'The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea': Tribeca Review

Jason Sudeikis plays a grieving widower who forms a friendship with a homeless teen in this New Orleans-set drama co-starring Jessica Biel and Maisie Williams.

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‘Star-Crossed’ Star Johnathon Schaech

Johnathon Schaech is a veteran actor and writer from Baltimore, Maryland. His films include That Thing You Do!, How to Make an American Quilt, Quarantine, Takers, 5 Days of War, The Legend of Hercules, and Phantom. His television series include Time of Your Life, The Client List, Ray Donovan, Star-Crossed, Texas Rising, and Blue Bloods. He can next be seen in the DC Comics series Legends of Tomorrow as Jonah Hex, and the independent film Marauders

What made you want to become an actor?
I took one acting class in college at the University of Maryland and I just realized I could do it. I’m from Baltimore and they were shooting a movie there. It just put it all into perspective for me. I thought, “That’s real. I could really do that.” That’s what catapulted me to go to California.

I told Jason Patric once, “You are the guy that inspires me to be an actor.” That was after I’d started acting. But before that, the guy that inspired me to be an actor was Tom Cruise. He was in Top Gun and Risky Business. I thought, “That guy…that’s who I want to be! I could do that.” Tom Cruise really motivated me. Really inspired me. He’s a hardworking man.

What was your biggest fear?
Not being taken seriously because of the way I look. Because I’m a pretty boy. People kept wanting to take pictures of me but I wanted to really explore more of who I was on the inside, not the outside. They kept putting me in commercials, so I saved my money and paid for just acting classes and rent. I studied with Roy London. He was a great coach and I was very blessed to be in that class for over three years.

What was your lowest point?
For my very first job, I got the lead in a Franco Zeffirelli movie. He’s a big Italian director who did Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet with Mel Gibson, and he hired me as the lead in this movie, The Sparrow. There were all of these Shakespearean actors. He put me up at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts to study for dialect. And at the end of that movie, before I even made it home, he had phone calls made to tell me that they were going to dub my voice. In other words, they were going to use another actor to speak my lines. As I landed back in the United States, I found that not only was that going to happen after I just spent almost a year doing this movie, I found out that Roy London had passed away. I didn’t realize it at the time, but as I was calling him from the set of Zeffirelli’s movie, he was on his deathbed. Then, I was lost. My acting teacher was gone. I didn’t really have anyone. It looked like the end of my career.

What kept you from walking away?
I had incredible faith in God. And it always felt like I was destined to do something. I just pulled on that. My father had moments of depression when I was younger, and that happened to me during that time. I could feel it. I was a very physical young man, so I started to physicalize it. And I found that — of all things — skydiving helps. I kept saying to myself, “If you want to end all this, and you want to basically end your dream, then challenge yourself. Jump out of a plane!” I’d be free-falling and would freak out and then ask myself, “Do you want to let this man ruin your life?” I talked to Roy as I went up there in the plane. I used to skydive outside of Santa Barbara where he was buried. And each time, I had to pull the cord or not pull the cord. It was a choice. There was an emergency cord that would deploy, but you really had to get the cord pulled at a certain altitude or you were in serious trouble! And every time I pulled the cord. I jumped thirty-two times.

I worked really aggressively to get other roles to make that movie not the end. I was turned down a million times. And then this is what has always happened in my career. I get a call to star in this movie called Lily, which I thought was this artistic film. And at the end of it, I found out it was Poison Ivy 2! I didn’t get that! I thought I’d found an independent film I could really put my chops into. But it was Poison Ivy 2. I got little parts like that, and then I won a role in How to Make an American Quilt.

That has crossed my mind every year for the last twenty-five years. Every year. I was going to go back to school one year. I actually applied to Yale because I had done enough work. Probably should have done that one! That would have been great! But I didn’t.

Now with a kid, it’s different. It’s constantly working out and constantly working on ourselves. Trying to find out about projects that agents aren’t necessarily talking about. And when you are working, you are working so many hours! It’s crazy.

Who has been your closest ally?
My parents. They’ve been there through everything. They’re still with us. I’ve never had the career where there’s one thing that defines me. I’ve done a lot of different work. That Thing You Do! is a good movie—everyone loves that movie—but it wasn’t a big success at the box office. So it wasn’t something I could lean on for a long period of time. They weren’t offering me a lot of films because of it, even though it was Tom Hanks! I had to go out there and get these jobs. Maybe some of them I shouldn’t have taken. No one ever told me not to take a job. Being from Baltimore, when they offer you money to act, it’s hard to say no. But really, what I should have done is just stayed home.

Acting has cost me two relationships. Two marriages. They both were due to the fact that I was on some set, somewhere I shouldn’t have been, trying to make something that wasn’t going to be anything more than it was.

What was the audition that changed your life?
It was the day I met Tom Hanks. There was this confidence as an actor that I was going to be with another actor. And one of my favorites! It was so competitive, but I just had this take on it that I knew was going to be special. I was so scared but so excited, and he was just such a welcoming soul. As soon as I walked through the door I thought, “I’m going to be able to perform today. I’m really going to get to do what I was trained to do.” And I did! There’s lines in the movie That Thing You Do! where the lead singer quits. I didn’t listen to any other auditions, but I’m sure everyone just quit and walked out. But I decided I was going to sing it: “I quit, I quit, I quit.” And of all the things I’ve ever done – that’s the famous line! People always talk on social media about how they are going to quit like Jimmy from That Thing You Do!.

That day when I auditioned, I tapped that microphone (which wasn’t there), and I sang it. And when I left, he came out and got me. Right there, I knew my life had changed for the better. Even though Zeffirelli took my voice away, I was going to get my due.

What were the words that kept you going?
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” It’s called the serenity prayer. It’s used by people in Alcoholics Anonymous, but my parents gave me a plaque when I first came out that I always kept by my side.

How do you think you have changed?
As soon as I had a child, I changed more than ever. I’m more professional. I’m just better at what I do. All that chaos that was inside my head about not being enough, all from the day that Zeffirelli did that to me. Why he did it. The other reasons behind it. I trained so hard before it, and even harder after it. But like Roy told me, this is such a competitive field. And I don’t take it so personally anymore. I don’t blame myself anymore. I just move forward. I take action on the things I can change. I just take action. As soon as I know I can change something, I go for it in a positive way. In as kind and humble a way as I possibly can.

What words do you have to inspire others?
The thing you are auditioning for is never the thing you are auditioning for. In everything that you do…it’s not about getting the job. It’s about growing as a person and as an artist. You can never quit on that.

‘Better Call Saul’s’ Rhea Seehorn

Rhea Seehorn is a triple threat: beautiful, funny and incredibly smart. After making her Broadway debut in Neil Simon’s 45 Seconds From Broadway, she landed a series regular role on I’m With Her starring Teri Polo. Since relocating to Los Angeles, the mecca of film and television, Seehorn has appeared on The Starter Wife, The Closer, Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse, Burn Notice and Franklin & Bash. She also brought her comedic talents to NBC’s Whitney every week.

Now she stars opposite Breaking Bad alum Bob Odenkirk in the Emmy-nominated drama Better Call Saul. Seehorn plays Kim Wexler, a whip smart attorney ambitiously climbing the ladder at a large law firm where she first met Jimmy McGill (Odenkirk), the man who will one day become the titular Saul. The AMC show is a prequel to the now-legendary Breaking Bad, which was also created by Saul showrunner Vince Gilligan and featured writer Peter Gould, who originated the character of Saul Goodman.

As Wexler, Seehorn returns to her roots in the theater, showcasing her chops through a nuanced performance that’s rarely flashy but always compelling. Each week, a layer of her beautiful blonde exterior is rolled back to reveal a hardscrabble work ethic, razor sharp wit and an emotional connection with Jimmy McGill that transcends the boundaries of television. We spoke over the phone right after Better Call Saul was renewed by AMC for a third season.

MH: Have you been to New Orleans before?

RS: I went to Mardi Gras once when I was still in college. I can’t say that it was my favorite thing. I remember thinking, “This is not the city: this is a party.” Then, I came back later and spent a week there and just had the best time. Now, I’d love to go back for Jazz Fest!

MH: I don’t feel like Mardi Gras stands out that much. The traffic is worse then, but that’s pretty much the way the city is all the time, at least in spirit. Fun film story: I met with Nina Noble and her team on HBO’s Treme to shoot that film’s pilot in New Orleans. We were in this meeting with the New Orleans Police Department and other city officials, and they told us they wanted to do a second line down the street in the Treme neighborhood. Do you know what a second line is?

RS: No, what’s that?

MH: A second line is where a group of people — not necessarily anyone special – get some instruments like a trombone or drums, grab some beers and then play music. It’s a walking parade. In fact, one of the film studios in New Orleans is called Second Line Stages.

RS: That is awesome! I love that.

MH: And they start with like five or ten people, but then people along the way grab a beer from their house and then join you, so at the end it’s like 100 people. And we had to tell production, “Even though it’s a fake second line, real people are going to join you. So, you have to be sure to release all of them.”

RS: I love that. I watch that show Togetherness on HBO. How about the Slow Roll they did when he goes home to Detroit? That is a real thing! I watched a little post-show discussion they did and found that people in Detroit who wanted to revive their city gathered, and started just biking at night with lights on their bikes. Almost an artistic statement, but also to artistically discuss the question of, “How do we reinvigorate different parts of the city?” When they shot a scene like that for the show, real people got on their bikes and joined.

MH: That makes so much sense, because Jay and Mark Duplass are part of the show and they are from the New Orleans area.

RS: Then they definitely know something about second lines! It’s kind of the same thing. It’s local camaraderie for the sake of community without political purpose or agenda.

I grew up partially in Virginia, but I also grew up in Japan and Arizona. I find that the South – for all of the bad things that are sometimes associated with it – has a “village” mentality. There’s a community quality there that is without agenda.

MH: There is just a slower lifestyle down here. Which is sometimes beneficial and sometimes not.

RS: Haha! When I visit my family in Virginia, they tell me, “Just slow it down, slow it down.” New York’s even faster. Even down to the foot traffic and the way public transportation helps to create a group or herd mentality. When I moved out to Los Angeles, I found that there’s a different fast-paced quality here that has its own kind of anxiety built in, but people are a little more relaxed with their time. It’s a subtle difference. People will say, “We’re meeting at 1pm,” and it’s completely acceptable to show up fifteen or even thirty minutes late. And everyone always says the same thing. “Traffic” or “I was in six meetings.” Super late is still rude, of course. But in New York, punctuality is sort of seen very differently. Because of public transportation, everything thinks, “We all had to ride five trains, so I don’t want to hear it.”

MH: You’re on one of the best shows on TV right now, Better Call Saul. So, I want to know what TV shows you grew up watching.

RS: I was obsessed with Nick at Nite from around age nine to fifteen. I watched a ton of TV! I know now you’re never supposed to say, “Oh my God, you let a TV raise your kid!” But I completely sat in front of that TV. I guess we can discuss whether I turned out okay or not.

I was completely obsessed with Nick at Nite and at the time, it was all reruns of classic television. I didn’t know until I was older that many of those shows were not in their first run. I thought I was watching I Dream of Jeannie and Bewitched in their first run! I don’t think I knew that they were old shows. I loved them! And many of the 1970s sitcoms I was obsessed with, like Maude and anything Bea Arthur touched, including Golden Girls later. Taxi, Barnie Miller, Soap and Benson. I would watch these all with my mom and my dad. All in the Family, Rhoda, Mary Tyler Moore Show. I loved their timing. Half-hour shows have gotten kind of a bad rap, and half-hour sitcoms especially. However, they can and certainly should be very character specific. There is great drama and humor that’s very character driven in those shows. I was fascinated with all of that.

Then, I transitioned to one-hour dramas and movies. Endless hours of movies. I worked at a video store. Remember those?

MH: Barely.

RS: My sister was a manager and I was an employee. I don’t recommend that arrangement if you have an older sibling…because you will be abused. Haha! But I got to watch as many movies as I wanted for free. And I did that through all of high school. I’ve always been utterly enthralled with and immersed in television and film. I love them and I love books, too. I love storytelling.

MH: Even a show like All in the Family, which was a comedy, had some really dramatic stuff in it. Not to mention politically sensitive.

RS: Yeah! And not just during the “very special episodes,” which is a lot of what they do now where they say in advance, “It’s going to be a sentimental episode.” They dealt with real issues that they tackled all the time. There are some really smart shows on the air now doing that. There’s a lot of really challenging three-dimensional characters that did not have being likeable as their first priority.

MH: What were the movies you really liked growing up? What were the core that really formed you as a moviegoer?
RS: I loved John Hughes films. I watched them over and over. Every single John Hughes film I’m obsessed with. And Cameron Crowe’s films — which I would sometimes mistake for John Hughes films! I found out Say Anything and One Crazy Summer are actually not John Hughes films.

But I loved them. I identified with different parts of them at different times. Harry Dean Stanton always reminded me of my dad. I loved the humor, I love the real stories. The characters were amazing.

I also loved Paris, Texas, which is one of my all-time favorite films. The movie Brazil. I think about Brazil all the time on Better Call Saul, especially when I’m in the “document dungeon” that Kim is now working in on the show. I tell this to Peter [Gould] all the time: “Part of me wants to pull my desk through the wall.” Remember that scene in Brazil where the offices are so small and gray that the desk is shared through a wall?

MH: Yes!

RS: I think there’s elements of Terry Gilliam’s work, and at a panel the other day, they were saying that they reference the documentary Crumb. There are these fantastical elements in our show that are just slightly outside of naturalism, and I enjoy them so much. It’s a poetic step outside of total realism. Which is just fun. It’s really fun to inhabit that world. It’s tricky, tone-wise, but just such a joy.

Photo By: Ursula Coyote/AMC

MH: I think Breaking Bad, and now Better Call Saul, do that very well. It’s expressed a lot in the cinematography. You can have this really grounded scene that’s pretty realistic, and then you’ll have character moments with very dramatic lighting that are artistic elevations of the show.

RS: Yeah. There’s realism in the beats and some beautiful naturalism and realism in the way characters express themselves to each other. The [creators] let you act it instead of say it. People identify with that more: that people are not saying everything. Usually, in real life, you have to push somebody really far to actually pinpoint their emotions, or articulate why they are angry. We tend to dance around our feelings, or just act them out. And certainly with relationship like with Kim and Jimmy, they write it so well and it’s written to a letter. We don’t change anything. As brilliant of an improv person as Bob Odenkirk is, those scenes are fully written and beautifully so. The writers make this strong foundation and then Bob and I rehearse it over and over so that what can come alive is what’s between the lines. I think that’s what happens when you do have an authentic relationship. Nothing’s at face value when you know somebody that well, and people have really responded to seeing that on screen. It’s the look between the lines and thinking, “What did you mean by that?” It’s having a shared history, and Bob and I remind each other of that. Whenever a character brings something up, it’s very possible it’s not the first time they brought it up. What happened last time they talked about it? Was there an argument? Did it go well? Did it not go well? When you speak to a friend of yours, and you pick what movie to see tonight, you have a shared history about last time you picked a movie. Was it a good one or a bad one? And a smirk or a joke or anything there could communicate that.

They are just so lovely on our set. Our directors and our writers are so encouraging and they create an incredible environment to build that kind of realistic relationship.

Photo By: Ursula Coyote/AMC

MH: You work a lot with Bob Odenkirk, who plays the lead Jimmy McGill, the man that will at some point become Saul Goodman. Your character Kim is his very complicated love interest. The most romantic scenes in the show to date, in my opinion, is when Kim is at the nail salon after hours, and Jimmy is painting her toenails. It’s kitschy and yet romantic. You can see some of that unspoken history that’s there, even though it was early in the show’s first season. What was it like to put those scenes together?

RS: We always start by meeting and running the lines together over and over. Just lines. We’re not cementing any kind of performance. We wait until we’re playing with the director to solidify everything, but first we just go over and over it. It gets your brain simmering. When you walk away from that, you’re thinking about what is a reference to the past, and what’s a reference to the future. What’s something that could be taken a different way? Then, we get there, and we do the scene many times and in many different fashions. Another great thing the writers do on this show that comes across so authentically to viewers is that there’s not one obvious arc in many scenes. They take a roller coaster and become very serpentine. You can get almost in an argument, and then it peters out, then it’s a little funny and it starts being ok, and now it’s not!

We ran many versions of that. We tried it a million ways. And then Bob and I, along with the whole great cast,  are actors that enjoy not overly planning how you are going to say every line. Because you get there, and you realize it’s all in the other person’s delivery. It becomes this amazing game of volleyball, and that’s when those moments happen between the lines. You think you know what you are getting ready to say —  as we often do it real life — but then Jimmy delivers his line with a slight sadness. And suddenly I can’t come back as prickly as I planned to. Then, I say my line with a smirk and it makes Jimmy deliver his line back to me in a different way. That’s when I think the audience starts to breath with us. You’re watching a volley back and forth. Nothing can really be planned at that point.

Then, our great directors and our great DP Arthur Albert that will do what’s (oddly) unheard of in television right now, which is hold the shot in a wide or a medium, rather than in an extreme closeup for those moments. Then you are really breathing with the characters, and you can see the whole thing. It’s great. It’s like theater.

MH: One more question. One thing I have noticed about you—in red carpet videos, in EPK interviews, everywhere— is that your eyebrow game is always on point.

RS: Hahaha!

MH: So, I’m wondering… what are Rhea Seehorn’s last-minute makeup tips?

RS: Well, of course, hire great makeup artists! That’s so funny. My eyebrows move independently of each other, which I sometimes have to watch because it can be just a whole circus going on up there, and then people aren’t paying attention to my lines. And I also have a very rubbery face, which is good, but with Kim, I actually have to calm it down. She doesn’t let everyone know what she’s thinking nearly as much as I do in real life. She’s very poker faced. But I’m very aware of it for these interviews, because I can finally let them become unleashed!

MH: Keep up the great work on Better Call Saul. It’s appointment viewing for me and all my friends. You guys are doing great work.

RS: I love that! I think it’s a group kind of show to watch. And thank you for watching!

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Micah Haley is an author and filmmaker and a partner in Scene Magazine. His recent projects include two short horror thrillers, The Angel and The Red Ribbon. Both are now available on Amazon. You can find more of his work at micahhaley.com, on Twitter at @MicahHaley and on Instagram at @itsMicahHaley.

(Some photos by Odessy Barbu and some courtesy of AMC)

Free Film Festival at French Quarter Fest at Le Petit!

A free film festival at Le Petit Theatre is happening this weekend during French Quarter Festival. The festival dedicated to Allen Toussaint will screen 11 films over the weekend. See the press release below for times. 

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Friday, April 8

11 AM: A Tribute To Toussaint

Produced by Ron Yager, Jim Dotson & Greg Buisson

This Emmy-award winning concert documentary celebrates the life of Allen Toussaint – musician, composer, producer, and humanitarian. Starring Allen Toussaint and featuring Dr. John, Trombone Shorty, Elvis Costello, Irma Thomas, Deacon John, Cyril Neville, Jon Cleary, Joe Henry, Cyndi Lauper, Robert Plant and Jimmy Buffet.

After the sudden passing Allen Toussaint last year, we would like to dedicate this year’s French Quarter Fest Film Series in Mr. Toussaint’s honor by celebrating the life and legacy of one of New Orleans own musical masters. 67 Minutes. Q & A immediately following.

1 PM: A Warehouse on Tchoupitoulas
Directed by Jessy Cale Williamson

On January 30th, 1970, A Warehouse on Tchoupitoulas opened it’s doors to thousands of fans to see The Flock, Fleetwood Mac and The Grateful Dead. In the ensuing twelve years some of the best musicians in the world would grace the stage. Including – The Allman Brothers, Bob Dylan, The Doors, Pink Floyd, The Who, Bob Marley, David Bowie, Foghat, Jethro Tull, The Clash, The Talking Heads, Rush, Dr. John and many many more. This documentary captures the magic that so many of us missed out on. 75 Minutes. Q & A immediately following.

3 PM: Never A Dull Moment – 20 Years of Rebirth Brass Band
Directed by Charlie Brown

Spanning the history of the band from their formation at Clark High School to their 20th Anniversary concert at Tipitina’s, “Never A Dull Moment: 20 Years of the Rebirth Brass Band” tells the full story of New Orleans’s premiere brass band. Featuring founders Phil Frazier (tuba) and Kermit Ruffins (trumpet), this rollicking film takes us on a trip throughout New Orleans, from Sunday second lines to Glass House to the Maple Leaf Bar and even into the studio, all told through the eyewitness accounts of some of the city’s greatest (and funniest) characters. 85 Minutes.

Saturday, April 9

Films of Les Blank – Louisiana Double Feature

11 AM – Hot Pepper

This film is a thrilling musical portrait of Zydeco King Clifton Chenier, who combines the pulsating rhythms of Cajun dance music, African overtones, and bluesy R&B into an irresistible melange mixed up in the sweaty juke joints of South Louisiana. 54 Minutes.

12 PM – Yum, Yum, Yum
Les Blank marries his passion for spicy, down home food and his love for Cajuns and Creoles in this mouth-watering, exploration of the cooking, and other enthusiasms, of French-speaking Louisiana. Features tangy music, and food by Marc Savoy, Paul Prudhomme, and other greats. 30 Minutes.

1 PM – Piano Players Rarely Play Together
Directed by Stevenson Palfi

“Piano Players” is a portrait of three great New Orleans pianists and how they influenced one another’s music.  It documents the best piano “professors” of the last three generations — New Orleans’ keyboard ace Isidore “Tuts” Washington, Henry “Professor Longhair” Byrd, and Allen Toussaint — as they played together for the first time in a rehearsal for a joint concert. The rehearsal turned out to be the ONLY time the three ever played together, because Professor Longhair died two days before the scheduled performance.

The documentary takes viewers through the very personal and sacred New Orleans tradition of a jazz wake and funeral procession for Professor Longhair, which was taped at the encouragement of his widow, Alice. Also included is the previously planned concert with Toussaint and Washington, who turned the event into a tribute to Fess.

Released to critical acclaim in 1982, “Piano Players Rarely Ever Play Together” is considered by many to be one of the most important and exciting explorations of New Orleans’ musical tradition ever made.  It is the winner of over 20 awards. 80 Minutes. Q & A immediately following.

3 PM – We Won’t Bow Down
Directed by Christopher Levoy Bower

‘We Won’t Bow Down’ explores a secret society of African Americans in inner city New Orleans as they devote their time and skills to create hand-beaded Indian costumes that embody a cultural, spiritual and ancient power that has kept Africa alive in the new world despite slavery and it’s legacy. 95 Minutes. Q & A Immediately following.

Sunday, April 10

Films of Pat Mire – Louisiana Double Feature

11 AM – Swapping Stories – Folktales from Louisiana

Tall tales, oyster shucking monsters, and some good old fashioned jokes are all on the menu in Swapping Stories: Folktales from Louisiana. This documentary film by Pat Mire brings together some of the best storytellers in Louisiana, including comedians A.J. Smith and Dave Petitjean, Creole storyteller Enola Mathews, and the late Bel Abbey and Colonel Ike Hamilton. 30 Minutes. Q & A immediately following.

11:45 AM – Mon Cher Camarade

During World War II, hundreds of French-speaking Cajun men from South Louisiana enlisted in the U.S. military. French-speaking Cajuns not only worked with the French resistance after D-Day, but they also provided the U.S. Army’s most effective means of communication with local authorities and the civilian population, which, in turn, provided critical support and intelligence to the American army. This documentary film, through memoirs and interviews of French-speaking Cajuns who served in WWII either as members of the OSS or as citizen soldiers, tells the story of this important aspect of the American war effort in Europe. 60 Minutes.

1 PM – Un Bal Cajun et Créole A La Maison (A Cajun & Creole House Party)
National Park Service Centennial Celebration
Directed by Jason Rhein

Concert and conversations at the historic Liberty Theater in Eunice, Louisiana, celebrating the National Park Service’s 100th birthday. This film, directed by Jason Rhein, spotlights the American treasures of Cajun and Creole music, featuring four musicians who are fluent speakers of Louisiana Cajun and Creole, and write new music using these traditional languages. 90 Minutes. Q & A immediately following.

Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes, Leroy Etienne, Bruce Daigrepont, and Michael Doucet all share stories and the stage together to show why South Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole culture is unique and worth preserving.

3 PM – From Roots to Roses
Directed by Patrick Marrero & Produced by Marlo Lacen

From Roots to Roses is a documentary film project that features the Roots of Music’s Marching Crusaders and their journey from post- Katrina New Orleans to Pasadena, California to march in the 2013 Tournament of Roses Parade. From the practices, to the fund raising, to the bus ride, to climactic march down Colorado Blvd., we follow the bands experience as it makes history as the only middle school aged band to play in the parade. 90 Minutes.

Katie, Max, and the Le Petit Team
Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carré

New Orleans Film ‘Reversing the Mississippi’ Premieres on ‘American Reframed’

Filmmaker Ian Midgley documents the work of New Orleans resident Nat Turner who teaches youth how to grow and sell vegetables at Our School in Blair Grocery in the lower 9th ward.  The film with air on the Emmy-nominated documentary series, America Reframed Tuesday April 12, 2016.

Check out Our School in Blair Grocery here.

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Ian Midgley’s documentary Reversing the Mississippi will have its U.S. television premiere Tuesday, April 12, 2016, at 8 p.m. on WORLD Channel (check local listings), as part of the fourth season of America Reframed, public media’s newest documentary series hosted by Natasha Del Toro. The film will be available for free streaming on www.worldchannel.org starting April 13, 2016.
When filmmaker Ian Midgley turned 25, he put all his belongings in storage, bought a camera and started traveling across the country looking for people who were creating their own realities and leading a purposeful life. Optimistic and believing in the possibility of change, he takes himself on an American road trip to meet people choosing to live by their own strongly-held values.

Through word-of-mouth, Midgley learns about farmer and social innovator Marcin Jakubowski, a Ph.D. in fusion physics who became dissatisfied with the consumer lifestyle and turned to the earth to become a farmer and social innovator.

As the founder of Open Source Ecology, Jakubowski is the creator of the Global Village Construction Set through which he offers free and replicable blueprints to fabricate everything needed for a self-sustaining village. At Jakubowski’s “Factor e Farm” in rural Missouri, he puts those ideas to the test.

While his ideas attract interns and volunteers from across the U.S., they ultimately feel under-appreciated and uninspired as they toil day and night in meager conditions.

Midgley’s travels also take him to New Orleans, where he spends a few life-changing weeks with former NYC schoolteacher Nat Turner. Turner drove a school bus to New Orleans with a dream of healing the Lower 9th Ward after Hurricane Katrina and gained national attention for transforming an abandoned grocery store into a community youth education center called Our School Blair Grocery.

Turner teaches kids to sell vegetables and how to work the land. He also infuses a contagious love of learning—getting students excited about English, science, math and social studies because it’s not just a classroom; it’s a learning sanctuary. However, Turner does not have many resources and works with small and broken farm equipment. The educator laments as he thinks deeply about all the work he and the teens still have to do, “The work that we are doing is like trying to reverse the flow of the Mississippi River.”

The filmmaker then asks: if these two men meet might they be able to make real change? Jakubowski, the visionary inventor could help change the world vis-à-vis his technology, but if he can’t motivate people, can he accomplish his goals? And Turner desperately needs affordable, easy-to-fix equipment. When Jakubowski meets the charismatic educator, he finally encounters a mentor who can inspire and challenge him to become a stronger and better leader.

Midgley depicts both men and their dreams, along with their shortcomings and strengths, and hopes that “viewers will be able to relate to the universal qualities that bind people in relationship to community, to the earth and to each other.”

Film Credits
Director/Producer: Ian Midgley
Executive Producer: Christina Heller
Producers: D.J. Turner, Siku Thompson, Drew Barnett-Hamilton

Read the original press release here.

“Midgley’s new film… tells the story of two men—scientist-inventor Marcin Jakubowski and teacher Nat Turner—united by a passion for expanding access to economic opportunity.”

– Anna Bergren Miller, Shareable

New Orleans Film ‘Reversing the Mississippi’ Premieres on ‘America Reframed’

Filmmaker Ian Midgley documents the work of New Orleans resident Nat Turner who teaches youth how to grow and sell vegetables at Our School in Blair Grocery in the lower 9th ward.  The film with air on the Emmy-nominated documentary series, America Reframed Tuesday April 12, 2016.

Check out Our School in Blair Grocery here.

__________

Ian Midgley’s documentary Reversing the Mississippi will have its U.S. television premiere Tuesday, April 12, 2016, at 8 p.m. on WORLD Channel (check local listings), as part of the fourth season of America Reframed, public media’s newest documentary series hosted by Natasha Del Toro. The film will be available for free streaming on www.worldchannel.org starting April 13, 2016.
When filmmaker Ian Midgley turned 25, he put all his belongings in storage, bought a camera and started traveling across the country looking for people who were creating their own realities and leading a purposeful life. Optimistic and believing in the possibility of change, he takes himself on an American road trip to meet people choosing to live by their own strongly-held values.

Through word-of-mouth, Midgley learns about farmer and social innovator Marcin Jakubowski, a Ph.D. in fusion physics who became dissatisfied with the consumer lifestyle and turned to the earth to become a farmer and social innovator.

As the founder of Open Source Ecology, Jakubowski is the creator of the Global Village Construction Set through which he offers free and replicable blueprints to fabricate everything needed for a self-sustaining village. At Jakubowski’s “Factor e Farm” in rural Missouri, he puts those ideas to the test.

While his ideas attract interns and volunteers from across the U.S., they ultimately feel under-appreciated and uninspired as they toil day and night in meager conditions.

Midgley’s travels also take him to New Orleans, where he spends a few life-changing weeks with former NYC schoolteacher Nat Turner. Turner drove a school bus to New Orleans with a dream of healing the Lower 9th Ward after Hurricane Katrina and gained national attention for transforming an abandoned grocery store into a community youth education center called Our School Blair Grocery.

Turner teaches kids to sell vegetables and how to work the land. He also infuses a contagious love of learning—getting students excited about English, science, math and social studies because it’s not just a classroom; it’s a learning sanctuary. However, Turner does not have many resources and works with small and broken farm equipment. The educator laments as he thinks deeply about all the work he and the teens still have to do, “The work that we are doing is like trying to reverse the flow of the Mississippi River.”

The filmmaker then asks: if these two men meet might they be able to make real change? Jakubowski, the visionary inventor could help change the world vis-à-vis his technology, but if he can’t motivate people, can he accomplish his goals? And Turner desperately needs affordable, easy-to-fix equipment. When Jakubowski meets the charismatic educator, he finally encounters a mentor who can inspire and challenge him to become a stronger and better leader.

Midgley depicts both men and their dreams, along with their shortcomings and strengths, and hopes that “viewers will be able to relate to the universal qualities that bind people in relationship to community, to the earth and to each other.”

Film Credits
Director/Producer: Ian Midgley
Executive Producer: Christina Heller
Producers: D.J. Turner, Siku Thompson, Drew Barnett-Hamilton

Read the original press release here.

“Midgley’s new film… tells the story of two men—scientist-inventor Marcin Jakubowski and teacher Nat Turner—united by a passion for expanding access to economic opportunity.”

– Anna Bergren Miller, Shareable

PRESS RELEASE: Christy Turlington Burns to Attend Screening ‘Giving Birth in America’ at LIFF 2016

PRESS RELEASE: Kelsey Grammer To Appear at Louisiana International Film Festival 2016

Five-time Emmy-winning television and film star and Tony-nominated Broadway actor KELSEY GRAMMER (Frasier, Cheers, X-Men, Finding Neverland) is set to appear at the 4th Annual Louisiana International Film Festival in Baton Rouge. The critically-acclaimed and beloved actor will be on hand to help present his latest film BREAKING THE BANK.

A comedic farce set in the world of high finance from director Vadim Jean, BREAKING THE BANK stars Grammer as the hapless chairman of Tuftons, a family-run English bank. With powerful and morally bankrupt U.S. and Japanese investment banks circling Tuftons, it is up to Grammer’s bumbling Sir Charles Bunbury (with the acclaimed actor sporting a convincing British accent) to fend off this ruthless takeover and save his 200-year-old bank. The film co-stars John Michael Higgins (The Breakup, Best in Show) and Tamsin Greig (Shaun of the Dead).

BREAKING THE BANK will screen at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 15 at Cinemark Perkins Rowe. Individual film tickets and festival passes are for sale online at lifilmfest.org.

For more special guest and celebrity announcements, follow LIFF on Facebook, Instagram @Lifilmfest and Twitter @LIFFilmfest.

Lauded by the likes of Variety, IndieWire and Hollywood Reporter, LIFF again brings a spirited and eclectic mix of world-class moviemaking-from acclaimed independent narratives and documentaries, to big budget studio pictures, and the best of international film.

LIFF 2016 features more than 50 films, plus live music, DJs, catering from some of the best restaurants in Baton Rouge, parties, industry workshops, and much more.

Visit lifilmfest.org for complete details.

Kelsey Grammer To Appear at Louisiana International Film Festival 2016

Five-time Emmy-winning television and film star and Tony-nominated Broadway actor KELSEY GRAMMER (Frasier, Cheers, X-Men, Finding Neverland) is set to appear at the 4th Annual Louisiana International Film Festival in Baton Rouge. The critically-acclaimed and beloved actor will be on hand to help present his latest film BREAKING THE BANK.

A comedic farce set in the world of high finance from director Vadim Jean, BREAKING THE BANK stars Grammer as the hapless chairman of Tuftons, a family-run English bank. With powerful and morally bankrupt U.S. and Japanese investment banks circling Tuftons, it is up to Grammer’s bumbling Sir Charles Bunbury (with the acclaimed actor sporting a convincing British accent) to fend off this ruthless takeover and save his 200-year-old bank. The film co-stars John Michael Higgins (The Breakup, Best in Show) and Tamsin Greig (Shaun of the Dead).

BREAKING THE BANK will screen at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 15 at Cinemark Perkins Rowe. Individual film tickets and festival passes are for sale online at lifilmfest.org.

For more special guest and celebrity announcements, follow LIFF on Facebook, Instagram @Lifilmfest and Twitter @LIFFilmfest.

Lauded by the likes of Variety, IndieWire and Hollywood Reporter, LIFF again brings a spirited and eclectic mix of world-class moviemaking-from acclaimed independent narratives and documentaries, to big budget studio pictures, and the best of international film.

LIFF 2016 features more than 50 films, plus live music, DJs, catering from some of the best restaurants in Baton Rouge, parties, industry workshops, and much more.

Visit lifilmfest.org for complete details.

Save The Date: Gentlemen Commoners (Smiths’ Cover Band) April 1st

The Gentlemen Commoners
This project is, for the moment, an exploration of the music of the Smiths. The members of the band (all veterans of the Baton Rouge, Austin, New Orleans, and Bristol, UK music scenes) share a love for the music and the challenge involved in playing it.

-Philip Mann- Mountain Brook, Alabama
-Mike McAllester- Mineral Wells, Texas
-Linus Williams- Bristol, England
-Lee Barbier- Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia…
-Kenny Cohen- Baton Rouge, Louisiana

What: Gentlemen Commoners (Smiths’ Cover Band)
Where: Gasa Gasa – 4920 Freret St. New Orleans, LA 70115
When: Friday, April 1st Doors: 10:00PM Show: 11:00PM
Price: $10
Tickets: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionD...

PRESS RELEASE: Movie Tavern Opens In Denham Springs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 23, 2016

Movie Tavern has officially opened its third and largest cinema-eatery in Louisiana. With 46,000 square feet of space, a full bar and power recliners throughout all 11 auditoriums, Movie Tavern welcomes guests to experience its full service in-theater dining concept at Juban Crossing in Denham Springs.

Movie Tavern Expands Louisiana Footprint with Third Location

Cinema-Eatery now open at Juban Crossing in Denham Springs cinema-eatery in Louisiana. With 46,000 square feet of space, a full bar and power recliners throughout all 11 auditoriums, Movie Tavern welcomes guests to experience its full service in-theater dining concept at Juban Crossing in Denham Springs.

“Denham Springs and the surrounding area is the ideal community for the Movie Tavern experience,” said Vice President of Marketing, Danny DiGiacomo. “As our brand expands, our primary focus remains to consistently provide an enjoyable, dine-in moving-going experience for our guests.”

In addition to expanding into new markets, Movie Tavern is also revitalizing existing locations in order to showcase the company’s new and improved full service experience. Juban Crossing marks the third theater Movie Tavern has unveiled to the public in 2016.

Features of the new theater include:

-Full service in-theater dining & full bar options for all 11 screens

-Reclining Loungers with call-button service and armrest tables in every auditorium

-2K digital projection and Christie Vive Audio systems

-All-reserved, stadium seating

-Casual-dining menu with a wide range of entrees, appetizers and popular food items made mostly from scratch, including healthy and reduced-gluten options

-Full bar in the lobby featuring a complete wine, beer and signature cocktail list

-Weekly Breakfast and a Flick series where families can enjoy a feature film and a variety of morning favorites on Saturdays and Sundays at 9 a.m.

-Retro Cinema series featuring popular classics on the big screen

Movie Tavern is a family friendly experience that caters to adults. Guests 17 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian age 21 or older. The Denham Springs theatre is located in the Juban Crossing development at 9998 Crossing Way. For more information on Movie Tavern and how you can join the MT team, host private events or enjoy special programming visit www.movietavern.com.

About Movie Tavern

Founded in 2001, Dallas-based Movie Tavern is a leader in the cinema eatery segment catering to adults and families with 23 high-quality theatres and 200 digital screens in nine states. In September 2013, Movie Tavern was acquired by New Orleans-based VSS-Southern Theatres, LLC (“Southern”), a portfolio company of Veronis Suhler Stevenson (“VSS”), a leading private equity firm. With the acquisition of Movie Tavern, Southern became the eighth largest theatre company in North America.

About Southern

Southern was formed in May of 2003. Mr. George Solomon has been in the theatre business with his family for over 50 years and launched Southern to develop and operate state-of-the art multiplex stadium-seating movie theatres. To date, Veronis Suhler Stevenson (VSS) has invested over $56 million in Southern. VSS is a private equity and mezzanine capital fund management company dedicated to investing in media, communications and information industries in North America and Europe.

Southern is the eighth largest theatre circuit in The United States and is currently responsible for the daily operations of The Grand Theatres, Amstar Cinemas, The Theatres at Canal Place and Movie Tavern. The company operates 43 locations with 483 screens in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Southern is well positioned for continued expansion in key markets throughout the United States. Southern is proud to be headquartered in New Orleans, LA.

Media Contact:
Monica Esposito
214-252-1713
mesposito@moroch.com

Ernie Hudson Joins Fox Drama Pilot ‘APB’

Ghostbusters‘ Ernie Hudson is set to co-star opposite Justin Kirk and Natalie Martinez in Fox's drama pilot APB, from writer David Slack and Sleepy Hollow co-creator/executive producer Len Wiseman.
Inspired by the July New York Times Magazine article "Who Runs the Streets of New Orleans," APB explores what happens when an enigmatic tech billionaire, Gideon Reed, (Kirk) purchases a troubled police precinct in the wake of a loved one's murder.
Hudson will play Sgt Ed…

Seven Arts Founder Peter Hoffman Gets Probation & Fine For Louisiana Film Tax Fraud Scheme – Update

UPDATED 5:10 PM with sentencing details and quotes:  A federal judge in New Orleans today sentenced Peter Hoffman, Hollywood's once-highflying guru of exotic tax breaks, to five years’ probation for defrauding the state of Louisiana out of $1.13 million in film tax credits. The founder of the now-defunct Seven Arts Entertainment also was given a $40,000 fine and 300 hours of community service.
U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman also sentenced Hoffman's ex-wife, producer…

Save The Date: ‘The King of New Orleans’ Free Film Screening at The Broad Theater

‘A.P.B.’: Fox Drama Pilot Casts Taylor Handley; Carly Hughes In ABC’s ‘Second Fattest Housewife’

Vegas alum Taylor Handley is set as a series regular opposite Natalie Martinez and Caitlin Stasey in Fox's drama pilot A.P.B., from writer David Slack and Len Wiseman. Inspired by the July New York Times Magazine article "Who Runs the Streets of New Orleans," A.P.B. explores what happens when an enigmatic tech billionaire purchases a troubled police precinct in the wake of a loved one's murder. Handley will play Officer Roderick Brandt, a Marine combat veteran-turned-cop…

Natalie Martinez To Star In Fox Drama Pilot ‘A.P.B.’

Natalie Martinez (ABC’s Secrets & Lies) has been cast as the female lead in Fox’s drama pilot A.P.B., from writer David Slack and Sleepy Hollow co-creator/executive producer Len Wiseman.
Inspired by the July New York Times Magazine article "Who Runs the Streets of New Orleans", A.P.B. explores what happens when an enigmatic tech billionaire purchases a troubled police precinct in the wake of a loved one's…

'The Passion': Singer Seal Joins Fox Musical as Pontius Pilate

The two-hour event will air live from New Orleans this spring.

read more

Fugitive Real-Estate Heir Robert Durst Agrees to Extradition to L.A.

Court filings show Durst of 'The Jinx' has struck a plea deal with federal prosecutors on a weapons charge in New Orleans.

read more

Fugitive Real-Estate Heir Robert Durst Agrees to Extradition to L.A.

Court filings show Durst of 'The Jinx' has struck a plea deal with federal prosecutors on a weapons charge in New Orleans.

read more

Fugitive Real-Estate Heir Robert Durst Agrees to Extradition to L.A.

Court filings show Durst of 'The Jinx' has struck a plea deal with federal prosecutors on a weapons charge in New Orleans.

read more

Fugitive Real-Estate Heir Robert Durst Agrees to Extradition to L.A.

Court filings show Durst of 'The Jinx' has struck a plea deal with federal prosecutors on a weapons charge in New Orleans.

read more

CASTING CALL: Director Benh Zeitlin & Court 13 Looking for Two Actors

Director Benh Zeitlin, whose last film Beasts of the Southern Wild was nominated for Best Picture, and his frequent collaborators at the creative collective Court 13 are looking for two actors for their next project.

Here’s the details, which are somewhat different that a conventional casting call, so please read closely:

————————————-

“FROM THE CREATORS OF OSCAR-NOMINATED “BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD”

WE ARE NOW SEEKING ADULTS for 2 very specific roles to audition for OUR NEXT FILM! If you or anyone you may know matches the descriptions below, please respond with a recent photograph of yourself (selfie, snapshot, family photo etc.) and your contact information, and we will be in touch to arrange an audition. NO ACTING EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY!

Female Caucasian age 35 – 45. A strong, hard-working mother with a twinkle in her eye and joy in her heart.

Male Caucasian age 50-70, tall with angular facial features. A tough man whose hard life and rough exterior mask a trustworthy soul. 

If interested, please send your photos, email address, and contact number to c13auditions@gmail.com.”

Fox Orders Live Religious Musical Event 'The Passion' Hosted by Tyler Perry

The telecast will air live from New Orleans on Palm Sunday and feature a cast of yet-to-be-announced stars performing a variety of popular music.

read more

Central Casting Celebrates Ninety Years

Central Casting has been a mainstay of the film industry in Los Angeles for decades, and have expanded to states including Louisiana to service films shooting on location. Here’s the press release on their anniversary:

Central Casting Celebrates 90 Years of Service to the Entertainment Industry

BURBANK, CA December 3, 2015 – Central Casting, the leading provider of background actor casting and payroll services since 1925, celebrates 90 years of service to the entertainment industry on December 4. Background Actor Appreciation events will be held in all three Central Casting offices – Los Angeles, New York, and New Orleans.

For 90 years, Central Casting has been Hollywood’s central hub for background services that brings together producers, casting directors, and background talent (“extras”) for projects. They are the premiere agency and the only one-stop shop that takes productions from finding background talent all the way through providing talent payroll services. The brand permeates the entire entertainment industry, and the phrase “Straight Out of Central Casting” is firmly planted in the lexicon of pop culture catchphrases.

While there have been many changes in the entertainment industry, Central Casting has always remained at the forefront of background casting. “We’re thrilled to be sharing our 90th anniversary celebration with our clients, our customers, and our entire industry,” shared Jennifer Bender, Executive Vice President of Central Casting. “It’s great to look back on all we’ve accomplished, but to also look ahead at how we can continue to grow our brand.” Bender is currently leading a Casting technology modernization project, which when completed will significantly impact the casting experience for both background actors and production.

Central Casting has served as a launching ground for stars such as Brad Pitt, Eva Longoria, John Wayne, and Kelly Clarkson. This career launching reputation has made Central Casting a symbol of hope for people eager to break into the business of Hollywood. Central Casting has offices in California, Louisiana, and New York and is a division of Entertainment Partners, the global leader in entertainment payroll solutions.

As part of the celebration, Central Casting has launched a blog featuring client and background actor shout outs, historical memorabilia, and fun clips from projects they’ve worked on. They’ve also been posting photos on their Central Casting 90 Instagram account. Learn more at blog.centralcasting.com and instagram.com/central_casting.

About Entertainment Partners and Central Casting

Entertainment Partners is the global leader in entertainment payroll, residuals, tax incentives, finance, and other integrated production management solutions, with offices in the U.S., Canada, London, and Tokyo. Combining unparalleled industry expertise and resources, EP strives to make the complex simple and collaborates with clients to help them produce the most cost-effective and efficient film, television, digital, and commercial projects. Casting and payroll for background actors is handled through its legendary Central Casting division, a Hollywood icon since 1925. Established almost 40 years ago, EP is a 100% employee-owned company where each employee has a vested interest in upholding the company’s highest standards of service, integrity, transparency, and accountability. Visit the website at ep.com.

Stephen Dorff Stays Frosty

Stephen Dorff is a veteran. His feature film career stretches back twenty-eight years to 1987. Quite the feat for a man in his early forties. Along the way he has starred opposite greats John Gielgud, Dennis Hopper, Kris Kristofferson, Melanie Griffith, and Christopher Plummer. He’s also starred opposite his excellent contemporaries, including Christian Bale, Johnny Depp, Reese Witherspoon, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Norman Reedus.

Long a recognizable name, Dorff has alternated between lead roles and memorable characters. They have often been rough around the edges. Dorff transcended those characters in 2010 with Somewhere, director Sophia Coppola’s film about a big budget actor just going through the motions. He reexamines his life when his eleven-year-old daughter pays him a surprise visit. The film won the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

Now in post-production, Sex, Guaranteed is a new film from Brad and Todd Barnes, whose previous efforts include The Locksmith and East Nashville Tonight. It stars Stephen Dorff as Hank. Alongside him are Grey Damon as Kevin, Bella Dayne as Zade, James Debello as Steve, and funnyman Dan Fogler as Carl.

Sex, Guaranteed is set in New Orleans, where it was shot on location. I spoke with Stephen on set late one night in a mansion on Esplanade Avenue, the edge of the historic French Quarter. He took off his character’s headband and sat down, exhausted from a long day’s work.

——————-

MH: I would love to hear how you became a part of this film.

SD: It was really Dan Fogler, who plays Carl in the movie. I think he mentioned me to the producers. It was very last minute. I don’t do many comedies in my career. I did a little stuff with Sandler over the years and I’ve done bits of comedy in movies. But I got the script and I just loved Hank. I didn’t know too much about the filmmakers but I did a Skype call with them and heard that they had won a big award at Sundance a few years back for a smaller film they did. I knew they had some shorts in Sundance. Once I researched the Barnes brothers and talked to them, I thought they seemed really smart and interesting. The script was very funny. A couple of weeks before, I was offered another film in Louisiana that was a comedy that I didn’t think was as funny. That had some pretty good comedic talent in it but this one I thought was just really original. It had a real, sweet message, and at the same time was the dirty kind of R-rated comedy that I grew up loving.

MH: How did the character of Hank influence your decision to do the movie?

SD: He’s an amazing character. At the same time also, Hank was a great opportunity to bring in a lot of influences that I liked growing up watching comedies. The kind that I think are missing out in the market place. It was also a chance to do a comedic role in a real way. So I think I jumped on that opportunity. There were also a lot of people – friends of friend – that knew the producers and the Barnes brothers, that knew A.D. Coffman, who casted the film. It all just kind of fell into place and it has been a real cool adventure playing this character. And I love New Orleans because you’ve great music.

MH: You’re working everyday. On this movie, you’re in it to win it.

SD: Definitely this week! Because we’re in Hank’s house. You’re in his bedroom right now in this amazing mansion that were shooting in the Quarter here right on Esplanade. So yeah, the big set up takes place here. The movie starts on the roof and ends in a similar place. It’s a great location we got for such a small film. We’ve gotten a lot of great people around New Orleans that really have helped us and really believed in the material as well. There’s a lot of small films that come in and people do favors but this one it seemed like a lot of people really want to see us win. I felt that when reading it. I think we’ve got great production value for the amount of money we’re spending.

MH: Describe the character of Hank as he appeared to you in the script.

SD: Hank is a lovable train wreck. When we meet him, he’s a very rich, incredibly wealthy man that is probably not from New Orleans but has been living here for a while. He’s about to have a three-day rager. What we realize about him, without giving too much of the story away, is that he’s very depressed as well. Like our main guy Kevin. He’s lost his true love. So, basically, underneath all the dirty jokes and all the dirtiness, there’s a message about love. Everybody in the film is missing that connection. Hank’s idea is, “Let me do one last great thing.” Hank really becomes obsessed with getting Kevin laid. It becomes more about getting his one true love back. In a way, Hank has created a love story, an imperfect match between two people. And maybe Hank’s gonna get a second love. He’s a mixture of a lot of different comedians that I loved that I’m kinda stealing things from. I’m just kind of creating this guy that I want to be iconic. One of those great characters that you remember for years to come, I hope.

MH: Who are some of the comedians you’ve looked to for inspiration?

SD: Hank’s got a lot of early Chevy Chase in him. He’s got a bit of Jack Nicholson in him. I think he’s got a bit of Bill Murray from Caddy Shack and movies like Stripes. There were a lot of the great comedies when I was growing up. I don’t laugh as much at comedies now. There’s guys like Will Ferrell and people like that that still make me laugh but for the most part, it’s really in the writing. I feel like comedy now is usually forced. Maybe I laugh once or twice in a comedy. Maybe. I haven’t seen a really, really funny movie in a long time. This movie and this script made me laugh out loud because you play it straight. You play it for realism and, to me, comedy is all about tone. These directors completely know what they’re doing when it comes to tone and that’s really important. You can be in a slap stick, broad movie more like Sandler does a lot or you can be in a film like Sideways which has incredible comedy but is played more straight. This is like a mixture of the two. And I really like the way they’ve told the story. I look forward to seeing it. I haven’t seen anything but people seem to be laughing so that’s always a good sign.

MH: Sex, Guaranteed seems like the tightly scripted kind of comedy from the 80s. There were a lot of comedies that came out in the 80s with big stars like Chevy Chase and they had excellent scripts that were very tight pieces of work. They were less improvisational.

SD: To me, comedy has now become almost like SNL vignettes stretched into a whole movie. But once the joke is out, it kind of becomes redundant. With this film, what you have are real characters, a real story and the jokes just play. They keep coming and coming and coming. I don’t read comedies everyday because I usually do dramas. So, for me, it’s a bit of a new frontier. I look forward to doing it more.

MH: Is there any amount of improvisation on set?

SD: Yeah! With a character like this, the Barnes brothers have given me freedom to add lines. I obviously look to them for their judgment and I’ve hopefully come up with some funny stuff. Me and my friend Mark have come up with some funny stuff. We’ve hopefully just added to what’s already really original and funny in the script. They totally give you room to improv but the scripts so tight that I find when you improv in this movie, you’re killing the jokes that are there. I feel like this script is so tight, you can just play the script and it will work. Once in a while, I’ll add a few more little tag lines or funny exit lines or things that the script didn’t have, just to bring it up a notch in those scenes. But for the most part, I’m just playing the character as written.

MH: I know you’ve shot in New Orleans before.

SD: Yeah, a couple of times, but not many.

MH: One movie in particular that I would love to see…

SD: Tony Kaye’s movie?

MH: Yeah! Black Water Transit. I’ve heard so much about it but it’s never been released.

SD: The $30 million Tony Kaye movie that’s never come out. Yeah, I’d like to see it, too. I saw a rough cut. I mean, Tony is crazy, but he’s a great filmmaker. This cut I saw was a visual masterpiece. It didn’t make much sense but it’s definitely worth seeing. Unfortunately, that movie, along with a David O’Russell movie and a bunch of other movies, are stuck in this lawsuit. I don’t know, but maybe one day when I’m sixty, it will come out. I forgot what part I played. It’s been seven or eight years ago. I’ve made a lot of movies since then.

MH: It was a big movie, and it’s just never surfaced. When you came back to New Orleans for this film, was there anything you were looking forward to visiting in New Orleans?

SD: I just remember New Orleans being such a fun town.I like being at a bar and being able to take your drink to go. That’s pretty cool. I’m also a fan of just the characters that you find. Talented musicians that you see on the street. Walk by and there is some sixteen-year-old girl playing the violin and it’s amazing. I like the quirkiness of the town. I like the people. For the most part, people are friendly and passionate. They don’t like change much. They’re very loyal to what the vibe is, which I think is great. Cause it’s an old city and it should have that feeling. I love the restaurants, the food, the music, going to Frenchmen Street, hearing the music. It seems like every weekend, there’s a different event, whether it’s French Quarter Fest or Jazz Fest or WrestleMania. A couple of weeks ago, there were wrestlers everywhere! It’s a kooky place but I like it and then you can leave it and go up Magazine and it becomes a different world in Uptown. It’s got flavor.

I can imagine worse places. I did a movie in Cleveland. That wasn’t fun. But New Orleans is fun and I always like going to the places that we’re shooting a movie in. I think what’s great about this film is that it was written for here. Brad Barnes has been here for like eight months writing and prepping this comedy, which is a long time. He got to really know the city and I think that’s smart. I’m not a big fan of coming to Louisiana and then trying to make it New York or another other town. I always find that to be terrible. I believe you should be in the city that you’re supposed to be in. If you’re for London, you go to London. If you’re in Peru, go to Peru like my last movie. If you’re in New Orleans, let’s do it in New Orleans. But obviously there’s a lot of tax breaks here and people are shooting tons of movies here, so it’s really become the back lot of the South.

MH: There are a lot of films shot here and sometimes people try to do something here that doesn’t really work.

SD: If you’re doing stage stuff, it doesn’t really matter. But the great thing about this movie is that not many movies are shot right in the French Quarter. We’re doing stunt scenes and some pretty crazy stuff right here off Esplanade and Chartres. That felt pretty cool. You see all the characters driving by right near Port of Call so you can go get a burger if you get hungry.

MH: Stephen, I see you spent time here…because you’re pronouncing everything right!

SD: Yeah, man, I know the good spots. Bacchanal in the Bywater, that’s a new spot that I’d never been to. It helps that I have some friends here. Mark, my buddy, he lives here and most of the time he keeps a place here. He’s done so many movies here. He showed me some spots I didn’t know because I prefer the non-touristy spots myself. I like to check out the cool New Orleans spots and that we have done.

MH: Frenchmen Street is a great place to start.

SD: Yeah, that’s a fun place. You really wanna hit it when there’s some great bands playing. Some nights are more commercial than others. I’m actually doing another movie right after this here so I’ll be coming back. I’m hoping to get Jazz Fest in, either the first weekend or the second, because I’ve never been for that.

MH: What’s the next film?

SD: It’s kind of an experimental film that I’m doing with a director named Nick Love. He’s kinda coming up over in England. He did a movie called The Sweeney with Ray Winstone. He does gangster movies in England. He’s real tight with Guy Richie and he’s young and this is his first American foray. It should be good and it’s really a big idea and a smaller, intimate story that’s character-based. It’s like Trainspotting meets Chronicle. It deals with a character that has powers but he’s not from a different planet. He just can do certain things that normal people can’t and it’s a pretty experimental thing. Right now, we have a very big treatment but the script is being formed as we speak. I really liked him and he brought his whole team from England. I’ll have some people hopefully from this one crew of people that I’ve worked with and go shoot that for five or six weeks from May till the end of June, I think. I’ll be here in the heat.

MH: It definitely gets hot.

SD: Yeah, it gets kinda sticky. I’m not the biggest fan of humidity, but we’ll give it a shot.

MH: There are drive-thru daiquiri shops.

SD: Drive thru daiquiri shops! I’m not usually driving so that’s a good thing. The reason my eyes are this red for this on-set interview is that I’m on my third day of my binge party here at the house. So I’m supposed to look a little messed up.

MH: I’m a really big fan of Blade. And comic book movies are unbelievably big now. That movie struck a note that I think has set the tone for the modern comic book movie. What were your conceptions of that film at the time? Did you have any idea what it would become?

SD: I knew it was the first Marvel movie made and I knew it was based on a comic that wasn’t that popular. Deacon Frost in the comic looked more like Whistler, Kris Kristofferson’s character. But Steve Norrington was the guy that sold me on that. To be honest, I had done a lot of independent movies before independent cinema became so trendy and I was not really interested in high concept movies. When Blade came along, it was the first huge paycheck. A big studio movie. It was a great character but I thought it was going to be the end of my career to be honest. I thought I was like a major sell out for doing it because I was really interested in art movies. When I was younger and working on Bob Rafelson movies and working with Harvey Kaitel and Nicholson. All these great actors I got to learn from. So, I thought doing this movie with fangs and blue eyes and… I though, “What the hell am I doing here?” I didn’t realize that I was turning a character into something that I still hear about every day if I walk down the Quarter.

MH: How has the legacy of the film surprised you?

SD: It’s crazy. We made it and it came out end of 1998-1999. It’s fifteen years ago. That’s pretty weird that people are like “Deacon Frost!” They’re still tripping but that’s a credit to the film. That was definitely an interesting time. I would put the first Matrix in there as well. I think Blade and The Matrix were definitely ahead of their time when it comes to effects. The groundedness of a comic book, where it doesn’t have to be so fantastical and I think that’s what made movies like Iron Man strong, too: putting Downey in that character and grounding it somewhat. Always in the end of those movies, they always get so fantastical. I feel like they always go too far with the fight scenes, spaceships and they start to lose me.

MH: I think that’s one of the real strengths of Blade’s finale. I remember seeing footage of what the original computer generated Frost at the end was supposed to be, and it jumped the shark.

SD: Yeah they spent like $8 million on this blood monster that never worked.

MH: And at the end of the day, the solution was a character solution.

SD: A huge fight scene. A nasty fight with the two guys. That’s all you need. You just wanna have it come to a head and this blood lava lamp thing they tried to do was just silly. The whole movie was hard, so why are we going silly at the end? I think it was hard for New Line and Bob Shaye to have to swallow that $7 million dollar waste of money but in the end, I think he made the right call. The movie was incredibly successful and spawned two sequels.

MH: You also did an amazing movie with Sophia Coppola called Somewhere.

SD: Yeah I love that movie.

MH: I love all of her films. They’re incredibly poignant.

SD: She’s the best. I think she’s a total original and Somewhere came at a time that was perfect for me to play that kind of character. She just embraced me in a way that really was out of nowhere. I was doing good films and was working. I had just done Felon, which seemed to get really popular after it came out. I did Public Enemies and World Trade Center. I was working with all of these great directors on more character kind of parts. And then Sophia just landed me after Felon. It was just an incredible experience working with her and winning the Golden Lion [at the Venice Film Festival]. And then I hear about that movie a lot, too, so obviously every audience is a different movie audience. You have your genre movie audiences that will talk about Blade and Felon and then you have artistic people who will be like, “Somewhere was the greatest film.”

I always get hit by different people and I believe as an actor you wanna hit different genres. I actually texted Sophia and said, “I’m doing a comedy. I’m playing this guy Hank. I think you’re gonna like it.” And she was like, “I’m so excited you’re doing comedy.” She’s always telling me I should do more comedy, so we will see how Hank Landry turns out.

MH: Somewhere’s a great film and it’s a certainly different side of you as an actor. It’s great to see you go from horrendously terrifying villain in Blade to action star in Public Enemies. And then Somewhere just came out of nowhere.

SD: I just try to mix it up. After Somewhere, I did Immortals as a commercial play, which obviously did really well and was Relativity’s biggest film. But after that, I wanted to do something intimate, so I did The Motel Life which got incredible reviews. I wish it would have done better and had more of a release but the work was awesome. That movie will become very famous in a few years. It might just take a little time but Emile Hirsch is in that with me and that was just a great experience. It’s just about mixing it up. I don’t wanna do the same thing all the time.

Sex, Guaranteed is now in post-production.