Exclusive Interview: Jeff Hiller on ‘The Exhibitionist,’ Artistic Sacrifice, and Defining Success

Jeff Hiller knows firsthand how much artists sacrifice to pursue a creative life and how easy it can be to measure success by money, recognition, or awards. Those questions are at the heart of James Hindman’s The Exhibitionist, a solo comedy that reflects Hiller’s own journey and the years he spent building a career before the wider world became aware of his work.

Hiller plays Justin, a museum intern guiding patrons through an exhibition of a newly rediscovered Vincent van Gogh while his own artwork is being judged in a competition one floor below. As the pressure causes Justin to unravel, the play moves between humor and vulnerability while exploring the desire to be seen and what it truly means to call yourself an artist.

Pop Culturalist chatted with Jeff Hiller about his personal connection to The Exhibitionist, balancing the production’s humor and emotional honesty, making the audience his scene partner, defining success on his own terms, and returning as Dale in Season 2 of Widow’s Bay.

PC: Tell us about The Exhibitionist and the character you’re bringing to life.
Jeff: This is a solo show in which a museum intern has a slight breakdown while trying to take you, the audience, on a tour. It’s primarily about the sacrifices one must make to become an artist and whether those sacrifices are worth it for Justin. That’s the character I play. His name is Justin. I probably should have led with that.

PC: You’ve described James Hindman’s piece as a meditation on becoming an artist, the sacrifices that pursuit requires, and whether it’s ultimately worth it. Was that what initially drew you to the play? How has your relationship with those questions evolved alongside your connection to the arts and as you’ve progressed in your career?
Jeff: I started working on this play with Jim as part of Theatre Aspen’s Solo Flights series in 2023. When I read it, I knew I wanted to play this role because my own life has involved a series of sacrifices in pursuit of my dream of becoming an actor. I even wrote a book about it called Actress of a Certain Age, so why not plug that here?

Basically, when I turned 40 and was still working temp jobs, I had a mini-crisis. I was trying to decide whether to keep going or call it quits and find a job that paid consistently, even if it wasn’t the dream. I really wrestled with that question, just as Justin does in this piece.

PC: The character’s journey moves fluidly between humor, vulnerability, and moments of deeper reflection. As you’ve shaped the performance in rehearsals, how have you approached those tonal transitions while ensuring the emotional arc feels cohesive and earned?
Jeff: Well, I think the great thing about these tonal shifts is that they feel like real life. In real life, you can crack up at a funeral, and you can tear up at a birthday party. I just tried to make the shifts feel authentic, and thankfully Jim has written the script well, so it isn’t so difficult.

PC: In a solo show, the audience becomes your scene partner, making each performance an exercise in listening and responding without changing a word of the script. What cues do you pick up on each night, and how do they guide the rhythm and emotional tenor of the material?
Jeff: No matter the show, each audience makes each performance unique. They are always a scene partner. This show is unique in that I actually speak to and with the audience, so there are literally different jokes and moments that will happen with only a specific audience. That is very fun for me and allows me to justify doing improv for free for 25 years in the basement of a grocery store.

PC: The play’s exploration of success feels especially meaningful because art itself is so subjective, yet an artist’s career is often measured by a narrow set of external milestones. How have you learned to define success for yourself, and what ultimately makes the work feel worthwhile to you?
Jeff: What a great question! When I turned 40, I told myself I wasn’t successful because I didn’t earn all of my income from acting and writing. Later, when I got on a TV show and won a fancy award, many interviewers asked me what it felt like to become successful. That made me realize that my talent hadn’t changed. The only thing that had changed was the world’s awareness of me.

I realized I was already successful when I was performing improv in that basement for free because I was making lots of people laugh and was happy creating. My biggest piece of advice for young artists, performers, and actors is not to let the world define success for you. It’s your life. You get to decide what makes you a great artist.

PC: There’s also such a hopeful current running through the play and a real sense of possibility in what we’re capable of creating. What do you hope audiences take away from this production?
Jeff: I want the audience to have fun most of all. But if I were being really greedy, I would love for them to leave believing that even if an artist doesn’t make a ton of money or win awards, they are still an artist. Art is subjective, after all.

PC: Outside of The Exhibitionist, you’re returning for Season 2 of Widow’s Bay as a series regular. Congratulations! How has your understanding of this character grown from Season 1 into Season 2? What aspects of him do you feel more confident inhabiting now, and what early conversations have you had about the direction his story might take?
Jeff: I can’t give away any spoilers, but I can say that I’ve heard a few more details about Dale and his backstory, and I’m very excited to get back to work on the show in a few months. The show’s creator, Katie Dippold, is an old friend of mine. We did improv together in that basement. It keeps coming up, doesn’t it? The joy of working with an old friend whom I love and respect is off the charts.

I have no idea when the show will return, but I feel confident that it will be just as exciting as the first season.

To keep up with Jeff, follow him on Instagram. Catch The Exhibitionist at the Soho Playhouse from November 9-21st.