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 Stellar cast puts movie in high Gere Sunday, January 21, 2001 By Barbara Vancheri, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
Not since "Wonder Boys" has Pittsburgh seen such an A-list cast. "The Mothman Prophecies," inspired by John A. Keel's book of the same name, will star Richard Gere and Laura Linney, along with some well-known supporting players.
Here, then, is a brief look at some of the actors in town or headed this way:
Richard Gere, playing a Washington Post reporter investigating weird goings-on in Point Pleasant, W.Va.: This Philadelphia native has been responsible for some of the most memorable movie moments of our time: hooking up with Diane Keaton in "Looking for Mr. Goodbar"; cruising through California in a Mercedes 450 SL convertible in "American Gigolo"; sweeping Debra Winger off her feet in "An Officer and a Gentleman"; playing Prince Charming to an unlikely Cinderella (well, she was a hooker) in "Pretty Woman"; and realizing just what he had done at the end of the courtroom thriller "Primal Fear." He and Roberts reteamed in the 1999 romantic comedy "Runaway Bride," but his recent films, "Autumn in New York" and "Dr. T and the Women," failed to ignite the box office. Unlike some actors who haven't aged well, his hair has turned a flattering silver, and People is still happy to use his image to sell magazines.
Laura Linney, Point Pleasant sheriff: Life is coming full circle for this actress, subject of Oscar buzz for her single mother in "You Can Count on Me." Her first film credit came in "Lorenzo's Oil," shot in Pittsburgh in fall 1991. She was listed as "Young Teacher" and would play another teacher in "Searching for Bobby Fischer." Since then, the size of her roles and ranks of critical admirers have grown. She appeared in the miniseries "Tales of the City," was an ex-CIA agent searching for a flawless diamond in "Congo," played a prosecutor (opposite Gere) in "Primal Fear," the daughter of thief Clint Eastwood in "Absolute Power," Jim Carrey's product-pushing wife in "The Truman Show" and a scheming socialite in "House of Mirth."
Debra Messing, the reporter's wife: Talk about your wide range of roles. She played Beth in "The Wait Out" and "The Yada Yada" episodes of "Seinfeld" (her character turned out to be a closet anti-Semite) and, two years later, was Mary Magdalene in the TV miniseries "Jesus." The actress with the best TV coif since Julia Louis-Dreyfus is best known as ditsy interior decorator Grace on "Will & Grace." She also was Stacey on "Ned and Stacey" and Donna Abandando's competitive sister on "NYPD Blue." Her movie credits include the good ("Celebrity"), the bad ("McHale's Navy") and the not very memorable ("A Walk in the Clouds").
Alan Bates, a burned-out paranormal investigator: This burly British actor, nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for 1968's "The Fixer," is now "The Unexpected Man" off-Broadway. His bountiful body of work includes the artist who made it (more than) OK for Jill Clayburgh to be "An Unmarried Woman," Claudius to Mel Gibson's "Hamlet" and Private Plumpick in the cult favorite "King of Hearts." Among his recent spate of TV projects: "Arabian Nights" and the true-life "Nicholas' Gift."
Will Patton, the local resident most plagued by visions: As Coach Bill Yoast, he and star Denzel Washington helped audiences to "Remember the Titans." He also appeared in "Gone in 60 Seconds" and "Trixie" in 2000, with "Entrapment" and "Jesus' Son" the previous year. Even if moviegoers can't put a name to the face, they know they've seen him somewhere -- many places -- before. He also is a popular reader of audio books, having lent his voice to works by best-selling writers Elmore Leonard, James Lee Burke, Larry McMurtry and Winston Groom.
Lucinda Jenney, wife to Patton's character: This will be the second time that Jenney has played Patton's wife; they also were a couple in "Remember the Titans." Jenney is now on screen as the wife to JFK's special assistant Kenneth O'Donnell (Kevin Costner) and mother to their brood in "Thirteen Days." She was a mother in "If These Walls Could Talk 2," "Crime + Punishment in Suburbia" and "Sugar Town."
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