By Dailyrecord.co.uk Comments 8 Aug 2012 18:13 Brit star Bob Hoskins retires from acting after Parkinson's diagnosis (DAILY RECORD)

THE 69-year-old actor has starred in Hollywood hits such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and the homegrown underworld classic The Long Good Friday.

BOB HOSKINS' retirement after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease brings the curtain down on a distinguished career.

The 69-year-old actor has starred in Hollywood hits such as Who Framed Roger Rabbit and the homegrown underworld classic The Long Good Friday.

His role as George, the petty criminal who becomes entangled with a high-class hooker, in the 1986 hit Mona Lisa won him an Oscar nomination for leading actor.

His agent announced today that he was withdrawing from acting after a "wonderful career" and would be spending time with his family.

A statement, issued on his behalf, said: "Bob Hoskins wishes to announce that he will be retiring from acting, following his diagnosis of Parkinson's disease last autumn.

"He wishes to thank all the great and brilliant people he has worked with over the years, and all of his fans who have supported him during a wonderful career.

"Bob is now looking forward to his retirement with his family, and would greatly appreciate that his privacy be respected at this time."


READ MORE:http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/entertainment/celebrity/bob-hoskins-retires-from-acting-after-1237561

THE BRIT LIST: TOP TEN BRITISH CHARACTER ACTORS IN MOVIES TODAY By Leah Rozen | Posted on Friday, July 20th, 2012 (BBC AMERICA)

It’s well known among actors that while leading roles may afford the most screen time and biggest pay checks, supporting roles offer the greater acting challenges and often juiciest lines and scenes.

As Britain’s Eddie Marsan, one of the most talented character actors working today, once said, “I have friends who are leading men, and they’re only ever allowed to play leading men of a certain type. But as a character actor, there’s a wider variety of projects available.”

While a few lucky character actors eventually become leading men – think Bob Hoskins, Alan Rickman, Rhys Ifans and Bill Nighy – most, thanks to physiognomy, build or age, are left to shine in secondary roles.

British thespians have always excelled as character actors. Back in the Golden Age of Hollywood, Donald Crisp, C. Aubrey Smith, Roland Young and plenty more regularly brightened studio releases.

The tradition continues today. Just run through the cast list for any of the eight Harry Potter films and you’ll find a veritable Who’s Who of British talent trotted out as characters who either instruct Harry and his adolescent pals or threaten them.

In salute of these supporting stalwarts, here’s a list (in alphabetical order) of the ten busiest British male character actors working in movies today:


READ MORE: http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2012/07/the-brit-list-top-ten-british-character-actors-in-movies-today/

Snow White and the Huntsman: Film Review 2:40 AM PDT 5/31/2012 by Todd McCarthy (THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)

The Bottom Line

Strikingly designed and cast makeover of the children's tale into a straight-line, romance-free action odyssey.

A bold rethinking of a familiar old story and striking design elements are undercut by a draggy mid-section and undeveloped characters in Snow White and the Huntsman. After the campy family farce of Mirror, Mirror, this second revisionist take of the year on the 19th century fairy tale strides out deadly serious and in full armor, not to mention with more costume changes for Charlize Theron than a Lady Gaga concert. Designed to appeal to teen and young adult girls and guys, this muscular PG-13-rated action adventure conspicuously lacks romance but should get a good box office ride on the shoulders of stars Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth.

The teeing up is dramatic, to say the least, giving a swift and dire account of the malevolent usurpation of the throne of a rugged waterfront kingdom by Ravenna (Theron), a stunning blonde who infiltrates from enemy territory, bewitches the widowed monarch and dispatches him on their wedding night. The king's daughter is kept prisoner in a high tower until her maturity, at which point the queen's mirror, in this case a giant golden plate that morphs into a molten statue, informs her that the status of fairest in the land has shifted to Snow White (Stewart), who represents the queen's greatest threat as well as her salvation.

Opens: June 1 (Universal)
Production: Roth Films
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Sam Claflin, Sam Spruell, Ian McShane, Bob Hoskins, Ray Winstone, Nick Frost, Toby Jones, Eddie Marsan, Johnny Harris, Brian Gleeson, Vincent Regan, Lily Cole
Director: Rupert Sanders
Screenwriters: Evan Daugherty, John Lee Hancock, Hossein Amini, screen story by Evan Daugherty
Producers: Joe Roth, Sam Mercer
Executive producers: Palak Patel, Gloria Borders
Director of photography: Greig Fraser
Production designer: Dominic Watkins
Costume designer: Colleen Atwood
Editors: Conrad Buff, Neil Smith
Music: James Newton Howard
Visual effects supervisors: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, Philip Brensan
PG-13 rating, 128 minutes

READ MORE:  http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/snow-white-huntsman-film-review-331207

Watch The All New Trailers From ‘Neverland’

Written on November 12, 2011 by Paul

We have already been able to bring you a preview of the Brit-packed, Peter Pan prequel Neverland courtesy of Sky over in the UK. Now we have a load more great stuff courtesy of The Syfy channel (& RHI entertainemt) that are airing this two part mini-series in the US, next month on December 4 and 5 at 9pm est.

Neverland stars Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill) as James Hook, Keira Knightley (London Boulevard) as the voice of Tinker Bell, Anna Friel (Pushing Daisies) as Captain Elizabeth Bonny, Oscar nominee Bob Hoskins as Smee (who previously played the character in Steven Spielberg’s feature, Hook) and Charlie Rowe (Pirate Radio) as one of literature’s most cherished characters, Peter Pan.
According to the official synopsis the mini series event sweeps in time from the turbulent seas of the pirates of the Caribbean and the back alleys of Dickensian London to a world of pure imagination! Sounds good and looks good, just see for yourself below!

This is our World – Neverland Syfy Trailer

Syfy Teaser Trailer

BritScene