John C. Reilly on Why He Agreed to Do ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ Even Though He Dislikes Animated Roles
Being somewhat of a real-life cartoon character himself and having a distinctive voice, John C. Reilly seems like he is a perfect fit for an animated film.
Jack McBrayer on Life After ’30 Rock’: “I’m not panicked, but at the same time, it’s like, Whoa! Time to save money like it’s a contest”
Though Jack McBrayer has a major role in the animated film Wreck-It Ralph, the regular role that brought him to his highest point of recognition is coming to an end with 30 Rock in its final season.
Javier Bardem on Playing a 007 Villain: “It was a great gift of finding myself in a very, very creative process”
It’s not often that such an acclaimed actor as Javier Bardem stars as the villain in a James Bond movie, which is perhaps one of the reasons why Skyfall is the most critically praised 007 films in the series’ fifty-year history.
Bryan Cranston: “Without luck you will not have a successful career”
Few actors have the career trajectory of Bryan Cranston, who, after decades of supporting roles has suddenly, in his mid-fifties, found himself the star of a critically acclaimed television series, Breaking Bad, and roles in several high-profile movies, including Drive and Argo. In a lengthy interview with The Guardian, Cranston talks about the affect Breaking Bad has had on his career and how he looks at his current success.
Ben Whishaw on the Intimidation of Playing the New Q in ‘Skyfall’
Not many actors have to step into a role that was at one time played by an actor in seventeen films previously, so perhaps it’s fair to say that Ben Whishaw has it more difficult than most young actors by appearing as James Bond’s personal armorer Q in Skyfall.
‘Up All Night’ Going on Hiatus to Convert to Multicamera Format with Live Studio Audience
For most television shows a major change is adding or cutting a primary character. Most television shows don’t make a major production change in format, especially in the way the show is shot. But NBC’s Up All Night, which stars Christina Applegate and Will Arnett, is making a rare switch from its current single camera format to a multicamera format.
Daniel Day-Lewis: “I work in a certain way, and I never really felt the need to explain it or apologize for it”
There are few who would not agree that Daniel Day-Lewis is among the most talent actors in the world, and nearly ever role he appears in he is bound to be nominated for dozens of acting’s top awards. The same goes for Lincoln, in which Day-Lewis stars as the iconic American president in the final months of his life.
Times Square TKTS Booth Changes Policies to Offer More Options to Ticketbuyers
One of New York City’s top tourist attractions isn’t a museum or a historic building, it’s a booth. Well known to Broadway fans, the TKTS booth in Times Square has been selling discount day of the show tickets to theatergoers for four decades.
Jack McBrayer: “It was ten short years in the making before I finally got a break where I could eat three meals a day”
Though a long-time supporting player, comedian Jack McBrayer has since broken through with his starring role on 30 Rock over the last few years. He’s also putting his familiar voice to work voicing Fix-It Felix, Jr. in Disney’s latest animated film, the classic arcade game-inspired Wreck-It Ralph.
John C. Reilly Insisted on Recording His ‘Wreck-It Ralph’ Dialogue with His Co-Stars
Though John C. Reilly is probably best known for his comedy movies alongside Will Ferrell, he has received much of his acclaim (and an Oscar nomination) for his hard-hitting dramas like We Need to Talk about Kevin and Carnage.
What’s Al Pacino’s Weekly Salary for Broadway’s ‘Glengarry Glen Ross’?
Usually it pays for Broadway producers to cast big-name actors to draw huge houses. But how much exactly do those big names make? For Al Pacino, who stars in Glengarry Glen Ross as Shelly Levene, it’s money that most Broadway regulars could only dream about.
Bill Murray on Playing FDR: “Playing a beloved person, that really sets a high bar for your behavior and your acting and what you project”
I got to see Hyde Park on Hudson at the New York Film Festival, and while it’s far from a perfect movie (though it is, in my opinion, a very good one), Bill Murray’s performance as Franklin Delano Roosevelt is among the best roles he has ever done.
Should Actors Worry About Appearing in Too Many Commercials?
An article in Advertising Age asks a question worthy of debate: Can an actor be in too many ads? Most little-known actors would see nothing wrong with a steady stream of paying commercial gigs. But if an actor becomes a familiar face by appearing in commercials for too many products,
24 Hour Plays Returns to Broadway on November 12
A long-running New York City fall theater tradition since the 1990s, 24 Hour Plays on Broadway involves professional actors and members of the Urban Arts Partnership collaborating answer the challenge of the title: they must create six ten-minute plays in the span of twenty-four hours and then perform them for a live audience.
Laura Linney: “With comedy I find you have to be very, very specific”
Despite being nominated for three Oscars in the last dozen years, The Big C star Laura Linney may not make the strongest initial impression from her roles because she’s often working in subdued roles with much more visible actors, like Jim Carrey in The Truman Show or Bill Murray in
Ian McKellen Seriously Considered Not Returning to Play Gandalf: “The business of getting to know a new character – I was sort of going to be robbed of that”
Believe it or not, Sir Ian McKellen had reservations about returning to his role as Gandalf for The Hobbit movies, which are prequels to the beloved Lord of the Rings films.
Chevy Chase Still Causing More Problems on ‘Community’ Set, Uses Racial Slur
Chevy Chase continues to demonstrate that he must be a joy to work with on the set of Community. It hasn’t been six months since Chase’s very public spat with Community creator Dan Harmon. Then last month (after NBC removed Harmon as showrunner) Chase made it clear that he still wasn’t happy, calling the hours “hideous” and sitcoms “the lowest form of comedy,” and though he complimented the young cast (calling them his “friends”) he made sure to mention that he was aware that he wasn’t “working with the great innovators of all time.”
Ashton Kutcher Tops Forbes List of Highest Paid Television Actors
Forbes has released its annual list of highest paid television actors, and topping this year’s list again is a star from ABC’s Two and a Half Men. Of course, this time it isn’t Charlie Sheen… it’s his replacement, Ashton Kutcher.
German Production of ‘Clybourne Park’ Halted After Playwright Bruce Norris Learns of White Actress Playing a Role in Blackface
Though popular plays are produced all over the world, quality control is a major issue that can come up when a production wants to put their own stamp on the play. Even if the production feels that those changes might be relatively minor, the authors of such works or their estates may not see it the same way to such a degree that they can prevent the production from going forward.
Hugo Weaving on Big-Budget Blockbusters and Playing the Red Skull: “I’ve done my dash with that sort of film”
Hugo Weaving is no stranger to big-budget genre films as a key character in both The Matrix trilogy and The Lord of the Rings films (he will reprise his Rings character, the elf lord Elrond, in The Hobbit prequel movies).