Woody Allen, Manhattan NY, 1994. I was shooting a lot for Esquire back then—I had a cover contract—and they called me to shoot Woody Allen. It was right after he broke up with Mia and got together with Soon-Yi. It wasn’t a pretty situation, but it wasn’t the full-on backlash yet. People weren’t banning his movies...but people were talking.I lived in this penthouse in midtown Manhattan, with this great view, and he’s the quintessential New Yorker, so I suggested we shoot at my building. He was sort of an odd character—you can see this neuroticism in his movies—and there was this back and forth with his people, like “Is he going to show?” And they kept it going back and forth, yes he is, no he’s not, yes he is…until the very last minute. And then he showed up.I got word of his arrival, and ran down to meet him in the lobby to meet him and Soon-Yi. We take a few steps together, and immediately he refuses to get in the elevator. It was “too small.” Mind you, it really wasn’t, but I scramble, get my super to unlock the service elevator, and we ride that up instead...and that’s how the day began.Before the shoot, Esquire told me that for this cover, I had to get him smiling. He’s known for being dour, but that was what they asked for and I wanted to give it to them. So we’re in the studio and he’s just sort of standing there, really giving nothing. And I’m my usual self, running around, bringing the energy, trying to get as much variety as I can. But he doesn’t do this stuff.At that time, I was so sure of myself—like, I’m gonna connect with this guy, I can connect with anyone—I was a little bit full of it. So I was like, I’m gonna get this smile. So I change course—bring them up to the roof, Empire State behind him—this perfect New York scene. And he’s still giving nothing.Soon-Yi’s with me, just standing nearby, and I say something—I don’t even know what—and somehow I get a smile from Woody. I literally think I got two frames. One on the deck, one against a wall. That was it.The whole thing was awkward...he disappeared just as quickly as he came. Out of hundreds of frames, I got two smiles. And one of them made the cover.
