Cast
- Ashley / Amy Adams
- Madeleine / Embeth Davidtz
- Johnny / Ben McKenzie
- George / Alessandro Nivola
- David / Frank Hoyt Taylor
- Peg / Celia Weston
- Eugene / Scott Wilson
Crew
- Director / Phil Morrison
- Producer / Mindy Goldberg, Mike S. Ryan
- Executive Producers / Daniel Rappaport, Dany Wolf , Mark P Klein, Ethan D. Leder
- Editor / Joe Klotz
- Writer / Angus MacLachlan
- Original Music / Yo La Tengo
- Casting / Mark Bennett, C.S.A.
- Production Design / David Doernberg
- Director of Photography / Peter Donahue
- Costume Design / Danielle Kays
Cast Biographies
Amy Adams 'Ashley'
Amy Adams (Ashley) first garnered attention in Steven Spielberg's smash hit CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, in which she played Leonardo DiCaprio's adoring fiancée 'Brenda'.
She has since come to the public's attention as a versatile and talented actor, her range of film credits include THE SLAUGHTER RULE, PUMPKIN , SERVING SARA. THE LAST RUN, STANDING STILL, THE WEDDING DATE and DOUBT with Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Amy was praised for her performance opposite Emily Blunt in last year's SUNSHINE CLEANING, and delighted young audiences with her lead role in ENCHANTED. Amy is currently filming LEAP YEAR and JULIE & JULIA.
Ben McKenzie 'Johnny'
Ben McKenzie was born and raised in Texas. Following, his graduation from the University of Virginia where he was a Foreign Affairs and Economics Major, he moved to New York to pursue acting.
While in New York he appeared off-Broadway in LIFE IS A DREAM at the Soho Rep. Additionally, he performed in numerous productions at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, including STREET SCENE and THE BLUE BIRD, and at the University of Virginia, in MEASURE FOR MEASURE and ZOO STORY before moving to Los Angeles where he landed the lead role in the Fox series THE O.C. and has since appeared in the features 88 MINUTES with Al Pacino and JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN and played Ben Sherman in the serial drama SOUTHLAND.
Alessandro Nivola 'George'
Alessandro Nivola's (George) first professional leading role earned him a Drama Desk Award Nomination for his performance opposite Helen Mirren on Broadway in Turgenev's A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY. The following year he drew critical acclaim and a Blockbuster Award Nomination for playing Nicolas Cage's paranoid genius younger brother in John Woo's FACE OFF.
A series of British film roles followed, establishing Alessandro as one of the few Americans capable of convincingly playing a British character, mastering received pronunciation as well as regional dialects. He starred as a Hastings fisherman opposite Rachel Weisz in Michael Winterbottom's I WANT YOU, played the charming cad in the Patricia Rozema adaptation of Jane Austen's MANSFIELD PARK, and a singing/dancing King Ferdinand of Navarre in Kenneth Branagh's musical film of Shakespeare's LOVES LABOURS LOST.
Back in the U.S. he starred opposite Reese Witherspoon in BEST LAID PLANS, and played leading roles in JURASSIC PARK 3, and Mike Figgis' TIME CODE. He returned to the theater to play Orlando to Gwyneth Paltrow's Rosalind in AS YOU LIKE IT at Williamstown, before being reunited with Helen Mirren in Peter Jan Brugge's film THE CLEARING, where he played Robert Redford's son.
Last year, he earned an Independent Spirit Award Nomination for his performance as the rock singer Ian McNight in Lisa Cholodenko's LAUREL CANYON. Apart from seducing both Kate Beckinsale and Frances McDormand in the film, he recorded the character's songs himself prompting Vogue magazine to write, 'he sings Brit pop well enough to get a record deal.'
His upcoming films include THE SISTERS, which will premiere at this year's Tribeca Film Festival. And TURNING GREEN will premiere at the Cine Vegas Festival also this spring. He just finished filming GOAL, playing an international soccer star with a mullet and a fake tan, and he will shortly begin filming opposite Julia Styles and Jeremy Renner in SUCCESS, adapted from the Martin Amis novel.
He is a graduate of Yale University with a BA in English.
Embeth Davidtz 'Madeleine'
Embeth Davidtz has consistently delivered compelling performances since her breakout role as the doomed Jewish maid in Steven Spielberg's SCHINDLER'S LIST. Time and again, she has wrought luminous, intelligent portrayals alongside some of Hollywood's most talented actors.
Embeth co-starred in BRIDGET JONES' DIARY with Renee Zellwegger, Colin Firth, and Hugh Grant. She also appeared in Universal Pictures' THE EMPEROR'S CLUB, directed by Neil Tolkin and co-starring Kevin Kline. Film credits include MANSFIELD PARK, Robert Altman's critically acclaimed thriller THE GINGERBREAD MAN, and FEAST OF JULY. Embeth also appeared in MATILDA, FALLEN opposite Denzel Washington, MURDER IN THE FIRST opposite Kevin Bacon and FRACTURE with Sir Anthony Hopkins.
Celia Weston 'Peg'
Celia Weston (Peg), has been seen in nearly thirty films ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to trend-setting indies. Celia was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Cast of a Motion Picture for her work in the critically acclaimed IN THE BEDROOM
Celia's many film credits include FAR FROM HEAVEN; RUNAWAY JURY; HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS; THE HULK; K-PAK; HEARTS IN ATLANTIS; IGBY GOES DOWN; THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY; SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS; FLIRTING WITH DISASTER; and LITTLE MAN TATE and RAJASTAN to name but a few. Celia garnered an Independent Spirit Award Nomination for her unforgettable work in Tim Robbins' DEAD MAN WALKING.
Celia has also delighted audiences on television and the stage. She was nominated for a Tony award and won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO. She was honored by the Drama League for her performance in LAST NIGHT OF BALLYHOO and SUMMER AND SMOKE. She co-starred with Philip Seymour Hoffman and John C. Reilly in the acclaimed revival of Sam Shepard's TRUE WEST.
Scott Wilson 'Eugene'
Scott Wilson (Eugene) was born in 1942 in Altanta, Georgia U.S.A.
Wilson graduated from Thomas High School and was awarded a basketball scholarship at Georgia's Southern Tech University to study architecture. Becoming an Architect was more of his father's idea than his and so when an injury forced him to leave College, Wilson (19) hitchhiked across the country to Los Angeles, seeing a good bit of "local colour" on the way.
Wilson fell into acting, literally, falling down drunk and landing in an acting class with a newfound pal who announced "here's a star". The next day, feeling very embarrassed about his condition, he returned to the class to apologise. The acting teacher gave him the monologue from LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT to read and he became intrigued and stayed on in the class, later being cast in THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST his first play.
Wilson made his motion picture debut in a supporting role of Director Norman Jewison's IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT starring Rod Steiger. His second break-through film was IN COLD BLOOD in which he played his first leading role, as real life murderer Dick Hickok. This movie was based on Truman Capote's famous book of two wandering gunmen (Robert Blake played the other real life murderer Perry Smith) who slaughter an entire, innocent mid western family after robbing their house.
One of Wilson's memorable roles was as the garage owner in GREAT GATSBY, who shoots Gatsby (Robert Redford) dead in his swimming pool at the end of the movie and GRISSOM GANG, directed by Robert Aldrich in which Wilson plays lecherous psychopath Slim Grissom.
One of his more intriguing credits was with the first US-Polish film YEAR OF THE QUIET SUN, in which he played the romantic lead of an American GI who doesn't speak Polish and a Polish woman who doesn't speak English. This film won the Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival and got great reviews in the United States.
A film that Wilson is most proud of is OUR GOD'S BROTHER in which he portrayed Adam Chmielowski (Saint Brother Albert), based on a story written by Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) before he became the Pontiff. The filming of this movie took Wilson and his Wife, Heavenly, an attorney and also a professional painter and sculptor who he met in 1974 after filming GREAT GATSBY to Rome, Italy where they personally met the Pontiff.
His other feature film roles include Sydney Pollack's CASTLE KEEP starring Burt Lancaster, Richard Fleisher's NEW CENTURIONS, starring George C. Scott and ON THE LINE a US-Spanish co-production for which he was Best Actor co-winner at the Cartagena Film Festival.
Some of Wilson's more recent and dramatic movies have included JOHNNY HANDSOME starring Mickey Rourke, YOUNG GUNS II starring Lou diamond phillips and Emilio Estevez, GERONIMO: AN AMERICAN LEGEND starring Gene Hackman, FLESH and BONE starring Dennis Quaid, Tim Robbins' DEAD MAN WALKING starring Sean Penn, JUDGE DREDD starring Sylvester Stallone and G.I. JANE starring Demi Moore.
Other film credits include SHILOH. MONSTER oppsoite Charlize Theron, THE LAST SAMURAI with Tom Cruise OPEN WINDOW, and the forthcoming BOTTTLEWORLD, RADIO FREE ABEMUTH and FOR SALE BY OWNER.
Crew Biographies
Phil Morrison Director
Phil Morrison was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1968.
In June of 2004 he directed the feature JUNEBUG written by Angus MacLachlan and produced by Epoch Films. It was featured in Dramatic Competition at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, where a Special Jury Prize was awarded to Amy Adams for her performance in the film. In March, 2005, JUNEBUG was included in the Film Society of Lincoln Center's and Museum of Modern Art's New Directors/New Films festival. It was the Closing Night Selection of the Critics' Week section of the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. It is to be distributed theatrically by Sony Pictures Classics, opening August 5, 2005.
Previously, Morrison's NYU student film, TATER TOMATER, was featured at the Sundance Film Festival and on American Playhouse. It has been selected for the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
He was Consulting Producer and Director of several episodes of the highly regarded series UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADEfor Comedy Central. Other work includes an episode of THE ADVENTURES OF PETE AND PETE for Nickelodeon and a long-form Godard homage for X-Girl Clothing.
He has directed many TV commercials. His music videos include clips for Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, Superchunk, The Feelies, Lemonheads, Rocket from the Crypt and Juliana Hatfield.
He worked with Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and the artist Tony Oursler on PERFECT PARTNER, a live music and film project. Phil was executive producer for the forthcoming movie release WENDY AND LUCY starring Michelle Williams and Will Oldham.
Angus MacLachlan Writer
Angus MacLachlan graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts Drama School.
His play THE DEAD EYE BOY was selected as the 2000 Lois and Richard Rosenthal New Play Prize Award Winner and premiered by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. It was a finalist for the Steinberg New Play Prize, presented by the American Theater Critics Association. His play BRIDGE won the 2000 New Works prize presented by Actor's Theatre of Santa Rosa. In 2001 the Williamstown Theatre Festival nominated Angus for the Kesselring Prize.
THE DEAD EYE BOY, starring Lili Taylor, opened in NY at the Manhattan Class Company in April, 2001. It was nominated for two Drama Desk Awards. In January of 2002 it opened in London at the Hampstead Theatre, starring Olivier Award winner Brendan Coyle. It is being published by Dramatists Play Service.
An 18 minute short film he wrote, TATER TOMATER, was directed by Phil Morrison and aired on American Playhouse, and screened at the '92 Sundance Film Festival. In May of 2001 it was seen at the Museum of Modern Art, in First Run Features "Best of 25 Years" retrospective.
Among the plays he has written are DIVERTIMENTO, which was produced at The Wonderhorse Theatre off-off Broadway, ARIADNE DUVALL, produced at Circle Rep., and BEHOLD, ZEBULON which was selected as Best Play of the Year by Winston-Salem Magazine. He has also written and performed 3 one man shows - BOUND AND GAGGED, BUENA VISTA , and MARGINAL LIVING which was then filmed and shown on NC Public TV and on KTEH San Jose Public TV's "video i" series.
Other plays include TEX'S DREAM, WILLY-NILLY, CATTYCORNERED, and BRIDGE. Among his screenplays are VETVILLE, CRISIS CONTROL, and CIRCUS BIM BAM.
Among his grants have been an Emerging Artist Fellowship from the Winston-Salem Arts Council, a Semans Grant, a N.C. Humanities Council Award, and Appalshop-the Southeast Media Fellowship Award.
STAY was selected for the 2002 A.S.K. Literary Projects' Writers Retreat in Los Angeles.
In 2002 he was commissioned by Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, D.C. The play, THE RADIANT ABYSS premiered at the Kennedy Center in June 2004.
Mindy Goldberg Producer
Mindy Goldberg began her career in commercial production in 1980 at Adrian Lyne's commercial production company, Jennie & Co. During her nine-year tenure she produced commercials for a group of established English and American directors, including Adrian Lyne, Terry Bedford, Rocky Morton & Annabel Jankel and Bruce Dowad. As executive producer, she doubled the annual billings within 2 years.
In 1989 Goldberg founded Epoch Films conceived to provide opportunities to talented young directors who otherwise would not have access to the commercial mainstream.
In the last 13 years, Epoch has established itself as a leading commercial production company, with a notable directorial roster. Epoch's work strives to make lasting statements that break the standard form and set new styles.
Epoch Films has production offices in New York City, Los Angeles and London.
Mike S. Ryan Producer
Mike S. Ryan has been working in the New York film industry for 14 years. He has location managed films for Ang Lee, Todd Haynes, Roland Enerich, Jim Brooks and many others.
He has been producing low budget features for the past two years. He is the producer of the new Todd Solondz film PALINDROMES which premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2005
Mike is a graduate of NYU graduate school and has also written/directed and produced his own feature AN EMPTY GLASS.
Daniel Rappaport Executive Producer
Daniel Rappaport is a partner at Management 360 and in 1999, produced Mike Judge'sOFFICE SPACE FOR THE 20TH CENTURY starring Jennifer Aniston and Ron Livingston.
Dany Wolf Executive Producer
Dany Wolf is an award winning producer who began his career producing commercials and music videos for many of today's top filmmakers. Meeting Gus Van Sant on a commercial shoot in 1996 Wolf went on to produce Van Sant's short film BALLAD OF THE SKELETONS which featured the poet Allen Ginsberg and premiered at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival.
In 1998 Wolf Executive Produced Van Sant's controversial remake of "Psycho" starring Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche. In the fall of 1999 in conjunction with Forensic Films, Wolf Co-Produced Van Sant's first digital feature EASTER, the first part of Harmony Korine's scripted trilogy JOKES. In the year 2000 Wolf Executive Produced FINDING FORRESTER a literary drama also directed by Van Sant, starring Sean Connery, Rob Brown, F. Murray Abraham and Anna Paquin.
Wolf's work with Van Sant expanded to producing with GERRY starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck. "Gerry" premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival and garnered independent spirit nominations for van sant and cinematographer harris savides.
The experience of making Gerry inspired Van Sant and Wolf to make ELEPHANT (2003), a film that shattered a normal day of high school with a Columbine-like massacre. Wolf again helped Van Sant achieve the goal of a very small shooting crew by handling the multiple roles of Producer, Production Manager and 1st Assistant Director. Shot in Van Sant's home town of Portland with a cast of non-actors Elephant went on to win the Palme d'Or and Best Director award at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.
Wolf recently completed principal photography on Van Sant's new film LAST DAYSstarring Michael Pitt. Shot on location in Garrison, New York the film is considered to be the final film in a trilogy that began with GERRY and ELEPHANT.
A graduate of George Washington University, Wolf also received a Masters Degree from the American Graduate School of International Management.
