Gavin Hood felt that there was more than just an Oscar ™ riding on the success of TSOTSI, based on the novel by Athol Fugard and South Africa’s official entry for the 2005 Best Foreign Film Academy Award ™. It’s one of the many things we talked about when I interviewed him on February 10, 2006. … Read More »
Kasi Lemmons Says TALK TO ME
There is a piquant contrast between the calm, almost nurturing personality of filmmaker Kasi Lemmons and that of radio pioneer, Petey Green, the bombastic subject of her film, TALK TO ME. But, as I discovered when I talked to her on June 5, 2007, there is the same drive, the same commitment, and the same passion for what she… Read More »
CRASH With Ryan Phillppe and Paul Haggis
CRASH represents a sea change in careers moves for many of the people involved, not the least director and co-writer Paul Haggis, a veteran of television sitcoms. The provocative story of anger, fear, and race relations in contemporary Los Angeles also provides Ryan Phillippe with one of his best roles in years, maybe the best… Read More »
Ziggy Marley on MARLEY
When I spoke with Ziggy Marley on April 19, 2012, the first thing I wanted to know is how he felt when he found out that his father’s lyrics had been part of the Arab Spring. The conversation continued with why he chose Kevin McDonald to direct the documentary about Bob, the roots of reggae,… Read More »
John McDonagh Hires THE GUARD
John McDonagh garnered acclaim for his screenplay, NED KELLY, but didn’t like the way it was translated to the big screen. The experience gave him the perfect impetus to come up with a screenplay that he could direct himself. Conceived as a low-budget project that would allow him the artistic freedom he craved, THE GUARD… Read More »
Tate Taylor & Octavia Spencer Bring THE HELP to Life
Click here to listen to the interview. Tate Taylor and Octavia Spencer have a special insight into THE HELP. The novel on which Taylor based his script, which he also directed, was written by his lifelong friend, Kathryn Stockett. Spencer was Taylor’s roommate when she got to know Stockett, and was the inspiration for the… Read More »
Emma Stone Helps THE HELP
When I talked with Emma Stone in July 11, 2011, the issue of Vanity Fair with her on the cover had just hit newstands. It seemed wrong not to acknowledge this milestone in a career that is relatively new, but has already shown so much versatility. Bouyant but grounded, Stone spoke with engaging conviction about… Read More »
Don Argott, Sheena Joyce & Lenny Feinberg Reveal THE ART OF THE STEAL
For director Don Argott and producers Sheena Joyce and Lenny Feinberg, making THE ART OF THE STEAL about the fight over the Barnes collection of early modern art was a labor of love. The resulting film plays like a political thriller. During the course of our conversation on February 15, 2010, each spoke about what… Read More »