Oscar Beat: Best Actor Predictions—It’s Gary Oldman Then Everyone Else

Collider
Adam Chitwood
October 16, 2017

Well folks, it’s that time. I’ve been covering some preliminary buzz and shakeups in this current awards season for the past couple of months, but as we head into November, the race starts taking a much more solid shape and predictions come into play. All this week I’ll be laying out my preliminary predictions for some of the biggest categories, and I’m kicking things off with the Best Actor race—which, actually, of all the major races is maybe the least exciting of all.

Indeed, while previous years saw various actors jockeying for the top position, this one very much seems like it’s Gary Oldman’s to lose. The beloved performer turns in a wholly transformative performance in Joe Wright’s World War II drama Darkest Hour, in which he plays Winston Churchill. Oldman is indeed as good as everyone’s saying, and bolstered by an Anthony McCarten script that gives him multiple explosive speeches—which he subsequently hits out of the park—this is a film chock full of “Oscar clip”-worthy scenes.

But beyond Oldman, it’s really not that competitive of a Best Actor race—this year Best Supporting Actor is where the real fight is. Timothee Chalamet should absolutely be in contention for his star-making turn in Call Me By Your Name, which continues to rack up critical support after first bowing at Sundance earlier this year. It’s a major contender in multiple big categories, and while younger performers don’t usually score Best Actor nominations, if the Academy takes to Call Me By Your Name the way audiences at Sundance, TIFF, and the New York Film Festival did, he should make the cut.

There’s also Jake Gyllenhaal giving one of the best performances of his career in Stronger, although his footing is less solid given that the film seems to have unperformed at the box office and, disappointingly, is at risk of being forgotten come Oscar time. Andrew Garfield could be back in the mix for his impressive turn as a paraplegic in director Andy Serkis’ true-story drama Breathe. That film has some mediocre reviews, which may stand in Garfield’s way, but the guy’s incredibly likeable and does a swell job in the film. And, let’s face it: if he can get nominated for Hacksaw Ridge, a nod for Breathe is entirely possible.

 BEST ACTOR PREDICTIONS: http://collider.com/oscars-best-actor-predictions-2018/

Mark Strong and Penelope Wilton scoop top prizes at Olivier Awards 2015

RADIO TIMES
By Huw Fullerton and Kasia Delgado
Sunday 12 April 2015 at 10:28PM



Downton Abbey's Penelope Wilton and veteran film actor Mark Strong have topped the list of winners at this year's Olivier Theatre Awards, winning Best Actress and Best Actor, respectively.

Wilton was honoured for her critically-acclaimed portrayal of the mother of German lawyer Hans Litten – the man who put Hitler on the witness stand in 1931 – in Mark Hayhurst's Taken At Midnight, while Strong won his accolade for playing troubled dock worker Eddie Carbone in the revival of Arthur Miller's 1950s-set A View from the Bridge.

Other screen stars making waves at Britain's biggest theatre awards were Murder She Wrote actress Angela Lansbury, whose return after nearly 40 years to the UK stage in Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit earned her a Best Supporting Actress gong. The Inspector Lynley Mysteries' Nathaniel Parker won Best Supporting Actor for playing Henry VIII in the theatre production of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies.

Still, not all the big-name nominees were so lucky – Strong beat James McAvoy, Richard Armitage and Tim Pigott-Smith in the Best Actor category, while Wilton was up against hotly-tipped Gillian Anderson, Kristin Scott Thomas and Imelda Staunton. Elsewhere, Gemma Arterton and Nicole Scherzinger were beaten to the Best Actress and Supporting Actress in a Musical by Katie Brayben and Lorna Want from Carole King-based musical Beautiful.


READ MORE HERE: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-04-12/mark-strong-and-penelope-wilton-scoop-top-prizes-at-olivier-awards-2015

Olivier Awards 2015: Nominations in full from Wolf Hall to Beautiful - The Carole King Musical

THE INDEPENDENT
 JESS DENHAM  Author Biography   Monday 09 March 2015



 Lesley Manville and James McAvoy have announced the nominations for this year's Olivier Awards, celebrating the best in theatre.

Memphis The Musical has picked up the most nods with nine, while Beautiful - The Carole King Musical has earned eight.

Here is the list in full:

Best Actress

Gillian Anderson, A Streetcar Named Desire

Kristin Scott Thomas, Electra

Imelda Staunton, Good People

Penelope Wilton, Taken At Midnight

Best Actor

Richard Armitage, The Crucible

James McAvoy, The Ruling Class

Tim Pigott-Smith, King Charles III

Mark Strong, A View From The Bridge

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Phoebe Fox, A View From the Bridge

The Girls playing Iris, The Nether

Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit

Lydia Wilson, King Charles III

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

David Caldar, The Nether

Richard Goulding, King Charles III

John Light, Taken At Midnight

Nathaniel Parker, Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies





READ MORE HERE: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/olivier-awards-2015-nominations-in-full-from-wolf-hall-to-beautiful--the-carole-king-musical-10095566.html

Tom Hiddleston, Billie Piper and Gillian Anderson nominated for Evening Standard Theatre Awards

RADIO TIMES
By Susanna Lazarus
Monday 17 November 2014 at 02:21PM



The shortlist for this year's Evening Standard Theatre Awards is looking particularly star-studded thanks to a string of A-listers receiving rave reviews for their West End performances over the last twelve months.

The ceremony – presented by Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon – will see Tom Hiddleston competing for the best actor prize for his starring role in Coriolanus. He's up against Ben Miles (Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies) and Mark Strong (A View from the Bridge).

Jostling for the best actress gong are former Doctor Who actress Billie Piper (Great Britain), Gillian Anderson (A Streetcar Named Desire), Kristin Scott Thomas (Electra), Helen McCrory (Medea) and Tanya Moodie (Intimate Apparel).



The ceremony will be held on 30th November, co-hosted by US Vogue editor Anna Wintour, Burberry CEO Christopher Bailey and Evgeny Lebedev, the owner of the Evening Standard.


READ MORE HERE:http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-11-17/tom-hiddleston-billie-piper-and-gillian-anderson-nominated-for-evening-standard-theatre-awards 

Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, Kevin Kline Set for Film Adaptation of Israel Horovitz's My Old Lady

PLAYBILL
By Michael Gioia
09 Sep 2013

Kristin Scott Thomas, who was seen on Broadway in The Seagull, will join Tony winners Maggie Smith (Lettice and Lovage) and Kevin Kline (The Pirates of Penzance) in a film adaptation of the Israel Horovitz play My Old Lady, according to Deadline.com.

Playwright Horovitz (The Indian Wants the Bronx) will adapt and direct the upcoming film, which is based on his Off-Broadway play of the same name and will shoot in Paris this month.

My Old Lady, which follows Kline's character as he travels to Paris to sell a huge apartment his father left him, was seen at the Promenade Theatre in fall 2002. Also cast in the film is Dominique Pinon.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/181886-Kristin-Scott-Thomas-Maggie-Smith-Kevin-Kline-Set-for-Film-Adaptation-of-Israel-Horovitzs-My-Old-Lady?tsrc=nx

How Donatella Versace inspired Kristin Scott Thomas’s latest character (TELEGRAPH) BY BIBBY SOWRAY | 18 JULY 2013

Donatella Versace and Kristin Scott Thomas as Crystal Thompson Photo: Rex

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but we're not sure that's how Donatella Versace will see this one.

The designer is said to have inspired the look sported by Kristin Scott Thomas in her role as "merciless and terrifying mafia godmother" Crystal Thompson in Only God Forgives .

The character has been described by the film's director Nicolas Winding Refn (the man behind the Gosling-fest that is Drive ) as "a cross between Lady Macbeth and Donatella Versace". Having seen Scott Thomas in character, we think it's safe to say Donatella inspired Crystal's look as opposed to murderous tendencies.

But when questioned about her use of Donatella as a point of reference, Scott Thomas has tried to backtrack.

"This is a huge mistake. Donatella Versace, I've heard she's the sweetest, nicest, kindest person in the entire world," the actress told The Cut , before taking out a shovel and beginning to dig.

"But what she's done is created this aesthetic that many, many, many women emulate. And you know, it was a pretty powerful thing to do, and her idea of glamour and beauty doesn't always work, and it certainly doesn't work on Crystal."

READ MORE HERE: http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/columns/bibby-sowray/TMG10187731/How-Donatella-Versace-inspired-Kristin-Scott-Thomass-latest-character.html

Kristin Scott Thomas gets nasty at Cannes (USA TODAY)

CANNES, France — Kristin Scott Thomas is known for her cool, aristocratic demeanor in classic films such as 1994's Four Weddings and a Funeral and 1996's The English Patient.

But now it's time for her to get nasty. Real nasty.

The English-French actress, who turns 53 on Friday, takes on a very different role as the bloodthirsty head of a drug-running family hell-bent on revenge in Only God Forgives (out July 19). The film from writer-director Nicolas Winding Refn saw its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.

Thomas will shock — and delight — her fans as she chews her way through anyone in her path onscreen while inhaling long, thin cigarettes. The role has thrust her into the spotlight, a place usually reserved for her marquee co-star Ryan Gosling, who was pulled out of the festival because of last-minute film commitments.

"She had no problem turning on the bitch switch," said Refn as the film was introduced to the international press.


READ MORE: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/05/22/kristin-scott-thomas-cannes-film/2350343/

Kristin Scott Thomas - Happy Birthday!!!

Kristin Scott Thomas

Actress

Kristin A. Scott Thomas, OBE is an English-French actress. She gained international recognition in the 1990s for her roles in Bitter Moon, Four Weddings and a Funeral, The English Patient, Gosford Park and Nowhere Boy.

  

Born: May 24, 1960 (age 53), Redruth

Height: 5' 6" (1.68 m)

Spouse: François Olivennes (m. 1987–2005)

Children: Hannah Olivennes, Joseph Olivennes, George Olivennes

Siblings: Serena Scott Thomas

Scarlett1897

Hugh Bonneville: Olivier Awards ceremony details announced (LONDON THEATER)

Details of some of the performances and guests planned for the Olivier Awards ceremony on Sunday 28 April 2013, at the Royal Opera House, to be broadcast on television on ITV in an extensive highlights package that night, and live on radio on BBC Radio 2.

As previously mentioned, Hugh Bonneville and Sheridan Smith will host proceedings with voiceover by Julia McKenzie.

The Nominations for the 37th Olivier Awards are.

Best Actor
Rupert Everett - The Judas Kiss at Hampstead/Duke of york's
James McAvoy – Macbeth at Trafalgar Studios
Mark Rylance – Twelfth Night at Globe/Apollo
Rafe Spall – Constellations at Royal Court/Duke of York's
Luke Treadaway – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo

Best Actress
Helen Mirren – The Audience at Gielgud
Hattie Morahan – A Doll’s House at Young Vic
Billie Piper – The Effect at Cottesloe, NT
Kristin Scott Thomas – Old Timesat Harold Pinter

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Paul Chahidi – Twelfth Night at Globe/Apollo
Richard McCabe – The Audience at Gielgud
Adrian Scarborough – Hedda Gabler at Old Vic
Kyle Soller – Long Day’s Journey Into Night at Apollo

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Janie Dee – NSFW at Royal Court
Anastasia Hille – The Effect at Cottesloe, NT
Cush Jumbo – Julius Caesar at Donmar Warehouse
Helen McCrory – The Last Of The Haussmans at Olivier, NT
Nicola Walker – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo

Best New Play
Constellations by Nick Payne at Royal Court/the Duke of York's
The Audience by Peter Morgan at Gielgud
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Simon Stephens at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo
This House by James Graham at Cottesloe/ Olivier, NT

Best Revival
Long Day’s Journey Into Night at Apollo
Macbeth at Trafalgar Studios 1
Old Times at Harold Pinter
Twelfth Night at Globe/Apollo

Best Director
Stephen Daldry – The Audience at Gielgud
Marianne Elliott – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo
Jeremy Herrin – This House at Cottesloe/ Olivier, NT
Simon McBurney – The Master And Margarita at barbican

Best Actor in a Musical
Michael Ball – Sweeney Todd at Adelphi
Alex Bourne – Kiss Me, Kate at Old Vic
Tom Chambers – Top Hat at Aldwych
Will Young – Cabaret at Savoy

Best Actress in a Musical
Heather Headley – The Bodyguard at Adelphi
Imelda Staunton – Sweeney Todd at Adelphi
Summer Strallen – Top Hat at Aldwych
Hannah Waddingham – Kiss Me, Kate at Old Vic

Best Performance in A Supporting Role in a Musical
Adam Garcia – Kiss Me, Kate at Old Vic
Debbie Kurup – The Bodyguard at Adelphi
Sian Phillips – Cabaret at Savoy
Leigh Zimmerman – A Chorus Line at Palladium

Best New Musical
Loserville at Garrick
Soul Sister at Savoy
The Bodyguard at Adelphi
Top Hat at Aldwych

Best Musical Revival
A Chorus Line at Palladium
Cabaret at Savoy
Kiss Me, Kate at old Vic
Sweeney Todd at Adelphi

Best Entertainment & Family
Cinderella at St James Theatre
Goodnight Mister Tom at Phoenix
Hansel And Gretel at Cottesloe, NT
Room On The Broom at Lyric

Best Theatre Choreographer
Scott Ambler – Chariots Of Fire at Hampstead at Hampstead/ Gielgud
Bill Deamer – Top Hat at Aldwych
Scott Graham & Steven Hoggett – The Curious Incident of the dog in the Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo
Stephen Mear – Kiss Me, Kate at Old Vic

Best Set Design
Hildegard Bechtler – Top Hat at Aldwych
Miriam Buether & Wang Gongxin – Wild Swans at Young Vic
Bunny Christie & Finn Ross – The Curious Incident of the dog in the Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo
Tim Hatley – The Bodyguard at Adelphi

Best Lighting Design
Paul Anderson – The Master And Margarita at Barbican
Paule Constable – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo
Lee Curran – Constellations at Royal Court/Duke of York's
Mark Henderson – Sweeney Todd at Adelphi

Best Costume Design
Bob Crowley – The Audience at Gielgud
Jon Morrell – Top Hat at Aldwych
Jenny Tiramani – Twelfth Night at Globe/Apollo
Anthony Ward – Sweeney Todd at Adelphi

Best Sound Design
Ian Dickinson – The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time at Cottesloe, NT/Apollo
Paul Groothuis – Sweeney Todd at Adelphi
David McSeveney – Constellations at Royal Court/Duke of York's
Gareth Owen – Top Hat at Aldwych

Audience Award for Most Popular Show
Billy Elliot The Musical
Matilda The Musical
The Phantom Of The Opera
Wicked

Outstanding Achievement In An Affiliate Theatre 
Caroline Horton for You’re Not Like The Other Girls Chrissy at the Bush Theatre
The production of Red Velvet at the Tricycle Theatre
The season of new writing at the Royal Court Upstairs
Kate Bond and Morgan Lloyd for You Me Bum Bum Train, presented by Theatre Royal Stratford East

Best new Opera Production
Billy Budd, English National Opera at the London Coliseum
Caligula, English National Opera at the London Coliseum
Einstein On The Beach at the Barbican Theatre
La Traviata, English National Opera at the London Coliseum

Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Edward Gardner for his conducting of The Flying Dutchman and Billy Budd at the English National Opera, London Coliseum
Bryan Hymel for his performances in Les Troyens, Robert Le Diable and Rusalka at the Royal Opera House
Music Theatre Wales for In the Locked Room/Ghost Patrol at the Linbury Theatre, the Royal Opera House
The Stage Management teams at English National Opera, London Coliseum and the Royal Opera House

Best New Dance Production
Aeternum by the Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House, choreographed by Christoper Wheeldon
Cacti by Nederlands Dans Theatre 2 at Sadler’s Wells, choreographed by Alexander Ekman
A Streetcar Named Desire by Scottish Ballet at Sadler’s Wells

Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Lez Brotherston for the set and costumes for Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty, New Adventures at Sadler’s Wells
ILL-Abilities company in Breakin’ Convention at Sadler’s Wells
Marianela Nunez for Aeternum, Diana & Actaeon and Viscera, The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House

Special Award
Former Olivier Award winners Gillian Lynne and Michael Frayn are to be honoured with Special Awards for their outstanding contributions to theatre.

READ MORE: http://www.londontheatre.co.uk/londontheatre/news/ap13/olivierawardsceromony111664.htm

Happy Birthday Clive Owen - 3 October, 1964

Oops - almost forgot the big guy's birthday.

Clive Owen is an English actor, who has worked on television, stage and film. He first gained recognition in the United Kingdom for portraying the lead in the ITV series Chancer from 1990 to 1991. 

Born: October 3, 1964 (age 48), Keresley

Height: 6' 2" (1.89 m)

Spouse: Sarah-Jane Fenton (m. 1995)

Siblings: Lee Owen, Alan Owen

Children: Hannah Owen, Eve Owen

One of my all time favorite movies - the trailer for GOSFORD PARK (written my Julian Fellowes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfokH6v4aOM

Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt On The Red Carpet For London Premiere Of 'Salmon Fishing In The Yemen' (PHOTOS) Posted: 10/04/2012 21:22 Updated: 10/04/2012 21:34 (HUFFINGTON POST)

Ewan McGregor has admitted that he is "no fisherman" as he attended the premiere of his latest film Salmon Fishing In The Yemen. The actor, who plays fisheries expert Alfred Jones in the romantic comedy, said fishing was not one of his favourite hobbies.

 The film, which has been adapted from Paul Torday's novel, sees McGregor tasked with the seemingly impossible mission of introducing salmon into the Yemen wadis by a sheikh. "I'm not really a fisherman," he said. "I must have done some fishing when I was a kid here and there but it is not really a passion of mine."

READ MORE:  http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/04/10/ewan-mcgregor-emily-blunt-salmon-fishing-yemen-premiere-photos_n_1415970.html?1334090467

Colin Firth: Give us this day, our daily Firth (ADULTS ONLY, PLEASE)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtMFDZLLsaU&feature=player_embedded

Question of the day - How old was Colin Firth when he first started in movies?  He looks about twelve in some of these scenes.  But an incredibly nice looking twelve.

I wish I knew the names of these movies.  If you know, please tell me.  Please.

Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt: ‘Salmon Fishing’ is a great date movie (EXAMINER)

Jeffrey Totey
Christian Pop Culture Examiner


With all the hoopla over the excitement of “The Hunger Games” coming out this weekend, very little attention has been given to another film also just arriving in theaters: “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.” This intelligent comedy is by the Oscar-winning screenwriter of “Slumdog Millionaire, “Simon Beaufoy and the director of “Chocolate,” Lasse Hallstrom and it is worth swimming upstream for.

The unbelievable yet charming film begins with a visionary sheik (Amr Waked) wanting to bring fishing into the dessert. The man has a lot of cash burning holes in his robes, so if the project could be successful, he can fund it. His representative, Harriet (Emily Blunt), is all over this project and quickly recruits Britain’s leading fisheries expert, Dr. Alfred Jones, (Ewan McGregor) for help. He initially doesn’t believe that it can be possible, but is given a nice salary to try anyway.

READ MORE:  http://www.examiner.com/christian-pop-culture-in-national/salmon-fishing-is-a-great-date-movie-review

Movie Review: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (APP.COM)

From the offbeat title to the unexpected pairing of Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt, “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” is intriguing from the start. Based on Paul Torday’s novel of the same name, McGregor plays Dr. Fred Jones, a pragmatic salmon expert who works for the British fisheries.

Blunt stars as the charming Harriet Chetwode-Talbot, who handles a wealthy Yemeni sheik’s financial assets. The film artfully mixes an unlikely romance with British politics. This quirky blend of genres works, and overall the movie is entertaining.

Sheik Muhammad (Amr Waked) dreams of bringing salmon fishing to Yemen. Harriet is given the task of handling this outlandish project. She enlists the help of Dr. Fred, who initially rejects her offer. The course of these characters’ lives change when Patricia Maxwell (Kirstin Scott Thomas), the British prime minister’s relentlessly efficient personal assistant, decides that this project will provide the PM with some positive press.

With the persistent urging of Patricia, Fred is forced to participate in the sheik’s endeavors.


READ MORE:  http://www.app.com/article/CN/20120322/NJENT03/303220025/Quirky-film-offers-reel-entertainment

COLIN FIRTH: Easy Virtue Goof Reel - very funny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hICcWZ1cdlM&feature=player_embedded

An Actor Prepared

Ewan McGregor: Fishing Film Catches PETA Praise (PETA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpWaP-XPRUk&feature=player_embedded


Written by Michelle Sherrow 22 hours ago

Lasse Hallström's Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, starring Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt, might not sound like a film that would be fishing for praise from PETA, but the filming of the drama went swimmingly, thanks to fake fish.

Animatronic and computer-generated animals are getting starring roles in more and more films, such as Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Big Miracle, because people who care about animals refuse to tolerate cruelty in the entertainment industry.

 Fishing's stars are reeling in the animal accolades too. Both Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor love their companion dogs, and Emily has been known to enjoy a vegan meal, while Ewan donated an autographed picture to an animal shelter's fundraiser.


Visit the PETA WEBSITE, READ MORE ABOUT THIS ARTICLE:
http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2012/03/20/ewan-mcgregor-fishing-film-catches-peta-praise.aspx

Olivier Awards 2012: James Corden, Benedict Cumberbatch dominate Olivier Awards 2012 (DIGITAL SPY)

Published Thursday, Mar 15 2012, 9:55am EDT | By Rebecca Davies

James Corden and Benedict Cumberbatch have received nominations for this year's Olivier Awards. Corden is up for the 'Best Actor' gong for his role in comedy play One Man, Two Guvnors, while Cumberbatch could share an award with Jonny Lee Miller for their joint portrayal of Frankenstein and The Creature in Frankenstein

The Olivier Awards take place at the Royal Opera House on Sunday, April 15 and will be hosted by Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton.

READ MORE AND SEE THE ENTIRE LIST OF NOMINEES:  http://www.digitalspy.com/celebrity/news/a371335/james-corden-benedict-cumberbatch-dominate-olivier-awards-2012.html

Emily Blunt's marriage is her priority (SKY NEWS AUSTRALIA)

Emily Blunt's marriage is her 'priority'.

The 29-year-old actress tied the knot with John Krasinski, 32, in July 2010, but had to leave to start work on new movie 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen' just one month later. But despite being on location in Scotland and Morocco while her other half was in America, Emily says they made it work by setting time aside to catch up with each other.

She said: 'We were far from home I guess, but we were so busy working we really didn't think about it much. 'You talk, you email, you do all of that. There is no magic answer. It's just the way anyone else would do it. You do your best and make it a priority.' The 'Devil Wears Prada' star spent the remainder of her free time getting to know co-stars Ewan McGregor and Kristin Scott Thomas.


READ MORE:  http://www.skynews.com.au/showbiz/article.aspx?id=728187&vId=

Brits At The Box Office: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, David Tennant, Mark Strong, Chris O’ Dowd & More! (BRITSCENE)

Written on March 7, 2012 by Charlie Derry

With not a lot of British-related news going on at the box office over the last couple of weeks, things are starting to heat up again with a couple of new releases this weekend. It’s actually quite a good week for a number of Brits including Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, David Tennant, and Irish comedy actor Chris O’Dowd, with a great selection of films for the next seven days, and we know that you will be happy to see a couple of these in particular on the big screen at last.






More trailers and the rest of this article:  http://www.britscene.com/2012/03/brits-at-box-office-ewan-mcgregor-emily-blunt-david-tennant-mark-strong-more/32308

Sir Ian McKellen vows to keep the Dickensian spirit in new role as pub landlord (London Evening Standard)

Hosts: Ian McKellen, Sean Mathias and Evgeny Lebedev at The Grapes, Limehouse

Simon Freeman
13 Jan 2012

The clientele may become a little glitzier, the menu a dash more up-to-date and the decor subtly freshened, but the new owners of one of London's oldest pubs today pledged it would retain its spirit as an old-fashioned East End boozer.

At the reopening of The Grapes, in Narrow Street, Limehouse, film and stage star Sir Ian McKellen, who took over the lease of his local three months ago, said the 17th-century pub immortalised by Charles Dickens would not become "a star-studded bolt hole, a theatre cabaret or a gay bar" on his watch.

Sir Ian has teamed up with his former partner, director Sean Mathias, and Evgeny Lebedev, chairman of the Evening Standard, to keep the Dickensian spirit of the creaky riverside watering hole flowing in the 21st century.

He said: "Dickens wrote that 'it had outlasted and clearly would yet outlast many a better trimmed building'. It's simply sentiment from my point of view that I wanted to make sure it continues to do so."

But Sir Ian, who will fly to New Zealand to finish filming The Hobbit this month, is sure to attract a few A-listers now his name is above the door. "It was quite fun on New Year's Eve when we had a party and the locals saw Patrick Stewart, Kristin Scott Thomas, Frances Barber, Stingeven Boris Johnson got a reasonable welcome. They weren't coming down to slum it, or to patronise us, and the regulars simply accepted them as friends of ours.

"Tonight Martin Freeman, who plays the Hobbit, is coming here."

The trio took the lease over from Barbara Haigh, a one-time Bunny at the London Playboy Club who ran the pub and its upstairs fish restaurant for 17 years. Mr Mathias said: "There's no telly, no fruit machines, no kids, no recorded music. It's a boozer for people to come and chew the cud. We don't want to lose that authenticity."

Mr Lebedev, who met Sir Ian and Mr Mathias in 2009 while trying to engineer a transfer of their production of Waiting For Godot from the Haymarket to the Moscow Art Theatre, said: "Russia has destroyed all the physical signs of its own history and you would be hard-pressed to find a drinking hole from a Dostoevsky novel. It's a great privilege and honour to own such an incredibly charming piece of London's past."

Regular Martin Onslow, 49, said: "If Kristin Scott Thomas comes in again, I'm sure I'll be happy to buy her a pint."


http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24027607-sir-ian-vows-to-keep-the-dickensian-spirit-in-new-role-as-pub-landlord.do