Fran and PJ need to stop dedicating their awards to dead people. You don't want to pull the moment down.

Who was the person mentioned?

I caught Master and Commander for the first time this weekend. I loved seeing Billy Boyd as a grownup, and a less-than-completely-sympathetic character. It really distanced him from the role of Pippen for me, and helped reinforce the fact that Pippen was, actually, a role Boyd was acting.

I've only seen Dom otherwise in the Hetty Wainwright series, done when he was considerably younger, and Merry is a lot like that character. I haven't seen him do anything else, but I'm sure he's quite able to. But his looks are not average, he couldn't disappear in a crowd scene, for example, and he's going to have to work some to overcome the cherubic face, I think.

EW is doing work in small films and small parts. He impresses me as very professional and self-aware, and I don't think he'll lack for creative work. Whether that is much in the public eye is probably irrelevant. Astin has been heading behind the camera for the last several years, and I think he'll work hard and succeed there, with perhaps an occasional acting role. Orlando is the one who's getting the big "star" push. Witness how quickly his people cleaned up that crazy boy public perception from early FotR days. No more mohawk, no more publicized bungee jumping out of cable cars. Not that he doesn't still do crazy stunts, but for the publicity cameras he's always groomed, adult, glamorous. If any of them will be a big traditional "star," it will be him.

Just IMO, of course.

he's going to have to work some to overcome the cherubic face, I think.

Cherubic? I think it's asymmetric and funny looking. Billy has a cherubic face, but his hair doesn't support it, and he can act right past it. Dom has a hotness, but I don't see the cherub part. In fact, it's a really dirty, nasty, bondage in an alley with a complete stranger sort of a thing.

The end of Rudy makes me cry every single time. He works so hard! And they all band together to make sure he gets to play once! And then he makes a tackle! And everyone cheers for him!

RU-DY!!! RU-DY!!! RU-DY!!!

And they carry him off the field. Which NEVER happens at Notre Dame. And he's so small once he gets out on that field with all those players. It's like Lucas but without Waif-Winona and the bleeding head.

Oh, I *loved* that movie! (Lucas, I mean.) Cheesey, yes, but I loved it.

And I *adore* The Goonies.

Where did I hear that the real-life Rudy was not as nice a man as Sean Astin? In fact, a real nasty article?

ita, I get that vibe, too. But I don't get mainstream with him. Even Hoffman could mainstream, with his quirky looks. I don't see those roles for Dom, and the ones his face seems to fit are marginal, as far as steady work goes. Not that he can't act past that, but he may not get the chances. I really hope I'm wrong, because I think he's talented, and I'd like to see him do more, and more versatile things.

Beverly, I heard the same thing abou the real Rudy. . . possibly in an interview with Sean Astin?

Could it have been on Dinner for Five?

But I don't get mainstream with him

No, me neither, until the back alley sex grabs centre stage.

Dom has a hotness, but I don't see the cherub part. In fact, it's a really dirty, nasty, bondage in an alley with a complete stranger sort of a thing.

so.very.broken.now.

No matter what - Sean Astin pulls my heartstrings. Patty Duke - bipolar mom, who's my Dad? - the whole thing. Yeah - he grew up all Hollywood - but that cannot have been an easy childhood.

Elijah Wood's had a remarkably well-managed career so far. Yes, he's been in a few bombs (Flipper? North?), but at least he was able to swim with dolphins in the first, and work with Rob Reiner in the second. I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up taking a path similar to Johnny Depp--stick with quirky indies and build up his reputation until he gets past the "pretty boy" phase, and then move into character roles. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the height for leading roles.

Where did I hear that the real-life Rudy was not as nice a man as Sean Astin? In fact, a real nasty article?

I think that was from me--Rudy Ruettinger is from my hometown of Joliet (in fact, the HS we see him in in the film is my brother's alma mater--it was all-boys back in Rudy's day, as opposed to the film's version), and my stepmom has dealt with him at various city functions. She doesn't have the best opinion of the man, to put it mildly.