Latest news with #acting
The Guardian
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Michael Sheen says prospects for actors from poorer backgrounds ‘quite scary'
Michael Sheen has warned the pathways that helped him break into acting have all but collapsed, as he said the 'bank of mum and dad' would be unable to support aspiring actors from poorer communities. The Bad Omens star, who grew up in the working class community of Port Talbot, said he had benefited from school support, youth theatres and grants that have since come under financial pressure or been abolished entirely. He said his journey was also aided by a supportive family and the knowledge that his home town had already produced acting royalty in Richard Burton and Sir Anthony Hopkins. However, he said the prospect for actors from underprivileged backgrounds now looked 'quite scary'. 'Having those school plays where the drama was happening in my school – then there was a youth theatre that was funded through the education department of the council, and then I got a grant to go to drama school,' said Sheen, who was speaking at an event opening the Edinburgh TV Festival. 'So just to get to the point of going to drama school, all of those things sort of had to be in place. All of those things have gone, essentially. 'It does worry me that for young people who might want to get into this – if you are relying on the bank of mum and dad – it's really tough to even just go and live in London, or move to wherever. That's why it's so important we get stuff out of London and around the country.' His comments come amid wider concern in the TV world about narrowing access. A crisis in the industry has left many established freelance workers out of a job as production has slowed down and the industry adapts to fast-changing consumption habits. It has led to fears that those without resources behind them will be the first forced out of the industry that already faces allegations of having too many privately educated executives. Sheen said there were schemes to support actors from all backgrounds, but he feared they came too late in life to help some talented children. He advocated a system more like football scouting, spotting talent at a younger age. 'It needs to be like football,' he said. 'You need to get them when they're six, seven years old – start supporting people much younger and help them, because a lot of people are just never going to get to the point where they get picked up in these sorts of programmes and projects.' Sheen said he was trying to address the issue with his new Welsh National Theatre, whose first production, Our Town, by the US playwright Thornton Wilder, has been put through a 'Welsh lens' by the Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies. Sheen said that he was now able to spend time helping his home community in Port Talbot thanks to his success as an actor. However, he revealed he did not have immediate success in Hollywood, initially finding himself spending 'most of my time sitting in diners, reading Stephen King novels and doing very little'. He said it was only when he played Tony Blair in the Channel 4 drama The Deal in 2003, which led to him playing the former prime minister again in The Queen three years later, that his Hollywood career took off. 'I've gone from sitting in diners reading Stephen King novels on my own completely, to then having a very different life and opening up all kinds of opportunities back here as well as over there – and suddenly having a bit of choice and all those kinds of things.'
The Guardian
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Michael Sheen says prospects for actors from poorer backgrounds ‘quite scary'
Michael Sheen has warned the pathways that helped him break into acting have all but collapsed, as he said the 'bank of mum and dad' would be unable to support aspiring actors from poorer communities. The Bad Omens star, who grew up in the working class community of Port Talbot, said he had benefited from school support, youth theatres and grants that have since come under financial pressure or been abolished entirely. He said his journey was also aided by a supportive family and the knowledge that his home town had already produced acting royalty in Richard Burton and Sir Anthony Hopkins. However, he said the prospect for actors from underprivileged backgrounds now looked 'quite scary'. 'Having those school plays where the drama was happening in my school – then there was a youth theatre that was funded through the education department of the council, and then I got a grant to go to drama school,' said Sheen, who was speaking at an event opening the Edinburgh TV Festival. 'So just to get to the point of going to drama school, all of those things sort of had to be in place. All of those things have gone, essentially. 'It does worry me that for young people who might want to get into this – if you are relying on the bank of mum and dad – it's really tough to even just go and live in London, or move to wherever. That's why it's so important we get stuff out of London and around the country.' His comments come amid wider concern in the TV world about narrowing access. A crisis in the industry has left many established freelance workers out of a job as production has slowed down and the industry adapts to fast-changing consumption habits. It has led to fears that those without resources behind them will be the first forced out of the industry that already faces allegations of having too many privately educated executives. Sheen said there were schemes to support actors from all backgrounds, but he feared they came too late in life to help some talented children. He advocated a system more like football scouting, spotting talent at a younger age. 'It needs to be like football,' he said. 'You need to get them when they're six, seven years old – start supporting people much younger and help them, because a lot of people are just never going to get to the point where they get picked up in these sorts of programmes and projects.' Sheen said he was trying to address the issue with his new Welsh National Theatre, whose first production, Our Town, by the US playwright Thornton Wilder, has been put through a 'Welsh lens' by the Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies. Sheen said that he was now able to spend time helping his home community in Port Talbot thanks to his success as an actor. However, he revealed he did not have immediate success in Hollywood, initially finding himself spending 'most of my time sitting in diners, reading Stephen King novels and doing very little'. He said it was only when he played Tony Blair in the Channel 4 drama The Deal in 2003, which led to him playing the former prime minister again in The Queen three years later, that his Hollywood career took off. 'I've gone from sitting in diners reading Stephen King novels on my own completely, to then having a very different life and opening up all kinds of opportunities back here as well as over there – and suddenly having a bit of choice and all those kinds of things.'
The Independent
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Michael Sheen ‘worried' about opportunities for young people getting into acting
Welsh actor Michael Sheen has said he is worried about how tough it has become for young people who are getting into acting. At the Edinburgh TV Festival, in conversation with TV producer and chief executive of Bad Wolf, Jane Tranter, he spoke about what it was like to attend youth theatre in Port Talbot and said a lot of the opportunities he had as a young person 'have gone'. He said: 'It is quite scary. I look back on my pathway of coming through, starting with a supportive family, coming from an area, you know it was old steel town and, sort of tough place to grow up in, not the sort of place you'd expect actors to come from but because we had Richard Burton that came from there and Anthony Hopkins … 'I again, one of the things I've realised as time has gone on is how important it is to see where you come from, represented on the world stage, and to know that it's possible. 'I never questioned whether you could be successful as an actor, because Burton and Hopkins were and they came from this town.' He said: 'It does worry me that, for young people who might want to get into this, if you are relying on the bank of mum and dad or… it's really tough to even just to go and move to London, or move to wherever these places are. 'That's why it's so important to get stuff out of London and around the country.' Earlier in the year, Sheen launched a theatre company called Welsh National Theatre, which is envisioned as separate from but complementary to Theatr Cymru, which was established in 2003 as the Welsh language national company. National Theatre Wales closed its doors in its current form as a theatre company in December 2024, after funding was withdrawn in 2023. On TV, Sheen has starred in series including US period drama Masters Of Sex, sitcom 30 Rock, and fantasy show Good Omens, alongside David Tennant. He has portrayed a number of real-life public figures including former prime minister Sir Tony Blair in 2006 film The Queen, journalist David Frost in 2008's Frost/Nixon, and the Duke of York in Prime Video mini-series A Very Royal Scandal. On stage he has played Welsh Labour Party politician Aneurin 'Nye' Bevan in the show Nye, which recently finished at the National Theatre.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Coronation Street star reveals he's working part time in a coffee van after moaning acting roles have dried up
A CORONATION Street legend has revealed he's working part time in a coffee van - after saying acting roles have dried up. He appeared in the ITV soap for over a decade, with brief returns subsequently. 4 4 4 Charlie Lawson, 65, played the character of Jim McDonald - dad to Street stalwart Steve (Simon Gregson). Viewers will remember his tumultuous marriage to Liz (Beverley Callard). Posting on X, Charlie shared a short clip of himself speaking from the coffee van. He said: "Well folks, welcome to Bridge 19 café, which is on the Macclesfield Canal, going north something or other. "Saturdays and Sundays, from breakfast time early in the morning until two o'clock." He added: "I'm here sometimes, cooking for you so you can get a selfie and all that sort of craic as well." One follower commented: "Keep up the great work Charlie." Another added: "That's 25 minutes from me see you tomorrow ill have sausage bacon on thick bread with brown sauce and my Scooby will have 6 sausages please." Charlie joined the Coronation Street cast as Jim McDonald in 1989, staying on for an impressive 11 years. He quit the role in 2000 - but has returned for brief stints, most recently in 2018. Coronation Street proposal goes badly wrong as Carla Connor forced to call it off It comes as the actor previously addressed 2024 being his worst year in the entertainment industry. Speaking on The Nolan Show, Charlie said: "2024 is the most unsuccessful year I've had in 44 years. "And there are a lot of issues to do with that. "I've got lots of white hair, I'm 64 and there are less parts around. "I work for GB News at the moment and I've got to renegotiate that contract next year and my wife Debbie runs a women's refuge. "I'm in the living room with my shooting gear on because I'm a field sportsman and because I can't have the heat on all day and it's Baltic over here. "Have you looked at your bills? "You have lean times, I mean last year the heat was on all the time in the winter, this year it will not be." 4
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kevin Costner Reportedly Making A Career Change After Box Office Flop
is testing out new waters. The actor is set to star in his first-ever comedy after he left his acting role on the hit TV show "Yellowstone" for a rather disappointing "Horizon," which performed poorly at the box office. Kevin Costner starred in "Yellowstone" as the main character, John Dutton, who saw him try to salvage his ranch from a company looking to gobble it up as part of its expansion. Kevin Costner Will Team Up With Jake Gyllenhaal On Their New Movie The 70-year-old reportedly inked a deal with Amazon MGM studios to star in a drama and comedy titled "Honeymoon with Harry." He would reportedly be acting alongside the "Brokeback Mountain" star. Costner's new project will be his first film after "Horizon" underwhelming performance at the box office. The movie centers on Gyllenhaal's character embarking on a trip with his late fiancée's father after he loses his would-be wife days before walking down the aisle. Costner and Gyllenhaal's movie, based on Bart Baker's 2016 book "Honeymoon with Harry," will be directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. Despite "Horizon" turning out the way it did, the star actor expressed his contentment with the movie's outcome. Per The Daily Mail, Costner emphasized that the process it took to make such a masterpiece was the most important thing to him. The Oscar Winner Is Not Softpedaling On His Career Anytime Soon Despite walking away from the series and "Horizon" turning out how it did, the only way for Costner is up. He explained that for him, retirement has never popped into his head; he simply moves to the next big thing. He affirmed that his imagination controls him, not by a boss who calls the shots behind the scenes. The actor is also very aware of how lucky he is, but it did not happen by chance, only by pure hard work, which is almost exclusive to him. Costner also does not have a bucket list of how he wants his life to turn out; he shared that his eyes are always wide open for the next big thing, and his enthusiasm is on a high. "I go through that whole idea, and you realize it's about time. It's a rush to get to all of them," the TV star explained, noting that some great surprises are in the future. He also revealed his plans to dabble in writing as his career dives into a much exciting second half. The 70-Year-Old Still Has High Hopes For The 'Horizon' Franchise The star is not backing down from his positivity on "Horizon" as a franchise. Last September, The Blast noted that the actor admitted that he is used to people being initially dismissive of his works. According to him, he is fully convinced of his talent and is sure this film will stand the test of time and leave a lasting impact. In his words: "But they can't be dismissive of 'Horizon' because now it's out of their hands. And they might point to the finish line – well, this is what it did at the box office." The star continued that the movie promises enough longevity for parents to show their children decades down the line. He noted that the movie will provide a glimpse for future viewers to understand how their ancestors dealt with the past. He added that the movie touched on several topics, including the history of migration and survival instincts adopted by ancestors. Costner Was Dragged Into a Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Costner was named in a sexual harassment lawsuit in May by an individual named Devyn LaBella, who claimed their encounter during a scene for "Horizon 2" left her feeling traumatized. As reported by The Blast, LaBella explained that she was hired to stand in for actress Ella Hunt as a stunt double during physical scenes. However, things took a different turn in 2023 when Hunt refused to shoot an intimate scene with co-star Roger Ivens. Ivens was slated to mount Hunt while violently tugging at her shirt; a directive Hunt refused, prompting Costner to allegedly instruct LaBella to stand in for Hunt. The stunt expert claimed that Costner failed to prepare her for the task ahead adequately, refused to seek her consent, and failed to install appropriate measures in place for the performance. LaBella claimed the development brought her shame and humiliation, making her feel a lack of control. Upon her return to the set after taking some time to cool off, she was practically ostracized and asked to stay in the trailer throughout. Kevin Costner's Attorney Slammed Devyn LaBella's Harassment Story Costner's lawyer came through with the disclaimer, adding that the extra layer of evidence she reportedly provided to back up her allegations was not convincing enough. He stressed that her alleged rape situation did not play out the way she had presented it. According to the attorney, LaBella was rehearsing for an Insert Shot for a scripted scene with zero intimacy involved. "There was tugging on a dress while she was fully clothed in a dress with long bloomers lying down next to a male actor," the lawyer emphasized. The legal rep noted that several witnesses had text messages and proof that LaBella's experience was seamless on set. Instead, the stunt expert was filled with gratitude towards the movie's supervisor for granting the opportunity to learn and appear in the project. Solve the daily Crossword
