Susan McPhail (left) and her husband, Johnny, on the set of ‘Last Call,’ her first film.
OXFORD, Miss. – Susan McPhail may not be among this year’s Oscar nominees, but for the University of Mississippi adjunct education professor-turned-actress, having roles in two films screening at this year’s Sundance Film Festival is a major achievement.
“I’m still reeling from the news,” said McPhail, who played supporting characters in “A Walk in the Woods,” starring Nick Nolte, and “Mississippi Grind,” starring Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn. “Stars are discovered through Sundance, so this could be a really big deal.”
McPhail’s acting career formally began a year-and-a-half ago, but she’s no novice when it comes to the film industry. Her husband, Johnny, is an accomplished actor whose most recent credits include the popular HBO series “True Detective.” When she wasn’t teaching classes at UM or working at the North Mississippi Regional Center, she frequently accompanied him to film sets.
“I met Susan and Johnny several years ago through film projects he and I were involved with,” said Matthew Graves, producer-director of UM Media and Documentary Projects. “I only saw her in one small role in a community film, but she was so funny and had great screen presence. It’s so exciting now to see her move on to bigger and better things.”
Her chance at stardom appears to be looming closer with each new film. The couple just wrapped production on “Texas Heart,” a comedy filmed in Charleston with veteran actor John Savage. She also appears in “Battlecreek,” directed by Alison Eastwood (Clint’s daughter), and in “My Father, Die,” under the direction of Sean Brosnan (son of actor-producer Pierce Brosnan).
“My character, Harper, gets brutally murdered in the film (‘My Father, Die’),” McPhail said. “It’s my first time to die on camera. She’s mean, so people may actually be glad to see her die.”
James Payne, UM professor of special education and a longtime friend of McPhail, said she is going places as an actress.
“Susan is one unusual gal,” Payne said. “Creative. Full of tremendous energy. Smart. Her creativity and enthusiasm are what really set her apart from the rest.”
McPhail admits she aspires to become a celebrity.
“I’ve been working at NMRC for 26 years,” she said. “I’d like to retire, but I’m still waiting on that big movie part before I take that step.”
Meanwhile, McPhail said she’s just happy to be a working actress in an industry where breaks are difficult to get and maintaining employment even more so.
“As long as producers call me back for readings, I know they’re serious,” McPhail said. “Johnny has worked with Quentin Tarantino. Who knows? Someday, maybe I will, too.”