Local kid makes his movie debut
By: Brian Shappell
With an appearance in the new Kevin Spacey movie, "The Shipping News," and television shows such as "Spin City" and "Law and Order," Anthony G. Cipriano has had quite an acting career so far.
Especially considering that he’s 8 years old.
Anthony’s brief appearance in "The Shipping News" as the young Kevin Spacey is his first on the proverbial big screen.
But originally, the opportunity looked like it was going to pass him by following his audition for the role.
"He kept asking me, ‘did I get the job,’ " said his mother Beverly Cipriano. "Normally, if you don’t hear in a day, you didn’t get it. But three weeks later I got a call saying they were interested."
Days later, Anthony and his mother found themselves on an airplane bound for the Canadian city of Halifax, Nova Scotia
The film is based on the Pulitzer-prize-winning novel by E. Annie Proulx about a struggling newspaper writer who returns to his hometown in Newfoundland after a traumatizing life. Despite his lack of success, his column in the local newspaper finds an audience and he finds himself changing personally because of events that follow his return.
Anthony, a second-grade student at the Cambridge School, is featured in a segment where the lead character, Quoyle, is thrown into a lake at 7 years old to learn how to swim. The experience leaves an lasting imprint on the main character’s personality as he maintains a fear of water into adulthood.
For Anthony, he was just happy to have a chance to get in a movie, get paid and do one of his favorite hobbies all at the same time.
"It was pretty fun because I got to swim a lot and I like swimming," Anthony said of the filming process last summer.
Though Anthony is used to going to New York City for work, the recent premiere of the film at the Museum of Natural History was an opportunity for the wide-eyed youngster to soak in the attention at a high-profile premiere party.
Still, Anthony had things on his mind other than the positive implications of working with Oscar winners like Mr. Spacey and Julianne Moore.
"I thought it was cool," said Anthony. "You get free popcorn and soda. And you didn’t even have to pay for refills either."
"The Shipping News" is Anthony’s first foray onto the big screen. Before that, he had worked on several television shows and advertising campaigns, beginning with a Toys R Us ad when he was 4. Anthony continues to do such work during the year, especially in the summer months, and manages to balance the usual school schedule of an 8-year-old.
His sisters Amanda, 6, and Cassie, 3, are following in his footsteps with appearances on the show "Blue’s Clues" and print advertising, respectively.
Ms. Cipriano says Anthony has always been a big fan of movies.
"He stays up late with me sometimes and watches movies with me even though he’s not supposed to," Ms. Cipriano said.
The Cirprianos are currently waiting to get a call back after Anthony auditioned to appear "Red Dragon," the third installment in the Hannibal Lector series ("Silence of the Lambs," "Hannibal") with Edward Norton, star of "Fight Club," "Keeping the Faith" and "American History X," among other films.
What Anthony said he really wants though is be in a movie geared at a younger audience like "Spy Kids," or his favorite, "Shrek."
"I want to do something my friends will watch," said Anthony.