Michelle Danner & Rob Estes on Building a Creative Partnership, Channeling Heritage, and Why ‘The Italians’ Is a Story We Need Right Now
…You know, I hate to be cliché — but sometimes clichés are clichés because they’re universal truths. If I could spread a movement that had nothing to do with politics, religion, or where you live — regardless of your health — I think I’d want to spread the idea of living in the moment of creation. Because if you’re in that moment, you’re beautiful. You’re loving, you’re kind. There’s abundance there. You see your fellow human as someone beautiful and kind. And when you can spread that — when that becomes your orbit, and it just keeps expanding — I think a lot of the problems we face fall away. You care about your fellow man, your fellow woman. You don’t care whether they’re a man or a woman — you just care. You feel a universal expansion that pushes out a lot of the noise we find ourselves in today. So yeah, even if that sounds lofty, that would be my answer…
I had the pleasure of talking with Michelle Danner and Rob Estes.
Michelle Danner is a veteran of the entertainment industry whose career spans decades and encompasses a wide range of roles — actress, director, acting coach, and entrepreneur. Born in New York and raised in Paris, Danner’s early immersion in show business came through her father, who opened the William Morris Agency’s first international office in France. As a child, she often accompanied him to work, absorbing the energy of artists and performers who came through the door. That exposure would inform her lifelong passion for storytelling and performance.
She completed her schooling in France, where she developed a deep appreciation for literature and the theater, frequently attending performances and reading voraciously. At 15, she returned to New York City, where she studied with some of the most influential acting teachers of the 20th century, including Stella Adler, Uta Hagen, and Herbert Berghof. These formative years laid the foundation for a career that would eventually straddle the stage, screen, and classroom.
In New York, Danner launched The New York Theater Company, producing and performing in numerous plays, including works by Ibsen and Sophocles. Her move to Los Angeles came after screen testing for a television series, which, although it didn’t pan out, prompted her to relocate and pursue new opportunities in acting. While auditioning and continuing to study the craft, Danner found herself increasingly drawn to teaching. What began with a few private coaching sessions soon turned into a full-time vocation. She recalls a pivotal moment when she had to choose between attending multiple auditions or coaching seven actors. She chose teaching, marking a shift in her professional focus that would become central to her identity in the industry.
Her teaching approach eventually evolved into what she calls “The Golden Box,” a technique that draws on a range of traditions to help actors explore subtext, character motivation, and emotional depth. This methodology became the cornerstone of the Michelle Danner Acting Studio and the Los Angeles Acting Conservatory, which she founded in Culver City. The school has operated for more than 30 years, training actors and filmmakers in all aspects of the profession. Danner has taught hundreds of students, including high-profile names like Chris Rock, Penélope Cruz, Gerard Butler, and Salma Hayek.
Alongside her work as an educator, Danner has maintained an active directing career. Her feature film debut came in 2006 with How to Go Out on a Date in Queens, which won multiple awards at the LA Film Awards. Subsequent films have explored a wide range of genres, from the school shooting drama Hello Herman to the psychological thriller Bad Impulse and the action-driven The Runner. Her 2023 film Miranda’s Victim, starring Abigail Breslin and Donald Sutherland, tells the true story behind the landmark Supreme Court case that led to the establishment of Miranda Rights.
Her latest work, The Italians, marks a tonal shift from some of her earlier, more dramatic films. A comedy rooted in familial dynamics, the film centers on an Italian-American family navigating generational and cultural clashes during an awkward dinner gathering. Danner both directed and stars in the film, playing matriarch Angelina opposite Rob Estes as her husband. Drawing on her own Italian heritage, she infused the story with personal experiences, describing the character of Angelina as a blend of her mother, grandmother, and sister. The project was developed from a play by Lisa Visca, which Danner helped adapt into a screenplay.
Her son Nicholas also worked on the movie, co-writing scenes and contributed to the marketing campaign, including producing short vignettes for social media. For Danner, the experience was both personal and collaborative, continuing a pattern of working closely with family and long-time artistic partners. Her goal with The Italians was to create something that could make audiences laugh while also reflecting on love, forgiveness, and the complexity of family relationships.
Outside of her film work, Danner has played a significant role in Los Angeles’ cultural landscape as the founding director of the Edgemar Center for the Arts. There, she helped raise over $1 million to build two theaters and an art gallery. She continues to serve as its artistic director and teaches master classes, though she has stepped back from the more intensive teaching schedule she once maintained.
Her contributions to acting education and independent filmmaking reflect a deep commitment to nurturing talent and telling stories that resonate. Danner’s career has been marked by a constant balancing act between artistry and mentorship, between performance and direction. At the heart of her work lies a belief in growth, perseverance, and the transformative power of storytelling — a philosophy that continues to shape her legacy in the industry.
Rob Estes, an American actor whose television career has spanned nearly four decades, is perhaps best known for his roles in iconic series such as Silk Stalkings, Melrose Place, and 90210. Born Robert Alan Estes in Norfolk, Virginia, he spent his early childhood in Kalamazoo, Michigan, before moving to California in grade school — a transition he remembers as formative, if jarring. His introduction to palm trees, he once recalled, came quite literally: an ill-fated attempt to climb one left him scraped and bloodied, but also marked the beginning of a new life in a state that would later serve as the backdrop for much of his career.
Estes attended Santa Monica High School at a time when several future Hollywood figures were among his peers, including Rob Lowe, Sean Penn, and Nicolas Cage. Initially more inclined toward athletics than the arts, he was first drawn into the entertainment world through stunt work. A stuntman father of a fellow student introduced him to a school run by veteran stunt coordinator Hubie Kerns. There, Estes learned the physical rigors of the job — crashing motorcycles, being set on fire, and even jumping from trees. But it was a class exercise in line delivery, meant to prepare stunt performers for minor acting roles, that ultimately redirected his trajectory.
Recognizing a desire to act, Estes left stunt work behind and applied to the Bachelor of Fine Arts program at the University of Southern California. Though his first audition was unsuccessful, he reapplied and was accepted the following year. While studying, he continued dancing — once performing in a club where a chance encounter led to his first SAG card through a commercial gig.
Estes began appearing on television in the mid-1980s, with one of his earliest notable roles as Glenn Gallagher on Days of Our Lives. His breakout came in 1991 when he was cast as Sergeant Chris Lorenzo in Silk Stalkings, a crime drama that gained a loyal following over its multi-season run. That role established him as a television fixture and led to further visibility in the mid-to-late 1990s on Melrose Place, first in a guest role and then as a regular cast member portraying Kyle McBride. He would return to network television prominence in 2008 with the CW’s reboot of 90210, playing Harry Wilson, the father of the show’s central family.
Beyond acting, Estes has also explored directing, helming episodes of Melrose Place and 90210, though he later expressed regret for not dedicating more of his career to directing and producing. “I should’ve taken business more seriously,” he said in a recent interview, reflecting on missed opportunities during the shift from film to digital.
His career in recent years has included roles in independent films and streaming-era projects. Estes appeared as Ken Scott in the After film franchise, with installments released from 2020 through 2022. In 2023, he took on the role of Benny in Beautiful Disaster.
A significant recent chapter in Estes’s career has been his creative partnership with filmmaker and actress Michelle Danner, whom he met while both were pursuing acting and theater in Los Angeles. The two starred together in a long-running production of The Rose Tattoo and reunited for the independent film The Italians, set for release on April 11. The film, described as a comedic family drama rooted in cultural tension and reconciliation, features Estes as Vincenzo, the well-meaning but sometimes befuddled husband of Danner’s fiery matriarch, Angelina.
In discussing the film, Estes emphasized its themes of connection, humanity, and food — drawing on the rhythms of Italian-American family life to deliver a story both humorous and heartfelt. “If we can make you laugh, cry, and get hungry — all in the same movie — that’s good stuff,” he said.
Now in his early 60s, Rob Estes remains an active and engaged presence in the entertainment industry, bringing a combination of experience, adaptability, and collaborative energy to his work. As an actor, director, and creative partner, he has cultivated a career marked by versatility, thoughtful evolution, and a steady commitment to growth — qualities that have enabled him to remain relevant and connected across changing eras in film and television.
Yitzi: Rob and Michelle, it’s a delight and an honor to meet you. Before we dive in deep, our readers will love to learn about each of your personal origin stories. Rob, could you share with us a story of your childhood and how you grew up?
Rob: Wow. Well, I grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, which I’ve always thought was such a unique name — there’s even a song about it. It’s an old Native American name, and growing up there was very Midwest: really hot summers, really cold winters. My elementary school was right across the street from my house, so I was always at school, always playing.
Then, in fourth grade, we moved to California, which was a big change. I was really into climbing trees, and I remember seeing palm trees and thinking, “How do you climb those?” They’re not like elms or oaks — they’re just one big, tall pole. Oddly enough, during the trip across the country to move, I actually tried climbing one. You can climb up, but coming down is tricky — the fronds have spikes. I remember tearing my skin climbing down and thinking, “Okay, this is going to be very different in California.”
Anyway, I stayed in California from then on, and eventually found my way into the entertainment business. And that’s my story.
Yitzi: How about you, Michelle? Can you share with us the story of your childhood and how you grew up?
Michelle: I was born in New York. My dad was asked by the William Morris Agency to open their first office in Paris, France. So when I was little, our whole family moved there. Not too long ago, I was actually standing on a corner off the Champs-Élysées, looking at the building where I spent so much time as a kid. I was a daddy’s girl, so I’d go to work with him, play under his desk, and be around all these big stars who came in talking about their dreams and their vision boards.
I did all my schooling in France. I went to the theater a lot and read tons of books. Then, when I was 15, I moved back to New York City, where I had the chance — and really, the honor — to study with Stella Adler, Uta Hagen, and other incredible teachers like Herbert Berghof. That’s really where my passion for theater, the arts, and storytelling began. It started very, very young.
Yitzi: Awesome. So can each of you tell us the next chapter? Rob, how did you get involved in the entertainment industry?
Rob: Gosh. I actually went to Santa Monica High School, and a lot of the kids came from Malibu, where many producers lived. So we had people like Nicolas Cage, Sean Penn, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, the Sheens — there were a lot of actors at my high school. One of them had a dad who was a stuntman, which I thought was the coolest thing.
I was more of an athlete than an artist back then, and I remember his dad saying, “Hey, you guys should come do some stunts and see how it works.” I loved it. So I went to stunt school — which is actually a real thing. It was taught by Hubie Kerns, who was the original stunt double for Batman back in the TV series. Four nights a week, we were out there — first jumping out of trees, then doing motorcycle crashes, getting hit by cars, getting set on fire, riding horses and falling off them. It was wild.
Then one night in class, they passed around scripts for a film. They said sometimes stunt people have to deliver a few lines, so we were going to practice some acting basics. And by the time I left that night, I knew I wanted to be an actor. But the thing is, no one takes you seriously if you’re a stuntman trying to act. So I let the stunts go.
I auditioned for the University of Southern California’s BFA program, which is tough to get into. The first time I auditioned, they laughed me out of the room. But I tried again the next year — and got in. I fell in love with theater, teaching, Alexander work, all of it.
I was also a breakdancer at the time. One night I was dancing at a club, and a woman came up to me and said, “You’re a great dancer. Want to do a commercial?” I said, “Sure.” It turned out to be for a makeup company, and that’s how I got my SAG card.
Then, the day Michael Jackson’s hair caught on fire at the Shrine Auditorium — I was dancing in a separate group over in Venice on the boardwalk. They were combining Slice and Pepsi commercials. I remember it vividly — everyone started getting tense and shutting things down. I asked what happened, and someone said, “There’s been an accident at the Shrine.” I thought, “Wow, that’s a lot of money on the line.”
Anyway, things just built from there. Stunts and dancing were my way into acting. I even got a role on a soap opera where I danced, and I guess the acting was good enough because they kept me on for a year and a half.
While I was working, I kept taking acting classes — and that’s where I met Michelle. We ended up doing theater together, like The Rose Tattoo at the Hudson Theater in Santa Monica. She was unbelievable. She really helped me understand that if you build it, and if you do the work, you can make it happen. I still carry that lesson with me, especially watching her put films together. She makes things that seem impossible actually possible. So yeah, that’s the path.
Yitzi: That’s a great story. You know, you mentioned the Pepsi commercial when Michael Jackson’s hair caught on fire — I actually interviewed Bob Giraldi, who directed that commercial. He told us the whole inside story. I included it in the article, but later they asked if I could remove some parts. They didn’t want to, you know, tarnish Michael Jackson’s legacy.
Rob: That’s crazy. I mean, I don’t know if you remember back then, but he was the undisputed king of entertainment — at least musically, and even theatrically on some level. He inspired so many people. And sure, you never really know what’s going on behind the scenes, but man — what a talent. What a talent.
Yitzi: Beautiful. So Michelle, how about you? Can you share with us your first big breaks in entertainment and how you got started?
Michelle: Well because of my dad, I always felt like I was immersed in the world of show business from a young age. I traveled a lot early on and helped my father, who produced shows with Julio Iglesias, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, productions like West Side Story and Bubbling Brown Sugar, and even major boxing events with Frazier, Foreman, and Muhammad Ali.
So I helped him with all of that and was constantly on the move. Eventually, I settled in New York, and that’s where I opened The New York Theater Company. We were doing a lot of plays — off-Broadway and even further off — work like Ibsen, Antigone, and others.
At one point, I screen tested for a show — I think it was Thirtysomething. I had two callbacks and saw it as a sign to pack up and move to L.A. I didn’t end up getting Thirtysomething, but I booked something else — I honestly don’t remember what it was now, it’s been so long. But I started actively auditioning and taking acting classes.
Then one particular day, I had seven people reach out for coaching sessions, and at the same time, I had three auditions scheduled. But in L.A., those auditions were going to take all day because of the driving. I had to choose. I ended up canceling the auditions — which my agent wasn’t thrilled about — so I could work with the people who wanted to learn from me.
The next day, I went for a walk on the beach and made a decision: I should really teach. My passion has always been helping people, contributing, and understanding what makes a great actor or a powerful acting moment. So I started teaching a lot.
Back then, I was teaching four nights a week, weekends too, and constantly coaching. I don’t teach nearly as much now — just master classes — but at the time, it was nonstop. Then I had a couple of kids and life shifted a bit.
But even while living in Los Angeles, I stayed passionate about theater. So when the opportunity came to do The Rose Tattoo by Tennessee Williams — which hadn’t been done in L.A. for 18 years — we jumped on it. It was directed by the wonderful Deborah LaVine, and Rob joined the cast. It really felt meant to be.
Every night was such a joy. Of course, we respected the words of Tennessee Williams, but some moments were improvisational — we didn’t always know what was going to happen, and that was part of the thrill.
The show ended up running for nearly a year, which is a long time even on Broadway. We loved doing the play. The same 21 people stayed with it the whole time, including the goat and the kids. And the set — it could have lived on Broadway, it was so beautiful. We really created magic at the Hudson Theater.
It’ll go down as one of the most thrilling experiences we’ve had. Partly because of the beautiful language of Tennessee Williams, partly because of the amazing director, but for me — mostly because I got to play tennis with Rob. And I love tennis. We played great tennis together.
We became close during that time. I lived just a few blocks from him, and he’d come pick me up in his silver Jeep. After shows, we’d stop to get some food and just hang out. When you meet artists you feel that kind of connection with, you just want to keep creating magic together.
I’ve been lucky to do a few movies with Rob, and now we’re promoting our latest one, The Italians, which comes out on April 11.
Rob: It’s almost like a love letter to Tennessee Williams, right?
Michelle: It is, it really is. We work off each other so well, and we have a lot of fun doing it. So yeah, we’re continuing this wonderful creative collaboration.
Yitzi: So let’s talk about the movie. Rob, can you tell us why we have to watch The Italians?
Rob: Oh man, you’ve got to watch The Italians because… I don’t know, right now in this world, there’s so much negativity. There are a lot of different sides that don’t want to come together. And this movie is really about being human and coming together — it’s all through the lens of family.
It has its moments, like Angelina, a mother who doesn’t like who her son has brought home. She doesn’t stand for what that woman stands for. And yet, because of love and humanity and family, they find a way to maybe meet somewhere in the middle. Some things are still untouchable, and you just go, “Okay.” But I think we really need that right now.
It’s told with humor, but it also leaves you with the message that time is fleeting. You’ve got to live every day and find as much love, joy, laughter — and good food — as you can. Chinzo loves food. I play Vincenzo, and I love food too, but not as much as Vincenzo does!
The script, which Michelle and her son Nicholas had a lot to do with, really sings. It’s got that family warmth in it, and it just feels so good. I remember the first time I read it — I was like, “Oh, I know exactly what to do with this.” And that’s rare.
Then knowing I’d be doing it with Michelle again, playing off each other — and then Lainey Kazan, who’s hilarious — she killed me! Total scene stealer. She’s so good. And Abigail was great. Matt Daddario, Mr. DeLuise — everyone was just so on point.
It was a group of artists coming together and having a great time, and I think people will feel that when they watch it. So if we can make you laugh, cry, and get hungry — all in the same movie — that’s good stuff.
Yitzi: Beautiful. Michelle, from your perspective, why do we have to watch it?
Michelle: Yeah. I couldn’t have said it better than Rob —
Rob: We know that’s not true. You can say it way better than me. She speaks better than me in five languages! It’s crazy. Sorry, go ahead.
Michelle: It’s about family. It’s about love in family, forgiveness in family. And even though it’s called The Italians, it could be about a Jewish family, a Ukrainian family, a family from anywhere, really — because the dynamics of family are universal.
So I hope this movie speaks to people. It’s a comedy — it’s funny — but there’s also some pathos, some real dramatic turns in it.
Lisa Phillips Visca came to me with the script when it was still in the form of a play. At the time, I was the artistic director of the Edgemar Center for the Arts, and we did a reading of it. I said, “Not only would this make a great play, but I think it could also be a movie.” So I inspired her to write the screenplay.
And when you take something on, you take ownership. I’m lucky enough to have my son — he’s a writer, graduated from USC — helping and working with me. He also helped promote the film. He wrote twenty little short skits, vignettes that we actually shot with Matthew and Rob, and we’re posting those all over Instagram and TikTok to build up the release.
It’s an independent film, so I study movie releases and what makes things hit. There’s so much content out there, so we’re really trying to figure out how to get people to watch our film. That’s what we’re focused on, that’s what we’re nurturing.
Like Rob said, the movie might make you hungry! There are some beautiful food scenes, thanks to our amazing production designer Alessandra Manias. And my wonderful costume designer, LaRae Wilson, First AD Marco Bergellini and DP Federico Verardi — everyone I work with.
It really takes a village. When you sit through the credits at the end of a film and see all those names — you need all of them to bring a story to life.
I’ve directed things that are disturbing, edgy, scary, educational, historical. But I’m hoping this one will entertain, make people laugh, move them, make them want to go home and hug their families. That was my goal.
And maybe it’s a sign I’m getting older, but even though I still watch all the dark and intense stuff, I try to watch it earlier in the evening. I don’t save it for right before bed anymore — I like watching lighter things so I can sleep peacefully. I’m very impressionable and affected by stories.
So I wanted to tell a story that felt light — though there is a twist in this one. And people are feeling it. Some have written about it, saying they didn’t see it coming. That makes me happy, because it’s hard to surprise people nowadays. There’s so much out there.
But if you can get someone to say, “Wow, I didn’t see that coming,” then that’s a good thing.
Yitzi: Great. So Rob, how would you compare and contrast your personal character, Rob, with the character you play, Vincenzo? How are you similar and how are you different?
Rob: Oh wow. Vincenzo has a bigger appetite than I have, and he seems to be willing to let things go — he gives Angelina the reins a lot of the time. In this movie, Angelina is a powerhouse. And when she gets going, it’s like, okay, get out of the way. That’s a little different than me. I think he’s a different kind of father than I am.
It’s funny because my son plays sports, and in the movie, Matt Daddario’s character says his dad really wanted him to play sports, but instead he followed his mom’s path and became a really good chef. And that’s interesting. Well — that’s not totally true for me. My son Makay is a chef too, but he just likes to make candy and cakes and yummy things.
But yeah, that’s probably the biggest difference. And where we’re similar — we both love deeply, for sure. Vincenzo loves Angelina, he loves his family, he’s just not always sure what to do about it. He doesn’t always have the right answer, although ultimately he finds it. I’m still looking for the right answer. I haven’t found it yet. But, you know, I’ve got another 30 years to figure it out. So, there you go.
Yitzi: How about you, Michelle?
Michelle: You know, I’ll tell you — Rob has a really big heart, and Vincenzo has a very big heart. So Rob brought his big heart to the character, and that’s why it worked so well.
This was really inspired by my own life. My mother was Italian. As a matter of fact, I’m trying to get my Italian citizenship. My whole family was Italian. I always said I was very reluctant to bring anyone I was dating home because when we sat down at the dinner table, you never quite knew at what point the spaghetti would fly — but it would fly.
The character Angelina was inspired by my mother, my grandmother, my sister, and of course, some of me for sure. But I would not be like her in one major way. The story is about their only son — their Italian son — bringing his girlfriend home, and she’s everything the mother dreads. She’s not Italian, she’s been divorced, she doesn’t want children, she doesn’t eat her cooking — and the list goes on. The mother despises her almost at first sight.
But I would not be like that. That’s a big difference. I would let my kids make their own mistakes. I’d be much less judgmental, more open to letting them find their way, instead of trying to manipulate the outcome.
Yitzi: Okay, so this is our signature question, the centerpiece of the interview. Each of you has been blessed with a lot of success. Looking back to when you first started — Rob, can you share five things you’ve learned now that you wish you knew when you first started in entertainment?
Rob: Oh gosh, yeah. I think the first thing would be: be kind. I would’ve been kinder to myself. I would’ve been more willing to make mistakes.
And if I could give myself the biggest piece of advice — and it’s funny that Michelle is sitting here for this answer, because it’s something she’s done and she’s a great example — I should’ve taken business more seriously. I should’ve seen the bigger picture and worked to build those pieces. And I didn’t.
I also wish I had seen earlier the shift from film to digital. The writing was on the wall, for sure. I think a lot of us missed that. Don’t get me wrong, I love film, and there’s a place for it, but being on the backside of that, you feel like a dinosaur. There were so many opportunities to jump into digital — it was so much less expensive, and it let you build a platform more easily. I wish I’d been at the forefront of that.
And lastly, I wish I’d directed more. I had the opportunity. I’ve directed TV, but I should’ve really dug in, because I love it.
Yitzi: Beautiful. How about you, Michelle?
Michelle: Well, what I’ve learned — and what I wish I’d known — is, first of all, that I was just enough. Whatever was going on with me, I didn’t need to be more than that. There’s always this idea of, “You should be this,” or “You should be that,” but really, it’s about accepting where you are. That was a big lesson.
The next one is to be patient. You’ll get there. I always talk about how when you’re driving, someone else will speed up, cut in front of you — and then you both get to the red light at the same time. I always look over to see who that person was. I’m careful though, because I don’t want anyone to shoot me — but I do look.
The third thing is: it’s absolutely okay to fail. I’ve had successes, I’ve had failures, and I’ve learned from the failures. It’s painful to fail. I remember when we opened Miranda’s Victim at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival — we had rented this beautiful house on the ocean, and I was swimming in the pool. Then two early reviews came in — and they weren’t great. I felt this pang in my stomach. I thought, “Oh no,” because I felt the weight of the responsibility. It was a big-budget movie.
But then the rest of the reviews came in, and they were all good — so it worked out. But in that moment, I told myself, “You’re just going to have to be okay if this doesn’t work out.”
And the next lesson flows right into that one: let it roll off of you. At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. You asked me how I was at the beginning of this, and I kind of lied. I said I was okay — but I’m actually not. I’m here on 30th Street, and my sister is in the emergency room across the street. That’s what really matters.
But I care so much about this movie, The Italians, and I want to come through for it. And finally, go with the flow. Really go with the flow of life. The lives we lead are interesting — we can go to sleep one night, wake up the next morning, and get a phone call that changes everything. We have to stay open to that and move with it. That’s already happened to me several times, and I have a feeling it’ll keep happening.
So yeah — those are the things I wish I’d known. Don’t be so impatient, and don’t feel like you always have to drive in the fast lane.
Yitzi: Okay, so this is our final aspirational question. Rob and Michelle, because of your great work and the platform you’ve each built, you’re both people of great influence. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most good to the most people, what would that be?
Rob: Good one. You know, I hate to be cliché — but sometimes clichés are clichés because they’re universal truths. If I could spread a movement that had nothing to do with politics, religion, or where you live — regardless of your health — I think I’d want to spread the idea of living in the moment of creation.
Because if you’re in that moment, you’re beautiful. You’re loving, you’re kind. There’s abundance there. You see your fellow human as someone beautiful and kind. And when you can spread that — when that becomes your orbit, and it just keeps expanding — I think a lot of the problems we face fall away. You care about your fellow man, your fellow woman. You don’t care whether they’re a man or a woman — you just care.
You feel a universal expansion that pushes out a lot of the noise we find ourselves in today. So yeah, even if that sounds lofty, that would be my answer.
Yitzi: Nice, nice. It’s not cliché because it’s not being put into practice — it’s a really important point. How about you, Michelle? What would you want to put out there?
Michelle: It’s similar. I think, especially with how much technology has evolved, people live in their own cocoons. If we could step out of that and just ask, “What can I give?” — I think that could really shift something.
If there were a movement based on generosity of spirit — where someone says, “I’m just going to give one thing,” maybe once a week — it doesn’t have to be every day, but just one thing… and if that became a habit people passed down, I think it could really help.
That kind of giving could apply to so many parts of society — including something as simple and powerful as being non-judgmental. Just offering the gift of accepting another person.
Yitzi: So beautiful. So how can our readers watch The Italians? How can they support you and this film in any possible way?
Michelle: It’ll be exclusively on Amazon on April 11th. And then shortly afterward, it’ll be available on other platforms like Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu, and then others after that — Tubi and more. But April 11th, Amazon.
Yitzi: It is so delightful to meet you. I wish you continuous success and blessings, and I hope we can do this again next year.
Michelle: Thank you very much.
Rob: Thank you.
Michelle Danner & Rob Estes on Building a Creative Partnership, Channeling Heritage, and Why ‘The… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.