Helena Bonham Carter: 25 Things You Didn't Know About the British Actress Posted July 5th, 2013 1:00PMby Erin Whitney TAGS (MOVIEFONE)

14. Johnny Depp is the godfather of her child, Billy Ray.

15. She is a distant cousin of Kate Middleton.

16. Helena McCrory, who played Narcissa Malfoy in "Harry Potter," was originally cast as Bellatrix Lestrange. However, after McCrory became pregnant, she was unable to shoot all of Lestrange's scenes, so Bonham-Carter got the part.

17. She wore fake teeth in "Planet of the Apes" (2001), "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (2005), and the the "Harry Potter" films.

18. While filming "Terminator Salvation" in New Mexico in 2008, her relatives were involved in a tragic bus accident in South Africa. Helena's cousin Fiona Bonham-Carter survived, but four of her family members died.

19. Why is Bonham-Carter so great as Mrs. Lovett in "Sweeney Todd"? Because she underwent extensive vocal lessons and studied baking in preparation for her role in the 2007 musical f Let's hope she practiced with the normal kind of meat pies...

20. Bonham-Carter was originally set to play a cyborg in "Terminator Salvation" (2009). However, after the script was leaked online her character was rewritten, a move that significantly cut down her screen time.

21. During the shooting of "Fight Club," Bonham-Carter insisted that her makeup artist (Julie Pearce) apply all of her eye makeup with her left hand, because the actress felt that Marla was not a person who would be particularly skilled at (or concerned with) correctly applying makeup.

22. She's a believer in "multiple drinking," which she described in an interview with the Guardian as drinking more than one drink at a time to sustain a balanced diet. While she admitted this wasn't a scientific fact, Bonham-Carter still enjoys having options when it comes to quenching her thirst.

23. She was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2012 Queen's New Years Honors List for her services to drama.

24. She was considered for the role of Sarah in "Labyrinth" (1986), but lost out to Jennifer Connelly.

25. She grew up dreaming of becoming one of the "Charlie's Angels."

Sources: IMDb, Wikipedia, Digital Spy, The Guardian

READ 1 THRU 13 HERE: http://news.moviefone.com/2013/07/05/helena-bonham-carter-25-things-you-didnt-know/

Downton Abbey Christmas special: Hollywood star Paul Giamatti to join cast STV 24 June 2013 17:41 BST

Downton Abbey is about to receive another injection of Hollywood magic with the news that movie star Paul Giamatti is to appear in the Christmas special.

Fans of the of the period drama were delighted when Shirley MacLaine joined the show for the most recent series last year, with the A-lister playing Cora’s hard-to-please mother.

Now audiences will watch as Paul, who has appeared in movies including Saving Private Ryan and Planet of the Apes, appears in this year’s festive special as Cora’s playboy brother, Harold.

Gareth Neame, the managing director of programme-maker Carnival Films, said: "We're excited that Paul Giamatti will be joining us on Downton to play Cora's brother Harold, the rather free-spirited uncle to Mary and Edith.

"We can't wait to see him work alongside Shirley Maclaine, who are both sure to upset the Granthams' apple cart in this year's Christmas Day episode."


READ MORE: http://entertainment.stv.tv/tv/230638-downton-abbey-christmas-special-hollywood-star-paul-giamatti-to-join-cast/

David Oyelowo: Middle of Nowhere, The Master, Bernie, Moonrise Kingdom Nominated for Gotham Awards POSTED BY SASHA STONE ON OCT 18, 2012

Beasts of the Southern Wild, Bernie, Middle of Nowhere, and Moonrise Kingdom Receive Two Nominations Each

Best Feature

Bernie

The Loneliest Planet

The Master

Middle of Nowhere

Moonrise Kingdom

POSTED BY SASHA STONE ON OCT 18, 2012 IN CRITICS AWARDS, LAFCA, NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW, NBR, NYFCC

Indiewire reports that the NBR will take place December 5, 2012, two days after the New York Film Critics and three days after their announcing date last year. What is the significance of this? There isn’t one except that the NYFCC will be the ones with their asses hanging out first. That’s a good thing for them, as Glenn Whipp reported earlier, “An NYFCC press release notes that the group’s awards are often viewed as harbingers of the Oscar nominations’. The circle’s awards are ‘also viewed — perhaps more accurately — as a principled alternative to the Oscars, honoring aesthetic merit in a forum that is immune to commercial and political pressures.”

READ MORE:  http://www.awardsdaily.com/