I want to back it up a little and share this interesting bit of "call and answer"
that took place after Val and I began communicating about his phone interview
for Mark Twain/Mary Baker Eddy film but before we actually spoke for the first time. Val requested I send copies of Buzz Magazine to him at Francis ford Coppola's estate while he was shooting the film "Twixt". Shortly after that I published my thesis on "Nudity and The Craft Of Theatre and Film Acting".
I received my BFA at one of the finest conservatories in the country,
The DePaul/ Goodman School of Drama, now called, The Theater School at DePaul. While there I developed this essay against actors being called on to perform nude on stage and at that time back in 1987, with teen sexploitation movies like "Porky's"
dominating the box office, the idea was controversial and not many actors agreed with me.
When I saw Val's post a few weeks after publishing it, I felt really validated
and excited that he was indeed reading my work and actually concurred with me on what I feel is a very important distinction, an essential philosophy to follow for all gifted, thinking actors. Below is the link if you would like to read the entire article.
"It is my belief that nudity and simulated sex are not a part of the craft of theatre and film acting and should not be engaged in at any point in their career by actors and actresses who are sensitive enough and talented enough to be considered artists and craftspeople.
In the same way that drinking three shots of whiskey and then “acting” in a drunk scene is not acting, so is actually being nude or engaging in real “simulated” sex not acting.
In the same way that eye gouging is not allowed or a part of the skill and sport of playing professional basketball or football, so should nudity not be allowed in artistic acting projects that consider themselves to reflect the superior quality of the craft of theatre and film acting." Kimberly Katz, December 9th, 2010
"Just in case it comes up.... I am at present online trying to find my website, and I see on the first page of GOOGLE their is a sight that says, "Val Kilmer, Nude Pictures". I have never taken any nude pictures, nor have I even taken off enough clothes in a film for them to REMOTELY SUGGEST that I was nude in a scene. I have always had an awareness that nudity was inappropriate, even "innocent" nudity, and have never done that." Val Kilmer December 20th, 2010
http://buzznews.net/the-katz-meow/item/2988-nudity-and-the-craft-of-theatre-and-film-acting
