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

Eugene Levy on ‘Cheap’ Humor and Working with Tyler Perry

I like Eugene Levy, I really do. It’s kind of hard to put that in writing though, because as endearing as Levy is in Christopher Guest’s mockumentries and as Jim’s Dad in the American Pie movies, he’s in some incredibly awful movies. The SCTV veteran has starred in such “gems” as Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, New York Minute, The Man, Ri¢hie Ri¢h’s Christmas Wish, and Madea’s Witness Protection, which is now in theaters and is one of the most negatively-reviewed films of Levy’s career.

Mark Wahlberg on Filming with ‘Ted’: “It took some getting used to but in the end it was a great experience”

One of the most anticipated films of summer 2012 is Ted, the first film directed by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane. The movie is about a man named John Bennett whose childhood wish of his teddy bear coming to life has come true while he was an adult.

Tuition Hikes at UK Drama Schools Leads to Less Applicants

When jobless in a tough economic climate, sometimes the best plan is to go back to school. After all, getting a degree that you could use toward getting a better job when the economy eventually turns around rather than dedicating all your time and energy searching for a job that isn’t available at this time. However, despite that often-shared advice, drama school applications in the UK have fallen by as much as 14.2% for the upcoming academic year.

Brendan Griffin on the Long Trip to Success for ‘Clybourne Park’

Originally set for a 16-week run, Clybourne Park has recently been extended by three weeks because of strong sales. One of the actors enjoying that success is Brendan Griffin, who appeared in the original Playwrights Horizons production.

Shirley MacLaine on Her Early Career: “I was not a Hollywood glamor girl; I guess I was basically a young character actress”

Recently Shirely MacLaine was awarded the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award for her long career in films — which is still ongoing, as she stars in this year’s Jack Black comedy Bernie and next year’s Ben Stiller comedy The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Brian D’Arcy James on His New Musical Revue and What He’s Learned from ‘Smash’

It’s ironic that one of the most experienced Broadway musical actors on the NBC television series Smash, Brian D’Arcy James, plays one of the characters who isn’t involved in the Broadway business.

Mike Tyson to Star in Broadway One-Man Show Directed by Spike Lee

After memorable appearances in the two Hangover films (well, we might as well call it now that he’ll put an appearance in the upcoming third film) and his award-winning 2008 documentary Tyson, former world heavyweight boxing champion “Iron” Mike Tyson has carved quite a movie career for himself over the last several years.

Alan Cumming on ‘Macbeth’ and the Pressure of Theatre Audiences

Alan Cumming is many things: actor, singer, author, photographer, scented bath lotion entrepreneur, but he is. perhaps all else, a Scotsman. He began his career on the stage in his native Scotland, and that is where he has returned to star in a production Macbeth for the National Theatre of Scotland.

Once’s Cristin Milioti Sits at the Cool Kids’ Table

If you’ve never seen the new YouTube show Cool Kids’ Table, it features two stereotypically obnoxious high school girls, Kenzie and Blake, sitting in the cafeteria as they interview celebrities in a very condescending way. Although it’s a lot of schtick, it does have its moments.

Gene Wilder’s Vintage Letter Explaining Willy Wonka’s Character Through Wardrobe

Gene Wilder, who memorably played Wonka in the 1971 film, not only made several suggestions about how Wonka should act, but unlike most actors he also made several suggestions about what Wonka should wear.

Keira Knightley on ‘Seeking a Friend’: “It was one of the best scripts I’d seen in years – and so unique”

In Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, Keira Knightley’s character Penny joins the ranks of cinema’s Manic Pixie Dream Girls. Not familiar with the term? Coined by film critic Nathan Rabin to describe the type of free-spirited, indie-music loving, quirky young girls who seem to only exist in movies to open up emotionally hollow men (like Natalie Portman’s character in Garden State and Zooey Deschannel’s in 500 Days of Summer), Knightley’s version of the MPDG serves as inspiration to Steve Carrell’s character in the film, who is trying to come to terms with the failures in his life as the world is coming to an end.

Channing Tatum on ‘Magic Mike’ and His Stripper Past: “I really enjoyed the performing aspect of it, although being in a thong can be a humbling experience”

“I thought, ‘Why not?’ I could dance. It sounded like something I could do for fun for awhile.”

No, that wasn’t Channing Tatum’s thought process before he decided to take a role in Step Up. Actually, that was Tatum’s thought process that an 18 year old Channing Tatum went through before he became a male stripper, an experience he is reliving in Magic Mike, which is directed by Steven Soderbergh.

Julianne Hough: “My biggest fear is that people think, Oh, just because she was on ‘Dancing with the Stars’, she thinks she can act now”

Julianne Hough is talking a lot about Rock of Ages, the film adaptation of the smash hit Broadway musical that features some of the greatest rock hits of the 1980s. She talked about how Dancing with the Stars helped her acting career and whether or not her fellow actors are singing on the soundtrack.

Interview: Actor Tyler Langdon on Playing a Character with Social Anxiety in ‘Nerve’ and Getting Cast in ‘The Incredible Burt Wonderstone’

Tyler chats with us on how he managed to make that leap from indie film festivals to multiplexes

‘Rock of Ages’ Director on Tom Cruise: “He’s probably genetically predisposed to sing, but no one’s ever asked him to before”

There are a lot of famous actors in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical hit Rock of Ages, but the one who steals the show is Tom Cruise. Cruise completely owns another role as rock god Stacee Jaxx, even though many wouldn’t initially think of Cruise as a good choice for the Axl Rose-like role.

Chris Rock Says Voicing Animated Characters: “The easiest job in the world”

By the time most franchises reach the third film, audiences are either sure they’ve seen enough (does anyone really want to see a Men in Black 4?) or still clamoring more. In the case of Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, which topped the box office this past weekend, the franchise might still have legs.

Seth Rogen on his ‘Take This Waltz’ Role: “I can confidently say I did more research for this movie than any movie I’ve ever done”

After starring in more serious comedies like Funny People and 50/50, Seth Rogen continues exploring his “dramedy” muscles in Take This Waltz. He stars alongside Michelle Williams as husband and wife Lou and Margot in the film, which was written and directed by actress Sarah Polley. Rogen talks a bit about how he got the role and the surprising amount of research that went into it.

Christopher Plummer’s 2010 Performance of ‘The Tempest’ to Screen One Night Only: “There were only two days in which we were able to film this”

Have any plans on June 14? At 7:00 PM (local time) in North America there will be a one-night-only screening of the 2010 Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of The Tempest starring Christopher Plummer as Prospero in 565 movie theaters. Plummer recently spoke about the experience of being filmed while performing on stage and what his view is of filming live theatrical performances.

Greta Gerwig on Starring in Independent Films: “I think each movie is its own beast”

Indie darling Greta Gerwig’s latest film, Lola Versus is now playing in theaters — or, more accurately, in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles, which is typical for most of Gerwig’s films (though it expands to sixty theaters this weekend).

Steve Kazee on the Screen-to-Stage Transformation of ‘Once’: “I knew from the beginning that we were going to be something completely unique”

The show’s star — who is up for a Tony for Best Actor in a Musical — is Steve Kazee, who spoke about the difference between the original film and the musical and what sets Once apart from other adaptations.