Tom Hanks
Gracious .
Name Game
with
Elizabeth Perkins
Elizabeth Perkins has worked with an incredible number of celebrities . She was a really fun interview — and was willing to play a lightning round of the “ Name Game ” with me . I rattled off a list of Hollywood stars that she has worked with , and she gave the first word or story that came to mind . Enjoy !
John Goodman
Serious . He ’ s a really serious actor — even when he played Fred Flintstone .
Rosie O ’ Donnell
Loud . ( laughs jokingly ) I love Rosie ! We were singing show tunes together in the makeup trailer .
Denis Leary
My soul brother — a good-hearted Masshole .
Bill Paxton
A tremendous human being . One of the kindest people I ’ ve ever known . He loved his job , loved people , loved his wife , loved his kids , and loved life .
Richard Attenborough
The King . SIR Richard .
Dylan McDermott
The man , the myth , the legend !
Demi Moore
My baby . I ’ ve always had enormous respect for her . I think she ’ s incredibly deep and has done enormous work on being a mother , being a wife , and being a woman . And I think she expressed herself so eloquently in her book about her struggles with body image , being in Hollywood , and what that was like for her . She just speaks so honestly about it , and she speaks in a way that you can see that she ’ s come out on the other side stronger and more self-assured . To see her now , she just looks really happy . I worked with her at a time when there was a lot of scrutiny , and she was still struggling with staying sober . I think she ’ s ridden that wave of Hollywood stardom really honestly and with a lot of self-awareness . And I ’ ve always been really proud of her . She ’ s just a lovely human being , very kind , very affectionate , and very loving .
Rob Lowe
Rob is the hardest working man in show business . He ’ s literally the hardest working man I have ever met . Talk about somebody who moves forward – whether it ’ s the TV shows , the podcast , the show with his son – Rob is always doing something . He surfs , he runs , he ’ s just the most energetic and upbeat person . He ’ s the kind of person you ’ d want to have as your brother . There ’ s nothing bad you can say about Rob . He makes me smile . He ’ s just Rob , and he ’ s just a great guy .
Jim Belushi
I think Jim is finally doing what Jim wants to do , which is to grow pot up in Oregon . He ’ s one of the funniest people I ’ ve ever worked with . I ’ m happy as hell for him . He did the sitcom thing , made a lot of money , and went up to Oregon to grow weed .
Whoopi Goldberg
She ’ s smart as hell . No B . S . Cuts to the chase .
Jon Bon Jovi
Rockstar . To this day , I have women from my generation who say , “ You made out with Jon Bon Jovi !” He ’ s also the guy who let me live in his beach house when I was between residences for three months . He knew I didn ’ t have a place to go , so he said , “ Why don ’ t you stay at the beach house ?” That ’ s the kind of person he is . He is extremely generous , AND he ’ s a rock God .
Kathleen Turner
Kathleen is a true movie star . When I think of all the people I worked with who were most like classic movie stars , other than Elizabeth Taylor , it would have been Kathleen . Kathleen had an air about her that was like “ The Queen ”. And she deserved all of it . I never knew what she was going to do in a scene . She would always surprise me , and she had such presence .
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth was like my little sister . She was everything you could possibly want her to be , especially at the time I met her . She had a heart of gold , and she was feeling her way around . I still think of her as my little sister .
Sandra Bullock
Sandra is extremely professional . She ’ s just got it down . She knows what everybody ’ s job is on the set . She ’ s really in charge , and really knows what ’ s going on in the scene , how to get there , and where the camera is . She ’ s a consummate professional , and she is gorgeous . She ’ s so beautiful .
Kevin Bacon
Kevin is , again , someone you would want as your brother . He ’ s got his farm down in Connecticut and his band , and that ’ s where he ’ s happiest . He ’ s just a great , down-to-earth guy .
Sharon Stone
The first time I met Sharon , she came into my trailer when we were shooting , and it was just a flurry of energy . It was like the clouds opened , the choir started singing , and here she is ! I ’ m so excited that she ’ s a painter now , because that makes sense to me . It ’ s almost like there ’ s too much energy in that body and mind for her to just do one thing .
Alan Arkin
He was in a different league than the rest of us . He was the God that we all sort of bowed down to .
Diane Lane
She ’ s my best friend ! I ’ ve done three movies with her , and I just got off the phone with her five minutes ago . We met on Indian Summer , our daughters grew up together , and she ’ s the best person on the planet . I love her .
Kathy Bates
There were moments when Kathy was acting - and I would just forget my lines . She is so good that I would get lost in her choices and lost in her ability to take turns in the right direction .
Martin Short
Marty loves performing . He loves audiences . He loves camaraderie . He ’ s a really joyous man , and you can see that in his work . If he loves you , he loves you deep .