by Meg

I live in the precinct that is called the 15th on NYPDBlue--the lower East Side, or what is now called the East Village. Recently I noticed signs posted that said that NYPDBlue was going to do some filming August 22 a few blocks from my apartment. But I didn't see signs of anything. Then, on August 23, I was coming home with some groceries and looked down Second Ave. and could see lights, trucks and film equipment, and thought, well this may be it. So I went down to Seventh St. and Second Ave. and much to my surprise, discovered not just routine exterior shots, which I had expected, but found that Scott Cohen was there filming what looked like a big scene with Rick Schroeder for NYPDBlue. I and a bunch of other people who wanted to watch the scene were standing across the street, underneath a scaffold. The building under which I was standing has a Met Foodmarket floor on the ground floor, but is actually a division of New York University. And, strangely enough, the school is in something called the Saul Birns Building, and I am also a Birns, by marriage--the building was built by my ex-husband's uncle, at one time the "King" of Second Ave. But now, of course his little empire is long gone, and I alone (and my son) have survived on Second Ave. to tell the tale.

Anyway, Rick and Scott were across the avenue, in front of Baluchi's Indian restaurant, a Chinese restaurant called Bamboo house, and also a place called the Self-Reliance Federal Credit Union, which figures in the action of the scene. This is actually a bank that caters to this neighborhood's Ukrainian population, and there is a plaque in the Cyrillic alphabet on the other side of the bank's door that, I assume, also says "Self-Reliance Federal Credit Union." Anyway, the scene was just the two of them, Rick and Scott, or Danny and Denby. I couldn't hear anything, but it seemed very intense, with Denby doing most of the talking. It had to be shot lots of times. They must have done that scene for at least three hours. I think one of the problems is that cars kept honking their horns and they had to do it all over again. And other things. I noticed they eventually added a lot of extras, people walking past and stuff, so I think they were just gradually building the scene. Very exhausting for the actors, I imagine. I also noticed that Scott did not like the jacket and shirt he was wearing--I think it was too hot a day for them, although it was pretty overcast and cool here for August. He took the jacket off sometimes between takes, although usually he just paced around rehearsing on his own or sitting on a stoop of one of the buildings or on the edge of the truck that was in the scene. He never sat in the "guest star's" chair--I think that would have pulled him out of character. I noticed everybody just let him alone to work on the scene, and he made a sort of creative space for himself on the sidewalk within which he worked and everybody respected that. Between takes, Scott was really restless and full of energy, really never stopping pacing around. And spending a lot of time rehearsing his lines, and pretty much always staying in character--very hardworking. You could see he is really a dedicated actor. And he really sent that Denby character clear across a pretty wide avenue to where us civilians were watching! He gave a concentrated, powerful performance. He has an amazing ability to realize and then project emotion very accurately and very intensely.

When they called a break, I summoned up the nerve to cross the street and approach Scott and ask if I could take his picture. He smiled and said, "Sure, yeah," is a very friendly voice, and stopped so I could take it. He was really nice about it, especially since I had basically stepped into the section of sidewalk that was the "set" and he had just finished working very hard on what seemed to be a big scene! I am really the worst person to do this kind of thing, really had to summon up every last bit of courage I had to ask him, and my heart was beating like a little rabbit's. But I did manage to click my little camera, and to stand within his aura, and got very good vibes.

Anyway, my impression was of a genuinely creative actor, totally professional, and also very likeable. When he was not in character as the edgy Denby, he seemed relaxed and friendly, smiled a lot. After a series of intense Denby takes, he could still manage to be so nice about my approaching him and asking to take his picture--gracious and self-possessed. And, ladies--very, very handsome.