Glen Steele

Glen Steele is an American actor and producer based in Los Angeles, whose career spans film, television and theatre.

In Infinitely Dense, set to screen at the Toronto Film Festival Market, Steele portrays a lonely man who turns to an augmented reality system to escape his life, only to find himself confronting the increasingly dark consequences of creating a reality of his own.

You’ve studied different acting techniques throughout your career. What approach do you use?

Glenn Steele

I’ve worked with quite a few different techniques. I studied with a disciple of Sanford Meisner in New York. When I returned to Los Angeles, I studied with Harry Master George, alongside actors including Melanie Griffith and Steven Bauer. That approach was much more story-driven. One of the ideas that really stayed with me was the simplicity of a child playing a role within a story. If you give a child a fire truck and they start pushing it around, in their imagination they become a fireman. The story guides you. If you're playing a policeman, you become the policeman. It was very different from some of the more traditional Method approaches.

Tell us about the character you created in Infinitely Dense.

A lot of it came from making the situation feel completely real. The question was: is this actually happening, or is he deluded? The idea of creating someone to have dinner with you is now becoming much more imaginable because of AI and virtual technology. When we made the film, it was still more far-fetched. I approached it as though this could genuinely happen. The other aspect I really had to dig into was how lost this man is. He has checked out of real people and is choosing to live inside a fantasy world. You have to reach a point where someone is so lost and desperate that they feel they need to create their own reality.

Do you think your character is happier in his AI-created world?

For a moment, perhaps. But eventually he begins to realise that if this doesn't work, what does he have? The experience ultimately makes him appreciate real connection. Without giving too much away, there's a scene towards the end where he breaks down on the phone to his daughter. He apologises, tells her he wasn't a great Dad, says that he misses her and that he loves her. The experience takes him to the realisation that perhaps genuine human connection is what he actually needs.

Would you say human connection is the central theme of the film?

Yes. The character thinks that the AI virtual world will make him happy. He can create beautiful women, create whatever he wants and construct his own fantasy. But ultimately, it doesn't replace real life. I think that's a very important message, particularly for younger people today. You hear about people having relationships online with someone they've never even met. For someone from my generation, that's quite extraordinary. But I understand why it happens. Technology allows you to create almost anything you want. Still, real-life connection is king.

Infinitely Dense

Did making the film change your perception of AI?

At the time, not particularly, because we didn't know how quickly the technology would develop. But looking back now, only a year and a half or two years later, I think, “Wow, we were pretty close.” Things that seemed years away now feel like they're minutes away from becoming reality.

What would you like audiences to take away from the film and from your character?

I hope they enjoy the ride, but also take away the idea that the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Real human connection is incredibly important. Technology can give you the fantasy of whatever you want, but it can't necessarily replace real life.

What is your process when you approach a new character?

I'm very story-driven. One of the biggest things I learned from Harry Master George was to read the story several times without worrying about memorising the dialogue. You naturally identify with one person in the story, and that person drives you through it. So I'll read and read and read until I become part of the story. Then I'll start memorising the lines. For me, it's very much about the story. The words guide you.

Does your interpretation of a character change throughout filming?

Absolutely. It's never fixed. If you decide, “This is exactly how I'm going to do it,” you can get yourself into trouble. You have to work with the other person. The other actor and the other characters will always affect how you feel and how you react. When you're studying the script, you have an idea of what's coming at you. But once you're actually working with another actor, their warmth, distance, reactions and energy can completely change your response. It's similar to a job interview. You might have prepared your answers, but once the interviewer starts asking questions, their reactions and the way they relate to you influence how you respond. Acting is the same. It's not static. I definitely evolved in the character as the shoot progressed.

The film is heading to the Toronto International Film Festival. How does it feel to have the film there?

It's very exciting. This will actually be the first time we've had an audience that isn't what I would call a 'friendly audience.' We've had cast and crew screenings, friends and family, and people we know. But this will be the first time a genuine industry audience will see the film. It will be very interesting to see what kind of feedback we get.

You mentioned that the crew was particularly enjoyable to work with. What made the experience so special?

People were genuinely happy to come to work every day. We had crew members who had worked on very large productions, including Marvel projects, and even they said it was one of the most fun experiences they'd had on a set. That was really special. The problem is that now I have to try to recreate that experience!