William Mapother

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All Actors, One Union

Posted on: August 3rd, 2010 by wmapother 4 Comments

Almost all actors know this, but most non-actors don’t:  There are two unions for on-screen actors:  SAG and AFTRA.  This is unique among in Hollywood.  All screenwriters–one union; all directors–one union; all drivers-one union; etc., etc.

The reason why actors are split between two unions is not, unfortunately, as simple (or as fun) as cracking jokes about our not being able to govern ourselves.  The solution, however, is a heckuva lot simpler:  We must gather all actors into one union to maximize our power and independence.
A union increases its members’ strength through their solidarity.  Without that, there’s little point in gathering under the same roof (except for the parties).  To cite the motto of the great state of Kentucky:  United We Stand, Divided We Fall.
Posted in Acting Projects, Acting Tips & Info, Louisville & KY

Those of You in Withdrawal..

Posted on: July 10th, 2010 by wmapother 4 Comments

You are not alone..

Posted in Acting Projects, Funny Like Ha-Ha, Other Photos, Random

UCB Sketch Cram

Posted on: July 5th, 2010 by wmapother 3 Comments

So apparently I just can’t get enough of the UCB Theatre.  I was there a couple months ago for the ‘Lost’ skits, then last month for Assscat!, and I’m returning this Saturday night at midnight.

This time I’ll be performing in Sketch Cram, in which a sketch is written, directed, memorized and rehearsed, all within 12 hours.  If it’s like the other shows at UCB, it’ll be a fantastic time.  Hope to see all of you there — especially those of you from overseas.

Posted in Acting Projects, Funny Like Ha-Ha, In Person (or, like, Live), Los Angeles, Stage, TV

‘e’s ‘orrible!

Posted on: June 30th, 2010 by wmapother 6 Comments

Okay, my agent is going to kill me for posting this — so look for me in a bikini in my next role — but over to the right is a shot of me from my never-seen guest spot on the 2005 Fox show The Inside.

There I recline as Ronald Ewing, an 800lb cannibal.  Yes, an 800lb cannibal.  I lured my victims into my home..and they never left.  My only mode of transportation?  A motorized lounge chair.  My favorite food?  Anorexic women.

Yes, dark, and yes, disturbing.  But also very, very funny.  Few minds in Hollywood are able — or willing — to conceive of something like this, but Tim Minear (Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, etc., etc.), god bless him, is one of them.

I wore a 60lb rubber suit, a wig, fake teeth, and prosthetic hands and cheeks.  (All created by the renowned Rob Hall, who also created my prosthetics for The Burrowers.)  The make-up required four hours to apply and nearly two hours to remove.  They had to build an air-conditioned tent for me, because if I perspired — not unexpected in the L.A. summer under 60 pounds of rubber [insert [insert joke here] joke here] — my face and hands would start to slide off.  ‘Access Hollywood’ devoted a segment to the freakiness of it all.

My ep, Skin and Bone, was the show’s 13th and final.  It never aired in the U.S. and isn’t available on DVD, as far as I know.  However, Tim has just posted short five clips from it on Facebook: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.  You may need to friend Tim first to see them.  For god’s sake, don’t tell him I sent you or you’ll get nowhere with him.

Fans, friends and family often want to know, “William, oh, William, Why don’t you do more comedy?”  Well, people, you asked for it.

Posted in Acting Projects, Film, Funny Like Ha-Ha, Photos of Wm, TV

Gracias a Lostzilla.net

Posted on: June 19th, 2010 by wmapother 9 Comments
A todos los cineastas lostzilla.net, gracias!
Con mi limitado vocabulario es difícil de expresar mi reacción, pero yo estaba muy afectada. Por supuesto sabemos que hay un público, pero al ver sus rostros y escuchar sus voces y ver su trabajo … Bueno, fue muy conmovedor. Y mi parte era tan pequeño — si después de enviar uno a Damon et Carlton, ustedes probablemente matarlos.
Para su consideración — y lo más importante — para ver Perdidos, por lo que me está dando un puesto de trabajo — gracias!
También 1:  Y you pensé que me gustaba España tanto como sea posible — hasta ahora. : )
También 2:  Gracias, Elena, por todo tu trabajo!
[Non-translation explanation:  Partly as a thank-you for the show and partly for the video I made for them for the finale [post here], some users of the Spanish ‘Lost’ fansite Lostzilla.net recorded a video for me (and all of ‘Lost’) of themselves, one by one, saying thank you.  It was very affecting.]
Posted in Acting Projects, Random, Video (Online & Home)