Manhattanville College Alum James Badge Dale On Growing Up In New York, Martin Scorsese & New Movie
DJ Sixsmith
Actor James Badge Dale has traveled all over the world to film movies and television shows, but New York's unique characteristics will always hold a special place in his heart.
Dale has been in movies such as "The Departed" and "Iron Man 3" and TV shows like "24." The 40-year-old grew up on 20th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue with father Grover Dale, who appeared in the original "Westside Story" and mother Anita Morris, a Tony-nominated actress. These connections and the changing seasons of the East Coast always make Dale feel like he's home in New York.
"The sounds and the smells and the sights never really change," Dale said in an interview with CBS Local. "I have family members who are not from New York City and can't handle it here. New York City is comforting to me. When I hear the sirens, the subways and the differences in the smells of the seasons from the spring rain to the intense summer heat, it's just home."
Dale is back in town this week because his brand new film "The Standoff At Sparrow Creek" hits theaters today. The movie tells the story of a former police officer who joined an anti-government militia and is now trying to figure out who killed a police officer at a funeral. Dale has been in many big budget movies and shows, but he really enjoys doing independent films like this one.
"I love this movie. It's a different film and people aren't making movies like this anymore," said Dale. "We play with these ideas of tribalism, loner vs. group, what is isolation and what is being part of something. All those themes run through the film and many people will be surprised when the layers on each of these characters are pulled back."
Prior to his acting career, Dale was a scholarship hockey player at Manhattanville College in Purchase. The actor played goalie for the school team, but his career on the ice ended prematurely due to injury. Dale still sees a lot of similarities between hockey and acting.
"I went to Manhattanville to play hockey. I started studying theater because I wanted an easy grade," said Dale. "I got hurt and I wasn't playing well and then all my energy went into the theater department. There are some similarities between theater and hockey. The live performance aspect of it, but also the ensemble. Hockey is a true team sport. You live and die by the team. Theater is the same way, you live and die by the group."
Dale ended up giving the commencement speech at Manhattanville in 2016. While the Manhattanville alum has enjoyed many great experiences in his career, he will never forget working with legendary director and Queens native Martin Scorsese on "The Departed."
"It changed me as an actor working with those guys," said Dale. "There's an attention to specificity that matters and when I worked with Scorsese, that's what I saw, how every little piece matters. We would go back and do things again and again and if the lighting isn't right, he'll tear it down and work on it for three hours. It all matters. I also learned to play more and it doesn't have to be exactly as it is on the page. You have to bring something to the role."