… Everybody else saw that and said, ‘Oh that’s what I have to do to do this.’ … And we go at Sorkin speed. (AP Photo/HBO, John P. Johnson). That's the big goal, not playing one thing for 40 years," he says. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Watch the full interview clip (including Mahershala Ali’s unparalleled shirt-jacket combo) below: Jeff Daniels has earned accolades for his performance as prickly anchorman Will McAvoy on the HBO series, "The Newsroom." The opening scene of the pilot episode " We Just Decided To ", in which Daniels gives a monologue on the state of American greatness, has been viewed more than 13 million times. Jeff Daniels has earned accolades for his performance as prickly anchorman Will McAvoy on the HBO series, "The Newsroom." The dramatic career was in kind of a stall and I knew I could do comedy. ", "I'm ready to go," he says. ‘Mad Men,’ ‘Breaking Bad,’ ‘House of Cards’ - those shows are adored and loved. “Because with the show, you’ve got a 10 hour season. Since "Newsroom" was canceled in 2014, those roles include risk-averse NASA Director Teddy Sanders in "The Martian" (2015); outlaw Frank Griffin in "Godless" (2017); FBI agent John O'Neill in "The Looming Tower" (2018);" and Atticus Finch in Sorkin's 2018 Broadway adaptation of "To Kill a Mockingbird. Daniels shared, on July 16, a photo of "The Newsroom" set in darkness via Twitter and wrote, "That's a wrap.". Daniels had a career resurgence with his turn in Aaron Sorkin's HBO drama series The Newsroom (2012–2014) as fictional news anchor Will McAvoy. … We’re shooting by 8. They are all alive to me.". We’re not sure if Aaron Sorkin wrote this rant, too, but Jeff Daniels of HBO’s “The Newsroom” fame has reprised his Will McAvoy role with a wordy dump on Donald Trump.. Jeff Daniels… If there’s any rehearsal, you do it on your own. ", "I don't think anything will top what I got to do eight times a week on Broadway playing Atticus Finch. Jenn McKee is an entertainment reporter for The Ann Arbor News. And that’s — there’s a risk of failure in that. The Tony-nominee says the classic story still “slaps white America in the face.”  (May 29), Jeff Daniels' performance in 'Comey Rule' made James Comey feel 'nauseous,' and Daniels is OK with that, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. ", "There are things I've done that have impacted people in ways I didn't anticipate," he says of Noah Baumbach's searing portrayal of a couple's split as seen through the eyes of their young sons. Whether you loved or hated ‘The Newsroom,’ the scene in the pilot was one that everyone was talking about — and now, here we are again. "Luckily, we're healthy, but it's been a sprint since 'Newsroom' and especially after 'Mockingbird' and going right into 'Comey.' "I want to see Harry Dunne sitting with Will McAvoy, and then Jim Comey sits down. I'm appreciative of the time to recover. (AP Photo/HBO, John P. Johnson) Will Daniels miss playing prickly anchorman Will McAvoy? That helps explain Daniels playing celluloid-star-come-to-life Tom Baxter in Woody Allen's "The Purple Rose of Cairo" (1985); gallant Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain in "Gettysburg" (1993); selfish writer Bernard Berkman in "The Squid and the Whale" (2005); sex offender Ray in "Blackbird" on Broadway (2016); and, the greatest of outliers, moron Harry Dunne in "Dumb and Dumber" (1994). They marketed it as a Chevy Chase comedy and then we've got that wild third act. He's not in the tongue-on-the-pole scene. “What you learn early on is that, nobody cares whether it’s hard, with a lot of lines delivered at 100 miles an hour,” said Daniels. Jeff Daniels on the End of 'The Newsroom': 'It's Really Difficult to Do Well' ... Once they start talking towards the outline of your ideas, now you’re off and running. Most entertainers – especially those who work in movies and TV – don’t hit a career peak at age 59, but a pretty good argument could be made in Jeff Daniels’ case. That is a hallmark of Jeff as a person. It comes out in his characters.". "I've always said, 'When I'm done, I'm going to throw a dinner party and all the characters I've ever played are going to show up'," he says. They tend to say, ‘Here’s the money, do what you do.’, “At ‘The Newsroom,’ what you hear is, ‘Go further,’ ‘Don’t pull back.’ … There’s a freedom in that for writers.”. The official website for The Newsroom on HBO, featuring full episodes online, interviews, schedule information and episode guides. The much-analyzed, much-criticized Comey – who led the controversial investigation of Hillary Clinton's emails and was fired by President Donald Trump after not pledging loyalty – fits the mold, Daniels says from his Michigan home. . I said, 'He's not in the snowball-in-the-head scene. “The validation matters,” said Daniels. They’ll say, ‘Script, please,’ while we’re looking at them and thinking, ‘Welcome to our world.’”. Still, to hear Daniels tell it, these next few days are his long-awaited coming-out party. A newsroom undergoes some changes in its workings and morals as a new team is brought in, bringing unexpected results for its existing news anchor. [31] Daniels was successful to the point that when he won his Emmy, he beat out heavy hitters like Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm and Bryan Cranston. “There’s got to be some luck involved, because for somebody to be hitting at my age – it just doesn’t usually happen.”. ", Morality play: Jeff Daniels' performance in 'Comey Rule' made James Comey feel 'nauseous,' and Daniels is OK with that. The day players – you’ll see steam coming out of their ears, … and it’s like they’re coming around a corner too fast, up on 2 wheels. Advisers pushed back. En español | Jeff Daniels, who is 64, likes to imagine celebrating his 80th birthday with a dinner party attended by all the characters he’s ever played. “ … Writers have more say (in television), more freedom. Jeff Daniels brought back the epic Will McA… Like, how do we do this? any more." "It's credibility. Before you get to the set, you’ve got to get it up to speed, know it, and know what you’re going to do with it.”. McAvoy, was a complicated guy, and that's what I get now," Daniels says. No, I was happy to take that. Jeff Daniels (11:02) Tony-nominated actor, Jeff Daniels, stops by Couch Surfing this week to talk about ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ on Broadway and some of his greatest roles including ‘Something Wild,’ ‘Dumb and Dumber,’ ‘The Newsroom,’ and more! But what does Daniels feel he’s taking away from his “Newsroom” experience, besides a nice trophy? Daniels, 65, has pursued a broad range of film, TV and stage roles for philosophical, creative and career reasons over a 44-year acting career that he celebrates every September 1, the day he arrived in New York in 1976 to pursue his dream. Sorkin opens with fireworks as Daniels unleashes a tirade, telling an audience that "America is NOT the greatest country in the world . Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). "The Newsroom" wrapped its final season in July, and the episodes will air on HBO this fall. Transcript for Jeff Daniels Dishes On New Show 'The Newsroom' This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate. Daniels is best known for his role in Dumb and Dumber (1994) alongside Jim Carrey plus his Emmy Award-winning performances in The Newsroom and Godless. So that didn't work," he says. Callow philanderer Flap Horton "was probably the role no young actor in Hollywood wanted. I spent my weekends learning the whole week’s script … so that I’d be up to speed and off-book by Sunday. Jeff Daniels had a deliciously snarky response the day an actor couldn’t get his lines right on The Newsroom this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Jeff Daniels Discusses 'Dumb and … "And it was the chance to work with this young comedic genius named Jim Carrey. That will change on June 24, when Daniels makes his debut as anchorman Will McAvoy in Aaron Sorkin’s new HBO series The Newsroom. There’s more there, the journey’s longer – I like it. The performance earned Daniels acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination, which often leads to better opportunities/material – like the movie “Goodnight and Good Luck,” the off-Broadway drama, “Blackbird,” and the Broadway play “God of Carnage,” which earned Daniels a Tony Award nomination. By E. Alex Jung. And I’m from the world of, close the play and move on. Daniels goes around the table to discuss his guests' projects: "At the time, I wanted to shake it up. In particular, the closing argument that Aaron Sorkin had written based on Harper Lee’s book, to stand on the front of the Shubert stage and deliver a right hook to white America about racism, 1,400 predominantly white faces not moving. The kind where Jeff Daniels is asked to resurrect his character from The Newsroom to talk about the 2016 presidential election. Eight times a week on jeff daniels talking about newsroom playing Atticus Finch 734-623-2546, and it a... 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