After breaking through with an icy performance in Carol and a recent turn as Chevy Chase in Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night, the Ohio-born performer has earned a reputation for bringing raw characters hauntingly to life. Next, he’ll star in Sentimental Value, Joachim Trier’s latest tragicomedy, alongside Elle Fanning and Renate Reinsve.

CULTURED: What was the biggest “pinch me” moment of your career so far?

Cory Michael Smith: Man, I feel very fortunate to have a lot of these, but there’s one that stands out from my early years in the business. My second-ever job was Olive Kitteridge, opposite Frances McDormand. My character struggled with schizophrenia and suicidal ideation—serious emotional territory. But when I showed up to rehearsal, I was so overwhelmed at meeting one of my favorite actors that I couldn’t stop smiling. Beaming! Nerding out! It was so inappropriate. I was experiencing the insane realization that—not to be too corny—my dreams were coming true in real-time. I’m certain the director was immediately questioning hiring me. I eventually reeled in my joy, got my shit together, and did my job. Thank God for rehearsals.

CULTURED: What do the characters you gravitate towards have in common?

Smith: First of all, it’s most exciting to have a career playing different kinds of people. That said, I love characters with dirty, dangerous secrets who are wildly charismatic and deeply mischievous.

CULTURED: What's the strangest (or most memorable) compliment you ever received about one of your performances?

Smith: I play a villain in the film Carol, a beloved piece of cinema for some in the queer and lesbian communities. I feel like I did a fine job because so many lesbians who’ve watched it tell me they hate me.

CULTURED: If Hollywood made a movie about your life, what single experience would it center on?

Smith: I would like my life turned into a fictionalized sci-fi film. When I was a nerd in high school, I was struck by lightning—at band camp—I’d start there. The rest can be dramatized.

CULTURED: What is your ritual for managing rejection?

Smith: It’s a massively important skill because rejection is a frequent visitor. I’m not always successful at it, but my motto is to separate the work from the outcome without fully denying myself hope. I allow myself to get excited about every audition and meeting that piques my interest; it fuels my intense preparation. I treat every opportunity as [just as] important as an offer. As soon as I finish a meeting or audition, I try to release it from my mind. I stop myself if I start replaying it over in my head. Typically, I don’t talk about my meetings or auditions. If I do, it’s to no more than one or two people, who know not to ask me for updates. Make sure you confide only in people who won’t ask you, "Have you heard anything yet?" That’s nightmare fuel! If things don’t go your way, you’re primed to remain focused on what you have to work on instead of waiting for the answers to things that are no longer in your control.

CULTURED: When was the last time you surprised yourself on set?

Smith: It was while filming Saturday Night as Chevy Chase. It was my first proper comedy. I was thrilled to have the opportunity and horrified that I might fuck it up—a cocktail that really makes me work hard. One of the hilarious things about Chevy is his dry, clever banter. I felt like I needed to be able to mimic the spirit of Chevy and key into his quick wit, so I watched his films and interviews almost exclusively for a couple months. I felt like I could figure out how to perform the written scenes, but I wanted to rid myself of the feeling of fraudulence. I was terrified that I wouldn’t be able to feel like I was alive beyond the learned words.

By the time we were filming, I found myself doing improv on set as Chevy. There’s a scene where Chevy does some stand-up for a bunch of NBC affiliates who are in New York from around the country. I showed up to set and told Jason Reitman, our director, that I wanted to try some extra jokes. He generously said, “Give me what’s on the page and then you can do whatever the fuck you want.” Some of the jokes that made the cut are jokes that Jason wrote, some that I wrote, and some that came out of my mouth on the day. I’m genuinely grateful to Jason for creating an environment where I felt comfortable enough to make an ass of myself. Dream job, dream director.

Casting by Special Projects
Hair by Ward Stegerhoek
Makeup by Frank B
Nails by Maki Sakamoto
Digital Tech by Jeanine Robinson
Tailoring by Martin Keehn
Production Coordination by Enya Cirillo
Photography Agent: Philippa Serlin
Photography Assistance by Daniil Zaikin and Sergio Avellaneda
Styling Assistance by Moses Moreno and Mary Reinehr Gigler
Hair Assistance by Sean Bennett
Makeup Assistance by Natsuka Hirabayashi
On-Set Assistance by Giuliana Brida
Furniture by Vitsoe
Set Design by Happy Massee