Well, since my last post, I have realized that in order to get more and more complicated TV and movie roles I need to do more accent practice. I feel pretty good about my Australian and Irish accents (well Irish I am awesome, but mostly limited to things Bono has said). Australian I'm pretty good, but I'm great if I'm giving instructions for waterskiing. I really need to work on: Scottish, German, French, South African (Seth Eh'vreekun), and Boston, and of course, British. You know what I could use? Does anyone know of any on-line forums or audio chat rooms where people can practice fake accents? Because that would be excellénte!
On roles that I see myself playing (not neccessarily in the order of preference):
1. I would really like a role where I play a really handsome, tall tennis player who drives a convertible red corvette and is a stock-broker working on wall street. He's the kind of guy who is the envy of every single person in the world, but he is mostly just a determined, hardworking humble man who loves to spend time with his autistic kids. In one scene, he could buy a hotdog from a street-vendor for his kids, then he helps his kids give the hot-dog man a hug, and later in life, the kids remark that that simple act was their favorite experience of their whole life.
2. I would really like a role where a 30-something with a British accent has a blog that is published in the New Yorker, The Economist, and Popular Science. His fan base is loyal, but he starts to doubt himself, and predictably, his self-esteem plummets. Just when he is about to stop blogging, the President of the World asks him to be a cabinet member to oversee blogs and the law. He is conflicted because he had so much self-doubt, yet he desperately wants to help improve the world.
3. I would also welcome playing a retired boxer who has a blind dog that he, ironically, leads. A host of conflicts, and issues surrounding the meaning of 'family' 'faith' 'hope' and 'sacrifice' emerge. The name of the show could be, simply, 'Boxer'.
I have a lot of experience acting. I was in the play Tartuffe, I was Grandpa in "You Can't Take it With You." I was the lead in the Bames Jond series, and recently, I was Simple in "Merry Wives of Windsor" by William Shakespeare. In addition, whenever I teach, I try to incorporate acting. Sometimes this includes dramatic or accented readings of Shakespearean sonnets, other times, its just simply pretending to be a robot. I try to study a character for his/her motives, aspirations, questions, doubts, etc. until I uncover the core of that character's soul. Then acting is simply applying a range of circumstances to that character's soul.
I think you would make a great wrestler. You'd bring a fresh look to the sport and give a great interview. Face it, pro wrestling has always struggled with the Ivy League demographic. If you were there to talk smack to those steroided mutants, people would eat it up. Of course, you'd go in the ring, and they'd roll you into a ball. But, once you were able to speak again, you could pick right back up with the verbal smackdown. If at some point you completely lost the ability to speak, you could get one of those Stephen Hawking voice things and still talk smack to them.
ReplyDeleteGo ahead and give people a little sampling below of things you'd say about the other wrestlers and their fans.
Oh, heck. I didn't think my comment to your earlier post actually posted. Well, as you can tell, I REALLY think it.
ReplyDeletesteve- I keep seeing this great photo of you with your comments on blogs and I can't help but finally ask: what is this photo from?
ReplyDeleteIt's a mystery to me. Real Estate Agent? School Teacher? Actor?
That photo of Steve is so school teacher.
ReplyDeleteBen, I know I have no place to even comment on your blog because it is so witty and funny; but I have a habit of checking my email and your blog every morning at work. There was a time when you did not post for like 2 or more weeks and it was a rough spot in my marriage. Coincidence? Probably. But it still sucked. Also, I started a Blog because of you and because I cannot get myself to write in a journal like I think I should so I hope that my posterior....er posterity, will look back at my blog entries in the year 2057 after I am dead and know how bored and weird their ancestors were. (I don't know why I will only live to be 81 but that would be fine with me).
is the irish accent coming next? i do love a good irish accent. but the one i love to make fun of the most is Wisconsin(Wis-Can-sen)...for some reason I think the people there sound ridiculous, yuh-know.
ReplyDelete