Nikki Finke & Bryan Lourd, Together In Song

Hey Morgan!, the Matt Shakman-directed musical that opens within the Black Dahlia Theatre in La on October 15, has released a good example song (audio below) that conveys an authentic insider’s undertake the Hollywood agency game. The song, “(I Gave My Heart To) CAA”, can be a appealing stay tuned the demonstrate that captures the frustration from the youthful lady’s try to increase for the rank of agent. Put together by Matt Fogel and Isaac Laskin, the song drainage with sarcasm. But how would you nothing beats a tune that really works what they're known as of Nikki Finke and Bryan Lourd into its lyrics? But call an undeniable fact checker –because the heroine sings of trying to become a realtor at CAA so she could repetition Michael Bay. Clearly, Bay is repped by WME, but that doesn’trhyme.

Nina Dobrev Suffers Head Injury on Vampire Diaries Set

Nina Dobrev Nina Dobrev is recovering after she hit her head on the set of The Vampire Diaries last week, her rep confirms. Did Stefan and Damon make the cut? See our list of favorite TV and movie vampires "Still feeling side effects from the concussion I got on set," the 22-year-old actress tweeted on Monday. "Ouchie. Good thing purple is a good color on me otherwise..." Dobrev's rep said she is doing "fine" now.

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Cinemax Documentary Sticks out Light on Latino Stars

MIAMI (AP) Let us wait watching, leading Hispanic stars on mainstream TV: There's Sofia Vergara's crazy, chess-playing trophy wife on "Modern Family" the conniving Avoi Longoria of "Desperate Regular folksInch and supporting stars for instance Adam Rodriguez who plays a fingerprint and underwater recovery expert on "CSI Miami."Next, this list thins substantially.Walking into that space is "The Latino List." The completely new documentary by Vanity Fair adding digital digital photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders airs Sept. 28-29 on Cinemax and Cinemax Latino featuring interviews by award-winning broadcast journalist Maria Hinojosa having a couple of from the nation's best Latinos. Hinojosa has labored at CNN, NPR and PBS, and elsewhere.Longoria, Top Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, rapper Armando Christian Perez, also called Pitbull, astronaut Jose Hernandez and actress America Ferrera are a handful of in the 15 who made this list. The interviews are compelling, funny and raw.Ferrera, the first sort star of TV's "Ugly Betty," talks about the discrimination she faced both because she's Hispanic and also, since others felt she's not Hispanic enough. Hernandez recalls picking cucumbers just like a kid along with his migrant worker parents. John Leguizamo recalls the teacher who inspired him becoming an actress by telling him he'd the "attention period of a sperm."The majority of the tales discuss the immigrant experience, but types of family, education and determination will most likely resonate far beyond the nation's Latino community.The film follows Greenfield-Sanders' acclaimed 2008 "The Black List," numerous three documentaries featuring African-American leaders asked by journalist Elvis Mitchell. Like "The Black List," ''The Latino List" is supported having a bigger photography exhibit now displayed within the Brooklyn Museum of Art.Greenfield-Sanders' portraits have embellished the walls in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY as well as the National Portrait Gallery in Washington. His style is refreshingly simple their email list-makers sit or stand alone before a gray background, their faces lit by soft light.Nevertheless the film's minimalism is deceitful. Greenfield-Sanders wanted audiences to appear like this list-makers were speaking right to them, so he used a distinctive camera rig getting one that enabled his subjects to look in to the camera and discover a forecasted picture of Hinojosa who was simply sitting however in the studio. She'd the same camera and microphone.The finish result enabled this list-makers to own "face-to-face" conversations along with her while enabling audiences to feel they are part in the conversation."It absolutely was immaterial I've ever done before, and that i did 100s and hundreds of interviews from gang individuals to skinheads to CEOs," Hinojosa mentioned. She thinks the digital camera technique aided create both a safe and secure distance plus an closeness while using list-makers."We understand the Latino connection with the u . s . states is profoundly beautiful and deeply moving, and frequently painful. ... I really wanted to make a space to enable them to remember and touch to those core recollections and values," she mentioned.Inside an exchange not inside the film, Hinojosa even found herself asking Sotomayor nurturing advice: Should she allow her then 11-year-old daughter to pluck her thick, Frida Kahlo-style eye eyebrows?Sotomayor's advice: Yes, but profit the girl produce a strong feeling of self in a variety of other fundamental ways."Maria Hinojosa is certainly an incredible interviewer but got me to go to places I may possibly not have passed by myself,Inch mentioned U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., who influences film. "It may give non-Latinos a way to greater understand who we are, and hopefully give Latinos a sense of pride."Within the interview, the Cuban-born politician appreciated an incident at the beginning of his career as mayor of Union City, N.J., when he spoke The the spanish language language inside a city council meeting with a lady fighting with British.When individuals in the audience complained, Menendez adjourned the meeting and introduced the entire room for the city archives to find out official ledgers from just before the city's official 1925 incorporation. They were handwritten in German, the term what in the area's large immigrant community in individuals days.Hinojosa mentioned the understanding was particularly effective because the filming coincided while using passage of Arizona's tough immigration laws and regulations and rules, despite the fact that current political debate over immigration is barely touched upon inside the film.That will likely generate debate. Despite the fact that Mexican-Us citizens constitute nearly two-thirds of U.S. Hispanics, the film features a rough balance of Mexican-Us citizens, Cuban-Us citizens and Puerto Ricans. Ferrera, whose household is Honduran, might be the only connected with Latinos of Central American heritage. Colombian native John Leguizamo might be the only real South American.Greenfield-Sanders knows the chance critique but could not make any apologies.He labored with Ingrid Duran, the first sort Boss in the Congressional Hispanic Institute, to attain a variety of political and cultural leaders. According to him loss this list shown a lot more challenging than "The Black List.""Like 'The Black List,' we required to choose a kind of an equilibrium of males and girls, together with an account balance of professions, after which it with 'The Latino List' we required to search for an account balance of nationalities, too," he mentioned.He hopes the film will spawn sequels.Added Greenfield-Sanders: "You will discover 1000's of folks that should remain in the film."Copyright 2011 Connected Press. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By Laura Wides-Munoz September 20, 2011 PHOTO CREDIT Michael Buckner/Getty Images MIAMI (AP) Let us wait watching, leading Hispanic stars on mainstream TV: There's Sofia Vergara's crazy, chess-playing trophy wife on "Modern Family" the conniving Avoi Longoria of "Desperate Regular folksInch and supporting stars for instance Adam Rodriguez who plays a fingerprint and underwater recovery expert on "CSI Miami."Next, this list thins substantially.Walking into that space is "The Latino List." The completely new documentary by Vanity Fair adding digital digital photographer Timothy Greenfield-Sanders airs Sept. 28-29 on Cinemax and Cinemax Latino featuring interviews by award-winning broadcast journalist Maria Hinojosa having a couple of from the nation's best Latinos. Hinojosa has labored at CNN, NPR and PBS, and elsewhere.Longoria, Top Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, rapper Armando Christian Perez, also called Pitbull, astronaut Jose Hernandez and actress America Ferrera are a handful of in the 15 who made this list. The interviews are compelling, funny and raw.Ferrera, the first sort star of TV's "Ugly Betty," talks about the discrimination she faced both because she's Hispanic and also, since others felt she's not Hispanic enough. Hernandez recalls picking cucumbers just like a kid along with his migrant worker parents. John Leguizamo recalls the teacher who inspired him becoming an actress by telling him he'd the "attention period of a sperm."The majority of the tales discuss the immigrant experience, but types of family, education and determination will most likely resonate far beyond the nation's Latino community.The film follows Greenfield-Sanders' acclaimed 2008 "The Black List," numerous three documentaries featuring African-American leaders asked by journalist Elvis Mitchell. Like "The Black List," ''The Latino List" is supported having a bigger photography exhibit now displayed within the Brooklyn Museum of Art.Greenfield-Sanders' portraits have embellished the walls in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY as well as the National Portrait Gallery in Washington. His style is refreshingly simple this list-makers sit or stand alone before a gray background, their faces lit by soft light.Nevertheless the film's minimalism is deceitful. Greenfield-Sanders wanted audiences to appear like this list-makers were speaking right to them, so he used a distinctive camera rig getting one that enabled his subjects to look in to the camera and discover a forecasted picture of Hinojosa who was simply sitting however in the studio. She'd the same camera and microphone.The finish result enabled this list-makers to own "face-to-face" conversations along with her while enabling audiences to feel they are part of the conversation."It absolutely was immaterial I've ever done before, and that i did 100s and hundreds of interviews from gang individuals to skinheads to CEOs," Hinojosa mentioned. She thinks the digital camera technique aided create both a safe and secure distance plus an closeness while using list-makers."We understand the Latino connection with the u . s . states is profoundly beautiful and deeply moving, and frequently painful. ... I really wanted to make a space to enable them to remember and touch to those core recollections and values," she mentioned.Inside an exchange not inside the film, Hinojosa even found herself asking Sotomayor nurturing advice: Should she allow her then 11-year-old daughter to pluck her thick, Frida Kahlo-style eye eyebrows?Sotomayor's advice: Yes, but profit the girl produce a strong sense of self in a variety of other fundamental ways."Maria Hinojosa is certainly an incredible interviewer but got me to go to places I may possibly not have passed by myself,Inch mentioned U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., who influences film. "It may give non-Latinos a means to better understand who we are, and hopefully give Latinos a sense of pride."Within the interview, the Cuban-born politician appreciated an incident at the beginning of his career as mayor of Union City, N.J., when he spoke The the spanish language language inside a city council meeting with a lady fighting with British.When individuals in the audience complained, Menendez adjourned the meeting and introduced the entire room for the city archives to find out official ledgers from just before the city's official 1925 incorporation. They were handwritten in German, the term what in the area's large immigrant community in individuals days.Hinojosa mentioned the understanding was particularly effective because the filming coincided while using passage of Arizona's tough immigration laws and regulations and rules, despite the fact that current political debate over immigration is barely touched upon inside the film.That will likely generate debate. Despite the fact that Mexican-Us citizens constitute nearly two-thirds of U.S. Hispanics, the film features a rough balance of Mexican-Us citizens, Cuban-Us citizens and Puerto Ricans. Ferrera, whose household is Honduran, might be the only connected with Latinos of Central American heritage. Colombian native John Leguizamo might be the only real South American.Greenfield-Sanders knows the chance critique but could not make any apologies.He labored with Ingrid Duran, the first sort Boss in the Congressional Hispanic Institute, to attain a variety of political and cultural leaders. According to him loss this list shown a lot more challenging than "The Black List.""Like 'The Black List,' we required to choose a kind of an equilibrium of males and girls, together with an account balance of professions, after which it with 'The Latino List' we required to search for an account balance of nationalities, too," he mentioned.He hopes the film will spawn sequels.Added Greenfield-Sanders: "You will discover 1000's of folks that should remain in the film."Copyright 2011 Connected Press. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Roland Emmerich Sets Sights On JFK Movie 'Happy Birthday Mr. President'

As someone who knows his way around effects, director Roland Emmerich may well be a great candidate to take advantage of digital aging technology which has been useful for effects in films like "The Curious Situation Of Benjamin Button," "Watchmen" and "X-Males 3." The subject emerged when MTV News taken track of Emmerich within the Toronto Film Festival to go over his approaching period thriller, "Anonymous," which utilizes two groups of stars to see the identical roles at different age groups. We asked for Emmerich if he should consider p-aging an actress digitally, too asOrmuch tougher, you get one in the dead, Foreign exchange re-animator, lost footage style which he revealed he's already in the office around the movie that is dependent on that very technology. "I am. I'm totally into that," Emmerich recognized. "I have one project which really tries to accomplish this, however think we're not there yet. I made some tests that didn't emerge perfectly, therefore i think we should wait another five years.In . And what might the mystery project be? "The title will show you everything, it's name is 'Happy Birthday Mr. Leader.'" Consistent with his word in regards to the revealing title, Emmerich recognized the long run film would focus on Marilyn Monroe's famous birthday serenade for Leader John F. Kennedy, and likely the bond surrounding it. Emmerich mentioned the film can be a extended way from being made, however, no less than before proper aging technology is mastered. "Yes, eventually, eventually,Inch Emmerich mentioned hopefully. "People are kind of courageous to become this.Inch What can you consider Emmerich coping with JFK and Marilyn? Reveal inside the comments or on Twitter!

Netflix's Qwikster Offshoot Unpopular on Wall Street and Primary Street

A Netflix mea culpa in the Boss mailed to clients late Sunday which offered becoming an announcement it might separate its streaming in the DVD business went over as being a lead balloon.our editor recommendsHollywood Docket: Did Netflix Register the Qwikster Trademark?Humbled Netflix Separates DVD and Streaming Companies, Abandons Cost ChangesNetflix's Plans For Completely New Headquarters Prompts LawsuitNetflix Shares Take Another Beating Friday Not only did the stock sink another 7 percent Monday -- ongoing a slide that has greater than cut in two the shares since Netflix introduced an expense hike within this summer time -- but negative comments around the blog publish from Boss Reed Hastings were mounting up. Inside the publish and also the email to clients Hastings apologized for inadequacies in "respect and humbleness" when Netflix introduced its sixty percent cost increase, then he launched in to a description of Qwikster, the completely new title in the DVD service because the streaming service keeps the Netflix brand. By dusk Monday, greater than 17,000 people had considered in within the blog publish. "Is definitely an apology email? Or possibly a Tos email?" one commenter written. "Could it happen to be a coincidence that you just made a decision to bifurcate your organization and rebrand half from this concurrently you felt it necessary to apologize for pissing off all of your clients?" Hastings mentioned that Netflix and Qwikster will operate individually, including different websites and, for people who use both, separate records on the cardboard bills. Experts were mostly not impressed, and accused Netflix of acting in haste without getting done its homework. They might have a very point there: The @Qwikster Twitter address, for example, isn't maintained by Netflix however with a racially insensitive, prolific curser whose account is adorned getting a photograph from the joint-smoking Elmo from Sesame Street. He recently tweeted that people "wanna buy my handle," and he's been offered $1,000 up to now. Netflix rejected to comment in regards to the @Qwikster debate on Monday. So unusual was careful analysis split the business by 50 percent, along with the actual way it had been introduced in the letter that hit in-boxes just right before evening time, that some were theorizing the alterations aren't exactly occur stone. Hastings already set happens for additional iterations along with his letter, which mentioned he required to hear clients more," mentioned branding strategist Adam Hanft of Hanft Projects. "It's public experimentation. The situation is happening so quick that you will find almost no time for testing, so they'll announce it and discover how clients react." BTIG Research analyst Richard Greenfield written that, having its decision to part ways DVD from streaming, Netflix's business went "from simple to puzzling." "Will the nearly hundreds of an incredible number of streaming-only clients be as 'sticky' given that they do not have Digital video disks lounging around their home that say 'Netflix'?" Greenfield asked for. "Personally the Netflix envelope is surely a resource of enjoyment,Inch Hastings written within the letter to clients. "The completely new envelope remains that lovely red-colored-colored, however it has a 'Qwikster' logo design design. I realize that logo design design will grow on me as time passes, but nevertheless, it's difficult. I imagine it'll be similar for a number of people.Inch Netflix declined to discuss an image in the new logo design design while using Hollywood Reporter. Another change is the Qwikster the the envelopes could also contain game game titles, which thrills some clients but worries some experts. "It is a miracle formula to eliminate money," mentioned Janney Capital Areas analyst Tony Wible, that's been telling clients to promote their Netflix stock. Inventory could compare because clients "have little fascination with older games." While apparently couple of in number, there's one or more analyst safeguarding Netflix on Monday, both due to its decision to enhance prices also to split its business by 50 percent. "As clients use progressively more items for streaming, all the upsetting occasions within the last handful of several days will probably be forgotten," mentioned NPD entertainment analyst Russ Crupnick. Crupnick also predicted that other extreme changes for Netflix are along the way, owed to how pricey it's to license Television films and shows for streaming. He predictions reduced tier for completely new releases or possibly a la carte choices for several movies. "For $8 monthly, it's very a difficulty on Netflix to find the streaming content it wants," Crupnick mentioned. "Clients will need to purchase eventually, filter systems do everything at Netflix?" Related Subjects Netflix Reed Hastings

'Game Of Thrones' In The Emmys: Producers Tease Season Two

"Bet on Thrones" star Peter Dinklage, as being a true Lannister, walked from the 2011 Emmy Honours having a large victory under his belt within the Best Supporting Actor category. It had been the only real major win for that Cinemax series only at that year's show, but individuals individuals who've browse the books know that people haven't seen anything yet quite simply, should you loved the very first season, the following season of "Thrones" will certainly deliver numerous sleep deprived nights and many of us of future Emmys. "Thrones" is presently shooting its second season, taking its cues in the second novel in author George R.R. Martin's series, "A Clash of Nobleman." Because the title suggests, next time audiences are asked to inhale the wintery winds of Westeros, you will see many nobleman, many clashes, and several, many shocks and surprises. "Everyone is within danger," co-showrunner David Benioff told MTV News around the red-colored carpet from the Emmys last evening (September 18). "It's one thing we loved concerning the books, and it is the case with the series too: the figures, regardless of how important, can die in a episode. And it is not really a special episode of 'Game of Thrones,' it is simply that that's how existence is nowadays.Inch Audiences got their first taste of this stunning dying-is-existence philosophy within the second to last episode of "Thrones'" first season no spoilers here, you can either understand what I am speaking about or else you don't and also the surprises will not finish there, definitely not when there's war within the mix. "This year is type of the drive to war its these different warring factions which have been accumulating," stated Benioff's co-showrunner, D.B. Weiss. "Linked with emotions . move against one another and are available to blows with one another." "An Audio Lesson of Ice and Fire" purists may take heart within the understanding that Benioff and Weiss don't have any intentions of straying off too far from Martin's source material, though they maintain that they may deviate in the story's path if required. "We are able to do what we should want, there is no contract saying we must be faithful towards the books," stated Benioff. "We occur to love the books, the figures within our show are very faithful towards the figures [within the books], and George R.R. Martin is an excellent plotter therefore we don't wish to screw anything up as we do not have to. Nevertheless, we are going to need to deviate every once in awhile.Inch Is the fact that great news for fans of Jason Momoa? His character, the impossibly badass Khal Drogo, died quite suddenly within the first season, but Momoa themself has was adamant that he'll create a "Thrones" comeback. "Jason's got a large mouth, but we'll see. We'll see what goes on,Inch Benioff offered. Inform us what you believe within the comments section as well as on Twitter!

Swiss watchers

Steven Soderbergh's 'Contagion' will open this year's fest on Sept. 22.Fest to unspool 'Milk' as part of a Sean Penn retrospective.If the Zurich Film Festival were a person, it would be entering first or second grade now. But the 7-year-old festival in Switzerland's largest city is not a beginning student.Though young by established film-festival standards, the Swiss gathering drew 2,000 submissions this year and is supported by 4.9 million Swiss francs ($6 million) in funds. Of the thousands entered, 90 films were chosen.Steven Soderbergh's "Contagion" opens this year's fest on Sept. 22. The action-thriller stars, among many others, Laurence Fishburne, who will also be on hand at the fest to serve as international jury prexy.Among this year's lineup are eight films competing in the German-language competition. Festival founder and artistic director Karl Spoerri says Zurich is known for showcasing beginning filmmakers -- but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are all twentysomethings."You don't have to be young -- that's not what we're looking for. Sometimes it's very interesting to see how diverse filmmakers in the early part of their career can be. We don't look at the age," he says.Overall, there are four competitions. Two German-language (one for feature film and one for documentaries) and two international (again, for a feature and a documentary) with 40 films spread out among the sections.Among the German language films to be shown is "Kriegerin" (Combat Girls) from David F. Wnendt of Germany. Zurich marks the international premiere for his film about a young neo-Nazi.In the German-language documentary-film category, Swiss filmmaker Stefan Muggli's "Unter wasser atmen" (Breathing Underwater) docu about Dr. Nils Jent, a leading advocate for the disabled, makes its world premiere.In the main competition, young filmmakers will compete for the Golden Eye, the festival's main award. In addition to the competition, recent films by renowned filmmakers will be aired at exclusive gala premieres.The festival also highlights movies from countries with increasingly important movie industries. This year's focus is Turkey. In the past years, the regional focuses have included Israel, Argentina and Australia. The festival tries to pick countries that have recently increased their film production, Spoerri says.The Zurich festival promotes itself as a European festival with a special emphasis on filmmakers from the continent. But for all its Euro-emphasis, organizers named an American actor -- once again -- to receive the Golden Icon Award for lifetime achievement. Sean Penn will be formally honored on Sept. 28 for his "unprecedented achievements as a legendary actor and filmmaker," a festival statement said.The festival will unspool Penn's "Into the Wild" and feature a special retrospective of films featuring him as an actor, including "Mystic River" and "Milk."The Golden Icon award was established in 2008 and since then every honor has gone to an American actor: Sylvester Stallone, Morgan Freeman and Michael Douglas.Spoerri says it's only a coincidence that the award has always been delivered to a Yank."For some reason it's worked out that way. It's not something we've strived for," he says.The honorees this year aren't all from the United States. On Oct. 1, Canada's Paul Haggis and Mexico's Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu will be honored, and screenings of their pics are featured throughout the festival schedule.Credit Suisse, Die Post, Kuoni and Audi are the major sponsors of the Zurich Film Festival, which has received some good news from an unexpected source. Spoerri says the recent increase in the value of the Swiss franc has helped the festival, since most of its acquisitions are in euros and the franc has appreciated against that and other currencies.(Ed Meza contributed to this report.)HIGHLIGHTSBelated honorRoman Polanski returns to Zurich to pick up the lifetime achievement award he was to receive in 2009 when Swiss police arrested him in connection with a 1978 case."Gromozeka"Director: Vladimir KottActors: Nikolay Dobrynin and Boris KamorzinThree former school-band players, now in their 40s, reunite for a performance at their graduation anniversary."Agnus Dei: Lamb of God"Director: Alejandra SanchezDocumentaryFifteen years after being sexually abused, a former altar boy decides to confront the guilty priest, who is still serving mass in Mexico due to the fact that the local bishop has rejected or disparaged accusations made against him."Circumstance"Director: Maryam KeshavarzActors: Sarah Kazemy and Nikohl BoosheriSet in contemp Iran, the film tells the story of two girls, one wealthy and the other orphaned, who discover and struggle with their burgeoning sexuality, as well as the boundaries placed upon them by society."Beauty Day"Director: Jay CheelDocumentaryRalph Zavadil is a stuntman featured in "Cap'n Video," which aired 1990-95 on Canadian TV. His brand of grossout stunt comedy was ahead of his time -- and all it took was a broken neck for him to get noticed."The Help"Director: Tate TaylorActors: Emma Stone and Viola DavisThe story of African-American maids in the 1960s closes the festival. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

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Premium Rush Trailer Rides In

Joseph Gordon-Levitt gets on his bikeIf you've ever wondered what it's like to be a bike messenger forever weaving in and out of traffic or pelting it down a side street to make a delivery on time, now you might just get a chance to find out. Action thriller Premium Rush features just such a rider as its hero and the first trailer is below for your viewing pleasure. Keep up!Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Wilee, a swift bike type who prefers fixed gears and no brakes as he tears around NY City. But his latest pickup proves to be more trouble than it's worth, as he runs afoul of dodgy cop Michael Shannon and into a whole world of problems. Soon, he's riding for his life, being chased by proper coppers and criminals alike while also fearing for the safety of friends such as Vanessa (Dania Ramirez). And from the looks of the trailer (plus the fact that Gordon-Levitt got into at least one bloody scrape while shooting), it won't exactly be the easiest job to survive. Directed by David Koepp from a script he wrote with John Kamps, Premium Rush promises plenty of adrenaline-fuelled chases and some nervy camerawork. It'll cycle into cinemas on February 17 next year.

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Robert Guillaume Remembers The Lion King and His Struggle to Find Good Roles for African-Americans in Film

On a recent day in Los Angeles the charismatic, now-83-year-old Robert Guillaume recalled with little effort and copious charm the skepticism he initially felt at the idea of a cartoon film about a lion who becomes the king of the animals, for which the filmmakers wanted him to voice a wise mandrill-baboon. “When they first described it to me I wasn’t all that impressed with the idea,” he admitted. “It didn’t make a lot of sense.” Eventually the parts combined into Disney’s 1994 classic The Lion King, and Guillaume saw what made it all so special. “I still think it’s kind of a miracle, that it must have touched people very deeply when they first saw it.” Indeed: Disney’s The Lion King eventually became one of the Mouse House’s most beloved animated films of the period spanning 1989-1999, when films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas turned into worldwide successes and hit multi-media franchises. With indelible songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, handsome African-set visuals, and familial themes aimed at children, The Lion King easily won the hearts of a generation of young moviegoers. (It will be re-released theatrically in a limited two-week engagement before becoming available in 3-D on Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3-D.) Movieline sat down with the award-winning stage and television veteran to discuss his work over 17 years ago as The Lion King’s sage baboon shaman Rafiki, how he finally found the right voice after weeks of searching, why he considers the film a “miracle” and how the lack of decent roles for African-American actors decades ago switched his focus from film to other mediums in which he thrived. When The Lion King was first described to you, was there something that made it sound special to you? Could you tell back then that it would become such a beloved film? I didn’t know that it was going to be a special project. It sort of grew on me. When they first described it to me I wasn’t all that impressed with the idea. It didn’t make a lot of sense. “The Lion King.” And when they said they wanted me to be in it, I thought they meant they wanted me to play the Lion King! I began to fantasize about that, and then they quickly brought me down and said, “You’re going to play the monkey.” I said, “I’ve been playing monkeys all my life.” At what moment did you realize that you had something distinctive? After we searched to find the voice for the character — we did that for about two weeks — and we finally hit on something that we thought would work, we came up with the voice and characterization that was Rafiki. That was both a relief and a revelation. It was a relief because it said, okay — when they said, “We think that will work,” it meant the search was over and I had at least another day to work. And the revelation came later, when I heard and saw the character that we had created. Saw it in interaction, in the story. And that’s when I began to get the idea that hey — we’ve really got something here! The process of making an animated film is like that, with so many pieces assimilated together over a long period time and not much of an idea of how the final product might turn out. Do you remember the first time you saw the finished film and what you thought of it? I don’t know if I felt anything all that special about it, but I do remember thinking that it works. I didn’t know at that time how impressive that story would be, as people saw it. I still think it’s kind of a miracle, that it must have touched people very deeply when they first saw it. And I think that manifests itself in children. Children seeing it, and they see those animals and they see the story that doesn’t talk down to them but still talks to them at their level — I think that is very impressive about that story. As someone who was 13 when The Lion King came out, I can confirm that it’s one of the films of that generation that really stayed with young people. I wonder if kids these days feel that way about their films. I don’t think so. I think The Lion King is special. And I think that is, again, a miracle. Because miracles in things like this, they happen because a number of things come together at the same time, at the same point. Good storytelling, great characterizations, animation and elements that by themselves might not mean that much, but coming together it’s a force. And it’s beautiful to see when you see a story like The Lion King. I have not been impressed as much by any cartoon. It seems to speak to adults as well more than a lot of children’s animated films do. I think so too, and I’d be reluctant to say that anywhere else. [Laughs] You have this great, iconic voice — this wonderful voice. It’s such a rare thing. People know your voice. I think they would know anyone’s voice if they’d heard it over and over long enough! Really! There’s special, unmistakable quality to your voice. [Smiling] OK, I’ll accept that. You’ve done a lot of voice work during your career, and also a lot of television and stage work. Looking back at your work over the years, would you have liked to have done more film as well? Yes. It’s where, had I had my druthers, I would have put myself. In a good film, of some sort. But when I think of the terrain that African-Americans have been forced to reside in, in film, it’s not all that promising. I didn’t see it as promising. Because I see a vast, vast terrain, but I don’t see African-Americans existing in much of it. Has that changed much, do you think, to where we are today? No, I don’t think so. So you just found better opportunities for yourself elsewhere? Yeah… but I was never offered much in film. I did a few things, but they never amounted to much. You mentioned that it took a while to find the right voice for Rafiki. Why was that the case, and what sort of different directions were you going in? I think it’s part of the normal process, because we had nothing else to relate it to. Make it sound like such and such — you couldn’t go in any direction like that. Because we didn’t know, with all these animals and all this space, where are we? And I think in some strange, or not so strange kind of way, the voice of Rafiki sets the story in Africa. Partly due to the sageness of his character, and his identity as a shaman type of figure. Mmm-hmm. And I think in a lot of ways it was the accent itself. I couldn’t use just any foreign accent. I had been playing around in my head at parties and things, trying to sound like a Jamaican or something like that, and I was never any good at that. I never was able to put together a decent Jamaican accent, because I love it so much! But this was my interpretation of that kind of accent, at that time. And while I fell short of Jamaican, it was another ersatz character put together that worked, oddly enough.

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