She’s barely in her twenties, yet Daisy Edgar-Jones has given us a 12-part acting technique masterclass in the form of her portrayal of Marianne in Hulu’s hit series Normal People.  Every state of emotion, every point of transformation is reached with striking authenticity, stemming from this complex character. It’s a timeless performance for the ages. In this episode, she breaks down some of that work, talks about her love of acting with accents, the importance of creative chemistry, how she manages her acting insecurities, and much more. Back To One can be found wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google […]

Filmmaker is an advertiser-supported publication, and we are grateful to our Summer issue advertisers for advertising in our current issue. Thanks to all the companies below, and please consider clicking on their links below and learning about their current products, projects and initiatives. FX Networks, AKA Jane Doe HBO, For Your Consideration SAGindie Newsletter Metropolitan Post Virginia Film Office Cherokee Nation (OSIYO TV) Fairleigh Dickenson University Vermont College of Fine Arts Columbia University School of the Arts Emerson College  LA Film School Johns Hopkins University Temple University Seven Seas (Rights Workshop) Warner Archive City of San Antonio

Few actors in recent memory have made a bigger impact with their very first performance in a television series. Paul Mescal’s assured and quietly masterful portrayal of Connell in Normal People feels like the work of a veteran. He talks extensively about the “chemistry reads” portion of his audition process, before and after connecting so brilliantly with his equally gifted co-star, Daisy Edgar-Jones. He also goes into detail about the struggle filming one of the most talked-about and emotionally affecting scenes in the series. Plus he tells us why the “light and fun side” of all the attention on his […]

Tom Pelphrey is getting accolades from both critics and viewers for his performance as Ben (brother of Laura Linney’s character Wendy) on the third season of Netflix’s hit series Ozark. In Pelphrey’s hands Ben’s vulnerability and explosiveness both seem to have deep-seated roots; there is a vast world behind his piercing eyes. On this episode he talks about how the atmosphere on the set of Ozark helped him bring that character to life, how his early success on daytime television prepped him for other aspects of the work, and why endless takes with David Fincher was heaven. Plus much more! […]

British actor James Norton gives an affecting and haunting performance in Agnieszka Holland’s important new film Mr. Jones, which opens June 19th. Last year he played James Brooke (Meg’s love interest) in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women. The discussion in this episode comes back often to those two directors, as Norton generously takes us on a deep dive into his stage and screen work, lets us peek under the hood of his process, and talks about why he’s not consumed by his expanding “leading man status.” Back To One can be found wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google […]

We’ve been wanting to publish this news regarding Filmmaker‘s Summer, 2020 issue for the last week, but we haven’t wanted to take space in your feeds while energies and attention have needed to be directed towards protests and the Black Lives Matter movement. But because our publication date is approaching, we are publishing this today. Dear Reader, I’m writing with news about Filmmaker’s Summer, 2020 issue as well as, for print subscribers, your subscription. For reasons I will detail here, we’ve decided to make Filmmaker’s summer issue a PDF edition. Of course, the issue will be available to all subscribers […]

In these last 10 years, stage and screen veteran Peter Friedman has enjoyed a steady flow of work, more than the first 30 years of his career. Recently, he got raves for his Polonius in Sam Gold’s production of Hamlet at the Public Theater, had a recurring role on the Hulu series The Path, and now plays Frank Vernon on the hit HBO show Succession. On this episode, he talks about how being the “new kid in class” as a day-player on set makes him nervous, why it’s ok to dismiss work that doesn’t speak to you, how performing with […]

He was an acting legend before Succession, but Brian Cox’s brilliant portrayal of Logan Roy on the smash hit HBO series just might put him in the pantheon. He gets deep into the psychology of that iconic character on this episode and takes us back to his early days of discovering Shakespeare, creating the role of Hannibal Lecter in Manhunter, learning the importance of cultivating mystery in a character, freeing himself in the work, and not taking his characters home with him. Plus much more! Back To One can be found wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Google […]

Each Friday, Filmmaker sends out a free newsletter containing an original Editor’s Letter as well as news of film openings, events, etc. (the latter mostly streaming and online, these days). The Editor’s Letters usually aren’t posted online, but here’s last week’s, which deals with the uncertainty around obtaining production insurance in this pandemic environment. It’s been passed around quite a bit, so I’m posting it here for easier reference. If you’d like to receive the Filmmaker newsletter, you can subscribe for free here. — SM “It’s what we call ‘a hard market,’” said the insurance broker on the phone. I didn’t need […]

Jody Lee Lipes’ first answer was drowned out by a cacophonous eruption outside his window. We’d scheduled our interview about HBO’s new show I Know This Much Is True for 7 pm—the time when New Yorkers take to their windows and balconies each night to shower frontline workers with cheers of appreciation. Wally Lamb’s source novel was released in 1998 and the show’s 10-month shooting schedule began in early 2019. Yet it’s not hard to draw parallels between the show’s weary humanism and our new pandemic reality, with lines like “We’re connected, whether I like you or not” and “You […]