Broadcaster Jimmy Savile dies at 84

Savile in 2010Veteran British broadcaster Jimmy Savile, a infamously eccentric culture figure, has died at his home in northern England. He was 84.Savile, recognized for his garish tracksuits, chunky gold jewelry and not-ending enthusiasm for pop music and charitable organization work, was the host of two extended-running British television programs and mentioned to own been a longtime confidant to Prince Charles and ex-Pm Margaret Thatcher.Rarely seen without his trademark large cigar, Savile had initially labored in the coal mine just like a teen before implementing music and built a national profile just like a disc jockey -- first in Britain's dance halls after which on radio, like the famous Radio Luxembourg.West Yorkshire Police confirmed that authorities happen to be referred to as Saturday to Savile's home inside the capital of scotland - Leeds, northern England, and mentioned that there has been no suspicious conditions surrounding his dying. The reason behind Savile's dying isn't known.Savile mentioned are actually the initial DJ in the world to take advantage of two decks -- enabling continuous music being carried out -- inventing the process later recognized by modern dance music, also to allow us using record, rather than live bands, at nightclubs."History has it that we was the, initial within the worldInch to set up a disco event, he told the BBC in May.Presented getting a knighthood for his charitable organization fundraising event, Savile was best known to as host in the BBC's "The Top Of Jumps" weekly television pop music show, beginning the program in 1964 and returning to supply its final edition in 2006.For pretty much 2 decades from 1975, Savile also situated the greatly popular series "Jim'll Do The Repair,In . in which the broadcaster taken proper care of immediately children's letters by organizing for wants to be recognized.Savile championed numerous good causes -- frequently running marathons to enhance money -- and introduced attempt to collect 20 million pounds ($32 million) to be able to get yourself a national spine injuries center at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in southern England."He will be a very energetic character," friend and fellow radio presenter David Hamilton told Britain's Sky News television. "But first of all, From the him as merely a totally flamboyant, crazy, larger than existence character to ensure that because he was round the air, he was likewise off."Savile never married and were living alone within the native Leeds, in northern England, organizing part of his home as shrine to his later mother.His guarded, and sometime curious, private existence was the subject of the considerably seen television documentary in 2000 by film maker Louis Theroux, boy of author Paul Theroux. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Feature pic shoots dip

Last week's offlot feature filming in La fell to the cheapest level in six several weeks as "The Dark Dark night Increases" required a rest from shooting after leading activity for six days consecutively. Feature shoots totalled 81 days -- less than every other week since April 11-18. Indie drama "Smashed" tallied up 16 allowed days a week ago, based on figures provided Tuesday through the FilmL.A. enabling agency. Total feature days allowed a week ago were lower 43% in the same week this past year as Warner Bros.' "Gangster Squad" also required a rest from shooting. Feature activity rose 50% throughout the 3rd quarter and averaged 160 days each week. Additional features presently shooting in La include Ben Affleck's "Argo," "Dying from the Sheik," "Smooth Smooth Individual," "The Vortex" and "A Glimpse Within the Mind of Charles Swan III." Total allowed production days rejected 15% to 604 a week ago. TV shooting rejected 7% to 386 days, with "Criminal Minds" probably the most active a week ago with ten days. Other TV productions presently shooting include "Awake," "Being a parent," "Private Practice," "Ringer," "House of Cassini," "Pacquiao-Marquez 24/7" and "After Recently." Commercial shooting was lower 7% to 137 days having a GDF commercial shot accumulating probably the most days at 14. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

World Series lifts Fox

Fox has loved a rankings boon as an aggressive World Series between your Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals. The Alphabet's Wednesday sitcom "Modern Family" wasn't any. one in the weekly grown ups 18-49 ratings the very first time. An aggressive World Series is a rankings boon for Fox, which notched an across-the-board primetime rankings victory a week ago. Four games from the Fall Classic between your Texas Rangers and St. Louis Cardinals along with a special Tuesday edition of "The X Factor" combined to pace Fox's winning week for that March. 17-23 frame, and also the internet has become up a lot more than 20% season up to now. Also of note within the fifth week from the television season, CBS continued to be hot using its hit comedies and top crime dramas, while ABC saw its Sunday skein "Not so long ago" open perfectly and Tuesday comedy anchor "Last Guy Standing" endure nicely in the second week.NBC, meanwhile, was uncovered per week when "Sunday Evening Football" hit a season low and "WorkInch broadcast a repeat: It didn't have entertainment series one of the frame's top 25 shows in grown ups 18-49, and also the 4th-place network finds itself lower a lot more than 10% season up to now in most groups. Based on Nielsen, Fox cruised in grown ups 18-49 having a 3.6 rating/10 share, then CBS (2.6/7), ABC (2.4/6), NBC (1.8/5) and Univision (1.4/4). Fox also brought in grown ups 25-54 (4.3/11) and total audiences (11.9 million). For Fox, the planet Series will discover a sixth game tonight and may extend to some seventh game the very first time in nine years when the Cardinals win to tie the series. Sunday's Game 4 averaged a 4.2 rating/11 be part of grown ups 18-49 and 15.16 million audiences overall -- enough to top NBC's "Sunday Evening Football" (5.2/13, 12.47m) as a whole audiences although not the demo. Game 5 on Monday from the current week (4.2/11, 14.32m) held steady, handily beating ESPN's "Monday Evening Football" (3.3/9, 7.47m for Ravens-Jaguars). Around the entertainment side, Fox's top shows were "X Factor" (3.9/10, 10.39m), which won its evening, and Monday's "House" (3.1/7, 8.34m). At ABC, "Not so long ago" impressed in the Sunday bow (4./10, 12.93m), accumulating the very best premiere 18-49 score for just about any drama because the net's "V" 2 yrs ago and giving ABC its best showing within the night's 8 o'clock hour in 3 years. On Tuesday, Tim Allen comedy "Last Guy Standing" (3.1/9, 10.34m) maintained the majority of its preem aud from a week ago, however it only agreed to be a so-so bow for that premiere of "Guy Up" airing behind it at 8:30 (2.4/6, 7.78m).Net's Wednesday continues to look great, with "The CenterInch rising again (3./9, 9.13m), "Suburgatory" supporting well at 8:30 (3.1/8, 8.82m) and "Modern Family" (5.7/14, 13.04m) climbing to No. one in the weekly 18-49 ratings the very first time. CBS was again paced by "2 . 5 Males" (5.3/13, 15.14m), as well as on Monday of the week, the vet comedy saw its first rankings uptick within the Ashton Kutcher era (5.5/13, 15.29m) -- it had been the night's No. 1 show within the demo or more a hefty 25% within the 4.4 it did last year within the same week. Eye's some of the best comedy, "The Large Bang Theory," skyrocketed to the biggest Thursday aud up to now for any regular seg (5.1/16, 14.93m). This assisted lead-out "Rules of Engagement" to some solid sixth-season premiere (3.6/10, 11.45m), that was up over its opener of September 2010, the only real other time since 2007 it began its season within the fall. Also stout within their ninth and seventh seasons, correspondingly, were dramas "NCIS" (3.9/11, 19.41m) and "Criminal Minds" (3.9/10, 13.15m). It had been a forgettable week for NBC, that was brought around the series side by Wednesday's "Law and Order: SVU" (2.2/6, 7.66m) and "Up Through The Night" (2.1/6, 5.63m). In cable, MTV's "Jersey Shoreline" (3.7/9 in 18-49, 6.64m) wrapped lower from the newest season finale but rated 16th among all shows for that week. Directly behind it within the demo ratings was AMC's strong "The Walking Dead" (3.6/8, 6.70m), which dipped just a little from the season premiere. Some of the best entertainers incorporated a set of Forex dramas, "Sons of Anarchy" (2./5, 3.65m) and "American Horror Story" (1.5/3, 2.59m), and, obviously, ESPN's "Monday Evening Football" (5./13 in 18-49, 12.06m for Whales-Jets). Nickelodeon obtained a large 5.73 million audiences Saturday because of its premiere of movie "Fred 2: Evening from the Living Fred" ABC Family's "13 Nights of Halloween" got on its best start up to now, calculating 1.7 million audiences through 5 days and CNN came 5.50 million audiences for Tuesday's GOP debate, which makes it the 2nd most widely used debate of the election cycle. Contact Ron Kissell at ron.kissell@variety.com

Twyla Tharp Brings Frank Sinatra to Hollywood's Pantages Theater (Q&A)

Twyla Tharp's Come Fly Away, which opened up in Atlanta this past year and opened up on Broadway this season, begins its two-week run within the Pantages Theater on Tuesday, March. 25. While it's been sharp and refurbished since its Colonial debut, what's not changed are choreographer Tharp's visceral dance moves praising the tunes of Frank Sinatra. Combined, music and dance narrate the story of four couples simply because they cavort interior and exterior love inside a swinging nightclub. Tharp, whose Tony-Top ranked musical Movin' Out featured the music activity of Billy Joel making its approach to the Pantages in 2004, features a extended link with Sinatra's music. In 1976, she created and danced alongside Mikhail Baryshnikov inside the duet Once More Frank for your American Ballet Theatre Nine Sinatra Tunes adopted in 1982, spotlighting 14 ballroom ballroom dancers as well as the duet Sinatra Suite, featuring Baryshnikov and Elaine Kudo, was completed when Sinatra received his Kennedy Center Recognition in 1984. "How can you Not a Sinatra fan?" Tharp asks rhetorically. "Absolutely no way.In . Just right before opening evening, she needed one minute to talk to The Hollywood Reporter in regards to the show. The Hollywood Reporter: You've already done three projects while using music of Frank Sinatra. Why repeat the process? Twyla Tharp: Well, they all are different. The initial will be a completely abstract piece the second you some sense of place and relationship in it but merely between individual couples. Baryshnikov's version stood a a lot more effective character persona - the-lonely-guy-that-we-all-love-in-his-misery type factor. Come Fly Away is certainly an study of 4 in the couples from Nine Sinatra Tunes in a great deal more depth - regarding associations and the way they did or didn't stick together. For example, the happy couple referred to as Something Stupid [in Nine Sinatra Tunes] increased being Marty and Betsy [in Come Fly Away], a simple and funny couple. They have their problems nonetheless they hold it together and you also realize that evolve through the path from the evening. The Next couple in Nine Sinatra Tunes was dysfunctional they increased being Hank and Kate in this version. She, particularly, can be a tragic figure who bottoms out. He seems being there on her behalf. THR: How extended managed to get happen enable you to get to put the show together? Tharp: Sinatra recorded over 1,000 game game titles in the American Songbook. I didn't give consideration to any or all 1,000 however suggested lots of of those. I tried it for just about any year . 5 just before finding yourself in Atlanta and had another revision before it went into NY. That was another six several days. It went very quickly from NY to Vegas there it had its third pass, the present, final version. There's no intermission, there's no female singer, there's just Sinatra. There's a brand new opening, middle and finished, it is therefore different then the thing that was on Broadway. THR: Why increase the risk for change? Tharp: Because I saw a means to ensure it is in to a better show when the Broadway cast needed the show to Vegas. THR: Why execute a musical set for the music of Frank Sinatra to start with? Tharp: My mother will be a music artist and trained piano. She loved Sinatra. He will be a singer who found my thoughts because of her. He was, in their opinion, the most effective of the very popular entertainers and stars and To be certain. Certainly he will be a wonderful music artist, getting a genuine ear for contemporary shipping, mainly jazz vocals and tempos. It's my job to consider his tunes as monologues and, really, he probably considered them as arias rather than pop tunes - this is actually the type of emotion that switches into many of them. THR: What else is keeping you simply busy nowadays? Tharp: I'm concentrating on an entire-length ballet that will premiere in February acquired by Shubert, amongst others, together with a story having a 1800s children's author named George MacDonald. I merely opened up on Thursday last weekScarlatti,a product for Hubbard Street Dance Company Chicago composed of seven sonatas together with a fugue. My 50th anniversary at work are available in 2015 which we now have numerous items that we'd want to be achieving, one of these simple has turned into a site that's indeed a museum and some other type of archival projects, educational projects. THR: You've created dance musicals for the tunes of Billy Joel, Bob Dylan inside the Occasions They are A Changin', Sinatra - Tharp: - I've also done Bob Schubert, Mozart, Brahms, Handel and Hayden. THR: I used to be thinking popular music. Are you currently likely to complete another musical different color leaves? Tharp: I certainly don't have any plans for nearly such factor however also don't have any intends to not. Whether or not this should strike me and out of the blue I am unable to keep my foot still then I am likely to be inside carrying it out again. THR: Perform the opinions of experts matter for you personally? Tharp: I don't make out the print. Once I started working, there has been people who saw greater than I'd and who had more context than I'd. That's forget about true. Clearly I realize how something continues to be received nevertheless the more understanding about this aren't of deep concern. Also you must know the genre itself of critique has changed considerably: It's opinion. You will discover very handful of experts who've historic context or authority. You've the area from the blogger. Related Subjects

'Crulic,' 'Baryshnikov' to see at Cottbus

MOSCOW -- Our planet's leading showcase of Eastern European film, Germany's Filmfestival Cottbus, has revealed the choice due to its 21st edition. The festival, which runs November. 1-6 inside the old Prussian capital of scotland - Cottbus that until German reunification in October 1990 reaches the Communist eastern part of the country, posseses an exclusive choice of premieres because of its primary competition programs. Ten features, including one worldwide and nine German premieres, will compete for just about any cash prize worth Euro 20,000 ($27,500) you will discover also eight short features with one world, three worldwide and four Germany premieres. The feature competition includes unusual Romanian-Polish coprod, "Crulic -- The street to Beyond" by Anca Damian. Using animation techniques, the director notifies the nasty and tragic true story from the youthful Romanian jailed in Belgium. Capabilities inside the primary competition are: "My Dad Baryshnikov" (dir: Dmitry Povo Povolotsky, Russia) "Identity Card" (dir: Ondrej Trojan viruses infections, Czech-Slovakia) "I am Ki" (dir: Leszek Dawid, Belgium) "SunshineInch (dir: Nariman Turebayev, Kazakhstan) "Salt White-colored" (dir: Keti Machavariani, Georgia) "Gromozeka" (dir: Vladimir Kott, Russia) "Twilight Portrait" (dir: Angelina Nikonova, Russia) "Lynch" (dir: Krzysztof Lukaszewicz, Belgium), and "The Enemy" (dir: Dejan Zecevic, Serbia, Montenegro). Founded in 1991 by East German cineastes concerned within the onslaught of Western, U.S.-affected culture after november the Berlin Wall, Cottbus is ongoing to develop being major East-West industry meeting point. A thrilling two-day industry event, Connecting up Cottbus, offers a venue for project pitching and deal-making between producers from across Europe's old divides. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

In Their Own Words

In Their Own Words October 12, 2011 Photo by Getty Images Idina Menzel On Big Breaks... "First big breakhard to say. Could be Mabel in 'The Pirates of Penzance,' 4th grade, Baylis Elementary School, where I discovered the warmth and exhilaration of the spotlight. Or perhaps getting hired as a professional wedding/bar mitzvah singer at the age of 15 for Tony Saitta and the Echoes, where I learned the true meaning of rejection, as a drunk audience ate their salads to the tune of 'I'm So Excited' by the Pointer Sisters. But I guess the most significant break was in December 1995, when I was cast in the Off-Broadway production of the musical 'Rent.' I met my husband; I learned the endurance and discipline it takes to do eight shows a week, the fragility of life, and the importance of being in the moment." Idina Menzel"'Big break' implies that it's done now, you've gotten it, and now you're in. We know you're never in. You're in, then you're not in. Then you're back in, then you're out again. You're always on some part of that scale. There are very few actorsyou could probably count them on one handthat you know aren't going anywhere." Don Cheadle"Waiting for a big break is a mistake. I knew I would go to seed waiting for a break, and I didn't go full time as an actor until I was 34. And after I did my first thing as a full-time actor, I realized I had nothing else lined up. So I did a one-man show. You can't sit around waiting for the phone to ring; you have to make your own work. Just do it, do it, do it." Brendan GleesonOn Auditioning... "One of the things I've recently discovered is the way I get through the nerves of auditions is telling myself it's a workday. I know my lines, I know my character, and I'm going to work with the director. And sometimes it goes terribly, terribly wrong, but it frees me up a little bit." Connie Britton"I've met some wonderful actors who found the audition process just too terrifying, even painful, and gave up. That nerve-jangling stretch before the reading can seem downright flulike. Well-meaning efforts to convince you that 'It's just energy!' are pointless. It feels like fear, so it's fear. But what are we afraid of? What's the worst that can happen? They don't give you the job? Guess what: You already don't have the job. The worst has happened! Pressure's off, so have fun. The main reason we wanted to do this is that it looked like it would be fun, right?" Michael McKean"I was attending NYU. They have a strict absence policy: Three absences and you're kicked out. I was auditioning on the side and had about 10 absences and begged them to let me stay. I had been auditioning for almost a year and hadn't booked anything. At the start of my final semester, I booked a lead guest-starring role in a 'Law & Order' episode. I was going to have to miss a week of school. Crap. It was a new semester, so I'd already have five absences. Two over the limit. I figured I'd take the job and beg NYU to let me stay later. On the set, I met Dick Wolf and we got along well. I guess he liked what I was doing, because he asked me if I would be interested in doing another guest-starring role in a new show he had, a short-lived series named 'The Wright Verdicts.' I would have to take off another two weeks of school. I knew there was no way NYU would go for it, so I decided to take the semester off and finish up my last 15 credits the next semester. But I kept booking jobs, and I never went back. About 10 years later, I was up for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series at the SAG Awards for 'Six Feet Under,' which I had guest-starred on that season. I saw Dick Wolf there and we started talking. I said, 'You know, Dick, I was 15 credits from graduating and dropped out of college to do your shows. So you're the reason I don't have my diploma. But...you're the reason I got my SAG card. So it's a good tradeoff." - Peter Facinelli"One of the greatest I think was Tom Hanks [for 'Forrest Gump']. That screen test with him washe was just so sweet and warm and I wasn't scared. I felt at ease. He was so loving, and that was a great experience, and I got the part. It all works out." Robin Wright"I remember going to one of those casting workshops, where you pay 50 bucks and go off and work on scenes. I came back and they evaluated me, and the guy was like, 'Conservatively speaking, you need three more years of work, probably working at our workshops.' I was like, 'Uh-huh, okay.' Not to say that he was wrong and I was really good, but it just felt creepy and weird. Also, in the limited amount of commercial auditions I used to do, I swear, every time I went in, the person in front of me would come out laughing with the casting director. They'd be hugging each other: 'Bye, Bob! Great to see you! Say hi to the wife!' Then they'd be like: 'Next! Phil Ferrell.' 'Uh, it's Will, actually.' 'Whatever.' " Will Ferrell"There are two of them. I won't name who they were. One was a producer, and one was a director. I went in and read for a director, and I was to read the role of a bad guy, and I read it and he looked at me and he said, 'Ooooh, scary,' but in such a cynical, awful way. How do you even react to that? I just kind of laughed or something and it was over, and I didn't get the part, thank God. The other one was, I was auditioning for something, and a producer sat there reading the NY Post while I was auditioning. So when I started directing, I vowed that I would maybe try to compensate for people like that." Stanley Tucci"I don't get starstruck. I'm fine. Especially Ben [Affleck]he's a Boston guy; I should be fine. I walked in [to audition for 'Gone Baby Gone'], and I'm walking down the halls looking for this room, and as I passed a room I heard, 'There he is.' In my head I was like, 'That's Ben.' I turned around and it was, and for some reason I instantly was nervous. I went in and shook his hand, and the first thing I said was 'Hey, how ya doing? Am I gonna be okay where I parked?' And he said, 'Where'd you park?' And I said, 'At one of the meters.' And he said, 'Did you put money in it?' And I said, 'Yeah.' And he said, 'I think you'll be all right.' From that moment, I just wanted to get the f--k out of the room. I just wanted to be anywhere but there. I sat down with my heart beating out of my chest. I was so mortified that I started this meeting off that way. I started giving him one-word answers. They put me in a rocking chair, so I'm just rocking and twisting, just nervous. 'So, what was your last movie like?' 'Good.' 'What was it like to work with Danny Boyle?' 'Good.' I just wanted to get out of there. It was horrible, a complete disaster. So, obviously, I did not get that job." Chris Evans"I've had so many bad auditions. 'Dawson's Creek' was probably the worst. I had just gotten back from Toronto doing this Disney show, and I had a video camera, and I'd directed some plays and I really, really wanted to direct. For a birthday, I got one of those little viewfinders, and I was 15. I went to network for 'Dawson's Creek,' and on the last one I realized I was really going to knock it out of the park. I wanted this show more than anything, because it was a kid who loved movies and he had some problems with a girlfriend. And I could relate. I liked movies, and I had a problem with a girl."So I came in with a viewfinder around my neck, and I wanted to show them that I liked movies, and I wore my Sundance cap. This is for network. And they said, 'Okay, do these scenes.' And I did them pretty good. It was like a mix-and-match and then I did it again. And they said, 'Okay, thanks, Ben.' And I thanked them. 'So when do you think there's going to be a callback, because I may be going out of town or something.' And that's a huge no-no, but you don't know until you do that. And they said, 'Yeah, we'll get back to you. Thanks, it was a great read.' I was like, 'Okay, great. Do you want me to do it again in another way?' They said, 'No, no, that was fine, thank you.' And there were, like, 20 people in the room. So I then shook 20 people's hands. I refused to leave a single person without looking them in the eye. Then I knew something was building, but I thought it was my courage rather than these people really wanting me to get the f--k out of their room. So I leave the room and I wait two minutes outside the door, and I'm sweating. I'm like, 'I didn't do enough. I didn't give enough.' So I knocked on the door, and they're like, 'Yeah, come in.' And they were shocked to see that I came back in. I was like, 'I'm so sorry,' and I adjusted the chair that I was sitting on in the room, because I kind of left it askew. And then I said, 'Thanks so much. This was terrific, and I can't wait to hear back.' So I walked outside, and I couldn't drive at the time, and my dad was supposed to pick me up. I was like, 'You know what? Don't come. Don't pick me up yet.' And he was like, 'Why?' I was like, 'I'm going to really let them have it. Pick me up in two hours.' So I sit and I wait outside, because it's, like, 10 in the morning and I wait until, like, 12:30 for them to go to lunch. And I watch them all walk out of the office, and I'm there sitting with my viewfinder and a Sundance cap, and I just wave at them. So I get in the carno, it wasn't my dad; it was my girlfriend at the time's mom, actually. She drove me back, and she's like, 'How'd it go?' And I was like, 'Really well. I really, like, committed.' And I get back to the Oakwood Apartments, where I was living. And I'm waiting by the phone. Five o'clock, 6 o'clock rolls around, and you're sweating by the phone, being like, 'I got it. I know I got this.' My manager calls up and I say, 'Hey!' and he says, 'Hey. What the f--k did you do in there?' I was like, 'It went great, right?' And he just said, 'Whatever you just did, don't ever do it again.'"And I've heard that a few times in my life. I guess I haven't learned it. Maybe I've become a little less desperate or a lot less desperate in terms of trying to prove myself to other people, but that was a rough one. I learned that it doesn't matter what they think, as long as you give your performance and you can be pleasant, but you don't have to give your person to them. You just do that through the work. If I had left, maybe things would have been different. There are no regrets, of course, but as actors we have so much heart, and we just want to give pieces of ourselves away so badly: 'See? I feel, I feel, I feel so much. I want to feel for you. I want to feel for the world.' It's a city filled with people who want to give their hearts away, and sometimes like human beings we're not so calloused, and that's beautiful. It can work in the opposite way: 'I'm too callous, and I can't give anymore because you don't deserve my heart,' and that's bullshit, too." - Ben FosterOn Getting Their SAG Card... "I got my SAG card with a T.J. Maxx commercial. 'You get the max for the minimum at T.J. Maxx.' It was a back-to-school ad. Ben [Affleck] and I were in it together, and our part got cut, but we still got the checks. It was 1986 when I got my SAG card, and they raised the rate from $600 to $800, and I only had $600, and I was on my way to get my SAG card and I found out that it was $200 more than I had, and my father gave me the money. And I've always been really grateful about that." Matt Damon"Oh, GodI did an episode of 'Spenser: For Hire.' I remember some controversy over doing 'Spenser: For Hire,' because I didn't have [the card]. But I got it in 1985." Patricia Clarkson"I got my SAG card as an extra on an ABC Afterschool Special where I had to play spin the bottle, and I got my first kiss and SAG card. They weren't going to give anyone lines, but then they gave me a line and a kiss, and so they gave me my SAG card." Kyra SedgwickOn Training... "I took classes for technical reasons, like knowing how to count. I could not count for the life of me when I first started. I was like, 'Five and nine!' 'No, there's no nine.' " Harry Shum, Jr. On Acting... "I'm so lucky to be doing what I'm doing. I will tell anyone that. Acting is no easy feat, though.... It truly requires more focus, dedication, tenacity, and perseverance than most paths. Telling stories allows you to truly see the power of the human spirit and mind, but also to understand that we can use humor as a medicine for pain. It's this simple: The only way to weave the thread of life into a character is to pull from your own life's past, present, and future. I tried with some success but never really got it until reading Ivana Chubbuck's book 'The Power of the Actor' and studying this type of acting, using real-to-me connective tissue between me and whomever I'm playing. Then it all made sense." Ian SomerhalderOn Wanting to be an Actor... "I'm one of those obnoxious, annoying people who will tell you there was never any question that's always what I was going to be. I didn't have a backup career." Ginnifer Goodwin"I still wake up some days thinking, 'What in the hell am I doing?' I often pass between anxiety and amusement at some of the situations my life as an actor has put me in. But when I think back to 10 or 11 years ago, I am amazed at how lost I really was. I showed up in NY knowing everything and absolutely nothing, all at the same time. I knew I wanted to be an actor. That was it. Fortunately for me, I came across a copy of Back Stage at a newsstand and it became my handbook. The first thing I would do every Thursday morning (after some Tylenol and a ton of water; I bartended Wednesday nights) was get my copy and open up to the submissions page. These were my first auditions. My first work experiences. The student films I booked out of there were my training. And I'm still trying to get copies of a couple of those!" Jeff Hephner In Their Own Words October 12, 2011 Idina Menzel PHOTO CREDIT Getty Images On Big Breaks... "First big breakhard to say. Could be Mabel in 'The Pirates of Penzance,' 4th grade, Baylis Elementary School, where I discovered the warmth and exhilaration of the spotlight. Or perhaps getting hired as a professional wedding/bar mitzvah singer at the age of 15 for Tony Saitta and the Echoes, where I learned the true meaning of rejection, as a drunk audience ate their salads to the tune of 'I'm So Excited' by the Pointer Sisters. But I guess the most significant break was in December 1995, when I was cast in the Off-Broadway production of the musical 'Rent.' I met my husband; I learned the endurance and discipline it takes to do eight shows a week, the fragility of life, and the importance of being in the moment." Idina Menzel"'Big break' implies that it's done now, you've gotten it, and now you're in. We know you're never in. You're in, then you're not in. Then you're back in, then you're out again. You're always on some part of that scale. There are very few actorsyou could probably count them on one handthat you know aren't going anywhere." Don Cheadle"Waiting for a big break is a mistake. I knew I would go to seed waiting for a break, and I didn't go full time as an actor until I was 34. And after I did my first thing as a full-time actor, I realized I had nothing else lined up. So I did a one-man show. You can't sit around waiting for the phone to ring; you have to make your own work. Just do it, do it, do it." Brendan GleesonOn Auditioning... "One of the things I've recently discovered is the way I get through the nerves of auditions is telling myself it's a workday. I know my lines, I know my character, and I'm going to work with the director. And sometimes it goes terribly, terribly wrong, but it frees me up a little bit." Connie Britton"I've met some wonderful actors who found the audition process just too terrifying, even painful, and gave up. That nerve-jangling stretch before the reading can seem downright flulike. Well-meaning efforts to convince you that 'It's just energy!' are pointless. It feels like fear, so it's fear. But what are we afraid of? What's the worst that can happen? They don't give you the job? Guess what: You already don't have the job. The worst has happened! Pressure's off, so have fun. The main reason we wanted to do this is that it looked like it would be fun, right?" Michael McKean"I was attending NYU. They have a strict absence policy: Three absences and you're kicked out. I was auditioning on the side and had about 10 absences and begged them to let me stay. I had been auditioning for almost a year and hadn't booked anything. At the start of my final semester, I booked a lead guest-starring role in a 'Law & Order' episode. I was going to have to miss a week of school. Crap. It was a new semester, so I'd already have five absences. Two over the limit. I figured I'd take the job and beg NYU to let me stay later. On the set, I met Dick Wolf and we got along well. I guess he liked what I was doing, because he asked me if I would be interested in doing another guest-starring role in a new show he had, a short-lived series named 'The Wright Verdicts.' I would have to take off another two weeks of school. I knew there was no way NYU would go for it, so I decided to take the semester off and finish up my last 15 credits the next semester. But I kept booking jobs, and I never went back. About 10 years later, I was up for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series at the SAG Awards for 'Six Feet Under,' which I had guest-starred on that season. I saw Dick Wolf there and we started talking. I said, 'You know, Dick, I was 15 credits from graduating and dropped out of college to do your shows. So you're the reason I don't have my diploma. But...you're the reason I got my SAG card. So it's a good tradeoff." - Peter Facinelli"One of the greatest I think was Tom Hanks [for 'Forrest Gump']. That screen test with him washe was just so sweet and warm and I wasn't scared. I felt at ease. He was so loving, and that was a great experience, and I got the part. It all works out." Robin Wright"I remember going to one of those casting workshops, where you pay 50 bucks and go off and work on scenes. I came back and they evaluated me, and the guy was like, 'Conservatively speaking, you need three more years of work, probably working at our workshops.' I was like, 'Uh-huh, okay.' Not to say that he was wrong and I was really good, but it just felt creepy and weird. Also, in the limited amount of commercial auditions I used to do, I swear, every time I went in, the person in front of me would come out laughing with the casting director. They'd be hugging each other: 'Bye, Bob! Great to see you! Say hi to the wife!' Then they'd be like: 'Next! Phil Ferrell.' 'Uh, it's Will, actually.' 'Whatever.' " Will Ferrell"There are two of them. I won't name who they were. One was a producer, and one was a director. I went in and read for a director, and I was to read the role of a bad guy, and I read it and he looked at me and he said, 'Ooooh, scary,' but in such a cynical, awful way. How do you even react to that? I just kind of laughed or something and it was over, and I didn't get the part, thank God. The other one was, I was auditioning for something, and a producer sat there reading the NY Post while I was auditioning. So when I started directing, I vowed that I would maybe try to compensate for people like that." Stanley Tucci"I don't get starstruck. I'm fine. Especially Ben [Affleck]he's a Boston guy; I should be fine. I walked in [to audition for 'Gone Baby Gone'], and I'm walking down the halls looking for this room, and as I passed a room I heard, 'There he is.' In my head I was like, 'That's Ben.' I turned around and it was, and for some reason I instantly was nervous. I went in and shook his hand, and the first thing I said was 'Hey, how ya doing? Am I gonna be okay where I parked?' And he said, 'Where'd you park?' And I said, 'At one of the meters.' And he said, 'Did you put money in it?' And I said, 'Yeah.' And he said, 'I think you'll be all right.' From that moment, I just wanted to get the f--k out of the room. I just wanted to be anywhere but there. I sat down with my heart beating out of my chest. I was so mortified that I started this meeting off that way. I started giving him one-word answers. They put me in a rocking chair, so I'm just rocking and twisting, just nervous. 'So, what was your last movie like?' 'Good.' 'What was it like to work with Danny Boyle?' 'Good.' I just wanted to get out of there. It was horrible, a complete disaster. So, obviously, I did not get that job." Chris Evans"I've had so many bad auditions. 'Dawson's Creek' was probably the worst. I had just gotten back from Toronto doing this Disney show, and I had a video camera, and I'd directed some plays and I really, really wanted to direct. For a birthday, I got one of those little viewfinders, and I was 15. I went to network for 'Dawson's Creek,' and on the last one I realized I was really going to knock it out of the park. I wanted this show more than anything, because it was a kid who loved movies and he had some problems with a girlfriend. And I could relate. I liked movies, and I had a problem with a girl."So I came in with a viewfinder around my neck, and I wanted to show them that I liked movies, and I wore my Sundance cap. This is for network. And they said, 'Okay, do these scenes.' And I did them pretty good. It was like a mix-and-match and then I did it again. And they said, 'Okay, thanks, Ben.' And I thanked them. 'So when do you think there's going to be a callback, because I may be going out of town or something.' And that's a huge no-no, but you don't know until you do that. And they said, 'Yeah, we'll get back to you. Thanks, it was a great read.' I was like, 'Okay, great. Do you want me to do it again in another way?' They said, 'No, no, that was fine, thank you.' And there were, like, 20 people in the room. So I then shook 20 people's hands. I refused to leave a single person without looking them in the eye. Then I knew something was building, but I thought it was my courage rather than these people really wanting me to get the f--k out of their room. So I leave the room and I wait two minutes outside the door, and I'm sweating. I'm like, 'I didn't do enough. I didn't give enough.' So I knocked on the door, and they're like, 'Yeah, come in.' And they were shocked to see that I came back in. I was like, 'I'm so sorry,' and I adjusted the chair that I was sitting on in the room, because I kind of left it askew. And then I said, 'Thanks so much. This was terrific, and I can't wait to hear back.' So I walked outside, and I couldn't drive at the time, and my dad was supposed to pick me up. I was like, 'You know what? Don't come. Don't pick me up yet.' And he was like, 'Why?' I was like, 'I'm going to really let them have it. Pick me up in two hours.' So I sit and I wait outside, because it's, like, 10 in the morning and I wait until, like, 12:30 for them to go to lunch. And I watch them all walk out of the office, and I'm there sitting with my viewfinder and a Sundance cap, and I just wave at them. So I get in the carno, it wasn't my dad; it was my girlfriend at the time's mom, actually. She drove me back, and she's like, 'How'd it go?' And I was like, 'Really well. I really, like, committed.' And I get back to the Oakwood Apartments, where I was living. And I'm waiting by the phone. Five o'clock, 6 o'clock rolls around, and you're sweating by the phone, being like, 'I got it. I know I got this.' My manager calls up and I say, 'Hey!' and he says, 'Hey. What the f--k did you do in there?' I was like, 'It went great, right?' And he just said, 'Whatever you just did, don't ever do it again.'"And I've heard that a few times in my life. I guess I haven't learned it. Maybe I've become a little less desperate or a lot less desperate in terms of trying to prove myself to other people, but that was a rough one. I learned that it doesn't matter what they think, as long as you give your performance and you can be pleasant, but you don't have to give your person to them. You just do that through the work. If I had left, maybe things would have been different. There are no regrets, of course, but as actors we have so much heart, and we just want to give pieces of ourselves away so badly: 'See? I feel, I feel, I feel so much. I want to feel for you. I want to feel for the world.' It's a city filled with people who want to give their hearts away, and sometimes like human beings we're not so calloused, and that's beautiful. It can work in the opposite way: 'I'm too callous, and I can't give anymore because you don't deserve my heart,' and that's bullshit, too." - Ben FosterOn Getting Their SAG Card... "I got my SAG card with a T.J. Maxx commercial. 'You get the max for the minimum at T.J. Maxx.' It was a back-to-school ad. Ben [Affleck] and I were in it together, and our part got cut, but we still got the checks. It was 1986 when I got my SAG card, and they raised the rate from $600 to $800, and I only had $600, and I was on my way to get my SAG card and I found out that it was $200 more than I had, and my father gave me the money. And I've always been really grateful about that." Matt Damon"Oh, GodI did an episode of 'Spenser: For Hire.' I remember some controversy over doing 'Spenser: For Hire,' because I didn't have [the card]. But I got it in 1985." Patricia Clarkson"I got my SAG card as an extra on an ABC Afterschool Special where I had to play spin the bottle, and I got my first kiss and SAG card. They weren't going to give anyone lines, but then they gave me a line and a kiss, and so they gave me my SAG card." Kyra SedgwickOn Training... "I took classes for technical reasons, like knowing how to count. I could not count for the life of me when I first started. I was like, 'Five and nine!' 'No, there's no nine.' " Harry Shum, Jr. On Acting... "I'm so lucky to be doing what I'm doing. I will tell anyone that. Acting is no easy feat, though.... It truly requires more focus, dedication, tenacity, and perseverance than most paths. Telling stories allows you to truly see the power of the human spirit and mind, but also to understand that we can use humor as a medicine for pain. It's this simple: The only way to weave the thread of life into a character is to pull from your own life's past, present, and future. I tried with some success but never really got it until reading Ivana Chubbuck's book 'The Power of the Actor' and studying this type of acting, using real-to-me connective tissue between me and whomever I'm playing. Then it all made sense." Ian SomerhalderOn Wanting to be an Actor... "I'm one of those obnoxious, annoying people who will tell you there was never any question that's always what I was going to be. I didn't have a backup career." Ginnifer Goodwin"I still wake up some days thinking, 'What in the hell am I doing?' I often pass between anxiety and amusement at some of the situations my life as an actor has put me in. But when I think back to 10 or 11 years ago, I am amazed at how lost I really was. I showed up in NY knowing everything and absolutely nothing, all at the same time. I knew I wanted to be an actor. That was it. Fortunately for me, I came across a copy of Back Stage at a newsstand and it became my handbook. The first thing I would do every Thursday morning (after some Tylenol and a ton of water; I bartended Wednesday nights) was get my copy and open up to the submissions page. These were my first auditions. My first work experiences. The student films I booked out of there were my training. And I'm still trying to get copies of a couple of those!" Jeff Hephner

Paula Askanas upped at The new sony Pictures TV

Paula Askanas continues to be upped to professional veep of communications for The new sony Pictures Television. The longtime The new sony TV professional runs all media and communications for that studio's TV wing. She reviews to The new sony Pictures TV prexy Steve Mosko. "Paula's capability to understand both a number of companies, along with the diverse needs in our global procedures, makes her a significant resource to the organization," Mosko stated. "As SPT is continuing to grow and been successful, so has she, and her associations and our exceptional representation in media would be the proof." Askanas was most lately senior veep of media relations. Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com

The 10 Greatest Performances in Political Thrillers

If The Ides of March has taught us anything before its release, it’s that the political thriller is a fabulous forum to act well, build a surprising character and look amazing doing it. The genre of “political thriller” is an ill-defined one with many subgenres (including “supernatural political thriller”!), but it’s always an opportunity for great characters to emerge through intriguing twists, red herrings and explosive climaxes. Movieline ranks the 10 best performances in the genre after the jump; please abort any nuclear wars you may have started before reading on. 10. Joan Allen in The Contender (2000) Joan Allen scored her third Academy Award nomination as Laine Henson, the shrewd vice presidential candidate who is stalwart in protecting her past, even if exposing it would clear her of damning allegations. In this climactic scene, Henson opens up to the president (Jeff Bridges) and scintillates with her straightforward morality. 9. James Stewart in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) James Stewart frequently played deep, aloof protagonists who found themselves in dizzying circumstances in Hitchcock’s movies, and The Man Who Knew Too Much is no exception. As Dr. Ben McKenna, whose son has been kidnapped in a predictably crazy plot, Stewart finds himself trying to save the life of a head of state at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Stewart’s hustle as we await the all-important crash of cymbals makes for one of Hitchcock’s most thrilling climaxes. You can stop singing “Que, Sera, Sera” now, Doris Day. 8. Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon (2008) It may be a slightly arch impersonation, but Frank Langella’s performance as Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon required a plainspoken charisma that the actor brings thoroughly. All of Michael Sheen’s reactive mugging is justified thanks to Langella’s offbeat provocations.

'NCIS,' 'New Girl' top Tuesday

The Next Tuesday in the year looked as being similar to the initial two, with CBS vet ''NCIS'' steamrolling your competitors inside the opening hour and Fox's ''New Girl'' shining at 9 o'clock and standing since the night's top show among teens. Fox won for just about any third straight Tuesday in grownups 18-49, while CBS ruled among grownups 25-54 and total audiences. According to preliminary excellent from Nielsen, CBS opened up in the evening a champion with ''NCIS'' (4.1 rating/12 participate grownups 18-49, 18.9 million audiences overall), lower slightly week to week but winning its hour in 18-49 and again Tuesday's top dog in 25-54 (5.4/14) and total audiences. The web then fell off some at 9 p.m. with ''NCIS: Los Angeles'' (3.4/8 in 18-49, 14.7 million audiences overall), second in 18-49 and first in 25-54, and much more at 10 p.m. with rookie ''Unforgettable'' (2.4/6 in 18-49, 11.3 million audiences overall), which again introduced its hour but dipped another tick in 18-49. At Fox, ''Glee'' (3.5/10 in 18-49, 8.3 million audiences overall) ranked second in 18-49 for your 8 o'clock hour, lower just a little from the other day, but comedy ''New Girl'' again built on its lead-straight into win at 9 o'clock among teens (4.3/11 in 18-49, 8.6 000 0000 audiences overall) though lower slightly from the other day, the Zooey Deschanel-fronted comedy was again Tuesday's No. 1 show in 18-49 and was especially dominant in 18-34 (4.9/14). At 9:30 p.m., ''Raising Hope'' held steady (2.9/7 in 18-49, 6.5 million audiences overall), tying for second in 18-49. ABC opened up up getting a ''Dancing While using Stars'' special (1.7/5 in 18-49, 9.millions of audiences overall), then your ''Dancing'' results show at 9 (2.8/7 in 18-49, 14.8 million audiences overall), which was roughly on componen with the other day. At 10, ''Body of Proof'' edged up (2.1/5 in 18-49, 10.2 million audiences overall) in the competitive timeslot, rising within the net's showing inside the hour a year ago with ''Detroit 1-8-7.'' Tuesday remains an OK but hardly spectacular evening for NBC, as ''The Finest Loser'' dipped further (2./5 in 18-49, 5.6 000 0000 audiences overall) and ''Parenthood'' also was lower just a little (2./5 in 18-49, 5. million audiences overall), even though it ongoing to become within 1 share in the 18-49 lead. At CW, new Sarah Michelle Gellar drama ''Ringer'' shipped week to week (.6/2 in 18-49, 1.5 million audiences overall), as did its ''90210'' lead-in (.6/2 in 18-49, 1.3 million audiences overall). In CW's target demo of grownups 18-34, ''Ringer'' handled b .6 from b .8 for ''90210.'' Preliminary 18-49 earnings for your evening: Fox, 3.6/9 CBS, 3.3/9 ABC, 2.2/6 NBC, 2./5 Univision, 1.5/4 CW, .6/2. In general audiences: CBS, 15. million ABC, 11.4 million Fox, 7.9 million NBC, 5.4 million Univision, 3.3 million CW, 1.4 million. Contact Ron Kissell at ron.kissell@variety.com

Werner Herzog to see villain in Tom Cruise pic

HerzogCruiseWerner Herzog originates on since the villain in Vital and Skydance's "One Shot" starring Tom Cruise.The pic also stars Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins and Robert Duvall.Christopher McQuarrie is pointing in the script he composed.It series by Lee Child follows Jack Reacher, a classic military policeman switched drifter. In "One Shot," Reacher checks the problem from the sniper billed with killing five people just before being taken.Herzog may have The Zec, an ex-prisoner of war who arranges and stages the killing which is your brain in the conspiracy. Componen had no discuss the casting.Cruise and David Ellison will produce along with Don Granger, Paula Wagner, Dana Goldberg and Gary Levinsohn through Mutual Film Company and Cruise/Wagner Productions."One Shot" might be the first acting role for your German auteur, aside from cameos plus an periodic voice-over concentrate on "The Simpsons."Herzog remains concentrating on docus lately, including "Grizzy Guy" and "Cave of Forgotten Dreams."Sources condition that McQuarrie had always aspired to make use of the auteur, and after winding up in Herzog, he saw the opportunity to do that along with his latest project.The helmer's latest docu, "Into the Abyss," opened up within the Toronto Film Festival.He's repped by Gersh. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com