by Chad Kennerk
K.J. Relth-Miller, Director of Film Programs.
All images courtesy the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
The Academy’s annual ceremony is just one aspect of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ overall examination and recognition of film. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is the largest museum in the United States devoted to the art, science, and artists behind the magic of the movies. Through exhibitions, curated film series and extensive programming, the Academy Museum celebrates and captures the stories behind the art of moviemaking. The museum’s David Geffen and Ted Mann theatres present a year-round robust calendar of screenings, film series, member programs, panel discussions, and more. Through retrospectives and thematic film series, the artistic and cultural contributions of those in front of and behind the camera are illuminated and explored.
One of the great actors of the 20th century, Marlon Brando studied...
K.J. Relth-Miller, Director of Film Programs.
All images courtesy the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
The Academy’s annual ceremony is just one aspect of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ overall examination and recognition of film. The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is the largest museum in the United States devoted to the art, science, and artists behind the magic of the movies. Through exhibitions, curated film series and extensive programming, the Academy Museum celebrates and captures the stories behind the art of moviemaking. The museum’s David Geffen and Ted Mann theatres present a year-round robust calendar of screenings, film series, member programs, panel discussions, and more. Through retrospectives and thematic film series, the artistic and cultural contributions of those in front of and behind the camera are illuminated and explored.
One of the great actors of the 20th century, Marlon Brando studied...
- 4/26/2024
- by Chad Kennerk
- Film Review Daily
To celebrate "The Godfather" turning 50 in 2022, The Hollywood Reporter sat down with actors James Caan, Robert Duvall, Talia Shire, and John Martino, who reflected on the creation and enduring legacy of director Francis Ford Coppola's cinematic masterpiece. Shire expressed her admiration for Marlon Brando's "breathtaking" transformation into the formidable Don Corleone.
"When he came to the set the first time, he was this handsome male," she recalled, but he utilized various makeup and acting techniques to transform himself into a weathered and wise mafioso, making him almost unrecognizable. The use of dental prosthetics gave Brando protruding jowls that made him resemble a bulldog, somehow lending Don Corleone a more dignified power.
Shire said that Brando also employed another unique performance method called "active listening" during filming. "It's not always when you say your lines that you pay attention; it is the listening to all the others around you.
"When he came to the set the first time, he was this handsome male," she recalled, but he utilized various makeup and acting techniques to transform himself into a weathered and wise mafioso, making him almost unrecognizable. The use of dental prosthetics gave Brando protruding jowls that made him resemble a bulldog, somehow lending Don Corleone a more dignified power.
Shire said that Brando also employed another unique performance method called "active listening" during filming. "It's not always when you say your lines that you pay attention; it is the listening to all the others around you.
- 4/20/2024
- by Caroline Madden
- Slash Film
On what would be his 100th birthday, Marlon Brando remains synonymous not with acting, but great acting — even if this ranked list of all his performances represents what may be the most wildly uneven filmography for any talent of his caliber. But that’s the power of Brando: A handful of his performances are so great and influential they shook up the art of acting forever. Even among his lesser performances, there’s compelling work deserving of rediscovery.
In order to best exemplify what made him such a singular onscreen presence, we ranked all 39 of his films (and one TV appearance), reflecting a spectrum as wide as the man’s broad shoulders. Based on the quality of Brando’s performances rather than the overall films themselves, there are some placements that may surprise you; for example, as great as Brando is in “The Godfather,” it’s still just the fourth-best...
In order to best exemplify what made him such a singular onscreen presence, we ranked all 39 of his films (and one TV appearance), reflecting a spectrum as wide as the man’s broad shoulders. Based on the quality of Brando’s performances rather than the overall films themselves, there are some placements that may surprise you; for example, as great as Brando is in “The Godfather,” it’s still just the fourth-best...
- 4/3/2024
- by Wilson Chapman and Noel Murray
- Indiewire
Entering the first scene with a fake gun in hand, protagonist Luca (Yiannis Niarros) tells the audience, "This is just an acting exercise." This explanation seems to apply to the entirety of Antonis Tsonis's feature debut, which consists of uneven scenes with a burdensome amount of exaggerated acting. What starts as an ambitious exploration of obsession and guilt gradually becomes a spectacle that feels too extravagant for its own good.
Luca is an ambitious method actor from Athens. He lives with Alekos (Kostas Nikouli), his brother, who is irritated by his obsessive approach to theatre. Wanting to follow in the footsteps of his heroes, Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, the protagonist often ignores his immediate surroundings to practice accents and character ideas. In the background, tapes of acting teacher Stella Adler egg him on with orders and parables. He comprehends and embraces the sacrifices method actors must make, even willing to.
Luca is an ambitious method actor from Athens. He lives with Alekos (Kostas Nikouli), his brother, who is irritated by his obsessive approach to theatre. Wanting to follow in the footsteps of his heroes, Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, the protagonist often ignores his immediate surroundings to practice accents and character ideas. In the background, tapes of acting teacher Stella Adler egg him on with orders and parables. He comprehends and embraces the sacrifices method actors must make, even willing to.
- 1/21/2024
- by Sergiu Inizian
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
This story about Young Mazino first appeared in the Down to the Wire: Drama and Limited Series issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine. All actor interviews in that issue were conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike began.
Young Mazino — who portrays the crypto-hip, empathetic Paul on Netflix/A24’s “Beef” — celebrated his first Emmy nomination like any normal person would. He quietly rejoiced, then went to see “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning: Part One.”
But the day was obviously a good one even before he got to spend time in a dark theater watching Tom Cruise, particularly since “Beef” became the first fully Aapi-created limited or anthology series to be nominated for the top prize in that category. Nearly all of its principal cast was given a nod, including Steven Yeun (who plays Mazino’s caretaking older brother), Ali Wong and Joseph Lee, all of whom Mazino has several notable scenes with.
Young Mazino — who portrays the crypto-hip, empathetic Paul on Netflix/A24’s “Beef” — celebrated his first Emmy nomination like any normal person would. He quietly rejoiced, then went to see “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning: Part One.”
But the day was obviously a good one even before he got to spend time in a dark theater watching Tom Cruise, particularly since “Beef” became the first fully Aapi-created limited or anthology series to be nominated for the top prize in that category. Nearly all of its principal cast was given a nod, including Steven Yeun (who plays Mazino’s caretaking older brother), Ali Wong and Joseph Lee, all of whom Mazino has several notable scenes with.
- 8/18/2023
- by Jason Clark
- The Wrap
Longtime character actor Mark Margolis died on Thursday at New York City’s Mount Sinai Hospital following a short illness, according to multiple reports. He was 83.
Perhaps best known for his role as paralyzed mob enforcer Hector “Tio” Salamanca on “Breaking Bad” — and later, “Better Call Saul” — Margolis got his start studying under Stella Adler at the Actors Studio. He began acting in the mid-1970s, before his breakthrough role as Alberto the Shadow in 1983’s iconic crime epic “Scarface”.
Other memorable performances included his roles as intimidating landlord Mr. Shickadance in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” and HIV-infected mob boss Antonio Nappa on “Oz”. Margolis was a particular favourite of director Darren Aronofsky, appearing in six of his films: “Pi”, “Requiem for a Dream”, “The Fountain”, “The Wrestler”, “Black Swan” and “Noah”.
His final acting performance was a “Breaking Bad” reunion of sorts, as he appeared in two episodes of...
Perhaps best known for his role as paralyzed mob enforcer Hector “Tio” Salamanca on “Breaking Bad” — and later, “Better Call Saul” — Margolis got his start studying under Stella Adler at the Actors Studio. He began acting in the mid-1970s, before his breakthrough role as Alberto the Shadow in 1983’s iconic crime epic “Scarface”.
Other memorable performances included his roles as intimidating landlord Mr. Shickadance in “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” and HIV-infected mob boss Antonio Nappa on “Oz”. Margolis was a particular favourite of director Darren Aronofsky, appearing in six of his films: “Pi”, “Requiem for a Dream”, “The Fountain”, “The Wrestler”, “Black Swan” and “Noah”.
His final acting performance was a “Breaking Bad” reunion of sorts, as he appeared in two episodes of...
- 8/4/2023
- by Becca Longmire
- ET Canada
One of cinema's most illustrious character actors has left us. Mark Margolis, best known for his performance as Hector Salamanca in both "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul," sadly passed away in New York City earlier today at the age of 83. According to The Hollywood Reporter, his death came after a "short illness" and was officially announced by the performer's son, Morgan Margolis.
Margolis may be most recognizable to younger audiences for his acclaimed television role as the head of the Salamanca crime family, for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2012, but his tireless work in the industry stretches back to the 1970s. Appearing in films such as 1979's "Going in Style" and Brian De Palma's "Dressed to Kill" in 1980, Margolis would go on to find great success with supporting roles in "Scarface" as bodyguard and hitman Alberto the Shadow, "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" in 1994 alongside Jim Carrey,...
Margolis may be most recognizable to younger audiences for his acclaimed television role as the head of the Salamanca crime family, for which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in 2012, but his tireless work in the industry stretches back to the 1970s. Appearing in films such as 1979's "Going in Style" and Brian De Palma's "Dressed to Kill" in 1980, Margolis would go on to find great success with supporting roles in "Scarface" as bodyguard and hitman Alberto the Shadow, "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" in 1994 alongside Jim Carrey,...
- 8/4/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Mark Margolis, Actor Who Played ‘Tio’ Salamanca on ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘Better Call Saul,’ Dead at 83
Mark Margolis, the longtime character actor whose career pinnacled with unforgettable arcs on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has died at the age of 83.
Margolis’ son announced the actor’s death Friday, noting that Margolis died at New York’s Mt. Sinai Hospital on August 3 following a short illness.
“He was one of a kind. We won’t see his likes again. He was a treasured client and a lifelong friend. I was lucky to know him,” his manager Robert Kolker said in a statement.
View this post on...
Margolis’ son announced the actor’s death Friday, noting that Margolis died at New York’s Mt. Sinai Hospital on August 3 following a short illness.
“He was one of a kind. We won’t see his likes again. He was a treasured client and a lifelong friend. I was lucky to know him,” his manager Robert Kolker said in a statement.
View this post on...
- 8/4/2023
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Mark Margolis, a veteran actor with hundreds of credits dating back to the 1970s but perhaps best known for his Emmy-nominated portrayal of cartel don Hector “Tio” Salamanca on TV’s Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, died Thursday at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City following a short illness. He was 83.
His death was announced by son Morgan Margolis, the CEO of Knitting Factory Entertainment. Morgan Margolis said he and Mark’s wife Jacqueline were at his bedside at the time of death.
“He was one of a kind,” said manager Robert Kolker of Red Letter Entertainment. “We won’t see his likes again. He was a treasured client and a lifelong friend. I was lucky to know him.”
Born on November 26, 1939 in Philadelphia, Margolis briefly attended Temple University before moving to New York City to study acting, first under Stella Adler at the Actors Studio and subsequently...
His death was announced by son Morgan Margolis, the CEO of Knitting Factory Entertainment. Morgan Margolis said he and Mark’s wife Jacqueline were at his bedside at the time of death.
“He was one of a kind,” said manager Robert Kolker of Red Letter Entertainment. “We won’t see his likes again. He was a treasured client and a lifelong friend. I was lucky to know him.”
Born on November 26, 1939 in Philadelphia, Margolis briefly attended Temple University before moving to New York City to study acting, first under Stella Adler at the Actors Studio and subsequently...
- 8/4/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Mark Margolis, best known for playing drug runner Hector Salamanca on Breaking Bad, and its prequel Better Call Saul, has died at the age of 83. He passed away on August 3 after a short illness at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City, with his wife Jacqueline and son Morgan at his bedside. Robert Kolker of Red Letter Entertainment, his manager since 2007, said in a statement, “He was one of a kind. We won’t see his likes again. He was a treasured client and a lifelong friend. I was lucky to know him.” Mark Margolis was born in 1939 and studied drama with Stella Adler at the Actors Studio. His first role was an uncredited one in a non-performing minor role in the pornographic feature in 1976, The Opening of Misty Beethoven, followed by the TV movie The Other Side of Victory the same year. His first prominent film role was in...
- 8/4/2023
- TV Insider
We’re sad to report that beloved actor Mark Margolis died at 83 on Thursday. He is known for his show-stopping roles in movies like Scarface and Darren Aronofsky’s Pi, Requiem For A Dream, and The Fountain. On the television side of the industry, Margolis’ credits are incredibly impressive, covering an expansive spectrum of memorable roles and one-off characters. A valuable film, television, and stage player, he’s best known for his break-out role of Alberto “The Shadow” in Scarface and recently as the character Hector “Tio” Salamanca in the TV series Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
Margolis passed away August 3, 2023, at Mt. Sinai Hospital in his beloved and longtime home of New York City, with his wife Jacqueline and Morgan at his bedside, following a short illness.
“He was one of a kind. We won’t see his likes again. He was a treasured client and a lifelong friend.
Margolis passed away August 3, 2023, at Mt. Sinai Hospital in his beloved and longtime home of New York City, with his wife Jacqueline and Morgan at his bedside, following a short illness.
“He was one of a kind. We won’t see his likes again. He was a treasured client and a lifelong friend.
- 8/4/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Mark Margolis, the journeyman actor who turned in a commanding performance as the vindictive drug runner Hector Salamanca, a man of few words and a bell, on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, has died. He was 83.
Margolis died Thursday at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City following a short illness, his son, actor and Knitting Factory Entertainment CEO Morgan Margolis, announced.
A protégé of Stella Adler who did double duty as the legendary acting teacher’s personal assistant, Margolis also stood out as the Bolivian henchman Alberto the Shadow in Brian De Palma’s Scarface (1983); as the gravelly voiced landlord Mr. Shickadance looking for the rent in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994); and, from 1998-2003, as the HIV-infected mob boss Antonio Nappa on HBO’s Oz.
The Philadelphia native played an aging math teacher for Darren Aronofsky in Pi (1998), then showed up in the filmmaker’s next five movies:...
Margolis died Thursday at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City following a short illness, his son, actor and Knitting Factory Entertainment CEO Morgan Margolis, announced.
A protégé of Stella Adler who did double duty as the legendary acting teacher’s personal assistant, Margolis also stood out as the Bolivian henchman Alberto the Shadow in Brian De Palma’s Scarface (1983); as the gravelly voiced landlord Mr. Shickadance looking for the rent in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994); and, from 1998-2003, as the HIV-infected mob boss Antonio Nappa on HBO’s Oz.
The Philadelphia native played an aging math teacher for Darren Aronofsky in Pi (1998), then showed up in the filmmaker’s next five movies:...
- 8/4/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Carlin Glynn, who won a Tony Award for her performance as the madam Mona Stangley in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and had strong supporting turns in the films Sixteen Candles and The Trip to Bountiful, has died. She was 83.
Glynn died July 13, her daughter, actress Mary Stuart Masterson (Fried Green Tomatoes, Benny & Joon), announced in an Instagram post. She died in upstate New York, and the cause was lung cancer.
“My mother, Carlin Glynn Masterson, passed away. I was with her. I will always be grateful for those last moments, no matter how hard,” she wrote. “Death is like birth in the oddest way. From my first breath to her last. This thread is as fragile as it is strong.
“She was the most graceful clumsy person you would ever meet. Strong, smart, silly, intuitive, kind, generous, passionate and a deep listener. She was devoted to my father...
Glynn died July 13, her daughter, actress Mary Stuart Masterson (Fried Green Tomatoes, Benny & Joon), announced in an Instagram post. She died in upstate New York, and the cause was lung cancer.
“My mother, Carlin Glynn Masterson, passed away. I was with her. I will always be grateful for those last moments, no matter how hard,” she wrote. “Death is like birth in the oddest way. From my first breath to her last. This thread is as fragile as it is strong.
“She was the most graceful clumsy person you would ever meet. Strong, smart, silly, intuitive, kind, generous, passionate and a deep listener. She was devoted to my father...
- 7/20/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Carlin Glynn, the Tony-winning star of Broadway hit The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, died July 13 from complications of dementia and cancer. She was 83 and her death was confirmed by her daughter, actress Mary Stuart Masterson.
Masterson posted on Instagram about her mother.
“She was the most graceful clumsy person you would ever meet. Strong, smart, silly, intuitive, kind, generous, passionate, and a deep listener. She was devoted to my father and to the enormous circle of students and collaborators who were considered her chosen family.”
Born on February 19, 1940 in Cleveland, Glynn was raised in Houston. She moved to New York to study at The Actors Studio under Stella Adler and Wynn Handman before moving back to Houston, where she met local actor Peter Masterson while working with him.
They married and relocated to New York City so that Masterson could continue his acting career. Glynn left the business to raise the couple’s children.
Masterson posted on Instagram about her mother.
“She was the most graceful clumsy person you would ever meet. Strong, smart, silly, intuitive, kind, generous, passionate, and a deep listener. She was devoted to my father and to the enormous circle of students and collaborators who were considered her chosen family.”
Born on February 19, 1940 in Cleveland, Glynn was raised in Houston. She moved to New York to study at The Actors Studio under Stella Adler and Wynn Handman before moving back to Houston, where she met local actor Peter Masterson while working with him.
They married and relocated to New York City so that Masterson could continue his acting career. Glynn left the business to raise the couple’s children.
- 7/20/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Inevitable Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping disabled screenwriters reach their full commercial and creative potential, has selected its Spring 2023 Elevate Collective Award winners.
Lydia Caradine, Halo Starling, Alys Murray, Zayre Ferrer, and Filipe Coutinho will each receive a $5,000 grant to invest in career coaching, professional development, script consultation, work-from-home setups, and intellectual property acquisition. It also offers community building and professional networking opportunities for members and ongoing support from the Inevitable Foundation team.
Lydia Caradine, Halo Starling, Alys Murray, Zayre Ferrer and Filipe Coutinho.
“We are proud to support these talented disabled screenwriters with $5,000 professional development grants, which will help them level-up their careers and projects” Inevitable Foundation co-founders Richie Siegel and Marisa Torelli-Pedevska said in a joint statement.
Disabled people make up 20 percent+ of the population but represent less than 1 percent of writers behind the screen. The foundation focuses on increasing the odds for disabled creatives by...
Lydia Caradine, Halo Starling, Alys Murray, Zayre Ferrer, and Filipe Coutinho will each receive a $5,000 grant to invest in career coaching, professional development, script consultation, work-from-home setups, and intellectual property acquisition. It also offers community building and professional networking opportunities for members and ongoing support from the Inevitable Foundation team.
Lydia Caradine, Halo Starling, Alys Murray, Zayre Ferrer and Filipe Coutinho.
“We are proud to support these talented disabled screenwriters with $5,000 professional development grants, which will help them level-up their careers and projects” Inevitable Foundation co-founders Richie Siegel and Marisa Torelli-Pedevska said in a joint statement.
Disabled people make up 20 percent+ of the population but represent less than 1 percent of writers behind the screen. The foundation focuses on increasing the odds for disabled creatives by...
- 5/23/2023
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
“Method acting” long ago lost its meaning.
Instead, it’s become a catchall to describe an intense commitment to getting it right on stage or screen. It’s an all-out approach that sees performers pack and shed pounds, feast on live cockroaches or raw bison, extract teeth or eschew showers, and remain in character between takes. Those are just a few examples of the extremes to which Robert De Niro, Christian Bale, Nicolas Cage, Leonardo DiCaprio, Shia Labeouf, Charlize Theron, Daniel Day-Lewis and their ilk push themselves in the service of their art. For their suffering, they receive Oscars and Emmys, along with a ton of media coverage — just look at the scores of pieces documenting the gonzo things Jared Leto has done each time one of his movies get released.
The payoff can be electrifying performances that blur the lines between character and actor. But it’s an approach...
Instead, it’s become a catchall to describe an intense commitment to getting it right on stage or screen. It’s an all-out approach that sees performers pack and shed pounds, feast on live cockroaches or raw bison, extract teeth or eschew showers, and remain in character between takes. Those are just a few examples of the extremes to which Robert De Niro, Christian Bale, Nicolas Cage, Leonardo DiCaprio, Shia Labeouf, Charlize Theron, Daniel Day-Lewis and their ilk push themselves in the service of their art. For their suffering, they receive Oscars and Emmys, along with a ton of media coverage — just look at the scores of pieces documenting the gonzo things Jared Leto has done each time one of his movies get released.
The payoff can be electrifying performances that blur the lines between character and actor. But it’s an approach...
- 4/6/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Joining an illustrious list of honorees that includes Clint Eastwood, Amy Poehler and Geena Davis, Josh Brolin is set to receive the 2023 Sun Valley Film Festival’s Vision Award, which recognizes entertainment veterans for the impact on the industry. Brolin began his career more than 35 years ago as one of the stars of Richard Donner’s “The Goonies,” and he’s since won acclaim for work in films as varied as Ethan and Joel Coen’s “No Country for Old Men,” Oliver Stone’s “W.,” Gus Van Sant’s “Milk,” Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Inherent Vice,” Joe and Anthony Russo’s “Avengers: Infinity War” and its sequel, “Endgame,” and more.
That many of those high-profile roles came to him more than 20 years after becoming an actor isn’t something Brolin resents now — in fact quite the opposite. “That feels amazing as opposed to somebody who came out of the gate...
That many of those high-profile roles came to him more than 20 years after becoming an actor isn’t something Brolin resents now — in fact quite the opposite. “That feels amazing as opposed to somebody who came out of the gate...
- 3/31/2023
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
Ted Donaldson, who starred as Bud Anderson on the original radio version of Father Knows Best and as Neely Nolan in the beloved family drama A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, the first feature directed by Elia Kazan, has died. He was 89.
Donaldson died Wednesday of complications from a fall in his Echo Park apartment in January, his friend Thomas Bruno told The Hollywood Reporter.
In his big-screen debut, Donaldson portrayed a boy who gets his pet caterpillar Curly to dance when he plays “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby” on the harmonica in the comedy fantasy Once Upon a Time (1944), starring Cary Grant and Janet Blair.
He also starred as Danny Mitchell in eight B-movies from Columbia Pictures that revolved around a German shepherd named Rusty. The first one, Adventures of Rusty (1945), featured Ace the Wonder Dog.
An only child, Donaldson was born in Brooklyn on Aug. 20, 1933. His father was...
Donaldson died Wednesday of complications from a fall in his Echo Park apartment in January, his friend Thomas Bruno told The Hollywood Reporter.
In his big-screen debut, Donaldson portrayed a boy who gets his pet caterpillar Curly to dance when he plays “Yes Sir, That’s My Baby” on the harmonica in the comedy fantasy Once Upon a Time (1944), starring Cary Grant and Janet Blair.
He also starred as Danny Mitchell in eight B-movies from Columbia Pictures that revolved around a German shepherd named Rusty. The first one, Adventures of Rusty (1945), featured Ace the Wonder Dog.
An only child, Donaldson was born in Brooklyn on Aug. 20, 1933. His father was...
- 3/3/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In the post-New Hollywood era, there are movie stars and there is Warren Beatty. The sturdily built, 6'2" dreamboat could've been a fine football player, but his movie-mad sister, Shirley MacLaine, got him fired up about acting. Beatty studied under Stella Adler, and arrived fully formed as a matinee idol opposite Natalie Wood in Elia Kazan's 1961 hit, "Splendor in the Grass." Beatty took not just to the craft, but the game. He produced and starred in Arthur Penn's "Bonnie and Clyde," which, by dint of his star power, drop-kicked studios into an era of blind risk-taking.
But there was nothing blind about investing in Beatty. "Easy Rider," "Five Easy Pieces," and even "The French Connection" were long shots. Place Beatty at the top of the marquee, and you had an event. The problem for studios was that Beatty had peculiar appetites. Ideally, you'd plug him into "Love Story" or "The Way We Were.
But there was nothing blind about investing in Beatty. "Easy Rider," "Five Easy Pieces," and even "The French Connection" were long shots. Place Beatty at the top of the marquee, and you had an event. The problem for studios was that Beatty had peculiar appetites. Ideally, you'd plug him into "Love Story" or "The Way We Were.
- 2/11/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
For over fifty years, Robert De Niro has stood atop the acting profession. The man behind countless iconic roles, who has made his mark on cinema history starring in some of the greatest films of all time, De Niro has had the sort of career that young actors dream of. His accolades include two Oscars, a Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award, and even the Presidential Medal of Freedom. There's no denying that De Niro's career has been nothing short of marvelous.
De Niro's success has not been by luck or accident. He's an extremely skilled performer, capable of portraying a great range of characters, from a ruthless mafia boss in "Goodfellas" to an obsessive wannabe comedian in "The King of Comedy." No matter the role, De Niro has a way of putting on extremely layered and complex performances. His acting is so respected that entire books have been written about it.
De Niro's success has not been by luck or accident. He's an extremely skilled performer, capable of portraying a great range of characters, from a ruthless mafia boss in "Goodfellas" to an obsessive wannabe comedian in "The King of Comedy." No matter the role, De Niro has a way of putting on extremely layered and complex performances. His acting is so respected that entire books have been written about it.
- 11/24/2022
- by Matt Rainis
- Slash Film
John Sturges' 1960 western "The Magnificent Seven" was a Yul Brynner vehicle from the jump -- it was he and actor Anthony Quinn who had acquired the rights to remake Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai" epic as a western. To fill out the rest of the hired guns tasked to protect a Mexican village, the "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" filmmaker would reunite "Never So Few" stars Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson as, respectively, a drifter and a broke mercenary. Robert Vaughn would play a traumatized war veteran, while Brad Dexter and "German James Dean" Horst Buchholz would round out the crew. James Coburn was last to come aboard.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly in 2001, Coburn revealed that he was one of the few cast members who had caught the original Kurosawa film beforehand. He would subsequently spend "a week straight" taking friends to see it:
"Cut to a year later,...
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly in 2001, Coburn revealed that he was one of the few cast members who had caught the original Kurosawa film beforehand. He would subsequently spend "a week straight" taking friends to see it:
"Cut to a year later,...
- 11/10/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
For Tom Hanks, "Big" was the movie that changed everything. Prior to his Oscar-nominated performance as Josh Baskin, a prepubescent kid who wakes up as a thirty-something grown man after wishing to be big, he was pretty much just that guy from "Bosom Buddies."
Sure, he'd done a few films between "Bosom Buddies" and landing the role that would net him his first Academy Award nod. Most of them leaned into his sitcom chops and portrayed his characters as smarmy, bumbling, out of their depth... or sometimes all three, like in "Volunteers." But thanks to a fortuitous sequence of events (including the likes of Robert De Niro and Harrison Ford passing on the role), Hanks landed one of his career-defining parts.
He had a couple misfires at the box office in the years to follow, most notably "The Bonfire of the Vanities," but soon enough he was back on track...
Sure, he'd done a few films between "Bosom Buddies" and landing the role that would net him his first Academy Award nod. Most of them leaned into his sitcom chops and portrayed his characters as smarmy, bumbling, out of their depth... or sometimes all three, like in "Volunteers." But thanks to a fortuitous sequence of events (including the likes of Robert De Niro and Harrison Ford passing on the role), Hanks landed one of his career-defining parts.
He had a couple misfires at the box office in the years to follow, most notably "The Bonfire of the Vanities," but soon enough he was back on track...
- 11/10/2022
- by Jeff Kelly
- Slash Film
Few conversation topics get actors more riled up than “method acting.” The phrase, which originally referred to a specific style of thespian preparation as pioneered by Konstantin Stanislavsky, is now used as a catch-all term to describe actors going to extreme lengths to get inside the minds of their characters. Some of Hollywood’s most well-known actors have defended the practice, while others dismiss it as a waste of time that makes everyone on set uncomfortable.
Regardless of where you land on the approach’s merits, the renewed interest in the sometimes intense techniques actors employ to perform won’t be going anywhere any time soon. In a new interview with the New York Times, “The Sopranos” and soon-to-be “White Lotus” star Michael Imperioli reflected on some of his early years as an aspiring performer looking for guidance from the greats.
At 19, Imperioli began taking lessons at the legendary Actors Studio in New York City,...
Regardless of where you land on the approach’s merits, the renewed interest in the sometimes intense techniques actors employ to perform won’t be going anywhere any time soon. In a new interview with the New York Times, “The Sopranos” and soon-to-be “White Lotus” star Michael Imperioli reflected on some of his early years as an aspiring performer looking for guidance from the greats.
At 19, Imperioli began taking lessons at the legendary Actors Studio in New York City,...
- 10/15/2022
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
On the set of "Full Metal Jacket," life (unfortunately) imitated art. In Stanley Kubrick's 1987 war film, Private J.T. "Joker" Davis (Matthew Modine) and Private Leonard "Gomer Pyle" Lawrence (Vincent D'Onofrio) are thrown together by their drill instructor, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (Lee Ermey), who singles out Pyle as a target for bullying and berating. While Joker initially succeeds in helping Pyle improve by adopting a kinder, more patient approach, Hartman's sadistic tactics and peer pressure from the other recruits soon drive a wedge between them.
After being subjected to abuse by Hartman and brutal hazing by the other recruits, Pyle's mental health takes a terrifying turn for the worst, culminating in a violent outburst. But it was Modine who was almost driven to violence on-set, as he and D'Onofrio's contrasting creative approaches put them at odds with each other.
"I really wanted to [kill D'Onofrio]," Modine confessed to The Independent.
After being subjected to abuse by Hartman and brutal hazing by the other recruits, Pyle's mental health takes a terrifying turn for the worst, culminating in a violent outburst. But it was Modine who was almost driven to violence on-set, as he and D'Onofrio's contrasting creative approaches put them at odds with each other.
"I really wanted to [kill D'Onofrio]," Modine confessed to The Independent.
- 10/14/2022
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
Taking a breather from some of the physically demanding and sometimes villainous roles she’s played of late in the likes of Marvel franchises and HBO’s Westworld, Tessa Thompson stars in The Listener as a more unsung sort of superhuman: a crisis hotline worker.
Perhaps seeing a chance to push to nearly the limit that old thespian saying — sometimes attributed to performance coach Stella Adler — that “acting is reacting,” this spare, low-tech work mostly focuses on Thompson’s expressive face as she listens to calls for help from 10 very different people in distress. The voice cast offers a mix of famous (Margaret Cho, Alia Shawkat, Rebecca Hall) and less well-known names, democratically allotted roughly the same amount of air time by the film.
The Listener represents actor-director Steve Buscemi’s fifth directing credit, the second after Lonesome Jim where’s he’s stayed strictly behind the camera.
Taking a breather from some of the physically demanding and sometimes villainous roles she’s played of late in the likes of Marvel franchises and HBO’s Westworld, Tessa Thompson stars in The Listener as a more unsung sort of superhuman: a crisis hotline worker.
Perhaps seeing a chance to push to nearly the limit that old thespian saying — sometimes attributed to performance coach Stella Adler — that “acting is reacting,” this spare, low-tech work mostly focuses on Thompson’s expressive face as she listens to calls for help from 10 very different people in distress. The voice cast offers a mix of famous (Margaret Cho, Alia Shawkat, Rebecca Hall) and less well-known names, democratically allotted roughly the same amount of air time by the film.
The Listener represents actor-director Steve Buscemi’s fifth directing credit, the second after Lonesome Jim where’s he’s stayed strictly behind the camera.
- 9/12/2022
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
During the casting of "The Godfather," Paramount executives did not agree with director Francis Ford Coppola's choice of Marlon Brando for the iron-willed Vito Corleone. After a string of box office failures, on-set conflicts, and personal issues, they saw him as a temperamental has-been and prima donna. In his autobiography "Songs My Mother Taught Me," Brando admits even he thought he wasn't right for the part:
"I had never played an Italian before, and I didn't think I could do it successfully. They had to be convinced that he, not someone like Ernest Borgnine or Carlo Ponti, was perfect for the role."
But Brando proved he was the ideal choice, giving a hypnotic performance of sheer intensity and measured wisdom that went on to become his most iconic and earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor (though he famously declined the trophy and sent indigenous American rights activist...
"I had never played an Italian before, and I didn't think I could do it successfully. They had to be convinced that he, not someone like Ernest Borgnine or Carlo Ponti, was perfect for the role."
But Brando proved he was the ideal choice, giving a hypnotic performance of sheer intensity and measured wisdom that went on to become his most iconic and earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor (though he famously declined the trophy and sent indigenous American rights activist...
- 9/9/2022
- by Caroline Madden
- Slash Film
Casting movie stars can be a tricky proposition, especially if you're making a big-budget film with unproven talent. In 1987, that's exactly what Kevin Costner was. He'd appeared in three box-office bombs in 1985, and, prior to this, had been cut out of Lawrence Kasdan's Baby Boomer smash "The Big Chill." But after missing out on the more established Don Johnson (who was red hot at the time thanks to "Miami Vice"), Costner wound up being Brian De Palma's Eliot Ness in the hit-hungry director's big-screen rendition of "The Untouchables." And while De Palma had a bit of movie star insurance in Sean Connery as the veteran beat cop Malone, David Mamet's masterful screenplay screamed for a larger-than-life Al Capone.
De Palma only had eyes for Robert De Niro, and he had a history with the actor, having worked with him in the counterculture comedies "Greetings" and "Hi, Mom!
De Palma only had eyes for Robert De Niro, and he had a history with the actor, having worked with him in the counterculture comedies "Greetings" and "Hi, Mom!
- 8/31/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
When movie fans hear the phrase "method acting," they likely associate the phrase with the horror stories of actors like Jared Leto making the set of "Morbius" an absolute nightmare, or the continued trend of romanticizing the extreme lengths actors go to prepare for "Batman" films. The ethics of method acting has been highly debated for years, with actors like Jon Bernthal and Andrew McCarthy both speaking out against the abuse of the practice, and the public's misunderstandings about what method acting actually entails. Method acting is built upon the principles of Konstantin Stanislavski, with groundbreaking theater educators Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, and Sanford Meisner developing their own techniques to enhance "The Method."
The latest actor to throw in their two cents is Andrew Garfield, who recently expressed his feelings on method acting during an interview with Variety. "There [have] been a lot of misconceptions about what method acting is, I think,...
The latest actor to throw in their two cents is Andrew Garfield, who recently expressed his feelings on method acting during an interview with Variety. "There [have] been a lot of misconceptions about what method acting is, I think,...
- 8/22/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
A lot of people have opinions on method acting without really knowing what it means. The concept of an actor staying in character all the time and being a jerk to everyone around them for the sake of art is not it. Method acting was an evolution of the system developed by Russian theater director and actor Konstantin Stanislavsky. The system was brought over to the United States in the Group Theatre and was interpreted differently among a few of its members: Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, and Sanford Meisner. Adler's approach favored the combination of research and imagination in crafting a performance....
The post Bradley Cooper Skipped A Major Life Moment To Film Wet Hot American Summer appeared first on /Film.
The post Bradley Cooper Skipped A Major Life Moment To Film Wet Hot American Summer appeared first on /Film.
- 4/25/2022
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
No actor in the history of cinema has had a greater impact on how to craft a performance than Marlon Brando. A student of legendary acting teacher Stella Adler, Brando broke open what a performer could do on screen in terms of spontaneity, speech, and internality. Initially criticized as a mumbler, he quickly became a lightning rod nobody could ignore, and now every actor who wants to go method fancies themself a new Marlon Brando, despite the fact that Brando was not a method actor (at least by the modern definition of the term). What helped rocket Brando to superstardom was he found a...
The post On the Waterfront Ending Explained: A Canary in a Coal Mine appeared first on /Film.
The post On the Waterfront Ending Explained: A Canary in a Coal Mine appeared first on /Film.
- 3/23/2022
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
Our first look at new books on filmmaking in 2022 must start with a mention of what is sure to be the most noteworthy cinema-related text in the first quarter of this year: Kyle Buchanan’s Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road (William Morrow). To learn more about this relentlessly readable look at the creation of George Miller’s masterpiece, check out my interview with Buchanan. And then go buy the book. You’ll thank me.
Now, on to other recommended reads from the tail-end of 2021 and the start of 2022…
Tech Noir: The Art of James Cameron by James Cameron (introduction by Guillermo del Toro) (Titan Books)
It is hard to believe that (if all goes according to plan) James Cameron’s Avatar 2 will finally be released at the end of 2022. However, even as Cameron prepares his first of four returns to Pandora,...
Now, on to other recommended reads from the tail-end of 2021 and the start of 2022…
Tech Noir: The Art of James Cameron by James Cameron (introduction by Guillermo del Toro) (Titan Books)
It is hard to believe that (if all goes according to plan) James Cameron’s Avatar 2 will finally be released at the end of 2022. However, even as Cameron prepares his first of four returns to Pandora,...
- 2/28/2022
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
Widely considered to be one of — if not the — greatest actors of all time, Marlon Brando's career spanned more than six decades and left an indelible impact on cinema. Across the nearly 50 films he made, Brando was nominated for eight Oscars and won two, first in 1955 for "On the Waterfront" and again in 1973 for his most famous role in "The Godfather."
Brando's career began in the theater, training with famed acting teacher Stella Adler. Thanks to her tutelage, Brando popularized method acting on stage and screen and formed a naturalistic style all his own, imbuing his characters with a deep personal and...
The post The 15 Best Marlon Brando Movies Ranked appeared first on /Film.
Brando's career began in the theater, training with famed acting teacher Stella Adler. Thanks to her tutelage, Brando popularized method acting on stage and screen and formed a naturalistic style all his own, imbuing his characters with a deep personal and...
The post The 15 Best Marlon Brando Movies Ranked appeared first on /Film.
- 12/10/2021
- by Molly Turner
- Slash Film
Signing on to make a monster movie must be a stressful venture. How does one get into the mindset of being eaten by a gigantic, flesh-eating alien? Ask Stella Adler because we don’t have an answer for you. Luckily for Mary Elizabeth Winstead, when she signed up for 10 Cloverfield Lane, she didn’t know she was making a …...
- 10/21/2021
- by Matt Schimkowitz
- avclub.com
Joanne Linville, a prolific character actress best known for playing a Romulan commander in an episode of the original “Star Trek,” died Monday, CAA confirmed to TheWrap.
The character actress worked alongside Barbra Streisand in the 1976 “A Star is Born”
Born in Bakersfield and raised in Venice, CA, Linville established herself an actress in the mid-‘50s and ‘60s, gaining guest roles on “Studio One,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” and “Kraft Theatre.”
While Linville never became a series regular, she continued to work steadily with guest appearances on “Charlie’s Angels,” “Dynasty,” and “L.A. Law.”
Linville is best remembered for her role as the first female actor to play a Romulan in the “Star Trek” franchise in 1968.
The character actress expanded into film, with supporting roles in “A Star Is Born” (1976), “Scorpio” (1973), and “The Seduction” (1982).
Shifting into a teaching role by the 1980s, Linville opened an acting conservancy with her teacher Stella Adler.
The character actress worked alongside Barbra Streisand in the 1976 “A Star is Born”
Born in Bakersfield and raised in Venice, CA, Linville established herself an actress in the mid-‘50s and ‘60s, gaining guest roles on “Studio One,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” and “Kraft Theatre.”
While Linville never became a series regular, she continued to work steadily with guest appearances on “Charlie’s Angels,” “Dynasty,” and “L.A. Law.”
Linville is best remembered for her role as the first female actor to play a Romulan in the “Star Trek” franchise in 1968.
The character actress expanded into film, with supporting roles in “A Star Is Born” (1976), “Scorpio” (1973), and “The Seduction” (1982).
Shifting into a teaching role by the 1980s, Linville opened an acting conservancy with her teacher Stella Adler.
- 6/21/2021
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
Joanne Linville, who was best known for playing a Romulan commander in “Star Trek,” died Sunday in Los Angeles, her agent confirmed to Variety. She was 93.
Born in Bakersfield, Calif. as Beverly Joanne Linville, she was the first female actor to play a Romulan in the “Star Trek” franchise. Linville was a fixture on television from the 1950s to the ’80s, appearing in over 100 film and TV shows, including anthology series such as “Studio One,” “Kraft Theatre” and “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”
While she never held a regular recurring role on TV, Linville guest-starred on numerous shows, including Westerns, dramas and detective series. Linville starred in six episodes of “Studio One” and three episodes of “Gunsmoke.” Throughout her career, which spanned over six decades, she also appeared in “Hawaii Five-o,” “Barnaby Jones,” “Naked City,” “Adventures in Paradise” and “One Step Beyond.”
In 1961, Linville guest starred in an episode of “The Twilight Zone,...
Born in Bakersfield, Calif. as Beverly Joanne Linville, she was the first female actor to play a Romulan in the “Star Trek” franchise. Linville was a fixture on television from the 1950s to the ’80s, appearing in over 100 film and TV shows, including anthology series such as “Studio One,” “Kraft Theatre” and “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.”
While she never held a regular recurring role on TV, Linville guest-starred on numerous shows, including Westerns, dramas and detective series. Linville starred in six episodes of “Studio One” and three episodes of “Gunsmoke.” Throughout her career, which spanned over six decades, she also appeared in “Hawaii Five-o,” “Barnaby Jones,” “Naked City,” “Adventures in Paradise” and “One Step Beyond.”
In 1961, Linville guest starred in an episode of “The Twilight Zone,...
- 6/21/2021
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Joanne Linville, who played the Romulan commander in a memorable 1968 Star Trek episode and had scores of other screen credits, died Sunday. She was 93. CAA made the announcement but did not disclose a cause of death.
Linville began racking up TV guest roles in the mid-1950s, appearing on such series of the era as Studio One, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Kraft Theatre and Playhouse 90. She continued to guest on drama series throughout the ’60s, including such classics as Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The F.B.I., Route 66, Ben Casey, I Spy and a two-part Hawaii Five-0.
Of her work in that era, she might be most recognizable as Lavinia Gordon, the owner of a ruined Southern mansion in the Civil War-themed 1961 Twilight Zone episode titled “The Passersby,” which also starred James Gregory.
But despite her prolific active career from the mid-’50s to the late-’80s, and included a few latter-day roles, Linville...
Linville began racking up TV guest roles in the mid-1950s, appearing on such series of the era as Studio One, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Kraft Theatre and Playhouse 90. She continued to guest on drama series throughout the ’60s, including such classics as Bonanza, Gunsmoke, The F.B.I., Route 66, Ben Casey, I Spy and a two-part Hawaii Five-0.
Of her work in that era, she might be most recognizable as Lavinia Gordon, the owner of a ruined Southern mansion in the Civil War-themed 1961 Twilight Zone episode titled “The Passersby,” which also starred James Gregory.
But despite her prolific active career from the mid-’50s to the late-’80s, and included a few latter-day roles, Linville...
- 6/21/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
There is no doubt that excellency is associated with Krystle Kruz (aka Christelle Howeis & Krystle Houiess). Actor, director, producer & Ph.D. candidate Krystle has spent the last decade carving a name for herself in Los Angeles and internationally in film and academia. Her first short film from college, “A Broken Tear,” was screened in over twenty international film festivals and received six awards. Shortly after college, Krystle embarked on an upskilling journey, taking workshops in the United Kingdom and the United States, learning techniques including Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg, and the Actor’s Studio. Upon completing her studies of Stella
Seven Things You Didn’t Know About Krystle Houiess...
Seven Things You Didn’t Know About Krystle Houiess...
- 6/12/2021
- by Wendy Shepherd
- TVovermind.com
In the 1970s, Marlon Brando was unforgettable as “The Godfather” and shocked filmgoers with his powerful performance in “Last Tango in Paris.” The two-time Oscar winner, who would have turned 97 on April 3, made the role of Colonel Kurtz his own in “Apocalypse Now” and negotiated a stunning payday to play Superman’s father Jor-el.
But long before those marquee roles, 1950s critics sometimes had a hard time embracing the young stage performer who developed his highly naturalistic style of acting after training with Stella Adler and being guided by director Elia Kazan, who founded the Actor’s Studio. He modeled his Stanley Kowalski character in Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” on Broadway after boxer Rocky Graziano, and the rawness of his performances were sometimes confusing to observers more attuned to formal, old-fashioned acting. Long before “mumblecore” became a film genre, critics complained about Brando’s speech patterns until it...
But long before those marquee roles, 1950s critics sometimes had a hard time embracing the young stage performer who developed his highly naturalistic style of acting after training with Stella Adler and being guided by director Elia Kazan, who founded the Actor’s Studio. He modeled his Stanley Kowalski character in Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire” on Broadway after boxer Rocky Graziano, and the rawness of his performances were sometimes confusing to observers more attuned to formal, old-fashioned acting. Long before “mumblecore” became a film genre, critics complained about Brando’s speech patterns until it...
- 4/3/2021
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Mark Ruffalo has a clear recollection of the first time he walked into the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in Los Angeles.
“I was living in San Diego and basically just surfing and smoking weed and going nowhere really fast,” Ruffalo tells Variety. “Someone told me I should go study there so out of my desperation and my secret of wanting to be an actor, I took the train up there for an interview with my teacher Joanne Linville.”
He was excited, but also very nervous. He looked around at the photos on the walls of Adler from her various theater work. “Here I am, this kid from Kenosha, Wis., who was dyslexic, could barely read, I barely got through high school and I went in and I talked to Joanne,” Ruffalo says. “She interviewed me for like 10 minutes. She was like, ‘You belong here, darling.’ I never had anyone tell me I belong somewhere.
“I was living in San Diego and basically just surfing and smoking weed and going nowhere really fast,” Ruffalo tells Variety. “Someone told me I should go study there so out of my desperation and my secret of wanting to be an actor, I took the train up there for an interview with my teacher Joanne Linville.”
He was excited, but also very nervous. He looked around at the photos on the walls of Adler from her various theater work. “Here I am, this kid from Kenosha, Wis., who was dyslexic, could barely read, I barely got through high school and I went in and I talked to Joanne,” Ruffalo says. “She interviewed me for like 10 minutes. She was like, ‘You belong here, darling.’ I never had anyone tell me I belong somewhere.
- 10/8/2020
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Holland Taylor found the experience of playing studio executive Ellen Kincaid in Netflix’s “Hollywood” to be particularly meta. The actress, who just earned an Emmy nomination for her performance, was drawn to the idea of playing in the world she knows best. “I thought it would be fantastic to play a role about Hollywood in which I was a show business professional because I am a show business professional,” says Taylor in an exclusive interview with Gold Derby before the nominations, “and it would have that special meta experience, in a sense, playing the world that is your world.” Watch the exclusive interview above.
SEEDylan McDermott (‘Hollywood’) on his career ‘pivot’ and making his character ‘a showman’ [Watch]
One fun aspect of the role is Ellen’s knack for knowing exactly what she wants out of actors. In the series, we see her teaching a young actor about some of...
SEEDylan McDermott (‘Hollywood’) on his career ‘pivot’ and making his character ‘a showman’ [Watch]
One fun aspect of the role is Ellen’s knack for knowing exactly what she wants out of actors. In the series, we see her teaching a young actor about some of...
- 8/28/2020
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
John Saxon, character actor known for his roles in Westerns and horror films, died Saturday. His career spanned more than sixty years tallying more than 200 film credits. He co-starred with Bruce Lee in Enter The Dragon and starred in Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984. He was 83.
His wife stated he passed from pneumonia in his Murfreesboro, Tennessee in a statement to THR.
Saxon was born as Carmine Orrico in Brooklyn, New York in 1935. After graduating high school he studied with famous acting coach Stella Adler. Soon after Universal Studios contracted him and requested he be renamed to John Saxon. He was also notably skilled in judo and karate.
The mid to late 50s saw Saxon work as a teen idol with credits in films Rock, Pretty Baby, Summer Love, The Reluctant Debutante, This Happy Feeling, and Cry Tough. He won a Golden Globe in 1958 as Most Promising Newcomer Male.
His wife stated he passed from pneumonia in his Murfreesboro, Tennessee in a statement to THR.
Saxon was born as Carmine Orrico in Brooklyn, New York in 1935. After graduating high school he studied with famous acting coach Stella Adler. Soon after Universal Studios contracted him and requested he be renamed to John Saxon. He was also notably skilled in judo and karate.
The mid to late 50s saw Saxon work as a teen idol with credits in films Rock, Pretty Baby, Summer Love, The Reluctant Debutante, This Happy Feeling, and Cry Tough. He won a Golden Globe in 1958 as Most Promising Newcomer Male.
- 7/26/2020
- by Brandon Choe
- Deadline Film + TV
What do Meryl Streep, Jessica Chastain, Adam Driver and Oscar Isaac all have in common? Moni Yakim. For over 52 years, Yakim has taught movement at Julliard. His students have included Hollywood’s most celebrated actors, and he is often cited as one of their most formative influences.
The new documentary “Creating a Character” tells the story of the native Israeli who moved to Paris in the early ’50s, where he took up mime. Soon he was performing around the world. During a Parisian performance, Stella Adler discovered him and brought him to New York at her newly formed Stella Adler Studio of Acting.
From his move to America to keeping in touch with his former students, Yakim talks to Variety about the new documentary, produced by Kali Wilder, Alma Har’el, and Boaz Yakin, while Rauzar Alexander makes his feature documentary directorial debut.
What challenges did you face along the way,...
The new documentary “Creating a Character” tells the story of the native Israeli who moved to Paris in the early ’50s, where he took up mime. Soon he was performing around the world. During a Parisian performance, Stella Adler discovered him and brought him to New York at her newly formed Stella Adler Studio of Acting.
From his move to America to keeping in touch with his former students, Yakim talks to Variety about the new documentary, produced by Kali Wilder, Alma Har’el, and Boaz Yakin, while Rauzar Alexander makes his feature documentary directorial debut.
What challenges did you face along the way,...
- 7/15/2020
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
The combination of cutting-edge motion capture technology, a bond between actors and Stella Adler’s training allowed Mark Ruffalo to pull off the impressive double-act of playing twin brothers in the HBO limited series “I Know This Much Is True.”
In the adaptation of the 1998 novel by Wally Lamb, which debuts Sunday, Ruffalo portrays brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey. Dominick is a blue collar, guy’s guy construction worker while Thomas is chubby and deeply sensitive man, who has been institutionalized due to mental illness.
With Ruffalo playing two characters, the six-episode series, written and directed by Derek Cianfrance, had to be shot out of sequence. When Ruffalo first approached Cianfrance about collaborating on “I Know This Much Is True,” the actor admitted that he wasn’t aware of many instances where one actor playing twins really worked well in an adult drama.
“Usually, it feels like the actor has...
In the adaptation of the 1998 novel by Wally Lamb, which debuts Sunday, Ruffalo portrays brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey. Dominick is a blue collar, guy’s guy construction worker while Thomas is chubby and deeply sensitive man, who has been institutionalized due to mental illness.
With Ruffalo playing two characters, the six-episode series, written and directed by Derek Cianfrance, had to be shot out of sequence. When Ruffalo first approached Cianfrance about collaborating on “I Know This Much Is True,” the actor admitted that he wasn’t aware of many instances where one actor playing twins really worked well in an adult drama.
“Usually, it feels like the actor has...
- 5/8/2020
- by Cynthia Littleton and Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Marlon Brando would’ve celebrated his 96th birthday on April 3, 2020. The Oscar-winning thespian both delighted and perplexed his fans with his Method-inspired performances and disdain for his profession, marked by increasingly bizarre behavior on and off set. Yet several of his movies remain classics despite his many career ups-and-downs. In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1924, Brando studied the Stanislavski system under acting coach Stella Adler, who encouraged her students to explore inner and external turmoil within their characters. He shot to stardom on both the stage and screen with his performance in Tennessee Williams‘ “A Streetcar Named Desire,” in which he brought a startling naturalism and reality mixed with vulnerability, machismo, and humor to the character of Stanley Kowalski. The 1951 film version brought him his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor.
He picked up...
Born in 1924, Brando studied the Stanislavski system under acting coach Stella Adler, who encouraged her students to explore inner and external turmoil within their characters. He shot to stardom on both the stage and screen with his performance in Tennessee Williams‘ “A Streetcar Named Desire,” in which he brought a startling naturalism and reality mixed with vulnerability, machismo, and humor to the character of Stanley Kowalski. The 1951 film version brought him his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor.
He picked up...
- 4/1/2020
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
James Lipton, the longtime host of the acclaimed interview series Inside the Actors Studio, died Monday, The New York Times reports. He was 93.
Lipton’s wife, Kedakai Mercedes Lipton, confirmed his death and said the cause was bladder cancer.
Lipton created and launched Inside the Actors Studio in 1994 and hosted the Bravo series for 24 years, finally stepping down in 2018 (it now airs on Ovation with rotating guest hosts). The show garnered acclaim and popularity as Lipton, with a pile of blue notecards, guided renowned actors and entertainers through in-depth interviews...
Lipton’s wife, Kedakai Mercedes Lipton, confirmed his death and said the cause was bladder cancer.
Lipton created and launched Inside the Actors Studio in 1994 and hosted the Bravo series for 24 years, finally stepping down in 2018 (it now airs on Ovation with rotating guest hosts). The show garnered acclaim and popularity as Lipton, with a pile of blue notecards, guided renowned actors and entertainers through in-depth interviews...
- 3/2/2020
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
James Lipton, the acclaimed wordsmith, theater historian, radio star, and long-time host of “Inside the Actors Studio” has passed away at the age of 93. The news was confirmed by both TMZ and Lipton’s wife, Kedakai Turner.
He created “Inside the Actors Studio” in 1994 wherein students of the Actors Studio Drama School could listen to successful performers discuss their craft with Lipton. Paul Newman was the inaugural guest and from there Lipton interviewed nearly 300 award-winning actors. The series was one of Bravo’s longest-running series and won a Primetime Emmy. The series also garnered a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmys in 2016 and a Critics Choice award for best reality show host. In 2018 the series moved from Bravo onto Ovation, a move coinciding with Lipton’s retirement from the program.
The young James Lipton began his writing employment as a teenager, where he was a copyboy for “The Detroit Times.
He created “Inside the Actors Studio” in 1994 wherein students of the Actors Studio Drama School could listen to successful performers discuss their craft with Lipton. Paul Newman was the inaugural guest and from there Lipton interviewed nearly 300 award-winning actors. The series was one of Bravo’s longest-running series and won a Primetime Emmy. The series also garnered a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Daytime Emmys in 2016 and a Critics Choice award for best reality show host. In 2018 the series moved from Bravo onto Ovation, a move coinciding with Lipton’s retirement from the program.
The young James Lipton began his writing employment as a teenager, where he was a copyboy for “The Detroit Times.
- 3/2/2020
- by Kristen Lopez
- Indiewire
Jack Kehoe, a character actor whose 50-year career was highlighted by appearances in Serpico, The Sting, The Untouchables, Car Wash and Warren Beatty’s Reds, died Jan. 14 at age 85. The Hollywood Hills resident had suffered a debilitating stroke in 2015.
Kehoe’s family announced his death today.
Kehoe made his Broadway debut in 1963 as a supporting player in Edward Albee’s The Ballad of the Sad Cafe starring Colleen Dewhurst, and would appear on Broadway again in 1977’s The Basic Training of Pavel Hummel starring Al Pacino.
The role in Pavel would be his second opposite Pacino: Kehoe appeared as a crooked cop in 1973’s Serpico, the first in a string of high-profile movies throughout the 1970s and ’80s that would include Melvin and Howard, The Sting (as the con man called The Erie Kid), Reds, Car Wash, The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, The Star Chamber, The Untouchables and Midnight Run,...
Kehoe’s family announced his death today.
Kehoe made his Broadway debut in 1963 as a supporting player in Edward Albee’s The Ballad of the Sad Cafe starring Colleen Dewhurst, and would appear on Broadway again in 1977’s The Basic Training of Pavel Hummel starring Al Pacino.
The role in Pavel would be his second opposite Pacino: Kehoe appeared as a crooked cop in 1973’s Serpico, the first in a string of high-profile movies throughout the 1970s and ’80s that would include Melvin and Howard, The Sting (as the con man called The Erie Kid), Reds, Car Wash, The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, The Star Chamber, The Untouchables and Midnight Run,...
- 1/22/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Jack Kehoe, best known for his roles in the Al Pacino-led crime drama “Serpico” and “Midnight Run,” died on Jan. 10 at a nursing home in Los Angeles. He was 85. The actor suffered a debilitating stroke in 2015, which left him inactive in recent years.
Kehoe also appeared in several Academy Award-winning films during his 50-year career, including “Melvin and Howard,” “The Sting” alongside Robert Redford and Paul Newman, and Warren Beatty’s “Reds.”
Other notable movies on Kehoe’s resume: “The Pope of Greenwich Village,” “The Star Chamber,” “The Untouchables,” “The Paper,” “Midnight Run,” “Young Guns II,” “The Game,” and the cult classics “Car Wash” and “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh.” He also appeared on the TV shows “Murder, She Wrote” and “The Twilight Zone.” Additionally, he reunited with Pacino in 1977 on Broadway in “The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel.”
Born on Nov. 21, 1934, in Astoria, Queens, Kehoe served in the...
Kehoe also appeared in several Academy Award-winning films during his 50-year career, including “Melvin and Howard,” “The Sting” alongside Robert Redford and Paul Newman, and Warren Beatty’s “Reds.”
Other notable movies on Kehoe’s resume: “The Pope of Greenwich Village,” “The Star Chamber,” “The Untouchables,” “The Paper,” “Midnight Run,” “Young Guns II,” “The Game,” and the cult classics “Car Wash” and “The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh.” He also appeared on the TV shows “Murder, She Wrote” and “The Twilight Zone.” Additionally, he reunited with Pacino in 1977 on Broadway in “The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel.”
Born on Nov. 21, 1934, in Astoria, Queens, Kehoe served in the...
- 1/22/2020
- by BreAnna Bell
- Variety Film + TV
Cobra Woman
Blu ray
Kino Lorber
1944/ 1:33 / 71 min.
Starring Maria Montez, Jon Hall, Sabu
Directed by Robert Siodmak
In the early 40’s Universal Pictures was still best known for its shadowy black and white horror shows. That all changed in 1944 when the studio produced the kind of candy-colored dreamland not seen since Dorothy woke up to Oz. The movie was Robert Siodmak’s Cobra Woman starring Maria Montez, Jon Hall and studio stalwart Lon Chaney Jr., last seen putting the bite on Louise Allbritton in Siodmak’s Son of Dracula. There aren’t any vampires in this florid South Sea adventure but this is Universal, after all – villagers are dying and the bite marks on their throats suggest Siodmak’s latest wouldn’t stray too far from the studio’s comfort zone.
Montez plays two roles, a moony island girl named Tollea and her twin sister Naja who rules far-off...
Blu ray
Kino Lorber
1944/ 1:33 / 71 min.
Starring Maria Montez, Jon Hall, Sabu
Directed by Robert Siodmak
In the early 40’s Universal Pictures was still best known for its shadowy black and white horror shows. That all changed in 1944 when the studio produced the kind of candy-colored dreamland not seen since Dorothy woke up to Oz. The movie was Robert Siodmak’s Cobra Woman starring Maria Montez, Jon Hall and studio stalwart Lon Chaney Jr., last seen putting the bite on Louise Allbritton in Siodmak’s Son of Dracula. There aren’t any vampires in this florid South Sea adventure but this is Universal, after all – villagers are dying and the bite marks on their throats suggest Siodmak’s latest wouldn’t stray too far from the studio’s comfort zone.
Montez plays two roles, a moony island girl named Tollea and her twin sister Naja who rules far-off...
- 12/31/2019
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Harvey Keitel has been a major presence at the 18th Marrakech Film Festival, presenting two gala sessions: for the career tribute to French helmer Bertrand Tavernier – with whom he worked on “Death Watch” (1980), and to present Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman.” He also took part in an onstage discussion, to a packed audience, which included Tavernier and Australian producer Jan Chapman, with whom he worked on Jane Campion’s “The Piano” (1993).
Keitel recounted key moments in his career and after screening several clips from his films, including a scene from “Death Watch,” he was clearly deeply moved and left speechless for a few seconds.
His long-term collaboration with Scorsese and his friendship with Robert De Niro was one of the starting points for the conversation, in which Keitel emphasized his dedication to his profession as an actor.
After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps he spent several years working as a court stenographer,...
Keitel recounted key moments in his career and after screening several clips from his films, including a scene from “Death Watch,” he was clearly deeply moved and left speechless for a few seconds.
His long-term collaboration with Scorsese and his friendship with Robert De Niro was one of the starting points for the conversation, in which Keitel emphasized his dedication to his profession as an actor.
After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps he spent several years working as a court stenographer,...
- 12/3/2019
- by Martin Dale
- Variety Film + TV
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