Posted 10:23 AM by Blah blah

Tom Hanks: Charlie Rose Interview

Wow, I just listened to this FANTASTIC one hour interview with Tom Hanks. (RealPlayer) As usual, Charlie Rose is THE best interview show on television. Period. Charlie always has on the most accomplished, mind-blowing, and relevant people of today. On his website you hear most of his interviews for yourself in streaming audio.

Hanks is not only incredibly sharp about the movie/TV business, he's very humble and self-effacing. One reason for his great success. If you listen carefully, you gain a great deal of insight into how ideas for movies (or TV miniseries like his Band of Brothers on HBO) get turned into reality. He talks about what it means to supposedly be "the most powerful person in Hollywood," about Steven Spielberg's working style and what makes him a directing genius, about his own career, and how making movies like Philadelphia and Castaway emotionally affected him. Talks about the stroke of luck that led his wife Rita Wilson to going to see Nia Vardalos's one-woman show in LA, which ultimately led Hanks' production company to make My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

One thing Hanks emphasizes: even for someone with his clout, there are many film/TV projects he'd love to get made, that he knows are IMPOSSIBLE to get made. He says the economic risks and realities are too dominating in the biz for even him to get what his artistic sense would tell him. The best luxury of his position, he says, is being able to say NO to projects that he dislikes or don't suit him. Saying NO is the result of success in the biz, not an option for most entertainment people.