Article content continued

People hear the name Marcel Marceau and, of course, know him as an entertainer. Were you aware of his heroic deeds saving children from the Nazis?

I didn’t know much about Marcel Marceau and certainly I didn’t know about his heroic actions during the war. A lot of people don’t know about Marceau’s work because he didn’t really talk about it that much. But I have family who survived the war and most people who know any stories of survival during World War II know that it took a miracle and some unbelievable acts of bravery.

Did you feel it was timely for this story because of the world we’re living in right now?

There has been a rise in anti-Semitic incidents. The temple my wife grew up visiting was vandalized and there was an undetonated bomb outside of it. So it did seem relevant, not to compare vandalism in Indiana to World War II. But certainly the seeds of hatred are being planed and still growing, and those seeds of hatred are directed against anyone who is deemed an “other,” not just Jews. So movies like this will always be made and stories like this will always have value.

Starting with Solitary Man in 2009, you’ve gotten roles with more weight. How do you see the trajectory of your career?

I’ve been very fortunate. I’ve been asked to play roles in movies that I never would have thought of for myself. But I’ve been able to take advantage of being in the public eye to branch out into other areas that wouldn’t have been as welcoming if I wasn’t in movies. I have a book coming out on Audible. I was just about to direct a TV show in Bosnia. I’m supposed to direct a movie in the fall (with Julianne Moore and Finn Wolfhard). So I feel very lucky. But I think I’ve taken appropriate advantage of the opportunities I’ve been given.