August: Osage County – STEPHANIE GOULD

20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards: An #Actor Votes. #SAGAwards #2014

As a member of the Screen Actors Guild, I am able to vote in the SAG Awards. Below are my choices for each award.

The Screen Actors Guild Awards air Saturday, January 18th on TNT & TBS at 8p.m.

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A CAST IN A MOTION PICTURE

Nominated: 12 Years a Slave, American Hustle, August: Osage County, Dallas Buyers Club, Lee Daniels’ The Butler.

Voted for: August: Osage County seems to me to be a true ensemble piece in itself, but with these specific actors, they gave performances that helped move the film along as a whole. As an ensemble. Plus, filming dinner scenes are actually extremely complex.

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave), Tom Hanks (Captain Phillips) Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club), Forest Whitaker (Lee Daniels’ The Butler), Bruce Dern (Nebraska)

Voted For: Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave): I was so impressed with his performance. It’s truly amazing because it has made me want to become a better actor. To learn as much as I can. Although, I was impressed with Matthew McConaughey, I thought the depths that Chiwetel Ejiofor had to go to in order to give a complete portrayal of his character were so much deeper. *Side note, he’s BRITISH and does one of the best American accents I’ve ever heard.

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Nominated: Meryl Streep (August: Osage County), Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine). Sandra Bullock (Gravity), Judi Dench (Philomena), Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks)

Voted For: Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine): It was a toss up between Meryl Streep and Cate Blanchett for me once I narrowed my choices down. Ultimately, I thought the arc of Blanchett’s character was played beautifully, her performance as Jasmine simply impressed me more than the others. Although, it was extremely difficult NOT to vote for Meryl Streep (BECAUSE she’s MERYL STREEP)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Nominated: Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave), Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips), Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club), James Gandolfini (Enough Said), Daniel Bruhl (Rush)

Voted For: Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club): He truly immersed himself into this character and the power of his performance, for me, is undeniable. Although, before I saw it, I was convinced I would be voting for Michael Fassbender because there is nothing forgivable about his character, and it’s extremely difficult to play the bad guy well. Leto blew the competition out of the water for me.

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Nominated: Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave), Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle), Julia Roberts (August: Osage County), June Squibb (Nebraska), Oprah Winfrey (Lee Daniels’ The Butler)

Voted For: Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave): She truly gave a supporting performance and was so visceral in the process of playing Patsey, that I felt I had so other choice but to vote for her. I was blown away by her skill and talent. Although, there were pleasant surprises from Julia Roberts and Oprah, but Lupita is one to watch. She was fantastic.

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TELEVISION

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA SERIES

Nominated: Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Game of Thrones, Homeland.

Voted For: Breaking Bad

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY SERIES

Nominated: 30 Rock, Arrested Development, Modern Family, The Big Bang Theory, Veep.

Voted For: Modern Family

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Nominated: Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Kevin Spacey (House of Cards), Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom)

Voted For: Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) *There was no contest. Seriously.

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

Nominated: Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Coven), Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey), Claire Danes (Homeland), Kerry Washington (Scandal)

Voted For: Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad) *Side note, this was the most difficult decision I had to make this year. I love them all.

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Nominated: Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Jason Bateman (Arrested Development), Don Cheadle (House of Lies), Ty Burrell (Modern Family) Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)

Voted For: Ty Burrell (Modern Family)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES

Nominated: Tina Fey (30 Rock), Julie Bowen (Modern Family) Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)

Voted For: Julie Bowen (Modern Family)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES

Nominated: Matt Damon (Behind the Candelabra), Michael Douglas (Behind the Candelabra), Rob Lowe (Killing Kennedy), Al Pacino (Phil Spector), Jeremy Irons (The Hollow Crown)

Voted For: Michael Douglas (Behind the Candelabra)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A TELEVISION MOVIE OR MINISERIES

Nominated: Angela Bassett (Betty & Coretta), Helena Bonham Carter (Burton & Taylor), Elisabeth Moss (Top of the Lake), Holly Hunter (Top of the Lake), Helen Mirren (Phil Spector)

Voted For: Helen Mirren (Phil Spector)

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

Nominated: All is Lost, The Fast the Furious 6, Lone Survivor, Rush, Wolverine.

Voted for: Wolverine.

OUTSTANDING ACTION PERFORMANCE BY A STUNT ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES

Nominated: Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, Game of Thrones, Homeland, The Walking Dead.

Voted For: Game of Thrones. Due to the sheer amounts of stunts in this series, for me, it was a clear choice. Plus, it seems like they would have more fun. Voting for stunt ensembles is really difficult.

January 8, 2014 by Stephanie Gould Categories: Acting, Acting With An Accent, Awards, Entertainment, UncategorizedTags: 12 Years a Slave, Acting, actors, Al Pacino, American Horror Story, American Hustle, Anna Gunn, August: Osage County, awards, Breaking Bad, Bryan Cranston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jennfer Lawrence, Jessica Lange, Meryl Streep, Michael Fassbender, Oprah, SAG, screen actors guild, vote Leave a comment

First Look: #AugustOsageCounty (In Theaters Jan. 10th)

august2 — Julianne Nicholson, Meryl Streep, and Julia Roberts in the film adaptation of Tracy Lett’s play, “August: Osage County”

The good thing about being in the Screen Actors Guild is that we often get to see films before they are released into theaters to the general public. Last night I had the pleasure of viewing Alexander Payne’s Nebraska (separate review coming) and the adaptation of Tracy Lett’s 2008 Pulitzer Prize and Tony winning play, August: Osage County in the comfort of my own home. I loved the movie, I really did. However, I think that both the play version and the movie version are two separate entities. Oftentimes, I kept finding myself comparing it to the stage version, but then I realized that the majority of people who will be viewing the film have never seen the stage play. That being said, as a stand-alone film, August: Osage County can almost put the mirror up too close the nature. At the same time, the family dynamic is actually believable which makes it a refreshing change from the cookie-cutter family movies out there. At the helm is the matriarch of the family, played by none other than the magnificent Meryl Streep. She’ll probably beat her own record again with Oscar nominations for this one. And, as a pleasant surprise, Julia Roberts gives a solid performance as Barbara Weston, a role for which Amy Morton garnered a Tony nomination. Roberts’ portrayal, as well as Streep’s are worthy of the SAG nominations they received. In the supporting cast, you have the likes of Margo Martindale, Chris Cooper, Misty Upham, Abigail Breslin, Julianne Nicholson, Bendedict Cumberbatch, Ewan McGregor, Dermot Mulroney, and Juliette Lewis. Sam Shepard is the pivotal role as Beverly Weston. Each and every one of the cast members are great actors, so to see them all together in one film is a real treat. Taken out of the confines of the stage and put on location, the film still has the element of a frustrated and fractured family, sometimes more so because the characters are actually put into the elements of the Oklahoma county in which it takes place. Streep’s vocal and physical transformation is a far cry from the woman who danced and sang her way through Mamma Mia! or took home the Oscar for playing one of England’s toughest women. There’s a weakness, fragility, and all out strength that Streep brings to Violet Weston that makes the film 1000 times better. In the hands of a lesser actress, it would just be another film about a dysfunctional family. The film opens on January 10^th everywhere and needs to be seen for its sheer verisimilitude.

December 20, 2013December 20, 2013 by Stephanie Gould Categories: UncategorizedTags: Abigail Breslin, August: Osage County, Benedict Cumberbatch, Chris Cooper, Dermot Mulroney, England, Ewan McGregor, Julia Roberts, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Mamma Mia, Margo Martindale, Meryl Streep, Misty Upham, Oklahoma, SAG, SAG awards, Sam Shepard, screen actors guild Leave a comment

Whoa Momma! HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

In honor of Mother’s Day, I have compiled a list of some interesting characters from TV and Film.

TELEVISION

Malory Archer, voiced by Jessica Walter, Archer. FX pushes the envelope with a mother who is her son’s boss and not always nice to him. But she loves him just the same.
Kitty Forman, played by Debra Jo Rupp, That 70s Show. Kitty is one heck of a mother and she doesn’t always get appreciated the way she should be her family. Well, I think she’s awesome.
Lorelai Gilmore, played by Lauren Graham, Gilmore Girls: For a teen mom, Lorelai did one hell of a job. It’s funny and heartwarming. It’s also one of the BEST shows EVER. I love it. Now, Lauren Graham is as equally motherly and impressive on NBC’s Parenthood.

4. Virginia Chance, played by Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope. She a mother and a really young grandmother. And she is hysterical. It’s one of the best shows to come around in the past few years.

MOVIES

Jenna Hunterson, played by Keri Russell in Waitress(2007.) Playing a woman who is coming to terms with being pregnant and not necessarily excited, but scared to be a mother is a different take on such an aged old process. Writer/director, Adrienne Shelley was murdered in her Manhattan apartment during post-production for this movie and never got to see the final film. What was amazing, is the toddler who played Jenna’s child towards the end of the film, was Shelley’s actual daughter.

Sherry Swanson, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal in Sherrybaby (2006.) A woman who just gets out of prison is trying to re-establish a relationship with her daughter. She should have been nominated for an Oscar for this role. It’s really amazing.

Hala Pzoniak, played by Claire Danes in Polish Wedding (1998.) She’s supposed to be the virginal, but winds up pregnant by a neighbor and has to marry him. It’s a little known movie, but worth the watch.

Suyuan, Lindo, Ying-Ying, and An-Mei, played by Kieu Chinh, Tsai Chin, France Nuyen, & Lisa Lu in The Joy Luck Club(1993.) Four friends from China recount their lives to their daughters. Directed by Wayne Wang, it’s an amazing film and will always be one of my favorites. Based on the best-selling book by Amy Tan.

Jules and Nic played by Julianne Moore and Annette Benning in The Kids Are All Right (2010.) As a couple, and as mothers they are breaking down barriers and doing it in a way that their children can be proud, despite the complications from the birth father.

And now for the trailer to one of the movies that is highly anticipated, with Meryl Streep as the matriarch of the family in August: Osage County:

Happy Mother’s Day everyone.

May 12, 2013May 12, 2013 by Stephanie Gould Categories: Acting, Awards, Entertainment, UncategorizedTags: Annette Benning, Archer, August: Osage County, Debra Jo Rupp, Gilmore Girls, Jessica Walter, Julianne Moore, Keri Russell, Lauren Graham, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Martha Plimpton, Meryl Streep, Raising Hope, Sherrybaby, That 70s Show, The Joy Luck Club, The Kids Are All Right, Waitress Leave a comment