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Show Page B8 THK DAILY HKRALD. Prmo, I tah, Friday, October 11. 19 . t rJ( Journalist uncovers the REAL Chris O'Donnell By BARRY KOLTNOW The Orange County Register Burst unexpectedly into Chris O'Donnell's hotel room and get the surprise of your life. Slumped down in a chair, his d boots resting on a glass coffee table, the actor is chainsmoking unfiltered cigarettes while he regales his friends with stories of recent sexual conquests. It is obvious O'Donnell is heavily into body piercing, and his arms abound with gruesome tattoos. He is swigging Jack Daniels from the bottle. There is evidence of an drug party. Automatic weapons are visible. His bed is real steel-tippe- ht messy. No, wait, wrong hotel room. Next door, the real Chris O'Donnell sits on the edge of a couch, munching on a tuna sandwich and looking every bit the boy. He is polite, charming and friendly. He is wearing a white, button-dow- n shirt, green corduroy pants, moccasins with no socks and a preppy watchband. A knapsack sits beside him. "I get so tired of journalists who are always looking for a new angle to their stories," said O'Donnell, shaking his head. "They're all looking to uncover the REAL Chris O'Donnell. Well, guys, this is it." OK, guilty as charged. The beginning of this story was, in fact, a journalist's fantasy, but you can't' fault a guy for trying. It just seems that this talented, sexy, young man from Chicago is too good to be true. But longtime O'Donnell watchers will get to see a different side of their favorite actor in "The Chamber," which opens Friday. In the latest John Grisham courtroom thriller, O'Donnell plays an idealistic attorney who travels to Mississippi to represent a racist murderer facing an impending execution. The convicted killer, played by Gene Hackman, is his grandfather. 'if you want to know if taking this role is some sort of career strategy, the answer is yes," the actor ; Photo courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Tom Hanks is approaching his 40th birthday by doing a career switch of sorts. Hanks makes his feature film directorial debut with "That Thing You Do!" C film about a band from career switch Tom Hanks makes J . ' man: By BOB THOMAS Press Writer : 'j Associated The LOS ANGELES Tom Hanks turned 40 in ' he even horrors July and admirs to traces of gray hair among ever-yonthf- ul the-blac- "There's your 20s, all you're doing is establishing a beachhead; you're just trying to find yourself one way ""In he fluorescent a few in there," or another. '"In the 30s, you've got to deal with the mistakes you made; also you begin to take on the responsibilities of being an adult. You have to learn the concepts of sacrifice and responsibility; they haven't quite reared their heads in your 20s. "Maybe the 40s are "In 30s, that decade with deal when of Pennsylvania who hits it big with their hit by the same name. song He replied: "'You have to have some degree hubris in order to say, 'OK, here's something I've written; I'd like to be the man in charge.' That's the ego side of it. "The artistic side is that it's a one-shdeal, probably, unless you do a good job at it. I'm not the kind of guy who is sitting around saying, 'What I really want to do is direct.' Those people are tiresome. Why don't ot confesses. "Under light. I actually take on a quality." 40 is reputed to j Reaching much arouse reflection and resolution. Is that to they just true in Hanks' case? go ahead you .;'No." he insists. "I felt like I and do it? was 40 ever since I was 24. So you've "The take made; you begin actually I feel as though I got a actually only guy I on of know who reprieve on this. I'm still one got it figof the youngest guys at the day ured has been a all being an adult. Maybe sthool: seems like everybody else out. You're 40s are director when is ii little bit older than me when able to do right off it bat is the you've actually figured we, drop off the kids. things Steven -"Actually I think I was born in faster and all out: You're able to the peak year for births in the baby better with Spielberg. boom. I think '56 was the most of without Everybody out beating yourself up else has any other year, then it probably beating been started heading on down. I think yourself up muchJ1 1 . something there's more of us than anybody su mum. TOm HankS, else first in Hanks eLsj. So I always feel like one of actually director rder to trurcrowd." learn how the meets J That is the that quality probably it difficult a with 40s ntade his career, starting as far is. He switch. has and written career sil""Bosom the Buddies." as bck "When the time came to put directed the new film "That Thing ly TV series that got him noticed. on the line like that, it was myself You Do!" It's the w of film fortunes hat his has Erie, Pa., story kept Itjis because acting-wis- e there were no occasional ascending boys who form a rock band, despite I that there out jobs really, really ghTches such as "Bonfire of the become a national sensation, then Vanities." Can you imagine any prove to be a one-h- it phenomenon. wanted to do. "The way I've been able to take oftier actor portray ing the quintesHanks plays a secondary role as jobs in the last few years is that sential common man, Forrest their manager. Is this an artistic endeavor or a you read the scripts once and you Giimp? become absolutely hooked. You Hanks reflected on the ages of colossal ego trip? i got to do it. Certainly with 'Apollo g, the you've got the mistakes to also the responsibilities the that decade got do things faster and better so 16-ve- ar actor and I ! John c WITH Michael Manring and Guest Lucy Kaplansky ! October 19 OjkVIO 25. 2. Call DAVID TAOt)GS-N- Ultttm SPACE GRISMAN-Odo- o. I. 2t-- SOLSTKE-- Wy AEIEL AGENCY: Coll 355 355 y ARTS ST ARTS Call 355 ARTS 25 Call 355 "I was looking at the future and the only thing that was coursing through my head was scenes from this script that 1 had been able to write all the way from page to 126." page "That Thing You Do!" was Hanks' first full script, but he observed that he had worked on scripts and had "a million conferences" on his films as actor. He recalled meetings with director Robert Zemeckis, writer Eric Roth and the principal cast of "Forrest Gump." "All we did was talk about the script," Hanks said. "We talked about each other's characters as well as our own. It wasn't about, 'What I would like to do with this It was all about how do we is find this in the first place?" The basic script remained the same, he said, though there were major changes in the Vietnam and joining the Army scenes. And the final scene with Forrest speaking to his wife's grave was composed on the spot by Zemeckis and Han1 ks. "That Thing You Do!" finished on budget: $26 million, a bargain in today's movie market. Of course, that doesn't include Hanks' normal fee as actor. "I lost money on this gig, man," he muttered with some chagrin. "I have friends who made three or four movies in the 18 months I did this. They had a better payday than I have." said. "I had just finished the 'Batman' movie (he played Robin in "Batman Forever" and will reprise the role in "Batman and Robin") and I knew I'd be in another 'Batman' movie in a couple of years. I love those action movies and I appreciate everything 'Batman' has done for me, but I needed something to challenge me as an actor. "Not only would I get to play opposite Gene Hackman, but I would finally get to play someone my own age (26). You've got to find roles that satisfy you or this all gets pretty stale." O'Donnell, who grew up in a Chicago suburb, the youngest of seven children, started modeling at 3 and was doing TV commercials within three years. At 17, he was discovered in a McDonald's commercial and cast in his first film, playing Jessica Lange's son in "Men Don't Leave." 1 ARTS Bra ' Inhs "See Dainch in the Park-- 'Is. f ? rr Canyon Rd t Prmm must CsU (COD Provo $3.5r seniors, knvh buffet is onfy $16.95 ftiradidis, fliul a special price f( n children under 1 2 370-254- 7 . PROVO PAKX HOTEL All tickets must be purchased by October 14th. the Giant 507 lb. Pumpkin A Real Family Treat Bring your children to see Special Attractions Farmer Grant's Pumpkin House, Castle and the New Peter Cottontail Rabbit House. 6. Tickets also available at Best in Music (2 locations) University Mall and 31 45 N. ol Take a tour through the pumpkin patch, see our display of scarecrows, ghosts, witches, birds, animals, and spook alley. Fantastic ; r deiGUiiuii: vYvi ", enjoying pumpkinland. Call (1 -- A great place to get photographs of your family Oct 19, UVSC Ballroom 6:30 p.m. , "But as lucky as I am to have gotten those early breaks, nobody has worked as hard as I have to get where I am. I was given a 'great opportunity, but I took advantage I of it." O'Donnell, who, we are duty-- ; bound to report, has a steady girl-- ; friend back in Chicago, attributed ; much of his success to his parents, ; whom he describes as conserva-- ; tive. ; "When I go into a store and see a great TV, I want to buy it right now," he said. "My father is the opposite; he is patient and can wait forever. He always taught me to be cautious, and that's a good thing in Hollywood. "This is a very seductive town, and I really don't trust people out here. They're so insincere a lot of the time. That's why I use the guidance of my family and some of the friends I've made in Hollywood to help guide my career." O'Donnell said he sometimes looks at his close friends they're all from his high school and coland wonders whether lege days he might prefer a regular job and a life. Then he looks at his paycheck and comes to his senses. "This is a funny, weird business, but if you realize it's all about the work, then you can find happiness in Hollywood," he said. "So many people make it worse for themselves by seeking the spotlight. That part of the business is a joke. I understand the importance of promoting a movie, but when I'm not promoting a movie, I want to be away from it. I don't ever want to feel the pressure of having to play that glamour game. "This whole thing attached to me is ridiculous, and my sisters and girlfriend keep me grounded by making fun of me. But if it helps to sell tickets, then I'll go along with it. This is a business, and I never forget that. I was a marketing major, you know. "But that doesn't mean you have to get caught up in it. When you go after a career based on glamour, you find out how fleeting fame is in this town. I don't want to be the new hot kid on the block. I want to be around for a long time." Hmmm, maybe nice guys can finish first. pumpkins ever. & PERFOFIMANCE Enjoy Sunday " the largest display of ELEGANT DINNER $19.50 per person. ; Home of the Giant Pumpkins " IBYIBEE 225-923- said. PUMPKINLAND .Opening Gala .aril v NOW OPEN! Metropolitan Opera Star 40 S. 800 E., SLCI COMING SOON FROM way. well-behav- ed PRESENTS: Tickets at the ixxir night or snow i felt that Society Bryant Midhle Schuu. i I Utah Lyric L Saturday: 8pm AumoKiUM 13' and "Forrest Gump' After finishing the film, he attended Boston College as a mar-- : latketing major but left two years er to appear opposite Al Pacino in "Scent of a Woman." He never went back to college, but he has done well for a dropout, starring in "Circle of Friends," "Mad Love, "Fried Green Tomatoes," "School Ties" and "The Three Musketeers." His next film, before "Bat-- . man and Robin" is released, is with Sandra Bullock in "In Love and ; . ; : War." "I know I have been very fortu-- : nate to have worked with so many : great people who have taken me under their wing and taught me; about acting and the business,"-O'Donnel- l , Tr, Shrub. Z noM, S. ate. TT f Tulips Daffodils Hyacinth Tall 'Bulbs Crocus foffipring Colof to And much more! GA RDEN VZ5r CENTER 435 So. Geneva Rd. Orem 225-435- Hours: 9-- 6 7 POOR |