The 'teacher' side of Timothy Hutton

Before I did a 20-minute phone interview with Timothy Hutton, the youngest actor to win a Best Supporting Oscar at age 20 for his performance in Ordinary People (1980, directed by Robert Redford), I surfed the Internet and here’s what I found:

Timothy T. Hutton was born on Aug. 16, 1960 in Malibu, California, to Maryline Adams (nee Poole), a teacher who runs a small publishing company, and Jim Hutton, star of the NBC TV’s Ellery Queen. He attended Fairfax High School and Berkeley High School, and made his acting debut in 1965 at age five in the TV film Never Too Late topbilled by his father. It was a small uncredited role.

As Timothy grew older, he did more TV movies. Ordinary People was his first movie in which he played Conrad Jarrett. The same performance also won him a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year (1980)-Male.

More movie and TV roles followed, such as the A&E TV series A Nero Wolfe Mystery (2001-2002) in which he played detective Archie Goodwin and for which he served as executive producer and directed several episodes. His first movie directorial work, Digging to China (which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to standing ovations) was followed by several others.

Among his acting credits are the 2001 TV mini-series WW3 and the 2006 NBC series Kidnapped as Conrad Cain, the wealthy father of a kidnapped teenager; and the films Made in Heaven, Daniel, The Falcon & The Snowman, The Dark Half and French Kiss.

Timothy was married twice, first to Debra Winger (1986-1990) with whom he has a son. In 2000, he married again, this time illustrator Aurore Giscard d’Estaing, said to be the niece of Valery Giscard d’Estaing, former president of the French Republic. They had their first child in 2001.

In Leverage, his latest TV starrer airing on AXN starting May 18 at 9 p.m., Timothy plays former insurance investigator Nate Ford, a once-loyal employee who had recovered millions of stolen goods for his employer and who later turned against his employer when he denied his (the insurance employee) son’s insurance claim.

The action-packed drama series is executive-produced by Dean Devlin (Independence Day, Godzilla, etc.) and John Rogers (Cosby, etc.).

Do you know that Dean Devlin is a Filipino?

“Oh yes, I do.”

Is it the first time you are working with a Filipino?

“No. I’ve worked with Filipino technicians and they are, I think, among the best. I’m looking forward to visiting the Philippines, maybe for a vacation or to shoot a movie.”

How do you prepare for a role?

“Do I make a research? No, I don’t. If I’m portraying a real person who is alive, it helps if I can talk to him and observe him up close. But usually, all I do is study the script and listen to my director.”

In Leverage, you play a former insurance investigator. Did you have to talk to an insurance investigator to help you “internalize” the role?

“I didn’t really have to. In Leverage, I don’t really play an insurance investigator but a man who used to be an insurance investigator.”

Aside from acting, you also direct movies. Which is more fulfilling?

“Both. In acting, you are fulfilled if you give justice to your role...if you are able to do a credible performance and touch the audience. Same with directing. If you are able to draw out the best from your actors, then you fulfill your job as a director.”

Have you tried directing a movie and acting in it at the same time?

“I have and it’s difficult. Your concentration is divided. Half of your mind is on acting and the other half is on directing. It can be very distracting.”

According to your bio-data, you made your acting debut at age five, playing a small uncredited role in a television film called Never Too Late in which your father starred.

“Not at five. That role was more like play; very small, I didn’t start acting professionally until I was about 18.”

But you did grow up in the limelight, your father being an actor. Did you miss out on your childhood in any way?

“No, I did not. I grew up as normally as any other kid. Between that small TV part I did at five and when I turned professional actor at 18, I stayed away from the limelight, so I was just like any typical kid who went to school.”

You were 20 when you won Best Supporting Actor for Ordinary People. What memories do you have from that landmark movie?

“Working with Robert Redford was a great honor, a great experience. It was my first movie made more memorable with Robert Redford directing it.”

Your mother was a teacher and your dad is an actor. Which side has the more influence in you, the “teacher” side or the “actor” side?

“I guess it’s the ‘teacher’ side. Whether as an actor or as a director, I believe that I, in a way, teach people with what I’m doing. I don’t lecture but I’m showing the audience how.”

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