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Peter Blood visits and partakes on the set of WHERE THE HEART IS, an upcoming Natalie Portman/Ashley Judd film
We all know about Peter Blood and his affinity for the ladies, so when he heard there was a movie shooting in Austin with not only Ashley Judd, but Joan Cusack and Natalie Portman. Well... Hm being our local heartthrob of the AICN crew... We sent him off to battle hormones and urges. Our dear Doctor was aptly outfitted to resist the wiley charms as he is.... married. (Sorry gals) So even though they all threw themselves upon his pantlegs... He survived. Whatta man!
"Where the Heart Is" set report from Peter Blood
Well, I wasn't going to even bother writing this up until I was goaded over the phone by Master Harry who was excited enough by his newly
purchased Iron Giant toy that the term "giddy" came to mind. I did, indeed, visit the set of the film "Where the Heart Is" currently shooting in
central Texas, but I did so under no guise of AICN affiliation. I visited the set in a way any of you good people can do; I simply signed up and
was called on to be an extra in the film. None of the cast or crew knew who I was, although the topic came up, so a few of my fellow extras knew
by the end of the day. As such, it was probably a purer setting than I'm sure Harry would have gotten if he had shown up, himself. For some
reason people tend to "put on the Sunday best" when Harry comes around, or even sometimes us underlings who are merely associated with
him. Don't get me wrong; sponging off Harry's celebrity, even unintentionally, can be fun, but I really prefer the unobtrusive observer
approach. That's why Harry loves it when you guys send stuff in when YOU get to be extras. I realize not everyone has a job they can just
shrug off when something like this comes along, but if you can, to me there's no better way to spend a day.
Alright, I hear you saying, get on with it. Well, to start things off a little background info. Matt Williams, the creator of "Home Improvement"
and "Roseanne" directs a script from Babaloo Mandel and Lowell Ganz (who have written several Ron Howard comedies) based on a novel by
Billie Letz. The time is the mid nineties. Natalie Portman plays Novalee, a pregnant seventeen year old girl who is traveling with her worthless
boyfriend when her shoe falls through the rusted out floorboard of his truck and is lost. Being pregnant, she has to "use the powder room"
quite often and has her beau stop at a po-dunk Wal-Mart just off the highway so she can get a new pair of shoes and relieve herself. While
inside, Mr. Wonderful books, leaving her stranded with almost no money. Being the resourceful teen she is, Novalee decides to take up
residence in the Wal-Mart... and as they say in sitcomland, hilarity ensues. Although, to be honest, the vibe I got was that this a bit more bitter
sweet than your typical comedy, more like Steel Magnolias than Something About Mary. Rounding out the cast are Ashley Judd as a nurse
named Lexie who helps Novalee, Sally Field as Novalee's mother, Joan Cusack as someone's (I believe Lexie's) somewhat loopy sister, and
Stockard Channing as another kind-hearted local who befriends Novalee named Sister Husband. Coming next are what may be construed as
mild spoilers, so if you're the kind who doesn't want to know, skip down to past the second row of asterisks.
************Spoiler Alert***********
Novalee actually gives birth inside the Wal-Mart, and becomes a local celebrity with her "Wal-Mart Baby", a girl that she names........Americus.
I swear that's what they told us to call the baby. Of course everyone pitches in to help her out, and they raise a nice sum of money that her
mother shows up and takes off with. Apparently Sally Field was only needed on set for 2 days. Sister Husband is who Novalee and little
Americus eventually wind up going home with. The loser boyfriend is in an accident and loses both his legs. Like I said earlier, not exactly a
light hearted comedy. Most of these tidbits I got from other extras who had been on the set a few days already.
************End Spoilers***********
Back to the set. Our call time is at 10 am and I get there right at ten after driving around for 15 minutes trying to locate where I was supposed to
park. I had been told over the phone the day before that I was to be an orderly in a hospital scene. It turns out there were two orderlies, and we
were given basically matching white pants, shoes, t-shirts and shirts, as opposed to the scrubs I see most orderlies wearing in any hospital I've
ever been in. It is supposed to be a small town, so maybe that's it. Later in the day, we discussed whether we looked more like extras from One
Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest or Lou Diamond Phillips from Stand and Deliver. Truthfully, no one would EVER mistake ME for Mr. Phillips.
Where the Heart Is is officially an indie, but I've been told it has a budget of around $25 mil, so it's not exactly small. Nonetheless, I was very
impressed with the Craft Services on this particular shoot. This is where the cast, crew get their food, as do the "atmosphere" people. That's
a rather PC word for extras. The change rooms said Male Atmos and Female Atmos and were part of the same trailer as the "Honey Wagon".
For those who don't know what a Honey Wagon is... I'll let someone else tell you. We were able to order a full blown breakfast after going
through Costume, Hair and Make-up. (The poor Hair people always have a hard time with me. My hair is rather thick, and on a hot, balmy day
like this, it does basically whatever it wants.) Then came the wait. Now I've been on a few of these extras gigs, so I knew what to expect, but if
you have never been, be prepared to wait....a lot.....and then some. In general, the bigger the budget, the longer the wait. Some of the extras
were playing hospital visitors and went over first to shoot a couple scenes in the hospital parking lot with one of the doctor extras. Meanwhile,
waiting in a school cafeteria across the street were 2 orderlies, 2 doctors, 1 candy striper, and a few nurses. We sat around most of the morning,
finally getting called over in the mid afternoon.
The scene we were doing has Novalee leaving the hospital with her new little one. She gets pushed out of the elevator in a wheelchair by the
candy striper into a small crowd of hospital staff (lead by Nurse Lexie) who are there in the lobby to see the baby and wish her and her mother
well. I had already seen Natalie from a distance earlier in the day when she was leaving the hair trailer, but now, up close (and she looks even
more beautiful in person) what struck me most was how she looked and acted like such a normal (although definitely above average in looks
and intelligence) 18 year old girl. She and Ashley (who certainly looked fine as well) talked a bit between rehearsals and takes, and one of the
extras noticed Natalie had been looking at a Sports Illustrated with an article on Star Wars inside. Neither of these lovely ladies were divas in
any way; no tantrums, no bossing, and both were fully enamored with the real star of this particular scene, a two week old named Haley, making
her screen debut as Novalee's new-born daughter. This was one calm two week old, letting 10 strangers in rather odd garb clap loudly and
surround her with barely a peep. Natalie yawned a bit between the rehearsals. Let me take time out for a side rant for a few lines. The local
paper here in Austin has mentioned the fears of a stalker going after Natalie and it's just so weird to me that people can become obsessed with
someone they don't even know. I've seen Harry get a fair share of odd fans approaching him, but the stalker thing truly saddens me. Being
famous should not mean you have to live in fear. Bill Shatner said it best; "Get a life!"
Well, back from the side rant, we broke for lunch after rehearsing the scene and shot it from a couple of different angles once we returned.
Matt Williams certainly runs a laid back, but efficient set. As I mentioned before, I've been to a few, and there was always a layer of tension
somewhere, if not with the director, with the 1st AD, or one of the stars. On this set, though, everyone seemed to just cooperate and work to
get the job done. During the rehearsals, one of the crew even broke a piece of the lobby furniture when she tried to sit on it. No one shouted; a
couple of guys just went over and fixed it. This was probably the calmest set I've been on. The other scene they did was Novalee waiting in
the lobby with a now crying infant, waiting for someone to pick her up. Her conversation with the receptionist is really more tragic than comic,
as she really has no idea where she's going to go now that whomever IS supposed to be there obviously isn't coming. Interestingly enough,
young Haley didn't seem to want to cry that much, so I assume most of that will be foleyed in. During this time, we extras were able to get
smoothies or frozen lattes from one cart and a wide assortment of nuts and candy from another. Truly, a well fed crew is a happy crew. Then it
was time to break and go home, back to my everyday pirate's life, buckling swashes and things like that. Hopefully, along with providing a little
info, I've given you folks a look into a day in the life of an extra.
Until next time,
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+ Expand All
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Being well-fed, and meeting famous people. What more could anyone want?
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Yeah, I like the sound of that too.
-
Jul 23, 1999 7:30:19 AM CDT
I went in to get socks, and right by the Icee machine there is Q
by spike lee
I bet the extras were all given blue vest and had to pull out pieces of paper from a hat that says "Gone Fishin". I can still hear the scream of delight from one extra "I got housewares". This is an original idea from Hollywood and I am excited to see this one. It reminds me of everyone's dream of hiding under the beds at Sears and after closing time having the mall all to yourself to play Dawn of the Dead (at least before the zombies get there).
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What to be an extra in Where the heart is? this is how!
The feature film WHERE THE HEART IS needs extras. Production will begin June 21 in the Austin area. Principle casting will be
completed through talent agents, only extras are needed at this time. Send photos and
resumes to:
EXTRAS CASTING
501 N. IH-35
Austin, TX 78702
For the latest on Where the Heart is or Natalie Portman check out
natalieportman.fans.net
UPDATE DAILY! -
Well, this doesn't sound too bad, especially since Natalie Portman is young and evian, or something... (not too mention Ashley "Too hot to be human" Judd), but this movie is based on an Oprah book (club) book. You may remember the last piece of trash with that pedigree being "The Deep End of the Ocean," so don't anyone get their hopes up just yet. That's all for now.
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I'm glad nobody on the set knew who he was...
Oh, who the hell is he?
-smak- -
You don't have to go far to get the details of the story here. Yes, the book is out there, it WAS an Oprah pick, and it's a really good read. Alright, I admit I'm a guy who likes the occasional chick flick every now and then. And it's not Oprah's fault if the books she picks get made into crappy movies!
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Jul 23, 1999 3:38:12 PM CDT
I'm praying that there's a Natalie-Ashley lesbian love scene!!
by quentin2
Now, I've always thought personally, that next to Athena Onasis, Natalie Portman is THE most beautiful female on this planet. Ashley Judd is in the top 10!! Man, this movie is making me hard.... I hope I sit in an isle alone when I see it, because I won't be able to avoid the temptation to jerk off....
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it's weird, because her money is not what's attractive about her at all.. it's just an extra bonus! (I am not a pedophile)... So, anyone know of a place where I can get some good Athena pics?
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Let's see.....left in a major retail store by a total white trash looser and having to survive on your own??? Sounds a little too familiar. I personally like Jennifer Connely in that white tank top with her big ta tas, roller skating down the isle, then the thought to Portman nine months pregnant.
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Kudos to the dude who talked about the lesbian scene 'tween Ashley and NAtalie, although I'm not a member of the I'd-like-to-do-Natalie-Portman Club myself. I would, however, love to bone Ashley Judd. This flick should be called Where the Hard-on Is (the answer, of course, would be: in my hand, moving rapidly up and down.) Second of all, tigerrr (or whatever the hell your name is), you obviously like to see chick flicks a lot more than you let on. You probably also drink Zima, Wine Coolers, or Diet Coke. Hike up the skirt and learn to not take Oprah Book Club insults personally. By the way, I did Oprah when she visited the White House, and Hillary videotaped it.
Love,
Bill Clinton -
I read "Where the Heart Is" about two years ago, prior to Oprah's endorsement, and I have to say it's a very good novel. As a movie, if they stick to the novel's storyline, it may surpass most of the stereotypical "chick flicks" (like "Steel Magnolias"). I highly recommend this novel to anyone who's interested in reading a good character drama without the sap and melodrama that characterizes this fiction category. The novel is set in Oklahoma (there's a dramatic scene with a twister that results in a death of a character), so I'm assuming that Austin is sub-ing for that state. Also, Sam Walton himself appears briefly in the book (don't worry; his appearance is appropriate and actually pretty cool) and I hope he (an actor playing him, of course) shows up in the movie. Lastly, a year ago, Claire Danes was attached to this project in the starring role that Natalie Portman is undertaking, as was Reese Witherspoon (among the three, she looks and sounds the most like Novalee). I also heard that Parker Posey and Debi Mazar were considered or courted for the role that Ashley Judd is playing (either one of these two would have worked, too, in my opinion). Ossie Davis and Shirley MacLaine were also up for roles in the movie. Any other details you can share with us about who else is in the final cast?
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The reason I bear a grudge against the Oprah Book Club (even though, at heart, I feel it's a great idea to get t.v. addicted couch mommas to read), is because I work at a public library. Every time Oprah announces a new book, we get twenty women (and two men) in here wondering when that there Oprah book is going to be out for them. It's petty, I know, but it manages to annoy me every time. Even worse, it used to be that no one would know what book had been chosen, and Oprah's people wouldn't exactly be forthcoming with the information. That particular problem has been fixed, but I still hate the damn thing!
Admittedly, this movie does sound like it has more potential than "Deep End," but I guess we'll have to wait and see. -
That was a good report by Peter Blood. I was going to try to get on as an extra myself but I was to late. I was wondering how much longer they have to go on filming and whether they may still be needing any more extras?I guess I'll bite too: what the hell is a honey wagon?
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Congrats to my good friend Peter Blood on his stint as an extra in this film, and for a well written set report. Don't let Harry fool you, though, guys. Peter is as big a geek as the rest of us. He just dresses better! Hoist the sails and lets underway, ye scurvy land lovers!
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Yes, the baby's name is Americus. No surprise to the literate.
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'Cause, you know, Blood is thicker than water.
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