Team Deakins TRACY LETTS - Actor / Writer
Aug 13, 2025
Tracy Letts, an acclaimed actor and playwright known for works like August: Osage County, shares his journey from Oklahoma to the vibrant Chicago theater scene. He discusses the importance of cinema in bridging stories to rural communities and candidly reflects on the challenges he faced when adapting his plays for film. Tracy also highlights the nuances of performing alongside talents like Claire Danes, and shares amusing anecdotes, including a critical review that ironically boosted ticket sales for Killer Joe.
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From Small-Town Oklahoma To Chicago Theater
- Tracy Letts moved from Oklahoma to Dallas at 17 and then to Chicago in his early 20s to pursue theater.
- He lived in Chicago for 36 years, building his career in its robust theater scene.
Killer Joe's Shock-Fueled Rise
- Killer Joe started from Letts reading pulp and a News of the Weird item and took years to reach audiences.
- A negative review called it "a hideous carnival of brutality," yet publicity about nudity and violence sold out shows.
Paranoia And The Early Internet
- Letts conceived Bug from researching the Oklahoma City bombing and early internet conspiracy culture.
- He used the story to examine contagious paranoia and how people compromise intellect to belong.
