Closely Watched

MOVING

2012-01-19T14:36:00.000-08:00

HELLO TO ALL. CLOSELY WATCHED IS MOVING TO TUMBLR. PLEASE CONTINUE TO FOLLOW US AT: http://www.closelyywatched.tumblr.com/ - THANK YOU!

RECOLORED

2012-01-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

Abraham Lincoln

Mark Twain

August Strindberg

Alfred Hitchcock

Albert Einstein

VIEWFINDER: JOHN RAWLINGS

2012-01-18T10:50:00.000-08:00

John Rawlings (1912-1970) helped develop an American photographic style in print media by pairing down the theatrical European aesthetic. In his 30 years working for Conde Nast he shot over 200 covers for Vogue and Glamour.

FILMMAKERS OF THE GOLDEN GLOBE

2012-01-17T09:22:00.000-08:00

"When are you going to give me a job?", Angelina Jolie asked Pedro Almodóvar during an event that gathered all the candidates for Best Foreign Film at Golden Globes 2012.

"Don't worry, you're young", responded the director, visibly surprised by the confrontation.

"But one day you will?", insisted Jolie.

"Yes, definitely. This is a promise in front of the cameras", affirmed Almodovar.

It was with a combination of jealousy and amazement that I watched this exchange happen. Of course, the majority of the afternoon was considerably more serious, but within the first 5 minutes Jolie took the opportunity to do what any actress would; corner a world-class director and ask for a job. But Jolie was not attending the panel discussion, which took place at the Egyptian theater, as an actor. She was representing In the Land of Blood and Honey, her screenwriting and directorial debut. Almodóvar was representing the haunting and ingenious The Skin I Live In. Of course, Jolie and Almodóvar were in incredibly good company, joined by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (Kid With a Bike), Asghar Farhadi's (A Separation), and a group of translators. Language barriers aside, many of the directors had similar assertions to make about their work - commenting on the political nature of their films and the place of film in the politics of their respective countries. Farhadi had some particularly poignant assertions to make about politics, which is a dangerous and delicate matter in his native Iran. When asked how he was able to raise the funds to make A Separation, the most critically acclaimed film of the year and now winner of the 2012 Golden Globe for best foreign film, Farhadi scoffed. He said he would not divulge the secrets that would unveil the politics behind filmmaking and, therefore, make the process seem less pure. He alluded to the fact that there are less-than-glamorous measures taken in order to make art in Iran, but the only important thing for us to do is watch the movie. When asked about the politics of In the Land of Blood and Honey, Jolie was more eager and generous to share her opinions (you can understand why). At the beginning, Jolie was apprehensive being an American filmmaker shooting a film about recent and tumultuous history in Bosnia. This is not a history of grandparents or past generations, this was the Bosnian War of the 1990s and the ever-present threat of sexual abuse to women. Jolie was nervous the crew would not be well-received. Much to her surprise, the Bosnian people embraced her and the film. Jolie sees the film as an educational movie, intended to bring awareness and information to the rest of the world. She sees the relationship between her two principal characters, Danijel and Ajla a metaphor for what was happening in the country as a whole. Farhadi responded to Jolie's claims, stating that no story he could ever tell would accurately represent an entire country of people.

Of course, Jolie and Farhadi had the two most politically charged films when compared with Almodovar and the Dardenne brothers. The Dardenne brothers had some insightful comments about the rehearsal process for a film, which they approach like theater. Many of the directors present use a repertoire of actors, like a company instead of one-time gigs. Before the shoot, they do 40 days of full, physical rehearsals. They also prefer to work with untrained or discovered actors. Almodóvar discussed his signature style and how it is achieved. He puts his signature on every decision made in front of the camera, maintaining control over every aspect of the frame. He charmingly stated; "I am a frustrated artist, I am a frustrated set designer, I am a frustrated costume designer, I am a frustrated hairstylist, I am a frustrated musician..." and the list went on. Although the comment got a laugh it shows the involvement and importance Almodóvar places on even the smallest details in frame.

Another theme introduced was the question of realism vs. represented reality. Almodóvar, for example, chooses to show a heightened or idealized reality. This, he stated, comes from the mindset of a boy growing up in Franco's Spain. Unable to go to film school because of Franco's government, Almodóvar went to see American and Italian films to escape his reality. He taught himself everything he knows on a Super 8 camera. Film, he stated, is a means of escaping reality. "For example, Penelope in Volver. I'll tell you a secret. The jacket she wears is Dolce and Gabbana. She is a housekeeper, she would not be able to afford it, but it doesn't matter. It is high end but it looks like a tablecloth." Farhadi and the Dardenne brothers had contrasting arguments. Jean-Pierre Dardenne stated, "a film can never be realism because it is always a representation," but the brothers do try to achieve as heightened a sense of realism possible. Same was true of Jolie, who tried not to dress sets or use intricate lighting, but instead film the country exactly as she found it.

The event was an inspiring discussion from some of the most talented filmmakers alive. I felt lucky to witness the discussion and look forward to watching their next steps.

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2012-01-16T09:40:00.000-08:00

Anita Ekberg

Mia Farrow by Diane Arbus

Claudia Cardinale

Elke Sommer

Sophia & Friend

No complaints about the weekend. Although it was overcast for the most part (nothing to write home about considering the freezing temps on the east coast), my personal forcast was far more promising. I met with the production team of a new short film I'm shooting, saw a wonderful panel discussion with the directors nominated for best foreign film at the Golden Globes (more to come on this), screened my commercials to good reviews from friends and family, and attended a viewing party for the Golden Globes. This week I'm determined to make time to see friends - it's funny how quickly time passes with busy schedules and pretty soon it's been a good month since you've seen someone. Hopefully I'll remedy that in the coming days. Welcome to the working week!

photos via: hoodoo

HAPPY WEEKEND

2012-01-13T09:49:00.000-08:00

"A dreamer is one who can find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world"
-Oscar Wilde

I woke up this morning and had absolutely no idea what day it was. It can't be Friday already! But it is. The week flew by. This was in part due to the out-of-my-routine things that happened; I shot a short film (we finished last night with a go-go dancing scene), I worked for an elementary school writing recommendation letters (which I submitted early this morning), and I still had to figure out how to manage work. This weekend I'm supposed to do a studio shoot with a photographer friend and I have another meeting regarding a potential short film on Sunday. However, I may cancel my plans on Saturday and just have a day off. When I lose track of time, I've been known to miss appointments and....sometimes they are important not to miss. So I'll try to get my footing and, in the meantime, catch some sun, see people I love, and look forward to all the imminent changes in my life. Happy weekend!

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST

2012-01-12T09:50:00.000-08:00

Serge Gainsbourg, singer, songwriter, actor, director.

Audrey Hepburn, actor, humanitarian.

Francoise Hardy, singer, actor, astrologer.

Laren Bacall, actor.

Jim Henson, puppeteer.

Photos via: the impossible cool, anney hall

QUICKER KITTY STAB STAB

2012-01-11T19:45:00.000-08:00

Here's a screen shot from the short film I've been working on. Today was day #2 of ass-kicking femme fatale action. I can't wait to see the final cut!

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2012-01-09T09:41:00.000-08:00

The weekend resulted in something surprisingly optimistic. In addition to booking a film, I met with a new team of people who - with me - want to write and shoot a short. The goal we've discussed is April, which gives us plenty of time for pre-production, but being asked to start something from the ground floor is both flattering and exciting! Additionally, some nanny work turned up (I watched 4 kids under 5 - and learned never to have 4 kids in 5 years) and a family friend called me to write recommendation letters for her elementary school students applying to middle schools. The reason this was so optimisitc is not because I want to be babysitting or writing recommendation letters, but it shows the prospect of freelance work coupled with other, more interesting projects. Hopefully the rest of the year will follow in this pattern - at least until the more interesting work pays. Today it's back to the grindstone, but I'll be shooting a short film and looking forward to a second meeting with the director and producer of the start-up short this weekend. Welcome to the working week!

HAPPY WEEKEND

2012-01-06T09:31:00.000-08:00

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams"
-E. Roosevelt

TGIF for real. Coming back to work after a lovely vacation dealt a heavy handed dose of reality. I must remember that I only have two weeks left at this job and then I take the plung into self-employment. And however nervous that makes me, I will be happy and excited to devote 100% of myself to my personal goals. At the end of the day, I have been lucky for the stability of my position during my post-grad transition and am equally fortunate to have the freedom to quit. This week I've been taking interviews to replace myself and will continue to do so throughout next week. I have a few auditions scheduled for the weekend, but am currently focusing on tying up loose ends and anticipating my next chapter. Of course, it will be nice to have some down-time, take a walk in the (uncharacterically summery) sun, and see some friends for the first time in 2012. Happy weekend!

LIGHT AND SHADOW

2012-01-05T09:15:00.000-08:00

Photo by: Karl Van Straaten c1965

Jane Greer

Photo by: Melvin Sokolsky for Harpers Bazaar, April 1964

Photo by: Andre De Dienes

Vikki Dougan

Figment of Your Imagination

"Rare View" by Heinrich Heidersberger, 1948

"Nude" by Andre De Dienes, 1951

REVIEWED: FUERZA BRUTA

2012-01-04T09:41:00.000-08:00

On the eve of New Years Eve my boyfriend gave me the somewhat ambiguous news that we'd be going to see a show, but that I was advised not to dress up or wear anything I didn't mind getting ruined. None of my questions 'why' were answered. Upon entrance to the theater, we were lead into a large room, not dissimilar to a black-box theater, but without any seats. Instead, a crowd of people gathered, filling up the space and moving to the sounds of spinning house music (a combination of synthesized west-African drumming and Latin samba rhythms). A monotone voice came over the loud speakers advising the crowd to follow crew instruction and move easily throughout the space, among other, more standard instructions. The most central crowd began to move outward, making space for what appeared to be a large peninsula coming out of the wall. A strong white light poured out through an opened door, out of which a man (also in head-to-toe white) followed. The peninsula, which turned out to be something like a treadmill on steroids, moved to the center of the room and would become the centerpiece for the action throughout the show.

Fuerza Bruta is filled with surprises like these: women running at a 45 degree angle against iridescent fabric, dance numbers that happen on moving set pieces, running through walls of cardboard and confetti, audience participation, and finally; overhead synchronized swimming.

The result is a combination between postmodern movement show, performance art, and rave. The surprises are refreshingly new and convey a sense of wonder I haven't experienced in a performance for some time. The show, described as a "360 degree experience," originated in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2005 and made its permanent home in New York City in 2007. That the show asks the audience to constantly change perspective and position, in addition to the fact that the audience may - at any time - participate in the action itself, keeps the energy as kinetic in the audience, as in the performers. The entire space is used as the stage; sets appear almost out of thin air, walls are used as playgrounds, and the roof descends a pool of water into which women dive face first and slide quickly, making shapes with their own and each others' bodies.

Not usually do I assert that a show ended too soon, but in this case...I did. After the "performance" ends, the music continues as water and mist are dumped on the audience. Fuerza Bruta is a fun and engaging show that will challenge your conceptions of postmodern theater by convincing you that you are simply at a dance party.

GET PERSONAL: CLAUDE RAINS

2012-01-03T12:24:00.000-08:00

Claude Rains is the gravel-voiced film and stage actor who’s raised-eyebrow stare would incinerate even the most formidable adversary. He was born November 10, 1889 in Camerwell, London. Rains was born into an acting family – both his parents were regular faces on the London stage. He made his first stage debut at the age of 11 in “Nell of Old Drury.”

Despite his early successes on stage, Rains fought a crippling speech impediment and lost many roles due to his thick cockney accent. However, his talents caught the attention of Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, founder of the iconic Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. Tree enrolled Rains in elocution classes to modify his speech and, shortly after, hired Rains as a professor at the school.

During the First World War, Rains was drafted and served in the British army. A surprise gas raid left him partially blind until his death, but despite the handicap he rose the ranks and left the army a Private Captain. Upon his return to England, Rains decided to start a career in film. He moved to the United States in the early 1930s to the dismay of his RADA colleagues.

Rains started his film career unusually late, but was immediately recognized, ironically, for his voice. Universal Studios tried to peg his as a horror actor, due to the honey-and-gravel tone of his voice. His film debut was in The Invisible Man (1933). He became a citizen of the United States in 1939.

Rains fought his typecast and succeeded, having a successful career in film in a diverse breadth of roles. Although he was most commonly cast the villain and stood a mere 5’6’’ tall, his amicable demeanor and undeniable talent made him a favorite to work with. In 1939 he received his first Academy Award nomination for his role in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Rains was the first actor to receive a million dollar salary. He did so for his role as Julius Caesar in the film Caesar and Cleopatra. He won a second Academy Award nomination for Alfred Hitchcock’s Notorious (1954).

Rains was married a total of 6 times; to Isabel Jeans (1913-1915), Marie Hemmingway (1920), Beatrix Thomson (1924-1935), Frances Proper – with whom he had his only daughter, Jessica – (1935-1956), Agi Jambor (1959-1960), and Rosemary Clark Schrode (1960-her death in 1964). Rains resided on a large rural property in Pennsylvania and died of an abdominal hemorrhage in New Hampshire, May 30^th, 1967.

Although less recognizable than some of his contemporaries, Rains will remain one of the most accomplished and successful actors of the 20^th century.

WELCOME TO THE NEW YEAR!

2012-01-02T15:56:00.000-08:00

I usually start the new year by reflecting on the last and making wishes for the months in front of me. Here are some of my favorite things in 2011:

Favorite...

...book: The History of Love, written by Nicole Krauss.

...movie: The Skin I Live In, dir. Pedro Almodovar.

...exhibit: De Kooning retrospective, Museum of Modern Art, Manhattan, New York.

...concert: The Raconteurs, live at Voodoo Fest.

...photoshoot: Mark Veltman, Brooklyn, New York.

...trip: New Orleans with my favorite ladies.

...performance I saw: The Merchant of Venice, Broad Stage, Santa Monica.

...movement show: Fuerza Bruta, New York, New York.

...job: working with the Bilingual Actors Repertory Theater Company.

...new addition: mi amor.

It's incredible how much can change in a year. This new January is full of expectation. There are so many exciting things to look forward to in the coming year. I'm ready to celebrate the changes and tackle the challenges. In my opinion, resolutions are not only for January 1st - they should be reviewed, modified, and added to year-round, but it's always a good idea to start the year with some specific goals. This year I hope for heath and happiness - and the ability to make a living doing what I love. Welcome to the new year!!

BIRTHDAY SUIT

2011-12-28T12:56:00.000-08:00

Photo by Irving Penn.

Marilyn Monroe.

Photo by Edward Weston.

Marilyn, again.

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-12-28T12:46:00.000-08:00

Please excuse the long weekend - anyone who celebrates knows what must take precedence during those few holidays of hysteria. I hope your Christmas/Hannukah/solstice was happy and warm. I'm now content to be in New York (presently I am in New Jersey at the Telemundo studios) seeing people I love. The week will be lazy, as an end-of-year vacation should be, and the weekend will be full of nye madness, I'm sure. I did receive some good news from LA - I booked another play that starts rehearsals early next year. One of the things I look forward to most about new years eve is making "dream boards" - a tradition my father started after his best friend passed away. This year I've got plenty to put on my board and I'm looking forward to seeing resolutions to their completion...ideally. Welcome to the working week!

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST

2011-12-22T08:49:00.000-08:00

Aretha Franklin, singer.

Jean-Luc Godard, film director.

Andy Warhol, visual pop artist, filmmaker.

Alain Delon, actor.

Humphrey Bogart, Actor.

Frank Sinatra, singer.

Chet Baker, musician.

Richard Avedon, photographer.

Salvador Dali, visual artist, set designer, filmmaker.

Brigitte Bardot, actress.

Georges Braque, painter, sculptor.

WINTER IS FOR LOVERS

2011-12-21T09:08:00.000-08:00

Spencer Tracey & Katherine Hepburn

These days aren't only for lighting the menorah, decorating the tree, and getting drunk on eggnog - they are for sharing with the people you love most; friends, family, and that special someone.

Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin.

Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, and Gene Kelly.

Yves Saint Laurent and Carl Lagerfeld.

Akira Kurosawa, Francis Ford Coppola, and George Lucas.

Montgomery Clift and Marlon Brando.

Catherine Deneuve and Marcelo Mastroianni.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

Liza Minnelli and Judi Garland.

HOLIDAY (PART 1)

2011-12-20T10:00:00.000-08:00

With Christmas Eve quickly approaching, I find myself hugely unprepared and inundated with holiday parties, the first of which happened last night:

Warmness and festivity are easily achieved by a wood-burning fireplace, lots of votives, and a tree.

Outside wasn't the typical winter wonderland, but a tropical Christmas is just as romantic, if you ask me.

My father manning the bar.

Endless cooking.

With holiday parties on the calendar, the next question inevitably becomes; what to wear? Here's how some favorites did it:

Rita Hayworth in ruffles.

Patrice Wymore: turtleneck sweater and sled.

Anita Ekberg: sexy santa bodysuit.

...and of course there's always the LBD (worn by Sophia Loren)

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-12-19T09:28:00.000-08:00

Although I had to work Sunday as a site rep for another commercial shoot, I allowed myself Saturday to rest. I slept in, delivered a Christmas present, met a friend for coffee, and then saw Los Angeles Ballet's "The Nutcracker." The show was its usual holiday romp, but with the gayest Droselmeyer I've ever seen (which was hilarious). It's amazing that after all these years, I still remember the choreography. That show is - for better or for worse - forever embedded in my brain. And for the first time since I stopped dancing ballet, it made me want to take class again. Go figure. The 7:30am call-time on Sunday morning was brutal, but the shoot finished early and now I'll have some extra play money for New York! As for this week: holidays, holidays, holidays. Holiday parties, holiday dinners, friends coming home for holidays, and...finally...my own holiday trip to the city. In an effort to avoid the usual holiday treats and therefore be prepared for pilot season, I've decided to embark on a "master cleanse" - we will see if the rumors are true and the benefits outweigh the restrictions. Welcome to the working week!

HAPPY WEEKEND

2011-12-16T08:52:00.000-08:00

gorgeous Sohpia via Hoodoo

"If we chose, we can live in a world of comforting illusion"
-Noam Chomsky

Some weeks are for celebrating, others are for learning lessons. I'm afraid this one was the latter. But I'm not getting myself down about it. Sometimes all it takes is one mistake to cure you of repeating it ever again. This weekend I have a few auditions Saturday morning, seeing Los Angeles Ballet perform The Nutcracker (it wouldn't be a holiday season without that nauseating romp), and filming all day Sunday. I can't wrap my head around the fact that next weekend is Christmas, where did the year go? I mean, really. Happy weekend!

P.S. THANK YOU FOR 45,000 VIEWS!

REVIEW: THE DESCENDANTS

2011-12-15T15:25:00.000-08:00

Every year at awards season, there is a film that rises from the blockbuster big-budget rubble to steal everyone's heart. In 2006, it was Little Miss Sunshine. In 2008, it was Slumdog Millionaire, and in 2009, it was The Hurt Locker. This "underdog" film (a deceiving title, may I add) becomes the darling of the season; people root for it, they believe in it, and yet - people still don't go out and see it? It is a curious phenomenon. This year, Alexander Payne's The Descendants tries to steal that title, and, well...it doesn't quite succeed.

Alexander Payne is a talented storyteller who always manages to get the most from his actors, but - I confess - he is not one of my favorite directors. His über-natural, slice-of-life style is not my cup of tea. So, when The Descendents set me up for a story about death, infidelity, and family relationships, I was somewhat disappointed to see something more akin to a home video. The story follows Matt King, who struggles with the repricussions of an accident leaving his wife in a coma. The self-professed "back-up parent" takes full care of his two daughters, Scottie King (Amara Miller) and Alexandra King (Shailene Woodley), but things change for the worse when the family discovers that their mother will not recover from her coma and that she was, prior to the accident, having an affair.

Although Matt King claims to be the 'secondary' parent and Alexandra fulfills the 'troubled child' role, neither of these problems are given any real weight. King never struggles with parenting more than seeking advice from his daughter. Only one scene shows Alexandra intoxicated and there is no subsequent slip-up or even discussion of her prior drug abuse. Maybe these family issues aren't given their proper attention because the plot is splintered between their inter-personal relationships, King's imminent decision to sell a chunk of natural Hawaiian land, and King's attempt to discover the details of his wife's affair.

The story moves at an appropriate speed for it's location; Hawaii. There is very little urgency and, at times, scenes run long enough to make you aware of pacing. The light-hearted, traditional hawaiian music sets a contradictory (and therefore comical) tone to the action in the film.

A ray of light throughout the film is the character of Sid (Nick Krause) - the somewhat ambiguous role of Alexandra's friend who tags along with the family. Krause handles the surfer-guy role with ease and power. In a particularly moving scene where King reaches out to the brainless teenager, Sid reveals things about himself honestly, but still through a veil of coolness that keeps him believable. In fact, all the actors do a breathtaking job handling the intelligent dialogue with a breezy naturalism that makes the audience feel even more voyeuristic.

The most tender moments happen when various family members discover that their mother, daughter, wife, friend will not survive the come and is, in fact, going to die. Amara Miller plays her discovery with a remarkable intelligence for such a young actress.

It is possible that the film doesn't leave an impact because there is simply too much plot. Had it been a film about uncovering an affair, or a film about a family losing their mother - one or the other, not both at the same time - it would have been much more memorable and, I believe, more moving film. Additionally, Payne's decision to place the focus dead center in most of his shots becomes boring. Still, the acting is great and I would expect recognition in February.

ORSON'S OSCAR

2011-12-15T09:16:00.000-08:00

Good news to those film buffs who have $600,000 - $1M lying around! Orson Welles' 1942 Oscar for Best Screenplay, Citizen Kane, is coming to an auction house near you (Nate D. Sanders in Los Angeles, to be exact).

Citizen Kane, often regarded as the 'best film ever made' (a ridiculous title to hand out, if you ask me), was Welles' first feature film. In addition to writing the screenplay, he directed, and starred in the film. Although in 1942 it was nominated in nine different categories, Welles only went home with one golden trophy.

The trophy comes not only with its film-historical significance, but also with a pretty good story. In his lifetime, Orson Welles lost the Oscar and never recovered it. Only posthumously did it resurface in the hands of Welles' cinematographer, who claimed having received it as a form of payment and was presently putting it up for auction. Welles' daughter, Beatrice, quickly sued the cinematographer, claiming right to ownership of her father's trophy. Beatrice successfully won the statue, but when she herself tried to put it up for auction, she was sued by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Although the Academy lost the suit, they implemented a regulation that all Oscars awarded after 1950 could not be auctioned or sold to anyone other than the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, for more than $1. Beatrice continued with the auctioning of the Oscar and sold it to a non profit organization.

Welles' Oscar continued to be tossed from hand-to-hand and on December 20th, yet another pass will be made. With the market for Hollywood memorabilia in high demand (the film industry is contra-cyclical to the economy, made the sales of its memorabilia are too?), the owner (choosing to remain nameless) expects a price tag of $600,000 to $1M. In June, Marilyn Monroe's white dress from The Seven Year Itch was sold for $4.6M and earlier this year, Michael Jackson's famed Thriller jacket sold for $1.8M. With these numbers as guides, I imagine the statue will garner well beyond the expectations, especially with potential buyers flying in from China, Japan, and the Middle East.

Although it is now tarnished with age, the statue is a valuable piece of Hollywood history and I'll be curious to learn who its next owner will be.

REVIEW: CRAZY WISDOM

2011-12-14T09:27:00.000-08:00

Most people recognize Buddhism - at varying degrees - a part of American culture. Whether it is Buddhist symbolism, or Buddhist practices, eastern traditions and religions have successfully permeated the west. This integration is due in big part to the work of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, whose life and times are the subject of the 2011 documentary film, Crazy Wisdom. The film, directed by Johanna Demetrakas, follows Rinpoche from his birth in Chinese-occupied Tibet. At only 18 months old, Chogyam was recognized as a holy child, so when the Communist army attempted to destroy and bury the symbolism and practice of Buddhism, it was Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche who lead a group of 300 to freedom. The road to freedom was not easy. The 300 spiritual saviors traveled by foot through the mountains of Tibet at high altitudes and below freezing temperatures until they finally reached the border of India. But not all survived. Many had to eat their own shoes for nourishment. Many starved, froze, or simply disappeared. By the time the group reached India, only 13 remained.

From an early age, Rinpoche had desired to travel west and impart the teachings of Tibet. Not only would this perpetuate Tibetan tradition and faith, it would educate an entirely new group of people. Once in America, Rinpoche settled in Vermont, where he established a school. But his long-term home would be in Colorado, where he established the only Buddhist university in the United States, Naropa Institute. Rinpoche developed a cult following - diehard students who came to live with him, study with him, almost worship him. Interviews with aged former students freckle the film, who speak with fragile emotion, bursting into tears at any given moment.

But Rinpoche's teachings were unorthodox and highly criticized. Although the film only touches on his opposers, focusing on those people entirely dedicated to him, he was a man of seeming hypocrisy. He was married, but took on many lovers (most of whom where his students). He denounced the use of drugs, but was a serious alcoholic. He rejected the principles of the "hippie" movement and rock and roll, yet he dressed, spoke, and surrounded himself with hippies. He preached individualism and non conformism, but he cut his hair and wore suits when important figures visited his home. At his home, he had a wait staff in uniform, had a formal dinner every night, and listened to classical music. He even gave his students military training, contradicting on of the most basic Buddhist traditions of non-violence. Even by the end of the film, there is little sense of who Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche really was, asking the audience to formulate personal opinions long after the theater emptied.

It is an interesting subject-matter that had huge implications during the 60s and 70s. The hippie counter-culture in opposition to Vietnam identified with many Buddhist principles, adopting them, preaching them, and (for the few in the film) zealously living by them. But the film itself relies heavily on expositional text and written quotations instead of the visualization of those teachings. The result is less emotional - in a visual form such as film, the impact comes from images, not text, unless it is absolutely necessary. The clips from Rinpoche's lectures aren't extremely moving. Sometimes they are funny, but the most moving words are written across the screen, instead of heard from the man's mouth. "Crazy" seems a highly appropriate word for the life of Rinpoche and even for some of his followers, but maybe I am too far removed from the lifestyle to make that judgement. In any case, it is an interesting subject to examine and a very educational film, if not a technically engaging documentary. Now Playing.

BIGMOUTH

2011-12-13T09:10:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it's good to give a little lip.

Liv Tyler

Scarlett Johansson

Unknown

Marilyn Monroe

Mary-kate Olsen

Unknown

Angelina Jolie

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-12-12T11:01:00.000-08:00

View from this weekend's location in Malibu.

Sunset.

Thursday's shoot at our office - the photographer fell in the pond, cones proved necessary.

Art department heroically transformed our firm into a Medical office.

Location from last weekend's shoot in the Hollywood hills.

It has been a busy few weeks, but the momentum has definitely picked up as of late. The weekend was a whirlwind. Thursday's shoot at our architectural firm was the first of many long days of shooting, starting with a 7am call time. Friday I drove out to Malibu to shoot the first of a series of Skincare commercials to launch a new brand. It was an awesome group of people with lots of energy, talent, and humor, at a beautiful location. Even though shooting requires patience and long waiting time, hanging out at a beach house with a good group of people is nothing to complain about. I learned a lot and was challenged by the very technical dialogue; trying to make dematological terms seem as natural as saying 'hello'. And with the writer in the room, there's absolutely no chance to take liberties with the text. We wrapped the shoot close to 2:00am this morning, so my 8:00am wake-up call was not a welcome surprise. But routine resumes with the work week, of which I have few left - and for that I am hugely thankful. This week I'm having guests over to my apartment, dragging myself out in the rain to auditions, trying to find time for Christmas preparation/shopping, and eagerly awaiting my holiday trip to New York. Welcome to the working week!

HAPPY WEEKEND

2011-12-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

"the colors of shadows, the difference in tint between the shadow of an orange and that of a plum, or of an avocado pear..."
-Nabokov

I'm always surprised how quickly the weeks (and weekends) fill up with things to do. This week I repped a commercial shoot at my office and managed to slip away from work for a couple auditions. After a frustrating call back from my callback saying "it's between you and another girl" - I ended up booking a skincare commercial shooting today in Malibu! Saturday I play the role of nanny to my favorite toddler (saving up for job-quitting season) and Sunday I'm filming a short film in Orange County. No rest for the weary, but it feels wonderful. Welcome to your weekend!

TRANSCENDENTALISM

2011-12-08T10:51:00.000-08:00

David Lynch & Russell Brand

My parents recently attended an event honoring the David Lynch Foundation at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, supporting conscious-based education and transcendental meditation. Although my father is a self-professed Zen Buddhist, the idea of transcendental meditation is - even for him - a head-scratcher. But there's got to be something to it if it attracts the likes of Ellen Degeneres, Russel Brand, Russell Simmons, Laura Dern. Djimon Hounsou, Edward Zwick, among others. So...I've decided to take on the challenge. Suggested reading from the David Lynch group is a book by Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal called, Transcendence: Healing and Transformation through Transcendental Meditation. What distinguishes transcendental meditation from regular meditation? Not a clue. It's a little 'sandals and candles' if you ask me, but any method of healing that has survived centuries of technology and is still considered effective must have some real power. What do you think?

Katy Perry & Russell Brand

Kimora Lee Simmons and Djimon Hounsou

David Lynch and Russell Simmons

HOME VIDEO - 1965

2011-12-07T11:06:00.000-08:00

In light of the controversy surrounding the re-opening of Natalie Wood's death/murder trial, check out this home video starring Gypsy herself, Paul Newman, Jane Fonda, and Samantha Eggar - in the ocean, no less.

DALIGHTFUL

2011-12-07T11:03:00.000-08:00

Dali & make-shift desk.

Dali drawing.

Dali & Chanel.

Dali jumping rope.

Dali & Gloria Vanderbilt.

Ed Sullivan & Dali.

Dali Editorial.

Dali may have been a master of surrealism, but it appears that wasn't the only art he mastered. In addition to being a notorious playboy/ladies man, Dali bridged the divide between high art and popular culture.

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-12-05T09:19:00.000-08:00

Oh, Monday morning. Plans for the weekend changed abruptly when I agreed to be in a short film on Saturday afternoon/night. The entire film was improvised, which made everything more fun. Our call time was 5:30pm at a gorgeous modern house in the hollywood hills, which we did not leave until well after 4:00am the next morning. It didn't help that LA weather dipped into the low 40s (with windchill) and we were standing in cocktail dresses and 5'' heels, but it was a terrific experience and I look forward to the next opportunity. I had the chance to meet some lovely people doing similar things as I am. Bouncing off ideas and methods is always beneficial, especially because most of my friends are in other industries or other cities. December crept up fast and is flying by. The holiday parties are already beginning! Welcome to the working week.

HAPPY WEEKEND

2011-12-02T09:58:00.000-08:00

(photo from a shoot I did with Mark Veltman)

"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder."
-Thoreau

Life as usual has been restored after the first holiday weekend. I was offered a role in a short noir which I had to turn down because of work. This is the third project that hasn't gone through for this reason. So, I made the decision and put in notice. I guess you have to quit your day job in order to quit your day job - if you know what I mean. I won't lie and say it's not risky, but I'm excited for the opportunities it will afford. I have a couple months to get my life in order and a New York new years to look forward to. This weekend I have a couple auditions, including a callback for an interesting short film. I'm sitting for a portrait (which I am very excited for) and spending time with people I love. As always, I am most grateful for this. Happy weekend!

p.s. Closely Watched now has well over 40,000 views! Thank you all for stopping by.

REVIEW: THE SCHOOL BOY AND HIS MYTH

2011-11-29T11:35:00.000-08:00

My Week With Marilyn
Directed by Simon Curtis
Written by Adrian Hodges

The world knows Marilyn Monroe for her legend: the voluptuous blonde bombshell that had Hollywood at ‘hello’. She is one of few people who have reached this mythic level – heightened also because she was taken from her public at the peak of her fame, suspended in the airs of eternal youth.

When Michelle Williams was cast as Marilyn Monroe in the slice-of-life, sentimental romance My Week with Marilyn, I imagine she was first flattered, then terrified. Taking on one of the most – if not the single most recognizable icons in Hollywood history is a risky move, to be sure. Fortunately or unfortunately for Williams, it was a career-making role in an otherwise forgettable film.

Williams is a believable Marilyn and a gifted actress, if not a classic beauty. She brings mystifying childlikeness and the frailty of a porcelain doll to the power-house sex symbol, but there is no denying she is a confusing choice (one of many head-scratchers in the casting department). Her body, padded into an hourglass shape, is hugely out of proportion and, aside from her dewy white skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair, there is little likeness to Marilyn at all. Sure, it may be an impossible challenge for a casting director, but perhaps a better choice might have been a new face – an undiscovered talent whose freshness and novelty might have added a sense of wonder and curiosity. But in these economic times: no star, no budget, no movie.

To say the film is about Marilyn Monroe is slightly misleading. Though Marilyn hovers over the film like an angel or a myth, and is undeniably part of the plotline, the film is predominantly about the youthful fantasy-come-true of the fresh and freckled Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne). Clark, who runs away from a distinguished family to “join the circus” of the film industry, joining the crew of Laurence Olivier’s latest film The Prince and the Showgirl, is played with easy likability. He is uncomplicated, full of youthful energy, charming determination, and heavy innocence. But for all his sweetness, Colin lacks the emotional complexity required to make him relatable. The simplification of his youth is appealing at times, asking the audience to oo and ahh over him without finding any true empathy. When Marilyn does take interest in the boy (it is difficult to believe he is all of 23 years old), it seems highly unlikely, which may be part of the appeal.

Colin’s relationship with Marilyn helps to make him indispensable on set. Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh), another victim of poor casting, uses Clark as a tool to help the self-indulgent Marilyn make it to work on time, or at all. Olivier, commander in chief of the film production, as well as Marilyn’s on-screen love interest, is done justice by Branagh inasmuch as he physically and verbally recalls the him, but Branagh’s general roundness has nothing to do with Olivier’s still-chiseled features, which made him one of the most handsome men to have lived. Still, Branagh’s performance is a source of power in the film and, despite it being an occasionally chauvinistic power, the film begs for it.

As Marilyn’s faulty new marriage to playwright Arthur Miller dissolves, her connection to Colin Clark deepens. They begin their off-set romance, consisting of simple, innocent outings, and pleasant conversations. The scenes of Marilyn without make-up, barefoot, or naked in the bathtub, do very little to humanize the mega-star. Although Williams gives her an impressive vulnerability, she is always seen behind the veil of her façade, even if it is transparent. Low angle shots of men watching Marilyn on camera help to solidify her as un-human, or perpetuate her as a myth. The result is a charming, simple film about the realization of a school-boy crush.

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK (HIGHLIGHTS OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND)

2011-11-28T11:05:00.000-08:00

Violet roses at the farmers market

Orange and Grapefruit samples

California winter days - view from outside my apartment building.

View from inside my apartment lobby - distinctly more festive.

James Turrell exhibit at the Kanye Griffin Corcoran Gallery, Santa Monica

Goodbye kiss.

Thanksgiving. The official initiation of the holiday season. The usual suspects are already at their tricks, scarves and winter coats are omnicient (despite being unnessesary), and the air smells of nutmeg. And although everyone isn't warm and cozy, the holidays are often a time to put your ego aside and assume your position in the family. My weekend consisted of cooking, seeing pleasantly surprising films, enjoying the schizophrenic weather, spending time with old friends, future planning, and a tearful goodbye. Welcome to the working week.

GRATITUDE

2011-11-23T11:07:00.000-08:00

Last night I hosted a mini/pre Thanksgiving at my house, which, although lovely, was not so mini. I have enough turkey and potatoes to last me through the year. The thought of starting over tomorrow makes my stomach turn, but two Thanksgivings give me twice the excuse to think on what I'm thankful for. The list is long this year. Much appreciation to you for reading, as well.

WHAT IT TAKES TO TANGO

2011-11-22T09:17:00.000-08:00

Eartha Kitt and James Dean

David Bowie and Elizabeth Taylor

Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin

Yves Saint Laurent and Carl Lagerfeld

Carol Burnett and Lucille Ball

Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson

Bob Dylan and Andy Warhol

Aretha Franklin and Sam Cooke

photos via: awesome people

REVIEW: J.EDGAR

2011-11-21T10:54:00.000-08:00

J. Edgar
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Written by Dustin Lance Black
Produced by Mr. Eastwood, Brian Grazer and Robert Lorenz
Released by Warner Brothers Pictures.
Running time: 2 hours 17 minutes.

Clint Eastwood’s latest biopic chronicling the life of the 20^th century FBI front-man, J. Edgar Hoover, is a sympathetic account of the man behind his public persona. Hoover, played by a seriously stern Leonardo Dicaprio, is gifted humanity by Eastwood not exclusively, but predominantly through his relationship to Clyde Tolson (Armie Hammer). Eastwood directs the film with a slow and steady hand, paying respect to the half-century Hoover devoted to the zealous protection of his country. And although the film runs long at 2 hours and 17 minutes, it is not quite long enough to condense history in a way that makes clear sense. Of course, pre-existing knowledge of America history helps, but nonetheless; the swift, seamless jumps between various decades are blurry at best. The film travels back and fourth in time so frequently that, at times, it is difficult to grab hold of the frame and anchor you in the story.

Still, Eastwood’s treatment of the subject-matter is elegant and without judgment – questioning Hoover’s morality without reprimanding it, empathizing with a man’s passion instead of criticizing it.

The film is saved by moments of undeniable and surprising tenderness. This relief is provided by the stoic, gentle-but-stern advice of Hoover’s mother (Judi Dench) and his fragile, cloudy relationship with Clyde. From a mother and son waltz in a hotel room, a bloody kiss in Del Mar, to Hoover’s cross-dressing after his mother’s death – these little moments give Hoover his humanity – a humanity that is totally crushed under his larger-than-life public persona.

Hoover was undoubtedly a difficult character. He established some of the most important modes of criminal investigation in history, but not without flaw. He was hard-headed, narcissistic, hot-blooded, and often hypocritical, engaging in plenty of overlooked illegal behavior. The film treads these lines carefully, paying homage to both aspects of the man without dipping into liberal or conservative pools. It remains neutral. The neutrality is delicate, but also frustrating. Nothing is hammered home. No point is driven clearly forward through the plotline. The audience is not told anything, just forced to think.

Dicaprio gives Hoover his deserved severity and strength, at times touching at vulnerability, but the performance to recognize is not from the mega-star, but his supporting actor. Armie Hammer steals the show with a natural, tender, and true performance. His stature and his voice immediately draw attention, but he handles the controversial aspects of Clyde with elegance and subtlety. He ages seamlessly and so convincingly, we forget it is even the same actor. He has a full-bodied awareness of age. Hammer’s performance is seemingly without effort and wonderful to watch. Naomi Watts lends her talents to Hoover’s backbone secretary, Helen Gandy, whose relationship with Hoover hovers somewhere between blind devotion and careful criticism.

The film is a heady historical whirlwind, with rhythm and style and intellect. The majority of the film has its roots in political drama and ethics, but it ends a story of love, friendship, and human devotion.

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-11-21T09:39:00.000-08:00

The weekend passed too quickly, as it always seems to. Friday, the American Cinemateque had a series of silent shorts: Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, the Little Rascals, and the like. The films were scored by live piano music, which made the evening feel like a real event. Saturday was filled with auditions - more than I've ever booked in a single day. And although I only made it to a few, it feels great to have the opportunities. Sunday morning was rainy and overcast, but my boyfriend and I braved the LA weather and went Thanksgiving shopping at the open-air farmers market. We then rewarded ourselves with a lazy, long brunch. We later went to a screening of J. Edgar at the Directors Guild of America. The theater at the DGA is truly incredible - it shows how quality changes the experience of watching a film. This week I have multiple friends coming in to town for the holiday. I hope I can find the time to share with all of them. I'm looking forward to a couple days off work, but the week is undoubtedly bittersweet. Although it will be full of high-caloric treats, I have to say goodbye to my love when he leaves for his job in New York on Thursday. Welcome to the working week.

photos via: Hoodoo

HAPPY WEEKEND

2011-11-18T10:20:00.000-08:00

Photo: Edouard Boubat, 1947

"We should meet in another life, we should meet in air, me and you"
-Sylvia Plath

The working days dragged their feet this week, but the nights were well worth the wait. A definite highlight was making dinner and carving pumpkins (yes...a month late, but whatever) with a first-time carver. Sometimes those simple activities are most memorable. I was called in at the very last minute for two shoots this week, neither of which followed-through: either because it wasn't in my best interest, or because the notice was late. Still, it's frustrating to book work in such a frenzied fashion - I figure my time is best spent on projects with more thought and preparation. There will be others, I'm sure. Tomorrow alone I have booked 5 auditions. Although I won't be able to make all of them, it feels good to get the call back. Even though work bleeds into my weekend, there's a silent film short series, art to see, and Sunday brunch on the beach. Happy weekend!

REVIEW: SKINNED

2011-11-18T10:19:00.000-08:00

Review: Pedro Almodovar's The Skin I Live In
117 mins, Rated R
Now Playing

Only a visionary director can stamp a film with his signature in the first frame and, well…Pedro Almodovar is a visionary director. In his latest cross-genre feature, The Skin I Live In (La Piel Que Habito), he returns to his early fascinations with the sexually perverse, conceptions of beauty, magical realism, and moral ambiguity. The first few minutes of the film establish its position in the history of art. The credits introduce time and place, Toledo, Spain – birthplace of legendary Spanish painter, El Greco – 2012. Already, Almodovar establishes an invisible cord between past and present, between the historical and the contemporary. The camera then follows a narrow path up to a secluded house, already alluding to the mansions of Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Rebecca, and Citizen Kane – an allusion that is further strengthened with the discovery that deranged genius, Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas) houses a secret in the attic. Ledgard, played by a uncharacteristically nuanced and emotionally detached Banderas, walks up the grand staircases, past numerous oil paintings of reclining women. He enters his bedroom and sits in front of a massive screen, displaying yet another reclining body from behind. The camera scans the body and all the curves that define it as feminine. And although this screen, similar to the paintings, recalls the works of Ingres, nothing is as it seems. The screen is not a painting, but a surveillance camera, watching Ledgard’s caged prisoner: a beautiful woman called Vera (Elena Anaya). Robert’s unusual and confusing relationship with Vera is one of many secrets introduced at the outset of the film. As the plot unfolds, past and present are woven together, constantly revealing new elements (and new perversions) to the secrets. Almodovar delicately plants the seeds of the mystery throughout the film, which is – at points – difficult to follow, but – as is often the case in his films – there is a brilliant moment of revelation, where at once the clues make sense and the secret is revealed. In this case, the more knowledge, the more discomfort, as the film transitions from drama to a sci-fi psychological horror film. Still, there are elements of comedy, beauty, tenderness, tragedy, lust, and magical realism that only a director like Almodovar can handle (and get away with). The result is a film that is meticulously crafted, thoroughly uncomfortable, painfully beautiful, and – ultimately – heartbreaking. GO SEE IT.

ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

2011-11-17T09:40:00.000-08:00

Presley.

JFK.

Cash.

Dean.

Grant.

Hayes.

McQueen.

De Niro.

Peck.

Get it. Got it. Good.

PHOTOPLAY

2011-11-16T14:06:00.000-08:00

I finally received the shots from my New York shoot! Above are a couple of my favorites. Good news is I've been using these shots for less than two days and I already have an offer from a management company in Japan. Even though some may have called me ridiculous, I'm glad I trusted my instincts. The photographer himself told me that the unifying characteristic in every successful person he's shot is that they don't stop until they have a "yes". I like to think myself included in that category, but time will tell.

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST

2011-11-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

Scorsese

Jobs

Travolta

Charles

Taylor

Jackson 5

Jimmy Cliff

Hopper

Martin

Photography by Norman Seeff, more HERE

VIEW FINDER: MELVIN SOKOLSKY

2011-11-15T11:56:00.000-08:00

Ali MacGraw

Susan Strasberg (L), Natalie Wood (R)

Twiggy

Lena Horne (L), Chet Baker and Wally Coover (R)

All photos by Melvin Sokolsky: see more HERE and HERE

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-11-14T08:26:00.000-08:00

How is it already Monday?! The weekend flew by. This one in particular truly felt like a vacation with visits to new parts of the city, showing favorite spots to new people, ordering dessert, etc. This is the beauty of Los Angeles; in one day you can spend the morning bundled in blankets, visit museums and other urban landmarks, and then watch the sunset on the beach without another sole in sight. Today they are shooting a commerical at my office, so the sights are marginally more interesting. It's also nice to double my pay in a day so maybe the vacation can continue for a little bit longer. Welcome to the working week!

photos via: hoodoo

HAPPY WEEKEND

2011-11-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

Photo: Man Ray, The Kiss

"You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus"
-Mark Twain

It has been a week of big decisions. Not too many important actions, but lots of thinking. I'm facing some imminent changes - necessary and inevitable - that share equal parts anxiety and excitement. My father says that success is measured by the amount of anxiety you are willing to endure, which is a decidedly more elegant way of saying "no pain no gain." Change is never easy, especially when it means taking risks, but as they say; those who don't take risks will never drink champagne! And if the changes cause discomfort, or stress, or high anxiety, when the risk finally pays off, the reward will be that much sweeter. At least, that is what I'm hoping. This weekend is filled with belated birthday celebrations. I can hardly believe we are well into November - if time slowed down a bit (especially in these next two weeks), I'd have absolutely no complaints. Happy weekend!

ODE TO NOVEMBER

2011-11-10T09:44:00.000-08:00

Marilyn

November - with uncanny witchery in its changed trees. With murkey red sunsets flaming in smoky crimson behind the westerning hills. With dear days when the austere woods were beautiful and gracious in a dignified serenity of folded hands and closed eyes - days full of fine, pale sunshine that sifted through the late, leafless gold of the juniper-trees and glimmered among the grey beeches, lighting up evergreen banks of moss and washing the colonnades of the pines. Days with a high sprung sky of flawless turquoise. Days when an exquisite melancholy seemed to hang over teh landscape and dream about the lake. But days, too, of the wild blackness of great autumn storms, followed by dank, wet, streaming nights when there was witch-laughter in the pines and fitful moans among the mainland trees.

– The Blue Castle, L. M. Montgomery (via enchanting)

SCREEN SHOTS

2011-11-09T10:42:00.000-08:00

Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks, 1938)

From Here to Eternity (Fred Zinneman, 1953)

Arsenic and Old Lace

The Life Aquatic (Wes Anderson, 2004)

Laura (Otto Preminger, 1944)

The Addams Family

Mata Hari (George Fitzmaurice, 1931)

The Birds (Alfred Hitchock, 1963).

Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977).

Pierrot le Fou (Jean-Luc Godard, 1965).

Masculin Feminin (Jean-Luc Godard, 1966).

photos via: Thought experiment

FASHION TO FETISH

2011-11-07T15:02:00.000-08:00

If you're in Los Angeles, you're in luck! Ellen Von Unwerth (more about her HERE) erects her first public exhibition at the Fahey-Klein Gallery in West Hollywood. The exhibition documents her fascination with fetishism and femininity through the lens of her camera. Through November 26th, 2011. 148 N. La Brea Avenue, between First st. and Beverly. Open 10:00am-6:00pm Tuesday-Saturday.

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-11-07T09:41:00.000-08:00

The combination of Dia de los Muertos festivals, with colorful candles, make-up, and music, in addition to the company of good friends made the weekend one of the best in recent memory. Not to mention spending time with Argentina's latest export and playing a playmate-turned-actress in a first reading of a new play. Weekends like this remind me how important it is to surround yourself with good people, interesting customs, and colorful ways of life. And even though I may have skipped a couple auditions, sometimes you gotta take a break from career and have a little fun. Sunday I was in good company at the reading of a new play "Just About Anything he Wants" - terrific actors and smart, fresh writing made the evening so enjoyable. We followed the rehearsal with warm soup, which was perfect on a rainy day. As usual, the week is filling up; concert tonight, auditions beginning to pile, networking events, and, of course, lots of work. Welcome to the working week.

photos via: hoodoothatvoodoo

HAPPY WEEKEND

2011-11-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

Photo: Man Ray

"It comes so soon, the moment when there is nothing left to wait for..."
-Marcel Proust, Swann's Way

For the first time in a long time, the weekend came too soon. The dusts of New Orleans memories have settled and I'm fully engaged with real life again. In addition to my own homecoming, I welcomed two others in LA; a friend here to celebrate Dia de los Muertos and the man I've been waiting for too long. I saw him and balance was restored. Although he has to leave again - to direct a new show in New York at the end of the month - I'm trying to allow the weeks to pass slowly and not get ahead of myself. The weekend welcomes the Dia de los Muertos festivities, starting with a dinner & festival tonight and a performance Saturday. I have an audition to make and the first reading of a new play on Sunday afternoon. I get to play a playmate-turned-actress, which should be a lot of fun! Enjoy the fall!

GET PERSONAL: ANITA EKBERG

2011-11-03T09:16:00.000-07:00

Anita Ekberg is the Swedish bombshell whose dangerous curves and sultry stare made her an unmistakable sex-symbol of the 1950s and 60s. She was born Kerstin Anita Marianne Ekberg on September 29, 1931 in Malmo, Sweden. Her childhood in Sweden was crowded; with five older brothers and one younger sister. When she reached early adolescence, she began working as a model for boutique fashion houses. Success in modeling inspired her mother to enter her as a contestant in the "Miss Sweden" pageant. Although she was a relative newcomer to the pageant field, she won the title. After a year reigning as Miss Sweden, Anita was sent to the United States to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. She did not speak a word of English.

Anita did not win the title of Miss Universe, but she ranked as one of the six finalists who would receive an invaluable reward: a "starlet" contract with Universal Studios. The studio scooped up the six highest ranking girls and helped direct them towards careers in film.

Anita decided to stay in the United States, where she was immediately introduced to the highest tiers of Hollywood society. At a party, Anita was introduced to Howard Hughes, who was presently working as a producer and financier of films. Hughes took one look at the young Swedish beauty and recognized a star. He suggested she change her nose and her name and assured her a role in one of his films. Ekberg politely declined the offer, refusing to take any of his suggestions.

This sticking-to-your-guns-attitude was typical of Ekberg. She was given acting, voice, dance, fencing, and horse-riding classes issued by the studio, many of which Ekberg did not attend. She dismissed much of the studio's advice and relied primarily on natural talent. She began to permeate the social scene and developed a reputation as Hollywood elite. Her poor class attendance and party habits did not, however, hinder her career.

In the 1950s Universal and Paramount were competing to give Ekberg work. Among others she appeared in films such as Hollywood or Bust (1956), Artists and Models (1955), Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953), and Blood Alley (1955) - for which she won a Golden Globe. In 1956, Ekberg was cast in the blockbuster, War and Peace starring Audrey Hepburn, which was to be shot in Rome, Italy.

Anita developed a likeness for the Italian way of life and stayed in Rome after filming wrapped on War and Peace. It was here where she met Federico Fellini who gave Ekberg the iconic role of "dream woman" in his critically acclaimed La Dolce Vita (1960). The film would immortalize Ekberg forever in the classic scene where she frolics through the Trevi Fountain with Marcello Mastroianni.

Fellini made Ekberg a household name and she soon developed a cult following. Throughout her years making films, she helped solidify her sex symbol status by staging various publicity stunts where she suffered wardrobe malfunctions in front of tipped photographers. Her hourglass frame and soft features were spotted by various men's magazines, becoming popularized in the 1950s. Ekberg posed for various editorials and became widely recognized as a pin-up model.

Ekberg was married to Anthony Steel in 1956 and subsequently to Rik Van Nutter in 1963. Over the years she was said to be romantically involved with Marcello Mastroianni, Tyrone Power, Errol Flynn, Yul Brynner, Frank Sinatra, and Gary Cooper - to name a few.

Although Ekberg was raised in Sweden, she seldom returned and never lived there. She made a home for herself in Italy, where she resides today.

YOUNG LADY

2011-11-02T09:51:00.000-07:00

Angelica Houston

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Elizabeth Taylor

Grace Kelly

Audrey Hepburn

Catherine Deneuve

Grace Kelly

Isabella Rossellini and Mother, Ingrid Bergman

Jean Seberg

Natalie Wood

LATELY

2011-11-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

I realize this photo diary post is a bit late, but better late than never. Above is the view coming in to New York. Never gets old.

A beautiful installation piece, Sum of Days, by brazilian artist Carlito Carvalhosa, examining space and sound through compounded recordings of actual visitors and long hanging translucent curtains. MoMA.

De Kooning retrospective at MoMA. If you are in New York, this is definitely worth seeing. With over 200 of his original works, it's one of the most comprehensive and expressive retrospectives I've seen.

Uptown at central park on a beautiful fall day. Followed by an equally beautiful visit to Bergdorfs.

Ariana Dilorenzo and Noah Shalom performing Ariana's latest music at Fontanas on the lower east side.

The proof sheets from my NYC shoot came in late last week. The photos look great and I'm thrilled to see the finished product! Look out for em.

First photograph I took in New Orleans - at the foot of the staircase in the house we stayed. Josephine Sacabo and Dalt Wonk were generous enough to let us four girls stay in their amazing Victorian-meets-haunted mansion over the weekend. Josephine, who works as a photographer and has a retrospective at the New Orleans Museum, decorated the house single-handedly. It was perfectly frayed at the edges, with an old world charm that was both tasteful and site-specific to its hometown.

Doorway to the dining room. Drinks with friends on my first night.

A handmade birdcage left over from the original owner of the house. The house is filled with treasures like this.

The living room housed a small puppet theater complete with costumed dolls. The walls were filled with framed photographs (the nude is one of Josephine's), illustrations, water-colors, and other original works.

The living room was warm with red couches, leather chairs, oriental rugs (also in every room, including the bathroom), and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. The book collection in the household was something to behold.

The following night we prepared for the Halloween parade down Burbon street. Tequila, fangs, fascinator, limes, 5-hour energy, and new red lingerie made the perfect NOLA still life.

Ariana applying her fangs - quite a complicated process.

On our way to Burbon st.

We ended the night in Pirates Alley, where there is a famous absinthe bar. We tried both kinds of absinthe (shown above) and were served by a lady in a green tinker-bell costume. It seemed fitting.

Scarlet and I showing off her noteworthy pin-up hairstyling.

Josephine also took us on a field trip to her photography studio. The open space filled with toys and props was an artists dream.

In front of a mirrored japanese screen.

Some props and backdrops.

Ariana resting on a day bed.

Josephine Sacabo and a neighbor's dog, Ferguson.

The group of us lounging on the day bed.

Chatting.

On Sunday we attended Voodoo Fest. It was not quite as big as other music festivals, but filled with energy and less foot traffic.

The Raconteurs at Voodoo Fest. Killed it.

Necessary cappuccino on my way back home.

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-10-31T13:32:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween and welcome to the working week! My New Orleans weekend was everything and more, complete with spooky mansions, crazy costumes, music festivals, voodoo priests, fortune tellers, good food, great friends, and lots of memories. Sometimes it's absolutely necessary to get away and remind yourself how wonderful it is to be in the company of friends. Now that I've spend minutes out of the airport, it's off to work. Tonight the Halloween festivities will be minimal considering jet-lag and recuperation from the events of the weekend, but to those who have plans to get sloppy: enjoy the night!

photos via: hoodoothatvoodoo

IN DISGUISE

2011-10-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

Julie London, Pumpkin pin-up w/ mask

Joan Crawford as little-bo-peep w/ Husband

June Knight as the white witch, 1938

Cat Women of the Moon (1953)

Boris Karloff and Colin Clive on a break during filmingThe Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Audrey Young as a black cat, 1946

Unknown in mask with party-popper, c. 1940

Ella Lancaster in The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Clara Bow as a clown, 1929

Universal Pictures: Monsters of the Early Talkies:

Frankenstein

Dracula

The invisible man

The mummy

The wolfman

photos via: mothic flights

HAUNTED

2011-10-26T10:04:00.000-07:00

Happy almost halloween

photos via: Cherry Blossom Girl

VIEW FINDER: LUCHINO VISCONTI

2011-10-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

Luchino Visconti is the Italian visionary whose comprehensive creativity lent itself to the masterly direction of film, theater, and opera. He was born Luchino Visconti di Modrone, Count of Lonate Pozzolo, into a wealthy, noble family on November 2, 1906 in Milan, Italy. His father held two noble titles: Duke of Grazzano and Count of Lonate Pozzolo and the family was known throughout Italy as among the most financially powerful. Wealth and status allowed Visconti an envious exposure to art and theater. He frequented opera houses, theaters, and was personally acquainted with Giacomo Puccini, Arturo Toscanini, and writer Gabriele d'Annunzio.

Visconti's exposure to the arts inspired a strong passion that lasted a lifetime. The openness of ideas and creativity, gave him the unusual permission - and privilege - of being uniquely himself. During the second World War, he joined the Communist party and was never closeted about his homosexuality.

A mutual friend, Coco Chanel, put the young artist in contact with Jean Renoir, who happened to be filming Toni (1936). Renoir hired Visconti as an assistant director and so his fascination with the movies began. Visconti travelled to the United States, staying for a long while in Hollywood, where he gained more exposure to the film industry as a whole. Upon his return to italy, he continued working with Renoir to develop his skills. At this time, he also collaborated with such greats as Roberto Rossellini and Federico Fellini.

In 1943 he wrote his first screenplay, Ossessione - a collaboration with Puccini, Antonio Pietrangeli, and Giuseppe de Santis, which he directed. "Obsession" was the first Italian neorealist film. In 1948 he adapted the novel Malavoglia into the film La Terra Trema, met with rave reviews. Visconti continued in the neorealist vein well into the 1950s, until he made Senso. Senso marked the beginning of a new creative freedom that combined realist and romantic styles. Critics were reluctant to accept this left-turn in Visconti's style, but were favorable in their reviews. As Visconti entered the 1960s and 70s, his films became exceedingly more personal. He re-visited his original neorealist themes and created some of his most famous work, including The Leopard, and Death in Venice.

Death in Venice (1971)

During his years as a film director, Visconti also staged numerous operas and stage plays. His films were greatly influenced by his work on the stage and, in many ways, are operatic themselves.

In 1969 Visconti received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay for The Damned.

At 69, he died of a stroke at his home in rome. A museum is dedicated to his work in Ischia, Italy.

The Stranger

La Terra Trema

Death in Venice

GET PERSONAL: ALAIN DELON

2011-10-25T10:09:00.000-07:00

Alain Delon shot to superstardom in the golden age of French cinema for his Bond-like attitude and Bardot-like appeal. He was born on November 8, 1935 in Sceaux, Seine, France (now Hauts-de-Seine) - a middle-class Parisian suburb. His parents divorced four years later, both re-marrying not long after. Delon was juggled between both families in his youth. As a child he attended various Roman Catholic schools, from which we was expelled for disorderly or unruly conduct. At 14, he decided to drop out of school altogether.

Delon began working at his father's butcher shop before enlisting in the French Army. He served in the army for four years, 11 months of which he spent in prison - again for disorderly conduct. After his four year stint, he was dishonorably discharged and he returned to Paris. Without money or education, Delon found odd jobs wherever he could. He worked as a waiter, or sales clerk, or secretary to pay the bills. During this time, Delon became good friends with actress Brigitte Auber, who invited him to accompany her to the Cannes Film Festival.

While in Cannes, Delon was scouted by the famous David O Selznick. After a preliminary screen-test, Delon was offered an American film contract, provided he learned English. Delon returned to Paris and started English lessons, ultimately deciding it was in his best interest to start his career in France. Selznick agreed to release him from his contract and Delon began looking for work in French film.

Delon met french director Yves Allegret, who offered him a role in an upcoming film, Quand la Femme S'en Mele (When a Woman Butts In). Allegret, impressed with Delon's work, cast him once again in his following film Women Are Weak/Three Murderesses, which was released in America. The film's success in America shot Delon to the A-list in France. Every French director wanted to work with him - and most did. His most important collaborations were with Rene Clément, Luchino Visconti, Bertrand Biler, and Jean-Luc Godard. He portrayed some of the most pivotal characters in cannonical works of literature in their film adaptations and was almost immediately accepted as a serious dramatic actor, despite having no formal training.

In 1997 Delon made the decision to give up acting. He opened a production company and acquired control of an import-export company in Geneva.

In 1959, Delon was engaged to actress Romy Schneider. During their engagement, Delon had an affair with German singer Nico, which caused Schneider to call off the wedding. Delon was later married to Nathalie Barthelemy, with whom he had his first son, Anthony. The couple divorced and Delon began dating actress Mireille Darc. The couple dated for nearly 15 years until the mid 1980s. Delon then met model Rosalie van Breeman, with whom he had two additional children later in life; a daughter, Anouschka and a son, Alain-Fabian. Delon currently lives in Geneva Switzerland with his two youngest children.

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-10-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

Although I've been fighting off a cold, it didn't stop me from having a productive weekend. I had a promising meeting with some theater producers and am continuing to exercise the audition muscle. But at the moment I am most excited for my imminent trip to New Orleans and my man coming back from Argentina. Welcome to the working week!

photos via: hoodoothatvoodoo

HAPPY WEEKEND

2011-10-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Holly Hocks for Vogue, 1951

"There are two ways to reach me: by way of kisses or by way of the imagination. But there is a hierarchy: the kisses alone don't work"
-Anais Nin

The weather is turning cool, which I am never upset about. But this year I'm only slightly disappointed - now that I have the time to be out in the sun, there's no sun to be out in. I guess it's only more motivation to work. Today I send a happy birthday to my man in Argentina, whose homecoming is highly anticipated. Happy weekend!

GET PERSONAL: ANNA KARINA

2011-10-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

Anna Karina is the darling of the French New Wave, whose naturalism in front of the camera was only matched by an effortless beauty that inspired Jean-Luc Godard to make his most innovative work. She was born Hanne Karin Blarke Bayer in Solbjerg, Denmark, September 22nd, 1940. Her mother owned a clothing store and her father was a ship captain who abandoned the family not one year after Karina was born. After her father's leaving, her mother became incompetent and sent the young baby to give with her maternal grandparents. After three years, at the age of 4, her grandparents placed her in foster care, where she remained until her mother was deemed fit to raise a child. Karina eventually moved back in with her mother, but was never able to develop a relationship with her. They fought constantly.

At 14 she began working in Denmark as a photographer's model, actress, and painter. She was able to make a living by selling her paintings. In 1958, at 17, after another battle with her mother, Karina left home and hitchhiked to Paris.

Karina found herself living on the streets of Paris, not knowing a soul, or a word of French. She was sitting in front of cafe Les Deux Magots when an ad agency executive approached her, asking if she would be willing to have her photograph taken. She agreed. The photograph lead to a series of ad campaigns featuring the young actress. She was eventually noticed by Coco Chanel, who helped her invent the name "Anna Karina."

Chanel was not the only one to notice the young Karina. Jean-Luc Goddard, who was working as a film critic at the time, noticed her in a Palmolive ad. He was presently casting a new feature, Breathless, and offered her a small role. To Godard's shock and amazement, she declined the role, stating that she did not feel comfortable with the proposed nudity. This role did not appear in the finished film. One year later, Godard offered Karina a role in his next film, Le Petit Soldat (1960). She accepted. Because she was still under 21, she had to locate her estranged mother and coerce her into signing the contract.

The following year, Godard and Karina collaborated again in Woman is a Woman, for which Karina won Best Actress at the Berlin Film Festival. During the filming, Karina and Godard were married. Karina continued to serve as Godard's muse until they were divorced in 1965. She was married an additional three times, to screenwriter Pierre Fabre, actor/director Daniel Duval, and finally director Dennis Berry.

Though she is most famous for her collaborations with Godard, all of which helped to establish and solidify the French New Wave, she also worked with directors such as Joacques Rivette and Luchino Visconti, continuing to make films steadily until present day.

Karina also had success as a singer, working on such hits as "Roller Girl" and "Sous le soleil exactement" with Serge Gainsbourg. She later release an album that was met with favorable reviews. In addition to her singing career, Karina also wrote numerous screenplays (some of which she acted in), in addition to 4 novels.

WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?

2011-10-19T11:10:00.001-07:00

SPOOKY IN THE BEST WAY

2011-10-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

Halloween is fast approaching. This year I find myself at the mercy of my friends who decided to be "pin-up vampires" otherwise known as "vamps." My four best friends do not live in Los Angeles, so we're meeting in New Orleans to celebrate Halloween voodoo style: voodoo priests and music festivals and all the usual NOLA debauchery. Although the trip is still weeks away, all this planning has got me thoroughly excited. I may not be a fan of shock-value horror, but there's something about erie aesthetics that appeal to me greatly - when Hitchcock and Burton are two of your top 5 favorite film directors, that's gotta be the case.

ITALIANA

2011-10-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

Isabella Rossellini

Monica Vitti

Claudia Cardinale

Monica Vitti

Virni Lisi

Marina Berti

David Lynch with Isabella Rossellini

Sophia Loren

Sometimes I feel the ethnicity alone gives permission to be unbearably irresistible.

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-10-17T14:49:00.000-07:00

They say the best part of going away is coming home. I'm not entirely sure I agree, but it does feel good to be back in California. It was a fun and productive trip, but there's no rest for the weary. This week is already full. With auditions piling up, work that I've put off, and lots of new ideas to explore, there's plenty to keep me busy. I was so inspired to see my friends getting their feet wet in New York. I went to a live show for budding singer and close friend Ariana, saw another friend model in Bridal Fashion Week, met and worked with an incredible photographer, and congratulated another friend on her recent hire to a fashion blog! It sets my mind at ease to know that I have the support of friends who are working just as hard as I am. Welcome to the working week!

HAPPY WEEKEND

2011-10-14T17:36:00.000-07:00

New York welcomed me warmly - with 70 degree weather and tropical storms to be exact. My days have been filled to the brim, but the best part of every day has been spending time with friends. Now that my obligations here are fulfilled, the weekend should be full of stress-less activities. Enjoy the sun!

BEACHY

2011-10-11T15:09:00.000-07:00

Marilyn

Elizabeth

Mitzi Gaynor in South Pacific

Ginger Rogers & Friend

Tide Calendar

Jackie and John

STUFF OF DREAMS

2011-10-10T11:07:00.000-07:00

For those who did not get the chance to see our production, Dreams Factory, here are some highlights:

(From left to right) Evie Abat (Maria), Zahida Saucido-Trejo (Death),
Gustavo Ranieri (Luis), Miguel Collado (Don Carlos)

Evie Abat as The Secretary

Gustavo Ranieri (Luis), Annakate Chappell (Flora)

Me as Flora

Gustavo Ranieri (Luis), Zahida Saucido-Trejo (Death)

Gustavo Ranieri as Luis

(From L to R) Gustavo Ranieri, Annakate Chappell, Miguel Collado

Gustavo Ranieri, Annakate Chappell

Gustavo Ranieri and Miguel Collado

Luis (Gustavo Ranieri) ascending to heaven.

BEHIND THE SCENES:

BART Co Ladies: Evie Abat, Me, Gabriella Crowe

Stage Manager, Bobby Fromer-Bonilla

Yours truly with the female understudy, Zahida Saucido-Trejo

Cast and Crew, closing night photo

Fearless director (who filled in for Gustavo as Luis), Julio Villegas

Ladies dressing room: Evie, AK, and Gabby

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-10-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

The weekend was bittersweet. It was a terrific run with the Bilingual Actors Repertory Theater Company, but I am happy to but Flora and "Dreams Factory" to rest. The director has already spoken to me about a future performance, so I'm sure it's not the end of my experience with the company. It's unusual to be put together with a group of strangers and end up close friends. Now I find myself preparing for a trip to NY (I leave tomorrow evening). I am looking forward to the break from routine, the comfort of old friends, and a photoshoot that I'm very excited for!! Hopefully I'll be able to post the photographs in the coming weeks. I have an audition today that should be entertaining and then some major apartment cleaning and packing to do before my flight. Even though the trip to New York has been disguised as "work" it will be a welcome vacation. Welcome to the working week!

REMEMBERING STEVE

2011-10-07T10:58:00.000-07:00

"That has been one of my mantras - focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because one you get there, you can move mountains"

-Steve Jobs, Business Week Magazine, May 25, 1998

HAPPY WEEKEND

2011-10-07T09:19:00.000-07:00

"Everything is permissible, as long as it is fantastic"
-Carlo Mollino

Whenever out-of-towners come to LA, the weeks always feel longer -with dinner reservations, and shopping trips, and week-night outings, you get the feeling that you're on a vacation too! The guests are gone now and the city feels quiet, but there's nothing to feel sorry about because I'll be in New York next week staying with the same person who just left! Tonight is the first show of the closing weekend of Dreams Factory/Fabrica de Sueños. It has been an incredible experience working with such dedicated bilingual actors from all over the globe. Somehow or another, we all ended up at this little theater and I think there's beauty in that. The closing show will be bittersweet, as most endings are. Although it will be sad to know our run is over, I'm more than ready to move on. It was a terrific experience, I learned so much, I enjoyed myself, I worked hard, and now it's time for something new. I only wish that a certain someone were here to experience the weekend with us/me. Happy weekend!

KEEPING TIME

2011-10-06T09:14:00.000-07:00

TWO FOR TUESDAY

2011-10-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

Lombard & Gable

Gardner & Sinatra

Day & Rock

Hepburn & Ferrer

Hepburn & Tracey

Monroe & Dimaggio

Taylor & Burton

Lombard & Gable (again)

Mastroianni & Deneuve

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-10-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind weekend it was! Last night I had a herd of people come out to see the show and it felt so good to see some familiar faces in the audience. It feels equally good, if not better, to hear their positive reinforcement - especially from people in the field. A great friend came into town yesterday morning - I loved having the chance to catch up and swap stories. We've got a number of irons in the fire together; planning a photoshoot, orchestrating her move to LA next year, and brainstorming costume ideas for our imminent trip to New Orleans! This morning I officially booked my trip to New York, leaving no more than 24 hours after the close of my show. No time to let the moss grow! This week I have another audition, meeting with a casting director, some nights left open to spend with friends, a photoshoot, and the anticipation of the closing weekend of Dreams Factory. Welcome to your working week.

photos via: hoodoothatvoodoo

HAPPY WEEKEND

2011-09-30T10:07:00.000-07:00

Photo: Gescheidt’s World, by Alfred Gescheidt, from Oui, February 1974. via: HC

"Sometimes you just have to jump out the window and grow wings on the way down"
-Ray Bradbury

When you wake up exhausted after 8 hours of sleep, you know you're either depressed or working too hard. In my case, it is undoubtedly the latter (although the absence of someone special has, without question, cast a shadow on my mood). Even without rehearsals, the week has been insane. Auditions are piling up, and I'm trying to find time to implement Tim Phillips side-reading technique. I booked a trip to New Orleans for Halloween with my three best friends from college (no sob story there...I couldn't be more excited). I am booking a trip to New York as soon as the play closes to shoot with an incredible photographer who, amazingly, has agreed to shoot me (it's all about referrals)! I'm working overtime to assure that, when my current job ends, I'll have another one in the books. The constant threat of unemployment as an actor hovers over my head and, although I am lucky enough to have the security of a good day-job, the goal is to stay working in the field that, hopefully soon, will be a primary source of income. This weekend I only have three performances. My understudy is going on for the Sunday matinee so I can retrieve a friend from the airport and spend a little time with her. I have a slew of people coming to the Sunday night performance, which means the pressure's on. I've got a few auditions to go to and a shoot to prep for, but I will try to actively make time for rest and for my friend who I am beyond excited to see! Happy weekend!

WOMAN'S BEST FRIEND

2011-09-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

Audrey and her fawn, Pippin.

Marilyn and chiuaua

Unknown with black cat.

Ava with leopard.

Unknown with elephants.

Unknown with baby sheep.

Betty with kitten.

Audrey and Pippin.

Katherine and baby giraffe.

Photos via: HC, vodkaandvogue, oldhollywoodwholooklikeanimals

BOYS WITH THEIR TOYS

2011-09-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

Kelly with Skates

Bogie with gun.

Ferrari with Ferrari

Cash with guitar.

Altman with camera.

Ali with punching bag.

Adams with camera.

Duchamp with pipe.

Peck with harmonica.

Basquiat with ring.

photos via: HC & theimpossiblecool

THANK YOU FOR 25,000 VIEWS!

2011-09-27T12:06:00.000-07:00

We are fast approaching 25,000 views and I thank you for stopping by! It would be AWESOME to know/meet you SO, I encourage you to send me some love by "following" the blog. Thanks again!

My fabulous and talented friend/collaborator Scarlet Moreno and I are prepping for a new shoot next week with Nikko La Mere (above is a photo from our past shoot) that should be a little different than what we've done before. I'm sure there will be more to share!

GET PERSONAL: AUDREY HEPBURN

2011-09-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

Audrey Hepburn is the undisputed icon known for her waif-like beauty, innocent demeanor, and general good-naturedness. Arguably the most famous film actress of all-time, the force of her impact came in a small, delicate, but fiercely beautiful package. She was born Audrey Kathleen Ruston in Brussels, Belgium to Baroness Ella Van Heemstra, a Dutch aristocrat, and Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston, an Irish/English banker.

Audrey spent her early childhood in Britain, where her father worked, but at the outset of WWII, Ruston (a Nazi sympathizer) abandoned his Jewish wife and child, leaving them to fend for themselves. Van Heemstra moved Audrey and her two older brothers to the Netherlands, where she hoped Germany would not gain foothold. She assigned each family member a pseudonym. While in the Netherlands, Hepburn began to secretly study ballet. She passed the time in ballet classes, often dancing to distract herself from any present hardship. Food and money were scarce, so she maintained optimism through her art. In an effort to support income, Hepburn gave secret performances to members of the Dutch resistance. One of Hepburn's two brothers was interned, for a time, at a German concentration camp. He escaped with his life, but was hugely malnourished and emotionally scarred. These and other events influenced Hepburn's involvement with humanitarian groups such as UNICEF later in life.

After the war, Hepburn moved to Amsterdam to further pursue a career in ballet. She supported herself by acting as a freelance photographers model. Her ballet teacher, Marie Rambert, suggested that, despite her talent, she would have a difficult career in dance due to her height (she was considered tall at 5'7'') and her malnutrition during the war. Rambert then advised Hepburn to consider studying acting instead.

Hepburn moved to London to pursue her theater studies. Working on the West End, she was spotted by a Paramount scout who helped her gain employment in various British films such as One Wild Oat, Laughter in Paradise, Young Wine's Tale, and The Lavendar Hill Mob. In addition to these films, Hepburn starred in the stage production of Gigi.

Hepburn did not get her first starring role until 1953, when she won the role of Princess Ann in Roman Holiday with Gregory Peck. The film, about a sheltered European princess who is discovered by and falls in love with a struggling undercover journalist, was an instant classic, garnering Hepburn an instantaneous celebrity that continued to gain momentum. It was for Roman Holiday that she earned her first Academy Award nomination. Following the success of her first major film, Hepburn was offered a Paramount contract with freedoms to perform in stage plays. She continued to produce wildly successful, eventually iconic films such as, but not limited to: Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffanys, Funny Face, War and Peace, Love in the Afternoon, My Fair Lady, and Green Mansions. She stole the hearts of all her audience members and co-stars, often developing life-long friendships with co-workers such as Gregory Peck and Givenchy. She was as well-liked as she was talented and beautiful - a rare combination in Hollywood (then and now).

After 15 incredibly successful years in film, Hepburn decided to bow-out gracefully and dedicate herself to her family and philanthropic work. Although her father had abandoned her and was a Nazi-sympathizer, she supported him financially and kept in contact with him until his death.

Hepburn was engaged once in her youth, but decided against the idea after prioritizing her career. At a cocktail party hosted by Gregory Peck, Hepburn was introduced to actor Mel Ferrer, with whom she became enamored. The two were married and, after two miscarriages, celebrated the birth of their first child, Sean Hepburn Ferrer. After 14 years of marriage, the couple separated and divorced. Hepburn always hoped for more children and, after her divorce, met and fell in love with Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti. The two were married and had their first child, Luca Dotti. After Luca's birth, Hepburn suffered one additional miscarriage and decided to stop having children. She was a devoted mother to both sons and divorced Dotti only after her sons were fully grown. Hepburn was also mother to one fawn and a yorkshire terrier.

After her retirement from film, Hepburn made valiant efforts with UNICEF, using her celebrity platform to raise awareness in addition to first-hand fieldwork. Her devotion to human rights was as important a career as her time in film.

Audrey Hepburn died January 20, 1993 of appendiceal cancer at her home in Vaul, Switzerland. She died in her sleep surrounded by family. Her legacy is one that has made impact on every succeeding generation and will continue to do so for as long as movies are made.

WELCOME TO THE WORKING WEEK

2011-09-26T09:18:00.000-07:00

Not much to report except that the weekend, as anticipated, was full of hard work. The weather is making significant turns to fall, which I am not unhappy about. There's something so exciting and romantic about the change of seasons - especially when the leaves turn and fireplaces begin to get some use. With only two weeks left of the show, I'm beginning to think about next steps. With a few auditions coming up, brand new headshots, and a short-film in the works - the stepping stones seem to be placing themselves, but not without effort; once the ball is rolling, you have to keep it rolling and sometimes that requires a push. This week I'll finally have some nights off. It will be the first chunk of free time since August. At night I'll keep company with my lovely man in Argentina - gotta love Skype. Lately I've been dreaming of his homecoming, but patience is a virtue. Things I've also been dreaming of: quitting my day job, a best friend moving to LA, halloween, HBO, and eliminating my two hour commute from Santa Monica to the theater in Hollywood. Welcome to the working week!

HAPPY WEEKEND

2011-09-23T09:47:00.000-07:00

Greta Garbo & Lion via HC

"It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis"
-Margaret Bonna

Last night I was interviewed by the lovely people at Channel 34 for a news segment on Dreams Factory/Fabrica de Sueños. Although the event caught me off guard (I was still in my workout clothes) and my conversational Spanish was a little rusty, it was a terrific opportunity to further spread the word about our production. They also filmed a few scenes, which aired on last night's 11:00pm news.

Tonight the show opens with its new cast. Julio Villegas has pushed forward with valiant effort, but there's no denying we miss the original actor. Although the news from Argentina is not all bad, we are concerned for him and his family. On a personal level, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want him home, but I know he's in exactly the right place. For him, and for me, and for the rest of the cast, life has thrown another curve ball. Experience has taught me to expect nothing less.

Experience has also taught me that the best and most effective remedy for grief is keeping busy. I plan on doing exactly that. I have some photo-shoots to finalize, friends to see, a director to meet, four performances to kill, and a short film to finish writing (I'm very excited about this new short film, I hope to start production this fall, so I'll keep you posted). Enjoy the sun!

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST

2011-09-22T08:55:00.000-07:00

Francis Bacon by John Deakin, 1952

Tennessee Williams by Rolof Beny, 1958

Marianne Faithfull by David Bailey, 1965

Vivien Leigh by John Rawlings, 1937.

Lee Miller by David Scherman, 1945.

Dolores Del Rio by Edward Steichen, 1929.

Renee Jeanmaire & Roland Petit performing “Carmen”, 1949. Photo by Gordon Parks.

Frida Kahlo by Nicholas Murray, 1930.

photos via: Sudden Fabulosity