Actors on Acting Archives

Jeremy Renner Talks ‘Hansel & Gretel’ and Makes It Clear We’re Getting ‘Action Renner’ This Time

One one hand, Jeremy Renner is an action star who appeared in The Avengers and the fourth film in both the Mission: Impossible and the Bourne franchises. On the other, he’s an actor who has been nominated for two Oscars for The Hurt Locker and The Town. However, it’s often easy to guess which Jeremy Renner audiences will get in each film, and in the case of Renner’s latest film — Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters — it’s an easy guess that it will probably be the former.

Chris Messina: “I think as an actor, you’re constantly putting yourself out there, and a lot of times failing … and sometimes you have a good moment and something clicks”

You’ve definitely seen Chris Messina before, even if you don’t recognize his name. In 2012 alone he appeared on film in Argo, Ruby Sparks, The Giant Mechanical Man and Celeste & Jesse Forever and on television in regular roles in The Mindy Project, The Newsroom and Damages. He also stars in Fairhaven, an indie film he also co-wrote and executive produced, which is now in limited release.

Ciaran Hinds talks Playing Big Daddy in ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’: “Having the nerve to play him is the beginning”

Tennesse Williams’ character, Big Daddy, in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, is one of the most quintessential American characters. So the Irish actor Ciaran Hinds was more surprised than anyone when he landed the role in the new Broadway revival of the play.

Ethan Hawke: “I had an allergy to being famous and have been neurotically chasing a larger dream, a substantive life in the arts”

Though Ethan Hawke could have had a solid career by coasting on his fame from starring in films like Reality Bites in the 1990s, Hawke is making a return to the familiar New York stage in an extremely intimate setting. He stars as a troubled rock star in Clive, which he also directed, at the Acorn Theater.

Ann Dowd Started Her Own Oscar Campaign, Sending DVD’s of ‘Compliance’ to Voting Members

It’s pretty rare for an actress to launch her own Oscar campaign. But Ann Dowd, star of the indie film Compliance, ended up raising over $13,000 to send DVDs of the movie to voting members of the Academy. Despite the non-conventional lobbying, the actress still didn’t earn a nomination.

John Hawkes’ Only Wish is to Remain Anonymous

John Hawkes’ only wish is to remain anonymous. However, if he keeps racking up the Oscar and Golden Globe nominations, this goal might get more difficult to maintain.

Robert Sean Leonard, Currently Starring in The Old Globe’s ‘Pygmalion’, on the Power of Theater

Robert Sean Leonard doesn’t have any illusions that being an actor is akin to finding a cure for cancer or being a brain surgeon. The actor is quick to admit that he’s grown up from once thinking that acting was a noble profession.

Dustin Hoffman Talks Directing ‘Quartet’ and His Thoughts on Actors: “I always think actors are not unlike the Victorian women”

Dustin Hoffman began his first directing project back in 1978 on the film Straight Time—before he fired himself for lack of confidence.

Tom Holland on Going from the West End’s ‘Billy Elliot’ to Working with Naomi Watts in ‘The Impossible’

Although Tom Holland is only 16 years old, he will not be letting his new found fame go to his head. After starring in the critically acclaimed film, The Impossible, Holland knew he might be getting some additional attention.

Matt Damon on Portraying Liberace’s Lover in ‘Behind the Candelabra’

When director Steven Soderbergh begin working on the long-in-development biopic about flamboyant entertainer Liberace, he didn’t have to look far for an actor who would play Liberace’s lover Scott Thorson. Soderbergh turned to frequent collaborator Matt Damon to star as Thorson in Behind the Candelabra, based on the titular book by Thorson, opposite Michael Douglas as the world-famous entertainer.

Bobby Cannavale on Acting: ‘It was the only thing I ever wanted to do, really”

There are a handful of actors who scare the crap at me, and at the top of the list is Bobby Cannavale. It’s not just because he’s a tough looking guy, but he happens to be a phenomenal Broadway actor in addition to his television credits.

Steven Spielberg Reveals Letter from Daniel Day-Lewis that Initially Rejected ‘Lincoln’ Role

It’s given that Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln will win many Academy Awards. Not only did it score the most nominations, but it is the exact type of film that the Academy loves. And while it wouldn’t be a surprise to see masterful star (and Golden Globe winner) Daniel Day-Lewis get his third Oscar for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln (and he would also becoming the first actor to win three Best Actor Oscars), he actually almost passed on the role because he thought he’d rather watch the movie than star in it.

Andrew Rannells on Why He Had To Leave ‘Girls’

Looks like Andrew Rannells busy, bicoastal schedule has finally caught up with him.

‘Girls’ Allison Williams on the New Season, Playing Marnie and How Her Life Has Changed

Season 2 of HBO’s hit series, Girls, starts on Sunday, and the characters will be facing many changes since the audience last saw their New York City antics. But the biggest change for the cast was something that occurred off-screen. “The biggest surprise was that suddenly, when we were shooting

Jessica Chastain on ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ Research and Her Broadway Debut in ‘The Heiress’

Jessica Chastain has just earned her second Oscar nomination for her role in the terrorist drama, Zero Dark Thirty. The actress, previously nominated for her role in last year’s The Help, became fully immersed in her role as a CIA agent in the film.

Josh Brolin on His Recent Success: “I’m very fortunate in that I get choice now, where I never had choice before”

Gangster Squad won’t rise to the top of anyone’s favorite gangster movie list, but it’s definitely an enjoyable film. A lot of that has to do with Josh Brolin, who plays Sgt. John O’Mara, the leader of the titular squad who strikes back against Los Angeles gangster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn).

Michael Douglas on Playing Liberace in HBO’s ‘Behind the Candelabra’

A biopic has been in the works on flamboyant entertainer Liberace has been in the works for some time, with Michael Douglas attached to play the lead. The biopic, titled Behind the Candelabra and based on the book by Liberace’s lover Scott Thorson, is finally set to air on HBO in the spring.

John Krasinski on the End of ‘The Office’: “No one would have known my name if it wasn’t for the show”

Once an actor has starred in a television series for a number of years it gets a bit difficult to see the actor in other roles — not just for audiences, but also for those who handle casting. Case in point, I saw John Krasinski in a movie this year in which he was essentially playing his Jim Halpert character from The Office with a different name. That’s not exactly the type of role that helps an actor grow.

Shirley MacLaine on Missing the Stage and Her Thoughts on Acting

It’s rare for a show biz legend like Shirley MacLaine to admit that they’ve never really known much about acting. But after a career that began in the ‘50s, five Oscar nominations and one win, MacLaine is still professing that she’s not really sure why she’s been so successful.

Jennifer Lawrence on Fame: “There are doctors who save lives and firemen who run into burning buildings. I’m making movies. It’s stupid”

The 22 year old actress not only starred in The Hunger Games, one of the year’s biggest blockbusters (which has already made her the highest-grossing action heroine), but also in one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year, Silver Linings Playbook.