Green Days
Chicago-born actor, comedian, producer, and bassist Mike Hatton pursued a successful career in many areas of creativity, mostly outside the public eye, until last year. All that changed with the 2018 release of Green Book, a Peter Farrelly-directed, Dreamworks co-produced movie in which Hatton played a prominent role as an upright bass player. Set in 1962, the film tells the true story of the late jazz pianist Don Shirley, his equally late minder/driver Tony Vallelonga and their travails in America’s Deep South.
Green Book amassed takings of $320 million against a budget of $23 million, a mighty return by anyone’s standards, and was nominated for five Oscars—winning three of them—as well as a stack of other awards. That’s quite a coup for Hatton, and indeed having him in our magazine is a coup for us as well. How many other movie actors of this calibre also play bass? (Don’t worry, Keanu, we’ll get you in here sometime.)
It seems that being a bass player has really paid off for you, Mike.
Yes! Having that tool in my bag of tricks really did pay dividends. Before, bass was something I enjoyed doing, and I wish I
