Sharon Abella: Are you excited to be at the film festival?

ANTONIO PIERCE: Linebacker for the New York Giants:

"Yes. I was here a couple of years ago for the movie about Cesar Chavez, I don't remember the name, maybe it was titled that, I'm not sure."
SA: Are you a big Kobe fan?

AP: "I am. Big Kobe fan. I admire the way he plays, the way he goes about his business on and off the court, and honestly, being directed by Spike Lee is very huge! You can't put two better people together to work together."


Q: Do you think maybe you'll be next?


AP: I've been begging Spike to put me in a film. Every time I'm at the Garden, I'm sitting next to him, I say, 'Spike, just put me in action.' I'll leave that to the directors. I'll just play football for now, and if it comes about, it will come about."


Q: What do you think of the draft this year?


It's exciting. We just selected a receiver in the first round, obviously a need for us. We have eight or nine more picks left. Whoever comes to the Giants and they are willing to work hard, and help us get back to the Superbowl and be a Superbowl team, I'm all for it.
I'll leave that to Jerry, he's the coach, so.


Q: What's your strategy this year?
AP: "WIN, BABY, JUST WIN!!! For us it's really about a good season. We started off very strong last year, 11: 1 at one point, and we kind of fell off 3 or 4 games at the end, so..."


Q: Who are you looking forward to playing the most?


AP: "I love my cowboys, I love our division, but I always love playing the cowboys. I think they have a reality show, some guy trying out for the team, I hope he makes the team, maybe take TO's spot."


Thanks

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LAZ ALONSO: actor from "MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA" :

Q: "Excited to see the film?"


LA: Everything is really, really, good. It seems like everyone is really excited about this film. I'm really proud of Spike, and I support pretty much everything he does, even before we got to work together. I'm really happy to see it.


Q: What's coming up next for you?


LA: Well Fast and Furious just did very very well at the box office. If you don't remember me I was the guy with the mohawk, the angry villain, as usual. I have this film called, "Avatar" that James Cameron directed, that comes out it December, so we're anxiously awaiting that.
AND I'll be in New York for the next eight weeks, filming this movie called, "The Family", starring opposite Kimberly Elise, and Little Bow Wow, and
Tasha Smith, her directorial debut, we're all really excited to be back in New York, and filming a really sweet New York love story.


Congratulations! Best of luck to you!


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OMAR BENSON MILLER: Actor "MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA", "SHALL WE DANCE"


Q: How are you?
A: I'm good to go. How are you?


Q: So are you enjoying the festival?
A: I'm glad to be here, because I've been working. I'm doing "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", with Nicolas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, SO we are out here working, that's why it was great to get the night to come out to support Spike. Thank God I didn't have to work tonight.


Q: How do you feel about Kobe?
A: "I don't really care for the guy. I'm not a big Kobe fan, personally, but you can't deny, he's one of the best doing it. He's great. He's does that, he does his work, and he punishes people on the court.


Q; Do you think this film will change your mind about that?
A: No. Anybody who runs Shaquille O'Neal away.


MICHAEL EALY: ACTOR: "MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA"


Q: Is this your first time for the festival?
A: "It's my first time coming to the festival with a filmmaker that I know. I've been here before for certain screenings, but It's interesting to be here in support of Spike.


Q: What do you have coming up?
A: "A film for Sony called "The Takers" in January. That's what's next.


Q: What's your favorite Spike Lee film?
A: The one I was in, "Miracle at St. Anna".


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ACTRESS: AIMEE MULLINS:


Q: Tell us about your experience with the festival! How do you see it going forward?


A: "Certainly, a festival that has the foundation and the backing of the kind of people that it does, is obviously going to evolve. This film tonight, with Spike Lee, is case and point.
This film is a festival within a festival, that's the ESPN Tribeca sports film festival, and it's grown already. It's the third year since it's inception, and it has become such a bigger part of the festival. Tribeca, something that was started to boost the economy to a neighborhood in New York, has become, already a landmark in New York City. It's only going to evolve.


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DIRECTOR SYLVAIN WHITE: "STOMP THE YARD", "


Q: Are you a big Spike Lee fan?
A: I'm a HUGE Spike Lee fan.


Q: What's your favorite?
A: Probably my favorite film is "Clockers". It is probably the film that had the strongest influence on me.


Q: What do you think Spike's going to do with a sports film?
A: I think what he does particularly well with documentaries, is he makes them feel very personal. He really gets into the characters, and into the psychology of the characters. So, I think particularly with a basketball game, and see behind the scenes, it going to be very interesting to see what he chose to show and all the details and strategies that happened behind the scenes. I'm really excited to see it. I'm a huge basketball fan. I'm a huge Lakers fan. Kobe is the best player in the world. It's the right combination.


Q: What's coming up for you?
A: I am shooting my next movie. I'm prepping right now, It's called, "The Losers", from Warner Brothers, Joel Silver and Cuba Goldsman are producing. I have a wonderful cast, Idris Elba, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, from "Watchman", Zoe Saldana, Columbus Short, from "Stomp the Yard", Chris Evans from, "Fanstastic Four". Just a great cast. I'm very excited. It's a contemporary adventure/action movie. It's going to kick a&&."


Sounds like you are a busy man! Congratulations!
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JANE ROSENTHAL: CO-FOUNDER OF TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL


Q: Has this years festival met your expectations? and Where do you see it going from here?


A: "Well, I can't see where it's going, we're right in the middle of it, right now, but it's a beautiful night in New York, and I think there are over 4,000 people across the street watching "P Star Rising", a new documentary, and we're here with Spike Lee tonight, so, so far I can't complain."


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MORGAN SPURLOCK: FILMMAKER: "SUPERSIZE ME"


Q: What's coming up for you?
A: "We just wrapped "Freakanomics". That will be coming out later this year. So that's next.


Q: Are you a Spike Fan?
A: I'm a huge Spike fan, I'm a huge Kobe fan, I am a constantly disappointed Knicks fan. So, it's good, it's my kind of movie."


Q: Why do you like Spike Lee's films?
A: I love filmmakers who are really kind of honest about the things they believe in and how that kind of comes into their story telling, and I think there is no better story teller that encapsulates that better than Spike. He's an amazing individual. And I'm an NYU graduate, as he was, so he's my kind of guy, represent Tisch School of the Arts.


Best of luck to you!
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BRUCE HORNSBY: MUSICIAN: SCORE FOR "KOBE DOING WORK"


Q: We were going to ask you why aren't you playing tonight at "The Garden" with "The Dead"?


A: "I'm not in the band, I did my time, I wouldn't trade my time with "The Dead" for the world, but they don't need me now, and it's more appropriate for me to be here, because this was something I was deeply involved with having had done the score. I love them, I love their music, and of course, wish them the best.


Q: Tell me a little about the work you did on the film.


A: Basically, I went to Spike's house. He called me and asked me if I would do it, I said, "yes". I was up here at a Randy Newman concert at Carnegie Hall, with Pat Metheny, my old pal, the great Jazz Guitar player, who has played on my records through the years. I got a call from Spike saying, "I hear you are in town, can you come over my house after the show, and I'll show you the rough cut. So I went to the house, he sat in a chair, whispered in my ear and said, "I want music here, I want music here. I had never done this. This was my first film score. So, it was great to do my first film score with an old friend, who I had worked with lots of times before. We're sort of the odd couple. We've done a lot. We've done 3 videos together. I've done 2 movie songs for him before this. So, I went home, he sent me the reels, there were four reels, and I just looked through the tape and ripped away, and it was very natural for me. I really enjoyed it!!!


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INTERVIEW WITH SPIKE LEE:


Q: What's it like to have two films in the festival?


A: "Good, you know this is the first I've ever been in the Tribeca Film Festival. It just hasn't worked out schedule wise, so I'm glad to be here."


Q: You are celebrating "Kobe Doing Work", "Passing Strange", as well as the 20th Anniversary of "Do the Right Thing" coming out on Blue Ray.


A: Yeah, that's June 30th.


Q: What did you learn about Kobe Bryant that you didn't know before?
A: "I didn't really understand about how much of a team leader he was. That's his team."
KOBE DOING WORK: Thursday April 30, 3:30 pm, and Saturday, May 2nd 9:30pm


Go into the mind of Kobe Bryant, family man who is married with two girls, and one of basketball's best, he comments about his plays, his team, figures out what's best to do at that particular moment in time, does not dwell on the negative, if he missed a shot, he's optimistic, and keeps it moving. He was excited to be chosen against Spike's beloved NY Knicks, and says his prayers/"Our Father" after the games on Sunday!


Not to be missed!
Sharon Abella
Sharon writes dailies from Tribeca on her blog on fest21.com
http://www.fest21.com/en/blog/sharonabella