Arts and Entertainment

School of Theatre professor relishes role in Golden Globe-nominated 'Boyhood'

Richard Robichaux, associate professor of theater, attended the July premiere of "Boyhood," in which he appears. Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- For most faculty members at Penn State, the Golden Globes are an awards show they might watch or read about the next day. For theater professor and actor Richard Robichaux, however, the 2015 awards mean much more.

Robichaux appears in the critically lauded movie "Boyhood," which was nominated for a 2015 Golden Globe for Best Picture. The 72nd annual Golden Globe Awards will air at 8 p.m. Jan. 11 on NBC.

Written and directed by Richard Linklater, "Boyhood" traces the life of Mason Evans Jr., played by Ellar Coltrane, from kindergarten through his first weeks at college. It was filmed intermittently over 12 years and also stars Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke and Lorelei Linklater. Robichaux plays Mason’s boss, a restaurant manager.

Robichaux had previously worked with Linklater on the movie "Bernie" and hoped to have the opportunity to work with him again. “When Rick called me to see if I was available for "Boyhood," I jumped at the opportunity, because I was really dying to be in this movie,” said Robichaux. “I knew it would be a special film, one that would make cinematic history.”

According to Robichaux, the film focuses on milestones you don’t expect to be milestones, with Mason’s childhood simply unfolding. “Linklater made the ordinary extraordinary. He liked to say that he was shooting a period piece in present day.”

Robichaux, who is head of acting in the School of Theatre, joined the Penn State faculty in August, when "Boyhood" was still in local theaters. His credits also include the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C., Yale Repertory Theatre and many more as well as television appearances on ABC, NBC, CBS, Showtime and Comedy Central. “It was exciting that a movie in which I appeared was playing here in State College as I started at Penn State, because my goal is to create a bridge between the classroom and the casting office.”

According to Robichaux, "Boyhood," which is still showing in theaters in New York City and Los Angeles, will stay with audiences long after they have left the theater. “If you’ve had a childhood, the film will have an effect on you,” he said. “The movie sees you as much as you see it. It’s just iconic.”

For more on the movie, including a trailer, visit http://boyhoodmovie.tumblr.com.

Last Updated December 17, 2014