BuzzSugar

Buzz News Roundup, 1/23

BuzzSugar — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:30:09 PST

It's true: Dakota Fanning has been offered a role in New Moon. - Entertainment Weekly
Samantha Who? has been bumped for The Bachelor but will have Angie Harmon in the cast when it returns. - TV Guide
Tom Wilkinson and Jim Belushi are rounding out the cast of Roman Polanski's The Ghost. - ComingSoon
Hooray, an actors' strike is looking way, way less likely. - AP
ABC has piked up a pilot based on The Witches of Eastwick, while NBC has ordered a medical pilot called Mercy. - The Hollywood Reporter
Tom Hanks and Oprah are producing a film adaptation of the bestselling book The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. - Variety
13: Fear is Real is moving to Fridays, and Privileged repeats will take its spot on Wednesdays. - The Futon Critic
Keira Knightley and Colin Farrell are set to star in London Boulevard, a crime drama that marks the directing debut of The Departed screenwriter William Monahan. - ComingSoon
Steve Martin's banjo album The Crow: New Songs For the Five-String Banjo will be available Jan. 27. - Billboard

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Buzz News Roundup, 12/24

BuzzSugar — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:00:10 PST

Clive Owen is in talks to star in a movie titled Cartagena as an undercover agent amid Colombian drug cartels. - Hollywood Reporter
The Screen Actors Guild has delayed a vote that could call for a strike until at least Jan. 14. - The New York Times
Tina Fey has been voted the AP's entertainer of the year. - AP
America's Best Dance Crew will return to MTV on Jan. 15 for season three. - The Futon Critic
Citing "cultural sensitivities," Warner Bros. has decided not to release The Dark Knight in China. - Variety
Dexter co-star Lauren Velez has been cast for multiple episodes on Ugly Betty, but the details of her character might be spoilery. - The Hollywood Reporter
Kelly Clarkson's new single, "My Life Would Suck Without You," will hit U.S. radio outlets Jan. 19. - Billboard
HBO has picked up a series based on the documentary Cocaine Cowboys, to be produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay. - Zap2it

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Buzz News Roundup, 11/24

BuzzSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:30:10 PST

The stage musical version of Irving Berlin's White Christmas will come to Broadway this Winter, offering seasonal competition to The Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular. - Variety
Shopgirl director Anand Tucker will direct Amy Adams in the Dublin-set romantic comedy Leap Year. - ComingSoon
The Screen Actors Guild will ask its members to authorize a possible strike. - Zap2it
Another one joins George Clooney in the cast of Jason Reitman's (director of Juno) next project, Up in the Air: Vera Farmiga will play the romantic interest for Clooney's character. - Variety
Horatio Sanz and Jessica St. Clair have joined the cast of ABC's In the Motherhood. - TV Guide
Jay-Z and Coldplay will play a few tour dates together next year. - Pitchfork
Jennifer Westfeldt (Kissing Jessica Stein, Notes From the Underbelly) has joined Grey's Anatomy as a patient for a multiepisode arc. - Entertainment Weekly
Screenwriter John Michael Hayes, nominated for Academy Awards for the classic Alfred Hitchcock film Rear Window and for Peyton Place, has died at age 89. - AP

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Could There Really Be an Actors' Strike?

BuzzSugar — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 11:30:02 PDT

I've been trying to ignore reports that the Screen Actors Guild, which represents 120,000 actors, could go on strike. Just not listening. If I don't pay attention, they'll go away, right? La la la . . .

Except, well, those reports just keep rolling in. Come Monday (June 30), SAG's contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (yup, the same group the writers struck against earlier this year) is up. And that means we could once again be punching our tickets to picket-land.

If the contract expires on Monday with no deal, that doesn't automatically mean a strike is in the works. The SAG membership would have to vote to authorize one, and they haven't been asked to do that yet. Plus, there's a smaller union that represents actors that will vote on a contract July 8, and the thought is that SAG won't do anything official till the results of that vote are in. But already, Hollywood is getting ready for work to stop again. To see what's happening right now, just

read more. According to a story in today's New York Times:

Most movie studios are planning to shut down production by Monday.
TV series are rushing to get episodes finished so the Fall TV season could still theoretically launch on time.
A ton of pilots are being shot now for shows that aren't expected to air till 2009 - much earlier than usual.

If there were a strike, some TV shows (24) would be able to start the season as normal, while others (Grey's Anatomy) wouldn't. Presumably, we'd also have to brace ourselves for lots more picketing, some delayed movie releases, and another spate of reality shows. Could you handle another Hollywood strike? Source

Viggo Mortensen Talks Working With Kristen Stewart in On the Road

Allie Merriam — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:45:23 PST

Viggo Mortensen is currently in Spain starring in a production of Purgatorio, but his A Dangerous Method just opened here in the US to quite good reviews. We had a chance to ask Viggo about tackling the role of Sigmund Freud opposite Michael Fassbender and Keira Knightley. He also gave us some random tidbits about his life like his favorite books and holiday dishes, and even spoke about working with Kristen Stewart in their upcoming On the Road. Viggo kindly cleared up any confusion movie-goers might have about the adaptation of Jack Kerouac's classic book and his 2009 movie with Charlize Theron called simply The Road. He said:

BuzzSugar: One of your next films coming out is On the Road. How was it filming that movie with Kirsten Dunst, Kristen Stewart, and Tom Sturridge?
Viggo Mortensen: Of the three actors you mention, I only worked with Kristen Stewart, who did a great job with her character from what I could see. Walter Salles, the director, has a light touch and is very kind, extremely intelligent, and very helpful with the actors. Great crew on that shoot. The images I have seen are strikingly beautiful; they really capture post-WW2 USA landscapes, people.

Buzz: As for A Dangerous Method, what did you think when you first saw yourself dressed up as Sigmund Freud?
VM: I thought: "Yes, this might work; looks right so far. Now I have to find the character's voice, his tone."

Buzz: What's on tap for you at the end of 2011?
VM: I am finishing the run of the Ariel Dorfman play Purgatorio, which I am acting in at the Matadero theatre in Madrid, Spain. Been a tough but rewarding challenge after more than 20 years not doing a play. Tough subject, difficult script to memorize and present. Has gone well - full houses and good reviews - but will be glad to relax with friends and family a bit after we finish just before the holidays.

To see what Viggo had to say about his holiday plans and what he does in his spare time, just

read more. Buzz: Are there any holiday dishes you're especially excited to have? VM: Buckwheat pancakes with fried eggs on top. Buzz: What do you like to do best when not making movies? VM: Watch other movies. Buzz: Do you have a favorite book? VM: No, not just one. Too many to mention. For those who do not know his work, I recommend Roberto Bolaño's novels. Been reading him lately. And Noam Chomsky's updated version of his landmark publication 9/11. Buzz: Having also starred in The Road, how would you describe the difference between that film and On the Road to your fans? VM: If you know the books, the only things that they have in common is the word "road" in their titles, the view of a few US roads onscreen, a little suffering, and a little joy to be had from the two journeys . . . The Road has a minimum of characters and barely any dialogue, while On the Road is full of memorable characters who will not or cannot shut up. Different as the two stories are, both books contain gems of concentrated poetic description, uniquely haunting passages that will likely stay with the reader for a long time.

4 Concerns About the Dumb and Dumber Sequel

Shannon Vestal — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:45:08 PDT

Although Dumb and Dumber is one of my all-time favorite movies, the news that a Dumb and Dumber sequel is moving forward doesn't make me happy; it just makes me cringe. Writers have been hired for the script of the follow-up to the '90s comedy starring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels, though neither of them have officially committed to it yet. I won't worry too much until the actors sign on, but I still have some concerns.

It's been too long since the original. Carrey and Daniels were in their 30s when they played Harry and Lloyd in the 1994 film, but Carrey is 49 and Daniels is 55 now. While I'm positive that they'd still have great comedic chemistry, seeing two men in their 50s acting that stupid may not be so funny anymore - it may just be sad.
The Farrelly brothers have lost their touch. Dumb and Dumber was the first film by the Farrelly brothers, and arguably their best. They were at the top of their game in the '90s with other hits like There's Something About Mary, but their last few films like Hall Pass and The Heartbreak Kid come nowhere near replicating the quality of their earlier work.
They already tried to make another movie, and it didn't work. I know that Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd is technically a prequel, but filmmakers tried to get lightning to strike twice with their installment about a young Harry and Lloyd, and it didn't happen. It wasn't as funny or good (partially due to the fact that Carrey and Daniels didn't appear at all), so I don't have a lot of faith that future movies will do justice to the franchise.
A bad sequel could detract from the enjoyment of the first movie. Can the sequel top bits like the "soup du jour" or "Samsonite" jokes? Can it even hope to come close? Bottom line: I don't want a subpar film sullying the good name of the hilarious original.

Claire Danes Transitions From Emmy Winner to Homeland Star

Katie Henry — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:32:28 PDT

Claire Danes strikes a bold pose for the latest issue of Emmy Magazine, the official publication of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, which hits newsstands Sept. 13. Claire went on a winning streak during last year's awards season that began with her outstanding lead actress in a miniseries Emmy win for her role in Temple Grandin. She went on to earn a Golden Globe and SAG statue for her performance. Claire's now tackling a new cable project, playing a CIA officer in Showtime's series Homeland. Claire shares with the magazine about portraying a covert agent, kissing Jared Leto on My So-Called Life, and her childhood acting dreams. Here's more:

Claire on her childhood ambitions: "I wanted to be on stage. Then I discovered that actors typically don't make much money, so I decided I'd be a therapist and live in the suburbs next door to my best friend."
Claire on preparing to kiss her My So-Called Life costar Jared Leto: "Kiss his face? How do I kiss his face?"
Claire comparing CIA officers to actors: "I'm speaking in an assuming way, but the CIA, they do play roles all the time. And they do have to forge intimacy easily with strangers. And they are con men. And, you know, they actually create characters. But that's kind of where the comparisons end. The work they do is for real and the work we do is in fantasy."

Matt Damon Explains Why Luciana Calls Him "Red Alert" During His Contagion Press Day

Katie Henry — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 09:21:03 PDT

Matt Damon stars in Steven Soderbergh's Contagion, which is out in the US on Sept. 9. He was at a press conference in LA last weekend chatting about what it was like to work with both Steven and writer Scott Z. Burns. Matt also touched on his personal life, revealing a funny nickname that he earned from wife Luciana because of his overprotective tendencies. The actor also spoke about getting advice for one particularly emotional scene and touched on the shaved head he's sporting to shoot Elysium up in Canada.

On his real-life crisis mode: "With kids I'm probably more protective than I've ever been, now that I have children. I mean, my wife's nickname for me is 'Red Alert.' Sometimes I just check to see if the kids are breathing, but, no I think there's the tendency to be overprotective without trying to be a helicopter parent."
On shaving his head for Elysium: [looking at Steven Soderbergh's shaved head] "Inspiration can strike at any time . . . It's for a movie, I'm doing a movie with Neill Blomkamp who directed District 9, and this is what the guy looks like. I did shave my head once when I did The Brothers Grimm, I had a wig . . . it was easier to get the wig on instead of lacquering my hair down, instead I just shaved my head, so I walked around in my regular life like this. I love it - I see why these guys rock it! Great in the summertime, easy getting out of the shower."
On playing action guys vs. regular guys: "[With sarcasm] Obviously the action guys come way more naturally. If the director's good and if the script is good, it all comes pretty naturally and if those things aren't in place then it's impossible no matter what the role is."
On what it's like working with Steven: "Well, I thought it was a lot that was kind of easy to relate to - it was just kind of on the page. And working with Steven is very different than working with anybody else. To give you an example of a day - we'd go and we'd shoot, we'd talk about what we were going to do, we'd figure it out, and execute the plan and then we'd go back to the hotel and go to the bar. And in the back room of a bar, they'd deliver the footage, and Steven and Scott and I, we'd just kind of sit there and talk while Steven opened up his laptop. We'd just kind of sit and talk while Steven sat in the corner for 45 minutes or an hour, and in the end he'd take his headphones off and turn the computer around, and he'd show us what we shot. That day. Cut! So, when you're working that way, it's kind of like making a movie in your backyard with your friends. The body is out on the operating table and wide open, and you just kind of talk about, 'Alright well, what else do we need?'"

To read what Matt said about first reading the script, his own levels of disaster preparedness, filming one particularly emotional scene, and Steven's supposed retirement, just

Jake Takes a Break From the Beat and Gets a Sugar Fix During a Solo Stroll

Lindsay Miller — Wed, 18 May 2011 10:02:46 PDT

Jake Gyllenhaal made his way to his car in Beverly Hills yesterday with a handful of candy. The actor may have been indulging with some sweets, but he's been keeping his body in shape for his latest role as a police officer in End of Watch with regular boxing and karate lessons. Despite his solid physique, a picture that claimed to be of Jake striking a pose in a pair of tighty-whities this week has been confirmed as a fake, though fans will likely get a chance to see the actor shirtless in his new movie. Jake also shaved his head for the part, which he started filming just a few weeks after his action-thriller Source Code hit theaters in April. When he's not tied up on set, Jake has been hanging out with friends and working out close to home. He headed out for a mini-vacation earlier this month, taking a trip down south with the band Mumford & Sons and joining the British folk-rockers during their Railroad Revival tour.

Sarah Jessica Parker Tells Marie Claire What Scares Her the Most and How She Does It All

Lindsay Miller — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:55:09 PDT

Sarah Jessica Parker posed for Marie Claire's 2011 September issue in a bold, colorblocked dress. The actress's latest movie, I Don't Know How She Does It, hits theaters the same month. The comedy, which also stars Christina Hendricks, Pierce Brosnan, and Busy Philipps, tackles the challenges that working moms face as they try to juggle it all. It's a theme SJP can relate to as a mom of three and a movie star. She talked about striking a balance in her working and personal life in the magazine and also shared some of the ways she maintains a sense of normalcy despite her celebrity status. She said:

On why she never wanted fame: "I never wanted to be a celebrity; I never wanted to be famous. And in my daily life, I work really hard to not trade on it in any way. I am so desperately worried about anybody saying, 'She cut in line' or 'She took our table' or 'She got out of jury duty' or 'She doesn't do her own grocery shopping.' The things that bother me are counter to who I am and the way I live. It's not like it's hard to be decent and respectful and well-behaved. I do wait in line, and I do take the subway, and I do do my own grocery shopping, and I do take the kids to school."
On balancing her many commitments: "I love, love, love being an actor. It's still the hardest and scariest thing I do, outside of parenting. But I've always been someone who likes a busy day. I love the opportunities, and if I can manage my time and the children are okay and we're okay, it's hard to say no."
On protecting her marriage to Matthew Broderick: "We don't talk about our marriage a lot, which is probably wise. There are so many other things in our lives that take precedence over the splitting of the atom of our marriage."