British Movie Trailer Roundup: Sean Bean, Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Bob Marley & Loads More
Written on February 25, 2012 by Paul
I love doing the British movie trailer roundup as it gives me a chance to catch up with all the trailers Laura has been posting to our trailer Facebook & Twitter pages. Some make me smile others get my blood pumping and then there are the ones that just make me think, WTF, but I love checking them all out. This week we have a little of everything I just mentioned.
First up is Sean Bean looking like an action hero in the trailer and clip from Cleanskin. He plays a secret service agent faced with the task of pursuing and eliminating a suicide bomber and his terrorist cell. Based on the trailer I would think this has a chance of making it over to the US>
Read the whole article: http://www.britscene.com/2012/02/british-movie-trailer-roundup-sean-bean-ewan-mcgregor-bob-marley-loads-more/32104
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Julian Fellowes: captain invincible (Hope we see this in the US) (THE GUARDIAN)
A jobbing actor until he was 55, now he is the writer who can do no wrong. He won an Oscar for Gosford Park, scored a worldwide hit with Downton Abbey and now he's retelling the Titanic story from a new perspective
Where does Julian Fellowes look most at home? I don't know. All I can say is that he sticks out like a sore thumb on the set of Titanic, his latest series for ITV. To be fair, this is a rather weird spot. We are in Budapest, though the eye will scan the horizon for fabulous Habsburg architecture, charming street cafés or even a glimpse of blue Danube in vain. For this is a suburb where foreign TV and film companies come to shoot on the cheap, Hungarian carpenters apparently being so much more economical than those at home. Behind me are several outsized trailers. In front is a canteen that would look familiar to anyone who attended a northern comprehensive in the 1980s. And somewhere beyond all this, inside a vast and terribly overheated industrial shed, is a huge wooden reconstruction, albeit not quite full-size, of the great ship Titanic. Also, a colossal water tank in which some lucky actors – the cast includes Toby Jones, Celia Imrie and Linus Roache – will shortly get to play at drowning.
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/feb/26/julian-fellowes-titanic-downton-abbey?newsfeed=true
Benedict Cumberbatch: Even More ‘Star Trek 2′ Set Photos Emerge, Including A Shot Of The IMAX Camera (DEN OF GEEKS)
Posted by BAADASSSSS! | February 25th, 2012 at 11:01 am
Much like the ones released earlier, the set pics are taken from the filming of a fight scene involving Spock (Zachary Quinto), Uhura (Zoe Saldana), and the film’s still-unnamed villain played by British actor Benedict Cumberbatch. In the sixth picture, in addition to Quinto and Cumberbatch with their stunt doubles you can clearly see the IMAX camera being used to capture the action.
Cumberbatch (I’m going to keep typing that name so it is forever burned onto my brain and I don’t spell it CumberPATCH anymore) doesn’t appear to be wearing any make-up or prosthetics, so it’s possible his character is human, or maybe one of those humanoid aliens that used to pop in those cheapie 1950′s sci-fi B-movies. He’s definitely wearing a Starfleet uniform.
For more pictures and the rest of the article: http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2012/02/25/even-more-star-trek-2-set-photos-emerge-including-a-shot-of-the-imax-camera/
Colin Firth: Pictures from Academy Awards Rehearsal (NEWSER)
Actor Colin Firth, left, and stage manager Gary Natoli talk during rehearsal for the 84th Academy Awards, Saturday, Feb 25, 2012 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson) (Associated Press)
BACKSTAGE MEETING: Oscar host Billy Crystal, who has declined to speak with reporters and kept his rehearsals closed throughout the week, emerged from his dressing room to observe the proceedings Saturday. Wearing jeans, sneakers and a newsboy cap, the comedian blended in with the rest of the backstage workers_ so much so that he had to re-introduce himself to an admired colleague. "Hi James, Billy Crystal," he said to James Earl Jones, who received a Governors Award late last year and will be honored again at Sunday's ceremony. As soon as the actor recognized Crystal, he hugged him. "With that cap on, I thought you were a hoodlum," Jones said before wishing the comedian well on his ninth Oscar-hosting stint. "Have fun tonight," Jones said, "and tomorrow night."
A BLAST OF "BRIDESMAIDS": The cast of "Bridesmaids" reunited on the Oscar stage and dosed the theater with a blast of energy. "Oh my God, I cannot believe I'm there!" Rose Byrne said when she spotted her seat near the front of the theater. "I see you!" Maya Rudolph said to Kristin Wiig, pointing out her seat-saving placard. As the actresses prepared to make their entrance alongside co-stars Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper and Wendi McLendon-Covey, they threw up jazz hands and pretended to disco dance. McLendon-Covey also played an oversized air guitar.
Read the rest: http://www.newser.com/article/d9t4q7u81/hanks-streep-kermit-other-stars-dress-down-for-final-oscar-rehearsal-before-the-big-show.html
Michelle Williams wins Spirit Award for portrayal of Marilyn (UPI.COM)
Directed by Simon Curtis, the film is based on the memoir of Colin Clark, an assistant director on the 1957 film "The Prince and the Showgirl" who showed Monroe around England when she was there shooting the movie with Laurence Olivier, a classically trained actor and director alternately amazed and frustrated by Monroe's talent, substance abuse, insecurity and Americanized approach to acting.
Williams plays the troubled sex symbol in the film version of Clark's book, while British actor Eddie Redmayne plays Clark and Northern Irish Oscar nominee Kenneth Branagh plays Olivier. "I'm not a singer or a dancer," Williams told reporters in New York recently. "I hadn't been on stage since I was 10 years old. And, in some ways because of that, I felt like a tremendous outpouring of joy. I felt like a little girl whose dreams came true for the first time. And I was able to tap into what I imagine made Marilyn Monroe so luminous in those singing and dancing numbers."
Williams is the mother of a 6-year-old daughter with late actor Heath Ledger and a former cast member of TV's "Dawson's Creek," who has earned accolades in the past for her work in the films "Blue Valentine" and "Brokeback Mountain." The actress said she tried not to let herself be overwhelmed by the task of capturing the unique spirit of such a well-known figure in "My Week with Marilyn."
"What I experienced was when you're in that state, your critical mind has to turn off," explained Williams. "There's no room for it because you are remembering steps and lyrics. It's like patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time and maybe what makes the performances of hers so magical is that she's not thinking."
To successfully play Monroe, Williams said she needed "a tremendous amount of preparation and the willingness to start at the very beginning, to not know what to do to make mistakes along the do, to not be hard on myself for those and to realize that they are part of the process."
Asked what he learned about Monroe while making the movie, director Curtis, who was sitting beside Williams, replied: "One of the things we, Michelle and I, talked about regarding Marilyn was just how intelligent she was and we were both touched by Marilyn's hunger to be taken seriously as an actress.
Read more:http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2012/02/25/Michelle-Williams-wins-Spirit-Award-for-portrayal-of-Marilyn/UPI-11441330224526/?spt=hs&or=en
Williams plays the troubled sex symbol in the film version of Clark's book, while British actor Eddie Redmayne plays Clark and Northern Irish Oscar nominee Kenneth Branagh plays Olivier. "I'm not a singer or a dancer," Williams told reporters in New York recently. "I hadn't been on stage since I was 10 years old. And, in some ways because of that, I felt like a tremendous outpouring of joy. I felt like a little girl whose dreams came true for the first time. And I was able to tap into what I imagine made Marilyn Monroe so luminous in those singing and dancing numbers."
Williams is the mother of a 6-year-old daughter with late actor Heath Ledger and a former cast member of TV's "Dawson's Creek," who has earned accolades in the past for her work in the films "Blue Valentine" and "Brokeback Mountain." The actress said she tried not to let herself be overwhelmed by the task of capturing the unique spirit of such a well-known figure in "My Week with Marilyn."
"What I experienced was when you're in that state, your critical mind has to turn off," explained Williams. "There's no room for it because you are remembering steps and lyrics. It's like patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time and maybe what makes the performances of hers so magical is that she's not thinking."
To successfully play Monroe, Williams said she needed "a tremendous amount of preparation and the willingness to start at the very beginning, to not know what to do to make mistakes along the do, to not be hard on myself for those and to realize that they are part of the process."
Asked what he learned about Monroe while making the movie, director Curtis, who was sitting beside Williams, replied: "One of the things we, Michelle and I, talked about regarding Marilyn was just how intelligent she was and we were both touched by Marilyn's hunger to be taken seriously as an actress.
Read more:http://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/Movies/2012/02/25/Michelle-Williams-wins-Spirit-Award-for-portrayal-of-Marilyn/UPI-11441330224526/?spt=hs&or=en
Kenneth Branagh, Gary Oldman: British stars prepare for Academy Awards (SCOTSMAN.COM)
By BRIAN FERGUSON Published on Sunday 26 February 2012 00:52
BRITAIN’S Oscar hopefuls were the toast of Los Angeles as they geared up for tonight’s Academy Awards ceremony.
Victoria Beckham joined award contenders Kenneth Branagh and Gary Oldman on the red carpet for a special event at the British consulate to celebrate the UK industry.
Oldman laughed off his chances of an Oscar for his role as George Smiley in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, saying he expected to lose out to Jean Dujardin, star of The Artist. But he said he was “thrilled” to be at the awards, describing his first Academy Award nomination as “extremely humbling, gratifying and delightful”. He added: “The Oscars are always something I’ve watched from my sofa.”
Branagh, 51, in the running for best supporting actor for his performance as Sir Laurence Olivier in My Week With Marilyn, is the first person to achieve five different nominations in five categories. He said: “Each time it feels like a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so you value and savour every moment.
Read More: http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/film/british_stars_prepare_for_academy_awards_1_2139765
Gerard Butler: TMZ video about his Betty Ford stay
Butler's problems were triggered by the physical demands of shooting "300" in 2006 (see video below of Gerard preparing for the role). We're told the actor began struggling with pain management, and the problem became exacerbated while filming "Of Men and Mavericks," when Butler was badly hurt on December 18 during a surfing accident.
Read the article: http://www.tmz.com/2012/02/24/gerard-butler-rehab-addiction-prescription-drugs-alcohol-cocaine/?adid=hero2#.T0mBMfEgfiY
'Downton Abbey' Season Finale Draws Victory for PBS: Highest Ratings in Three Years (ENTERTAINMENT AND STARS)
By PEGGY TRUONG: Subscribe to Peggy's RSS feed February 23, 2012 2:51 PM EST
While "Downton Abbey" fans basked in the season two finale victories (Mr. Bates's new prison sentence, Mary and Matthew's engagement, the Countess of Grantham's usual musings, to name a few), PBS celebrated its own triumph: ratings.
Sunday night's two-hour "Downton" finale scored the network its highest ratings in nearly three years, with some 5.4 million viewers. The last time PBS hit numbers of this caliber was back in 2009, with the premiere of Ken Burns' documentary, "National Parks: America's Best Idea."
According to Entertainment Weekly, the second season of "Downton Abbey" drew a 25 percent increase in its audience over the show's first season, which premiered in the UK in September 2010. The show's viewers are also getting younger, with females aged 18-34 up a whopping 251 percent, EW reports.
Read more: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/303696/20120223/downton-abbey-season-finale-pbs-ratings.htm
Dan Stevens: Enjoying a night with friends, co-stars, at a pub (THE SUN)
Downton Abbey heart-throb Dan Stevens, who plays heir to the estate Matthew Crawley, cuts a very different figure when he's not in character. The actor was snapped looking relaxed and casual, as he enjoyed a pint or two down the pub with his latest co-stars. Dan is in Cornwall to make British movie Summer in February, alongside Mamma Mia star Dominic Cooper and Doctor Who actor Shaun Dooley.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/4137540/Downtons-Dan-Steven-dresses-down.html
Colin Firth: Time for bed! Cameron Diaz looks exhausted after partying with Colin Firth at pre-Oscar bash (MAIL ON LINE)
By LEAH SIMPSON Last updated at 6:43 PM on 25th February 2012
The highly-anticipated Academy Awards take place tomorrow evening and while the 2012 nominees are gearing up for the biggest night of the year, that only leaves room for other stars to party in their honour.
Cameron Diaz and Colin Firth took to the CAA pre-Oscar event in Beverly Hills on Friday and the pair clearly had a good time by the looks of things. The 39-year-old What to Expect When You’re Expecting star was spotted leaving the venue looking a little sleepy she emerged late into the night with her actor friend.
Her monochrome ensemble was hardly well put together by the end of the evening as her scruffy tie-neck shirt revealed her under garments. Diaz looked merry as her lacy black underwear became visible upon her exit. She did manage to keep her make-up intact though, matching her red pout to her popping nail polish.
The actress is thought to be single after splitting with sportsman Alex Rodriguez last September.
While A-Rod has been seen romancing WWE star Torrie Wilson, the blonde has been channeling her new status in other ways. Last month she went for the snip, debuting a much shorter bob while on holiday in Hawaii. She also sparked rumours of a breast enhancement as her chest appeared larger while sporting a bikini.
Last year’s Best Actor winner, Firth, was looking especially dapper in a navy blue suit and crisp white shirt but also as if he was ready to retire to bed.
Without his wife Livia who hosted a Vanity Fair and Ermenegildo Zegna's Oxfam America benefit dinner at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood recently, he used the time to catch up with his showbiz associate.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2106363/Oscars-2012-Cameron-Diaz-looks-exhausted-Colin-Firth-pre-Academy-Awards-bash.html
Benedict Cumberbatch's Villain Character Battles Spock on 'Star Trek 2' Set (ACES SHOWBIZ)
How Benedict Cumberbatch will look like as the major villain in "Star Trek" sequel has been unveiled in an on-set photo from the highly anticipated sci-fi movie. MTV has shared the picture that gives a first look at Cumberbatch's antagonist character as he fights Zachary Quinto's Spock on what is said to be "a Space Barge set."
Donning his signature Star Fleet blue uniform, Spock is seen battling the supervillain with his famous Vulcan Death Grip. Cumberbatch, on the other hand, is featured donning a black version of the uniform under his overcoat. It is said that in the fight scene, Cumberbatch's character is "able to overpower the grip and regain upper hand in his struggle against the Star Fleet officer."
Read further: http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00048191.html
The Beatles: Photos from 1963, before Beatlemania (THE MIRROR)
The unseen Beatles: Fab photos from 1963 unearthed for first time Taken in 1963 by 11-year-old Bruce Leak, who was staying at the same hotel, they show the Fab Four untroubled by Beatlemania
The photos were taken while the schoolboy was on a family holiday with his parents and sister just months after the Beatles had signed to Parlophone Records in 1962. But despite getting the amazingly candid pictures photographer before the Fab Four hit the big time, modest Bruce kept his amazing holiday snaps in his drawer for decades - thinking that they were “rubbish” and “worth nothing.”
Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-unseen-beatles-fab-photos-from-1963-742964
The Oscars Attract In British 'Hopeful' Actors In Hollywood (CONTACT MUSIC)
British hopefuls have already been talking about how excited they are, with more than 15 nominees including Gary Oldman and Kenneth Branagh attending a reception in Los Angeles last night which was hosted by Culture Secretary JEREMY HUNT and British Consul General Dame BARBARA HAY.
According to BBC News, Oldman, who is a first-time nominee for best actor in 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy', stated: 'The Oscars are always something that I've watched from my sofa. I'm thrilled that I'm in a year when Meryl Streep is nominated and Billy Crystal is hosting. I'm more chuffed about that - that Billy Crystal is doing it. It's been wonderful. People love you everywhere you go - they give you free stuff. There's nothing more obscene than watching rich people walk away with all their free stuff.'
Meanwhile, Branagh who plays Laurence Olivier in 'My Week with Marilyn' also was at the reception, stating: 'I'm relieved and delighted that people feel we did a good job with somebody whom I revered and respected, and who inspired much of what I've done.'
Read more: http://www.contactmusic.com/news/the-oscars-attract-in-british-hopeful-actors-in-hollywood_1297531
Colin Firth and Christian Bale to present Academy Awards at Oscars
Colin Firth, Christian Bale, Natalie Portman and Melissa Leo have all been signed up to present an Academy Award at the Oscars, following their wins at the ceremony last year. British actor Firth scooped the award for best actor last year for his performance as King George VI in The King's Speech.
Welsh-born Christian Bale walked away with best supporting actor for his role in The Fighter, Natalie Portman was crowned best actress for her role in Black Swan, and Melissa Leo won best supporting actress for her part in The Fighter.
Meryl Streep, who is nominated for best actress for her role as Maragaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady, Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz and Michael Douglas will also present at the ceremony on Sunday.Colin Firth and Christian Bale to present Academy Awards at Oscars
Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/film/891258-colin-firth-and-christian-bale-to-present-academy-awards-at-oscars
Downton Abbey to be turned into a film after Golden Globes win? (METRO)
Hit TV series Downton Abbey could be adapted for the big screen after the show's creator, Julian Fellowes, sparked interest at the Golden Globes after-party.
Fellowes was reportedly telling people that he'd already had a lot of interest in the film rights to the period drama at the awards bash. A source told The Sun: 'Julian was chatting with various film directors and movie executives about the show and the possibility it would make a fantastic feature film. 'He was very much flying the flag for British TV. They were all chatting about how much of a success the film version would be. Julian was explaining he would have to give the idea a lot of thought and that lots of people have already asked him about film rights.'
Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/film/887834-downton-abbey-to-be-turned-into-a-film-after-golden-globes-win
Friday, February 24, 2012
Emma Thompson stars as Queen in Palace break-in drama (THE TELEGRAPH)
It is a moment the Queen would no doubt rather forget as it not only caused a major security scare at Buckignham Palace but rudely interupted her sleep.
By James Orr and Victoria Ward7:00AM GMT 24 Feb 2012
But now the morning she woke up to find an intruder in her bedroom is to be recreated in a new television drama starring Emma Thompson.
And the Queen has found an unlikely ally: Michael Fagan, the man who broke into the Palace. He has criticised producers for recreating the incident saying it shows a "lack of respect" for the Queen in her jubilee year.
Walking the Dogs, which is set to be screened this year, looks back at the moment Michael Fagan scaled walls and rooftops to find himself beside the startled monarch’s four-poster bed. But speaking yesterday, the now 61-year-old claimed his "moment of madness" should be kept hidden and not revisited during the Queen’s jubilee year.
He said: "The Queen deserves respect and I'm sorry that all the focus over all these years has been on the fact that I was in her bedroom.
"I can't believe they're now putting so much attention on it, particularly in her jubilee year. "It was just a moment of madness. For her to be dragged through the dirt by me isn't nice. And how can they make a drama? They don't know what happened in there.”
Read further: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9101676/Emma-Thompson-stars-as-Queen-in-Palace-break-in-drama.html
Daniel Radcliffe: PSA Video for Trevor Project (BSC KIDS)
Daniel Radcliffe PSA Video for Trevor Project Feb - 24 2012 |
Kerin Peel
Daniel Radcliffe has a video for a youth program. The Trevor Project is an American non-profit organization started in 1998. It prevents suicides for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ).
The Trevor Lifeline (1-866-488-7386) is a toll-free telephone number that offers confidential service by specialized counselors.
The Trevor Project has guidance and vital resources for parents and teachers. It helps in providing secure acceptance and covers all services.
Read more: http://www.bsckids.com/2012/02/daniel-radcliffe-psa-video-for-trevor-project/
George Harrison: Happy Birthday to a great artist
You were taken much too soon, George.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ITrQXES8kU&feature=player_embedded
Timothy Spall: 'Fate has already tried to kill me' (THE GUARDIAN)
After raising a family and surviving leukaemia, Timothy Spall threw caution to the wind and took a barge round the coast of Britain with his wife, Shane. Nick Duerden asks them about their late-blossoming spirit of adventureFifteen years ago,as the actor Timothy Spall lay in a hospital bed dying from acute myeloid leukaemia, Shane, his wife, would sit beside him, writing, in pursuit of a catharsis that wouldn't come. On her laptop, she would rail about certain nurses on the ward, her occasional over-reliance on gin and the illness that was trying to claim the life of her husband.
Tim's recovery was torturously slow. Shane never read those words after they were written, while Tim, then 39, banned himself from discussing his illness in the public domain. "I deliberately kept schtum about the whole nitty-gritty of it," he says now. "I didn't want to talk about it until I knew I was in the clear, but I also didn't want to be one of those actors who endlessly flag up their travails. I didn't want to become known for it, in other words."
Instead, he wanted any attention that came his way to be about the work, not his private life. "But then we made a programme about what we do in our private life," he says, laughing, referring to The Voyages of the Princess Matilda on BBC4. "So I suppose the embargo was lifted."
Shane has written a book to accompany the series. It's essentially a travelogue charting the adventures of a husband and wife as they pilot a barge round the British coast, "Oh, we had no idea about the power of the sea, the perpetual sense of jeopardy," Tim says. Shane adds, "We've had some stressful times on the boat, very stressful." Tim agrees: "Last year was an epic journey, north-east Scotland all the way down the east coast, and we ended up like that [holds his hand up at a steep angle].
There are rocks all over, you face being wrecked – the boat is up and down and all over the place. Seriously, it's a life or death situation."
The book also dips, fleetingly, into memoir. Shane reprints many of her late-night hospital writings here, painfully revisiting the time of Tim's illness. "Tim hadn't read them before," Shane begins. Her husband interjects: "It was difficult, obviously it was. It made me realise what not just Shane, but my children, my whole family, had to go through. Reading it was like reliving all the guilt of it." Guilt? He nods. "I was ill – they were suffering."
In May 1996, the actor was riding high after his most successful film to date: Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies. The cast were flown out to the Cannes film festival, but Tim remained behind, the exhaustion he had felt of late now suddenly suggestive of something serious. He was admitted to hospital for tests, which revealed leukaemia and a bleak prognosis: a 60/40 chance of survival.
"He was supposed to have a total of five courses of chemotherapy," says Shane, "but his immune system was shot. It had degenerated so much that the chemo itself was killing him." "In the end," Tim adds, "I only had two [courses]." He shakes his head. "Awful, dreadful. What I remember most strongly was that Shane was always with me, right by my side, morning and night.
And always she was tapping on her laptop. At the time, I found it quite comforting. But whenever she does it now, I'm immediately back with my illness. It's an uncomfortably evocative sound. It reminds me that I almost died."
"If you had," she says, reaching for his hand, "I'd have been miserable."
Read more:http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/25/timothy-spall-shane-barge-book?newsfeed=true
Gerard Butler Successfully Completed Treatment: Rep (JUST JARED)
Gerard has completed a successful course of treatment and has returned home in good health,” Gerry‘s rep told JustJared.com in a statement.
Congratulations go out to Gerry for successfully completing his treatment – and here’s to his continued health.
For more information read: http://www.justjared.com/2012/02/24/gerard-butler-successfully-completed-treatment-rep/?ref=topposts
Shirley MacLaine tweets from the Downton Abbey set (INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS TIMES)
By MELANIE JONES:
Subscribe to Melanie's RSS feed February 24, 2012 11:39 AM EST
New guest star Shirley MacLaine, however, may go beyond interviews and simply begin tweeting "Downton Abbey" news for viewers.
Maclaine, who joins the cast as Cora's mother, American "nouveau riche" aristocrat Martha Levinson, has already begun tweeting from the set.
"Everything is going well. We shot outside in wind and rain. Love the cast and crew," the 77-year-old Oscar winner posted on Twitter this week, adding:
"Off for wardrobe fittings for DA. Love costumes of period pictures. Wonder how big my bustle will be? :)"
"Amazing day on Downton Abbey set," she tweeted on Twitter. "I love the British humor and temperament and functionality. Maggie [Smith, who plays the Dowager Countess] is so subtle and so much fun!"
These Twitter posts don't tell fans anything new about season three, especially after the details Fellowes has let slip, MacLaine's early tweets seem to indicate that the actress may continue to post Twitter updates from the set throughout filming for "Downton Abbey."
Read further: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/304218/20120224/downton-abbey-season-3-shirley-maclaine-tweets.htm
Colin Firth Hosts Star-Studded Charity Dinner For Oxfam America (LOOK TO THE STARS)
On February 22, 2012 Vanity Fair and Ermenegildo Zegna, along with Colin and Livia Firth and Anna Zegna, hosted an intimate dinner at Chateau Marmont to benefit Oxfam America, the international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to poverty, hunger, and injustice.
Over the last ten years, Colin Firth has worked hard, both in public and behind the scenes, to become an extremely knowledgeable and highly respected campaigner for Oxfam. Guests at the event included hosts Colin and Livia Firth and Anna Zegna, along with Demian Bichir, Emily Blunt, Kenneth Branagh, Vanity Fair Editor-in-Chief Graydon Carter, Kristin Davis, Cameron Diaz, Djimon Honsou and Kimora Lee, Emile Hirsch, Danny Huston, John Krazinski, Olga Kurylenko, Vanity Fair Publisher Edward Menicheschi, President of Oxfam Raymond Offenheiser, Gary Oldman and Alexandra Oldman, Stefanie Sherk, Mia Wasikowska and more.
Adding a special element to the evening, Ermenegildo Zegna dressed select male guests including Demian Bichir, Kenneth Branagh, Colin Firth, Djimon Honsou, John Krazinski, Danny Huston, and Raymond Offenheiser in eco-friendly fashions as part of Livia Firth’s ‘The Green Carpet Challenge.’ For the third year in a row, Livia Firth is spearheading the project which asks top designers to use eco-friendly fabrics when designing gowns and suits for celebrities to wear during awards season. The goal of the project is to show design and creativity doesn’t have to be compromised while working with environmentally friendly materials.
Read more: http://www.looktothestars.org/news/7908-colin-firth-hosts-star-studded-charity-dinner-for-oxfam-america
Hugh Grant recalls embarrassing cinema trip (BELFAST TELEGRAPH)
Hugh Grant has recalled an awkward moment in the cinema when audience members, unaware of his presence, branded his film "s**t".
The British actor remembered witnessing the audience's unimpressed reaction to one of his most famous films Four Weddings and a Funeral. But he added that if he wasn't biased because of his part in the romantic comedy, he may have felt the same.
"I was sat in Chelsea cinema just before it came out, watching another film, and there were two young men sitting next to me. A trailer for Four Weddings came on and I remember these two guys saying 'I don't think so' and all the way through it was 'c**p' and 's**t'. Then the lights came up and they saw I was sitting next to them!" he told Total Film.
Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/news/hugh-grant-recalls-embarrassing-cinema-trip-16121630.html
Gerard Butler will be filming Thunder Run in Baton Rouge, La (LOCATION VACATIONS)
‘Thunder Run’, starring Gerard Butler, Sam Worthington, & Matthew McConaughey, is headed to Baton Rouge, LA
by CHRISTINE on FEBRUARY 23, 2012 ·
Gerard Butler, Sam Worthington, and Matthew McConaughey have all signed on to star the Iraq War movie, Thunder Run, which will be filmed in Baton Rouge, LA this spring. The action-thriller from director Simon West will be made using 3D motion-capture technology and will center on the 2003 capture of Baghdad. According to Louisiana Film, the movie will shoot from May 1, 2012 to July 15, 2012 in Baton Rouge.
Read further: http://www.onlocationvacations.com/2012/02/23/thunder-run-starring-gerard-butler-sam-worthington-matthew-mcconaughey-is-headed-to-baton-rouge-la/comment-page-1/
Colin Firth, Christian Bale, and Natalie Portman to Present at Oscars (THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)
10:36 AM PST 2/23/2012 by Philiana Ng
All four actors won Academy Awards last year for their performances.
Bale and Leo co-starred in The Fighter, Portman led Black Swan, and Firth toplined best picture winner The King's Speech.
They join previously announced presenters including Halle Berry, Rose Byrne, Bradley Cooper, Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Michael Douglas, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Zach Galifianakis, Tom Hanks, Angelina Jolie, Milla Jovovich, Ellie Kemper, Jennifer Lopez, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Maya Rudolphv Emma Stone, Meryl Streep and Kristen Wiig. ABC will broadcast the 84th Annual Academy Awards live coast-to-coast Sunday from Hollywood & Highland Center.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/oscars-christian-bale-natalie-portman-294587
All four actors won Academy Awards last year for their performances.
Bale and Leo co-starred in The Fighter, Portman led Black Swan, and Firth toplined best picture winner The King's Speech.
They join previously announced presenters including Halle Berry, Rose Byrne, Bradley Cooper, Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Michael Douglas, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Zach Galifianakis, Tom Hanks, Angelina Jolie, Milla Jovovich, Ellie Kemper, Jennifer Lopez, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Maya Rudolphv Emma Stone, Meryl Streep and Kristen Wiig. ABC will broadcast the 84th Annual Academy Awards live coast-to-coast Sunday from Hollywood & Highland Center.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/oscars-christian-bale-natalie-portman-294587
Downton Abbey Fire Warnings (E.)
Naughty castmember sets off smoke alarms with a cheeky ciggie...
BY KAYLEIGH DRAY ON FEBRUARY 22, 2012
The cast are staying at Berkshire's The Carnarvon Arms, gastropub and hotel of Marco Pierre White. You know, the celebrity chef with the buccaneer hairstyle?
It's perfect for the well-to-do actors and actresses, as it sits just moments away from the set, giving them a chance to work on their lines after hours. But one sneaky smoker has caused as much drama off-screen as the family endures on-screen.
A source came forward to the Daily Mail to explain how, in the wee hours of the morning, the hotel smoke alarms went off: "It was about 4.30am and everyone filed out of their rooms and into the car park looking very sleepy-eyed and rather annoyed... It seems someone was having a cheeky cigarette in their room, which set off the alarm."
Was it naughty Sybil, the youngest Grantham sister with a taste for the servants? Or was it Mary, the serious-faced seducer of Turkish diplomats?
In fact, it was none other than the Earl of Grantham himself! Bless Hugh Bonneville; he clearly couldn't resist a sneaky after-hours puff...
Until the new series starts, we'll just have to content ourselves with memories of the wonderful Downton Abbey Christmas Special
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGIIiAzon0Q&feature=player_embedded#!
EemersonM
Prepare for Olympic tribute to British Music (POP DUST)
Posted by Andrew Unterberger on 02/23/2012 at 12:26 PM
News The Popdust Files: All Things British, Closing Ceremonies, Olympics
Anglophiles of the world, stand up. Billboard reports that the Olympics this year will include a closing-ceremony tribute to British music—all British music. The show is said to be a symphonic arrangement of the history of music from the United Kingdom, an “elegant mashup of British music” with orchestrally-arranged English songs that everyone knows and loves.
“We go from—without saying we’ve booked anyone—Elgar to Adele,” says music director David Arnold. “It is, in a sense, the soundtrack of our lives,” confirms opening-and-closing-ceremonies producer Stephen Daldry. Well, we don’t know about any of that Edward Elgar business—he’s the guy who did “Pomp and Circumstance,” yeah?—but we have an idea about how the set should go from the rock era forward:
The British Invasion. Starts out with the Whotles super-group of the surviving members of the Who and Beatles, Roger Daltry on vocals, Pete Townshend on guitar, Paul McCartney on bass and backing vocals and Ringo Starr on drums. They perform rip-roaring versions of “Twist and Shout” and “My Generation,” before being interrupted by the opening sitar riff of “Paint it Black,” at which point the Rolling Stones show up, beat up the Whotles and steal their instruments, and play a riotous version of “Sympathy for the Devil.”
Read the rest: http://popdust.com/2012/02/23/olympics-closing-ceremonies-all-things-british/
Kenneth Branagh: Stepping out in Olivier's shoes (THE AGE)
Stuart Husband February 25, 2012
KENNETH Branagh is approaching the status of, if not a British national treasure, then at least an heirloom whose value is appreciating.
A large part of the reason for this is his casting as Kurt Wallander, Henning Mankell's rumpled, melancholy Swedish detective. He's filming his third season of what has been an Australian television summer staple and we're sitting in the house he rents on the Swedish coast during filming, a capacious, onion-domed affair that, he says, as he feeds a wood-burner, used to be a meeting house for alcoholics.
Ystad, the town Wallander calls home, is a few kilometres down the road and Branagh's house looks over the pristine waters of the Baltic; a perfect spot for the ruminative cast of mind that comes with playing Wallander but which, since turning 50 in December, seems also to be Branagh's default setting.
''It's definitely the age where a kind of mental stocktaking kicks in,'' he says, taking a sip of tea. In person, Branagh is slighter than he appears onscreen but his voice has a commanding presence, something he exploits to the full in his new film My Week with Marilyn, an Oscar contender at next week's awards.
In a direct engagement with his past, the one-time new Olivier plays the old Olivier in a comedy that follows the on-set battles between Sir Laurence and Marilyn Monroe (played to the sexy-sassy-vulnerable hilt by Michelle Williams) during the making of the 1957 confection The Prince and the Showgirl.
The film is based on a memoir by Colin Clark who, despite his lowly status on set, became Monroe's confidant as the clash between her method style and Olivier's theatrical technique risked derailing the production. Branagh, all crisp lisp and camp grandstanding, plays it like screwball comedy, while suggesting Olivier's fear of being outmoded by the wave of naturalistic acting of which Monroe was a harbinger.
But did he have concerns about rekindling the Olivier thing? ''I suppose I did but in the end what it came down to was, is it a good part? And will it be fun?'' he says. ''One thing that struck me about the screenplay was that, in our world today, not many people have actually seen a Monroe film. She's just an iconic figure, like Chaplin, that you can summon in three strokes of a pen. And Olivier is even further removed.
''I came into the business 30 years ago, when he was still alive and still the world's greatest actor. My generation was very aware of his work and part of the excitement of doing this was to draw attention to him. The film captures him at a watershed moment; after it wrapped, he went and did John Osborne's The Entertainer at the Royal Court, which transformed him from a stuffed shirt to something renewed and relevant, which he was very keen to be.''
Read further: http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/stepping-out-in-oliviers-shoes-20120224-1tsks.html
Brendan Gleeson: Vera Farmiga loved improvising with Brendan Gleeson in 'Safe House'. (CONTACT MUSIC)
Vera Farmiga loved working on her improvisation skills with 'Safe House' co-star Brendan Gleeson.
The American actress stars as CIA operative Catherine Linklater in the movie alongside Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington but admitted it was Irish actor Brendan, who plays colleague David Barlow, who she enjoyed working with the most.
She told Stylist magazine: ''I spend most of my screen time with Brendan Gleeson and Sam Shepherd. I had a wicked time fighting off Brendan's improvisation advances. He's the equivalent of a Dobermann when it comes to freeballing. It's always going up against an Irishman's antics!''
Read further: http://www.contactmusic.com/news/vera-farmigas-praise-for-gleeson_1296538
Benedict Cumberbatch: Rumpole and The Man Of God, Radio 4 (THE TELEGRAPH)
Rumpole and The Man Of God, Radio 4,
Gillian Reynolds previews Radio 4's new Rumpole adaptation starring Benedict Cumberbatch
Timothy West stars as the older Horace Rumpole, with Benedict Cumberbatch, his voice matching perfectly, as Rumpole the younger.
It’s 1959, and the barrister is called to the defence of a clergyman, accused of shoplifting, clearly innocent yet oddly reluctant to be cross examined under oath. The whole truth, to which this would commit him, could perhaps put him in some serious professional peril.
Interwoven is the tale of Frobisher (Stephen Critchlow), fellow barrister, friend of Rumpole, a confirmed bachelor who suddenly announces his engagement. His fiancée seems oddly familiar to Rumpole. And Mrs Rumpole, the dreaded Hilda (Jasmine Hyde), breaks big news.
Part two follows on Friday
Read further: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9101623/Rumpole-and-The-Man-Of-God-Radio-4-preview.html
Henry Cavill: New Cold Light Of Day Poster Online (EMPIRE)
Henry Cavill & Bruce Willis vs. Spain 23 February 2012 |
Written by Helen O'Hara | Source: Exclusive
Here's some eye candy for your Thursday afternoon: it's a fresh poster for The Cold Light Of Day, with Henry Cavill, Bruce Willis and (sadly not pictured) Sigourney Weaver. Now sure, this is similar to some of the one-sheets already out there, but on the other hand he it is terribly handsome well-designed.
(Thank you Henry Cavill Fanpage for this site)https://www.facebook.com/HenryCavillFans?sk=wall
Read More: http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=33218
'Downton Abbey': Shirley MacLaine says shooting is 'going well' so far (ZAP2IT)
By Andrea Reiher February 22, 2012 11:30 PM ET
Follow @andrealeigh203 on Twitter
Shirley MacLaine arrived in England on Sunday (Feb. 19) to begin shooting.
Brendan Coyle, who plays Mr. Bates on the show, said in a recent online chat that he "had the privilege of sitting beside @maclaineshirley at lunch yesterday...this casting is ingenious...she is much loved here,her scenes are brilliant and I can assure you she will be a dazzling addition to Downton Abbey."
And MacLaine herself tweets so far of her experience: "Arrived UK. I have internet but this hotel has no phone service or tv. I feel I am on another planet" and "Everything is going well. We shot outside in wind and rain. Love the cast and crew."
We wonder what they were shooting outside in wind and rain? Intriguing. "Downton Abbey" returns on the air in Britain in September, in the U.S. next January
Read further: http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2012/02/downton-abbey-shirley-maclaine-says-shooting-is-going-well-so-far.html
Best Shirtless Performance - Henry Cavill
In my quest to bring you the wonders of Youtube, let us take a moment to appreciate this magnificent art form.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rh0HzWq_qYg
allaboutstrengthclip
Is Michael Fassbender too Sexy for an Oscar (CHICAGO TRIBUNE)
By Liz Smith, Tribune Media Services Liz Smith February 24, 2012
"IN AMERICA, they're too scared of sex; that's why Michael Fassbender wasn't nominated for 'Shame.'
It's kind of crazy. But that's how it is; it's an American award, let them have it." So says Brit director Steve McQueen.
Oh, I don't know. If you watch American television there is a lot of sex on it these days. There was considerable surprise when Fassbender -- whose nude scenes were much discussed -- didn't make the cut, but as puritanical/hypocritical as Americans can be, plenty of sexy movie performances have been nominated for and even won Oscars.
Two come immediately to mind: Marlon Brando, who was nominated for "Last Tango in Paris," -- a super-shocking movie in its day. And then there was Halle Berry, who actually won Best Actress for "Monster's Ball," a movie in which she had an explicit nude sex scene. (Miss Berry, so far, is the only African-American actress to receive the top acting honor. Now, that's REALLY crazy!)
Read Further: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-201202231600--tms--lizsmittr--x-a20120224feb24,0,1985235.story
'Downton Abbey’ scores big ratings for PBS (ORLANDO SENTINEL)
By Hal Boedecker
American viewers flocked to the finale of “Downton Abbey.”
The lesson: A great love story will hook viewers every time.
The two-hour episode, which aired Sunday on PBS’ “Masterpiece,” averaged 5.4 million viewers. That number, PBS stressed, does not include station replays, DVR viewing or online streaming. It was a remarkable showing for PBS. The finale scored the biggest rating for public television since the premiere of Ken Burns’ “National Parks” in September 2009. The second season of “Downton Abbey” often brought in an audience more than double the PBS average in prime time. Season two bettered the average rating of season one by 25 percent.
Read further: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2012/02/downton-abbey-scores-big-ratings-for-pbs.html
Keira Knightly as Anna Karenina (REELZ)
First Look at Keira Knightley as Anna Karenina Posted 02.23.12 by Mandy
The screenplay for Anna Karenina was written by Tom Stoppard (Shakespeare in Love), but there's no word yet on whether the story will concentrate on Anna's extramarital affair or Levin (Domhnall Gleeson) mowing with a scythe.
The movie co-stars Matthew Macfadyen as Oblonsky, Kelly Macdonald as Dolly, Alicia Vikander as Kitty, and Emily Watson as Countess Lydia. The movie does not yet have a US release date, but it will open in the UK on September 7.
Read further: http://www.reelz.com/movie-news/13264/first-look-at-keira-knightley-as-anna-karenina/
Paul McCartney will appear in this year's Teenage Cancer Trust concert (CONTACT MUSIC)
Sir Paul Mccartney - Paul Mccartney To Play Teenager Cancer Trust Show 21 February 2012 04:00:17 PM
Sir Paul McCartney has been added to the line-up for this year's Teenage Cancer Trust gigs at London's Royal Albert Hall. Sir Paul McCartney has been added to the line-up for this year's Teenage Cancer Trust gigs.
The Beatles legend will kick-off the run of shows at London's Royal Albert Hall in aid of the charity on March 29, followed by 'Changed The Way You Kissed Me' hitmaker Example on March 30. Reformed group Pulp - who made their live return in 2011 after an eight-year absence - are also in line to perform at the prestigious venue on March 31, one day before 'Price Tag' singer Jessie J headlines the fourth evening.
Read further: http://www.contactmusic.com/news/paul-mccartney-to-play-teenager-cancer-trust-show_1296239
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)