Michael Shannon is not here to entertain you or amaze you with the awesomeness of his performances (though that’s usually what winds up happening). So why go into acting, let alone do ten films this calendar year? In the beginning, theater was a way to get a few things off his chest without being told to shut up. Even though he maintains that it’s a mystery how anyone acts, time and experience have taught him why: Plain and simple, he’s here to help somebody tell a story; and if that story can provide a fuller experience of life for him or his audience, all the better. To do that, “You have to be able to understand people that you otherwise wouldn’t even attempt to understand.” These days, maybe that’s not bad advice for any of us. Shannon shares how the art he found to avoid pain turned into a career, and what he loves about it today. He still has a few things to get off his chest (like people who watch Hitchcock films on iPhones), so read on before you invite him to your next fish fry.