India is a cinematic wonderland, says James Lipton

By Subhash K. Jha Jul 12, 2006, 9:55 GMT

Mumbai, July 12 (IANS) Internationally acclaimed talk show 'Inside The Actors Studio', which entertains guests like Will Smith, Hugh Grant, Richard Gere, Tom Cruise and Angelina Jolie, is coming to India and Emmy award winning host James Lipton says it is like a dream come true.

'Coming to India is an unending thrill for me. India is a cinematic wonderland. I mean Satyajit Ray was life changing for me. It's a great privilege to be invited to India,' Lipton told IANS.

The talk show has 80 million viewers in the US alone and it will be shown on Sony's Pix channel.

'I thought I'd do the show for just one year. Twelve years ago I could have never predicted that 'Inside The Actors Studio' would be in 80 million homes in America. And 125 countries!'

Lipton, who is executive producer and host of the show, says he was never intimidated by stars who came on his show.

'I am certainly not in awe of them. I am not on the talk show as a fan. I am there as the dean of a drama school. They are guests in my class. Where is the place for awe or nervousness?'

Excerpts:

Q: Your avidly watched show now comes to India.

A: Let me tell you, just a day ago I was with Dustin Hoffman and Ellen Burstyn and I mentioned my show is now going to be aired in India. They gasped audibly and burst into applause.

Coming to India is an unending thrill for me. India is a cinematic wonderland. I mean Satyajit Ray was life changing for me. It's a great privilege to be invited into India.

Q: After 12 years of interviewing the who is who of Hollywood, has a sense of complacency crept in?

A: I just had Dustin Hoffman as my 200th guest. You don't become complacent when Dustin Hoffman walks into your show.

I thought I'd do the show for just one year. Twelve years ago I could have never predicted that 'Inside The Actors Studio' would be in 80 million homes in the US. And 125 countries!

When people in France jump out of their cars to greet me, it is a humbling experience. But I am not nervous about the stars who come on the show. I am certainly not in awe of them. I am not on the talk show as a fan. I am there as the dean of a drama school. They are guests in my class. Where is the place for awe or nervousness?

I wanted it to feel like those guests were in my living room while everyone else was eavesdropping. I don't know how far I have succeeded. But this year if we win an Emmy, it'd be our 12th.

Q: 'Inside The Actor's Studio' has been on air for years. How much has it affected you?

A: It has been life changing. I am a writer-director-producer-actor. Twelve years ago I created a drama school. I became its dean. Our show is not about gossip. It is about the craft. We thought it'd become dry. But the talk show is an emotional experience. I do all the homework on my own.

This is the only talk show in America where the host does all the pre-preparation. The guests have no idea what's coming. We sit in the green room for half an hour before going on air.

Q: Your most memorable guests?

A: How do you choose among Barbara Streisand, Martin Scorsese, Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, Julia Roberts, Anthony Hopkins, Clint Eastwood and Juliette Binoche? My only criterion for inviting a guest is -- does this guest have something to teach my students?

Nobody has ever let me down. For five hours there is a bonding between the guest and my students. Sometimes I have to ask my guests to leave. I remember telling Barbara Streisand to get out of my school late in the night since the students had to wake up for class in the morning.

The other day I bumped into Richard Dreyfuss. We hugged like old comrades. After every conversation on our show, we go to the actors' favourite hangout Elaine's because we're famished. I just had Al Pacino on the show. He walked up to me and kissed me after viewing the show. An extraordinary bonding happens.

Q: Who are your close friends in Hollywood?

A: Faye Dunaway. I used to date her when she was 20. Sidney Lumet directed me when I was a young actor. They call me Jimmy. That amuses my students because I am their dean. They started calling me Jimmy dean. I was content with that for a while.

Q: Any goof-ups?

A: As an actor trained for method acting, I love accidents, welcome the random. When something goes wrong, you have to cope. Surprises... I remember one major surprise. Before his death Jack Lemmon was on my show. We were talking about his alcoholic's performance in 'Days Of Wine & Roses'. I wanted him to say the famous line about being an alcoholic.

Jack said: 'I am an alcoholic.' And he was speaking not as a character but Jack Lemmon. Later, his wife informed me this was the first time that he confessed this on TV. After that there was a 10-second silence.

Q: What is your future plan?

A: We have just signed up for a two-year extension for the show. I am writing a book called 'Inside Inside', which deals with my experience in the last 12 years.

Q: How much does your all-consuming passion for the show take you away from your family life?

A: My wife is a beautiful, intelligent half-Japanese half-Chinese woman. You can imagine how that turns out. She is exquisite. She is like a Polynesian princess.

I work for 14 hours a day. Her work is as demanding as mine. After dinner we go into our respective workrooms in our home in Manhattan. We have been married for 25 years. I am hopelessly in love with this woman. We don't have children. If we did, it'd have been different. There is nothing my wife and I would like more than to visit India.

© 2006 Indo-Asian News Service