Special Reports

From Kristen Bell to Christopher Walken, Today We're Thankful for Leftovers

We cleaned out our office and found some tasty forgotten delights on the cutting-room floor, including a video clip of ”Hedwig” director Michael Mayer showing us that he just doesn’t mess around.

Sometimes the tastiest parts of an interview get left on the cutting-room floor. As you savor your leftovers from this mega-Thanksgiving week, we're taking out our Tupperware full of cuts and serving you up a pile of our favorite interview leftovers.


Kristen Bell
Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell, on responsible parenting and the nudity in Hair:

"I love responsible parenting, but I also love the reality of teaching kids not to be afraid of their body. This was something historical and I would have no problem telling my daughter why these hippies did what they did and what they believed in. I think it's really important to allow kids to know who they are, and part of that means exploring their sexuality. I'm not saying when they're five years old, but you don't want to tell a sixteen-year-old, 'We're not going to talk about sex.'"


Megan Fairchild
Megan Fairchild
(© David Gordon)

New York City Ballet star Megan Fairchild on naming certain dance steps in On the Town:

"My favorite is 'sexy frog.' I came up with that one. I come flying in with all my appendages out. It used to just be called 'sexy,' and I said I feel more like a frog. So we called it 'flying frog.' And then we merged the two. There's a part I named 'stitches.' Once mid-show I hit [co-star Tony Yazbeck] accidentally. I whispered 'Are you ok?' and he said 'yeah.' And then we separated and I just see blood coming down. But I didn't tell him. I was trying to make sure he didn't find out.'"


Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken
(© David Gordon)

Christopher Walken on working with animals in Peter Pan Live!:

"We have dogs — Nana — and Nana has an understudy. They're amazing. They do things. Not like cats. It's interesting that there are no cats in Peter Pan. They don't put a lot of cats in shows. Marlon Brando's cat was in The Godfather, you know. Next time you see that movie…the cat was really good. It's amazing."

(Stay tuned for our full interview with the full cast of Peter Pan Live!)


Scott Ellis
Scott Ellis
(© David Gordon)

Scott Ellis, director of Broadway's You Can't Take It With You, The Elephant Man, and On the Twentieth Century, on dancing:

"I started my career as an actor who moved. I can dance and move, but I'm not a dancer. Put me in a dance call…no way. Every time I go to these calls, I'm totally blown away. These people come in and dance the way they dance and sing, and act. You have to do it all now…and sometimes play instruments! I would never have had a career if I started now. The talent is just remarkable."


Hedwig and the Angry Inch director Michael Mayer on the most important way to use a sword:


Featured In This Story

On the Town

Closed: September 6, 2015

The Elephant Man

Closed: February 21, 2015