steve waddington and the eric schweig interview

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: thank you myrrh and caitlin for your messages!

: i am surprised to hear that steven was only 20 or 21 at the filming of LOTM.  i thought he would have been about 25 or 26.  this is what i find lacking in all the information on the net about him -- totally no mention of any personal bio for instance, birth place, age, how and why he got into acting, married or single, does he have kids, what are his interests, and so forth.

: his power and control as an actor comes across stongly in the scene in "ivanhoe" where the hero seeks his father's forgiveness.  steven plays the moment so eloquently, with such wonderful balance between restrain in the face of his father's unjust accusations and the need to restore his honour.

: the sheer physicality of two huge men clashing literally leaps off the screen.  the scene climaxes with ivanhoe pushing his father from him, asserting his manhood.  the air is fraught with violence and anger spent.  the hero having had his say asks beseechingly, softly, of his father, "am i not worthy ... father?"

: this beautifully-nuanced simple line accentuates the earlier sound and fury, and serves also to close the moment. this is marvellous stuff!  tears spring to the father's eyes as he realises how he has mis-judged his loyal and brave son, and they embrace.  all is forgiven! 

: i just love it when it comes together, a great script and an excellent performance!!

: eric schweig.  i've been reading the interview and was struck by how centered he is.  so many parts in that interview leave an impression of an intelligent, caring and sensitive individual.  
: eg. "basically as human beings we know the difference between right and wrong.  things usually turn out if u do it that way."  
: eg. "... regardless of the fact of whether it's art or not, it does have an impact on people ... on kids and their perception of the real ... and the same thing can happen in the movies ... it changes the way they see things ... its not a paradigm change, but it affects them ..."
: eg. " ... you know what i am into it?  keeping kids away from anything to do with ... i wouldn't want them to live like i lived from ... you know ... when i was drunk for 10 years ... because its ugly and its not us ..."
: eg. "These kids are our future and they're gonna bat for us ... the general public dosen't like to see that kind of ugliness but its the truth.  Its also the truth that you have to do something about it."

: in LOTM, i thought that the DDL and madeline stowe romance lacked something, like the chemistry wasn't all there.  eric and jodhi on the other hand, without words managed to convey a passion that soars.  why is this so?  a sense of our rooting for the underdog perhaps?  somehow hawkeye and cora give the impression of being able to survive anything.  

: or perhaps its the actors themselves, what they come to the filming with. like jodhi's supposed to be this really, really quiet alone person and eric his abused childhood and wild years?

: finally, many thanks to rich and elaine for keeping this web site alive!  i deeply appreciate that you take the time to help me in my search.



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