Simon Baker: The white guy for the role
From:Boston Herald
Date:January 29, 2006
By Stephen Schaefer
Simon Baker was exactly what was prescribed for the lighthearted, interracial romantic comedy "Something New," opening Friday.
"Visually, I wanted that iconic blue-eyed blond thing," producer Stephanie Allain said about her search for a white guy who would generate enough heat that Sanaa Lathan’s character could abandon her resolve to date only African-American men.
The first time Baker sat down to read with Lathan, Allain said, "We knew. We’d auditioned 40 guys already"
Baker and Lathan hit it off.
"We had a ball and got on really well. I think two people either jell together or they don’t," he said.
The 36-year-old Aussie, best known for three seasons on CBS’ "The Guardian" and as Rachel’s (Naomi Watts) boyfriend in “The Ring 2,” was surprised to find himself a romantic comedy hottie.
"I’ve never set out to be a romantic figure in movies," Baker said during a one-on-one interview. "In fact, I hadn’t done a romantic role before. And in this, I was pretty much the straight man. The jokes were all around and about me."
Unlike earlier films that made racial differences the entire focus, "Something New" achieves a nice balance, Baker said.
"The social issue with race and the collision of two cultures and the humor and drama that comes out of that social issue - it’s essentially two people falling in love, two people getting out of their head and trusting what they’re feeling."
For Baker, trusting one’s feelings is a motto for how he lives.
Baker’s looks won him work in TV commercials and then a series. By the time he was 22, he trusted his gut and took the plunge: He moved to America with his wife, actress Rebecca Riggs (“Farscape”), and their 2-year-old daughter.
"I had nothing lined up. We had enough money to last about 10 weeks and we thought, 'We’ll see what happens.' At the time, it didn't seem that adventurous, but in hindsight it was. We lived here for 10 years."
Baker won a role in his first Los Angeles meeting. The film was the instant classic "L.A. Confidential."
This past year Baker and his family, now expanded to three children, returned to Sydney.
"My family is a great solid foundation for me," he said.
From Boston Herald .
Date:January 29, 2006
By Stephen Schaefer
Simon Baker was exactly what was prescribed for the lighthearted, interracial romantic comedy "Something New," opening Friday.
"Visually, I wanted that iconic blue-eyed blond thing," producer Stephanie Allain said about her search for a white guy who would generate enough heat that Sanaa Lathan’s character could abandon her resolve to date only African-American men.
The first time Baker sat down to read with Lathan, Allain said, "We knew. We’d auditioned 40 guys already"
Baker and Lathan hit it off.
"We had a ball and got on really well. I think two people either jell together or they don’t," he said.
The 36-year-old Aussie, best known for three seasons on CBS’ "The Guardian" and as Rachel’s (Naomi Watts) boyfriend in “The Ring 2,” was surprised to find himself a romantic comedy hottie.
"I’ve never set out to be a romantic figure in movies," Baker said during a one-on-one interview. "In fact, I hadn’t done a romantic role before. And in this, I was pretty much the straight man. The jokes were all around and about me."
Unlike earlier films that made racial differences the entire focus, "Something New" achieves a nice balance, Baker said.
"The social issue with race and the collision of two cultures and the humor and drama that comes out of that social issue - it’s essentially two people falling in love, two people getting out of their head and trusting what they’re feeling."
For Baker, trusting one’s feelings is a motto for how he lives.
Baker’s looks won him work in TV commercials and then a series. By the time he was 22, he trusted his gut and took the plunge: He moved to America with his wife, actress Rebecca Riggs (“Farscape”), and their 2-year-old daughter.
"I had nothing lined up. We had enough money to last about 10 weeks and we thought, 'We’ll see what happens.' At the time, it didn't seem that adventurous, but in hindsight it was. We lived here for 10 years."
Baker won a role in his first Los Angeles meeting. The film was the instant classic "L.A. Confidential."
This past year Baker and his family, now expanded to three children, returned to Sydney.
"My family is a great solid foundation for me," he said.
From Boston Herald .
posted by nikita | 8:16 PM
<< Home