Basket of Kisses

Continuing my conversation with Michael Gladis. A casual weekend afternoon, and a lot of fun talk. Jump on in!

So am I…Do you have a back story for Paul in your head? His life?
Somewhat. I’m not an actor who really focuses on that stuff. I’m much more concerned with serving what’s on the page, and I think if you do that then everything is pretty much taken care of. But I do have an idea, from conversations with Matt early on. Once in a while we would throw out ideas, or he would throw out ideas for story lines that never made it into Mad Men but still kind of served as hooks in my head for where Paul was, and where he came from. I don’t necessarily want to tell you what it is.
No, because it might show up. When I spoke to Bryan [Batt] last week, I found out that [in] the Season 3 opener, the bellhop scene was something that Matt had in mind when he was filming the pilot.
Wow.
So don’t tell me anything that Matt has in the back of his head. It could end up in the script.
I won’t.
But that’s kind of thrilling, isn’t it? That the bellhop scene was in Matt’s head in 2006?
That’s amazing. I’m not surprised at all. Also, once in a while they’ll tell you of an idea, I have a couple [in mind]; he’ll tell you about an idea he has for your character, or one of the other writers will tell you of something they’re tossing around. And you search the script. Every time a script comes you’re like, “Is this the one? Where this happens? Did it happen this time?” And it never makes it in, it just gets cut out. But then you get something like episode 10, and you’re like “this is so much better.”
That was a wonderful showcase.
It’s pretty funny.

And it reminded me of; one of Roberta’s favorite things is Gilda Radner in the brownie uniform, being the little girl playing in her room.
Yes!
…And it reminded me of that kind of being alone in a room acting by yourself.
Right.
And it’s so free, and you’re drunk, so you can throw your body around, and you can giggle to yourself. It’s got to be like play time. It’s got to be like what made you want to act in the first place.
It’s all play time, which is the wonderful thing about my job. The fact that I get paid to do this is wonderful, and I feel very lucky. Always. (more…)

Since it is the biggest movie opening of the fall, and since we are off-season and looking for other entertainments, here is my review of Quantum of Solace from my James Bond site.

I am the author of a James Bond trivia quiz in Parade Magazine. Jump on over and take the quiz!

In addition to blogging here, I also have The Ultimate James Bond Fan Blog. Thoughts of season 2 and 1962 reminded me that the first Bond movie, Dr. No, premiered that year. Nice tie-in for me, and you might like to read what I posted about it over there.