According to movie font of all knowledge, the IMDB, one Katherine Borowitz is to appear in the forthcoming A Serious Man as a character called Mimi Nudell. Using my rules for the Family Tree section of YKFK an actor must have appeared in at least two Coen brothers movies and Borowitz’s previous appearance was in 2001’s Palme D’Or winner- The Man Who Wasn’t There as Big Dave Brewster’s (James Gandolfini) wife, UFO conspiracist and future department store heiress, Ann Nirdlinger. To jog your memory here’s a pic…

According to Variety and IMDB Adam Arkin has joined the cast of A Serious Man playing the role of lawyer Don Milgram. Arkin is an actor whose face you will defintitely recognise even if you aren’t familiar with his name. You may know him from his extensive TV roles in shows including; Life, Boston Legal, Commander in Chift, Law & Order, The West Wing and Chicago Hope. Here he is…

Click this link right here to be whisked electonically off to a 12 question/slideshow interview with the Coen brothers mainly discussing Burn After Reading. They also big up (in a jokey way) Michael Stuhlbarg, recently announced star of the now shooting A Serious Man. It’s a very quick, but interesting read.

I was a little disappointed with question #11…

11. You recently signed up for the adaptation of ‘Yiddish Policemen’s Union.’ What can you tell me about that?

Joel: Well, the rights are owned by Scott Rudin, who we made ‘No Country’ with. And we had a really good experience working with him on that, and he had this Michael Chabon book and he asked us if we were interested in doing the adaptation of it. So where we’re at with it now is the same place we were when we did the adaptation of ‘No Country,’ which is that we’re writing the screenplay, but I don’t know whether or not we’re going to make the movie. It’s possible. It’s possible not.

I will be absolutely gutted if Joel and Ethan do not end up writing AND directing The Yiddish Policemen’s Union. I think it is perfect for them and is such a great novel. Fingers crossed!

Thanks to Andie for emailing this one in.

WCCO.com has a brief report on the first day of shooting on the Coen’s next movie, A Serious Man. The piece is about the transformation of the local Key’s Cafe to fit with the movie’s setting of the late 60’s. The extras are all in period dress and there’s a lot of 60’s cars too. You can watch the video segment here and see 12 on-set photos below. Ethan seems to be busy but no sign of Joel…

The Coen’s follow up to Burn After Reading starts shooting today! That’s right, principal photography, as those in the biz call it, is scheduled to begin today in Minnesota.

Minnesotans, keep your eyes peeled.

The New York Times has an article on the Coen brothers. It’s not particularly deep- it touches on Burn After Reading and A Serious Man and has snippets of an interview. The article contains two new pics from Burn After Reading…

Err, they want to make a Hercules movie with Clooney? WOW! That would be something I’m sure!

Thanks to Camille, Blake and David for pinging me an email.

Avert your eyes if you were expecting another all-star A list fest like Burn After Reading. This time it’s low key. The role of the serious man of the title, Larry Gopnick, has gone to a Michael Stuhlbarg (a Coen name if ever I heard one!). He’s previously done some TV work including roles in the awesome Glenn Close starring Damages and the equally awesome (if largely overlooked) Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Here he is, see if you recognise him…

The role of his brother has also been cast and I know you’re going to recognise this guy. It’s Richard Kind who you’ll most likely know from sitcom Spin City though he has appeared in Curb Your Enthusiasm and Scrubs too. Hell, check out his IMDB page- he’s been very busy.

Shooting is scheduled to begin on September 9th. I’m glad it’s been cast this way, with a lack of A list celebs but I’m really, acutely gutted there’s no room for John Turturro. Real shame. It’s been a while since we’ve had Turturro, Goodman or Buscemi in a Coen flick.

From Empire seemingly from Variety.

Soooo, the Coens are scheduled to start shooting this on 9th September… and they are still casting/haven’t announced any casting yet… anyways Sarah has been in touch again with some extra detail from the casting calls for “featured extras”. Below follows some fleshed out character details and moments, I wouldn’t consider any of it spoiler material but if you are sensitive to such things you may want to stop reading.

Announcing new FEATURED EXTRA ROLES for Coen Bros film!
August 11th, 2008
A SERIOUS MAN FEATURED EXTRAS
There’s a treasure trove of Featured Extras in Joel & Ethan Coen’s film, “A Serious Man!” Our Directors take great care in casting INTERESTING FACES to fill these very unique roles! Let us know ASAP if you fit the following descriptions & want to be considered. Read details in their entirety.
MRS. SUSSMAN – Jewish spouse of Dr. Sussman (60’s)—dumpy.
Script description: Dr.Sussman’s wife lies asleep on her back, her mouth open, snoring softly.
Dr. Sussman supports himself w/ one arm thrown across her body. He leans in, carefully lowering a dental mirror into her open mouth! Otherscenes: Sussman’s kitchen at dinnertime, Dr. Sussman stares into space with his untouched food in front of him, while Mrs. Sussman chats
volubly. Mrs. Sussman and Dr. Sussman are seen chatting over dinner. They’re also shown in bed; Dr. Sussman smiles in his sleep with his armthrown over Mrs. Sussman. THESE ARE GREAT SCENES! LOOKING FOR SOMEONE COMFORTABLE W/ HERSELF! Character face! (3 scenes)

RUSSELL KRAUS – 40’s-50’s Non-Jewish. Maybe bad teeth, maybe not. Interesting face.
Script description: A close shot of a man being examined (Russell Kraus) in a dentist’s office bites down on two horse-shoe shaped troughs-an upper and lower-that overflow in oozing white goo.  The man’s mouth opens and a hand enters to grab the upper tray. In exam room, the dentist chats & examines mouth. Dr. Sussman takes a dental mirror & looks in Russell Kraus’s mouth & frowns. Later, Russell is twisted over the side of a chair spitting into a sink as the scene ends. This is a great scene for a person w/ a charactery, interesting face!! He is a Delivery Dispatcher for the Star Tribune w/chronic mandicular deterioration! Close up on Kraus grinning as he shakes Dr. Sussman’s hand in dental reception area! (2 scenes)

HEBREW SCHOOL BUS DRIVER – VERY JEWISH LOOKING!! Important role!!
THIS CHARACTER NEEDS TO ACTUALLY DRIVE A SCHOOL BUS!! The Bus Driver must have a class B license. Preferably one with a School Bus Endorsement. If not a School Bus endorsement, than a Passenger Endorsement. Must know how to drive & operate a split axle School Bus. Great scenes!!

RED OWL MGR.– 40’s, interesting face of either middle-management or more garage-mechanic, blue collar type. Non-Jewish.
Script description:  In a grocery store, the store manager reaches for the phone.  The Rabbi asks him a question: “Do you know a goy named Kraus? Russell Kraus?” The store manager shakes his head. Later, he listens to phone call & hangs up with a puzzled look. We’d prefer an actor-type who can take direction, as the Red Owl Mgr is genuinely annoyed, etc!

MRS. SOCHEN – 60’s – 70’s, Jewish. INTERESTING FACE!! Gorgon-Gargoyle.
Script description: In a Hebrew School Classroom, while the teacher is leading a class drill, the elderly secretary (Mrs. Sochen) shuffles to the teacher’s desk and hands him a piece of paper off her stack of copies. Another scene: An old woman (Mrs Sochen) walks slowly w/ a teacup chattering on a saucer. She has thick eyeglasses & wears thick flesh colored support hose. She takes slow, short steps towards desk. (2 Scenes)

THE FOLLOWING are JEWISH kids (10-14) in Hebrew School:
* BOOGER SEEKER – Boy (10-14). Jewish. Interesting face.
Script description: In a Hebrew School classroom, a bored child is excavating a bugger from his nose while the teacher lectures. After successfully withdrawing a booger, he carefully drapes it over the sharp end of his pencil.

* GIRL W/SPLIT ENDS – Girl (10-14). Jewish. Interesting face.
Script description: In a Hebrew School classroom, a young girl holds a hank of her bangs in front of her face, separating out individual hairs to examine them for split ends while the teacher lectures.

* SLEEPY KID – Boy (10-14). Jewish. Interesting face. (Possibly girl)
Script description: In a Hebrew School classroom, a child stares at a clock through drooping eyelids while the teacher lectures.  His head eventually begins making descending bobs towards his chest. It then drops ever lower. The other students begin to sing. The sleepy kid’s chin finally reaches his chest and he gives a long snorfling inhale of sleep.

THE FOLLOWING are part of a HORROR MOVIE playing on TV (within the film!):

* 4 BRAIN MINIONS – Same as thugs. B-movie heavies. Lugs. Types that in a 50’s movie would have 5 o’clock shadow and a bad attitude.

*2 THUGS – Same as minions; Big, heavy, lacking muscle definition. See above.
Script description: A horror movie plays on a television. On the set of the horror movie– a living, pulsing brain in a large fishbowl appears to be giving orders to minions who wear imperfectly form-fitting 1950’s uniforms of the future.  After receiving instructions, the minions of the brain kowtow before it and leave. They’re succeeded by two leather helmeted thugs, big & heavy though lacking in muscle definition, who escort a resisting handsome man before the brain.

LONELY JANITOR – 50’s – 60’s, Non-Jewish man. All ethnicities encouraged to submit!
Script description: Lonely Janitor pushes a broom down hallway, his echoing footsteps eventually recede.

GAWKING NEIGHBOR – 30’s- 40’s suburban male. Non-Jewish.
Script description: The neighbor gawks as a police car has stopped in front of the Gopnik’s House, w/ lights still flashing. Two cops go up the walk w/Uncle Arthur between them in handcuffs.

LIFEGUARD – Fit, 20’s, Male. Real water safety skills would be useful—so he can function as such.
Script description: A lifeguard supervises as families are crowded onto a small beach; children cavorting, adults lounging & people diving from an anchored raft in a swimming area.

Thanks to Sarah for mailing this in and the best of luck to her!

YKFK reader Sarah is trying out to be an extra on the Coen brothers forthcoming movie, A Serious Man. She has been through the first session already and has written a little something about the experience. She has also said that she will update me as she goes through the process. Over to you, Sarah…

“Today I went to a casting call for the Coen brothers’ next film, “A Serious Man.” It is about a Midwestern Jewish family in 1967.

I arrived at the casting call about a half hour after it had began. One of the requirements for the call was to bring a photograph of yourself taken on the day of the shoot. Fortunately, I have a photo printer at home and could quickly print one out rather than wait an additional hour for pick them up at a Walgreens or Target. Unfortunately, I live alone so I spent about 45 minutes doing a trial-and-error photo session with the automatic timer, holding it up in front of my face, etc. There are about 20 photos strewn about my kitchen table destined for the trash. The rejects, so to speak.

Anyway, because of this requirement, there were a lot less people than I expected when I walked in. I’m thinking most people will be getting there later in the day, as the casting call was open from 11 am to 6 pm.

When I first walked in to the nondescript building (which I believe has been rented out as the production offices, as I saw a couple doors with signs saying “SET DRESSING” and things of that nature), a man at a desk greeted me and a few others who had walked in in front of me. He handed us each a form and a two-page description of the film, what they were looking for, requirements/expectations of being an extra, etc. He said to read it as if we being tested on it.

My next step was to take my forms to a table and get to filling them out! I filled out my contact information, age, previous experience as an extra and/or stand-in (6 movies as an extra for me), any conflicts between the shooting dates of Sept. 8 and Nov. 14 (none!), and then detailed info about my physical characteristics, including height, weight, hair color, eye color, dress and shoe sizes, and bust, waist and hips measurements. I had to check a box saying I was willing to alter/cut my hair.

I then checked out the two-page info sheet, containing your basic info on being an extra for all the newbies (you WILL work at least 12 hour days and MUST be there the whole time, you must be QUIET, etc.). There was a big section on NO CAMERAS, NO AUTOGRAPHS, NO TALKING TO CAST/CREW. In my movie extra experience, there is always some nut who thinks they can photograph and/or make friends with the stars. It’s always an adult, too. Idiots. In a high-profile film like this with A-list people, this info is especially important to people who have never done this before.

An interesting part of this film is the physical requirements of the extras. I never thought my dark Italian hair and light Irish skin would pay off! Here are some of the requirements:

Men, Women, and Kids: No artificial/extreme tans, no frosted/highlighted/lowlighted hair, no asymmetrical, punk, overly modern hairstyles. Most extras will be BRUNETTES so no beachy or bleached blondes. No visible tattoos or facial piercings. Most men will need to be clean-shaven. No braces. No breast implants–women wore bullet bras and girdles, which all female extras must be willing to wear. We LOVE interesting faces. Big noses a plus!

So after I read up on the rules and details, I went over to a second guy who made sure my photo was okay (if it wasn’t, they would retake one for you) and attached it to my form.

I was then moved to a line where yet another guy looked over the form to make sure it was complete. He also seemed to be weeding out people with major conflicts, as a woman in line in front of me had to go talk to someone at a table when it was discovered she’d be out of town at some point. She was a blonde anyway so I’m thinking she was destined for the reject pile.

After that was approved I went to a room where people waited in lines of 10. A short wait ensued (wherein a guy behind me attempted to make a couple Coen film jokes–i.e., I heard something about a woodchipper) and then my group of 10 was taken to a room where a young guy went over all the information on the sheet and answered any questions we had. He mentioned we all have to have MN id cards to get paid (woohoo! I’ve only been paid for 1 film). We gave him our forms and were done! Easy as pie!

They don’t know when we will find out if we’ve been cast in the film, but they *think* they are trying to get everyone cast and set in specific scenes before shooting commences on Sept. 8. However, we could be called anytime during filming, so hopefully I’m not in for too long of a wait to hear!”

Good luck to you Sarah, I really hope you land the job!

I stumbled upon this posting over at a blog called AuditionAlerts.com. Basically this could interest you in one or two ways. Firstly if you’re a budding thesp and live in the Twin Cities Metro area in Minnesota, and/or you have an “interesting/strange face or nose” you are encouraged to audition for the below parts in the Coen’s forthcoming A Serious Man. Shame I’m not from there myself- I have a busted, bent, crooked nose but, hey-ho.

Secondly, this post could interest you in the way it did me- it spills the beans (a little) on what we can expect from the movie’s characters. Below are their names and casting call descriptions;

Sarah Gopnik: 16, Midwestern Jewish, typical teenager, thinks everyone is annoying, constantly leaving the house to meet friends, takes advantage of her parents, steals money, secretly saving up for a nose job.

Danny Gopnik: 12-13, Midwestern Jewish, studying for his bar mitzvah, self-centered, takes advantage of his father, owes money to a record company, uses the money he steals from his parents to buy drugs, in trouble with the drug-dealing bully at Hebrew school.

Ronnie Nudell: 12-13, Danny’s friend, always swearing, hard for him to say a sentence that doesn’t include the F-word, a real character role.

Fagle: 12-15, Midwestern Jewish bully, great face, large, tall, husky-looking preferred, easy to make out as a bully.

D’vorah: female, 12-13, speaks or knows a little Hebrew, a know-it-all.

Mar King: late 60s-early 70s, gray hair, teacher, speaks Hebrew.

Natalie : 50-65, Caucasian, works at a university as a secretary in the physics department.

Mel Nudell: early 40s, Midwestern Jewish-looking, married to Mimi, close friends with Larry.

Marshak’s Secretary: 60s-70s, Eastern European-looking, Jewish.

Doctor Shapiro: late 40s-early 50s, Midwestern Jewish, a nice member of the community.

Don Milgram’s Secretary: 50s-60s, works in a law office.

Two Cops: 40s-50s, Caucasian, Minnesotan, very “goy,” good faces.

Detectives: 40s-50s, warn Uncle Arthur that he will be arrested again if he gambles, Minnesotan, “goy,” good faces.

I think it’s safe to say now that this movie, A Serious Man, is DEFINITELY the Coen’s follow up to Burn After Reading.