Q & A (actor love)

from Dusty: I love the lists of your favorite movie actors and actresses. In fact, you (nearly) inspired me to compose my own. But I'm curious: If you hadn't limited your lists (actors & actresses) to only film, what other actors may have made the cut? Any TV stars? Any un-filmed Broadway talent?

The actors i most love who don't really touch the big screen are few. Eventually the ones I like seem to cross over. The ones I have trouble putting on lists though are the ones who seem uncategorizable due to their constant medium hopping. Like Sandra Bernhard, Alan Cumming, Sarah Jessica Parker, Harvey Fierstein, Sela Ward, Billy Campbell, Lauren Ambrose, and Mary Louise Parker for example. Love all of those actors but their film work doesn't come close to giving you the whole picture of their career. In most of these cases you have to add television or stage roles or even musical gifts into understanding my cup of love for them (which runneth over).

As for Broadway unfilmed talent? That is tough to say. It's really difficult to know if their stage charisma would transfer. It's a very different thing. I've always been crazy about Norbert Leo Butz & Sherie Rene Scott who are co-starring again on stage in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. I also deeply dig Raul Esparza (currently in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang who is both an immensely talented musical actor and a fine dramatic one in non-musicals. Other Broadway stars that I wish would get a shot at the movies: Kristen Chenowith (her cameo in Bewitched you have to disregard) will get a shot opposite Annette Bening in Running with Scissors. I think Sutton Foster, Kerry Butler, and Audra Macdonald could be utilized in film. Audra is a vocal powerhouse but if all that's going to happen for her on TV is the boring assistant roles on political dramas I stay: Stay on Broadway! And of course my lovely naughty Jane Krakowski... but methinks she no longer needs (;) my push. She's onstage singing and dancing with Ewan MacGregor (Guys and Dolls)? Onscreen gettin' hot and heavy with Evan Rachel Wood (Pretty Persuasion)? She's doing just fine.

from Adam K: Given your love for the Beatty/Wood pairing and 'Splendor in the Grass', do you think Beatty would've been a better choice (chemistry-wise at least) for the Richard Beymer role in West Side Story or not really?

If you're asking me if I would have liked to see Beatty in another movie in 1961 when he was the most clearly beautiful man on Earth the answer is a 'hell yeah'. If you're asking if I'd like to change anything about West Side Story in actuality the answer would probably be no. I mean all movies have imperfections but...no, never mind. I'll keep West Side Story as is. I love it so.

from darkcypherladDo you truly believe that Audrey Hepburn was the best actress for "Breakfast at Tiffany's" or do you agree with Truman Capote that Marilyn Monroe would've been better? (It would've been great to compare two separate versions!)

You answered your own question I think. I'd love to compare the versions and I think Monroe was a much better actress than anyone realized at the time (ftr my favorite Monroe performances are: The Misfits, Bus Stop, and Some Like It Hot.) but I don't really want Breakfast at Tiffany's changed... unless we can digitally remove Mickey Rooney's entire landlord character. That'd be swell.