Latest news with #Hiller
Miami Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Q&A: Jeff Hiller of ‘Somebody Somewhere' on his surprise Emmy nomination: ‘I was truly shocked'
LOS ANGELES - File Jeff Hiller's Emmy nomination- his first ever - for supporting actor in a comedy under 2025's major surprises column. His portrayal of supportive bestie Joel to Bridget Everett's Sam on "Somebody Somewhere" indeed ranks as one of the year's best performances, but the nuanced comedy and its eclectic cast were considered long shots against actors from "The Bear," "Only Murders in the Building" and "Abbott Elementary." The Peabody Award-winning series, which concluded this year with its third season, followed a group of outsiders - gay and straight - as they navigated friendship, faith and questions of self in a small, rural Kansas town. Like Hiller, Joel is gay and grew up heavily involved in the Christian church. When the Television Academy announced its list of nominees Tuesday morning, Hiller was anything but ready to hear his name called alongside Harrison Ford ("Shrinking"), Ebon Moss-Bachrach ("The Bear") and Colman Domingo ("The Four Seasons.") He spoke to The Times, in an interview edited for clarity and length, shortly after learning he was nominated. Q: Were you poised and waiting for the announcements this morning, or were you just like, yeah, it's not going to happen? A: I must tell you, without any sort of posturing or false humility, this is a surprise. I mean, it's Season 3. I said to my husband, "The Emmy noms are coming out so I guess at some point someone's going to be like, 'Somebody Somewhere' was snubbed." I had moved on. Then I was on the phone with my sister and I was like, "My agent keeps calling me. What is he calling me for? Did I get that recurring role on that Fox pilot?" It was so shocking. I kind of had forgotten that it was happening. I know that this sounds so fake, but I truly was shocked. Q: And to be noticed for such a wonderfully singular show and role. There's nothing else like "Somebody Somewhere," or a character like Joel, on television. A: I know and he was a lot like me. I took this dumb acting class on how to get to be a series regular on a TV show, and this is like 15 years into my acting career. In this class they were like, they were like, "You won't get a series regular role unless you're a lot like the character." And I was like, "Oh crap! Nobody writes characters like me." Let me just say that I'm fully aware of how lucky I was that this role came to me and I'm so grateful to Bridget and co-creators Hannah [Bos] and Paul [Thureen] because you're right. There's nothing like [the show or him] out there and to get to do a fully realized character and be gay but also be in the church - it's complicated. It takes a lot of work and exposition to get across a character this nuanced. I'm so grateful that they wrote that and then I got to play it, and that they didn't cast, you know, Michael Urie. I would have cast him. Q: Do you miss Joel? A: Oh yeah, I do. It's over a year ago that we shot Season 3, so I miss the crew and the gift of being able to play him. I know that all this sounds so cheesy and hack and stuff, [like other Emmy quotes] I read in articles, but I guess it was all true when they were saying it. Q: And where are you right now? A: I am at Gate 95 at LaGuardia Airport. I have this credit card that I pay an extremely high fee on so that I can get into the lounge, but the line is too long so I'm just waiting at the gate until 3:40 because the flight got delayed. Q: You were just nominated for an Emmy! Don't they know who you are? A: They have made it very clear they do not know who I am. Q: So what's next? A: I'm very excited just to be able to go to the [Emmy] party. I've never gotten to go to a party like this. I'm going to wear something really gay. It's going to be great. Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Los Angeles Times
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Jeff Hiller of ‘Somebody Somewhere' on his surprise Emmy nomination: ‘I was truly shocked'
File Jeff Hiller's Emmy nomination — his first ever — for supporting actor in a comedy under 2025's major surprises column. His portrayal of supportive bestie Joel to Bridget Everett's Sam on 'Somebody Somewhere' indeed ranks as one of the year's best performances, but the nuanced comedy and it's eclectic cast were considered long shots against actors from 'The Bear,' 'Only Murders in the Building' and 'Abbott Elementary.' The Peabody Award winning series, which concluded this year with its third season, followed a group of outsiders — gay and straight — as they navigated friendship, faith and questions of self in a small, rural Kansas town. Like Hiller, Joel is gay and grew up heavily involved in the Christian church. When the Academy announced its list of nominees Tuesday morning, Hiller was anything but ready to hear his name called alongside Harrison Ford ('Shrinking'), Ebon Moss-Bachrach ('The Bear') and Colman Domingo ('The Four Seasons.') He spoke to The Times, in an interview edited for clarity and length, shortly after learning he was nominated. Were you poised and waiting for the announcements this morning, or were you just like, yeah, it's not going to happen? I must tell you, without any sort of posturing or false humility, this is a surprise. I mean, it's Season 3. I said to my husband, 'The Emmy noms are coming out so I guess at some point someone's going to be like, 'Somebody Somewhere' was snubbed.' I had moved on. Then I was on the phone with my sister and I was like, 'My agent keeps calling me. What is he calling me for? Did I get that recurring role on that Fox pilot?' It was so shocking. I kind of had forgotten that it was happening. I know that this sounds so fake, but I truly was shocked. And to be noticed for such a wonderfully singular show and role. There's nothing else like 'Somebody Somewhere,' or a character like Joel, on television. I know and he was a lot like me. I took this dumb acting class on how to get to be a series regular on a TV show, and this is like 15 years into my acting career. In this class they were like, they were like, 'You won't get a series regular role unless you're a lot like the character.' And I was like, 'Oh crap! Nobody writes characters like me.' Let me just say that I'm fully aware of how lucky I was that this role came to me and I'm so grateful to Bridget and co-creators Hannah [Bos] and Paul [Thureen] because you're right. There's nothing like [the show or him] out there and to get to do a fully realized character and be gay but also be in the church— it's complicated. It takes a lot of work and exposition to get across a character this nuanced. I'm so grateful that they wrote that and then I got to play it, and that they didn't cast, you know, Michael Urie. I would have cast him. Do you miss Joel? Oh yeah, I do. It's over a year ago that we shot Season 3, so I miss the crew and the gift of being able to play him. I know that all this sounds so cheesy and hack and stuff, [like other Emmy quotes] I read in articles, but I guess it was all true when they were saying it. And where are you right now? I am at gate 95 at LaGuardia Airport. I have this credit card that I pay an extremely high fee on so that I can get into the lounge, but the line is too long so I'm just waiting at the gate until 3:40 because the flight got delayed. You were just nominated for an Emmy! Don't they know who you are? They have made it very clear they do not know who I am. So what's next? I'm very excited just to be able to go to the [Emmy] party. I've never gotten to go to a party like this. I'm going to wear something really gay. It's going to be great.
NBC Sports
24-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Shemar Stewart, Bengals are still at impasse
The Bengals and their 2025 first-round pick, defensive end Shemar Stewart, continue to be at odds over a fairly technical and esoteric portion of his contract. Stewart's agent, Zac Hiller, appeared on SiriusXM NFL Radio to discuss the situation. 'Obviously my job, and all agents' job, is to protect the players,' Hiller said. 'Simply put, Shamar would, of course, love for his contract to be as protective as the rest of his Bengals teammates in the past. And, simply put, the way the contract currently reads is not as protective.' The issue relates to the team's effort to change the language that would void future guarantees. They're trying to foist more team-friendly terms on Stewart unilaterally, without making a corresponding concession. 'Contracts are based on precedent,' Hiller said. 'So, when Shamar has never asked for anything more or less protective than any of his teammates, it's a simple fix. It's just say, 'Hey, this is the precedent. Let's keep the precedent.'' There's no indication that the Bengals are willing to offer Stewart anything to balance out the change in precedent. 'If you want to make changes to your precedent, it should be a negotiation,' Hiller said. 'It should be give and take. It shouldn't just be, 'Hey, we're changing this and sign it or go scratch.'' Although Stewart is taking a stand, he wants to get the situation resolved. 'All he wants to do is be a Cincinnati Bengal,' Hiller said. 'This guy was so excited to get drafted by Cincinnati. All he wants to do is be a Bengal. All he wanted to do was be on the field and show the Cincinnati fans the incredible specimen, person, football player that this team was lucky to draft where they drafted. And he's not been allowed to do that.' This isn't the year for the Bengals to become stubborn about changing contract language that previously was acceptable. They need Stewart to be ready to go — especially if defensive end Trey Hendrickson doesn't show up for training camp as part of a cash-based contract squabble. But if the team and Hendrickson strike a deal as to money, there's an interesting question that will eventually be addressed. Will the Bengals use their prior language regarding voids of guarantees? Or will they insist on the same language they're trying to force Stewart to accept?
NBC Sports
16-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Jim Hiller will return as LA Kings' head coach, general manager Ken Holland says during his intro
Jim Hiller will return next season as the Los Angeles Kings' head coach, new general manager Ken Holland says. Holland praised Hiller and looked ahead to their new partnership during the Hall of Fame hockey executive's introductory news conference at the Kings' training complex. Holland is returning to the NHL after a one-year absence, taking over as the replacement for Rob Blake. The 69-year-old former GM of the Detroit Red Wings and the Edmonton Oilers immediately made it clear he isn't in Los Angeles to blow up a team that has made four straight playoff appearances, only to lose to the Oilers in the first round every spring. Holland won't make an immediate change behind the Kings' bench — or even in the front office, where he plans to retain the assistant GMs and hockey executives who worked for Blake. 'Jim is going to be the coach,' Holland said. 'Jim Hiller did a fabulous job in leading the team to 105 points. They were good defensively. They were good on special teams. The team played hard. I thought three weeks ago that this was a team that had the potential, the ability to go on a long playoff run. He'll be a better coach next year for the experience that he went through this year.' Holland and Hiller spent two hours in discussion, the GM said. Hiller, who replaced the fired Todd McLellan in February 2024, was an assistant coach to Mike Babcock in Detroit a decade ago while Holland was the Wings' general manager. The Kings tied the franchise records for victories (48) and points this season under Hiller, only to lose four straight playoff games to Edmonton after going up 2-0. Los Angeles is a consistent playoff team with star power and solid depth, but Holland knows his job is to get the Kings off this franchise plateau. 'I'm hoping to add something to it, maybe a little different idea,' Holland said. 'I'm looking forward to getting going. ... I understand that this is a marketplace that's really competitive. You talk about all the competition for the entertainment dollar, so it's important that you win and you compete. Got to find a way to make the team a little bit different, a little bit better. I think the experiences they've been through here will benefit us down the road.' Blake voluntarily left the team, according to president Luc Robitaille. Holland called the Kings 'a legitimate Stanley Cup contender' this season, and he praised Blake for his rebuilding job. The Kings' search quickly zeroed in on Holland, who spent the past year working in the NHL's hockey operations division after he left the Oilers by mutual consent. Robitaille said the Kings are 'very fortunate' to hire Holland. 'He knows the path of what it takes to get to the championship,' Robitaille said. 'That's a hard thing to do, and that's a hard thing to learn. His experience, what he's done over the course of his career, is very important for this franchise to get to that next level.' Holland won one Stanley Cup as an assistant GM in Detroit and three more during his 22 years as the Wings' general manager. In 2019 he moved on to Edmonton, which made the playoffs in all five years of his tenure and even advanced to Game 7 of last year's Stanley Cup Final before falling to Florida. Holland said he wasn't sure whether he would return to a front office after he left Edmonton, but he's ready. He spent the winter watching games every night at home in British Columbia when he wasn't working alongside NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell. 'I'm excited to be back in the saddle,' Holland said. 'I've got a lot of energy. I had an opportunity this past winter to get my batteries re-juiced.' Holland called Los Angeles 'one of the great sports cities in all the world,' and he is already getting to know the breadth of the city in a way he never did as a visitor: He spent the past two nights in a hotel in Manhattan Beach, the beautiful seaside enclave where most of the Kings' players and executives live. 'My wife is excited, and my grandkids are really excited,' Holland said. 'Let me tell you, they're looking forward to coming to LA, watching some Kings games and going to Disneyland.'
San Francisco Chronicle
15-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Jim Hiller will return as LA Kings' head coach, general manager Ken Holland says during his intro
Jim Hiller will return next season as the Los Angeles Kings' head coach, new general manager Ken Holland says. Holland praised Hiller and looked ahead to their new partnership Thursday during the Hall of Fame hockey executive's introductory news conference at the Kings' training complex. Holland is returning to the NHL after a one-year absence, taking over as the replacement for Rob Blake. The 69-year-old former GM of the Detroit Red Wings and the Edmonton Oilers immediately made it clear he isn't in Los Angeles to blow up a team that has made four straight playoff appearances, only to lose to the Oilers in the first round every spring. Holland won't make an immediate change behind the Kings' bench — or even in the front office, where he plans to retain the assistant GMs and hockey executives who worked for Blake. 'Jim is going to be the coach,' Holland said. 'Jim Hiller did a fabulous job in leading the team to 105 points. They were good defensively. They were good on special teams. The team played hard. I thought three weeks ago that this was a team that had the potential, the ability to go on a long playoff run. He'll be a better coach next year for the experience that he went through this year.' Holland and Hiller spent two hours in discussion Wednesday, the GM said. Hiller, who replaced the fired Todd McLellan in February 2024, was an assistant coach to Mike Babcock in Detroit a decade ago while Holland was the Wings' general manager. The Kings tied the franchise records for victories (48) and points this season under Hiller, only to lose four straight playoff games to Edmonton after going up 2-0. Los Angeles is a consistent playoff team with star power and solid depth, but Holland knows his job is to get the Kings off this franchise plateau. 'I'm hoping to add something to it, maybe a little different idea,' Holland said. 'I'm looking forward to getting going. ... I understand that this is a marketplace that's really competitive. You talk about all the competition for the entertainment dollar, so it's important that you win and you compete. Got to find a way to make the team a little bit different, a little bit better. I think the experiences they've been through here will benefit us down the road.' Blake voluntarily left the team less than two weeks ago, according to president Luc Robitaille. Holland called the Kings 'a legitimate Stanley Cup contender' this season, and he praised Blake for his rebuilding job. The Kings' search quickly zeroed in on Holland, who spent the past year working in the NHL's hockey operations division after he left the Oilers by mutual consent. Robitaille said the Kings are 'very fortunate' to hire Holland. 'He knows the path of what it takes to get to the championship,' Robitaille said. 'That's a hard thing to do, and that's a hard thing to learn. His experience, what he's done over the course of his career, is very important for this franchise to get to that next level.' Holland won one Stanley Cup as an assistant GM in Detroit and three more during his 22 years as the Wings' general manager. In 2019 he moved on to Edmonton, which made the playoffs in all five years of his tenure and even advanced to Game 7 of last year's Stanley Cup Final before falling to Florida. Holland said he wasn't sure whether he would return to a front office after he left Edmonton, but he's ready. He spent the winter watching games every night at home in British Columbia when he wasn't working alongside NHL director of hockey operations Colin Campbell. 'I'm excited to be back in the saddle,' Holland said. 'I've got a lot of energy. I had an opportunity this past winter to get my batteries re-juiced.' Holland called Los Angeles 'one of the great sports cities in all the world,' and he is already getting to know the breadth of the city in a way he never did as a visitor: He spent the past two nights in a hotel in Manhattan Beach, the beautiful seaside enclave where most of the Kings' players and executives live. 'My wife is excited, and my grandkids are really excited,' Holland said. 'Let me tell you, they're looking forward to coming to LA, watching some Kings games and going to Disneyland.' ___
