Speaking with…John Leguizamo
John Leguizamo has figured out a way to keep his family happy after they see his skewering interpretation of them in his one-man shows. “I buy them really nice gifts,” Leguizamo jokes.
Category: Interviews
Nicolas Cage, John Woo — An unbroken code
Friendship isn’t the first word most people would think of to describe the World War II epic “Windtalkers,” which opens Friday. But it pops up frequently when the film’s stars Nicolas Cage and Adam Beach, and their director, John Woo, get together to discuss the movie. “I knew very little about this part of history,” says Woo. “That is one reason why I wanted to make the film. It was important to me to show how important the Navajo Americans were to World War II. But I also wanted to show the camaraderie and friendship between the men–the respect that they gain for each other in a very difficult time.”
’13’ on schedule, at last
Shortly after “Clockwatchers” was released in 1997, director Jill Sprecher was back to work … as a temp. It’s no coincidence that the script–which focused on four temps unhappy with their jobs–was written by Sprecher and her younger sister, Karen.
Matt Damon: ‘Bourne’ to run
Matt Damon has portrayed All American boys (“Good Will Hunting,” “All the Pretty Horses”), gaunt junkie soldiers (“Courage Under Fire”) and creepy thin killers (“The Talented Mr. Ripley”). But unlike his good friend Ben Affleck, who showed off his action hero prowess in “Armageddon,” “Pearl Harbor” and “The Sum of all Fears,” Damon has been slow to capitalize on his hunk factor.
Celebrity reaction to R. Kelly’s indictment
“A predator is a predator and if he is guilty, no matter if he pumps gas or sells millions of albums, he should be treated as such.” —Caresse Henry, Madonna’s manager
‘Blind Date’ no stranger to players here
Shadow T. Carr, 28, bills himself as a 1988 Buick Grand National. Would-be contestants wait to audition for a spot on the syndicated show “Blind Date” recently in Chicago.
Jessye Norman’s charisma is difficult to ‘Miss’
It’s never a good sign when a diva doesn’t like the way you address her. For instance, if you refer to opera star Jessye Norman as “Jessye,” she has no qualms about expressing her distaste. “That’s Miss Norman,” she tells the reporter in a deliciously regal voice that sounds much deeper than her sweet soprano singing voice would indicate.
‘Angelina Ballerina’ keeps author on her toes
When she was a little girl growing up on the North Side of Chicago, children’s book author Katharine Holabird imagined herself as a beautiful, graceful ballerina whose jumps were as light as a feather.
“I was a theatrical, melodramatic child,” says Holabird, phoning from Los Angeles. “I was also a tubby little 4-year-old waltzing around the house who thought I was this beautiful archetype–a ballerina.”
Speaking with … Cee-Lo
Cee-Lo has 50 tattoos, a bald head and a repertoire of songs that could fill several albums. For now, Cee-Lo–who is best known as one of the members of the Atlanta hip-hop band Goodie Mob–is content to tout his debut solo record, “Cee-Lo Green and His Perfect Imperfection.”
Entrepreneurs make book on various bad boyfriends
Maria Peevey and Megan Weinerman dated them all–the “It’s Not You It’s Me Guy,” the “Couldn’t Be Nicer Guy,” the “Girl Hair Guy.” You probably have, too, which is why the sassy entrepreneurs wrote Are You My Boyfriend? (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $14.95)–a humorous look at 19 types of men they’ve dated.
Programs certain to bring kids into the culture club
Cultured children. They are the ones clutching their ballet programs, clapping politely after the end of a particularly beautiful pas de deux. They know about Van Gogh’s art as much as they do the legend of his severed ear. And when they go through their CD collection, they have as much Bach and Beethoven as they do Britney.
Sarah Hughes: 2002 Olympic gold medalist in figure skating
Sarah Hughes had a heart-to-heart with President Bush, met ‘N Sync (twice!) and won an Olympic gold medal in figure skating. Oh yeah, in between all that, the honors student attends school in Great Neck, N.Y., where she’ll be a senior next fall. Hughes plans to compete next year. But her immediate goal isn’t the 2006 Olympics. It’s all about scoring well on the SAT.
Apolo Anton Ohno
Before the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in February, few people outside of the speedskating world knew of Apolo Anton Ohno. But NBC clearly saw star potential in the photogenic athlete. The network ran promos for his short track races and kept viewers up to date on all things Ohno. Before he had raced his first heat, the 19-year-old former in-line skater from Seattle was on his way to becoming a worldwide sensation.
How we’d fix sinking relationships
True love never runs smooth on television, but we try to help with advice for our favorite characters.
Five questions with Kyle Brandt
Kyle Brandt looks exactly the way he does on “The Real World”: tall, athletic, handsome and–yes–very much like the actor he says he wants to become. Wearing faded jeans and an Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirt during his interview with GLARE, the muscular member of the Chicago cast is flanked by a publicist and his adorable 11-year-old brother Austin.
Speaking with John Mahoney
Phoning from his Oak Park home, John Mahoney apologizes for his squeaky faucet, which can be heard rattling in the background. “These old houses make so much noise,” says Mahoney, who is known to millions of TV fans as Martin Crane on NBC’s sitcom “Frasier.” “But I love them. They’re just wonderful to live in.”
Sorvino triumphs in life, love and film
In “Triumph of Love,” Mira Sorvino portrays a princess who falls in love with the rightful heir to her father’s throne. Because he has been taught to hate her, she schemes to befriend him (dressed as a boy, of course). In real life, the Oscar winner didn’t have to try nearly as hard to win the heart of her boyfriend of three years, French actor Olivier Martinez. They were set up on a blind date.
Andie MacDowell not ‘Crush’-proof
As she nears her 44th birthday on April 21, Andie MacDowell is a testament to how good you can look in your 40s. She stands almost 6 feet tall, only 5-foot-8 of that thanks to genetics. The other 4 inches are the result of a pair of shoes so sassy and beautiful they’d be at home on one of the ladies on “Sex and the City.”
Speaking with … Christopher Titus
When he auditioned actors for his Fox comedy series “Titus,” Christopher Titus took a cue from “Seinfeld.” “Jerry [Seinfeld] was a genius at standup but he wasn’t an actor when his show debuted,” Titus says, phoning from his Los Angeles home. “But he surrounded himself with these fantastic actors.
Nigella Lawson: Another British invasion
Good English food was an oxymoron until the Brits invaded America. Again. While they’re barging through our kitchens this time, we’re not so hot to keep them out. It helps that the latest imports such as Jamie Oliver, that hottie on the Food Network’s “The Naked Chef,” are easy on the eye. These days foodies are raising eyebrows at the sexy star of “Nigella Bites,” the delectable Nigella Lawson. She’s slim with model good looks, and this recent widow is raising a family without complaint or a ladle out of place.