Ruth Madoff Notifies an hour or so She and Bernie Attempted Suicide

Ruth Madoff Ruth Madoff, the wife of billed Ponzi plan mastermind Bernie Madoff, told 60 Minutes' Morley Shafer the 2 attempted to commit suicide on Christmas Eve 2008. "I am unsure whose idea it absolutely was,In . Madoff states, "but we made a decision to kill ourselves, because it am terrible the thing that was happening. ... I mentioned, 'I cannot continue any more.AInchThey not successful after taking Ambien. The amount of? She can't recall. But she was glad they awoke the very next day.Look at the comfort of current day newsThe episode, which will air Sunday at 7/6c on CBS, might be the only real interview Madoff has given in regards to the crime that that defrauded traders of billions.Mrs. Madoff told The NY Occasions that she's finally tallying to talk because her boy Andrew asked for her to help promote a completely new approved biography, Truth and Effects: Existence Inside the Madoff Family, being launched Monday. [Another boy, Mark, committed suicide round the second anniversary of his father's arrest.]Go to a clip in the interview below. Are you currently tuning in?

Cast can get in a few 'Gametime'

BrolinRomeoAraki James Brolin, Romeo and Jen Araki will star inside the indie "Gametime." Ray August is helming in the script by Bobby Kortsen.The story follows the organization of major college basketball, as revealed using the innocent eyes in the top recruits within the u . s . states.Rob Spillman is aboard to produce, with lensing to begin in November in Detroit.Brolin is repped by ICM. Romeo is repped by Buchwald/Fortitude and Adam Robinson, and Araki may also be repped by Buchwald/Fortitude and Ted Brunson. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

'Jersey Shore' Closes Italy Season With 6.6 Million Viewers

"Jersey Shore" No records were set for the season finale of Jersey Shore, but it still performed well on Thursday night. Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino and company said goodbye to Italy and roughly 6.6 million total viewers tuned in to watch their shenanigans on MTV. That's down more than 2 million from the record-setting season opener which lured in 8.8 million viewers. PHOTOS: The Jersey Shore Hits Italy The "Ciao Italia" hour averaged a 7.0 rating in the persons 12-34 demographic, translating to 5.4 million viewers. For the season, Jersey Shore has averaged roughly 7.3 million viewers per week and MTV touts that when DVR numbers are considered, the show averaged a 9.0 rating for the first nine episodes. The episode saw Sorrentino toying with the idea of opting out of season five, but the finale ended with him announcing that he would stay, which received mixed reactions from his housemates. "Jersey, here I come," he said. "I've always got something up my sleeve, and it's going to be a Situation." PHOTOS: The Best and Worst Moments of 'Jersey Shore' At 11 p.m., Jersey Shore: The Reunion drew more than 5 million viewers and posted a 4.8 rating in the cable network's core 12-34 demo. The fifth season of Jersey Shore, with the cast back on U.S. soil, is slated for a January 2012 premiere. TV Ratings International MTV Jersey Shore

Stan Lee To Obtain VES Lifetime Jerk

The Visual Effects Society has attracted on comic icon Stan Lee to find the 2012 VES Lifetime Achievement Award, that is presented February 7 through the audience’s VES Honours within the Beverly Hilton. Lee — whose works of art with Marvel Comics include Spider-Guy, The Incredible Hulk, X-Males and Iron Guy before founding their very own company Bang! Entertainment in 2001 — joins previous individuals who win including George Lucas, Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and a year ago’s recipient Ray Harryhausen. Stan Lees imagination has created an entirely original and lucrative niche inside the entertainment world and contains allowed visual effects to flex its muscle operating in it, VES chairman Jeffrey Okun mentioned in announcing very good today.

Happy 86th Birthday, Angela Lansbury! What's Her Greatest Screen Moment?

I hope Zachary Quinto pegged his coming out to Angela Lansbury’s 86th birthday, because, indeed, it’s a day of thunderous celebration. The brilliant actress was first nominated for an Oscar 67 years ago, and she remains just as vibrant today. (You may have seen her in the recent Mr. Popper’s Penguins). What’s your pick for Jessica Fletcher’s greatest screen moment? This is a matter of obligation, but she’s most unforgettable in The Manchurian Candidate. We all know it. Here’s the mind-blowing proof: Chilling! But I’m going to add a sweeter clip of Lansbury in the ‘58 sensation The Long, Hot Summer. She comes in at the 2:45 mark with some Southern pertness and pride as Minnie Littlejohn, but if you can’t stop yourself from watching a near-naked Paul Newman glisten in the moonlight before then, I understand. Now: Your choice?

Actors Share Insight Over the Years

Actors Share Insight Over the Years October 12, 2011 Julia Stiles "I mean, it's easy to say this now, but things happen for a reason. I look back on the movies I didn't get, and it never would've made sense for me to be in them. 'Hot cheerleader' probably wouldn't have been a good fit. I was quite angsty."Julia Stiles, Nov. 10, 2010"There were moments when I questioned [acting], when I was thinking, 'What is the purpose of this in our world? Is it as meaningful as being a doctor, being a teacher, or things that I think of as such noble professions?' But I think I've really reconciled myself with that, and I think art is not only important but critical to the soul of a human and the soul of a community. Not to be self-important about what I do, but I've found a lot of meaning in it." Natalie Portman, Feb. 2, 2011"I know people who say, 'Well, I'm going to try acting. I'll give it five years, or something like that.' Okay. Bye. You might as well go and get another job, because, generally, five years isn't going to cut it, and if you do make it in five years, you're going to have 15 minutes; then you're going to have to start all over again."Morgan Freeman, Oct. 12, 2000"I can't stress enough how important either doing a play or a showcase or working in an acting classis. It is the foundationyou learn all the things you need. The truth is, actors today get famous quicker and younger, and you have no concept of the idea that it will go away, which it always does. And you hope for that second wave. And I've had five or six of those waves. And the only way you can get to those waves is to have something to fall back on, which is some training."George Clooney, Dec. 1, 2005"I think my first job was as a crank addict in a film, and then my second job was like a cyborg. So it was clear that my career was going to be full of very bizarre, strange womenwhich ended up being the ones I liked, anyway."Angelina Jolie, Nov. 22, 2007"I can remember from back in the '60swhen you had serious legit drama on Broadway at real prices. You could see 'The Wild Duck' for $6. You could see Helen Hayes in 'The School for Scandal,' Eva Le Gallienne in 'The Cherry Orchard.' You could see Ellis Rabb in 'Pantagleize.' Those were fabulous productions. I still hold on, in a way, to that kind of ideal. In London, they take that for granted, and always have, and we've kind of given up on that. I think that's too bad."Christopher Reeve, actor, in Back Stage's 25th anniversary issue, Dec. 20, 1985"There's a big difference between auditioning today and in the old days. In the old days a lot of actors invested in the theater. Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, that great acting couple, invested in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.' Today it's businessmen and corporations like Coca-Cola who are not knowledgeable about the theater, so it's harder to sell yourself to them."Carol Channing, actor, in Back Stage's 35th anniversary issue, Dec. 22, 1995"Carol Channing's 'Hello, Dolly!' is a dilly of a show; best thing she's done since 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.' At a preview we caught, the audience was with it all the way, and the ensemble performances were perfectly and evenly matched. 'Dolly' Channing has a Tony Award in her future."Michael Sean O'Shea, The Sardi Set column, Jan. 17, 1964"After my first year at the Neighborhood Playhouse, I went back and did 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' in Arkansas, and the local critic there clobbered me. Rightfully so. I wasn't good, and I know exactly why: because I was so busy acting a method that I really wasn't telling the truth and I wasn't serving the play."Mary Steenburgen, actor, Oct. 13, 1994"My birth name is Krishna Bhanji. It's quite a beautiful name, but it doesn't get you very far in show business. I auditioned for [the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art] as Krishna Bhanji. I sat in the antechamber with other aspiring thespians, waiting for my name to be called. This guy came with a clipboard and said, 'Kristina Blange.' Nobody moved. He said, 'Kristina Blange.' And that voice in me said, God, he means me. I said, 'Actually it's my terrible handwriting. I am in fact Krishna Bhanji.' It was a very bad start to the audition. I didn't succeed in getting into RADA."Ben Kingsley, actor, Dec. 4, 2003"Every free moment I had, I could sit in the theater and watch the professional actors workrehearse, etc. That was one of the important parts of my training."Max von Sydow, actor, Dec. 6, 2007"My voice teacher had a constant struggle. And likewise people working with diction. Huge problems. My voice teacher at the timesaid, 'You sound as if your voice is coming out of the back end of a drainpipe.' So, clearly I had work to do."Alan Rickman, actor-director, Aug. 14, 2008"I wrote a lettera sort of begging letterto the RSC, saying, 'Please see me.' And they did, on this Sunday night in November. Cold and miserable and wet. And in the darkened, empty theater. And I did some 'Henry V,' which I had just played. And John Barton and Peter Hall got up on the stage, and they directed me for half an hour. And I quite quickly realized, 'They're not trying to find out if I can act. They want to know am I flexible. Can I take direction? Can I change my ideas and thoughts about the thing?' And luckily I stumbled to that and so did the best I could. And they took me into the company to play small roles and understudy. And the following year, a young actor called Ben Kingsley joined the company, not even to understudy but to walk on. Ben was a spear carrier. And another young actor called Roger Rees joined at the same time, both of them as background actors. And often, when I talk to people leaving drama school or young actors, they say, 'But I want to play Hamlet. I want to play Hal. I want to play Romeo.' I say, 'You know, there was a time when Ben Kingsley and Roger Rees accepted walk-on contracts. And then one of them ended up playing Hamlet for the RSC and the other playing Nicholas Nicklebybecause they worked their way through the process.' " Patrick Stewart, actor, April 22, 2010"I think my face is pretty recognizable as that character, and that name is a pretty recognizable one, so it sort of sticks with you. But I suspect that Barney in 'How I Met Your Mother' will sort of update that, because I'll be in people's living rooms weekly for hopefully a little while."Neil Patrick Harris, actor, on leaving "Doogie Howser, M.D.," behind, Oct. 27, 2005"It's a time-honored job to be a good supporting player. You are necessary. You make the central person be able to stand on his podium in the right way."Holland Taylor, actor, Dec. 8, 2005"Every script is different, so your character encounters new situations and new people every time. You put yourself in his place and react as he would. It's like real life in that sense. In some ways that makes it easier than in the theater, where you're not only doing the same character every night, but the same script."Jerry Orbach, actor, on keeping his role of Det. Lennie Briscoe fresh, in Back Stage's salute to "Law & Order," Dec. 19, 1997 "I played a Nazi killer in 'Dead Bang,' and right before we were to roll camera, the director came over and whispered in my ear, 'Ronnie, if you move your eyebrows, you are on the cutting room floor.' And that became my character. I was so concentrated on my eyebrows not moving that I was like this psycho zombie who was very aware that my eyebrows should not move."Ron Campbell, actor, June 9, 1994"A basic pleasure of doing voiceovers is that you can honor words in a way that the words, as little individuals, are treated with great respect."Barbara Feldon, Agent 99 on the 1960s TV series "Get Smart" and voice actor, "Spotlight on Speech and Diction," July 19, 1991 "I've always been good at analyzing scripts, but I tended to take a cynical view of my characters. I was especially cynical about Henry V. I saw him as manipulative, and I was just not feeling this guy. A part of me wanted to admire him, and I didn't know where to go. [Director] Doug [Hughes] and I talked for 40 minutes about the character's spiritual evolution, which made it more fun and more interesting to play. I began to see the evolution of a man.This made me realize that every character is on a journey and evolving in some way. Most characters are in the grip of a lesser or better angel, and I think about that. If it's not apparent in the piece, I try to make it apparent to me."Andre Braugher, actor, Jan. 27, 2011"I've found that the best way is to treat the reading [for a role] just like a performance of a TV show. Nothing half-baked, casual, or tentative. Work on the scene just as if you had the role sewed up and were opening at audition time."Jay Barney, actor and columnist, Notes for Actors, Nov. 27, 1964"I believe in going to classesall the first jobs I got, I got through people I met in class. I also found it gave me a companionship."Colleen Dewhurst, actor, "Spotlight on Acting Schools," Oct. 19, 1990"Studying is important in forming some kind of technique; read and do some classroom work. Then, eventually, you've just got to get up and do it anywhere. Life experiencelivingis also important. Experiencing things helps you grow as an actor."Nathan Lane, actor, in "The Learning Experience," Oct. 18, 1991"All of us angst-ridden teenagers were trying like crazy and knitting our brows to figure out how to be better artists and be responsible to the community, and trying to manage the wild beast of the terrible business of acting. She reminded us, 'The reason you wanted to do this is because it looks like fun. And it is fun. Even if you're playing Medea.' "Michael McKean, actor, on his acting teacher Olympia Dukakis, Sept. 5, 2002"I teach acting, and I teach how to tell a story with a song. I tell my students that all human beings are natural singers, kind of like birds. I think that when people really want to sing, they should sing, whatever the circumstances."Betty Buckley, actor, "Spotlight on Singing and Music," Jan. 26, 1996"[A]ctors just don't seem to make the rounds [visiting casting directors' offices] anymore. It seems to have gone out of fashion. Perhaps I'm old-fashioned, but I'm still interested in seeing actors. Two hours, one day a week may not seem like much time, but it does give me a chance to see many, many new faces, and those that make an impression are called back for further interviews and auditions. I don't like to get flooded with pictures and profiles because they require replies and it takes a great deal of time. I am interested in seeing people in the flesh."Judy Abbott, casting director and daughter of the legendary director George Abbott, Jan. 12, 1962"[Jamie Foxx] was very compelling, a very intelligent person. He shared a lot in common with Ray Charles. They were both African-Americans from the South; they had kind of come out of the racist context. They were very driven, had burning ambitions to have their voices heard in the world. And I encouraged [Foxx] to plumb those depths that he shared in common with Ray. But I don't think I really had any sense that he was going to be my choice until I started talking about the music in the film and the fact that I would have to find somebody to play the piano and use some cinematic sleight of hand to come up to the face of the person playing the role. He said, 'I play the piano,' and I said, 'Yeah, so do I, but I'm no Ray Charles, and neither are you.' And he said, 'Well, wait a minute, I started playing when I was 3, I led the band in my gospel church in Texas, and I went to university on a piano scholarship.' "Taylor Hackford, director, Nov. 11, 2004"Most actors normally have a lot of skills and crafts, but the spectacular ones have that interior life that you can see in their eyes. You can see that there's a lot of complexity and that there's a powerful interior person living inside, and I have a good detector for that."Alejandro Gonzlez Irritu, filmmaker, Nov. 20, 2003"I would rather be a director than an actress. As an actor, you have only one role to create. Creating a role means to fully understand the character's goals. However, in order to direct actors in a play, you have to be able to identify with all characters onstage."Geraldine Fitzgerald, actor-director, in "Hyphenates: Performers Who Wear Several Hats," Oct. 23, 1987"You have to be just as honest as you would for any other form of acting, but in commercials you have to condense it. You have to get your message across quicker."Danny Goldman, (now retired) casting director, Oct. 27, 1994 "Everything you do you can learn something if it's only to be more comfortable in a situation. No one's going to stop and teach you how to do television. They haven't got the time. So you just better learn. That's part of your task: to find a way to exist in what they always call in the theater 'imaginary circumstances.' It's the same in a commercial. You're in a situation you have to make real for yourself."Marian Seldes, Tony-winning actor, on what she learned when doing commercials, Nov. 13, 2008 "The owners of the theaters on 42nd Street are crying the blues. Why? Because business is bad at the houses which show exploitation movies. Why? Because Hollywood and Europe have stepped in and are doing a lot of sexploitation on their own. It's rare these days to see a new, big-budget film without at least one nude scene."Charlotte Harmon, Back Stage legit editor, in "Sexploit Biz Sags," June 6, 1969"Whatever personal fears an actor might have about taking on a gay role are his own business, but I resent the implication that it will hurt his career. A good performance in a good role in a good play never hurt anyone's career. May we hear no more of this?"Robert Patrick, playwright, letter to the editor, May 19, 1989"Afriendcalled me and said, 'I ran into a kid in West Hollywood recently who said that ["Southern Baptist Sissies"] saved his life.' The kid had been a preacher in the South. He was only about 26, 27, and he had an affair with a guy, and he was exposed and then was excommunicated from the church. His wife left him, and his family abandoned him. He had intended to kill himself, but he came out here to visit some friends. He went to see 'Sissies,' and then he decided to move out here. He said he didn't feel alone after viewing the play. I didn't do 'Sissies' to save the world; I kind of wrote it for me, but, for some reason, the universe allowed it to be other people's journey, as well."Del Shores, actor-playwright-director, Jan. 5, 2006"You know, we have an awful lot of moderate Republicans, and some not so moderate, who support the endowment. And those aren't taken into account very often. It began as a bipartisan agency, and I would like to see it continue as that. The partisanship only came in about six years ago. It's not healthy, because the arts belong to everybody; and most of the large arts organizations in the country, their boards are composed of mainly Republicans."Jane Alexander, on her position as chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, June 7, 1996"Last night, I attended a candlelit vigil in Union Square to mourn the unspeakable loss we have all endured this week. At last, I felt a glimmer inside that an ounce of healing had begun. Let's not ever forget the strength of the human spirit in this city, in this country, in this world."Michael C. Brown, one of many Back Stage readers who responded to requests for thoughts and impressions on the events of 9/11, Sept. 21, 2001 "I can't thank Back Stage enough for the many doors it has opened for me since the commencement of my career as an actor in the spring of 1964. I certainly recommend it highly to all show business people."Lynn Perry, actor, May 13, 1966 Actors Share Insight Over the Years October 12, 2011 Julia Stiles "I mean, it's easy to say this now, but things happen for a reason. I look back on the movies I didn't get, and it never would've made sense for me to be in them. 'Hot cheerleader' probably wouldn't have been a good fit. I was quite angsty."Julia Stiles, Nov. 10, 2010"There were moments when I questioned [acting], when I was thinking, 'What is the purpose of this in our world? Is it as meaningful as being a doctor, being a teacher, or things that I think of as such noble professions?' But I think I've really reconciled myself with that, and I think art is not only important but critical to the soul of a human and the soul of a community. Not to be self-important about what I do, but I've found a lot of meaning in it." Natalie Portman, Feb. 2, 2011"I know people who say, 'Well, I'm going to try acting. I'll give it five years, or something like that.' Okay. Bye. You might as well go and get another job, because, generally, five years isn't going to cut it, and if you do make it in five years, you're going to have 15 minutes; then you're going to have to start all over again."Morgan Freeman, Oct. 12, 2000"I can't stress enough how important either doing a play or a showcase or working in an acting classis. It is the foundationyou learn all the things you need. The truth is, actors today get famous quicker and younger, and you have no concept of the idea that it will go away, which it always does. And you hope for that second wave. And I've had five or six of those waves. And the only way you can get to those waves is to have something to fall back on, which is some training."George Clooney, Dec. 1, 2005"I think my first job was as a crank addict in a film, and then my second job was like a cyborg. So it was clear that my career was going to be full of very bizarre, strange womenwhich ended up being the ones I liked, anyway."Angelina Jolie, Nov. 22, 2007"I can remember from back in the '60swhen you had serious legit drama on Broadway at real prices. You could see 'The Wild Duck' for $6. You could see Helen Hayes in 'The School for Scandal,' Eva Le Gallienne in 'The Cherry Orchard.' You could see Ellis Rabb in 'Pantagleize.' Those were fabulous productions. I still hold on, in a way, to that kind of ideal. In London, they take that for granted, and always have, and we've kind of given up on that. I think that's too bad."Christopher Reeve, actor, in Back Stage's 25th anniversary issue, Dec. 20, 1985"There's a big difference between auditioning today and in the old days. In the old days a lot of actors invested in the theater. Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, that great acting couple, invested in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.' Today it's businessmen and corporations like Coca-Cola who are not knowledgeable about the theater, so it's harder to sell yourself to them."Carol Channing, actor, in Back Stage's 35th anniversary issue, Dec. 22, 1995"Carol Channing's 'Hello, Dolly!' is a dilly of a show; best thing she's done since 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.' At a preview we caught, the audience was with it all the way, and the ensemble performances were perfectly and evenly matched. 'Dolly' Channing has a Tony Award in her future."Michael Sean O'Shea, The Sardi Set column, Jan. 17, 1964"After my first year at the Neighborhood Playhouse, I went back and did 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' in Arkansas, and the local critic there clobbered me. Rightfully so. I wasn't good, and I know exactly why: because I was so busy acting a method that I really wasn't telling the truth and I wasn't serving the play."Mary Steenburgen, actor, Oct. 13, 1994"My birth name is Krishna Bhanji. It's quite a beautiful name, but it doesn't get you very far in show business. I auditioned for [the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art] as Krishna Bhanji. I sat in the antechamber with other aspiring thespians, waiting for my name to be called. This guy came with a clipboard and said, 'Kristina Blange.' Nobody moved. He said, 'Kristina Blange.' And that voice in me said, God, he means me. I said, 'Actually it's my terrible handwriting. I am in fact Krishna Bhanji.' It was a very bad start to the audition. I didn't succeed in getting into RADA."Ben Kingsley, actor, Dec. 4, 2003"Every free moment I had, I could sit in the theater and watch the professional actors workrehearse, etc. That was one of the important parts of my training."Max von Sydow, actor, Dec. 6, 2007"My voice teacher had a constant struggle. And likewise people working with diction. Huge problems. My voice teacher at the timesaid, 'You sound as if your voice is coming out of the back end of a drainpipe.' So, clearly I had work to do."Alan Rickman, actor-director, Aug. 14, 2008"I wrote a lettera sort of begging letterto the RSC, saying, 'Please see me.' And they did, on this Sunday night in November. Cold and miserable and wet. And in the darkened, empty theater. And I did some 'Henry V,' which I had just played. And John Barton and Peter Hall got up on the stage, and they directed me for half an hour. And I quite quickly realized, 'They're not trying to find out if I can act. They want to know am I flexible. Can I take direction? Can I change my ideas and thoughts about the thing?' And luckily I stumbled to that and so did the best I could. And they took me into the company to play small roles and understudy. And the following year, a young actor called Ben Kingsley joined the company, not even to understudy but to walk on. Ben was a spear carrier. And another young actor called Roger Rees joined at the same time, both of them as background actors. And often, when I talk to people leaving drama school or young actors, they say, 'But I want to play Hamlet. I want to play Hal. I want to play Romeo.' I say, 'You know, there was a time when Ben Kingsley and Roger Rees accepted walk-on contracts. And then one of them ended up playing Hamlet for the RSC and the other playing Nicholas Nicklebybecause they worked their way through the process.' " Patrick Stewart, actor, April 22, 2010"I think my face is pretty recognizable as that character, and that name is a pretty recognizable one, so it sort of sticks with you. But I suspect that Barney in 'How I Met Your Mother' will sort of update that, because I'll be in people's living rooms weekly for hopefully a little while."Neil Patrick Harris, actor, on leaving "Doogie Howser, M.D.," behind, Oct. 27, 2005"It's a time-honored job to be a good supporting player. You are necessary. You make the central person be able to stand on his podium in the right way."Holland Taylor, actor, Dec. 8, 2005"Every script is different, so your character encounters new situations and new people every time. You put yourself in his place and react as he would. It's like real life in that sense. In some ways that makes it easier than in the theater, where you're not only doing the same character every night, but the same script."Jerry Orbach, actor, on keeping his role of Det. Lennie Briscoe fresh, in Back Stage's salute to "Law & Order," Dec. 19, 1997 "I played a Nazi killer in 'Dead Bang,' and right before we were to roll camera, the director came over and whispered in my ear, 'Ronnie, if you move your eyebrows, you are on the cutting room floor.' And that became my character. I was so concentrated on my eyebrows not moving that I was like this psycho zombie who was very aware that my eyebrows should not move."Ron Campbell, actor, June 9, 1994"A basic pleasure of doing voiceovers is that you can honor words in a way that the words, as little individuals, are treated with great respect."Barbara Feldon, Agent 99 on the 1960s TV series "Get Smart" and voice actor, "Spotlight on Speech and Diction," July 19, 1991 "I've always been good at analyzing scripts, but I tended to take a cynical view of my characters. I was especially cynical about Henry V. I saw him as manipulative, and I was just not feeling this guy. A part of me wanted to admire him, and I didn't know where to go. [Director] Doug [Hughes] and I talked for 40 minutes about the character's spiritual evolution, which made it more fun and more interesting to play. I began to see the evolution of a man.This made me realize that every character is on a journey and evolving in some way. Most characters are in the grip of a lesser or better angel, and I think about that. If it's not apparent in the piece, I try to make it apparent to me."Andre Braugher, actor, Jan. 27, 2011"I've found that the best way is to treat the reading [for a role] just like a performance of a TV show. Nothing half-baked, casual, or tentative. Work on the scene just as if you had the role sewed up and were opening at audition time."Jay Barney, actor and columnist, Notes for Actors, Nov. 27, 1964"I believe in going to classesall the first jobs I got, I got through people I met in class. I also found it gave me a companionship."Colleen Dewhurst, actor, "Spotlight on Acting Schools," Oct. 19, 1990"Studying is important in forming some kind of technique; read and do some classroom work. Then, eventually, you've just got to get up and do it anywhere. Life experiencelivingis also important. Experiencing things helps you grow as an actor."Nathan Lane, actor, in "The Learning Experience," Oct. 18, 1991"All of us angst-ridden teenagers were trying like crazy and knitting our brows to figure out how to be better artists and be responsible to the community, and trying to manage the wild beast of the terrible business of acting. She reminded us, 'The reason you wanted to do this is because it looks like fun. And it is fun. Even if you're playing Medea.' "Michael McKean, actor, on his acting teacher Olympia Dukakis, Sept. 5, 2002"I teach acting, and I teach how to tell a story with a song. I tell my students that all human beings are natural singers, kind of like birds. I think that when people really want to sing, they should sing, whatever the circumstances."Betty Buckley, actor, "Spotlight on Singing and Music," Jan. 26, 1996"[A]ctors just don't seem to make the rounds [visiting casting directors' offices] anymore. It seems to have gone out of fashion. Perhaps I'm old-fashioned, but I'm still interested in seeing actors. Two hours, one day a week may not seem like much time, but it does give me a chance to see many, many new faces, and those that make an impression are called back for further interviews and auditions. I don't like to get flooded with pictures and profiles because they require replies and it takes a great deal of time. I am interested in seeing people in the flesh."Judy Abbott, casting director and daughter of the legendary director George Abbott, Jan. 12, 1962"[Jamie Foxx] was very compelling, a very intelligent person. He shared a lot in common with Ray Charles. They were both African-Americans from the South; they had kind of come out of the racist context. They were very driven, had burning ambitions to have their voices heard in the world. And I encouraged [Foxx] to plumb those depths that he shared in common with Ray. But I don't think I really had any sense that he was going to be my choice until I started talking about the music in the film and the fact that I would have to find somebody to play the piano and use some cinematic sleight of hand to come up to the face of the person playing the role. He said, 'I play the piano,' and I said, 'Yeah, so do I, but I'm no Ray Charles, and neither are you.' And he said, 'Well, wait a minute, I started playing when I was 3, I led the band in my gospel church in Texas, and I went to university on a piano scholarship.' "Taylor Hackford, director, Nov. 11, 2004"Most actors normally have a lot of skills and crafts, but the spectacular ones have that interior life that you can see in their eyes. You can see that there's a lot of complexity and that there's a powerful interior person living inside, and I have a good detector for that."Alejandro Gonzlez Irritu, filmmaker, Nov. 20, 2003"I would rather be a director than an actress. As an actor, you have only one role to create. Creating a role means to fully understand the character's goals. However, in order to direct actors in a play, you have to be able to identify with all characters onstage."Geraldine Fitzgerald, actor-director, in "Hyphenates: Performers Who Wear Several Hats," Oct. 23, 1987"You have to be just as honest as you would for any other form of acting, but in commercials you have to condense it. You have to get your message across quicker."Danny Goldman, (now retired) casting director, Oct. 27, 1994 "Everything you do you can learn something if it's only to be more comfortable in a situation. No one's going to stop and teach you how to do television. They haven't got the time. So you just better learn. That's part of your task: to find a way to exist in what they always call in the theater 'imaginary circumstances.' It's the same in a commercial. You're in a situation you have to make real for yourself."Marian Seldes, Tony-winning actor, on what she learned when doing commercials, Nov. 13, 2008 "The owners of the theaters on 42nd Street are crying the blues. Why? Because business is bad at the houses which show exploitation movies. Why? Because Hollywood and Europe have stepped in and are doing a lot of sexploitation on their own. It's rare these days to see a new, big-budget film without at least one nude scene."Charlotte Harmon, Back Stage legit editor, in "Sexploit Biz Sags," June 6, 1969"Whatever personal fears an actor might have about taking on a gay role are his own business, but I resent the implication that it will hurt his career. A good performance in a good role in a good play never hurt anyone's career. May we hear no more of this?"Robert Patrick, playwright, letter to the editor, May 19, 1989"Afriendcalled me and said, 'I ran into a kid in West Hollywood recently who said that ["Southern Baptist Sissies"] saved his life.' The kid had been a preacher in the South. He was only about 26, 27, and he had an affair with a guy, and he was exposed and then was excommunicated from the church. His wife left him, and his family abandoned him. He had intended to kill himself, but he came out here to visit some friends. He went to see 'Sissies,' and then he decided to move out here. He said he didn't feel alone after viewing the play. I didn't do 'Sissies' to save the world; I kind of wrote it for me, but, for some reason, the universe allowed it to be other people's journey, as well."Del Shores, actor-playwright-director, Jan. 5, 2006"You know, we have an awful lot of moderate Republicans, and some not so moderate, who support the endowment. And those aren't taken into account very often. It began as a bipartisan agency, and I would like to see it continue as that. The partisanship only came in about six years ago. It's not healthy, because the arts belong to everybody; and most of the large arts organizations in the country, their boards are composed of mainly Republicans."Jane Alexander, on her position as chair of the National Endowment for the Arts, June 7, 1996"Last night, I attended a candlelit vigil in Union Square to mourn the unspeakable loss we have all endured this week. At last, I felt a glimmer inside that an ounce of healing had begun. Let's not ever forget the strength of the human spirit in this city, in this country, in this world."Michael C. Brown, one of many Back Stage readers who responded to requests for thoughts and impressions on the events of 9/11, Sept. 21, 2001 "I can't thank Back Stage enough for the many doors it has opened for me since the commencement of my career as an actor in the spring of 1964. I certainly recommend it highly to all show business people."Lynn Perry, actor, May 13, 1966

The Most Effective Uses of Nine Inch Nails Tunes in Movie Trailers

Sure, the attractive cast of 'The Avengers' (introduced by Robert Downey Junior., Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans) made the film's first trailer extra sexy, but you know what happens didn't hurt? Using correctly named (and totally awesome) 'We're in this Together' by Nine Inch Nails. Really, a couple of of the greatest trailers lately are actually set to tunes by NIN. Ahead, five movies made saucier (or a lot more frightening) by some killer NIN tunage. 'Unbreakable' (2000) -- 'The Exit Is Through' M. Evening Shyamalan only wishes he could still give to us goosebumps -- so possibly he should consider using more NIN tracks, like 'The Exit Is Through' in this trailer for 'Unbreakable.' When marketing is actually much better than the film itself... '300' (2006) -- 'Just Just Like You Imagined' You will see this enchanting trailer over and over well as over again. Then punch within the track within your iTunes. 'A Perfect Getaway' (2009) - 'The Wretched' The initial song here's sunny, however, if this happy honeymoon starts to acquire sinister, it's Reznor and Co. who bring the sensation-bad suspense in the rapid montage of violence as of this trailer's very finish. 'Terminator Salvation' (2009) -- 'The Day the earth Went Away' A superbly apocalyptic song while using right note of pathos for Terminator Mike Worthington's "Am I a man or possibly a piece of equipment?Inch plight. 'Red Riding Hood' (2011) 'The Hands That Feeds' Getting an audio lesson this compelling round the trailer, it can produce a box-office flop appear like essential-see. 'The Girl While using Dragon Tattoo' (2011) 'Immigrant Song' Trent Reznor (who's also delivering the score for your film) and Karen O put a stylish, techno gloss round the Introduced Zeppelin classic for just about any quick-edit video providing you with us chills -- and not because of the snow-bound Swedish setting. Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

Werner Herzog to play the villain in Tom Cruise's One Shot

Everything seems to be stacking up nicely for a Jack Reacher movie: action hero Tom Cruise as Reacher himself, a beautiful supporting cast in the shapes of Rosamund Pike and Alexia Fast and solid character work from Richard Jenkins. But where's the Bond-style bad guy?Amazingly, German director Werner Herzog has been hired to fill that role in a rare turn in front of the camera.Herzog's voice should be a familiar sound to cultured film fans, as the director has narrated documentaries such as Grizzly Man, Cave Of Forgotten Dreams and Encounters At The End Of The World.He also appeared in the 2007 poker film The Grand.According to The Hollywood Reporter, Herzog will play The Zec, a character from the 2005 Lee Child novel who is described as an "ageless and shadowy figure".Christopher McQuarrie is directing from his own script.One Shot is set to begin filming in Pittsburgh this month and opens early 2013.

Steve Jobs dies at 56

Steve Jobs, pictured here in 1979Steve Jobs with U2 in 2004.Apple CEO Steve Jobs holds up the new iPhone that was introduced at Macworld on January 9, 2007 in San Francisco.Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1977.Apples tablet iPad was introduced in January 2010. The iMac set new visions for home computers form and functionality. Steve Jobs unveils the mini iPod at Macworld in 2004. Steven Jobs, who died Wednesday at age 56 after a long struggle with cancer, may have had the greatest impact on everyday lives in general, and showbiz in particular, of any technologist since Thomas Edison -- and his impact on showbiz dwarfs even Edison's. Launching the personal computer revolution at Apple, he transformed the way people work and communicate -- and the way entertainment is created and consumed.By nurturing Pixar, he fostered an equally profound revolution in how movies are made. As President Obama observed Wednesday, "There may be no greater tribute to Steve's success than the fact that much of the world learned of his passing on a device he invented."He was a prickly genius who followed no star but his own, and the world followed him. Disney chief creative officer John Lasseter, who worked closely with him from the time Jobs bought Pixar, recently told Variety Jobs taught him to trust his vision. "Steve Jobs is probably my biggest mentor when it comes to that. He doesn't do focus testing. He believes so deeply in an idea, that this is great, 'If I would like it, therefore everyone else would like it.' "Hollywood did not always agree with Jobs -- there were tiffs over the pricing of music and other offerings in the iTunes store and over the fact that Apple rendered iTunes content unplayable on non-Apple devices. But at a time when huge numbers of consumers were illegally downloading music and other content from P2P file-sharing sites, the series of devices Apple introduced under Jobs -- the iPod in conjunction with the iTunes Music Store, the iPhone and the iPad -- made the legal (and therefore, for showbiz, at least potentially profitable) consumption of digital content possible and popular, weaning some consumers of the piracy habit. Just days before Jobs' death, former MPAA president Bob Pisano called on the movie industry to find its own iTunes, i.e., a "simple, convenient and fun" way to buy digital copies of movies and TV shows.Jobs gained fame as one of the "two Steves" -- Steve Wozniak was the other -- who co-founded Apple Computer in a garage in 1976, making computers. Pixar purchaseHe lost control of the company in 1985 and saw his reputation and personal fortune dwindle over the next decade. But during that time he acquired from George Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic, at a bargain price, a small computer-graphics unit that was quickly remonickered Pixar. Jobs put his own cash into the money-losing company and saw it deliver the 1995 blockbuster "Toy Story" and make him a billionaire.In time, Disney bought Pixar, and Jobs became the Mouse House's largest shareholder, with holdings dwarfing those of any other individual, and a member of its board. By then, he was a well-established entertainment executive, having returned to Apple and led it to market domination in a new arena: music. Under Jobs, Apple introduced the first popular system for legal music downloading: the combination of iTunes software, the iTunes Music Store and the iPod music player. The iPod, dismissed by critics at its introduction for being too expensive, too quirky and too tied to Apple's software, became an iconic entertainment product and transformed Apple into a key player in electronic distribution, including TV shows and movies. Personally, Jobs was one of the corporate world's most effective pitchmen. His appearances at trade events, especially the Macworld tradeshow in San Francisco, always clad in his trademark black mock-turtleneck shirt, were among any year's most anticipated tech events. Apple fans would hang on every word, waiting for the famous "One more thing" at the end, which often signaled some astonishing new product, like the iMac or iPod. He was famous for his ability to persuade -- or bully -- people into doing the impossible, or at least convince them that the impossible was possible. Those who worked closely with him often described an abrasive, arrogant and occasionally petty leader who did not brook disagreement. Companies or people that ran afoul of him were often "Steved" -- fired on the spot. Personal computing pioneerBut for better or worse, Jobs' commitment to high-quality, cutting-edge products made him indispensable for the companies he ran. His career resurrection after his first flameout with Apple was, as the unauthorized biography "iCon" put it, "The greatest second act in the history of business." Born in San Francisco and given up for adoption, Jobs was raised in the Northern California area that would eventually be called Silicon Valley. He entered Reed College after high school but soon left. After traveling in India, he teamed with Wozniak to make and sell small, pre-assembled computers, something no company had ever tried before. The success of their Apple II created the personal computer industry almost from scratch, but the market came to be dominated by the cloneable IBM PC design and Microsoft's operating system. Apple responded in 1984 with the Macintosh, the first personal computer to successfully mass-market a graphical interface.Even the launch of Macintosh had a hint of Jobs' future. Ridley Scott helmed a "1984"-themed commercial touting the launch of the Mac, and the commercial became one of the legendary spots in TV history. Jobs was forced out of Apple in 1985.Just the next year, George Lucas -- needing cash for his divorce settlement -- sold the nascent Pixar to Jobs for just $10 million. Pixar was a money pit at first, though its RenderMan software became the first and most popular computer animation software. Jobs' funds and patience were running low, but when Pixar's "Tin Toy" won the animated short Oscar, he negotiated Pixar's first feature deal, for "Toy Story." When Pixar took its stock public days later, Jobs became a billionaire."Toy Story" was the first in a three-picture deal with Disney and the beginning of an unprecedented run of hits from Pixar.Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 and began a rapid turnaround. The company's products quickly came to reflect Jobs' personal tastes. He loathed buttons on handheld devices, and the result was the sleek, uncluttered interface of the iPod, iPhone and iPad.Apple's success with iTunes and the iPod made it a major player in entertainment, but record labels chafed at Apple's insistence on a flat 99 for every song. ITunes helped reduce but did not end illegal downloads, so it didn't put vast sums in labels' coffers. The primary beneficiary, went the complaints, was not artists or labels but Apple itself. With Jobs in charge of Pixar and Michael Eisner running Disney, negotiations over a renewal of Pixar's distribution deal with the Mouse became contentious. Disney retained sequel rights to several Pixar titles, including the "Toy Story" franchise, and began developing its own "Toy Story 3" without Pixar involved. Meanwhile, in a notorious 2004 investor call, Jobs mocked Disney's toons, singling out "Lion King 1" as "embarrassing." An impasse in the negotiations seemed unavoidable. Jobs wouldn't sell Pixar for cash, and Disney wouldn't pay what Jobs was asking. The merger became possible when Eisner left and Robert Iger took over, and the financial solution, it turned out, was for Disney essentially to pay Pixar to take over its own animation efforts. Disney paid $7.4 billion in 2006 to merge with Pixar. Jobs acquired a 7% stake in Disney and a seat on the board but gave up his posts as Pixar chairman and CEO, and Pixar execs Ed Catmull and John Lasseter took charge of the Disney animation slate. Jobs pulled another techno-shocker in 2007, unveiling the Apple iPhone. With its smooth touchscreen face and media-centric design, neither of which had been anticipated by tech-watchers, the iPhone proved a game-changer for the cellular phone/PDA business, just as the iPod had been for the music business. The iPhone led to Jobs' last revolutionary product: the iPad. While not the first tablet computer, it was the first to catch the public imagination, and became the fastest-selling consumer electronics device in history.Changed the worldJobs often talked about wanting to change the world, and change it he did. So forceful was his vision that he altered entertainment in ways so basic they are almost invisible. The devices with which Apple thrived -- iPod, iPhone, iPad -- empowered individuals in new ways, not least to have entertainment at hand anywhere, anytime. But they also made entertainment a mostly solitary experience. Only with the iPad, a more social device than Apple's earlier hits, did that begin to change. But Jobs' health was beginning to fail even as his companies were achieving their greatest success yet. He was treated for pancreatic cancer in 2004.He seemed to recover but looked gaunt in public appearances in 2007 and 2008, sparking rumors about a recurrence of cancer and even rumors of his death. He announced late in 2008 that he had a hormonal imbalance that was causing him to lose weight, and on Jan. 14, 2009, he took a medical leave of absence from Apple. It was later revealed that he underwent a liver transplant during his leave. He remained gaunt, however, and took another health-related leave of absence in late 2010, amid rumors his cancer had returned and he was near death.Those who worked closely with him often described an abrasive, arrogant and occasionally petty leader who did not brook disagreement. Companies or people that ran afoul of him were often "Steved" -- fired on the spot. Jobs abruptly resigned as CEO of Apple on Aug. 24, 2011, and was elected chairman of the board. He recommended Tim Cook as his successor; Cook had already been serving as Apple CEO since January, when Jobs took a third medical leave from the company, though he still made most of the major decisions at Apple. Jobs' death was announced just a day after Cook unveiled the company's latest products, including the iPhone 4s, as part of his first presentation as CEO. Hailed as 'true visionary'Tributes to Jobs came from a wide range of luminaries. President Obama said "Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last. Because he did, he transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: He changed the way each of us sees the world." Disney president and CEO Robert Iger called Jobs "a great friend as well as a trusted adviser," adding, "His legacy will extend far beyond the products he created or the businesses he built. It will be the millions of people he inspired, the lives he changed, and the culture he defined."Cary Sherman, chairman and CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America called Jobs "a larger-than-life personality" and added, "He was a true visionary who forever transformed how fans access and enjoy music."Sen. Chris Dodd, CEO-chairman of the MPAA, said "He was a pioneer, and helped all of us better understand how technologists and creators can work together to enrich and enliven our shared world. If anyone ever wonders whether one person can make a difference, the answer is Steve Jobs."Jobs disliked publicity about his personal relationships, which could be difficult, but he was known to have found his birth parents and biological sister, the novelist Mona Simpson. He is survived by his wife, Laurene Powell; a son; and three daughters.* * * Celebrities took to Twitter -- many on Apple devices -- to share their thoughts about Steve Jobs' death Wednesday. A sampling of posts:"Steve lived the California Dream every day of his life and he changed the world and inspired all of us. (hash)ThankYouSteve" -- Arnold Schwarzenegger."My heart weeps for all who worked with Steve and who loved him, especially my friend Laurene and their children." -- Maria Shriver."We will miss you, Steve Jobs. Sent lovingly from my iPhone." -- Jane Lynch."For those of us lucky enough to get to work with Steve, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely." -- Bill Gates."Had the pleasure of working for him and knowing him. He was our Edison. R.I.P. Steve Jobs." -- actor-writer-director Albert Brooks."Rest in Peace, Steve Jobs. Kinda can't believe he's gone. Carrying a little part of him in my pocket every day." -- actress Martha Plimpton."Rest in peace, Steve Jobs. Your genius will live on for generations to come..." -- actor Neil Patrick Harris."Rest in peace, Steve Jobs. You've changed forever the world you leave behind." -- Katie Couric."We lost a man of true vision today. Condolences to the whole Apple family." -- actor-director Jon Favreau."Such a sad day, I can trace my apple memories to the IIC when i was a kid. RIP." -- singer Josh Groban."You guys I'm sad about Steve Jobs too but SteveJobs2 comes out in like a month." -- actor Eli Roth."(hash)RIP (hash)SteveJobs, thank you for revolutionizing the way we listen to music. Your vision will not be forgotten." -- The Grammys (Recording Academy)."Damn. RIP STEVE JOBS. Thanx for all the stuff you gave us. Life is Short. Live it up." -- rocker Benji Madden."So sad to hear about Steve Jobs. He was a genius and one of the most innovative people on earth. He changed the world in so many ways. RIP." -- Paris Hilton."The world lost a true visionary today. Think different." -- Kevin Spacey."Thank you, Steve Jobs, for all of the fun and amazing ways you made our lives better....Sent from my iPhone." -- Jimmy Fallon."My heart goes out for the family of Steve Jobs. What an inspiration he was to us all and a creative visionary for the world! You will be missed." -- Eva Longoria."We have all surfed on the wake of Steve Jobs ship. Now we must learn to sail, but we will never forget our skipper." -- Ashton Kutcher."I can't even describe how devastated I am by the news of the great Steve Jobs passing. He was truly one of the most prolific artists and forward thinking people the world has ever known. My prayers and heart goes out to his family and those lucky enough to have known him." -- Mila Jovovich."Again and again Steve Jobs introduced us to a thing we could not have not imagined. (hash)loss." -- Mia Farrow."Where is the excitement gonna come from. We won't see another you in this lifetime. Thank you for everything Steve! :o(" -- Ricky Martin."As word passes thru the crowd of Steve Jobs' passing, it is not lost on anyone that his inventions helped make movements like this possible." -- Michael Moore."RIP Steve Jobs.....what an innovator. This world will miss him." -- LeAnn Rimes."100 million iphones don't lie. What an amazing man...HE is the apple of all of our i's. We have an i everything and its all so amazing." -- Billy Bush."Sad news. RIP Steve Jobs." -- Ralph Macchio."For all of the human qualities that inspired the virtual. (hash)ripstevejobs." -- Sandra Bernhard.* * * 'Insanely great' innovations Steve Jobs' revolutionary vision encompassed a wide swath of the show business landscape. Here's a chronology of the major milestones: 1976: Jobs and Steve Wozniak form Apple Computer in Cupertino, Calif. 1986: Jobs buys the Graphics Group from Lucasfilm for $10 million. Later renames it Pixar Animation Studios. 1995: Pix ar releases its first feature film, "Toy Story." Pixar's 12 pics have earned more than $6.3 billion. 1998: Apple rolls out the iMac. Its sleek form would become a template for later Apple gadgets. 2000: Jobs becomes CEO of Apple, splitting his time between the computer maker and Pixar. 2001: Apple launches the iPod, spurring a phenomenon in mobile entertainment. 2001: Apple launches iTunes, which revives music sales and provides a new platform for studios to distribute their TV shows, movies and later games. 2001: Pixar's RenderMan, used to create digital f/x for "Titanic," the "Star Wars" prequels, "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, becomes first software package to win an Oscar at 73rd Scientific and Technical Academy Awards. 2004: After negotiations with Michael Eisner fail, Jobs threatens to leave Disney once its distribution deal there expires. 2006: Disney buys Pixar for $7.4 billion, making Jobs the Mouse House's biggest single shareholder. 2006: Disney becomes first studio to sell TV shows and movies through iTunes. 2007: Apple launches the iPhone, a mobile phone version of the iPod. 2008: Apple launches the App store which now offers more than 500,000 apps, birthing blockbusters like "Angry Birds." 2010: Apple launches the iPad tablet, making mobile entertainment even more ubiquitous with its larger screen. Nearly 30 million have sold. 2011: Jobs resigns as CEO of Apple but remains chairman. Contact David S. Cohen at david.cohen@variety.com

European Film Academy fetes Frears

FrearsBERLIN -- The European Film Academy is paying tribute to British director Stephen Frears at this year's European Film Awards. Frears, director of such films as "Dangerous Liaisons," "High Fidelity" and "The Queen," will receive the lifetime achievement award for what the academy said was "his outstanding and dedicated body of work." The filmmaker will accept the award at the European Film Awards ceremony, which will take place in Berlin on Dec. 3. Frears began his career in British television and made his cinematic breakthrough in 1985 with "My Beautiful Laundrette." It was followed by "Prick Up Your Ears," "Sammy and Rosie Get Laid" and "Dangerous Liaisons," which won three Oscars, two BAFTAs and a French Cesar for the director. "I'm very grateful. It's very nice to be complimented by Europe," Frears said. "I'm never quite sure whether England is part of Europe. We're divided about this and have complicated feelings. But what matters is to keep European film going. And I'm totally committed to that. Nothing else matters. If the films are good, then people will go and see them." Frears' most recently made last year's "Tamara Drewe," and is currently working on the Las Vegas gambling drama "Lay the Favorite," starring Rebecca Hall, Bruce Willis and Joshua Jackson. Contact Ed Meza at staff@variety.com