Posterized: Big Willie Style

Is there a true movie superstar we've discussed less than Will Smith? I was thinking about him last night since he's foisting his son upon the world again this weekend in The Karate Kid (2010 version).

<-- Smith with both Karate Kids. But, heyyy, where's Hilary Swank?

Some celebrities hide their kids away but Smith has seemingly always been okay with dragging his kids to public things like awards show and even awards show podiums. What would that do to you to regularly experience thunderous applause and flashing paparazzi bulbs as a toddler?

I haven't seen The Karate Kid yet because the original is like a sacred part of any 80s childhood/adolescence and the switch in venues will surely bring one of my least favorite things to the surface: That arrogant childish American notion that we are always better at everything than people anywhere else are, even if it's something we've never done before or are statistically comparatively inept at (like eduction and healthcare but we still scream "#1!" to our own detriment. It sure makes improving difficult when you always know you're the best). WHOA. Off Topic. Sorry, you know how pet peeves can get to you. My point is this: I'm assuming little Jaden gets better at martial arts -- within about a month -- than the Asian bullies you see in the trailer who've presumably been studying it their whole lives. I'm guessing.

The Will Smiths: How many have you seen?

Where the Day... (92) | Made in America (92) | 6 Degrees of Separation (93)

Bad Boys (95) | Independence Day (96) | Men in Black (97)

Enemy of State (98)| Wild Wild West (99) | Legend of Bagger Vance (00)

Ali (01) | MIIB (02) | Bad Boys II (03)

I, Robot (04) | Hitch (05) | The Pursuit of Happyness (06)

I am Legend (07) | Hancock (08) | Seven Pounds (08)

He's only starred in 18 movies. (I thought it'd be more... but I've only seen 11.) Strangely he was absent from cinemas last year and will be again this year. What's going on? Don't tell me he's veering towards Tom Cruise's unmistakable crazy. I suppose that could happen. In regards to these posters. I was surprised the marketing departments don't use the dread "floating movie star head" that often with his movies. His body shows up frequently, too.

You have to admire his (contractual?) consistency. Almost exactly one picture a year. It splits the difference between "out of sight, out of mind" and "absence makes the heart grow fonder".

I actually think he's sometimes quite a good actor or at least far better than is required of someone in his position (see: I Am Legend) and I don't really understand the anger some people had about his Ali nomination (though that was certainly a competitive year with lots of good choices snubbed). But overall he tends to make the kind of corporate blockbusters that never excite me -- too processed.

Anyway, a truth: my parents love him. Do you?
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Laura Linney In Conversation

I had the opportunity to attend “Laura Linney in Conversation” last night at the 92nd Street Y. They often host celebrities in their spacious auditorium and I knew better than to turn down the invite this time around. The last such function I neglected involved Glenn Close. I opted out on the grounds that I had Things To Do and that the night wasn’t about Ms Close (she was the interviewer) but apparently the interviewee convinced her to sing one of her big Sunset Blvd numbers for the crowd. Argh. To think I could have been there!

TLLL's last theatrical outing, Donald Margulie's Time Stands Still

No such impromptu singing erupted from The Lovely Laura Linney though the subject of musicals did come up. She absolutely loves them --- particularly big dance numbers -- but doesn’t have those gifts, can’t sing at all. The evening was a bit awkward with the moderator, theatrical producer Jordan Roth, occassionally waiting long stretches after Linney was done with an answer to move on, in which she would be forced to meander through a reiteration of what she’d just said. But for those who enjoy actorspeak and talk about “the craft” and the importance of art and culture, it was a totally engaging evening. I am one of those people. Duh.

Linney isn’t a celebrity that we know a lot about in terms of her personal life. I wasn’t aware, though maybe I should have been, that she is an absolute hard core stage actor. It’s how she defines herself. It’s clear that she wants to be treading the boards till she drops. (Mysteriously, I’ve missed all of her Broadway appearances.) She considers TV & Film to be strange things that happened along the way… she’s grateful for them, but she is all about the stage. She even described film as a medium that sucks things out of you without giving back. Stranger still, she’s scared of cameras and had to conquer that fear to do it. (She still hates to be photographed. Imagine!) She also talked a little about the differences between stage and film in terms of “rehearsal”…getting a laugh when she said that “rehearsal” for film should actually be called “negotiation.” She advised young actors to not get caught up in making choices for their “career” but for the material and the acting itself. There’s only so much control you have over a career.

Let’s see what else did we learn about TLLL? Her favorite costumes for any of her roles are the ones for John Adams – but she also kept her You Can Count On Me jacket. In her first Playbill they misspelled her name “Lavro Linney” and it taught her to not take herself too seriously since she had hundreds of playbills at home and was desperate to see her name in one. This story was very funny and she says her friends still call her “Lavro” if she starts taking herself too seriously. That first gig was an understudy for the younger female roles in Six Degrees of Separation and she watched Stockard Channing perform it every night for a year, completely enraptured. Every time she thought that Stockard couldn't take the role any deeper, she would.

That’s enough trivia!

She has zero interest in directing but she recently moved into the exciting world of producing for her new Showtime Series The Big C (see previous post) and she thinks she’ll be good at it. She talked a lot about understanding actors well enough to be very smart about call times, set environment and especially casting ‘No, cast this person. They have more range. It’ll inspire the writers and the show will be better.’ She also shared a theory on why when some actors emote you feel nothing and others will make you go all puddly (she believes the difference is that some actors knit their emotions specifically to the material whereas others are just accessing their own stuff... which is less thrilling.) More than anything else when the night ended, I wanted a private “Conversation With Laura Linney.” Which actors are which for you LAVRO? Spill. Show me your personal Oscar ballots!!!