By Valerie Milano
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 7/12/23 – In November of 2018, director Benjamin Pollack lost almost everything when the Malibu Woolsey Fire destroyed his home.
“I just really escaped with my wife and my son and my dog,” Pollack said in an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Times in advance of the premiere of his short film, “Whatever Happened to Jonny Faith?”
The film, which tells the story of a country music star whose sudden disappearance at the height of his popularity following the death of his wife during childbirth has mystified fans for decades, premieres at the LA Shorts International Film Festival on Thursday, July 20, arose from the ashes of that personal tragedy and promises to tug at the heartstrings of audiences.
After the fire, Pollack’s father-in-law came for a visit, brought his guitar, and started to play the director’s 11-week-old son. “(The child) had never seen a guitar before,” Pollack said, “and just the wonder in his face … the story idea just sort of flooded into my head.”
The song Pollack’s father-in-law played that day provided the story’s inspiration, as well as a bit of inspired piece casting. Pollack’s father-in-law, Frank Noon, plays the pivotal role of Jonny Faith.
Noon is a veteran actor who has appeared in everything from Seinfeld to Roadhouse and “a million commercials. He had fashioned a career playing everything but the main guy, the director said.
“He’s a wonderful actor, but nobody ever gave him that shot to be the main guy,” Pollack said. “So, we gave him the shot, and he knocked it out of the park.”
Still, Pollack said Noon wasn’t the first, or even obvious choice for the role. Actor Jim Belushi, who was friends with Pollack’s physician, had read the script and wanted the part, but despite more than two months of negotiations, the two sides were unable to come together on finances.
Actor Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek, I,Robot) also was interested in the role, Pollack said. But he ultimately was cast in the television series, The Resident, and was unavailable for the lead role. Greenwood does appear in the film as a physician who delivers some life-altering news to Jonny Faith, and he provided some of the music used in the soundtrack.
“He is an amazing singer and performer,” Pollack said of Greenwood. “He had sent me these songs he’d written himself, and they were just outstanding. So, I begged him to let ne use his music, and he agreed.”
Two more pieces of inspired casting round out the main cast – Debbie Pollack (Sixteen Candles, Dirty John), as Jonny’s neighbor and friend, and Wayne Knight (Seinfeld, Jurassic Park), as the record producer who was left in the lurch by Jonny’s disappearance. The two Pollacks are not related but had forged a friendship on social media.
“She and I had become friends on Facebook, because we had the same last name and we wanted to see if we were related, the director said. The two became familiar with each other’s work, and she was the director’s first choice for the part. “She is so wonderful in that role,” Pollack said, “She’s like Merrill Streep on steroids!”
Knight was a late casting decision, but Pollack said he brought his amazing range to the part5 of the spurned friend and producer.”He’s such a multi-dimensional actor … he switches gears so wonderfully.”
“What Ever Happened to Jonny Faith” will screen at 1pm at the Regal Cinema LA LIVE on Thursday, July 20.