Pride and Glory Production Notes
Pride and Glory Production Notes
Pride and Glory Production Notes
emotional portrait of a multi-generational police family who find themselves on opposite sides of an incendiary corruption scandal in the New York City Police Department. Four New York City cops are dead, killed in an ambush that has the entire police department on alert and on edge. With a cop killer on the loose and so much riding on the case, Chief of Manhattan Detectives Francis Tierney, Sr. (Jon Voight) asks his son, Detective Ray Tierney (Edward Norton), to lead the investigation. Reluctantly Ray takes over the case knowing the cops who were lost had served under his brother, Francis Tierney, Jr. (Noah Emmerich), and alongside his brother-in-law, Jimmy Egan (Colin Farrell). On the surface, it looked like a routine drug bust gone terribly, tragically wrong. But as Ray delves deeper into the case, he realizes someone had to have tipped off the drug dealers that the cops were coming. Someone on the inside. Worse, the evidence starts to point in an unthinkable direction: to his own brother and brother-in-law. As the questions mount, the case forces the family to choose between their loyalties to one another and their loyalties to the department. Pride and Glory is directed by Gavin OConnor (Miracle). The screenplay is by Joe Carnahan & Gavin OConnor, story by Gavin OConnor & Gregory OConnor & Robert Hopes. The film is produced by Gregory OConnor, with Toby Emmerich, Cale Boyter and Marcus Viscidi serving as executive producers. Josh Fagan is the coproducer and Robert Hopes is the associate producer. Rounding out the main cast of Pride and Glory are Jennifer Ehle, John Ortiz, Shea Whigham, Frank Grillo, and Lake Bell.
Collaborating with Gavin OConnor behind the scenes were director of photography Declan Quinn, production designer Dan Leigh, editors Lisa Zeno Churgin and John Gilroy, costume designer Abigail Murray, and composer Mark Isham. New Line Cinema presents a Solaris Entertainment/OConnor Brothers Production, Pride and Glory. The film is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. Pride and Glory has been rated R by the MPAA for strong violence, pervasive language and brief drug content.
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heart, Norton says. It is about people confronting the necessity of telling the truth, and the difficulty of doing that at times. Rays core dilemma was a compelling one - having to decide between family loyalties and institutional loyalties, between the law and a kind of higher law. Without offering any judgments, its a fascinating dilemma for someone to have to confront. The main question that is raised is what is the tipping point? When is he no longer going to stand for things he knows are not right? When does he reach that moment when the scales tip in favor of telling the truth, despite the cost and the pain to his own family? Colin Farrell stars as Rays brother-in-law, Jimmy Egan, who straddles a dangerous line as a cop working both sides of the law and whose actions set the story in motion. The actor says he can understand the frustration of cops who are fighting an uphill battle. Theres always going to be drugs, theres always going to be violent crimes, and theres always going to be criminals. And theres always going to be police who are getting paid not a lot of money to put their lives on the line every day. I would imagine that if I were a police officer, it would get very frustrating to bust someone one day, and a week later theyre out on the street doing the same damn thing. That is part of the reason Jimmy does what he does. There are many examples of good people who do really terrible things in the name of an institution, Greg OConnor asserts. The institution itself is not evil, but by virtue of trying to protect its own, the people within are capable of bad things, even if it is ostensibly for the right reasons. Gavin OConnor emphasizes that, despite the characters and setting of Pride and Glory, the police have no monopoly on closing ranks against those on the outside, especially in the face of corruption. He notes there have been many examples in major institutions apart from law enforcement, including those in governments and big business. Institutions often define their own rules. I wanted to use the police department as a metaphor to explore that idea, he explains. Growing up, we always heard about the blue wall of silence. I wanted to explore the idea of that impenetrable code of honor between cops, and how words like pride and glory can be used to co-opt a good cop into participating in things he knows arent right. They say cops bleed blue, because they have their own blood ties. But outside of that blue wall, within their own families, they bleed red. If those two entities clashed, what would happen? Where would your loyalties lie? That was the genesis of the story.
The OConnor brothers worked with retired New York City Detective Robert Hopes to craft the story of Pride and Glory. Hopes also served as an associate producer and technical consultant on the film, noting, Gavin wanted it to be authentic. He wanted the terminology and the look to be right on the mark. Gavin then collaborated with his friend Joe Carnahan, the writer/director of such films as Narc and Smokin Aces, to write the screenplay about a multi-generational cop family who become embroiled in a murder/corruption scandal that rocks the entire New York City Police Department. BEHIND THE BADGE The first actor cast in Pride and Glory was Edward Norton. Gavin and I have always thought that Edward is among the finest actors in the world, so he was always at the top of our list to play Ray, Greg says. Gavin adds that Norton was integrally involved in the development of his role. We did a lot of biographical work on the character of Ray, who was a rising star in the NYPD until an earlier incident compromised his integrity and sent him into a kind of selfimposed exile, working in Missing Persons. For a detective in the NYPD, Missing Persons is like being banished to Siberia. A cop on the rise doesnt go to Missing Persons. Rays voluntary banishment comes to an end when his father, the Chief of Manhattan Detectives, comes to him on a volatile narcotics/homicide investigation involving the murder of four NYPD officers, including Rays onetime partner and best friend. Knowing it could have far-reaching ramifications for his department, the Chief practically begs Ray to take over the case and, reluctantly, Ray agrees. Norton says, I think Rays father, brothers and colleagues all think that Ray wants to get back into the game, but Rays secret is that hes more than ready to leave it all behind. I dont think anybody realizes the degree of his disillusionment because of the burden of another incident in his past. Rays dilemma is different from anything Ive ever played. Its a conflict between his own interests and his internal sense of right and wrong, between his loyalty to his comrades in arms and his loyalty to his family. It was an interesting challenge for me as an actor, Norton continues, because at first youre wondering, Whats with this guy? And then theres a slow peeling away of the layers leading to the truth.
The truth hits a lot closer to home than Ray ever imagined when the evidence begins to implicate members of his own department, including his brother-in-law, Jimmy Egan. Colin Farrell plays Jimmy, a cop who has allowed frustration and greed to chip away at the things he most valued, causing him to compromise both his career and his family, which are inextricably linked. Farrell relates, Jimmy is a cop who married into a family of cops - his wifes father and her two brothers are all cops. But somewhere along the way, he took a step over to the wrong side of the law. Just a little bit at first, but then he took another step, and another...and before he knew it, the line he crossed was completely out of his view. In many ways, he is a contradiction: with his family, there is a softness to him and a great ability to love, but he also has a great deal of anger and fear. Ive always been a big fan of Colins, says Gavin. I met with him and we talked at length about the story and what we were going for with the character of Jimmy. Our goal was how to convey the humanity in him and help the audience see what drove him over the line. After so many times of arresting guys and then seeing them right back on the streets, it kind of beat Jimmy up inside. When youve been bumping up against criminals for so long, you can go one way or the other. Jimmy finally came to this huge rationalization about how he could take advantage of his job in order to survive. The way Jimmy has run his life outside the house starts pervading through the walls of his home and touching his family. Thats when it all really hits the fan, Farrell states. There are absolute consequences for his actions; everyone involved has so much to lose. The far-reaching consequences of Jimmys actions go all the way up to the highest ranks of the police department and to the head of his family. For Jimmy, both are embodied in the same person: his father-in-law, Francis Tierney, Sr., who is the Chief of Manhattan Detectives. Jon Voight, who plays Chief Tierney, observes, Hes a man who loves his family and is also fiercely proud of the police heritage that he has passed down to his two sons, as well as his daughter, who married a cop. But now he has to deal with the fact that his own family may be involved in something that goes against everything he has stood for all his life - the idea of having pride in this vocation that is, by definition, self-sacrificing. We depend on the police to protect and take care of us, to keep our streets safe for our families, Voight adds, and they sometimes have to wade into very dangerous
territory to do this work. Its very important that they have ideals and are strong enough to hold onto those ideals under tremendous pressures. Jon really felt the spirit and energy of this movie and understood what we were trying to say, Gavin says. It was a joy and honor to work with him, and I think he gave a beautiful performance. Every one of us was excited about working with him, Greg affirms. Lets start with the fact that Jon is a legend. He brings a certain dignity and presence with him when he walks into the room; you believe he is the patriarch of this family. He represents a certain ethic of what it means to be a cop, and he taught that ethic to his sons. Noah Emmerich plays the elder of the Tierney sons, Francis Tierney, Jr., a police inspector who is dealing with crises on two fronts. The tragic murder of four of New Yorks finest is exploding into a scandal that could destroy his career and his family, and, all the while, his beloved wife, Abby, is in the end stages of cancer. This guy is such a tortured character, says Emmerich. His wife is dying, his career is falling apart, and he is being forced to come to terms with the choices hes made, which could lead to his own fall from grace. There is so much pain in this character, but there is also growth; he really changes over the course of the film. Thats always interesting to navigate as an actor. Pride and Glory marks Emmerichs third movie with the OConnor brothers, following Tumbleweeds and Miracle. We kind of feel like Noah is part of our acting troupe, Greg laughs. Hes just a great actor and, from the beginning, Gavin always had him in mind for the role of Francis Jr. The director offers, In some ways, Francis Jr. is the most difficult part in the movie because he has two internal conflicts going on that he has to somehow find a way to reconcile. He has the war going on at home to cope with his wifes illness, and he has the war going on in his precinct, which is imploding. That made it a very complicated role to play, which is why I wanted Noah. Abby Tierneys illness turns out to be not only a crucible but also a catalyst for her husband. One of the ironies about Abby is that even though she has cancer and is in the last stage of her life, in my opinion she is the strongest and most grounded character in the movie, says Emmerich. In fact, her strength resonates so palpably that it transforms Francis and gives him the strength to be a better man. Their relationship is so beautiful; its a true love.
Abby is played by award-winning stage actress Jennifer Ehle, who comments that in coming to terms with her own approaching death, Abby reminds her husband of his own moral code and lets him know that the most loving thing he can do for her now is to be the man she married and trusts with the lives of their children. Jennifer is an incredibly gifted actress, says Gavin. She was totally committed to the role. I hope I have the opportunity to work with her again; shes one of the greats. Jimmy Egans wife, Megan, at first has no idea of the depth of her husbands involvement in the police department scandal that is making headlines and driving a wedge between her brothers and her husband. But as the situation deteriorates, she cant help but become aware. Lake Bell, who plays the role of Megan, notes, She represents for Jimmy the ultimate consequences of his actions. He prides himself on being a wonderful husband and father, but hes starting to realize that what hes done could cost him his wife and children. Gavin recalls, The second Lake walked in, I knew she was Megan. She is a wonderful actress, and she embodied the character exactly as I had pictured her in my mind. I could also imagine her opposite Colin Farrell. The main cast ensemble of Pride and Glory also includes John Ortiz, Frank Grillo and Shea Whigham as, respectively, Ruben Santiago, Eddie Carbone and Kenny Dugan, three cops who, together with Jimmy Egan, have been working both sides of the law. Manny Perez plays Coco Dominguez, who, unfortunately for him, is holding information Jimmy wants and will do anything to get. Ramon Rodriguez plays Angel Tezo, a drug dealer and cop killer who is the target of a citywide manhunt, and Rick Gonzalez is Eladio Casado, a rival drug dealer, who is using the cops as much as they are using him. Every member of the cast brought so much to their roles, states Gavin. My attitude has always been that even if an actor is in only one scene, that character has as much value to the story as any of the leads. Every piece of the puzzle means so much because all those pieces accumulate to complete the story. I was so proud of all the actors in the movie because they truly poured themselves into their characters. TAKING IT TO THE STREETS Weeks prior to the start of principal photography, members of the cast began preparing for their roles, in both an emotional and practical sense. Authenticity was vital
to Gavin OConnor, which applied to the actors playing a family, as well as portraying cops. The central characters are a family with a shared history going back decades, the director explains. It is not just in the dialogue; its in the subtext. You have to feel it in their behavior and the way they relate to one another. So how do you create that feeling of familiarity in a relatively short amount of time? You do it by putting people in situations where they have to rub elbows day in and day out. We engaged in a workshop, where we created the back stories of the family and did a lot of improvisational work. Most importantly, it was all of us just hanging out and breaking bread together. The actors all agree that the workshop period greatly contributed to their family dynamic. Edward Norton confirms, The time spent together translated into a level of comfort and the kind of shorthand that families have. Scenes as a family are very challenging because its not about things being articulated; its about energy and flow. Emmerich recalls, It was a rolling continuum of exploration, improvisation and discussion. We really dove into the script, scene by scene, line by line. And we were able to come at it from different angles, which is hard for a writer alone in a room to do. Gavin encouraged us to question anything and everything and to feel free to speak up about any problems or ideas we had. We all responded to that pretty enthusiastically. It was very collaborative. A screenwriter and director in his own right, Norton says that kind of collaboration called for an uncommon commitment and generosity on the part of Gavin OConnor because it was not just about directing; there was authorship, too. Gavins level of passion for this project was really high. He was willing to have the material tested by everyone involved and handled it with an impressive amount of equanimity. I dont think he ever put the brakes on anyone. But that kind of rigor is also really good for a film because generally something really interesting comes out of the process. Even within the best laid plans, you have to embrace surprise and discovery. Gavin loves working with actors, and he wants them to be as fully invested in the movie as he is, Greg OConnor states. He also wants to get every detail right, both aesthetically and emotionally, beginning with the cast spending time together. In the case of our actors playing cops, he had them spend time with real cops, driving around with them, training where they train. It was all about getting into the skin of a cop, speaking the way they speak and understanding how they think.
We tried to have all the guys hang out with cops who were representative of who they were playing, Gavin reveals. Edward was hanging out with homicide detectives, Colin was riding with guys in the Special Narcotics Enforcement Unit, and Noah was with deputy inspectors. Our senior technical advisor Rick Tirelli was extremely helpful on that, as was our technical advisor, Tom Pilkington, and, of course, Robert Hopes. Tirelli, Pilkington and Hopes were also instrumental in recruiting several NYPD veterans to play police officers in the film, so many of the policemen in the opening crime scene investigation are actually retired cops. Several of the main cast members also traveled to the NYPDs training facility in the Bronx, where, Norton relates, We did a certain amount of weapons and tactical training because you want to try to move the way these guys are trained to move. That was really interesting, but in large measure, my preparation involved just talking to cops, hearing how they do what they do, and also drawing them out on how they would respond emotionally in these types of situations. I always find that aspect fascinating because, in a way, the best part of being an actor is what I call the classroom - learning everything you can about being a New York City police officer in four months. It was amazing. What was most impressive to me was the great camaraderie the police have, relates Colin Farrell, who was in a special position to observe their unique bond while training with the actual NYPD football team - The Finest - for the films opening scenes. You hear about the camaraderie between cops, but when you spend time with them, you really feel the vibe. We shot for a week in freezing cold on Coney Island. It was tough on those guys because they were still working their regular shifts as police officers. They gave me a hard time - as they should since I was the rookie in the group but it was great fun. I loved it. Pride and Glory is set in the winter and was filmed in the winter. But despite the cold weather and the challenges that came with it, Gavin chose to film Pride and Glory on location on the streets of New York City. The director asserts, It goes without saying that the elements, the textures and the ambiance are different on location than they are on a soundstage. It obviously looks more authentic to film in the actual locations, but it also feels more authentic to the entire cast and crew. So, despite having to deal with any obstacles, filming in New York was an important decision we made early on, and we stayed committed to it.
In capturing the gritty atmosphere of the streets and bringing it to the screen, Gavin worked closely with his creative team, including director of photography Declan Quinn, production designer Dan Leigh, and costume designer Abigail Murray. I spent a lot of time with Declan even before we began pre-production, says Gavin. He and I broke down every beat of the script and developed a very distinct visual style. One of the first things I said to him was that I wanted the audience to feel like they were inside the movie...like the story is swirling around them. From there, we started working with Dan and Abigail on the production design and costume design because we had come up with a very specific color palette. In post-production, Gavins attention turned to editing, working primarily with editor John Gilroy, and scoring the film, collaborating with composer Mark Isham. Gavin reflects, The process of making this movie with such talented people brought me so much joy and satisfaction. Everyone on the cast and crew was working together as a family to push the story forward and squeeze as much emotion and truth out of it as we could. Thats the magic - knowing you worked hard and gave it everything you could. After that, all any filmmaker can do is let it go and hope for the best, he smiles.
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Class 5 also formed a partnership with Brad Pitts Plan B and National Geographic to produce an epic 10-part series for HBO, based on Stephen Ambroses acclaimed book Undaunted Courage, about the Lewis and Clark expedition. Norton and Pitt will executive produce the series. Apart from his film work, Norton has been on the Board of New Yorks Signature Theater Company since 1994. In June of that year, Signature was selected by New Yorks then-Governor Pataki as the theater in residence at the new World Trade Center Arts Complex. Norton is also a committed social and environmental activist. Among his many philanthropic endeavors, he serves on the Board of Trustees of the Enterprise Foundation, which works to move families up and out of poverty and transform lowincome communities through the development of decent, affordable housing and social service networks. He also conceived and negotiated a groundbreaking arrangement with BP Solar to provide solar power technology to low-income homeowners in Los Angeles and New York. Another of Nortons projects is the Peacemakers Fund at Yale University, which will provide travel study grants that give college undergraduates opportunities to study in the Middle East in the interests of increasing our understanding of the people and cultures of that region. Norton is also one of the founding Board members of Friends of the High Line, an advocacy group working to convert an abandoned freight rail line into a spectacular park in Manhattans industrial West Side. COLIN FARRELL (Jimmy Egan) is an internationally renowned actor who has been recognized for his work in major studio releases and smaller independent features. Farrell is currently filming the fantasy drama Ondine, under the direction of Neil Jordan. The story revolves around an Irish fisherman who discovers a woman he thinks is a mermaid. He also recently completed production on Terry Gilliams The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnasus, alongside Jude Law and Johnny Depp, and the thriller Triage, for Bosnian director Danis Tanovic. All three films are due out in 2009. Farrell most recently starred opposite Brendan Gleeson in the independent film In Bruges, which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. The dark comedy follows a pair of hit men who hide out in Bruges, Belgium, after carrying out a difficult job in London. His recent film work also includes the Woody Allen film Cassandras Dream, which premiered at the 2007 Venice Film Festival; Michael Manns Miami Vice; and Robert Townes Ask the Dust, based on the novel by John Fante.
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Early in his film career, Farrell earned a London Film Critics Circle Award for his work in Joel Schumachers Tigerland. He later reunited with Schumacher in the thriller Phone Booth. Farrell was also nominated for an Empire Award for Best Actor for his role in Steven Spielbergs Minority Report. His other film credits include Terrence Malicks The New World; Oliver Stones Alexander; A Home at the End of the World, based on the novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Cunningham; Intermission; S.W.A.T.; Daredevil; Roger Donaldsons "The Recruit," opposite Al Pacino; Harts War; and American Outlaws. A native of Ireland, Farrell was born and raised in Castleknock, the son of Eamon Farrell and nephew of Tommy Farrell. Both Tommy and Eamon Farrell played for the Irish Football Club Shamrock Rovers in the 1960s and it was Colins early teenage ambition to follow in their footsteps. However, his interest soon turned towards acting and he joined the Gaiety School of Drama in Dublin. Before completing his course, Farrell landed a starring role in the miniseries "Falling for a Dancer," adapted by Deirdre Purcell from her own novel. He went on to star in the BBC series "Ballykissangel," and had a featured role in Tim Roth's directorial debut, "The War Zone." Farrell currently makes his home in Dublin, Ireland. JON VOIGHT (Francis Tierney, Sr.) is an Oscar-winning actor who has been a motion picture star for four decades, beginning in 1969 with his role in the groundbreaking Oscar-winning Best Picture Midnight Cowboy. Voight earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance as Joe Buck in the film, also winning a Golden Globe, a BAFTA Award, and Best Actor Awards from the New York Film Critics Association and the National Society of Film Critics. Voight won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his work in the 1978 drama Coming Home. For his portrayal of a Vietnam veteran who was paralyzed in the war, he also won a Golden Globe Award, as well as Best Actor honors from the Cannes Film Festival, the New York and Los Angeles Film Critics Associations, and the National Board of Review. Voight received his third Oscar nomination, for Best Actor, for his performance in Andrei Konchalovskys thriller Runaway Train. He earned his latest Oscar nomination, in the category of Best Supporting Actor, for his portrayal of Howard Cosell in Michael Manns biopic Ali, for which he also gained another Golden Globe nomination. In
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addition, he has garnered Golden Globe nominations for his roles in John Boormans classic actioner Deliverance, Franco Zeffirellis The Champ and Francis Ford Coppolas The Rainmaker. Voight was more recently seen in such films as the blockbuster Transformers, for director Michael Bay; the hit National Treasure and its sequel, National Treasure: Book of Secrets; Glory Road; and Jonathan Demmes remake of The Manchurian Candidate, with Meryl Streep. He also makes a cameo appearance as himself in the hit comedy Tropic Thunder. He is currently in the political comedy An American Carol, and will next be seen in the holiday comedy Four Christmases, due out in November. His long list of film credits also includes Andrew Davis Holes; Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, alongside his daughter, Angelina Jolie; Michael Bays Pearl Harbor; Ben Stillers Zoolander; Varsity Blues; Baby Geniuses, also serving as co-executive producer; Tony Scotts Enemy of the State; John Boormans The General; Oliver Stones U Turn; John Singletons Rosewood; Brian De Palmas blockbuster Mission: Impossible; Michael Manns Heat; Table for Five; The Odessa File; Conrack; The Revolutionary; and Mike Nichols Catch-22. Voight has also been honored for his work on television, most recently earning an Emmy Award nomination for his performance in the title role of the biopic John Paul II. He was previously Emmy-nominated for his work in the two-part drama Uprising. He was recognized by his peers with a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for his work in the telefilm The Five People You Meet in Heaven, based on the book by Mitch Albom. Voight also received a Golden Globe nomination for his role in the HBO movie The Last of His Tribe. His many television credits also include such longform projects as Jasper, Texas, Second String, Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story, Noahs Ark, Return to Lonesome Dove, and Chernobyl: The Final Warning. He made his directorial debut in 1995 with the Showtime movie The Tin Soldier, which was named Best Childrens Film at the Berlin Film Festival. On the stage, Voight made his Broadway debut as Rolf in the original production of The Sound of Music. In 1965, he starred opposite Robert Duvall in the acclaimed revival of Arthur Millers A View From the Bridge. He later starred at Los Angeles Ahmanson Theater in A Streetcar Named Desire, and was more recently seen offBroadway in Chekhovs The Seagull.
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NOAH EMMERICH (Francis Tierney, Jr.) counts Pride and Glory as his third collaboration with director Gavin OConnor. Emmerich previously co-starred with Kurt Russell in OConnors Miracle, about the US. Hockey Teams inspiring Gold Medal triumph at the 1980 Winter Olympics. He and OConnor first worked together when Emmerich appeared in Tumbleweeds. He most recently starred in Todd Fields award-winning 2006 drama Little Children, with Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly and Jackie Earle Haley. Emmerichs breakout role came in 1996 in Ted Demmes critically acclaimed feature Beautiful Girls, joining an ensemble cast, including Matt Dillon, Uma Thurman and Natalie Portman. Reuniting with Demme, Emmerich then appeared in Monument Ave. with Denis Leary, Billy Crudup and Martin Sheen. His next film was Peter Weirs widely praised drama The Truman Show, in which Emmerich co-starred with Jim Carrey and Laura Linney. Emmerichs other notable film credits include Martin Campbells Beyond Borders, with Angelina Jolie and Clive Owen; John Woos Windtalkers, with Nicolas Cage; Frequency, with Dennis Quaid; and Cop Land, with Sylvester Stallone, Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta. In August 2008, Emmerich starred in the off-Broadway debut of Stephen Belbers Fault Lines, directed by David Schwimmer as part of the New York Stage and Film Powerhouse Theater season. In 2004, Emmerich starred as Mitch in the Kennedy Centers presentation of Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire, opposite Patricia Clarkson and Amy Ryan, under the direction of Gary Hynes. Born and raised in New York City, Emmerich graduated with honors from Yale University with a degree in history. He went on to study filmmaking at New York University, where he wrote and directed the short film The Painter, which won a Cine Award in Washington, DC, and also screened at the International Film Festival of Barcelona, Spain. His second directing effort, The Date, won the Short Comedy Award at Houstons Worldfest Film Festival. JENNIFER EHLE (Abby Tierney) is an award-winning actress of both the stage and screen. The daughter of writer John Ehle and actress Rosemary Harris, Ehle took home her second Tony Award in 2007, for Best Featured Actress in a Play, for her threecharacter turn in Tom Stoppards epic trilogy The Coast of Utopia. She won the Best Actress in a Play Tony in 2000 for Stoppards The Real Thing. Her other film work includes director Neil LaButes Possession, with Aaron Eckhart and Gwyneth Paltrow,
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and Sunshine, with Ralph Fiennes, directed by Istvan Szabo. Ehle was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA for the role of Constance Lloyd Wilde in the Oscar Wilde biopic Wilde, in which she appeared alongside Stephen Fry, Jude Law and Vanessa Redgrave, and was among the stellar female cast of Paradise Road, which included Oscar-winning actresses Cate Blanchett, McDormand. For her work on the small screen, Ehle received the BAFTA Award for her starring role as Jane Austens beloved heroine Elizabeth Bennett in the acclaimed sixpart BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice, opposite Colin Firth. Frequently returning to the stage throughout her career, Ehle recently worked with Liev Schreiber in New York Citys Central Park as Lady Macbeth in The Publics Shakespeare in the Park production of Macbeth. Her other numerous stage credits include a season at The Royal Shakespeare Company; The Philadelphia Story, at Londons Old Vic opposite Kevin Spacey; Summer Folk, directed by Trevor Nunn at the National Theatre; and Tartuffe, under the direction of Sir Peter Hall. JOHN ORTIZ (Ruben Santiago) is an award-winning actor who honed his craft on the New York stage. He earned an Obie Award for his work in the off-Broadway production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot, and a Drama League Award for Jesus Hopped the A Train. He co-founded the LAByrinth Theater Company with a dozen fellow actors, among them Philip Seymour Hoffman, and has since appeared in numerous LAByrinth productions, including the lead in Jesus Iscariot, which Hoffman directed. Ortizs list of film credits is extensive, and in 2009 alone he will be seen in the Michael Mann feature Public Enemies, with Christian Bale and Johnny Depp; Fast & Furious, with Vin Diesel; and Two Lovers, with Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow. His most recent work includes Ridley Scotts American Gangster, with Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington; AVPR: Aliens vs. PredatorRequiem; El Cantante, starring Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony; and Manns Miami Vice, with Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx. Ortizs impressive list of film credits also includes Steven Spielbergs Amistad; Brian De Palmas Carlitos Way; Ron Howards Ransom; and Before Night Falls, directed by Julian Schnabel. On television, Ortiz recently completed work on Anatomy of Hope, a telefilm written and directed by JJ Abrams, and also stars in Blue Blood, a police drama from Glenn Close and Frances
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director Brett Ratner. He has appeared in Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and CSI: Miami, and was a regular in the series Clubhouse and The Job, with Denis Leary. A Brooklyn native, Ortiz has continually returned to the theatre in such productions as Broadways Anna in the Tropics, The Skin of our Teeth, with John Goodman at New Yorks Public Theater, and Cloud Tectonics at Playwrights Horizons. He has appeared regionally at the Mark Taper Forum, The Goodman, Hartford Stage, Arena Stage, Yale Repertory, South Coast Repertory and Cincinnati Playhouse. Ortiz has been seen internationally in The Persian and The Merchant of Venice, both directed by Peter Sellars, and has also performed in such cities as Paris, London, Berlin, and Edinburgh. LAKE BELL (Megan Egan) was last seen in Tom Vaughn's "What Happens in Vegas," with Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, and co-starred in "Over Her Dead Body," with Eva Longoria Parker and Paul Rudd. Bell received the Newport Beach Film Festival Award for Outstanding Performance in Acting for her work in the independent film "Under Still Waters." She has acted in a variety of indie films, including Speakeasy, from Project Greenlight alumnus Brendan Murphy, and writer/director Adam Goldbergs I Love Your Work, with Vince Vaughn, Jason Lee, Christina Ricci and Joshua Jackson. She will soon be seen in the upcoming Alex Gregory/Peter Huyck feature A Good Old Fashioned Orgy, with Leslie Bibb, Will Forte, Lindsay Sloan and Jason Sudeikis. On television, Bell had starring roles in Boston Legal, with William Shatner and James Spader, reprising her role from the The Practice, and in the sci-fi series "Surface." She also co-starred in Miss Match, with Alicia Silverstone. Additionally, Bell starred opposite Jeff Goldblum in the telefilm "War Stories," which followed journalists covering the civil war in Uzbekistan in the wake of the US. campaign in Afghanistan. Bell is a graduate of Londons prestigious Rose Bruford College, where she acted in productions of The Seagull and The Pentecost. Her additional London theatre credits include "Six Degrees of Separation" and "The Children's Hour." A native of New York City, Bell currently splits her time between New York and Los Angeles.
GAVIN OCONNOR (Director/Screenwriter) first gained attention when he directed the independent feature Tumbleweeds, starring Janet McTeer and Kimberly Brown. OConnor also co-wrote the screenplay with Angela Shelton, based on Sheltons childhood diaries. The mother-daughter road drama brought OConnor the Filmmakers Award at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival, and went on to earn widespread critical acclaim. In addition, McTeer earned several Best Actress honors for her performance, including Oscar and Independent Spirit Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award, while Brown won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress. OConnors next directing effort was the critically acclaimed 2004 hit Miracle, which was also his first major studio feature. The film starred Kurt Russell in the inspiring story of the US. Hockey Teams Gold Medal triumph at the 1980 Winter Olympics, including a stunning victory over the seemingly invincible Russian team. OConnor is currently in pre-production on the independent feature Warrior, a drama he co-wrote and will direct. In Warrior, the worlds fastest growing sport, Mixed Martial Arts, is explored in the cathartic tale of two estranged brothers on a collision course for the heavyweight championship of the world. Additionally, he is developing a comedy-drama titled Sunny and 68, about a professional poker superstar who suffers an epic meltdown on national television that ruins his career. Disgraced, in debt and on the run, he reluctantly returns to the bluecollar hometown he fled after high school, where he finds love and redemption through three generations of women who teach him what it is to be a man. OConnor also has a wide range of projects in various stages of development for different studios and production entities. A native New Yorker, OConnor began writing while studying at the University of Pennsylvania. After graduation, he moved back to New York, where he began his career writing short films and plays. OConnor made his screenwriting debut with the awardwinning short film The Bet, which also marked Ted Demmes film directorial debut. OConnor then wrote and directed the short film American Standoff. He also wrote several stage plays, including Rumblings of a Romance Renaissance, in which he costarred. OConnor has also directed several television projects, most recently including the telefilm The Prince. In addition, he served as a producer on the independent film
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The Slaughter Rule, starring Ryan Gosling, and as an executive producer on the documentaries The Smashing Machine and Mule Skinner Blues. JOE CARNAHAN (Screenwriter) most recently wrote and directed the dark action comedy Smokin Aces, featuring an all-star ensemble cast, including Jeremy Piven, Ben Affleck, Ryan Reynolds, Andy Garcia, Ray Liotta, Peter Berg and, in their motion picture debuts, Common and Alicia Keys. He previously wrote and directed the critically acclaimed police drama Narc, which premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. Carnahan earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Director for his work on the film. His first feature film was Blood, Guts, Bullets & Octane, which debuted at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival. Carnahan wrote, directed, produced and also starred in the film, which he financed with his own money. In addition, Carnahan wrote and directed BMWs innovative short internet film Ticker, starring Clive Owen, Don Cheadle and F Murray Abraham. Carnahans upcoming films include screen adaptations of James Ellroys White Jazz and Mark Bowdens Killing Pablo, both of which he is writing and directing. He is also a producer on The 4th Kind, a thriller starring Milla Jovovich, due out in 2009. For the small screen, Carnahan directed and executive produced the ABC crime drama Faceless. ROBERT HOPES (Story/Associate Producer/Technical Consultant) counts Pride and Glory as his first film credit. Born in Evanston, Illinois, and raised in New York, Hopes attended college at CW. Post and entered the New York City Police Academy right after graduation. He started out with the NYPD as a uniform police officer, eventually moving up to a plainclothes anti-crime unit. Hopes went on to be promoted to Detective, and worked in a variety of units, including Homicide, Narcotics and Robbery. In 1996, after 14 years with the NYPD, Hopes was injured in the line of duty and retired from the force. Hopes is currently the Senior Vice President of FJC Security Services, the largest privately owned and locally operated security services provider in the Tri-State area, where he oversees operations and quality.
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GREGORY OCONNOR (Producer) most recently produced the independent film The Speed of Life under the banner of Solaris Entertainment, the film and television production company he formed with his brother, director Gavin OConnor. Gregory OConnor previously co-produced the 2004 hit Miracle, starring Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson and Noah Emmerich, under the direction of Gavin. The film chronicled the stunning Gold Medal victory of the US. Hockey Team at the 1980 Winter Olympics, including their historic win over the dominant Russian team. The OConnor brothers founded Solaris Entertainment in 1999 following the success of their indie hit film Tumbleweeds, which Greg produced and also helped finance. Written and directed by Gavin, Tumbleweeds won the Filmmakers Award at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival and earned widespread acclaim. In addition, stars Janet McTeer and Kimberly Brown were both honored for their work in the film, with McTeer earning Academy Award nomination and winning a Golden Globe, and Brown winning an Independent Spirit Award. Greg OConnor went on to serve as an executive producer on the independent film The Slaughter Rule, starring Ryan Gosling. He also executive produced the documentaries Mule Skinner Blues and The Smashing Machine. OConnor is next producing the features Warrior, Boudicca, and Born to Rock. His company, Solaris, also has a wide range of film projects in development with various studios and independent financing companies. OConnor is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and currently lives in New York City and Los Angeles. CALE BOYTER (Executive Producer) joined New Line Cinema in 1998 as an executive assistant, working his way up the ranks to Senior Vice President and shepherding along some of the studios most successful films, including Elf, Wedding Crashers and A History of Violence. He also spearheaded the recent New Line Cinema releases Journey to the Center of the Earth, starring Brendan Fraser, and Semi-Pro, starring Will Ferrell. In early 2008, Boyter joined Metro-Goldwyn-Mayers newly-formed Worldwide Motion Picture Group, where he is Executive Vice President, responsible for the oversight of new film projects currently in development.
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MARCUS VISCIDI (Executive Producer) most recently produced The Last Kiss from director Tony Goldwyn and Rendition, starring Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal. Viscidi will executive produce the upcoming project Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, currently scheduled to hit theatres in 2009. Viscidis other production credits include "Shopgirl," directed by Anand Tucker, an adaptation of Steve Martin's novel; Richard Linklaters update of "Bad News Bears," starring Billy Bob Thornton; "Wicker Park" starring Josh Hartnett; and William Friedkin's "The Hunted," starring Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio Del Toro. Viscidi has collaborated four times with director Tom DiCillo, for the films "Living in Oblivion," "The Real Blonde," "Double Whammy" and "Box of Moonlight." In addition, Viscidi served as a producer on John Schlesinger's "The Next Best Thing," starring Madonna and Rupert Everett; "Mad Love," starring Drew Barrymore and Chris O'Donnell; "Courtship," written by Horton Foote; Daniel Petrie's "Rocket Gibraltar," starring Burt Lancaster and Macaulay Culkin; "Signs of Life"; and the screen version of Lanford Wilson's "Lemon Sky," which won a Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Viscidis television producer credits include the American Playhouse productions of Katherine Anne Porter's "Noon Wine," Eudora Welty's "The Wide Net" and Keith Reddin's off-Broadway play "Big Time." For the stage, he was a producer on the Tony Award-nominated Broadway play "Honour," which starred Jane Alexander and Laura Linney. DECLAN QUINN (Director of Photography) is an award-winning
cinematographer, earning Independent Spirit Awards for his work on Mike Figgis Leaving Las Vegas, Jim Sheridans In America and Mira Nairs Kama Sutra. He received an Emmy Award nomination for his work on Nairs telefilm Hysterical Blindness, and took home the Sundance Film Festival Cinematography Award for the feature drama 2by4. He recently completed work on the ensemble film New York, I Love You, and on writer/director Rebecca Millers The Private Lives of Pippa Lee. Throughout his career, Quinn has repeatedly worked with such notable directors as Jonathan Demme, on his upcoming documentary Neil Young Trunk Show, the recent feature release Rachel Getting Married and on the documentary Cousin Bobby; Figgis, on Cold Creek Manor and One Night Stand; Sheridan, on Get Rich or Die Tryin; Nair, on Vanity Fair, Monsoon Wedding and her segment of the
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upcoming ensemble film 8; Neil Jordan, on Breakfast on Pluto; Louis Malle, on Uncle Vanya on 42nd Street; Julian Schnabel, on his documentary Lou Reeds Berlin; Joel Schumacher, on Flawless; Betty Thomas, on 28 Days; and Neil Burger, on his recent release The Lucky Ones. Quinn still enjoys the hands-on experience, operating the camera for Martin Scorsese on the Rolling Stones documentary Shine a Light and for Demmes docs Neil Young: Heart of Gold and Jimmy Carter Man From Plains, which won multiple prizes at the 2007 Venice Film Festival, including the Collateral Award for Best Biography. DAN LEIGH (Production Designer) recently completed the Kate Hudson starrer Bride Wars, for director Gary Winick, and the HBO film Taking Chance, directed by Ross Katz. Leigh designed both Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Be Kind Rewind for Michel Gondry. He designed three films for director Tony Goldwyn: The Last Kiss, Someone Like You and A Walk on the Moon. Leighs other film credits include: Moiss Kaufmans The Laramie Project, for HBO; two films for Boaz Yakin, A Price Above Rubies, starring Rene Zellweger, and Fresh, starring Samuel L Jackson; Julian Schnabels Basquiat; and two films for Joan Micklin Silver, Loverboy, with Patrick Dempsey, and Crossing Delancey, with Amy Irving and Peter Riegert. Leigh has also designed for television, including the pilot episode of ABCs Dirty Sexy Money, starring Peter Krause. Leigh began his design career working in the theatre on and off-Broadway, regional theatre, Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. LISA ZENO CHURGIN (Editor) earned an Academy Award nomination for her work on Lasse Hallstrms The Cider House Rules. She is currently at work on The Ugly Truth, directed by Robert Luketic and starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler. Her other film credits include Mark Pellingtons Henry Poole Is Here, Tony Goldwyns The Last Kiss and the upcoming Tenderness, starring Russell Crowe. In addition, she has edited such diverse films as Curtis Hansons In Her Shoes; House of Sand and Fog; The Wedding Planner; Brad Silberlings Moonlight Mile; Waking Up in Reno; 200 Cigarettes; Gattaca; Bob Roberts and Dead Man Walking, for director Tim
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Robbins; Unstrung Heroes; Ben Stillers feature film directorial debut Reality Bites; and Closet Land. As an assistant editor, Churgin earned her stripes on such highly acclaimed films as Lawrence Kasdans The Accidental Tourist, Peter Bogdanovichs Mask, Milos Formans Ragtime, Martin Scorseses Raging Bull, and Walter Hills The Long Riders and The Warriors. JOHN GILROY (Editor) counts Pride and Glory as his third feature film collaboration with Gavin OConnor, having previously teamed with him on the sports drama Miracle and the acclaimed independent film Tumbleweeds. He recently edited Michael Clayton, a feature written and directed by his brother, Tony Gilroy, for which John was nominated for both a BAFTA Award and an AC.E. Eddie Award. He is currently working with Tony Gilroy again on the upcoming film Duplicity, starring Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti. Gilroy has also worked several times with writer/director Joe Carnahan, editing the police drama Narc and Ticker, a short film in BMW Films The Hire short film series. Gilroy won a Clio Award for his work on the latter. His other editing credits include Trust the Man, starring Julianne Moore, David Duchovny, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Billy Crudup; First Born, starring Elisabeth Shue; Suspect Zero, starring Aaron Eckhart, Carrie-Anne Moss and Ben Kingsley; Shadow Magic, starring Jared Harris and Yu Xia; and Billy Madison, starring Adam Sandler. Gilroy graduated Dartmouth College and came up through the editing ranks in the 80s, working as an assistant editor on numerous features, including two by Francis Ford Coppola, Peggy Sue Got Married and Gardens of Stone. His first editing credit was The Luckiest Man in the World, written and directed by his father, Frank D Gilroy. ABIGAIL MURRAY (Costume Designer) is director Gary Fleders costume designer of choice, having worked with him most recently on The Express, and on his previous films Runaway Jury, Kiss the Girls, Things to Do in Denver When Youre Dead and Imposter. Murrays other feature credits include Masked and Anonymous, Scream 3, Dogma, For Richer or Poorer, The Proprietor, Airborne, True Identity, Tremors and Bloodhounds of Broadway. A native of Philadelphia, Murray studied in New York City at the prestigious Parsons School of Design and Fashion Institute of Technology. She began her career in
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theatre both on and off-Broadway and in opera. She counts among her many stage credits productions of A Man for All Seasons, The Hotel Play, Moon for the Misbegotten and As You Like It. She started her film career under the tutelage of Tony Walton, on Sidney Lumets Deathtrap. Murray has also designed for the small screen, most notably on the acclaimed series The Black Donnellys, with Paul Haggis. She worked with director Fleder on The Evidence, Finnegan and Life on Mars. MARK ISHAM (Composer) is a Grammy, Emmy, and Clio Award-winning musician, honored for his work as both a composer and a recording artist. In 2006, he received ASCAPs Henry Mancini Award for Lifetime Achievement, and he was earlier recognized with Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. Some of his latest work can be heard in the October release The Express, which marked his fourth outing with director Gary Fleder, for whom Isham also scored Kiss the Girls, Dont Say a Word and Imposter. His other recently completed film scores are for The Women, The Secret Life of Bees and the upcoming film Crossing Over, from writer/director Wayne Kramer, starring Harrison Ford and Sean Penn. Isham collaborated with Gavin OConnor once before, scoring his film Miracle. The composers style is also evident in his memorable scores for such films as Robert Redfords A River Runs Through It, which brought Isham an Oscar nomination; Michael Apteds Nell, for which he received his Golden Globe nod; and the Oscar-winning Crash, for which Isham's score was named Best Soundtrack of 2005 by Cinescape.com. Ishams many other film career highlights include Bobby, The Black Dahlia, Eight Below, The Cooler, Men of Honor, October Sky, Blade and Reversal of Fortune, to name only a few. To date, Isham has composed more than 80 film scores, exploring a wide range of musical styles, including a traditional orchestral approach, modern minimalism, big band swing, avant-garde jazz, Americana, world music, ambient electronica, and others that defy categorization. As an accomplished trumpet player, Ishams solo recordings span from electric jazz and classic acoustic jazz to New Age and ethnic world music. His solo albums have received critical acclaim all over the world. He received a Grammy Award for his release Mark Isham, and nominations for his albums Castalia and Tibet. The London Times
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named Miles Remembered the Best Jazz Album of 1999, and his CD Blue Sun was chosen by Downbeat Magazine as one of the Top 100 Jazz Albums of the Decade. Isham has collaborated with some of the top artists in the music business, and his classic trumpet voice has graced the albums of such diverse performers as Bruce Springsteen, Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett, Ziggy Marley, Joni Mitchell, the Rolling Stones, Chris Isaak, and Van Morrison.
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