In terms of celebrity, Jeff Hiller's name may not carry the same gravitas as Demi Moore or Taraji P. Henson. His unforgettable face might resurface vague memories of a Pilgrim in a steady Snickers campaign, a flight attendant on 30 Rock, or a naked man bothering Ricky Gervais in the film Ghost Town. One might describe Hiller's acting career as niche, but in Actress of a Certain Age, the comedian delivers a performance of a lifetime, nimbly folding tenderness and vulnerability into a riotously disarming memoir about his passion for performance.
Hiller got lucky with ferociously supportive parents, but standing more than six feet tall and weighing 200 pounds in the sixth grade, with "a gay lisp" and "a nervous and girlish giggle," he was constantly tormented with the F-slur and other forms of bullying at school. Church was his haven, however, and its theatrical elements gave Hiller his first taste of dramaturgy. For a time he considered entering the ministry, but deep down he really "just felt called to be a singing, dancing, wocka-wocka showman of God. Pastor Charo! 'In the name of God, let's cuchi-cuchi!' " So, after a rather cursed experience as a social worker, he decided to pursue his true purpose, doggedly running the humbling gauntlet that is showbiz.
As he documents his gradual ascent, through improv groups and commercial gigs before landing his starring role as Joel on the endearing HBO comedy series Somebody Somewhere, Hiller is a generous and entertaining storyteller. Actress of a Certain Age distills the feel-good, laugh-till-you-cry reminiscences of a sweet, silly, and thoroughly lovable man establishing the career of his dreams. --Dave Wheeler, senior editor, Shelf Awareness