Category Archives: Actors

A Streetcar Named Desire: That’s What Williams Wrote. Deal With It.

A re-post for the anniversary of Streetcar debuting on Broadway. I wrote this essay after seeing a 2011 production of Streetcar at Williamstown. Directed by David Cromer Starring Sam Rockwell as Stanley Kowalski, Jessica Hecht as Blanche DuBois, Ana Reeder … Continue reading

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“Being understood is not the most essential thing in life.” — Jodie Foster

It’s her birthday today. She’s not my favorite actress in the world although I admire her journey, which – if you think about it – is quite exceptional. Consider the other child actors who dominated in the ’70s. Who has … Continue reading

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“I care desperately about what I do. Do I know what product I’m selling? No.” — Owen Wilson

I just want to point you towards a recent remarkable profile of Wilson in Esquire, the cover story. The writer – Ryan D’Agostino – really knows what he’s doing. It’s a beautiful piece of writing filled with interesting observations. Wilson … Continue reading

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“I learned to act while watching Martha Graham dance and I learned to move in film from watching Chaplin.” — Louise Brooks

“One of the most mysterious and potent figures in the history of the cinema … she was one of the first performers to penetrate to the heart of screen acting.” — David Thomson Louise Brooks is one of the most … Continue reading

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“Each time I see it, I know I accomplished what I set out to do as an actress, that I created a person.” — Bibi Andersson on Persona

It’s her birthday today. It was my great honor to write and narrate a video-essay for The Criterion Collection about Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann’s collaboration – both separately and together – with Ingmar Bergman: Liv Ullmann and Bibi Andersson, … Continue reading

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“I’ve had the kind of fame which I felt was just the right amount.” — Lois Smith

Lois Smith, who turns 94 years old today, made her film debut in 1955, where she played a young prostitute in East of Eden. She has a small scene with James Dean, and then exits the film forever. But she … Continue reading

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Happy Birthday, Jacqueline McKenzie

I first saw this phenomenal Australian actress in Romper Stomper in 1992, and she was so intense, so unpredictable, she was on another level. I couldn’t get her out of my head. She made more of an impression on me … Continue reading

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“Being an actor means being an instrument for someone else. I want to give myself completely.” — Catherine Deneuve

It’s her birthday today. She was great right out of the gate. One of the unique things about her career (and she has few peers here) is that she has regularly been regaled as one of the most beautiful women … Continue reading

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“I hope I’ll die on stage at the age at 105, playing Peter Pan.” — Joan Fontaine

A re-post of the tribute I wrote about Joan Fontaine when she died in December of 2013. She almost made it to her goal. She was 96 years old. It’s her birthday today. While filming “The Women”, in 1939, Joan … Continue reading

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“If I could make every movie with Richard Linklater, I would.” — Glen Powell

It’s his birthday today. I love it when someone hard-working and deserving becomes the new It-Boy. Correction: Glen Powell isn’t an It-BOY. He is an It-MAN. I love how he seems to be really enjoying his moment, humorous about it, … Continue reading

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