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During my 18 years stint in the film business...> I met most of them.....most were gracious...some were utterly nuts and pigs...I can't say who is the best...or the nicest...there were just to many....as for directors ...The old guy who was the pioneer of black film...Melvin Van Peebles...and his son Mario....they were the easiest to work with...They gave me a break ...they were normal down to earth guys....the happiest actor that I met was Gene Hackman...He would sing at the top of his lungs in the morning.....It was a very interesting and fun time for me...I wasted 18 years of my life having fun................I did a bit of acting and worked as a lighting stand in...helped set up the shots with the DOP ....I was the work horse.....once the shot was "blocked" the "star" would come in....Some times there would be a conversation....
"Where am I"........I would say....you are over here - you move to this mark ...then to here and exit....I worked for a couple of weeks on the pilot for West Wing.....I always felt that I was assisting in the making of American Propaganda......My favorite things were when they tossed me a bone and had me do a stunt....or some gun fire--------It was like being a kid...once in a while they would toss me a line - no not that kind of line.
The film business is not as casual as you think...It is intense and run with military precision...at ten thousand dollars a minute on some mega scenes ...there is no room for error..
I never said no to a gig...and sometimes I would go 30 days straight sleeping a few hours a night...I burned out and developed a tax problem......what a waste of time...what was a lark turned into a career....Okay....I loved it.
I wouldn't think of the time as wasted years. Sounds like an interesting profession. Give yourself break and think of it as " good, fun times"
I also had the misfortune of dealing that filthy animal Lou Reed.
Google his name and read what others have said.
I used to work on music tours. I worked with Lou Reed once and he was a total jerk. John Cale, his old VU bandmate, is a very sweet guy whom I've met several times but only dreamed of working with (after he got clean and sober, of course).
Warren Zevon was a wonderful guy to work with, while Bonnie Raitt was a miserable hag. I've met others who would say the exact opposite, though. It's all about context and timing.
Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson was a jerk every time I dealt with him. Peter Gabriel was a joy, as was Tom Waits. Both nutty, but good people.
I had a great experience with Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy, but I've always heard he can be a real monster.
Rip Torn, same thing.
Robert Duvall was very rude. So was Kevin Costner, who assumed I wanted an autograph in an airport just because I walked near him, and made a rude comment (I was just throwing something in the trash can next to him).
Lance Henriksen was incredibly, almost gratuitously nice. I've enjoyed meeting several of his Aliens cast-mates except Sigourney Weaver and Michael Biehn, who were downright nasty.
Ted Levine is a doll, if you play it cool.
Brad Dourif was a little cold, but nice enough.
Danny Glover was cool, as was Gary Busey. Same with Leland Orser, Joe Montegna, Robert Patrick and Brent Spiner, who helped me with a broken luggage cart.
William Fichtner is very nice. Colm Feore is, too, but his ego is huge.
A friend met Tony Hopkins and had a nice long chat. Same person was yelled at by Tommy Lee Jones just for accidentally brushing his arm in a crowded airport.
Jay Leno , nice guy (10 years ago)
Ed Asner, nice guy (8 years ago)
Joe Paterno, (ex coach Penn St) distant (5 years ago) Jerry Sandusky, (ex coach Penn St) Stand offish (5 years ago)
Co Oliver North, (pres Reagan aid) Good man (5 years ago)
Leon Panetta (sec of defense) really nice guy (4 years ago)
Dr Tom Osborne (former coach Nebraska) First class guy ( 6 years ago)
Erin Brockovich (subject of Julia Roberts movie) Dynamite (7 years ago)
Nooooo!
Lol I hope they were just having a bad day
One of the other Aliens cast members said both Sigourney and Michael have issues with the public. Sorry. I met Sigourney years ago but met the rest of the Aliens alum (minus Paul Reiser) at a convention my friend dragged me to a year or so ago. It was actually a great party. I had beers and chill time with every one of the (friendly) members of the cast. Mark Rolston is a trip...I will never be able to watch Shawshank Redemption and believe him as a monster again! Michael Biehn wouldn't hang out with his fellow Aliens alums at all, even in private. He really seems to have problems.
Celebrities that don't choose to live in a hub of activity can lead a pretty normal life.
Not a lot of photogs, etc. hanging out in the middle of Iowa, for instance.
Take Alec Baldwin......if he really hates all of the attention.....move out of NYC!
No need to work at McDonalds or be a teacher.
Why should he? NYC is the most exciting city in the world, why should he have to move? He's not breaking any laws, arguably, the paps are. Just because he's famous, doesn't mean anyone has a right to devour his private life too.
Papping the baby, for Gods sake. The baby isn't famous or noteworthy, she's a baby just laying there!
NYC should make paparazzi illegal. Hollywood, not so much...it's a fame based town.
In Australia, all sorts of famous folks wander around unharrassed by (Australian) paps because over here we just don't care.
We are all famous in our own minds in Australia and tend to treat even the Queen like she's the old dear next door popped in for a beer.
Couldn't place Michael Biehn, so looked him up. Apparently, he's another who has trouble with alcohol.
It seemed strange to me that he would come to something like an Aliens reunion at a convention if he was so antisocial. Must've needed the cash for something. No judgments there...a lot of celebs who do conventions do it for the money, not always because of essential money troubles but often for charity or to finance a pet project.
Talking about Biehn reminds me...I also met Rutger Hauer at a convention. He was another odd case, the opposite of what one usually sees. Very generous with fans but rude to fellow celebs. Go figure.
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