Nathan Lane's Rise to Stardom: From Broadway to Hollywood

Bruce Weber's 1996 Vogue profile captures Nathan Lane at a career inflection point. The actor, who turned 40 in February, was about to star in the film 'The Birdcage' alongside Robin Williams and Gene Hackman, directed by Mike Nichols. On Broadway, he was set to play Pseudolus in a revival of Stephen Sondheim's 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' opening April 18. Lane had recently won acclaim for his role in Terrence McNally's 'Love! Valour! Compassion!', where he made a memorable entrance in an apron and high heels. He first gained attention four years earlier leading the Broadway revival of 'Guys and Dolls' and was known as the voice of Timon in 'The Lion King'. Lane, born Joe Lane in Jersey City, changed his name at 22 after playing Nathan Detroit in dinner theater. His father, a truck driver with a singing voice, died when Lane was eleven. Lane's career began in grammar school productions and included a Drama Desk nomination for Noel Coward's 'Present Laughter' opposite George C. Scott. He has a long collaboration with McNally, though their relationship was strained when Lane postponed the film adaptation of 'Love! Valour! Compassion!' due to a prior commitment. Lane describes himself as a 'desperate, needy little man' who worries constantly, a trait director Jerry Zaks calls essential to great comic actors.