It's an interesting way to write a memoir: a life story told through a series of encounters with icons, celebrities, politicians and bombshells. In his book, Dropped Names: Famous Men and Women as I Knew Them, actor Frank Langella paints a picture of a passionate young man constantly in the presence of magnetic beings. His appetite for big personalities could only be matched by his appetite for great material, and as a young actor he cut his teeth in the theater, eventually winning his first Tony Award for his performance in Seascape in 1975 (he's won two more Tonys since then). Now, at age 74, and still a theater actor and a New Yorker at heart, he is brutally honest about his misgivings, mistakes, and opinions about how his profession has changed over the years. This year he stars in the film Robot & Frank, playing an ex-burglar (named Frank) whose son provides him with a robot caretaker. His acting has become more nuanced, powerful, and complex over the years. What hasn't changed at all is his commitment to the craft and the honor of acting, and his proclivity towards unique characters, real and fictional alike.
Banner image courtesy of Samual Goldwyn Films