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

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