By Kiki Arochas, Arts and Culture Editor
Eli Sandhaus loves to tell stories. A narrative, in his view, allows us to see people and situations in ways generally inaccessible in the real world. “Experiencing a narrative calls upon the audience to exercise empathy,” Sandhaus told the YU Observer in an interview. “We only care about a story as long as we can care about someone or something other than ourselves, to think from someone else’s perspective.”
The process of watching a story unfold, seeing the motivations and events that cause characters to act the way they do gives us an appreciation and empathy for our real-life narratives. That is why this Yeshiva University alum has dedicated his craft to the many mediums of storytelling – writing, directing, and acting – as a way to develop one’s sensitivity. “It is an exercise for the real world,” he said. “It’s like lifting weights. The purpose is to be more fit, while the means is lifting heavier weights. So too here, the purpose is to learn from narrative to exercise empathy in one’s real life as well.”
As an Orthodox Jew, Sandhaus has found little resistance from filmmakers due to his religious observance. In fact, most directors have been, in his words, “overly accommodating.” When filming a particularly difficult scene for his movie The Raven of Baltimore City late one Friday afternoon, Sandhaus started encouraging the crew to get the scene back on track. His director noticed the time and called him over, telling him it was nearly sundown and he needed to leave before Shabbat.
After a spectacular audition landed him the starring role in The Raven of Baltimore City, Sandhaus informed the director of a major problem: it was nearing Rosh Hashana, and due to the holiday season, he would not be able to work on several critical production days. These scheduling issues compelled the director to move forward with a different actor. He went with his second pick for the part, and began filming.
However, a few days after beginning production, he became dissatisfied: Sandhaus was the choice he really wanted for the role, but it would just be too difficult to film around Sandhaus’s unique religious schedule. Sandhaus revealed that the director then spoke to his Catholic mother, who told him to give the Jewish kid a chance. Despite the obstacles inherent in casting an observant Jewish actor, many filmmakers have shown that they are willing to accommodate an actor such as Sandhaus, especially when they have the talent.
If there is one thing Sandhaus has learned from his vast array of auditions and roles, it is to expect the unexpected. “You can do the necessary halachic research, you can speak to your rabbi,” he said. “But there will always be situations you wouldn’t have thought of.” A particularly jarring example Sandhaus gave to illustrate this point was of a role he unwittingly auditioned for: playing Jesus in a comedy. “I didn’t feel I had the wherewithal to make that decision on my own, so I sought counsel,” he said.
He went on to describe how eye opening some of these casting experiences have been to his religious outlook. “What you really value and feel is important is going to be revealed once you’ve been put in these situations,” he said. “One has to set their own boundaries, and consult people whose opinion they value and ultimately determine what to do in each circumstance.”
Sandhaus hasn’t faced much communal backlash for his choice of career, but he has a theory as to why that is the case. “It’s a specific subsection of the Jewish world that [having a career as an actor] would even be a question in the first place,” he said. “Outside of this subsection, the notion of being religious and an actor would not even be a question – whether because [such a concern is] unthinkable or unproblematic.”
Sandhaus’s role in The Raven of Baltimore City, where he plays a psychopathic killer, did not receive nearly as much backlash from friends and rebbeim than roles that were perhaps more religiously problematic. “Seemingly apparent moral hierarchies did not necessarily reflect the community’s reaction to depictions of [murderous] behavior,” he said.
Sandhaus would advise aspiring orthodox actors who face similar qualms to be careful in a field as fraught and difficult as acting.“There’s a reason they call it the ‘starving artist,’” he joked, referencing the low pay actors often receive. “But I think it’s unwise to place all your eggs in one basket if you intend on supporting a traditional orthodox home.”
As to how he entered the acting world, Sandhaus didn’t mince words. “I got started by starting,” he said, laughing. “I did research into various openings, and improved by submitting many terrible auditions and then incorporating any feedback into the next one.” He auditioned virtually, sending clips of his auditions from his dorm room at Yeshiva University. “Rejection is really commonplace, do not get discouraged,” he insisted, citing Seth Rogan as saying that, “If you don’t quit, you might make it. And if you quit, you definitely won’t make it… the only common denominator is that.”
Giving hands on advice, Sandhaus stressed the importance of professionalism in your audition tapes. He was told by many who rejected him that items such as a resume, and more practically a backdrop, were essential to looking professional. “It shows investment,” he explained. “Directors don’t want somebody who auditioned on a whim. The equipment is expensive, but a backdrop and a good quality camera will go a long way toward getting those parts.”
Photo Caption: Eli Sandhaus on set of The Raven of Baltimore City
Photo Credit: Teague Chrystie