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American Morning
Showbiz Today Reports: Writers Strike Negotiations Continue; Laura Linney Discusses Reprise of 'Tales of the City' Role
Aired May 02, 2001 - 11:45 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It's going to be hard to top that 11- year-old we just heard from.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: That kid's something else.
KAGAN: He's good.
HARRIS: Let's see if Laurin Sydney can do it.
KAGAN: If anybody can, she can.
Hi -- Laurin.
HARRIS: Good morning -- Laurin.
LAURIN SYDNEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I don't think so. Good morning, everybody.
Today, we're going to talk about writers, starting with "West Wing" writer and creator Aaron Sorkin. The Emmy winner's in a Los Angeles courtroom this morning, where he is being arraigned on felony drug charges. Sorkin was arrested April 15 at Burbank Airport, when authorities said that they found illicit mushrooms, cocaine, and marijuana in his carry-on bag. Sorkin has admitted that he has been a substance abuser in the past, and has even been honored for his work in fighting drug abuse.
Supermodel Nikki Taylor remains in critical condition, with a severely damaged liver, in an Atlanta hospital. Taylor was injured when the car she was a passenger in hit a telephone pole on Sunday night. The driver, a friend of Taylor's, was distracted by a cell phone call.
Talk about Hollywood cliffhangers -- negotiations between writers and producers proceeded right up to the writers contract deadline last night.
Our very own Sherri Sylvester is standing by outside the Writers Guild headquarters in Hollywood, with the very latest -- Sherri.
SHERRI SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Laurin, the negotiations broke off at 3:00 a.m. this morning local time, and in another three hours, they are going to back to bargaining table. We don't expect any final solution or Hollywood happy ending, as it will, until probably the end of the week, and I say that because, no matter what happens, the Writers Guild Members have to either ratify a new contract or vote to strike. So 11,500 members need to vote either way.
Because of strike fears, that will affect what you see this fall already. When it comes to the television, you're going to see a lot of reality programming because reality does not require writers or actors, so it's deemed strike-proof.
When it comes to movies, the studios have been rushing production on their feature films. That means a lot of those films did not get a polish. They didn't get that rewrite they might have needed. And if you're a big studio, and you had 20 films slated for the year, you might try to get 16 of them finished prestrike. So you're doing three-fouths of a year's work in the first quarter of the year; that means you may see the best movies and the worst movies you've ever seen in your life in the year ahead.
That's the latest. They've got a news blackout right now. We don't know whether they're making great strides or whether they're inching along, but as soon as we find out, we will let you know.
I'm Sherri Sylvester, reporting from the Writers Guild, in Los Angeles.
Thank you, Sherri, for keeping us posted.
SYDNEY: Speaking of writers, Oscar nominee Laura Linney has worked with some of the best in the biz. That includes Armistead Maupin -- she appeared in the original TV adaptation of his "Tales of the City," and now she reprises that role in Showtime's "Further Tales of the City."
Here's a peek.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAURA LINNEY, ACTOR: Today on "Bargain Matinee," after the news at noon, I'll show you how 20 cents worth of pasta and a little gold paint can turn this into this. Pretty nifty, huh?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SYDNEY: That's the best "nifty" in show biz.
Joining us now is a very nifty actress, Miss Laura Linney herself.
Welcome to "Showbiz Today".
LINNEY: Thank you -- a pleasure to be here.
It is very interesting that, in a way, you've gone back to your roots with this project, since you did it many years ago. LINNEY: It's a project that I've been involved with for a long time. We did the original "Tales of City" in 1993. We did "More Tales" in '97, and we completed the third one, which will be airing this month, "Further Tales of the City," last summer.
SYDNEY: Is it old-home week when you go on the set?
LINNEY: It is, it is. We've all known each other a long time now, and we have developed relationships over years that are very strong. And it's a lot like going home. We have a very, very good time.
SYDNEY: It is very interesting that an Academy Award nominee for best actress would choose to do television and choose to do cable.
LINNEY: I don't think so. Not so much anymore. Also, this is something that was in my life long before an Academy Award nomination was, so it's certainly something that I will always stand by, and I'm very, very proud of it. It's brought an enormous amount to my life over the years, so I'm thrilled to be with it.
SYDNEY: Although you are an incredible actress, I was watching you the whole night during Academy Awards. I was there. You were having the time of your life.
LINNEY: I did, I did. I had a wonderful, wonderful time. I knew that it was very unexpected for me, and I was just determined to enjoy every second of it. And I really did; I had a wonderful time. Armistead Maupin, who wrote these series and these wonderful novels that the show is based on, was my date for the evening. We really had a good time.
SYDNEY: Will there be a fourth installment?
LINNEY: I hope so. There are three more novels to do. There are six novels altogether for the canon of "Tales of the City," so I'm certainly hopeful that we do the last three. It would be a shame not to finish it up.
SYDNEY: And it would be a shame not even to ask your comments on the writers strike, since I have one of the best actresses in the world sitting with me now. What are your feelings?
LINNEY: Well, you know, I hope that it all works out. You want -- things have to -- as the business changes, things need be renegotiated, and I certainly hope that it works out fairly and firmly, you know, for both sides.
But it is certainly causing a lot of anxiety for a lot of people because it will, I'm sure, influence the Screen Actors Guild strike, which is a possibility right behind it. And then there's the fallout in how it trickles down: Every single industry that's involved with show business is affected. So I think everyone is hopeful that it will work out, but I know there are some serious issues that really do need to be hammered out.
SYDNEY: Serious, indeed.
You're so busy I can't even believe you had time. You just wrapped a film with Richard Gere, and you're about to start shooting "The Laramie Project" for HBO.
LINNEY: Yes, I finished "The Maupin Prophecies" in Pittsburgh. We were there for four months. Richard Gere is as divine as ever. So that was a wonderful job.
I have one day on a very special project, called "The Laramie Project," for HBO, about Matthew Shepard. I'm looking forward to being a part of that.
SYDNEY: It's too bad Richard Gere just let himself go, Laura.
LINNEY: I know. It's a shame, isn't it? It's just a shame -- you have to show up to work with him every day.
SYDNEY: You get all the nothing co-stars.
LINNEY: It's like, Richard, please go into hair and makeup -- just take care of yourself.
SYDNEY: That's right.
LINNEY: Enough already.
SYDNEY: On that note, we have to end.
And you don't need hair and makeup, Laura.
Thank you so much for stopping by.
LINNEY: Bless you. Thank you so much.
SYDNEY: Now let's go back to two people who don't need it either. Leon and Daryn, take it away.
HARRIS: You wait until I call my friend Richard, now -- talking about him behind his back like that.
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