Post by Patcat on Dec 17, 2004 14:18:52 GMT -5
From the December 16, 2004, NJ.com:
From HBO to 'L&O' in a New York minute
Thursday, December 16, 2004
NEW YORKERS say that even though the Big Apple is America's biggest city, if you walk around in it for any length of time, you're bound to run into somebody you know. The same goes for TV series shot in this part of the country: Watch more than one of them, and you're bound to see familiar faces.
Case in point: Lorraine Bracco, who plays Dr. Melfi on HBO's New Jersey- and New York-based "The Sopranos." Bracco just got hired to guest star as an attorney and neighborhood activist on NBC's new "Law & Order" franchise, "Trial by Jury." The show, in which "Law & Order" war-horse Jerry Orbach reprises his role as Lenny Briscoe, will probably debut in March, and the Bracco episode is likely to air during May sweeps.
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Bracco's "Trial By Jury" stint is the latest example of a long-standing crossover between franchise creator Dick Wolf's New York-based "Law & Order" shows and HBO's dramas, which are often shot in this part of the country.
Among other examples:
"Sopranos" star Michael Imperioli will appear on the last four episodes of "Law & Order" this spring as Dennis Farina's new partner, filling in for series regular Jesse L. Martin while Martin films the movie version of "Rent."
Another "Sopranos" star, Edie Falco, had a featured role on HBO's prison soap "Oz" as prison guard Diane Wittlesey, and also did a 1999 guest shot on the original "Law & Order."
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" costar Kathryn Erbe had a splashy guest shot on "Oz" as a death row inmate.
Kirk Acevada, who plays Briscoe's partner on "Trial by Jury," used to play inmate Miguel Alvarez on "Oz."
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" star Chris Meloni used to play inmate Chris Keller on "Oz."
J.K. Simmons played Aryan inmate Vern Schillinger on "Oz," and also has appeared on the original "Law & Order" as a police shrink.
B.D. Wong played Father Ray Makuda on "Oz" and forensic psychiatrist Dr. George Huang on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."
Dean Winters played inmate Ryan O'Reilly on "Oz" and appeared as Det. Brian Cassidy on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."
Chris Noth was Orbach's partner, Det. Mike Logan, on "Law & Order," then went on to set hearts aflutter as Mr. Big on HBO's "Sex and the City." He'll return to the role of Logan in a guest spot on "Criminal Intent" later this season.
We'll stop now, before this article turns into a flow chart.
Why all the crossover? The easy answer is, New York shows are naturally drawn to New York actors because they're known quantities, and because the networks and cable channels don't have to pay plane fare and lodging to hire them.
But "Trial by Jury" showrunner Walon Green says there's another, deeper factor at play here: Many working actors choose to live in the New York area because it's the center of America's live theater scene, and they like to be close to that energy. And that commitment often translates into a very salable mix of discipline, skill and experience.
Falco, for instance, did an acclaimed star turn in a recent Broadway revival of "Frankie and Johnny at the Claire de Lune." She is currently on Broadway in " 'Night Mother." And Orbach is a musical theater veteran whose breakthrough came in the 1975 production of "Chicago," in which he starred as slick attorney Billy Flynn.
Viewers routinely see "more crossover," Green says, between East coast series than Los Angeles shows. There's also a lot of cross-pollination between local TV, film and theatrical productions.
Many actors are so addicted to the variety and intensity of the East Coast acting scene that they make career sacrifices to stay here, Green says.
"There are actors who have passed up star-making opportunities from Los Angeles, and turned down lots of money, because there are jobs here they would rather do. There are actors here who rarely do TV. They mainly do theater, then they come and do a TV show or a piece in a film, and then they go right back and do more theater. They choose to remain in the world of actors that exists here."
This East Coast hive of talent presents a problem for casting directors, Green suggests. But it's a good problem: How to choose from an embarrassment of riches?
"Those who remain get better and better, and for the ones coming in, the bar gets higher and higher," Green says. "I've worked in New York, and I've worked in Los Angeles and London. I can tell you that the level of performance that comes from the New York area is pretty extraordinary."
Patcat
From HBO to 'L&O' in a New York minute
Thursday, December 16, 2004
NEW YORKERS say that even though the Big Apple is America's biggest city, if you walk around in it for any length of time, you're bound to run into somebody you know. The same goes for TV series shot in this part of the country: Watch more than one of them, and you're bound to see familiar faces.
Case in point: Lorraine Bracco, who plays Dr. Melfi on HBO's New Jersey- and New York-based "The Sopranos." Bracco just got hired to guest star as an attorney and neighborhood activist on NBC's new "Law & Order" franchise, "Trial by Jury." The show, in which "Law & Order" war-horse Jerry Orbach reprises his role as Lenny Briscoe, will probably debut in March, and the Bracco episode is likely to air during May sweeps.
Advertisement
Bracco's "Trial By Jury" stint is the latest example of a long-standing crossover between franchise creator Dick Wolf's New York-based "Law & Order" shows and HBO's dramas, which are often shot in this part of the country.
Among other examples:
"Sopranos" star Michael Imperioli will appear on the last four episodes of "Law & Order" this spring as Dennis Farina's new partner, filling in for series regular Jesse L. Martin while Martin films the movie version of "Rent."
Another "Sopranos" star, Edie Falco, had a featured role on HBO's prison soap "Oz" as prison guard Diane Wittlesey, and also did a 1999 guest shot on the original "Law & Order."
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" costar Kathryn Erbe had a splashy guest shot on "Oz" as a death row inmate.
Kirk Acevada, who plays Briscoe's partner on "Trial by Jury," used to play inmate Miguel Alvarez on "Oz."
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" star Chris Meloni used to play inmate Chris Keller on "Oz."
J.K. Simmons played Aryan inmate Vern Schillinger on "Oz," and also has appeared on the original "Law & Order" as a police shrink.
B.D. Wong played Father Ray Makuda on "Oz" and forensic psychiatrist Dr. George Huang on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."
Dean Winters played inmate Ryan O'Reilly on "Oz" and appeared as Det. Brian Cassidy on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."
Chris Noth was Orbach's partner, Det. Mike Logan, on "Law & Order," then went on to set hearts aflutter as Mr. Big on HBO's "Sex and the City." He'll return to the role of Logan in a guest spot on "Criminal Intent" later this season.
We'll stop now, before this article turns into a flow chart.
Why all the crossover? The easy answer is, New York shows are naturally drawn to New York actors because they're known quantities, and because the networks and cable channels don't have to pay plane fare and lodging to hire them.
But "Trial by Jury" showrunner Walon Green says there's another, deeper factor at play here: Many working actors choose to live in the New York area because it's the center of America's live theater scene, and they like to be close to that energy. And that commitment often translates into a very salable mix of discipline, skill and experience.
Falco, for instance, did an acclaimed star turn in a recent Broadway revival of "Frankie and Johnny at the Claire de Lune." She is currently on Broadway in " 'Night Mother." And Orbach is a musical theater veteran whose breakthrough came in the 1975 production of "Chicago," in which he starred as slick attorney Billy Flynn.
Viewers routinely see "more crossover," Green says, between East coast series than Los Angeles shows. There's also a lot of cross-pollination between local TV, film and theatrical productions.
Many actors are so addicted to the variety and intensity of the East Coast acting scene that they make career sacrifices to stay here, Green says.
"There are actors who have passed up star-making opportunities from Los Angeles, and turned down lots of money, because there are jobs here they would rather do. There are actors here who rarely do TV. They mainly do theater, then they come and do a TV show or a piece in a film, and then they go right back and do more theater. They choose to remain in the world of actors that exists here."
This East Coast hive of talent presents a problem for casting directors, Green suggests. But it's a good problem: How to choose from an embarrassment of riches?
"Those who remain get better and better, and for the ones coming in, the bar gets higher and higher," Green says. "I've worked in New York, and I've worked in Los Angeles and London. I can tell you that the level of performance that comes from the New York area is pretty extraordinary."
Patcat