Joel Grey

Actor

Joel Grey has worked as an actor, singer and dancer for over 65 years in a wide variety of roles on the stage and screen. He is best known for his role as Master of Ceremonies in the Broadway show (and film adaptation) Cabaret. He is a recipient of the Tony Award, Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and BAFTA. In recent years, he has had roles in the film "Dancer in the Dark," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Oz," "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" and "Grey's Anatomy." He also has published three books of art photography, "Pictures I Had to Take" (2003), "Looking Hard at Unexpected Things" (2006), and "1.3 Images From My Phone." Grey is currently directing a one-night only staged reading of Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart to raise funds for The Actors Fund and Friends In Deed.

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The “Honor” of Being an Actor

The thrill of acting is “the honor of being able to change a person’s life by what it is you do,” says Grey. Illuminating an idea through your role is […]

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6 min

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Joel Grey

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The Magical, Compelling Ephemerality of the Theater

The live performance that you see is unique. It’s yours. And sometimes a live performance can touch a nerve that both the actors and audience can share the experience of.

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2 min

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Joel Grey

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The “Exhausting” Art of Acting

Acting always affects every part of your life because taking on the responsibility of someone else’s character is a solitary, lonely, thrilling circumstance.

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5 min

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Joel Grey

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Making an Audience Cry

When he was performing at just nine years old, Grey looked down from the stage to see audience members sobbing. “I thought, ‘Wow. Wow! This is the real thing.’ This […]

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5 min

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Joel Grey

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Big Think Interview With Joel Grey

A conversation with the actor.

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18 min

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with

Joel Grey