Here are some responses to questions:
"I had an interesting question for you. I was wondering if while recording the OBCR, did you do the Mark hands? What I mean, is like the way you move your hands while you sing. When I saw you in LSOH you kind of did the hands and I was just wondering. Also, do/did you do the hands while recording the soundtrack for the movie? And will you being doing them in the movie? I think the hands adds character, and was just wondering. Thanks."
What can I say? I tend to have spastic hands.
Honestly, I don't try to make them do anything special, I just allow them to move in the way that they want to. I imagine if you saw videotape of me singing in the studio my hands would be spazzing out just about as much as they did onstage. We'll see how much they'll spazz out on film.
" If I may ask- why were you disappointed in the program? Sorry to go back to this, but that was the college I was really leaning towards, so I wanted your opinion on it. Thanks!"
Well, this was over 15 years ago now, so I have no idea if the program is different now or not, but for the cost I thought the artistic training was severely lacking. It felt like a factory, with very little emphasis on developing students' voices and points of view, and too much emphasis on setting up a cool shot. But I would encourage you to do some research and see if the tone there has shifted at all in the intervening years.
"Also- is it true they're cutting out Halloween..?"
As of now, Halloween is in the film. I think that it will stay in the film, but until the film is released, you never know what might happen in the meantime.
"Hey, are you in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences?"
Not yet, but I'd like to be, and I think I meet all the criteria. I think there's a process of vetting and applying and having other Academy members write letters of rec on your behalf or something. I'm going to investigate it. I am a SAG member, though, and I do vote for those awards. I'm doing my best to see all of the nominees in the film categories. It's too hard for me to see all of the tv performances, so I don't always vote for those categories.
"I take it you didn't like Catch Me If You Can or Titanic"
I pretty much didn't like Catch Me If You Can, but I thought there was a lot to admire about Titanic. I'm not sure it was a great film, by any means, but it was incredibly well put together, and some of the performances were wonderful, especially those of Kate Winslet, Frances Farmer, and all of the ship's crew members. As for Leo, I thought he was severely miscast in Titanic. being from the midwest myself, I can tell you there was nothing remotely midwestern about his portrayal. He's too much of a Southern California boy in that film, if you ask me. And I just think that Kate blew him out of the water, no pun intended, with her depth and poise and heart. But as I said, in at least two films I think he's been pretty incredible, so I don't have a vendetta against him or anything. Tobey Maguire, on the other hand, drives me *NUTS.* As does Jim Carrey, except in Eternal Sunshine. Which is a movie I really liked, although I thought the screenplay was even more powerful than the film.
"So what do you think of Sideways, Million Dollar Baby and all the hype surrounding them, and Kinsey and all the hype not surrounding it?"
I really loved Sideways, which surprised me. I loved Alexander Payne's film Election (it was darkly funny and true and very very sad, with great performances), and then hated his film About Schmidt (it was condescening to its characters and Jack Nicholson was all *wrong* for that role. My friend and I felt swindled after leaving that theatre), so I was worried he was heading in the wrong direction. But I found Sideways to be amazingly funny, compassionate, dark, and complicated, and *everyone* was great in it.
As for Million Dollar Baby, I thought the performances were very strong (especially Clint Eastwood's -- who knew he could be that great?) and the feel of the movie was remarkably intimate and dark and somber, with a nice amount of offhanded humor. But overall, the story just feels conventional, although Clint Eastwood dressed it up in a nice package. He made the film better than it had a right to be. I really really thought Mystic River was a big overrated piece of hackery, but I thought Million Dollar Baby was a nice step froward from there. Although the scenes with Hillary Swank's family were way too grotesque and over the top.
A for Kinsey, I look forward to seeing it, which I will do this weekend. I want to catch that and Hotel Rwanda and House of Flying Daggers asap.
Speaking of films, have you seen Bad Education? I'm not sure it's Almodovar's best film, but he is always a deeply interesting filmmaker, and this one doesn't fail to be innovative, compelling, and filled with wonderful ideas. And Gael Garcia Bernal is incredible in it. (While I'm talking about him, let me also highly recommend Y Tu Mama Tambien to those of you who haven't seen it.)
"Do you have any upcoming tv appearances such as "Regis and Kelly" or "the tony danza show"?"
Ummmm, nope, not lately.
The show that I'd love to get the chance to do is Ellen's show. I think she's hilarious and a wonderful interviewer. I imagine that we're all going to have lots of opportunities to do publicity when Rent is released, although I don't know how they're going to relegate the duties between the eight of us. I'm hopeful that we'll get to perform live on a couple of shows, demonstrating that it's not just studio and movie trickery that got us to sing onscreen. We shall see, though. That's well down the road.
"BTW, how is your book coming? are you finding any time to work on it?"
I sent my editor my latest draft back in November, and I am awaiting his notes so I can make whatever changes he thinks are necessary. Hopefully the book will come out around the same time as the film, although that's uncertain at this point, because publishing schedules are figured out way in advance. I will certainly keep you posted as I find out more. Thanks for your interest in it.
"How is everybody liking their stay in SF?"
I think we're all enjoying SF, but we have precious little time to really explore the city, because we're spending long hours working on the film. We get the pleasure of experiencing the amazing view of the city from Treasure Island every day, though, so that's a huge bonus.
"Will you be wearing the sweater you wore for the obc at one point or the current "mark sweater" or will it just be random costumeing"
All of that is getting figured out as we go.
"You have been talking alot about table dancing and what not and who is doing well but i haven't heard very much about Adam Pascal. How is he doing? Is What you Own in the Film and how is that being done?"
Adam's been great. There is a wonderful opportunity he has in this film to show people how intimate and beautiful his voice can be when he doesn't have to blast it to the back wall of the theatre. And he is as heartfelt and alive and passionate in his work as ever. I love singing with him so much.
And What You Own is very definitely in the film. The logistics of how it will be shot are still getting worked out, but I don't want to say too much about it anyway, because there have to be some things left your imaginations!
All right, have a great day everyone --
Anthony
It really does add to your characters. Do you talk with your hands too? I tend to do that sometimes. I look forward to seeing the hands in the movie. 
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