David Magidoff
David Magidoff Does It All…And With A Bright Smile
In this industry, there are so many opportunities to explore different creative sides and actor, David Magidoff, does just that! From the big screen to the stage and more, his most current role can be seen on DEXTER which is finally back! Playing the role of a cop for the first time ever, was quite the experience for David and he also had the chance to work with an amazing cast/crew making it all the more special! His live show “Making Love With David” is something to check out as it brings heartache, laughter, and song together… umm, yes please! Excited to see what comes next of David Magidoff!
Hi David! It is amazing everything you do. Can you tell us more about why you chose to enter different fields of the industry?
I follow the fun. Hosting game shows and being on hour long dramas have the same thing in common: making people feel good and escape into a story. I love improv and comedy, and making something out of nothing.
What were you most attracted to when you started your career? Do you feel like your goals have evolved? How so?
Goals, ha! I had no goals. I am almost too minded in the present and I just do whatever is in front of me. I remember saying if I haven’t booked a gig in my first 5 years, then maybe it’s time to stop. But I got my first TV gig in my first 10 auditions and I’ve been thankful ever since.
As an actor, what do you believe your job does (beyond providing entertainment for the audience).
An actor’s job is not to look like an actor. If you’re watching a TV show or a movie and see me, well, that’s great cause I’m working. But hopefully you just see the character or role I’m playing and forget it’s David. And yes I just spoke about myself in third person.
You star in the new Dexter that just came out, how exciting! What has that experience been like?
Special. Very special. We filmed for 6 months in the snow and sun of central Massachusetts. Michael C Hall and the whole cast were wonderful. And because it’s rural Massachusetts, I ate a lot of great ice cream.
What did you do to prep for this role compared to other shows you have been on?
I’ve never played a cop before. Or had a gun. But I remembered this character is only 2 weeks on the job, so it’s all still new to him too. So the role took care of me.
Share with us what “Making Love with David Magidoff” is about and why you decided to start it.
It’s a live show where I interview a celebrity friend of mine and dig into a love story, a break-up, or a proposal and then my Groundlings friends and I re-enact it…as a musical. That show is my happy place. (Next one is Friday December 10th. More info at magidoff.com or @davidmagidoff)
Is there a segment in particular you would like to tell us about?
My favorite part of the show every time is when the interviewee on stage says “My story isn’t very good.” And then it’s always always incredible and the audience is on the floor. Not one person thinks their love story is any good, and every single one of them is wrong. I have a theory why, but that’s for another interview.
From TV to Podcasts, what do you enjoy most about each? What do you hope your Podcasts bring to the listeners?
I love the visual medium of TV. The linear story over many episodes. And just working with such talented people making magic together. It never gets old. And the same goes for my podcast, Fanaddicts. In addition to my co-host Clare Kramer, we have an amazing team at Roddenberry that’s a joy to work with. I love how Fanaddicts connects celebrities with real people and says “We all have a thing.” When I found out Michael C Hall adores Fixer Upper’s Chip Gaines it made me so happy. No one should be ashamed of the things they love. Passion is what connects us.
What inspires you to write? What do you like writing the most about?
Authenticity. The small things. Things that make me laugh. I loved writing my TV pilot, KING DAVID, because it happened to me. When I write what I know (a Jew who started going to church) and that it’s also funny (my family made me meet an Emergency Rabbi, which is a real thing), then I know it’s a story worth sharing.
Share with us a time where something or someone truly made you laugh. And a time you have made someone else laugh?
My grandma Lila always made me laugh. She would turn around, then turn back and she was cross-eyed and she contorted her face like a monkey, and it got me every time. Old people aren’t supposed to be silly, and I loved her so much for it. When have I made someone else laugh? Gosh. Hopefully every day of my life.
When I say “love” and “comfort,” what first comes to mind?
My wife, Sarah. And in a very far second place, my cat, Kelly. She likes to lick my nose. The cat, not my wife.
What comes next?
Dexter: New Blood is currently airing new episodes on Showtime as you’re reading this. And we have the whole Dexter cast on the Fanaddicts podcast, which drops new episodes every Monday, wherever you get your podcasts.
TEAM CREDITS
@BELLOmag
Talent DAVID MAGIDOFF @davidmagidoff
Photography TED SUN @tedsun77
Retouch ELIZABETH EIGHT @retouch.liza
Styling SKY JT NAVAL @sky_is_dlimit
Grooming JOANNA FAIVRE @joanna.makeupartist__
Interview ALEXANDRA BONNET @alexbonnetwrites
Production @bellomediagroup x @maisonpriveepr_la x @alexbonnetwrites
