Oscar-nominated actor directs Whirlpool campaign for Latin American markets.
Andy Garcia has signed with Dark Light Pictures for representation as a commercial director. In his debut with the company, Garcia has directed a campaign for Whirlpool and Buenos Aires agency Madre that will air across Latin America and South America.
Although best known for his work in front of the camera (including a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for The Godfather: Part III), Garcia has a number of credits as a director in television and film, the latter including The Lost City, a 2005 film (in which he also starred) about a Cuban nightclub owner whose family becomes embroiled in the violent transition from the dictator Bautista to Fidel Castro. Garcia’s alliance with Dark Light, however, marks his first foray as a director of commercials.
Dark Light Pictures executive producer Vince Arcaro believes that Garcia has great potential as a commercial director. “Andy has had an opportunity to work with and learn from many great directors–Francis Ford Coppola, Sydney Lumet–and cinematographers–Gordon Willis, Conrad Hall Sr.,” observed Arcaro. “He is a very seasoned director who brings a lot of knowledge, experience and creativity to the set.”
In addition to directing the campaign for Whirlpool, Garcia also acts in the commercials, playing all of the parts. The commercials offer humorous takes on common family situations and show how Whirlpool appliances help people enjoy life more. In two of the spots, Garcia plays a mother and a father engaged in kitchen and laundry chores. In a third spot, he plays a father and son planning a Mother’s Day gift. The campaign features the tagline “Better homes. Better lives.”
Mariana Gonzalez Ericsson, regional marketing general manager, Latin American region, for Whirlpool, noted that this is the first time Whirlpool has used a celebrity spokesperson and it conducted an extensive search before choosing Garcia. “We were looking for someone with the same values as our brand: a family person who is real and believable, with a touch of Hollywood glamour,” she said. “That’s Andy.”
Gonzalez Ericsson added that having Garcia direct himself has proven to be an inspired choice. “He was so into the story and understood so quickly what we were trying to communicate that we felt immediately that he was the best choice to direct,” she said. “And, he’s been doing an amazing job.” She adds that the campaign has special relevance as it coincides with Whirlpool’s 100th anniversary.
Dark Light Pictures has made a specialty out of representing directors who have careers beyond commercials. For example, its roster includes Caleb Deschanel, ASC, a well known feature cinematographer; actor, director and comedian David Steinberg; and Michael Lehmann, director of the film Heathers and the television series True Blood.
“Overnight Success” Has Been More Than A Decade In The Making For Meghann Fahy and Eve Hewson
Meghann Fahy and Eve Hewson, two of the stars of Netflix's whodunit "The Perfect Couple," have news for you if you want to call them breakouts: They've been working in this business for more than a decade.
Fahy made her TV debut in 2009 in an episode of "Gossip Girl." Hewson's first big film role was in 2011's "This Must Be the Place." They do concede, however, that it's recent TV roles — "The White Lotus" for Fahy and "Bad Sisters" for Hewson — that have led to new frontiers of opportunity.
Susanne Bier, who directed "The Perfect Couple," says both Fahy and Hewson are "going to be big stars."
"They certainly have proper, profound star quality, Both of them in very different ways," Bier says. "Both are incredibly creative, incredibly smart, and also have a impressive insight as to who they are. You can be a great actor or actress and not necessarily really know who you are yourself. And they do."
Hewson, 33, whose dad is U2 front man Bono, may have grown up in a famous family but she's now in demand in her own right. She will next be seen in a second season of "Bad Sisters, " out in November. She's in Noah Baumbach's next film, alongside Adam Sandler, George Clooney and Riley Keough. She's also been cast in Steven Spielberg's next production and is set to star opposite Murray Bartlett in a racing series for Hulu.
Fahy, 34, is in production on a limited series with Julianne Moore and Milly Alcock called "Sirens," written by Molly Smith Metzler ("Maid") for Netflix. She also has two films in the can with Josh O'Connor ("The Crown," "Challengers") and Brandon Sklenar ("It Ends With Us").
The two actors spoke candidly about this phase of their careers. This interview has been condensed for clarity and... Read More