Joanna Cassidy has never fit neatly into one lane, and that is exactly why she is unforgettable. In this episode of Still Here Hollywood, Joanna takes us from Syracuse University as an art student to a cross-country leap that landed her in Los Angeles and changed everything. She talks about her first film set experience with Walter Matthau and Bruce Dern, the shock of realizing she could actually act, and how her creative life has always lived in two worlds, performance and painting. We also dive into the legacy roles that keep getting rediscovered. Joanna shares what it was like stepping into Blade Runner as Zhora, working with Ridley Scott’s meticulous vision, and why that film’s impact only grew with time. She opens up about Six Feet Under and her love of dark humor, the craft difference between comedy and drama, the realities of aging in Hollywood, and what she believes keeps a creative person alive. Plus: animals, modernism, bungee fitness in Burbank, and the mindset that keeps her curious and working. Still Here Hollywood with Steve Kmetko. New episodes weekly. Support the show and get early access and extras at patreon.com/stillherehollywood 00:00 Intro: The unforgettable Joanna Cassidy 00:56 From Syracuse to San Francisco to Los Angeles 02:35 First steps into acting and a surprising first role 03:35 The Laughing Policeman: Walter Matthau, Bruce Dern, and set nerves 05:19 Joanna the artist: painting, portraits, modernism 06:42 Almost quitting, and the many lives she has lived 07:51 Misconceptions: beauty, comedy, and being underestimated 10:29 Age, image, and America’s obsession with youth 12:29 Early work she is proud of, and Blade Runner’s slow-burn legacy 13:43 Acting vs art: the frustration of not being able to fine-tune 16:52 Roles she wanted but did not get 17:40 Blade Runner: first reaction to the script 18:32 Philip K. Dick, sci-fi love, and “the only actor with the snake” 19:18 Animals, cats, and the deep bond with them 21:22 Ridley Scott’s imprint and artistic vision 22:22 Six Feet Under and the joy of dark humor 23:36 Blade Runner stunts, revisiting Zhora, and the snake dance 25:10 New generations discovering Zhora 26:17 Cult status and Comic Con moments 28:54 Comedy vs drama: timing, speed, and stillness 30:57 Who she watches now: Emma Stone, Jessica Lange 32:07 TV’s best lesson: be on time, know your lines, hit your marks 33:17 Actors who made an impact: Gene Hackman, Nick Nolte, Bob Hoskins 35:42 Taking risks and going all-in 37:40 Dabney Coleman memories 39:58 Staying creatively alive: health, grounding, flow 41:05 Mentors, independence, and asking for a hand 44:01 Confidence, her father, and being an observer of Hollywood 45:45 Film talk and character-study movies 47:13 What brings her joy now 49:43 Directing notes and the on-set process 50:42 Roles she wants now, plus recent and upcoming projects 52:40 Worries that shifted with time 53:27 Dating, privacy, and a new chapter 56:16 Bungee fitness in Burbank and loving the feeling of flight 57:28 Closing Show Credits Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko All things technical: Justin Zangerle Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein Music by: Brian Sanyshyn Transcription: Mushtaq Hussain https://stillherehollywood.com http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood Suggest Guests at: stillherehollywood@gmail.com Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: jim@stillherenetwork.com Publicist: Maggie Perlich: maggie@numbertwelvemarketing.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.