Residents of Tofino, B.C., line up to be movie extras for bird-watching flick

[Donna]

TOFINO, B.C. - More than 160 people lined up in the small Vancouver Island town of Tofino on Saturday for a chance to appear as extras alongside Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black in a movie about bird watchers.

The big-name comic actors are set to star in "The Big Year," a movie based on a book by Mark Obmascik that follows three avid bird watchers competing to spot the rarest bird in North America.

Film crews will be in Tofino between May 10 and May 15.

The casting agency in charge of selecting the paid extras started interviews half an hour early because so many people had already lined up.

"We started a little early because we had people here right when we got here,� said casting assistant Paula Ancil. "So once we put down some tables, we figured we might as well get started."

Interviews started around 9:30 a.m., and by noon the parking lot at the Tofino Community Hall was still packed with trucks and cars.

Inside the community centre, hopefuls filled out paperwork and formed a long line to have their photos taken. Some applicants were asked if they got sea sickness and motion sickness.

Ancil said the casting company is looking for a "core group" of people older than 16 who can work for the entire shoot.

The casting company also recently announced it was looking for men who thought they looked like Martin, Wilson and Black.

Ancil said director David Frankel, who also directed "The Devil Wears Prada" and "Marley and Me," will hand-pick the successful applicants.

"I wanted to see if I could get a part as an extra," said Ron Wilson, one of the applicants. "I’ve been wanting to do this for a while. I’m sort of retired, so it’s a good way to fill the hours."

The filming is expected to draw more than 150 crew members to town.

[Donna]

Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory), Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation), and Anjelica Huston have signed on to co-star in David Frankel’s The Big Year.  The film centers on three men (played by Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson) who try to outdo each other during a year-long competition to spot the rarest birds in North America.  I will now pray for a dearth of “cockâ€� and “peckerâ€� puns.  The cast also includes Rosamund Pike, JoBeth Williams, Brian Dennehy, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Anderson and Tim Blake Nelson.  Oh, and Variety also reports that Kevin Pollak and Joel McHale are in talks to join the film.  There are a lot of people in this movie.

Hit the jump for details on the roles Parsons, Jones, and Huston will play.

Per Variety, Jones will play an avid “birderâ€� in the contest who is the love interest of Black’s character.  Huston’s character is also an “avid birderâ€� and captains ocean-going expeditions.  As for Parsons, he’ll play “the author of a popular avian blog.â€�  I suppose this also makes him an “avid birder.â€�  I think that’s a bit redundant.  Once you’re willing to refer to yourself as a “birderâ€�, it’s pretty much implied that you’re “avid.â€�

The most interesting piece of casting here is Parsons.  This is his first motion picture since creating one of the most popular characters on TV with his performance as Dr. Sheldon Cooper on The Big Bang Theory.  However, that puts him in a tough spot because people want to know if he can play a different kind of character or if he’ll be forever known as the eccentric, deadpan genius of the CBS show.  Otherwise, he’ll just Cosmo Kramer himself into oblivion after the series is over.  Should that be the case, I presume Parsons will have the foresight of not unintentionally falling into a pile of racism.

[Bobbie Ireland]

O! M! G!

So are we racing out to purchase tickets????

[Bobbie Ireland]

Just thinking... the only people not in this - uh - 'film' are Miley Cyrus and Lindsay Lohan...

Big "ICK"!!!!!

WHAT is Anjelica Huston thinking?!

 

Slainte!
Bobbie

[Donna]

O! M! G!

So are we racing out to purchase tickets????

I love Steve Martin, like Owen Wilson and Jack Black is OK....as for the rest...eh! Brian Dennehy is pretty hunky. Your right Miley and Lindsay...thank God! I'd probably go see. 

[Bobbie Ireland]

I love Steve Martin, like Owen Wilson and Jack Black is OK....as for the rest...eh! Brian Dennehy is pretty hunky. Your right Miley and Lindsay...thank God! I'd probably go see. 
[/quote]

Donna! This is our "first fight"!!!! 

None of the above is of any interest to me... except Brian Dennehy. Ms Huston has done such wonderful things, like "Prizzi's Honour", but this??? Ohhhhhh dear!! What would her Daddy say???

B.

[Donna]

I love Steve Martin, like Owen Wilson and Jack Black is OK....as for the rest...eh! Brian Dennehy is pretty hunky. Your right Miley and Lindsay...thank God! I'd probably go see. 

Donna! This is our "first fight"!!!! 

None of the above is of any interest to me... except Brian Dennehy. Ms Huston has done such wonderful things, like "Prizzi's Honour", but this??? Ohhhhhh dear!! What would her Daddy say???

B.
[/quote]

LOL Bobbie....your right....I'll step up to the plate and say I'm sorry first!    

[Bobbie Ireland]

I love Steve Martin, like Owen Wilson and Jack Black is OK....as for the rest...eh! Brian Dennehy is pretty hunky. Your right Miley and Lindsay...thank God! I'd probably go see. 

Donna! This is our "first fight"!!!! 

None of the above is of any interest to me... except Brian Dennehy. Ms Huston has done such wonderful things, like "Prizzi's Honour", but this??? Ohhhhhh dear!! What would her Daddy say???

B.

LOL Bobbie....your right....I'll step up to the plate and say I'm sorry first!    
[/quote]

Awwwww! What a sport!!