Interview with ‘A Dark Place’ Actor, Mike Miller

One of my favorite films of 2019 is the captivating thriller, A Dark Place (read my review – here). I’ve been slowly working my way on interviewing the cast and crew and next up is actor Mike Miller.

Mike is a phenomenal actor and he delivers a killer performance in A Dark Place with his character Keith. Learn more about how he got this role, his favorite scenes, upcoming projects, and more.

PopHorror – Hi Mike, it’s great to talk to you! What inspired you to become an actor?

Mike Miller –Likewise! I was really inspired by the movie Rudy. I loved football growing up and played it since I was a little kid. I almost quit my freshman year of high school, but that movie played a major role in pushing me to persevere (I was undersized), ultimately paving the way for me to walk on to the Stanford football team. Acting gives me the opportunity to impact others’ lives, in a multitude of ways, but ideally in the same way that Rudy impacted mine. It also gives me the same rush and excitement I got from back in my playing days.

PopHorror – What was your first role?

Mike Miller – My first role was as a prosecuting attorney on the TV show Criminal Minds.

PopHorror – That’s awesome. You’ve done a lot of different types of TV Series and movies. Do you prefer doing movies or shows?

Mike Miller – They’re definitely different, but equally as fun to me. At the end of the day, both provide the opportunity for me to do what I love.

PopHorror – Your newest film, A Dark Place is a dark thriller drama. Do you like this genre and if so would you be interested in doing more roles in this genre?

Mike Miller – I love this genre, particularly because everyone seems to be hiding something, which really enhances the stakes and the overall storytelling. You never know what is lurking around the corner. I definitely look forward to playing more roles in this category in the future.

PopHorror – I love it too. How did the role of Keith come about for you?

Mike Miller – My agent sent me the appointment. I auditioned for Chris and the producers. The rest is history. I will say that after initially reading the script and working with my coach, I felt I had a really strong connection with, and good grasp of, the character.

PopHorror – Keith is the type of guy who has everything but is never satisfied. Very arrogant. Is it hard playing a character like this?

Mike Miller – It can be if you play into the “stereotype” of being arrogant or cocky. The only thing that Keith and I have in common is that he is a businessman. He and his behaviors were very familiar to me, having worked on Wall Street for a period of time after college and being surrounded by recognizable characters in the workplace. The thing to remember is Keith is human, like all of us, and human beings are flawed. We have all behaved like Keith in our lives at some point, some folks more than others, which dictates the level of difficulty in bringing the character to life. Or is it fun to play around with someone like this? Arguably the best thing about acting is having the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in a character that is nothing like you in real life and having full reign to live out this person’s life with the highest possible stakes. It is exhilarating.

PopHorror – I can only imagine! Any favorite parts in the film?

Mike Miller – I loved the party scene. It is rare to have the opportunity to film with and get to know all of your cast-mates, given story structure, timeline, and scheduling. The party scene gave us a chance to really bond as characters and people. I remember telling Chris that night that I had a really good feeling about the prospects for the movie and it was purely based on the vibe I got from connecting with the cast, who are all just as amazing human beings as they are actors.

PopHorror – That was one of my favorite scenes too. Out of all the things you’ve been involved with thus far, what has been your favorite role?

Mike Miller – Keith is definitely up there, but to date, my most fun was playing the role of a commanding officer on the TV show Major Crimes, where we had to disarm a suspect with a gun in a public place. We worked closely with LAPD in that scene and they were phenomenal in making me look great in the role. I loved being in control.

PopHorror – I’ll have to look it up! Any upcoming projects?

Mike Miller – I’ll be starting principal production on a short film that deals with postpartum depression. It is written and directed by Jazlyn Yoder, who plays Theresa in A Dark Place. My wife and I just had a baby boy, so the script and content are particularly timely. This is the most excited I’ve ever been to work on a project given the subject matter.