Netflix's new hit miniseries The Queen's Gambit has boosted the sales of chess and is yet another showcase for actor Bill Camp. Camp plays the role of Mr. Shaibel who teaches a young girl the rules of the game and quickly learns Beth (Anya Taylor-Joy) is a natural and could become a top-notch player.
Camp has once again found himself on a winner. He's had supporting roles in the Academy Award-winning films such as Joker (2019), Birdman (2014) 12 Years a Slave (2013) and Lincoln (2012). He also has both an Emmy and a Tony nomation for his roles. His Emmy nomination was for his role in The Night Of (HBO, 2016), and his Tony for The Crucible on which he starred on Broadway. He is also the narrator of Forensic Files II (HBO, 2020).
Back in 2016, Camp joined SportsJam with Doug Doyle to talk about his role in EPIX's "Road to the Winter Classic" featuring the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens.
Camp is a big Bruins fan and jumped at the chance to narrate the EPIX popular prelude to outdoor classic hockey game on New Year's Day.
In this edition of SportsJam, Camp talks about his love of hockey and his amazing acting career.
Camp says speaking the words writing by the award-winning Aaroh Cohen, a former guest as well on SportsJam is a pleasure.
"I love language and he's able to articulate, Aaron is, in a way that's exciting and as an actor, a priviledge to do. Things that happen in the course of playing the game that I think I have a little bit of insight just because I've played the game. I started the game the when I was young and still play the game. So all of those little tiny indescribables that happen in nanoseconds, he's so gifted at being able to articulate. He understands them. I have a door and a little bit of a window into that. So I can add my understanding of those things from an inside kind of experience."
After a solid career as a young high school hockey player, Camp knew he wasn't going to make the NHL. He did play intramural hockey at the University of Vermont.
He eventualy hung up his skates but watching the Winter Classic series prompted Camp to get back on the ice. A transplated Bostonian, Camp now lives in Brooklyn where he still plays competitive hockey on several teams.
During this episode of SportsJam, Camp was preparing to play Reverend John Hale in Broadway's revival of The Crucible. He was received a Tony nomation for that performance at the Walter Kerr Theatre.
Camp is married to actress Elizabeth Marvel.
You can hear WBGO's Film Critic Harlan Jacobson's review of The Queen's Gambit here.
Click above to hear the entire 2016 interview with Bill Camp.
