What are you reading and what is up next?

When your children were little, were there books they wanted read over and over again? 

You have been writing, directing and acting since your high school days. What three books (or other media) inspired you the most? Do you have a favorite role, or piece of writing or directing from your own career?  

I find it difficult to look back on my career and films, and choose any singular role or film that I would define as my "favorite." There are some performances and pictures that I am proud to have been a part of, but there are others I wish I could remove from my filmography.

I suppose I am fond of my last two efforts: The Way has resonated with audiences all over the world and has inspired tens of thousands of people to travel to Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage since its release in 2011. I am also very proud of The Public, which opens this week.
 

From what I've seen of The Public, it is clear that you have spent some time in public libraries. A lot of the day-to-day scenes ring true for many of us who work in them. What was your inspiration for the movie? What role have libraries played in your life and is there a branch that you'd like to give a shout-out to? 

First, a shout-out to both the Downtown Central branch of LAPL and the Downtown Cincinnati Library. Both for very obvious reasons. While the film was shot on-location in a working library in Cincinnati, Ohio, The Public was originally inspired by an essay which was printed in the LA Times 12 years ago this week.  

The essay, called Written Off , by an outgoing Salt Lake City librarian named Chip Ward, examined how libraries had become de-facto homeless shelters and how modern-day librarians had become first responders and de-facto social workers. After reading the article, I visited the Central Library Branch in Downtown Los Angeles to see if this was indeed the case.  Of course, this wasn't an isolated issue that was only happening in Utah; the truth of Mr. Ward's piece was evident in Los Angeles and all across the United States.

The Public hits theaters today. If you are interested in what you can do to help libraries help the underserved and at-risk,  or just want to understand the issues libraries face, The Public Library Association has a great list called Resources for Public Libraries Serving Persons Experiencing Homelessness. 

What celebrities or public figures are you curious about?
Whose book list would you like to read?
Let us know in the comments!