Boy Erased 2018 premiere
Monday October 29th, DGA Theater Complex 7920 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, CA 90046
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- Actress
- Producer
- Music Department
Elegant Nicole Kidman, known as one of Hollywood's top Australian imports, was actually born in Honolulu, Hawaii, while her Australian parents were there on educational visas.
Kidman is the daughter of Janelle Ann (Glenny), a nursing instructor, and Antony David Kidman, a biochemist and clinical psychologist. She is of English, Irish, and Scottish descent. Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Washington, D.C., where Nicole's father pursued his research on breast cancer, and then, three years later, made the pilgrimage back to her parents' native Sydney in Australia, where Nicole was raised. Young Nicole's first love was ballet, but she eventually took up mime and drama as well (her first stage role was a bleating sheep in an elementary school Christmas pageant). In her adolescent years, acting edged out the other arts and became a kind of refuge -- as her classmates sought out fun in the sun, the fair-skinned Kidman retreated to dark rehearsal halls to practice her craft. She worked regularly at the Philip Street Theater, where she once received a personal letter of praise and encouragement from audience member Jane Campion (then a film student). Kidman eventually dropped out of high school to pursue acting full-time. She broke into movies at age 16, landing a role in the Australian holiday favorite Bush Christmas (1983). That appearance touched off a flurry of film and television offers, including a lead in BMX Bandits (1983) and a turn as a schoolgirl-turned-protester in the miniseries Vietnam (1987) (for which she won her first Australian Film Institute Award). With the help of an American agent, she eventually made her US debut opposite Sam Neill in the at-sea thriller Dead Calm (1989).
Kidman's next casting coup scored her more than exposure. While starring as Tom Cruise's doctor/love interest in the racetrack romance Days of Thunder (1990), she won over the Hollywood hunk hook, line and sinker. After a whirlwind courtship (and decent box office returns), the couple wed on December 24, 1990. Determined not to let her new marital status overshadow her fledgling career, the actress pressed on. She appeared as a catty high school senior in the Australian film Flirting (1991), then as Dustin Hoffman's moll in the gangster flick Billy Bathgate (1991). She reunited with Cruise for Far and Away (1992), the story of young Irish lovers who flee to America in the late 1800s, and starred opposite Michael Keaton in the tear-tugger My Life (1993). Despite her steady employment, critics and moviegoers still had not quite warmed to Kidman as a leading lady. She tried to spice up her image by seducing Val Kilmer in Batman Forever (1995), but achieved her real breakthrough with Gus Van Sant's To Die For (1995). As a fame-crazed housewife determined to eliminate any obstacle in her path, Kidman proved that she had an impressive range and deadly comic timing. She took home a Golden Globe and several critics' awards for the performance. In 1996, Kidman stepped into a corset to work with her countrywoman and onetime admirer, Jane Campion, on the adaptation of Henry James's The Portrait of a Lady (1996). A few months later, she tore across the screen as a nuclear weapons expert in The Peacemaker (1997), adding "action star" to her professional repertoire.
She and Cruise then disappeared into a notoriously long, secretive shoot for Stanley Kubrick's sexual thriller Eyes Wide Shut (1999). The couple's on-screen shenanigans prompted an increase in public speculation about their sex life (rumors had long been circulating that their marriage was a cover-up for Cruise's rumored homosexuality); tired of denying tabloid attacks, they successfully sued The Star for a story alleging that they needed a sex therapist to coach them through love scenes. Family life has always been a priority for Kidman. Born to social activists (mother was a feminist; father, a labor advocate), Nicole and her little sister, Antonia Kidman, discussed current events around the dinner table and participated in their parents' campaigns by passing out pamphlets on street corners. When her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, 17-year-old Nicole stopped working and took a massage course so that she could provide physical therapy (her mother eventually beat the cancer). She and Cruise adopted two children: Isabella Jane (born 1993) and Connor Antony (born 1995). Despite their rock-solid image, the couple announced in early 2001 that they were separating due to career conflicts. Her marriage to Cruise ended mid-summer of 2001.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Joel Edgerton was born on June 23, 1974 in Blacktown, New South Wales, Australia, to Marianne (van Dort) and Michael Edgerton, who is a solicitor and property developer. His brother is filmmaker Nash Edgerton. His mother is a Dutch immigrant. Joel went to Hills Grammar School in the Western Suburbs of Sydney, and after leaving, he attended Nepean Drama School in 1994. Joel has done many projects on stage and off, but most people will recognize him from his work on the Australian television series The Secret Life of Us (2001), in which he played William McGill. This gave him his first big break through in the television industry. For this role, he was nominated in 2001 for an AFI Award. As well as "The Secret Life of Us", he has also appeared in other television projects such as The Three Stooges (2000), Dossa and Joe (2002), Secret Men's Business (1999), Never Tell Me Never (1998) and Saturn's Return (2001). Joel has done a lot of work on the theatrical stage having played King Henry in "Henry V", Prince Hal in "Henry III", and others including "Road", "Third World Blues" and "Dead White Males". As well as acting, he has also starred, co-written and produced the short movie Bloodlock (1998).
His first international break came from when he played Uncle Owen Lars in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). Since then, he has also starred in Ned Kelly (2003), King Arthur (2004), Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) and Kinky Boots (2005).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Lucas Hedges is an American actor, known for playing Patrick Chandler in Manchester by the Sea (2016), which earned him an Academy Award nomination.
Hedges was born in Brooklyn Heights, New York, the second child of poet and actress Susan Bruce and Oscar-nominated screenwriter and director Peter Hedges. He began regularly appearing in major films in the early 2010s, with his role as "Redford" in Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom (2012), as well as Kill the Messenger (2014), Lady Bird (2017), and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017).
In 2018, he played the older brother in Mid90s (2018), and turned from supporting work to starring roles, giving critically-acclaimed performances in two films about young men in jeopardy, Boy Erased (2018), where he plays a teenager sent to a gay conversion therapy clinic, and Ben Is Back (2018), as a drug-addict returning home for the holidays. In 2019, he starred as a Shia LaBeouf stand-in in the biographical film Honey Boy (2019), sharing the role with Noah Jupe (despite an admitted lack of physical resemblance). He was also part of the ensemble in the highly critically-acclaimed family drama Waves (2019), and in 2020 played Michelle Pfeiffer's character's son in French Exit (2020) and the love-lorn nephew of Meryl Streep's author in Let Them All Talk (2020), both praised dramas circling the year-end awards season.- Actor
- Composer
- Director
Troye Sivan Mellet is South African-born YouTuber, actor, model and singer known for his roles in The Spud Franchise, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Boy Erased (2018). He moved to Perth, Australia when he was two years old. Troye has two brothers and a sister, and was raised Modern Orthodox. In 2018, his family moved to Melbourne. Troye lives in LA where he has a house. He has over 6.6 million subscribers on YouTube as of October 2018, with videos ranging from song covers to challenge videos to original songs and music videos. One of his earlier videos, a collaboration filmed with fellow YouTube star Tyler Oakley titled 'The Boyfriend Tag' even won a Kid's Choice award in 2014.
Over the past couple of years, Troye has released two EPs, the one in 2014 being TRXYE and the one in 2015 being WILD. His unique blend of electro-pop and smooth melodies have taken him as high as number fifteen on Billboard's Social 50 list, which chronicles the most influential names in music today. Along with WILD and the lead single Talk Me Down off of his new album Blue Neighbourhood which came out on 4 December 2015, he released a trilogy of music videos titled Blue Neighbourhood.
Both of his EPs have debuted at number five on the Billboard Top 200, his album debuting at number seven and he has won several awards for his work, including most recently an EMA.- Music Artist
- Actor
- Composer
Michael Peter Balzary was born on the sixteenth of October 1962, in Melbourne, Australia. When he was four, his parents divorced and Michael, his sister Karen and his mother Patricia headed for New York; they didn't stay long and soon ended up in L.A. (in 1972), where his step-father, a jazz musician named Walter Urban Jr., intended to start a career. Flea would often sit in on weekly jam sessions with his stepfather and the constant flow of musicians who trucked through. High school was not always an easy road for young Michael. He was a misfit because of his unusual musical taste. While most of the kids were into disco and dance music, Flea preferred jazz artists like Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. Flea's first musical instrument was the drums, but soon he also began playing the trumpet. After school he would race home to listen to his Gillespie records and play along with his idol. He counts as his greatest childhood memory the time his mother got him back-stage to meet Gillespie after one of his concerts. He also played with the Los Angeles Junior Philarmonic Orchestra. Influenced by some of his friends from school who shared the same passion for music - among them, Jack Irons and Hillel Slovak, who would later play in the Red Hot Chili Peppers with him - his musical interests then diversified: he discovered funk music, and Jimi Hendrix became his new idol. At the end of 1977, he met Anthony Kiedis. For some reason, Michael was holding a young schoolmate named Tony Sherr in a headlock, when Kiedis, who was Tony's best friend at the time, came to rescue him; they almost had a fight. After this meeting, they soon became aware they were made to be friends, and have been inseparable since. The two became known for their mischievous antics, which often got them into trouble. This is also when he gained the nickname Flea, while he was joking with some friends about calling each other a cartoon name. Around 1979, due to Flea's obvious musical talent, he was sought out as a recruit for a band formed by his school-mates, Anthym, with Jack Irons (drums), Hillel Slovak (guitar) and Alain Johannes (vocals and guitar) as members. Flea picked up the bass, which he had never played before, and became so good that within a few months he had forged his very own style, which later would make him one of the most famous and talented bass players in the world. After a shaky start the band got a few club gigs but no major breaks. Anthony Kiedis, who was always there to support them, became the presenter of their shows which he opened with a few jokes or improvised poems of his own. In 1982, Flea joined the L.A. punk band Fear. He also landed a small role in the Penelope Spheeris film Suburbia (1984). John Lydon of PIL asked Flea to join his band when he left Fear in 1984, but Flea instead decided to rejoin his friends. With Kiedis, Slovak and Irons, they started another band together, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which soon earned a good reputation in the Los Angeles underground music scene. Flea was married in 1985 to Loesha Zeviar, whose first name he got tattooed above his left nipple - close to his heart. They have since divorced, but still share daughter Clara, born on September 16, 1988. Clara sometimes goes on the road with her dad, and has done artwork for the Chili Peppers' t-shirts and promotional material. In 2001, along with friends Pete Weiss and Keith Barry, Flea founded the Silverlake Conservatory Of Music, an organization whose aim is to provide affordable music lessons to everyone and to encourage children's musical education.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Originally from Charleston, South Carolina, Madelyn spent her summers in New York working on TV commercials and print ads for clients such as Next, T-mobile and Sunny D.
Madelyn is known for her leading and supporting roles such as Chloe in Boy Erased and Taylor Watts in HBO's Vice Principals.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Accidentally walking into a theatre house instead of a classroom for journalism 101, Jesse LaTourette found a love for acting at school and never looked back. After performing as the title character in a five month boxing rendition of Hamlet in Seattle, WA, Jesse moved to Los Angeles in 2017 and booked her first film "Boy Erased," starring opposite Joel Edgerton and Lucas Hedges.
Learning from other incredible co-stars including Xavier Dolan, Flea, Troye Sivan and Nicole Kidman, Jesse discovered she had a passion for intimate, complex and multifaceted roles and stories that dive into what it means to be human. Reviews have called Jesse's performance in "Boy Erased" as "harrowing" as well as her character Sarah's world "a story that needs to be explored." Soon after, Jesse booked a part in the lead ensemble "There's Someone Inside Your House" from Netflix, directed by Patrick Brice, as well as produced by Shawn Levy's 21 Laps Entertainment and James Wan's Atomic Monster Productions. The Covid pandemic delayed the film, but it finally got a release in October 2021.
Since, Jesse has been breaking into the independent film scene. She stars in the upcoming indie project RAPT, directed by Margot Budzyna, which premiered at Mammoth Film Festival in March, 2024. It was just announced as an official selection at In The Palace ISFF, with another ISFF selection announcement coming soon.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Emily Hinkler was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Emily is an actor and producer, known for Boy Erased (2018), The Good Doctor (2017) and Good Burger 2 (2023).- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Elizabeth Hinkler was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Elizabeth is an actor and producer, known for The Good Doctor (2017), Tiny Beautiful Things (2023) and Good Burger 2 (2023).- Producer
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Josh Scherer is known for Boy Erased (2018).- Actor
- Producer
- Director
David Ditmore is an American actor known for playing characters that often live on the edge of their emotions.
In comedy roles, his characters are often a fish out of water type or somebody loosing control of their situation. In drama roles, his characters are often commanding authority or maintaining calm in the middle of chaos.
With 80+ credits in his career, David Ditmore has shared the screen with some well-known talent including: Robin Williams (Boulevard), Nicole Kidman (Boy Erased), Lucas Hedges (Boy Erased), Joel Edgerton (Boy Erased), Connie Britton (Nashville), Eric Close (Nashville), Powers Boothe (Nashville), and Eric Roberts (Deadline).
David had an unexpected start to his career in acting. He shared this story about it on his website: I began my acting career as a child in Charleston, SC. My mom took me to an open call audition for a play to see how auditions worked. When we got there, they asked me to sign in - I wrote down my info- figuring it was a mailing list for future auditions - but actually I had just signed up to do a cold read audition while I was there. We went in the theater, took a seat and watched several auditions for about a half hour. Then my mom and I decided it was time to go, but just as we were getting up from our sets, they called my name up to audition. I was surprised because I was not prepared, nor knew what to do, but I went up on stage anyway. I told them a little about myself and read a few lines. They thanked me for my time and we left. My mom and I laughed about the whole experience all day, not thinking anything would come of it. But a few weeks later I got a letter saying I had been cast in the ensemble! I was thrilled and enjoyed the entire experience. And I that is how I unexpectedly started my career in acting.
During the pandemic in 2020, he was cast as an actor for a film competing in the 48 Hour Film Project - but the director and team had to pull out of the competition at the last minute. Undeterred, David decided to make a film all by himself in just 2 days. He wrote, directed, shot, edited and starred in the film: "Love Yourself" - the short film won 3 awards in the competition and then arrived on the film festival circuit where it won an additional 9 awards.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Alyson Stoner got her start as a triple threat on the Disney Channel, co-hosting "Mike's Super Short Show". By age seven, she won the hearts of an older generation as the "Little Pigtailed Dancer" in Missy Elliott's music video, Missy Elliott: Work It (2002). Since her early reign, Alyson has become a powerhouse heavy-weight with blockbuster movies like Cheaper by the Dozen (2003) and the "Step Up" franchise, hit TV shows across networks and cable, and record-setting viral videos. She just completed a 24-city national tour with her original music, leading up to the release of her EP, "While You Were Sleeping", and is Head of Music for the award-winning QWunder app, educating children in emotional and social intelligence.
Alyson is the 6th Most Searched Actress on Google, 16th Most Searched Actress on IMDB, and has over 40 film credits including three in production for 2017. Her social reach is over one Million and she has over 110 Million Views as a fully independent artist on YouTube. Alyson is a true multi-hyphenate, the empowered female voice of a generation, redefining what it means to be a millennial woman.- Actor
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Soundtrack
Britton Sear is an American actor and musician. He is best known for his supporting role in the Golden Globe nominated film, Boy Erased, where he portrays the role of 'Cameron' alongside a star-studded ensemble cast including Lucas Hudges, Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe. This year, Sear will be seen in his supporting role in the film, Run Hide Fight. The film will premiere at Venice International Film Festival in Fall 2020 and plans for a limited theatrical release. The highly-anticipated drama follows a school shooting where Sear portrays the role of 'Chris Jellick,' one of the school shooters who slowly begins to lose grip with reality as he spirals into a mental breakdown.
Sear's body of work has proven him to be a versatile dramatic actor, however his comedic chops are what got him started in entertainment. He launched his career with his memorable comedic role of 'Paul Trunkman' in Twentieth Century Fox's comedy, Unfinished Business with Vince Vaughn, Tom Wilkinson and Dave Franco. In addition to his distinguished film career, Sear is also no stranger to the small screen. He has guest appeared on hit shows including, Devs, (HULU) Revolution, (NBC) and Vice Principals. (HBO)
Sear is a remarkable musician. He sings, plays guitar and produces for a variety of music projects including his band, Softdrink, based in Los Angeles.- Producer
- Additional Crew
Robert Walak is President at Focus Features, which acquires and produces specialty films for the global market and is a premier label with a library of iconic movies.
He was Co-Managing Director at Universal Pictures International Productions, where he worked on internationally oriented productions, acquisitions and local-language product.
Prior to this, Walak was Managing Director and President of Production and Acquisitions at The Weinstein Company. He was previously SVP of Production and Acquisitions at Alliance Films/Momentum Pictures.
Earlier in his career, Walak worked in business development at Endemol and was a producer at MTV Europe. He graduated from the University of Amsterdam.- Additional Crew
- Executive
Peter Kujawski was appointed Chairman of Focus Features in February 2016. Focus Features acquires and produces specialty films for the global market, and is a premier label with a library of iconic movies from fearless filmmakers.
Kujawski, who is based in Los Angeles, was previously Managing Director of Universal Pictures International Productions (UPIP), which was absorbed into Focus' operations in early 2016. At UPIP, he was responsible for expanding Universal Pictures' worldwide presence through local production, financing partnerships, and acquisitions. He oversaw the acquisition of English-language films for Universal in all international territories.
He joined Universal in 2011 as Executive Vice President of Worldwide Acquisitions, where he oversaw acquisitions for both Universal and Focus. In this capacity, he acquired key international rights for commercially successful and critically-acclaimed films including Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street, Kathryn Bigelow's Zero Dark Thirty, and Richard Linklater's Boyhood. He was instrumental in the acquisition of domestic rights for Universal on Jaume Collet-Serra's Non-Stop and Focus on Jean-Marc Vallée's Dallas Buyers Club, which won three Academy Awards.
Kujawski had previously worked at Focus since the company's formation in 2002. He sold international rights on such celebrated films as Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; Joel and Ethan Coen's Burn After Reading and A Serious Man; Jet Li's Fearless, directed by Ronny Yu, on which he was also a production executive; Sofia Coppola's Lost In Translation; Gus Van Sant's Milk; Fernando Meirelles' The Constant Gardener; David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises; and Ang Lee's Lust, Caution and Brokeback Mountain. In 2010, he was named Executive Vice President of International Sales for the company. His prior positions at Focus included Manager of Creative Affairs, which entailed involvement in production and distribution, and overseeing all soundtrack album rights and negotiations for such films as Alejandro González Iñárritu's 21 Grams.
He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Film Studies from Columbia University. Kujawski's industry career began at the independent film production company Good Machine, which was later absorbed into Focus Features.- Additional Crew
- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Tommy Dorfman is an actress, writer, photographer, and director from Atlanta, GA. She graduated with a degree in acting from Fordham University in 2015. First known for her role as Ryan Shaver on 13 Reasons Why, Tommy has since worked in television, film, and theater - recently starring in Jeremy O. Harris' hit play Daddy at The Signature. She has photographed the cover of Paper Magazine, Fucking Young!, and American studies and appeared in ad campaigns for Calvin Klein and Fendi. She lives between Los Angeles, California, and New York City with her dogs, Dabbs and Fiona.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
David Joseph Craig is known for I Don't Understand You (2024), Permission (2017) and The Gift (2015).- Producer
- Composer
- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Danny Bensi is a contemporary film composer and string player living in Los Angeles since 2018. He grew up learning the cello in Denmark, UK, Germany and Italy before arriving in the US to study music at Northwestern University. Teaming up in 2011 with his long time friend and band-mate Saunder Jurriaans, the two formed a prolific film scoring duo. Their film scores are known for bold unpredictability, uniqueness, and surprising timbres. Drawing from modern classical styles, their compositions are filled with atypical orchestrations, sensuous melodies, and visceral soundscapes.- Composer
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Saunder Jurriaans is a contemporary film composer writing alongside Danny Bensi. Born in Evanston, Illinois, in 1977, Jurriaans is the child of Dutch immigrants who bounced around the United States before settling in Seattle, Washington. After moving to Providence, RI ostensibly to study at the Rhode Island School of Design, Jurriaans instead dropped out to play in a band. Around the same time he met Danny Bensi for the first time, and the pair quickly became collaborators.
After moving to New York in 2000, Jurriaans, Bensi and drummer Gregory Rogove formed the proggy, chamber-rock trio Tarantula, later renamed Tarantula A.D. and finally Priestbird. The scope of their music is best reflected in the eclectic range of bands they toured with, including Avant-jazz-funk band Medeski Martin & Wood, freak folk singer-songwriter Devendra Banhart, psychedelic duo Cocorosie and heavy-metal rockers, The Sword. In Europe, they opened for Pearl Jam.
The first film Jurriaans and Bensi composed the score for was 2010 drama Two Gates Of Sleep. The director, Alistair Banks Griffin, was a friend of Jurriaans' from Rhode Island School of Design. The new way of working came naturally to the pair. The critical applause for their debut soundtrack led to 'Danny and Saunder' to score the 2011 thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene, starring Elizabeth Olsen and Sarah Paulson, and from then their career snowballed. Over the last decade their music has soundtracked over 100 films and television shows.
Saunder Jurriaans also writes music outside of the film world - his first solo record "Beasts" will be released on Decca records September 18, 2020. Jurriaans lives and works in Los Angeles, CA.- Additional Crew
- Actress
- Producer
- Producer
- Actress
- Writer
Katharine "Kat" Kramer founded Kat Kramer's Films That Change the World to showcase motion pictures that raise awareness about important social issues. In so doing, she is following in the foot steps of her late father, the legendary producer/director Stanley Kramer, who was known for taking artistic and financial chances by making movies about controversial subjects.
Selections in Kat's screening series have included Teach Your Children Well (2010), which deals with the growing problem of bullying in schools; The Cove (2009), which exposed the slaughter of dolphins in Japan; Elephants and Man: A Litany of Tragedy (2011), about the suffering of elephants in captivity; and Barbra Streisand's Yentl (1983), which focused attention on women's equality, and was used as a springboard for a discussion about the widespread sexual abuse of women in the Congo. Kat most recently celebrated the 5th anniversary and 5th installment for "Kat Kramer's Films That Change The World" by presenting the U.S. premiere of Fallout (2013) hosted by Lily Tomlin. This was followed by the 6th installment screening of documentary The Decent One (The Decent One (2014)) and most recently presented the 7th installment, Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain (2014) hosted by Martin Sheen and Mischa Barton.
As an actress, Kat has appeared on stage and screen. She has starred in two popular one-woman shows, The Colors of Myself and Kriss Krossing. Kat has played the classic roles and won awards as Helen Keller in "The Miracle Worker," Anne Frank in "The Diary Of Anne Frank," Estella in "Great Expectations," Lisa in "David and Lisa," and Saint Joan in "The Lark." She has also appeared in such films as Hollywood Dreams (2006), Going Shopping (2005), What Just Happened (2008), and Little Fockers (2010). She will also be seen in the upcoming film Katie Q, with Karen Black, Paul Sand and Zack Norman. As a singer, Kat is recording Gemstone, an album of Mick Jagger love songs, each as a duet with a different artist who has previously worked with Jagger. As a producer, she is developing a web series about the making of her album, titled My Duet with Mick.
Kat has performed special tributes twice for the legendary Lily Tomlin. Kramer served on the Dais and opened the program at the Pacific Pioneers Broadcaster's Awards in February 2012 honoring Tomlin. Kat received a standing ovation with a special musical salute to her mentor with the original parody "Dear Lily Tomlin."
She most recently sang a heartfelt rendition of "Bless The Beasts And Children" from her father's landmark film for Tomlin when she was honored with the Hope Award from the Petco Foundation. Kramer made her Avalon Hollywood debut with Le PeTiT CiRqUe for Circus Paws in front of a star-studded audience that included Lily Tomlin, Susan Sarandon, Lainie Kazan and Stewart Copeland. She has recorded the new re-imagined version of "Bless The Beasts And Children" that will be released as a single for PAWS and animal-rights organizations. Kat also performed a humorous kitsch version of the song for the PAWS/LA Fundraiser sponsored by Wells Fargo and the Petco Foundation.
Kat previously received the "Compassion Award" from the Braveheart Women and recently sold-out her first workshop with "Meet The Biz" titled "An Evening With Kat Kramer." She is set to launch "An Evening With A Trailblazer" series along with "Meet The Biz."
She performed a stand-up routine at Hard Rock Hollywood to Benefit "Comedy For Caleb" and Kat has been a presenter for LA Comedy Awards twice. She was also a celebrity judge for the LA Music Awards. Kat was most recently named Entertainer of the Year by the LA Comedy Awards. Kramer has headlined at awards shows and galas for such luminaries as Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Shirley MacLaine.
Kat, who is the Godchild/Namesake of screen icon the late Katharine Hepburn, proudly serves as the West Coast representative of the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. She was an in-studio guest on Larry King Live (1985) for a tribute to Hepburn after her death in 2003.
Kat is set to launch her new one-woman show "My Duet With Mick." In addition, she co-stars as Frances Rye and multiple characters in Seasons 3 and 4 of popular web series Child of the '70s (2012). She was recently selected for the Advisory Board of the prestigious LA Press Club. A former Miss Golden Globe, Kat resides in Los Angeles.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Blanca Blanco, is a multiple award-winning and nominated American-Mexican actress, and bestselling author. Blanca is known for her iconic beauty, talent, style, and authentic charisma.
Blanca has played a wide range of roles in film and television. Her work as an actress has been recognized at the Television Academy level, earning her first Emmy contender in 2022, for the role of Lola, in Tale of Tails. Blanca won Best Actress for her role in Eye For Eye, a western film. And also won Best Supporting Actress for her villain role, in Betrayed (distributed by Sony Entertainment) playing opposite John Savage.
Blanca started taking acting lessons at a young age. She organized theater performances between her studies. Blanca's academic accomplishments, a bachelor's and master's degree with honors in Psychology and Social Work, demonstrate her commitment to knowledge and personal growth. She values education and believes in continuous learning and self-improvement. Moving to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career shows her willingness to take risks and follow her dreams. Training under respected industry professionals like Gordon Hunt, Helen Hunt, Sally Kirkland, and Bruce Glover, as well as enrolling in prestigious programs like UCLA's acting program and The Groundlings, have undoubtedly helped her hone her craft and skills as an actress.
Notable on-screen credits include Torch (alongside Rita Moreno), Fake News (opposite Eric Roberts), 6 Children & 1 Grandparent (opposite Oscar nominee Burt Young), Woman on the Edge (alongside Rumer Willis), Hold On (alongside Luis Guzmán), and American Romance (alongside Nolan Gerard Funk). Anatomy of Deception (Lifetime), Crimes of the Mind (Lifetime), Defending Santa (ION), and Bermuda Tentacles (SyFy)
She is a regular guest and trendsetter at high-profile award shows such as the Oscars, Golden Globes, Emmys, and Grammys. The actress is frequently invited to prestigious film festivals and events, such as the Cannes Film Festival (France), Marrakech International Film Festival (Morocco), and the Cesar Award Show.
Blanca has been featured in top editorial campaigns and magazines such as Vogue, ELLE, Forbes, Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Harper Bazaar, Dailymail, Vanity Fair, Gala, Glamour, Grazia, Hola!, People, Marie Claire, Hollywood Reporter, OK!, E!, Variety, Allure, and many more.
A multi-talented individual, excelling in different creative fields, she wrote a bestselling book called, "Breaking the Mold," (Briton Publishing) and went on an international book tour to promote her well-received memoir. This experience proved to be very rewarding, allowing her to connect with readers worldwide and share her story on a global platform. The bestselling book won the Literature Award in 2021 and is a testament to the quality and impact of her writing.
Philanthropy: Blanca supports the LA Mission, the American Cancer Society, the Salvation Army, and Step Up.- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Svelte and stunning Texas-born Karen Sharpe was put into ballet shoes as a youngster. Her initial excursion to California was, at age 12, with the interest of becoming a professional ice skater, but the lure of being a movie star intervened. Her training as a teenager in the theater paid off and, in 1952, she appeared in Stanley Kramer's production of The Sniper (1952), directed by Edward Dmytryk. Her role consisted solely of three lines delivered while sitting on a drugstore stool and ordering a cherry phosphate. Although she did not personally meet Kramer at the time, it would be a foreshadowing of a future lifelong relationship.
In her salad days, she paid the rent and more as a billboard model and also graced such popular magazine covers as "Cosmopolitan" and "Pageant." On film, MGM featured her as Janice Rule's kid sister in Holiday for Sinners (1952), opposite William Campbell. Campbell went on to appear with her in other films as well, and they were paired as husband and wife in the Stagecoach West (1960) episode, Never Walk Alone (1961), in 1961. Producer Hal Roach gave her a break by featuring her in the popular "White Rain" commercials, where she danced her way to fame across the tops of rows of shampoo bottles, and he also chose her to represent his studio as Modern Screen Magazine's Golden Key Award winner as 1952's "Star of Tomorrow". Columbia Pictures picked up on this recognition and placed her in the Hugo Haas melodrama, Strange Fascination (1952). Monogram Pictures offered her a starring role in Army Bound (1952), which led to her being cast in Walter Mirisch's cult programmer, Bomba and the Jungle Girl (1952), with Johnny Sheffield (who played "Boy" in the Tarzan series) playing Bomba to Karen's lovely "Jungle Girl". The John Payne western The Vanquished (1953) followed, for Paramount Pictures. The film also starred Jan Sterling, who went on to appear with Karen in a couple of other major films and become a close friend and mentor, as well.
After filming the crime drama Mexican Manhunt (1953), starring George Brent, for Allied Artists, Karen received the biggest break of her young career. Director William A. Wellman cast her in the Wayne-Fellows-Warner Brothers epic airline disaster film, The High and the Mighty (1954). An all-star ensemble, it featured Karen as "Nell Buck", an amorous bride who allays her fears of certain death with the ecstasies of passion for new husband "Milo" (played by John Smith). Karen's standout performance garnered her the 1954 Golden Globe Award for "New Star of the Year". As a result, the film's star and producer, John Wayne, put her under contract to his new company, Batjac. Loaned out to Ida Lupino's company for Mad at the World (1955), Karen then co-starred in United Artists' Man with the Gun (1955) opposite Robert Mitchum. Cast in Batjac's Man in the Vault (1956), she went on loan again, this time for Columbia's war picture, Tarawa Beachhead (1958).
In the 1950s, against the concerns of the studios but with the encouragement of John Wayne, who advised her to "do anything and everything you can to grow as an artist", Karen made herself available for television. Taking Wayne's advice to heart, she found a creative and demanding outlet performing in "live" drama, with roles on Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951), General Electric Theater (1953), Climax! (1954), Matinee Theatre (1955), Playhouse 90 (1956) and Lux Playhouse (1958), among others. She also appeared in episodes of such classic TV shows as The Loretta Young Show (1953), Gunsmoke (1955), Perry Mason (1957), Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958), 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Bonanza (1959), The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) and The Wild Wild West (1965). Karen went on to co-star in Aaron Spelling's very first television series, Johnny Ringo (1959).
Following a hiatus from Hollywood, while straightening out family estate matters, Karen was cast in the pilot for I Dream of Jeannie (1965) as Larry Hagman's fiancé and Jeannie's attractive nemesis. While waiting for the pilot to be sold (which, of course, it did), Jerry Lewis signed her to play opposite him in Paramount's The Disorderly Orderly (1964) as lovesick nurse "Julie Blair", who wins Jerry's affections in the end. It was during that filming that she met Stanley Kramer, who was directing Ship of Fools (1965) at the same time on the Paramount lot. Karen's focus was on her career, however, and a year went by before they actually started dating in January of 1966. After a relatively brief courtship, they married on September 1, 1966, following her completion of the Universal pilot, Valley of Mystery (1967).
Choosing to close the chapter on her acting career, Karen opened a new and rewarding one as full-time wife, mother (of two), and assistant to her husband. With the creation of KNK Productions, Inc., Karen established herself as a producer. Among her many successful projects is a remake of her husband's western classic High Noon (2000), as well as the prospective "Defiant One," a documentary examining Kramer's prolific career, and "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," a big-screen sequel to his It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963). Kramer passed away on February 19, 2001. Since then, the ever-busy and vivacious Karen has maintained the Stanley Kramer Library. In addition, she also established the Stanley Kramer Award at the Producer's Guild, and the Stanley Kramer Fellowship Award in Directing at UCLA in 2001. Both of these awards honor socially conscious young filmmakers.- Actor
- Producer
- Composer
John Savage is an American actor best known for his roles in The Deer Hunter (1978), The Onion Field (1979), Hair (1979), Salvador (1986), The Last Full Measure (2019), In Dubious Battle (2016), and the television shows Goliath (2016), Twin Peaks (2017), and Dark Angel (2000). He was born in Old Bethpage, New York, to Muriel (née Smeallie), a housewife, and Floyd-Jones Youngs, an insurance salesman who served on Guadalcanal during World War II with the Marine Corps. He has two sisters, Robin Young and Gail Youngs, and a brother, Jim Youngs.
He trained at the American Academy of Performing Arts before relocating to Los Angeles where he starred in the film Eric (1975) opposite Patricia Neal and Mark Hamill. In the early 1970s, he made his Broadway debut in the chorus of Fiddler on the Roof in which he played one of the sons, after an actor fell sick, opposite Zero Mostel. His performance caught the eye of Robert De Niro and the recognition led to his first major film role in the Academy Award-winning war drama The Deer Hunter (1978). Between 1972 and 1975, he continued to perform on stage, playing Dov Landau in Ari on Broadway, and performing in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Dance on a Country Grave in Chicago. He gained widespread recognition for his range and sensitivity during the 1970s.
John's breakthrough film role was as Steven Pushkov, the returning Vietnam veteran missing both his legs, in the 1978 film The Deer Hunter (1978) which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1979. Acclaimed director Michael Cimino cast him in the role opposite Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, and Christopher Walken. One of John's most acclaimed roles is in Milos Forman's 1979 film Hair (1979). He played the corn-fed recruit Claude Hooper Bukowski, who turns on, tunes in and drops out. Critics and film historians celebrated his performance both then and now. John Willis' annual publication Screen World hailed him as one of 12 promising new actors of 1979 (Vol. 31). John also played a lead role in the 1979 film adaptation of Joseph Wambaugh's The Onion Field (1979), based on the true story of policeman Karl Hettinger's personal struggle after witnessing the murder of his partner.
In the late 1970s, he was cast by Ulu Grosbard in the Broadway production of David Mamet's play American Buffalo, opposite Robert Duvall and Kenneth McMillan, in which he originated the role of Bobby. The play received rave reviews from critics and audiences alike.
During the 1980s, John was nominated for a Genie Award for Best Performance by a Foreign Actor for his work as Charles Heller in the crime thriller The Amateur (1981). He also co-starred with Nastassja Kinski in the romance film Maria's Lovers (1984), which was backed by cinema legend Robert Mitchum, and appeared as John Cassady in Oliver Stone's acclaimed historical thriller Salvador (1986), and as suicide survivor Roary in Richard Donner's Inside Moves (1980). In 1989, he collaborated with Academy Award-nominated director Spike Lee for the first time on Do the Right Thing (1989), in which he played the bike-riding gentrifier Clifton.
During the 1990s, John played the role of Father Andrew Hagen in Francis Ford Coppola's Academy Award-nominated film The Godfather Part III (1990), starred in Italian director Lucio Fulci's final film Le porte del silenzio (1991), a psychological thriller shot in Louisiana, and appeared in the brief but powerful role of Sgt. McCron in Terrence Malick's 1998 war epic The Thin Red Line (1998). He also portrayed Captain Rudy Ransom in the two-part episode Equinox from the hit television series Star Trek: Voyager (1995) (CBS) in 1999.
John gained further recognition in the recurring role of Donald Lydecker in the first and second seasons of the 2000 television series Dark Angel (2000) (Fox), which he followed with the recurring role of Henry Scudder in the Emmy Award-winning television series Carnivàle (2003) (HBO) from 2003-2005. In 2005, he guest starred on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) (NBC). In 2009, he guest starred in the second season of the television drama Fringe (2008) (Fox).
During the 2010s, he starred opposite Kirk Harris and Michael Madsen in Vernon Mortensen's 2013 western thriller The Sorrow, appeared in the 2015 horror film Tales of Halloween (2015), and played a supporting role in the 2016 romantic comedy Hit List (2011). In 2017, he appeared in the thriller film Fake News (2017), war drama The Last Full Measure (2019) and in James Franco's drama In Dubious Battle (2016). He also guest starred on the hit television show Twin Peaks (2017) (Showtime). In 2018, he guest starred on the drama Goliath (2016) (Amazon).
He has also worked behind the camera, most notably in production management for the acclaimed Spike Lee film Malcolm X (1992).
John has been noted for his work in activism and philanthropy. During the late 1980s, he used his public presence to fight for the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa, and has continued to work as an activist in addition to his work in film and television.
In 2017, John spoke at a tribute honoring the celebrated director Richard Donner, held by The Academy.
John was previously married twice, first to Susan Youngs and then to Sandi Schultz, and is the father of ceramic artist Lachlan Youngs and performer Jennifer Youngs. He has been with his current partner Blanca Blanco since 2008. He resides in Malibu, CA.- Director
- Stunts
- Actor
Nash Edgerton was born on 19 January 1973 in Australia. He is a director and actor, known for Mr Inbetween (2018), Gringo (2018) and The Square (2008). He has been married to Carla Ruffino since 1 April 2014.- Actor
- Writer
- Composer
Jacob Tobia was born on August 7, 1991 in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are an American gender non-binary actor and writer of Syrian descent, best known as the voice of Double Trouble on She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018), as well as having written a memoir about their life experiences, which is soon to be adapted into a series on Showtime titled Sissy (2020).- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Joe Cortese is in the Oscar-winning Green Book (2019) opposite Viggo Mortensen. He played Roger Stone in the Roger Ailes mini-series, The Loudest Voice (2019) for Showtime starring Russell Crowe, and also took on the role of Giorgio Armani in the FX true crime anthology, The Assassination of Gianni Versace-American Crime Story (2017).
Cortese first came on the scene in the 1976 cult classic gangster film The Death Collector costarring Joe Pesci. Over the next 4 decades Cortese has established himself as an actor/writer. As an actor, Joe Cortese has achieved success in film, television, and theatre.
Some of his films included starring roles in Windows (1980) with Talia Shire for Director Gordon Willis from United Artists, Monsignor (1982) which he starred with Christopher Reeve for Director Frank Perry at 20th Century Fox, and American History X (1998) with Director Tony Kaye starring Edward Norton from Warner Brothers. Cortese also starred in Paramount's Against The Ropes (2004) with Meg Ryan and Kerry Washington, and Ruby (1992) with Danny Aiello.
Cortese starred in Go Go Tales (2007) for Director Abel Ferrara, with actors Willem Dafoe and Bob Hoskins while having its World Premiere at The Cannes Film Festival and later that year it had its American Premiere at the New York Film Festival at the Lincoln Center. Cortese won The Best Actor Award from The New York Hip Hop Film Festival for his starring role as Spencer Spector in the comedy, Shut Up And Shoot (2006) and also starred in You Got Nothin' (2002) as Big Tommy for Director Philip Angelotti.
Other outstanding performances include starring roles in Paramount's Malevolence (1999) portraying a character based on James Earl Ray, Lucky Town (2000) with James Cann and Kirsten Dunst, and The Shipment (2001) with Matthew Modine and Elizabeth Berkley. He also received kudos for his role as Johnny Roselli in HBO's critically acclaimed movie The Rat Pack (1998). Also starred as Vito Lazio in the Independent film The Bronx Bull (2016) with Director Martin Guigui.
Cortese has received major accolades for his numerous top-rated Television projects, C.A.T. Squad: Python Wolf (1988), a four-hour mini-series on NBC for Director/Producer William Friedkin. The top-rated mini-series Something Is Out There (1988) from NBC garnered him a Saturn Award nomination for best actor. Cortese also starred in other television projects such as the PBS Vision series special He Wants Her Back (1980) Written and Directed by Staton Kaye, Exclusive (1992) with Suzanne Somers (ABC), Assault and Matrimony (1987) (NBC), Just Life (1990) with Victoria Principal (ABC), Letting Go (1985) with John Ritter (ABC), Born to Run (1993) (FOX), Sidney Sheldon's mini-series If Tomorrow Comes (1986) (CBS), Jackie Collins' Lady Boss (1992) (NBC), and from creator Rob McElhenney's It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia (2007) (FX) with an appearance with Danny DeVito.
Joe Cortese has never strayed far away from the theater. Being one of the founding members of the MET Theatre in Los Angeles, Cortese produced and starred in the original play Cody Angelino Is Coming. Some of his other Los Angeles theater credits include: True West at Zephyr Theater, Waking Jimmy Rizzo at the White Fire Theatre, and Italian playwrights Luigi Pirandello's Che Che and Man With The Flower In His Mouth at the Marilyn Monroe Theater. In New York, his theater credits include: playing Clifford Odets in Golden Girl, Waiting for Lefty at ETC; and, from the Regional Theater: Of Mice and Men, Waiting for Godot, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
Tonight and Every Night is the latest project in development Joe Cortese will be producing and starring in. It's about a Greek diner owner suffering from dementia, who creates an alter ego as a talk show host. Also, in pre-production, Joe has written The Bridge about a San Francisco crime family.
As lifetime member of The Actor's Studio and member of The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Joe Cortese continues his support of actors and the craft of acting.- Actress
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lindsey Moser was born on 7 June 1984 in Matthews, North Carolina, USA. She is an actress and assistant director, known for Magic Mike XXL (2015) and The Leisure Seeker (2017).- Actor
- Additional Crew
William Ngo was born in Monterey Park, California. He grew up there in the San Gabriel Valley of L.A. County. He went to West Covina High School where he was on the wrestling team as well as on the boards of numerous student organizations on top of taking Honors classes. He then went to UC Irvine where he studied sociology and then studied advertising at Cal State Fullerton, but then discovered that acting is his true calling. He trained at Playhouse West for over three years where had the honor of studying under Jeff Goldblum. He became a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2016, which gave him the honor and privilege of voting on and attending the Emmys.- Actor
- Casting Department
- Additional Crew
Victor McCay was born on 22 April 1971 in Alabama, USA. He is an actor, known for The Accountant (2016), The Founder (2016) and The Good Lie (2014).