The trade's annual series kicked off with a candid conversation featuring the six award winning actors discussing what it's like to be an actor in Hollywood from Brazilian waxes, deals, lousy auditions, mistakes and sacrifices.
And some of Jake's answers:
Let's start with a question about reinvention. How do you not get stale?
JAKE: Bills.
[OMG Note - how many bills does a "bachelor" who looks like he only owns 3 different pairs of pants and 5 different shirts have?]
Have you ever thought of quitting?
JAKE: [Smiles.] It's only appropriate as an indulgent actor to think about quitting 'cause it's such an intense job.
Jake on his biggest mistake:
"The biggest mistake that I've made is not really admitting to myself that filmmaking is a director's medium. We all get into situations where we're working with people, and we try to control that. [But] I realized, once I'm gone, that's going to be this director's vision from here on out. I did that in the past a lot, and now, giving all of that up is such a beautiful and relieving thing."
On the family business:
"My family has been in the movie business — my weirdly extended and immediate family. The movies are such a big part of our interactions. It makes me anxious being around a table here because this particular scenario just makes me feel like the dinner table. (Laughs.)"
And Jake as Frodo? Really?!?!???
“I remember auditioning for The Lord of the Rings [the role of Frodo] and going in and not being told that I needed a British accent. I really do remember Peter Jackson saying to me, ‘You know that you have to do this in a British accent?’ We heard back it was literally one of the worst auditions.”
Here's the almost hour long uncensored discussion:
Not sure when I will have a whole hour free to listen to the interview, but it sounds interesting so I will make some time soon. I think Jake has made that comment before, about the film being in the directors hands once you wrap your part. So true.
ReplyDeleteI think that comment has really show how much Jake has grown up in the last few years. Both as an actor and as a person.
ReplyDeleteThe comment about his family around the dinner table sounds less nurturing and more anxiety building. Not what I think you'd want for memories of growning up.
I remember years ago him talking about how his family would have these various serious discussions about acting at the table. I just remember one of his quotes was about them as he put it..."f#$%ing Utta Hagen"
I'm not sure how many noticed, but Brolin, McConaughey, Leto and Jake have all played gay or transgender roles.
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting observation, Special. Kind of ironic that an industry as homophobic as Hollywood when it comes to living true in one's personal life, rewards those who play roles that are less than heteronormative in the professional realm. Why? Maybe because they know that men who dare to assume characters that are less than "manly" is a risk to their career in terms of how the ticket buying audience may perceive them in their future. Ironic may not even be the right word to describe this pattern. Perhaps hypocrisy would capture the phenomenon better.
ReplyDeleteAnd, hypocrisy is the perfect descriptor because it is Hollywood that sets up the rules and creates images that make it harder for diversity in male gender roles to be considered acceptable by the mainstream public. As long as the tough cop who bangs a different woman every night is portrayed as the ideal man, it will continue to be difficult for other sexual orientations to be mainstreamed.
ReplyDelete