March 17th, 2011
Dear Friends,
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Please join me tonight in raising a glass of good cheer to all our Irish brothers and sisters! I will be spending an enchanting evening filled with music, song, dance and poetry readings at Royce Hall with my fellow countrymen and conductor /composer Eimear Noon. Yours truly will be reading W.B. Yeat’s, Easter 1916.
I have just returned home after completing principal photography on "I Don’t Know How She Does It" in New York City with the lovely and incomparable Sara Jessica Parker. Based on Allison Pearson’s bestselling book and directed by Douglas McGrath, the talented cast of this romantic comedy also includes Greg Kinnear, Olivia Munn and Kelsey Grammer.
I was also in Ireland recently to introduce Her Excellency Mary McAleese at the Irish Film and Television Awards (where I happily collected an award for Best Supporting Actor for "The Ghostwriter"). I then had the privilege of speaking to a group of Irish film students associated with Cinemagic (a Belfast-based organization) at Pepperdine University. It is inspiring to watch the next generation of artists come up through the ranks.
Next up, I will be working in Italy on a film tentatively titled "All You Need Is Love," with Susan Bier who won an Oscar this year for the Best Foreign Language Film, "In a Better World." This delightful love story mixes the lighthearted with serious and humorous and begins production on the Almalfi coast this spring. I encourage you check out Susan’s movies, including "After the Wedding" and "Open Hearts" to name a few.
This summer look for "Salvation Boulevard" in theatres near you. Based on a novel of the same name, Salvation Boulevard written by Larry Beinhart and directed by George Radliff, follows a former Deadhead-turned-born-again-Christian who finds himself on the run from fundamentalist members of his mega church who will do anything to protect their larger than life pastor (yours truly). Greg Kinnear, Ed Harris, Marisa Tomei, Sam Elliot, Jim Gaffigan, and Jennifer Connolly contributed to this hilarious all-star cast.
I am deeply saddened and distressed by the tragedy, loss of life, suffering and hardship that has befallen Japan. There are no words to adequately express my feelings of sorrow. Life turns in a moment and always reminds us what a gift each day truly is. My thoughts and prayers are with our Japanese friends at this difficult time.
Love and only love,
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