Nick Cassavetes presents to Ben Foster

Since getting his big break in Liberty Heights, Ben Foster has turned in a string of memorable performances on TV's 6 Feet Under and in films like The Punisher and Hostage. The Iowa native takes on his most challenging role to date playing a hot-headed meth addict in Alpha Dog.

It's a great luxury to have an actor who can really bring it. And uh Ben Foster is such an actor. Uh, make no mistake, he's not one of those pretty boy brooding modern method actors who mumble through their lines and think that uh that uh they're, you know, representing, you know, the deepest realms of human experience. This guy is dynamic and he's well-rehearsed and he he's makes every scene that he's in kind of a breathing, living, electric experience. It is my distinct pleasure to welcome Ben Foster to the pantheon of great actors that came before him. Ladies and gentlemen, an actor who can really bring it, Ben Foster.

If I could pass along what Nick instilled in me is just go for it. Release yourself and and um and enjoy this. So what I'm going to say to the young people in this audience, while we're still kind of young and we're kind of like in this room and it's really exciting and things are going to happen. I want to say, go make your movies. Don't wait for the adults to come and give you the project. Write it. Find your crews, make your community. This is the community, and if anybody sees this at home, don't wait for Hollywood to knock. The the the technology is here. We can make we can make something important. So, uh don't go home tonight and look at Wire Image and see your picture. Go home and write a script and shoot a movie.