NAMES IN THE NEWS : Brando’s Hug Put Him at Ease

For Matthew Broderick, working with Marlon Brando was the highlight of filming “The Freshman,” which casts him in yet another youth role.

Broderick recalled that he couldn’t relax knowing he would meet the superstar. However, a big hug from Brando and his calm manner put him at ease.

“He’s a role model for everybody in the business,” said Broderick. “No matter who they think is their role model, that person probably had Brando as a role model. All roads lead to Brando.”

Broderick stars in the film as a graduate student who gets hustled out of his possessions as soon as he arrives in New York to attend film school.

Following and catching the thief eventually leads to a meeting with Brando’s character -- a shady guy not unlike his Don Corleone of “The Godfather.”

Broderick, 28, admitted he once was bothered by the number of teen-age roles he was getting. But the quality of the characters has changed his mind.

“I played my own age in Glory,” he pointed out. “Eventually, as I age, I’ll get more roles closer to my age.”