AN UNFINISHED WOMAN
Screenwriter Stuart Ross Fink created the character of Harriet Lauler specifically with Shirley MacLaine in mind. The star of some of his favorite movies, from The Apartment to Terms of Endearment and Being There, MacLaine personified Harriet’s singular temperament. “Like so many people, I’ve always loved her,” he says. “There’s no other actress who can portray a combination of bitchiness, vulnerability, humor and empathy like Shirley. She is always the smartest person in the room, a woman quick with a cutting remark or a well-timed arched eyebrow. The characters she has created are some of the most indelible in American cinema. I always want to know where they go after the movie ends. I wrote this part to see her characters continue.”
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Pellington compares MacLaine’s character to the role that won her an Oscar®, saying: “She is like Aurora Greenway from Terms of Endearment, but it’s 25 or 30 years later. Imagine that kind of controlling woman considering the final years of her life.” Pellington and Fink sent the script to MacLaine along with a letter explaining why she was the only person they could imagine playing the role. To their delight, MacLaine was immediately attracted to Harriet’s strength and determination. “The Last Word is written mostly from the point of view of a woman born in the 1930s, when women were not considered a force in business,” observes the award-winning actress. “If she wanted to be successful, she had to throw her weight around. That’s what this character does, but she’s funny at the same time. She knows that she has irritated a lot of people during her lifetime, but she wants to be remembered well. It’s also about two women who reveal things that they never would have even dared to look at before. And it’s because of their prodding of one another they are able to do that. Each learns how to know herself.” During filming, Fink realized that he had to let go of his creation and entrust her entirely to MacLaine. “Shirley and I had a 20-minute discussion on the psychology of pajamas versus a robe,” he remembers. “It was at that point that I realized Harriet was no longer mine. She had become Shirley’s. She is playing Harriet Lauler with the legendary status and prestige and twinkle in her eye that we all love.” MacLaine insists that Fink gave her a great deal to build on. “It’s very well written,” she says. “Stuart did a really good job. We worked all the time together, changing this or that, and then I improvised as well. He was wonderful to work with.” The veteran actress is equally effusive about her collaboration with Pellington. “Mark is so deeply and almost disturbingly talented,” she says. “He has ways of changing everything at the spur of the moment. You have to be really prepared to make that adjustment. If you’re on the same wavelength, which apparently we are, it’s not as hard as you would think. He lives in the moment. It makes working with him fun.” Once MacLaine signed on to star, Pellington began a search for an actress who could go toe-to-toe with her as Anne. “We pretty quickly got to Amanda Seyfried,” he says. “Within 15 seconds of meeting her, I knew. She seemed so much like Anne, she loved the script and when she met Shirley, it was a great chemistry.” “I adore Amanda,” says MacLaine. “And Harriet in her way adores Anne, but her biggest problem has always been with people who don’t live up to their potential. And Anne so far has not. It’s a tussle with what Harriet doesn’t understand about herself and what she doesn’t understand about Anne. Each is learning from the other, so it’s the journey the two women take together.” Fink has been a fan of Seyfried since her days on the television series “Veronica Mars.” “Not only is she a gifted actress, she’s also one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. She and Shirley were very kind and patient with me, understanding that this is my first movie. They were a real joy to be around.”
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Knowing that MacLaine was already committed to the film made the decision to come aboard The Last Word easy, says Seyfried. “In my wildest dreams I never imagined I’d be working with her. It’s been incredible. I’ve never had the opportunity to create a relationship that reflects my experience with an actor so well. Shirley’s got a lot of history, she has a lot of things to say and she’s very passionate about those things. I really respect that.” Having a chance to explore an intriguing story centered on two strong women was another reason Seyfried wanted to make this film. “I don’t get opportunities to do that very often, so it was really attractive,” she says. “Stuart wrote a beautiful, poignant, poetic love story about a woman grappling with how insignificant she feels. And Mark is really passionate and knows what he’s doing. It seemed like the perfect package — script, director and this incredible star already on board.” Her character, Anne, is terrified of letting anybody enter the safe world that she’s created for herself, according to Seyfried. “She wants to write more than just obituaries, but she is afraid of failing. Harriet challenges her to go on this journey with her. Harriet is not so nice sometimes, but she sees other people’s potential and asks them to live up to it. She gets Anne to recognize that she’s got so much more to offer.” Harriet, in her typical results-oriented fashion, drops in at a local community center with the goal of touching the life of a troubled child. “She is there merely to check a box for her obituary,” says Pellington. “She has to change a life. She thinks it’s going to be easy. She’ll just teach the kid to speak nicely and stop swearing. It ends up being something much deeper. In a way, the real core of the movie is about family. These women find their own new family. The joy and unity come as the three of them join forces emotionally.” Ann’Jewel Lee makes an unforgettable debut in the film as Brenda, the 9-year-old girl whom Harriet decides to mentor. “This is not just Ann’Jewel’s first film, it’s the first time she’s ever acted,” says Pellington. “She is quite a little discovery. Brenda is a foulmouthed spitfire. She almost steals the show. The character adds a little spice to the cocktail of Harriet and Anne. In some ways, she transforms their relationship.” Seyfried remembers reading with Lee at her audition and being astonished by the youngster’s ability to simply listen and respond. “Ann’Jewel is awesome,” says Seyfried. “We did a lot of improv in this movie and you could throw something out, knowing she’d give it right back. She has some zingers. Ann’Jewel is as fearless as her character. Brenda says whatever she wants to Harriet, which completely disarms her. She’s absolutely crucial to the relationship between Anne and Harriet.” Lee describes her character as “a tough little kid.” “Brenda is a handful,” she says. “She can be a nice person, depending on who she’s around and if she wants to be nice. But, hey, we all have our wants and want-nots. Brenda helps change Harriet so she can have a good life and her legacy can live on.” Like Brenda, Lee is surprisingly nonchalant around her more experienced colleagues. “Working with Shirley was really funny,” she says. “She’s like a can of personality, and when you pop that thing open:
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wooph! It is hilarious. She knows what she has to do and is always on top of it. Amanda is really nice and kind. If I ever had a bad day, she cheered me up. And Mark always shows that he cares about his actors.” Lee believes that movie will deliver a hopeful message to audiences. “It’s a really enjoyable, inspiring movie. Brenda may still swear like a sailor at the end, but she’s changed a lot.” The next item on Harriet’s to-do list is what she calls the “wild card,” the one thing that will set her apart from the crowd. With an encyclopedic knowledge of music and a vast collection on vinyl to draw on, she sets her sights on becoming a DJ. When Harriet shows up at a local indie radio station and volunteers to go on air, Robin Sands, the station manager, gives her chance to prove herself. “Robin is knocked on his ass by Harriet, this amazing creature who rolled into his radio station demanding a job,” says Thomas Sadoski, who plays Robin. “He sees a different side of her than anybody else does. Instead of being intimidated, he is absolutely fascinated. She has an extraordinary record collection and a depth of knowledge about music that matches, or maybe even surpasses, his own. He never expects her to be anything she isn’t and that is the key to their relationship. As they get to know each other, she recognizes that he would be a great partner for Anne and sets the two of them up.” Sadoski says it was a joy to watch MacLaine play Harriet, a role that was tailor-made for her. “It requires that sort of dominant personality and presence. When she steps onto set, you know you’re in the presence of someone extraordinary. She could rest on her laurels but instead she’s still present and still working with her castmates in a really special way.” The actor has equally high praise for Seyfried, with whom he first worked in 2015, co-starring in Neil LaBute’s Off Broadway play “The Way We Get By.” “Amanda is such a talented actress,” says Sadoski. “She brings so much depth to her work even without the words in the script. You can sense the intense intimate connection between Robin and Anne. They speak the same language; they’re of the same tribe. It’s a very sweet relationship orchestrated by the person you’d least expect.” Pellington and Fink were open to allowing the actors to personalize things as much as possible, according to Sadoski. “This is an incredible story about friendship and courage and becoming who you really are. It’s the preciousness of life and running the race right until the very end. Both Mark and Stuart were fantastic in letting the film be molded moment to moment by the actors. As we worked, it grew and became something larger than it initially was. That’s an exciting thing to be a part of.” The film also includes a host of well-known actors in supporting roles, including Philip Baker Hall as Edward, Shirley’s ex-husband, Anne Heche as Harriet’s daughter Elizabeth and Tom Everett Scott in the role of Anne’s boss, Ronald Odom. As Edward, Hall has two profound scenes. “I think anybody’s who’s been in a long-term relationship can connect to him,” says Pellington. “The scene at the end of the film between Harriet and Edward is really a master class in acting. As a director, I just stayed out of the way. It’s by far my favorite of Shirley’s scenes.
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When we finished, I just went over and bowed to her. She’s very humble, yet she’s also a supremely confident actress. “Anne Heche is an amazing powerhouse actor,” continues the director. “We needed somebody who had the same sharp tongue as Harriet, someone acerbic and funny, yet with the emotional vulnerability that Anne has.” When Harriet sees her daughter for the first time in decades, she realizes how much they have in common. “Harriet is cantankerous in her own unique way,” says Heche. “They’ve been estranged for very good reasons. Part of the beauty of this film is watching a woman come to terms with her life. Shirley is an extraordinary artist and woman.” According to Tom Everett Scott, the movie is “a coming-of-age story for an octogenarian.” “I liked the script a lot, so I was really psyched when I got a chance to be in it,” he says. “And then to work with Shirley MacLaine, Amanda Seyfried and Mark Pellington? The fact that the script was great was just icing.” Fink is quick to compliment his collaborators for making a film that exceeded his own expectations. “All the credit in the world goes to Mark Pellington, the crew and, of course, the actors for making this so wonderful,” says the screenwriter. “Watching it being filmed and seeing the reactions from all of those around us — the tears, the laughter, genuine emotion — has been really special.” THE WILD CARD
Director Mark Pellington offers his gratitude to the cast and crew, singling out director of photography Eric Koretz, production designer Richard Hoover, costume designer Alix Hester and editor Julia Wong for special praise. But he says the person who faced perhaps the most daunting challenge was music supervisor Liza Richardson. “There’s lots of music in the film,” he notes. “Harriet is a music fanatic who becomes a DJ. So music has a big role in this movie, but we had some strict fiscal limitations. Liza was faced with the task with finding a lot of songs for not much money. Almost all of the music is the kind of thing you might hear on an obscure college radio station, ranging from big band to rock to hip-hop.” The resulting soundtrack is packed with unusual and lesser-known artists, including The Regrettes, Blood, Witch, Amnesty and Lady Lamb, with a tip of the hat to Harriet’s all-time favorite band, The Kinks. “You won’t know most of it, but it works,” says Pellington. “The mixture of the songs and Nathan David’s score moves the film along in a really lovely way. It hits you on the level of pure music-loving joy.” Sharing her music with the world helps Harriet reclaim a part of herself that she had shut down. “At some point Harriet became detached from the music, from collecting it and from enjoying it,” says Pellington. “Something that had once been an important part of her life disappeared. She hit a point of calamity and her joy in music went away. Coincidentally, that dovetailed with the rise of digital and the death
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of analog, as record stores started disappearing and her favorite DJs were replaced by computers and algorithms.” Music also offers another way for Anne and Harriet to connect. “Anne also collects vinyl,” Pellington says. “And she turns Harriet on to the radio station.” While Pellington says he has given up trying to predict how people will respond to his movies, he has high hopes for The Last Word . “I’ve sat in the theater with audiences and they were really emotionally moved by this,” he says. “I hope people embrace it. I’m just grateful to have been able to make it and to have a really good company behind it that believes in it for the right reasons.”
ABOUT THE CAST
SHIRLEY MACLAINE (Harriet Lauler) has enjoyed an illustrious career that comprises more than 50 feature films, highlighted by an Academy Award win and six nominations, six Emmy Award® nominations, seven Golden Globe Awards® (including a Cecil B. DeMille Golden Globe Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1998). MacLaine was honored with the prestigious American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award in 2012. In 2011 she received France’s most prestigious cultural award, the Legion of Honor, which was presented by France’s Minister of Culture and Communication, Frédéric Mitterrand, at the French Cinémathèque. She is also an internationally best-selling author. MacLaine can next be seen in the film Wild Oats, co-starring Jessica Lange and Demi Moore. She recently starred in Elsa & Fred (2014), alongside Christopher Plummer, and Bernie (2011), with Jack Black and Matthew McConaughey. She also appeared in Ben Stiller’s The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013). MacLaine’s recent television appearances include season five of the Golden Globe-winning series “Glee,” season three of the Emmy Award-winning series from Julian Fellowes, “Downton Abbey,” and the Lifetime movie “Coco Chanel,” for which she was nominated for both a Golden Globe and a SAG Award. MacLaine can also be seen on tour in her one-woman stage show as it hits cities across the globe. The production combines a montage of memorable film moments with private revelations about her extraordinary life, career and spiritual journey. The author of 10 international bestsellers, MacLaine released her best-selling book Sage-ing While Age-ing in 2008, followed by her latest New York Times bestseller I’m Over All That: And Other Confessions. Her most recent book, What If…: A Lifetime of Questions, Speculations, Reasonable Guesses, and a Few Things I Know for Sure, was released in 2013 and featured on Oprah’s “Super Soul Sunday.” MacLaine made her professional debut dancing in a Broadway revival of “Oklahoma!” in the 1950s. Her first film appearance came in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Trouble with Harry and earned her a Golden Globe Award for “New Star of the Year – Actress” in 1955. In 1958 she starred in Some Came Running, which led to
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her first Academy Award nomination and an additional Golden Globe bid. She also starred alongside Audrey Hepburn in The Children’s Hour (1961), based on a play by Lillian Hellman. MacLaine received a second Oscar nomination for her work in the classic The Apartment (1960), co-starring Jack Lemmon and directed by Billy Wilder. She was reunited with Lemmon and Wilder for Irma La Douce in 1963, earning yet another Academy Award nomination. In 1975 MacLaine received her fourth Oscar nomination, this time for Best Documentary, as the producer and star of The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir. Two years later she was nominated once again, this time for her starring role in The Turning Point. In 1983 MacLaine finally won an Oscar when her work in Terms of Endearment was honored with the iconic statuette. She received another Golden Globe Award for her 1988 performance in Madame Sousatzka. Additional film credits include Steel Magnolias (1989), with Julia Roberts; Postcards from the Edge (1990), opposite Meryl Streep; In Her Shoes (2005), with Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette; and Rumor Has It… (2005), alongside Jennifer Aniston and Kevin Costner. MacLaine’s small-screen credits include the telefilms “These Old Broads,” “Carolina” and “Salem Witch Trials.” She also starred in the CBS miniseries “The Battle of Mary Kay,” the life story of the cosmetics queen Mary Kay Ash. A longtime advocate for civil rights and liberties, women’s rights and spiritual understanding, MacLaine is known for her faith in reincarnation, angels, the power of crystals and other New Age beliefs. She addresses these topics at length, as well as her Hollywood career, in her books Out on a Limb (Bantam, 1983) and Dancing in the Light (Bantam, 1986). MacLaine has gone on to author numerous other books including The Camino: A Journey of the Spirit (Atria, 2001) and Out on a Leash: Exploring the Nature of Reality and Love (Atria, 2004), all of which are international bestsellers.
AMANDA SEYFRIED (Anne Sherman) has established herself as one of Hollywood’s most captivating young leading actresses. In 2008 she starred in Phyllida Lloyd’s Mamma Mia!, alongside Meryl Streep. The film grossed more than $600 million internationally. Two years later she starred alongside Channing Tatum in Dear John, directed by Lasse Hallström. The film grossed more than $100 million worldwide. Next she starred in Gary Winick’s Letters to Juliet, co-starring Vanessa Redgrave and Gael García Bernal. It was also an international hit, cementing Seyfried’s status as a rising star. More recently, the actress starred alongside Aaron Paul and Russell Crowe in Gabriele Muccino’s Fathers and Daughters. Seyfried will soon be seen in David Lynch’s highly anticipated “Twin Peaks: Revival,” airing on Showtime. She recently wrapped production on Andrew Niccol’s Anon, opposite Clive Owen; Dito Montiel’s The Clapper, alongside Ed Helms; and Nash Edgerton’s untitled project, which co-stars Joel
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Edgerton and David Oyelowo. Next, Seyfried begins production on Paul Schrader’s First Reformed, opposite Ethan Hawke. In 2015 the actress received critical praise for her theater debut in Neil LaBute’s Off Broadway play “The Way We Get By.” Produced by Leigh Silverman, the production was hosted by Second Stage Theatre in New York. Also in 2015, Seyfried starred in Seth MacFarlane’s feature Ted 2, opposite Mark Wahlberg, and Noah Baumbach’s While We’re Young, opposite Naomi Watts and Ben Stiller. Other film credits include Love the Coopers, Pan, A Million Ways to Die in the West, Epic, Lovelace, Les Miserables, In Time, Chloe, Jennifer’s Body, Nine Lives, Alpha Dog and American Gun. On the TV front, Seyfried received critical praise for her starring role in HBO’s Golden Globe nominated drama “Big Love.” A Pennsylvania native, Seyfried started her career by modeling at the age of 11. She soon turned to acting and landed her first contract role in 2000 as Lucy Montgomery on the daytime drama “As the World Turns.” In 2002 “All My Children” signed her to the contract role of Joni Stafford. Her big break, though, was in the Tina Fey-penned 2004 teen classic Mean Girls, co-starring Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams. Together, they won the Best Onscreen Team Award at the MTV Movie Awards. Seyfried is Givenchy’s Very Irresistible Ambassador and an avid supporter of the nonprofit organizations Best Friends Animal Society and I Am That Girl.
ANNE HECHE (Elizabeth) is one of Hollywood’s most sought-after and versatile actresses, with equal capabilities in the arenas of film, television and the stage. In addition to much critical praise for her performances, she has garnered several nominations for Emmy and Tony Award® honors. In 1997 Heche won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Barry Levinson’s Wag the Dog, opposite Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman. Heche will soon appear in several films including Catfight, alongside Sandra Oh; Temple, with Wesley Snipes; and My Friend Dahmer, alongside Vincent Kartheiser. On the small screen, she stars in the sci-fi thriller “Aftermath” as Karen Copeland, a woman leading her family to survival through a period of apocalypse. She also stars in Hallmark’s “Looks Like Christmas,” opposite Dylan Neal, which recently premiered to positive reviews. In 2015 Heche starred as Lynn Monahan, the head of the Jerusalem FBI office and Peter Connelly’s (Jason Isaacs) boss in the event series “Dig,” which premiered on USA Network. Filmed in Jerusalem, Croatia and New Mexico, the action-thriller comes from executive producers Tim Kring (“Heroes”) and Gideon Raff (“Homeland”). Previously, Heche appeared in Simon West’s action-thriller Wild Card, co-starring Jason Statham, Sofia Vergara and Stanley Tucci; Nigerian director Jeta Amata’s indie thriller Black November, alongside Kim
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Basinger and Mickey Rourke; Dante Ariola’s dark comedy Arthur Newman, opposite Colin Firth and Emily Blunt; the indie comedy That’s What She Said; Oren Moverman’s cop drama Rampart, alongside Woody Harrelson, Steve Buscemi, Sigourney Weaver and Ben Foster; and the convention comedy Cedar Rapids, alongside Sigourney Weaver, John C. Reilly and Ed Helms, Other film credits include Spread, Birth, The Third Miracle, The Juror, Walking and Talking, Wild Side, A Simple Twist of Fate, Pie in the Sky, Milk Money, I’ll Do Anything, John Q, Six Days Seven Nights, Volcano, Psycho, Auggie Rose and Donnie Brasco. In 2004 Heche starred in the ABC series “Men in Trees,” playing a female relationship guru who moves to Alaska. That same year Heche earned her first Emmy Award nomination for her portrayal of a drug-addicted mother in the Lifetime telefilm “Gracie’s Choice,” alongside Diane Ladd. Other television credits include TNT’s “Silent Witness,” opposite Dermot Mulroney; “Fatal Desire,” a Lifetime movie; HBO’s telefilm “If These Walls Could Talk,” directed by Cher; “One Christmas Eve,” which became the highest-rated cable airing of any Hallmark Hall of Fame telefilm; the HBO comedy series “Hung,” opposite Thomas Jane and Jane Adams; and the Hallmark Channel’s holiday movie “Silver Bells,” which was seen by over 16 million viewers. She created memorable characters in guest-starring performances on hit shows such as “Nip/Tuck,” “Everwood” and “Ally McBeal.” Heche also created and produced the NBC series “Bad Judge,” starring Kate Walsh. In 2002 Heche made her Broadway debut in a critically acclaimed production of the Tony Awardwinning play “Proof.” She garnered rave reviews from critics and the show was extended, making it one of the longest-running non-musical plays in recent history. In 2004 she triumphantly returned to Broadway in the Roundabout Theatre stage production of “Twentieth Century.” Her critically acclaimed performance opposite Alec Baldwin earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Play. Also a writer and director, Heche wrote and directed a short entitled “Reaching Normal,” for Showtime’s “First Director Series,” as well as HBO’s “If These Walls Could Talk 2.” Heche currently resides in Los Angeles with her family.
THOMAS SADOSKI (Robin Sands) currently stars on the hit CBS comedy series “Life in Pieces,” which tells stories driven by a family’s individual ineptitudes and shortcomings. Co-starring Dianne Wiest, James Brolin and Colin Hanks, the series is currently airing its second season. He was last seen starring opposite Sarah Silverman and Josh Charles in the critically acclaimed film I Smile Back. Next, he reprises his role as Jimmy in John Wick: Chapter Two, starring Keanu Reeves. Previously, Sadoski was seen in such films as Jean-Marc Vallée’s award-winning drama Wild, with Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern, and Take Care, alongside Leslie Bibb. Other film credits include The Dramatics, 30 Beats, The New Twenty, Loser, Happy Hour and Winter Solstice.
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In addition to his role as Don Keefer on HBO’s Golden Globe Award®-nominated Aaron Sorkin series “The Newsroom,” Sadoski’s television credits include the NBC miniseries “The Slap,” a recurring role on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and guest starring roles on “Ugly Betty,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and the flagship “Law & Order,” as well as TV movie “Circledrawers.” A veteran of the stage, Sadoski has starred in and earned raves for his performances in a wide variety of Broadway and Off Broadway productions. Most recently, he starred opposite Amanda Seyfried in the Off Broadway production of Neil LaBute’s “The Way We Get By,” which follows two people as they grapple with the life-altering fallout of spending a drunken, steamy night together. His previous collaboration with LaBute, on “Reasons to Be Pretty,” earned Sadoski a nomination for a Tony Award in the Leading Actor category, as well as Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Drama League Award nominations. On Broadway the actor was seen in “Other Desert Cities,” for which he won an Obie Award; “The House of Blue Leaves,” with Ben Stiller and Edie Falco; and “Reckless,” opposite Mary-Louise Parker. Off Broadway, Sadoski appeared in Sam Mendes’s Bridge Project productions of “As You Like It” and “The Tempest” (BAM, the Old Vic and a seven-country international tour); “Becky Shaw,” for which he won a Lucille Lortel Award; “This Is Our Youth,” with Mark Ruffalo; and the world premiere of Elizabeth Merriweather’s “The Mistakes Madeline Made.” Other Off Broadway credits include “Gemini,” “Stay,” “Where We’re Born,” “Jump/Cut,” “All This Intimacy” and “The General From America.” Additionally, Sadoski starred in a critically acclaimed production of David Sedaris’ one-man show “Santaland Diaries” at New Haven’s Long Wharf Theatre, which was performed in two consecutive seasons due to popular demand. He has starred in five productions at the renowned Williamstown Theatre Festival. A graduate of Circle in the Square Theatre School in New York City, Sadoski has worked extensively to help develop new theatrical works at New Dramatists, The Lark, The Eugene O’Neill Theater Center and the Sundance Institute. In his free time, he works closely with the charity group Refugees International, of which he is also a board member. Sadoski currently resides in Los Angeles.
PHILIP BAKER HALL (Edward) is one of those actors whom audiences see all the time and appreciate, but don’t necessarily recognize by name. He played the deadpan, hard-boiled Mr. Bookman, the library cop, in an episode of “Seinfeld” that is considered an all-time television comedy classic. More recently, Hall starred in 2015-2016 on Rand Ravich and Howard Gordon’s Fox series “Second Chance.” He also starred on Will Gluck’s Fox comedy “The Loop” and played recurring roles on David E. Kelley’s “The Practice” and “Boston Legal,” Fox’s “Rake,” HBO’s “The Newsroom” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” CBS’ “Madam Secretary,” Adult Swim’s “Childrens Hospital” and ABC’s “Modern Family.”
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Hall will next be seen starring opposite Michael Cera and Abbi Jacobson in Dustin Guy Defa’s Person to Person. The actor first gained significant attention for his portrayal of Richard Nixon in the Donald Freed one-man play “Secret Honor,” which was adapted by Robert Altman into a feature film a year later. His portrayal of Nixon was hailed as a tour de force and the film has become a cult classic. During the ’80s he appeared in teen favorites Say Anything, Three O’Clock High and How I Got into College, then in blockbuster action films such as The Rock, Air Force One and Enemy of the State. Hall has continued to work steadily in film, television and the theater. He garnered a Spirit Award nomination for his electrifying performance as a veteran gambler in Paul Thomas Anderson’s debut feature, Hard Eight, opposite Samuel L. Jackson, John C. Reilly and Gwyneth Paltrow. Anderson cast Hall in substantial roles in his next two films, Boogie Nights and Magnolia. Hall shared in the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award won by the ensemble cast of Rod Lurie’s The Contender. He earned SAG Award nominations for Boogie Nights and Magnolia and was part of the SAG Award-winning cast of Argo in 2013. He was also honored with the prestigious John Cassavetes Award for his body of work. Hall was seen in Bruce Almighty and Mr. Popper’s Penguins, both times opposite Jim Carrey; All Good Things, alongside Ryan Gosling; 50/50, with Seth Rogan and Joseph Gordon Levitt; Alex Kurtzman’s People Like Us, opposite Chris Pine; Bad Words, directed by and starring Jason Bateman; Playing it Cool, with Chris Evans; and the TV movie “Clear History,” written by and starring Larry David. Other film credits include Lars Von Trier’s Dogville, the Rush Hour franchise, David Fincher’s Zodiac, Paul Weitz’s In Good Company, Michael Mann’s The Insider, Tim Robbins’ Cradle Will Rock, Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, Rod Lurie’s The Contender, Peter Weir’s The Truman Show and Gus Van Sant’s remake of Psycho. In the Los Angeles area, Hall has starred in numerous plays at the Mark Taper Forum and the South Coast Repertory and fabled Los Angeles Theater Center, including “All My Sons” (opposite Bill Pullman), “Death of a Salesman,” “The Crucible,” “Short Eyes” and “The Petrified Forest,” among many other productions. He starred with William H. Macy and Mark Webber in an award-winning revival of “American Buffalo” at the Atlantic Theater in New York and the Donmar Warehouse in London.
TOM EVERETT SCOTT (Ronald Odom) has developed a reputation as one of the industry’s most versatile actors, showing up on the big screen, television and stage. His film credits include Mars Needs Moms, Race to Witch Mountain, Because I Said So, Sexual Life, Attraction, Boiler Room, One True Thing, The Love Letter, River Red, Top of the Food Chain, An American Werewolf in Paris and Dead Man On Campus.
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In addition to his impressive and diverse film slate, Scott’s television credits include “Sons of Anarchy,” “Cashmere Mafia,” “Saved,” “ER,” “Will & Grace,” “Law & Order,” “Inherit the Wind” and “Grace Under Fire.” Most recently, Scott starred in the final season of TNT’s critically acclaimed series “Southland.” On stage, Scott made his Broadway debut in the Tony Award-nominated show “Little Dog That Laughed.” Other theater credits include a revival of “Dead End” at the Ahmanson Theatre, Roger Kumble’s smash hit “Turnaround” and Off Broadway productions of “The Country Club” and “Touch.” Inspired by such repertory theater companies as the Wooster Group and Steppenwolf, Scott and friends launched aTheaterCo, a New York-based theater group focusing on original works. It was through aTheaterCo that Scott became involved with the project “River Red,” which he initially directed for the stage and later produced as a film. Scott made his screenwriting and directing debut with the short comedy Glock, which won Best Short Film at the Gen Art Film Festival. The Massachusetts-born actor graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in drama before traveling to New York City to learn his craft. Scott first came to Hollywood’s attention as the soulful drummer in That Thing You Do, Tom Hanks’ feature-film directorial debut. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and two children.
ANN’JEWEL LEE (Brenda) is well on her way to making her mark in Hollywood. Someone who was definitely born to be an entertainer, she has been performing since she was able to walk. Born in Los Angeles, Lee is the younger of two children. She made her stage debut in “The Not Your Momma Monologue” and has also appeared in music videos, commercials and a short film.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
STUART ROSS FINK (Screenwriter) is an award-winning creative director who has worked for iconic brands such as AT&T, Citibank, Time Warner Cable, SunTrust, IBM and Microsoft. He and his wife, the author Tamara Draut, live in Brooklyn with their daughter, Harper.
ERIC KORETZ (Director of Photography) is a cinematographer based in Los Angeles. He graduated from the American Film Institute (AFI) with a master’s degree in cinematography and has an undergraduate degree in communications design from Syracuse University. His work on the documentary Dragonslayer won several awards, including Best Documentary Feature at SXSW. Television credits include AMC’s first comedy, “The Trivial Pursuits of Arthur Banks,” starring Adam Goldberg. His recent feature film work includes Sam Esmail’s Comet, starring Emmy Rossum and Justin Long, and Matthew Ross’ Frank & Lola, starring Michael Shannon and Imogen Poots. He also works commercially with such brands as Audi, American Express, AT&T, BMW, American Airlines, Ford, Google, Microsoft, MLB, Sprint/NASCAR, Under Armour and Vans.
RICHARD HOOVER (Production Designer) has designed sets for both theater and film in the course of a long and accomplished career. He’s worked several times with filmmakers Tim Robbins (The Cradle Will Rock, Dead Man Walking and Bob Roberts) and Mark Pellington (The Mothman Prophesies, Henry Poole Is Here). Other production design credits include Brian Helgeland’s Payback and 42, Mike White’s Brad’s Status, Reginald Hudlin’s Marshall, Niki Caro’s McFarland, USA and North Country, James Mangold’s Girl Interrupted, Tim Burton’s Ed Wood and Jodie Markell’s The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond. For the small screen, he served as production designer on Aaron Sorkin’s HBO series “The Newsroom,” Mike White’s HBO series “Enlightened” and Mick Johnson’s award-winning HBO movies “Live from Baghdad” and “Temple Grandin.” Other television credits include “Numb3rs,” “Entourage,” “Twin Peaks,” “Fail Safe,” Heat Wave” and “Family of Spies,” as well as music videos such as Bruce Springsteen’s “Lonesome Day” and George Harrison’s “The Traveling Wilburys.” For the stage, Hoover designed “Body of an American” (Hartford Stage), “Babylon Line” (Lincoln Center), “The 39 Steps” (Guthrie Theater), “Suburbia” (Second Stage), “1984” (The Actor’s Gang), “Hamlet” and “Death of a Salesman” (Guthrie Theater), “After the Fall” (Roundabout Theatre), “A Beautiful Child” (Vineyard Theatre), “Embedded” (Public Theater), “The Thing About Men” (Promenade Theater), “Not About Nightingales” (Circle in the Square: 1999 Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Tony awards), “Bat Boy” (Union Square Theatre: Drama Desk Award nomination), “The Tempest” (McCarter Theatre), “Fifth of July” (Signature Theatre), “Twelfth Night” (Guthrie Theater), “Trojan Women” (Oregon Shakespeare Festival) and “House Arrest” (Public Theater).
JULIA WONG (Editor) is best known for editing such films as X-Men: The Last Stand, Extract and Hercules. Though she is among the few female editors currently working in the action genre, her body of work also spans the worlds of comedy, drama and thrillers, both in feature films and television. In 2006 she received a Golden Satellite Award for editing X-Men: The Last Stand. She has enjoyed long-standing collaborations with filmmakers Brett Ratner and Catherine Hardwicke.
ALIX HESTER (Costume Designer) has built an eclectic career in film, television and theater that includes several collaborations with Wild West Picture Show Productions. She most recently designed the costumes for three seasons of their hit television series “Sullivan & Son” and the upcoming Vince Vaughn/Hailee Steinfeld film Term Life. Hester designed the costumes for Gregg Araki’s groundbreaking Mysterious Skin and his comedy cult classic Smiley Face, as well as the hit dance film Step Up. She also created the costumes for director Tommy O’Haver’s An American Crime, which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Hester began her design career in the theater, working all over Europe with avant-garde theater director Reza Abdoh. For six years, she was the resident costume designer for Tim Robbins’ Los Angelesbased theater company The Actors’ Gang. She also has credits with the Geffen Playhouse, Taper New Works, New York Stage and Film and Lincoln Center Director’s Lab. Hester has won Drama-Logue and Ovation awards for her theater work.
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After starting her film career in the wardrobe department on Tim Robbins’ Dead Man Walking, Hester worked her way up the ranks and became the set costumer on Wedding Crashers, The Terminal, Intolerable Cruelty, Catch Me If You Can, One Hour Photo and American Beauty.
NATHAN MATTHEW DAVID (Composer) is the composer for “Angie Tribeca,” currently airing on TBS. He previously scored both seasons of the USA Network show “Satisfaction.” His recent feature credits include the SXSW indie hit Addicted to Fresno and the acclaimed thriller The House on Pine Street. He also composed additional music for The Intern, starring Robert De Niro. David’s eclectic background began in the classical world at a young age and quickly expanded to indie bands and electronic music. His educational highlights include studying music and psychology at the University of Texas and graduate work at USC’s prestigious program, Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television. David currently resides in Los Angeles and enjoys traveling and learning ethnic stringed instruments. He still holds out hope of becoming the world’s greatest soccer player.
LIZA RICHARDSON (Music Supervisor) has worked on numerous films and TV shows, including the features The Kids Are All Right, Lords of Dogtown, Y Tu Mamá También (which garnered her a Grammy® nomination), Nacho Libre and Surf’s Up, in addition to the series “Friday Night Lights,” “Parenthood” and “Hawaii Five-O.” In 2007 Richardson was asked to be the first DJ to perform for the Academy Awards ceremony. She also has a weekly Saturday evening radio show on KCRW-FM, the eclectic music and NPR news station based in Santa Monica.
HEIDI LEVITT (Casting Director) has cast such successful films as The Artist, JFK, Nixon, Natural Born Killers, Nurse Betty, The Rock, The Joy Luck Club, Smoke, Benny & Joon and Lakeview Terrace. Levitt recently cast and served as associate producer on two films for director Diego Luna: Cesar Chavez and Mr. Pig. The latter film premiered at Sundance 2016 with stars Maya Rudolph and Danny Glover. She cast and was an associate producer on Kim Nguyen’s Two Lovers and a Bear, starring Dane DeHaan and Tatiana Maslany. Levitt filled the same dual roles for Sally Potter on The Party, starring Kristin Scott Thomas, Timothy Spall and Cillian Murphy. A graduate of Barnard College and the AFI Producers Program, Levitt moved into producing in 1997 and was fortunate enough to collaborate with Wayne Wang on The Joy Luck Club. Later, she cast and coproduced Wang’s Chinese Box, a film that captured the moment in history when Hong Kong was returned to Chinese control. After casting Oliver Stone’s Heaven and Earth, she created the series “Exiles on Main Street,” in association with acclaimed documentarian Alex Gibney. In addition to casting films, Levitt is an adjunct faculty member at AFI and also casts commercials for such brands as Hyundai, Intel, AT&T, McDonalds, Verizon and Transamerica. In the theater world she has cast for Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, The Public and Signature Theatres in New York, and regional companies such as ACT in Seattle and La Jolla Rep.
KIRK D’AMICO (Producer) has produced or executive produced a wide range of mainstream or independent feature films. Since 1998 he has been president and chief executive officer of Myriad Pictures, a leading international sales, distribution, production and entertainment financing company. Myriad has a reputation for consistently producing and distributing quality films from both first-time directors and wellestablished professionals. D’Amico executive produced the highly acclaimed financial thriller Margin Call, directed by J.C. Chandor and starring Kevin Spacey, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and earned Chandor an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Myriad also handled worldwide sales on the film. He also served as EP on Gillian Armstrong’s Death Defying Acts, starring Academy Award winner Catherine ZetaJones. Other executive producer titles include Inescapable, starring Marisa Tomei and Joshua Jackson; Citizen Gangster and Good Neighbors, both starring Scott Speedman; Jeepers Creepers II, with Jonathan Breck; Van Wilder: Party Liaison, starring Ryan Reynolds; Imagining Argentina, with Antonio Banderas and Emma Thompson; The Good Girl, starring Jennifer Aniston; Kinsey, with Liam Neeson; The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him & Her, starring Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy; and Barney Thomson, starring Emma Thompson, Ray Winstone and Robert Carlyle. He was a producer on the crime thriller Electric Slide, starring Jim Sturgess and Breaking the Girls, starring Agnes Bruckner and Shawn Ashmore. Upcoming films that D’Amico is executive producing include Fernando Trueba’s The Queen of Spain, starring Academy Award winner Penelope Cruz; political thriller Drone, starring Sean Bean; the dance movie Heartbeats, written and directed by Duane Adler (creator of the Step Up franchise); and The Keys to the Street, starring Gemma Arterton and Tim Roth. D’Amico recently directed his first feature film, the family comedy Holiday Joy, starring Bailee Madison and French Stewart. Expanding on its established business in international distribution, Myriad is releasing films theatrically in the U.S. under the Myriad Pictures Releasing banner. MPR theatrically released Italian horror maestro Dario Argento’s Mother of Tears and Simon Wincer’s The Cup, starring Brendan Gleeson. D’Amico executive produced and released through MPR the thriller Cry of the Owl, based on the book by Patricia Highsmith and starring Julia Stiles.
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Myriad Pictures is affiliated with Vancouver-based distributor Pacific Northwest Pictures (PNP). Myriad frequently handles worldwide sales for films that PNP distributes across Canada. Recent PNP releases include All the Wrong Reasons, starring Cory Monteith, The English Teacher, starring Julianne Moore, the mystery-thriller Night Train to Lisbon, starring Jeremy Irons, the festival breakout Cheap Thrills and Jason Priestley’s directorial debut Cas & Dylan, starring Richard Dreyfuss. Previously, D’Amico was executive vice president of international sales for Village Roadshow Pictures, where he handled international distribution for such films as A Walk on the Moon and Tarzan and the Lost City. At the Samuel Goldwyn Company he handled international sales for such films as The Madness of King George and television series “American Gladiators” and “The New Adventures of Flipper.”
ANNE-MARIE MACKAY (Producer) is distinguished in her ability to discover and promote new talent in the industry. An Emmy and Grammy Award nominee, she is best known as a founding member of several visionary production companies including Propaganda Films, Palomar Pictures and, most recently, Wondros. From these platforms she launched notable directors David Fincher, Michael Bay, Antoine Fuqua, Gore Verbinski, Alex Proyas, Michel Gondry, Sofia Coppola, Mark Romanek and many others. She is also credited with providing both long- and short-form opportunities to various established filmmakers, diversifying the careers of David Lynch, Francis Ford Coppola, John Schlesinger, Ben Stiller, Forest Whitaker, David O. Russell, Michael Apted and Lee Daniels. Mackay’s work on television includes Walter Mosley’s “Always Outnumbered,” William S. Burroughs’ “The Junky’s Christmas” and the Brian Wilson documentary “I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times.”
AARON MAGNANI (Executive Producer) is currently shepherding a diverse array of projects at Aaron Magnani Productions, which produces quality filmed entertainment for worldwide audiences at different levels of development, production and release. Magnani was born and raised in Chicago. After moving to Los Angeles, he went on to work with countless industry professionals and establish the film and television production companies Water Bear Productions and Aaron Magnani Productions, which he now heads.
KEVIN FORESTER (Executive Producer) is Myriad Pictures’ chief financial officer and has been with the company since 2006. He manages all project and corporate finance, strategic planning and general company operations. Forester also oversees all financial functions for the company, contract negotiations and day-to-day operating and accounting practices. His credits as executive producer include “Holiday Joy” and The Queen of Spain.
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DAMIANO TUCCI (Executive Producer) formed Parkside Pictures with producer Dan Roth in 2012. They have financed and produced films with talents including Anna Paquin, Denise Richards, James Belushi, Adrian Grenier, John Krasinski, Ray Liotta, John Ratzenberger and Hilary Duff. After transitioning from child actor to producer as a young teenager, Tucci has produced more than 35 films in a decade. Most recently, Tucci executive-produced Rob Reiner’s 2016 film LBJ, starring Woody Harrelson. He is currently an executive producer on Rob Cohen’s Category Five, starring Maggie Grace, Toby Kebbel and Ryan Kwanten.
PHILLIP B. GOLDFINE (Executive Producer) has produced more than 100 motion pictures and television programs since graduating from the prestigious Peter Stark Motion Picture Producing Program at USC. As a development executive, he orchestrated such motion pictures as The Mask, starring Jim Carrey, and the actor’s first dramatic role, Doing Time on Maple Drive. As a producer Goldfine has produced films for MGM, Universal, Paramount, Sony, Disney and Warner Bros., working with stars such as Wesley Snipes, Jack Black
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