Newspaper Page Text
Entertainment extra • 1/29/99 ttai 2/4/&
Page 24
STEVEN WEBER:
"LOVE LETTERS"
by Sally Stone
When the last episode of “Wings”
was shot, Steven Weber, who stars in
the upcoming ABC movie, “Love
Letters,” based on A. C. Gurney’s
international hit play (which has
been seen by millions of people
around the world, and continues to
draw audiences wherever it’s pro
duced) found himself in the wonder
ful position of: being inundated with
offers to star in any one of a slew of
new series.
“But,” he says, “while it’s very
flattering to know that people want
you in their shows, I decided to go
to doing mostly films and, if I
could get the time, theater. Don’t get
me wrong. I loved doing ‘Wings’
and, as a matter of fact, I’m currently
working on a new series for CBS.
But after ‘Wings’ went off the air, I
looked forward to doing other things.
Fortunately, I found a lot of great
projects, and I’ve been working with
some of the finest actors and direc
tors in the business.”
Those “great projects” include the
miniseries, “Stephen King’s The
Shining,” with Weber as Jack, the
recovering alcoholic who .descends
into madness, and SHOWTIME’S
“Thanks of A Grateful Nation,”
based on the true stories of Vietnam
veterans who had been exposed to
chemical warfare. His post-” Wings”
feature films include the newly
released “Sight Unseen” with Mira
Sorvino and Vai Kilmer, the Larry
David comedy, “Sour Grapes,” and
the upcoming films, “Break Up,”
with Bridget Fonda and Kiefer
Sutherland, and “Late Last Night”
by Brad Elson
THE FACULTY: Like so many
schools today, Herrington High has
passed its prime. Its walls are grimy, its
textbooks outdated, its teachers burned
out. Yet its corridors are packed with
the future of America - loners, leaders,
hipsters, nerds, brains and jocks. Like
teenagers everywhere, they struggle
with parents who don’t get it, teachers
who never had it and hormones that
won’t quit.
But the students at Herrington High
face a greater challenge - saving the
world from alien domination. Director
Robert Rodriquez (“Desperado,”
“From Dusk Till Dawn”) joins forces
with screenwriter Kevin Williamson
i* .(“Scream,” “Scream to create“ The
f Faculty,” a sci-fi thriller that blends
teenage angst, cutting-edge comedy
Lifestyle extras
ft
, i X7 Jr
Steven Weber
with Emilio Estevez.
Asked what attracted him to do
the first film version ever made of the
play, Steven said, “It was a combina
tion of things. It’s a beautiful, I guess
you could say, bittersweet love story.
I’m working with Laura Linney, who
was in ‘The Truman Show.’ A.C.
Gurney himself adapted the play for
the film. And the director is the great
Stanley Donen (“Singin’ In the Rain”
etc.). This is the first time he’s direct
ing for television.”
Steven said “Love Letters” is a
“bittersweet” story. How so?
“Because it’s about two people
who truly love each other, but their
lives have taken certain turns which
have kept them pretty much apart.,
except for the letters they’ve been
BWwTldßr
and out-of-this-world effects.
The ensemble cast showcases an
exciting group of young actors, includ
ing Jordana Brewster (TV’s “As The
World Turns”), Clea DuVall (“The
Astronaut’s Wife”), Laura Harris
(“Suicide Kings”), Josh Hartnett
(“Halloween: H2O”), Shawn Hatosy
(“In & Out”), Elijah Wood (“Deep
Impact”) and R&B artist Usher
Raymond (in his feature film debut) as
Herrington students. A boldly eclectic
group of seasoned performers portray
the Herrington faculty, including
Salma Hayek, Famke Janssen, Piper
Laurie, Christopher McDonald, Bebe
Neuwirth, Robert Patrick and Jon
Stewart.
VELVET GOLDMINE: The win
prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival,
“Velvet Goldmine” is set in London in
exchanging since they first met and
fell in love when they were kids.”
It would be an interesting exercise
to experience the letters as both a
testament to their love as well as an
ongoing literary recording of their
lives. But Steven says there’s much
more to appreciate.
“The words are wonderful,”
Weber says, “They express so much
emotion, so much feeling, so much
of what it means to love someone
and to be loved.”
How would Steven feel if Senator
Andrew Ladd - Steven’s character,
and Melissa Gardner, played by
Linney - used e-mail for their letters
instead of sending them by post,
knowing they’ll take days to get to
where they’re supposed to go?
“I don’t think I’d want that,”
Weber says. “I think part of the emo
tional appeal of the piece is the fact
that they’re not only separated by
space, but also by time.
“We don’t look forward to as
many things as we used to. Things
happen immediately. We can com
municate with other people any
where in the world in seconds. But
for Andrew and Melissa, they have
to wait to be in touch with each
other.”
A drama critic said “Love
Letters” appeals to the romantic
aspects within ourselves, even if
we’re not aware we have that quali
ty. Does Steven Weber consider him
self a romantic?
“I suppose all actors have to be
romantics to some degree. But to get
the full answer to that, you’d have to
ask my wife.”
© 1999 King Features Synd., Inc.
the early ‘7os during the emergence of
the glam-rock scene. It follows the rise
of Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys
Meyers, “Michael Collins”), a mythi
cal rock icon who finds himself at the
very epicenter of the pleasures and
decadence of his day.
At the peak of his fame, Brian and
his wife Mandy (Toni Collette,
“Muriel’s Wedding,” “Emma”) cruise
the night spots of New York and mix
with the likes of Cut Wild (Ewan
McGregor, “Trainspotting, “Little
Voice”), his spiritual twin and fellow
glam-rocker - until Brian disappears
after a publicity stunt gone. wrong.
Years later British journalist Arthur
Stuart (Christian Bale, “Little
Women,” “The Portrait of a Lady”)
delves into the mystery to uncover
what happened. ’’ '
© 1999 King Features Synd., Inc.
MUSICZMOVIE RATINGS
Ibp Rhythm/Dance
1 Cher “Believe” (Warner) Last Week: No. 1
2. Deborah Cox “Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here” (Arista) No. 3
3. Vengaboys “We Like To Party!” (Groovilicious/Strictly Rhythm) No.
4. Elvis Crespo “Suavemente” (Sony Discos) No. 5
5. Brandy “Have You Ever?” (Atlantic) No. 11
6. R. kelly “When A Woman’s Fed Up” (Jive Album Cut) No. 14
7. Touch And Go “Would Y0u...” (Oval) No. 2
8. Brian McKnight Feat Tone & Kobe Bryant “Hold Me” (Motown) No
9. Foxy Brown “Hot Spot” (Violator/Def Jam) No. 7
10. Bette Midler “I’m Beautiful” (Warner) New Entry
Top 10 Movies
1. A Civil Action starring John Travolta
2. Patch Adams Robin Williams
3. Stepmom Susan Sarandon
4. You’ve Got Mail Meg Ryan
5. Prince of Egypt
6. Shakespeare In Love Gwyneth Paltrow
7. A Bug’s Life
8. Mighty Joe Young Bill Paxton
9. Enemy.of the State Will Smith
10. Star Trek: Insurrection Patrick Stewart
© 1999 King Features Synd., Inc.
Top C&W Singles
1. Martina Mcßride “Wrong Again” (RCA) Last Week: No. 1
2. Aaron Tippin “For You I Will” (Lyric Album Cut) No. 3
3. Blackhawk “There You Have If’ (Arista Nashville) No. 6
4. Randy Travis “Spirit Os A Boy, Wisdom Os A Man” (Dreamworks) No. 1
5. Tim McGraw “For A Little While” (Curb Album Cut) No. 9
6. Alan Jackson “Right On The Money” (Arista Nashville) No. 2
7. Mark Chesnutt “I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” (Decca) Nb. 8
8. Diamond Rio “Unbelievable” (Arista Nashville) No. 6
9. Jo Dee Messina “Stand Beside Me” (Curb Album Cut) No. 11
10. Sara Evans “No Place That Far” (RCA) No. 18
Tbp Video Rentals
1. Armageddon starring Bruce Willis (Buena Vista - Rated: R) Last Week: N
2. The Mask Os Zorro Antonio Banderas (Cohimbia TriStar - PG-13) N<
3. The Negotiator Samuel L. Jackson (Warner - R) No. 5
4. Lethal Weapon 4 Mel Gibson (Warner - R) New Entry
5. Six Days, Seven Nights Harrison Ford (Buena Vista - PG-13) No. 9
6. Dr. Dolittle Eddie Murphy (Fox Video - PG-13) No. 3
7. Deep Impact Morgan Freeman (Paramount - PG-13) No. 6
8. The Horse Whisperer Robert Redford (Buena Vista - PG-13) No. 7
9. Sliding Doors Gwyneth Paltrow (Paramount - PG-13) No. 4
10. The Parent Trap Dennis Quaid (Buena Vista - PG-13) No. 10
11. Small Soldiers Kirsten Dunst (Universal - PG-13) No. 11
12. Hope Floats Sandra Bullock (Fox Video - PG-13) No. 14
13. A Perfect Murder Michael Douglas (Warner - R) Nd. 13
14. Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas Johnny Depp (Universal - R) No. 8
15. The X-Files David Duchovny (FbxVideo - PG-13) No. 18
16. The Spanish Prisoner Campbell Scott (Columbia TriStar - PG) No. 1
17. Godzilla Matthew Broderick (Columbia TriStar - PG-13) No. 12
18. Can’t Hardly Wait Jennifer Love Hewitt (Columbia TriStar - PG-13) No.
19. City Os Angels Nicolas Cage (Warner - PG-13) No. 16
20. The Opposite Os Sex Christina Ricci (Columbia TriStar - R) No. 20
Top Ten Singles ~~
1. Brandy “Have You Ever?” (Atlantic Album Cut) Last Week: No. 8
2. R. Kellyl & Celine Dion “I’m Your Angel” (Jive) No. 2
3. Deborah Cox “Nobody’s Supposed To Be Here” (Arista) No. 3
4. Britney Spears “...Baby. One More Time” (Jive) No. 4
5. 98 Degrees “Because Os You” (Motown) No. 7
6. Total Feat. Missy Elliott “Trippin’” (Bad Boy/Arista) No. 12
7. Will Smith “Miami” (Columbia Album Cut) No. 10
8. Spice Girls “Nobody” (Virgin) No. 1
9. Faith Evaps “Love Ljke This” (Bad Boy/Arista) No. 11
lOrSHiniaTwain-“Fr'dTh'Th'isMoment On” (Mercury/NashviHej'Nb.*9