Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne compete for best actor at 2015 Bafta Film awards

RADIO TIMES
By Ellie Walker-Arnott
Friday 9 January 2015 at 08:03AM



British stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne are going head to head for best actor at this year's Film Bafta awards.

The pair are nominated for their roles as pioneering scientists Alan Turing in The Imitation Game and Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, respectively.

Their nominations are no real surprise; both the stars have already drawn huge praise from critics, along with numerous other nominations. Stephen Fry, who announced this year's shortlist alongside Sam Claflin, even uttered a "No!" of feigned surprise when Cumberbatch's name was read out.

The duo are up against Ralph Fiennes for The Grand Budapest Hotel, Jake Gyllenhaal for Nightcrawler and Michael Keaton for Birdman.

Redmayne's co-star Felicity Jones is nominated for best actress for her role as Hawking's wife in The Theory of Everything, while Keira Knightley, who stars opposite Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game, is vying for the best supporting actress gong.

Fellow Brits Rosamund Pike and Imelda Staunton were also nominated, for best actress in Gone Girl and best supporting actress in Pride.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2015-01-09/benedict-cumberbatch-and-eddie-redmayne-compete-for-best-actor-at-2015-bafta-film-awards

Ralph Fiennes returns to 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' just in time for awards season

HIT FIX
By Gregory Ellwood  @HitFixGregory | Tuesday, Nov 11, 2014 4:16 PM



Eight months after it hit theaters, "The Grand Budapest Hotel" is back in business, and here's hoping Hollywood is paying attention.

Ralph Fiennes joined co-stars Tony Revolori and Jeff Goldblum for a final SAG nominating committee Q&A Monday night in Los Angeles that this pundit was lucky enough to moderate. Most in the packed theater had already seen "Budapest" but wanted a chance to hear the film's stars discuss their journey into Wes Anderson's latest creation in person.

Fiennes, who plays the indomitable M. Gustav, discussed how little he cared to look at Anderson's detailed animatic of the picture and how a friend of the director's gave him slight inspiration for the role (will the real M. Gustav please stand up?). Revolori, who plays Zero the faithful Lobby Boy, recalled how nervous he was meeting Fiennes for the first time during a fitting and how the Oscar nominee reassured him with a hug. And Goldblum, who plays the unfortunate lawyer Kovacs, could not stop praising Anderson's vision and the "humanity" he brought to such a precise creative endeavor. We also learned that Fiennes tried to convince Anderson to pick a few current colognes as the infamous L'Air de Panache, but the Francophile would have none of it (what it really smells like is still a mystery). Fiennes also revealed Mendel's pastry concoctions were actually too sweet for him to eat and the audience was somewhat shocked to discover that Revolori is severely allergic to chocolate and never took a bite of any of the film's numerous deserts.

Q&As live and die on the talent and this trio made sure the audience realized just how specific their performances were (i.e., it wasn't Anderson dictating), while still providing some wonderfully entertaining anecdotes. They also heaped praise on their co-stars, who helped fill out one of the most memorable acting ensembles in recent memory with Tilda Swinton, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton, Tom Wilkinson and F. Murray Abraham earning individual praise. It was a fun and fast conversation with a lot of love from the SAG members on hand.

The quick trip to Los Angeles for Fiennes featured a whirlwind of "Budapest" awards-themed photo shoots and interviews (look for a special one-on-one with Christoph Waltz soon), an hour-long career retrospective for BAFTA members and a solo American Cinematheque Q&A hosted at the Aero Theater in Santa Monica. The legendary actor may have an outside shot at earning a Best Actor nomination (he's in good company this year if he doesn't), but he is still keeping the doors open for "Budapest's" awards prospects overall. Will it be enough? Let's review, shall we?

At this date, the film is still one of the best reviewed films of the year with an 88 on Metacritic (for comparison: "Boyhood" has a rare 100, "Birdman" an 89 and "Foxcatcher" currently has an 87), as well as a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes (for comparison: "Boyhood" has 99%, "Whiplash" is at 97%, "Birdman" is at 94%, and "Nightcrawler" is at 94%). The film is also, considering its audience, a global smash, earning almost $60 million domestic and $172.2 million globally. Those are career-best numbers for Anderson and you can debate whether or not it's his best reviewed film to date (it might be splitting hairs at this point). Needless to say, "Budapest" is a huge success that is trying to break the recent Oscar curse that finds the Academy ignoring early releases in the qualifying calendar.

In theory, with so many potential contenders falling by the wayside (and you know who you are), "Budapest's" slot should already be solidified. That being said, benchmarks like a SAG ensemble nomination, a Golden Globes nomination for Best Comedy or Musical (a given), landing on AFI's top 10 list, earning a spot in the National Board of Review's top 10 and, most importantly, a slew of top 10 critics list mentions are key. Searchlight will campaign "Budapest" as best they can, but they also need the awards media to stop somehow pretending it's not in the game because it came out before Cannes (Sundance titles seem to get a pass because they are usually released in June).


Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/in-contention/ralph-fiennes-returns-to-the-grand-budapest-hotel-just-in-time-for-awards-season#1THDYKSvxDURDHZq.99

L.A. Film Critics Association 2014 Complete Winner's List: Tom Hardy, 'Boyhood' Win Big!

JUST JARED
December 7, 2014



The winners have been officially announced for the 2014 Los Angeles Film Critics Association!

The film Boyhood took home a total of four awards including Best Picture, best director (Richard Linklater), actress (Patricia Arquette), and best editing.

Other notable winners include Tom Hardy (Locke) for Best Actor, with Michael Keaton (Birdman) as runner up.

Agata Kulesza won Best Supporting Actress for Ida with the runner up going to Rene Russo for Nightcrawler.

Click inside for the entire list of winners from the 2014 Los Angeles Film Critics Association…

Best picture: Boyhood. Runner-up: The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Best actor: Tom Hardy, Locke. Runner-up: Michael Keaton, Birdman.

Best director: Richard Linklater, Boyhood. Runner-up: Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Best foreign-language film: Ida. Runner-up: Winter Sleep.

Best screenplay: Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel. Runner-up: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. and Armando Bo, Birdman.


READ MORE HERE: http://www.justjared.com/2014/12/07/l-a-film-critics-association-2014-complete-winners-list-tom-hardy-boyhood-win-big/

Jude Law: With maturity comes complication

SCNOW.COM

Posted: Thursday, July 31, 2014 3:05 pm

LONDON — Jude Law feels his work options are widening as he gets older, and he revels in the complications.

The 41-year-old British actor — best known for his roles in "The Talented Mr Ripley," ''Cold Mountain" and more recently "Sherlock Holmes" — says there is now "less emphasis on playing romantic leads."

"You get over a certain age, and you're more complicated anyway," he said in an interview. "So, I guess characters written for that age are more complicated, you know."

Law said he likes to take risks by picking roles that terrify him, such as his much-acclaimed stint in "Henry V" in London's West End last year.

"There's this moment when you haven't quite learnt your lines, the play doesn't feel like it's coming together or at least you don't feel that you've fully understood the role or indeed the piece yet and everyone's looking around for a way out, an excuse," he said, recalling the rehearsal period.

"And yet you know that you have a set day ahead of you when you are going to open to the press — and indeed to the public — and it's nothing short of terrifying."

"It's usually at that moment you question yourself, your job, why you're doing this," he added, "but it's also an opportunity to sort of face failure and fear."

READ MORE HERE: http://www.scnow.com/entertainment/article_ad2b52aa-18e5-11e4-a236-001a4bcf6878.html

Ralph Fiennes breaks out as a comedy genius in Anderson's new film, now in limited release - Wes Anderson's 'Grand Budapest Hotel'

MTV
By Josh Wigler
March 7, 2014

Ralph Fiennes breaks out as a comedy genius in Anderson's new film, now in limited release.



Just as Liam Neeson has become an unlikely action hero through films like "Non-Stop," it appears that Ralph Fiennes has been born anew as a comedic genius, all thanks to Wes Anderson.

Fiennes' funny-man chops are on full display in Anderson's new film, "The Grand Budapest Hotel," or so the reviews indicate. His work as hotelier Gustave H. has earned high praise from the critics, as has Anderson's humorous but heartfelt vision of a fictional country torn apart by war, as viewed from many generations and vantage points.

Read on for what the critics are saying about "The Grand Budapest Hotel," currently in limited release:

Get More: Movie Trailers, Celebrity News

The Fiennes Point
"One of the many surprises in Wes Anderson's rich, layered and quirkily entertaining new film, 'The Grand Budapest Hotel,' is the emergence of a new comic actor, one with impeccable timing and just the right mix of gravitas and utter zaniness. Ladies and gents, meet Ralph Fiennes.

You might not immediately think the man who played the tragic count in 'The English Patient,' an evil war criminal in 'Schindler's List,' a violent Coriolanus, and oh yes, Voldemort, would be a natural in comedy. But he proves a deft, daft partner to Anderson in this, their first collaboration. ... His stylized, rapid-fire delivery, dry wit and cheerful profanity keep the movie bubbling along. Here's to further Fiennes-Anderson collaborations." — Jocelyn Noveck, Associated Press

MOVIE RELEASE DATE AND LOCATIONS HERE

READ MORE HERE: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1723595/the-grand-budapest-hotel-reviews.jhtml

Jude Law - Jude Law drops hints about The Grand Budapest Hotel (CONTACT MUSIC)

Jude Law has confessed he plays an author in Wes Anderson's new comedy drama and says the plot is based on layers of ''storytelling'' in different time frames.

Jude Law has revealed he will play an author in 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'.

The 'Anna Karenina' actor dropped hints about his new role in Wes Anderson's comedy drama - which has thus far simply been billed as a ''European story'' - and admitted the film will be constructed around several layers of ''storytelling'' involving his character.

He told Collider: ''I play an author. And there are sort of several sections. It's about storytelling. There's someone who plays me at an older age, and they're recounting how they were first told a certain story, and then you cut to me being told that story, and then you cut to the story. It's sort of layers of storytelling.''

Ralph Fiennes has already been confirmed to play M. Gustave, the hotel's ''perfectly composed'' concierge, while Bill Murray is thought to be attached.


READ MORE: http://www.contactmusic.com/news/jude-law-drops-hints-about-the-grand-budapest-hotel_3473950