When Harry Hamlin was in his prime, as the sexy, dynamic attorney Michael Kuzak on "L.A. Law," he used to forget to submit himself for an Emmy nomination. Back before showbiz awards fever swept the media like smallpox, actors and publicists and producers didn't live and die based on the number of times they were nominated and the categories they landed in.
"I don't think that back then, in the 'L.A. Law' days, they were as enthusiastic about putting their cast members up for Emmys. Awards shows were different," he says. "It's a bigger deal now. The Emmys were at the Civic Auditorium in Pasadena. 'L.A. Law' won every year. There were no parties, no swag. No trips to Tahiti."
SIXTIES CHIC: Harry Hamlin (left) and John Slattery on "Mad Men."
Above: Hamlin in his dreamboat days (1986-91) on "L.A. Law."
Now, at the ripe age of 61, Hamlin has just received his first Emmy nomination, as Best Guest actor in a dramatic role for his dry, witty take on "Mad Men" as suave ad exec Jim Cutler. For a man who's done everything in his career, from "Clash of the Titans" to "Veronica Mars" and "Dancing With the Stars," he's tickled.
Especially since he wasn't supposed to get the "Mad Men" role at all. The way Hamlin tells it, via phone from his Canadian summer retreat, creator Matthew Weiner doesn't like to hire familiar faces, known quantities, call it what you will. Hamlin was sneaked into a casting session for a role as a "swinger boss."
The casting people couldn't even put his real name on the call sheet.
"When I walked in the door, I think Matt was a little shocked to see me," Hamlin says. He read, Weiner gave helpful notes, but Hamlin didn't get the part.
Several months later, they had a role more suited for him. But because the show was "Mad Men," the Kremlin of cable dramas, Hamlin was not allowed to see a script. Or to know who he'd be playing.
Hamlin told his agent, "I don't usually work that way. It goes against my training. They said, 'We can only guarantee you a day, they won't tell me who it is.' I told my agent, 'I think I'm gonna turn it down.' Lisa said no. She said, 'Have fun and do it.' I usually do what she tells me to do."
Lisa is actress Lisa Rinna, Hamlin's third wife and the mother of their two teenage daughters, Delilah and Amelia. They have been married for 15 years. (Hamlin also has a 33-year-old son, Dmitri, from a previous relationship with actress Ursula Andress.) They have both appeared, in separate seasons, on "Dancing With the Stars" and did a reality show together, "Harry Loves Lisa," when he wanted to stay home in LA. "I took 10 years off to raise my kids," he says. "Then it was time to go back to my day job."
Making unconventional career choices suits him, whether it's playing a gay role in the controversial 1982 film "Making Love," opposite "Twin Peaks" star Michael Ontkean, or doing "Dancing With the Stars."
When his agent told him not to rhumba and foxtrot on the ABC reality show in 2006, Hamlin fired him.
"In order to do it, I had to let to him go," Hamlin says. "He said it would be foolish. 'You won't get away with it. You'll ruin my career.' I said, 'I don't care.' I needed it for my spirit. At that particular moment I wanted a challenge, something impossible to do."
It was easier to play a gay pedophile on Showtime's "Shameless." Hamlin simply went on the Atkins diet to "combat excess body fat" for the required nude scenes. When it came time to slip into Jim Cutler's snug turtlenecks and blazers, Hamlin was already svelte.
"The clothing is so great on that show," he says. "[Costume designer] Janie Bryant makes sure everything is just right. Everything is from the period — the shoelaces and the cufflinks."
"Mad Men" is on hiatus until next year and Hamlin hasn't heard whether Jim will be back. "It was really fun. The audience seemed to respond well," he says, adding that "Mad Men" and "Shameless" have resulted in more scripts coming his way. "I've seen a lot of activity. I haven't found anything that I really love yet, but I have a good feeling of how things are gonna go."
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
‘Mad’ about Harry
Dengan url
http://bahayaprostat.blogspot.com/2013/08/amada-about-harry.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
‘Mad’ about Harry
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar