Life and Dead(wood) Connection
April 4, 2008 10:40 AM Subscribe
What's (or who's) the connection between the TV shows "Deadwood" and "Life"?
So, I am watching "Life" on line and am really enjoying it. Strangely enough, actors who played major and minor characters on "Deadwood" are showing up in "Life." So far, there's Robin Weigert in a major role and then bit players like Garrett Dillahunt, William Sanderson and Michael Harney making appearances -- and I haven't even finished watching the first season. I know that good people tend to get hired, but this seems like more than a coincidence. Anybody know what's going on?
So, I am watching "Life" on line and am really enjoying it. Strangely enough, actors who played major and minor characters on "Deadwood" are showing up in "Life." So far, there's Robin Weigert in a major role and then bit players like Garrett Dillahunt, William Sanderson and Michael Harney making appearances -- and I haven't even finished watching the first season. I know that good people tend to get hired, but this seems like more than a coincidence. Anybody know what's going on?
Nothing leaps out from IMDB -- no common writers, directors, producers. If I had to guess, I'd speculate that either someone at "Life" is a "Deadwood" fan, or just that all these people were pounced upon en masse by the same casting director as soon as s/he heard a critically acclaimed show had been canceled.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 10:55 AM on April 4, 2008
posted by kittens for breakfast at 10:55 AM on April 4, 2008
Also, Garrett Dillahunt is in EVERYTHING.
posted by grumblebee at 10:56 AM on April 4, 2008
posted by grumblebee at 10:56 AM on April 4, 2008
I don't know of any direct connection, but a lot of the actors from the critically acclaimed HBO series have been getting work. I believe Robin Weigert was also on Law & Order, Numbers, Lost. Sarah Shahi from Life was Tony Sopranos' Las Vegas girlfriend for an episode. Off the top of my head I've seen Lance Reddick, Andre Royo, and Michael K Williams from The Wire in a lot of things.
Maybe someone can find a direct casting director link but I think it could be as simple as the HBO shows giving them a great chance to shine as character actors so they get more roles on network TV.
posted by sharkfu at 10:57 AM on April 4, 2008
Maybe someone can find a direct casting director link but I think it could be as simple as the HBO shows giving them a great chance to shine as character actors so they get more roles on network TV.
posted by sharkfu at 10:57 AM on April 4, 2008
Actors often suggest each other. I'm a small-fry in the entertainment industry. I run a little, off-off-Broadway company. But it even works on my scale. I cast one guy in a play, and I'm looking for other actors. The first guy says, "I have some friends. We worked together on another show. Would you read them for the parts?"
And I jump at the chance, because I think, "They've already all worked together. They already have chemistry with each other. And they're less likely to leave my show than strangers would be, because if they leave, they'll be leaving their friends."
This sort of thing happens on all levels. How did Vincent D'onofrio get his iconic role in "Full Metal Jacket?" He was friends with Matthew Modine, who was already cast. Modine convinced Kubrick to audition D'onofrio.
posted by grumblebee at 11:00 AM on April 4, 2008
And I jump at the chance, because I think, "They've already all worked together. They already have chemistry with each other. And they're less likely to leave my show than strangers would be, because if they leave, they'll be leaving their friends."
This sort of thing happens on all levels. How did Vincent D'onofrio get his iconic role in "Full Metal Jacket?" He was friends with Matthew Modine, who was already cast. Modine convinced Kubrick to audition D'onofrio.
posted by grumblebee at 11:00 AM on April 4, 2008
I don't see any obvious correlations (i.e. same casting or production staff) between their respective records on IMDB. I see that Life Director Daniel Sackheim directed a few episodes of Deadwood creator David Milch's NYPD Blue, which seems a little tenuous, and could as easily be treated as more evidence of some unknown connection than the connection itself. Then again, Deadwood has a pretty huge cast. It could all be a coincidence.
posted by nanojath at 11:17 AM on April 4, 2008
posted by nanojath at 11:17 AM on April 4, 2008
Response by poster: . . . found another one! Titus Welliver (Silas Adams in Deadwood). You're probably all right. Once you're in or hot, you're in or hot (at least for a while) and who you know really does matter.
. . . still not quite over the non-ending of "Deadwood", but it's nice to see the faces popping up here and there - although it does mean they'll probably never get them all together for the rumored wrap up movie.
posted by nnk at 1:01 PM on April 4, 2008
. . . still not quite over the non-ending of "Deadwood", but it's nice to see the faces popping up here and there - although it does mean they'll probably never get them all together for the rumored wrap up movie.
posted by nnk at 1:01 PM on April 4, 2008
Mostly on-topic: you can plug random actors in at Oracle of Bacon and find the connections between them
posted by meta_eli at 1:43 PM on April 4, 2008
posted by meta_eli at 1:43 PM on April 4, 2008
I have a friend in LA that is a Deadwood fan. I emailed her your question and this was her response:
I guess if you want to post my response, it would be...
Not sure what the exact link is, but obviously Deadwood was loaded with great actors, and is a gold mine of talent!
A few weeks ago on the fabulous Television Without Pity website My Motivation Is... thread I did a whole series about that... (you have to scroll down a little--it's post #21355)
http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3142036&st=21345
At about the same time, I had special bumperstickers made up that were based on "Life." They have this extra Steve-McQueen style picture of lead actor Damian Lewis in his car, which fans have started to call the Crewser, since his character is Charlie Crews. Well, Charlie got into Zen while he was falsely imprisoned for a triple homicide, so he tries not to be attached to material objects, including the Crewser, which he clearly loves. He even will chant "I am not attached to this car" while zooming along in it. My bumperstickers read "My other car is the "Crewser" ...but I am not attached to it." I'd had these stickers only one day and had given out a few to pals at work who are also "Life"-rs. That night, on my way home, I stopped at my local Trader Joe's, and just as I finished shopping I realised that one of the Deadwood/Life actors, Michael Harney, was in line checking out! (He played Steve the drunken racist hoople on Deadwood and plays Garrity, Charlie's Union representative on Life). I made eye contact and swooped on in right behind him. I quickly but calmly dug into my bag and handed him one of the bumper stickers and said "Michael, I have something for you." Michael's eyes went wide when he realized what the stickers were about and asked me where I got them, to which I proudly said I'd had them made up special. He was very sweet and charming, and wondered several times if and how he knew me. I said, "You don't, but I know you."
Then I told him I had something else to show him, and I happened to have a print-out of the "Life After Deadwood" series I had made for the Motivators thread over in the TWOP Rec Room, since I had been sharing those this weekend with a fellow Deadwood/Life Lover!
He started to go through them, grinning, and said "There are a lot of us!" When he got to his own picture, about how "Hanging out with Charlie sure beats a kick in the head," he said, "Who's this guy?" I complimented him on his acting—eluding to the fact that he often plays thankless characters and I appreciated him for it. I gave him my "business" card (which is way more like a prank) and a couple more of the bumper stickers to take to the Life production offices. I told him that I had seen him at this market a couple times before, and "I'm not a stalker, but sometimes the universe just takes a hand, you know?" (is that Zen?), and we parted warmly, with Michael saying "God bless you" a couple of times. It is worth noting that at the time I had 6 things in my cart—including mango slices, blueberries and yes, a personal pineapple, which is very key to Life fans!
Not sure if you've gotten to that epsiode yet, but you might be stoked to know that still another Deadwood actor will be showing up, Titus Welliver (Silas Adams), and in a very pivotal role. I nearly levitated when I realized it was him, in a very powerful moment. Also, the guy who plays Charlie's old partner, Bobby (Brent Sexton), played Harry Manning on Deadwood. Brent cleans up purty, and I didn't recognize him until several episodes in.
Life is a great show itself, but it has really helped me through the Deadwood grieving process. I just hope Ian McShane shows up as the Bank of Los Angeles CFO who conspired on the robbery with Jack Reese!
Me again: I am sending her the link to this post so she can read responses and possibly join Mefi.
posted by vermontlife at 9:35 AM on April 5, 2008
I guess if you want to post my response, it would be...
Not sure what the exact link is, but obviously Deadwood was loaded with great actors, and is a gold mine of talent!
A few weeks ago on the fabulous Television Without Pity website My Motivation Is... thread I did a whole series about that... (you have to scroll down a little--it's post #21355)
http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3142036&st=21345
At about the same time, I had special bumperstickers made up that were based on "Life." They have this extra Steve-McQueen style picture of lead actor Damian Lewis in his car, which fans have started to call the Crewser, since his character is Charlie Crews. Well, Charlie got into Zen while he was falsely imprisoned for a triple homicide, so he tries not to be attached to material objects, including the Crewser, which he clearly loves. He even will chant "I am not attached to this car" while zooming along in it. My bumperstickers read "My other car is the "Crewser" ...but I am not attached to it." I'd had these stickers only one day and had given out a few to pals at work who are also "Life"-rs. That night, on my way home, I stopped at my local Trader Joe's, and just as I finished shopping I realised that one of the Deadwood/Life actors, Michael Harney, was in line checking out! (He played Steve the drunken racist hoople on Deadwood and plays Garrity, Charlie's Union representative on Life). I made eye contact and swooped on in right behind him. I quickly but calmly dug into my bag and handed him one of the bumper stickers and said "Michael, I have something for you." Michael's eyes went wide when he realized what the stickers were about and asked me where I got them, to which I proudly said I'd had them made up special. He was very sweet and charming, and wondered several times if and how he knew me. I said, "You don't, but I know you."
Then I told him I had something else to show him, and I happened to have a print-out of the "Life After Deadwood" series I had made for the Motivators thread over in the TWOP Rec Room, since I had been sharing those this weekend with a fellow Deadwood/Life Lover!
He started to go through them, grinning, and said "There are a lot of us!" When he got to his own picture, about how "Hanging out with Charlie sure beats a kick in the head," he said, "Who's this guy?" I complimented him on his acting—eluding to the fact that he often plays thankless characters and I appreciated him for it. I gave him my "business" card (which is way more like a prank) and a couple more of the bumper stickers to take to the Life production offices. I told him that I had seen him at this market a couple times before, and "I'm not a stalker, but sometimes the universe just takes a hand, you know?" (is that Zen?), and we parted warmly, with Michael saying "God bless you" a couple of times. It is worth noting that at the time I had 6 things in my cart—including mango slices, blueberries and yes, a personal pineapple, which is very key to Life fans!
Not sure if you've gotten to that epsiode yet, but you might be stoked to know that still another Deadwood actor will be showing up, Titus Welliver (Silas Adams), and in a very pivotal role. I nearly levitated when I realized it was him, in a very powerful moment. Also, the guy who plays Charlie's old partner, Bobby (Brent Sexton), played Harry Manning on Deadwood. Brent cleans up purty, and I didn't recognize him until several episodes in.
Life is a great show itself, but it has really helped me through the Deadwood grieving process. I just hope Ian McShane shows up as the Bank of Los Angeles CFO who conspired on the robbery with Jack Reese!
Me again: I am sending her the link to this post so she can read responses and possibly join Mefi.
posted by vermontlife at 9:35 AM on April 5, 2008
Response by poster: Wow!
I know there's a Charlie Crews (or is it Alan Watts he's listening too?) quote in here somewhere about everything being
connected . . . ! Cool stuff.
posted by nnk at 2:28 PM on April 5, 2008
I know there's a Charlie Crews (or is it Alan Watts he's listening too?) quote in here somewhere about everything being
connected . . . ! Cool stuff.
posted by nnk at 2:28 PM on April 5, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by grumblebee at 10:55 AM on April 4, 2008