This week Focus Features features its focus on “Beginners.” Never having met Ewan McGregor was interest ing because then you work off your instantaneous reaction.
A 40ish Scot. Handsome. Lean. Slight beard, tousled hair. Dressed well: no torn jeans, no cruddy T-shirt. Proper suit. Tapered pants puddling at the ankle. Easy, no airs. But controlled. Not Scandinavian cold, nor Italian gushy. Did his job well. But just. Never over the line. Never said more than necessary.
Like, what’s he seeing while in New York? “Not anything. Only doing what you see me doing. Talking to journalists and having interviews.”
Then: “I like New York but don’t care to bring up my kids in New York. I know they might wish to be here in a few years, but for now LA’s better.”
Future plans? “Shooting a film in London. When it finishes, I’ll go home. I ride motorcycles and bicycles and take my children to school.
“Being home is a reward to my family. My wife and four girls — 15, two 9-year-olds and a baby of four months — often come with me if it’s a holiday or my locations and their schedules allow. Sometimes we uproot them and put them in another school.”
His early days? “I’ve been lucky. I never struggled. Since I was 9 I wanted to be an actor. My uncle is an actor, and early on it’s all I ever wanted to be. Even if on a movie you have to be up stupidly early.”
Where he expounded was discussing “Beginners,” which opens June 3: “We worked in Echo Park and Silver Lake, cool Los Angeles areas that aren’t suburban but have shops, cafes, street scenes reminiscent of New York. It’s based on our writer/director Mike Mills‘ experiences. His mother dies. After his father, whom Christopher Plummer plays and at 75 turns out to be gay, Oliver the son, whom I play, has a back and forth love story and gets to appreciate his father even more.”
Ewan McGregor then silenced his delicious Scottish lilt and was gone.
CHUCK Lorre, of whom Charlie Sheen has heard, seen watching surfer vid eos at some West Coast hasheteria. Not imbibing. Not looking unhappy . . . Cindy Crawford: “A good sign is my mom looks great for her age. I always find excuses to see her naked. And her boobs still look good.”
NEW shows shooting in NYC supports 4,000 businesses here, employs 100,000 locals, contributes $5 billion annually to the economy. All shot pilots here.
“Person of Interest,” CBS. About ex-CIA agent (Jim Caviezel) recruited by an eccentric billionaire to fight crime . . . “Unforgettable,” CBS. Poppy Montgomery as a detective with total recall . . . “A Gifted Man,” also CBS. Patrick Wilson as a surgeon whose world changes when dead ex-wife (Jennifer Ehle) teaches him about life . . . “The 2-2,” also CBS. Producers Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal. Stars Adam Goldberg and Leelee Sobieski and six NYPD rookies . . . “Smash,” NBC. Executive producer Steven Spielberg. Debra Messing and “American Idol” contestant Katharine McPhee creating a B’way musical about Marilyn Monroe . . . “Girls,” HBO. Producer Judd Apatow. Girls in their 20s dealing with life . . . “I Just Want My Pants Back,” MTV. Executive producer Doug Liman. Comedy. A group of 20-somethings in a carefree NYC lifestyle. And probably NBC’s “Prime Suspect.” Helen Mirren‘s Brit series adapted for detective Maria Bello in a male-dominated New York precinct. Plus ABC’s “Pan Am” with Christina Ricci. Set in mid-1960s with stewardesses, pilots, sex and spying. Producer, Sony.
We’re already home to 14 series: “30 Rock,” NBC; “Blue Bloods,” CBS; “Boardwalk Empire,” HBO; “Bored to Death,” HBO; “Damages,” DirecTV; “SNL,” NBC; “The Good Wife,” CBS; “Gossip Girl,” The CW; at least 5,000 “Law & Order”s, NBC; “Louie,” FX; “Nurse Jackie,” Showtime; “Rescue Me,” FX; “Royal Pains,” USA; “White Collar,” USA.
NO dictionary explains differences be tween words complete and finished. Travel expert Geoffrey Weill claims there’s a difference: “Marry the right woman, you’re complete” . . . “Marry the wrong one, you’re finished!” . . . And if the right one catches you with the wrong one, you’re completely finished!!!”
BEBE Neuwirth, Michael J. Stengel, Byron Jennings, Annette Bening dressed The Actors Fund gala honoring Al Pacino. These old pals studied acting together centuries ago at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater. Pacino arrived an hour late to avoid photographers.
TO catch Karen Mason‘s final “Won derland” performance, David Zippel was late. He ran to the box office. They said: “There’s no ticket in your name.” Unwilling to miss it, he bought another seat and hustled in. The program announced an understudy in the role of Pumbaa. Pumbaa?! This Tony-winning lyricist was at “The Lion King” matinee. He requested a refund. No. Dashing one block north to where his “Wonderland” ticket awaited, he arrived just as the curtain went up.
Only in New York, kids, only in New York . . . Have a safe joyful Memorial weekend. I’m taking a nap. See you Tuesday.