Michael Shannon on Take Shelter: “I think even though, in the film, with these nightmares and these visions [that my character has], they’re obviously exaggerated beyond what most people experience. But I do think they’re reflective of a general feeling that people can relate to — of feeling frightened and powerless and wondering what the heck is going to happen next.”

On today’s Fresh Air, actor Michael Shannon: “I think inside of Van Alden is a child — that arrested child — that never really got to develop its own identity. I think as much as he believes that he’s operating from these deeply held beliefs, he’s actually in a way very hollow.”

Our guest Monday: Michael Shannon