Show Notes
Relive the wild ride of Grease 2 with actor Maxwell Caulfield, the man behind Michael Carrington, in this full episode of Still Here Hollywood with Steve Kmetko. Maxwell opens up about knowing early he was meant to act, his London roots, and the moment everything changed when he auditioned for Grease 2 and suddenly found himself stepping into a Hollywood spotlight that can make or break you.
Maxwell shares what it was like working alongside a young Michelle Pfeiffer, why Grease 2 didn’t hit the way the studio hoped at release, and how the movie later found its true life as a cult classic with a passionate fanbase. He also dives into the behind-the-scenes reality of movie-making, including a hilarious “Bike Heaven” moment that did not go how he wanted.
Beyond Grease 2, Maxwell talks about his love of live theater and what the stage gives an actor that the camera never can, plus what he’s working on now, including a one-man play centered on Pontius Pilate. And yes, we go there on the big career chapters too, from Hollywood momentum to TV fame, including his run on The Colbys and the long view of staying in the game. Wikipedia
If you grew up on 80s movies, movie musicals, backstage stories, and the art of actually lasting in show business, this episode is for you.
Want to get more involved with the show? Support Still Here Hollywood on Patreon for early access, behind-the-scenes extras, and the chance to submit questions for upcoming guests. Show Credits
Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko
All things technical: Justin Zangerle
Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein
Music by: Brian Sanyshyn
https://stillherehollywood.com
http://patreon.com/stillherehollywood
Suggest Guests at: [email protected]
Advertise on Still Here Hollywood: [email protected]
Publicist: Maggie Perlich: [email protected]
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
More from Still Here Hollywood
Before millions of Americans knew Denise Nicholas as Liz McIntyre on the groundbreaking television series Room 222, she was living through history.
Anson Williams became a television icon as Potsie Weber on Happy Days, but his Hollywood story goes far beyond Arnold’s Drive-In.
Linda Purl has spent more than five decades building an extraordinary career across television, film, Broadway and music. In this episode of Still Here Hollywood, Linda joins Steve Kmetko for a funny, candid and surprisingly personal conversation about Happy Days, Matlock, The Office, Andy Griffith, Garry Marshall, aging in Hollywood and the unexpected love story that brought her and Dallas star Patrick Duffy together. Linda reveals what The Office was really like behind the scenes, why Happy Days had only one bathroom for the cast and crew, and the remarkable story Andy Griffith told her about fighting for his role in A Face in the Crowd. She also opens up about reconnecting with Patrick Duffy during COVID, their nightly Zoom conversations and the moment he finally drove from Oregon to Colorado to see if their friendship could become something more. Plus, Linda talks about returning to the stage, her lifelong love of music, handling criticism, getting older without “giving up,” and how she and Patrick turned a 70-year-old family sourdough starter into Duffy's Dough and a mission to help fight food insecurity. It's Linda Purl, still working, still laughing, still singing and very much Still Here.
Elisa Donovan became forever recognizable as Amber, Cher Horowitz's fabulously overdressed rival in the 1995 classic Clueless. But behind one of the most memorable characters of the '90s is an actress, writer and mother whose life took turns she never could have imagined. Elisa joins Steve Kmetko for a candid conversation about landing Clueless, creating Amber from the mean girls she knew growing up, working with Alicia Silverstone, and the Clueless joke she didn't even understand when she delivered it. She also opens up about Brittany Murphy, sharing a hilarious memory from the Clueless set and revealing the troubling signs she says she witnessed the last time she saw Brittany before her death. Elisa talks about nearly landing the lead in Showgirls, climbing into bed with Jason Priestley on her first day of Beverly Hills, 90210, her frustration during Sabrina the Teenage Witch, losing her father to cancer, and the extraordinary dreams that changed the way she thinks about grief and death. Plus, Elisa explains why she believes Hollywood is losing the kinds of movies that once gave actors and storytellers room to take chances. This is Still Here Hollywood. I'm Steve Kmetko. Join us with today's guest, from Clueless, actor Elisa Donovan.
Emmy and Golden Globe winner Michael Chiklis joins Steve Kmetko for a remarkably candid conversation about The Shield, Fantastic Four, The Commish, Hollywood, artificial intelligence, reinvention, family, failure, and the future of the entertainment business.