Jeff Goldblum Has A Number One Jazz Album & Other Things You Didn’t Know
Everyone has seen Jeff Goldblum in a movie. The Oscar and Emmy-nominated actor has done it all — from alien, dinosaur, superhero blockbusters, to every type of drama and comedy. Outside of having an exciting career, the actor has found a different passion. Music has been apart of Goldblum's life since he was a teenager.
Factor in his regular jazz gig in L.A. and two kids under the age of three and Goldblum would seem to be leading a sleepless life. The actor-keyboardist used to bluff his way into playing piano bars as a teen. Now in his sixties, he explains why he recorded his debut album.
He Used To Write Affirmations In The Shower
Goldblum was born and raised in West Homestead, a suburb of Pittsburgh. His mother, Shirley Jane, was a radio broadcaster who later ran a kitchen equipment and appliances sales firm. His father, Harold, was a medical doctor. His parents were interested in show business, but their son kept his desires hidden from others.
To maintain his motivations, he would write affirmations on his glass shower door. After studying at Carnegie Mellon University, Goldblum moved to New York.
As A Teenager, He Tried To Hire A Prostitute
The actor told UK television host Graham Norton that he once tried to obtain the company of a prostitute as a thirteen-year-old.
"I'd heard about the red light district, so I took five dollars from my dad’s wallet and went there. I walked back and forth for a while and finally went in and picked a girl. On the way to the bedroom, I said, 'What time is it?' I looked at my watch and said, 'I’ve got to go, but I will come back.'" He never did.
Before Acting, He Sold Pencils To Prisoners
The actor revealed to Vanity Fair "When I came to California in '74, I said, 'I should get a job and get some more money,’ or something like that." Eventually, the Pittsburgh native found a gig by selling surplus office supplies to correctional facilities.
After a week of working that odd job, an illness landed him in the hospital. "That was the last time I dared to do something that wasn't in the creative arts."
He Made His Stage Debut As An 18-Year-Old
Goldblum studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse. Under the guidance of acting coach Sanford Meisner, the young actor made his first performance in a chorus for Two Gentlemen of Verona. But, that wouldn't be the last of Goldblum's appearances on the theatrical stage.
Goldblum would appear in The Exonerated, The Moony Shapiro Songbook, and Seminar. He's even performed in plays over in London in The Prisoner of Second Avenue and Speed-the-Plow.
His Role In Annie Hall Was Very Short
A young Goldblum found his first acting credit in Annie Hall. It was a movie directed by Woody Allen, but the comic masterpiece wasn't a big role for the aspiring actor. Instead, his role in the film only lasted for about six seconds.
The only words he speaks are: "I forgot my mantra." Who is this character? What is the mantra he has forgotten? The mystery and enigma that is Jeff Goldblum began early.
His Personality Led Some Directors To Hire Him
Goldblum's personality is enough to impress both writers and directors. It's impressive to the point where they ask him to play himself on screen. It sounds weird, but in the actor's case, it's nothing but a day at the office to him, which is why roles such as the Grandmaster in Thor: Ragnarok were written specifically for him.
Director Taiti Waititi created the part of the Grandmaster with Goldblum's persona in mind, saying "I want Jeff Goldblum in makeup for that role."
He Went Full Goldblum For Invasion Of The Body Snatchers
It's no secret that Goldblum is aware of his delivery of dialogue. They're usually full of "uhs" and notable pauses. The actor believes he knows where that came from — filming a small role in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
Goldblum recalled a line in the script which came out as "I-I-I-I never thought they would come in … metal ships." It impressed director Philip Kaufman, and the actor had found his rhythm.
There Were Some Emotional Concerns With His Breakthrough Role
The Fly stands as one of the most viscerally-grueling experiences in the horror genre. As Seth Brundle, who has his DNA intermingled with that of an insect, Goldblum articulates a horrifying transformation. However, it was off-camera where the actor faced his own issues.
His then-girlfriend, Geena Davis, was cast as Brundle's love interest. Goldblum had issues watching the actress perform intimate scenes with actor John Getz. Goldblum was told to leave the set to deal with his issues privately.
Oscar Buzz Soon Came Around For His Role In The Fly
The Fly didn't stop Goldblum's performance as Seth Brundle from being the recipient of an Academy Award. Despite critical raves, it was believed the Academy passed up Goldblum because his performance came in the context of a horror film.
The actor told the Chicago Tribune, "There is a part of me that is sensitive to criticism, that delights to have any talent I may have acknowledged. I did hope that I would be nominated."
He Would Co-Found An Acting School
Since many people adore the actor, it's no surprise that you can now take his acting class! You may not be able to slip entirely into the actor's distinctive mannerisms, but you can take lessons endorsed by him.
The Jurassic Park actor co-founded Playhouse West in Los Angeles with Robert Carnegie in 1981. The experience he gained there would land him another role in The Big Chill. Later on, Goldblum transitioned to teaching classes based on the principles of acting coach Sanford Meisner.
His Biggest Role Almost Never Happened
The role of Dr. Ian Malcolm in Jurassic Park nearly didn't happen for Goldblum. Director Steven Spielberg was considering cutting out the character as he considered merging Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Malcolm, likely as a way to save screen time.
The Jaws director arranged a meeting with the actor to advise him on the possible change. However, it was actually Goldblum's personality that convinced him to keep Malcolm in the film.
London Made A 25 Foot Statue Of The Actor
Fans may remember the scene in Jurassic Park where an injured Dr. Malcolm is laying down with his shirt open. The pose from that scene, along with the clothing, was recreated for a statue which was erected near London's Tour Bridge.
The 25-foot statue was a tribute to Jurassic Park's 25-year anniversary in 2018. Plus, the sequel to Jurassic World was being released in the same year as well. Goldblum got a real kick out of this statue.
Goldblum Doesn't Drink Caffeine Or Alcohol Anymore
Despite not having either now, he was very adventurous back in the day. His parents were smokers, with his mother growing some of her own in her backyard. The actor has also admitted to trying a few other substances a handful of times.
However, his forays into that type of fun ended in 1971. Since then, he's only smoked cannabis a few times but admits he's sensitive to it and doesn't like it much.
He's A Self-Admitted Health Nut
Goldblum has remained remarkably well-preserved for a man who was born in 1952. He credits clean living and a generally balanced diet, though there have been times he went overboard on the latter.
He told GQ: "My first wife and I would bring our juicer on planes, and we'd do a carrot cleanse for a week until I’d turn orange and all my poop would be orange." Yes, sometimes, his poop is occasionally orange.
His AMA On Reddit Was Amazing
He took some time out of his acting schedule to stop by Reddit to answer the internet's many questions. One question that stood out the most asked for his favorite dinosaur.
His response? "I'm no expert but since childhood, I’ve had a fondness for the triceratops, because I read a kid’s book about a kid who finds an egg in his backyard, and it’s a triceratops, and he rides it. Boy, you're into dinosaurs, you really know them."
He Likes To Browse #JeffGoldblum On Instagram
Goldblum inspires a lot of creativity online, which is why the former pencil salesman enjoys curating through Instagram.
He told GQ: "I like to look at #jeffgoldblum on Instagram, which my wife makes fun of. And then, I take pictures of the things that interest me. There are many paintings and pictures of me, some nice and some very primitive and bad. People get tattoos of my face. People made a balloon out of me... very nipply. Quite nipply."
There's A Facebook Page About Him, But It's Not What You Think It Is
The obsession for the Independence Day actor is incredible. It's so big that fans came together to create an epic Facebook page. It's somewhat of a tribute to the actor, which is why The Same Picture Of Jeff Goldblum Everday page is a must like on Facebook.
At any given time of the day, the same picture of the beloved actor is posted on the page for all of its adoring fans to enjoy.
He's Gained Attention For His Fashion Choices
Goldblum didn't get much fashion attention back in the '90s, but it appears that his taste only gets better with age. The actor even won InStyle's 2018 Man of Style title, furthering his status as a fashion icon.
Goldblum credits his style to his wife, Canadian Olympic gymnast Emilie Livingston, who he says has "impeccable taste with what she wears." The Fly actor also credits the work of stylist Andrew Verroto, who gave him style suggestions.
He Became A Late Bloomer
Goldblum was first married to Patricia Paul, and then Geena Davis. In mid-2014, he became engaged to Canadian Olympic gymnast Emilie Livingston. The couple would tie the knot on November 8, 2014.
In 2015, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou actor revealed a big surprise on the Late Show with David Letterman. He revealed that the couple was expecting a son. Charlie Ocean was born later that summer. In 2017, they welcomed their second child, River Joe.
He Loves His Jazz Music
Goldblum is part of an ensemble jazz group, the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. The group meets at Rockwell Table & Stage on a weekly basis. It's been said that the actor enjoys mingling with the audience, and chats up customers during these semi-regular gatherings.
What's even better is that the group finally put out an album in 2018. The Capitol Studios Sessions is the debut album from the Cats and Dogs actor.
He Played A Secret Jazz Set At Coachella
In 2001, attendees of the Coachella music festival in California were surprised. Goldblum would play a low-key, unadvertised jazz set near a campsite. For some reason, he spent the first ten minutes playing Seven Degrees of Jeff Goldblum.
Of course, the surprise show threw off many concert-goers, who didn't realize he was performing until after the festival was over. The set would inspire a hilarious Funny or Die sketch, imaging the set as the most important musical event in history.
His Love For Jazz Goes Back Decades
Goldblum's fascination with the genre started in the mid-nineties. Acting on the advice of jazz enthusiast Woody Allen, the actor, and Peter Walker, began playing standards by musicians like Charlie Parker and Thelonious Monk at various Los Angeles clubs.
The director suggested that the duo set up a residency, and while Weller would eventually back out, Goldblum ran with it and stuck to his guns. He wanted to work on music and figure out how to play.
In Fact, It Goes Back To When He Was A Teenager
Whenever his parent's friends came over, he would lock himself in a room and open the Yellow Pages to call cocktail lounges. Either his parents would drive him or somehow he connected with a female singer or two who would then drive him to a gig.
He told Rolling Stone how it kept him motivated. "I just purely got a kick out of it. Over the years, I kept involved with music just for the sheer bushy-tailed fun of it."
It Wasn't His Idea To Do An Album
Goldblum and Peter Weller did The Adventures of Buckaroo Bonsai. The actor played around on the trumpet when the pair would get together at Jeff's house and play and run through some songs.
After Weller did a Woody Allen movie, Goldblum said, "I was talking to Woody who said, 'Oh, you and Jeff get together and play? You guys should do what I do and have a regular gig and play and you'll get better and it’ll be fun.'"
Playing At The Rockwell Started To Evolve
Goldblum enjoys interacting with the audience and hanging out with them. They would start to make it into a show where they knew nothing about what was coming. The group plays spontaneously without any idea of what was on the setlist. Eventually, they started to ramp up the more they played.
"I would guess what they were playing and then play along, although I'd been practicing from the 40 songs from which we were going to play every day."
Playing Live Enabled Another Side Of Goldblum
Playing at the Rockwell started a kind of evolution for the actor. He started to enjoy talking to the audience more and hanging out with them, playing games with them, and encouraging them to figure out what they were going to play.
"We started to make it into a show where I knew nothing about what was coming. I like to be spontaneous. I like it to be a surprise and so I wouldn't know the setlist."
There Was A Push To Convert Shows At The Rockwell Into An Album
Producer Larry Klein saw the Rockwell show. He said to the actor, "Gee, I think what you guys are doing is a little bit unique. It reminds me of another time when jazz was substantial and progressive." It was all very spontaneous for the actor-musician.
Klein would be on board to help his new jazz star make a studio album.The Capitol Studios Sessions would be released by Decca Records on November 9, 2018.
The Album Is Close To Being A Mildred Snitzer Orchestra Show At The Rockwell
It captures the feel and the spirit of the Rockwell. When the group goes to Paris or the London Jazz Festival, they'll do 45-minute sets. At the Rockwell, Goldblum does something different.
"I start talking to the audience with this handheld microphone at 8:30 and I just keep going till 11. I make sure that I've peed before and I just keep going." During the break, the actor meets with the audience to get to know them.
Acting Or Doing Music Is A Wild-Hearted Adventure
Goldblum expressed his desires for both of his passions. He's trying to express himself more than the actor impresses himself upon anybody he meets.
"If you love something, it doesn't really matter what people think as much because you’re not really relying on that, but I’m gratified to see when people experience the band or come up to me after." It's very uplifting for the Jurassic Park actor, and the fans get a kick out of it.
The Capitol Studios Sessions Did Exceptionally Well
Bolstered by guest vocalists Haley Reinhart, Imelda May and Sarah Silverman, alongside trumpeter Till Bronner, the album was a major success. It hit Number One on Billboard's Jazz Albums chart.
"He's a fantastic jazz pianist, a great bandleader and just about the loveliest man in the world," said Decca director of A&R, Tom Lewis. Thanks to the album, Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra concurrently debut at No. 31 on Billboard's Emerging Artists list.
