BY BELINDA BREMNER
Gentle Readers, you will remember that in the last issue I asked you to be on the lookout for those attempting to exploit very young and not yet savvy actors by roping them into scab commercials. Please continue to use your knowledge of the ethics and practices of this business to educate the young. We must be vigilant against those who, through either greed or lack of knowledge, would make money off of a newcomer’s dream.
Along a similar note, apparently there is someone in a southern suburb who has opened a casting office and is inviting actors to "register" (Hmmm), pay a $50 registration fee (Any sirens going off yet?), suggesting that actors have "managers" (Bing! Bing! Bing!) and take classes. If it weren’t so sad and scary, it would almost be laughable. It’s a text book case. Point by point, what to avoid and what NOT to do. Let’s all say it together, "You Never Pay To Play!" Equally unsettling is that this individual seems to be calling the enterprise by at least two different titles.
Scariest of all, and a big clue as to how things stand, when my informant raised the question of a "registration fee," he was told that the proprietor of this "casting office" had checked it out with several people including "entertainment lawyers" and was told it was okay. When he dared to ask another question, he was told that, on second thought, not to register. That the owner was uncomfortable with his questions. Now I know the intrepid Joyce Markman of the Illinois Department of Labor has a few questions ask. Stay tuned and don’t, for heaven’s sake, contribute to this person’s schemes.
Many prey on parents of young children, offering modeling schools and a chance at a career which will pay for college. It’s our job to steer folks in the right direction. And if you hear of any such hucksters alert the Illinois Department of Labor or PerformInk.
Okay, back to the strike. I wish every single reader could have been with us at City Hall on the two days of scheduled hearings. It was an education. Not perfect, mind you, but enlightening and not without a few surprises.
I was reminded of the hackneyed phrase that "this is a free country." It is. We are free to make our own choices. But all choices have consequences. Folks can tell us what to do, but in the end, it is up to each of us to make our own decisions.
But a good choice to make would be to get off your backsides and register to vote. Add to the list being informed of the issues and key players. The city’s aldermen recently stood up for SAG at City Hall and we can show them our support this November. It has been said that we get the government we deserve. So vote! And this being Chicago, you can do that both early and often.
Again, on the subject of choices and their consequences, the Chicago actors who gathered together at the City Council hearing were collectively gobsmacked to look over into the tight nest of advertisers and see Rik Kristinat, who so many of us had called our friend. I asked Rik if he would like to comment in this column about his action, but he declined. These are scary times for all of us. We all struggle with bills and obligations, stresses and fears. But no other casting director made Rik’s decision. Had we not felt so fond and protective of him for so many years, perhaps our disappointment would not be so profound. But politics does indeed make strange bedfellows.
Speaking of strange bedfellows, you have all heard that the famous for being famous Elizabeth Hurley has scabbed and worked for Estee Lauder. Now what can account for that? Well, this is the same woman who didn’t bat one artfully mascaraed eye when blinky beau Hugh Grant hired a prostitute. Well, to forgive is Divine.
So, those of us who buy cosmetics, perfume or hair/skin care items, can again vote with our pocketbooks. Estee apparently owns a whole bunch of lines. For example: MAC, Jo Malone, Aveda and Bobbi Brown. You can check their Web site and make your voice heard by faxing them a complaint at 212/572-4292. Dash off a stinging little missive to Hurley’s agent. The lawyer is Loren Plotkin at lplotkin@lpmny.com and her agent is Tracy Jacobs at UTA in LA. Apparently the lame-o excuse was that she "lives in a foreign country and didn’t know there was a strike on."
Okay, who is doing what?
Jane Alderman Casting is conducting a search for "Welcome to New York" for Barb Wallace of "SNL" to air on CBS. She finished the search for "Passions" and is working on Til The End of Time.
Brody Tenner Paskal is busy with film work.
And Claire Simon is finishing Hardball and searching for the new John Goodman series for Fox. She is casting the Indy Design and booked Rich Komenich and Jean Augustyn in an industrial.
The Illinois Film Office reports that we should be seeing about a week of the Stallone opus, Champs and that Joan Cusack is still a go for the Fall. Dragonfly for MGM Universal is winging in for a month later on. Rumor says Kevin Costner will star. Independents include Up Michigani, Border Cross and Tenfold. And there is scouting, so we can keep our fingers crossed.
Baker Rowley reports that Jackie McCabe and Sephus Booker were cast in the aforementioned Tenfold. Industrials went to Max Mitteman, Nick Palster and John Frisco. Aiden and Ariel Aistrup and Jna’ishatiyah Tao Gray booked a music video.
Catching up with Big Mouth brings news that clients Lance Barber, Dana Goodman, Katie Martinez, Michael Thornton and Leah Gale booked film work. Industrials went to Kyle Tekiela, Carrie Suarez, Pete Mitchel and Robin Wyers.
Don’t forget that Lily’s is moving August 1! Industrials went to their clients Courtney Szeto, Chuck Shishicia, Chung Chang, Adrian Garcia and Sally Booth. Chad Moskal, Jenmaine Randle, Deveon Rix, Alyana Dear and Andrew Sanchez booked a music video. Their Lucky Seven for August are: Ellis Matthews, Siobhan Midgley, Madeleine Marsh, Paul Hoffman, Chanin Alvarez, Steve Cull and Josh Howard.
Peace.