V13 Media
Robin Karfo Discusses Her Career and Her New Role In ‘The Toast’
Longtime actress Robin Karfo joins us today to discuss her work and her latest role in the new Jon Lovitz comedy ‘The Toast.’
[as originally published on v13.net]
It’s been a long, productive, and illustrious career for Robin Karfo. The actress, writer, and producer has been in the business now for nearly 50 years, appearing in a wide variety of television, film, and theatre productions. Born and raised in Brooklyn, she attended New York University and gained experience through a decade of Off-Broadway Theatre productions. Karfo has appeared in countless high-level shows and productions, with credits that include Grey’s Anatomy, CSI: Cyber, NCIS, How to Get Away with Murder, NYPD Blue, ER, Criminal Minds, and so many more.
Karfo’s latest project is the new film The Toast which stars the comedy legend Jon Lovitz. In the film, she plays the role of Hil, the wedding planner. The film is about a wedding party at a country club in Toledo, Ohio as the father of the bride, and known drunk, Bob (Lovitz) insists on giving the welcome toast. Aware of what potential disaster lies ahead, friends and family scramble to stop him.
Here are twelve interview questions for Robin Karfo (website here) as she discusses her upcoming role in The Toast.
How has your experience in dramatic roles influenced your approach to comedy in The Toast?
Robin Karfo: “I’ve had the great fortune of studying with some powerful teachers, Jeffrey Tambor being one. He would tell us that comedy is ‘serious business’ — you go for broke, you don’t play the comedy. Now there is always the awareness that you’re in a comedy, but I’ve found that the more I look for the reality in a scene, the better. In The Toast, my character Hil is the wedding planner and she’s working overtime to keep it all together. She’s holding on by a thread. I just played her as the woman she is, having to deal with an event nearing a potential catastrophe.”
Can you tell us about your character in The Toast and what drew you to this role?
“I immediately connected with the character while preparing for my audition. I knew exactly who she was. Having come from a family of strong, Brooklyn-based Greek aunts and grandmothers, a sense of focused relentlessness was instilled in me from a young age. So, aligning with Hil came easily. As the wedding planner, Hil has to ensure that all the moving parts are well-oiled and pushing forward in an organized and timely manner. I had a blast stepping into her!
“I also love that the film is a comedy because a lot of the TV roles I’ve done in L.A. were mostly professional women, lawyers, judges, etc. There’s not much room for humour there, so this was a fun change of pace. I did a lot of comedy when I was in New York working Off-Broadway and I’ve been missing it. The Toast gave me the space to let my wacky self rip, and that was such a treat!”
What has it been like collaborating with Jon Lovitz? Any memorable moments from the set you can share?
“While filming, I watched Jon crush a monologue. He was mesmerizing. I knew of his strength in the comedy world, but he blew me away with his dramatic work. He took us on an emotional roller coaster!”
Reflecting on your extensive career, what are some key moments that have shaped you as an actor, writer, and producer?
“Of those three hats you mentioned, I relate most to my work as an actor. I started my formal training at fifteen at the School for Performing Arts in Manhattan, and feel as though one of those ‘key moments’ spanned my entire three years there. We spent the morning studying a standard New York public school curriculum. Then we’d go to lunch, and in the afternoon we would ‘create-our-brains-out’ as an actor, dancer, or musician. It laid down a solid foundation for my continuous development as an artist.
“Another ‘key moment’ occurred on the opening night of my solo show Cages in San Francisco. I walked out on stage and for the first time in my career, the dialogue I spoke was written by me. That was powerful. I’ve taken something away from every performance experience, whether in the theatre or on a film/TV set. It has all shaped me.”
You’ve written both solo pieces and for film. How does your writing process differ between these formats?
“For the Hallmark project, I was brought on to enhance the dialogue. I feel I have a strong ear for dialogue and its musicality, so that was great fun. I’m by no means a ‘screenwriter’ yet, but I’m working on it. I’m currently studying through UCLA Extension Writers’ Program and of course, reading books on the craft.
“Frankly, my acting career has taken so much of my focus and time that I haven’t been able to complete the feature I’ve been nursing for a few years now, but I’ll get to it. The structure of a screenplay and a script for the theatre overlap in many ways, and, in some, they differ. The script for my solo show almost wrote itself because of the decades of acting work I’d done in the theatre. The feature script has required much more conscious crafting.”
How did your training at the High School for the Performing Arts and your Off-Broadway experience prepare you for your roles in television and film?
“In the end, I feel that acting is acting. Yes, there are a few adjustments we need to make when working in front of a camera, but the bottom line is knowing your craft and delivering what the script needs of your character. Every play I was in Off-Broadway prepared me for arriving in Los Angeles to work in TV and film. Theatre experience builds muscles of endurance, focus and confidence.”
Among your many roles, which one challenged you the most and why?
“The role that challenged me the most was actually one I prepared for a scene in my acting class. I was studying with the late, great Milton Katselas in Beverly Hills. And I reworked a section from Terrence McNally’s Master Class, based on the revolutionary opera singer, Maria Callas. I did extensive research on her. I read every biography, listened to every recording, and watched every video of her performing in the greatest opera houses on the planet. I dipped myself into Maria’s universe. I related to her as a fellow New York Greek-American and as a singer, despite having never performed opera.
“In the play, Maria doesn’t sing. However, I had an idea and studied with an opera coach to learn an aria. In the green room, before taking the stage I asked Maria to help me and to guide me through. And she did. Her presence was palpable and I found myself singing the aria in a way I never had in rehearsal. On the final note, the theatre of a hundred fellow actors rose to their feet.”
Growing up in Brooklyn, how has your upbringing influenced your acting style and choices?
“When I grew up in Brooklyn, it actually had a very small-town feel, if you can believe that. It was a melting pot of ethnicities, races, and religions, which I loved. I think it instilled in me a deep appreciation for our differences and similarities that all make the world more rich, right? And New York is certainly a people-watching place. As actors, we create and inhabit characters. Growing up in Brooklyn built an internal library of characters for me to draw from.”
What advice would you give to young actors and writers trying to navigate the entertainment industry today?
“I’m at a place in my career where I feel it’s my responsibility to share what I’ve learned on this long and winding road. I’ve created an online course to help actors navigate the terrain of an acting career, The Thriving Artist Course. It’s not about the technique of the craft but focuses on how to keep elevating your career and life as an artist. But I’ll throw out a few pieces of advice here.
“Keep studying your craft, because your skill as an actor is the foundation of your career and it will carry you forward. In Milton Katselas’ Master Class, I’d sit beside the late Doris Roberts. She was in her 70s at the time with numerous Emmy Awards sitting on her shelf from her work as Ray’s mother in Everybody Loves Raymond. She told me she came to class every Saturday because she always went home with another tool for her acting tool chest. That’s a pro.
“Remember that what you do is vital to our culture–in fact, it is our culture. The world, in its present condition, needs you and your creations. Surround yourself with like-minded artists who have each other’s backs. Celebrate each other’s wins and help each other out. Collaborate and get your original ideas out there. Don’t wait for Hollywood to give you a ticket to the party. Print your own ticket. Hold your head high. You are an artist. You entertain, you heal, you inspire, you create the future.”
Besides The Toast, are there any other upcoming projects or roles that you’re particularly excited about?
“I’m excited about everything. The future is endlessly beautiful. And as the great actor/teacher/director Richard Lawson says, ‘It ain’t over until you say it’s over.’ He adds, ‘Dreams don’t have expiration dates.’
“I feel like I’ve just begun. I love acting. I’ve tried to walk away from it but I made a quick u-turn because I haven’t found anything ‘funner,’ as Suzanne Shepherd would say. My elementary teacher told my mother that I was a late bloomer. I’ve done good work that I’m proud of, but the party is just starting.”
How do you approach connecting with an audience, especially in a comedic setting compared to drama?
“Again, I don’t see a difference in the approach. I just do my work. It’s my job to be believable, no matter the genre. The character is still the character, living their life.”
As someone with a long career in the industry, how do you hope to impact the next generation of performers and storytellers?
“It’s my intention to help them see, by example, that persistence is a vital element to creating a thriving career. Yes, some have an early meteoric rise, but for the most part, it takes years of study, work, and putting one foot in front of the other. We are artists. There isn’t a destination, so much as a journey. And it sure beats a lot of other roads people travel.”