Actor Tim Blake Nelson Talks Being Directed by His Son in New Drama

You might not know him by name, but you almost certainly know his face. That's how veteran actor Tim Blake Nelson likes his share of the limelight. He's an instantly recognizable performer who has appeared in dozens of films and TV over the last four decades.

Nelson is among the select few contemporary actors who is regarded as a "character actor." In our conversation, he has a distinct definition for the term commonly associated with actors who put the characters they play over their own celebrity. Beyond that, Nelson has a new movie out called Asleep in My Palm, and this one has a special connection to him.

Tim Blake Nelson's son, Henry, directed Asleep in My Palm, a new dramatic thriller about a father (played by Nelson) and daughter (Chloë Kerwin) living off the grid in rural Ohio. He is trying to outrun his troubled past while she is going through her sexual awakening.

The film is currently playing in select theaters and is set to be released on VOD on April 19th, 2024. Nelson talked about how close to home it was shooting a movie with his son:

It's [Henry's] first full-length film, he's done [short films in the past] It was great, it was something we wanted to do since he was about 12. He grew up on set with me. Whenever I did a movie in the summer, he pretty much went with me and lived with me, which indicated to me, even then, that [he really] wants to do this because those were 12-hour days and he was waking up at six in the morning to be on set with me. - Tim Blake Nelson

Tim Blake Nelson has been in a barrage of movies: O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Minority Report, Holes, and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs just to name a few. He was also set to star in Dune: Part Two, but his part was unfortunately cut.

While it might not be on Nelson's highlight reel when/if he decides to retire, I had to bring up his role in Joe's Apartment as a talking/singing cockroach. For those who might not remember, Joe's Apartment was the first movie made/distributed by MTV Films. It starred Jerry O'Connell, and although not a box office success, it went on to be a cult classic.

With its recent release on Blu-Ray, I asked Nelson how he happened up on that role. His response was terrific.

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Tim Blake Nelson has that quietly reflective, almost philosophical tone in his voice that added gravity to our discussion. Take a listen to my full interview below, and learn more about Asleep in My Palm on IMDb.