Last year’s Oscar nominee for “Doubt,” Viola Davis, and a fella called Denzel Washington come into the Cort Theatre next month in the August Wilson revival “Fences.”
“This came about when producer Scott Rudin called my agent but wouldn’t reveal what it was for,” said Viola. “See, half a dozen years ago Denzel directed me, his directing debut, in ‘Antwone Fisher.’ He’s a little bit intimidating — you know, all that testosterone — but he’s an excellent director because he knows the process.”
And her world now that the craziness of the Oscars is over?
“I’m enjoying my family in Rhode Island. I was raised there. My mom’s still there. I’ve grown into myself more. I don’t anymore feel I must apologize for my success. I can enjoy it while I’m alive. I was always self-deprecating because it made people feel more comfortable.
“This profession is so difficult. Actors who aren’t working have a tendency to be jealous. Not just in Hollywood. It’s the profession in general. Even in small towns like in Oregon. They seem to just have to be ruthless and catty. So many actors want it so badly. At any cost. They can’t help but lash out.
“Young actors see an overnight success and they want it fast, quick. Before they ever develop a work ethic they think they’re Meryl Streep. It’s no longer an art, it’s an entertainment. They don’t understand it’s the love of the work.
“It’s putting in the hours of work. Today, they have no level of performance. No kind of artistic aesthetic. One major award in one part and they’re strutting around. They did one part well and they think they don’t have to study.
“When I was in college a basic fundamental level of theater etiquette 101 was taught. The lighting, staging, how to be part of an audience.
Rehearsals began for “Fences” this week.
A few generations ago there lived a man named Allen Paulson. Wealthy. Major wealthy. Chairman of Gulf stream. In those days, every CEO worth his weight in creative accounting owned one of Paulson’s planes. Also a major owner and breeder of racehorses, in 1996 his great Horse of the Year Cigar set a record for lifetime earnings.
Mr. Paulson passed away more than nine years ago. He left a wife and four children. And a huge load of lawsuits. The man had hundreds of millions. Maybe billions. Nobody knows where that money is. Seems $700 million just evaporated. How? By whom? Where? When? Nobody knows. There is a will, but it’s no good if nobody can locate the money.
Mr. Paulson’s trust is represented by California lawyer Neil Papiano. Mr. Papiano has summoned forensic accountants, Swiss accounts, overseas piggy banks. This is about to become one of the costliest and dirtiest financial legal fights in years.
ELTON John, asked how long a run he expects on “Next Fall,” the play he’s produced at the Helen Hayes: “For ever.” . . . Gabourey Sidibe: “I feel so detached from that character in ‘Precious’ that when I watch the film, I think: ‘Look at those little lips. She’s so cute.’ And then I realize, that’s me.” . . . Liev Schreiber on why he does so much classical theater. “Ninety-three percent of actors in the union are unemployed. With those odds, I figured, what does no one out there want to do — so I did the classics.” . . . Natalie Portman: “I want to direct. There aren’t a lot of female directors. It’s much more stressful, directing. As an actor, I can always put the blame on someone else.” . . . James McAvoy: “I don’t like working with actors who won’t look me in the eye when filming. It’s ungenerous.”
SOMEONE said it: “With the exception of Obama taking his family around the world on our dime, what other accomplishments might he point to?”
NOW, we all know I am a modest un assuming type and never would I grab credit unless credit was due — as it almost always is. So, before the Oscars, I told you James Cameron‘s “Avatar” would not make Best Picture. Not a shot. Why? Because Hollywood’s Mandarins wanted to stick it to him. They did not like his titanic ego when he won the award for “Titanic” years before.
I also told you before the Oscars that although many of us felt Meryl Streep deserved her 300th Academy Award for her excellent work in “Julie & Julia,” it was definitely going to Sandra Bullock for a nice performance in a nice movie. Why? Because the Mandarins who run the academy are West Coast people, and Meryl, who always says how puffed up Hollywoodites are, lives on the East Coast. And they just figured, enough already with her . . . Jeff Bridges‘ pal from the fourth grade, John Goodwin, wrote the opening song to his film “Crazy Heart” . . . Carrie Fisher still listens to ex-husband Paul Simon‘s music when she’s backstage.
So this Brit has dinner in a Shun Lee restaurant. For drinks, Chinese Tsingtao beer. First course, barbe cued pork spare ribs. Second course, sweet and sour chicken with brown rice. And what’s he order for dessert? Apple pie and ice cream.
Only in New York, kids, only in New York.