James Longshore discusses his defining role in The Yellow Tie, sharing insights on acting alongside John Malkovich, the film’s international scope, and a powerful story that spans continents and generations in Romanian cinema.
American actor James Longshore, currently based in Romania, appears alongside John Malkovich in the biographical drama The Yellow Tie — one of the most anticipated international co-productions to emerge from Eastern Europe this year. The Yellow Tie chronicles the life of legendary Romanian conductor and composer Sergiu Celibidache, spanning decades and continents — from Romania and Germany to the United States, Latin America, and France — set against the tumultuous backdrop of World War II, post-war Europe, and Communist Romania.
The project marks a seven-year passion endeavor for director Serge Ioan Celibidache, the composer’s son, who also co-wrote the screenplay with James Olivier, following their earlier success with the Romanian hit Octav.
About “The Yellow Tie”
C&B: What first drew you to The Yellow Tie, and how did you become involved with the project?
James Longshore: When I heard the project was about an important Romanian personality, I got very excited. I first auditioned for a different role than I ultimately ended up playing, and a couple of months after the audition, I received a call from the producer, who was pleased to find a genuine American actor living here in Romania. I had to wait through an approval process with the UK casting director. It was a nail-biting experience because I knew the scene would be with John Malkovich.
C&B: You’ve described acting opposite John Malkovich as a “crowning achievement.” What did you learn from sharing scenes with him?
James Longshore: I learned that although Mr. Malkovich may be a big name with a longer list of credits and accomplishments, we are equal on set. We share the same obligations – we both have to arrive to set on time, sit in makeup and hair, memorize our lines, hit our camera marks. Because we share the same goal – making a great scene. So regardless of our individual stature, we have that in common. We are both just actors committed to doing our job. Knowing this gave me the confidence to perform with such a respected, talented individual.
C&B: The film explores legacy and perseverance — themes that clearly resonate with you personally. How did your own experience of loss shape your performance?
James Longshore: My father passed just weeks before filming began and I never even got the chance to tell him the news of my casting. I needed to feel like he would be proud of me if he was still alive. I decided the best way to apply my acting skills was to imagine my father was still alive and to give it my all, as if it were the last performance my Dad would ever see. It’s what he would have wanted. He would have been disappointed in me if I let my grief affect my performance. His spirit was with me every moment, and I can hear his voice in my head saying, “Wow, Good job, James!”
C&B: You play Celibidache’s assistant during his American tour. How did you prepare to embody that role, especially since it connects to your own roots in Philadelphia?
James Longshore: I lived in Philadelphia in the nineties, so I already had that experience in my emotional toolbox. More important to me was to explore what it would be like to be assisting such a legend. I read archived articles from the period about the tour in Time Magazine and the New York Times online, interviews with Celibidache, and I fell in love with him – he was so cool, smart and rebellious. He was like the Ilie Nastase of classical music. I would have been as honored to have been his assistant as I was to act alongside John Malkovich.
C&B: What was the atmosphere like on set, especially during the large concert scenes filmed at Sala Palatului?
James Longshore: Exciting. We all knew we were making something special and on a mission to show the rest of the world the best of Romania. There were so many elements to manage at Palatului: the orchestra, the thousands of spectators, the sweeping camera movements, and the conducting. It’s not easy to do, and you only get one chance, so the atmosphere was hectic but rewarding.
C&B: The Yellow Tie is a film that bridges cultures and generations. What do you hope international audiences will take away from this story?
James Longshore: I hope international audiences will learn something about the history of Romania, like I did, erasing some of the same stereotypes I had when I moved here. That was the coolest part, reading the screenplay in Cismigiu Park, where certain events in the film took place nearly a century ago, possibly sitting on the same bench where Celibidache himself slept when he first moved to Bucharest.
The most important international audience member is my mom. I’m proud that I finally have a Romanian movie I can share with her. She’s never made it to visit me here, and through this film, she can get to know the place I’ve lived for over a decade.
C&B: Working on a film directed by the composer’s son, Serge Ioan Celibidache, must have added a unique emotional layer. What was that collaboration like?
James Longshore: Very cool. It was great to ask him questions about his father and to clarify aspects of the story, because he actually lived it. You don’t get to do that on most films, be so close to the story and characters you are portraying.
On Acting and Career
C&B: You’ve built a strong career in Romania as an American actor. What keeps you inspired to continue working here?
James Longshore: There are still so many great and interesting Romanian stories yet to be told. For example, I recently acted on ‘Ana, Written In My DNA”, a series created by Bianca Mina, which is about the post-revolution child trafficking in Romania in the nineties. So many recent Romanian new-wave movies have been steeped in tragedy and communism, and I feel there is a rich cultural history to explore beyond those subjects, and I want to be part of it. In addition to my role on Ana, I’ve played an American investor, an American missionary, and an American stepfather who loses his Romanian wife in a car accident, on various Romanian TV series, and it’s fun to specialize in that little niche of the foreigner.
Besides that, I enjoy working with Romanian actors. Their style is so different from the training I received in the United States. It’s raw, natural, and authentic.
C&B:You’ve mentioned authenticity as key to your work — how does your cross-cultural perspective influence the characters you choose?
James Longshore: Unfortunately, I am not yet at a point in my career where I can choose my roles, but I hope to be one day soon, and I hope The Yellow Tie will be a stepping stone towards that next level.
The cross-cultural influence helps me bring authentic, universal human qualities to every role I play. We may all be from different places, but we are all human beings at our core, driven by the same emotions. Every character I play grew up in and was shaped by the myriad circumstances of their particular societies, communities, and families. With a deeper understanding of how places in the world influence who you are, I can adjust my performance to reflect each character’s unique perspective.
C&B: Looking back, what role or experience do you think best prepared you for working alongside actors like Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, and Sean Bean?
James Longshore: Working with Vanessa Kirby on ‘The World To Come’ in 2019. Watching this accomplished, about to be an Oscar nominee, collaborate with the director and commit herself to the scene, and seeing how humble she was, even calling me ‘brilliant’ afterwards, deflected any inferiority I would feel acting with someone of Malkovich’s caliber.
Also, filming a scene with Nicholas Galatzine, who is now starring in films with Anne Hathaway and will play He-Man in Masters Of The Universe, in a movie called ‘High Strung’ in 2014, before his career took off, strengthened the impression that we are all just fellow humans, fellow actors doing our job together. Colleagues, not a division of stars and supporting players.
Other Projects & Future Plans
C&B: You’re also appearing opposite John Hannah in Bedlam. How different was that experience compared to The Yellow Tie?
James Longshore: First of all, In Bedlam, I perform in a traditional British accent, as the film is set in the UK in the 17th century. The big difference is that Malkovich loses himself in his roles. John Hannah and I were chatting like old buddies moments before filming, then the cameras rolled, and voila, we transformed into our characters and played the scene. Additionally, you must consider genre. The Yellow Tie is an elegant, epic historical biopic. Bedlam is a period action film. The films have different atmospheres. However, both actors proved to be gracious, generous collaborators in their own way.
C&B: Your performances show a wide range. Do you prefer drama, comedy, or a balance of both?
James Longshore: The world needs comedy now. Comedy can be harder because you have to bring the same emotional honesty you bring to dramatic acting while delivering the jokes with precision. I’m not picky, I love both, I love exploring dramatic characters, their emotions, their experiences. But each style demands a different ‘particular set of skills.’
C&B: Beyond acting, you’ve written Stage Fright, inspired by your life as an expatriate performer. How did writing that book change your outlook as an artist?
James Longshore: I wouldn’t say it changed my outlook as an artist. It was a challenge to write in prose because my background is with screenplays. Finding the words to describe something is much harder when you’re working without a camera that can show it, without your voice to convey inflection and meaning. Writing is an occupation where the only way to get better is to continue practicing it and I hope to improve with each successive story I write, just as I become a better actor with each successive role I play. Art is a lifelong pursuit; You never retire because it is too much a part of your identity.
C&B: At the upcoming Made in Romania event, you’ll meet fans and readers in person. What do you most look forward to sharing with them?
James Longshore: Our mutual love of literature and film. Pop culture, especially now that so much of it is globalized, provides people who meet from across oceans with shared experiences to bond over, a tool with which to relate to each other.
On occasion at these events, Romanians will tell me that they feel closer to the films, TV series, books, and comic books they love because they spoke with me. I am touched by that.
C&B: Finally, what’s next for you — any projects, films, or creative ventures we should be watching for in 2026?
James Longshore: I am hard at work on my next novel, ‘Say Goodbye To Hollywood’, also set in Romania, about a disgraced American director who comes to Romania to make his comeback film with a young Romanian socialite who dreams of becoming a Hollywood actress. I hope to release that sometime soon, plus ‘Bedlam’ will be released in 2026, so watch for that!
Longshore can be seen on Netflix in Ana, Written in My DNA and in the Romanian comedy series Camera 609: Lasă-mă îmi place and will next be seen opposite John Hannah (Four Weddings and a Funeral) in the UK production Bedlam, a 17th-century period action film shot at historic locations including the Ion Ghica Palace.
Beyond acting, Longshore is also an author — his debut book, Stage Fright, inspired by life as an expatriate actor in Bucharest, was released last year in Romania and is available through Libris.ro and Cărturești.ro.
