A role that resonated
Summer Bishil stars in “Towelhead,” about a Lebanese American girl’s coming of age in Texas during the first Iraq war.
In an article about the film, Rachel Abramowitz notes Bishil was 18 when she played 13-year-old Jasira in the film directed by Alan Ball (“Six Feet Under,” “American Beauty”), based on the novel [...]

Gabriel Byrne on auditions
“It’s important to present oneself as relaxed and confident..”
Gabriel Byrne commented that the audition process “is really a most inadequate way to determine if an actor is right or not for a particular role. Unfortunately, it’s a situation that most actors have to accept.
“Work on developing an unshakable trust in yourself and [...]

The photo is from Sarah Polley’s film Away From Her (2006), in which Julie Christie has been gaining much acclaim for her portrayal of a woman with Alzheimer’s disease.
In an interview [some years ago], she talked about her work as an actor, and using dark or difficult human emotions and experiences.
“I think there’s just a [...]

I had to sort of figure it out for myself
Ellen Pompeo was four when her mother died, at age 33. A new article says “her five older siblings were dissolved in grief; her father.. was wracked by a sorrow he was unable to articulate.” It was “a very, very vivid, painful memory,” Pompeo says. [From [...]

Joey Lauren Adams makes her feature film writing and directing debut with Come Early Morning, starring Ashley Judd. In a recent interview, she talks about how satisfying this new area of creative expression has been for her.
Question: Is writing a script like this or any script for that matter in some ways a reaction to [...]

Out of the comfort zone
Many people, maybe most, want to avoid anxiety, fear and other “stressful” feelings. Except for the occasional roller coaster ride.
But talented actors (and other artists) often use those kinds of feelings to guide and energize their work.
Julia Stiles [left] says she chooses projects based on “ways I need to be stretched [...]