Pride and Prejudice (2010): Meet The Next P&P Men - The Interviews

Sorry for the long delay...I didn't forget about this, as I had originally planned on posting this here about a month ago or so...but alas, things don't always go as you plan as it often does...so let's just leave it at that, lol...besides, it's posted here now... ;) So, as promised, here are my P&P 2010 Men Interviews.

First...There's a slight change of the interviews though, as originally, I was going to interview 4 actors of the Pride and Prejudice (2010) film, but as previously posted here, James O'Hagan-Murphy, who was originally cast in the role of Mr. Hurst was replaced and the interview I had planned to do with him didn't happen as well, unfortunately. He seemed like such a nice guy...Oh, well, I wish him all the best. Fortunately, I still have three other fun interviews to share with you all from the following P&P actors: Mark Mook, James Hawthorn, and A.C. Earing, who will be playing three of the important supporting roles/characters (Mr. Bingley, Mr. Wickham, and Mr. Collins) from the new P&P film. They each agreed to be interviewed here as well as sent me their photos here to include and for you ladies to stare at, while you read, lol. Thanks guys (Mark, A.C., and James), you are all great and I can't thank you all enough.

Also, before you read the P&P Men interviews, if you haven't read my interview/Q&A with , check out the link below (following his drool-worthy photos). I don't have a new interview with him yet, perhaps I might do a catch up interview with him soon...we shall see...

For now, check out his photos below, which he was awesome enough to have sent me and allowed here to be posted for you all to see. Thanks Caleb!

Caleb Grusing (Mr. Darcy)
 (photos by Caleb Grusing)


Now, read...

Meet The Next P&P Men - The Interviews

Mark Mook (Mr. Bingley)
(photos by Michelle Murphy
of Michelle Murphy Photography and Mark Mook)


Jeane: What was your reaction when you first find out you got the part of Mr. Bingley?
Mark Mook: Ha, Ha.  It was funny actually.  I had contacted Bonnie following the audition, so I knew she was having a hard time deciding.  The night that I found out I got the role I was sitting on my couch when I received an email on my phone from Bonnie.  The email started off saying that it was a very tough choice and after much consideration..., so at this point I’m thinking "I didn’t get it", my mind was already in rejection mode, stand aside the emotional door is closing.  The email continued... after much consideration I have decided to give you role of Bingley.  I finished reading the email, closed my phone nonchalantly, and got up and walked into my kitchen.  Then it struck me.  "Waite a minute, I got it!!"  I don’t know who all is familiar with baseball but it was a scene right out of the 1988 World Series where Kirk Gibson was running around the bases doing fist pumps after hitting the game winning homerun, but I was doing that in my apartment.  For which I am glad I don’t have a roommates because they would have hated me at that moment.  


J: How did you hear about the casting of this film and audition for this role?

MM: A messenger from the Mitten Estate brought a letter to me one day…  Ha, ha.  I was contacted by a good friend/excellent actor/great guy/fellow cast member (he carries many titles, meet him and you will see what I’m talking about) Mark Mitten.  He told me that P&P was still looking to fill a couple roles, one being the role of Bingley and that I was a good fit for that role.  Its funny, I have had the opportunity to work with Mark on a few different films in the past year and at some point during filming someone will call out "Hey Mark", and we both will look. 

J: Is this your first feature film or have you done one before?
MM: Well... I was in another feature film.  It took place in a cornfield and between shooting dates they removed all the corn from the field.  So, as you can imagine it postponed our filming.  I am currently working on two other feature films "Andover High" and "Self Portrait" and both will be done filming by June. :)

J: So many actors before you has played Charles Bingley. How will you prepare and bring your own version of Bingley to this film?
MM: By reading... and reading... and reading.  I purchased two books Pride and Prejudice Spark Notes and the actual novel Pride and Prejudice.  I started out reading Spark Notes which covers character breakdown, analysis, plot, themes and symbols... basically this book was made for the lazy college student who needs to do an essay on P&P but doesn’t want to read the novel.  After I finished Spark Notes I started reading the novel.  I am only about a quarter way through the novel and I already have 5 note cards full of notes of how Bingley acted toward others, how they acted toward him, settings, back story... anything that defines him. So far through this process I have found many similar qualities between Bingley and myself, and also some other qualities of Bingley that I will definitely take with me the remainder of my life.  As far as watching other versions of P&P, I have seen the ’05 version and I do plan on watching the others but I try not to take too much from other actors versions because that is there interpretation. I really feel a good connection to Bingley so now it is just more research and finding myself in my own version of Mr. Charles Bingley.   

J: Have you seen any or at least one of the previous Pride and Prejudice adaptations? If so, which one is your favorite and why? 
MM: I have only seen '05 version, but I am soon to Netflix the others, after I finish the novel, of course.  I do really like the ’05 version; Keira Knightley and Simon Woods both brought so much life and energy to their role within context of their characters. Also, I love the ball scene at Netherfield.  It was mostly filmed in one shot without cuts or editing, which is not an easy thing to do.  I was part of a 7 minute short film called Sleight of Hand, that was all done with one shot.  In order to do a scene like that it requires good directing, planning, and coordination, not to mention behind the scenes help with props and athletic actors who can jump, roll, and crawl from location to location. 

J: Besides P&P movie, have you seen/heard any (or at least one) of Jane Austen TV/Film adaptations?
MM: Unfortunately, I have not but after digging into the plot and characters of P&P I have gained a huge amount of appreciation for Jane Austen.  The first thing that caught my attention about the plot of P&P was that all anyone talked about was Bingley so you think the story is all about him.  But the story is actually about Lizzy and Darcy, Its almost two stories in one.  I love that, you don’t see that much or at least I haven’t.  And it is true that P&P is the ultimate story of first impressions. 

J: You and your co-stars of this film recently had a cast reading and photoshoot. Can you tell us your experience that day
and what it was like meeting the entire cast for the first time before filming? 
MM: It was great!! It’s tough to get 20 odd strangers in one room and have them come together as a whole, but it happened.  During photos, people were joking around, teasing each other, and having a good time.  It was a fun and great atmosphere.  The reading went very well, which is great.  Sometimes the first read can be a little rough, no one has had an opportunity to really look through the script and get a feel for it, but this reading went pretty smooth.

All in all, if you have not figured this out yet, I am very excited to be part of this production.  I look forward to working with the highly energetic and excellent cast and I can’t thank Bonnie enough for allowing me the opportunity to be part of the legacy that is Pride and Prejudice


James Hawthorn (Mr. Wickham)
(photos by James Hawthorne | Whahnn photo)

Jeane: What was your reaction when you first find out you got the part of Mr. Wickham?
James Hawthorn: I was very excited. I love playing characters who aren't what they seem to be, especially characters whose true essence is ugly. It's always fun to balance the outer life of a character (what the audience sees) with their inner life (that which gets revealed over the course of the film or that which the audience can catch a glimpse of), especially when inner and outer life contrast so greatly as they do with Wickham.
 
J: How did you hear about the casting of this film and audition for this role?
JH: I heard about the film through fellow actors at Benjy Dobrin Studios - a scene study workshop and acting community which I take part in. It's exciting because many of the roles were cast with Benjy's students so it will be fun to work on a project together.
 
J: Is this your first feature film or have you done one before?
JH: This is my first feature length film. I have done a few student films and commercials but I look forward to working on this kind of project.
 
J: So many actors before you has played Mr. Wickham. How will you prepare and bring your own version of Wickham to this film?
JH: The one thing that I can bring to a role that no other actor can is ME. I think it's important to find feelings and experiences from my own life that will make my character believable and relatable. If I relate to the character and believe in how he feels and why he does what he does, it is my hope that the audience will believe it too.

J: Have you seen any or at least one of the previous Pride and Prejudice adaptations? If so, which one is your favorite and why?
JH: I saw the adaptation with Keira Knightley as Elizabeth and really enjoyed it.

J: Besides P&P movie, have you seen/heard any (or at least one) of Jane Austen TV/Film adaptations?
JH: Probably. There are so many, I'm sure I have. Just not recently.
 
J: You and your co-stars of this film recently had a cast reading and photoshoot. Can you tell us your experience that day and what it was like meeting the entire cast for the first time before filming
JH: Unfortunately, I was out of town that day, but a lot of the cast recently got together and went out on the town. It was great to hang out with them. We're a fun group, if I can toot our own horn! Also, don't forget that I see much of the cast every week in Benjy's acting workshop. In that regard, we're already family.
    
A.C. Earing (Mr. Collins)
 (photos by AC Earing | b/w by Jeb Thomas)

Jeane: What was your reaction when you first find out you got the part of Mr. Collins?
A.C. Earing: I was elated!  I didn't want to be Wickham because I've done military or soldier or athlete roles before, and didn't think I had the personality to be Bingley... then when I saw Caleb at the auditions, I figured I didn't have the abs to be Darcy!  Actually, I had hoped to get Collins because I LOVE taking on character roles that I can sink my teeth into and play with.  So, yeah, I'm diggin on it!

J: How did you hear about the casting of this film and audition for this role?
A.C.E: I think it was a two-prong discovery.  I saw the posting on craigslist and I think I got an email from an actors forum... I had set an appointment to audition, then got a couple emails from actor friends of mine... one of which is in "The Thorn" playing locally, Rafael Hernandez is Judas.  He and I worked together on another film where he was GOD and I was SATAN... there is a bit of a filmmakers circle in the area and I'm stoked that we're an ALL-Colorado cast! 

J: Is this your first feature film or have you done one before?
A.C.E: I worked on a horror film in 2005 called "The Redsin Tower" where I played a football player pretty boy who tries to cause harm to the femme fatale of the film, just have an enraged demon spirit creature hurl my body across a dungeon and drag me up a wall and pull my guts out... we used a lot of fake blood, which tasted like vanilla and mint, and we shot from 7pm to 7am 6 days a week for 4 weeks.  I also played Monk Theo in an epic filming venture in Los Angeles in 2006 called "Searching for Carravaggio."  I think the number of cast is well into the hundreds, and I don't know if the film will ever be finished... It seems to be a labor of love by a Renaissance art-lover! 

J: So many actors before you has played Mr. Collins. How will you prepare and bring your own version of Collins to this film?
A.C.E.: I've talked about this in depth with Caleb, and we both seem to see this as an opportunity for me to really do something that has never been done before with Mr. Collins... I've done some research into blogs and articles written criticizing the casting of Collins as a smaller or skinny character... both of which I am not!  I kinda see Collins as an accidental tour de force; he is big and obnoxious and opinionated and verbose, and as you can tell with these answers, I'm channeling Mr. Collins already!  I think that Mr. Collins might be struggling with his own masculinity, and his place in society... maybe trying a little too hard.  I hope to put a good arc in the character from being a hopeless wife-searching syncophant to sombody that we can actually see making Charlotte (played by Tiffany Heinsohn) a happy wife.

J: Have you seen any or at least one of the previous Pride and Prejudice adaptations? If so, which one is your favorite and why?

A.C.E: I liked the 2005 version of P&P when it comes to Mr. Collins because I think that Tom Hollander is an INCREDIBLY talented actor having played T.S. Eliot, Cutler Becket, and I got to see his character in Ab Fab... I can see how he mixed and matched different quirks to create HIS Mr. Collins.  I'd like to find what works FOR ME in a manner that he was able to put so much color into HIS Mr. Collins.  

J: Besides P&P movie, have you seen/heard any (or at least one) of Jane Austen TV/Film adaptations?
A.C.E.: I also watched Pride and Prejudice 2003, and the actor who played Collins in that one really made me laugh!  Hubbel Palmer delivers some really awkwardly funny lines in a manner akin to Skreetch... "Elizabeth, we've been called to multiply and replenish the earth!"  In this adaptation, Bonnie is sticking true to the script, which I think will feel funny with some characters, and for Collins, it should be utterly tragic how convicted he is to his words.  I hope to be true to this idea!  I hope to also encapsulate the creepiness of David Bamber's 1995 Mr. Collins... I saw a mash-up on youtube with Scooby Do and clips from the 95 mini series, and about fell out of my seat laughing at the "creeper!"  


J: You and your co-stars of this film recently had a cast reading and photoshoot. Can you tell us your experience that day and what it was like meeting the entire cast for the first time before filming?

A.C.E: The reading was a LONG one for me... I worked as a bartender the night before, getting off work around 3am, then I had a 5am call time for another film I was working on, "Conflict of Interest" where I got to play a creepy character, just to wrap with that and drive up to Woodland Park around 10am!  I was too tired to be anxious or nervous... it did feel a little surreal though!  I got to meet the Christinas, Tiffany, Maia... who said, "you look familiar" when I walked in; the funny part is that she looked familiar to me, too... we decided that it must be from the photos online!  Caleb lent me a bow tie to sport, I go to chit chat with some of the actors like Mark and Mike.  I think that this project will be a LOT of fun based on the cast, alone!  

Hope you enjoyed reading their interviews! Thanks (again) to these awesome P&P (2010) actors: Caleb Grusing, Mark Mook, A.C. Earing, and James Hawthorn for the photos and for taking the time of your busy schedules to do these interviews for the P&P Blog here. I appreciate them and I wish you all the best of luck on this film! :)

Pride and Prejudice (2010), an independent feature film is currently in production/filming in Colorado, USA. Keep checking this blog for more filming news and behind the scenes updates!

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