BuzzSugar

NBC Gets Top Talent for 13-Episode Horror Anthology

BuzzSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:29:18 -0800

NBC has lured top-notch horror writers, directors and actors to collaborate on Fear Itself, a 13-episode anthology series of suspense and horror stories that sounds like it's going to be genuinely cool and scary.

Some of the notable actors involved include Brandon Routh (Superman Returns), Shiri Appleby (Charlie Wilson's War), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men), Cynthia Watros (Lost) and Eric Roberts (Heroes). The group of writers chosen to contribute features Steve Niles (30 Days of Night), Dan Knauf (Carnivale, Supernatural), and a bunch of guys from Masters of Horror, among others. As for directors, they've roped in Mary Harron (American Psycho), John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), Ronny Yu (Freddy vs. Jason, Bride of Chucky) and Ernest Dickerson (Heroes), along with several others.

To find out which of the episodes sound the most intriguingly freaky to me, read more.

You can find a full rundown of all the episodes here. The ones I'm most looking forward to are "Nightmare in Lace" ("On her wedding day, a beautiful bride receives a mysterious note that reads: 'The person you are marrying is a serial killer.'") and "Eater" ("A rookie cop (Moss) must spend her first night in the precinct watching over a serial killer, coined 'The Eater' (Stephen R. Hart). When her fellow cops start acting bizarre, she quickly learns that no one is who they seem.").

What do you think of NBC's horror-fest? Will you tune in for Fear Itself?

Young Einstein Biopic in the Works

BuzzSugar — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 16:29:14 -0700

Did you know that in his youth Albert Einstein was a bit of a philanderer? I didn't! This just further supports my "smart is sexy" belief.

Speaking of the young Albert Einstein, Lionsgate has inked a deal to produce a portrait of the brainiac as a young man, based on the biography Einstein: His Life and Universe. The story will focus on Einstein from ages 20 to 40, ending with his winning the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921. Variety has more:

"That is when he was at his most prolific, a rebellious character who challenged every theory and was ostracized by the scientific community, but who redefined how we look at the world and how energy plays into everything we do," said [producer] Alan Polsky.

[Producer] Gabe Polsky said the film will also explore Einstein's personal struggles and his romantic relationships. Einstein had a reputation for philandering in his formative years.

So who will play the iconic thinker? I'm betting on Ryan Gosling. Seriously, look at this picture. He could totally pull it off.

Source
Gosling photo source

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:00:54 -0800

We have four movies hitting theaters this weekend, including The Box, Precious (check out my interview with star Gabby Sidibe), The Men Who Stare at Goats, and A Christmas Carol if you want some early holiday cheer.
Speaking of the holidays, if you're already thinking up presents, I've got suggestions for your mom, dad, and grandma.
In Twilight-related news: I asked you to speculate which New Moon actor would have the biggest post-Twilight career. Plus, Books of Twilight member audreystar had a few words of advice for the Breaking Dawn screenwriter.
I took a peek at two highly anticipated film trailers: Angelina in Salt and a very beefy Jake Gyllenhaal in Prince of Persia.
Angelina also popped up on my list of 10 favorite actors with famous parents!
Weezer's new album came out. I gave it my review and watched their performance with Leighton Meester.
Alec Baldwin had a good week: First, he got tapped to host the Oscars alongside Steve Martin, and he's reportedly getting a new love interest on 30 Rock - Julianne Moore!
V premiered, so I asked for your opinion on it - and on these 10 TV shows that transitioned to college.
Don't forget that Sunday is the season finale of Mad Men! But don't be sad, there's always their Office doppelgangers.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures, Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Movies, and Source

Buzz Interview With the Cast of Precious, Part 3: Gabourey Sidibe

BuzzSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:30:00 -0800

Precious begins rolling out in theaters this Friday, and we'll finally see if it lives up to its Oscar hype. One performance that the Academy will definitely be talking about comes from newcomer Gabby Sidibe, who carries the film as the title character.

Playing an abused, pregnant teen is the sort of responsibility and heavy subject matter that could make even pros crack under pressure - so how is she coping with her big screen debut? I've already showed you my interviews with Paula Patton and director Lee Daniels, but for this third installment in my Precious series, check out my chat with the actress who already has Oprah and the rest of Hollywood buzzing.

On landing the role: "When I got hired, I was pretty sure it was just a joke. I wasn't an actress - I was a receptionist before this. I was like, there's no way they're interested in me. Since then, I've been waiting for the other shoe to drop, but this joke has gone pretty far!"
On how she handled the first-time pressure: "I was sure I would look like a complete novice, like I didn't belong there, or that I didn't fit in, but once I got there and saw all the people involved - grips, electric, camera operators - I thought, okay, there are a lot of people whose paychecks are on my back, so I can't spaz out. So immediately all of my nervousness fell away from me, and I had a job to do."

To hear more from Gabby (including her thoughts on Mariah Carey and the Best Actress gossip), read more.

On the award buzz: "It's weird, because I have no idea what it is to be a part of an Oscar-winning film or any kind of accolade-winning film, because this is my first go-around. So I just take every day as a gift! I'm thankful that anyone sees the film and feels something - and if the awards come, they come, or if they don't, they don't. But what I've done so far, I'm absolutely proud of myself."
On working with Mariah Carey and Lenny Kravitz: "It was insane. They're all people that I absolutely idolize. The first time Lenny Kravitz came on set, I was standing very, very still, and I knew he was around, and I couldn't wait for him to come upstairs. Then he did, and it was like, well, there is Lenny Kravitz. There was nothing to be scared about, because he was very cool. And Mariah, I met her the night before we started shooting. She was like the last to be hired, so we had done most of the movie. I kind of felt like a veteran - Mariah is stepping on to my turf. [laughs]"

On her next project: "It's a Sundance Lab Film [Yelling to the Sky], and it stars Zoe Kravitz. I play a girl who is really loud and obnoxious, the queen of the school. It's really fun because it's so far from Precious - I like playing the bad girl! And the film has a first-time director, Victoria Mahoney, who's a lady. The DP is a female, the camera operator is female, so it's all females. It's empowering in a weird way. I've never been all super feminist, but it's really cool."
On her new career: "It's so weird to have a 'Hollywood career.' I just want to do things that make me happy. There are so many people that I look up to as far as actresses go, but I just want to go as far as I can."

Love her! I'll be keeping a close eye on Gabby when the film opens, especially once award nominations start flowing in. Will you be checking out Precious?

Photos courtesy of Lionsgate and Source

Buzz Interview With the Cast of Precious, Part 2: Lee Daniels

BuzzSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:30:17 -0700

Last week I shared with you my interview with Precious actress Paula Patton, but now it's time to hear from the director himself, Lee Daniels. I asked the Sundance-award winner - the film took home the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize - how it feels to hear Oscar buzz, and what it's like when Oprah is on your speed dial. Plus, he opened up to me about how the movie helped him overcome from his own dark past. Ready for his incredibly candid responses?

On all the hype surrounding Mo'Nique's performance: I'm not the least bit surprised. It's magic onset. People are talking about this buzz, but she and I laugh it off, because we got a movie made, and there were no arrests! Seriously, the cops came, but they didn't shut us down. They said, 'OK, we'll give you five minutes.' There were no arrests, and no one got in any trouble, so for us, the win was finishing the film.

To hear more from Daniels, read more.

On how he felt when Oprah and Tyler Perry jumped on as producers: Tyler calls and says, "Hey, it's Tyler." Huh?! Oprah calls, "Heeeey." It's crazy! It gave me hope that people would see the film.
On the Oscar buzz: Why do people say that? What happens if you don't?! Then your feelings are so hurt. You teeter on wanting so desperately for it, but dare not dreaming for it, because your feelings are so crushed if it doesn't happen.

On why he wanted to make Precious: To heal. Some horrific things have happened to me [in my past], not only at home, but outside of my home life, [like] being openly gay. Being gay is nothing like it was when i was a kid - back in my day, you were literally stoned, a dislocated arm, teeth knocked out. So I try to see the light often. It's hard, because we all have hard lives, and some of us have it harder. What I like to find is people who have had lives just a little harder than mine [like Precious] so I can feel that mine wasn't as bad as it was.
On what he learned from making the film: I look at [the film] as a process. This was not a beautiful journey, because I learned so much about myself. I had been holding on to so much anger from the past, and it was making me an ugly person. It was making me judge people like Precious, because of who I was. How sad was that to find out at 50, that I would've lived such a better life if I had just let go of the hostility. [But once I let go] it felt beeautiful! Liberating!

I was so moved to hear Daniels talk about his own healing through the film - hopefully, it will have the same effect on others when it arrives in theaters next week.

Before the release, I'll be running my interview with Gabourey Sidibe, the newcomer that's making headlines for her Precious performance. Be sure to check back for that later - you're going to love her.

Photos courtesy of Lionsgate and Source

Buzz Interview With the Cast of Precious, Part 1: Paula Patton

BuzzSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:30:27 -0700

The buzz about Precious has been building ever since it swept awards at this year's Sundance Film Festival. (I even put it on my list of Fall movie picks.) Now with its release around the corner and Oscar whispers beginning, I sat down with some of the stars and the director himself. The film is based on the novel, Push, which follows a pregnant sixteen-year old living with her abusive mother. Despite the film's dark subject matter, every cast member I spoke to brought up the story's healing and feel-good power.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be bringing you their interviews. First up: Paula Patton, who plays Precious's teacher and mentor, Ms. Rain.

On the film's unexpected success: "We thought it’d maybe be on Netflix or in my mother’s living room! And then Lee called me in the beginning of the year and said, 'We’re going to Sundance.' That was it for me. That was an award to be able to go and be part of the selection, and then it just steam-rolled.”

For more of what Patton had to say, read more.

On her response to those who think the film is going to be depressing: "I understand saying, 'I want to see it, but I don’t want to see it right now, because I don’t want to go there.' It’s not like that. I say it’s like buying a ticket to a roller coaster ride. You laugh, you cry, you scream, and at the end of the ride, you’re left shaken, but with your heart more open. What’s beautiful about this film is that it breeds love."
On what she learned from Precious: “I think we’ve all judged a Precious. What this movie tells you is, don’t judge, because you don’t know their story. I think when we made this film we all had to admit our own racist feelings, our own prejudices, and deal with them head on.”

On newcomer Gabourey Sidibe: “So many actors will have worked their whole life and never achieve what [Gabby] achieves in this film. It’s remarkable. She’s not Precious. She’s like, ‘Paula, oh my god, did you see The Hills?' She’s such a girly-girl and loves to be happy. It's a difficult thing when you have a character that’s talked about the way she’s talked about - you're fat, you're ugly, you're stupid - that it took someone as smart and as confident as Gabby to play her and not be affected by it.”
On the inspiration for her character: "[My mother] was a public school teacher for 35 years, and she was one of these teachers that went above and beyond the call of duty. She would bring students back to the house, help them pay for books, and be supportive. When I decided to do this role, I was like, this is for my mother and for all the teachers out there who are like her.”
On what's next for her: “I just finished a comedy with Queen Latifah. I went from [a character] who has dedicated her life to helping others to someone who is the most selfish human being on the planet. I call her a gold-digger with a heart of gold. It was so much fun to explore a different character and flex those comedic chops!”

Are you looking forward to Precious? I'm dying to see it and Patton's film with Queen Latifah now!

Photos courtesy of Lionsgate and Source