Det. Robert O. Goren / Vincent D'Onofrio, Discuss the character and the actor Options

[Lia]

Actually, Fonda was nominated on several occasions, and won for On Golden Pond. I believe he also won a Golden Globe, and I am fairly sure he won a BAFTA. He also won a Tony for his stage creation of Mr Roberts. Edward G Robinson's career spanned some of the biggest movies of the day, back in his heyday of the '40s, and he received top billing over Bogart on many occasions. He was never nominated - and should have been - but he didn't have much face in Hollywood post-McCarthy (to protect himself, Robinson had 'named names' during the House Un-American Activities witchhunt). Still, he made a comeback to co-star in a number of top movies.

Lia, I don't think a 'win' is necessary to be recognised. I do think VDO needs to move to the next level of his career, to be a presence in films where he can be nominated, where he can move up from the minor indie ranks. I love indie films myself, and I love smallish films, too. VDO's indies are not often even easy to find on DVD. ( I suspect that his new-found fame has prompted a few TV movie channels to rummage through their collections for D'Onofrio flicks.) His parts, with some exceptions, are small as well.

Now, he can keep on doing little films and supporting parts, or he can join the company of the greats. Here is a career path that I would like VDO to parallel. Sir Anthony Hopkins made his name in both mainstream, indie and art-house Merchant Ivory flicks, and he has been recognised by the industry, by his country, and by the film-going world at large. He chose good films, good parts, I think, without sacrificing "art", and as he rose in recognition, his choice of roles magnified. IMO, VDO needs better offers, or to make better choices, and the latter usually affects the former.

Yes, Fonda was nominated, and won an Oscar as he departed this world,but I was speaking more for those that do great work and are never recognized. There are many. As for Edward G. Robinson, many fine actors, directors, and producers of that time had to make the same horrible decision to keep their careers afloat. It was an awful time in America. Some paid the price for speaking up, and some paid the price for not speaking up. There are films on this subject alone that show what a strange time that was. If that were happening today, I can think of many people in Hollywood that look like they would possibly fold too. We don't know how any of the people we love today would react to such a bizarre witch hunt.

I think you make great points. D'Onofrio is one of many actors that do TV that have to make the risky decision of how to proceed from there. TV is regular work. Great films are harder to come by. I think it shows artistic guts to decide to go after parts in films that may not make a bold statement, but rather simply portray some in depth look at the human psyche...like he did in The Whole Wide World, or as the father in Thumbsucker, and so on and so on. It's just my personal feeling that whether he takes a lead in a major film or not I feel that he has made a contribution to the art of films even thus far and with talent like his, will continue to do so.

[easterlily07]

I don't disagree that more mainstream roles would bring him the success, fame and fortune that we so desperately crave for him (LOL) but here's a quote from the man himself in 2003 that may answer where he'll be going next.

"I'm never going to stop being a character actor," he says. "I'm never going to stop having my imagination. You know, my good friends think that every choice I make, I make it to destroy my career. It's actually just because I'm interested in that far-out stuff -- you know, sometimes. And sometimes I'm interested in just everyday men that I could play."

from the Orlando Sentinel, courtesy the reel.

Thanks for posting of 'the man's' thoughts about his career, rowe! I like how the quote includes the comment about his good friends, and how they feel about his choices. No one can tell ya better about the road they are going down than the person on it!

[Lia]

Thanks for posting of 'the man's' thoughts about his career, rowe! I like how the quote includes the comment about his good friends, and how they feel about his choices. No one can tell ya better about the road they are going down than the person on it!

easterlily07 - You said it!

[naydi]

Good God, I cannot believe we are talking about his teeth!

Well, it has been and will continue to be a long time until February 6th!!!

Wait - Was there a serious discussion about his teeth on here somewhere? Here I thought we were discussing the ridiculousness of people making a grand and heated discussion about the fact that the man had done something to his teeth? A far more nuanced conversation than the descriptions thereafter seem to want to imply....

HOWEVER, it is still a conversation that wouldn't have happened if we actually had a television program to be talking about!!


dagnabit

[naydi]

Is it that he feels comfortable and safe in what he is doing? Not pushing the envelope to get into the mainstream films, but lending his talents and name to indie films to help make them work? Maybe taking the road less traveled is more important to him? (Love Robert Frost poems! )

We could analyze the what fors and what ifs, but it boils down to the what he wants to do, and the way he wants his career to go. Does that make him less of an actor? Would we like him less?

No and No.

Nice quote link, rowe! I've read either that one or 1 or 2 others like it. I, actually, don't really care if he takes his career to the "next level" or keeps doing what he does as long as he does it somewhere that I can ACTUALLY SEE HIM do it. Roles as small as that in The Break Up he's too far above having to take (which he didn't - did it as a favor), even before joining LOCI. Any return to or interweaving of a film career, I would hope it to be at least at the 'go-to' level he had started establishing for himself. Only things that I would HATE to see happen is for him to fade off into obscurity or to make a move into more cached forms of acting such as repeats of the film short that we all have yet to, and probably never will, see or acting exclusively on the stage. In those arenas, he might find a way to be pretty happy, but, for me as a fan of not unlimited means, it'd suck!

royally

[easterlily07]

No and No.

Nice quote link, rowe! I've read either that one or 1 or 2 others like it. I, actually, don't really care if he takes his career to the "next level" or keeps doing what he does as long as he does it somewhere that I can ACTUALLY SEE HIM do it. Roles as small as that in The Break Up he's too far above having to take (which he didn't - did it as a favor), even before joining LOCI. Any return to or interweaving of a film career, I would hope it to be at least at the 'go-to' level he had started establishing for himself. Only things that I would HATE to see happen is for him to fade off into obscurity or to make a move into more cached forms of acting such as repeats of the film short that we all have yet to, and probably never will, see or acting exclusively on the stage. In those arenas, he might find a way to be pretty happy, but, for me as a fan of not unlimited means, it'd suck!

royally

I agree naydi,

It would suck royally if he just performed on stage (for us). Mountainburg, Arkansas is not very close to NY....and we don't have the means to 'just go there' (although I would love to). I can't imagine him disappearing into obscurity....I think acting is too strong of a pull for him.

[CvlSrvnt]

as long as he does it somewhere that I can ACTUALLY SEE HIM do it.

As long as we're composing a list of wishes and wants, how 'bout a publicist. I've heard that he has no use for one, but I sure as h#ll do. It would be a lot easier to see some of the things he's done if we knew where and when he was doing them, and how to get copies of them when he was done (like the aforementioned "Five Minutes, Mr Welles"), etc. It would also be lovely to have a reliable source of verifiable information - much as I love The Reel, we have no guarantees that their information is not as much comprised of rumor and misinformation as any other site. It would be nice to get it "from the horse's mouth," or somewhere reasonably close.

[Lia]

I know yesterday I saw some posts on this thread about a couple of websites, and I can't find them now. I came back to right down the links that I thought I saw and the posts seem to be gone. Of course I may imagining things. One of them was about a VDO website and the other was about Christopher Walken website. I think that they were websites that were put together by rowenaine. Can anyone confirm if I am right about what I saw and what the links are? I would like to check them out. maybe it was on another thread. Help.

[peachybc]

Lia,

Rowe moved those posts to the "Off Topic" thread -- at least I think she did.

[rowenaaine]

Lia,

Rowe moved those posts to the "Off Topic" thread -- at least I think she did.

Yep that was me. We were waaaaaaaaaaaay off topic, and it was all my fault. LOL

Sorry Lia - you'll find all the comments over in the OT thread.

[CI fan]

Wait - Was there a serious discussion about his teeth on here somewhere? Here I thought we were discussing the ridiculousness of people making a grand and heated discussion about the fact that the man had done something to his teeth? A far more nuanced conversation than the descriptions thereafter seem to want to imply....

HOWEVER, it is still a conversation that wouldn't have happened if we actually had a television program to be talking about!!
dagnabit

As always, Naydi, you kill me!

[Not_saying]

I don't disagree that more mainstream roles would bring him the success, fame and fortune that we so desperately crave for him (LOL) but here's a quote from the man himself in 2003 that may answer where he'll be going next.

"I'm never going to stop being a character actor," he says. "I'm never going to stop having my imagination. You know, my good friends think that every choice I make, I make it to destroy my career. It's actually just because I'm interested in that far-out stuff -- you know, sometimes. And sometimes I'm interested in just everyday men that I could play."

from the Orlando Sentinel, courtesy the reel.

You know I think thats part of what I've been so Interested or attracted too not sure what word would discribe it .

But , I think it's great that he feels that way .

and You put it quiet well Rowe .

But , he has to be the one happy in the end with what he's doing .
whether it's on the tv show or on movies even off broadway productions.

And we can't really keep him in our view forever. as much as we want to . eventually the envitable would be that he want's to just do either a small bit part movie or big part movie once in a while or an off or on broadway play. that we can't see.

I personally I want to add Just want to see him continuelly content with his work whether it be the show/tv or off broadway or a movie .

Would anyone here agree with this?


decieded to realter my post alil

[CI fan]

QUOTE(rowenaaine @ Jan 28 2007, 09:53 AM) I don't disagree that more mainstream roles would bring him the success, fame and fortune that we so desperately crave for him (LOL) but here's a quote from the man himself in 2003 that may answer where he'll be going next.

"I'm never going to stop being a character actor," he says. "I'm never going to stop having my imagination. You know, my good friends think that every choice I make, I make it to destroy my career. It's actually just because I'm interested in that far-out stuff -- you know, sometimes. And sometimes I'm interested in just everyday men that I could play."

from the Orlando Sentinel, courtesy the reel.


You know I think thats part of what I've been so Interested or attracted too not sure what word would discribe it .

But , I think it's great that he feels that way .

and You put it quiet well Rowe .

But , he has to be the one happy in the end with what he's doing .
whether it's on the tv show or on movies even off broadway productions.

And we can't really keep him in our view forever. as much as we want to . eventually the envitable would be that he want's to just do either a small bit part movie or big part movie once in a while or an off or on broadway play. that we can't see.

I personally I want to add Just want to see him continuelly content with his work whether it be the show/tv or off broadway or a movie .

Would anyone here agree with this?


decieded to realter my post alil

You are covering all your bases, aren't you? Thinking VDO might be reading this?

Seriously, we all want the man to be happy. We just want to be happy too!

[Bobby'sGirl]

I read somewhere that VDO said that since he's been on LOCI, people have started recognizing him (how could they not have before?). It sounded like he wasn't too happy about it. It seems like he's right about where he wants to be professionally: doing great work while staying just under the radar. Well, OTHER people's radar.

[rowenaaine]

I read somewhere that VDO said that since he's been on LOCI, people have started recognizing him (how could they not have before?). It sounded like he wasn't too happy about it. It seems like he's right about where he wants to be professionally: doing great work while staying just under the radar. Well, OTHER people's radar.

Hi Bobby'sGirl! I responded to one of your posts already, but here's where I get to say my "Welcome" spiel. I DO hope you will introduce yourself to us in the Welcome topic and that you continue to post. We are glad to have another LOCI fan in our midst.

I've read in a few interviews that VDO is definitely recognized more due to the show, especially in NY. But he sounded as though it was a part of the job and that he didn't mind stopping to sign autographs when going out for a quart of milk. I think what he doesn't like is American (and British) tabloid obsession. Part of the reason he loves Australia, not just because he lived there and his daughter was born there, is because they seem to accept actors as people rather than celebrities. They know who he is, and yet he feels he can come and go without being hassled. (My word-I've never seen him use the word hassled-I have only seen him say "you have to be gracious" when talking about stopping to talk to fans.)

We can only hope he's happy with what he's doing, but I imagine we'll know soon enough once we hear whether the show is being renewed and if he's coming back.

rowe

[Not_saying]

Hi Bobby'sGirl! I responded to one of your posts already, but here's where I get to say my "Welcome" spiel. I DO hope you will introduce yourself to us in the Welcome topic and that you continue to post. We are glad to have another LOCI fan in our midst.

I've read in a few interviews that VDO is definitely recognized more due to the show, especially in NY. But he sounded as though it was a part of the job and that he didn't mind stopping to sign autographs when going out for a quart of milk. I think what he doesn't like is American (and British) tabloid obsession. Part of the reason he loves Australia, not just because he lived there and his daughter was born there, is because they seem to accept actors as people rather than celebrities. They know who he is, and yet he feels he can come and go without being hassled. (My word-I've never seen him use the word hassled-I have only seen him say "you have to be gracious" when talking about stopping to talk to fans.)

We can only hope he's happy with what he's doing, but I imagine we'll know soon enough once we hear whether the show is being renewed and if he's coming back.

rowe

CI fan yes I am .and I Hoping actually he is reading this . And rowe I can't blame him one bit for disliking the british and american tabloids one bit.

and question would anyone here object to have a birthday thread on his bday even though he'd most likely never see it I thought it would be a nice gesture from us to him on his bday.and many apologies for going off top . lol just got curious if you 'd all like to do that if mis mod rowe would allow .lol

[DonnaLucy]

OK, what is going on with that head of hair?

I am posing this question and would appreciate your imput, friends.
Goren's hair is getting super long because...

1. VDO is growing it out for a summer movie project unknown to us.

2. VDO thinks the longer hair makes him look younger & slimmer?

3. Goren character is too busy & distracted with mother issues to get a haircut.



Naydi suggested we put the weed wacker to his head.

[alliehalliwell]

OK, what is going on with that head of hair?

I am posing this question and would appreciate your imput, friends.
Goren's hair is getting super long because...

1. VDO is growing it out for a summer movie project unknown to us.

2. VDO thinks the longer hair makes him look younger & slimmer?

3. Goren character is too busy & distracted with mother issues to get a haircut.



Naydi suggested we put the weed wacker to his head.

Um...I'm thinking that you're over thinking here. Remember S4? In the ep 'Want' VDO's hair was pretty long. I think it's just how he feels like he should wear his hair. Doesn't really mean anything. But of course, I could always be wrong. IF he is doing an upcoming project, please, anyone let me know. I'll rush right out to watch whatever movie he's doing.

[DonnaLucy]

Um...I'm thinking that you're over thinking here. Remember S4? In the ep 'Want' VDO's hair was pretty long. I think it's just how he feels like he should wear his hair. Doesn't really mean anything. But of course, I could always be wrong. IF he is doing an upcoming project, please, anyone let me know. I'll rush right out to watch whatever movie he's doing.

Allie,

I do overthink about VDO, its true!
However, his hair was long in the beginning of Season 4 because he was filming his 30 minute short film "Five Minutes, Mr. Welles." and his hair had to be long for that film. Once it wrapped up, he cut his hair.

That's why I'm wondering if the same thing is happening here.

Well, I guess we'll find out in due time.

[soright]

Please ladies, keep the weed-whacker in check: I kinda like the bedhead look.

Long or short style - I think Goren looks great either way, but I like him looking more filled out all over, even his hair. He wears grey really well. I'm glad the opening creds still have him with his longer S4 curls.

Speaking of which -- comparing the G/E and the L/W opening shots -- I think Logan and Wheeler have MUCH cooler poses together, esp. the one of them in the car. Time for Goren and Eames to get some new pics!!