Don't Blink...

...or you'll miss me.

A friend sent me a Facebook message today telling me that I was in the trailer for the new Drew Barrymore movie Big Miracle.  Terrible name.  The previous name of the movie was Everybody Loves Whales, which wasn't much better.  Nevertheless, it was a great experience and it's a total kick to see myself, even wearing mom jeans, even for a microsecond (at the 1:23 mark), in the trailer.  I'm hopeful that means I'll make it into the finished film, which premieres in February.

http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/universal/bigmiracle/

There's an astonishing amount of acting talent in Alaska.  I auditioned more or less on a dare from my friend Tamar--I'd heard about the auditions, but hadn't planned to go.  In the end, the casting agents auditioned something like two thousand actors from all over the state and cast forty speaking parts here.  We'll see if my line makes the final cut.

I'm sure that if you make a living in the film industry, this is pretty routine stuff.  For me, it was a great adventure.  I still don't know why they chose me for the movie, but I am grateful.  Here's what I can tell you:  film crew members have great senses of humor.  It is not fun to eat Swanson fried chicken for take after take.  Ken Kwapis, the director, is an incredibly nice guy.  Ted Danson doesn't look his age at all.

I'll never act for a living, but I'll also never forget the experience.