Quotes History Filmography Critic's Opinions Awards Interviews Words of Wisdom Image Gallery Movie Posters Forums Contact Us Home Trick-or-Treat Links			Ladies' Home Journal - Interview of Treat Williams by Bari Nan Cohen TREAT WILLIAMS segues from the silver screen to the small screen as Dr. Andrew Brown, a famous New York neurosurgeon, in The WB's new family series, "Everwood." The Monday night hour-long drama is the story of a world-renowned neurosurgeon who, after the death of his wife in an auto accident, moves his teenage son and young daughter to Everwood, CO. ET spoke with the 'Prince of the City' star to find out what tempted him out of the Big Apple. ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT: Could you talk about the professional and personal considerations of doing a series? Being East Coast-based it must have a huge effect on your family. TREAT WILLIAMS: There are two parts to the answer. The first is the professional side of it. It's the best script and the best part I've read in about 15 years. It was a wonderful script, so there was no way I was not going to do it. My wife, children and I live in New York City, and that's going to be a learning process. I'm going to commute the first season. My two children are in school in New York and we're going to see how it goes. ET: Since this project takes you away from your family, is that something you can call upon in playing this guy, knowing what it feels like to sometimes put your profession before your family? TREAT: Absolutely. It's an interesting thing with my family. We're used to it now, and we figured it out to make it work. I think families find a dynamic that works for them. About four years ago, I said to my son, "I'm going to do a series. I get to go to work at 8 a.m. and come home at 5 p.m., have dinner every night and be home on the weekends. Won't that be great?" And he started to cry. I said, "What's wrong?" And he said, "I don't want that. I want to come visit you in really neat hotels and swim in the pool." So the point is, you're used to a certain dynamic, which has worked for us, but it's very difficult. My children are 10 and three, and the longing and the need for them is incredibly powerful. It's very easy to transfer that to the work. It has actually been very helpful. ET: What was it about this show that appealed to you? TREAT: I am a great believer that what makes our show different is the humor. It is easy to do a straight drama. People keep asking is it a drama or a comedy. My answer is, "It's a good story." It has all the elements. I like the FRANK CAPRA films, and it is like Capra meets "Northern Exposure," but it has all the wonderful elements of great drama and humor. ET: A lot of the comedies we are seeing aren't as good as the humor that is in some of the dramas on the air. TREAT: I grew up watching wonderful films by ALFRED HITCHCOCK and WILLIAM WYLER. Look at the great films. Even if they were suspense -- like the ones with CARY GRANT -- they were imbued with great humor, which made them so watch-able and made them classics. ET: So a big draw for you was the emotional aspect of the script? TREAT: It is very easy when the writing is so good to find the emotional truth, but that is what I have spent years training to do. It is wonderful when you get the opportunity when you get a script like GREG BERLANTI's (creator and executive producer) to actually use most of your skills as an actor, and actually have your skills tested, rather than getting in and out of the car and saying, "Freeze." This is a lot more exciting. "Hollywood Ending" Interview with Treat - The Arizona Republic (2002) QUESTION: Have you ever endured any Val Waxmans in real life? ANSWER: Oh, yes. I recently worked with a director who had a gambling problem. During filming, he was on the phone most of the morning screaming to his family. One night I'm sitting having dinner with him, and his cellphone rang at least 10 times. His family thought he was in Vegas gambling. He finally took the cellphone to the concierge and made his family call the hotel and page him in the restaurant to prove he was in the hotel. Q: What was it like making a movie about making a movie? A: A lot of it is real life. Believe me, I've been on movie sets that were more chaotic than that. And I've had directors that were blinder than Val Waxman, metaphorically speaking. There was an enormous amount of truth to it. Q: How was working with Woody Allen different from your other films? A: We had very little rehearsal time. When you come to work, he doesn't believe that you need to figure a whole lot out. His attitude is, "Is everybody ready?" And we say, "We sure are," and he starts shooting. Q: Was he ever difficult to work with? A: The biggest challenge for me was getting through my first day. I had to get over working with an icon like Woody. He is so funny and so good, and I so wanted to please him. I don't usually experience that because there are few people who intimidate me, but Woody was one of them. Q: When did you first know you wanted to go into acting? A: I was in seventh grade and I was doing a play. I was onstage and I had to eat and drink. I had a Coca Cola bottle and I had to slam it down on the table, and it foamed over. It surprised me, and I did this big take to it. Then this big laugh came up from the audience. I went, "Oh! That's nice, I like that feeling!" Basically that was the moment when I thought I'd like to do this forever. I never changed my mind. Q: When was the last time you had a "foam over" experience? A: It was certainly foaming over throughout the shoot with Woody! You can't imagine how exciting it was to know you are going to go to work and do a comic scene with Woody Allen. Interview with Treat, before performing play "Arthur Miller's The Last Yankee" - Theatermania.com (2002) THEATERMANIA: So, you're in Atlantic City. Who's performing there? TREAT WILLIAMS: Actually Carrot Top is performing here…and he's selling out. TM: What brought you to A.C.? TW: I'm a partner in a company called Helicopter Services and Instruction out of New Jersey. We fly people here from Trump's pier dock, and we were having a little soiree for the hotel owners. TM: Tell me about The Last Yankee. TW: To be honest with you, I don't know a whole lot about it yet. I've read a shorter version of it and I'm going to read the longer version over the weekend. Then we're going to do the reading on Monday. TM: There's more than one version of the play? TW: Apparently so. There are only two characters in the script I read but there are four in the one we're doing. It's basically about two men of different social strata who are in the waiting room of some kind of institution for people with mental problems. Both of their wives are residents there, and the men start talking. In the longer version, the wives are actually brought into the play. TM: Have you done Miller before? TW: Yes: We did a reading of Memory of Two Mondays in this series. TM: 'Food for Thought' is pretty amazing in terms of the casts and the spontaneity of the readings. TW: I had a great time. It's exciting to do something like this because usually what happens in theater is that, after the first or second reading of a play, it falls apart completely and the rehearsal process is such that you begin to pick up the pieces and put it back together again. These readings are fun because you have one rehearsal, sort of stop and go, where you work on particular sections and a little bit of character-and then you just go and do it. The adrenaline comes from the fact that the performance is basically the first reading. You give 100% to the audience and hope for the best. TM: You were in the Roundabout's Follies last season and, just a few years ago, you did Captains Courageous at MTC. It's nice to have you working on stage in New York so frequently. TW: Thanks. We've been renovating our apartment, and in theater-particularly Off-Broadway-you don't quite make the amount of money you need to do the things you need to do, as compared to film or TV. The wonderful thing about Food for Thought is that it lets you keep your hand in theater and be in front of a live audience without a commitment of six months, or even three months. I'm starting a new television series called Everwood for the WB but, hopefully, the hiatus will afford me the opportunity to do more theater. TM: Everwood? What's it about? TW: It's kind of a Frank Capra meets Northern Exposure thing. I play a doctor in Manhattan who has an epiphany after his wife dies tragically: He decides he's going to do something different, so he moves with his two children to a very small town in Colorado, in the Rockies, and opens up a free clinic. It's more or less about the learning curve involved in being a parent. TM: Is this just a pilot, or has the show been picked up by the network? TW: As far as I'm concerned, it has! I'm a positive thinker. Here's the deal: If it doesn't get picked up and I've told the entire universe that it has been picked up-which I've been doing-nobody is going to remember it a week from now, anyway. So I'm saying that it's been picked up, we're going to run for six years, and we're all thrilled. TM: That must be the best of both worlds for an actor: to have a steady job on a TV series and also be able to do theater during your time off. TW: Well, I've got two small children and this is a very important time for me to be around them. If we have to go to L.A. for a few years, it's not an unpleasant place to be, weather-wise. Also, if you're in a TV show that does turn out to be very successful, you then can do whatever you want to do in theater for a very long time. That's the tradeoff…and it's not such a bad thing. AOL Live presented a special chat with actor Treat Williams about his new show on The WB, 'Everwood.' Treat plays Andrew Brown, a widower who moves his family from New York to Colorado so he can reconnect with his children. He chatted about the new highly anticipated family drama, his other upcoming projects and more. LIVEJessicaMae: Treat Williams from the new WB show 'Everwood' has arrived. He, Treat! How are you doing this evening? Treat Williams: I am fine! LIVEJessicaMae: Great! Let's get down to biz. Question: What is 'Everwood' about? Everwood is a place, right? Treat Williams: Everwood is a place. And what it is about is a neurosurgeon, a famous and successful New York neurosurgeon, loses his wife in a tragic car accident and decides to move his two children to a small town in Colorado. The move is easy; the hard part is getting to his children. And the show is about his relationship with his children and the family's relationship with everyone. LIVEJessicaMae: Is Everwood a place that you would want to live? Treat Williams: Absolutely. I grew up in a place not unlike Everwood, but in Rowayton, Conn. Question: Can you tell me about your character on "Everwood"? Treat Williams: He is lost and he is lonely and he has no idea how to be a parent, but he is trying hard to make up for lost time and he is trying to figure it out. LIVEJessicaMae: Polarbearmary seems like a fan! She asks: Question: How do you like this series as compared to, say, your movies like "Journey to the Center of the Earth"? Treat Williams: This is far and above much better material. But thanks to "Journey to the Center of the Earth," I have a very nice apartment in New York! LIVEJessicaMae: LOL. Treat Williams: I suggest you read the book! LIVEJessicaMae: Will do! Aquachinz has a great question: Question: Hi from Florida. What do you think about playing a single parent raising a young daughter and a teenage rebel? Do you find this one of your most challenging roles? It seems like it would be, especially for people who play these roles in real life. Treat Williams: No. I have a 10-year-old son and an extremely rebellious 3-year-old daughter! She can put any teenager to shame! So I have a lot to draw from. LIVEJessicaMae: Here's one from BeanieChickie: Question: How successful do you feel your life has become, and how do you define success? Treat Williams: I couldn't imagine my life being any more successful than it is now. I have a beautiful wife and two beautiful children, and every day I am paid to do what I love. I define success as being comfortable with yourself and your life. And that is about as good as it gets, really. LIVEJessicaMae: Bubblesarentreal seems to be interested in acting... Question: Hey, I'm Krista, and I want to know what it's like filming a television show. Is it stressful? Is it hard to memorize your lines? Treat Williams: Yes and yes! The hours are long, but with the "Everwood" material, it is also great fun. LIVEJessicaMae: Here's a follow-up to that from Sk8rGrl9876: Question: What was the most embarrassing thing you have ever messed up on TV? Treat Williams: Well, on stage I did the whole second act of "The Glass Menagerie" with my fly open. LIVEJessicaMae: Oh my! How funny. ;) Treat Williams: That was embarrassing! LIVEJessicaMae: Here's another about the show: Question: Where do you film the show? Treat Williams: In Salt Lake City, Utah, in Ogden, Utah, and in Park City, Utah. LIVEJessicaMae: Wow, I didn't realize that! Do you like it there? Treat Williams: I love it! I love it here. It is beautiful sky country. Although I miss my family. LIVEJessicaMae: Let's switch gears. Garygirlie5 asks: Question: Is it true that you are a pilot? That must be awesome. Do you fly planes a lot? Treat Williams: Yes, I am a pilot. I am a flight instructor and a commercial pilot. LIVEJessicaMae: Very cool! Treat Williams: And I fly planes all the time. And helicopters. LIVEJessicaMae: Helicopters? Wow! Treat Williams: I have what is called a Piper Seneca and a North American AT-6. LIVEJessicaMae: I'm really impressed. I can't imagine flying a plane! Question: Your name is really unusual. What does it mean, and why did your parents choose it? Treat Williams: It came over from England. Robert Treat Paine was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. It was then passed down through the family, My grandfather was Treat Andrew, and my uncle was Treat Andrew Jr. He died at 19 in World War II, and I was named after him. LIVEJessicaMae: That's quite a family history! I'd be proud as well. Treat Williams: I am very proud of my name. My full name is Richard Treat Williams. LIVEJessicaMae: Let's get back to the show for a sec. QBee27 would like to know: Question: Which cast member do you get along with best on the set? Treat Williams: All of them. I get along with all of them best! But I spend most of my time with Gregory Smith. LIVEJessicaMae: Aside from the 'Everwood' actors, Ben would like to know: Question: Are there any other actors that you truly admire or would really love to work with? Treat Williams: So many! There are just too many to mention. I just love working with actors in general. Question: Out of all of the projects you have worked on, which has been your favorite? Treat Williams: Not just one, but I will name a few films. It would be "Hair," "Prince of the City," "Smooth Talk," "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead," and the theater, "Grease" and very recently "Follies." LIVEJessicaMae: xXFrannieStixXx asks: Question: What's it like being part of the WB family? Treat Williams: To be very honest, I really don't think in those terms. They have given me a wonderful job, but I have my own family. LIVEJessicaMae: OK, well, here's an easy question (maybe): ;) Question: What is your biggest fear? LIVEJessicaMae: That one is hard! Treat Williams: Mediocrity. LIVEJessicaMae: Here's another one that might be hard: Question: Who has influenced your life the most? Treat Williams: My father and mother. LIVEJessicaMae: Magicfloats has a great question: Question: Given your career has been so successful on stage and in film, why did you elect to do TV, and what's unique about "Everwood"? Treat Williams: Two reason for the TV. One, it is the best script I have read in 20 years. I felt it was the perfect movie without the commercials. Two, it affords me the opportunity to spend more time with my wife and children. LIVEJessicaMae: MariaDuckie16 has definitely been doing her Web research... Question: The show doesn't premiere on the East Coast for another 90 minutes and already has a fan base. Fanforum.com already gave "Everwood" it's own message board. What do you think of that response? Treat Williams: Yahoo!!! That is great! LIVEJessicaMae: Here's another one, from BeanieChickie: Question: How do you feel the movie industry has changed now since you first starting making movies back in the 1970s? Treat Williams: Less character, less story and more special effects, more action and more violence. Too bad. LIVEJessicaMae: Wow, they are loving you in here! You've got some great fans. Majormirage asks: Question: Hey, Treat. You are great actor and great human being. Any plans for a return to features anytime soon? Treat Williams: As soon as they call. LIVEJessicaMae: Here's one from cuteprincess1516: Question: HI! How has working as an actor affected your life? Do you like being considered a role model? Treat Williams: It has made me happy, because I love it. Honestly, I didn't know I was a role model. I don't think of myself as a role model. But I like to be thought of as a good father and a good husband. LIVEJessicaMae: Here's another fun question. This one comes from Bach87: Question: Hi, do you have any advice to (hopeful) future actors? Treat Williams: Finish college and read as much literature and English plays as possible, and start with the theater. LIVEJessicaMae: Mrf528 would like to know: Question: How was it to work with such young actors? Did they teach you anything? ~Michelle and Cole~ Treat Williams: Yes, I love working with young actors. I keep forgetting I am not one of them! And they teach me or they remind me about enthusiasm. LIVEJessicaMae: Time is winding down -- one final question. The honor goes to Dyurtbst1: Question: What do you wish to accomplish further on? Treat Williams: That is a good question! Sounds so silly, but I want to accomplish getting my kids through college. And to be honest, everything from here on in in my life is icing on the cake. LIVEJessicaMae: Thanks so much for stopping by tonight, Treat! I can't wait to watch 'Everwood' tonight. I've actually been lucky enough to get a sneak peek, and I loved the first episode. I highly recommend it to everyone here. ;) Thanks, everyone! Don't forget to check out Keyword: Everwood for more details about the show! Good night! Copyright 2002 America Online, Inc. All Rights Reserved.