Brooklyn's Finest The Movie in Bartlesville, OK

• Info
• Cast & Crew

• Genre: Crime drama
  
  Synopsis:
  A massive drug operation changes the lives of three conflicted police officers (Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke) in one of New York's most-violent precincts.
  
  Release Date: -0/05/2010
  Running Time: 125
  
  Rating: R - Restricted
  
  http://www.brooklynsfinestthemovie.com/
  
• Cast:
  Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Will Patton, Ellen Barkin, Brian F. O'Byrne, Lili Taylor, Shannon Kane, Jesse Williams
  
  Crew:
  Director - Antoine Fuqua, Screenwriter - Michael Martin, Screenwriter - Brad Kane, Producer - Basil Iwanyk, Producer - John Langley, Producer - Elie Con, Producer - John Thompson, Executive Producer - Mary Viola, Executive Producer - Jesse Kennedy, Executive Producer - Robert Greenhut, Executive Producer - Antoine Fuqua, Executive Producer - Avi Lerner, Executive Producer - Danny Dimbort, Executive Producer - Trevor Short, Executive Producer - Boaz Davidson, Cinematographer - Patrick Murguia, Film Editor - Barbara Tulliver, Original Music - Marcelos Zavras, Production Design - Thérèse DePrez, Set Decoration - Mila Khalevich, Costume Designer - Julie Polcsa, Casting - Mary Vernieu
  
  Distributors:
  Overture Films
  
  Notes:
  - Notes provided by Overture Films. - In the course of one chaotic week, the lives of three conflicted New York City police officers are dramatically transformed by their involvement in a massive drug operation in Brooklyn's Finest, a searing new crime drama from acclaimed director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day). Brooklyn's Finest stars Golden Globe(R) winner Richard Gere (Amelia, Internal Affairs), Oscar(R) nominee Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Crash), Oscar(R) nominee Ethan Hawke (Training Day, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead), Wesley Snipes (New Jack City), Will Patton (The Fourth Kind), Lili Taylor (Public Enemies), Brian F. O'Byrne (The International) and Shannon Kane (Blood and Bone), with Ellen Barkin (Ocean's Thirteen). It is written by Michael C. Martin. Producers are Basil Iwanyk (We Are Marshall), John Langley (Leaves of Grass), Elie Cohn (88 Minutes), John Thompson (Rambo) and Avi Lerner (Ninja). Joe Napolitano and Kat Samick (Shooter) are co-producers. Antoine Fuqua, Robert Greenhut (The Departed), Jesse Kennedy (Wild Cherry) and Mary Viola (Lost Boys: The Tribe) are executive producers. Patrick Murguia (Fuera del cielo) is director of photography. Editor is Barbara Tulliver (Lady in the Water). Production designer is Thérèse DePrez (Fighting). Costume designer is Juliet Polcsa (Paper Man). Original music is by Marcelo Zarvos (Lost Boys: The Tribe). Burned out veteran Eddie Dugan (Richard Gere) is just one week away from his pension and a fishing cabin in Connecticut. Narcotics officer Sal Procida (Ethan Hawke) has discovered there's no line he won't cross to provide a better life for his long-suffering wife and seven children. And Clarence ``Tango Butler (Don Cheadle) has been undercover so long his loyalties have started to shift from his fellow police officers to his prison buddy Caz (Wesley Snipes), one of Brooklyn's most infamous drug dealers. With personal and work pressures bearing down on them, each man faces daily tests of judgment and honor in one of the world's most difficult jobs. When NYPD's Operation Clean Up targets the notoriously drug-ridden BK housing project, all three officers find themselves swept away by the violence and corruption of Brooklyn's gritty 65th Precinct and its most treacherous criminals. During seven fateful days, Eddie, Sal and Tango find themselves hurtling inextricably toward the same fatal crime scene and a shattering collision with destiny. The film captures the volatile and deadly world of one of New York's most dangerous precincts through the eyes of the men and women pledged to protect and serve, as they face the wrenching choices that make them Brooklyn's Finest. ABOUT THE PRODUCTION It all began with a car. Michael C. Martin, a New York City transit worker, needed a new ride when his old one was totaled in an accident. Sidelined by injuries he suffered in the crash, Martin was casting about for ideas to raise the cash he sorely needed when he discovered a screenwriting contest online with a $10,000 first prize. Although he had never written a film script before, he thought the contest might be his ticket to a new automobile. ``I was out of work for a while, he says. ``I had some time on my hands and I figured winning the contest would be the best way to get the money. Martin followed the advice so many novice writers are given: Write what you know. Born and raised in the Brooklyn projects, he set his script there and started with an idea based on a story he heard from a friend. The result was Brooklyn's Finest, a well-constructed tale about three police officers working out of the toughest precinct in the toughest borough of New York City. Martin finished his script on the day of the contest deadline and submitted it in person. ``About a month later I got a phone call saying I was a finalist, he says. ``I was going to get the car! But that's not exactly the way it turned out. Martin did not win the contest or get a car, but his runner-up status attracted the attention of Hollywood. ``We were looking for someone to write a script for New Jack City 2, Basil Iwanyk of Thunder Road Pictures remembers. Brooklyn's Finest was submitted to us as a writing sample. The script's skillful handing of three separate but related narratives intrigued the producer. ``It's cleverly done, Iwanyk says. ``I really felt for all of these men and that set the script apart. Michael created completely different characters, but at the end of the movie, you realize they're all hatched from the same egg. ``In the lexicon of cop movies, it feels epic, says the producer. ``I haven't seen what I think is a great New York police drama in a long time. This feels like Lumet or Scorsese. It could be about Brooklyn or the Bronx or Queens or Manhattan. It takes place in 2009, and it feels like post-Giuliani New York. Iwanyk was an executive on the acclaimed 2001 film Training Day and was eager to work with the director, Antoine Fuqua, again. ``I thought Brooklyn's Finest and he were a perfect match, but I wasn't sure he would want to make another movie about police officers so soon. Still, I sent it to him-and he loved it He was the only director we ever discussed. In fact, Fuqua had always felt he had some unfinished business with the subject matter. ``I really didn't want to do another cop movie, he says. ``I've always tried not to get pigeonholed. But when I did Training Day, I was struck by the different pressures that civil servants, especially police officers, are under and how misunderstood they are. I thought Michael had found a new way into the subject. This is not about corrupt officers as much as it is about three people doomed by their own personal issues. Fuqua contacted the writer as soon as he read the script. ``I think he was making sure I was the real deal, says Martin. ``We talked about the story and some casting ideas. Antoine clearly already had a vision for the film. ``Nobody could have directed it but Antoine, he says. ``He would tell me his ideas and we bounced back and forth. After he signed, we got Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke, Richard Gere and Ellen Barkin. Everything just started moving immediately. Once the actors got involved, it developed even further. At about the same time, Millennium Films and John Langley Films joined the team that would bring Brooklyn's Finest to the screen. ``We decided almost immediately that we wanted to be involved in the movie, says producer John Thompson of Millennium. ``It doesn't follow a formula or typify any specific genre. It is all very real. Thompson was shocked when he learned of the film's pedigree. ``I didn't find out Michael was a first time screenwriter until later, he says. ``This is a one-time story. A guy who works for the MTA writes a screenplay and gets five A-list people immediately. It's pretty incredible. ``It's a Horatio Alger story, adds producer John Langley. ``But if the screenplay was no good, it would mean nothing. This is an excellent screenplay. The writer captured a whole environment. It has some existential resonance. It has depth, it has texture you don't normally encounter. And it's highly entertaining. With the cast and producers in place, Fuqua and Martin set to work further developing the screenplay. First, they deconstructed the script, focusing on each individual police officer. ``The three different stories hit on three different types of pressure that a police officer could be under that would cause them to make bad decisions, Fuqua says. ``To clarify each of them, we literally took the script and broke it down into thirds-one movie about each guy. That way I could look at each story in one fluid motion and not miss little nuances. Martin still wasn't making plans to launch a Hollywood career. Initially, he didn't even quit his Transit Authority job. He had to fit in quick cell phone conversations while working on the subway tracks. ``I would be there with the train coming at me and I'd have to tell Antoine to hold on and wait for it to pass, he recalls. Eventually, the producers convinced him to resign and focus on screenwriting full-time. ``He made the transition super fast, let me tell you. says Thompson. ``He was doing rewrites on set every day, and writing another script in his trailer. Now he's flying to Hollywood for meetings. One of the biggest surprises for Martin was the amount the script changed as they worked on it. ``When actors and directors come on board, they bring their own perspective to things, says Iwanyk. ``And locations, weather and budget can dictate what goes into the script. I think that was a bit shocking for him. Much of the stuff that changed in development was what the actors brought to the table. But that was okay with Martin, who says listening to actors of such high caliber speak his words was awe-inspiring. ``When I heard Don and Ellen saying words I wrote, it blew me away. The script only got better as the actors responded to the material. Just to hear them exchange ideas was amazing. The resulting film bears Fuqua's unmistakable stamp in its tone, look and style. ``Antoine knew exactly what he wanted, says Thompson. ``We would look at the dailies and always be amazed at his understanding of the actors and his visual sense. Antoine and Patrick Murguia, the director of photography, created every shot to be part of a visual narrative, and a counterpoint to the action. It's a very well-planned movie. All of that preparation and dedication pays off in the final product, says Langley. ``He's very focused. He wants what he wants and he goes for it. And I think that is exactly what a good director has to do. Antoine is an extremely talented guy. I don't think there are many directors who can do a better urban crime drama than he can. ``At the end of this movie, you're going to feel like you were on the corner of Lavonia and Brooklyn hearing that subway, says Iwanyk. ``You're going to empathize with these cops and with the criminals and gangsters. Audiences may feel uncomfortable with some of the sets, with some of the violence, with some of the racism, but they're going to be compelled by it. ABOUT THE CASTING: HOLLYWOOD'S FINEST With an unconventional narrative line that spotlights three lead characters, Brooklyn's Finest is supercharged with star power. Richard Gere, Don Cheadle and Ethan Hawke all eagerly signed up for the opportunity to portray the flawed men whose actions drive the film. With a relatively modest budget and a short shooting schedule, the actors had to forego some of the perks that usually accompany their movie star status. ``This was not a movie where anybody got a star trailer, says John Thompson. ``And these are guys who sometimes have a trailer for their 'people' and another for their personal makeup. This time out, they shared two-bangers. And they got in line with their trays and ate with the crew. Oscar nominee Don Cheadle plays Tango, an undercover cop who longs to return to a more normal life. ``Guys like Tango make the best cops, says Fuqua. ``They become what they're chasing. They have the highest conviction records, but they also have the highest red marks for doing the things they shouldn't do. Tango becomes friends with a criminal. He's not a dirty cop, but he gets too close and has to choose between his job and his friend. Cheadle's innate intelligence and vulnerability give the character the grounded quality that Fuqua was looking for. ``I didn't want Tango to be a tough guy with gold teeth acting crazy, says the director. ``Who cares about a person like that? I wanted audiences to really like this guy and see the difficulty he's dealing with internally. For his part, Cheadle says he was attracted to the script's authenticity. ``It was a really interesting story told in an interesting way. Antoine's eye for detail and specificity really helped bring it all alive. He was excited to take part in the film's ongoing evolution and to help define his character. ``Antoine is not afraid to be collaborative, the actor notes. ``I didn't feel like I had to force myself into somebody else's vision of Tango. I could bring some of what they hired me for, which is to flesh out character. ``And Michael Martin was always there as a touchstone, he says. ``When you're in a rehearsal period, the script changes and you're discovering new things. Antoine and Michael and the actors all worked together, recognizing that and incorporating it in all the scenes. Financial issues are at the heart of another of the film's storylines. Ethan Hawke plays Sal, a cop with five kids and two more on the way. ``He's under pressure everyone in America can relate to right now, says Fuqua. ``He's not making enough money. These guys start off at about $25,000 a year. They run toward bullets every day. I'm not running toward bullets. ``His wife has asthma and their house has mold. He goes in to bust a drug dealer and they got maybe $250,000 on the table. All of a sudden that money starts to look like easy pickings. And once you start making bad choices, there's no turning back. You're dirty. It doesn't matter if you take $10 or $200 or $250,000, you're dirty. ``Sal needed to be a heartbreaker. He's a nice guy you could've gone to high school with and you're watching him make the wrong decisions for the right reasons. I needed him to be wired to the hilt and Ethan's good at that. Hawke, who earned an Oscar nomination for his role as a rookie cop in Training Day, says of his character, ``Sal is a man at war with his pride. His life has been profoundly disappointing. He's worked really hard to be the man that he dreams of being, but his life still doesn't look the way he wants it to look. He should have more to show for it than he does. Hawke was eager to once more work with his Training Day director. ``Picking up where Antoine and I left off was invaluable, says the actor. ``He's an even better director now. A lot of great art happens as people collaborate with each other over time. You believe in each other and you encourage each other and good things can happen that way. This was one of the best times I've had on a movie in a long time. And one of the best characters I've ever played. Hawke likens creating a movie to planning a party, in that flexibility is key. ``You can say we're going to have a band and the band's going to play at eight. Then we're going to have cake at eleven and the big speech is going to happen at midnight. And once it starts, you put that aside and let it go its own way. The script appealed to his love for what Hawke calls ``old school New York City acting. I like to watch DeNiro, Pacino, Gene Hackman, Paul Newman and that's what this is. It's about good guys and bad guys, the light and the dark, and it's about a time and a place. It's a portrait of humanity, not of some isolated individual, and there's something thrilling about that. The third officer, Eddie Dugan, is only a few days from retirement. Dugan has seen it all as police officer and the job has taken its toll on him. ``Eddie is the most complicated of the three men in the sense that he's more internal, says Fuqua. ``He's hard to figure out and he's hard to connect with, which is what I wanted. The guy is a ghost. He has already lost his soul and he's just wandering through life now. I've see a lot of police officers on the job like Eddie, but there's no one reaching out to them because they look okay. Richard Gere's movie star looks and bravado might seem at odds with the image of a man who has been bested by life. But Fuqua says he wanted the character's handsomeness and charm to belie his inner life. ``I wanted a guy who looks like he could be CEO of a major corporation, a guy who on the surface appears to be fine, but internally he's dead. When Gere received the script he had just finished a string of movies and was planning on well-earned vacation. ``Another film was the last thing I wanted to do, says the Golden Globe-winning actor. ``But this is an original, well-written, emotional piece. The script is very skillfully structured and that's one of the hardest things to do. Michael took three short stories that are tangentially overlapping but thematically are clearly connected. Don't call Brooklyn's Finest a ``cop movie when Gere's around. ``That would be a reductive way to explain it, he says. ``We were thinking of Othello and Richard III, about big themes being played out by guys in uniforms. Genre often dumbs itself down by thinking that uneducated people are not deep. The big emotions of life, the big issues of life are still there for people who are not that sophisticated. They might not be able to articulate things the way that Shakespeare could do it, but they feel it the same way. The actor pays Fuqua a high compliment when he calls the director ``egoless. ``Acting should be a voyage of discovery and you can't know exactly what it's going to be when you walk in. You can't have it mapped out, and Antoine's willing to let you explore. ``Robert Altman was a great friend of mine and a great director, Gere adds. ``He said never tell someone what to do. Once you do, the possibilities are very narrow. But if you just go moment by moment and your script is well written, it'll lead you places that are unexpected. Brooklyn's Finest is a true ensemble piece with many smaller roles that are as finely realized as the three leads. That was an important factor in attracting a distinguished supporting cast. Wesley Snipes was interested in taking on the role of Caz, Tango's friend and the subject of a high-powered criminal investigation. ``When we first talked about the script, the first two names that came up were Don Cheadle and Wesley Snipes, says Iwanyk. ``We wanted Wesley from the get-go, but until the very last minute, we thought he was going to be unavailable. Because of his well-publicized tax problems, the producers hesitated before offering him the role. ``They were concerned that if we started shooting and lost him, we'd have to start over, says Fuqua. ``But it was worth taking the chance to see Don and Wesley together. They could be talking about baking a cake and I was just loving it. Tango and Caz have an unexpectedly poignant connection for a couple of tough guys-one a cop and the other a longtime drug dealer. They met in prison, where Tango was establishing his undercover identity. Along the way, Caz saved Tango's life, a debt the police officer feels deeply. ``I would describe their relationship as brotherly, says Snipes. ``But there's always that little tension, because in the world of hustlers and drugs and crime, you never know exactly who to trust. ``Caz was a big time street hustler back in the day, Snipes continues. ``He still has that kind of swagger. After doing a little bit of time upstate, he comes out with a new mindset, but into the same neighborhood and the same lifestyle. He's trying to elevate his life, but he's still looking for that one last deal that will let him get out, and allow him to have a different kind of a life. The actor, who was raised in the South Bronx, another New York City neighborhood decimated by the drug trade, has made several successful pictures in the city, including New Jack City and Jungle Fever. ``To be working around the kinds of places I was familiar with as a child is very special, he says. ``I think people identify me with New York. When I was on the set of Brooklyn's Finest, people kept coming up and calling me Nino, the character I played in New Jack City. Working with Fuqua was a long-time ambition for Snipes. ``Antoine is an intense cat, Snipes notes. ``That's why his movies are so intense. He casts very well, and he has a very clear vision of the direction he's going. But he was always open to the kinds of creative suggestions that come from talented people working together and making magic. Actress Ellen Barkin, a fan of Training Day, had heard about the project and expressed interest. The producers originally planned to have her play Eddie Dugan's wife, but then someone had a brainstorm. The role of Special Agent Smith, the tough-talking cop who puts the screws to Tango, was tailored for her. ``Ellen played this role as tough as any man, says Thompson. ``She even got into a fist fight with Don Cheadle. Making Tango's nemesis a woman added a whole new dimension to the story. With Vincent D'Onofrio, Lili Taylor, Michael Kenneth Williams, Brian O'Byrne and Will Patton also on board, the film features stand-out performances by respected character actors, as well as some extremely talented newcomers including Shannon Kane. Kane makes an indelible impression as Chantel, a young prostitute who becomes Eddie Dugan's confidante. ``Shannon is a gorgeous woman but she's also got this girlish quality, Gere says. There's something unformed about her and at the same time, she's secure in her own skin. It's a wonderful combination of things to have in an actor. Kane says, ``It was such a blessing to work with Richard. We had a great chemistry together. And he has an energy that was so cool for me to work off of. Chantel is the character that brings freedom and release to Eddie, so when he enters my door, anything can happen. Captivated by the character's humanity from the first reading, Kane was concerned that Chantel's world was outside her realm of experience. ``I'm kind of shy and sexually timid, she admits. ``I went to my first strip club as research for the part. I also talked to a couple of hookers and asked them how they manage to separate their minds from their bodies. Gere also worked closely with the two young actors playing police rookies, Jesse Williams and Logan Marshall-Green. ``I was astonished, says the actor. ``I didn't know either of them before this and their work was remarkably kinetic. With his first screenplay directed by a Hollywood A-lister and headlined by a string of bold-faced names, Michael C. Martin's next project will have a lot to live up to. ``I kept telling Michael it's never going to be this easy again, says Iwanyk. ``It was a unique experience. Actors were calling us and asking when they could start shooting and we had to say we didn't even have a budget yet. BROOKLYN, THE PROJECTS AND A NEW OPPORTUNITY Brooklyn's Finest was shot on location at the Van Dyke projects in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, the community that produced world-champion boxers Mike Tyson and Riddick Bowe, as well as the rappers RZA and U-God. Poverty and addiction have plagued the area for decades, and tales of gang violence almost sunk Fuqua's plan to film there. Martin's script was originally set in another Brooklyn housing project, the Louis H. Pink Houses in East New York. ``I wanted to film in the location it was written for, says Fuqua. ``I believe in using real locations whenever you can because it helps me creatively be in the world. It helps the actors really smell it, walk it and be it every day. You got to engage with the people because they bring the energy and authenticity to it. Initially skeptical about putting their production into an area known for crime and violence, the producers eventually deferred to Fuqua's vision. ``This movie is about Brooklyn, and about the grittiness and the beauty of it, says producer Basil Iwanyk. ``Both Antoine and I said we'd rather not make the movie than make it somewhere else. But I didn't realize it would be this intense. We had to make deals with gang members and the Nation of Islam for set security. And then there were the everyday distractions of a community that lives much of its life on the street. ``There were kids running around and people just living their lives, say Iwanyk. ``At times we weren't sure who was cast and crew, and who were local people just walking onto the set. And we were there during one of the worst heat waves in the last five years. ``But all in all it was great, he continues. ``People were very respectful. And when Wesley Snipes was working in the projects, it was like John Lennon walked in. As creator and executive producer of the long-running reality show, COPS, John Langley has spent time in many inner city neighborhoods. ``Brownsville is a tough neighborhood, no doubt about it, he says. ``But while we were there, the people were extraordinarily cooperative. They were all cheering the project on because it was about their home turf. Everyone kept the peace so we could finish the film. Still, shooting in the projects at night had its challenges. ``It wasn't because anyone gave us problems, says Thompson. ``It was just that the shoot created such curiosity we were always wading through thousands of people. A few takes were ruined. Motorists driving by saw two policemen rolling around on the sidewalk. The cameras were inside a restaurant, so they didn't see the film crew. A lot of people stopped to see what was going on. ``Overall, our experience was more than positive, says Thompson. ``It was an event for the people there. They' were very curious about how films are made, where we came from, and vice versa. As an active participant in the community, the production company tried to employ locals whenever possible. ``We had art department production assistants, five or six actors in key roles and loads of extras, says Thompson. ``We hired local people on every level. Some were long term; some were on a daily basis. In the end, hundreds of people from the area worked for the film. The film's abbreviated shooting schedule was another challenge to be faced. ``People said there was no way we could do a movie like this in 41 days on the streets of Brooklyn, says Iwanyk. ``Antoine came in like an athlete does. He came in to run a forty-one day race and nothing could discourage or distract him. Fuqua is himself still a little awed that they managed to pull it off. He gives an enormous amount of credit to the cast and crew. ``I put Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke and all of the rest of the cast and crew in the projects with rats and cockroaches and whatever else, he says. ``I put them in situations that were a little dangerous and they were great. They dealt with people coming up to them all day long because they were so excited to see these guys. They just got it done, and you can't ask for anything more than that. ``I'm glad that Antoine pushed to be able to shoot in the projects because there's an authenticity in there, says Cheadle. ``There's a level of reality we get to take advantage of. ``It was cool to have the neighborhood come out and really support us, he adds. ``The streets were packed with the people. Everybody just wanted to touch us and get an autograph. The filmmakers hope to have a lasting impact on Brownsville as well. Their legacy to the community is the Fuqua Film Program, which will train local youngsters in filmmaking. Fuqua, who grew up in the Pittsburgh projects, says, ``The worst thing to do is go into a neighborhood like Brownville, show them something and then give them no way to ever achieve it. ``After Training Day, a lot of the guys from the neighborhood tried to find a way into the business, but they couldn't even figure out how to start, he says. ``It's hard to come from a place like that and get into the movie business without going to college. I decided if ever I did that again, I would try to start a program that could sustain itself so the kids could learn. ``The idea is to introduce them to the craft of directing, writing, editing, and anything else we can teach them, says Fuqua. ``They can be grips, electricians, wardrobe people, craft services, whatever. They can learn a craft and pursue it. The Fuqua Film Program originated with the director's own experiences. ``He was one of those kids standing on the side of the road watching something being filmed, says Thompson. ``And he said to himself, 'I can do that too.' As a first step, the filmmakers donated five cameras, Fuqua explains. ``Each of the students has to make their own short film. They have to write their own scripts. We hope someday to be able to help them get to college as well. ``Antoine went out of his way to give back to the community, says Langley, who organized the roughly $100,000 in equipment donations to the projects and surrounding neighborhoods. Fuqua hopes the film, like the training program, will have a lasting impact by drawing audiences into the nuanced and multi-dimensional lives of its protagonists. ``The movies I grew up watching concentrated more on character. I hope audiences connect with these characters and walk out discussing them and their situations. I hope people walk away with a sense of authenticity in the world we created. And I hope they walk away with a sense of a real cinematic experience. ABOUT THE CAST RICHARD GERE (Eddie) is a humanitarian, actor and Golden Globe winner known for his roles in such films as Chicago, Unfaithful, An Officer and a Gentleman, Days of Heaven, American Gigolo, Pretty Woman and Primal Fear. Gere was recently seen in Amelia, opposite Hilary Swank and Ewan McGregor, and Nights in Rodanthe, based on the bestselling novel by Nicholas Sparks. In 2007, he appeared in the critically acclaimed I'm Not There, opposite Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger. He also starred in The Hunting Party and Lasse Hallström's critically acclaimed true story The Hoax. He was reunited with Hallström for the forthcoming Hachiko: A Dog's Story, a remake of the 1987 Japanese classic Hachiko Monogatari. DON CHEADLE (Tango) has consistently turned in powerful performances on the stage and screen since being named Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics for his breakout performance opposite Denzel Washington in Devil in a Blue Dress (1995). His body of work includes the 2004 Oscar winner for Best Picture, Crash, which he also produced; Hotel Rwanda, for which Cheadle was honored with nominations for Best Actor by the Academy Awards(R), Golden Globes, Broadcast Film Critics and Screen Actors Guild; the Oscar winner Traffic; and the critically acclaimed Boogie Nights. Most recently, Cheadle was seen opposite Guy Pearce in Traitor, an international thriller, and the family film Hotel for Dogs. Other film credits include Reign Over Me, After the Sunset, The Assassination of Richard Nixon and Talk to Me. Cheadle was also seen in Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen. Cheadle is well recognized for his work on television. In 1998, he won a Golden Globe for his remarkable portrayal of Sammy Davis Jr. in HBO's ``The Rat Pack, a role for which he also received an Emmy(R) nomination for Best Supporting Actor. That same year, he was nominated for his starring role in HBO's ``A Lesson Before Dying. Also an accomplished stage actor, Cheadle originated the role of Booth in Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize-winning play ``Topdog/Underdog at New York's Public Theatre. Cheadle is currently working on a film based on the life of jazz legend Miles Davis. ETHAN HAWKE (Sal) took the phrase ``Gather ye rosebuds while ye may to heart while filming Dead Poets Society, the Academy Award-winning drama that launched h