Chat Transcript from October 8th, 2005

KidActors
Hey Mike! Glad to see you could join us today!

KidActors
Are you set to go?

Michael Angarano
ahh. very glad to be here...

Michael Angarano
yep fire away

KidActors
Cool! Then everyone please start submitting your questions!

Michael Angarano
thanks everyone for coming and doing this...it really means a lot to me.

KidActors
To start off with Mike, I wanted to ask you what you've had going on in the past few months. Bring everyone up to speed on how things have been going.

Michael Angarano
things are going great. i just did three independent films back-to back-to back...called "One Last Thing...," "Black Irish" and "Bondage." all projects that i fell in love with and all completely different.

KidActors
Awesome, I'm sure everyone will look forward to seeing them!

KidActors
Now that we have some questions to pick from, here's the first one!

Michael Angarano
okies

Neurotic_Glamour
Hey...I'm Courtney...I have two questions actually....One is, did you enjoy your stay here in Toronto at the Film Festival? The second is...You said "If there's anyone who would rather stay at home and watch a movie, than going to a party, it's me." Why is that exactly? Is there a reason behind that?

Michael Angarano
hey Courtney...i was actually just about to go into how i was at the Toronto Film Festival for "One Last Thing Thing..." and "Dear Wendy" ...

Michael Angarano
Toronto was great, i had been there before then for different reasons but the city itself is very clean and very hip, a clean New York. it was weird for me because while i was at Toronto for the Festival my life kinda went into overdrive - tons of interviews and screenings and stuff, it was very surreal.

Michael Angarano
as for me staying home all the time lol...

Michael Angarano
i guess you can say i just like to keep to myself a lot of the time. i wouldn't exaclty say that i'm so introverted and anti-social that i can't stand going out, it's not like that at all...

Michael Angarano
i would just prefer to be in the presence of people i know and am comfortable with rather than go out. but, i also go out. it's a fine balance.

ellie
Mikey, you've been in the business since you were just little. What has it been like? Do you find everything comes naturally now?

Michael Angarano
um, it's pretty interesting actually because people consider me a "veteran" because i have been acting for so long. but i'm only 17. actually in my mind i really, truly started "acting" when i was about 12-13, prior to then i was just having fun. but when i started to get into the more dramatic roles and more complex situations i started to think about what i was doing...

Michael Angarano
and you can say that my instincts are more developed and can take charge in certain situations and i can be natural because of that, but i'm learning something new everyday.

Michael Angarano
as an actor you can never take something for granted.

lizzy14
what was it like working on the set of Lords of Dogtown?

Michael Angarano
well... lol

Michael Angarano
it's about 15 guys skating around with long hair, in 70s clothing, with not a care in the world...basically, everything you think it would be, it was. it was an amazing set and experience to be apart of.

Michael Angarano
all of us became a gang...ya know getting into character was skating and smoking fake weed and having fun with people you don't even know...so that whole aspect was pretty amazing...

Michael Angarano
but at the same time it was very stressful- to try and portray these guys accurately- it was also very competitive...the testosterone level was to the max on that set, not only between the skaters but between the actors as well...

Michael Angarano
it was a fun shoot, but very grueling; physically and mentally.

ellie
Hi Mike =) What does a typical day involve for you?

Michael Angarano
well i'm pretty much relaxing right now. reading a lot of scripts, trying to choose what to do next. have a few meetings here and there with people. an actor's life could be pretty lonely and boring at times lol, but i have my family so they're always keeping me busy and always very supportive.

azaria
are u doing ne more guest roles on will and grace

Michael Angarano
yes i am. i'm gonna do three episodes for the final season in January i believe...should be a lot fun, haven't seen those guys in a while.

gsun821
Do you keep in touch with actor friends and have you made new friends through the cast of the movies you have recently been shooting?

Michael Angarano
for sure. when you film a movie you get so close with these people, you really become a family. and it's so shocking and depressing when you have to leave that family. so, especially on some of the last things i've worked on i have kept in touch with a lot of people. or try to at least. but sometimes you work so hard with someone and collaborate with them and become so close with them, and then you don't see them again.

Michael Angarano
it's been very weird for me lately actually because doing these films back to back, i've had to shed myself completely of a character and a set and an environment, and have had to go onto the next one within weeks.

Unknown_Legend
My favorite book is Speak...why did you want to portray the role of David Petrakis?

Michael Angarano
to be honest? i wanted to do something desperately. it was summer and i hadn't worked in a few months and i was going off to Denmark to shoot "Dear Wendy" in September. but, Wendy was about a month away and "Speak" was filming in about a week. i loved the script and loved
the book. so i guess i figured, why not.

Michael Angarano
it's pretty interesting, the back story behind a lot of films and how people chose them. because a lot of them it was an accident, or just something to do, or they really didn't want to do it. Clark Gable didn't really want to do Gone With the Wind. that's very random i know, but that stuff interests me a lot...

Michael Angarano
with "Bondage" i didn't know i was doing it until about 3 days before the first day of shooting. i thought "Man, what the hell can i do with this character in three days?" but sometimes you have to take chances like that and just throw yourself into the work.

whatamissfortune
What do you look for in choosing a role?

Michael Angarano
now i look for other things that i didn't really care about before. i look for who the director is, who wrote, who is in it? before it was basically anything i got, but now a lot more thought goes into it. a smart, well-written script, um character exposition...ya know, a lot of stuff i didn't really think about before.

Michael Angarano
or even was aware of before.

Jay
Erm.. think of a questionn.. Think think think.. o-O Ahh, what are you hoping to do in your 20's? Will you still carry on with actoring?

Michael Angarano
for sure. i want to continue what i'm doing for quite a long time. definitely in it for the long run. maybe somewhere down the line writing or directing, but for now acting.

Michael Angarano
with "Sky High" i found it so funny how so many people were coming up to me and saying stuff like, "This is it Mike. You're big break." or "Hope it does well for you, you really deserve it." that stuff really bothered me. i'm thankful for them feeling that way about me, but "Sky High" was not the pinnacle of my career, it wasn't "my big break" in my eyes. as an actor i can't go into a role thinking "This is my big break"

Michael Angarano
good lord if my English teacher would look at me now. lol so disappointed he would be

azaria
how is black irish going

Michael Angarano
we finished "Black Irish" about 3 months ago. we just went back to do some re-shoots so now it's officially done with...

Michael Angarano
i think they're trying to get it ready to submit to Sundance, so who knows...

Michael Angarano
but filming "Black Irish" was pretty tough. we were in a very hot and humid Boston in July. very ambitious schedule. it was probably the toughest shoot i've been on. but i think it's going to pay off big time.

Michael Angarano
ahh i just deleted my whole answer lol

Michael Angarano
that's a shame lol...

Michael Angarano
basically, it was only a 22 day shoot. we shot "Dogtown" and "Sky High" in 50-55, and "Black Irish" was a longer script. i'm completely convinced after "Black Irish" that you need at least 30 days to shoot a film.

klarisse
which of the characters that you've played can you most relate to? :)

Michael Angarano
that's a tough question. there's a little bit of me, or my experience in all of my characters. so i relate to all of them... most of the time when you build characters, you do most of it sub-consciously...so how much of me is in a character i can't really say.

LederachC
hey mike, it's carolyn! in your opinion, what is the worst part you've ever played?

Michael Angarano
Carolyn! hello madam. my phone pal...

Michael Angarano
the worst part? what exactly do you mean by that?

KidActors
Lets see if she catches your question Mike.

LederachC
what part have you played that didn't turn out how you planned

Michael Angarano
ahh i see...

Michael Angarano
well i don't any role you do comes out exactly how you originally planned. part of the whole process is being wrong and discovering different moments and dimensions that weren't originally in the script...

Michael Angarano
actually we discovered a lot of stuff like that on "Bondage," but i definitely wouldn't consider it bad. like i said, i'm always learning.

dancingxbanana5
do you feel as though acting has helped you progress as a person?

Michael Angarano
um i think it's a little dangerous to let a film or a role influence your life so much...there is a fine line as an actor you have to walk...but the experiences of filming and being in places i never thought i would be with different people, those experiences have helped me...

Michael Angarano
but other than those experiences, you can't let a character influence you so much. you do learn different things about yourself at times and that's fascinating. but other than that, not so much. all the personal growing is done on the side lol

KidActors
This next question has been posed more times than I could count, Mike, so I'll go ahead and get it out there for the girls to know...

Genevieve6
hey mike, i was just wondering if you have a girlfriend, in past chats you've said no, but has anything in that subject changed?

Michael Angarano
hmm i have to say that it really hasn't. lol

Michael Angarano
although i have close relationships. it's so unfair to them if we start a relationship. i'm always gone, it would be too hard on both of us.

Michael Angarano
lol but always open to it

Joey
You said that nowadays, you take many things (such as who is involved in the movie) into consideration when choosing a role for movie. Are there any directors or actors/actresses that you are most anxious to work with?

Michael Angarano
i'm really anxious to work with a director named David Gordon Green. i think he's the next ginormous talent.

genie
What was it like getting to use guns on the set of "Dear Wendy"?

Michael Angarano
it was great at the time, but the fact that i was having so much fun with them and shooting them like they were nothing, that's the thing that scares me...

Michael Angarano
when you first shoot a gun, it's a great adrenaline rush. you can't breathe, your hand is shaking, you're petrified. but after shooting it a few times, you become oddly comfortable with it in your hand. you feel the power, and you like it. that sounds corny but it's true. thinking back on that experience now, it really scares me that that's how easy it is to end someone. just a simple pull of a trigger.

kristina
how does it feel now that you're done with high school?

Michael Angarano
thrilling lol...although i do feel lazy a little bit, i'm taking a year off and am re-applying next year. but i'm always reading and my mind is always working, but it is indeed a great and fantastic relief. lol

KidActors
Hey everyone, we are going to select a few more questions for Michael to answer, then wrap the live chat up! So if you've got a good question for him, submit it now!!

Michael Angarano
ha, pressure pressure.........

Unknown_Legend
Do think of yourself as a very sarcastic person...you seem it

Michael Angarano
i can't really answer that, i guess i am lol...it's hard for me to go a whole conversation with a person without making some kind of joke or make them laugh somehow...i guess my saracasm is the tool i use?

Asian_Chinese_Malaysian_I_am
Just a few questions as I just woke up from bed.. Erm.. How is it like to be acting with the Panabaker sisters? I read in articles that you acted in Summerland with Kay Panabaker and in Sky High with Danielle Panabaker.. So, how is it like exactly?

Michael Angarano
yes yes, i got to get two doses of Panabaker...

Michael Angarano
the whoe family is very sweet and so supportive of what the girls do. i've become good friends with them so it was a lot of fun getting to work with the little BABY PANABAKER (kay), as i like to call her

Michael Angarano
haha they're work methods are almost identical come to think of it; very professional and focused.

Michael Angarano
but sweet and nurturing at the same time

Michael Angarano
they kind of remind me of young Judy Garland and Julia Roberts

Michael Angarano
hey kris can we do somehting diffrent?

KidActors
You bet, what do you have in mind!

Michael Angarano
can i ask some people some questions?

KidActors
Absolutely.

KidActors
Who would you like to select?

Michael Angarano
just some random people...ellie?

KidActors
ok, lets see if Ellie is here.

KidActors
Are you here Ellie?

Michael Angarano
ellllllllllllllllllllieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee???????????????????????

KidActors
Type something Ellie :)

Michael Angarano
ah that sucks...

KidActors
Lets try another Mike!

Michael Angarano
sefnfot?

KidActors
Are you here sefnfot?

Michael Angarano
he/she around?

sefnfot
i am but i'm shy

Michael Angarano
ah so am i..

sefnfot
but go ahead :-)

Michael Angarano
you ask a lot of good questions...tell us a little about yourself?

Michael Angarano
if you don't feel comfortable that's cool...

sefnfot
lol... well i grew up in Encino and went to college in Brooklyn ( opposite from you )

Michael Angarano
oo cool...ya know Crespi high school?

sefnfot
Encino in LA

sefnfot
nope

Michael Angarano
ahh...my old stomping grounds...it's in Encino

Michael Angarano
top 3 fav movies?

sefnfot
empire strike back untouchables Lords of Dogtown ( i bought your wardrobe from Premier props cause you made me teary

Michael Angarano
haha wow man thanks...sorry for the smell

sefnfot
oops i forgot the )

Michael Angarano
good talking...

sefnfot
lol

sefnfot
cya thanks for chattin

Michael Angarano
how about now...

Michael Angarano
klarisse5?

KidActors
Are you here klarisse5?

klarisse5
ah finally lol

klarisse5
yeah

klarisse5
:)

Michael Angarano
what's goin on?

klarisse5
..is it working?

KidActors
Its working klarisse!

Michael Angarano
ohhhhhh it's working

klarisse5
ah hey! yay..i was frustrated coz no one else could reply to you except with questions..lol..

Michael Angarano
sooo tell us a little about yourself? lol where ya from?

klarisse5
I'm from the Philippines (yes..haha) but we're moving to california next year (im studying at USC next year)

Michael Angarano
ooo cool...i really want to go to USC

Michael Angarano
that's so cool...have you been to LA?

klarisse5
Yeah..my dad is there now..

klarisse5
are you planning to go to USC after your year off? (ooops oh no i asked a question! lol)

Michael Angarano
very cool...haha it's all good, yeah i'm hoping...but who knows where i'll end up ya know?

Michael Angarano
top 3 fav movies?

klarisse5
i have so many..Donnie Darko...

klarisse5
Love Actually..And yeah Lords of Dogtown (i used to skate and im a fan of the zboys before :P)

Michael Angarano
very cool

Michael Angarano
i know that's a tough question

Michael Angarano
okies...good talking

klarisse5
okay..thanks :)

Michael Angarano
hmmm...who next?...

KidActors
Its like a lottery!

Michael Angarano
azaria

KidActors
Are you there azaria?

Michael Angarano
hank azaria

azaria
yes

azaria
lol

azaria
the simpsons

azaria
good show

Michael Angarano
i have never watched actually

Michael Angarano
i get yelled at a lottt for that

Michael Angarano
i've seen some episodes here and there..

azaria
i watch the rerins

azaria
reruns

Michael Angarano
i've been obsessed with DA ALI G SHOW lately

Michael Angarano
i bought season 2 on dvd

azaria
i just bought the lodt dvd

azaria
that was like forever ago

Michael Angarano
oh yeah? it's not a bad dvd...it's pretty funny listening to the actors and Catherine fighting on the commentary lol

azaria
yea especially cat and emile wow

Michael Angarano
that's how theyre always like though...it's a love/hate relationship...

azaria
wat relationship isnt

Michael Angarano
very true

Michael Angarano
top 3 fav movies?

azaria
lords of dogtown wizard of oz and wow this is hard annie i love musicals

Michael Angarano
wow lol

Michael Angarano
two of those are great the other one, ehhh

azaria
lol

Michael Angarano
lol thanks for talkin...

azaria
thank you

Michael Angarano
genevieve...

Genevieve
yea

Michael Angarano
you cheerlead for Crespi do you?

Genevieve
haha i do not, but my school does

Michael Angarano
louisville?

Genevieve
no la reina

Michael Angarano
oo yeah...they cheerlead for crespi now?

Genevieve
yea

Michael Angarano
or are they mixed with louisville?

Genevieve
i dont know, but i know we do because ive definitley seen my friends in their uniforms

Michael Angarano
interesting...well because la reina doesn't really have a brother school right?

Genevieve
i have no idea, haha its a very confusing thing because people have said it was crespi but i know that isnt official, but yea it confuses me haha

Michael Angarano
yeah who knows..

Genevieve
haha for sure not me

Michael Angarano
but you live in like westlake-ish? TO?

Genevieve
close, thousand oaks

Michael Angarano
TO is nice...most of my friends live there

Michael Angarano
they're all at college now though...sometimes i drive aimlessly around TO and cry

Michael Angarano
kidding kidding...

Michael Angarano
i don't cry

Genevieve
thats too bad, you should come visit la reina next time and we can cheer you up! haha

Michael Angarano
kidding once again

Genevieve
suuure

Michael Angarano
top 3 fav movies?

Genevieve
ahh such a tough question, im not even sure where to begin...

Michael Angarano
i know

Michael Angarano
pressure, pressure....

Genevieve
umm id have to say because im a nerd i loved lord of the rings:return of the king haha and umm i have to agree that donny darko was really good...and i cant pick a third

Genevieve
haha

Michael Angarano
dum bum bum bum ba dum bum...dum bum bum bum ba dum...pressure, pushing down on me...

Michael Angarano
that's cool...

Genevieve
what are your three favorites?

Michael Angarano
with me i haave to eliminate Godfather 1 and 2 and the Back to the Future's...because those are flawless to me

Genevieve
awesome i must admit

Michael Angarano
it's a hard question, i have like a top 50

Genevieve
haha

Michael Angarano
but i love old Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton and Marx Brothers movies...

Genevieve
oldies fan eh?

Michael Angarano
"Great Dictator"

Michael Angarano
"Steamboat Bill Jr."

Michael Angarano
"A Night at the Opera"

Michael Angarano
my favs for those guys...not necessarily top 3 but close

Michael Angarano
well thanks for chattin

Genevieve
thank you so much! bye

Michael Angarano
maybe i'll see you at the C HOUSE lol

Michael Angarano
okkkk

Michael Angarano
gsun821

KidActors
Are you there gsun821?

gsun821
yes im here

Michael Angarano
what's going on??

gsun821
hello michael im a big fan since sky high :) great work by the way

gsun821
im waiting for "dear wendy" otherwise not too much going on here

Michael Angarano
WAIT...THIS IS GONNA BE MY LAST GUY EVERYONE, I APOLOGIZE BUT OHIO ST./PENN ST. GAME JUST CAME ON...sorry lol

Michael Angarano
oh thanks man

Michael Angarano
i think WENDY is coming out on dvd pretty soon...they just sent me the European DVD

gsun821
so you've had some time to just chill and relax?

gsun821
it just came out a little while ago here in NY and stuff

Michael Angarano
yeah basically...i have to do some post on BONDAGE but other than that i'm just reading and hanging out

gsun821
im still waiting for it to come out in maryland where i live (across the country :()

Michael Angarano
hmm i don't know if you'll get to see it there lol...

Michael Angarano
most people either love it or hate it

gsun821
i really hope so cuz i kept checking the wendy site and the message board for updates on that

gsun821
im sure id like it i like your acting style and its always great seeing you on Will and Grace

Michael Angarano
most of America hates it because they think it's anti-American..which it really isn't, the last thing we thought while filming WENDY was its politcal message

gsun821
lol

Michael Angarano
so maryland?

Michael Angarano
where?

gsun821
yeah i was really sad when i found out you lived in CA

gsun821
ive always wanted to live there in the first place

gsun821
:/

Michael Angarano
how old are you?

gsun821
15

Michael Angarano
well soon enough..it's pretty cool out here

gsun821
i think i will move there eventually

Michael Angarano
two different sides to it...sunset strip/hollywood hip scene and the suburban scene..which is where i am

gsun821
thats cool

Michael Angarano
top 3 fav movies?

gsun821
um wow i dunno

gsun821
besides having a pretty bad memory a

Michael Angarano
no i know it's hard

gsun821
i havent been out to see many movies

Michael Angarano
but you must............

Michael Angarano
some decent ones out there..

gsun821
well like that other person who you talked to im into musicals too

gsun821
um and i would agree with you about back to the future

Michael Angarano
yeah..same here, i like musicals

gsun821
that was awesome movie, and my favorite musical might be grease, the one with john travolta

Michael Angarano
aw man, i got to meet Michael J. Fox a while ago...if there is anyone who has completely influenced me it's him...it was so great meeting him

gsun821
thats so cool

Michael Angarano
ooo "Grease" the best

Michael Angarano
is the best*

gsun821
thats one of those really cool benefits to being famous i guess

gsun821
yeah man john can really sing

Michael Angarano
haha yeah...well it's been cool chatting

gsun821
yeah its great of you to come chat

KidActors
Well guys, its time to wrap it up! Thanks everyone for coming to the live chat today!

Michael Angarano
it's great of you for chatting with me

KidActors
Hey Mike, it was great to have you here again, and I liked the twist you threw in at the end talking to random fans!

Michael Angarano
thanks a whole lot everyone...

Michael Angarano
yeah i mean might as well shake it up and turn it around a bit

KidActors
Wonderful idea!

KidActors
Enjoy the game!

Michael Angarano
it's gonna be a good one...

Michael Angarano
thanks everyone

Michael Angarano
and i doooooo always read the boards...

Michael Angarano
and it's not me on myspace.com!

KidActors
People were wondering about that :)

Michael Angarano
my friend showed me that and i was laughing so hard

Michael Angarano
boycott him lol

KidActors
haha

Michael Angarano
alrighty everyone i'll ttyl

KidActors
Thanks Mike! Cya!

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