Dwight Yoakam performs at the Nightly Concert on the Vault Concert Stage LP Field Sunday, June 8 in Downtown Nashville during the 2008 CMA Music Festival. Photographer: John Russell / CMA
Dec. 15, 2008 — In recent years, Dwight Yoakam has been as active in the movies as he’s been in music, but it’s something that’s a little risky. Artists can be involved, if they choose, in every part of the recording process, but actors have to leave the end result of their work in the hands of other people, including directors and film editors.
"Actors are at the mercy of opportunity," he told The Calgary Herald. "You never really control your own destiny with film acting. I had acted when I was young. I did theater in school and always enjoyed it. I was fairly capable and seemed to have an aptitude for it, but I really made a conscious decision to set that aside."
Doing music out of Los Angeles made it possible for Dwight to bring acting back as a sideline career, and he’s done well at it. His current role in Four Christmases adds to a resume that already includes Sling Blade, Panic Room, Hollywood Homicide and The Wedding Crashers. This fall, Dwight worked in Calgary on an independent western film titled The Last Rites Of Ransom Pride. Also in the picture are Jason Priestley and Kris Kristofferson.
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