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Alia Shawkat on Touching Ed Helms Inappropriately and Hoping For an Arrested Development Sex Change

Allie Merriam — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 05:30:00 PST

Alia Shawkat swung through NYC this week on a busy press tour for her new movie Cedar Rapids, which we previewed last month at Sundance. She plays Bree, a prostitute who enjoys a sordid entanglement with Ed Helms's straight-laced insurance salesman character, in the film directed by Youth in Revolt's Miguel Arteta. Shawkat talked about getting up close and personal with Helms and also addressed the long-running rumors about an Arrested Development movie that have regained steam after the series' creator, Mitch Hurwitz, confirmed his involvement. She also had some interesting ideas for her character, Maeby. Check it out.

BuzzSugar: In this film, you're playing a prostitute, which is new territory for you. What drew you to this role?
Alia Shawkat: "I got a call from [Miguel, the director] and he was like, 'Alia, I want you to play a prostitute!' And I was like, 'Ok!' And it kind of went from there. . . She’s a hooker with a heart of gold so it was fun. I got to do some research - not go out on the street! - but watch films with hookers with hearts of gold. And I got to say some weird dirty things.

BS: You also got to do some crazy things. Was that another perk to this role?
AS: Doing the meth and dancing, and doing real meth - no we didn’t do that! It was really fun. That’s what’s so cool about being an actor, you get to live so many different lives. This one upped every character I’ve ever played.

BS: You and Anne Heche were pretty much the main ladies in the film. Did you two take on the boys comedian club together?
AS: I’m used to being around a lot of male comedians, so it is kind of like a boys club in that you have to sort of earn your say. But after they started hanging out with us for a little while and they see we aren’t just like, 'Oh, tee hee that’s funny!' that we’re funnier than them sometimes, then they start to respect us. They’re all very sweet guys, most comedians are. They’re just a little pervvy.

BS: And of course, the leading man was Ed Helms. How was it working with him?
AS: I was expecting Ed to be a lot dirtier in comparison to some of the other comedians I’ve worked with, that are usually pretty dirty. But he’s such a gentleman, an old Southern boy. He's very polite and respectful with women.

To find out who's on Shawkat's list of dream costars and what she'd like to see happen for Maeby, just

read more. BS: That's always good to hear! AS: I remember one scene in the bathroom, Miguel would sometimes tell one of the actors, ‘Surprise me and do something!’ He told me, ‘I want you to surprise me and surprise Ed.' . . So we’re in the bathroom, and you don’t see me - just the back of my head, and I grabbed his crotch, like grabbed it tight, and he’s supposed to be on meth and he got this amazing look on his face. And afterward he was so pink and blushed, and he was like, ‘I didn’t know you were going to do that! I didn’t know you were going to do that!’ And was all giggly. BS: Everyone of course wants to know about the Arrested Development movie now that Mitch Hurwitz said it's on. What can you say about that? AS: I think it’s very exciting that he said it publicly! It would be great I think it's still kind of in the limbo of we’re in the dark still. But all the cast members, everyone I’ve seen recently, said we’re in! We haven't been sent a script or anything cause he’s still working on it. It’s pretty much the same thing, we just hope it happens but we’ll see when it comes to fruition. But hopefully it’s soon. That was kind of a nice thing, his saying it’s coming out soon. Once we read it I think everyone’s going to be in. BS: Are you looking forward to all the changes for the characters? AS: That’s the weirdest thing, and something that’s so exciting about the prospect of a movie. Every episode we had no idea what would happen to the characters. Week to week we’d be like, ‘What the shit do I have to do? Ok, whatever!’ And now that so much time has passed, and so much is going to already have happened to the characters, they’re going to have to kind of explain where they are at. I have no idea what to expect, and that’s what’ so exciting about it. Unlike any other writer, Mitch is just so out there that it’s thrilling and exciting to see what will happen. BS: Anything you're really looking forward to finding out? AS: Of course, because I’m egotistical, I’m just so looking forward to seeing where Maeby and George Michael’s relationship ends up. Because now that they’re kind of adults, how they relate to each other or if they’re together or if they’re not, it could be anything. BS: What would your dream for Maeby be? AS: My dream? I don’t know. It could be cool to do something fun, like if she got a sex change or something. BS: And you've worked with so many great comedians already - any one left on the list? AS: Everybody! I’d love to work with Bill Murray. That would be really fun. I don’t know if he’d like me very much. Gary Shandling, I don’t know if he’s doing a whole love of movies now, but The Larry Sanders Show was one of my favorite shows.

10 People I'd Like to See More of in 2010

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:45:23 PST

There were a few famous faces that ruled the pop culture scene in 2010 - Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, and don't forget George Clooney who was in practically every movie that came to theaters. But these lesser-known names gave us memorable turns on TV, on film, or on the charts that left me craving a whole lot more. Here's hoping for a strong showing from all of them in the new year!

Link Time! Janet Jackson to Open Up on TV About Michael

BuzzSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:30:09 PST

Janet Jackson will be talking about her brother in a new primetime special - TV Squad
The Real Housewives of New Jersey are invading NBC's Mercy. Seriously. - The Ausiello Files
Ryan Seacrest is letting regular people grab money from celebs for his new show Bank of Hollywood - Vulture
Here's a guide to all of the guest stars during November sweeps - TV.com
George Clooney's top 10 movies - Rotten Tomatoes
CBS picks up five more episodes of Accidentally on Purpose - HitFix
Michael Jackson's This Is It takes No. 1 on Billboard - Rolling Stone
Listen to a preview of Adam Lambert's new album - Best Week Ever
Colin Hanks to play "Jack" to Bradley Whitford's "Dan" - Collider
Twilight's Rob and Kristen finally talk about each other. Check out snippets from the interview - PopSugar
Sigourney Weaver and Alia Shawkat sign on for Cedar Rapids - Zap2it
Prepare for the onslaught of skinny jeans: Kings of Leon are creating their own limited-edition clothing line - Spinner

Ellen Page and Alia Shawkat Score HBO TV Show

BuzzSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 10:30:13 PDT

Don't say you don't make friends on the derby rink. Ellen Page and Alia Shawkat, recent costars in Whip It, have scored a deal to write and produce a TV show for HBO. Another costar from the movie, Sean Tillman (AKA Har Mar Superstar, pictured here), is also collaborating.

The show, called Stitch 'N Bitch, will be about "two painfully cool hipster girls as they relocate from Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood to Los Angeles' Silver Lake enclave in hopes of becoming artists." It sounds obvious who these characters will be based on - both women fit that 'painfully hip' description, but there isn't a confirmation yet that they'll be starring. I'd love to see them in the roles, but also hoping this isn't one of those projects that will cause scheduling conflicts for the Arrested Development movie!

Movie Preview: Bart Got a Room

BuzzSugar — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:30:37 PST

I saw Bart Got a Room at last year's Tribeca Film Festival and totally enjoyed it - if you'd like, you can read my review (without getting spoiled). Now there's a trailer for it and it's apparently "coming soon." I highly recommend putting this one on the to-see list for some time when you need a pretty light, easy movie that isn't too taxing, isn't too substantial and leaves you feeling good in the end.

Set in Florida, the movie follows Danny (Steven Kaplan), a teen who wants nothing more than to get some action on prom night. Over the course of the film, we watch the excruciating three weeks leading up to the big night as Danny secures everything (tux, limo, hotel room) - except for the girl. William H. Macy and Cheryl Hines play Danny's divorced parents while Alia Shawkat plays Danny's good friend.

It's a sweet little movie with some great Big Band music throughout. To check out the trailer,

Man, I Can't Wait to Whip It!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:00:04 PDT

Get your mind out of the gutter! I'm talking about Whip It!, the film adaptation of Shauna Cross's novel Derby Girl, which just added Alia Shawkat (a.k.a. Maeby Fünke) to the cast. I knew that Drew Barrymore had signed on as the director of the film (and she'll be playing a role), and that the main character will be played by Ellen Page, but with every new addition to the cast I am even more intrigued to see this movie.

In addition to Page, Barrymore, and Shawkat, we've got Marcia Gay Harden (who I love), Juliette Lewis, Eve, former Xena stuntwoman Zoe Bell, and funny lady Kristen Wiig. The cast used to include Justin Long, but he quit after his relationship with Drew Barrymore ended.

The IMDB page for Whip It has this plot description:

In Bodeen, Texas, an indie-rock loving misfit finds a way of dealing with her small-town misery after she discovers a roller derby league in nearby Austin.

Have you read Shauna Cross's novel? Do you, too, think this might end up being totally adorable? Are there any additional fun actresses you'd add to this cast?

Source and source

Alicia Silverstone to Play a Mother - to Maeby! - for ABC

BuzzSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:30:57 PDT

Alicia Silverstone raised some suspicion that she was the mother after being courted by How I Met Your Mother earlier this year - but then there was that whole Britney Spears dustup, and Sarah Chalke stepped in instead. Now, it turns out Silverstone will be playing a mom - just not, you know, that one - in a new ABC comedy pilot.

Silverstone has been cast in the lead in Bad Mother's Handbook. But that's not all: Alia Shawkat, best known to me as Maeby from Arrested Development, will be playing her daughter. Silverstone's character is Karen, a 32-year-old woman overwhelmed by the demands of caring for her 16-year-old daughter and her 48-year-old mother. (Um, here's hoping Shawkat's character doesn't get pregnant at 16, too?)

Could you see Silverstone and Shawkat as mother and daughter? I'm a little worried that nothing will ever match the dysfunction of the Maeby/Lindsay Bluth dynamic, but I'm just so happy to see Shawkat back on TV that I'd be happy to watch them try! Silverstone hasn't had a great run in the sitcom world lately (her last project, The Singles Table, never aired - and remember Miss Match?), but maybe this one will be better. Your thoughts?

Source and Source

The Results Are In: Recast Reality Bites

BuzzSugar — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:28:43 PST

Every Wednesday on BuzzSugar, I post a Recast challenge, where I ask you to choose new actors for a classic TV show or movie. The reader who submits the best cast wins a BuzzSugar t-shirt!

There are tons of young actors to choose from for this week's recast challenge of Reality Bites, and it was interesting to see the combinations you all came up with. I love the idea of Thora Birch for Lelaina, as bart simpson suggested, and many of you put down America Ferrera as Vickie - another great choice.

alynn's idea of Devon Gummersall playing Michael made me nostalgic for Brian Krakow - and I also think he'd make a great Michael. Deidre's idea of Joseph Cross (Running with Scissors) as Sammy Gray is totally perfect, and finally, klugea's suggestion of Justin Bobby from The Hills playing Troy made me laugh out loud.

Overall, however, my favorite recast list this week comes from anniemation! To see who anniemation picked, along with a new cast photo,

read more anniemation's cast: Lelaina Pierce - Ellen Page Troy Dyer - Emile Hirsch Vickie Miner - Alia Shawkat Michael Grates - Zachary Levi Sammy Gray - Paul Dano

What to Rent: New DVDs This Week

Becky Kirsch — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 03:05:00 PDT

In addition to the following movies, The Eagle, starring Channing Tatum, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules are also now available on DVD.

The Adjustment Bureau

Matt Damon and Emily Blunt star in this sci-fi love story about a Congressman named David (Damon) whose life changes when he falls for dancer Elise (Blunt). As he tries to pursue her, he learns of The Adjustment Bureau, a league of angel-like men dressed in business suits whose job it is to ensure that destiny is fulfilled. When David learns that his relationship with Elise is not in The Adjustment Bureau's plan, he and Elise begin a game of cat and mouse in the name of love. The film has a few plot holes and a flimsy ending, but Damon and Blunt have chemistry in spades. Bonus features include an interactive map of New York and deleted scenes.

72%

Unknown

Liam Neeson stars in this action flick about a guy who wakes up from a car accident to find that his identity has been tampered with. His wife (January Jones) doesn't seem to know who he is, and the only person who seems to have information about what happened is a cab driver (Diane Kruger). The film is a bit cliched, but it's a ride that's entertaining from start to finish. DVD extras include featurettes.

55%

One more release when you

read more. Cedar Rapids Ed Helms takes a crack at being a leading man in this indie comedy that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Helms stars as Tim Lippe, a small-town insurance agent who's never been away from home. When he's sent to a big conference in Cedar Rapids, IA, he meets an eclectic mix of characters (including John C. Reilly, Alia Shawkat, and Anne Heche). Throughout the course of the weekend, he finds his morals tested and gets a lot more than he bargained for. Though the film doesn't break new ground, it's still got plenty of heart and laughs. DVD extras include deleted scenes, a gag reel, and more. 85%

Cedar Rapids's Ed Helms Talks Nude Scenes, Naiveté, and His Start in TV

Allie Merriam — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:00:00 PST

Ed Helms was the center of attention at a press conference in NYC for his new movie Cedar Rapids this week in NYC, where his costar Alia Shawkat revealed her hopes for the Arrested Development movie. He and Shawkat both went to Sundance to debut the film, which sees Ed playing the lead role of naive insurance salesman Tim Lippe on a whirlwind weekend in the titular city. Ed spoke about the compassion he has for the character, discussed his semi-nude scenes, and revealed his debt to Jon Stewart for discovering him for The Daily Show. Here's more:

On nude scenes being a challenge: "Why would that be a challenge? What's the challenging part? . . . I believe that as a comedy actor dignity and pride get in the way. So you really have to start from a place of, 'I'll do anything.' That said, we wrestled with the studio for some time over the specifics of my nudity waiver in my contract."
On his previous experience with the insurance industry: "I was in a fender-bender when I was 16 years old. It wasn't even a fender-bender because there was no damage, it was like a little dink on a bumper. I got a letter from the insurance company - the victim's insurance company or her lawyer - it was like an episode of The Brady Bunch. She showed up at the courtroom in a neck brace. I'm freaked out by auto insurance issues. My dad was also a lawyer who consulted with insurance companies, so he always says, 'Come on! The insurance are the good guys!' Of course he's being sarcastic, but in the movie Tim Lippe really believes that."
On a start on TV with The Daily Show: "It 100% put me on the map. It's actually what I always wanted to do, comedy television. I got into this like a lot of comedy nerds through a bizarre fanaticism with SNL. I'm just grateful to Jon Stewart for kind of plucking me out of nowhere and letting me be silly."

To read what Ed says about sharing a room with the President and his character Tim, just