BuzzSugar

Kate Winslet Eyes a Cable TV Miniseries

BuzzSugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:30:58 PDT

First an Oscar, now an Emmy? Well, maybe I'm getting ahead of myself. But it seems Kate Winslet will be starring in Mildred Pierce, a TV miniseries that's currently being shopped to various cable networks, including HBO.

The miniseries is based on a James M. Cain novel about a woman who becomes desperate to keep her family afloat during the Great Depression and ends up opening a chain of restaurants, which - as Variety puts it - "leads to backstabbing, romance and murder." The book was adapted into a 1945 film that won Joan Crawford her first Oscar.

Todd Haynes is writing and directing this new adaptation of Mildred Pierce, and HBO looks like the most likely network to land the rights to air it, though no deal is done yet.

Some people seem surprised that Winslet would do TV at the peak of her career, but I'm really not. Why? Two words: Helen Mirren. The grand dame of British actresses has done both TV miniseries and big-screen films for years now - and I'd think Winslet could do worse than follow in Mirren's footsteps. But what about you? Do you think it's a wise move?

I'm Not There: You Shouldn't Be, Either

BuzzSugar — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 23:59:00 PST

It must be something with the name Todd that motivates talented directors to make films that have the potential to be great, but then ruin them with complicated casting and an overly ambitious plot. First it was Todd Solondz (director of the wonderful Welcome to the Dollhouse) who cluttered Palindromes by employing eight different actors to play the same 13-year-old girl; now it's Todd Haynes who uses a very similar technique in the truly awful I'm Not There. Instead of a 13-year-old girl, the actors portray Bob Dylan, and this time around there are six actors instead of eight. One would think that two less actors would make the movie a little less jumbled. It didn't.

The reason I'm Not There is even more perplexing than Palindromes (which I didn't believe was possible) is that in addition to six actors emulating Bob Dylan, they each have different names and live in different eras. At least Palindromes was linear and each of the eight actors used the same name. In I'm Not There "Bob" is referred to as John, Jack, Jude, Woody, Arthur, and Billy. Confused? I certainly was! If you want to read the only two compelling reasons to watch this film

read more Undeniably the strongest part of this film is the music. Just like Across the Universe, the other film this year that featured a catalog of songs from a specific artist (in that case, The Beatles), the true standout is the vocal artistry of Bob Dylan. Although most of the songs included are a little more obscure (surprise), there are tried-and-true favorites like "All Along the Watchtower," and "Highway 61 Revisited." If you're a Dylan fan, take my recommendation and just buy the soundtrack. But, if you still want to see this film, there is one thing worth watching. The one, and only, reason to actually go see this film is for the incredible work done by Heath Ledger, Cate Blanchett, and Christian Bale - all of which is almost undone by the ridiculously ill-conceived Richard Gere as Billy the Kid/Bob Dylan. I honestly don't blame Gere for his lacking performance, he did the best he could with the cards he was dealt. The other actors, most notably Blanchett and Bale, have more realistic Dylans to portray, and each do so beautifully. There are other things I could mention about the film: the political subtext (the film deals with the JFK's death, the civil rights movement, Vietnam), Michelle Williams and Julianne Moore's cameos, or Heath Ledger's nude scene, but I'm afraid this might entice you to see the film. And I'd rather you buy the soundtrack, if you must. Photos courtesy of The Weinstein Company

Kate Winslet Talks About Her "Wonderful" Emmy Win and Being "Thrilled" by Guy Pearce's Comments

Shannon Vestal — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 21:17:34 PDT

Kate Winslet took home the outstanding lead actress in a miniseries Emmy tonight for playing the title role in Mildred Pierce, and the actress made sure to drop by the press room to gush about how happy she was to have won. Just like in her acceptance speech, she assured everyone that she really didn't expect to win, and she shared how thrilled she was to hear costar Guy Pearce talk about their sex scenes in his own acceptance speech for the miniseries.

On people not believing that she didn't think she'd win: "I was extremely unprepared and I didn't think I was going to win at all. I'm so thrilled to have won this, and it just comes out the way it comes out."
On her reaction to Guy Pearce's sexy comments about her "I'm thrilled. I had a crush on Guy Pearce since I was 11 years old, so just to stand in the same room as him was really thrilling to me. To hear him say all of that tonight was more of a thrill."
On what she learned from playing Mildred Pierce: "It's more a question of what didn't I learn. I learned a great deal from Todd Haynes, who is an extraordinary director and a real partner for me. When you have the opportunity to play a woman of such magnitude and vulnerability, you have to tread very carefully and hope you're covering all the bases. Todd was certainly very much there for me and holding my hand, so I'm really grateful to him."
On whether she had any idea she would have such a long and successful career: "Absolutely none whatsoever. None. I come from a long line of actors who spend most of their lives largely out of work. So I knew when I wanted to pursue this great dream I had, I knew I probably wouldn't work very often and I ought to think about part time jobs along the way. I've been extremely blessed that this has been my only job since I was a teenager, and winning an award like this tonight, It's so wonderful. I can't even describe it."

Keep coming back for even more priceless winner quotes from the Emmy press room!

3 Reasons I'm Excited For Tonight's Premiere of Mildred Pierce

Lauren Bradshaw — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 05:30:46 PDT

Mildred Pierce premieres tonight, and ever since the trailer premiered last September, I've been eagerly awaiting the opportunity to feast my eyes on the new miniseries. For one, it's on HBO, which is known for its above par programming, but then you also have a cast of Oscar winners and director Todd Haynes. Simply put, it seems like a TV slam dunk. But if I had to pinpoint the reasons behind my anticipation, it really comes down to three things.

Kate Winslet. Who doesn't love her? Winslet plays the title character in the miniseries, which means she carries the majority of the work on her shoulders - she's reportedly in nearly every scene. But as her costars will attest, if anyone can handle the task, it's her. Winslet is an actress with such range and depth, and I can't wait to see her big screen presence on the small screen for a change.
The rich story. Whereas the original Mildred Pierce film with Joan Crawford added a murder to the story for a more film noir feel, this version supposedly sticks close to James M. Cain's 1941 novel. That means the story will mainly focus on Mildred and her relationship with daughter Veda (Evan Rachel Wood), so it's more about character development and the growth of Mildred as she fights the hardships of the Depression and single motherhood. That should definitely give Winslet plenty of opportunity to shine.
The styling! The series opens in 1931, and early critics are saying the details of the era are spot on. I can't wait to see the costume looks and hairdos they whip up for Winslet and Wood to wear. I'm sure they'll provide BellaSugar and FabSugar with plenty of inspiration.

The miniseries kicks off tonight at 9 p.m. on HBO. Are you going to tune in?

Photo courtesy of HBO

Announcing the 2011 Primetime Emmy Awards Nominees!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 06:14:12 PDT

TV stars Joshua Jackson and Melissa McCarthy were up and at 'em this morning to present the nominees for this year's Primetime Emmy Awards - one of which went to McCarthy herself for her work on Mike and Molly. There aren't too many shockers on this year's list; new shows Game of Thrones, The Killing, and Boardwalk Empire all got some love, Modern Family continues to dominate (now with a nomination for Ed O'Neill), and Friday Night Lights finally got that much-deserved nod for outstanding drama series. There are also some big names you may not have expected to see on this list, such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Matt Damon, and Justin Timberlake all picked up nominations for guest appearances.

Check out the full list of nominees when you

read more. OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES The Big Bang Theory Glee Modern Family The Office Parks and Recreation 30 Rock OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES Boardwalk Empire Dexter Friday Night Lights Game of Thrones The Good Wife Mad Men OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock Louis C.K., Louie Steve Carell, The Office Johnny Galecki, The Big Bang Theory Matt LeBlanc, Episodes Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights Michael C. Hall, Dexter Jon Hamm, Mad Men Hugh Laurie, House Timothy Olyphant, Justified OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Kathy Bates, Harry's Law Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights Mireille Enos, The Killing Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR A MOVIE Greg Kinnear, The Kennedys Barry Pepper, The Kennedys Edgar Ramirez, Carlos William Hurt, Too Big to Fail Idris Elba, Luther OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie Tina Fey, 30 Rock Laura Linney, The Big C Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly Martha Plimpton, Raising Hope Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce Elizabeth McGovern, Grantham Diane Lane, Cinema Verite Taraji P. Henson, Taken From Me: The Tiffany Rubin Story Jean Marsh, Upstairs Downstairs (Masterpiece) OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men Chris Colfer, Glee Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family Ed O'Neill, Modern Family Ty Burrell, Modern Family OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES John Slattery, Mad Men Andre Braugher, Men of a Certain Age Walton Goggins, Justified Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones Josh Charles, The Good Wife Alan Cumming, The Good Wife OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce Brian F. O'Byrne, Mildred Pierce Tom Wilkinson, The Kennedys Paul Giamatti, Too Big to Fail James Woods, Too Big to Fail OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Jane Lynch, Glee Betty White, Hot in Cleveland Julie Bowen, Modern Family Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock Sofia Vergara, Modern Family OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Kelly Macdonald, Boardwalk Empire Christina Hendricks, Mad Men Michelle Forbes, The Killing Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife Margo Martindale, Justified Christine Baranski, The Good Wife OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOVIE Evan Rachel Wood, Mildred Pierce Melissa Leo, Mildred Pierce Mare Winningham Mildred Pierce Maggie Smith, Violet Eileen Atkins, Upside Down (Masterpiece) OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Idris Elba, The Big C Zach Galifianakis, Saturday Night Live Justin Timberlake, Saturday Night Live Matt Damon, 30 Rock Will Arnett, 30 Rock OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Robert Morse, Mad Men Bruce Dern, Big Love Jeremy Davies, Justified Beau Bridges, Brothers & Sisters Paul McCrane, Harry's Law Michael J. Fox, The Good Wife OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Kristin Chenoweth, Glee Dot-Marie Jones, Glee Gwyneth Paltrow, Glee Cloris Leachman, Raising Hope Elizabeth Banks, 30 Rock Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Alfre Woodard, True Blood Randee Heller, Mad Men Cara Buono, Mad Men Joan Cusack, Shameless Julia Stiles, Dexter Mary McDonnell, The Closer Loretta Devine, Grey's Anatomy OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY So You Think You Can Dance ("Alice in Mia-Land Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" / "When We Dance" / "This Bitter Earth - On the Nature of Daylight") So You Think You Can Dance ("Mad World" / "Sundrenched World" / "Heaven Is a Place on Earth") So You Think You Can Dance ("Collide" / "How It Ends" / "Fix You") So You Think You Can Dance ("Scars" / "Fallin" / "Outta Your Mind") Dancing With the Stars (Jive, "I Write Sins Not Tragedies" / Viennese Waltz, "Hedwig's Theme (Theme From Harry Potter)" / Slow Waltz, "My Love") So You Think You Can Dance ("Oh Yeah" / "Boogie Shoes" / "I Surrender") OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM Jeff Probst, Survivor Cat Deeley, So You Think You Can Dance Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars Ryan Seacrest, American Idol OUTSTANDING MINISERIES OR MADE FOR TELEVISION MOVIE Mildred Pierce Too Big to Fail The Kennedys Downtown Abbey (Masterpiece) Cinema Verite The Pillars of the Earth OUTSTANDING VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SERIES Late Night With Jimmy Fallon The Colbert Report Conan Saturday Night Live Real Time With Bill Maher The Daily Show With Jon Stewart OUTSTANDING VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SPECIAL Carrie Fisher in Wishful Drinking Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour: At Madison Square Garden The Kennedy Center Honors The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway OUTSTANDING REALITY - COMPETITION PROGRAM So You Think You Can Dance The Amazing Race Project Runway American Idol Dancing With the Stars Top Chef OUTSTANDING REALITY PROGRAM Hoarders Antiques Roadshow Deadliest Catch MythBusters Undercover Boss Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES Modern Family The Big C Glee Nurse Jackie 30 Rock OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES Boardwalk Empire Mad Men The Killing The Good Wife Game of Thrones OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE, OR SPECIAL Mildred Pierce Downtown Abbey (Masterpiece) Cinema Verite Too Big to Fail Upstairs Downstairs (Masterpiece) OUTSTANDING COMMERCIAL Conan (American Express) Baby Driver (Subaru) Questions (Old Spice Body Wash) Polar Bear (Nissan LEAF) Baby (McDonald's) Born of Fire (Chrysler 200) OUTSTANDING COSTUMES FOR A SERIES Boardwalk Empire Mad Men The Borgias Game of Thrones Glee OUTSTANDING COSTUMES FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE, OR SPECIAL Mildred Pierce Downtown Abbey (Masterpiece) Cinema Verite Upstairs Downstairs (Masterpiece) OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES Boardwalk Empire (Martin Scorsese) Boardwalk Empire (Jeremy Podeswa) The Borgias (Neil Jordan) The Killing (Patty Jenkins) Game of Thrones (Tim Van Patten) OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES Modern Family (Michael Alan Spiller) Modern Family (Gail Mancuso) Modern Family (Steve Levitan) 30 Rock (Beth McCarthy-Miller) How I Met Your Mother (Pamela Fryman) OUTSTANDING NONFICTION SERIES Moguls and Movie Stars Biography American Masters 30 For 30 Pioneers of Television Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC AND LYRICS Family Guy, "Christmastime Is Killing Us" Saturday Night Live, "I Just Had Sex" Robert Klein: Unfair & Unbalanced, "An American Prayer - Hymn II?" Saturday Night Live, "Justin Timberlake Monologue" Saturday Night Live, "Jack Sparrow" Saturday Night Live, "The Golden Rule" OUTSTANDING MAIN TITLE DESIGN Boardwalk Empire Rubicon Too Big Too Fail Game of Thrones Any Human Heart (Masterpiece) OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MAIN TITLE THEME MUSIC The Borgias Mildred Pierce Episodes Any Human Heart (Masterpiece) The Kennedys Camelot OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS FOR A SERIES Boardwalk Empire The Borgias Stargate Universe The Walking Dead Game of Thrones OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE, OR A SPECIAL Mildred Pierce Sherlock: A Study in Pink (Masterpiece) The Pillars of the Earth Gettysburg OUTSTANDING STUNT COORDINATION Southland Game of Thrones Spartacus: Gods of the Arena Hawaii Five-0 OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES Episodes ("Episode 107," David Crane, Jeffrey Klarik) The Office ("Good-Bye Michael," Greg Daniels) Modern Family ("Caught in the Act," Steve Levitan, Jeffrey Richman) Louie ("Poker/Divorce," Louis C.K.) 30 Rock ("Reaganing," Matt Hubbard) OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES Mad Men ("The Suitcase," Matthew Weiner) Mad Men ("Blowing Smoke," André Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton) The Killing ("Pilot," Veena Sud) Friday Night Lights ("Always," Jason Katims) Game of Thrones ("Baelor," David Benioff, D.B. Weiss) OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SERIES The Colbert Report Late Night With Jimmy Fallon Saturday Night Live Conan The Daily Show With Jon Stewart OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A MINISERIES, MOVIE, OR A DRAMATIC SPECIAL Mildred Pierce (Jon Raymond, Todd Haynes) Downtown Abbey (Masterpiece) (Julian Fellowes) Sherlock: A Study in Pink (Masterpiece (Steven Moffat) Too Big to Fail (Peter Gould) Upstairs Downstairs (Masterpiece) (Heidi Thomas) OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A VARIETY, MUSIC, OR COMEDY SPECIAL The Real Women of SNL Colin Quinn: Long Story Short 64th Annual Tony Awards Louis C.K.: Hilarious Night of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Benefit For Autism Education OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM The Cleveland Show Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode III Futurama The Simpsons South Park