The Agency's Posts

Taylor Swift's 'Red': 1.21 million in first-week sales: The tally is in, andTaylor Swift’s “Red” album sold 1.208 million copies....
Read More>

For James Bond's 'Skyfall,' a delicate balancing act: NEW YORK -- Early in “Skyfall,”Judi Dench's M pulls aside our embattled hero,....
Read More>

'The Loneliest Planet' is a revealing journey: Gael Garcia Bernal and Hani Furstenberg star as backpacking couple whose relationship is tested....
Read More>

Review: 'Fun Size' is a decent treat: 'Fun Size,' starring Victoria Justice and Jane Levy, is a Halloween holiday, not horror, movie....
Read More>

'Flight,' with Denzel Washington, would be tough sell to airline: People who obsess about airline safety will doubtlessly be drawn to “Flight,” Nov.....
Read More>

Taste buds and 'tude: The food and mood link: Research sheds light on how food affects mood and the flip side: how emotions impact taste.....
Read More>

Review: 'The Girl' zeros in on an obsessive Alfred Hitchcock: The tale about the dark side of director Alfred Hitchcock turns into a not-quite persuasive....
Read More>

Book review: Pete Townshend's memoir 'Who I Am': Pete Townshend has always beenrock 'n' roll's reluctant warrior. The driving force behind....
Read More>

5 Questions: Choreographer Alice Alyse on dancing for fitness: For those of us not blessed with the footwork ofFred Astaire, the notion of taking a dance....
Read More>

Taylor Swift makes a grown-up move on 'Red': The pop star has prided herself on writing her own material. But on her new album, she is happy....
Read More>

Jamie Foxx says 'Django' will make us see slavery differently: The “Django Unchained” trailer thathit the Web last weekhighlights a number of....
Read More>

Model Moves: Boot Camp: MODELMOVES: BootCamp Upcoming Model Moves Boot Campsbegin December 1st in NYC! Having been a....
Read More>
'Hatfields & McCoys' miniseries looks at families' bloody feud
Posted on: 05/27/12
Share/Save/Bookmark
 Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton are among the cast of the three-part miniseries on History channel



Even 150 years later, no one can say for sure what started the bloody feud between the Hatfields of West Virginia and the McCoys of Kentucky.

Some think it was shifting allegiances during the Civil War that drove a wedge between the two neighboring families. Others point to a pull-and-tug over land, timber and money. And some feel it was a prized pig, lost or waylaid, that sent the mountain clans into decades of murders and vengeance.

Bits of all those theories, plus a disastrous Romeo-and-Juliet love story, lay the foundation for Historychannel's "Hatfields & McCoys," a six-hour miniseries launching Monday.

"We wanted to show how a series of incidents swept everybody up in this tornado of ego, jealousy, bitterness and violence," said Leslie Greif, one of the project's executive producers, who's been working to get the story to screen for nearly 20 years. "Never forgiving, never forgetting took over, and pretty soon they were in the middle of a war and didn't even know how they got there."

The three-night event stars western-movie veteranKevin Costner, who Greif called "the Gary Cooperof our day." Costner plays Devil Anse Hatfield, a war deserter, entrepreneur and, at times, cold-blooded killer. Also top billed are Bill Paxton as Randall McCoy, patriarch of the McCoy clan, an unrecognizable Tom Berenger as the sociopathic "Uncle Jim" Vance, Powers Booth, Mare Winningham and Jena Malone. The show chronicles about 30 years, a dozen brutal killings and innumerable heartaches in the lives of the two populous families.

Despite its iconic status, there have been few dramatic depictions of the inter-family battle either on TV or in film. It's been portrayed most often as comic or cartoonish — or both, in the case ofWarner Bros.' famous Bugs Bunny musical short, "Hillbilly Hare" — making it ripe for serious treatment, said Nancy Dubuc, president and general manager of History and an executive producer on the miniseries.

"It's a big pre-sold headline that everybody knows but nobody knows," Dubuc said. "It's part of American pop culture, but very few people could tell you the true story of these families."

Costner, whose involvement as a star and producer lighted a fire under the project, said he was attracted to the complexity of the story. As an American-history buff, he had "a working knowledge" of the Hatfields and McCoys and said he welcomed the chance to dig deeper.

"I tried to be an emotional detective," Costner said. "While I thought about the political and economic forces at play — plus the potent combination of alcohol, guns and misery — I wanted to find the humanity in these tough, hardened people."

COMMENTS
Be the first to post a comment!


Post A Comment:




  • It's 2020! Start booking roles in commercials, fashion, films, theater and more with The Agency Online!

  • NEW WORKSHOP with Barbara Barna & Sean De Simone!

    Hi Everyone and Happy Summer! Sean at Sean De Simone casting and Barbara Barna are teaming up for a super informative and fun Hosting for Home Shopping workshop. A great opportunity for established or experienced TV Hosts and Experts interested in learning how to get noticed and how to get in....
  • MASTERCLASS W. Robin Carus & David John Madore

    A Special Offer for the Agency Community, from one of our favorite NYC Casting Directors! EMAIL FacetheMusicWithUs@gmail.com Or Eventbrite To Sign Up! Class Size is Limited.
  • Don't Fall Into The Comparison Trap

    Hi Everyone! As the second installment in an ongoing series of features by the Agency's amazing community, here's some sage advice from our own Regina Rockensies; a humble (& awesome)veteran we've had the pleasure of working with for a long time. Have an excellent week! : ) - The Agency....
  • One Model's Agreement

    Hi Everyone! As the first piece in an ongoing series of original articles by the Agency community, here's a short reflection on some of the values of professional acting & modeling that we can all keep in mind for our next casting. Good luck on your castings &shoots this week! : ) -....




 
home       castings&news       privacy policy       terms and conditions      contact us      browser tips
Official PayPal Seal