New Port South's Blake Shields

Filming was an exciting but stressful experience. New Port South was directed by Kyle Cooper, who is known previously for his eye-catching title sequences in such films as Se7en, Donnie Brasco, and The Island of Dr. Moreau. Blake describes him as a "brilliant visual artist," and a meticulous, detailed director. The film was written by James Hughes, John Hughes' son. John produced New Port South, and was a frequent visitor to the set.

"He was a really positive presence...the reason I stayed sane during that shooting." Blake desribes him as a "super mellow, super confident figure" who talks so quietly that one must strain to hear him. Nowadays Hughes sports a big beard and a big overcoat.

Hughes also listened in on rehearsals, and was very impressed. He told them that what he felt while listening to them was the best feeling he ever got at a rehearsal since The Breakfast Club. Blake describes Hughes as saying that it was "the first time in seventeen years that I came to rehearsal and all the actors knew their lines."

Just last week Blake saw a screening of New Port South. Initially he didn't think he would be happy with the end result of the film, but after viewing it last week he was very pleased. There had been so much hesitation within the production companies for its release, that the cast began to wonder if it reflected on the quality of the film. Rather, it was because of it's controversial subject of teenage rebellion -- not only because it's a Disney/Touchtone release, but because of recent school shootings and other such youth violence.

Blake is confident in the movie's impending effects, however. "The film isn't about violence on that level," he says, but rather it's reflecting on "a fantasy of every rebellious high school kid. It's done in an intelligent, political way. It's almost a political duel -- the school does one thing, then the kids respond." He feels that perhaps young people can watch the film and see that rebellion through non-violent action is possible. On the other hand, Maddox isn't perfect. Blake mentions that the film traces his character's "descent into madness," and that Maddox can be a destructive person.

"I identify with his rage, even though it's not productive." Blake says that from the moment he first read the script he identified very heavily with the character, and he feels the film reflects something he needed to say. "I relate to him in a lot of ways. I agree with him that high school is oppressive, that it's a bankrupt, empty system where the kids feel there's no meaning. Kids often have to find their own path, and I don't think it should be that way."

Like a lot of young people, he could identify with the feelings of the characters in films such as The Breakfast Club and Pump Up The Volume when he saw them as a teenager. He hopes that kids today will similarly relate to the youth of New Port South.

"If this film can make one kid feel less alone in his desperation, then I think it's a success."

BLAKE SHIELDS has his first leading role in a major motion picture after playing a small part opposite Freddie Prinze, Jr., in "Boys and Girls" and debuting in the independence feature, "Crime and Punishment in Suburbia." Shields was born in Ithaca, New York, and spent most of his years moving around the globe with his family. After living on the East Coast and then in Central California, he moved to Israel for five years. He returned to the States and lived in Boise, Idaho, where he gained valuable acting experience doing stage work with the Idaho Shakespeare Festival and the Washington Street Players. Shields currently resides in Los Angeles where he settled in 1995.

Upon his relocation to Los Angeles, he enrolled in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, graduating in 1998. While a student there, he starred in several stage productions, including "Hamlet," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Burn This," "Kid Champion," and "The Lady from Dubuque." Away from campus, he also performed his own music as a street singer in two popular Southern California spots, Old Town Pasadena, and Venice Beach.

His notable teleision guest appearances include "The West Wing," "Freaks and Geeks," "Boy Meets World," and a recurring role on Judd Apatow's series, "Undeclared." His recently received rave reviews for his performaces as 'Rodolpho' in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center's production of Arthur Miller's play "A View From the Bridge."