Face to face

Well,Ryan Murphy,the capricious television writer behind Glee and Nip/Tuck,has officially arrived in this town albeit in a small way.

Every Day,a 3 million dramedy stars Liev Schreiber as a staff writer for a TV series not unlike Nip/Tuck,the twisted plastic surgery drama. Every Day centres on the writers rocky marriage,which is further complicated when his teenage son starts sneaking out to gay bars,and his cranky,sickly father-in-law Brian Dennehy moves in. Helen Hunt plays the battle-weary wife.

But it is another character who stands out to industry insiders. That is the self-obsessed TV impresario Garrett,who dangles petty threats and delights in creating ludicrous story lines. The British actor and performance artist Eddie Izzard plays the role.

Swearing profusely,Garrett prods the writing team for scripts that are more salacious. Keep it freshand sexual, Garrett snaps. Theres not enough sex in this episode. And do it by Thursday. When a crude story line involving a Dalmatian is ,he smiles. Yes! Bestiality,the final frontier. I love it!

The films writer and director,Richard Levine,said Garrett is patterned on the colorful Murphy. As a staff writer on Nip/ Tuck,Levine had a ringside seat from which to observe Murphys outsize personality. I admit I was anxious about it, Levine said of the depiction. Ryan has a great sense of humour about himself. But,still,its tricky.

Murphy,who directed Eat Pray Love,declined to comment on Every Day. But Murphy had offered guidance for how Izzard should approach the role.

Levine recalled: Ryan asked me,How are you going to tell Eddie to play me? And I said,Im sure I will think of something,but what would you suggest? Murphys answer: Like Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada.

Murphy joins a distinguished roster of Hollywood figures who have had to grin and bear on-screen teasing. Dustin Hoffman sends up the producer Robert Evans in Wag the Dog. Bruce Willis gives Alec Baldwin the treatment in the 2008 movie What Just Happened. Shirley MacLaine did a version of a domineering Debbie Reynolds in Postcards From the Edg based on a half-fictional portrait by Reynoldss own daughter,Carrie Fisher.

One of the most thorough portrayals was F. Scott Fitzgerald unfinished novel The Love of the Last Tycoon on Irving Thalberg,the show business pioneer and movie executive. Robert De Niro played the character.

Although Levine wrote Every Day while working on Nip/Tuck,he did not tell Murphy about the parody until the script was finished. I gave it to him and waited anxiously, Levine said.

Three days later Levine was summoned to Murphys office.

He felt the script,which was obviously based on my life,revealed that I had contempt for my job, Levine said. Our relationship was tender for a bit until he trusted that I didnt look down on the job.

Murphy can take heart about one thing: Every Day might make him even more sought after in Hollywood.