The Following chat occured on Wednesday, October 30th at 7PM Eastern Time:

Moderator : Welcome to the Merchant Ivory Insider Chat. Sam Waterston will be here shortly.

Moderator : Hello everyone. Please welcome Sam Waterston From the Merchant Ivory Film, Le Divorce.

Ayesha H : Hello, Mr. Waterston!
DebH : ok HI :-)
fenderop : *bows down to Mr. Waterston*
Nancy : Hello
Nicholas : Hello Mr. Waterson.
Mary : Howdy Sam!
noodle : Good evening Mr. Waterston.

Sam Waterston : Hi everybody. We're going to get right to the questions.
noodle : What is your next drama project after Law & Order?
Sam Waterston : It's The Black Monk by David Rabe at the Yale University Rep in the Spring of 2003.
fenderop : Mr. Waterston, I'm making the trip over to Yale, will you be taking a few moments to meet your CT fans?
Sam Waterston : Sure!
Ayesha H : Would you like to be in a play with your daughter Elisabeth?
Sam Waterston : You're darn right!
Nancy : How long will you be staying with Law & Order? Hopefully for a long time?
Sam Waterston : Well at least this season and the next.
DebH : How do you feel about fans wanting to say hi to you after the play?
Sam Waterston : I love it!
DebH : At least until 2005 right?
Sam Waterston : Yup.
Moderator : From: Lindsey Benge of Littleton, Colorado Asked...Mr Waterston, First of all I would like to commend your remarkable talent as an actor. Also I would like to thank you and the producers of Law & Order for something. As a graduate From Columbine High School it is often hard to watch tv programs due to the comments that are made or the story lines. But on Law & Order the issue of school violence has been handled tactfully and Kindly. Thank you for all of that. It is good to know a quality show such as Law & Order can help even those who experienced school violence take a long hard look at the epidemic that has spread across the US. Thank you again, Lindsey Benge
Sam Waterston : Lindesy thank you very much for your kind thoughts and I'll certainly forward to everyone over at Law & Order.
noodle : What is it like working with Fred Thompson?
Sam Waterston : Well noodle, it's great! He's very easy to like. He was an actor long before he was a politician.
Nancy : You filmed this movie in Paris? Didn't you live there for awhile a long time ago?
Sam Waterston : I did indeed live in Paris. I was a student there for a year and I worked there 2 or 3 times since.
Mary : You seem to choose your parts carefully. Have you ever turned down a role because you didn't like the message it was sending?
Sam Waterston : Mary, I don't know that drama really is about messages so I try to pick my parts because they're well done, rather than for what they say. The message of drama is a complicated, messy thing.
Ayesha H : I do hope you are able to be in a play with all your children.
DebH : It's the daughter's turn to star with Dad, son had his turn in A Long Days Journey Into Night.
Sam Waterston: Actually there are two daughters and two sons. James was on Long Day's Journey Katherine graduated From the School of the Arts at NY and Graham is studying to be a director.
fenderop : Mr. Waterston: I'm applying to Cornell Law School in the upcoming months - do you think you could give me a recommendation? I want to be sure to get in!
Sam Waterston : ha ha ha!
Moderator : From: Anita Stern - Sam Waterston, I have followed you in most all your work. My favorite was I'll Fly Away. What was your favorite acting role, and in what medium? Thanks From an old admirer, Anita Stern PS, I await your movie film next year!
Sam Waterston : Anita, it's just very hard to name a favorite. Some obvious things stick out... Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing in the theatre, Hard Day's Journey with my son, The Great Gatsby, there are so many I don't really have favorites! I'm glad you liked I'll Fly Away, I think that show had more reach than anything I'd ever done.
Mary : Lincoln!
Sam Waterston : Oh yeah Lincoln! I forget there are so many I have to make a list.
Christine : Mr. Waterston, I have been both a legal secretary and actress in Toronto, Canada. I don't know which one is more dramatic. Will you ever be visiting Toronto for a film?
Sam Waterston : Christine, I have in the past and I don't know when I will be returning.
Nancy : Have you heard about your fans donating to Refugees International for your birthday and how do you feel about that?
Sam Waterston : Nancy, yes indeed I have heard about that and I think it's wonderful! It's part of a fine old tradition going all the way back into the 19th century. People showing their appreciation for actors by pro bono groups. I'm very greatful!
Moderator : From: Diana - What was your favorite Law & Order episode story wise and/or film?
Sam Waterston : In a general way - it's the ones that leave you gnashing your teeth because it's so hard to figure out, but I can't give you a specific one.
Mary : Mr. Waterston, do you have an opportunity to speak French in Le Divorce? Do you speak other languages as well?
Sam Waterston : Mary, my character in Le Divorce is not supposed to know how to speak French which is too bad because I do speak French!
Ayesha H : BTW, early birthday greetings to you, Mr. Waterston!
Gem : Yes, a Early Happy Birthday to you Mr. Waterston! :)
Sam Waterston : Thanks Gem and everyone for the Birthday greetings!
Moderator : From: Nancy Norton - What are your favorite memories of Paris? Do you enjoy filming there? Have you made movies there before?
Sam Waterston : The year that I spent there as a student was one of those magic years. Everything else that's happened since then has been affected by that.
tlt : Mr. Waterston, thanks so much for spending time with us tonight! I am literally counting the days until The Black Monk! As busy as Law & Order keeps you and considering your extensive stage resume', do you miss the stage and the opportunity to act in long running stage productions?
Sam Waterston : Yes I do miss the stage and that's partly why I'm doing The Black Monk, the other part is that it's wonderful, it's an adaptation of a Checkov short story.
DebH : Do you know the release dates of Le Divorce and the other movie of which I have forgotten the name?
Sam Waterston : Le Divorce will be released 2003.
fenderop : What was it like working with the lovely Ms. Hennessy?
Sam Waterston : Ms. Hennessy is great! she's a wonderful woman she's having a big success now and she sure deserves it!
Moderator : From Mike: What was it like working with James Ivory and Ismail Merchant?
Sam Waterston : I've worked with James and Ismail before and they're their own art form.
Moderator : From Mike - Did Ismail cook for the cast and crew for the filming?
Sam Waterston : When we did Savages, Ismail cooked an enormous meal for everybody, but we just had a little dinner (for Le Divorce). That was a little bit of a let down. His reputation as a chef is really well deserved!
Moderator : From Nancy - Will you guest star on Crossing Jordon?
Gem : That would be interesting, to see you on Crossing Jordan, Mr. Waterston. :)
Sam Waterston : Gem, I would like to do that too!
noodle : Seeing Jill and Moriarty on the same stage at the Emmys was incredible, very moving.
Sam Waterston : Yes, noodle it was.
Moderator : From: Peter - What's it like working on a film, is it different from working on a TV show. Also what do you look for when you read a script, do you look at the part you will play or if the story is excellent.
Sam Waterston : Yes, of course it is! There's a big difference in time, and a film is almost always a one-off so you don't have the same sense of a team or at least a team has to be built new for every movie where as a TV show is much more a team the main difference is speed.
Moderator : From Nancy : I'm curious, do you like to cook?
Sam Waterston : I do like to cook.
DebH : Mr. W. do you have an e-mail you use for fans to ask questions?
Sam Waterston : No e-mail for fans to ask questions, sorry!
Moderator : From infinite - How would you feel about doing a crossover with Law & Order Criminal Intent? I think it would be fun to see you work with D'Onofrio and Courtney Vance.
Sam Waterston : You know they keep talking about doing the crossover thing, and we were going to do such a thing but it was around the terrorist attack in NYC and 9/11 and 9/11 made it impossible and inappropriate.
fenderop : Sam, do you think Jack McCoy is a Republican or Democrat? hehe!
Sam Waterston : What do you all think Jack McCoy is? Republican or Democrat?
Ayesha H : Personally, I think he votes both sides.
Christine : Democrat!
Mary : He cannot be that easily defined.
fenderop : I think he's a hard line Republican because he never seems to look at the law liberally.
Grace Wang : Do you feel that you are similar to Jack McCoy?
Sam Waterston : Grace, no not really. With the obvious exception of the fact that you can't play any character that doesn't come out of you in some sense. It's a recombination where I wouldn't recognize myself.
Grace Wang : You tell me. Is McCoy a passionate attorney or are you a passionate actor?
Sam Waterston : Well Grace, both!
infinite : I was disappointed when I heard that 'Terror' (the Law & Order show crossover wasn't going to get made) as it was Michael Chernuchin (my favorite Law & Order writer) wrote the script. How is it to have Chernuchin involved in Law & Order again?
Sam Waterston : I think he likes his work as much as I like mine.
Moderator : From: Jenny Zhang - I'm an Australian student who has recently started to watch Law and Order. I love the show and I'm just wondering, how do you think the disaster of September 11 effected Law and Order? Since it is set in New York, did the event effect the show's portrayal of the people or crimes?
Sam Waterston : I think that a lot of the shows since 9/11 have been very much effected, the stories that we're telling have been effected. What the show looks like, for example security around buildings, it's all a reflection of 9/11. I think it's effected it in every way.
Sam Waterston : The chat is almost over, and we'll just be picking one last question.
tlt : We all know of Jack McCoy's taste for scotch. Can you tell us what brand of scotch does McCoy prefer? Does he drink single malt?
Sam Waterston : Single malt. Sorry, can't tell you what brand.
noodle : My ma doesn't think this is really you. You've not used the word conundrum once.
Sam Waterston : Conundrum! How can I identify myself to your mother, that's a conundrum!
Moderator : From fenderop - Mr. Waterston: I'm curious, do you get your fan mail sent to Wolf Films? Myself and many other fans have never gotten any response and we wonder if you get to read any of it!
Sam Waterston : Wolf Films is the right and only place to send fan mail. I do get to read it but I'm very slow. Slow, slow, slow and I apologize to all who write me.
Sam Waterston : Thank you all for tuning in! And good night, Gracie.
Moderator : Thanks for all of our chat participants. Special thanks to Sam for taking the time to chat with us.

Ayesha H : Thank you, Mr. Waterston, for the chat. You make the world a nicer place.
Christine : WE LOVE SAM WATERSTON.
Gem : Thank you for chatting with us tonight, Mr. Waterston! :)
infinite : Thanks for the chat Sam.
fenderop : Mr. Waterston -- thanks for your time and I will see you at Yale this spring!
DebH : yes & you must do a chat again. Please.
Russ : Thanks Sam.
Christine : SEE YOU SAM THANKS.
noodle : Thanks for your time, your acting, your talent, you're great.
Grace Wang : Thank you Mr. Waterston. Wish you the best!
tlt : Thanks, Mr. Waterston! And have a terrific birthday!
fenderop : What a great guy!
DebH : what state are you chatting From?
Moderator : Mr. Waterston was chatting From NY.
Mary : That was cool!
Ayesha H : He is a dear. Thank you for having him to chat!
noodle : That was a blast. Let's do this again real soon.
Moderator : Mr. Waterston was assisted with the typing. We apologize for any typos.
Grace Wang : He is awesome! So that was really him?
Ayesha H : Thank you again, and thanks to Merchant/Ivory for this opportunity!
Gem : He seems so nice! I'd love to chat with him again!
Moderator : We will post the final transcript within a few days of the complete interview.
Nancy : This was fun!
Ayesha H : Thank you very very much!
tlt : He is such a doll! Thanks MIP for having him participate tonight!
Gem : thank you very much.
Moderator : Thank you all and Good Night!