Tim Heidecker talks about his dramatic role in “The Comedy”

Tim Heidecker is half the comedy duo, along with Eric Eric Wareheim, that is Tim and Eric. They have worked together on numerous TV series on Adult Swim like “Tom Goes to Mayor” and “Tim and Eric’s Awesome Show, Great Job!” and films like “Tim and Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie”. Tim is starring in the film “The Comedy”, which is actually sits more in the dramatic genre. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Tim about his dramatic turn in this film and also what we can expect next from him and Eric Wareheim.

Mike Gencarelli: What made you want to approach this dramatic role in “The Comedy”?
Tim Heidecker: Well, I liked the director Rick (Alverson) and I liked his work. We had a long conversation about the movie and what he wanted to do and I really liked his approach.  It just sounded like a cool and fun project to do.

MG: How did you get yourself into the character of Swanson?
TH: We worked developing the character starting from myself…and then worked from that. We sort of dressed me up like a hipster and turned off all the regulators my brain that keep me from saying nasty things. We treated it with a more classic Hollywood filmmaking sensibility. We wanted to focus more on the technical and no so dramatic, theatrical or method style of filmmaking.

MG: You are no stranger to offensive comedy, were you ever concerned about letting too much comedy through your performance?
TH: I think because the film itself is so severe, dramatic, quiet and serious. We all felt that any moments of humor will act as relief and create a nice balance. We wanted to tap into the natural sense of humor that I have and try and use that in a different kind of way.

MG: The film is still quite edgy; do you think that fans of Tim & Eric are going to dig this?
TH: I think our audience in general is a really smart, creative, artistic sensibility type of audience. The reaction from the the core audience so far has just been super positive and encouraging. They are grown-up and they can understand that we can work outside of a certain box. Frankly, it was interesting to see if we could challenge our audience to give them something different to watch.

MG: In this overall experience, what would you say was your most challenging aspect?
TH: It was a pretty pleasant experience, believe it or not. The crew made it very easy. The director and I got along very well. I think just relaxing…was my main challenge. With Tim and Eric and most of the other stuff I have done, there is a real sense of instinct to overdo things in a comedic way and be ironic on camera. The challenge was to play things in a more naturalistic and quiet way. I focused a lot on patience and keeping it small, which is something that I am not used to doing.

MG: Was all the dialogue in the film improv?
TH: Yeah, it was all improvised dialogue. There was a written conceptual aspect in the script. Like “This is where Swanson goes into a bar and becomes provocative”. What comes out of my mouth is all improvised for the most part. That is just is the way that I am comfortable working. When you are shooting quickly, using mostly master shots and with long takes, it makes for a more relaxed and comfortable environment to get natural performances.

MG: Do you see yourself pursuing more dramatic work over comedy?
TH: I am grateful for any opportunities that are presented to me. I don’t have a lot of control over that. If things are offered to me, I consider them based on quality and project that interest me. But like I said I usually don’t have a lot of control [laughs].

MG: You have worked for yourself mostly in the past, how was it taking direction from Rick Alverson?
TH: It was a relief actually for the most part. For me, I enjoyed not worrying about that end of it. I trusted Rick and the only way I thought it would work is if I let go and let him lead. After a few days, I think Rick and I were on the same page and enjoyed collaborating. I think it was helpful for him having a guy that used to come from behind the camera all the time, since I understand what he was going through. Overall, it was just a really pleasant collaboration.

MG: Tell us about you have planned next?
TH: Eric and I are currently sitting around writing a mini-series idea for Adult Swim. We are still working out the details for it. But we want to comeback and return to TV next year for sure. So far we have some great new material in the works.

 

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Ashley Tisdale talks about her role in “Sons of Anarchy”

Ashley Tisdale us playing the role of Emma Jean on FX’s “Sons of Anarchy”, who is a high-earning escort at Diosa International. She is known best for her roles for Disney like “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody” and the “High School Musical” film series. Ashley also has a role in next year’s “Scary Movie 5”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Ashley about her role in “SOA” and what we can expect.

Adam Lawton: Could you tell me what fans can expect to see from Emma Jean?
Ashely Tisdale: With Emma Jean, first of all, I love Sons of Anarchy. I was so excited to be able to be on this show just because I personally watch it, and I felt like…of course I come from Disney and I have a lot of young fans, but I do have fans who have grown with me as well. I’m now twenty-seven, and I was just really excited to do something different for a change. I always want to grow as an actress and this was definitely out of my comfort zone, but I thought that was super exciting just to do something that I haven’t done, and to have people see me in a different light, and I had a great time doing it. With Emma Jean, she is a high-priced escort, but she just gets into the club and they blame a couple of things on her. She’s kind of in trouble, but she’s the high-priced escort for what she looks like. She’s definitely the young kind of high school looking girl. There’s nothing too crazy, though.

AL: What type of steps if any did you take to prepare for the physicality of it and just the overall mental portion of that role?
AT: I feel like it’s so funny because before Disney, I did tons of stuff; I did network shows, I had done Donnie Darko. I had done a bunch of stuff before I even came to Disney, and it’s so funny because while you’re doing something that I’m so grateful for what Disney gave me and the experiences that I got, at the end of the day, I can do so much more than what I did on that channel and what I did in those movies. It takes just one person to give you that chance, and for me it was better to give me the chance to know that I can do something different and when he asked me to do the show, I was just so excited. For me, I think this is the transition in my life for me as an actress. I always joke around that Sons of Anarchy took my acting virginity because I definitely have a scene in that show, but I’m doing a movie right now, “Scary Movie 5” where I’m doing a lot of stuff that’s completely out of my comfort zone, and I think that’s the key. I used to be where I wanted to make sure every step was thought out. With every project I did, I had to make sure I’m comfortable, but I think about when you’re growing, even as a person, you have to just do it and get out there and that’s the only way to grow, is to challenge yourself.

AL: Can you give us a little bit of a background on the fight preparation between you and Katey Sagal? Did they have you go through a lot of classes or training to do that scene? Granted, it wasn’t a long scene, but it was a pretty physical scene?
AT: No, they pretty much just threw us in there. We had a set choreographer, obviously, and they just went over exactly what we were going to do, and I have done that in the past obviously with … so it wasn’t to scary but I was really freaked out. I was like, oh my God, is she really going to hit me? But no, she’s the nicest person in the entire world and so it was just really funny; we had a great time doing it.

AL: Do you know how much the character was already laid out when they brought it to you and did you get to provide any of your own input with that role?
AT: Yes, Kurt had it, pretty much; it was like the episode was written so he had told me he had thought about me just because they wanted her look to be very, like she’s this young kind of Disneyesque girl like the young girl that you wouldn’t expect to be a high-priced escort, and he had thought of me. I kind of just went in there, and he met with me actually right before I started shooting just to talk about it and pretty much it was really straightforward… I think in every character, I just kind of bring something to the character that I could make my own, and I just felt like how I usually relate to a character is what I bring to it. I just felt like using the youngness to the advantage and kind of the flirtatious thing, and it was definitely different from anything that I’ve ever done and I was very nervous, but Kurt and everybody were just so cool about it.

AL: What could you tell us about Emma Jean’s relationship to Jax?
AT: Jax really comes through for her, but I think she still questions who—she’s just there to do her job. She’s just there. She’s a worker. She’s an earner, so she’s there just to do her job and get out of there. Because of what happened in the last episode, she’s now being obviously; we don’t know if what has happened with the club and who told on the club, and so she is definitely a candidate for obviously being one of the people who might have. I think with Jax, she still questions; she doesn’t trust everybody. However, he kind of comes through in a way for her.

AL: What was the most memorable part of working on the show?
AT: The most memorable part about working on the show? Every single moment I was there, I was just so excited to just be with a cast that they are extremely talented, extremely grounded, and so nice. I just learned so much from being around them with Ron Perlman, Katey Sagal, and Charlie Hunnam. They are also really a tight-knit group, which is so great just to see that they actually are like the boys; all the guys. I think they had gone camping that weekend, and I just thought that was so cool. I had the best time on the show. It was such a great experience.

AL: Can we expect more gritty, hardcore, so to speak, roles like the Sons of Anarchy maybe to come throughout your career?
AT: Yes, I definitely think that there is a part of me that, I did a pilot this year, but it didn’t go for CBS and there was a character that I played, and she was kind of this raunchy, edgy character, and I just loved showing that other side of me. I felt like Sons of Anarchy, I got to do that with and also with Scary Movie 5, I get to play kind of all the characters that I’ve created in the past and also to do new things with that. It is definitely where I’m headed. I like to do things that I think people don’t expect right now, and I want to keep obviously challenging myself, like I said.

AL: You mentioned being such a fan of the show and now being part of the show, what do you feel, in your opinion, is why the show resonates so well with viewers?
AT: I just think Kurt is just such a great writer, and I’ve watched the show and I just cannot turn it off half the time. I remember getting into it a couple of years ago. I actually had downloaded it on Apple TV, and then I had to download the rest of the season. I would just sit there and watch each episode, but I feel like the actors, like I said; they are so close-knit, and they are actually really these guys that actually hang out with each other, and I’ve always felt that when you have such a great cast like that it kind of reminds me of when I did High School Musical. We all hung out together, and we all are really good friends, and I think that definitely resonates, and you see that in the show. You see this biker gang, but you see that they are brothers pretty much and it really comes through.

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John Billingsley talks about role in “Trade of Innocents” and reflects on “Star Trek: Enterprise”

John Billingsley is known best for his role of Doctor Phlox on “Star Trek: Enterprise”. He also co-stars in the recent “Trade of Innocents”, playing the sleazy Malcolm Eddery. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with John about his various roles and what has been his most rewarding role.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you got involved with the film “Trade of Innocents”
John Billingsley: It was a pretty standard audition process. The scene I did was one that ended up not making it into the final cut of the film. When we were working on it I had a strange suspicion that the scene might not make it in to the film. After meeting with the directed I heard back about a month later that I had gotten the part.

MG: How did you prepare to play such a sleazy guy, Malcolm Eddery?
JB: I have played more than my share of creeps, child molesters and psychotics through the years. I hate to say it wasn’t an extraordinary stretch for me to play this role. Ultimately anytime you are playing a character that is bent you really aren’t doing anything much other than saying what their particular obsession or interest is. Everyone has an obsessive nature so all you have to do is stretch the envelope a little bit.

MG: The film was shot on location, tell us about your experience?
JB: That was great! I had never been to Bangkok before. It was a fascinating city that has this strange blend of first worldism and third worldism. There were high rise buildings mixed in with small run downhouses. My role gave me quite a bit of down time. I would generally shoot a day then have some time off. I had a chance to explore the entire city. I am a big fan of cities and getting to see how they work. They have a really interesting transportation system there that is also pretty cheap.

MG: How can you reflect looking back on your experience playing Doctor Phlox on “Star Trek: Enterprise” and how it compares to your following work?
JB: My role in “Star Trek” is probably the closest role I have had to myself. He was an even keeled person with a fair amount of philosophical attachment. Except for the rubber head in many respect that role was probably the most comfortable I have ever been. After playing that role for 4 years I wasn’t too bereft when it went off the air.

MG: How was it returning to “True Blood” this season as the Coroner?
JB: Surprising! The role was never particularly dimensional in any way but I did like the paycheck. They were nice people to work for. My character disappeared sometime in the 3rd season so I was pleasantly surprised when they contacted me. I was a little puzzled in a way as they brought me back but didn’t necessarily use me. I have a feeling that there may have been a back story there. I kind of thought my character was going to be the guy behind the Obama killings. When I went in for the first wardrobe fitting they wanted to fit me for camouflage gear. I asked them what it was about and they told me I was going to be involved with a terrorist group later in the year. Somewhere along the line they must have changed their mind. I was a little disappointed. I did get a death scene though.

MG: Looking at your career to date, what would you say has been your most rewarding role?
JB: The most fun/challenging role was probably one that no one ever saw. I did a play called “The Seagull” in Seattle which was great. Movie wise I did a film with Denzel Washington called “Out of Time” which was also great. I liked being on “The Nine” as well. The lady who played my wife on that show is actually my wife. Each thing you do offers its own particular reward. In the end I have to pick “Star Trek” as it lasted the longest. That role changed my life.

 

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Anthony Daniels reflects on his role of C3PO in the “Star Wars” saga

Anthony Daniels is known best for playing the role of droid C3PO in the “Star Wars” franchise. He is only the actor to act in all the original six films and all the following spin-offs. Anthony recently attending “Star Wars Celebration VI” in Orlando, Florida and took out some time to chat with Media Mikes and reflecting on his role in the “Star Wars” universe.

Mike Gencarelli: How does it feel to be the only actor to act in all of the original six films?
Anthony Daniels: It is very odd, because many people know that I didn’t want to be in the first “Star Wars” film and refused to meet George (Lucas). It is really weird to be the only actor to work on the set of all six movies. Cause I never wanted to work on a low budget sci-fi movie. So the rest is history after “Episode IV”, as it then became, fans just took George’s little film to heart and they ran with it. Then we made another and another one. It was really hard work. After being dressed up in that suit, it wasn’t something you wanted to do a second time. Then after those three films, all of the other spin-off projects happened. Suddenly you realized after 37 years, you are immensely proud of you are apart of something that is completely phenomenal. It took being the narrator of “Star Wars: In Concert” for me to really get “Star Wars”. I narrated the whole show from “Episode I” through “Episode VI” with no jiggling about on a stage with a symphony orchestra with specially edited clips being displayed on this HUGE screen. I have done it 151 times now and I think I am finally getting it right. The thing I like most about the concert is that the audience is live and you can see the audiences excitement and affection for a tiny bit for me, a huge amount for John William’s music and an enormous about for George’s films. You don’t get that time of energy in the studio. So, I have lived long enough to go through a time when I thought that “I shouldn’t be doing “Star Wars” stuff anymore” to thinking “Wow, am I lucky”.

MG: Tell us about working on the new series “Star Wars: Detours”?
AD: It is amazing. I had to keep that show a secret for about a year or so. Some of the scripts I recorded are absolutely hilarious. It was some much fun to do such a strange yet ridiculously humorous script with this character than talking about hyper-drive motivators which is very serious. So finally “Star Wars” is coming to a part of its life that people love it so much that you can poke fun, tease and humiliate in a friendly way. So there I am still being “C3PO, Human Cyborg Relations” (spoken in character) but allowing all sorts of variance to the storyline.

MG: When “Star Wars” has an event like “Star Wars Weekends” or “Star Wars Celebration” you are there; what do you enjoy most about still reflecting on these character after all these years?
AD: With an event like “Celebration”, you get to see all the people that love this. The word fan can be used rather rudely sometimes. I do not have a problem with fans, without them we wouldn’t have this “Star Wars” saga. Then you have the 501st, now the first time I saw then I thought “now that is a little weird, isn’t it?” Then I saw what I did, which was dressing up for a living…at least they do it for fun. They are such a phenomenal group of people literally around the world. They bring the movies off the screen to events. There is even a c3PO walking around this convention right now. It is such huge affection and I get to be a part of it.

MG: Since we are in FL, besides being in the films; how is it being immortalized in “Star Tours” at Hollywood Studios?
AD: Ok, there is the six movies, the radio series, the various cartoon series like “Droids and “Clone Wars”, there is the LEGO series, which I am about to record another movie for that this year, then of course there is “Star Tours”. We did that 20-something years ago and then came back to me about three years ago and said they were re-doing it. Tom Fitzgerald, the producer, told me all about the new story lines and that there was also another change they were making, which that C3PO was going to be the star. Well it was one of the toughest jobs that I have ever done. It took 2-3 days just recording the lines alone. Since they are all in high intensity, I was just exhausted. I literally spent the following day in bed literally from being exhausted. We also did some live filming for it also, so I was back in the suit for that. So then we get to go the ride and it was just “Wow”. For people that haven’t been on it, it has 54 variations, which is so clever. People ask “how can I get on stage in front of 25K people” and I saw I don’t know but I can. But then I do to Disney and ask how can you make things like that. They just saw it is kind of their jobs, so everyone has these jobs. So long after I am dead, that ride will be there will C3PO chirping away and being funny, bossy and silly still. And who knows maybe my foot print will also still be in front of the Chinese Theater (home of the “The Great Movie Ride”). Not long ago, I was in a deli in New York and they had the tin-man from “The Wizard of Oz” and I thought one day that would be me. The one thing about the business is that these characters are forever now and iconic. It is so big that you can’t compute it.

MG: What is your favorite character in the saga…and you can’t say C3PO?
AD: Well curiously [laughs], I have no problem saying that it is Darth Maul. He is a wonderful creation, whether it is that he was here and then left you wondering who was that strange creature. But I am sorry that Ray Park got chopped in half because not only was he was lovely guy but Darth Maul is just so purely evil that you can’t help but think “Oh that is kind of cute” [laughs]. You know Darth Vadar…Yeah Yeah Yeah. Boba Fett, no idea what that is about. There is nothing secret about Darth Maul. Well everyone has their favorites. Some people love Jar Jar Binks, the younger generation, who are usually under 10 years old. Some people like Ewoks for heaven sakes. [Note, Warwick Davis, who played Wicket the Ewok in “Return of the Jedi, was sitting right next to us during the interview]. Everyone has a following. So there we are. So it has recently occurring to me when I see 3-4 year old children in line in meet me and they are my future. In 10 years, they will be 15 and I will be….YEAHHHH. So it seems to be I see three generations and they younger generation is still going to be new to this series. What is lovely is that they are able to taker the whole of George’s sandbox and take it always into new directions.

 

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Harold Perrineau talks about his role on FX’s “Sons of Anarchy”

Harold Perrineau is currently playing the role of Damon Pope in FX’s “Sons of Anarchy”. He joined the cast of the show this season with it’s all-star cast. Harold is known for his roles in shows like “Oz” and “Lost”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Harold about his role and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you become involved in this show “Sons of Anarchy”?
Harold Perrineau: I knew they were looking for Damon Pope for a while. Kurt Sutter was tweeting about it and I followed him on Twitter. My wife is always reading it and one day she said, “You know, they still haven’t found Damon Pope, Maybe you should try to send Kurt an e-mail.” And so, I did and sent him an e-mail just to see if I could get a meeting with him and he took the meeting and we sat and talked about it. By the time I got home, he bravely said, “Let’s do it.” And so, there I am.

MG: Can you talk about kind of how you prepared for your role of Damon Pope and how you just go into that mindset?
HP: I had talked to Kurt Sutter a bit about the character. We talked at length a bit about his ideas about Damon Pope, some of the people that Damon Pope reminded him of; one of them being Frank Lucas who was the movie “American Gangster” that Denzel Washington did, was based on his life. And then, I started doing a bunch of research on my own about a different guys who took their sort of street life and then turned them into more legit businesses and that’s kind of how I sort of setup Damon Pope and how he might think or the way he may act in retaliation to things that are very emotional for him like that. So, basically, I just sort of pulledon these different sorts of businessmen and gangsters who I thought had similar kinds of backgrounds.

MG: Listen, so in this show, everyone’s a bad ass, how does it feel coming into this during its fifth season and playing the main baddie?
HP: It was a little daunting I have to say because they are a bunch of dudes who play bad asses. They’re great actors and they do really, really well. And so, I felt in the very beginning it was going to be sort of interesting trying to ingratiate myself into this group of guys while also keeping a bit of distance because I knew that my character is just going to be an adversary and I didn’t want any of my own personal feelings about liking them or any of that stuff to come across with Damon Pope because I think Damon Pope is very focused and serious about what he needs done and wants to do. So, it was a little tricky, but they’re a great cast of people and great actors. And so, they made it really, really easy.

MG: So, what was it about Pope that you liked?
HP: I like the show Sons of Anarchy. I like Kurt Sutter. I like the idea of this guy who’s not just rolling in as some gangster to be tough, but he’s a guy who just lost his child. One of the things that I felt like might be really challenging and kind of fun is to see if the audience members just go like, “Oh, he’s just a terrible guy” or if someone can go, “Hey, if somebody had killed my daughter for a frivolous reason that ‘Tig’ killed his daughter, what would I do” and actually have some empathy for “Pope.” I’m really curious about whether that will ever play out, or if it’s just going to be like, “He’s just a bad dude.” So, for me I thought that was an interesting thing to try to spot and then try to bring to the character.

MG: Have you had a chance to see any of the fan reaction to your character so far either from your existing fans who have followed you to this series or fans of “Sons of Anarchy”
HP: Because of all the social media stuff, yes. Right after the opening episode, the very first episode, I gained a whole lot more Twitter followers and people who were really excited about it, people who were really happy to see me, had seen me do other things before, people who had never seen my work before, people who were really mad at Damon Pope, but super excited about what was going to happen next. And so, pretty immediately I got to experience a lot of the “SOA” fans.

MG: What else can we expect from Pope in the coming episodes?
HP: You can expect a guy who is looking for satisfaction and he will not be denied. He wants some satisfaction for the death of his daughter and he won’t be denied, period.

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WWE Superstar Adam “Edge” Copeland talks about his role on Syfy’s “Haven”

WWE Superstar Adam “Edge” Copeland recently retired from wrestling and is the youngest person to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Adam was a guest star on Syfy’s “Haven” during its second season and became a regular throughout season three. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Adam about working on “Haven” and his transition from wrestling.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about becoming a regular in season three of “Haven”?
Adam Copeland: I always use the term “happy accident”. I was told I had to retire from WWE about a year and half ago now. I guess Syfy had decided to use one of the WWE wrestlers from “Smackdown” for their show “Haven”. I think there was some trepidation since there is still that misconception that wrestlers just yell and scream in their underwear. Thankfully one of the writers showed a clip of my retirement speech and t hat in essence was my audition video. I got the call if I would be interested and I said “Of course”. I flew up for what would be just one episode initially. But after seeing my speech, they took two different characters and merged them into one. After the first episode, they decided to write him in more and that become four episodes in the first season and now seven episodes into this season.

MG: What do you enjoy most about working on the show?
AC: Everyone was just so friendly shooting in Nova Scotia. Especially coming off of the road and doing 250 shows a year. I thought this would be nice pace for me. That is one of the things I enjoyed the most was sleeping in the same bed every night…but still working. That is something that is very foreign to me. It was nice to have a script and be able to study the lines. I just liked really being able to prepare for the role. It has really been the best of both worlds for me personally.

MG: Just from the first two episodes of season three, the show seems amped from last season, can you reflect?
AC: I don’t know if angrier is the right term, but things are put up with more of urgency this season. Things really come to a head and a lot of questions get answered. I feel that it is a little darker and aggressive and I like that. One of the things I like and even going back to last year, I am fan of this show and I really proud to be a part of it. It is not just a pay-day job for me. This is really cool for me. I also like that it is still shot on film and it still looks so good.

MG: Tell us about your dynamic with your fellow characters on the show?
AC: My character has a completely different relationship with each character. With Duke, they really don’t like each other but they are a lot alike. With Nathan, that is Dwight’s partner and he looks after him. With Audrey, he looks at her like a little sister. Then Vince and Dave, they are like these grandfatherly/uncle types. They are all awesome to work with. Vince and Dave are just awesome, their facial terms are just so subtle but effective. One of the things that people don’t realize is that in the U.S. is that Dave (played by John Dunsworth), he is like a national icon in Canada. He is in this show called “Trailer Park Boys”, which is so awesome. He and I went out one day and there is not a person walking down the street that didn’t stop him. I am sort of used to that with my prior career. I get stopped occasionally but no joke; he gets stopped by everyone in Canada. I’m like “Hey I used to do that little wrestling thing, anyone remember that?” [laughs].

MG: Your character Dwight has a lot of mystery behind him; can we expect any reveals of his background?
AC: It delves a little more into all of our pasts. It tells us a little bit of how everything is intertwined. It was touched on before but we get a few more layers into it. You find that there is definitely some cool things going on. I had a lot of cool scenes with Vince and Dave this season, which is great. Last season, I spent it primarily with Lucas (Bryant) and Eric (Balfour). But yeah, it gets deeper into who Dwight is and his involvement. Also from a fan perspective, when I found out where it was going this season I was really excited.

MG: What has been your biggest challenge transitioning from wrestling to dramatic series?
AC: Since I was told I had to retire from wrestling, I think it was easier for me to transition. I couldn’t do it anymore and this other thing came up and I figured I could give it a shot. That has made it fun for me and not given me any pressure. This has felt not like it is not a job and thankfully neither did WWE. So it is kind of cool that for my entire adult life that I haven’t worked. I have just been involved on these really cool projects. The biggest transition was pulling back my mannerism and face movements. In wrestling, you have to translate things to 80,000 people away…all the way to the back row. You do that with bigger face expression and more physical theatrics. With “Haven”, I had to realize that this camera can pick up my nose hairs. I had to pull back my facial expressions otherwise I told myself they are going to look completely insane [laughs]. But that was still fun working on that. I also got to work with like three or four different directors, including Jason Priestly. So it was great to get the different feedback and see how each person works.

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Hanna Hall talks about her role in new film “Scalene”

Hanna Hall is known for her roles like Young Jennie in “Forrest Gump” and Judith Myers in Rob Zombie’s “Halloween”. She also starred in the new psychological thriller “Scalene”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Hanna about her new film and her character.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with the film “Scalene” and playing Paige Alexander?
Hanna Hall: I got contacted by the director about doing the film. I read the script and really loved it. It also seemed like a challenge, so I was interested. I mean it is such an original idea. It was very well executed. The film really requires the strength and vision of the director and the actors to understand the nuance of the roles.

MG: How did you prepare for the character?
HH: I spent a lot of time of the psychology of the character. I just tried to pull something from my life and tried relating it to that character.

MG: Since the film is told within three different perspective, was it difficult shooting the film that way?
HH: No, from a production aspect it didn’t pose any challenges. Believe it or not it was a really fun shoot.

MG: How was it working with the amazing Margo Martindale?
HH: We had such a good time. We got to laugh a lot, which is good since most of our scenes are spent being mean to each other.

MG: Looking back on your past film work, how would you compare?
HH: When I chose a role, I like it to be a challenge or have to access a dark place in order understand an aspect of the character. So that is why I choose roles that are usual darker.

MG: Planned next you have “Visible Scars”?
HH: Yeah, that was a fun project. It is a short role, one scene in the beginning. But I get to play someone trashy which is really cool. I always enjoy working in this genre.

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Kate Mulgrew talks about her role in Adult Swim’s “NTSF:SD:SUV::”

Kate Mulgrew is known best for playing Captain Kathryn Janeway in “Star Trek: Voyager”. She is also taking the leadership role in her role in Adult Swim’s “NTSF:SD:SUV::” playing Kove. In one of the funniest shows on television shows on the station, the show just started its second season. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Kate (while I was attending “Star Wars” convention, sorry Kate) to chat about this great show and how she keeps it serious.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you got involved with this crazy yet amazing unique show “NTSF:SD:SUV::”
Kate Mulgrew: The comedic genius otherwise known as Paul Scheer called me up and told me they want me to play this sort of Captain for a terrorist strike force. They wanted me to pattern myself after M from James Bond. I said immediately “Count me in, say no more”. Of course I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I knew nothing about these 15 minute episodic shows or procedurals for that matter. But I said “If he is setting it up I am along for the ride”. I am so glad I did because it such a great group.

MG: How do you keep it serious when giving some of your hysterical lines?
KM: You can imagine what the discipline is like. Sometimes it is agony in order to get those lines out without cracking up. It’s agony to keep a straight face. Some of the things they ask us to do is crazy. I am surrounded by really comedically gifted people and am always on my toes. I am the only straight man in the group and I think that is what works about it.

MG: How do you feel season two compares to the first?
KM: This is the better season in every sense. We had to take the first season to get our “sea-legs”. Everyone was shooting blind. This is far more grounded. WE were more relaxed. Everything was in place. The writing was there. The characters has been developed. So we just went for it. Adult Swim is just the best.

MG: Do you feel that due to the 15 minute format, does that pose any challenges for you?
KM: I think that is the beauty of it. For some odd reason – or maybe all the right reasons, if you’ve only got 15 minutes to tell a story and the audience is aware of that, not only is the story going to be tight and very funny but the audience is going to be extra attentive. If you use those two things in combination, and in generally speaking, you will have a success.

MG: Sticking with the leadership role; can you reflect your role in this show to playing Captain Kathryn Janeway in “Star Trek: Voyager”?
KM: Mike, whether it is a Starship or a terrorist strike force. I take my duties equally serious. You understand? I save the day…and this time I am doing it with an eye patch! [laughs]

MG: What else can we expect from you upcoming?
KM: I just did a wonderful movie this Spring called “Drawing Home”. Next year, I am doing a play in New York called “Somewhere Fun”. I also have a recurring role as Jane Lattimer on “Warehouse 13”. So I am keeping real busy!

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Christine Ebersole talks about her role on TBS’ “Sullivan & Son”

Christine Ebersole is well-known performer & two-time Tony Award winner from the 2001 Broadway revival of “42nd Street” and 2006’s “Grey Gardens”. She is currently playing the role of Carole on TBS’ hit comedy series “Sullivan & Son”. Christine took out some time to chat with Media Mikes about her role in this very funny show and what she enjoys most about performing on stage.

Mike Gencarelli: Your are a such a well-known performer & two-time Tony Award winner, how did you get involved with a show like “Sullivan & Son”?
Christine Ebersole: I think what really convinced me was that it was funny. That element really struck me when I first read the script. The show also has heart. I really loved that.

MG: All of the cast that I’ve spoken says that Carol has some of the best lines in the show.
CE: I feel like it is a total feast. I am thrilled beyond words. The people I work with all enjoy each other’s company. We basically laugh all day and get money at the end of it. (Laughs) It’s awesome!

MG: You worked with Brian Doyle-Murray back on “Saturday Night Live”, how was it working with him again?
CE: After 30 years, we finally got to work with each other again. To still both be players at our age is just great. It is all gravy.

MG: The episode “Creepy Love Song” features you singing with Owen Benjamin was so hysterical, how many times did that take to shoot?
CE: Our characters have a childlike innocence to them which I think allows us to get away with all the things that we do. Those characters are just having fun.

MG: What has been one of your favorite experiences from shooting season 1?
CE: I am hard pressed to pick just one. Even when I don’t have a lot of scenes in the show I am just so thrilled to be a part of it. It doesn’t matter if I have more or less lines. Of course you always want to be the center of attention but when you are not you can revel in the joy of the person who is getting the attention. Things like this don’t happen all the time.

MG: How does working in front of a live studio audience compare to the audiences from your live stage work?
CE: It really is the closest thing to working in front of a stage audience. With television you are allowed to mess up and do things over. On stage you can’t do that. It’s very close to having that energy that fuels you. It’s great having that barometer to gauge how funny things are.

MG: Can you tell us about some of your upcoming live performances?
CE: I am going out performing a show I did at the Carlyle a few years back. The show is about finding eternal youth. I will be doing songs from “The Great American Song Book” and telling true stories about my life.

MG: What do you enjoy most about performing?
CE: For me it is the audience. The group I am working with right now is also really great. Taking everything in and seeing the audience enjoying themselves is what it’s all about.

MG: Tell us about your role in the film “The Big Wedding” and working with the great cast?
CE: The film was supposed to come out in the fall however it has been pushed to next spring. I think they want to work more on the publicity. The film is really beautiful and was written by Justin Zackham. The cast is also pretty amazing. I play the mother of the bride who is played by Amanda Seyfried. The film is just really fun and sweet. The best part was I got to write and perform a song called “Gently Down the Stream” which will play at the end of the film. Don’t leave when the credits come on or you will miss the song.

 

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Linda Harrison reflects on her role in 1968’s “Planet of the Apes”

I recently had the privilege of sitting down with actress Linda Harrison. Ms. Harrison is best known in the Pop Culture world for her work in the first two Planet of the Apes films as well as Ron Howard’s Cocoon and its sequel. She is also a fountain of behind-the-scenes knowledge thanks to her marriage to Oscar-winning producer Richard Zanuck. Ms. Harrison was also originally slated to play the role of the police chief’s wife in Jaws. As Mr. Zanuck relates on the extended behind-the-scenes version found on the Jaws boxed laser disc set, Ms. Harrison was offered the role. However, Universal Studios president Sid Shienberg had offered the part to his wife, actress Lorraine Gary. According to Mr. Zanuck, to smooth things out, Shienberg picked up the telephone and called the producer of the upcoming film Airport 1975, William Frye. “Bill,” Shienberg said, “you’ve got another passenger on your airplane.”

Born in Maryland, Ms. Harrison was the first runner-up in the 1965 Miss USA pageant. In November of that year, she signed a seven year deal with 20th Century Fox. Her television debut came in back-to-back episodes of Batman in 1966. She was then cast as Nova in Planet of the Apes and its sequel, Beneath the Planet of the Apes. She has also appeared in the above-mentioned Airport 1975 (she is billed as “Augusta Summerland”), Cocoon, Cocoon: the Return, and had a cameo in Tim Burton’s updated version of Planet of the Apes.

Now divorced from Zanuck, she is the proud mother of two sons, Harrison Zanuck and DeanZanuck, who both work in the film industry. Interested fans are encouraged to check out her web site, www.LindaHarrison.com. Still as strikingly beautiful in person, Ms. Harrison sat down with me at the recent Planet Comicon in Kansas City.

Mike Smith: It’s been our four decades since the original Planet of the Apes was released. Did you ever think while filming that you were creating something that would be, and still is, regarded as a true classic?
Linda Harrison: I think somewhere in my mind I may have thought that. I saw it as an unusual film and went on from there to do other things.

MS: Including the recent Apes film, in which both you and Charlton Heston have a cameo, you’ve appeared in 6 major films. Heston is in 4 of them. Coincidence?
LH: I know. It’s just incredible how much I’ve worked with him. Things just seem to fall that way.

MS: If Beneath the Planet of the Apes had ended on a happy note, with everyone alive, who do you think Nova would have ended up with: Taylor (Heston) or Brent (James Franciscus)?
LH: Taylor! (laughs) No hesitation!

MS: Are there any outtakes of you laughing hysterically when Heston goes into his “you maniacs!” speech at the end of Planet of the Apes?
LH: (laughs) No, I don’t think I laughed hysterically. It was a pretty, I won’t say somber set, but we were dealing in new territory that had never been done on film. So everybody was really at attention, wondering what the next shot was going to be. It was pretty unusual to be sitting there with apes!

MS: My favorite film is Jaws. I was so taken by the film and the performances that I ended up starting Roy Scheider’s official fan club and helped run Richard Dreyfuss’s. Had Sid Sheinberg not outranked Dick Zanuck, you would have been bombarded with mail from me YEARS ago! Did you know from reading the script that Jaws wasgoing to be special?
LH: I remember when Dick was reading the galleys (which is basically the book before it’s published) that he had a really great instinct that this would be a great picture. He knew it would be tough trying to make a 25 foot shark, but he pulled it off. It’s that really classic horror film that still surprises and scares you (mimics a shriek) when you’re not expecting it.

MS: Please tell me that had you done Jaws you would have passed on Jaws: the Revenge?
LH: Oh, sure!

MS: So, what are you doing now?
LH: Actually I’m now what they call a convention celebrity. I try to do one show a month, some do more. I’m also concentrating on my web site.

MS: Are the fans very receptive?
LH: Very. More then I ever imagined.

 

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Chelsea Ricketts talks about her role in the film “Crooked Arrows”

If you’ve been a fan of some of television’s most popular shows the past few years then you’ve certainly seen Chelsea Ricketts. From “CSI: Miami” to “Grey’s Anatomy.” “Hot in Cleveland” to the current cult hit “The Killing,” she has built a solid body of work in a short time. This week Chelsea stars in the drama “Crooked Arrows,” the story of a Native American lacrosse team and the challenges they face as they try to win a prep school tournament. Chelsea recently sat down with Media Mikes to talk about the film:

Mike Smith: What drew you to the project?
Chelsea Ricketts: It was really something different to me. One thing I look for is something that is new and adventives. Something I haven’t already seen or heard or read about. “A,” I had never seen a lacrosse film before, so that was interesting to me. And “B,” to have the Native American aspect…to show how Native Americans invented the sport, was really intriguing.

MS: Tell us a little bit about Nadie Logan, the character you play in the film.
CR: She is Joe Logan’s (Brandon Routh) sister. He’s the coach and I’m the assistant coach. I’m actually a player on the team but I later become a coach. She’s a really cool, passionate girl. “Passionate” is definitely the right word to describe her. She absolutely lives and breathes the sport of lacrosse. She loves what she does. But she’s also a really cool, tough girl who can hang with all the guys. But they all still like her and have crushes on her…so she’s kind of awesome! (laughs)

MS: Were you athletic growing up? Did you have to learn to play the game?
CR: I knew what lacrosse was but I didn’t grow up with it. I grew up in Houston, Texas and when I was in school it just wasn’t as big there. Now it’s pretty widely spread all over Texas. I was athletic. I played other sports. But lacrosse was new to me.

MS: You appeared in several episodes of “The Killing” this season. The show has a very
loyal fan base. Were you a fan of the show before you joined it?
CR: I was a huge fan of the show. That wasprobably my favorite thing I’ve ever done. To be such a big fan of the show and then get to create a character on it was like a dream come true. I was so nervous on that set…walking on I was like, “Oh my gosh!” It was just so surreal. It was awesome. Awesome.

MS: What are you working on next?
CR: I have a film coming out in the fall (“Chasing Shakespeare”) with me, Danny Glover and Graham Greene. And I’ve just started working on the ABC-Family show “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.”

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Brittania Nicol talks about her role in “The Wicker Tree”

Brittania Nicol stars in the film “The Wicker Tree” which is the sequel to the classic 1973 Robin Hardy film “The Wicker Man”. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Brittania recently about her work on the film.

Adam Lawton:  What can you tell us about the film?
Brittania Nicol: This film is the sister film to the 70’s film “the Wicker Man”. It is sort of in the same genre as the previous film and has the Christian vs. Pagan battle going on. The first film was more of a creepy film and this film is more of a comedy. It looks at the lighter side of things.

AL: What is your role in the film?
BN: I play Beth Boothby. She is a teenage pop star who has left the business to explore her faith as a born again Christian. She and her fiancé decide to give a year of their lives to the church in order to preach the message across the world.

AL: What was it that interested you about this role?
BN: When I read the script I really identified with this character. I knew her and grew up with girls that were like her. I knew I could play the part and was attracted to the role in that way.

AL: What was the audition process like?
BN: We had several auditions. I went in to read first and then they had to find out if I could sing. I had a singing audition with the composer to see if he could get the voice he wanted out of me. I then had a final audition with the guy who was going to play my fiancé just to see if there was any chemistry between us. It was during the final audition that they told us we had gotten the parts. It was a very exciting day.

AL: Was there anything difficult about the role?
BN: I found it difficult to make the character likeable. A lot of people are very turned off by religion. You need to love this character. I had to make sure that while the character was preaching and pushing religion on people that she was still someone that you wanted to win.

AL: Will the DVD/Blu-Ray release of the film include any bonus material?
BN: I know we did a lot of filming of on-set interviews and behind the scenes stuff. There were also some interviews done with the films composer as well as with Robin and the other actors. You will also get to see the Wicker Tree being built.

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Interview with Brian Mahoney

Brian Mahoney is known for his role as Detective Duffy in “The Boondock Saints” film series. Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Brian about “Boondock” and what it was like working on the films.

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Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with “The Boondock Saints” for the first film?
Brian Mahoney: The script was at New Line Cinema at the time. I had a girlfriend who was working at New Line and I was tracking everything that came into that studio. I was reading scripts and that one just caught my attention. The structure of “The Boondock Saints” was just so different. It has a real edge to it. I got on early on when Harvey Weinstein was telling Troy (Duffy) he would buy him during the bidding war with New Line. It was a hot property.

Mike Gencarelli: Your scenes brought out some of the great comedy from the film, was it fun filming it?
Brian Mahoney: [Laughs] Dude I can even tell you how much fun it is hanging out with Bob Marley. First of all he is a kick-ass comedian. I got to be his straight man for two different movies. It is tough. It was clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right kind-of thing. Troy wanted me to be the straight guy who is quiet and smart. It was tough to keep a straight face. There was a lot of funny stuff going on in between scenes. I gotta tell you though, spend ten minutes with Bob Marley and you will ache from laughing so hard.

Mike Gencarelli: Were you excited to be reprising your role in “All Saints Day”?
Brian Mahoney: Yeah, I really was. When I read the script and got to the part where the brothers are hiding in the bar and the detectives come in and we agree to do a mission with them. It called the ‘reveal’ scene. When I got to that I was like jumping for joy. Detective Duffy gets more to do this time. It was a real thrill getting to work with these guys again. They really are a good group of guys.

MG: So your character Detective Duffy has a bigger role in the second film?
BM: It gets better and better. The second film is almost like my coming out party for me as an actor. The first film I was really lucky to be there with Willem Dafoe the whole time. I got to learn from him and whatnot, but I didn’t do a lot. The second film I am more interacting with ‘the boys’ and it is a real thrill.

MG: Fans really seems to dig these films and are always quoting the films, do you have a favorite line?
BM: Yah, David della Rocco is a good friend of mine and my favorite line is when he blows away the cat in the first film as says “Is it dead yet?”. That’s great. You just got to know Rocco and Rocco is as fun as Bob Marley. Sometimes without intending to be. He is a real cool guy and I think a lot of that shows up on screen.

MG: What’s up next? Do you think you will work with Troy Duffy again?
BM: Yeah I hope to be working with Troy again. I think he is going to have a long career. People around town are starting to take Troy more seriously now. He is two for two with his films and the guy has a cult following. As for me I got irons in the fire, I came close to a couple of things. I went up for this cool movie called “Cowboys & Aliens”. I thought I had a chance to work with Harrison Ford. I didn’t get it though it went to someone a little more famous. I am getting close. I just read for a show called “Big Love” on HBO. I got a couple more agents interested in me right now. I also got the chance to do a small part in an upcoming Matt Damon movie called “The Adjustment Bureau”. I had one scene with just me and Matt Damon. I play the owner of a bar called ‘The Fish Market’. It will probably be cut though since a film shoots so many hours of footage and then have to cut to down to 2 hours. If I make it in the movie that cool if not it is still going to be a great movie. The primary thing is I am working on my book right now called “A Cobra Pilot in Hollywood”. It is about my transition from the cockpit to the silver screen. My first career was a military aviator. I am trying to work on that, raising a kid and doing a lot of auditions. It is like crazy time right now.

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Interview with Lin Shaye

Lin Shaye is well known for her comedic roles in “There’s Something About Mary”, “Kingpin” and “Dumb and Dumber” and also her horror roles in 1984’s “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “2001 Maniacs”. She recently stars as Granny Boone again in “2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams”. MovieMikes had the pleasure to talk with Lin about her recent role in the “2001 Maniacs” sequel and also discussed with her about her passion for acting.

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Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you got the role of Granny Boone in “2001 Maniacs”?
Lin Shaye: Well, I have worked with Tim before.  I met him when I did “Detroit Rock City”.  We had a friendship and a good work relationship.  He told me about the movie but like all things you are never sure what is going to happen, but then we got funding.  Originally the character had a whole different concept planned for her.  Tim kept talking about “The Beverly Hillbillies” grandmother and he envisioned her in a coon-skin cap.  When we saw the original place we were going to be shooting it was a living museum in a place called Lumpkin, Georgia.  It is a civil war reenactment museum.  It was fantastic.  When we saw Granny Boone’s “house” it was a white mansion and we rethought it on the spot.  I insisted she needed to be more like a southern belle.  We ended up sewing this outfit together on me just before we shot the first day and Granny Boone was born.  She was a cross between Scarlett O’Hara and a black widow spider.

Mike Gencarelli: What originally drew you to the role?
Lin Shaye: It is a really good story.  It is about these people who are avenging themselves against war.  It caters well to the horror population. Between Tim, the storyline and the idea of this women as Scarlett O’Hara eating people, I thought that sounded good.  So there we were.  The story is quite wonderful.

Mike Gencarelli: How do you feel your character grows or changes in “2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams”?
Lin Shaye: It took almost six years before we got the second one going.  By that time Granny took on this wonderful flavor of a real woman who is trying to bring some peace to herself even in this horrible vicious or gruesome way.  Tim also gave me a lot more to do in the second one.  We filled in her relationship with Mayor Buckman.  They have this odd love affair.  I love the scene in the second one when she is trying to wake him up by singing or being flirtatious and all he cares about is snoring and his weapon, it is the typical male/female relationship.  Granny is more of leader in the second one as well which is lots of fun for me.

MG: What was the most challenging part of your role in “2001 Maniacs: Field the Screams”?
LS: The challenges were more on the technical side.  We had such huge time restraint. We made this movie in like 11 days.  If you can believe that.  Everyone brought there a-game.  It was one of the most amicable sets that I have ever been on.  Tim is a very joyful human being, extremely positive and optimistic.  He really is a fine director.  He made the time restraints easier.  The hardest thing for me personally was the flashdance sequence, since it was kind of written in after the fact.  I remember getting the material and being surprised it was a whole song I kind of had to learn.  Besides me there were three other “gals” and I was  the dance captain so to speak.  They hired a choreographer for us and we had like a few hours to learn it.  It was kind of a nightmare.  We couldn’t learn it.  It was too hard for me and I was ready to give-up.  We were spending all this time and energy and it is going to look like shit I thought.  When we finally set shot it, it seems to work well.  Tim had it all worked out that that is what is great about him.  So that was basically the hardest day for me.  Yet it came out great and I think it is hilarious.  I think the fans are really going to love it.

MG: Are you a fan of horror films in general?
LS: [laughs] I am not a fan at all.  The best horror film to me to date is still, “A Nightmare on Elm Street”, which I do have a tiny part in.  They do not scare me and I have no fascination with blood or guts other than my appreciation of special effects and makeup.  The horror fans are an incredible community.  I just worked with James Wan, who directed the first “Saw” movie.  So I am getting work in this genre but I never question why I just say, “Yes”.

MG: Your role in the original “A Nightmare on Elm Street” is still referenced today as having a major impact, how does that make you feel?
LS: It is no secret Bob Shaye is my brother who started New Line Cinema.  I am proud of that.  I was invited to work on the film.  The teacher was just a little small role with this fun little catch all at the end about the hall pass.  None of us ever know what is going to strike a cord in people.  Sometimes it is the most unlikely kind of thing.  I really try to do my best.  When we did “Elm Street”, I was just excited to be in the movie.  It was big deal for New Line but I had no idea.  The film has had all this longevity and spawned this whole mega-series of films.  Robert Englund became Robert Englund.  People still remember the role of the teacher, though.  I just remembered something actually, I got a review in the New York Times back when the movie came out.  It spoke about the teacher and it mentioned that she was one of the most realistic people in the film.  It was one of those moment and I said “Wow, I got picked out” for such a small contribution.  It is thrilling and exciting.

MG: You also had some very memorable comedic roles in “There’s Something About Mary”, “Kingpin” and “Dumb and Dumber”, did you enjoy working those films?
LS: I love comedy.  It is interesting because I never thought to myself that I am a comedian or I do comedy.  I feel like I am an actor.  I have been told I have excellent comedic timing.  It is just something you feel.  I am very grateful for that gift.  I really do not think of comedy any different than I think about horror or any other genre.  For me it is just finding the truth of the character and expanding their universe.  When I did Magda in “There’s Something About Mary”, I thought this woman is really like agoraphobic and doesn’t really go out.  I spoke to the wardrobe and I mentioned that she should just be in house coats.  I had a whole back story made up for her that wasn’t in the script. She stays with Mary on her couch because she love her like a daughter.  She also has Fluffy that she treats like her baby.  It is through those serious thoughts comes the comedy.  I think it is trying to move your mind outside of the character and from those elements comes things that are funny, scary and sad.  If you are in a comedy you want to sustain the genre your in.  You have to just feel it.  You don’t want to play a comedy too heavy.  That’s tragedy.  But actually that can be funny too depending on how hard you cry [laughs].  I just love acting and the process.  I recently turned down a big role in a movie for a smaller role.  I felt that with the smaller role, I could do something better with it.  I thought what the hell am I doing but the other role opened up my heart.  I thought that is why I am an actor.  That is what I look for.  Acting for me is communication.  If you can make people laugh there is nothing better.  I walked into the theater when we did “Mary” and I remembering hearing the roar and it was so uplifting.  With “Kingpin” also, I didn’t play her to be funny I thought she was tragic [laughs].  But people laughed at her, because she is so damn tragic.  I have been doing this for so long but I still get as thrilled, scared, nervous and excited as I was the first time I ever worked once they say the words “Action”.

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Interview with Cindy Morgan

Cindy Morgan is best known as “Lacey Underall” in “Caddyshack”, and “Yori” in “Tron”. This year celebrates the 30th anniversary of “Caddyshack” and the return of “Tron” with its upcoming sequel “Tron: Legacy”. Movie Mikes had a chance to talk with Cindy about her road to becoming an actress and her experiences working on those films.

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Mike Gencarelli: You went from Catholic school girl to Lacey Underall in “Caddyshack”, tell us about that journey?
Cindy Morgan: From Catholic school to “Caddyshack” went this way, I was going to go to the Illinois Institute of Technology which is the mid-west version of MIT. I was accepted in and I wanted to be an engineer like my dad. The year I went, the school had four girls and all guys. I was fixed up for my prom and all I did was study, I said I can’t do this. I made a hard left turn and went to Northern Illinois University. My professor told me one day that I should get into communications. I remember my first time trying it because my whole body went numb. But after that I took everything as a challenge. I spent five years in broadcasting. I was either working in radio or television. If I was on the radio, I was a disc jockey and was FCC licensed sound engineer. On TV, when I did the weather I had not a clue what I was talking about but I had good ratings. From there I ended up doing The Morning Drive radio show in Chicago. I need some more money though so I asked to do more commercials and they told me they weren’t going to put me on camera. I said “the hell with you guys, I am going to LA”. They told me I wouldn’t get a job. I told them I will have a billboard on Sunset in one year. I had one in eight months. After getting a commercial for Irish Springs, I got a theatrical agent got the script for “Caddyshack”. Did you know how much that film was ad libbed? Rodney (Dangerfield) was running through a scene bug-eyed like a comedic juggernaut. Ted Knight kept getting angry. Chevy Chase and Bill Murray threw in their lines. It was crazy. When I finally saw it, it was like watching home movies of a family picnic. But the thing is we were really having a good time.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about working on “Caddyshack”? Any stories?
Cindy Morgan: It was fun but also a big challenge. When that camera rolls it was even playing field. I was playing a strong character going head to head against these guys. The first scene I shot was the high dive and I can’t dive and can barely swim. I climbed up to the board and set the whole shot and they cut to the real diver. My second shot was the nude scene. It was explained to me and understood it. The night before though one of the producers told me they are going to send a Playboy photographer down to shoot the scene. I told them I couldn’t do it. But the next day there was the photographer. I wouldn’t let him on set and the producer said he was taking away my paid ads and my billing and told me I would never work again. So they did. Nobody knows I was in “Caddyshack”, they know Lacey Underall. I know that I did the right thing though.

Mike Gencarelli: Switching from “Caddyshack” to “Tron”, two totally different roles how did you feel?
Cindy Morgan: It was very different actors. Very different people. Working in Florida with the “Caddyshack” crew was a very different experience then working on the studio lot for Disney. “Caddyshack” was “Animal House” on the golf course. With Disney everything was frame by frame and had word by word laid out. It was a whole different deal. I loved working with Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner. It was a ground breaking film. When we shot it, it was just a huge empty warehouse. None of the graphics were behind us. The reality we were going to find in these things were in each others eyes. That is all I can say. I am really got I did that film.

MG: What was it like working on the film “Tron”, was it a difficult shoot?
CM: Difficult in a lot of ways. They had specific storyboards and scenes laid out. This was the first time that CGI was ever done. The studio suits were roaming around the sets. With my character in “Tron”, I had to make certain adjustments so I could play her as real as I could. One line I choked on and the audience knows it. I went to the director and said I cannot say this line. The director also happened to be the writer so the line stayed in the movie. The line was “Oh Tron, I knew there was circuit build that could hold you” and the audience laughs every time.

MG: How did you feel when you saw “Tron” for the first time as a finished product?
CM: In the real world I was fine. In the computer world the dialogue was very tough. The graphics were gorgeous though. But as a whole I didn’t know if it would play to a wide audience. I knew it had a special niche. As it turns out that niche kept it alive and it grew and grew. The reality was there because the actors believed it and they were in it 100%.

MG: Can you believe how the film has tested time and still is so popular?
CM: It is so cool that almost 30 years later all of this is happening. I have a big smile on my face all the time.

MG: Give us a hint do you think we will get a chance to see “Yori” return in “Tron Legacy” or maybe its possible sequel?
CM: I think any number of things in possible because the bottom line Mike, it is science-fiction. Anything is possible. They shot footage of me when I was in San Francisco doing promotion. The producers working the viral campaign are all young men. They are paying very cool attention to the internet and what the fans are saying. There is even a ‘Yori Lives’ campaign going on but it is all up to the fans.

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Filed Under: Film Interviews Tagged With: continent, dark, monsters, parker, role, sawyers, ...
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