Hey there, welcome to Peverett Phile Live! for a Saturday. What? I never post on Saturday's. I am now. Haha. Okay, let's get on with this. I'm tired. Following a grand jury's decision not to indict NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo for the videotaped choking death of Eric Garner, angry protesters in New York City and other cities around the country failed to act out in violent or destructive ways, resulting in a major inconvenience for media outlets who would prefer not to grapple with the actual implications of the incident. The Eric Garner grand jury also likes Nickelback, is okay with Comic Sans, and thinks Han Solo didn't shoot Greedo. The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that it will be investigating the controversial Garner-Pantaleo incident that occurred in New York City over the summer, despite the fact that a Staten Island grand jury had already decided that the police officer... who was filmed administering a banned choke hold on a civilian who repeated stated that he was unable to breath had done no wrong. You know, Even Darren Wilson is just like "WHAT THA FUCK?" over this Eric Garner thing. Despite a delayed launch of a test flight, NASA officials are moving forward with its stated plan to choose a handful of human beings that they don't mind sacrificing to the ravages of spacetime and eventually depositing them 30 million miles away onto the inhospitable surface of the planet Mars, from which they will likely not return alive. This is truly an amazing time for humanity. We could go to Mars or we could use the money it takes to get us to Mars on a huge nationwide pizza party. MGM Studios and Sony Pictures announced the title and cast of the 24th James Bond movie. Spectre... named for the international terrorist organization with which the Bond character battled in films such as Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice will once again feature Daniel Craig in the lead role, as well as Christoph Waltz, Andrew Scott, Monica Bellucci and... You know what? Don't even worry about who else is in it. Or the plot details or anything like that. You're gonna see it regardless. The announcement of a new James Bond movie came out just in time for you to have something to awkwardly talk to your dad about at Christmas. NBC's much-promoted "Peter Pan Live!" musical extravaganza pulled in a disappointing 9.1 million viewers, most of which being people gleefully hating it on Twitter. Though those numbers are down more than 50 percent from NBC's previous live musical, "The Sound of Music", they're way up from the network's normal Thursday night programs, which really isn't saying much. The United States just came one step closer to killing several of its citizens on the surface of the planet Mars. The Orion spacecraft that will eventually carry people to our nearest planetary neighbor, where they will surely die, successfully splashed down into the Pacific Ocean after orbiting the Earth twice. Nice to see that we can accomplish the same things we did back when my grandfather was a young man. Well, Christmas is around the corner and they released some honest Christmas tags. Who released them? I don't really know, but here is one of them...
So, Disney sure loves Frozen. They are even putting Elsa in the new Star Wars movie. Don't believe me? I have an exclusive publicity shot from the movie.
I like how she matches the droid. Haha. So, I was at the supermarket yesterday and I saw something that was odd. Does baking soda expire?
The Blockbuster next to the supermarket is now an appliance store so I don't know where to to to get the free movie rental. Alright, so on Thursday's entry I was supposed to show you another real product you can buy on Amazon but I forgot. So, today I will show you two.
Holy crap kids are getting lazier. You can't even exert the wrist energy for a no-strings kiss? Okay, now from the home office in Port Jefferson, New York, here is...
Top Phive Group Of People Who Watched "Peter Pan Live!"
5. People who don't have cable or Netflix or a gaming system or a radio or a book or a hobby.
4. Brian Williams, misty-eyed at seeing his little boy on TV.
3. Fans of Alison Williams' legendary singing voice.
2. Foodies excited to learn the backstory of their favorite peanut butter.
And the number one group of people who watched "Peter Pan Live!" are...
1. Old people who always watch "Wheel of Fortune" from 7:30 to 8:00 you couldn't find the damn remote.
Haha. Next time I'm at that park I want to take a picture like that. If you spot the Mindphuck let me know. Alright, so, about a month ago or two the Maelstrom ride at the Norway pavilion closed down to make room for a ride based on Frozen. In that ride was a polar bear who was there to scare the Guests. But it turns out all he wanted to do was stand-up comedy. I thought it would be cool to invite him on the Phile to tell jokes and he was kinda popular. He hasn't been back here in awhile so I thought I'll have him back. So, please welcome back to the Phile...
Me: Hey, Petter, welcome back to the Phile. How are you?
Petter: Jeg er god, begeistret ferier, Jason. Hvordan har du det?
Me: Petter, once again I don't talk Norwegian, and doubt my readers will understand.
Petter: Sorry.
Me: That's okay. So, tell us some jokes.
Petter: What do polar bears like to eat?
Me: I don't know. What? Klondike Bars?
Petter: Brrrrrrrritos.
Me: Haha. That's funny. Corny, but funny. Haha. Get the pun?
Petter: No. What are polar bears called when they get caught in the rain?
Me: I don't know.
Petter: Drizzly bears.
Me: These jokes are pretty good. Do you have a longer joke, Petter?
Petter: Ja. A policeman in the big city stops a man in a car with a baby polar bear in the front seat. "What are you doing with that polar bear?" hee exclaimed, "You should take it to the zoo." The following week, the same policeman sees the same man with the polar bear again in the front seat, with both of them wearing sunglasses. The policeman pulls him over. "I thought you were going to take that polar bear to the zoo!" The man replied, "I did. We had such a good time we are going to the beach this weekend!"
Me: That's a knock-off on a joke my dad used to tell, Petter. Anyway, good job. Was this fun?
Petter: Ikke egentlig, jeg vil heller være tilbake på den jævla turen.
Me: I don't know what you said but come back on the Phile soon. Petter the Comedic Norwegian Unemployed Polar Bear everybody.
The 31st artist to be pheatured in the Phile's Art Gallery is Joshua Bauer and this is one of his pieces...
Joshua will be a guest on the Phile on Monday.
Okay, today's guest is an actress who you might recognize from a commercial or two. Please welcome to the Phile, the gorgeous... Natalie Mitchell.
Me: Hello, Natalie, welcome to the Phile. How are you?
Natalie: I'm great! Thank you, Jason.
Me: So, I have to say you are one of the best looking guests I have ever interviewed here. Were you always good looking or did you grow into it?
Natalie: That is nice of you to say... but then again you haven't ever "seen" most of your guests I am assuming... I would have to say that I have always been the girl next door but age 7 wasn't the hottest year for me. I had 80s bangs and missing teeth, but then again who looks good at 7.
Me: Good point. So, where are you from originally?
Natalie: I grew up in Northern California in a small town called Petaluma. Unfortunately most people know it for Polly Klaas, but it's also famously the place that they filmed American History X, Inventing the Abbots, Phenomenon, Flubber etc. Petaluma use to be the chicken capitol of the world and the first place to start arm wrestling. It' a perfect blend of country and city. You can get to Napa, San Francisco, Point Reyes all in 30 min.
Me: You live in New York City now, right? Actually I just moved from New York City to Los Angeles about 3 months ago. I currently live in sunny Santa Monica and I love it.
Me: And did I read that you were just recently married? Is your husband in the acting business as well?
Natalie: Yes, I was married in Northern California a little over a year ago and no he is not in the business. I don't believe in mixing business and pleasure. Plus I can't imagine being married to an actor.
Me: I first found out about you through the commercial for Subway where you wear different costumes. I have to show a pic from it...
Me: That's your latest national commercial, right?
Natalie: Yes, that commercial was booked two weeks after moving to Los Angeles from New York City but I have done over 15 national commercials for different companies like Dove Chocolate, Starbucks, Mirena, Capitol One, L.L.Bean, Dr. Schols, Walmart, Burlington Coat Factory, etc.
Me: The Subway commercial has been called "sexist", but I have no idea why. Why do you think that is?
Natalie: I believe that people now a days are quit sensitive and aren't used to seeing satire in commercials and the director was pushing the envelope a little making a commentary on how woman ridiculously make every kind of costume "sexy" for Halloween. Its our society that is sexist no the commercial. Plus I would venture to say most commercials have some form of sexism. Even the Tide commercials where a woman is the one pushing the button on the washing machine is sexist what about the men who clean?
Me: People are stupid. Anyway, you got to dress up in different costumes in that commercial. Which one was your favorite to wear?
Natalie: Well, actually my favorite one wasn't even shown it was a tiger costume with a great big tail and booties it wasn't sexy at all which was so funny. I love it. Out of the costumes I wore in the commercial I would have to say Red Riding Hood because it was so detailed and completely designed by the costume designer not store bought. The costume designer, Rebecca Blazak was amazing.
Me: Alright, I'll show that one as well...
Natalie: Usually a commercial like that takes a full day. I was there from 6 AM- 7 PM, which is really short actually It truly depends on the crew, the actors and how quickly they can please the clients. This particular commercial was pretty quick because I had an amazing "changing crew" to get me in and out of my costumes... they were fast like the Indy 500 and the actors and crew knew what they were doing and what they wanted.
Me: How long have you been acting, Natalie?
Natalie: I have been acting since I was 5 years old at a theater called Cinnabar Theater in Petaluma. My mother put me into acting because I was always talking during my dance classes. So she thought perhaps I should act instead of do ballet.
Me: Did you always want to be an actress?
Natalie: Always.
Me: You have done theater, commercials, TV and movies... out of all those which do you prefer?
Natalie: I love to work so all of them. I would say they are all too different to compare, but I love watching film more than all the rest so I guess I prefer film as a medium in general.
Me: With all the stuff you have been in, do you get recognized quite a bit?
Natalie: I have a familiar face which is why I am cast in commercials a lot, but I wouldn't say that I get recognized all that much. I have been confused for other famous actors though like Anne Hathaway and Emmy Rossum. A casting director actually thought I was Emmy.
Me: A lot of your roles are on the more serious side, am I right? Do you like do do drama better than comedy?
Natalie: I actually prefer comedy to drama but when you are classically trained you tend to get asked to do a lot more drama and classics which is a box I want to get out of.
Me: You were in one of my favorite movies, a movie that makes me cry every time I see it... Jack with Robin Williams. You must of been very young when you were in that film, Natalie. How old were you?
Natalie: I was 10 years old. I missed my entire 5th grade filming that movie. I just remember dancing salsa with J.Lo (who played my teacher) during breaks and Robin Williams always kept us laughing. I auditioned to play his girlfriend so my first professional audition was kissing Robin Williams on the cheek in front of Francis Ford Coppola but all I thought was that there was some big guy watching me kiss a hairy kid... HA. It was a beautiful experience and the world will truly miss Robin Williams gentle spirit.
Me: Was that your first big movie you were in?
Natalie: YES. I also did an Invisaligne commercial when I was young and was in every dentist pamphlet and billboard across American but other than that yes, it was my first national exposure.
Me: What was it like working with Coppola and did you have any scenes with Robin?
Natalie: I sat right in front of Robin in all of the classroom scenes and I was always on the playground when any or all the of the kids were so yes, I had lots of scenes with him and have lots of fond memories. I am the girl that says I don't like broccoli even though I did and still do.
Me: Who did you play in that film?
Natalie: Originally I was auditioned for as the girlfriend of Jack but then they decided that was a bit creepy since Robin was actually a grown man and not a child in real life. It was Francis Ford Coppola's first child film so he had to test the waters.
Me: What is your favorite project you have been a part of?
Natalie: That's a difficult question. I would say doing Commedia Dell' Arte in Arezzo, Italy. It's a kind of mask theater in Italy and I thrive behind a mask. I also loved living in Arezzo (where they filmed Life is Beautiful) and eating food and drinking wine straight off the Villa. Secondly, I would have to say playing a lead at The Shakespeare Theater Co in D.C. It had broadway caliber actors and work, but it is in D.C. and you are able to live out of New York while doing what you love. So it always felt like a working vacation.
Me: I saw your acting reel and there's one scene which is in black and white where you are doing a type of foreign accent. Are accents hard to do?
Natallie: Not really. I love accents. In fact I just recently worked on multiple characters in the "Grand Theft Auto 5" and I got to use many of my accents.
Me: What accents do you do? Do you do a British accent?
Natalie: I do all accents that are typically used for someone with my complexion: Southern, New York, Bostonian, French (I speak French so that one is easiest), Russian, Polish, North Country, R.P. (that's the Queens British), Irish, etc. The key is having a good ear. The only one I can't do well that could be required of me is Australian. I can't seem to get that right.
Me: Natalie, did you go to school to study acting? If so, where did you go?
Natalie: Yes, I started at A.C.T. in San Francisco as a teenager and then I went to UCSB and did the BFA program and then furthered my education by going to NYU for my MFA. I was in school my whole life it feels like.
Me: What was your first big part you have done?
Natalie: Well, there are "no big parts only small players," said Shakespeare. Ha... but I think it would have been playing Jackie in "Hot L. Baltimore" in graduate school. She was a lesbian car mechanic and they thought it would be a challenging role for me but in fact it was the closest character I've ever played to myself. I miss graduate school because I got to play so many different types of roles like a fat Russian peasant, a queen, a helicopter pilot etc, but in the real world I tend to play princesses and wenches, girlfriends, lovers, etc.
Me: You seem very fit, Natalie. I saw this picture of you doing a headstand in Morocco or somewhere.
Me: I can barely stand on my feet. Do you do headstands often? You're really are clever.
Natalie: Thank you. I work hard at it, but I also don't have hefty people in the family so it makes it easier. I am a certified yoga teacher and I love yoga. I like to mix it up though doing yoga and hiking etc. If you want I teach privates and I can get you standing on your head in no time.
Me: I'd fly to California for to to teach me to stand on my head. LOL. There was another video where you were a yoga instructor... So, I was gonna ask if you yoga for real and I guess you do.
Natalie: Yes, I do yoga for real. As I said I am certified. I also teach workshops for actors helping them to use yoga and alexander technique as a preparation for auditioning for camera. I believe yoga helps me to drop certain things I am holding onto emotionally in order to become a blank slate for whatever character it's I am auditioning for or playing. It's a great tool.
Me: You seem healthy, but I saw this video of you smoking. You don't smoke, right?
Natalie: NO! I have never smoked cigarettes... those were herbal.
Me: You have traveled a lot around the world. Do you like to travel?
Natalie: Yes, I love to travel. I am a kinesthetic learner and going to different parts of the world is the only way I can truly understand other people. You can read about a culture until you are blue in the face but you don't truly understand them until you eat their food and walk their streets. I have never been to Hawaii but I have been to Haiti, Bangladesh, Ecuador, etc. I like to travel where there is struggle or where people don't have the same privileges as us. It helps you appreciate and understand what you have and better understand how to help them.
Me: Where has been the most wonderful place you have been and the worst place?
Natalie: That's a difficult question but I would say Morocco. It's where I had the most beautiful experience as well as the most traumatic. I don't have time to tell the entire story but I was purchased into marriage in Morocco and had to escape. In fact I wrote a one person show called "I Am Worth 30 Camels" which I performed in L.A. and NYC and its now a feature length film. It's currently in the running for the Sundance Film Lab. Fingers crossed.
Me: Really? Cool. Good luck with that. Do you travel because of the job or because you just like to travel?
Natalie: Both. Most of the traveling for work I do is between NYC, L.A., D.C. and S.F. but the exotic places are for self exploration and pleasure.
Me: Ever been to Disney World or Orlando?
Natalie: Yes I have, but its not really my cup of tea.
Me: What about Port Jefferson on Long Island?
Natalie: No, I have actually never been there. See, I have lots of more places to explore in my life.
Me: I read that you were on "Celebrity Apprentice"... I love that show. You weren't a contestant on it, so what did you do?
Natalie: They hired me to play Gary Busey's wife in a Samsung commercial that was part of the competition. It was pretty funny because the girl that they cast as my daughter was only 3 years younger than me. They kept calling us the sister wives.
Me: I remember you on the show now. Was it fun to do? Who did you work with on that show?
Natalie: It was quite fun because I didn't know what I was doing or that it was reality until I showed up in UGGS and pajamas ready to get hair and wardrobe and the cameras were already on me. I worked with Ivanka Trump, Gary Busey, Lisa Rinna, and more.
Me: Natalie, did you start modeling before you started acting or the other way around?
Natalie: I've never really modeled but I have done print work for whatever commercials I have been in.
Me: So, what projects have you been working on lately? Any new commercials that we can look for you in?
Natalie: Well I am on hold for both Flintstone Dinsosaur vitamins and "Anger Management" the TV show! Fingers crossed. This business changes so quickly. Also as I said I am quit focused on my screen play which I executive producing at the moment and a cooking show that I just shot the pilot for. My second passion is cooking and I hope to have my own show someday.
Me: Very cool. Okay, on the Phile I ask random questions thanks to Tabletopics. Are you ready? What does your perfect day look like?
Natalie: I love this question. My perfect day would start leisurely with a great brunch on the beach and then a long hike to some body of water and would end with yoga and a movie.
Me: Natalie, thanks so much for being on the Phile. Go ahead and mention your websites and everything. Thanks so much for being here, and please come back again sometime.
Natalie: No, thank you so much. You can follow my whereabouts at nataliemitchellactor.com and make sure to check out my Tumblr nataliemitchellactor.tumblr.com and vinuezalovesfood.tumblr.com. You can also follow me on Twitter @natymitchell and my Instagram is nataliemitchellactor.
Me: Natalie, thanks again and one back when your other projects come out.
That about does it for this entry. What a great interview that was. Okay, the Phile will be back tomorrow with jazz singer Aubrey Johnson and then on Monday with artist Joshua Bauer. So, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye.
Not if it pleases me. No, you can't stop me, not if it pleases me. - Graham Parker
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