Dame Kiri Te Kanawa: 'I couldn't say yes to Downton fast enough!

 WHAT'S ON TV
October 2, 2013

World famous opera star Dame Kiri Te Kanawa will be playing legendary real-life singer Dame Nellie Melba in this Sunday's episode of Downton Abbey. We spoke to her about making the Downton cast cry...

How did you hear that Julian Fellowes wanted you to play the part of Dame Nellie Melba?
"An email came through asking if it would be something I'd be interested in discussing and I was so excited! Downton is my favourite programme in the whole world, I couldn't believe they'd asked me! I met with Julian and the producers and they asked me if I wanted to do it. I nearly choked! I couldn't say 'yes' fast enough!"

Did you research Dame Nellie much for the role?

"I had someone in New Zealand who knew quite a lot about her and I got a lot of info from the Metropolitan Opera. I've always been very interested in her anyway because she's such a legend. I have a log-sheet of all the performances she made in the 1890s, through to the 1920s, and you can see she performed almost every second evening for years. Her wage for one year would have been about £3m in today's money!"

How did you choose which songs to sing?
"Apparently Songs My Mother Taught Me was one of her very favourite songs and luckily we have a copy of her singing it, which we've tried to reproduce as faithfully as possible. Julian wanted to stay true to the character because apparently she's the only true character that actually lived who's been on the show."

Would you like to do more acting in the future?
"I'm not sure I was acting! It was just a really special experience to be on set with such a talented group of actors and crew!"

We hear you brought your dogs with you?
"Yes I brought my two dogs along, but Lord Carnarvon (the owner of Highclere Estate) didn't want them anywhere near the castle so they had to stay at my hotel. When filming was taking place we were expecting doggy number three and when she arrived we named her Abbey! She's my little Downton prize."

Read more at http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/downton-abbey/news/dame-kiri-te-kanawa-i-couldnt-say-yes-to-downton-fast-enough#0HUcYffylL0mQ4U0.99

Matthew Macfadyen talks 'Pillars Of The Earth'

YAHOO NEW ZEALAND
September 24, 2013, 3:10 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxeoqgr1vpQ

TV mini-series 'The Pillars Of The Earth' hits our screens from this week - one of the stars, Matthew Macfadyen, talks about what it was like working on the adaptation of the popular Ken Follett novel.

About his character, Prior Philip:

Well it's interesting in terms of his character (as) he knows himself quite well. I think that he knows that his chief temptation is vanity and pride because he’s intelligent and he’s ambitious for the church and for the greater glory of God I suppose in his way of thinking. And to do that you have to make compromises I suppose; and you have to be able to put yourself in a position of power.

About the cast:

Talking about the other cast members; I can’t remember a job where everyone has enjoyed being in [each other’s] company so much. I can’t speak for the other actors but I, we all really get on. And they are just great; everyone is fantastic and very different.

And I think because it is such an ensemble piece, because you’ve got the monks, and you’ve got the builders, you’ve got the royals, and you’ve got the big powerful noble families, it feels, when everyone gets together it feels like a party.

About the sets:

I mean, you can’t see this, but it is just extraordinary. I had just come off another medieval set, Ridley Scott’s ‘Robin Hood’ project, and there really is no difference. There is a difference in budget but there is no difference in scale here. So it’s just great. When it is like that it’s fantastic because you don’t need to use your imagination the same that you do when you are in a studio.


READ MORE HERE: http://nz.entertainment.yahoo.com/news/article/-/19089184/matthew-macfadyen-talks-pillars-of/

MARTIN FREEMAN DISCUSSES THE HOBBIT SEQUELS (FAN SHARE)

BY JON GALT

English actor Martin Freeman has become a global superstar, thanks to his portrayal of Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. However, Martin admits that there is a certain question that he is often asked, which is not quite fully correct.

Martin says that he is often asked how he enjoyed doing The Hobbit movies, before confirming that he still has to head back to New Zealand for a couple of months to continue filming the sequels.

Read more at http://www.fansshare.com/news/martin-freeman-discusses-hobbit-sequels/#ecuMXPLf1YZwOwC9.99 

Neala Johnson's review of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (ADELAIDE NOW)

IT'S great to be back in Middle-earth. There may be a great darkness descending on the forests, but the weather is always fine in Hobbiton.

And that’s exactly where Peter Jackson drops us into The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; 60 years prior in Tolkein-time to the happenings of Jackson’s Oscar-winning $2.8 billion-grossing The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Prepare your children before taking them to An Unexpected Journey

This is not yet the time of Frodo, Aragorn and Legolas. The central figure here is the hobbit of the title, Bilbo Baggins.

A happy homebody, he is overwhelmed when a baker's dozen dwarves pile into his kitchen. Their mission: to reclaim their home from the dragon Smaug. Bilbo is to be their "burglar”. But this hobbit is a reluctant journeyman - adventures, he says, are "nasty, uncomfortable things" and "make you late for dinner".

Martin Freeman (UK TV shows The Office and Sherlock) is the perfect Bilbo - equal parts wide-eyed wonder, fearful bumbling and dry humour.

Thorin’s hero back-story is marvellously fleshed out. Little wonder there’s already major buzz around Armitage - his Thorin is to The Hobbit what Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn was to The Lord of the Rings.

The breadcrumbs that link this new prequel to Jackson’s much-loved LOTR trilogy are many - from the appearance of Frodo (Elijah Wood) to Bilbo’s first encounter with Gollum and that one ring.

The latter scene is magnificent: both frightening and funny as Bilbo and the split-personality creature trade riddles in a watery cave.

Gollum’s amazingly expressive face is just one pointer to the technological leaps taken in filmmaking, and embraced by Jackson and his team, in the last decade. Unsurprisingly, An Unexpected Journey features a lot more CGI than the LOTR movies, while thankfully still making good use of New Zealand’s epic landscape and a quality flesh-and-bone ensemble cast.

 READ MORE: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/entertainment/movies/neala-johnsons-review-of-the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey/story-e6freeuc-1226529768368

The Hobbit World Premiere: Peter Jackson, Martin Freeman, Cate Blanchett Celebrate in New Zealand by Josh Grossberg (E!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUQS-dQ81Pw
RichardArmitageNet

One premiere to rule them all and in the darkness bind them.

Middle-earth mania was in full force as an estimated 100,000 Kiwis turned out to hail Peter Jackson and stars Martin Freeman, Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis and Cate Blanchett at the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Wednesday night in the New Zealand capital of Wellington.

The blockbuster, the first installment of a new trilogy that's serving as a prequel to the director's trio of Oscar-winning Lord of the Rings films, earned rave reviews from those in attendance at its first showing at the Embassy Theatre, whose entrance was decorated to look like a Hobbit house.


Excited fans—many of whom wore homemade hobbit feet, elven cloaks and wizard costumes—cheered as Jackson and company walked a massive red carpet. Along with new cast members including Richard Armitage, who plays the dwarf leader Thorin Oakenshield, were veterans of the first trilogy, among them Elijah Wood, who briefly reprises his role as Frodo in The Hobbit and lavished praise on Freeman in the lead as Bilbo Baggins.

"He was brilliant, the right amount of funny," Wood told The Hollywood Reporter. "He has strange qualities but also real heart. He is the heart of the movie, and he really pulled it off."


READ MORE: http://www.eonline.com/news/366579/the-hobbit-world-premiere-peter-jackson-martin-freeman-cate-blanchett-celebrate-in-new-zealand

Hobbit stars pour into Wellington SOPHIE SPEER (STUFF.NZ)

Hobbit actors Hugo Weaving, Andy Serkis, Martin Freeman, Zealandia's Lauren Schaer, Elijah Wood and Richard Armitage pay a visit to Wellington's Zealandia.

The stars of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey are pouring into Wellington ahead of tomorrow's world premiere.

Actors Martin Freeman, Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis and Richard Armitage flew into the capital on Sunday and spent yesterday with Hugo Weaving at Zealandia.

Zealandia spokeswoman Lauren Shaer said the group were filming an interview for an American show at the wildlife sanctuary.

"They were all really lovely. Hugo was especially interested in our conservation work as he is involved with similar projects himself.

READ MORE: http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/culture/8002657/Hobbit-stars-pour-into-Wellington

The Hobbit: stormclouds gather over premiere amid animal care row (THE GUARDIAN)

Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The film’s cast and crew have denied allegations of cruelty to animals. Photograph: Warner Bros/Planet Photos

British actor Martin Freeman is close to becoming an official mascot for New Zealand, thanks to his role in the new Hobbit film and this weekend's unveiling of a giant image of his face on the side of a Boeing jet at Auckland airport. And suddenly it looks as if the Tolkien entertainment industry might be in need of such a congenial ambassador.


Just three days before the film premieres in New Zealand's capital, Wellington, the long-awaited Peter Jackson adaptation of JRR Tolkien's first foray into Middle-earth is under attack from several quarters. Its Hollywood producers stand variously accused of cruelty to animals, suppression of the press and exploitative merchandising.

The film-makers and stars of the Lord of the Rings prequel, including Freeman, who plays Bilbo Baggins, and Elijah Wood, who makes a cameo appearance as Frodo Baggins, are working to restore goodwill. And there is a lot riding on the franchise. Air New Zealand bosses have spent a large portion of the company's £51m marketing budget for the next two years on Hobbit-themed promotions. But the painted Boeing is only the wing-tip of the effort. A special flight-safety video, featuring characters from the film, has already gained almost 10m web views since its release three weeks ago. Hobbit coins, bearing the faces of Bilbo and Gandalf, are circulating as legal tender in New Zealand, and Wellington's Waitangi Park is to be transformed into a Hobbit Artisan Market this weekend, ready for the premiere, while the three films in Jackson's earlier Lord of the Rings trilogy are shown on a big screen.

READ MORE:http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/nov/25/the-hobbit-premiere-animal-row

Air Middle Earth in-flight safety video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-0wYKJ4Sbc

Win tickets to The Hobbit World Premiere

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-B8B4cWplM

Hugh Bonneville: Downton star makes surprise Palmy visit Palmerston North pupil's tweet comes true ERICA THOMPSON (MANAWATU STANDARD)

Left: Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville made a surprise visit to Palmerston North fan Lauren Hutchinson's high school.

Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville made a surprise visit to a Palmerston North high school today to meet one of the show's biggest fans.

The British actor, who plays Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham in the smash hit costume drama, flew into Palmerston North this morning to surprise local school girl Lauren Hutchinson.

The Palmerston North Girls' High student had no idea Bonneville would be making an appearance during her school assembly and turn the spotlight on her.

"We've been planning it for weeks actually," said Bonneville, who was dressed in a Downton appropriate tweed jacket. "I was just nervous that she would call in sick today or something."

Hutchinson frequently tweets about the show on her Twitter account, @DowntonAbbey_.

But she was none the wiser to the special guest headed her way last night, tweeting "@hughbon needs to tell us where he is NZ".

READ MORE: http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/7738269/Downton-star-makes-surprise-Palmy-visit

Hugh Bonneville: Downton star makes surprise Palmy visit ERICA THOMPSON (STUFF.CO.NZ)

Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville made a surprise visit to a Palmerston North high school today to meet one of the show's biggest fans.

The British actor, who plays Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham in the smash hit costume drama, flew into Palmerston North this morning to surprise local school girl Lauren Hutchinson.

The Palmerston North Girls' High student had no idea Bonneville would be making an appearance during her school assembly and turn the spotlight on her.

Hutchinson frequently tweets about the show on her Twitter account, @DowntonAbbey_.

But she was none the wiser to the special guest headed her way last night, tweeting "@hughbon needs to tell us where he is NZ".

READ MORE: http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv/7737305/Downton-star-makes-surprise-Palmy-visit

Hugh Bonneville: Downton star's high tea auction (AUCKLAND TODAY)

A chance for High Tea with Downton Abbey actor Hugh Bonneville is being auctioned as part of Starship's Spring Clean fundraiser.

Prime and Sky TV have donated the experience to support the annual fundraiser for the Auckland hospital.

The package, which will be listed on Trade Me from September 13-20, includes flights from main centres to Auckland for the 60-minute High Tea with Bonneville on either the 26th, 27th or 28th of September. Transport will also be provided if the lucky winning bidder lives in Auckland.

Bonneville, who is a patron of London children's charity Scene & Heard and international medical relief charity Merlin, was delighted to offer his time in support of the cause.

"I'm truly looking forward to meeting the auction winner and encourage all Kiwis to support Starship's Spring Clean however they can; whether they are interested in High Tea with me or one of the other fantastic "money-can't-buy" auctions that are running as part of this event."


READ MORE http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/whats-on/7677422/Downton-stars-high-tea-auction

Benedict Cumberbatch takes the plunge over Paradise, New Zealand - aka Middle Earth.

Benedict Cumberbatch takes the plunge over Paradise, New Zealand - aka Middle Earth.

from Scoop It

http://www.scoop.it/t/benedict-cumberbatch

Billy Connolly Speaks On Peter Jackson’s ‘The Hobbit’ – “I’m Covered In Armour, It’s Like I’m Wearing A Volkswagen” (FLICKS AND BITS)

On the promotional campaign for Pixar’s ‘Brave,’ the ever hilarious Billy Connolly spoke briefly about his work on Peter Jackson’s two-part movie adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit.’ In the two films, Connolly plays Dain Ironfoot, the great Dwarf warrior and cousin of Richard Armitage’s Thorin Oakenshield. Commenting on what it feels like becoming a Dwarf, Connolly revealed, “It was brilliant, it still is brilliant, I’m in the middle of it. It’s only a cameo role, I’m hardly in it… I’m covered in armour, it’s like I’m wearing a Volkswagen! I don’t know how I’m supposed to fight with all this stuff.”

The legendary comedian and actor humorously provided some details about his involvement with the film and his history with J.R.R. Tolkien’s source material, “My manager said, “You’ve got an offer for this ‘Hobbit’ thing, would you fancy it?” I said, “Oooohhhhh.” It was the most bizarre thing I’ve ever done because they sent me a page of dialogue and I wasn’t on it. I thought, “What do they think I’m gonna get from this?” I think it was to show me the kind of language that was being used. Then I got there to New Zealand and they gave me a script that I wasn’t in. And Peter Jackson said, “Have you read ‘The Hobbit’? And I said, “No.” I said, “Not only that, but I don’t like people who have.” (Laughs) He thought it was funny, I had to explain that when I was a young hippy guy, there was two distinct camps, there was the blues and bluegrass brigade, who liked American music and goodtime. And then there was them, with the glasses and the Tolkien. I thought, “Give me a break.” I never liked them, so I made it my business to never read Tolkien in case I became one of them. And then I got offered the part (laughs).”




READ MORE:  http://www.flicksandbits.com/2012/06/23/billy-connolly-speaks-on-peter-jacksons-the-hobbit-im-covered-in-armour-its-like-im-wearing-a-volkswagen/27611/

Jimmy Nesbitt leaves the Hobbit set following the death of his mother

Published on Monday 11 June 2012 08:27

ULSTER actor Jimmy Nesbitt is reported to have flown home from New Zealand following the death of his mother May.

The star had been filming his latest movie The Hobbit when he learned that his much-loved mum had passed away.

May Nesbitt had been suffering from Alzheimer’s and died in hospital surrounded by her husband Jim and Jimmy’s sisters in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Speaking in a newspaper interview in 2010, the 47-year-old star of Cold Feet and Murphy’s Law said he was heartbroken that his mother’s condition had deteriorated to the point where she didn’t recognise him.

The father-of-two felt his celebrity status meant he could help raise awareness of the condition.

“For the first time in quite a long time I wasn’t able to get over and if you spend a bit of time away the deterioration is, in a sense, more marked,” he said at the time.

The actor said his 83-year-old dad and the rest of the family struggled to cope as Mrs Nesbitt’s condition began to worsen.

In the 2010 interview he went on: “As families of sufferers of Alzheimer’s will testify, you go through many stages. You do go through a terrible stage early on when it’s first happening because the sufferer is kind of aware of something happening to them and that can be scary.”


READ MORE:  http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/nesbitt-flies-home-to-mourn-mother-1-3936696

Luke Evans, Richard Armitage, Martin Freeman, Benedict CumberbatchThe Hobbit Video Blog 7

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B95ltJi6Gs

Visit the Facebook page for the full video
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151028043926807

More on Luke Evans and Bard The Bowman Posted by tfgeekgirl on May 18, 2012 (THE LORD OF THE RINGS)

A little while ago, Collider was also able to interview Luke Evans on his role in The Hobbit movies.  He’ll be playing Bard the Bowman, who is basically, a man with a bow.  So, yes, we won’t be getting a full share of Legolas this time around, but there will still be someone with a bow and arrows.  For those of you who haven’t gotten your fill of heroes and heroines with bows and arrows, here’s your chance to satiate that longing once again.


Collider:  How has it been going for you and how exciting it’s been for you to be involved in such a production?

Evans:  It’s been immensely exciting. It feels like all the work I’ve done so far has been building up to this job and to work with the master himself on a project which has been his baby since a long time ago. I feel very lucky to be here, you know. I’m watching this being made, and then watching Pete do his thing. Because you only have to read any articles about the boys who were in the first 3 movies and how they talked about the experience being in New Zealand and working with Pete and the long period of time that you spent here. I was just very jealous of them, in a healthy way, but it was something I was envious of. And now I’m here, and now I’m actually one of those boys. I’ll always remember this as one of those experiences in my life. It’s been fantastic, absolutely fantastic. We’re here ‘till July, so I’ve still got a few months left, some insane, tense months as well. So, yeah, it’s been great.

Collider:  When did you arrive in New Zealand? Because I know you’re in both parts, was this one of these things where you’re committing to being there for eight months, have you been able to leave? What’s this production schedule like?

Evans: I’ve been here since last August; I arrived August the 1st last year. But, you know, on a movie of this scale there is a lot of down time, so I’ve had chances to go home a couple of times. But this block, I’ve been here since February and I’m here ‘till the end, so this is the longest stretch for me.

 READ MORE:  http://hobbitfandom.net/2012/05/18/more-on-luke-evans-and-bard-the-bowman/

Luke Evans and Sir Ian McKellen discuss "The Hobbit" (Video) (COLLIDER)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ptN8ne5lzbM



Collider: You mentioned at the beginning when we first started talking that you’re in New Zealand. I have to say that Lord of the Rings are some of my favorite films of all time, and I am so, so excited to see Peter Jackson’s take on The Hobbit. I definitely would love to ask how it’s going for you and how exciting it’s been for you to be involved in such a production?

Evans: It’s been immensely exciting. It feels like all the work I’ve done so far has been building up to this job and to work with The Master himself on a project which has been his baby since…a long time ago. I feel very lucky to be here, you know. I’m watching this being made, and then watching Pete do his thing. Because you only have to read any articles about the boys who were in the first three movies and how they talked about the experience being in New Zealand and working with Pete and the long period of time that you spent here. I was just very jealous of them, in a healthy way, but it was always something I was envious of. And now I’m here, and now I’m actually one of those boys. I’ll always remember this as one of those experiences in my life. It’s been fantastic, absolutely fantastic. Yes, we’re here ‘till July, so I’ve still got a few months left, some insane, tense months as well. So, yeah, it’s been great.


READ MORE:  http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/DragonBallNews/news/?a=58379

Hugh Laurie: 'Film-friendly' Oamaru enjoys movie benefits ROSA STUDHOLME ( THE TIMARU HAROLD)

The benefits of having Mr Pip filmed in the Oamaru historic precinct are "immense".

The film adaptation of Lloyd Jones' novel is being translated to the big screen by Oscar-nominated Kiwi director Andrew Adamson, starring House and Blackadder actor Hugh Laurie. Filming for part of the movie took place in Oamaru in August. The Whitestone Civic Trust, which owns the collection of heritage buildings that make up the historic quarter, was told at its annual meeting last week it was hard to quantify what the total benefits to Oamaru would be by the time the film was released to a global audience.

 "The film crew and actors were in Oamaru for longer than expected, mainly because of the inclement weather at the time," trust chairman Phil Hope said. "The trust was very proactive in assisting the Mr Pip production crew and, hopefully, this will serve us well in having Oamaru recognised as a film- friendly town." Many local people were involved in the filming and related activities, he said. 

"The Northern Hotel had all of the ground-floor and several first-floor windows replaced. Stone work on the front of the building around the front door was repaired and the door rebuilt and ground-floor windows painted. "The Northern Hotel building looked magnificent during the filming process and it will be interesting to see how it turns out when the film is released."

READ MORE:  http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/6706734/Film-friendly-Oamaru-enjoys-movie-benefits

Sir Ian McKellen launches show to raise money for Christchurch theatre Published Thursday, Apr 5 2012, 6:15am EDT | By Rebecca Davies (DIGITAL SPY)

Sir Ian McKellen has decided to put on a series of shows to raise money for Christchurch.

The actor, who is currently living in New Zealand to reprise his role of Gandalf in The Hobbit movie, wants to help restore one of the city's theatres that was badly damaged during last year's earthquake. McKellen will put on 11 one-man shows at local theatres around New Zealand throughout May and June, according to AAP. 

Audience members will get the opportunity to ask the star questions about his life and career and will also be invited on stage to help him act out some scenes.

READ MORE:  http://www.digitalspy.com/celebrity/news/a374987/sir-ian-mckellen-launches-show-to-raise-money-for-christchurch-theatre.html