Theo James Interview

Theo James Interview Review

            Theo James, age 30, has recently come onto the scene for his role as “Four” in the new movie series Divergent. In the movie, Theo plays a mysterious character that ends up being one of the main protagonists. He, along side of Tris, stand up against an oppressive nation. The characters in the movie have somewhat of a love interest and therefore I desired to dig a little bit and see if I could find out if the media would be swaying people’s opinions in order to boost popularity for the series. What I found was to be expected.

            In the Interview I posted below, we see Theo alongside his costar in what seems to be a normal interview of how they perceived the movie and what their opinions were. As expected however, the media analyzes the interview and adds their own perspective to it in order to add some sort of publicity. The interview itself was interesting enough. The interviewer asked Theo some basic questions about some of his favorite lines in the film and what he enjoyed most about playing Four in the movie.

            The main idea of this interview was to show how normal these actors were. Theo seemed to play a badass and mysteriously quiet young adult male in the film but watching the Interview I saw something different. Theo James is a normal man just like any of us. He laughed at his bad jokes, he teased his co-star and was also surprisingly light hearted/easily distracted. The interviewer really didn’t have much effect on guiding the interview. With questions simply about how they felt about the film and how they could relate to it, the interviewer seemed as if she was willing to let the actors take charge.

            Even though no really strong message was trying to be portrayed, the media was able to decipher what they thought to be some sort of love interest between the two. Many claims to the two flirting with each other have risen. I will say I must give those claims some credit but I honestly believe it is all a publicity stunt. When two actors have love interests in real life as well in films, it draws the public’s interest and therefore draws attention to the film. If there was any underlying message it would be that they were at the beginning stages of liking each other.

            Overall, I liked the interview for how normal it made the celebrities appear. Where celebrities often get talked about to a point where they seem fake, this interview did a great job at showing the public just how normal these celebrities seem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kROzmau2_NI

Blog 3 - Morgan Freeman

Link of the interview - HERE

The famous actor and producer, Morgan Freeman, has appeared on screen as one of the most respected figures in modern US cinema – a Hollywood icon with such impressive work as The Shawshank Redemption    (1994) and Invictus (2004). He also became a key figure in the shift from minor to major roles for African-American actors. He once sat down for a short chat with CNN’s Don Lemon which touched on the role that race does – or does not – play in wealth distribution in America.

The interview on the issues of race and the way the interviewer directed the questions to Morgan Freeman help shape audience’s perception of Freeman as an open-minded person, a free-thinker, an optimistic and responsible citizen who always strives for the better and the greatness. The communications between Lemon and Freeman on such a national news channel as CNN show how much knowledgeable, serious, important, and considerate the interviewee would be when he was invited by CNN to sit down and discuss about such issues. Additionally, there were times that Lemon used the opportunity to voice his thoughts. Both Lemon and Freeman expressed their sincere distaste for discussing the topic of racism. For example, when asked by Lemon if race plays a role in wealth distribution, Freeman answered insistently, “Today? No. You and I, we are proof.” He also added that, “Why would race have anything to do with it? Put your mind to what you want to do and go for that. It’s kind of like religion to me, it’s a good excuse for not getting there.” Some conservatives viewed the way Freeman addressed racism as distracting and ridiculous as they thought that Freeman left behind the whole African-American community, that he was the exception to most African Americans in America. Those conservatives also thought that he distracted individuals from the real issues to be dealt with “personal responsibility and accountability”. However, far more neutral and positive opinions show that his sincere expression for the discussion on racism helps downplay the impact of racism and inspire attempts and motivations among non-white people. To Freeman’s sentiment, certain corridors make it hard to succeed no matter which color one is, but it does not mean one cannot. Not working harder or blaming hardships on race or income is, to Freeman, just another excuse.

The way he addressed racism and inequality actually does not differ much from how I viewed him previously and what I expected him to respond to Lemon. There have been lots of times earlier in the past when Morgan Freeman voiced his opinion for a solution to racism. Every single time does he maintain his philosophy that people should work hard rather than let the racism be an excuse for their not working hard. His consistent characteristics, his hard work, his priority of responsibility and his perseverance from the very beginning of his acting career until now remain unchanged. As a fan of Morgan Freeman who knows about his films well enough, I think that what makes Freeman himself is his responsibility and sincerity. This short, straight-forward interview provides viewers with closer observation and deeper understanding about such a delightful man.  

Furthermore, this short chat between Lemon and Freeman is, actually, also socially relevant. Morgan Freeman is an African American actor, starting his acting career as humbly as anyone else in filming industry. He did not blame discrimination or let it be an excuse for his hardships. He has been trying his best to climb up the ladder of success, exploring his life and times, and achieved immense respect among his world-wide audience. His insistent beliefs, endless persistence and huge sense of responsibility are the main take-away of the interview, the source of inspiration for upcoming generations. At the end, I really think that this is the very point of the interview – Do not make excuses which race you are in to wait for your dreams and keep moving towards your dreams.  

Blog 3: Katherine Heigl

I personally fell in love with Katherine Heigl due to her many appearances in my favorite genres of movies: chick flicks and romantic comedies. In most every one of her roles she is the funny female lead actress; however, she has become known around Hollywood as the biggest diva who nobody wants to work with. During her interview on The Meredith Vieira Show she makes a point to defend these comments to put to rest this claim once and for all. Once I began hearing these reoccurring statements about how rude Katherine was my perception of her began to change and then I read this interview and now I am even more confused about what to think of her.

During the time that I watched most of the movies that Katherine was in I didn’t know about this rumor going around about her being extremely rude off of screen. It really brought into perspective that the character an actor or actress plays on screen is not who they actually are as a person, which I think we all get confused on a lot of times. Knowing this rumor and watching movies of her I respected her less as an actress because I didn’t respect her as a person. Then I read her interview with Meredith Vieira. Honestly, I don’t think she did herself any help in this interview. This claim about her came from many sources, it wasn’t like she may have just had a few bad days when going into work. She didn’t defend her actions or apologize to those she upset because she obviously did upset some people. I got from it that everyone who made these accusations was wrong because she “knows” she is a nice person and they must have just misinterpreted her actions. She did this interview to change people’s perception of her but if these rumors were false I think she would’ve answered the questions in a different way. Part of it makes me believe that she doesn’t care what the audience thinks anymore because she is so established as an actress.

Meredith Vieira, the interviewer, simply asks the question and lets Katherine run free with it, which she does. Once she is done stating her case Meredith turns to asking some lighter questions, such as how Katherine met her husband, and ends the discussion regarding the rumors. I think Meredith takes this approach to allow the audience to view Katherine’s response in the way she is trying to portray it, not in a way that Meredith would be trying to portray it. The main take-away from the interview is that Katherine has a chance to defend herself once and for all regarding the claim that she is “very rude” behind the scenes at work.  Whether some feel she did herself justice or not, in her mind she did defend herself and end the ongoing media gossip about this character trait of hers. This may have been put in place by her publisher to give people a different outlook on who she was or maybe it came straight from the heart. Either way, I gathered from the interview that she doesn’t care if people think she is rude or not all that matters is that she knows she isn’t rude.

It is difficult to determine an actors personality through only the use of movies they played in and a short few interviews. I will still continue to watch films Katherine Heigl is in and I’m sure I will enjoy them just as much as her past films. I am in no place to judge her but I do keep my opinion of what I gathered from this interview.

http://www.eonline.com/news/600371/katherine-heigl-gets-real-about-the-rude-girl-rumors-reveals-how-she-used-john-mayer-to-get-her-future-hubby-to-commit     

Blog 3 - Bradley Cooper

            The actor I chose to write about is Bradley Cooper. He is one of my favorite actors because I am a fan of the movies he’s starred in. I also think he is very talented because he has played many diverse roles, which makes him stand out from the rest of the actors. The interview I’m writing about took place a few months ago in December for a recognized YouTube channel called DP/30 and it was about his most recent movie, American Sniper. Based on the interview, I believe that Cooper wants to be portrayed as a committed actor who works hard to give the best performance. This can be supported by the part of the interview where he talks about how he felt overwhelmed because the real sniper, Chris Kyle, was a very intimidating man in real life. Kyle was very big and since the movie was filmed with some of the real life Seals, who knew Kyle, Cooper though he wasn’t living up to his character. He then decided he was going to get in shape for the movie and when he mentioned it to the director, Clint Eastwood, he was told that it wasn’t necessary. However, Cooper really felt like he had to do it in order to give a more credible performance and live up to the expectative that the people who knew Kyle had. This let us know that he is very committed in what he does, in order to give the best performance and move people with them.

            I also believe that Cooper wants to be portrayed as someone who has grown and matured as a person and actor from his previous movies and experiences. This can be supported in the interview in a few parts. First, when the interviewer brings up the argument that people have labeled him as the “handsome guy” and that it is reflected in the roles that he is offered. However, Cooper contradicts this argument by letting the interviewer know that he has portrayed a diversity of roles that deviate from the typical “handsome guy” and that it is something that has never limited him in the type of roles he’s been offered. He wants to let everyone know that he has grown from roles like The Hangover and is now taking more serious roles that have broken the mold that everyone had of him in the past. This is also supported in the part where Cooper talks about how he now wants to start being a part of the editing team in the movies he is working in, like he recently did. This shows us that he has realized that the majority of the work that is made in a movie is not in the acting, but in the editing of a movie and he wants to be a part of it. Editing is a serious job because it takes time and it’s all behind the scenes so this shows us that Cooper doesn’t only care about being on screen but also helping make the movie as a whole better.

            Before this interview I thought that Cooper was like many other actors and actresses who treat movies as a job. However, he lets us know in the interview that he acts in order to give a message and that’s why he takes roles in movies where he has a point of view and wants to convey it through it. In addition to that, he is ready to give an extra mile, like he did in American Sniper, to make the movie better even when he is not asked to do it and that lets me know that he is doing his job because he enjoys it and he wants to send a message to the people. The interviewer helps me to shape this perception because he continually asks Cooper why he put so much effort into the movie and this makes him explain why he acts and what he’s trying to get across with his job and the movies he stars in. The main take-away from the interview for me is that Cooper wants to let everyone know how much he worked on the movie American Sniper and the weight that he felt while filming it because he was a real guy and he had to fill the expectative of Kyle’s family, friends and the rest of the viewers.

Blog 3

One of my favorite shows on television is Prison Break. It is a show about a man who is wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to death row. His brother then purposefully gets arrested and put into the same prison in order to break him out. It's incredibly deep, suspenseful, and emotional. One of the characters that contributes to this is named "T-bag." He is played by Robert Knepper and his role is a  dumb, redneck, psychopath who molested children and got into all sorts of trouble with the law. He is an incredibly good actor. I say this because throughout the show I could honestly believe that he could be a sick psychopath in real life. That's how well he played the role. I watch a lot of TV shows and I have never felt like this with any other actor. The way he talks, the way he stares, and the way he acts is unlike anything I'd seen before.
In his interview with the Huffington Post he presents his real self which is the complete opposite of his role in prison break. He is actually incredibly intelligent, funny, and down to earth. During the show he gets into an accident where he loses his hand and in the interview he discusses this. He says that the prosthetic arm they gave him was too tight and that he could only wear it for about 5 minutes at a time. He says that if you notice that he is in pain in the show it is because he was in pain from the fake arm and I thought that was funny and displayed a completely different side of him. I believe he was trying to show the real him because most people only view him as a psychopath. A big part of this is the fact that he is not a very well known actor. This was his first big role so few people had seen what he was really like; they only had seen him as a sick criminal. Compare him to an actor like Leonardo DiCaprio. DiCaprio has been seen in countless films with a variety of roles. Because of this, it is difficult to feel that he truly is whatever role he is playing. Within a year, you will see him in another movie with a different role and it will be difficult to connect at the same level people connect with T-bag.
The main takeaway from the interview is that he is just like everyone else. He was discussing his role and explained how different it was and how much of a good experience he had. He just wanted people to know how he felt about the role and the impact it had on him. He is very well-spoken and it completely changed my view on him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhAE1WchvSQ

Blog 3 - Interview with Bradley Cooper - Michael Barale

Bradley Cooper, 'American Sniper' Widow Join Forces To Tell Story | TODAY –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pIb4l2OkPw

In this interview where Bradley Cooper discusses playing the roll of Chris Kyle in the movie American Sniper, I believe that Cooper was attempting to relay his gratitude for Chris Kyle and all other military members, rather than simply promote the movie to the public. Throughout viewing the interview, audiences can tell how Bradley Cooper actually feels about playing the role of the American hero, Chris Kyle. Cooper speaks in a sincere and thankful manner throughout the entire interview, relaying his true feelings and emotions of appreciation and gratefulness for the military. Personally, I noticed Cooper “choking up” at certain times when talking about Kyle, his life, and his story. Furthermore, Cooper’s true emotions are visible to viewers, especially when the interviewer brings up how military members gave him a standing ovation after watching the movie, as well as hearing Taya Kyle, Chris’s widow wife, thank him for portraying her late husband in such a genuine way. Cooper expresses how he should not be the one receiving all of the attention and applause for his acting in the movie, but rather the soldiers themselves being deserving of this support and courtesy for protecting our rights as United States citizens and our country that we love so much. Noticeable throughout the entire interview, Bradley Cooper truly speaks his mind in a sincere fashion and relays how he honestly feels. This interview also made me aware of the fact that actors, such as Bradley Cooper, do not always accept roles only for personal gains, such as media attention, awards, and money. Moreover, they take on certain roles to make viewers aware of situations and incidents that extraordinary individuals experience in their own lives. Also, actors and actresses that play similar roles to Cooper’s would rather raise awareness for the need to support and care for these honorable humans after they overcome such extreme conditions than be acclaimed themselves. The interviewer asked relevant questions about the current situation at hand, attempting to delve deeper into Cooper’s feelings and emotional side, as well as help make others aware of the more sensitive side that all actors and actresses have. He utilizes other people, such as Kyle’s wife and other military members, to further the audience’s awareness of Cooper’s actual thoughts and feelings, as well as to aid Bradley Cooper in expressing his thought process behind taking on such an incredible role. Before viewing this interview, I respected Cooper mainly for his acting abilities. Not knowing much about his personal life, I only have been expose to Bradley Cooper through his movies and performances. After watching the interview, my respect has only grown for Cooper, mainly because of his ability to portray his true feelings about this situation. Any viewer can tell that he feels strongly about this issue and wants to help in any way possible, rather than simply promote his self-image. I have noticed these qualities in other actors and actresses that take on similar roles in their own motion pictures. I am inspired by their ability to set aside the personal gains that come with the successfulness of their movie and focus on the more important issue at hand. This gives me hope that Hollywood is not as corrupt as the media makes it out to be and that there are actors and actresses that care more about global, nationwide issues that simply the paycheck itself. I believe the main idea of the interview is that make the public aware of the fact that not all actors and actresses take on roles for personal gains solely, but rather to relay a personal side of another’s individuals life and raise awareness for the need to care and encourage them after overcoming extremely hard situations and experiences. Furthermore, the interview helps in relaying the key point that not all actors and actresses require so much attention for themselves, but rather the more important points of the movie that they act in.

Blog 3 - Interview with Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman

Interview with Hugh Jackman

       Hugh Jackman is a talented actor from Australia. He has played many diverse roles but is most notably known for his work as Wolverine in the long-running X-Men series. Along with superhero films, Jackman has been portrayed in period, romance, drama, action, sci-fi, thriller, and musical genre films. Besides acting in films, Jackman is also a singer and dancer and has been seen is several productions on stage. He continues to act in both film and stage today. This blog is based off of an interview Hugh Jackman gave in 2012 when the movie Les Miserables was released. 

Before watching several interviews with Hugh Jackman, I did not know much about him or his life; he stays out of the public eye. Prior to the interview, my opinion of Hugh Jackman was that he is a talented actor with a diverse repertoire who I enjoy watching in films. Based off of the interview, Jackman wants to be portrayed as a dedicated actor who takes his line of work seriously but at the same time loves his career. I think that he wants to be viewed as a serious actor because reflects his work ethic.

       In the interview, Jackman speaks about the preparation which was required of him to fulfill his role as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables. From his responses, you can tell that Jack is dedicated due the amount of work he puts into each role. In the beginning of Les Miserables, Hugh Jackman is unrecognizable.  In order to achieve being unrecognizable, Jackman was “working out about three hours a day” and on a “very strict diet in order to lose a lot of weight.” 

The director also wanted Jackman’s character to be “very lean” with “skinny, emaciated cheeks, sunken eyes, and still with muscle.” That is specific and challenging to accomplish yet Jackman realized the demands that the part required and put his all into it. 

You can also tell he takes every role seriously due to the thoughtfulness of his responses. His character is a prisoner who has faced many hardships. When asked about this role, he thoughtfully responded with background information about the character and his motive for portraying Jean Valjean the way he did. Though Jackman is serious and dedicated, he does not talk about his work and preparation as if it is a chore; he makes light of his hard work and you can tell that Jackman loves his career. 

       As mentioned before, I did not know much about Jackman before watching interviews with him. It is almost expected that talented actors are going to be self-centered and arrogant, but that is hardly the case for Jackman; he is personable. This interview, as well as others that I watched, have all lead me to believe that Jackman is a genuine and humble man; he is thoughtful with his responses and appreciative when others offer praise. Within the first 23 seconds of the interview, Jackman asks the interviewer a few questions about herself based off something she said. Jackman is not solely focused on himself in this interview and that is evident. 

       The interviewer shapes my perception of him by asking leading questions. The interviewer brings up a fact about Hugh Jackman that is central to the character he portrays. Jackman’s character adopts and raises a young girl in the film and it changes Valjean’s whole life. The interviewer states that Jackman is very caring and tender towards the girl in the film and she wonders where those feelings came from and goes on to say that after she saw his kids, she understood where his relatable feelings came from. From this, we find out the Hugh Jackman is an adoptive parent himself so he can relate to his character and draw upon his personal emotions and experiences as an adoptive father to build Valjean’s character. I never knew this about Hugh Jackman and it is not mentioned in other interviews he gives about the movie Les Miserables.

       While the interview is about the film Les Miserables, I think that the main idea is that film is culturally relevant. Practically every question that Hugh Jackman answers he relates back to his life or our society in some way. While the interview is about Jackman, his answers reflect that he sees underlying themes from film in our society; he speaks about how the characters he portrays have the same emotions and realities that he faces. Given this interview is about Les Miserables, Jackman mentions that even though Victor Hugo wrote the book in 1862 “its almost like it was written for today.” The social commentary and underlying themes from the novel and film are relatable to today’s society even though the story was written over 150 years ago. I think that this is the point of the interview—we go watch films to be entertained; however, they identify to social issues and themes that occur in our everyday lives.