Question: Perhaps you can help to settle a disagreement. My mom and I were discussing what our favorite shows are, and I was surprised that she left Boardwalk Empire off her list as she is an avid weekly watcher. She said that she didn't really qualify Boardwalk Empire as a show because it was a mini-series, and then HBO decided to do another season. She thinks that all of the episodes were filmed before the first episode ever aired, and that once they had all aired then that would be the end. I disagreed with her, saying that if HBO decided right after the premiere to renew it for a second season, that there was no way that all the episodes would have been filmed, and that they already had an "end" in mind. Boardwalk Empire seemed like a huge investment for HBO, given that many said it fills the void left by The Sopranos, that I can't imagine HBO didn't hope for it to be a huge success and hope for many seasons. — Alex
Matt Roush: You're on the right track. Production schedules really had nothing to do with HBO's handling of this show. (I'm not sure if the entire production had wrapped by the premiere, but most of it surely had; critics got screeners of the first half of the season well in advance of the series launch, and that's uncommon.) Boardwalk Empire was always intended to be a long-running, multiple-season series, not a miniseries (although these limited-run cable series always seem to blur the line). HBO made a huge investment in creating this world, and once the reviews and early ratings came in, HBO gave a second season an instant green-light. (Hardly unheard of at HBO and Showtime these days.)
Source: TV Guide
Showing posts with label Boardwalk Empire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Boardwalk Empire. Show all posts
Monday, December 20, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
'Boardwalk Empire' New Info on Season Two
James: Boardwalk Empire rules! Any info on season two?Production on season two of Boardwalk Empire begins on Jan. 31 in New York City and runs through August; the show is taking a page from Sons of Anarchy with an IRA-linked character from Belfast named Declan, as well as continuing to explore Arnold Rothstein's Jewish-American organized crime syndicate through a new tough named Manny Horvitz. All we really care about is more Richard Harrow (Jack Huston) and Jimmy (Michael Pitt), but that's a discussion for another day.
Source: EOnlne
Friday, December 10, 2010
Kelly Macdonald talks 'Boardwalk Empire'
HBO’s Boardwalk Empire came to a close last week, and its first season saw Kelly Macdonald go from a modest, quiet widow to a concubine gangster-lover—a change of pace from her wide-eyed innocent stares inTrainspotting and No Country For Old Men. Next thing I find out, she’s got a small part as the Raveclaw house ghost in the final Harry Potter film. Who is the real Kelly Macdonald: shy wallflower, brazen Jezebel, or undead tormentor of wizards-in-training? Little Gold Men talked with her about working with her favorite directors, why the Boardwalk writers will never kill her character off the show, and why she was once shushed off the No Country set for someone else’s crimes.
John Lopez: I hear now that Boardwalk’s done, you’re working on the final Harry Potter as we speak. They really are trying to get every U.K. actor into those movies.
Kelly Macdonald: It’s true! I’m friends with Colin Firth, and he told me he’s the only Brit who’s not in it.
But playing George VI in The King’s Speech, not so shabby. It’s a great performance and there’s a lot of Oscar hoopla about it. Maybe one day you’ll get to go through the hoopla?
Ah, hoopla’s overrated.
Boardwalk Empire definitely had its share of hoopla—was it fun to do all the dressing up, etc.?
I was kind of more excited about the dressing-up part before I began filming the pilot. My character starts off pretty raggedy, so I had imagined flappers and all that and I definitely wasn’t that… but I’m getting there.
Yeah, you moved on up, to say the least.
Yes, I did. Also, I’m quite interested in history, so it’s fun to read about the era that you’re working in. I always try to read books about where we are for the time period.
What kind of books?
Well, I just read Sister Carrie, by Theodore Dreiser.
Whoa, that’s a biggie.
Amazing, and I had never heard of him! That was the other thing—I was reading American history and novelists that I wasn’t aware of before.
Going beyond Fitzgerald and Hemingway.
Exactly. I’ve read them but Dreiser is less well known over here.
You might want to read one of those lesser-known guys, John Dos Passos. He wrote this book 1919—something tells me that might be relevant.
I’ll check it out! I love that thing on Amazon that you can go on and order a book, and you click on it and it says, “You might also like,” or “Other people who bought this have bought that.”
It’s a far cry from Atlantic City in 1918. So, in retrospect, what was shooting that whole season like for you?
I’ve been amazed that I’ve been given a chance to sink my teeth into something for a period of time, and the writing is just impeccable and surprising. I thought I had a good handle on the character from the beginning of shooting, and then she does all these things that seem unnatural, at first, but they’re brilliant. Terry and all his writers, they do good things in that writers room—that I’ve never been invited to!
I’m sure the writers wouldn’t mind letting a beautiful actress inside the room.
Actually I don’t think I want to get invited, because apparently you get invited there when your character gets killed off. I don’t think I want to see inside.
Let me tell you, if you don’t want that to happen, you should bring them muffins.
I know kill them—with kindness!
Exactly. Then they’ll be like, We can’t kill Kelly—no more muffins. Anyway, what’s it like working with Steve Buscemi? He’s such a singular actor and it’s nice to see him finally get put so prominently on center stage.
It’s just great. He’s the sweetest, nicest man, really low key and down to earth. He’s been in everything. He’s been in every film. I kind of embarrassed myself because we were talking about Quentin Tarantino and I said, “Have you worked with Quentin Tarantino?” and it was out of my mouth before I could take it back. I was so embarrassed; I don’t really remember the conversation for the next five minutes.
Since it’s Oscar season, it seems fitting to ask you what it was like working with the Coens, since you were on their big Oscar winner, No Country for Old Men.
Their scripts are perfect. They work with the same heads of department, they’ve got their teams around them, and it’s the easiest process—once I got the part! They get the work done. They’re very pragmatic.
So, in contrast to the humor of their work, they’re always very serious on set.
Well, there was one day on set and there was a bit of chat going on and the D.P. [director of photography] asked for quiet, and I was the one who got chucked out of the building. But it wasn’t me that was making the noise—it was the Brothers Coen! The A.D. [assistant director] was too young—he couldn’t go up to the Coens and say, “Could you go outside?” So he came up to me!
That’s horrible!
I know! I walked outside for a moment, and I thought, “Wait a minute, I wasn’t even talking. So, I went back in. Then, the A.D. was very sweet and came up and explained himself, and said he didn’t know what to do. I think I’m just the easiest target.
You’re not the easiest target on Boardwalk, are you?
Yeah, I haven’t been asked to leave the stage yet.
So what other roles might interest you—playing a villain or a superhero, maybe?
Oh, no, I think I’d be pretty pathetic. I’ve been doing some stunt work today, and I’m definitely not cut out for it. I get claustrophobic in a harness. I’d be a terrible superhero.
Maybe you could be an anti-superhero.
Yes, I’d be nervous Nelly!
Any cool memories about Boardwalk?
I’m no good at anecdotes, but I do find it funny that you can see the New York skyline from the boardwalk that we built and we’re meant to be in Atlantic City. Computer geniuses have to remove the Empire State Building so we can’t see it on the boardwalk.
Funny, and probably expensive. But shooting with Martin Scorsese must have been something for the diary?
It sort of ruins you a little bit because you just want more. It was just amazing. I try not to think about it too much, because my brain would implode.
Try not to think of the other great directors you’ve worked with—we wouldn’t want that to happen.
It’s almost a game now! Who could I fool next into giving me a part?
Source: Vanity Fair
John Lopez: I hear now that Boardwalk’s done, you’re working on the final Harry Potter as we speak. They really are trying to get every U.K. actor into those movies.
Kelly Macdonald: It’s true! I’m friends with Colin Firth, and he told me he’s the only Brit who’s not in it.
But playing George VI in The King’s Speech, not so shabby. It’s a great performance and there’s a lot of Oscar hoopla about it. Maybe one day you’ll get to go through the hoopla?
Ah, hoopla’s overrated.
Boardwalk Empire definitely had its share of hoopla—was it fun to do all the dressing up, etc.?
I was kind of more excited about the dressing-up part before I began filming the pilot. My character starts off pretty raggedy, so I had imagined flappers and all that and I definitely wasn’t that… but I’m getting there.
Yeah, you moved on up, to say the least.
Yes, I did. Also, I’m quite interested in history, so it’s fun to read about the era that you’re working in. I always try to read books about where we are for the time period.
What kind of books?
Well, I just read Sister Carrie, by Theodore Dreiser.
Whoa, that’s a biggie.
Amazing, and I had never heard of him! That was the other thing—I was reading American history and novelists that I wasn’t aware of before.
Going beyond Fitzgerald and Hemingway.
Exactly. I’ve read them but Dreiser is less well known over here.
You might want to read one of those lesser-known guys, John Dos Passos. He wrote this book 1919—something tells me that might be relevant.
I’ll check it out! I love that thing on Amazon that you can go on and order a book, and you click on it and it says, “You might also like,” or “Other people who bought this have bought that.”
It’s a far cry from Atlantic City in 1918. So, in retrospect, what was shooting that whole season like for you?
I’ve been amazed that I’ve been given a chance to sink my teeth into something for a period of time, and the writing is just impeccable and surprising. I thought I had a good handle on the character from the beginning of shooting, and then she does all these things that seem unnatural, at first, but they’re brilliant. Terry and all his writers, they do good things in that writers room—that I’ve never been invited to!
I’m sure the writers wouldn’t mind letting a beautiful actress inside the room.
Actually I don’t think I want to get invited, because apparently you get invited there when your character gets killed off. I don’t think I want to see inside.
Let me tell you, if you don’t want that to happen, you should bring them muffins.
I know kill them—with kindness!
Exactly. Then they’ll be like, We can’t kill Kelly—no more muffins. Anyway, what’s it like working with Steve Buscemi? He’s such a singular actor and it’s nice to see him finally get put so prominently on center stage.
It’s just great. He’s the sweetest, nicest man, really low key and down to earth. He’s been in everything. He’s been in every film. I kind of embarrassed myself because we were talking about Quentin Tarantino and I said, “Have you worked with Quentin Tarantino?” and it was out of my mouth before I could take it back. I was so embarrassed; I don’t really remember the conversation for the next five minutes.
Since it’s Oscar season, it seems fitting to ask you what it was like working with the Coens, since you were on their big Oscar winner, No Country for Old Men.
Their scripts are perfect. They work with the same heads of department, they’ve got their teams around them, and it’s the easiest process—once I got the part! They get the work done. They’re very pragmatic.
So, in contrast to the humor of their work, they’re always very serious on set.
Well, there was one day on set and there was a bit of chat going on and the D.P. [director of photography] asked for quiet, and I was the one who got chucked out of the building. But it wasn’t me that was making the noise—it was the Brothers Coen! The A.D. [assistant director] was too young—he couldn’t go up to the Coens and say, “Could you go outside?” So he came up to me!
That’s horrible!
I know! I walked outside for a moment, and I thought, “Wait a minute, I wasn’t even talking. So, I went back in. Then, the A.D. was very sweet and came up and explained himself, and said he didn’t know what to do. I think I’m just the easiest target.
You’re not the easiest target on Boardwalk, are you?
Yeah, I haven’t been asked to leave the stage yet.
So what other roles might interest you—playing a villain or a superhero, maybe?
Oh, no, I think I’d be pretty pathetic. I’ve been doing some stunt work today, and I’m definitely not cut out for it. I get claustrophobic in a harness. I’d be a terrible superhero.
Maybe you could be an anti-superhero.
Yes, I’d be nervous Nelly!
Any cool memories about Boardwalk?
I’m no good at anecdotes, but I do find it funny that you can see the New York skyline from the boardwalk that we built and we’re meant to be in Atlantic City. Computer geniuses have to remove the Empire State Building so we can’t see it on the boardwalk.
Funny, and probably expensive. But shooting with Martin Scorsese must have been something for the diary?
It sort of ruins you a little bit because you just want more. It was just amazing. I try not to think about it too much, because my brain would implode.
Try not to think of the other great directors you’ve worked with—we wouldn’t want that to happen.
It’s almost a game now! Who could I fool next into giving me a part?
Source: Vanity Fair
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
'Boardwalk Empire' Michael Shannon is disappointed in Van Alden
Van Alden hasn't turned out at all the way we expected. Was there some point when you got a script and were like, “Oh, wow. I didn’t know he was going to be this kind of guy.”
Well, it was a little disappointing. The thing that disappointed me the most was when he drank. Shooting that episode in general was kind of upsetting. I guess I figured he’d probably drink eventually. I just didn’t think it would happen so quickly. It’s fine. I just thought maybe, you know, the second season or if we were lucky, the third season. But to put it right in the first season I was like, oh, all right. You don’t know anything when you view the script for the pilot, and you get the script for the next episode after read-through, so you don’t know. It’s kind of like walking out onto a bridge that isn’t finished being built and then they build it as you’re walking across the chasm.
He’s not even that good at his job.
I don’t think it’s necessarily fair to say he’s not good at his job. I think he’s been put in an impossible situation. I think he actually is good at his job. I mean, he knows Jimmy Darmody killed all those guys. It’s not like he doesn’t know what happens. He just can’t do anything about it. And that’s not really his fault. That’s because his boss won’t let him do anything. Van Alden’s not at the top of the food chain. He’s a mid-level guy.
So let’s talk about the two really surprising things that Van Alden has done in the last two episodes. On last night’s episode, he drowned Agent Sebso. Tell me about that.
I don’t think he wanted to kill him, I just think he wanted to baptize him. The kid, he wouldn’t say yes and, you know, Van Alden’s a very angry person and I think when he drowns Sebso, he’s drowning everybody. He’s drowning Nucky, he’s drowning this whole situation. Because I think he resents the fact that he’s been put in the middle of so much sin and depravity. I think Van Alden really wants to be a good person, but there’s a lot of resentment and frustration built up inside of him because he can’t — it’s impossible. In this environment, he can’t maintain his character and his ideals. And so he’s disgusted with himself as much as anybody else … I think the word is he snapped.
SOURCE
Well, it was a little disappointing. The thing that disappointed me the most was when he drank. Shooting that episode in general was kind of upsetting. I guess I figured he’d probably drink eventually. I just didn’t think it would happen so quickly. It’s fine. I just thought maybe, you know, the second season or if we were lucky, the third season. But to put it right in the first season I was like, oh, all right. You don’t know anything when you view the script for the pilot, and you get the script for the next episode after read-through, so you don’t know. It’s kind of like walking out onto a bridge that isn’t finished being built and then they build it as you’re walking across the chasm.
He’s not even that good at his job.
I don’t think it’s necessarily fair to say he’s not good at his job. I think he’s been put in an impossible situation. I think he actually is good at his job. I mean, he knows Jimmy Darmody killed all those guys. It’s not like he doesn’t know what happens. He just can’t do anything about it. And that’s not really his fault. That’s because his boss won’t let him do anything. Van Alden’s not at the top of the food chain. He’s a mid-level guy.
So let’s talk about the two really surprising things that Van Alden has done in the last two episodes. On last night’s episode, he drowned Agent Sebso. Tell me about that.
I don’t think he wanted to kill him, I just think he wanted to baptize him. The kid, he wouldn’t say yes and, you know, Van Alden’s a very angry person and I think when he drowns Sebso, he’s drowning everybody. He’s drowning Nucky, he’s drowning this whole situation. Because I think he resents the fact that he’s been put in the middle of so much sin and depravity. I think Van Alden really wants to be a good person, but there’s a lot of resentment and frustration built up inside of him because he can’t — it’s impossible. In this environment, he can’t maintain his character and his ideals. And so he’s disgusted with himself as much as anybody else … I think the word is he snapped.
SOURCE
Monday, November 29, 2010
'Boardwalk Empire' 1.12 "A Return to Normalcy" Promo
Nucky wonders how much change Election day will bring to Atlantic City. Torrio tries to be the peacemaker between two bitter rivals with dire consequences. Jimmy, as well as Margaret, Van Alden, and Eli, ponder their futures.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Boardwalk Empire Ep 11 "Paris Green" Sneak Peeks
Jimmy deals with some troubling family problems. Nucky shakes up the status quo. Van Alden deals with Agent Sebso's temptations.
Monday, November 22, 2010
'Boardwalk Empire' Spoilers on Nucky and Margaret
@OliviaRoy (via Twitter): What's going to happen with Nucky and Margaret on Boardwalk Empire?!
Look for a crazy knock-down drag-out fight between those two in the next episode, with Nucky (Steve Buscemi) arguably demonstrating more passion than we've otherwise seen from him all season. We'll learn that Nucky wants something very specific from Margaret (Kelly Macdonald), and that there's a reason he traded in trampy Lucy for the seemingly saintly Margaret. It's good stuff, and you'll never guess what Margaret does in response to the big blowout.
Look for a crazy knock-down drag-out fight between those two in the next episode, with Nucky (Steve Buscemi) arguably demonstrating more passion than we've otherwise seen from him all season. We'll learn that Nucky wants something very specific from Margaret (Kelly Macdonald), and that there's a reason he traded in trampy Lucy for the seemingly saintly Margaret. It's good stuff, and you'll never guess what Margaret does in response to the big blowout.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Monday, November 15, 2010
'Boardwalk Empire' 1.10 "The Emerald City" - Promo
Van Alden becomes conflicted as his emotions get in the way of his work; Nucky requests that Margaret keep supporting his side. Also, Angela is shocked to see Jimmy's violent side.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Boardwalk Empire - Ep.9 Preview
As Margaret continues to work for Madame Jeunet, Nucky realizes he has to battle a rival.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Boardwalk Empire 1x07 "Hold Me In Paradise" Sneak Peeks
Nucky travels to Chicago to attend the Republican National Convention, but events in Atlantic City distract his attention.