Chris McKittrick, Author at Daily Actor: Monologues, Acting Tips, Interviews, Resources

Wayne Knight on Playing Santa Claus in the ‘Elf’ Musical and What It’s Like Being Newman

I imagine that about six or seven times a day somebody comes up to Wayne Knight and says, “Hello, Newman” in an annoyed voice. So perhaps he’s lucky that in his latest role that face of his that became famous on Seinfeld is hidden behind a long white beard. That’s because Knight is playing Santa Claus in Elf, the holiday musical based on the Will Ferrell movie which is returning to New York after a one-year hiatus

Christopher Walken on Learning Lines, “Walkenized” Roles and the Advice He Offers Young Actors

Christopher Walken is very excited about A Late Quartet and has been talking about the film to just about anyone who wants to listen about the project.

Anthony Hopkins on Staying in Character Throughout a Film’s Production: “If actors want to do that, fine. If they want to be miserable, that’s up to them”

In a candid interview, Anthony Hopkins not only said he thought Oscar campaigning was “nauseating to watch,” he also was open about portraying such a famous cinema figure as Alfred Hitchcock in a movie and his thoughts on actors who choose to stay in character throughout a film’s production.

Don Cheadle Talks About the ‘Five Stages of an Actor’s Life’

Though most of the interview is focused on wristwatches (!), Don Cheadle has a few clever things to say about acting in films like Robert Zemeckis’ Flight and TV’s House of Lies in his recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

Parker Posey: “A lot of people of my generation, who are part of the independent-film scene, the option is just to be a guest star on TV”

It’s hard to dispute that actress Parker Posey is the “Queen of the Indies”: Though she’s been a working film actress for twenty years, Posey’s work has almost entirely been in independent film. However, in the last several years she has also played a number of recurring and guest starring roles on television series, including Louie and New Girl.

Review: ‘Love Song’ at the Sargent Theater (NYC)

New York City’s The Seeing Place has constantly demonstrated that what it offers is versatility in its productions, but the only thing that never changes is the quality of the performance and the value of the ticket prices.

Bradley Cooper on ‘Silver Linings Playbook’: “I had never been asked to do a role that demanded that kind of dexterity and truth”

After watching Bradley Cooper play a horndog in the Hangover films, a dreadlocked gangster in Hit and Run, and supporting roles in comedies (both romantic and otherwise), it would be easy to doubt that he has the acting ability to pull off a dramatic lead role in a David O. Russell movie.

Anthony Hopkins Calls Oscar Campaigning “Nauseating to watch” and “Disgusting to behold”

If you run into Anthony Hopkins anytime between now and February, try to avoid bringing up the fact that his role as master film director Alfred Hitchcock in Hitchcock is a potential Oscar favorite.

Tommy Lee Jones on Starring in ‘Lincoln’, the Research He Did and Thoughts on Improvisation

Among the many familiar faces in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln is Tommy Lee Jones. Jones plays Thaddeus Stevens, a Pennsylvania Republican congressman who helped end slavery in the United States.

Chris Pine on Voicing His First Animated Film: “It’s a whole different art using your voice”

Pine spoke about why he decided to voice Jack Frost in the movie and what he got out of the gig

Laura Linney on Theater Acting: “There’s something about the routine of it that’s very comforting”

Native New Yorker Laura Linney may have been acting in Hollywood films since the early 1990s, but she refuses to spend too much time away from the city of her birth.

Ian McKellen Warns: “The current generation of actors won’t develop into good middle-aged performers”

Face it, we Americans are convinced that any middle-aged actor or actress with a classy British accent is automatically Oscar-caliber. Though in all seriousness, it’s not just the accent — some of the most respected actors in the world have a long history of practicing their craft in British theatre.

Christopher Walken on His Dislike of Punctuation and Filming ‘A Late Quartet’ in His Hometown of NYC

Every time I think I’m finished writing articles about one of Christopher Walken’s roles, in less than a month I find myself writing about another one of the prolific actor’s roles.

‘Grace’ Cast Keeps the Show Going Despite Audience Member in the Balcony Throwing Up on Audience Members in the Orchestra

Perhaps Gallagher was on to something with that whole “hand ponchos out to the audience” thing for his comedy shows.

James Spader on His ‘Lincoln’ Role: “I saw an opportunity with this character to be able to take advantage of his vibrant colors”

James Spader might be best known for his television roles in Boston Legal and The Office, but Spader began his career in film. Though he’s only been in a handful of movies in the last decade, Spader plays a key role in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln as William H. Bilbo, a committed abolitionist.

Review: ‘Cotton Club Parade’ at the City Center (NYC)

The Encores! series at the New York City Center began twenty years ago and presents forgotten musical gems and a handful of new works for limited engagements, some of which have later gone on to great acclaim when selected for longer runs elsewhere.

‘Batman Live’ Actor Talks About Dressing Up as the Caped Crusader

Just about everyone would like to be Batman, which is why thousands of Batman Halloween costumes for children and adults are sold every year. The costume is just awesome in every way, right?

Kenneth Branagh Receives Knighthood

Kenneth Branagh has played plenty of noblemen and knights as the star of many Shakespeare plays on both stage and screen, so it’s only appropriate that he finally joins their ranks.

Bérénice Marlohe on Her ‘Skyfall’ Role: “It was very important to get rid of this ‘Bond girl’ title”

Bérénice Marlohe is the latest in a long line of incredibly sexy women who most men can only dream about, yet James Bond beds on a regular basis. She appears in the latest 007 film, Skyfall, as the “Bond girl” who gets her claws in Daniel Craig’s James Bond

Sally Field on Almost Not Getting Her ‘Lincoln’ Role: “I had a feeling they’d want someone who had less baggage”

Starring in a Steven Spielberg film opposite Daniel Day-Lewis might be as close as it gets to a “dream role” for an actress, and for two-time Oscar winner Sally Field Abraham Lincoln’s wife Mary Todd in Spielberg’s Lincoln was a role she wasn’t going to accept being passed over for.