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PEOPLE & ARTS Friday 31 May 2019
Jeff Daniels: ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is role of a lifetime

By JOHN CARUCCI gone by the wayside, he
Associated Press said the story is still relevant
NEW YORK (AP) — Early today when it comes to ra-
in the morning on a two- cial bigotry.
show day on Broadway, “It’s probably as pro-
Jeff Daniels reluctantly talks nounced as racism has
about his Tony Award nom- been in decades,” he
ination. said. “We have to decide
He doesn’t want to get his whether there is good-
hopes up, so he prefers to ness in everyone. Whether
“remain neutral” on the there is compassion and
nod, his third. As for the role generosity and civility and
that got him there, well, respect for others in every-
that’s another story. one. Atticus believes that,
Daniels perks up when the and he comes to find out
conversation turns to his that that may not be the
portrayal of Atticus Finch, case. And I think as we look
the small-town attorney around today, that’s an
immortalized in the Harper arguable point.”
Lee novel “To Kill a Mock- Noticeably absent from
ingbird,” adapted now for the Tony nominations this
the stage. season was a nod for play-
Lee chronicled the inno- This May 1, 2019 file photo shows Jeff Daniels at the 73rd annual Tony Awards “Meet the Nominees” wright Aaron Sorkin, whose
cence and tragedy of her press day in New York. script fuels the work. But
childhood in the classic Associated Press co-star Celia Keenan-Bol-
novel, shinning a light on took home three Oscars, in- immersed himself in under- the approach you have to ger — who earned one of
the Jim Crow-era South as cluding a best actor award standing 1930s-era Ala- take and roll the dice and the play’s nine nominations
well as injustice in a small for Gregory Peck. bama so he could focus on see what happens,” Dan- — said the cast and crew
Alabama town. That pedigree makes step- the period, rather than imi- iels said. “It’s the role of a shared their joy with him.
Nearly 60 years after the ping into the shoes of Finch tating Peck, or, as he puts lifetime, and all I’m trying to “We’re doing great at the
novel was published, Dan- a daunting task, one that it, “climbing Mount Grego- do is give the performance box office, and so many
iels sees the play embrace required a careful balance ry Peck.” of my life every night. Be- people that were a part
the same values. of research for Daniels. Daniels approached it cause I know what I got. I of the production were
“I think the big thing that it “I watched the movie like he was originating the know how precious this role recognized. But, of course,
did in the ‘60s, that it also once, and then put it away. role. “Peck either did the is, and that’s why I said yes the truth is that none of us
does now, is it slaps white I read the book once, and definitive, can’t-imagine- to it for a year,” Daniels said. would be here if it weren’t
America in the face,” Dan- again with highlighting Atti- anyone-else-in-this-perfor- Eight times a week, Daniels for Aaron Sorkin. So, our
iels said. The novel won the cus’ stuff,” Daniels said. mance, or he was the only feels the pulse of the play nomination is his nomi-
Pulitzer Prize for literature in That was just the starting guy who got to do it. So, if in front of a live audience. nation,” Keenan-Bolger
1961, and the film version point. From there, Daniels you’re going to do it, that’s While Jim Crow laws have said.q

Blast from the past comedies, Fawcett bio win in TV ratings

By LYNN ELBER NBC, powered by “The “Live: All in the Family-The
Associated Press Voice” and its “Chicago” Jeffersons,” ABC, 10.4 mil-
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Blasts drama franchise, was the lion; NBA Playoffs: Golden
from the past proved ir- week’s most-watched State at Portland, ESPN,
resistible to viewers, who broadcast network with 7.99 million; “The Voice,”
flocked to live versions of an average 4.35 million NBC, 7.97 million; “Night-
a pair of classic sitcoms viewers, just squeezing line: All in the Family-The
and a special about a past CBS’ 4.33 million. ABC Jeffersons,” ABC, 7.7 mil-
20th-century TV beauty. averaged 3.87 million, Fox lion; “Chicago Med,”
ABC’s re-creation of epi- had 2.5 million, ION Televi- NBC, 7.5 million; “Chicago
sodes of “All in the Family” sion had 1.27 million, Univi- Fire,” NBC, 7.49 million;
and “The Jeffersons” was sion with 1.26 million, Tele- “The Voice” (Tuesday),
among last week’s most- mundo 1.1 million and the NBC, 7.4 million; “Chicago
watched programs with CW 610,000. P.D.,” NBC, 6.6 million; NBA
10.4 million viewers, ac- This image released by ABC shows Wanda Sykes as Louise ABC’s “World News To- Playoffs: Milwaukee at To-
cording to Nielsen figures Jefferson, left, and Jamie Foxx as George Jefferson in “Live in night” topped the eve- ronto, Turner, 6.4 million.
released Wednesday. Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ ning newscasts with an ABC is owned by The Walt
Woody Harrelson played and ‘The Jeffersons’,” special which aired on Wednesday, average of 8.1 million Disney Co. CBS is owned
Archie Bunker, the role May 22. viewers. NBC’s “Nightly by CBS Corp. CW is a joint
originated by the late Car- Associated Press News” was second with venture of Warner Bros.
roll O’Connor on “All in the Norman Lear’s famed The actress, who shot to 7.2 million and the “CBS Entertainment and CBS
Family,” with Jamie Foxx 1970s and ‘80 comedies fame in the “Charlie’s An- Evening News” averaged Corp. Fox is owned by Fox
following in the footsteps also landed in the top 10, gels” series in 1976 and lat- 5.4 million viewers. Corp. NBC and Telemun-
of Sherman Hemsley as with an ABC documentary er appeared in the sitcom For the week of May 20- do are owned by Com-
George Jefferson. on the life and career of “Spin City” and in mov- 26, the top 10 shows, their cast Corp. ION Television
A “Nightline” program on Farrah Fawcett coming in ies and on stage, died of networks and viewerships: is owned by ION Media
the do-overs of producer at No. 12. cancer in 2009 at age 62. “NCIS,” CBS, 12 million; Networks.q