Last night I had a call from the 1st Unit AD (assistant director) saying they were moving my call time from 10:45am to 11am, and a second call from the Polly, the 2nd Unit director, needing me at 6am. I didnt mind the earlier call, as this is the last day, and I want to work as much as I can! I am also glad to be first up for 2nd Unit, because that means that they will definitely get my shots in and I wont have to work on Friday, although apparently we have to be done today, the higher ups (Fox TV) mandates it. There are three units filming today, to get everything done. All our shots today are outdoors daylight shots, so I know we cant go until 2:30am like they did last Friday with Yasmine and Billy (that 22 hour workday added over $40,000 to the budget. A big rescue scene the following Monday was changed to save $20,000, to make up in part for the overage). But we do have alot of work to do… It is a beautiful, sunny morning and the ocean is calm for the first time in a week. I work … Continue reading →

I have a 7am call, but I dont actually begin work until noon, because they moved my scenes around. I am prepared for this so I have brought a book and my knitting to the set. John Candy said, “Actors dont get paid to work – they’ll do that for free. They get paid to wait around”. Today I decide to just go with the flow, as I know the production is under a ton of pressure to wrap the movie on time. I read and take a nap in my trailer and visit 2nd Unit up the hill. Carmen and John are filming at a lovely waterfall. Lovely, but unfortunately their shooting is interrupted every hour for 15 minutes because of a dive show off the top of the waterfall! That really slows them down. When I am called to the set at noon, we only do a short blocking rehearsal and then we are broken for lunch, so I nap again (life of leisure, eh?). Our trailers have been taken by The Rock’s movie, Hell Dorado – there arent unlimited trailers on this island and I guess because our productions overlapped, they got our “star trailers” (two separate … Continue reading →

Today I swam in the ocean because I had to for a scene. We are shooting at Pipeline, a very famous and gnarly (in surf parlance) surf spot. The waves are big for a southern Californian non-surfer, but they are breaking farther off shore and there is not as much coral as back at the hotel, so I am very comfortable going in. For the shot, I have to swim parallel to shore for a bit, then see Mitch on the beach, stop and wave, come to shore, run up the beach. I am fine with the swimming, but I am worried that I will get pounded by surf on the way in and not look graceful getting out of the water. Grace is not something that comes easily to me. Luckily on the second take, I catch a wave and bodysurf right up onto the sand. Woo Hoo! I am very proud of myself. I hope it was in focus and they can use it… I am lucky as this morning the two scenes I am shooting are right after I get out of the water, so I get spritzed before each take to keep the wet look going, … Continue reading →

I want to go into the ocean today, but it is quite rough – I guess Hurricane Isadore is affecting us here in Hawaii. I feel a little intimidated to go in because I dont know this water well and there is alot of shallow coral. I am irritated with myself that I am reluctant to go in – I even went as far as going to the shore with my goggles, cap and suit on, but then turned around, a rarity for me. I now have Michael’s, Gena’s brother, boogie board in my room in hopes that I can get the courage to boogie board at least. But then I am not an experienced boogie boarder, so what am I thinking??? I called my California senators, Feinstein and Boxer, today to put my 2 cents in about Iraq. I am against invading Iraq! I love America – I can call my representatives and speak my mind and my opinion makes a difference. Last week Ian and I called the White House comment line on the same subject, and it is awesome – you speak to a real live person and they log your comments. The White House number, is … Continue reading →

I woke up early today so I could get a swim in before other people got in the pool. It is not easy doing laps with other swimmers not doing laps. Then, at 8am I met Michael, Gena Lee Nolin’s brother, to go to the H***** Cafe for breakfast. I have an ulterior motive: my brother’s new wife’s ex-husband’s daughter Nichelle works there. I figure that makes her my half-niece. I have never met her, but I had called her yesterday and told her I would come in early today to say hello. The funny thing is that I had met her roommate, David, in the grocery store 10 days ago, but he didnt know that I knew who Nichelle was, and I didnt know he knew Nichelle. Small world, huh? So Michael and I drive to the cafe, which is obviously a very popular eatery, full of locals, and I had granola for breakfast. Nichelle is a lovely 17 year old, who is very poised and sweet. I hope I can be considered her relative, what do you think? After breakfast, we stop at the grocery store, and I buy chocolate covered macadamia nuts for my parents and Ian’s, … Continue reading →