143 replies to this topic

[Prettyeyes]

Not suprisingly, Boardwalk Empire's cast has an impressive pedigree. Case in point: star Steve Buscemi, who is not only a great actor, as proven by his Emmy-winning role in The Sopranos, HBO's other mob drama, he's also a great director whose ccredits include some Sopranos episodes and feature films like the prison drama Animal Farm.

As for co-star Michael Pitt, he was great in Last Days, Gus Van Sant's film loosely based on the last days in the life of a rock star and in Murder By Numbers, opposite Sandra Bullock and Ryan Gosling. Michael Shannon, another cast member, gave a brilliant, Oscar-nominated performance in Revolutionary Road.

Snitch about any BE cast member's other acting roles here.

[braggtastic]

Omar comin'! Omar comin'!

[TWoP Howard]

This should be a very short thread, because I’ve never heard of any of these people.

Seriously, I am so excited about Michael K. Williams! It also seems like a very different role for Steve Buscemi. I don’t think I’ve seen him as the lead before.

I remember Kelly MacDonald from the original version of State of Play. And I’ve been a Dabney Coleman fan from way back in the Buffalo Bill days. This should be fun.

[AimingforYoko]

It also seems like a very different role for Steve Buscemi. I don’t think I’ve seen him as the lead before.

He did an indie film called Interview where he was the co-lead with Sienna Miller (when she famously dissed Pittsburgh). That's about it though.

[Puds38]

Omar comin'! Omar comin'!

Honestly as much as I like Steve Buscemi I am most excited about Michael K Williams back on my tv.

Edited by Puds38, Sep 16, 2010 @ 11:54 PM.

[Prettyeyes]

It also seems like a very different role for Steve Buscemi. I don't think I've seen him as the lead before.

Steve Buscemi also played the lead in Parting Glances, which was one of the first and one of the best films to deal with AIDS.

Michael Pitt was also on Dawson's Creek, as the QB of the school football team.

[Love]

Michael Pitt was also on Dawson's Creek, as the QB of the school football team.

OMG!! Henry. Jen's younger BF. That's where I know him from. I was thinking daytime, ER guest star for some reason. Thank you.

[Scorpiosrule]

I have to admit. Steve Buscemi is the ONLY name I recognize. But I love this era and it looks like it'll be an awesome series, so I'm in it, regardless.

[sopheeso]

Kelly Macdonald was also in Nanny McPhee as Evangeline. Dabney Coleman was in 9 to 5 many many years ago. Otherwise I don't recognize the cast, save Steve Buscemi.

[kathy999]

I remember Steve B from several films including "Fargo", and Mr. Pink in "Reservoir Dogs". He is really a great actor, IMHO. And if I remember correctly, "Sopranos" didn't have any big name actors, and look what happened to it! Can't wait for the show tonight.

[Scorpiosrule]

Dabney Coleman was in 9 to 5

D'OH! I forgot about Coleman! I remember him! And Buscemi was also in The Wedding Singer. He was HIlarious!

I'm so psyched for this show, even if Capone doesn't look like what he's supposed to.

[Carabosse]

Kelly Macdonald was also in Gosford Park and Trainspotting.

[Bucky FourEyes]

I'll always think of Michael Pitt as Tommy Gnosis in Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

[Carabosse]

I mostly remember Michael Pitt for The Dreamers.

[VirgoTaurus]

I mostly remember Michael Pitt for The Dreamers.

The full frontal helps me remember that movie, he was also in Bully with Brad Renfro and Nick Stahl as well as being the singer/guitarist for the band Pagoda.

[eejm]

Kelly Macdonald was also in Gosford Park and Trainspotting.

I still remember her most from Trainspotting, as Rent Boy's very underage girlfriend. She also had a good role as Josh Brolin's wife in No Country for Old Men.

[kimberly617]

I remember Kelly McDonald best from her role in No Country for Old Men. She played Josh Brolins wife and she broke my heart with the way that Javier Bardem charachter murdered her. It was not shown but her Carla Jean was innocent and he hunted her down and murdered her just for being married to Josh Brolin. Even though it was not shown it gave me shivers the way that Javier exited the house and looked at the bottom of his boots to make sure he did not have her blood on them.

I adore Steve Buscemi since he first came really to my attention in Armegeddon where he stole all his scenes as Rockhound, Reservoir Dogs and finally his wonderful performance in Ghost World.

But the one I would like you all to look for is Danny Burstein. He has a small role as "Lolly". IN the first episode Lolly calls to say that the gangster has won over 90,000. Danny came to my attention recently when I saw him on PBS during their presentation of the broadway revival of South Pacific. Danny played "Luther Billis" and was phenomonal. I hope they increase his role a little here because he is really one to watch.

Edited by TWoP Howard, Sep 20, 2010 @ 8:37 PM.
Removed unnecessary spoiler tags

[KLeewrite]

It does look like Scorsese/Winter use the same casting director as the Coen Brothers do. Besides Steve Buscemi ("Fargo) and Kelly MacDonald ("No Country for Old Men"), Michael Stuhlbarg, who plays Arnie Rothstein, played the lead in last year's "A Serious Man." He was such a nebbish in that movie (realistic and sympathetic, but a nebbish just the same), and here, he's so still, which increases the sense of power. Totally different performances without changing much.

[Whisperia]

For those of you who recognized Molly Parker in the picture of Nucky's dead wife Mabel, I'm going to go ahead and recommend that you dig up the Canadian show Twitch City. It's about 10 years old and is only 13 half hour episodes. It was a comedy starring Don McKellar, Molly Parker and Callum Keith Rennie, centered on an agoraphobe who stays home and watches TV all the time. It's truly a hidden gem, and I'd rank it up there as one of the best TV series to ever come out of Canada.

[hardy har]

There are so many great actors on this show I can barely stand it.

I am slightly embarrassed about how I psyched I am that Kelly MacDonald is a regular on a television show. She so fucking good. You guys have mentioned several of her movies, so I throw out The Girl In the Cafe, The Merry Gentleman and Choke.

I know Shea Whigham (Nucky's brother) from Tigerland, All The Real Girls and The Killing Room.

The first time I ever noticed Michael Shannon was due to a movie called Bug. I am under the impression that not many people like that movie, but I do and MS was so very awesome and I've been a fan ever since.

ETA: It just occurred to me that Paz De La Huerta (Lucy) was in Choke as well. She also played the girl at the orphanage who had a crush on Homer in The Cider House Rules.

Edited by hardy har, Sep 20, 2010 @ 11:23 AM.

[Deanie87]

ll always think of Michael Pitt as Tommy Gnosis in Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

Me too and I guess that is why I don't associate him with Leo DiCaprio. As much as I love Leo, I can't picture him falling in love with a transsexual rock star.

[cherry malotte]

My first Michael Pitt sighting was in Finding Forrester, a guilty pleasure film of mine. It's just a bit role but he plays his character really well, very understated.

Kelly MacDonald! I can't think of any film she's been in that I haven't liked, or didn't enjoy her performance. I also loved her in No Country but probably my fave role of hers next to Gosford Park is Two Family House. It plays on IFC occasionally and is well worth putting in your Netflix queue.

I must have blinked and missed Dabney.

Edited by cherry malotte, Sep 20, 2010 @ 6:15 PM.

[eejm]

I must have blinked and missed Dabney.

He was the Commodore, the older guy Nucky talked with about 3/4 of the way through the episode. He didn't look anything like I remembered, but the 30 years ago 9 to 5 Dabney is the one that sticks out most in my mind. Still, I didn't even think his voice sounded the same.

Edited by eejm, Sep 20, 2010 @ 6:02 PM.

[lindseysaunt]

I happened upon Public Enemies (the John Dillinger pic with Johnny Depp) on Saturday. While not the same period it got me in gangster state of mind. So when I thought the actor playing Al Capone last night on BE looked familiar I had to check...Stephen Graham was Baby Face Nelson in PE, imagine that....

[Scorpiosrule]

While not the same period it got me in gangster state of mind.

Rewatching Bugsy, Goodfellas and Casino did that for me, lol. I tried to watch Public Enemies, because I fucking love Christian Bale and Johnny Depp, but it put me to sleep, it was that slow and not very fast moving. sigh...and here I missed out on seeing Graham as Baby Faced Nelson. I could have sworn it was someone else; at least I can bring it up On Demand and check it out again.

[Souvien]

Michael Shannon is GD intense...Willem Dafoe level! He makes "The Runaways" worth watching...Nolan should consider him for a villian in the future Batman movie...

[Carabosse]

Other good Michael Shannon appearances were in the John Waters comedy "Cecil B. Demented" and in the Civil War-era horror film "Dead Birds".

[braggtastic]

I just saw Michael Shannon in The Runaways, playing their manager Kim Fowler. We finished watching it about an hour before Boardwalk Empire began, so when I saw his name in the credits, I recognized it right away. Shannon wasn't even a hey-it's-that-guy to me when Runaways started (at first I thought he was Eddie Izzard), but after Sundays one/two punch, I won't forget his name or face now.

[eejm]

Martin Klebba was one of the dwarves boxing when Al and Jimmy were discussing the booze run. Klebba sometimes appears on Little People, Big World, as he's known the Roloffs for several years.

[Medium Rare]

One of the guys who was gunned down during the heist — at least I think that he was killed — played Mo on the sadly departed Brotherhood on Showtime.