In 1998 and I had the pleasure of being in the audience for James Purdy’s play SUN OF THE SLEEPLESS which stared a then, unknown actor whose reputation to surprise—in the early 90’s—was growing exponentially, that was Laurence Fishburne. The dynamic thespian had not yet reached the iconic status that Fishburne has today, having not given Neo the epic choice in “The Matrix” of choosing between a red pill and a blue pill.
None the less, Fishburne’s commanding presence in Purdy’s play left an indelible mark and there, in a tiny New York theater—so long ago— I can clearly trace where I became a sincere fan of his work.
Fast forward to 2017 and despite my Hollywood hobnobbing and such, I’ve never had an opportunity to shake the storytellers’ massive hand and tell Fishburne, now a actor/producer with ABC’s excellent comedy “Black-ish” , just what his 1998 performance meant to me—until—last week at the NYFF55 opening night party at Tavern on the Green for Academy Award® winner, Richard Linklater's “Last Flag Flying” a drama with comedic overtones about three Vietnam War veterans played by Bryan Cranston, Steve Carell, Laurence Fishburne and newcomer J. Quinton Johnson.
The invitation to NYFF’s opening night party isn't an automatic with press accreditation. To be frank, it’s a hard invitation to acquire but since covering the festival, for the past five years, what I’ve discovered—hindsight being 20/20—is that this is where I have been introduced to past Oscar® nominees and winners. Such is the reputation of NYFF.
Inside NYFF55’s opening night party hosted at Tavern On The Green, Fishburne wore a red suit that on anyone else might seem a bold and hasty fashion choice. Sitting in a crowded VIP section, he was easy to spot. Jig-jagging with a practiced skill honed by attending hundreds of such events, I made my way to his table long-before the adoring crowd lined up to gush.
The words tumbled out: “I’ve been a fan since 1989ish," I explained my theater experience and it’s here that I wish my very eyes were cameras, able to instantaneously capture a response. "As far back as that?" he asked, a twinkle bouncing between his eyes. "As far back as that," I confirmed.
We chatted, and it was nice. Fishburne is a man that loves his work, including his role as an actor/producer on ABC's "Black-ish" and when you insert his proper name, Laurence J. Fishburne III the search engine pulls up his resume, allowing one to step back and appreciate the breadth of his stage work, having won a Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Theatre World, and Tony Awards for his portrayal of Sterling Johnson in August Wilson's TWO TRAINS RUNNING, directed by Lloyd Richards.
He's an Emmy Award nominee and a NAACP Image Award winner and he's been acting since the age of 10. To say that he was born to the profession is rather very simplified. At age 15, he was cast in Francis Ford Coppola's classic "Apocalypse Now" and he's never stopped becoming what he is now---storyteller Laurence J. Fishburne III. His legacy continues and in “Last Flag Flying” his measured performance asRev. Richard Mueller aka Mueller the Mauler, just might earn him a Best Supporting Actor nomination, or so says the Oscar® buzz.
The other conversations around early Oscar® predictions included "Strong Island" by director Yance Ford on Netflix, a documentary about his brother's murder 20 years ago.
Also in conversation, most film critics and Hollywood insiders who saw Dee Rees "Mudbound" feel strongly that the film will land a nomination, next year.
Also at the party, Academy Award®winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams ("Music by Prudence") who is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (A.M.P.A.S.) board of governors, representing the Documentary Branch.
I enjoy watching Williams work a room of distinguished folks, always tight-lipped and ready with a smile.
Next year's 90th Academy Awards will be held on March 4 but until then the NYFF55 Festival runs until October 15.
Follow @TheNYFF on Instagram for exclusive photos, festival videos, ticket giveaways, and more.