A loving relationship comes to an end in Director Michael Showalter’s LGBTQ+ romantic drama, Spoiler Alert.
Based on Michael Ausiello’s 2017 memoir, Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies, Showalter’s film follows the final 11-months of Manhattan photographer Kit Cowan’s life, from his diagnosis with terminal cancer to his death, through the eyes of Ausiello, his spouse.
On December 18, after the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles, Showalter discussed the making of Spoiler Alert during a Q&A moderated by Director Charles Rogers (Fort Tilden).
During the conversation, Showalter spoke about his approach to working with actors.
“I really try to take what the actors give me, and work with them, as it is all part of the storytelling experience. I try to lean in to whatever is happening with the instincts of the actor; it is definitely a pragmatic approach but it’s also irreplaceable in terms of recreating a natural situation that the actor may have lived in real time.”
Showalter’s other directorial credits include the feature films The Eyes of Tammy Faye, The Lovebirds, The Big Sick, The Baxter and Hello, My Name Is Doris; four episodes of the eight-part miniseries The Dropout; and episodes of I Love That for You, The Shrink Next Door, Grace and Frankie, Search Party and Michael & Michael Have Issues.
Showalter has been a DGA member since 2009.
You can listen to Showalter's Q&A by clicking the podcast episode embedded below. You can find more DGA podcast episodes here.