Category: John Leguizamo
See American Buffalo For Just A Nickle!
I had the chance to catch a press screening of American Buffalo, a new Broadway play starring Haley Joel Osment, Cedric The Entertainer and John Leguziamo last last week. It was my first experience where a celebrity was the lead. I enjoyed being that close to the talent and watching to see them ride the entire show through flawlessly. You KNOW in movies, there are months and months of filming a few lines a day and then several takes for each line. That buffer does not exist in theatre work and all three men proved they did their homework.
I was especially rooting for Haley as you know the difficultly young stars face when trying to remain relevent as adults. Hopefully this will transition him into older roles and place him back on the big screen. Or better yet, perhaps he found a new calling and love for the theatre. Either way, he was my main pull to the show as I really enjoyed him in The Sixth Sense.
While the show itself was not something I would have typically attended, the story has a reputation and has claimed several huge actors to cast.
Originally on Broadway in 1977, the three-character drama concerns a
plan to steal a coin collection. Originating the roles were Robert
Duvall (as Walt/Teach), Kenneth McMillan (Donny) and John Savage
(Bobby). In the 1983 revival, the cast was Al Pacino, J.J. Johnston and
James Hayden. A 1996 movie version starred Dustin Hoffman, Dennis
Franz, and Sean Nelson.
Truth be told, I'm more of the Beauty and the Beast on Broadway kind of girl and this play was one set and no singing tea cups . The story took precedence and that was a very new experience for me.
If you are a NYC local or are planning to visit the area before December 24th, you can catch the show for a nickle! Yes, 5 cents!! Click here for details.
Exclusive Sit Down With John Leguizamo For The Babysitters
I was unable to attend this press event featuring John Leguizamo due to a schedule conflict. UGH! Instead I sent one of my shopping writers in my place. Thanks Elyn!!
(don't watch this around kids just in case)---The Babysitters, starring John Leguizamo, Katherine Waterson & Cynthia Nixon is a dark comedy delving into issues of trust, intimacy & betrayal in relationships. Set in an average middle-American town, the film focuses on a flirtation between Shirley (Waterson), a HS senior babysitting to earn money for her college fund, & Michael (Leguizamo), the married father of 2 of her charges, that spirals destructively out of control as they become involved & -- as Michael's buddies find out & want in -- Shirley becomes a HS madam, arranging 'dates' between her HS friends & the upstanding married men of town ... while Michael's wife Gail (Nixon) spends her time denying that anything is wrong.
On Monday I had the chance to sit down at a round table discussion with John Leguizamo (also the co-Producer of the film), Katherine Waterson (the extremely beautiful, sweet & talented daughter of Sam Waterson), & the 26 year old vunder-kind Writer/Director David Ross, to discuss the film:John Leguizamo:
"When I first read the script I liked it and I got it. I spend all my time trying to figure out how to be a good father & a good husband. I look at Michael [his character], at who he is & why he's willing to risk it all for this set of circumstances... A lot of my friends have these questions. It's a huge risk, but these guys are looking for a little meaning, searching for a little of their youth, their wilder days. You'd think they'd know better, but this film shows the penalties for not knowing. These are real, real consequences."
David Ross:
"I want people to look below the surface, to think about what's really going on around them, so I didn't want to put this film on either coast, because then people would just say "oh, there THEY go again." This is about what could be happening right now in any town, to any marriage. This is about a secret life & the cost."
Katherine Waterson:
"I really hope the film shakes the audience up... And -- & I never thought I'd say this -- but I hope that if they have teenagers, they ask themselves how well they know them."
Cynthia Nixon (Gail, Michael's wife), couldn't make it to the roundtable, but sent this statement:
"This is a cautionary tale. It's hard not to watch it & not want to call at the screen "STOP! Think about what you're doing!" I do however think that the older you are, the more shocked you'll be & the younger you are, the more blase you'd probably be."
The Babysitters opens in limited engagements across the country this Friday & also stars Andy Comeau, Denis O'Hare & Lauren Birkell. This is definitely not a film for teens or younger, but it is a thought provoking film in the same vein as American Beauty if a bit darker & more 'real'.[Note: while the men discussed particulars not suited for this website, Katherine Waterson & I discussed the GORGEOUS jewelry she was wearing ... it was all her Grandmother's! And, sadly, she didn't want to 'trade' anything for my Forever 21 ring]
John Leguizamo
