Distraction Pieces Podcast with Scroobius Pip

Michael Socha (Part 2): a classic two parter for the books with the brilliant actor (The Gallows Pole / Toxic Town / This Is England) #630

·38 min·3 clips

Michael Socha reveals how Stephen Graham taught him to snap out of a dark acting headspace by coming home to his wife's reality.

This episode is part two of a conversation between host Scroobius Pip and actor Michael Socha. Socha begins by recounting an acting exercise where he embodied Stephen Graham's walk, leading to a method of walking as his characters to find their physicality. He describes a risky instance in Vancouver where staying in character nearly got him into trouble. The discussion shifts to his work on 'The Gallows Pole', where he played David Hartley, a lead role requiring significant preparation including accent work, physical transformation, and farming skills. Socha explains how director Shane Meadows used improvisation workshops to cast him and co-star Sophie McShera, noting their natural chemistry from butting heads during auditions. He delves into the mental toll of dark roles, sharing a story about isolating himself and seeking advice from Stephen Graham on how to exit that headspace. Pip introduces the concept of mandatory offloading calls, inspired by the Samaritans, which were implemented on their film set for heavy scenes. Socha talks about his spoken word show at the Edinburgh Fringe, mixing serious topics like suicide with humour and facing audience criticism. He praises the improvisation in a key scene from 'The Gallows Pole', highlighting the importance of silence and space between characters. The conversation explores acting egos, with Socha using Ric Flair's wrestling style as an analogy for being a selfless scene partner. He reflects on audition processes, including times he advocated for his character to be killed off for story reasons and the emotional impact of rejection. Socha discusses his current project, a different role with a distinct physicality, and his approach to balancing writing and acting. He shares how his agent motivates him during dry spells and the value of persistent auditions, citing an instance where a casting director rewarded him with a small role after multiple good auditions. The episode concludes with Socha expressing gratitude for his career and enjoyment of his work.

As heard by us

A candid actor conversation about rawness, artistic freedom, and a standout scene from The Gallows Pole.

Scroobius Pip's part-two conversation turns toward the exposed nerve of acting: rawness, the discipline that can follow early success, and the freedom to make art that may be dark or unwelcome.

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Why you'd press play

You want to hear an actor connect early rawness to artistic freedom and one standout Gallows Pole scene.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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