated that he was willing to answer any question and his responses were thoughtful. He also asked students what their interests were and gave great advice."

 

Anna Wagman '19 walked away with a great life lesson. "He told us stories about his college peers who went into their careers only willing to act in one type of show, only looking for certain types of roles, and only appreciating certain actors. He told us that he believed this confines a person and prevents success. He really emphasized the importance of using every experience as an opportunity to learn more, in his case this means to learn from every acting performance he watches and possibly try out new techniques that he observes."

 

The Dalton community would like to thank Mr. Weller for taking the time to visit with our students and sharing his thoughtful insights with our inspiring young adults.