Friday, January 22, 2010

Multi-talented - and mumblers

Back in November I wrote about Isaac Mizrahi and his talent for a variety of artistic work, acting, directing, designing etc. It's not uncommon for talented people to be talented in more than one area.

Anthony Hopkins is the same: he's recently taken up painting successfully enough to be holding an exhibition. Apart from his acting, he's also done directing, screenwriting and composing.

In a Guardian article by Simon Hattenstone, we find out about things he's actually said, and things he's only been quoted as saying. But I liked this piece at the end:

He turns his ­attention to today's male movie stars and their ­penchant for mumbling (Hopkins has always prided himself on his diction). "Why don't people speak properly? There are a lot of young kids, good ­actors, but they are so macho they think it's sexy to whisper. I don't know what the hell they are talking about. They may as well put subtitles on them. I teach ­acting classes at UCLA, and I stand there and say: 'I can't understand one word you're ­saying, so how d'you ­expect me to sit in the audience?'"

How this resonates! So many movies these days have whole scenes in them where you can barely understand a word. And I know I'm not deaf....

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