Sid Letter: June 2006 Options

[Mel]

Well it’s been a slightly hectic couple of years.

First I’d like to warmly thank everyone for their continued support and good wishes. I’ve enjoyed reading birthday cards and Christmas cards and simple card cards. I thoroughly enjoy reading my monthly edition of the club magazine too. It’s always fun finding out what everyone else is up to and your opinions are a damn sight more interesting than some of the reviews in the nationals. I love the fact that there’s an expert to cover just about every subject under the sun lurking under our hood (near the fan belt?).

I haven’t written for a very long time and the reason for this is two-fold: firstly, so many people were complimenting me on the ‘wonderful’ web site I was running that I thought it was wise to take a couple of steps back so that credit goes where credit’s due - to Mel and a terrific handful of helpers and regular contributors from all over the world. Certainly not to me. As most of you know I have nothing to do with the content on the site; and secondly, I haven’t really known what to write - I’ve been shocked by the sudden flurry of work and amazed by the quality of some of the productions that I dared not ‘speak out loud’ for fear of distracting the driver and causing a train wreck. But I realise that’s superstitious nonsense so I think it’s ‘bout time I filled you all in.

Kingdom of Heaven was an amazing experience. Apart from working with a stellar cast, I got to work with a childhood hero (only just childhood!) - Sir Ridley Scott. It seems as though you're only allowed to call someone a genius once they’re dead, well I’m not gonna hang around a few more decades. Ridley is one. I’m not sure exactly what happened at Fox that resulted in the bizarre theatrical release of that film, I’m not even sure we’ll ever find out, but they ended up with a movie that had a great body but no head. I haven’t had a chance to see the Director’s Cut yet but if it’s anything at all like the film I know Sir Ridley shot, it’ll be pretty good to say the least. It’ll make sense of Orlando’s character and Eva’s and Liam’s - the list goes on ...

Then I flew to Washington to start filming Syriana. I’ve told you all a bit about this experience already - what a cool cast etc. But looking back now after all the hoo-ha has died down, the awards dispensed, the red carpets rolled up and countless pages of reviews and articles written read and now recycled, there is one particular hero in that movie who barely received a mention and that’s Matt Damon. I spent nearly all my time on that film working along side him and not only was he a pleasure to work with, a gentleman in every sense of the word, but the movie would have been hollow without him. He was the median from which every character deviated. He played the role with subtlety and integrity. It was a thankless role and he received little thanks.

I think that film made a difference to my career - I probably won‘t have a chance to gush in person so if you guys don‘t mind, I‘ve done it here.

I was pretty shattered after shooting Syriana. I’d had a fairly hard time on the shoot - not just learning Arabic (for what it was) but also dealing with countless re-writes at a moment's notice and a complex relationship with the director who in turn had a complex relationship with his own material (not surprisingly). So when I returned to the UK I was happy to start work on a totally different project, an episode of Poirot.

I’m not exactly sure what the term metro-sexual means but I think it has something to do with having an indiscriminate sexual appetite and if I’m right then that pretty much sums up the character I played in "Cards on the Table”. It was fun. I don’t think it worked very well and I don’t think I was very good in it but it was cathartic and came at just the right time. Thank god David Suchet is always so reliable that the show always makes for good television.

(I’m beginning to regret not having written for so long - this is turning into a pseudo-autobiography!)

I think it is a good moment to mention what incredible work everyone’s doing with regard to charity on the site. I occasionally get updates from Mel and I’m amazed the amounts you’ve all worked (or spent) so hard to raise. Please, please keep up this enormously good work - it helps on so many levels beyond that of the immediate crises or calamity. The world may seem as though it’s going to hell in a handbasket at the moment, but the work you all do is like sunlight into the gloom. I am busy trying to get my hands on some great stuff to give you. I have a few already stored up and will figure a way to get them over there.

So what happened next ...
The Last Legion in Tunisia. Weird country, Tunisia. Nice enough people inhabit the place but a flaccid identity. Hard to imagine it was once the heart of the great Carthaginian Empire. There are a few ruins and a statue of a camp looking guy astride an elephant outside one of the hotels in a resort called ‘Carthageland’.

As for the movie itself, I can’t really say because my part was so small that I’m not even sure I’ll make it to the screen when it’s released. I hope it’s as fun as it seemed to be because I’d love to be in a movie my children can actually watch before they’re 18 and I’m 100! (Don’t try doing the math on that - it won’t work.) So ironically I went to Bulgaria two days after finishing in Tunisia to shoot a documentary for the BBC and some German channel and the History Channel. I played Hannibal, the great Carthaginian hero - maybe the camp guy on the elephant was an inspired premonition of my portrayal?

Why Bulgaria? Because there’s always some place in the world that still looks like some other place used to look. And it’s cheap. Very cheap. It was brave of the producer and director to cast me, I’m not exactly built like a super-hero, but I think most people liked it. The BBC are trying very hard to present historical stuff in an entertaining way. The endless rostrum shots and artifacts and people wearing cardigans chatting about what ‘may’ have happened to ‘whom’ and ‘when’ is all very well for the campus lecture circuit, but it isn’t exactly sparkling television. I hope they do a lot more high production value shows like this one - as long as they make a serious attempt to get the history right - which I believe the BBC did. The BBC are good at doing stuff like getting the history right.

Next.

Took a break - woohoo. Saw the kids in New Mexico - finally! They are extraordinarily well and happy and beautifully behaved - a credit to their mother who manages to shoot a hit t.v. show and keep a normal household alive and interesting for the boys.

And that, folks, brings us just about up to date...

I’ve just wrapped on a movie about the nativity which I hope will be in theatres for Advent this year. I can’t say a lot about it because (once again) it isn’t out and they need to keep control over what’s said about a film before it’s released. But I can say that it’s an orthodox telling of the story on a big budget, so if you’re into things Biblical, it promises to be a good one. It has a glittery cast and I really enjoyed playing Gabriel - last time I played in this show - when I was all of six years old - I played the innkeeper. A definite promotion. Who says that if you don’t stick at it that you won’t get ahead?

Keep up the good work guys!
And thanks,
Sid

[mrsjack]

Ya' gotta love Sid's sense of humor! I do!

[TOC]

I am SO happy Sid's letter came in time to be part of the July issue of FBTS! I had room on page one too so this is perfect!

Page one will start with a letter from Armin -- which I know Sid won't mind since he said he liked hearing about what his friends are up to -- and then Sid's letter will start on page one after Armin's and continue on to page two. I'm so pleased! What a great letter!

Carol

[POTHOS]

Loved Sid's comment about getting promoted from the inn keeper to the Angel Gabriel.

I wonder if he knows that he was one of the few actors that received positive reviews for "Card on the Table" from the Agatha Christie fans.


Very pleased that Mel got special credit for all the work she puts in on our behalf.

And yes Sid does have a wonderful sense of humour. "Woohoo" will never quite sound the same now.


Best Wishes


Jude


This post has been edited by POTHOS: Jun 14 2006, 10:50 PM

[ulli]

That was a pleasure and fun to read!


Ulli

[tufano79]

That letter brought a smile to my face! Quite a whirlwind year, for our dear Sid!

Hugs, Josie

[Takaya]

This is a wonderful letter!

And he is so right about KoH.

[Sharon]

Okay, I'm laughing! Gotta love his sense of humor.

And, as always, making sure everybody else gets their share of the credit for the good things. Love that too.

[karimaelfadil]

All right, quick question. Siddig has two kids?

Xiomalis

[Mel]

Django is his biological son, but he treats Buster (Nana's child from her first marriage) like his own son as well.

[colibri23]

Django is his biological son, but he treats Buster (Nana's child from her first marriage) like his own son as well.

I just think that's Great. It should always be that way. If a child is in your care you should treat them like you would your own. That just makes him a great Dad and person.
I also love his sense of humor. Great letter!
Andrea

This post has been edited by colibri23: Jun 15 2006, 09:20 PM

[dee]

Oh, I do love Sid's letters. He writes pretty much the way he talks, which can't be said for a lot of people In other words, he makes me giggle while making me think at the same time.

And the remark about the fan belt is just sheer groan material. Bad Sid. Bad, bad Sid.

Love Dee XX

[Mel]

And the remark about the fan belt is just sheer groan material.

That's my favorite part.

[TOC]

On the subject of Buster and Django, I imagine I'm the one here who has seen them most recently: February 15, 2004 in Las Vegas.

I can tell you they had very different styles. Buster was trim in a blazer with short hair looking very preppy. Django was adorable with his longer hair and baggy denim.

Sid is right about how well behaved they are. Buster came ready to talk hockey since he'd just seen Miracle. Sadly, I'm the only person in Minnesota who doesn't know hockey. A fan from Wisconsin was able to uphold the honor of the Midwest, but I was left with regret that this personable young man had come ready to discuss a film and I had nothing to contribute.

Buster had seen his mother in Chicago and Golden Boy and is articulate and knowledgeable about musical theater.

Back then Django was taking piano lessons from an extraordinary instructor who lives in Las Vegas. Nana was enthusiastic about the man's technique. I can't help but wonder if Django has kept up with his music studies now that he lives in New Mexico, but I was happy to learn that the boys are getting riding lessons from the same instructor that teaches the young actors on Wildfire. Whatever interests they pursue, they always seem to get top notch instructors.

I imagine Sid is wrong that his son Django has never seen him in a movie. Nana said very specifically that Django would get to see Kingdom of Heaven. He hadn't seen Vertical Limit or Reign or Fire for reasons that we can probably guess, but Nana felt the subject matter of KoH was important and she wanted him to see it.

I asked Nana if she'd seen a photo of Sid in his Kingdom of Heaven costume. (Remember, this was 2004.) She said she had and told me who Sid thought it made him look like. I waited for MONTHS to share this bit of information. Every new KoH photo that came along, I'd compare it to the description Sid had given and regretfully reigned in my impulse to share what I'd heard. Sadly, none of his photos ever fit the word picture. I have two theories for this: either Sid was uncharacteristically off-the-mark in his description, or it was a "test" shot of hair and make-up for a look that was ultimately rejected.

Anyway, back to the subject of Sid's "boys", he has always spoken of them in the plural that way. I've always liked that about him.

Carol

This post has been edited by TOC: Jun 15 2006, 11:36 PM

[dee]

That's my favorite part.

Oh, absolutely - mine too. I like a man who makes me groan

Love Dee XX

[SlinkyJ]

I feel that I should point out, what Sid said about Matt Damon, I agree. I think that Matt Damon was wonderful in that. I think that both Matt and Sid bounced off each other wonderfully. Or did I mention that in my review of the movie?

Anyway, it is definitely nice to read another Sid letter again, and it was just as funny to me as it was to the rest of you guys.

Thanks for posting it!

[Sharon]

I just think that's Great. It should always be that way. If a child is in your care you should treat them like you would your own. That just makes him a great Dad and person.
I also love his sense of humor. Great letter!
Andrea

Absolutely!

(If you've ever seen Sid with small kids around, you'd love to see the way his heart just opens to them!)

-- Sharon

[Kimberly]

Great read. Imagine having to condense a year or so of your life into a few paragraphs!

I always thought that metro-sexual was a descriptor for men who have a close relationship with their mirrors and skincare products. I'm afraid that on numerous occasions, and in mixed company, I have referred to my partner as an enthusiastic metro-sexual (always accompanied with a smirk and a resigned roll of my eyes). Some of those alarmed/embarrassed looks I get in return now make sense.

[TOC]

I always thought that metro-sexual was a descriptor for men who have a close relationship with their mirrors and skincare products. I'm afraid that on numerous occasions, and in mixed company, I have referred to my partner as an enthusiastic metro-sexual (always accompanied with a smirk and a resigned roll of my eyes). Some of those alarmed/embarrassed looks I get in return now make sense.

You've got the definition closer than Sid's. I've put an editor's comment at the end of Sid's letter in the newsletter. A metro-sexual is a straight man with attributes normally associated with gay men.

Reading Sid's take on metro-sexuals reminded me very much about what Andy used to say about Garak's sexuality. I've been looking for a bit of Garak in Sid's Mr. Shaitano. The hand on the waiter's shoulder. Hummm.

Carol

[POTHOS]

This is interesting as I now am even more confused about the sexual persuasion of the Mr Shaitano character after reading Sid's letter.

Best Wishes


Jude