It can't be easy to go from the relatively cushy confines of film-and-television land to the demanding, 8-shows-a-week pressure of performing on Broadway. Just ask Julia Roberts, Julianne Moore, Claire Danes or Jennifer Garner!
I caught Jennifer Garner's last performance in Cyrano yesterday afternoon, in the company of a star-studded audience that included Ben Affleck, Tyne Daly, Victor Garber, Ron Rifkin and Dan Ackroyd. Everyone was cheering the former Alias star on, and the scene at the stagedoor was total madness.
But did she do a good job?
Well, I've seen all four film stars on stage now, and I'm ready to rank 'em. Here goes...
1. Claire Danes, Pygmalion
The former My So Called Life star had probably the most difficult task of any of the other ladies on this list -- making Eliza Doolittle work, accent and all. And, lo and behold, she pulled it off! She was tough, vulnerable, funny, and, above all, believable as the Cockney girl who makes good. I must admit, I was very impressed with her chops.
GRADE: A-
2. Julianne Moore, The Vertical Hour
The Far From Heaven actress certainly didn't embarrass herself, but what works for her onscreen (subtlety, nuance) didn't quite translate to the Broadway stage. It also didn't help that Bill Nighy was acting circles around her.
GRADE: B-
3. Jennifer Garner, Cyrano
Garner is gorgeous, no question, but her performance in this show left me a bit perplexed. Not because she was terrible -- she wasn't (despite a hard-to-place accent). I just couldn't figure out why she would have chosen to make her Broadway debut in this piece -- the character (Roxanne) is not particularly likable, and she didn't get to show off many of her skills beyond, well, looking gorgeous. I was underwhelmed.
GRADE: C+
4. Julia Roberts, Three Days of Rain
From the moment I first saw her in Mystic Pizza, I've been a huge Julia Roberts fan, which makes her failure to create any sort of compelling character in this Richard Greenberg play all the more disappointing. Where was the Pretty Woman charisma? This simultaneously uptight and limpid performances ranks as one of my most disappointing moments in the theater.
GRADE: C-
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Ranking the Ladies of the Stage: Roberts, Moore, Danes and Garner
Thursday, December 13, 2007
The Golden Globes Actually Got it Kinda Right!
Every year when the nominations are announced for the various award ceremonies, I get excited, and then disappointed. Year in, year out, it seems my faves are passed over in favor of shows that I couldn't care less about.
But...this year the Golden Globes actually got it kinda right!
I had said in a post last week that I was hoping for nods for Damages and Mad Men, and whaddaya know -- Damages grabbed nominations for Best Drama, Best Actress (Glenn Close), Best Supporting Actress (Rose Byrne) and Best Supporting Actor (Ted Danson). Yay! Similarly, Mad Men picked up nominations for Best Drama and Best Actor (Jon Hamm). Double yay!
Of course, Friday Night Lights was egregiously left off the list. No yay for that. Also no yay for the exclusions of Keri Russell (Waitress), Into the Wild or it's star Emile Hirsch.
I was glad to see Emmy winner Sally Field get a nomination for Brothers & Sisters, however; ditto for her B&S co-star Rachel Griffith. While I'm not a huge Pushing Daisies fan, it was nice to see that show and it's stars, Lee Pace and Anna Friel, get recognized. And I'm thrilled Christina Applegate was nominated for Samantha Who? Could she be any cuter on that show?
As for the movie nominations, there were no huge surprises, but I was happy to see Nikki Blonsky get nominated for Hairspray (I thought she was fantastic in the film). The Globes always go with the big stars, and this year is no exception -- Johnny Depp, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie, Jodie Foster, George Clooney, John Travolta and Denzel Washington were all recognized.
Should be a starry night!
Golden Globe Awards -- Movie Nominations
Here's the movie nominations for this year's Golden Globe Awards, with Atonement leading the field with seven nods. More to come...
DRAMATIC PICTURE
"American Gangster"
"Atonement"
"Eastern Promises"
"The Great Debaters"
"Michael Clayton"
"No Country For Old Men"
"There Will Be Blood"
MUSICAL OR COMEDY PICTURE
"Across the Universe"
"Charlie Wilson's War"
"Hairspray"
"Juno"
"Sweeney Todd"
FOREIGN LANGUAGE PICTURE
"4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (Romania)
"The Diving Bell & the Butterfly" (France/USA)
"The Kite Runner" (USA)
"Lust, "Caution" (Taiwan)
"Persepolis" (France)
BEST DIRECTOR
Tim Burton, "Sweeney Todd"
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"
Julian Schnabel, "Diving Bell & the Butterfly"
Ridley Scott, "American Gangster"
Joe Wright, "Atonement"
BEST DRAMATIC ACTOR
George Clooney, "Michael Clayton"
Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood"
James McAvoy, "Atonement"
Viggo Mortensen, "Eastern Promises"
Denzel Washington, "The Great Debaters"
BEST DRAMATIC ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, "Elizabeth: The Golden Age"
Julie Christie, "Away From Her"
Jodie Foster, "The Brave One"
Angelina Jolie, "A Mighty Heart"
Keira Knightley, "Atonement"
BEST ACTOR, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Johnny Depp, "Sweeney Todd"
Tom Hanks, "Charlie Wilson's War"
Ryan Gosling, "Lars and the Real Girl"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Savages"
John C. Reilly, "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story"
BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Amy Adams, "Enchanted"
Nikki Blonsky, "Hairspray"
Helena Bonham Carter, "Sweeney Todd"
Marion Cotillard, "La Vie en Rose"
Ellen Page, "Juno"
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck, "Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Javier Bardem, "No Country for Old Men"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Charlie Wilson's War"
John Travolta, "Hairspray"
Tom Wilkinson, "Michael Clayton"
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, "I'm Not There"
Saoirse Ronan, "Atonement"
Julia Roberts, "Charlie Wilson's War"
Amy Ryan, "Gone Baby Gone"
Tilda Swinton, "Michael Clayton"
ANIMATED FILM
"Bee Movie"
"Ratatouille"
"The Simpsons Movie"
SCREENPLAY
Diablo Cody, "Juno"
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"
Christopher Hampton, "Atonement"
Ronald Harwood, "The Diving Bell & the Butterfly"
Aaron Sorkin, "Charlie Wilson's War"
ORIGINAL SCORE
Dario Marianelli, "Atonement"
Howard Shore, "Eastern Promises"
Clint Eastwood, "Grace is Gone"
Michael Brook, "Into the Wild"
Alberto Iglesias, "The Kite Runner"
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Will Jake Gyllenhaal Come to Broadway?
Playbill.com is reporting that Jake Gyllenhaal is seriously considering following in the footsteps of film stars Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, and Julianne Moore by making his Broadway debut this season.
Apparently, the delectable (and very talented) Mr. Gyllenhaal participated in a reading of a new play, called Farragut North, last week. The play, written by Beau Willimon, is apparently politically themed, with Gyllenhaal taking on the role of "a young, idealistic communications director who works for an inspiring, though unorthodox, presidential candidate."
Tony Award winner James Lapine directed the reading, which also featured the talents of Denis O'Hare, Mark Blum, Jessica Hecht, and Alison Pill.
I say...do it! Come to Broadway, Jake!
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