Meet Vancouver–based actor Daniel Arnold who stars in the dark comedy Lawrence & Holloman, which receives its Vancouver theatrical release this month.
Lawrence is an ever-optimistic suit salesman for whom everything always goes right. That is until he meets Holloman, a cynical and suicidal credit collector, and everything starts to go wrong. Very wrong. Is happiness determined by our outlook on life? Or can our destiny be changed … by another.
Lawrence & Holloman will receive its theatrical release in Vancouver on July 18-23 at the Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour Street) and again at the Rio Theatre (1660 E Broadway) on July 24 & 25.Â
Meet Daniel Arnold
Daniel is an award-winning Canadian actor and writer for the stage and screen. Most notably, he recently starred as Holloman in the feature Lawrence & Holloman, which he co-wrote with director Matthew Kowalchuk, based on the play by Morris Panych. Daniel also starred in the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Any Night of which he is developing a feature film version. So far in his career, Daniel has been nominated for four Jessie Richardson Awards for Outstanding Actor, garnered two Sterling Awards for acting and writing, and one of his mentors, Daniel MacIvor, bestowed upon him and his colleague Medina Hahn the protégé portion of the $100,000 “Siminovitch Prize”, Canada’s most prestigious theatre award. On screen, Daniel has had roles in numerous Vancouver-shot films, MOWs, and TV series, and in theatre he was worked for nearly every major company in Western Canada. Daniel was born in Nelson, B.C. and moved to Edmonton when he was 5. He starred in his first professional theatre production at the age of 12, and continued to act and write through his teenage years, graduating with Honors & the Golden Key from the University of Alberta’s BFA Conservatory Acting Program. He currently lives in Vancouver.
20 Questions with Daniel Arnold
1. Your first job.
Daniel: Picking the bad raspberries off of a conveyor belt.
2. The job you always wanted as a child.
Daniel: Actor. Or a lego innovator.
3. Your pet peeve.
Daniel: When people mispronounce words. When people leave the cupboard doors open. When people leave lights on. But my wife does ALL of these and I still love her!
4. Your hero.
Daniel: Myself, 10 years from now … just kidding! Actually, a combination of Matt Damon, Paul Haggis, and Kevin Spacey.
5. Your biggest indulgence.
Daniel: Chips. And snickers.
6. One thing no one knows about you (and you’re willing to share).
Daniel: Not even myself? I’m really quite private … does that count?
7. Three things you would want with you on a deserted island.
Daniel: My wife, my laptop, and sunblock. (Or is my wife not a ‘thing’?)
8. The one word your best friend would use to describe you.
Daniel: Driven.
9. If you were not a performer what would you be doing right now?
Daniel: A lego innovator! No, actually I’d probably be some sort of activist or politician or private investigator or speech-writer or essayist or screenwriter or director or actor … oh wait!
10. Hero or villain.
Daniel: Hero. He appears to be a villain, but he’s really a hero. I like complexity.
11. Your life’s motto/mantra.
Daniel: You won’t always be happy; that’s not the goal. The goal is to accept that you won’t always be happy, and be happy with that.
12. Your favourite playwright or author.
Daniel: Too many, way too many. On the list with a wealthy body of work: Daniel MacIvor, Morris Panych, David Hare …
13. The last book you read.
Daniel: “F&*%$ YES!” by William F Fing
14. If you were a cartoon character which cartoon character would you be?
Daniel: The Road Runner.
15. What will it say on your grave marker?
Daniel: My name and my date of birth and the date I died. I don’t really like to think a phrase can capture the essence of me.
16. Who would you most like to have dinner with?
Daniel: Matt Damon.
17. Your idea of happiness.
Daniel: Family, love, success in a career that helps humanity … and a beach by the ocean.
18. If you could go back in time, what would you tell your twenty year old self?
Daniel: Graduate from your acting program then visit LA. You gotta do it when you’re young.
19. The one thing in your life that makes you most proud.
Daniel: When people are touched, moved, or affected by my actions or work.
20. To be or not to be?
Daniel: To be. This is obvious. To be To be To be.