A thoughtful and insightful interview with PAUL GUILFOYLE discussing his latest film, ANY DAY NOW, and a few other things about the state of the industry today.
SYNOPSIS: Steve (Taylor Gray) is a night watchman in his early 20s but his life is already getting away from him: his band is falling apart, he owes a ton of money, and he’s in love with his best friend’s girl. When Marty Lyons (Paul Guilfoyle) comes along and ropes Steve into a world of misfits, oddballs, and lost souls as dirty as the Charles River, Steve wonders if this is a change for the better of if he’s about to make the worst mistake of his life.
Written and Directed by Eric Aronson, ANY DAY NOW stars Paul Guilfoyle, Taylor Gray, Alexandra Templer, Thomas Kee, and Armando Rivera, ANY DAY NOW is based on a true-ish art heist of Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on March 18th 1990, and the thieves who walked away with hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of art – the single largest unsolved property theft in the world.
In the early morning hours of March 18, 1990, 13 works of art were stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Two men posing as policemen responded to a disturbance call at the museum and were admitted to the premises by security guards who were on duty at the time. Over the next 81 minutes (the runtime of this film), the thieves bound the guards and stole 13 priceless works of art by renowned artists such as Vermeer, Manet, Rembrandt, and Degas, among others. The theft remains unsolved and the Museum’s commitment to resolving the crime has never diminished since its occurrence. The Museum, the FBI, and the US Attorney’s office are still seeking viable leads that could result in safe return of the art. The Museum is offering a $10 million dollar reward for information leading directly to the safe return of the stolen works. A separate reward of $100,000 is being offered for the return of the Napoleonic eagle finial.
PAUL GUILFOYLE can do no wrong, in my opinion. No matter what the role, he embraces it and infuses believability and authenticity at every turn. Best known for his role as Captain Jim Brass on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and throughout the CSI franchise, Paul’s film credits include powerful and unforgettable performances in L.A. Confidential, Air Force One, and Spotlight, as well as Ransom, and Striptease, while his TV roles range from Miami Vice to Star Trek: Discovery’s Guardian of Forever and beyond. But over the past 50 years of a stellar career, PAUL GUILFOYLE has not had the opportunity to be the lead and do the heavy lifting of carrying a film, developing nuance and depth within the character and the story. That is, until now with ANY DAY NOW.
Paul’s character of Marty Lyons in ANY DAY NOW is not only an intriguing character but is the kind of role an actor can dive into. And dive in is exactly what PAUL GUILFOYLE does. A Boston boy himself, and with a strong connection to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, it’s as if ANY DAY NOW was custom-made for him. As we started discussing the film and the character, Paul highlighted the challenge and creative environment under director Eric Aaronson. And thanks to his personal connection to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist, he draws parallels to his character Marty Lyons.
To understand Marty Lyons, Paul drew from his Boston roots and personal connection to the Museum. To “get inside” Marty, he researched samurai blades extensively and approached the character as an existential figure who lives entirely in the moment. Guilfoyle saw Marty as a bold, authentic character who offers an alternative to a mundane life, even if that means being a thief. Appreciating the opportunity to develop a more complex character in ANY DAY NOW, he explains that in many of his previous roles, particularly in TV shows like CSI, characters are often quickly written with less depth. With this film, he had the chance to explore Marty’s existential nature, bringing out layers of humanity and nuance that aren’t always possible in more constrained roles. His deep dive into the art world and Boston’s cultural landscape helped him bring nuance and depth to Marty, portraying him as knowledgeable about art and possessing a rebellious spirit against authority.
For Paul, who grew up in Boston, having Eric Aaronson, who also grew up in Boston, as writer/director and treating the city as a key character in the film was crucial to telling this story. According to Paul, Eric captured the authentic look of 1990s Boston by shooting in working-class neighborhoods like Medford, showcasing the gritty and real side of the city, and noted that Aaronson has a distinct love for Boston and views it through an artist’s eye, bringing a unique and genuine portrayal of the city that goes beyond typical Hollywood representations. This approach adds depth and authenticity to the film’s setting, making Boston feel like a living, breathing character in the story.
No stranger to working with a diverse range of directors over the past 50 years of his career and having worked on everything from big-budget blockbusters like Air Force One to lo budget/no budget/micro budget indies, Paul is keen to note there are several challenges of low-budget filmmaking, including limited time and resources. According to Paul, director Eric Aaronson helped create a supportive environment through his disciplined writing and open, flexible directing style. Despite quick decision-making and limited rehearsal time, the crew developed a sense of trust and “buoyancy” that allowed them to work efficiently. Aaronson wasn’t rigid or anxious, which enabled the cast to collaborate organically. Paul noted that his experience as a Boston actor gave him a leadership role on set, helping to unite the team. The collaborative approach and mutual respect allowed them to overcome the constraints of independent filmmaking and create a film they were proud of.
Familiar with the Museum and the real heist, Guilfoyle knows the uniqueness and value of the stolen pieces, specifically highlighting the “Storm on the Sea of Galilee” by Rembrandt as an extremely rare seascape. He mentioned works by Rembrandt and Manet that were incredibly precious, noting they were “holy cow” level artworks. The pieces were so valuable that, to Paul, the $10 million reward seems small compared to their actual worth. The uniqueness of these art pieces was part of what made the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist so intriguing, with the art remaining missing for decades, which added to the mystique of the theft.
Going beyond discussion on ANY DAY NOW, Paul discusses the business model of making movies where it’s cheapest and the potential for tax relief in California to attract film production. Very cognizant of the state of the industry right now, Guilfoyle suggests that California needs to react and provide tax relief to compete with other locations like Finland (where he just finished filming), where films are currently being made due to lower production costs. He hopes California will recognize the importance of supporting the film industry and offer incentives to bring productions back to the state as many crew members are struggling as productions move to cheaper locations, and tax relief could help revitalize the local film industry.
Getting a “sneak peek” at what’s next for PAUL GUILFOYLE, he enthusiastically talks about The Trip, which he describes “as a Hollywood movie shot in Finland”, featuring Jason Segel, Timothy Olyphant, and Juliette Lewis. Despite the cold and dark conditions, he found working in Finland delightful and praised the experienced crew and beautiful scenery. He notes the film will likely be presented as taking place in Upstate New York, though it was actually filmed in Finland. Guilfoyle sees this as part of the current trend of making movies wherever it’s cheapest, again highlighting the challenges facing the film industry. The movie is currently in the editing phase and will be coming out soon. And while Paul doesn’t definitively commit to an upcoming stage performance, he has a great love for theatre and mentions recently returning from London, where he saw many great plays. Being on stage is a goal he enjoys, and since he’s no longer working primarily to earn a living, he is open to theatrical opportunities.
Long on my dream interview bucket list, PAUL GUILFOYLE is beyond engaging, thoughtful, intelligent, and kind, bringing his decades of industry experience and life experience to the fore in his approach to the industry, specific roles, and ANY DAY NOW. This just touches on everything we discussed in this exclusive interview.
So get ready for more as Paul also talks about authenticity, including playing the harmonica, singing karaoke, and more!
TAKE A LISTEN. . .
by debbie elias, exclusive I\interview 03/13/2025
