Hugh Bonneville opposes David Cameron's press proposals (THE TELEGRAPH)

Hugh Bonneville, the Downton Abby star, is pre-occupied with legislation for the press and a rude word used by Rowan Atkinson

Hugh Bonneville as the Earl of Grantham in Downton Abbey Photo: Nick Briggs / Carnival Films

By Tim Walker7:30
AM GMT 18 Mar 2013

Filming may be getting under way on the new Downton Abbey, but Hugh Bonneville’s mind was on other matters over the weekend: legislation to control the press and “shagging”.

The 49-year-old actor, who plays the Earl of Grantham in the series, has been vociferously supporting the Hacked Off campaigners. He has written to his local MP to get him to vote against David Cameron’s alternative proposal for a Royal Charter to regulate the press, and urged his 100,000-odd followers on a social networking site to follow suit.

Mandrake can think of at least two people who are unlikely to have heeded his call. Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey, is a staunch Conservative who was made a peer by the Prime Minister. He was unavailable for comment, but he will be mindful that today’s Commons vote on press regulation is now being seen as a test of Cameron’s authority.

READ MORE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/downton-abbey/9936048/Hugh-Bonneville-opposes-David-Camerons-press-proposals.html

Colin Firth, Helen Mirren: Colin Firth And Helen Mirren To Reprise British Monarch Roles In Separate Gigs (MOVIE LINE)

NEWSWIRE || BY: BRIAN BROOKS || SEPTEMBER 24, 2012 03:25 PM EDT


Colin Firth won an Oscar playing Britain's King George VI in the 2010 historical drama The King's Speech. And Dame Helen Mirren won her Academy Award playing the current U.K. monarch Queen Elizabeth II back in 2006 for her role in The Queen. Now both are set to wear their crowns again in two separate projects.

Firth played Elizabeth II's father, George VI in the Tom Hooper-directed feature about the WWII-era king who ascended the throne after his more dashing older brother abdicated in order to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson in a scandal that rocked the British Empire even as the clouds of war gathered in Europe. Also starring Helena Bonham Carter as his wife, Elizabeth, the film focused on the shy George VI, known to relatives and close friends as Bertie, who overcame a severe speech impediment to help lead his country to face the Nazi threat.


Mirren, meanwhile, will take on the role of George VI's heir, Queen Elizabeth II in a new stage play written by The Queen author Peter Morgan, according to The Guardian. Stephen Daldry will direct The Audience, which will explore her confidential meetings with her long line of British Prime Ministers from her first as a young Queen, Winston Churchill, to the current office holder, David Cameron. In The Queen, she meets with '90s-era P.M. Tony Blair (played by Michael Sheen) around the time of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales capturing a period of great tumult for the British royal family.

Read More at: http://movieline.com/2012/09/24/colin-firth-helen-mirren/

Kenneth Branagh supports World TB Day (THIRD SECTOR)

By Andy Ricketts, Third Sector, 26 March 2012

Plus Dame Judi Dench, Christopher Biggins, Mikey Graham, Andy Flower and David Cameron - The actor and director Kenneth Branagh was among the celebrities who gave their backing to Target TB's call for a world free from tuberculosis on World TB Day, which took place on 24 March. "I support World TB Day 2012 because I want a world free from TB," he said. The actors Simon Callow and Robert Lindsay and the author Julia Donaldson also pledged their support for the charity's activities.

 -The actor Dame Judi Dench has become an honorary patron of Everton in the Community, the official charity of Everton Football Club. Dench is an Everton supporter, as was her husband Michael Williams, who died from lung cancer in 2001. "I was truly honoured to be offered the chance to become involved in such a special charity - and at my football club," she said. "I am excited to be able to represent a charity that continues to push social boundaries and help so many people across Merseyside and beyond."


READ MORE:  http://www.thirdsector.co.uk/Communications/article/1123933/kenneth-branagh-supports-world-tb-day/

Hugh Bonneville: White House Dinner with the Cameron's (MAIL ON LINE)

British stars come out in force to join the Camerons as the Obamas host a White House state dinner in their honour As Mrs Cameron stepped out of the car Mr Obama remarked, ‘Very pretty,' adding ‘They look better than us'

Mrs Cameron was wearing an Alessandra Rich dress, on loan to her from the British-based designer, and shoes from Next The banquet's theme was ‘America’s Backyard’ which was said to be a nod to the U.S. tradition of backyards being the places of gathering and entertaining close friends

In a tribute Obama made a reference to the death of the Cameron's disabled son Ivan saying, 'All of us have seen how as parents you and Samantha have shown a measure of strength that few of us will ever have to know' By JILL REILLY and JOHN STEVENS

Speaking at the White House dinner, President Obama paid lavish tribute to Mr Cameron.

"I've seen his character, I've seen his commitment to human dignity in Libya. I've seen his resolve, his determination to get the job done.'

He also made an apparent reference to the death of Mr Cameron's disabled son Ivan in 2009. 'All of us have seen how as parents you and Samantha have shown a measure of strength that few of us will ever have to know.'

Both world leaders wore dark suits and bow ties, while Mrs Cameron was in a blue lace dress with a floral design by British-based designer Alexandra Rich, which she wore with shoes from high street store Next. She appeared to be wearing the same £180 Emilia Wickstead belt, which she wore earlier in the day and on Tuesday.

Mrs Obama wore a floor length off the shoulder dark teal gown by Marchesa, which was a nod to English actress and designer Georgina Chapman who co-founded the fashion house and was at the dinner with her husband Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.


READ FURTHER:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2115161/British-stars-come-force-join-Camerons-Obamas-host-White-House-state-dinner-honour.html

Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern: White House State Dinner: John Legend, Mumford And Sons Invited To Perform For President Obama (HUFF POST ENTERTAINMENT)

WASHINGTON — Wednesday's giant state dinner for British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife_ the biggest ever thrown by Barack and Michelle Obama – dished up a potent mix of celebrity glam, corporate heft and political money under a giant party tent on the South Lawn.

It is an election year, after all.

 The entertainment lineup also included a little something special for both couples: The Obamas are big admirers of Grammy-winner John Legend, and David and Samantha Cameron are huge fans of Mumford & Sons, a British folk rock band also performing.

Obama, for his part, also is a big fan of "Homeland" actor Damian Lewis, who said on his way into the huge party tent that he planned to ask the president how he ever finds time to watch TV. Among the 360 people who scored golden tickets to the dinner were actor George Clooney, billionaire Warren Buffett, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, businessman Richard Branson, Apple's Jony Ive and movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, a big fundraiser for Obama's re-election campaign.

Others who made the list: Hugh Bonneville and Elizabeth McGovern, both of "Downton Abbey" fame, and Rory McIlroy, the new world No. 1 golfer. In advance of the big night, the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland was so excited he tweeted a photo of himself being fitted for his dinner suit.


READ MORE ABOUT THE DINNER:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/14/white-house-state-dinner-john-legend-obama_n_1345035.html

Hugh Bonneville: Dinner at the White House: the Brits on the guest list (THE GUARDIAN)

Tim Dowling
guardian.co.uk,
Wednesday 14 March 2012 12.17 EDT

The guest list for President Obama's state dinner in honour of David Cameron's US visit offers some intriguing insights into how Americans see BritainA White House state dinner can boast a cast of thousands – or at least one thousand – but there are a few notable names on Wednesday night's guest list, each of whom represents, for the US, a different strand of Britishness.

Hugh Bonneville The star of Downton Abbey is further proof that the UK is a place where anybody can grow up to become a famous actor, even if you're posh, and even if you're called Hugh. The US only has one famous Hugh – Hefner – and even he is best known for still being alive. As a result of his success in Downton, Bonneville is now America's third favourite Hugh, just behind Laurie and Grant.

READ MORE OF THE GUARDIAN ARTICLE:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/14/white-house-dinner-british-guests?newsfeed=true

Close up: More blockbusters please, we're British (Guardian)

Film's favourite PM, David Cameron, stepped in to give his views on what sort of features deserve lottery funding – the big ones

• • Andrew Pulver
  • guardian.co.uk, Thursday 12 January 2012 12.48 EST
  • Article history

Royalty cheques ... The King's Speech

The big story

What sort of British films do we want? Or, more specifically, what sort of British films does David Cameron want? More commercial, big-box-office ones it seems, as the prime minister carefully primed the media for the publication of the government's film policy review. His "remarks" were fed to the press overnight, in advance of his visit to the James Bond studios at Pinewood – leading to immediate suggestions that garlanded veterans like Mike Leigh were "finished". More films like The King's Speech and Slumdog Millionaire, please, said Cameron – but, as Peter Bradshaw pointed out, when politicians meddle in film-making, disaster is never far away. Perhaps Cameron could reflect on what might happen to a film he claimed to admire, Lindsay Anderson's If..., if it had it been around today


http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/jan/12/close-up-blockbusters-david-cameron?newsfeed=true