By Robert Goldrich
NEW YORK --Noted U.K. production house Thomas Thomas Films is opening an office in New York. A prime catalyst behind the decision to launch a U.S. operation was the increasing amount of American work being done by director Kevin Thomas, who founded the London company with managing director Philippa Thomas in 2000.
In recent months, Thomas has directed jobs for Citibank through Fallon, Minneapolis, and the Oxygen network via New York agency Toy. Facilitating those jobs was New York-based executive producer Jenny Gadd, who now heads Thomas Thomas’ stateside shop. Gadd formerly served as exec producer at the Manhattan office of bicoastal/international Believe Media. Prior to that, she had a seven-year tenure producing at Fallon–the first six at the agency’ s Minneapolis headquarters, and the following year at its New York office.
Director Thomas gained a high profile stateside several years ago for his work on the Citibank identity theft campaign for Fallon, which included “Outfit,” winner of the coveted primetime spot Emmy Award in ’04.
Plans additionally call for Thomas Thomas’ New York shop to serve as a springboard into the American market for new directorial talent that the London office is developing, such as director Jim Gilchrist, who joined the company in October ’05. Earlier Gilchrist had been directing via since shuttered production house Small Family Business, London, which was helmer Ringan Ledwidge’s shop. (Ledwidge has since teamed with director Daniel Kleinman in an as yet unnamed London production company.) Gilchrist first established himself on the agency side. He spent five years at Fallon, London, where he shot numerous test films This in turn inspired Gilchrist to attend the International Film School in Rockport, Maine. His directorial credits over a relatively brief span include spots for such clients as the BBC, Coca-Cola, Holsten, Mars, Nike, Skoda and The Sunday Telegraph.
Gadd noted that Thomas Thomas also hopes to bring a U.S.-based director into the fold at some point, but the company is taking its time and intends to be very selective.
“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