Editor’s note: This is the third installment of a four-part series in which a Pucks and Rec writer will select the top contemporary entertainment citizen of every city in a select minor-league hockey division. The seven markets comprising the AHL Central Division are this week’s focus. All filmography and award information is courtesy of the Internet Movie Database.
Chicago (Rosemont): Vacant
The small, sparsely-populated suburban home of the Wolves has yet to yield any actors of note. The only IMDB bios that mention the town are those of martial artist Lloyd Travis Burgos and screenwriter Dena Tyson.
For the top entertainer from the city of Chicago, or indeed any part of Chicagoland, refer to Pucks and Recreation’s prior list of those representing NHL Central Division cities.
Cleveland: Halle Berry
Her star stature has stumbled lately, but fellow Clevelanders Kathryn Hahn and Monica Potter have not quite eclipsed Berry yet.
To Potter’s credit, she is looking to build on her Golden Globe-nominated performance on Parenthood as a regular on Wisdom of the Crowd. Hahn was a 2017 Emmy candidate for Transparent and constituted a part of two acclaimed film casts in Bad Moms and Captain Fantastic.
All that aside, Berry is an Oscar winner who more recently impressed in 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past. While other movies and her short-lived TV venture, Extant, have flopped since then, she still has a lofty hurdle for others to clear.
Grand Rapids: Gillian Anderson
Anderson’s propensity to publicly stand out began during her teenhood in Furniture City, the American side of her cosmopolitan upbringing. As she explained to NPR in 2013, summers in London instilled a rebel streak to her. The self-proclaimed “class clown” stylistically clashed with the conservative Michigan community, and was even arrested for a senior prank.
Fast-forward three decades, and Anderson is still glazing her X-Files legacy. Besides reprising her role as Dana Scully six times in the last two years, she has added to her trophy case through such projects as Hannibal and The Fall.
Iowa (Des Moines): Cloris Leachman
Granted, her high-profile award-winning days are likely behind. Leachman claimed her only Oscar in 1972, and has gone six years since her last Emmy nomination and 11 since her last triumph.
But Leachman is an archetypal living legend, much like Betty White. The 91-year-old has already made two appearances on two TV shows this year. Two more projects involving her are due to come out before 2017 is up. Other recent one-off appearances on The Millers, Hawaii Five-0, Bob’s Burgers and Royal Pains further underscore her coveted status.
Looking ahead, Leachman will hit the big screen twice in 2018 via the drama I Can Only Imagine and the comedy Game Over, Man. She is also confirmed to reprise her voice role of Gran in 2020’s sequel to The Croods.
Manitoba (Winnipeg): Adam Beach
Naturally, the Moose share a city and arena with their parent club. This means Pucks and Rec already covered this base in its list of actors from NHL Central Division cities.
Milwaukee: Jeffrey Tambor
A relative late-bloomer in the accolades department, Tambor began his path to the Hollywood Walk of Fame at age 27. As he detailed in a USA Today essay this year, he rounded out his 20s at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. (Although, he did not stay long enough to take in an Admirals game. The franchise arrived as an IHL tenant in 1977, two years after he moved.)
In Tambor’s words, “the diversity of roles provided me with an invaluable education in the acting craft.” He added, “The Milwaukee community should take its own curtain call for its role as a funding model.”
Based on his subsequent track record, the funds and the fundamentals have translated to a handsome return on investment. As the star of Transparent, Tambor is coming off three consecutive Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.
His back-to-back wins at the former in 2015 and 2016 culminated a combined six prior runner-up finishes for Arrested Development and The Larry Sanders Show. With Transparent, he has fetched a pair of Critics Choice prizes, also out of three nominations.
Rockford: Joe Mantello
Surprisingly, 2014’s The Normal Heart constitutes Mantello’s only acting credit in this century. He is primarily a director, and his niche sits on the stage, not the screen. But his first performing stint in 16 years was natural to him, and it showed.
With his casting as Mickey Marcus, he was able to tap into a personal issue while working opposite Mark Ruffalo, Julia Roberts and Jim Parsons. The result was Mantello’s most decorated role to date.
His contribution to the TV movie earned him a best supporting actor nomination from four guilds, including the Emmys. In addition, he and his castmates triumphed as the top ensemble in the eyes of CinEuphoria voters.
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