Max Talisman on ‘Things Like This,’ Building His Own Production Company, and the Power of Personal Storytelling
…The last thing I’ve learned — probably the most important — is don’t take no for an answer. I don’t mean you should ignore boundaries, but rather, don’t let one “no” define your whole journey. You’re going to hear a million nos in this industry, but all it takes is one yes. Like that famous Lady Gaga quote: there could be a hundred people in a room, and if one believes in you, that’s enough. It’s true. In entertainment especially, people’s favorite thing to do is say no. They don’t like to take risks. But if one person is willing to take that risk on you, that’s all you need. So every time you get knocked down, get back up. It’s not even a knockdown — it’s just part of the process…
I had the pleasure of talking with Max Talisman. Max is an actor, writer, and director whose creative trajectory spans theater, television, and film, culminating in his feature directorial debut Things Like This, which opens in theaters on May 16, 2025. The film, which Talisman also wrote and stars in, reflects his multi-faceted approach to storytelling and marks a significant milestone for both his career and his production company, Malibu, Bro Productions.
A native of Bethesda, Maryland, Talisman was raised in a creatively supportive household. From a young age, he gravitated toward performance, landing his first professional theater role at age 12 in a Washington, D.C. production of Caroline, or Change. That early immersion in the collaborative world of theater set the foundation for his later work across multiple platforms.
His transition into screen acting came after several years of training and regional theater. Talisman relocated to New York, where he began to build his resume through auditions, commercials, and television roles. A turning point came in 2015 when he booked a guest role on the acclaimed series Orange Is the New Black. At the time, the show was at the height of its popularity, and the opportunity to work on a set he had admired from afar proved to be both thrilling and grounding. Talisman recalls learning afterward that the director of his episode was Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner — a revelation he was glad came post-filming, allowing him to focus without the weight of expectation.
Since then, he has appeared in a range of projects, including the psychological thriller Super Dark Times, which gained attention for its unsettling tone and sharp visual style. Talisman recounts the shoot as one of the more unusual experiences of his career, with cast and crew living together in a modest hotel in Kingston, New York. A behind-the-scenes mishap on set — requiring him to lie motionless in cold rain for 12 hours due to a prop failure — remains one of his more memorable stories, emblematic of the unpredictable nature of filmmaking.
Recognizing the limitations of waiting for the right roles to appear, Talisman decided to develop his own material. He founded Malibu, Bro Productions as a platform for creative control and to tell stories that reflected a broader spectrum of experience. Things Like This, which he began writing in 2017, is the company’s first feature-length project. Developed over several years through readings and revisions, the film was shot in an 18-day period across New York City with a cast that includes Joey Pollari, Jackie Cruz, Nicholas Hamilton, Cara Buono, and Eric Roberts.
While the narrative follows two characters with the same name whose paths converge in unexpected ways, the film is ultimately about how people navigate uncertainty, connection, and personal growth. For Talisman, much of the story’s emotional resonance stems from his own life experiences, which he used as a compass in shaping the script and its characters. Though he stars as one of the lead roles, he has emphasized that his identification with the characters extends beyond his own portrayal, describing the film’s dual protagonists as complementary expressions of his personality — one more grounded and reflective, the other more driven and ambitious.
Talisman views the filmmaking process as an extension of his theater background, where listening and collaboration are fundamental. Whether working with actors, editors, or production staff, he prioritizes creative input and strives to foster an environment where everyone feels heard. He credits his stage training with teaching him the importance of ensemble work and has carried that ethos into his work behind the camera.
As Things Like This heads into theatrical release, Talisman is focused on continuing to build stories that balance humor and emotional complexity. He sees film as a way to connect across divides, offering audiences a mirror to their own experiences while also exploring questions that have no easy answers. One of the film’s central themes — how individuals reconcile choice with circumstances — resonates across backgrounds, ages, and perspectives.
Talisman has also spoken openly about the challenges of forging a path in the entertainment industry, particularly for those who may not fit conventional molds. His advice to others entering the field centers on trusting personal instincts, embracing unpredictability, and remaining resilient in the face of rejection. Over the course of his career, he has come to value not only creative fulfillment but also the relationships that make the process meaningful. He describes himself as driven, but also deeply reliant on the community of people — friends, family, and collaborators — who have supported him along the way.
Looking ahead, Talisman hopes his work will continue to challenge expectations and invite audiences to engage with stories that feel honest, grounded, and reflective of the world’s many textures. Whether behind the camera or in front of it, he remains committed to building a body of work that balances creative ambition with emotional authenticity.
Things Like This opens nationwide on May 16 and will later be available for digital viewing. Talisman continues to develop future projects under the Malibu, Bro banner, with the goal of expanding both the scope and reach of his storytelling.
Yitzi: Hey, it’s so good to meet you, Max. Before we dive in deep, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share with us the story of your childhood and how you grew up?
Max: So good to meet you too. Yeah, I grew up right outside of D.C. in Bethesda, Maryland. My family is awesome — my dad is great, my mom is great. I have a twin sister and an older brother.
I grew up really immersed in theater. I did a lot of professional theater around the D.C. area, starting with Caroline, or Change when I was 12. I actually took off three days during that show to have my Bar Mitzvah, and then I went right back to performing. It was a lot of fun — and a lot of work — but it ended up being a great experience for me.
My origin story really starts in the world of theater. That background taught me that to be the best kind of artist, you have to collaborate. Every voice is worth listening to. If you’re hiring someone to be part of your film or your team, you should be listening to them — you brought them in for a reason.
So my foundation comes from that idea of being open to other people’s perspectives, but also from being a kid who just had a lot of stories to tell and felt really driven to share them. When I was little, I would run around the house yelling stories, and my mom would stop me and say, “How does your story start?” Then she’d write it down.
She has a master’s in early childhood development, and I really credit her for knowing how to nurture a creative kid — because she did. She really pushed me to keep creating, which I don’t think a lot of parents would’ve done. Creativity in children isn’t always seen as something special, but she definitely saw it that way.
Yitzi: So, tell us about your first entrée into the entertainment industry. Tell us about your first big breaks.
Max: Yeah. So my first big break — like I mentioned, I did a lot of theater in D.C. — but my first big break as an adult was in 2015, when I booked Orange is the New Black. I was a guest star on that, and it was amazing. At the time, it was actually my favorite show, which was wild. It felt surreal to suddenly be walking through the prison set I had seen so many times on screen.
I’d been auditioning in New York for a year. I had booked a few commercials, but nothing that really felt like it was in the space I wanted to be in. So this felt like a huge moment. And what was crazy is that I remember seeing the role and immediately knowing I was right for it. Sometimes you just get that feeling. I’ve been lucky to have a few of those moments where I see something and just know, “I can do this.” And most of the time when I’ve had that feeling, I’ve been able to follow through and book it.
But this time, there wasn’t even a callback, which totally shocked me. I mean, I once had a callback for a two-line role on The Knick, so I was sure there’d be one here. The day after my audition, I saw my manager was calling. I figured it was about a callback, so I ignored her call — I think I was hopping in the shower — and thought, “I’ll just call her back.”
Then she called again, and I picked up like, “Hey Jody, what’s up?” And she said, “You booked it.” I was completely shocked.
That first day on set was kind of wild. I had this moment of wondering, “Do I really enjoy this?” Because we all imagine being on set is this dreamlike experience — and it is — but it’s also work. It’s your job. And even when you’re doing a job you love, it can still be tiring, and that’s okay. But by the end of that day, I knew: this is exactly what I want to do. There’s nothing I’d rather be doing than being on set every day. It really is my dream job.
And the last thing I’ll say about that experience is something I’ll never forget. The director introduced himself and said, “Hey, I’m Matt.” I was like, “Cool, nice to meet you,” and he was a great director. That night I went home and decided to look up the people I’d worked with — and it turned out the director was Matthew Weiner, the creator of Mad Men.
I had this moment of pure relief that I didn’t know who he was when I was on set. Because by then, I’d already worked with him. There was no room for nerves — I’d already done it. That experience really helped me realize that everyone in this industry is just a person. And I can work with anyone. That was a huge learning moment for me.
Yitzi: Amazing story, amazing. Yeah. You probably have some amazing stories from your great career. Can you share with our readers one or two stories that most stand out in your mind from your professional life?
Max: Yeah. When I did Super Dark Times, it was just this crazy experience. All of us — cast and crew — were basically sequestered in a Best Western in Kingston, New York for a month. We were all living there together. And actually, I just saw on TikTok that the Best Western in Kingston now has a space-themed room that’s going viral. It has a spaceship in it and everything, which totally makes sense because it is the weirdest hotel in the world.
The hotel had this whole pool deck that was clearly designed to be outside, but because it’s Kingston and the weather isn’t always great, they just built a cement roof over it and left the outdoor theme. It was a wild place.
Anyway, the production paid a ton of money — which was a big deal, because they didn’t have much of a budget — to fly me to Atlanta so they could make a face cast of me and create a dummy. I won’t give too much away, but they needed the dummy because my character had to stay in one position for a really long time — something I wouldn’t have been able to do myself.
So I flew to Atlanta, got the cast done, flew back the next day, and they built this dummy. The day we were supposed to use it, I was on set as a backup — just in case. The scene was really still, and it turns out, my character is dead in that scene. Two people are weeping over my body because they killed me.
But here’s where it went wrong — they didn’t realize my hair curls in the rain. And it was raining in that scene. So the dummy, which had straight hair, didn’t match. They couldn’t afford a new curly-haired wig that looked realistic because they’d already spent so much on the dummy.
So instead of using the dummy, I had to do the whole thing myself. That meant lying in a pile of wet leaves, covered in fake blood, for twelve hours in the cold rain while these two people cried over me — and I had to stay completely still and not breathe. It was insane.
It was one of those moments where things just don’t go as planned on set, and someone has to step in. In this case, it was me, in the most uncomfortable way possible.
Yitzi: So, you have so much impressive work. Can you share with us the exciting things you’re working on now?
Max: Yeah, so my film Things Like This is coming out in theaters on May 16th. I wrote it, directed it, and I star in it. It’s a queer romantic comedy about two guys with the same name, and I was really playing around with the idea of fate — what it means to accept fate, but also fight against it. I think both of those things are always on our minds.
More than anything, I wanted to dive into the anxiety of falling in love. I wanted to explore what it means to be afraid of pain, afraid of getting hurt, and how that fear can stop you from accepting the best kind of love, even if it’s right in front of you.
We have an amazing cast — Joey Perri, Jackie Cruz, Cara Buono, and Charlie Tahan, who’s a good friend of mine. Every day on set felt like magic. Honestly, I’ll use a Yiddish word — it felt like bashert. It felt perfect. Like fate. Like it was all meant to be.
And I was really blown away by the fact that this is my life — I get to create something that, hopefully, will stand the test of time. I’m so excited for people to see it.
Yitzi: Amazing. What are the lessons you hope viewers take from the motifs of the film?
Max: I hope they take away that love is valid for everyone. Everyone deserves to fall in love. Everyone deserves to feel the fear, the anxiety, all of it.
I created this film with the intention of making it feel universal. It’s a story about two men, but honestly, it could be about anyone. My whole life, I’ve watched straight romantic comedies and still felt deeply connected to the stories. So I know that if a story is told right, anyone can connect with it — no matter who they are.
For me, the most important thing is that people feel something for these characters. I really believe we’ve achieved that. I think audiences will leave the theater feeling like they just experienced something special.
Yitzi: How would you compare and contrast your personal character, Max, with Zack, the character you play? How are you similar and how are you different?
Max: You know, I’ve been reading a bunch of the discourse around White Lotus, and Amy Lou Wood said something like, “We’re all facets of Mike White.” And I think that’s true for any writer. Every character I write has to be some element of me, because it’s all coming from my brain.
So in the same way I have a connection to the character I play — Zack — I also feel connected to the other Zack in the story. They’re almost like two sides of me.
The Zack I play is very confident in who he is, and that part is definitely me. But he doesn’t have the same kind of drive I have. Professionally, he’s not as focused on pushing things forward or making things happen. That kind of drive actually shows up more in the other Zack. So when you put the two characters together, you kind of get a fuller picture of who I am.
There are definitely parts of the character that are exaggerated too. Like, he’s totally fine living in a messy room. For me, I can handle a mess for maybe two days, and then I hit a wall — like, “What is going on here? This needs to change immediately.”
So yeah, he’s definitely based on aspects of me, but with a bit of expansion into the absurd.
Yitzi: This is our signature question. You’ve been blessed with a lot of success. Looking back to when you first started, you must have learned a lot from your experiences. Can you share five things that you’ve learned now that you wish you knew when you first started in entertainment?
Max: You know, it’s interesting — five years ago, I did an interview with Authority. I was looking back to see what I said then because in five years, I’ve come a long way. There’s been a lot of growth for me, both professionally and personally. The things I’ve learned in these five years are crazy.
But I’d say the number one thing I’ve learned remains the same: trust your instincts. I’ve always said that’s my number one thing, both in this industry and in life. You know your own path better than anyone. You know what you bring to the table. So trust in that. And on the flip side, trust your instincts about who you’re working with. You have the best sense of character judgment, so trust that too.
The second thing I’d say is: use your past. Use the things you’ve learned in life to inform your future. Every day is a chance to learn something new and gain new experiences. Everything you’ve learned, you’ve learned for a reason. Use those experiences to guide you moving forward.
Number three is kind of related to that: give yourself the space to explore. Let yourself take time to do things that feel uncomfortable, that push you out of your comfort zone. Those experiences help you grow and keep pushing you forward.
Number four would be: honor the people in your life. They’re there for a reason. I’m blessed with an amazing family, and I know not everyone has that. Some people have chosen family, or close friends, but connection is so important. Don’t always prioritize alone time. Alone time matters — and as an extrovert, I actually have to remind myself to prioritize it — but it’s just as important to make time for the people who matter. As someone who’s very career-focused and driven, it’s been crucial for me to make sure I’m not doing this alone. I need the people I love with me on this journey.
And the last thing I’ve learned — probably the most important — is don’t take no for an answer. I don’t mean you should ignore boundaries, but rather, don’t let one “no” define your whole journey. You’re going to hear a million nos in this industry, but all it takes is one yes. Like that famous Lady Gaga quote: there could be a hundred people in a room, and if one believes in you, that’s enough. It’s true. In entertainment especially, people’s favorite thing to do is say no. They don’t like to take risks. But if one person is willing to take that risk on you, that’s all you need. So every time you get knocked down, get back up. It’s not even a knockdown — it’s just part of the process.
Yitzi: Amazing. Max, because of your great work and the platform that you’ve built, you’re a person of enormous influence. If you could spread an idea or inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
Max: Wow, that is a heavy question. I think a lot of what I want to spread is acceptance — what that means in terms of diversity, inclusion, loving everyone around you, and being open to starting conversations with people you might not have connected with before. We’re all human, and I think the most beautiful thing about humanity is how different each person is. Those differences are what make humanity special, so don’t fight against them.
If you’re someone who feels different, embrace who you are. Just know that there are people who love you — you will find them. And the people who don’t love you? They don’t deserve your time, your energy, or your thoughts. Easier said than done, I know.
The LGBTQ community calls itself a community for a reason. I feel a similar connection with my Jewish identity. There’s this sense of always getting back up, always becoming stronger. That kind of resilience lives in both communities. What matters most to me is the idea that our differences aren’t really that different — and that fear is what drives us apart more than anything else. Love is the answer to that.
Yitzi: Beautiful. So how can our readers watch the film? How can they support you in any possible way?
Max: We’re going to be in theaters nationwide on May 16th. So please — take your friends, take your family, take your dentist — and go see it in theaters. That’s the number one way you can support it.
The second way is when it’s out digitally: rent it, buy it, own it. After the theatrical run, it’ll be available online, but if you want to be the first to see it, you’ve got to go to a theater.
And we made that choice on purpose. This film is funny, it’s a crowd-pleaser, and it really shines when you’re watching it with other people. I’m not saying it doesn’t work alone, but there’s something special about the shared experience of moviegoing. We’re romantics when it comes to cinema. So when MPX offered a theatrical distribution, it was an easy yes. We want people to enjoy it together, in theaters.
That’s the biggest way to support the film and to support me. And also, follow me on Instagram — especially @TheMaxTShow. That’s where I post most of my updates. I’m technically on TikTok too, though I don’t post much there… and who knows, it might be gone in like 74 days anyway. So yeah — Instagram’s the place!
Yitzi: Max, you should only have continued success. Let’s do it again next year.
Max: I love that. Sounds great. Thank you so much.
Max Talisman on ‘Things Like This,’ Building His Own Production Company, and the Power of Personal… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.