TOMMY DORFMAN
Actor
After rocketing to prominence with roles in "13 Reasons Why" and Jeremy O. Harris’s play "Daddy," the actor channeled her momentum into writing and directing this fall’s "I Wish You All the Best." This spring, Dorfman took the stage as the star of "Becoming Eve" off-Broadway, and in May, is releasing a memoir about navigating her transition and addiction.
WHAT’S ONE BOOK, WORK OF ART, OR FILM THAT GOT YOU THROUGH AN IMPORTANT MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE? Sally Mann’s book Hold Still shifted the way I think about creating art, the impact of family on my work, and developing my own voice as an artist on- and off-stage and screen. I remember reading this book shortly after graduating from college—feeling lost in the world and in my body, lacking a clear focus on what my future could be—and feeling eased by her prose and wisdom.
WHO DO YOU CALL THE MOST? My mother, who always answers. I don’t know how I would survive without her humor, love, and compassion. She always has sage advice, and if I catch her in the evening, I get the great pleasure of listening to her stories from the day—moments mundane and familiar but told with wit and whimsy.
“"I have been described as delusional, but I think that’s because most people fear their potential, and I want to challenge myself to take the most risks in this lifetime."”
WHAT QUESTION DO YOU ASK YOURSELF MOST OFTEN WHILE YOU’RE MAKING WORK? Why am I doing this? What is the purpose of this particular opportunity? What can I learn from the people I’m working alongside? How do I hope this work will change me?
IF YOU COULD ATTRIBUTE YOUR SUCCESS TO A SINGLE QUALITY, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I’m not afraid to fail, which often means I try a million things and 99 percent of them don’t see the light of day. I have been described as delusional, but I think that’s because most people fear their potential, and I want to challenge myself to take the most risks inthis lifetime.
in your life?
