Latest news with #Hecht
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Still helping Jewish community thrive at 25
Before immigrating to Winnipeg from Turkey in 2017, Daniel Kazado had never heard of the city. 'We just wanted to find a secure place where we could find work and raise our family,' Kazado, 48, said. Daniel and his wife, Lora Kazado, never experienced antisemitism directly in Turkey. But being Jewish in that country meant being wary. 'It was like living in a glass bowl, feeling exposed,' he said. 'You were always cautious.' Wanting to live somewhere more secure, they decided to move to Canada. At first, they thought about Toronto or Vancouver — both seemed to be good locations for the couple and their two children. Then, they heard about GrowWinnipeg, a program offered by the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg. The program, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, invites Jews in other countries to consider immigrating to the province. The Kazados applied and made a week-long visit. 'The people here were very welcoming,' Daniel Kazado of how the family felt embraced by the Jewish community. 'It was clear this would be a great place to live and raise our children.' Kazado is a mechanical engineer who owns his own business, and teaches at Red River College Polytechnic and the University of Manitoba. 'We feel at home here,' he said. 'The people here were very welcoming. It was clear this would be a great place to live and raise our children.'– Daniel Kazado The Kazados are among the more than 6,800 Jews who have come to Manitoba through GrowWinnipeg since 2000. They are from places such as Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine and Uruguay. GrowWinnipeg got its unofficial start in 1997, when representatives from the federation and the provincial government made an exploratory mission to Argentina. The visit was in the wake of the 1994 terrorist attack on the Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and injured more than 300. 'Many Jews in Argentina didn't feel safe,' said Evelyn Hecht, who went on that mission and met many Argentinian Jews who wanted to emigrate to Canada. The federation created GrowWinnipeg three years later, and Hecht was its first director. Through the program, potential immigrants are invited to visit Winnipeg for a week at their own expense. During that visit, they are met by volunteers who help them learn about the Jewish community and city while helping them with networking and providing job advice. Hecht, who retired in 2006, said the visits are key to the program's success. 'We want them to come and see the city with their own eyes,' she said. After the visit, those who would like to make Winnipeg home can apply to the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program, through which people who demonstrate the potential to contribute to the economy seek permanent residency in Canada. Their application is accompanied by a letter of recommendation from GrowWinnipeg. Hecht said the success of the program goes beyond numbers. 'They bring excitement, energy and a love of things Jewish,' she said of their positive impact. 'They have rejuvenated the local Jewish community.' Bob Freedman was also on those early missions. It was supported by members of the Jewish community who wanted to find ways to reverse the declining Jewish population in Winnipeg, he said. 'We'd be in a sad situation' if not for GrowWinnipeg, Freedman said. 'I think we've developed a pretty good reputation for attracting newcomers. It turned out to be a successful initiative.' 'They provide emotional, spiritual and other supports, job connections, guide the newcomers through everything, providing them with whatever tools they need to be successful.'– Dalia Szpiro Dalia Szpiro is one of those early newcomers, arriving here from Uruguay in 2002 with her husband and two small children. She is the director of GrowWinnipeg, which is the only program of its kind in Canada that works in a close partnership with a provincial government to bring immigrants to the country. 'As young professionals, we didn't see much of a future in Uruguay,' she said. 'The Jewish community here was very welcoming.' Szpiro is passing that sense of welcome on to others, working with about 250 volunteers who welcome, host and help the potential immigrants during their week-long visits. Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. 'It's a community effort,' she said, adding the support of the community is. 'They provide emotional, spiritual and other supports, job connections, guide the newcomers through everything, providing them with whatever tools they need to be successful,' Szpiro said. Federation CEO Jeff Lieberman said the influx of newcomers has helped stabilize the Jewish population in the city, which decreased from about 16,000 in 2000 to 13,690 in 2011. It is now about 14,000, the 2021 census determined. 'It's amazing what we have accomplished as a community,' Lieberman said of the impact of GrowWinnipeg. 'The newcomers are great people, educated, able to get jobs, and starting a new life in Winnipeg.' faith@ The Free Press is committed to covering faith in Manitoba. If you appreciate that coverage, help us do more! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow us to deepen our reporting about faith in the province. Thanks! BECOME A FAITH JOURNALISM SUPPORTER John LonghurstFaith reporter John Longhurst has been writing for Winnipeg's faith pages since 2003. He also writes for Religion News Service in the U.S., and blogs about the media, marketing and communications at Making the News. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Time of India
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Jessica Hecht reveals she auditioned for Monica before being cast as Susan in ‘Friends': 'They just couldn't figure out...'
Before she was cast as Susan, the partner of Ross's ex-wife Carol, actress revealed that she had actually auditioned for the role of Monica on 'Friends'. Carol and Ross were played by Jane Sibbett and David Schwimmer, respectively. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In a recent interview with Parade, the three-time Tony nominee shared that her audition for Monica happened quite unexpectedly. 'I knew the casting director from high school. I grew up in a small town near Hartford, Connecticut, called Bloomfield,' Hecht recalled. 'The only other person from my town who's an actor or has anything to do with entertainment is Anika Noni Rose. But there was this woman, Ellie Kanner.' 'I was out in Los Angeles, and my agent said, 'Oh, I sent your picture to this casting director for Friends,'' she added. 'There's one part; they're not sure if the actor will take it. They want to still look at some other actors, and I think she knows you from high school.' So I went in, mostly excited to see Ellie Kanner, and then they started to read me for Monica.' Being a backup didn't bother her Of course, Courteney Cox was eventually chosen to play Monica. Hecht told Parade that she thought of herself as 'a total backup.' She was later cast as Susan, a recurring character in 'Friends', and appeared in more than a dozen episodes, starting from the second episode of season 1. Reflecting on that time, Hecht said, 'If you're at the very beginning, you don't know what it's going to be. So you're just there trying to help them figure out what the show is. And you don't feel the weight of its history, because it has no history.' She added, 'In Friends, it's not that it was casual, but the show was not iconic by any stretch. So I had more creativity, and I had more of a sense of just trusting my gut about what I wanted to do with this character. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now And Jane Sibbett, who played my beautiful wife, we were so locked into each other, so it was mostly about our energy together. The actors were awesome, but nobody had that confidence yet, so it was a very delicious time. ' Hecht's struggles with character development Hecht also revealed that it was challenging for the show's creators to develop Susan's character. Carol and Susan's storyline was one of the earliest depictions of same-sex marriage on mainstream television, with their wedding featured in the first episode of season 2. Speaking about the role, Hecht said, 'They just couldn't figure out how to make Susan work.' She added, 'Because they—well, it's awful. But let's face it, all they wanted was a lesbian who didn't look exactly like lesbians had in the past.' Looking back, Hecht shared that she feels thankful she wasn't a lead character. She said the short stint on the show allowed her to enjoy the experience without dealing with the pressure of being in the spotlight all the time. Blake Lively's Win SLAMMED as Justin Baldoni's Team Plans EXPLOSIVE Legal Counter | WATCH
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Jessica Hecht remembers auditioning for Friends' Monica before landing role as Susan
Jessica Hecht, who played Susan on Friends, recently revealed that she first auditioned for the character of Monica Geller. Speaking with Parade, the three-time Tony Award nominee broke down how the experience came about and looked back on her initial encounter with the legendary show. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Hecht, who is 59, said the audition for Monica was a referral from a connection to casting director Ellie Kanner, with whom she grew up in her hometown of Bloomfield, Connecticut. "I knew the casting director in high school. I am from a small town outside of Hartford, Connecticut, called Bloomfield," she said. "The only other cast or crew member from my town is Anika Noni Rose.". But there was this woman, Ellie Kanner. Remembering how the audition took place, Hecht went on, "I was in Los Angeles, and my agent said, 'Oh, I submitted your picture to this casting director for Friends. There's one role, they don't know if the actor will do.". They need to go look at some other actors, and I think she knows you from high school.' So I went in, mostly looking forward to seeing Ellie Kanner, and then they began reading me for Monica." Although she didn't get the role of Monica, Hecht went on to play Susan, Ross Geller's ex-wife Carol's wife and girlfriend, later. She was in over a dozen episodes, starting with the second episode of season one of the show. Looking back on the early stages of Friends, Hecht has stated, "If you're at the starting point, you have no idea what it's going to be. So you're just there helping them try to find out what the show is. And you don't feel the burden of its past, because it doesn't have one." Hecht's acting as Susan was a memorable aspect of the show, helping to become part of one of the series' first returnee storylines.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jessica Hecht Reveals the Hardest Part of Being a Tony Nominee (Exclusive)
Jessica Hecht Reveals the Hardest Part of Being a Tony Nominee (Exclusive) originally appeared on Parade. Jessica Hecht, like the rest of us, struggles with the technical aspects of watching live awards show nomination announcements. Some categories are announced on a morning show. Some on a social media simulcast. Is the livestream on YouTube, the awards show's website, behind a pay wall? "Oh my god! Should I be on Chrome?" she quips. Unlike us fans and journalists, however, Hecht actually was nominated for a Tony Award this year. She's up for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her work as PTA mom Suzanne in Eureka Day. On nominations morning, however, Hecht couldn't figure out how to watch the nominees being announced. "I was at home," she tells Parade while chatting in our office studio. "I feel fairly computer savvy, but I couldn't get the feed of the nominations coming out. I love not knowing when they come out. I love just forgetting. Of course, it creates so much anxiety either way, but a couple of people had said, 'Oh my God, they're coming out tomorrow.' So I walked the dog, I had my bagel, and then I was like, 'Okay, let me try to go online,' and I couldn't get it together. About 9:20, I started to get texts, and I thought, 'Well, thank you, my friends.'" 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 This is Hecht's third Tony nomination. She was nominated previously for roles in the 2010 production of A View from the Bridge and the 2023 production of Summer, 1976. Hecht is a true staple of the New York acting scene, however, and in addition to numerous theater roles has also popped up in everything from Succession and Law & Order to Friends and The Boys. Her next film Eleanor the Great comes out later this year and on the day of our meeting, she'd come straight from a costume fitting in New Jersey for another upcoming project. Unlike many of the 2025 Tony nominees, Hecht's show Eureka Day, isn't currently on Broadway, completing its limited run earlier this year. The show, which is also nominated for Best Revival of a Play, focused on the five members of a private school's PTA board, navigating a vaccine policy in the wake of a mumps outbreak. Hecht's Suzanne often serves as the comic relief during the first act of the play before her much darker backstory is revealed towards the end of the play. Since this is Hecht's third Tony nomination, she knows the perks of both being a nominee as well as the downsides of the month-long press tour leading up to Broadway's big night. "If you don't get nominated," she tells us, "You have like 24 hours, maybe 48 at the most, kind of like, 'Oh, I guess I just paled in comparison,' but you deal with it. You say to yourself, 'But I do feel proud of my work.' I very rarely get nominated for certain kinds of awards, almost never. Someone once told a friend of mine, that being an underdog is better for your acting, which I believe." "If you do get nominated," she continues, "You have about a month of this low-grade worthlessness you cannot shake. 'Why am I wearing this? Why do I look so old today? Why does everybody else know how to pose? Why is everybody so quick with the answers?' It's about four weeks of that. You have to think about what you're ready for." With the Tony Awards presented tonight, hopefully most of the dog-and-pony show elements are in Hecht's rearview. When asked if she has a speech prepared for if she wins, Hecht says, "It's very dry, what I do write out in my mind. I really love my agents, so I always think one day I want to thank my agents. I'm really close to my mom. All the classics. I'm more mortified about who I would forget. If I win something one day, it's going to be a little bit of a list." Ahead of the Tony Awards, Parade chatted with Jessica Hecht about her pre-show rituals, working with Scarlett Johansson and her many appearances on Law & Order. Read the full interview below: Related: Did it feel different getting nominated this time for versus the other two times? The first time was for an Arthur Miller play [in the 2010 production of A View From the Bridge], and being with Liev [Schreiber] and Scarlett [Johansson] was so precious, because Arthur is my truly favorite writer. And there's something about elevating your sense of self because you're doing that kind of work, that you think [awards] shouldn't matter. Then, to be honest, when I was doing Summer, 1976Laura [Linney, who was not nominated for a Tony that year,] was my goddess, so I wish we had experienced that together. It just goes to show that it's random, because she was just made the whole thing work. This one was really delicious, but this ensemble is fire, as my kids would say. Many times as we were doing the play, I just looked around and thought, "This is the most kick ass ensemble I have ever been with." They would throw things at you, so alive. I owe them such a debt of gratitude. What was it like with the five of you off stage? Did you hang out? There's the sense of the community that you already have here. Bill [Irwin], I knew a bit from the New York theater scene, and I feel a reverence for Him, and he's extraordinary. Each person had a different place in my history here. We didn't hang out a ton because I'm not a big hanger outer, but Bill arranged a couple of beautiful meals for us. Your character is so funny in most of the play, but then has a few very dramatic moments towards the end. You get to really show the breadth of what you can do as an actor. What is it like figuring out a character that complex? Well, I think people who have experienced terrible tragedies often create a really complex and meticulous way of overriding that. This character is beautifully written because her life's biggest tragedy occurs when her kids are little, and so the play is constructed around being in an environment where you are around children and you feel the joy of that. You are trying to maintain safety and hope and the preciousness of childhood for many kids, until that totally cracks. So the play is written, to my mind, like the little playpen until the walls collapse, and then you're suddenly without any safety net. What was the most difficult part of the show? There's two things for me. One was to not make it a satire. I was very anxious about that when we were developing it. When you're dealing with stuff that could be considered woke subjects. The way many left-leaning people are navigating life has been the subject of a lot of comedy. I was desperate for it not to fall into that, so to create something that made people think they knew the characters was essential for me. Then the second half of the play, when she reveals to someone who she thinks is her friend, the rationale for her beliefs, I couldn't quite figure that out. Anna [D. Shapiro, the director] was so gracious, helping and guiding me, but not telling me what it should be. That was an extraordinary part of our rehearsal process. Related: Do you have any pre-show rituals? I do. I sing show tunes. I'm not a great singer, but I can carry a tune. I have a little library of show tunes that I don't realize I have. When I go backstage, or even in the dressing room, I just kind of let them out. Most of my casts really indulge that. I'm very silly backstage. I was silly until the moment we go on, because I get super nervous, and the only antidote for that, for me, is silliness. What show tune do you sing most often? I go to a lot of different ones. "Start Spreading the News." Sometimes when it's cold, we do "Steam Heat." We do anything that is the old, like, "Whatever Lola Wants." The only musical I've ever done is Fiddler [on the Roof], so I do that. It makes me so happy. Because 's limited run ended in the winter, have you been able to see some of the other nominees? Yes! Oh my gosh! I saw Operation Mincemeat last week. Isn't it awesome? It's so good! They were so wonderfully creative. I saw English right before it closed, which is exceptional. I saw John Proctor, which I loved. I have a few things for this week, so I'm catching up. To pivot, you're in the movie , which premiered at Cannes in May. You work with June Squibb who is an icon. What was it like working with her? First of all, she was a huge theater star. People don't realize that she was a hoofer. She was iconic in these wonderful character parts and musicals. She goes to Sardi's every weekend if she's here shooting, and so she had these Sunday night dinners. I went a couple of times, and I brought the actors that I'm friendly with, who were like, "How do you know June Squibb?" All these people who really know theater history just love her. The exquisite thing about the way she works is she's actually very clear. She doesn't mess around. She makes a decision, and if she feels maybe that's not right, at least she'll try. If you give her a direction, she'll always try it, or she'll say, "You know what, I don't think I'd do that the way you're describing," and we move on to a new idea. She knows herself, and she has such a way of focusing everything. She's also just a beautiful energy. She's so present. It was incredible to work with her. Related: Scarlett Johansson is the director, and this is the first movie that she's directed. How was it having her direct? Absolutely wonderful. First of all, she's very girlfriendy. The first few minutes is talking about your outfit and what you want to eat. Then she's very specific about what it should be. She understands filmmaking so precisely, and so the way she directs is utterly doable and also really helps to make the scene as perfect a storytelling vehicle as possible. She drops you into such a human and specific place. She's wonderful. She's my hero. You're also in , which is one of my favorite movies. You guys are all staying in this big house and doing these crossword puzzle competitions, what was it like filming that? Awesome, oh my God. Peter Hedges is a great director, and he had us doing all this family stuff to get into the character of the family. The family was Amy Ryan, one of the greatest actors ever. She's my great friend as well. Norbert [Leo Butz]. John Mahoney was the dad. Diane Wiest was the mom. We sat around the first couple days. We sang the Bob Dylan songs as a family, and ate pancakes, and then Juliette [Binoche] came, and she's actually very girlfriendy and wonderful. I couldn't believe I was with Juliette Binoche. It was as advertised, great. You were also in , and so many Broadway actors were on that show. Was Broadway just abuzz with that one? With that one, it was early on, maybe the second season. I don't watch a lot of TV, and they were like, "It's a small part, but people seem to like this show." For most actors, if there's just a little juice in the scene, and they say that it'll be recurring, you're like, "Sure!" Also, you just don't get paid a lot in the theater, so this is a nice way to make a little cash. So I had no idea what the thing was, and I just had the most wonderful time there. What do you get recognized most often for? I think Breaking Bad, and then Friends, and then a show that I loved doing, which was The Sinner, and for a while that was running a lot during COVID. I think it has to do with what's popular, but also, I just had one little scene, but Alexander[Payne]'s film Sideways. There's a great quote about film acting: as long as you have a beginning, middle and end to your scene, that's all it takes to have a truly memorable part in a film. You've been in four different episodes, plenty of other guest roles in procedurals. All evil. How is it popping on those for one episode? Crying for dollars. Amy Ryan actually coined that phrase, which is so funny. All those shows require a little crying. They're fun. They're a real testament to the actual trade of acting. You have a job to do, which is to play this person who is suffering or anguished in some way, and the craft of acting comes into play much more than anyone ever realizes. What is the oddest part that you've ever taken in one of those? I did one where I played a slave owner. It's so bad that I just have to say it. I had taken a couple of kids from Haiti, and I enslaved them. I played some really wonky ones. I played a nun in a few things. That made me very proud, because I love spiritual people. I played a few nuns. If they've got a nun role, they know who to call! Look at me. Who else would you call? Come on! This interview was condensed and edited for length and clarity. Jessica Hecht Reveals the Hardest Part of Being a Tony Nominee (Exclusive) first appeared on Parade on Jun 8, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jessica Hecht Explains How She Was Nearly Cast As Monica in 'Friends' (Exclusive)
Jessica Hecht Explains How She Was Nearly Cast As Monica in 'Friends' (Exclusive) originally appeared on Parade. There's an alternate version of history where the cast of friends includes Jessica Hecht. The prolific actress, who was recently nominated for her third Tony Award for Eureka Day, was nearly cast as Monica instead of Courteney Cox. "Can you believe that?" Hecht says laughing about the sliding doors theory while chatting with Parade in our New York studio, although she admits that she thinks she was "a total backup." 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 "I knew the casting director from high school," Hecht says, telling the story of her audition. "I grew up in a small town near Hartford, Connecticut called Bloomfield. There was nobody else. The only other person from my town who's an actor or has anything to do with entertainment is Anika Noni Rose. But there was this woman, Ellie Kanner. I was out in Los Angeles, and my agent said, 'Oh, I sent your picture into this casting director for Friends. There's one part, they're not sure if the actor will take. They want to still look at some other actors, and I think she knows you from high school.' So I went in, mostly excited to see Ellie Kanner, and then they started to read me for Monica." Obviously, Hecht didn't end up booking the role, which went to Cox instead. "I think looking at me back then, I'm tall and I just had a bigger size than the rest," Hecht says, regarding why she wasn't ultimately cast. "Now I look at it, and I think how perfect Courteney was, I would have been more of a Lisa, just physically and energetically." Fans of Friends will, however, recognize Hecht as Susan Bunch, the new girlfriend of Ross's ex-wife Carol. "They just couldn't figure out how to make Susan work," Hecht says about her casting, "Because they – well, it's terrible. But they just wanted a lesbian that didn't look exactly like lesbians had previously, let's be honest." "Use your imagination!" Hecht continues laughing, "They're wonderful. They come in all sizes." Related: Hecht appeared on 13 episodes of the series, making her debut in the second episode of Season 1. She filmed many of her episodes before the series became the juggernaut it would eventually become. "If you're at the very beginning, you don't know what it's going to be. So you're just there trying to help them figure out what the show is. And you don't feel the weight of its history, because it has no history, and you don't know what it'll be," Hecht says of working on that first season. "In Friends, it's not that it was casual, but the show was not iconic by any stretch. So I had more creativity, and I had more of a sense of just trusting my gut about what I wanted to do with this character. And Jane Sibbett, who played my beautiful wife, we were so locked into each other, so it was mostly about our energy together. The actors were awesome, but nobody had that confidence yet, so it was a very delicious time." It is crazy to think about how different Hecht's life would be now if she were one of the six titular "friends." But perhaps then she wouldn't have three Tony nominations to her name either!Jessica Hecht Explains How She Was Nearly Cast As Monica in 'Friends' (Exclusive) first appeared on Parade on Jun 11, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
