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Friday Night Lights
By TANIA FRENCH
The ride didn’t stop with the Cliffhanger or Dragon Blaster.
For Cory and Cody Hall the ride that began with a trip to Schlitterbahn four years ago is raging as fast as ever.
This Friday, the 22-year-old twins may be seen on NBC’s award winning drama Friday Night Lights. The show, adapted from a book and film of the same name, is in its second season. The series, filmed in Austin, focuses on the Dillon Panthers, a high school football team in the fictional town of Dillon. The Hall twins play Albert and Eddie Gizzi-Rozzi in the episode entitled “There Goes the Neighborhood.” Originally scheduled to air Dec. 14, the episode which is number 10 of 15 filmed this season, was bumped to Jan. 4 as a result of the Writer’s Guild of America strike.
Easygoing and affable, Cory and Cody are quite a bit different from Albert and Eddie.
“They are antagonistic bad guys,” said Cory.
“It was fun to play someone so different,” said Cody. “It was so outside our normal character. They talk a lot of smack.”
One might wonder how two hometown boys ended up landing a role on a hit TV series - especially two who might once have been thought of as a bit shy.
“We were really shy,” said Cody. “During our first grade play, I think we were the only ones that sat on the side and cried.”
“They were also really small,” piped in the boys’ mom, Peggy Hall.
“We were quite scrawny,” the boys agreed.
Then Ken Blusterbaum, a family friend, entered the picture. Cory and Cody credit Ken with taking them from scrawny kids to the strapping young men they are today.
“Ken worked with us and got us into working out,” said Cody.
“He really taught them how to do it right,” said Peggy.
It was Ken that was with the Hall twins the day they were discovered.
“We were at Schlitterbahn,” Cody explained, “and we saw a booth for Page 713. We decided to check it out.”
Cory and Cody Hall were signed shortly after that by Page.713 Model and Talent Agency, a division of the Page Parkes Corporation, located in Houston. The agency, known for discovering talent in everyday places, has success stories that include Hilary Duff, Angelina Jolie and Alexis Bledel.
While the Hall boys attended Texas A&M University, both majoring in Electrical Engineering, the two also began dabbling in modeling and Cody set his sights on acting. Cody has done modeling work for Nordstrom, Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and commercial work for Academy Sports.
Staying on top of schoolwork is a priority for both young men, who will graduate in May 2008.
“We manage our time while at school,” said Cody
“You never know when you are going to have to go,” said Cory.
“You get a call, jump in the car, drive three hours to see someone for two minutes, and then you don’t get any feedback,” said Cody. “It can get a bit frustrating.”
However, a jump in the car Oct. 3 paid off big.
“We had just finished a class and got the call from my agent about 12 o’clock,” said Cody. “We had to be in Austin by 4:30.
The boys acted fast, making arrangements for their sister Sarah, who attends Blinn College, to be picked up from school before jumping in the car to make the trek from College Station to Austin.
“All we knew about the audition was that it was for a twin part,” said Cody. “We didn’t know it was a speaking part. We got there, and they gave us a script.”
“I had never acted before,” said Cory.
“I told him to just act natural,” said Cody.
Things happen quickly in Hollywood… and Austin.
That audition happened late on Wednesday. By midday Friday the suspense was over. Cory and Cody won the part, beating out several other sets of twins. On Sunday, the duo was in Austin with a 5 a.m. call time set for Monday.
“The set was so cool,” the two agreed as they talked of the first day of filming that ran 14 hours.
“Everybody was real nice, and we had a lot of fun,” said Cody. “The producer was real laid back, and the other actors were easygoing.”
“Most scenes are filmed six to eight times,” Cody explained.
“But we shot one scene 30 or 40 times,” Cory said. “Just to get it right.”
The twins explained that filming was done between two schools and a football stadium.
The first day of filming ended at about 8 p.m. The two were “on call” on Tuesday but didn’t film. By 7 p.m. Wednesday, filming for the Hall twins was wrapped up, and the two headed back to College Station.
There is no indication that this will be a recurring role for the Halls, but anything is possible. Meanwhile, the two will return to school for their final semester after which the twin’s plans vary.
“Their dad and I support whatever they do after school,” said Peggy Hall. “They can do whatever they want after that.”
“Except come back here,” Cody teased.
“I didn’t say that,” his mom replied.
It is easy to see how the Hall twins have stayed grounded. Though both parents support their interests, Mom has been to only one agent review, and the twins have managed their own careers beyond that. The boys’ dad, Rusty, is glad success has not gone to their heads.
Sarah confirms that it has not gone to her brothers’ heads although they did talk about it a lot at first. She might also have been a bit glad when they quit jumping around after they got the part.
Though Cory and Cody will both have engineering degrees, they plan to head in different directions after graduation.
“I’m going to be an electrical engineer,” said Cory.
But the ride isn’t over for Cody who said he will head to Miami for modeling work while he pursues acting. “I realize that you can be hot one day and be on a drought for the next five years. Besides,” he said with a grin, “I can always fall back on electrical engineering.
And if the script calls for twins?
“Well…” said Cory, “I can always take a vacation.
The ride rages on.
Friday Night Lights airs at 8 p.m. CST Friday on NBC.
For Cory and Cody Hall the ride that began with a trip to Schlitterbahn four years ago is raging as fast as ever.
This Friday, the 22-year-old twins may be seen on NBC’s award winning drama Friday Night Lights. The show, adapted from a book and film of the same name, is in its second season. The series, filmed in Austin, focuses on the Dillon Panthers, a high school football team in the fictional town of Dillon. The Hall twins play Albert and Eddie Gizzi-Rozzi in the episode entitled “There Goes the Neighborhood.” Originally scheduled to air Dec. 14, the episode which is number 10 of 15 filmed this season, was bumped to Jan. 4 as a result of the Writer’s Guild of America strike.
Easygoing and affable, Cory and Cody are quite a bit different from Albert and Eddie.
“They are antagonistic bad guys,” said Cory.
“It was fun to play someone so different,” said Cody. “It was so outside our normal character. They talk a lot of smack.”
One might wonder how two hometown boys ended up landing a role on a hit TV series - especially two who might once have been thought of as a bit shy.
“We were really shy,” said Cody. “During our first grade play, I think we were the only ones that sat on the side and cried.”
“They were also really small,” piped in the boys’ mom, Peggy Hall.
“We were quite scrawny,” the boys agreed.
Then Ken Blusterbaum, a family friend, entered the picture. Cory and Cody credit Ken with taking them from scrawny kids to the strapping young men they are today.
“Ken worked with us and got us into working out,” said Cody.
“He really taught them how to do it right,” said Peggy.
It was Ken that was with the Hall twins the day they were discovered.
“We were at Schlitterbahn,” Cody explained, “and we saw a booth for Page 713. We decided to check it out.”
Cory and Cody Hall were signed shortly after that by Page.713 Model and Talent Agency, a division of the Page Parkes Corporation, located in Houston. The agency, known for discovering talent in everyday places, has success stories that include Hilary Duff, Angelina Jolie and Alexis Bledel.
While the Hall boys attended Texas A&M University, both majoring in Electrical Engineering, the two also began dabbling in modeling and Cody set his sights on acting. Cody has done modeling work for Nordstrom, Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and commercial work for Academy Sports.
Staying on top of schoolwork is a priority for both young men, who will graduate in May 2008.
“We manage our time while at school,” said Cody
“You never know when you are going to have to go,” said Cory.
“You get a call, jump in the car, drive three hours to see someone for two minutes, and then you don’t get any feedback,” said Cody. “It can get a bit frustrating.”
However, a jump in the car Oct. 3 paid off big.
“We had just finished a class and got the call from my agent about 12 o’clock,” said Cody. “We had to be in Austin by 4:30.
The boys acted fast, making arrangements for their sister Sarah, who attends Blinn College, to be picked up from school before jumping in the car to make the trek from College Station to Austin.
“All we knew about the audition was that it was for a twin part,” said Cody. “We didn’t know it was a speaking part. We got there, and they gave us a script.”
“I had never acted before,” said Cory.
“I told him to just act natural,” said Cody.
Things happen quickly in Hollywood… and Austin.
That audition happened late on Wednesday. By midday Friday the suspense was over. Cory and Cody won the part, beating out several other sets of twins. On Sunday, the duo was in Austin with a 5 a.m. call time set for Monday.
“The set was so cool,” the two agreed as they talked of the first day of filming that ran 14 hours.
“Everybody was real nice, and we had a lot of fun,” said Cody. “The producer was real laid back, and the other actors were easygoing.”
“Most scenes are filmed six to eight times,” Cody explained.
“But we shot one scene 30 or 40 times,” Cory said. “Just to get it right.”
The twins explained that filming was done between two schools and a football stadium.
The first day of filming ended at about 8 p.m. The two were “on call” on Tuesday but didn’t film. By 7 p.m. Wednesday, filming for the Hall twins was wrapped up, and the two headed back to College Station.
There is no indication that this will be a recurring role for the Halls, but anything is possible. Meanwhile, the two will return to school for their final semester after which the twin’s plans vary.
“Their dad and I support whatever they do after school,” said Peggy Hall. “They can do whatever they want after that.”
“Except come back here,” Cody teased.
“I didn’t say that,” his mom replied.
It is easy to see how the Hall twins have stayed grounded. Though both parents support their interests, Mom has been to only one agent review, and the twins have managed their own careers beyond that. The boys’ dad, Rusty, is glad success has not gone to their heads.
Sarah confirms that it has not gone to her brothers’ heads although they did talk about it a lot at first. She might also have been a bit glad when they quit jumping around after they got the part.
Though Cory and Cody will both have engineering degrees, they plan to head in different directions after graduation.
“I’m going to be an electrical engineer,” said Cory.
But the ride isn’t over for Cody who said he will head to Miami for modeling work while he pursues acting. “I realize that you can be hot one day and be on a drought for the next five years. Besides,” he said with a grin, “I can always fall back on electrical engineering.
And if the script calls for twins?
“Well…” said Cory, “I can always take a vacation.
The ride rages on.
Friday Night Lights airs at 8 p.m. CST Friday on NBC.
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