I played young Jane...
Hi everyone
I played young Jane in Broadcast News
Best of life to you all
GJ
A small part but everybody remembers it!
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MovieChat Forums > Broadcast News (1987) Discussion > I played young Jane...
Hi Gennie,
I just watched the movie, after not having seen it in probably 10 years or so. It's one of my favorites of all times and I still know it by heart.
Your performance was great and seems VERY close to Holly Hunter's behavior in the movie. Can you tell a little bit about the preparation for your scene? I have a wild guess that you watched Hunter actually performing the same scene and used that as a reference. Could I be right?
Great job.
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Why did you quit acting so soon after BN?
shareActually your character's definition of the word "obsessive" often comes to mind when that term comes up at the office, since as young Jane said it is a psychiatric term : ) so that small but important scene not only identified adult Jane's neurosis (another psychiatric term : ) but still comes in handy at my crazy office (not a psychiatric term : )
The other opening scene that stays with me is young Tom shouting "I will!" [get better grades on my next report card], and the caption "Future network news anchor" - that still makes me laugh out loud...
Thanks!
Young Aaron was fantastic too, i'm surprised he didn't act after that!
shareomg! i came here to see what young jane has done since! you were brilliant!! one of my all time favorite films:)
shareOK, this is weird! Although two years have passed since your post, I came here for the exact same reason. Watching Broadcast News "On Demand" and wanted to see what else 'young Jane' has done. To GJ - you were wonderful!
shareWow. You were really good in the film, Ms. James. Haven't seen the film in a while, but I'm definitely gonna revisit it real soon. Best of life to you as well. :)
shareThey could NOT have found a better young actress to match Holly Hunter in the "flashback" opening of the film! You really did nail it...and that was a pivotal role, too...if you had not given us that short bit of the the young Jane's "live-wire" personality, Holly Hunter's adult character could have just come across as harsh and somewhat strident, without that brief, brilliant opener that showed, "They were ALWAYS like this!". Such a clever way to start an absolutely marvelous film. I've loved this movie since it first came out, and the years have only burnished it into the classic that it is! Bravo to you, Gennie-James...glad you spoke up! Question: Did James Brooks have you study Holly Hunter in any way before shooting your scene? I'd imagine so! Any other background stories you wish to share? Did you get to meet Albert Brooks? He was GENIUS in this movie. They ALL deserved Oscars...but that was a really rough year, 1988! Lots of competition (Fatal Attraction, Moonstruck, Cry Freedom, Radio Days, et al.). I think both Holly and Albert were robbed that year...should have gotten it, without a doubt. And THIS should have been voted "Best Picture"...not just of 1988...but, perhaps for me, of the whole decade of the 80's.
shareJust saw BROADCAST NEWS on PBS---hadn't seen it since I rented it out back in the day, and I liked it just like I did the first time. And I did like the young actress who played her character---she was funny. The acting was top notch, and I can't think of a film about people in the news business that has such obvious affection for its characters---that made the film fun to watch. Plus it was cool to see a then up-and-coming Joan Cusack with her really cute and cool '80s hairstyle and her showstopping scene where she runs like hell over anybody and anything to get that tape in time to the broadcast room to air----when I first saw that, I was sure she'd had a stunt person do that in her place, but I read somewhere that she'd actually done the whole stunt herself.
I've always liked Holly Hunter, and this film just cemented her as one of my favorite actresses from then on. I've also come to appreciate William Hurt more as an actor in the past decade, from seeing him in both A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (he was great as the main villain, and had one memorable line that had me cracking up.) And Albert Brooks was on point as the reporter trying to move ahead--he really nailed it in some scenes. A good film that for some reason has never quite achieved classic status, but still worth a look on its own merits. And unlike some '80s films, it honestly hasn't dated that much, and aged pretty well, mainly because it focuses on its characters instead of boring stereotypes.
I loved you in the huggabunch movie!!!
That's great! You captured Holly's voice, accent, & neurotic mannerisms - and were so cute. When they cut to Holly's adult Jane, it was you grown up. 😀
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