Like many actors who want to develop their talents, Vanessa Hudgens observes people – and also uses the experience for personal growth. She also develops her awareness through reading, such as the book The Four Agreements. Hudgens chose to act in “Sucker Punch” – and wear risqué costumes for the role – because she found [...]
Bryce Dallas Howard portrays the “unapologetic” Fisher Willow in The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond, from a screenplay by Tennessee Williams. Howard says “The Hollywood scene, these parties, freak me out. I’ve never had a sip of alcohol in my life. I wasn’t interested in losing control. “There was alcoholism in my family, so I [...]
Amber Riley is one of the dynamic actor-singers on the musical/comedy series Glee. She recalls her rejection from American Idol: “My life was crushed when they told me ‘No.’ But I was 17, it was a long time ago and rejection like that only makes you stronger, gets you asking — how can I better [...]
Our personal identity – and how confident we are with it – can have a huge impact on our esteem and how fully we express our talents. Here are some quotes from the article: Ian McKellen reflects on ‘The Prisoner,’ Gandalf and gay rights, By Matea Gold, The Los Angeles Times. In his view, Hollywood [...]
From her article Lesson From a Young Actress: When I was little, my mother had a host of rules of “gentlemanly” behavior that you had to follow on a movie set if you wanted to be labeled a “professional.” Of course, Mom was wrong about a lot of things. As I have grown older, I’ve [...]
Jurnee Smollett plays Samantha Booke in the film “The Great Debaters” (set at Wiley College in Texas during the Great Depression), who becomes the first woman selected by debate coach Melvin B. Tolson (played by Denzel Washington) to compete on the debate team, which defeats the University of Southern California’s team (changed to Harvard in [...]
In his article The Art of Making Meaning [a summary of his podcast], creativity coach and author Eric Maisel speaks about a client of his: “Jack, an actor, had excellent verbal skills but a poor physical presence on stage. “With my help, he decided that he had to take responsibility for that aspect of his [...]
Nervous excitement “With any film and even theater, you never get over being scared and overwhelmed, because it’s a new character and that brings on a whole new set of circumstances.” Alison Lohman is talking about one form of anxiety that actors experience, and may try to avoid or stifle. But there can be value [...]
Jenna Gavigan’s role in the William Inge play “Come Back, Little Sheba” is the “vixen” Marie. Gavigan is on academic leave from Columbia University to pursue acting. A recent newspaper interview [Shedding the wings, by Amy Kaufman, Los Angeles Times, July 9, 2007; photo: Myung J. Chun] notes that “she wants to major in something [...]
Holly Hunter says about developing her talent as an actor, that she was “trying to get as much experience as I could. But very early on, I was always extremely particular. From the beginning, I was never desperate. “I did other things for money; you know, the normal, boring stuff – I temped, I did [...]
Elisabeth Shue is working on her ambition to play tennis professionally. “I like the road toward excellence. I like that it requires work. Everyday work. And it’s fulfilling to reach a goal of being as good as you can possibly be. And to push yourself.” Shue’s husband, Oscar-winning documentarian Davis Guggenheim (”An Inconvenient Truth”), directed [...]
Especially in such an ageist arena as entertainment, it is refreshing to hear some positive views on accepting, even embracing, our inevitable aging. Felicity Huffman thoughtfully expresses her perspectives on aging as an actor. [She stars in "Desperate Housewives" and the new film "Georgia Rule" (source of the photo) with Jane Fonda and Lindsay Lohan.] [...]
Rex Lee plays assistant Lloyd to a “rabid boss” – agent Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) on HBO’s hit series “Entourage.” In an article on Lee [Memoirs of a Gaysian, by Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times April 12, 2007] the author notes “Lloyd has become something of a pop icon — thanks in large part to [...]
Melora Hardin [Jan Levinson in NBC's "The Office"] is also a musician, and in our interview several years ago, she talked about how actors and artists – especially women – are responded to and labeled. “I have never ever felt when I walked into a room as a brunette that anybody was testing my intelligence. [...]
Harry Dean Stanton – compelling authenticity “I play myself all the time… on camera and off. What else can I do?” Harry Dean Stanton [photo and quote from the HBO.com section for “Big Love”] Nicolas Cage thinks “Harry Dean exudes a spiritual awareness that’s steeped in deep sadness, and it’s so compelling to watch on [...]
Ian McKellen on timing Ian McKellen admits in a recent article that it has taken time and life experience to develop the self-confidence that now helps fuel his dynamic roles. “Suppose it had been me who played Tom Jones [1963], not Albert Finney?” he said. “There was never any question of me playing those sorts [...]
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