Krewes of Babylon, Chaos and Muses Parades

Last year, I had very little time to luxuriate in Mardi Gras madness. Django Unchained was ramping up to arrive on Ash Wednesday and I was traveling and working hard to prepare for filming. This year, the movie is out and it’s a hit – #1 globally 3 weeks in a row, 2 Golden Globe wins and 5 Oscar nominations including Best Picture. I can hardly believe I’m a part of it. But between the movie and my new book, Know Small Parts: An Actor’s Guide to Turning Minutes into Moments and Moments int a a Career, I’m again traveling and working hard during Mardi Gras.

Krewe of Proteus

The Krewe of Proteus was the first parade to roll on the Monday before Fat Tuesday, Lundi Gras. Established in 1882, they are the second oldest parade of the Carnival season (Rex is oldest) and the oldest night parade. The gorgeous floats, designed by The Royal Artists, still sit atop the original 1880’s chassis. Named for the shepherd of the oceans as well as the son of Poseidon, the krewe’s theme this year was “The Prophetic Old-Man-of-the-Sea.” The King remains a secret to all but the 250 male riders on their 20 floats.