Arts & Culture

Daniel Hall is an actor and producer.

Photo courtesy Jonathan LaVallee

Actor talks about career and move to producing

By Jim Gordon and Leeta Liepins

Published 3:50 PDT, Fri August 19, 2022

Last Updated: 3:24 PDT, Mon September 26, 2022

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Daniel Hall is an actor and producer with a long list of credits in TV and film.

Hall has appeared in Mad Men, was a regular cast member of the award-winning soap opera The Young and the Restless, has appeared in Law and Order, just wrapped up a show with Seth Rogen, and is currently filming another TV show. His latest film is called Dangerous Cheaters.

The Our City Tonight team last spoke to Hall in 2018 when he was in Vancouver, and recently caught up with him again over Zoom.

Our City Tonight: After many successful years as an actor, you are now putting on the producer’s hat. Tell us a little bit about your newest project.

Daniel Hall: I was delivered a script about 10 years ago by a director; he had approached me as an actor to play a role in this film. The project just didn’t happen (and as) time went by he felt that he had aged out of the director’s role and asked if I would like to help find a director and produce this (project). I found a really great production company in Ireland called Dunsany Productions and if all goes to plan, we should start shooting in late September.

OCT: It goes without saying that we were all confronted with challenges during COVID. How is your town of Hollywood and (Los Angeles) feeling now?

DH: The feeling is things are back (to being) opened, but when we are on set, we are holding our breath because each time one person gets COVID on a set then you really have to shut down the whole thing. Protocol is super strict, and actors wear a shield and a mask right up until they say “action” and then we take (them) off. It’s interesting and things have reopened but you still feel that there’s this sort of unease and that it could all go awry again.

OCT: Besides being busy with acting as well as your new project, you also have a wonderful organization that you are an ambassador for called KindTraveler. Tell us a little bit about that.

DH: KindTraveler is one of a kind, it’s a give and get platform for a hotel booking site. When you travel you give a minimum of $10, and you get up to 20 per cent off your stay. The $10 goes to a local charity of your choice. For example, if you want to support music in that community you can choose for your money to go towards a program that supports community music plans. If you’re interested in helping the ocean you can find those charities that positively impact ocean welfare. You get a 20 per cent discount on your stay while giving back to the community that you’re visiting.

OCT: This is a great system in place to help the communities that you are travelling to. So often, the money that you give isn’t always guaranteed to make a difference.

DH: You do get an opportunity to see the difference, almost like a report card, after you’ve given to the charity. The report reveals how you’ve actually made an impact on the community and shows how you’re shrinking your carbon footprint while you’re traveling.

To watch the full video interview, visit richmondsentinel.ca/videos.

Jim Gordon and Leeta Liepins are contributing writers to the Richmond Sentinel.