Royal Pains actor Paulo Costanzo steps behind the camera to make his directorial debut in the August 29 episode called “Dancing with the Devil” on USA.
Although fans of Royal Pains have been used to seeing Paulo Costanzo in front of the camera as Evan Lawson for the past four seasons, Costanzo steps behind the camera as director of “Dancing with the Devil.”
Pulling double duty as Royal Pains actor and director, Paulo Costanzo helms an episode that sees
a famous pop star (guest star Patti Murin) arrive in the Hamptons to prepare for her new world tour while HankMed stands by to treat her for more than just exhaustion.
Interestingly, Costanzo directs himself as Evan who helps Paige (Brooke D’Orsay) prepare to go away to school while Hank (Mark Feuerstein) gets better acquainted with a local pediatrician and Divya (Reshma Shetty) falls head over heels for a globe-trotting polo player (guest star Khotan).
Ahead of Royal Pains and “Dancing with the Devil,” The Deadbolt spent a few minutes with Paulo Costanzo to learn more about his time behind the camera.
THE DEADBOLT: How is directing different than what you thought it would be as compared to being on the other side of the camera?
PAULO COSTANZO: I’ve talked a lot about how much anxiety was involved. Once I was there, once all the pieces were set and I had blocked the scene, knew what the cameras were doing, I just would sit in my chair and look at the monitor and this incredible calm came over me, which is why I feel that this is kind of something I want to pursue now.
This beautiful calm, this amazing feeling of calm in the midst of this storm. This feels so utterly comfortable and right. I didn’t expect that. I think I was just too anxious about the whole thing that I didn’t foresee an eye of the storm moment where things were just perfectly still.
THE DEADBOLT: Growing up, what directors did you admire that inspired you to do it?
COSTANZO: Danny Boyle [Trainspotting], Reservoir Dogs [Quentin Tarantino], I liked Billy Wilder a lot. I was into Spielberg. I still think Spielberg’s earlier works – maybe it’s because there’s a nostalgia attached to them – like the Indiana Jones movies and Schindler’s List, those movies were just so good. I was so overwhelmed with how good they were. I still feel that they’re great films.
THE DEADBOLT: Since you’re from Canada, were there any Canadian directors who moved you?
COSTANZO: Denis Villeneuve. Denis Villeneuve, he’s a French-Canadian filmmaker. I’m so glad I thought of this. He directed a film called August 32nd on Earth, a small independent movie which I still feel is really beautiful and understated.
It has almost like a Garden State feel to it the way it was shot. That had a big influence on me as well. Woody Allen obviously had a huge effect on me. Paul Thomas Anderson, I think I was just out of high school when Boogie Nights came out. That was a big deal for me.
Royal Pains airs Wednesday nights at 9/8c on USA Network.