…Fred Willard, television, film, and theatre actor.Fred currently plays Marsh McGinley on the FOX sitcom, “Back To You.” You have seen Fred in his award winning performance in the Christopher Guest film, “Best In Show,” as well as Guest’s other hilarious films. Among Fred’s many film credits, he had roles in the movies “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” “The Wedding Planner,” and “American Pie 3.” He has also enjoyed numerous stage roles and off-Broadway performances.
Fred took some time to speak with us before “Back To You” returns to the air tonight, directly following American Idol.
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…Fred Willard, television, film, and theatre actor.
ReplyDeleteFred currently plays Marsh McGinley on the FOX sitcom, “Back To You.” You have seen Fred in his award winning performance in the Christopher Guest film, “Best In Show,” as well as Guest’s other hilarious films. Among Fred’s many film credits, he had roles in the movies “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” “The Wedding Planner,” and “American Pie 3.” He has also enjoyed numerous stage roles and off-Broadway performances.
Fred took some time to speak with us before “Back To You” returns to the air tonight, directly following American Idol.
TwoCents: How are you today?
Fred: Fine thanks.
TC: You’ve starred on stage, TV, and Film – Which do you find to be most challenging? Which one is your favorite?
Fred: The most challenging – I just did play out here at UCLA. They have a program called Reprieve. They revive older plays. I’ve been in several. I was in “Anything Goes” and we just finished a production of “Little Abner.” I find that very challenging because you start out with a script. There’s dancing involved, there’s singing. It’s a quick rehearsal period. Suddenly you’re on stage in front of a very sophisticated theatre audience and there’s no retakes. If you fumble a line, you can’t laugh it off and say let’s start over again. I think that’s the most challenging. Stage is an awful lot of fun, but my favorite is television. It is more immediate. You do a show and in a couple weeks it’s on the air.
TC: We’ve seen you act as a character involved in some kind of media, be it anchorman, news director, color commentator – did you target roles like this? Or do casting people just find something in you that translates well to news team?
Fred: I’m not to the point where I can target roles and call my agent and tell him to “get me this audition.” I’m also past the step of going in for an audition. I’m right in the middle. I’ll get a call telling me I’ve received an offer to do this or that. I told myself I’ll never turn down a role that is offered to me. I sure didn’t want to turn down this one. This is great. I still can’t believe I’m working with Kelsey Grammer, James Burrows, and Steven Levitan in a role I could have written for myself.
TC: You’ve played the role of President in the past. If you were running for President today, which celebrity would choose as a running mate and why?
Fred: Oh, boy! As a running mate? That’s a good one. I think I would go for an old friend of mine, Norm McDonald. He has a funny sense of humor. He seems to see through a lot of nonsense. He has a very dry humor. Now he may choose not to run. I would also go to my old friend Martin Mull. He can play the guitar. He’s in to art; he could decorate the White House with his paintings.
*TwoCents Bonus Question*
TC: If someone were to climb off a desert island and only have time to watch five movies to learn what American cinema is all about, what five movies would you show them?
Fred: Lost in America, Love and Death, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Either the first or last Rocky movie, Yankee Doodle Dandy, and a bonus sixth movie, Field of Dreams
TC: Thank you for your time, Fred.
Fred: It’s been my pleasure.
Special thanks to Fred Willard for taking the time to speak with us. Tune in tonight AND tomorrow, Wednesday February 27 at 9:30 PM EST, after American Idol, for new episodes of “Back To You” on FOX.