Saturday, February 23, 2013
James McAvoy: Review: Macbeth starring James McAvoy, Trafalgar Studio 1, London The X-Men actor impresses with a no-holds-barred performance set in a futuristic Scottish dystopia that won't please Alex Salmond (THE INDEPENDENT)
PAUL TAYLOR
James McAvoy's Macbeth skids across the stage on his knees and chucks up violently with his head down the loo before he launches into the “If it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well/It were done quickly” soliloquy.
You could say that he is always the man of action even when laying bare – in incisive and pungently Scots-accented verse-speaking – the knotty nuances of his innermost fears and torments. And the actor makes that seem perfectly natural in a gripping, no-holds-barred performance that will impress fans of his work in the X-Men movies and unlock for youthful newcomers to Shakespeare some of the poetic and psychological riches of the play.
Jamie Lloyd's production is set in the near future in a dystopian, separatist version of Scotland that is not calculated to gladden the heart of Alex Salmond. Our hero is initially a kind of Mad Mac figure in a world that, ravaged by bankruptcy and climate change, seems to have reverted to a bloody primitive tribalism.
This show launches the new Trafalgar Transformed season for which the main Studio 1 space has been reconfigured by Soutra Gilmour. In-yer-face immediacy has never hitherto been the strength of this venue. But in addition to pushing the stage out over the first few rows, her spectacularly grungy in-the-round design for Macbeth places some seventy seats onstage (pac-a-mac ponchos recommended) and with all the frazzled lightning and crash-bang-wallop effects, it's as though you are being pulled into a nation's nervous system as it goes haywire.
Henry Cavill & Gina Carano: Great British Film Reception
Henry Cavill suits up while attending the Great British Film Reception held at British Consul General’s Residence on Friday (February 22) in Los Angeles.
The 29-year-old actor was accompanied by his girlfriend Gina Carano.
The night before, Henry and Gina attended the Tom Ford Cocktail Party to support Project Angel Food in Beverly Hills.
READ MORE:http://www.justjared.com/2013/02/22/henry-cavill-gina-carano-great-british-film-reception/
Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch:Early Reactions To 'Twelve Years A Slave' Suggest Average Black Audiences Won't Like It NEWS BY TAMBAY A. OBENSON FEBRUARY 22, 2013 12:12 PM (INDIEWIRE)
A film I'm eagerly-anticipating this year, which we believe will likely premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May, is Steve McQueen's Twelve Years A Slave - one of 7 more slave-themed films I highlighted in a January post, that we can expect some time this year.
It's a film whose title was mentioned often in discussions about Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained, although, from what we know of McQueen's film, there's very little to compare between both films, other than they're both set during a time before slavery was outlawed in this country (the USA). But the narratives of each film, as well as the motivations of the filmmakers behind each film, are very different.
As we wait for an announcement on when McQueen's film will make its debut, as well as for a glimpse at the film, via a trailer, clips, or some official stills, test screenings of the film are currently taking place in a few cities across the USA, and some of our readers attended those test screenings and shared their reactions with us, although, more specifically, the reactions that attending audiences had to the film. So, no spoilers here.
I won't post every email I received, because they all had very similar reactions, but I thought this one was especially interesting in its focus on how black people in the audience received the film. So, check it out below.
READ MORE: http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/earlier-reactions-to-twelve-years-a-slave-suggests-average-black-audiences-wont-like-it
Friday, February 22, 2013
Interview: Hugh Bonneville Florence Smith-Nicholls talks to the star at the Cambridge Union about Downton fame and college life. by Florence Smith-Nicholls Saturday 23rd February 2013, 00:22 GMT (VARSITY)
It’s twilight on a bleak February evening and I’m sprinting down Castle Hill dodging students whilst frantically keying nonsensical messages into my mobile phone, I’m getting the most exercise I’ve had in Lent term so far. Why the amateur athletics? Rather than a week five bout of supervision amnesia, I’m running late for a much more important appointment. Lord Grantham of Downton Abbey fame has come to Cambridge.
Those of you not acquainted with the Lord might know him by his other name, Hugh Bonneville. You might also know him under the guise of a rather unprepossessing tramp called Mr. Stink, or as Ian Fletcher, Head of Deliverance for the 2012 Olympic Games. Indeed, Bonneville is that rare breed of actor who can put on many faces without you necessarily remembering his original identity. It is as a Lord, though, that Bonneville has really become a national treasure.
Hugh has come to speak at the Cambridge Union, and as I pant my way towards the redbrick building, I already know what my first question will be. As a former Cantabrigian at Corpus Christi college, I ask him about his defining memory of his time as an undergraduate. Rehearsals rooms and auditions, that’s what he remembers: “I’m afraid the School of Divinity didn’t see as much of me as it should have done.” Wearing jeans and a hoody, Bonneville is more the leisurely student than a carefully coifed member of the aristocracy: there is no hint of Grantham here. I feel instantly at ease with Hugh; he emanates the calm confidence of an experienced interviewee.
READ MORE: http://www.varsity.co.uk/culture/5667
Gerard Butler: 'Argo' will take the Oscar Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY
HOLLYWOOD -- Gerard Butler's officially in Argo's corner.
"Ben Affleck is turning out to really be one of the forefront directors of our time," said a tux-clad Butler at the Sunset Tower Hotel Thursday night before he picked up hosting duties at the Hollywood Domino & Bovet 1822 Pre-Oscar Gala & Tournament. "His movies are so watchable and so sophisticated and classy. I loved Argo. I also really enjoyed Silver Linings Playbook." But, "I think Argo will take the Oscar," he predicted.
Butler joined Paul Haggis, Donna Karan and Madeleine Stowe in hosting the pre-Oscars charity event, which featured a live auction and Hollywood-infused dominos tournament. The evening raised over a half million dollars for Artists for Peace and Justice, a non-profit organization that addresses issues of poverty around the world, particularly in Haiti.
Butler's personal favorite film this season? The low-budget wonder Beasts of the Southern Wild. "The movie that I found the most charming and original was Beasts of the Southern Wild," said the upcoming Olympus Has Fallen star. "It's hard to say what movie deserves an Oscar. You watch a movie like that and you look at the imagination and the artistry that went into it, and the performances by people who had never acted before that wipe the floor with myself and many other actors in this town. How can you have a winner in those circumstances?"
READ MORE: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/02/22/gerard-butler-bets-on-argo-at-hollywood-domino-party/1938125/
Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn: 'I don't bite you know... unless it's called for!' Audrey Hepburn's cheeky entreaty to Cary Grant is voted sexiest line in cinema By AMELIA PROUD PUBLISHED: 21:44 EST, 21 February 2013 | (MAIL ON LINE)
It's telling that a poll to rate the sexiest line in cinematic history favored movies from the 1940s and ranked a line from the '60s classic Charade as the hottest.
A line from Audrey Hepburn's demure rosebud mouth has been voted the sexiest of all time.
She won for telling Cary Grant in 1963's Charade: 'I don't bite you know... unless it's called for.'
READ MORE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2282625/Audrey-Hepburns-cheeky-entreaty-Cary-Grant-voted-sexiest-line-cinema.html
Henry Cavill And Anna Paquin Turn Up The Sex Factor At Tom Ford Party [PHOTOS] (SOCIALITE LIFE)
Well hello sexy!
When you go to a party hosted by Tom Ford, you know you have to look amazing, because he always does.
Anna Paquin and Henry Cavill did not disappoint at last night’s (February 21, 2013) Tom Ford cocktail party in support of Project Angel Food at TOM FORD in Beverly Hills, California.
Anna (yes, she gave birth to twins) smoldered in a leather cut-out dress and slicked back down-do, while Girls star Allison Williams looked smoking hot in monochrome.
Then there was Henry Cavill, who was accompanied by his girlfriend Gina Carano.
No one looks better in a tuxedo than Henry Cavill. Although, Henry looks better out of a tuxedo, and actually not wearing a shirt, but this is a Tom Ford party.
READ MORE: http://socialitelife.com/henry-cavill-anna-paquin-sex-factor-tom-ford-party-photos-02-2013
Gary Oldman, Emily Blunt, Helen Mirren, MOVIE, THE MOVIE (CINEMA BLEND)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=w3NwB9PLxss#!
Author: Katey Rich
There are a whole lot of silly Oscar night traditions to choose from, from the opening song-and-dance to the Best Song performances to the "shocked" speeches from people everyone knew would be winning. But I'd like to add a pretty recent tradition to the list: Jimmy Kimmel's "Movie the Movie." The ABC late night host will have the prime post-Oscar slot again this year, and will be back with the parody that set the Internet on fire after last year's Oscars. Except, in the grand tradition of movies, it's not just a new parody: it's a sequel. Welcome to Movie The Movie: 2V.
Downton Abbey, Season 3 on "Masterpiece Classic" Finale Ratings End on a High Note PBS spins the numbers for Sunday, February 17. (THE FUTON CRITIC)
Final Episode Averaged 8.2 Million Viewers
ARLINGTON, VA; February 19, 2013 -- PBS and WGBH announced today that the conclusion of the breakout hit "Downton Abbey, Season 3" on MASTERPIECE CLASSIC captivated an average audience of 8.2 million viewers (Nielsen Fast National data, 5.2 household rating). The Season 3 finale's average audience was 50 percent above the Season 2 finale (5.4 million viewers, 3.5 household Fast National rating) from February 2012.
"Downton Abbey, Season 3," a Carnival/MASTERPIECE co-production, consistently drew an audience more than quadruple the PBS primetime average. It exceeded the average rating of the second season of "Downton Abbey" by 66 percent (based on metered market averages).
According to SocialGuide, there were nearly 80,000 "Downton Abbey"-related tweets sent out on Feb. 17, making it the 2nd most tweeted-about series (broadcast or cable) on television that night.
Read more at http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2013/02/19/downton-abbey-season-3-on-masterpiece-classic-finale-ratings-end-on-a-high-note-48115/20130219pbs01/#Usou9RsHJxt4grVE.99
David Tennant: Olivia Colman: Scenes with dead child’s parents left me in tears (THE SUN)
Exclusive
By LAURA ARMSTRONG
Published: 14 hrs ago
THE tears welling up in Olivia Colman’s eyes could not be any more convincing – because they are for real.
Filming heart-wrenching scenes for upcoming ITV drama Broadchurch left the actress, who is better known for her comedy roles, in floods.
The compelling eight-parter, in which Olivia plays DS Ellie Miller, opens with the grim discovery of schoolboy Danny Latimer’s body at the foot of a cliff.
She was moved to tears during the scenes when DS Miller quizzes the dead boy’s grief-stricken parents.
Olivia said: “I found it really hard to do the emotional scenes with Jodie Whittaker and Andrew Buchan who play Danny’s parents.
“Because they are such beautiful actors, I had a hard time keeping it together.
“My character wasn’t supposed to cry half as much as she ended up doing but I couldn’t stop myself. It was so sad.”
Olivia is best known for appearing in TV comedies including Peep Show, Rev, Twenty Twelve and Green Wing. But it wasn’t just the serious subject matter of Broadchurch that wiped the smile off her face.
The mum-of-two found it hard being away from her family while filming on location in Dorset. She wasn’t the only one. Co-star David Tennant, who plays DI Alec Hardy, also found it tough going.
They battled their homesickness together by watching videos of their kids.
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/4807352/Olivia-Colman-Scenes-with-dead-childs-parents-left-me-in-tears.html#ixzz2Ldljjo3I
Benedict Cumberbatch : Parade's End, the New Downton Abbey? (WALL STREET JOURNAL VIDEO)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJT_WvTAM5s
Michael Fassbender 'hangs out' on 'Life's Too Short' set Published Friday, Feb 22 2013, 7:45am EST | By Alex Fletcher | Follow us: @digitalspy on Twitter | digitalspyuk on Facebook
Michael Fassbender was a surprise guest on the set of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's comedy series Life's Too Short.
The Prometheus and Shame actor came along to "hang out" as a guest of Val Kilmer, who is cameoing in the BBC Two show's final episode.
Kilmer sent an email to producers asking whether he could bring a friend along to the set, and staff on the show were shocked when it was Fassbender who turned up.
Read more: http://www.digitalspy.com/british-tv/news/a460896/michael-fassbender-hangs-out-on-lifes-too-short-set.html#ixzz2Ldh7ouf7
Follow us: @digitalspy on Twitter | digitalspyuk on Facebook
Benedict Cumberbatch steps into DiCaprio's shoes as Alan Turing (Deep Inside HollywoodBy Romeo San Vicente)
It's turning into Benedict Cumberbatch's year at the movies. Co-starring in "The Hobbit" trilogy, "Star Trek Into Darkness" and the film adaptation of "August: Osage County" will put the acclaimed, chameleonic British actor on multiplex screens stateside for the foreseeable future. And now he's in talks to star in "The Imitation Game" as famed British World War II hero Alan Turing (quick history lesson: Turing cracked the German "Enigma" code during the war, helping Allied forces win; he was prosecuted in the 1950s for homosexuality and chose chemical castration over imprisonment, later committing suicide)
READ MORE: http://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=58539
Sean Bean and Channing Tatum are 'Jupiter Ascending' with the Wachowskis (PRIDE SOURCE)
The crazy, heart-on-its-sleeve sci-fi epic "Cloud Atlas" didn't get the kind of love Andy and Lana Wachowski were looking for, but their latest project, "Jupiter Ascending," is reported to be much more like their mega-successful "Matrix" trilogy (and that's good for everyone's bottom line in the long run, since "Atlas" made about 35 cents at the box office). Of course, that doesn't mean anybody can adequately explain the new film's plot, which involves genetic superbeings who've been bred with animal DNA and the bounty hunters whose job it is to track them. But no matter, the Wachowskis are never boring, as though their own genetics were incapable of something so routine. It can be about anything, really, and nobody will accuse them of slacking.
READ MORE: http://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=58539
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Helen Mirren Play 'The Audience' to Screen in Movie Theaters Worldwide 6:36 PM PST 2/21/2013 by David Rooney (THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)
The actress reprises the role of Queen Elizabeth II in Peter Morgan's new play, which focuses on the monarch's weekly meetings with Britain's prime ministers.
NEW YORK -- It's already one of the hottest tickets of the theater year in London, but international audiences will also get a chance to see Helen Mirren in The Audience when a performance of the play is broadcast live to movie screens around the world on June 13.
Directed by Stephen Daldry, the production reunites Mirren with playwright Peter Morgan, who wrote the screenplay for The Queen. That 2006 Stephen Frears film earned Mirren a best actress Oscar for the title role of Queen Elizabeth II. She steps back into the shoes of the British sovereign in this new play, which provides a fictionalized account of the monarch's weekly closed-door chats with her prime ministers during her six decades on the throne.
Ray Stevenson: ‘Dexter’ receives 5 nominations in 4 categories for the 39th Saturn Awards By Ste Taylor at 2:30 pm, February 21, 2013 - @stevenjtay (HYPABLE)
Showtime’s flagship show, Dexter, has received 5 nominations in the upcoming 39th Saturn Awards, but will Dexter hold off the competition?
The Saturn Awards are quite an exclusive group to be nominated for as The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror only recognise the very best television shows of these genres, and it’s with pleasure we can announce that Dexter has been nominated for a total of 5 awards.
Dexter has been a huge television favourite for 7 years now, and having already picked up 5 wins at the Saturn Awards since 2006, the crew behind Dexter are surely wanting to put their three year dry spell behind them after last claiming a Saturn Award back in 2009 for Julie Benz’s win in the Best Supporting Actress Role in a Television Series.
Dexter has been nominated for Best Cable Television Series, Best Television Actor (Michael C. Hall), Best Supporting Actress (Jennifer Carpenter) and two nominations for Dexter have fallen in the Best Guest Starring Role in a Series, with Yvonne Strahovski and Ray Stevenson competing for that accolade.
And, with 5 nominations in the bag, surely Dexter will pick up at least one of these awards? It’s going to be tough, no doubt.
READ MORE: http://www.hypable.com/2013/02/21/dexter-receives-5-nominations-in-4-categories-for-the-39th-saturn-awards/
Record Producer Clive Davis Eyeing Anne Hathaway and Colin Firth for My Fair Lady Broadway Revival By Michael Gioia 20 Feb 2013 (PLAYBILL)
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/colin%20firth
As previoulsy reported, Davis plans to bring the classic back to Broadway in 2014. He will produce the musical alongside Roger Berlind, Scott Landis and The Nederlander Organization.
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/colin%20firth
"I always wanted to produce a Broadway show, and I've never done it," Davis previously told the Los Angeles Times. "I'm hopeful we will prepare and finalize everything this year to bring My Fair Lady next year to Broadway with a stellar cast. I don't want to jinx myself, but we're in discussions with two magnificent performers and a wonderful director to do that."
According to Davis, Hathaway ("Les Misérables," "The Devil Wears Prada") and Firth ("The King's Speech"), who would play the respective roles of Eliza Doolittle and Professor Henry Higgins, were up for the same roles in a screen adaptation of "My Fair Lady," which fell through and made the rights available for a Broadway remounting.
READ MORE: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/175182-Record-Producer-Clive-Davis-Eyeing-Anne-Hathaway-and-Colin-Firth-for-My-Fair-Lady-Broadway-Revival
Move over, Downton Abbey: Parade’s End is moving in Stellar writing and cast make British period piece a winner By Bill Brownstein, Montreal Gazette February 20, 2013 (CALGARY HERALD)
MONTREAL - Great news for those going through the initial stages of Downton Abbey withdrawal: another sterling British period piece is set to make its North American debut.
The five-part miniseries Parade’s End begins Tuesday on HBO Canada. But unlike Downton Abbey, viewers won’t have to wait endless weeks for it to wrap. This Parade comes to an end on Feb. 28; the entire series airs over three nights.
Saving the best for last: Not to detract from Downton Abbey, but Parade’s End packs even more of a punch. Yet it, too, has epic sweep, replete with lavish costumes, tony castles and manicured gardens.
Not that time-honoured servitude doesn’t come into the fray, but Parade’s End is much more upstairs than downstairs-oriented. There is also more passion and more mirth at play here than in Downton Abbey. The tension builds dramatically in this bittersweet tale of love and valour. And the “whiff of sex permeates like a vapour,” as one character so accurately assesses.
Not to detract from the work of Maggie Smith et al at the Abbey, but Parade’s End stars Benedict Cumberbatch (yes, the same guy somewhat slumming in the Sherlock TV series), Rebecca Hall, Adelaide Clemens, Rupert Everett, Stephen Graham, Janet McTeer, Miranda Richardson and many more give the equivalent of a master class in acting. Even the late Sir Larry Olivier would be dazzled.
And not to detract from Downton Abbey creator/writer Julian Fellowes, but it’s hard to top scripts penned by playwright Tom Stoppard, who has adapted this series from the acclaimed four novels of Ford Madox Ford. The dialogue, be it tongue-in-cheek droll or deliciously treacherous, is brilliant. To wit: “He’s not dead. He’s in Glasgow.” Or, “He’s a great lump of wood … (I want) to kill him to see if he has any blood in him.”
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Move+over+Downton+Abbey+Parade+moving/7990821/story.html#ixzz2La6W2suT
Happy birthday, Alan Rickman! (CELEBRITY CAFE)
Gavriella Tjandra
2/21/2013
Alan Rickman turns 67 today!
Born in Hammersmith, England, Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman was born into a middle class family.
2/21/2013
Born in Hammersmith, England, Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman was born into a middle class family.
The actor, who gained his worldwide fame as Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series, initially worked his way to be a graphic designer, however, after a 3-year success in the field, Rickman changed his mind to concentrate on professional acting.
Benedict Cumberbatch, James McAvoy and the cast of Neverwhere - first photo and air date revealed (RADIO TIMES)
Paul Jones
6:24 PM, 20 February 2013
As anticipation mounts among fantasy fans ahead of the Radio 4/4 Extra co-production of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, RadioTimes.com can reveal the first exclusive shot of the star-studded cast, which reads like a who's who of cult TV.
Sherlock's Benedict Cumberbatch and X-Men's James McAvoy are joined by Game of Thrones and former Fades star Natalie Dormer, Doctor Who alumnus Sophie Okonedo and Homeland's David Harewood for the tale of London Below, an alternate reality beneath the capital where famous landmarks take on a life of their own.
Screen legends Christopher Lee and Bernard Cribbins also star in an adaptation that is being described as an "audio film".
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
James McAvoy: (We) Hollywood stars are all imposters McAvoy: My background helps keep my feet on the ground (SUN)
The X-Men: First Class star - raised by his grandparents - said he judges fellow actors by how they treat the humblest crew member, not by their multi-million dollar salaries.
McAvoy, 33, who shot to fame in television's Shameless and Early Doors, is making his return to the West End stage with an all-Scottish Macbeth this week.
And he said he would not be surprised to see Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond in the audience.
The actor, who was raised in Glasgow's Drumchapel area, said: "My background does keep my feet on the ground, but I don't really like seeing Drumchapel as a bad place: it's not fair to the people that live there.
"One of the weird things about Hollywood is we're all imposters; we're all just glammed up. At a proper Hollywood party - an Oscars party - you look around and go, 'F***, he's a movie star and she's a movie star and he got $6million for a film,' but it's clear everybody's the same."
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/4804342/James-McAvoy-Hollywood-stars-are-all-imposters.html#ixzz2LTqHamkS
James Purefoy on 'The Following' violence: 'Concerns are preposterous' Published Tuesday, Feb 19 2013, 5:48am EST | By Morgan Jeffery (DIGITAL SPY)
James Purefoy has argued that concerns about violence in his show The Following are "preposterous".
The English actor plays serial killer Joe Carroll on the Fox drama, which has attracted some criticism for airing violent scenes on network television.
James Purefoy has argued that concerns about violence in his show The Following are "preposterous".
The English actor plays serial killer Joe Carroll on the Fox drama, which has attracted some criticism for airing violent scenes on network television.
Downton Abbey Season 4 Spoilers: What's Next For Branson and Rose? (WET PAINT)
On the Downton Abbey Season 3 finale, it was revealed that Rose, Violet's wild child great-niece, would be staying at Downton while her family went to India. According to TVLine, actress Lily James has been upgraded to series regular for Downton Season 4, so get used to seeing Rose around.
On that note, Entertainment Weekly had a Q&A with Downton exec Gareth Neame, who was coy about Season 4 spoilers, but answered a few questions.
Rose has a personality that's different from anyone else at Downton. Is that the point of her character?
"I think so. We’re entering a more modern age, the post-war into the 1920s and all things that came from that, a slightly freer world and women having more freedom."
READ MORE: http://www.wetpaint.com/network/articles/downton-abbey-season-4-spoilers-whats-next-for-branson-and-rose
Rosamund Pike Emerges as a Real Red Carpet Contender CELEBRITY FASHION by Morgan C. Schimminger February 18, 2013 (THE FASHION SPOT)
This British actress has really stylishly come into her own during the recent promotional tour for her film, Jack Reacher. From Erdem to Alexander McQueen to Giambattista Valli, Rosamund Pike has been selecting some truly stellar red carpet creations lately. Now comes word that Rosamund will be appearing in ads for L.K.Bennett starting in March in some big-name fashion magazines. She's always had a bit of a bold streak maintaing an ability to convincingly pull off bright colors as well as strong prints and patterns.
Rosamund also has monochromatic dressing down. Take the all-black chic Tom Ford suit she was just spotted in last week over in London at the Elle Style Awards 2013. A pair of Nicholas Kirkwood black pumps capped off the look. She's also becoming a regular face at various fashion shows. At the Christian Dior show during Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week Spring 2013 last month, Rosamund looked stylish outfitted in a checkered coat accented by a black Lady Dior Cannage bag and Azzedine Alaïa studded ankle boots.
spoiler: dan stevens' downton abbey replacement revealed Feb 19th 2013, 11:24 | By Nola Ojomu (HANDBAG.COM)
After the death of Matthew Crawley in Downton Abbey's Christmas resulting in Dan Stevens' leaving the show, sources say Miranda star Tom Ellis will be Lady Mary's new love interest.
The actor, who is married to Tamsin Outhwaite, is thought to have left producers impressed after his audition.
Speaking to The Daily Mail, a source said, "He really showed his versatility, and he's also incredibly popular with the female viewers."
READ MORE: http://www.handbag.com/celebrity/news/a459926/spoiler-dan-stevens-downton-abbey-replacement-revealed.html
Liam Neeson to present an Oscar on Sunday (JOE)
Ballymena local Liam Neeson will present an Oscar this Sunday at the Academy Awards
By Genna Patterson
Taken star Liam Neeson, 60, will present an award at the prestigious Oscar ceremony on Sunday February 24. Neeson was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor for Schindler'st List in 1994, but lost out to Tom Hanks for Forrest Gump.
Neeson has seen his star rise in recent years with lead roles in Unknown, Taken 2 and The Grey amongst supportive roles in Batman Begins, Love Actually, Gangs of New York and Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
READ MORE: http://www.joe.ie/entertainment/entertainment-news/liam-neeson-to-present-an-oscar-on-sunday-0034440-1
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Benedict Cumberbatch: never saw this before - a Motion Poster for Star Trek Into Darkness!
Benedict Cumberbatch voices Star Trek Into Darkness motion poster
Check out some new animated artwork promoting the upcoming sci-fi sequel and featuring the chilling words of "John Harrison"
Tom Cole
6:31 PM, 18 February 2013
Benedict Cumberbatch sounds thoroughly chilling as the narrator of this newly-released motion poster for Star Trek Into Darkness.
The artwork is an animated version of the film’s original teaser poster featuring a shot of Cumberbatch as the arch-villain currently known as “John Harrison” surveying the ruins of a cityscape.
READ MORE: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-02-18/benedict-cumberbatch-voices-star-trek-into-darkness-motion-poster
Tom Cole
6:31 PM, 18 February 2013
Benedict Cumberbatch sounds thoroughly chilling as the narrator of this newly-released motion poster for Star Trek Into Darkness.
The artwork is an animated version of the film’s original teaser poster featuring a shot of Cumberbatch as the arch-villain currently known as “John Harrison” surveying the ruins of a cityscape.
READ MORE: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-02-18/benedict-cumberbatch-voices-star-trek-into-darkness-motion-poster
50 Shades of Grey: Henry Cavill and Alexis Bledel as Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele? Steamy 'Trailer' Stirs Buzz [VIDEO] BY Danica Bellini,Mstarz reporter | Feb 18, 2013 04:05 PM EST
READ MORE: http://www.mstarz.com/articles/8527/20130218/50-shades-of-grey-movie-casting-news-update-henry-cavill-alexis-bledel-christian-grey-anastasia-steele-steamy-trailer-stirs-buzz-video.htm
Hugh Grant shows off his paternal side at Cloud Atlas gala... as he reveals it 'feels great' to become a father again By KIMBERLEY DADDS PUBLISHED: 17:57 EST, 18 February 2013 |(DAILY MAIL)
It was only two days ago that Hugh Grant revealed he has become a father for the second time.
And it seems the new addition has brought out the paternal side in him.
The Notting Hill actor was the star guest at the Cloud Atlas gala screening in London on Monday evening.
The 52-year-old showed off his fatherly side as he met two-year-old girl Tyler who was at the screening with her parents.
With his childless bachelor days behind him, Hugh seemed happy to pick up the cute blonde girl as he greeted fans outside the event at the Curzon Mayfair Cinema.
Grant, who already has 18-month-old daughter Tabitha, recently welcomed a son with the 33-year-old Chinese actress Tinglan Hong.
Suited and booted: James Darcy and Tom Hiddlestone were also present in their dapper outfits
READ MORE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2280789/Hugh-Grant-shows-paternal-Cloud-Atlas-gala--reveals-feels-great-father-again.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Colin Firth: Anne Hathaway to be Colin Firth's 'Fair Lady' on stage? Elysa Gardner, USA TODAY
Music mogul Clive Davis has gotten lots of attention for revealing his bisexuality in the new memoir The Soundtrack of My Life, out Tuesday. But for musical theater fans, it may be equally big news that Davis plans to stage a revival of the Lerner and Loewe classic My Fair Lady — with some big stars in mind to play the title character, Eliza Doolittle, and her self-appointed Svengali, Professor Henry Higgins.
Davis writes in Soundtrack that he is "about to realize another of my life's dreams: producing a Broadway musical," with theater veterans Roger Berlind, Scott Landis and the Nederlander Organization.
Chatting with USA TODAY on Monday, Davis elaborated on this dream project, noting that "our first choices" to play Eliza and Higgins were Anne Hathaway — a top Oscar contender this Sunday for her singing performance in the screen version of Les Misérables — and Colin Firth.
'Downton Abbey' breaks our hearts and shows our world being born (LA TIMES)
By David Horsey
February 19, 2013, 12:01 a.m.
Another season of "Downton Abbey" has swiftly gone by, and those of us who are fans deserve a break.
The tragic death of one character -- Lady Sybil -- was hard enough to take, but when the final episode concluded with the upright Matthew Crawley dying in a car wreck reminiscent of the opening scene in "Lawrence of Arabia," it was simply too much manipulation of our tender heartstrings. We need some time to grieve while the writers concoct new twists in a storyline that had tied up most of the loose ends at the close of Season 3.
I confess I'll not miss Matthew all that much. After he got through the curious torture of deciding whether to accept a fortune from the will of his dead fiancee’s father (was there ever any doubt that he’d take the money and save Downton?), he became a rather bland presence in the crowded cast.
I loved his vintage sports cars but was put off by his weak English chin (too much like my own, I suppose). His prickly, complicated wife, Mary, is the character viewers of the show hate or love (I think she’s terrific), and she was getting a bit too domesticated by being married to him. Now, she’ll be free to let her sharp edges poke through in a new plotline for the next season.
READ MORE: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/topoftheticket/la-na-tt-downtown-abbey-20130219,0,6714589.story
Alan Rickman (Don’t Call Him Snape) Snapped Up by ICM Partners (SHOWBIZ 411)
Exclusive: With four movies in the can, Alan Rickman could not be hotter right now. But don’t call him, Snape, please. (I’ve made that mistake myself.) I’m told that Rickman has just moved to ICM Partners, where he’ll be repped by Adam Schweitzer. Rickman has already wrapped playing Hilly Kristal in the CBGB movie. He also appears in “Gambit,” the Michael Hoffman movie with Colin Firth, written by the Coen brothers, that has gone missing in the US. “Gambit” has opened abroad already and will keep opening in various countries. But it may just get a DVD release here.
READ MORE: http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/02/18/alan-rickman-dont-call-him-snape-snapped-up-by-icm-partners
Julian Assange refuses to see Benedict Cumberbatch in the interests of vérité (LONDON EVENING STANDARD)
Does Julian Assange like being misunderstood? The WikiLeaks founder, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorian embassy since last June, is being portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch in the film Fifth Estate. The Londoner hears Cumberbatch is taking the role so seriously that he asked Assange for an audience in his Knightsbridge hideout so that he could study his subject at close quarters.
However, while Assange has courted celebrity in the past, with singers M.I.A. and Lady Gaga both visitors to the embassy inmate, Cumberbatch doesn’t seem to cut the mustard. His attempts were firmly rebuffed.
Assange has already given an early review of the Fifth Estate film, based on the book by Guardian journalists David Leigh and Luke Harding, at an Oxford Union address last week. Speaking by videolink, Assange said the film, produced by Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks, “is a lie upon lie”. “The movie is a massive propaganda attack on Wiki-Leaks and the character of my staff.”
READ MORE: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/no-chance-assange-refuses-to-see-benedict-cumberbatch-in-the-interests-of-vrit-8499768.html
Why, Downton Abbey, Why!? Julian Fellowes Explains Author: Kristy Puchko published: 2013-02-18 05:33:11 (CINEMA BLEND)
In the UK the episode aired at Christmastime, and so here in the States, we're just catching up with this terrible fate for one of the show's most loved characters. (Unless, of course you were illegally sourcing episodes online…) Which means we already know why Matthew had to die. And the answer is so simple it sucks: Dan Stevens, who plays Matthew, no longer wanted to work on Downton Abbey.
The Telegraph spoke with Julian Fellowes, and the show's creator put it plainly:
" If he [Stevens] had been prepared to come back for maybe two or three episodes in a series, that would be different. Then we could have had a foreign posting or invented a career that would have made it possible for him to be away. Otherwise we would have had to make this tremendously successful love affair between Mary and Matthew unhappy, which I didn’t feel would be believable. For them to then separate and Matthew never set eyes on his son again would not be believable either. So we didn’t really have any option. By him dying, their love can remain intact.”
Of course, he's right. It wouldn't have made any sense to send Matthew away from Mary for an entire season, which could be up to a year in the show's storyline. It would hurt the integrity of the show, even more than that burn victim "cousin." So, for all you putting the blame on Downton's writers, know that it should really be placed on Stevens, since he chose not to renew his contract.
READ MORE: http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Why-Downton-Abbey-Why-Julian-Fellowes-Explains-52690.html
Monday, February 18, 2013
Sir Kenneth Branagh: Richard Briers was a national treasure (ITV)
ACTOR RICHARD BRIERS DIES
Sir Kenneth Branagh and Richard Briers worked together on various classic plays Credit: PA
Sir Kenneth Branagh has paid tribute to Richard Briers, saying: "He was a national treasure, a great actor and a wonderful man. He was greatly loved and he will be deeply missed."
They worked together on Henry V, Peter's Friends, Much Ado About Nothing and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein during their lengthy association.
READ MORE: http://www.itv.com/news/update/2013-02-18/sir-kenneth-branagh-briers-was-a-national-treasure/
James Mason: The audacious Odd Man Out turns Britain’s biggest star into furniture in his own film BY MIKE D'ANGELO (AV CLUB)
In Scenic Routes, Mike D’Angelo looks at key movie scenes, explaining how they work and what they mean.
Imagine that you’re at the multiplex to see your favorite actor’s latest star vehicle. Doesn’t really matter who it is, but for the purposes of this exercise, let’s stipulate that it’s somebody very famous, a take-charge personality. Liam Neeson would be perfect, but it could be Matt Damon, Denzel Washington, Daniel Day-Lewis, whoever. Anyway, he’s playing the leader of a gang or a criminal organization of some kind, and early scenes show him planning a big heist. Maybe he and his confederates have noble motives for the robbery. Not important. What is important is that you came to see Neeson (or Damon, or whoever) do his badass thing… but his character is shot during the holdup, badly wounded, abandoned by the rest of the gang. He’s bleeding so much, he can barely stay conscious. And while he’s physically present for much of what follows, it’s only in the way that, say, Tim Roth is physically present for the first half of Reservoir Dogs. The actual movie is about the various people who come in contact with him, virtually none of whom are played by similarly well-known actors.
Sound plausible? That’s the gist of Carol Reed’s 1947 classic Odd Man Out, which stars James Mason—the most popular British actor for four years running at the time of its release—as IRA leader Johnny McQueen. (His group is called “The Organization” throughout, but it’s Northern Ireland, so who are we kidding?) Mason gets shot 14 minutes into the two-hour picture, and is only intermittently awake and coherent from that point forward; the drama revolves entirely around random citizens, mostly embodied by stage actors Reed drafted from the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. It’s a portrait of a community, exploring the ambivalence of people who sympathize with Mason’s cause, but not necessarily with his methods. In its finest, thorniest scene, a couple of middle-aged women gradually realize that the “accident victim” they’ve taken in won’t likely garner them awards for Samaritans Of The Year.
Henry Cavill: '50 Shades of Grey' Movie Favorite Henry Cavill Doesn't Just Want to be Superman (ENTERTAINMENT)
by Aida Ekberg
50 Shades of Grey movie favorite Henry Cavill has some Fifty fans worried that he won't be interested in playing Christian Grey because of his role as Superman in Man of Steel. However, he wants everyone to know that he's not going to let playing the caped crusader stop him from pursuing the roles that he wants.
Henry was coy about playing Christian when Total Film asked him if he's interested in becoming the BDSM master, but he didn't say no to the role—he simply wants to see a script first. He's also not afraid of offending the Comic-Con crowd by playing a character that they would probably scoff at. 50 Shades is an erotic novel based on Twilight fan fiction, after all, and geeks hate sparkly vampires. According to 3 News, here's what Henry Cavill said about not letting Man of Steel limit what he does in the future:
"I have a responsibility to kids who believe I'm Superman - absolutely. It's going to be bizarre to see yourself in toy version. I'm excited, don't get me wrong. But I'm being realistic about it. Ultimately, I'm an actor. At the end of the day, I'm not actually Superman and I will play other roles."
So there's still a chance that he'll attempt to get cast in the 50 Shades of Grey movie.
READ MORE: http://entertainment.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981851303
Henry was coy about playing Christian when Total Film asked him if he's interested in becoming the BDSM master, but he didn't say no to the role—he simply wants to see a script first. He's also not afraid of offending the Comic-Con crowd by playing a character that they would probably scoff at. 50 Shades is an erotic novel based on Twilight fan fiction, after all, and geeks hate sparkly vampires. According to 3 News, here's what Henry Cavill said about not letting Man of Steel limit what he does in the future:
"I have a responsibility to kids who believe I'm Superman - absolutely. It's going to be bizarre to see yourself in toy version. I'm excited, don't get me wrong. But I'm being realistic about it. Ultimately, I'm an actor. At the end of the day, I'm not actually Superman and I will play other roles."
So there's still a chance that he'll attempt to get cast in the 50 Shades of Grey movie.
READ MORE: http://entertainment.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981851303
Downton Abbey' Season 3 finale: Season 4 promises new love and a new face at Downton By Andrea Reiher February 17, 2013 10:35 PM ET (ZAP 2 IT)
The Season 3 finale of "Downton Abbey" aired Sunday night (Feb. 17) and there were some major plot twists, so don't keep reading if you haven't seen the episode already.
Did you have to grab a hankie for the last few frames tonight? We will confess to being just a little bit mad at actor Dan Stevens choosing to leave the show and therefore kind of painting the writers into a corner.
Killing Matthew was really the only option. Having Matthew simply leave Mary would have been extraordinarily out of character and re-casting the role would have been a huge disappointment, we feel. Matthew's death is almost kind of fitting for his relationship with Lady Mary -- they just never could find much happiness, could they?
It's interesting that now there are two new babies at Downton who are each missing one of their parents. We wonder if the writers knew Stevens was leaving before or after they chose to kill off Lady Sybil.
READ MORE:http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2013/02/downton-abbey-season-3-finale-season-4-promises-new-love-and-a-new-face-at-downton.html
Review of Ripper Street ‘A Man of My Company’ By Neela Debnath (SPOILERS)
SPOILERS: Do not read this if you have not seen episode 7 of ‘Ripper Street’
This week was the penultimate episode in the series and saw the Whitechapel trio investigate the murder of an engineer of a ship company but that was only part of the story.
Most importantly, the audience finally learned the truth about Homer Jackson or Matthew Judge and Long Susan. It was a simple love story of a man falling for his boss’s daughter and running away with her. The secret wasn’t as dark and mysterious as it was thought to be. Viewers may have been expecting something quite sinister and a bit grisly – the show is called Ripper Street after all but it was all quite tame.
Instead the shocking moment of the episode came when Hobbs was murdered. He was killed in such a callous way, first paralysed by having his spinal cord cut, then tossed into the Thames to drown. Throughout the series Hobbs has been an endearing character on par with Drake, Jonathan Barnwell has given a wonderful performance as the young officer and it is a pity to lose him.
READ MORE: http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2013/02/17/review-of-ripper-street-a-man-of-my-company/
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