In partnership with Turner Classic Movies and Whatnot, The Ed Asner Family Center (an all-encompassing resource dedicated to elevating the lives of special needs individuals and their families) returns for its third year to retell the classic holiday tale, It’s a Wonderful Life, with a star-studded virtual table read.
The impressive cast includes Brendan Fraser, Christina Applegate, Jim Beaver, Seth Rogen, Fred Armisen, JK Simmons, Jean Smart, James Cromwell, Brent Spiner, Phil Lamarr, Chelsea Darnell, Ben Mankiewicz, and more. Victor Nelli (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), meanwhile, returns for a third year as director.
The one-night-only live virtual table read takes place Sunday, December 11, at 5.00 pm PST. Tickets start from $29.99 and are available to purchase now AT THIS LINK.
We were recently fortunate enough to catch up with Jim Beaver by email to discuss his role in this very special Christmastime event to discuss his role as Burt. The prolific actor is always an absolute scene-stealer, whether we're talking about his appearances in TV shows like The Boys and Better Call Saul, or his unforgettable run as Bobby Singer in Supernatural.
As well as talking us through his role in this It's a Wonderful Life table read, Jim also reflects on Supernatural's legacy, his hopes to reunite with Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, and shares some insights into what could come next. Needless to say, we want to extend a huge thank you to Jim for talking to us, especially when it's for such a great cause.
It's a Wonderful Life is a beloved classic, but what does it mean to you, personally, to be part of a table read celebrating such an iconic story?
First, of course, I’m just happy to be working! I’ve been fortunate enough to work in my career with a lot of powerful performers, and such is the case with this reading. I’m the only one in the cast I never heard of! But this story has had such a wide effect on people ever since the film came out in 1946, it is part of the culture, part of who we are as humans. I daresay it’s one of the relatively few stories that transcends its existence as a movie and has become something that exemplifies, as well as inspires, the human soul, even for those who’ve only heard about it. How could anyone not be proud to be the tiniest piece of something like this, and for such a good cause.
As you're following in the footsteps of Ward Bond as Burt, did you go back and study his performance at all, or is it important for you to bring your own ideas and personality to the role?
I’ve seen the film, and Ward Bond’s performance in it, so many times, I have no need to go back and study it. Bond was an indelible figure in movies, and, if my internet calculations are correct, I’ve seen about 120 of his movies. But I don’t approach Bert the cop as being a performance I should imitate. I’ll do just what I figure Bond did: I’ll read the script, try to understand the character, and perform the role as I would imagine the character to be. It’s not really my ideas or personality, it’s my imagination of the character. It doesn’t need to have any of me in it, but I suppose it’s a bit difficult for an actor to leave himself out of the character entirely!
You're part of a terrific ensemble, including J.K. Simmons, Brendan Fraser, and Jean Smart. As an actor, how exciting is it when you see a cast list like this and know you'll be able to bounce off some fellow greats?
I’m excited to work with these folks. I’ve only met one or two of them before. The others I’ve admired from afar for a long time. I’m delighted to share a “stage” with them and just hope I can give them something good to play off of.
The Ed Asner Family Center is a fantastic cause, but why is it one that's important to you?
I am someone whose life has been affected by the very challenges for which the Ed Asner Family Center seeks to provide support. It would be an important cause for me anyway, due to my love and friendship with Ed and his family. But I know people, friends and family both, who need the resources of an organization like this, and I feel compelled to help in my small way to build support for it.
Everyone has their own favourite holiday movies, but It's a Wonderful Life aside, are there any you look forward to revisiting each year?
I’m not a big Christmas fan, but there are movies set in and around that holiday that mean a lot to me. Some of them are traditional, like the 1951 A Christmas Carol, with Alistair Sim. Some of them are, um, less so. By which I mean either offbeat movies like Rare Exports (a movie with a very frightening Santa), or movies set at Christmas without being what people think of as holiday movies, such as The Lion in Winter, about Henry II and his queen Eleanor.
Supernatural, and Bobby Singer, in particular, resonated with fans in a huge way. You've been part of some amazing projects before and since, but what does the legacy of that show mean to you?
Supernatural changed my life. I had had successes before, but Supernatural allowed me to see the world, literally, and to meet the people who watched it. Being part of something that lasted so long in its original incarnation and then continued to thrill viewers in one or more following generations is something that most actors dream of but never get to experience. It has opened my eyes to a wide spectrum of humanity and warmed my heart in doing so. I’m very proud to be part of Supernatural.
Do you hope to reunite with Jensen and Jared for another project down the line, whether it be Supernatural-related or otherwise?
Well, one always hopes to work again with friends, and I would welcome any such opportunity. I did get to cross paths a little bit with Jensen on The Boys, though we really didn’t have scenes together. But I suspect more chances will arise. Hollywood isn’t really all that big, and if you’re lucky, you get to work with terrific people on more than one project.
The Boys, Breaking Bad, Watchmen...you've been part of so many iconic and amazing projects, but looking to the future, are there any franchises or roles you'd still like to tick off the bucket list?
I don’t know about franchises — I’ve done most of the good ones! I wouldn’t mind a big superhero or space movie, even though I rarely watch such things. I just think they’d be fun to make. But mainly I look forward to good roles in drama or, occasionally, comedy. If the writing is good, that’s what I look and hope for. Specific roles? Well, there aren’t many roles in film or TV that are known before the project gets under way. But on stage, King Lear, Claudius, maybe even Richard III in Shakespeare, or one of the great Eugene O’Neill roles like James Tyrone or Larry Slade. I’m always on the lookout for a great play to do.