Peter Riegert
Peter Riegert
Peter Riegertis an American actor, screenwriter and film director, best known for his roles as Donald "Boon" Schoenstein in Animal House, "Mac" MacIntyre in Local Hero, fast-talking gangster Aldo in Oscarand the tough, no-nonsense Lt. Kellaway in The Mask. He directed the 2000 short film By Courier and, along with producer Ericka Frederick, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionMovie Actor
Date of Birth11 April 1947
CountryUnited States of America
Peter Riegert quotes about
I adapted an O. Henry short story called 'By Courier,' which got nominated for a Best Short Subject Oscar.
I apply the three gag rule, which is if I can read a script without gagging more than three times, then maybe I can say yes to this job.
You realize Shakespeare wasn't stuck for an idea when he said, 'All the world's a stage.'
You rely on a lot of things about learning to play a particular character.
A movie is a filmed rehearsal in a way. The audience doesn't know that because you're taking out the things that don't work. There's no comparison to the theater because it's live. But making a movie is just as challenging and exciting, I find. A movie is pure process. The theater is the result of process.
I did 'Animal House' in 1978, then 'Local Hero' in 1983, and then in '88, 'Crossing Delancey.' And I realized that every three to five years, you need a big role to put you into the national psyche.
I did a play in high school, then one in college. My first professional experience was off-off-Broadway. I'm conveniently blocking the title. I'm sure I was terrible.
There are movies I've seen or books I've read that attach themselves in a way that's greater than the ability to understand why. How do you explain that kind of connectedness?