6 minute read
This week’s roundup of who’s casting what starring whom
Demián Bichir
By Allie Volpe
A member of Mexico’s famed Bichir family—both of his parents and his two brothers are actors—Demián Bichir grew up in the theater. He has conquered both screen and stage in Mexico, winning an Ariel Award for best actor in 1995 for his performance in “Hasta Morir.” Bichir found acclaim stateside with 2011’s “A Better Life,” which earned him an Oscar nomination, and on FX’s “The Bridge.” He now stars alongside Robin Wright in her feature directorial debut, “Land,” playing a rugged outdoorsman.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I [used to] take [acting] extremely seriously, to the point that I was suffering every time I was creating a new role, every time I would step into a new character, a new play. You have to enjoy the ride [and] enjoy the process.
What is your worst audition horror story? Growing up in the theater in Mexico, all of the projects would come to me. So I moved to New York, and I got an agent. I took three different courses of English and speech training. I remember the first time I sat in front of this new entity that I had never seen before in my life, a casting director, and I was a wreck. I began reading, and after the first line, she stopped me right away and said, “No, please don’t do that accent.” I froze, because I thought, What accent? This is the way I talk. So I go again, and she stops me again and looks at me with wide eyes and goes, “Let me stop you right there. That’s all I need from you.” That was my first audition.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done to get a role?
I put myself on tape for “Savages” because I wanted to play a different role than Oliver Stone wanted me to play, than the role that I ended up playing, Alex. He said, “No. You’re too handsome to be bad.” And I’m like, “I don’t agree with you. I think I can be very bad.” I said, “Can I send you a scene?” He said, “I don’t have a script yet, but yeah.” I knew the novel, Don Winslow’s “Savages,” and I created my own stuff, and I did it at home. I sent it over, and he said, “That’s a fucking character!” But that [role] was for Benicio Del Toro.
How did you get your SAG membership? Thirty years ago, I did a commercial for Pac Bell. That’s all that I remember.
You come from a family of actors, but growing up, you wanted to play soccer. When was the moment that you
decided you wanted to be an actor? I grew up doing professional theater, ever since I was a kid. At the same time, I was trying to become a professional footballer. I invited [my coach] to an opening night of a play that I was doing. The next time we were training, he called me up and said, “It was beautiful to witness that. And I wanted to ask if you know who [famed Brazilian footballer] Pelé is?” Of course! Everybody knows Pelé. “I just wanted to tell you Pelé didn’t have any other choice in his life. And you’re a great actor.” It was a very kind and subtle way to tell me I was not talented enough to play football. [From] that point on, I embraced what I was doing in the theater way more.
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION MICHAELA COEL
SAG AWARDS® NOMINEE
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES
3 NAACP IMAGE AWARDS® NOMINATIONS
OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES MICHAELA COEL
OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A COMEDY SERIES MICHAELA COEL
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A COMEDY SERIES SAM MILLER, MICHAELA COEL
michaela coel is riveting IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN AWAY FROM
THE NEW YORK TIMES
michaela coel has the kind of SCREEN PRESENCE THAT CAN DISRUPT GRAVITY”
THE ATLANTIC
AN ODE TO THE“ BLACK FEMALE ARTIST
thrillingly bold
DECIDER
“michaela coel is magnetic and memorable A BRILLIANT LEAD PERFORMANCE
NPR
michaela coel’s FEARLESSNESS IS BREATHTAKING”
UPROXX
michaela coel’s discipline and sense of structure are formidable AN EXTRAORDINARY, BREATHTAKING ACHIEVEMENT”
THE GUARDIAN
michaela coel is TRULY CAPTIVATING
THE WASHINGTON POST
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Frances McDormand in “Nomadland”
Awards
‘Borat,’ ‘Nomadland’ Win Big at 2021 Golden Globes
The 78th ceremony recognized the year’s best TV and film—and the fact that it has work to do when it comes to diversity
By Jack Smart
BROADCAST FROM BOTH
New York City and Los Angeles and presented virtually by returning hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, the 78th Golden Globe Awards kicked off Hollywood’s 2021 awards season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s annual ceremony honors the best of both film and television, as chosen by an international group of 87 journalists.
Fey, Poehler, and other presenters (as well as a few winners) addressed the recent controversy surrounding the HFPA’s apparent lack of Black voting members. The organization’s vice president, Helen Hoehne, announced: “Tonight, while we celebrate the work of artists from around the globe, we recognize we have our own work to do. Just like in film and television, Black representation is vital. We must have Black journalists in our organization.” However, she cited no concrete steps or actions that the HFPA is taking to increase diversity.
Emerging as the night’s top film victors were Amazon Studios’ “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” winning for comedy or musical film and for writer-producer Sacha Baron Cohen’s performance in the title role; and Searchlight Pictures’ “Nomadland,” the drama film winner. “Nomadland” writer-director-producer Chloé Zhao also made history as the first woman of color and, after Barbra Streisand in 1984, the second woman ever to win the Globe for film directing. Aaron Sorkin, meanwhile, took home best screenplay for Netflix’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”
Rosamund Pike of Netflix’s “I Care a Lot,” Andra Day of Hulu’s “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” and the late Chadwick Boseman of Netflix’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” were also recognized in leading acting categories, while Daniel Kaluuya of Warner Bros.’ “Judas and the Black Messiah” and Jodie Foster of STXfilms’ “The Mauritanian” took home the evening’s supporting film prizes. A24’s “Minari” and Disney’s “Soul” earned the prizes for best foreign language and animated film, respectively.
Given the timing of this year’s Globes, which fell not long before the Oscar nominations announcement on March 15, these results could shake up the film awards race in an unusually extended season.
The Globes’ TV wins echoed many of those of the 2020 Emmys, with Catherine O’Hara, Mark Ruffalo, and comedy series “Schitt’s Creek” repeating wins. Emma Corrin, Josh O’Connor, and Gillian Anderson all won accolades for Netflix’s “The Crown,” which also earned the Globe for outstanding drama. The series’ fourth season will be in the running at this year’s Emmys. The same goes for Anya Taylor-Joy of Netflix’s limited series winner, “The Queen’s Gambit”; comedy actor winner Jason Sudeikis of Apple TV+’s “Ted Lasso”; and supporting TV winner John Boyega of Amazon Studios’ “Small Axe.”
Norman Lear accepted the third annual Carol Burnett Award in recognition of his enduring TV comedy legacy, and Jane Fonda was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for her contributions to the entertainment industry. For a full list of 2021 Golden Globe winners, head over to goldenglobes.com. And for more coverage of this strange awards season, stay tuned to Backstage!
