Starring: Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy. - Notes
provided by ...... a Naked Man, topping the New York Times bestseller list. This
was ...
Wild Hogs Directed by:Walt Becker Starring: Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy - Notes provided by Buena Vista. ABOUT THE PRODUCTION "You don't want to let life get too safe now." -Charley in WILD HOGS What if you could take one trip that would change your ordinary life from mild into a wild, freewheeling adventure? In the rollicking comedy WILD HOGS, four of Hollywood's biggest stars- Tim Allen, two-time Oscar® nominee John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and Academy Award® nominee William H. Macystar as a group of weekend-warrior friends who decide to rev up their ho-hum suburban lives with one last-hurrah, cross-country motorcycle trip. Taking a long-dreamed-of breather from their jobs and responsibilities, they can't wait to feel the freedom of the open highway. But when these guys hit the road, they have no idea it's going to hit back...hard. Now, finding themselves in an unwitting rivalry with the real-life, bad-ass biker gang known as the Del Fuegos, and faced with secrets within their own ranks, this out-of-their-league foursome is about to discover that heading down the road to nowhere can take you places you never expected. Touchstone Pictures presents WILD HOGS, starring Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy. Co-starring in the film are Golden Globe® nominee Ray Liotta ("Smokin' Aces," "Something Wild"), Academy Award® winner Marisa Tomei ("My Cousin Vinny," "In the Bedroom"), M.C. Gainey ("Mr. Woodcock"), Jill Hennessy ("Crossing Jordan"), Tichina Arnold ("Everybody Hates Chris"), Kevin Durand ("Smokin' Aces") and brothers Jason and Randy Sklar ("Cheap Seats: Without Ron Parker"). Making cameos are Paul Teutul, Sr., and Paul Teutul, Jr., of the popular television series "Orange County Chopper" and "American Chopper," who also lent their custom motorbikes to the production. WILD HOGS is directed by Walt Becker ("National Lampoon's Van Wilder") from a screenplay by Brad Copeland ("My Name Is Earl," "Arrested Development"). The film is produced by Mike Tollin ("Dreamer") and Brian Robbins ("Norbit") and Todd Lieberman ("The Shaggy Dog"). The
executive producers are Amy Sayres ("Meet the Fockers") and Sharla Sumpter Bridgett ("Coach Carter"). The production team who hit the open road on location in New Mexico includes cinematographer Robbie Greenberg ("The Santa Clause 3"), two-time Oscar®-nominated production designer Michael Corenblith ("How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "Apollo 13"), costume designer Penny Rose ("Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy) and editors Christopher Greenbury ("There's Something About Mary," "American Beauty") and Stuart Pappé ("Kicking and Screaming," "American Wedding"). OF HOGS AND MEN:ABOUT THE STORY Back in the "Easy Rider" heyday of the Harley, hitting the road on a motorcycle, destination unknown, was considered the ultimate outlaw act of freedom, rebellion and "cool." Today, however, the average motorcycle rider provides a rather different picture- because the average motorcycle rider is a suburban male on a weekend cruise around town! These are the socalled "weekend warriors," who jump on their "hogs" at the end of the workweek, hoping to find even a flash of that free spirit that still burns beneath their everyday roles as daddies, bosses and breadwinners. But what would happen if a group of suburbanites actually fired up their growling engines, donned their leathers, straddled the gleaming chrome and truly tried to hit the open road- ready for whatever outrageous situations that might come their way? It was this question, with all its comedic potential, that inspired writer Brad Copeland to come up with the concept for WILD HOGS. Copeland has become known as one of television's hottest comedy minds, serving as a writer on two of the funniest and most acclaimed shows in recent years-the Emmy®- and Golden Globe®winning dysfunctional family show "Arrested Development" and the Emmy®-winning "My Name Is Earl," the comedy hit about a petty crook trying to make amends for all his wrongdoings, one by one. The story of WILD HOGS was sparked when Copeland became fascinated by the new subculture of guys who wear suits and work in offices during the week, only to transform into leather-bound Harley riders on the weekend. "I thought, why isn't anyone making a movie about all these suburban biker guys?" says Copeland. "I became intrigued by these guys who lead the usual 9-to-5 businessman's existence, but then they have this whole other life where they try to leave that behind and go out into the great outdoors to ride. It felt like a sweet set-up for a very fun adventure."
As he began to write, Copeland developed four foible-filled yet uniquely relatable suburban characters from Cincinnati-who share in common only a feeling of being stuck and a Harley hobby: Doug (ALLEN), a dentist with such an inferiority complex, he always introduces himself as a doctor; Woody (TRAVOLTA), the group's seeming "golden boy," a wealthy, charismatic businessman who looks like one of life's big winners-but whose secret troubles are about to catch up with him; Bobby (LAWRENCE) a hen-pecked husband and plumber-on-hiatus who just took a year off to try, unsuccessfully, to become a writer; and Dudley (MACY), a computer-geek bachelor with a knack for always finding himself in embarrassing situations. Copeland explains: "The idea is that these guys are all kind of living their own version of the white-collar, suburban life, except that on Sundays, they put on their leathers and head to the Harley-Davidson hang-out, where they feel kind of like poseurs. And then one day, they look at each other and say, `Why don't we truly do this and take a real road trip?'" The idea soon led to all kinds of hilarious and hair-raising situations and also revelations for the characters. For Copeland, it was the notion that one can still have a mind-blowing, perspectivealtering adventure, even in the middle of middle-class suburbia, that makes the story of WILD HOGS so compelling. He explains: "I think it comes down to the fact that nobody wants to feel too safe in life. These guys love their jobs, love their wives, love their children, but they also feel like maybe they need something else to tap into that cut-loose craziness, go wild and live on the edge, even for just a few days. They just want to see how that would feel- but they have no idea where this journey is going to take them, either on the map or emotionally." The laughs and thrills of Doug, Woody, Bobby and Dudley's journey quickly attracted producers Brian Robbins and Mike Tollin of Tollin/ Robbins Productions to the screenplay. Tollin and Robbins have produced a dozen films together, including the recent #1 box-office hit "Coach Carter." When they read WILD HOGS, they knew they had found not only a great vehicle for an ensemble of great comic stars but a joyful experience for moviegoers. "This was an opportunity to make a movie that is fun with a capital F," says Tollin. "We've made a lot of dramas, we've made a number of movies with a sports backdrop and movies that are specifically for a family audience. Of all the movies we've made, though, WILD HOGS probably has the broadest appeal." He continues: "The story is hilarious with an enormous amount of heart, and it speaks to
universal themes. On one level, it's a midlife crisis story, and on another, it's a male-bonding movie. It's four grown men discussing things in honest, intimate ways, which doesn't happen as much as it should in the real world. But most of all, it's just plain funny." With the screenplay as their calling card, Robbins and Tollin began almost immediately to search for a director. The bill they were trying to fill was a bit unusual: someone with both the chops for comedy...and a personal knowledge of choppers. They found exactly that combo in Walt Becker, who made his debut with the runaway hit "National Lampoon's Van Wilder," an outrageous campus comedy that updated the raucous "Animal House" tradition. Becker also came with an intriguing background: he financed his entire college education by buying and selling Harleys. "Walt Becker was not only coming off the wildly funny `Van Wilder,' he had also spent most of his life with motorcycles and brought a fresh, youthful perspective," says Tollin. Given his background, Becker wanted to hit the gas the minute he read the script for WILD HOGS. "The second I finished it, I was in," he recalls. "It was a story that was not only very funny but hit very close to home." In an amazing coincidence, Becker's own father, also a lifelong Harley aficionado, had taken a trip quite similar to the one Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin Lawrence and William H. Macy would soon find their characters on. "He was going through a bit of a midlife crisis, so he and some friends flew from Los Angeles to Wisconsin, bought new Harleys and rode them across the country for two weeks," Becker explains. "He was a Baptist minister and now he had a pierced ear and a skull bandana! Basically, it was the same journey as our four characters in WILD HOGS go on. So this was one of those scripts where you just know that you're supposed to do it because you've lived it." Becker also admits to another reason for taking on WILD HOGS. "What better way to confront my own mini midlife crisis than to take on an ambitious comedy adventure with a cast of great actors and hundreds of motorcycles," he laughs. SADDLING UP THE HOGS:CASTING ALLEN, TRAVOLTA, LAWRENCE AND MACY WILD HOGS would ultimately attract a cast made up of four remarkably diverse yet distinctly compelling Hollywood stars: the popular comedian Tim Allen, whose work has traversed from no-limits stand-up to hit family films; the Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee John Travolta, who has been seen in some of the most monumental films of our times, from "Saturday Night Fever" to "Pulp Fiction"; the major comic star Martin Lawrence, who began as a groundbreaking young stand-up performer and went on to become the star of such blockbuster
franchises as "Big Momma's House" and "Bad Boys"; and William H. Macy, the oft-lauded Oscar® nominee who is a prolific star of prestigious film, television and theater projects. "It was beyond our wildest dreams to attract a cast like this all together in one movie," says director Walt Becker. From the beginning, the filmmakers knew they wanted a quartet of stars who could hold their own with each other, and proceeded from there. "We always approached the film as an ensemble piece," says Mike Tollin. "We didn't want it to be one big star and three supporting actors, so we came up with the notion of going after these four world-class actors-and they all responded exactly the way we hoped." Tollin adds: "They created not only great characters but a great dynamic between the characters where you really feel like these guys have been friends all their lives." Tim Allen joined up in the role of Doug, the dentist who is sick of being "just a dentist" and a man in search of something that will catalyze a change in his life. His character has both some of the most thoughtful and some of the most outright slapstick scenes in the film. "Having Tim in this role was a thrill because he's one of those actors where you put him in the part and he makes what's on the page at least ten times as funny," says Becker. Allen, who had just done several family films in a row, was especially attracted to the idea of working at long last with a cast past pubescence. "The thought of working with four adult males was inspiring. I hadn't really done an adult film since `Galaxy Quest,'" he explains. He also felt an immediate connection with all the Hogs. "These guys feel a little stuck because they never did everything they wanted to do with their lives-and now they're trying to change all that," Allen says. "My character, Doug, is a little anal and a little fed upin some ways like me, in some ways not
like me-but in the course of the film, he learns to stand up for himself." And then, of course, there was the undeniable lure of the Harleys themselves. "I've ridden bikes before but mostly sport bikes and English bikes, like Triumphs and BSAs, but this is the first time I've ever really spent time on a Fat Boy," he muses. "I like to customize cars, and I even had the chance to customize my own bike for the film, so that was a lot of fun." Most of all, Allen was drawn by the chance to work with three major stars so unique unto themselves. He observes: "Martin is such a soulful, calm, nice guy, and plus he's a comic, so we have that same brotherhood. Macy's a theater pro who is so skilled and knowledgeable, but he's also got a great sense of humor. And Travolta is just the funniest, most genuine guy around. And when you put the four of us on bikes, it's hysterical." For John Travolta, who, in an eclectic career, has moved fluidly from comedy to drama to icon and back again, the role of Woody would allow him to do a little bit of everything-even dance. As a lifelong motorcycle fan, he was initially compelled by the story's concept. "I couldn't believe someone hadn't already done this story, because motorcycles have become one of the most common hobbies in the U.S.," he notes. "The idea grabbed me right away." Even while reading the script, Travolta's favorite character was Woody-precisely because he's the one guy who's not at all what he seems. "The character is very funny and appealed to my comic sensibilities," says Travolta. "Woody appears to be the very successful businessman who has the best house, the prettiest wife and the coolest toys-the `lucky guy who's got it all.' But what the others don't know is that he's taking this trip to avoid the true disaster his life has become. He's got some secret personal baggage that is going to make things very, very complicated." Things really heated up for Travolta once he found himself on the set with Allen, Lawrence and Macy in what he says became a constant, but friendly, daily battle to see who could be funniest. "You have two actors who began their careers as stand-up comics, then you have Bill Macy and me, who have done both comedies and dramas-so the balance of those energies added up to a natural competition for laughs," Travolta recalls. "There was non-stop banter, and we were all trying to prove we could be equally as clever at between-takes humor. It was kind of like having two jobs-the one on screen and the stand-up gig between takes!" Having Travolta in the cast was a major coup for director Walt Becker. "Travolta was an idol of mine back in the day," he admits. "I grew up during his heyday with `Grease' and `Saturday Night Fever,' so just having someone from Hollywood royalty was a blast. Then, to find out what
a great guy he is behind the scenes was even more of a treat. He's a very talented, funny guy who brings every scene he's in to life. He plays Woody in a way that went above and beyond what I expected." Mike Tollin also recalls that Travolta, like the other cast members, contributed key ad-lib lines to the final film. "When the four guys are sitting around at the table and Woody says, `How many summers do you think we have left?' that wasn't in the script-that came from John Travolta talking about why the script resonated with him. When we heard John say that, we all just looked at each other, and Brad Copeland immediately scribbled it down. We all brought things from our own lives and experiences to the film." Meanwhile, Martin Lawrence came to WILD HOGS because he loved the idea of joining a "team," going back to his improv roots and riffing off other creative talents, with each star bringing something different to the mix. "Working with such an incredible ensemble cast gives you a certain freedom, so you can have even more fun with the role," he observes. "I also love doing physical comedy, so when the bull scene came up, I knew that was going to be especially fun for me. I just tried to squeeze as much out of it as I could!" Lawrence describes his character, Bobby, the plumber who wants to be a writer much to his overbearing wife's chagrin, as "someone who doesn't have much of a say-so in his life-but this journey gives him a chance to finally let it all out." Walt Becker can remember the precise second when Lawrence's name came up for Bobby. "It was like a `Hail Mary' moment," he recalls. "I was so hoping he would do it, and when he called to say he was in, it was like a turning point. From there, we gave him free reign to take Bobby to places no other actor would
even think of. His ad-libs are phenomenal, and I think he's created some of the best moments in the movie." Finally, rounding out the foursome is perhaps the least expected one of them all: critically acclaimed stage, television and screen star William H. Macy, best known for his unforgettable, Oscar®-nominated role as a Minnesota car salesman in the Coen Brothers' classic "Fargo." In WILD HOGS, he plays Dudley-the quartet's lone bachelor and an unabashed, albeit adorable, nerd. Walt Becker thought putting Macy among the mayhem would have interesting results. "I was dead-set on having him in the movie and pursued him like a pit bull," notes Becker. "He was the only guy I could see playing Dudley. And not only is he fantastically funny and gives the character a lovability factor, but he brings a sense of realism that really grounds the comedy." While reading the script, Dudley stood out immediately to Macy. "He's naïve and clueless and bookish, but he's not a coward and he's not a dork," the actor says. "He's a variation on a theme I've played before, but here he actually gets the girl, so yeah for Dudley." Macy recalls that the story of the film really came together for him when he first sat down with Allen, Travolta and Lawrence to talk about who these Cincinnati hog-riding suburbanites really are. "We talked about why these guys are going on this trip and what they mean to each other," remembers Macy. "And what we realized is that the movie is the story of four men who come to see that if they don't go after what they want right now, it's never going to happen." As for joining up with his cast-mates on the set, Macy calls the experience "grand," but admits "there was a lot of testosterone on this set. If you wanted to be heard, you had to speak up quickly and be very loud!" The volatile mix of personalities could, at times, be daunting, especially for Walt Becker, who tried to ride the line between letting these talents go off in their own comically wild directions and keeping some control of the chaos. As Tim Allen jokes: "When you think of it, Walt was up to his neck in a beehive of egos." Still, Becker wouldn't have it any other way. "These guys had such great chemistry together, it was exciting to watch," he muses. "At times, I was pinching myself just realizing that I had all these wonderful talents together in one film." REVVING THE ENGINE:AN AWARD-WINNING SUPPORTING CAST JOINS THE "HOGS" With such an amazing lead cast lined up for WILD HOGS, the filmmakers found themselves in
the enviable position of being able to recruit an equally illustrious supporting cast, including Golden Globe® nominee Ray Liotta and Academy Award® winner Marisa Tomei, as well as M.C. Gainey, Jill Hennessy, Tichina Arnold, Kevin Durand and Jason and Randy Sklar. Liotta came on board in the key role of the Hogs' villainous rival, Jack, the fearsome leader of the Del Fuego biker gang-and the kind of man for whom the Highway to Hell is home sweet home. Liotta, whose roles range from the offbeat comedy of Jonathan Demme's classic "Something Wild" to the searing intensity of "Narc," brought with him the rare ability to mix menace with humor. Comments Walt Becker: "When we were brainstorming about who could play Jack, I kept thinking back to Marlon Brando in `The Wild One' and trying to think of who that actor would be today. Who could create the most awesome adversary possible and be the greatest juxtaposition to our four Hogs? Ray was the only actor I could envision pulling this role off. I also thought it would be fun to have him play things very straight in this big comedy. His chemistry on screen with the rest of the cast has been fantastic. He's made Jack more than just intimidating-which was exactly what we wanted." Liotta had a great time embodying such a hard-core character in a realistic way. "We went to great lengths to keep an authentic air about the Del Fuegos, because for someone like Jack, biking is not a hobby. It's a way of life," he explains. "Jack loves what he believes real bikers represent. So when these yuppies come into his bar, it definitely rubs him the wrong way." Aside from the incredible cast, there was another major draw for Liotta. "I'd actually never rode a motorcycle before," he admits, "so I thought it would be cool to learn-and that turned out to be very fun." Then there is the film's primary female character, Maggie, the small-town café owner who gets ahold of Dudley's heart in the middle of the Hogs' journey. Once again, Becker couldn't believe his luck in getting one of the screen's most talented actresses to take on the role. "Marisa Tomei brings a sweetness to every single role she's been in, and she does an incredible job selling the love story between Maggie and Dudley," he says. Tomei jumped in with typical fearlessness. "I couldn't be happier being the only girl amidst these four male leads," laughs the actress. "Everyone took good care of me, and they're all hilarious." As for her character's attraction to Dudley, she says: "I'd venture to say it's really love at first
sight for Dudley, but for Maggie, who's seen a lot of guys pass through town, it takes, y'know, that spin on the dance floor to convince her that Dudley might be the man for her! Bill is just so adorable in this character." It was just as fun for Tomei to stand back and watch the comic sparks fly as it was for her to get into the fray. "Maggie is written in a more straight manner," she notes, "so I was always trying to find my little corner of funny and ride that line between the romantic and the comic. Mostly, I loved hearing what the guys were coming up with off the top of their heads. They all have such strong takes on comedy, and watching the four of them work with one another's rhythms and give each other the space to do their thing was wonderful." Further rounding out the cast on the female side are the Hogs' wives: Jill Hennessy, best known for her dramatic work as a medical examiner on "Crossing Jordan," portrays Doug's loving wife, Kelly, while Tichina Arnold, who plays Rochelle Rock on the acclaimed sitcom "Everybody Hates Chris," has the role of Bobby's no-nonsense wife, Karen. "Jill Hennessy adds another layer of realism with her `down-home' quality. She's also extremely witty, and it was great watching her go head-to-head, improvising with Tim. As for Tichina Arnold, I'm still laughing about her audition tape," allows the director. "The fact that she and Martin had a relationship from his television show and `Big Momma's House' was an added bonus. They knew each other's timing, and she was perfect as the woman that keeps Bobby on lockdown. She ruled him with an iron fist, and watching her do that was great fun." Sums up Jill Hennessy of the experience on the WILD HOGS set: "It was just so exciting to work with people who I personally respect and who have always entertained me. Everyone was so professional and generous. It was one of the best times on a film I've ever had." EATING DUST:TRAINING THE CAST TO HANDLE HARLEYS...AND ANGRY BULLS Before the story of WILD HOGS could roar to life, the cast would first have to learn to ride the roaring chrome machines with which their characters are so in love. But riding a Harley is no quickly acquired skill and comes with a big risk-as all experienced riders know, it's not a matter of if you'll ever wipe out, it's just a matter of when. To make things even more complicated, each of the film's four stars started in completely different places-John Travolta was an experienced rider who knew Harleys like a pro, Tim Allen had ridden sport bikes but not Harleys, which have a flavor all their own, while Bill Macy was a gung-ho novice, and Martin Lawrence had never so much as straddled a bike in his life and had no idea what was in store! To get everyone equally up to speed, the filmmakers brought in stunt coordinator Jack Gill to run a pre-production training camp. Gill started the crew out on dirt
bikes to hone their handling skills, then moved up to cruising Harleys around the twisting roads of Malibu Canyon, which served as a testing ground for the newbies. Tim Allen admits the learning curve did occasionally lead to meeting with the road. "With cars, I know where the limit is, but I don't really know bikes, so when you get going fast and you try to put on the brakes, they don't stop very well-which I found out a couple of times!" he laughs. Adds Bill Macy: "These are big-ass bikes, and when they start to tip over, they're going. I don't care if you're Arnold Schwarzenegger-you're not going to be able to correct it when it hits the tipping point." Still, like his cast-mates, the newbie Macy quickly discovered just why so many men develop a Harley habit. "They're big motorcycles, but Lordy, what a feeling. Only people who have ridden understand that feeling of freedom and lawlessness and living on the edge. It's irreplaceable. It's legal and non-narcotic and fun as all get out," he enthuses. "I am seriously hooked." Indeed, Macy notes that he regrets not putting in his deal memo that he be allowed to keep his bike! Although Allen, Travolta and Lawrence were each allowed to select the bikes they ride in the movie, Macy's Sportster was given to him to further establish character. "You have to be a Harley person to get the joke, but the bike I'm riding is a Sportster, which is known as a chick bike. I'm on a 1,200cc Sportster, so if it's a chick bike, I don't want to meet the chick," he laughs. Real-life bikers were also called in to educate the cast on the history of the biker lifestyle- and how it turned from being feared by all but the most rebellious Americans to being revered by so many today. Once on the set in New Mexico, the cast were further submerged in leather-clad biker culture, especially after an open casting call for extras turned up 1,300 devoted bikers in full regalia and attitude. At any given point during the filming, up to 100 motorcycles were simultaneously roaring on the set. Bike aficionados will recognize the broad diversity of motorcycles that were used-and especially three very special bikes that veteran riders and customizers Paul Teutul, Sr., and Paul Teutul, Jr., who also make cameos in the film, lent to the production from the popular show "Orange County Chopper." Says Teutul, Jr.: "They're what we call `old school' bikes. Ray Liotta is on a bike that we built a while ago called the Greeny, and there's an orange old-school 1974 Sunshine that is seen on a pedestal in the Cincinnati Byker's Island bar. That was the first Harley that my father customized. And there's another hot-rod-looking chopper, an old-school Paul 2, with ape-hanger handle-bars that's also in the film. They're very nostalgic-looking bikes." In addition to learning to handle Harleys, the cast had another fierce and powerful beast to worry about-the 2,000-pound bull who forms the centerpiece of one of the film's funniest scenes, in
which the Hogs try their hand at bull wrangling. Once again, Jack Gill was called in to coordinate the daring stunt, using both the real actors and experienced rodeo performers, in case all hell broke loose. The latter are used to stampeding animals, but the former were in for quite a surprise. "Slapping the bull was one of my favorite sequences," says director Becker. "We wanted the actors to do most of the stunts themselves, but talking them into going in there with a live bull was interesting. We had a so-called `docile' bull, but of course, animals can be unpredictable. I'm certainly glad we got everybody out in one piece, because the second `docile' bull we used turned out to be not so docile after all. He actually stampeded through the corral at one point, sending stuntmen and camera crew flying over the railing!" For the cast, the scene proved truly memorable. "Part of the fun of this movie is the way the action and the comedy meld together-but trying to be funny while a 2,000-pound bull is chasing you is a lot of pressure!" laughs John Travolta. THE HOGS HIT THE ROAD:ABOUT THE PRODUCTION Once the actors were ready to ride, the entire cast, crew and hundreds of Harleys were shipped off to New Mexico, the famed Land of Enchantment, where WILD HOGS would be shot entirely on location. Albuquerque was used to double for the Hogs' hometown of Cincinnati, while New Mexico's scenic mountains and forests were able to stand in for areas throughout the entire United States. But as "enchanted" as New Mexico might be, it wasn't all bliss, especially when it came to the state's notoriously mercurial weather. "Since this was essentially a road picture, we were out in the elements for three months," notes Walt Becker. "Along the way, we dealt with dust storms, mini-cyclones and rains of biblical flood proportions. At times, it felt like we were shooting `Lawrence of Arabia,' with the temperature frequently over 100 degrees and the 40-mile-an-hour winds which came up each afternoon. I take my hat off to all the cast and our crew who suffered right along with me." While much of the film was shot on the open road, there were also a number of key interiors, starting with the Hogs' cozy homes in Cincinnati, and especially when the Hogs roll into the dusty Western town that has been overrun by the Del Fuegos. To help forge the story's visual atmosphere, Walt Becker tapped the creativity of production designer Michael Corenblith, a twotime Academy Award® nominee for "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "Apollo 13."
Corenblith brought his imagination to the task by forging highly contrasting worlds for the suburbanite Hogs and the bad-to-the-bone Del Fuegos. "Michael created such a sense of realism on which to pin our comedic story," sums up Becker. "His sets never ceased to amaze me." For Corenblith, the project promised to be too much fun to resist. "I loved the idea of mixing elements of a kind of `Easy Rider' motorcycle movie with a Western feeling. And I was also drawn to the challenge of visually depicting a journey of thousands of miles, while shooting entirely in one state," he says. Key to Corenblith's vision for the film's design was subtly revealing how the characters are being transformed as their cross-country trip ensues. "The palette goes from muted in the beginning to very vivid and alive," he explains. "We begin with fairly bland, institutional colors in Doug's office and hospital room, and that develops into the cacophony of color in the Madrid Chili Festival at night." He continues: "The contrast between the two worlds was also expressed in the creation of two biker bars. The first, the Hogs'hang-out in Cincinnati called Byker's Island, was intended to be the typical suburban idea of a biker bar: cool choppers on display, a distinctive logo and the usual assortment of merchandise for sale. It was more about the T-shirts than the beer. The Del Fuegos' bar is the opposite of the Cincinnati experience and is a `real' biker bar. It's more like a clubhouse, most about celebrating their customers and the beverages to be found." The Del Fuegos' bar set was created on historic Bonanza Creek Ranch, which has been seen in dozens of Western-themed films, including "The Lone Ranger," "Silverado," "Young Guns," "Wyatt Earp" and "Lonesome Dove," among others. "I knew Walt was interested in iconic imagery, so I pitched a `Wild West saloon meets Route 66' kind of architectural hybrid, complete with double-swinging doors for the Hogs' entrance," Corenblith explains. The core of the shooting took place in Madrid (spelled like the capital of Spain, but pronounced Made-Rid)-once a booming mining village in the 1800s, then an abandoned ghost town, and today an artists' colony replete with charming shops and galleries-which stands in for the town where the Del Fuegos hold sway. "We wanted the town to feel real, which meant neither too cute and small nor too big, and it also had to have a sense of history and community to it-you had to believe that a motorcycle gang could actually take it over. We stumbled through lots of small towns throughout New Mexico before we finally discovered Madrid," recalls producer Mike Tollin. In Madrid, Michael Corenblith created another key set: Maggie's Diner. He explains: "The heart
of the town is Maggie's Diner, where much of the action takes place. This was built from scratch on a vacant property, using the forms, archetypes and vocabulary of old Route 66 diners: cozy booths, a prominent counter with stools and tin ceilings. In every way, we transformed this old mining town into something evocative of small-town life." Corenblith even invented a Town Square for one of the film's climactic moments, the Madrid Chili Festival, turning an empty parking lot into an inviting space complete with gazebos, gardens and carnival rides. The festive effect of hanging Chili Festival banners throughout the town even inspired local Madrid resident to propose actually starting a Chili Festival in the future! Invention was par for the course throughout the production of WILD HOGS. When Corenblith couldn't find a New Mexico location to simulate the Arkansas Ozarks, he crafted the scenery from scratch. Starting with a basic outcropping of rocks in the pristine Jemez Mountains, he began sculpting with foam until he had created an idyllic vision of a little hot springs. "On a creative level, to see what Mike accomplished on this movie was wonderful-he is a genius at sheer movie magic," says Tollin. Further adding to the visual fun of WILD HOGS is the work of cinematographer Robbie Greenberg, who previously shot Robert Redford's "The Milagro Beanfield War" in New Mexico and already had a deep affinity for the state's natural beauty, not to mention the lighting skill to deal with its ever-shifting weather. For Walt Becker, Greenberg's contributions were indispensable. "I really think this is one of the best-looking comedies you'll ever see thanks to Robbie, who is so meticulous," comments Becker. "We did not want the film to look like your typical blown-out American comedy with that big, comedy lighting. His photography is lush and beautiful, so that it not only plays up the humor, but also captures the drama of the story. Also, he makes everybody look fantastic in every scene." Rounding out the film's design team was Penny Rose, the costume designer who came to the film on the heels of her exuberant designs for "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest." Although there was definitely a big difference in dressing bikers rather than pirates, she sees a connection: "It's all about boys and their toys!" she jokes. Kidding aside, Rose wanted to emphasize the reality of WILD HOGS' characters. She explains: "What I felt about the script was that even though it is a very funny comedy, there is also a lot of hidden depth to it. Your heart breaks for each of these characters in a way, and I wanted to really make them as individual as possible."
To do that, Rose worked in very close collaboration with Allen, Travolta, Lawrence and Macy, talking at length with each of the four stars to fit the character's clothing options to the actor's visions of their personalities. "We had a lot of fun together, and they were each brilliant," she says. "The four of them really know what they're doing." Rose especially had a good time with William Macy's memorable bike costume. "Dudley inspired a definite look," she says. "I sent William a load of helmets and he pounced on the 1940s Outrider helmet. That set the tone for the rest of Dudley's look. Also, he had these weird glasses that you put on from behind your head and they snap together with a magnet at the front. I insisted that he wear them in the film because they were so hilarious." Macy loved his outfit but did fail to anticipate one thing. "In retrospect, it might not have been such a good idea to wear black leather pants in New Mexico in July!" Rose went through a wide range of bike clothing, ranging from vintage to current, in dressing both the Hogs and the far larger band of Del Fuegos, and gives lots of credit to Harley-Davidson, who kept the production supplied with some of the company's most iconic items through the years. "The people at Harley-Davidson were phenomenal," she relates. "They sent jackets, trousers, helmets, you name it. They were extremely generous." For Walt Becker, the entire production was filled with a treasure store of riches. "When you have a film with a half-dozen or so world-class actors and such a wonderful, amazing crew, the real challenge becomes just giving everyone their time in the sun. There was just such an overflow of talent, every morning I would wake up and feel like I was having an out-of-body experience." But as fun as the production might have been, its biggest effect was to spark a thirst for adventure among almost everyone involved. Notes Mike Tollin: "By the end of the movie, we were all kind of talking about going on our own WILD HOGS trip!" ABOUT THE CAST TIM ALLEN (Doug Madsen) was last seen on screen in Disney's "The Santa Clause 3," in which he once again reprised his role as Santa Claus. In August 2006, Allen starred in the Revolution Studios' comedy "Zoom," in which he played a former superhero who is called back to work to transform an unlikely group of ragtag kids into superheroes at a private academy. And in March 2006, he starred in Disney's "The Shaggy Dog," an update of the family classic, in which he played a lawyer whose devotion to his career comes at the expense of his family. Allen honed his talents as a stand-up comic throughout the
eighties, providing the perfect lead-in to his highly successful ABC television series "Home Improvement," where he garnered a Golden Globe® award and an Emmy® nomination and was honored with the People's Choice Award for "Favorite Male Performer in a Television Series" for an unprecedented eight years in a row. While passionately ensconced in a hit sitcom, Tim still found time to expand his talents. He made his film debut in 1994, playing the historic holiday icon in the Walt Disney blockbuster hit "The Santa Clause," earning him another People's Choice Award. He gave voice to the beloved, yet deluded, space ranger Buzz Lightyear in the computer-animated smash hit "Toy Story" and starred in Disney's "Jungle 2 Jungle" with Martin Short and Universal's "For Richer or Poorer" with Kirstie Alley. While the Taylor family was still at the top of the prime-time charts, Tim revisited his comedy roots with a successful national concert tour that finished with a sell-out performance at Caesars Palace and found time to pen his first book about the male perspective, Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man, topping the New York Times bestseller list. This was followed by his second bestseller, I'm Not Really Here, focusing on midlife, family and quantum physics. In 1999, during the eighth and final season of "Home Improvement," Tim was honored with the TV Guide Award for Favorite Actor in a Comedy Series, and in a tearful farewell, Tim hung up his tool belt, shifting his film career into high gear with resounding success. To the delight of moviegoers, Tim reprised his character, Buzz Lightyear, in the Disney sequel "Toy Story 2," which grossed over $250 million to become the sixteenth highest-grossing film of all time. This was followed by the popular DreamWorks film "Galaxy Quest," where Tim portrayed the washed-up actor Jason Nesmith and his sci-fi alter ego, Commander Peter Quincy Taggart, playing opposite Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman. Representing the "average Joe," Tim starred in the 20th Century Fox picture "Joe Somebody," opposite Jim Belushi, and in 2001, he partnered with Rene Russo in the Barry Sonnenfeld ensemble comedy "Big Trouble." In 2002, with an interesting departure from playing mythical icons and the average "everyman," Tim took on the role of Critical Jim, a professional hit man in the Paramount Classics comedy "Who Is Cletis Tout?" opposite Christian Slater, and in November 2002, Tim helped kick off the holiday season, successfully reprising his role as "the big man in red" in the long-awaited sequel "The Santa Clause 2." In a brief return to television in April 2003, Tim's old Tool Time pals, Debbe Dunning and Richard Karn, joined Tim on stage for the live-event ABC special "Tim Allen Presents: A User's Guide to Home Improvement." In 2004, he starred opposite Jamie Lee Curtis in the Revolution Studio's comedy "Christmas With the Kranks." The film, directed by Joe Roth, was an adaptation of John Grisham's best-selling novel Skipping Christmas.
JOHN TRAVOLTA (Woody Stevens) has been honored twice with Academy Award® nominations, the latest for his riveting portrayal of a philosophical hit-man in Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction." He also received BAFTA and Golden Globe® nominations for this highly acclaimed role and was named Best Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, among other distinguished awards. Travolta will next be seen in the feature film "Lonely Hearts," co-starring James Gandolfini and Salma Hayek. "Lonely Hearts" is based on the true life story of New York homicide detectives Elmer C. Robinson (Travolta) and Charles Hildebrandt (Gandolfini) who participated in the pursuit, capture and convictions of two of America's most twisted and elusive "Lonely Hearts Killers," Martha Jule Beck and Raymond Martinez Fernandez. This true story was one of the most salacious true-crime events of the late 1940s. Travolta garnered further praise as a Mafioso-turned-movie producer in the comedy sensation "Get Shorty," winning the Golden Globe® Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy. In 1998, Travolta was honored by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts with the Britannia Award, and in that same year, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Chicago Film Festival. Travolta also won the prestigious Alan J. Pakula Award from the U.S. Broadcast Critics Association for his performance in "A Civil Action," based on the best-selling book and directed by Steve Zailian. He was nominated again for a Golden Globe® for his performance in "Primary Colors," directed by Mike Nichols and co-starring Emma Thompson and Billy Bob Thornton. He previously starred in some of the most monumental films of our generation. He earned his first Oscar® and Golden Globe® nominations for his role in the blockbuster "Saturday Night Fever," which launched the disco phenomenon in the 1970s. He went on to star in the big-screen version of the long-running musical "Grease" and the wildly successful "Urban Cowboy," which also influenced trends in popular culture. Additional film credits include the Brian DePalma thrillers "Carrie" and "Blowout" as well as Amy Heckerling's hit comedy "Look Who's Talking" and Nora Ephron's comic hit "Michael." Travolta starred in "Phenomenon" and took an equally diverse turn as an action star in John Woo's top-grossing "Broken Arrow." He also starred in the classic "Face/Off " opposite Nicolas Cage and "The General's Daughter" co-starring Madeline
Stowe. Travolta reprised the role of ultra-cool Chili Palmer in the "Get Shorty" sequel "Be Cool." In addition, he starred opposite Scarlett Johansson in the critically acclaimed independent feature film "A Love Song for Bobby Long," which was screened at the Venice Film Festival, where both Travolta and the film won rave reviews. Other recent feature-film credits include the hit action-thriller "Ladder 49" with Joaquin Phoenix, the movie version of the wildly successful comic book "The Punisher," the drama "Basic" directed by John McTiernan, the psychological thriller "Domestic Disturbance" directed by Harold Becker, the hit action picture "Swordfish" with Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman directed by Dominic Sena, and the successful sci-fi movie "Battlefield Earth," based upon the best-selling novel by L. Ron Hubbard. MARTIN LAWRENCE (Bobby Davis) has established himself as one of America's most popular actor/comedians with starring roles in such hit movies as "Big Momma's House," "Bad Boys" and its sequel "Bad Boys II," "Blue Streak" and "National Security." Lawrence's many other screen credits include "Do the Right Thing," "House Party," "Talkin' Dirty After Dark," "House Party 2," "Boomerang," "A Thin Line Between Love and Hate" (which he also co-wrote and directed), "Nothing to Lose," "Life," "What's the Worst That Could Happen?" and "Black Knight." Most recently, he was seen in the box-office success "Big Momma's House II" as well as in the comedy "Rebound." He also voiced the character of Boog in the animated "Open Season." Lawrence began his career as a stand-up comedian, gained major attention at Hollywood's legendary Improv, and shortly thereafter won a performance spot on TV's popular talent showcase "Star Search." Columbia Television executives, impressed by his "Star Search" appearance, offered Lawrence his first acting job, a regular role on the sitcom "What's Happening Now!" Lawrence was then personally chosen by music mogul Russell Simmons to host his groundbreaking showcase for young comedians, HBO's "Def Comedy Jam." Lawrence worked on the show for two seasons and is credited with helping expose a new generation of stand-up comics, including Chris Tucker, Damon Wayans, Steve Harvey and Cedric the Entertainer. The actor-comedian went on to co-create, executive produce and star in Fox Television's "Martin." The hit sitcom, which ran from 1992-1997, earned three NAACP Image Awards and is one of several series credited with helping solidify the fledgling Fox network within the industry.
Lawrence has also starred in two hugely successful concert films: "You So Crazy" and "Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat" and has recorded the Billboard Top 10 concert album "Talkin' Shit" and the Grammy®-nominated "Funk It." In March 2007, Lawrence will begin production on "The Better Man" for Universal. Additionally, he acts as executive producer for the STARZ original comedy program "Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment Stand-Up." Episodes of the show will being airing in March. Golden Globe® nominee and Emmy® and SAG Award® winner, is one of the most distinguished talents of his generation. Macy recently was seen in three independent features: "Bobby," based on fictionalized events leading up to the assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, "Edmond," an adaptation of the David Mamet play and "Thank You for Smoking." "Bobby," directed by Emilio Estevez, also stars Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, Lindsay Lohan, Sharon Stone, Christian Slater, Mandy Moore, Helen Hunt, Elijah Wood, Heather Graham, Lawrence Fishburne, Martin Sheen, Shia LaBeouf, Freddy Rodriguez and Ashton Kutcher. In "Edmond," Macy plays a businessman who, at the advice of a fortune teller, walks out on his family to dire results. Directed by Stuart Gordon, the film also starred Dylan Walsh, Julia Stiles, Joe Mantegna and Mena Suvari. "Thank You for Smoking," based on the novel by Christopher Buckley, was directed by Jason Reitman and also starred Aaron Eckhart, Robert Duvall and Katie Holmes. Macy also recently voiced Brian the Snail in the animated feature "Doogal" for the Weinstein Company. He also appeared in the action adventure "Sahara," based on the Clive Cussler best seller which also starred Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz, and "Cellular," starring opposite Kim Basinger. On television, Macy starred in "Umney's Last Case" based on an anthology of Steven King short stories which aired on TNT in July of 2006. Following WILD HOGS, Macy began work on "Bee Movie" for DreamWorks Animation. "Bee Movie" tells the story of Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld), a bee fresh out of college, who is disillusioned at having only one career choice: honey. When he discovers humans are mass
consumers of honey, he decides to sue the human race. Along with Macy and Seinfeld, the movie will also feature the voices of Renee Zellweger, Uma Thurman, Kathy Bates, Alan Arkin, Robert Duvall, Tim Blake Nelson, Patrick Warburton and Oprah Winfrey. Steve Hickner and Simon J. Smith will direct. The film, co-written and produced by Seinfeld, is slated for release on November 2, 2007. Recently, Macy was seen in TNT's Emmy®-nominated "The Wool Cap." Macy rejoined writing partner Schachter for this new take on the 1962 comedy "Gigot," which originally starred Jackie Gleason and was directed by Gene Kelly. Schachter directed once again. The film follows the heartwarming story of the janitor Gigot who befriends the little daughter of a prostitute. Don Rickles, Catherine O'Hara, and KeKe Palmer also star. Macy was nominated for an Emmy®, a Golden Globe®, and a SAG Award® for his performance. He and Schachter were also nominated for a Writers Guild Award. In addition, the movie was nominated for an Emmy® and a Critics' Choice Award. In 2002, Macy received outstanding critical acclaim for his role as Bill Porter in TNT's "Door to Door," opposite Kyra Sedgwick, Helen Mirren, Kathy Baker and Felicity Huffman. The movie, which Macy also co-wrote, tells the true story of Porter, an award-winning door-to-door salesman with cerebral palsy. The movie received a SAG Award®, Peabody Award, an AFI Award, a Critic's Choice Award, a Golden Satellite Award, a Writer's Guild nomination, an American Cinema Editors nomination and a Golden Globe® nomination. The movie was nominated for 12 Emmys® and won 6, including Outstanding Made for Television Movie as well as winning Macy the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Television Movie statue and Outstanding Writing for a Television Movie with Steven Schachter. In 2003, Macy starred with David Arquette in the Showtime Original Picture "Stealing Sinatra," which depicts the 1963 botched kidnapping of Frank Sinatra, Jr. Directed by Ron Underwood, Macy received an Emmy® nomination in the category of Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his performance. Macy received critical acclaim for his role in the romantic drama "The Cooler" about the unluckiest man ever whose bad luck is so infectious that he is called to the floor at a seedy downtown Vegas casino whenever the tables get too hot. The supporting cast included Alec Baldwin, Maria Bello, Shawn Hatosy, and Ron Livingston. Macy was also seen stealing scenes in the critically acclaimed feature "Seabiscuit," the American epic of triumph and perseverance set during the Great Depression. The film stars Tobey Maguire, Chris Cooper and Jeff Bridges as three men-a jockey, a trainer and a businessman-and the downand-out racehorse that took them and the entire nation on the ride of a lifetime. Macy was nominated for a Golden Globe® for his role as Tick Tock McLaughlin, and the movie was
nominated for Best Picture. Macy is best known for his portrayal of Jerry Lundergaard in "Fargo," for which he received an Oscar® nomination and won an Independent Spirit Award as Best Supporting Actor. He also garnered nominations for Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (American Comedy Awards), Best Actor (Chicago Film Critics), Best Supporting Actor (Dallas/Fort Worth Film Critics), and Best Actor in a Drama (International Press Academy). Macy's distinguished film credits include "Spartan," "In Enemy Hands," "Magnolia," "Pleasantville," "Happy Texas," "State and Main," "Jurassic Park 3," "Focus," "Welcome to Collinwood," "Psycho," "A Civil Action," "Boogie Nights," "Wag the Dog," "Air Force One," "Ghosts of Mississippi," "Mr. Holland's Opus," "The Client," "Shadows and Fog," "Murder in the First," "Searching for Bobby Fischer," "Radio Days" and "Panic." Macy has been no less prolific on the small screen. He received an Emmy® nomination as Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his recurring role as Dr. David Morgenstern on "ER." Macy also had a recurring role on Aaron Sorkin's "Sports Night" and was nominated for an Emmy® for his performance. His movie of the week credits include "Reversible Errors," "A Murderous Affair," "Heart of Justice," and "Standoff at Marion," and the miniseries "Andersonville," "The Murder of Mary Phagan" and "The Awakening Land." In addition to the politically charged BBC telefilm "The Writing on the Wall," Macy also appeared in two Mamet vehicles, "The Water Engine" and Showtime's "Texan." In 1999, he starred opposite his wife, Felicity Huffman, on the TNT television film "A Slight Case of Murder" and received another Emmy® nomination. Macy and his writing partner Steven Schachter wrote the film and Schachter directed. Also with Schachter, Macy has written several television scripts, including an episode of "Thirtysomething," the HBO movie "Above Suspicion" and the USA Networks movie "The Con" starring Macy and Rebecca DeMornay. He also was seen on the small screen in a regular guest role in the Showtime original series "Out of Order," also starring Eric Stoltz, Felicity Huffman, Kim Dickens and Justine Bateman. Born in Miami, Macy lived in Georgia until age ten, before moving to Cumberland, Maryland, where his love for acting was spawned as Mordred in Camelot. Elected junior and senior high school class president, he set out to become a veterinarian at Bethany College in West Virginia, but after performing in "play after play," Macy transferred to Goddard College in Vermont, where he came under the tutelage of theater professor David Mamet. In 1972, Mamet, Macy and his writing partner Steven Schachter moved to Chicago, where they collectively created the St. Nicholas Theater. Macy originated roles for several of Mamet's classic original productions, among them Bobby in "American Buffalo" and Lang in "The Water Engine," soon establishing his feature-film presence with writer/director Mamet. His
performance in "Oleanna," as a college professor accused of sexual harassment earned Macy kudos as "a master of verbal machine-gunning" from Entertainment Weekly. His detective in "Homicide" inspired similar praise from New York magazine: "Macy may be the ideal Mamet actor: working-man handsome, street smart, and nimble of tongue." He continued with Mamet as a Mafioso driver in "Things Change," a Marine in "House of Games" and an FBI agent in "Wag the Dog." Moving to New York in 1980, he continued to build his reputation in the theater as an originator of new roles, in such off-Broadway productions as "Baby With the Bathwater," "The Dining Room" (later filmed for PBS-"Great Performances"), "Life During Wartime," "Mr. Gogol and Mr. Preen," "Bodies, Rest and Motion," and Mamet's "Prarie du Chen," "Oh Hell," and "Oleanna." His stage credits, approaching fifty during his ten years in New York, also include the Broadway production of "Our Town," Tony Award winner for Best Ensemble. Macy was also seen on the London stage in the spring of 2000, where he co-starred in the revival of David Mamet's "American Buffalo" at the Donmar Warehouse. Following the run in London, the play moved to the Atlantic Theater Company in New York for a record-breaking run. Along with his acting career, Macy has also earned respect as a teacher and director. Having led theater classes in Chicago and at New York University, today he serves as director in residence at the Atlantic Theater company in New York. His extensive directing resume includes "Boy's Life" at Lincoln Center, the L.A. production of "Oleanna" at the Tiffany Theater, as well as "Lip Service," an HBO film which won an ACE Award for best Theatrical Production. Most recently, Macy directed the play "The Joy of Going Somewhere Definite" at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York. In 1998, Macy was honored by ShoWest when he was named Best Supporting Actor of the Year for his body of work. Macy is married to Oscar® nominee and Golden Globe®, Emmy® and SAG Award® winner actress Felicity Huffman, who stars on "Desperate Housewives." They live in Los Angeles with their two daughters. RAY LIOTTA (Jack) received an Emmy® Award in 2005 for his tour-de-force guest role on the NBC drama "ER," in what became the most talked about episode of the season. There are certain actors whose eyes inhabit the character they are portraying with such simple conviction and authority that it's easy to forget that they're acting in the first place. Ray Liotta's
ice-blue eyes have carved a setting among the most diverse actors of the last twenty years with roles both dramatic and comedic, next to and with the top actors and directors in the industry. Liotta recently completed production on the following films: "Slow Burn," which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and was produced by Fisher Stevens; the Mark Rydell-directed drama "Even Money," which co stars Danny DeVito and Kim Basinger; "Smokin Aces," in which he stars opposite Ryan Reynolds and Andy Garcia and the Bruce McCullough-directed comedy "Comeback Season," in which he plays Walter Pearce, a married man who, after cheating on his wife, moves in next door with the local high school football star. In a change of pace, Liotta also recently completed production on the fantasy film "In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale," opposite Jason Statham and John Rhys-Davies. A Golden Globe®-nominated performance in Jonathan Demme's edgy "Something Wild," began the ascent for Liotta. Deluged afterwards with tough-guy movie-role offers, Liotta waited until he found a unique project: in "Dominick and Eugene," Liotta portrayed a medical student caring for his mentally challenged brother. He followed this with his portrayal of the soulsearching ghost Shoeless Joe Jackson in the Academy Award®-nominated "Field of Dreams." Perhaps the film that brought Liotta his most widespread acclaim is Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas," in which he played opposite his acting heroes, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci. His performance as the tortured half-Sicilian, half-Irish Henry Hill did not disappoint. Liotta's widely applauded performance helped garner the film an Academy Award® Best Picture nomination. With over 25 feature films under his belt, Liotta has shown diversity in his roles, whether it be comedies such as "Corrina, Corrina" and "Heartbreakers" or thrillers like "Hannibal," "Unlawful Entry" and "No Escape." The years 2001-2002 proved to be Liotta's busiest periods to date. He starred in Ridley Scott's worldwide box office hit "Hannibal," Ted Demme's "Blow," "Heartbreakers," "John Q," and "Rumor of Angels." Liotta's additional film credits include "Copland," "Identity," "Control" and Guy Ritchie's "Revolver." Liotta is adding a new skill to his resume: that of producer. In 2002 he produced "Narc" which premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival and was later released by Paramount. Liotta was nominated for an IFP Award for Best Actor for his performance.
In addition to his very busy film schedule, Liotta has also received acclaim for his work in other mediums. He received a Screen Actors Guild Award® nomination for his portrayal of Frank Sinatra in HBO's "The Rat Pack," and he also appeared as himself on NBC's "Just Shoot Me." In the video game world, he voiced the main character Tommy Vercetti in "Grand Theft Auto." In 2004, Liotta made his Broadway debut opposite Frank Langella, in Stephen Belber's "Match," for which he received a Distinguished Performance honor at the 70th Annual Drama League Awards. The New Jersey native began acting while a student at the University of Miami. Liotta credits working on the stage and in musicals with helping to shape him as a performer. He began his career on NBC's daytime series "Another World," where he spent three years before moving to Los Angeles. MARISA TOMEI (Maggie) received an Academy Award® for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the hit comedy "My Cousin Vinny." Best known for rich comic performances, Tomei took a dramatic turn with "In the Bedroom," earning her a second Academy Award® nomination. Marisa's diverse film credits include: "Alfie," "Anger Management," "The Guru," "Happy Accidents," "What Women Want," "Slums of Beverly Hills," "Welcome to Sarajevo," "The Perez Family," "A Brother's Kiss," "Unhook the Stars" (Screen Actor's Guild Award® nomination), and the upcoming "Marilyn Hotchkiss," "Loverboy" (both featured at Sundance 2005), and "Factotum" (in the Directors Fortnight at Cannes 2005). Her latest movie is a Sidney Lumet drama, "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," with Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Also, she has just completed filming a political satire written by and also starring John Cusack, "Brand Hauser." On stage, Tomei was seen on Broadway opposite Al Pacino in "Salome" in the title role. This past summer, Marisa starred in "Design for Living" at the Williamstown Theater Festival. Previous theater credits include "We Won't Pay! We Won't Pay!," "Waiting for Lefty" and "Rocket to the Moon." Marisa is a member of the Naked Angels Theater Company in NYC. JILL HENNESSY (Kelly Madsen) began her acting career in Toronto, appearing in the feature film "Dead Ringers." The actress, who hails from Edmonton, Canada, studied improvisational comedy with the famed Second City and also worked with a Toronto-based improv comedy troupe before landing a role in the Broadway-bound production of "The Buddy Holly Story." Once in New York, Hennessy starred in Ron Howard's feature film "The Paper," and her additional film credits include "I Shot Andy Warhol," "Chutney Popcorn," "Most Wanted," "A
Smile Like Yours," "Dead Broke," "Row Your Boat," "The Florentine," "Two Ninas," "Komodo," "Autumn in New York" and the box-office hit "Exit Wounds." She also wrote, directed, produced and performed in her own movie, "The Acting Class." Hennessy was last seen on the big screen in the Robert Redford/Sundance Lab project "Love in the Time of Money." Most recently, Hennessy starred alongside Blythe Danner, Martin Landau, and Howie Mandel in "Walk Two Moons," based on the novel of the same name. Television audiences first came to love Hennessy from the years (1993-96) she spent playing the role of assistant district attorney Claire Kincaid on the Emmy®-winning NBC drama series "Law & Order." She returned to NBC starring as First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the miniseries "Jackie, Ethel, Joan: Women of Camelot." In her first season of "Crossing Jordan," Hennessy received a People's Choice Award nomination for Best Actress in a Drama Series. She has also received a Golden Satellite Award (Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television) from the International Press Academy for her work in the TNT cable movie "Nuremberg." The show, filming its seventh season this summer, will return to the NBC lineup for the 2006-2007 season. Hennessy, her husband, Paolo Mastropietro, and their son, Marco, divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Manhattan. ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS WALT BECKER (Director) is an accomplished director, screenwriter, producer and best-selling author. One of Hollywood's top emerging filmmakers, Becker previously directed the breakout commercial comedy "National Lampoon's Van Wilder." Becker made his directorial debut with "Buying the Cow" for Sony Pictures, which he also wrote. As a screenwriter, he has sold several scripts to Hollywood studios, including "Nathan Never" at DreamWorks, "It's All Bull" at Paramount, and "Schooled" at Disney, which he also plans to direct. As a producer-screenwriter, Becker created and is attached to many projects for the small screen, including "Downfall" for the Fox Family Channel and the pilots "Team Extreme" and "Morpheus" for New Line/WB Television. Becker is the author of two novels. His latest, Misconception, was co-written with renowned attorney Robert Shapiro and was optioned by Phoenix Pictures. His first book, Link, was on the Los Angeles Times bestseller list for four weeks and has been optioned by Disney for Becker to direct and produce.
Becker received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications Studies from UCLA and a master's degree in film from the School of Cinema and Television at USC, where he won the prestigious Robert S. Ferguson Award. BRAD COPELAND (Screenwriter) was born and raised in Orlando, Florida, 45 minutes from Daytona Beach, whose "Bike Week" provided some of the inspiration for "Wild Hogs." He attended the University of Florida before moving to New York where he spent six months as David Letterman's intern. Shortly after moving to Los Angeles, he wrote a freelance script for NBC's "NewsRadio." Next, he spent three years as a writer on "Grounded for Life," before leaving to start up and produce the series "Arrested Development." Currently, Copeland is CoExecutive Producer on the popular series "My Name Is Earl." Copeland and his wife live in Los Angeles. As a partner in Tollin/Robbins Productions (TRP), MIKE TOLLIN (Producer) has produced a dozen feature films and currently has four prime-time television series in production. In 2005, TRP produced "Dreamer," starring Kurt Russell and Dakota Fanning, as well as the Paramount Pictures/MTV Films release "Coach Carter," starring Samuel L. Jackson, which opened #1 at the box office. Previously, Tollin directed and produced "Radio," starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Ed Harris, which won an NAACP Image Award for Gooding. Other films under the TRP banner include "Varsity Blues," "Hardball," "Big Fat Liar," and the Tollin-directed "Summer Catch," along with the documentary "Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream," which won a Peabody Award and was nominated for an Academy Award®. In television, Tollin has won three Emmy® Awards. Along with partner Brian Robbins, Tollin is responsible for the WB's "Smallville" and "One Tree Hill." TRP currently produces two series for ESPN: "Bonds on Bonds," a weekly half-hour series chronicling the historic 2006 season of Barry Bonds and his extraordinary pursuit to reach the milestones set by Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron, and the upcoming "The Bronx Is Burning," which is scheduled to debut on ESPN in July 2007. TRP previously produced ABC's "I'm With Her"; "Arli$$" for HBO; and several other Nickelodeon series, including "All That," which ran for ten seasons; "Kenan & Kel"; "The Amanda Show"; and "Sports Theatre with Shaquille O'Neal." They are also part of the team that created SlamBall, which is currently being relaunched as an international sport. Tollin is on the Board of Common Sense Media and Children Now, two groups that focus on kids and media, and along with his partner, Brian Robbins, Tollin launched the L.A. chapter of the Chasing the Dream Foundation, which awards scholarships to underprivileged youth.
As a partner in Tollin/Robbins Productions (TRP), BRIAN ROBBINS (Producer) has produced a dozen feature films and currently has four prime-time television series in production. In 2005, TRP produced "Dreamer," starring Kurt Russell and Dakota Fanning and Paramount's "Coach Carter," starring Samuel L. Jackson, which debuted at #1 at the box office. Robbins was also producer of the Tollin-directed Revolution Films release "Radio," starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Ed Harris, which won an NAACP Image Award for Gooding. Robbins directed and produced Paramount's "The Perfect Score," starring Scarlett Johansson. Robbins additional directorial credits include the recent high-profile remake of Disney's "The Shaggy Dog" starring Tim Allen; Paramount's "Varsity Blues," which topped the box office for two weeks; and "Hardball" starring Keanu Reeves. He recently completed production on the Eddie Murphy comedy "Norbit," which he directed for DreamWorks. His producing partner at TRP, Michael Tollin, is producing the picture with John Davis and Eddie Murphy. Other films produced under the TRP banner include "Summer Catch" and "Big Fat Liar," along with the documentary "Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream," which won a Peabody Award and was nominated for an Academy Award®. TRP also produced "Hardwood Dreams: Ten Years Later" the sequel to their 1993 documentary "Hardwood Dreams," a gripping look at inner-city sports. Wesley Snipes served as narrator for both films, and the DVD of "Hardwood Dreams" volumes 1 and 2 came out February 14, 2006. Along with partner Mike Tollin, Robbins is responsible for the WB's "Smallville" and "One Tree Hill." TRP also currently produces two series for ESPN: "Bonds on Bonds," a weekly half-hour series chronicling the historic 2006 season of Barry Bonds and his extraordinary pursuit to reach the milestones set by Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron, and the upcoming "The Bronx Is Burning," which is scheduled to debut on ESPN in July 2007. TRP previously produced ABC's "I'm With Her"; "Arli$$" for HBO; and several other Nickelodeon series, including "All That," which ran for ten seasons; "Kenan & Kel"; "The Amanda Show"; and "Sports Theatre with Shaquille O'Neal." They are also part of the team that created SlamBall, which is currently being relaunched as a national sport. Robbins and his partner, Tollin, were honored by Girls, Inc. in 2003 and launched the L.A. chapter of the Chasing the Dream Foundation, which awards scholarships to underprivileged youth. TODD LIEBERMAN (Producer) is partner and president of Mandeville Films and Television and oversees more than 30 film and television projects for the company's ever-growing slate. He is executive producer on recent projects such as "The Shaggy Dog" with Tim Allen, Robert
Downey, Jr., and Kristin Davis and directed by Brian Robbins; "Eight Below," starring Paul Walker and directed by Frank Marshall; and the independent political thriller "Five Fingers," written by Laurence Malkin and Chad Thumann, directed by Malkin and starring Laurence Fishburne and Ryan Phillipe. He also executive produced "Beauty Shop," starring Queen Latifah, Djimon Hounsou, Kevin Bacon and Alicia Silverstone, and Jeff Nathanson's directorial debut "The Last Shot," starring Matthew Broderick and Alec Baldwin. Lieberman co-produced "Bringing Down the House" starring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah, which generated more than $130 million at domestic box office, and "Raising Helen," starring Kate Hudson and directed by Garry Marshall. He is a producer on Disney's upcoming "Jungle Cruise." In addition, he is currently overseeing projects in development with Steve Martin, Snoop Dogg and many of the industry's top writers, including Jeffrey Nachmanoff ("The Day After Tomorrow"), James DeMonaco ("Assault on Precinct 13") and Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci ("Mission Impossible III"). Prior to joining Mandeville, Lieberman served as Senior Vice President for international finance at Hyde Park Entertainment, which produced and co-financed such films as "Anti-Trust," "Bandits" and "Moonlight Mile." Lieberman established himself at international sales and distribution giant Summit Entertainment, where he moved quickly up the ranks after pushing the indie sensation "Memento" into production and acquiring the Universal box-office smash hit "American Pie." In 2001, Lieberman, who holds a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, was named one of the "35 Under 35" people to watch in the business by The Hollywood Reporter. AMY SAYRES (Executive Producer) has an extensive background in filmmaking. The New York native served as executive producer on "Meet the Fockers," co-producer on the films "Secondhand Lions," "Meet the Parents" and "Flawless" and associate producer on "Gigli." She was the first assistant director on the Martin Brest films "Scent of a Woman," "Meet Joe Black" and "Gigli." Additional first assistant director credits include "Zoolander," "Wag the Dog," "The Mirror Has Two Faces," "Six Degrees of Separation," "So I Married an Axe Murderer" and "Mad Dog and Glory." Sayres graduated from New York University with a BFA in film. She began her career as a location manager and subsequently became a second assistant director on such films as "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Wall Street" and "The House on Carroll Street."
For television, she was the associate producer on "Witness to the Mob" and first assistant director on "Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long." Sayres makes her home in Los Angeles. SHARLA SUMPTER BRIDGETT (Executive Producer) is President of Production for Tollin/Robbins Productions, one of Hollywood's leading independent television and film production companies. As President of Production, Sumpter Bridgett has overseen some of the company's most successful theatrical releases, including executive producing "Coach Carter" starring Samuel L. Jackson, which opened at the top of the box office in January 2005. Sumpter Bridgett joined the company in 1996 as a producer's assistant and later became an associate producer and segment producer for the TRP Nickelodeon shows "All That," "Kenan and Kel," "Cousin Skeeter," "The Amanda Show" and "The Nick Cannon Show." As a result of her success with Nickelodeon and TRP, Sumpter Bridgett worked on the hugely successful film "Good Burger," where she oversaw the creative elements on the film's soundtrack. She eventually worked to secure deals with major labels for other TRP films. She also produced the "All That Summer Concert Tour and Comedy Festival." The tour hit arenas during the summer of 2000 and featured co-headliners Monica and 98 Degrees in addition to the very popular cast of "All That." In 2000, Sumpter Bridgett accepted an offer from Nickelodeon to become an Executive in Charge of Production in New York. While working there, she expanded her responsibilities to focus on incorporating music into the channel as well as developing and producing a series of on-air concert specials featuring hot young acts. She also launched the show "Taina" that had a substantial music component. In 2002, Sumpter Bridgett returned to Los Angeles and to Tollin/Robbins as Vice President of TRP films and was promoted to her current position in 2004. A native of Los Angeles, Sumpter Bridgett earned her B.S. degree in Business from USC and began her career at Turner Broadcasting. She currently resides in Woodland Hills, California, with her husband, Pardé Bridgett, and their daughter, Hunter. MICHAEL CORENBLITH (Production Designer) has earned two Academy Award® nominations for his dazzling, imaginative creation of Dr. Seuss' Whoville in Ron Howard's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and his re-creation of the 1970 doomed Apollo moon launch in Howard's epic space adventure, "Apollo 13." In addition to the Oscar® nominations, Corenblith also won a BAFTA award for "Apollo 13" and received a nomination for Excellence
in Production Design from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Art Directors for "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." A graduate of the University of Texas in Austin, Corenblith studied design at UCLA and entered the entertainment industry as a lighting designer for television before moving to art direction, winning an Emmy® Award in 1983 for his work on the Academy Awards® show. Corenblith began his work in feature films as key set designer on Paul Mazursky's 1984 comedy, "Down and out in Beverly Hills." He followed with assignments as set designer or art director on "Cat People," "Burglar," "Red Heat" and "Die Hard 2: Die Harder" before graduating to production designer on the film "Prince Jack." A favorite of filmmaker Howard, Corenblith also collaborated with the director on "Ransom." Among his other design credits are such movies as "Down Periscope," "Cool World," "He Said, She Said," the remake of "Mighty Joe Young" and "The Alamo." Corenblith was most recently honored with the Ruben Marmaduke Potter Award by the Alamo Battlefield Association in recognition of his "advancement of the scholarship" of Alamo. More recently, Corenblith served as production designer on director F. Gary Gray's "Be Cool," which also starred John Travolta. ROBBIE GREENBERG, ASC (Director of Photography), began his career shooting documentary films and independent features. In 1975, he moved to Hollywood where he continued shooting independent films, among them "Youngblood," the original "Swamp Thing," and the science-fiction classic "The Lathe of Heaven." During that time, he shot several awardwinning television movies, including "Second Serve" and "The Winter of Our Discontent." He most recently photographed Disney's "The Santa Clause 3," also starring Tim Allen. Over the course of a distinguished career, Greenberg has photographed such films as "Creator," "Sweet Dreams," "Far North," "The Milagro Beanfield War," "Free Willy," "Fools Rush In," and "Save the Last Dance." He won back-to-back ASC and Emmy® Awards for his work on the HBO telefilms "Winchell" and "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge." He also was nominated for an Emmy® for his work on the highly regarded biopic "James Dean: An Invented Life." His latest works include Mark Rydell's "Even Money" starring Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, and Kelsey Grammer; "Marci X"; and the critically acclaimed HBO specials "Warm Springs" and "Iron Jawed Angels," both of which garnered an Emmy® nomination for Greenberg. He
also received ASC Awards for "Warm Springs" and "Iron Jawed Angels." PENNY ROSE (Costume Designer) was nominated for both the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) and the Costume Designers Guild awards for her work on director Gore Verbinski's "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl." She subsequently designed the costumes for the director's "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" and "The Weather Man." She is currently designing the costumes for "Pirates of the Caribbean III: At World's End." Rose had received a previous BAFTA nomination for her work on director Alan Parker's acclaimed screen version of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical "Evita," starring Madonna and Jonathan Pryce. Rose is a long-time collaborator of Parker's and has designed costumes for three of his other films: "The Road to Wellville," "Pink Floyd: The Wall" and "The Commitments." Rose's additional credits include "King Arthur," "The Sleeping Dictionary," Neil Jordan's "The Good Thief," "Just Visiting," "Entrapment" and Disney's hit remake of "The Parent Trap," directed by Nancy Meyers. Earlier in her career, she designed costumes for Brian De Palma's "Mission: Impossible" and has twice worked with Academy Award®-winning director Lord Richard Attenborough on "Shadowlands" and "In Love and War." Her resume also includes Christopher Hampton's "Carrington," Vincent Ward's "Map of the Human Heart," Bill Forsyth's "Local Hero," Pat O'Connor's "Cal," Marek Kanievska's "Another Country" and Jean-Jacques Annaud's "Quest for Fire." Rose was trained in West End theater, and began her career there and also in television, designing for commercials, where she first met such directors as Alan Parker, Adrian Lyne, Ridley and Tony Scott and Hugh Hudson. She was born and raised in Britain and is fluent in French and Italian.
