GQ: The main reason I wanted to talk to you about The Morning Show is: You seem to be having the time of your life on screen. Theres not really a Billy Crudup brand out there that I am going to deconstruct in some way, says the actor, who is eager to get back to filming the second season of The Morning Show. New revelations about how one Trump staffer helped preserve the transfer of powerfrom the forthcoming book on the Biden White House. For 13 years, it afforded Crudup a good amount of artistic autonomy, protecting him against having to take on projects only for money. Adding to his mystique is the fact that, for years, Crudup was famously private, agreeing to few interviews. So what were gonna do is, were gonna give her this victorya Pyrrhic victory, make her think that shes won. Which is funny, because he was never really gone. Cory has to have no skeletons in his closet. How does any person feel entitled to speak like this to another person? Season one is disaster recovery, a hurricane has hit. In Season 2, though, Corys cracks seem designed to show. The film offers a character study of how shame and sadness can turn individuals who are left behind upside down. When he learned that in television, actors normally have to agree to a contract before they even get the role and, oh yeah, its a seven-year commitment he remembers telling his rep, That doesnt sound like my thing because theres going to be seven years of material that I havent read yet, and maybe I wont know how to do it.. The board is in place because boards are a part of our world. Billy Crudup's portrayal of the mercurial network executive, Cory Ellison, outshines both Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon on The Morning Show. Crudup won the Emmy for best supporting actor in a drama . And thats when I come in, ready to play.. One of the things that I was very concerned about early in my career was that I would be exploited as a personality and not be able to exploit my potential as a character actor, he says. Sign up for our daily Hollywood newsletter and never miss a story. For me that tool is one that is very useful in theater, where you are doing literally the same thing night after night after night, but theres a different audience every dayso you have to make it appear that its happening for the first time every time. "Extra's" Rachel Lindsay spoke with Billy on . A one-stop-shop for all things video games. "The Morning Show" follows the free fall of an early morning newsc. I was thrilled that people responded to [the show] the way they did, because I do feel like the story is attempting to do something that feels like a necessity. When the first season of The Morning Show left off, Cory was in the middle of successfully pulling off a takeover of the airwaves with the help of anchors Alex Levy (played by Jennifer Aniston) and Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon), giving him plenty to smile about. [Kerrys] going after something sophisticated, and you have a number of different stories that youre trying to follow at the same time, which makes the shooting schedule really chaotic and complicated. If that were always true, Cory ought to feel fantastic. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Discovery Company. I kept looking at some of these monologues thinking, Who the fuck talks like that? 10:43 AM EDT, Wed September 15, 2021. 2. Last month Crudup landed his first-ever Emmy nomination, one of eight the show received overall (including nods for Aniston, Carell, Crudups fellow supporting-actor nominee Mark Duplass, and guest actor Martin Short). Billy Crudup Teases Chaos in 'The Morning Show' Season 3 (Exclusive) Billy Crudup has a new retro futuristic dramedy "Hello Tomorrow!". I was surprised at just how much the #MeToo movement factors into the show. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. Something went wrong. They were just using a special portion of the craft that makes it seem a little like witchcraft, Crudup said. They either cant find the exact right person, the person that they had isnt available or they drop out, says Crudup via Zoom from his apartment in New York, where hes been riding out the quarantine. He is fired, he is hired, he is foiled. Cory came into The Morning Show as a corporate disruptor, someone who relished shaking things up and, ultimately, did so for the betterment of the morning news show and out-of-touch network. Billy Crudup in "The Morning Show" season two, premiering Friday on Apple TV+. He is a four-time Tony Award nominee, winning once for his performance in Tom Stoppard's play The Coast of Utopia in 2007. In a series rich with talented actors, including reliable stars Aniston and Witherspoon and harried standouts like Mark Duplass, it is Crudup who makes for the most memorable scene partner in the first season, whether hes singing show tunes with (extremely Cory voice) Alex Leeeevy, or eating surreptitious falafel with Duplasss producer character Chip Black, or being the kind of dude who replies, when a cater waiter offers to take his coat at a party: Permission granted. In an interview with GQ in 2019, Crudup said he wasnt totally sure what possessed him to pronounce the word never with a random flourish during one of Corys lines about woke Twitter, but that it was possible that florid Yankees announcer John Sterling was an influence. Looking for more? Because so much of the news is talking about black and white binaries, this series really dives into the human nuances of behind these zeitgeisty issues.. Wherever he went, there was never going to be a problem because he was there, because the world had not told him about complexities and failures. Did it take a lot of convincing to get you to do it? Then the process of doing it is knowing that information, and forgetting that information, and just attending to the moment.. This is a version of Cory whose perma-grin has collapsed into something more like a grimace. There is nothing cool about being self-conscious. Crudup portrayed Doctor Manhattan, the only member of the group that owns a genuine superpower. Is Cory someone who just likes to win? Is he genuinely invested in making a good show? We werent trying to do something underground there. Billy Crudup talks about Cory and Bradley's circle of romance in season 3: Season 3 of The Morning Show will not have a love angle at first. Since 1957, GQ has inspired men to look sharper and live smarter with its unparalleled coverage of style, culture, and beyond. And that confidence and desire to be in the moment comes through onscreen. Im laughing because Im remembering when I did it, I was just like, Oh God., Did you know instantly, Theyre using that one?. With respect to #MeToo, what were all trying to understandin addition to giving voice and agency to people who have been oppressedis, what do we do with a new power structure? The 51-year-old actors The Morning Show casting wasnt much simpler. I was like, Who the fuck is that weirdo?. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. To let your unconscious be a part of your creative flow. (When asked about the critical response, Crudup says from underneath his worn Yankees cap, I would be wildly surprised if this didnt find a substantial audience.). In the first episode, he sees an opportunity to reinvent the titular a.m.-news program after a sexual misconduct scandal forces anchor Mitch Kessler (Steve Carrell) off the air. When The Morning Show first debuted with the launch of Apple TV+ in November, there was no doubting that the star-studded ensemble about a daytime talk show was really the Reese Witherspoon and . The industry has a very robust support system to do that, and what that includes is making your personal life fodder for people to write about so that people know who you are, so that theyll go see your movies because they are intrigued by that personality. What is fun for me is the intricacy of the mind that Kerry [Ehrin, The Morning Shows show runner] has written about in Cory. Crudup portrayed Teddy, one of OGradys cousins. This season for Cory, the discussion became: What happens if the circumstances change wildly? ETs Standout Performances recognize the best of the 2019-2020 TV season. He had had nothing but the thrill of his own imagination in real time. There was the pro poker player who would talk to you constantly to get information, doing social calculus and poker calculus at the same time, Crudup said. I appreciate that. Who thinks its okay to take that much space in a conversation for some absolute insane idea? He's earned near universal . Being selective meant occasionally turning down some major movies. Not in the same way. But Cory continues undaunted. Its fun to smile. I just gotta fight through it, he adds. In fact, he would often try to negotiate his way out of press tours on major movies, asking studios how much theyd pay him for just his acting and not the appearing-on-talk-shows part. Ethan Hawke later confided to him that hed been offered the part, only to turn it down. He wants to be in the ring with people. Tale as old as time! He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and . In this experiment, students either acted as prisoners or correctional officers. And I loved that they showed, really in quite great detail, how when new voices enter the fray, how that pushes against the hegemony and people dont like that., It wasnt a black or white answer, he added. What is it like for them to get experienced under these circumstances? We had built the foundations of Cory. A new streaming service is here, boasting new, star-studded showsthat dont really work. How Far Can This Version of James Harden Take the Sixers? But whats the legacy of the blockbuster album? Or, some of it you do see and they leave it in because it is so strange. I would get some of these monologues and I would think, Oh f**k, what is this about? When Cory suggests a staff shake-up involving Alexs return, Stellas level I dont know that bringing her back is the event that you think it is is both a devastating own and a suggestion that Cory isnt the wunderkind anymoreif he ever really was. Apply Bed Bath and Beyond coupon and save 25% off your entire purchase, Target Circle: up to 50% Off with Target promo code, With Asos Promo Code you take 70% OFF Select styles, Michael Kors promo code: sign up for KORSVIP + Get 10% off on First Order, 2023 Cond Nast. Jimmy Kimmel Roasts Fragile Snowflake Donald Trump for Allegedly Trying to Censor Him, Where to Watch the Biggest 2023 Awards Contenders. Hello Tomorrow! He shat sunshine. Under pressure -- and working with the high-caliber directors and actors on this particular set -- he says his response is to sweat. The Guardian singled out his portrayal of the smarmy exec as the reason the drama is so addictive, proclaiming that his onscreen alter ego may well be the single best television character of the year, while GQ declared rather matter-of-factly: Billy Crudup Is the Best Part of The Morning Show.. Ive had a strange career from the beginning, from the perspective of nearly everybody in the industry. He did not understand how to completely reverse the legacy of endemic racism in this country. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Billy Crudup was just nominated for the first Emmy of his career: Best Drama Supporting Actor for playing cutthroat network executive Cory Ellison on the Apple TV+ drama series "The Morning S Crudup also reveals what fans can look forward to on Season 2 and . And I think hes been ahead of that game by two decades. It was just all followed with a brief respite from the screen to perform in the 2018 Off-Broadway playHarry Clarke, which took him out of the, ahem, spotlight. The former MVP has adapted and evolved to become an excellent conductor of Phillys offense. In the aftermath of Cory and Freds argument, Alex is called into the bosss office for a dressing-down from the board of directors. The 51-year-old actorlongtime vet of stage and screen, known in part for his chiseled good looks, according to a tidy bio on IMDbregularly flashes a harlequin-like smile and locks eyes, almost as if hes trying to make you contract his giddiness, when discussing Cory Ellison, the eccentric network exec he plays on The Morning Show, Apple TV+s prestige-y flagship series. It feels as though this might be exciting for Cory based upon where it goes. That to me was rewarding, he added. To revisit this article, select My Account, thenView saved stories. & 2023 CBS Studios Inc. and CBS Interactive Inc., Paramount companies. No, that was just me. Do you have a sense of where season two is headed and where Cory fits into that? Try to count on your fingers the number of times youve actually seen a sparkle in someones eyes before. It was definitely the two of us, and we recorded it. Im doing the best I can here, OK? he complains to Bradley. Fred [Corys boss on The Morning Show, played by Tom Irwin] sort of takes for granted that hes part of the white patriarchy and he can do whatever he wants, people should listen to him. I dont know, what did you think about it? I honestly dont think Ive ever seen you smile for more than a second or two in a row. Based on the DC Comic limited series of the same name, Watchmen takes place in 1985, at the height of the Cold War, in an alternate history. The crucial thing is: he understands the system as it is, and hes not afraid of the system as its changing because theres no evidence yet to support that he doesnt know how to figure it out. Billy Crudup, real name William Gaither Crudup, is an American actor best known for playing Cory Ellison in the Apple TV+ drama series "The Morning Show" since 2019 and winning the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in the same year. Surely, there are other itches hed like to scratch someday, too perhaps writing or directing,as many of his peers have at this stage of their career? I think in terms of the character and the story, and if I dont have a way into it, then its hard for me to commit., And seemingly for that reason, even though hes appeared in more than 40 films and some wildly successful ones, at that some critics cant help but see Crudup as an actor who never reached his full potential. Anyone interested in criminal justice, social justice, or simply the psychology of roles should watch this film. He didnt believe Alex was capable. The Morning Show is full of fascinating characters played by seasoned actors, but Billy Crudup's Cory Ellison may be the best among them. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. You havent got at the foundation of the house yet. Rudderless centers on a box containing the lyrics and demo tapes from a recently deceased son discovered by a heartbroken father (Crudup) who is on a downward spiral. All Rights Reserved. Behind the curtain is his annual paycheck from his long acting career. And in each role the actor shines with tools he says hes gained from poetry, his family, and yes, even clown class. The go-to source for comic book and superhero movie fans. (Its an observation reminiscent of a line in Season 2 of Succession when one brother mocks another: Look at you, scanning for influence like a yuppie Robo-cop.) The other quality, the way Crudup tells it, is the possession of a certain type of arrogance borne of never really having failed. And whove had to pivot, keep their wits about them in dire circumstances. The story he has to trade? Published Youre not sure where hes coming from.. Youll only be effective if you can collaboratively create the event you all agree upon in real time.. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. The Morning Show couldve been generic, but the actor behind Cory Ellison makes every scene beguiling and highly watchable. Starring Billy Crudup, From 'Ted Lasso' to 'Severance,' Here Are 10 Apple TV+ Shows You Must Watch, 7 Best Tim Burton and Danny Elfman Collaborations, Ranked, The 10 Best Black Comedy Coming-of-Age Movies To Watch ASAP. They are still navigating the same things that everyone else is navigating. She needed to go. Similar to the wunderkind president he hired, Stella Bak (played by Greta Lee), Cory is faced with making judgment calls that have higher stakes when it comes to running UBA after the fallout of season one. Actor Billy Crudup on his new Apple TV+ show 'Hello Tomorrow!' By Scott Simon. The splashiest of Apple TV+s inaugural series, The Morning Show initially weathered some mixed reviews. Almost Famous is an amusing, joyful, emotional, and heartbreaking movie that is both universal and personal simultaneously. No performance embodied the shows dual poles better than Crudups, which even in negative reviews was singled out as a high point. So its just about getting the medical supplies, seeing how to get the grid working again, seeing whos gonna be in control. I think were just trying to understand what the story is trying to grapple with, which is happening in real time socially. I need something confusing and chaotic.. But if it werent for that production, Crudup may not have ended up in the Apple TV+ original. If youve ponied up the $4.99 for Apple TV+ already, you know Crudups Cory is the recently appointed head of news at UBA, the fictional network at the center of The Morning Show. The couple takes a photo with Crudup's co-star from The Morning Show, Reese Witherspoon, at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards in September 2022. Thedrama serieswas about two weeksinto shooting in Los Angeles whenthe studiohad to halt productionin response tothe coronavirus pandemic. Want to get a head start on your Oscar predictions? I want you to be like the guy in the rated-R movie, you knowthe guy youre not sure whether or not you like yet. Over coffee in New York City, the actor unpacks his scene-stealing performance on the new Apple TV+ series. Crudup shakes his head vehemently, quipping: Im still trying to figure out acting.. They were wildly successful, so they got to be the leads, but they were still character actors, he explains. He has majored in Fine Arts and graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Therefore, I dont want the old boys club in heretheyre not the best of anything, most of them inherited this bullshit. I have to ask about the Ne-vah! in episode four. Billy Crudup, who returns to his critically-acclaimed role as fast-talking news executive Cory Ellison, told CNN he that "absolutely loves to be a part of a show that is interested in this. And needless to say, the end of the season gave him astrong indication that things were going to change inpretty unpredictable ways, Crudup says, teasing that some of Corys own motivations may become clear after how he let, and encouraged, some of the thingsplayout in the final few episodes ofseason 1. And whether that is because he is ridden with guilt or heartbroken, or both, remains unclear. Snitch or Monument Ave. focuses on petty criminal Bobby O'Grady (Denis Leary), who struggles because of Charlestown's code of silence. How would Cory then try to manage a completely altered landscape? It turns out if you really drill it and get some help, and you go in to record it, and they give it a little Auto-Tune stuff, that it well, I actually havent seen it, so I dont know how it turns out, but as long as its not off-pitch, it should be in concert with the story. Two major female celebrities are in a secret relationship: his own UBA anchors, Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) and Laura Peterson (Julianna Margulies). Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. I dont yet, no. Thats kind of a douchey thing to do. , To hear Crudup tell it, he was never savvy enough to pick parts for the money. Until you are one of the ones who is a part of that discussion, and youre not going to be a part of that discussion if you cant accommodate some of those ideas which means you have to eat some of your own words, and it sucks.. So, the Sweeney Todd singing scene. Billy Crudup, who starred in the Cameron Crowe movie "Almost Famous" and on Apple TV+ in "The Morning Show," plays a traveling salesman in a new Apple TV+ series, "Hello Tomorrow!" It began . Crudup met with director James Cameron about the role of Jack which, of course, catapulted Leonardo DiCaprio to superstardom but hed already committed to starring in the 1998 Steve Prefontaine biopic Without Limits. Billy Crudup takes us through the psyche of his character, Cory Ellison, on 'The Morning Show," and how things are changing in season 2. Crudup portrayed the band's lead guitarist Russell Hammond, which garnered him a few nominations. We havent seen any sexual misconduct from Cory, but he is a somewhat oily, manipulative guy. He smiles as he compares UBA workers, variously, to sea otters covered in oil from the Exxon-Valdez spill and to ambush predators waiting quietly for a kill. All Rights Reserved. What kind of person has that level of self-possession without any of the self-consciousness, and can live or die with the results?. Catch up on the years best movies, whether in theaters or now streaming at home. RELATED: 7 Best Tim Burton and Danny Elfman Collaborations, Ranked. Billy Crudup Explains Whether or Not His 'Morning Show' Character Is a Good Person. I know you have a wife, a couple houses, and a network, Cory says to his superior. Billy Crudup Is the Best Part of The Morning Show Over coffee in New York City, the actor unpacks his scene-stealing performance on the new Apple TV+ series. Justin, Rob, and Wos talk the Lakers, the Pelicans, Nikola Jokic, and more, There is also discussion of Alabamas Brandon Miller and his connection to the case of a fatal shooting, Nora and Steven break down the most intriguing, silly, and enlightening comments coming out of Indianapolis, Plus, theres talk of the rise of Greef Karga, along with what could become of Bo-Katan and the Mandalorian people, The guys close the show with highlights from NXT and a preview of tonights AEW go-home Dynamite, "The Apostate" is designed to reorient the audience after a lengthy layoff, but the familiar formula ensures we want to keep taking the trip, By submitting your email, you agree to our. People have asked me if Ive tried to subvert my own success, he says. Whats legacy, anyway? GQ may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. So that ne-vah, that couldve come from my dad, that couldve come from John Sterling, who calls the games for the Yankees. Ive been playing a fake TV anchor for seven years, so this wasnt a stretch for me, Minhaj joked about going from The Daily Show to Netflixs Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj and now his role as Eric on The Morning Show.. The new season of the Apple TV+ show starring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon starts streaming Friday. He loves the system, are you kidding me? There was the CEO of a major corporation at 37, he said. Did you encounter any technical issues? He is father to eighteen-year-old William Atticus Parker William Atticus Parker -- a director, writer and actor. In order to chart all of that, its a ton of text work for me. Watch out 'Succession' stars, Emmy winner Billy Crudup ('The Morning Show') is coming for that SAG Award Denton Davidson TV December 1, 2021 6:00AM Anna Pocaro for IndieWire Billy Crudup is. This job is hard! is another impressive role for the unforgettable Billy Crudup. Its so f**king hard, the actor says, revealing that he would be sweating profusely underneath his costumes. He loves the system, are you kidding me? He is the Fred now, and a new side to him is showing: the desperate one. The work that I was allowed to do and capable of doing in that gave me confidence in where I was at, at this point in my career, he adds. It really explored the grays., That dynamic is one of the reason viewers have come to enjoy The Morning Show, which was inspired by CNN anchor and chief media correspondent Brian Stelters 2013 non-fiction book Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV. (Stelter is a consulting producer on the series. Cory thrives in situations that he has to learn from and operate on his feet. It follows a group of primarily retired American superheroes who investigate the killing of one of their own before learning of a deadly and intricate conspiracy, while the complicated nature of the situation tests their moral boundaries.