People: For him, it’s a long way out of the woods
James Woods is the first to admit that his first full-time TV job isn’t much of a stretch.
On CBS’ new “Shark” (Thursdays, 10 p.m.), he plays the loud, egotistical Sebastian Stark, a Los Angeles defense lawyer who switches sides and joins the district attorney’s office.
Woods, 59, has spent much of his on-screen career playing versions of himself – even spoofing that persona on HBO’s “Entourage” last season, when he guest-starred opposite his real-life, 20-year-old girlfriend, Ashley Madison.
He says that “Shark” is his most enjoyable work to date – “I actually, gleefully would do it for free” – even though it comes at “the worst time of my life.”
Woods’ younger brother, Michael J. Woods, 49, died of a heart attack in July, just days after they had completed a cross-country trip together.
“My brother was the single most erudite person in the world,” Woods says. “Not a single thing you could ever mention about history that my brother wouldn’t go on for 20 minutes about.
“When we drove cross-country, no matter what we talked about, we’d be in the Missouri Breaks and he’d go, ‘Oh, yeah, Lewis and Clark, when they were here…’ and he’d go on and on. I’d go, ‘God, how do you know this stuff?’ “
During a recent “Entertainment Tonight” interview with former O.J. Simpson prosecutor Marcia Clark, Woods was asked how he was doing in the aftermath of his brother’s death.
“I never was a believer of this before,” he said, “but here’s something I will tell you for sure: If you ever know someone who experiences an important loss in their lives involving a loved one of any kind, send flowers, send cards, send food. … Just the fact that people are thinking of you or thinking of your loved one, it’s just remarkably important and touching.
“I heard from so many people. Bob De Niro sent my mother flowers – my mother, not me. That was so smart. … At a time when you’re free-falling off a cliff, the slightest gesture means so much.”
The Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated Woods had been working on the second episode of “Shark” when he learned his brother had died, and production shut down for nearly three weeks.
When the episode aired, the show’s creator, Ian Biederman, added an “In Loving Memory of Michael J. Woods” card at the end.
“When they first showed it to me, I really was very shocked and just so moved by it,” Woods says. “It broke my heart. …
“I very much accept the fact that this took a big piece of my life. I don’t know if I necessarily want to feel better, to be honest with you. …
“Everybody tries to be happy. I don’t think being happy is necessarily the most important thing on Earth. I think sometimes it’s important to be sad. Right now, I’m sad and that’s OK. I’ll handle it, even if it’s forever.”
The birthday bunch
Singer Barry McGuire (“Eve of Destruction”) is 71. Actress Linda Lavin (“Alice”) is 69. Director Penny Marshall is 64. Musician Richard Carpenter (The Carpenters) is 60. Singer Tito Jackson is 53. Actress Tanya Roberts (“Charlie’s Angels”) is 51. TV chef Emeril Lagasse is 47. Singer Eric Benet is 36. Singer Keyshia Cole is 25.