‘Poliwood’
Baltimore’s own Barry Levinson is no stranger to political films: He’s satirized Washington in “Wag the Dog” and “Man of the Year.” And now, he’s going all documentary on us.
Levinson, who’s also the man behind “Diner” and “Bugsy,” has been traveling with the Creative Coalition’s slate of actors and entertainment types at the conventions for the last two weeks, collecting footage for a film he’s calling “PoliWood.”
“I’m trying to see what the dynamic is between the actors and politicians,” he said on the red carpet of the Creative Coalition’s gala on Wednesday night.
What’s he seen so far? “You see the possibilities of bipartisanship and being able to communicate,” he told Yeas & Nays, “and you see sometimes the frustrations.”
And yes, he agreed, Los Angeles couldn’t be more different from Baltimore. Charm City “is my hometown,” he said, “so I”m always going to be connected to it.”
Also working on a film: Creative Coalition stalwart Joe Pantoliano of “Sopranos” and “The Matrix” fame. Joey Pants’ film is called “No Kidding, Me Too,” and it concerns “the six brain styles of mental illness” (he suffers from depression).
And he’s been spending time in Minnesota with Rep. Jim Ramstad, R-Minn., as they work on a mental health parity bill. He said when it comes to what he does, not only is there plenty of bipartisanship, but “Republicans are way more grateful” than Democrats for any celebrity connection.
