06 September 2013

Benedict Cumberbatch has said it’s “incredible” to be playing the lead role in the movie chosen to open the Toronto Film Festival, The Fifth Estate.

The Sherlock star plays Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in the film.

Speaking on the red carpet at the glitzy screening, Benedict told Canada‘s City News it was “a huge deal” to have the film open the event. “It’s a really smart film for a smart energised crowd,” he said.

Earlier this year Benedict revealed he had reached out to the Australian activist, but that he did not want any contact. Assange also later criticised the movie as a “propaganda attack”.

Director Bill Condon said: “When we tried to actually make contact – Benedict made the most overt gestures – we were rebuffed. He has the sense of it being something very different than what it is.”

But the filmmaker admitted there were some advantages to making a film about Assange without his input.

He explained: “There’s so much in him that I admire. At a certain point, I thought it was an advantage not to spend time with him. So much has been written and recorded, I felt from what I knew about him that it would either be an attempt at manipulation on his part or that there would be things that would make me like him less than I actually do.”

He went on: “You change your mind about him many, many times during the course of the movie. The idea was to present this incredibly complicated and, as we can see, relevant issue of the struggle in this age between privacy and transparency in all of its complication. And in a similar way, present him in all his complexity.”

The Fifth Estate also stars Laura Linney, Daniel Bruhl, Stanley Tucci, David Thewlis, Peter Capaldi, Dan Stevens and Alicia Vikander and is partly based on Guardian writers David Leigh and Luke Harding’s book WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange’s War On Secrecy.

It is to be released in UK cinemas on January 1, 2014.

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05 September 2013

Hollywood royalty Naomi Watts visited Leicester Square for the world premiere of the controversial biopic on Diana.

The Oscar-nominated Impossible star plays Diana in the film about the final years of her life and looked suitably regal in a floor-length white gown and diamonds while greeting and waving at fans.

Watts, 44, portrays Diana’s relationship with Pakistani heart surgeon Hasnat Khan, played by Lost actor Naveen Andrews, and then Dodi Fayed (Cas Anvar) before her death in a car crash in Paris.

The film has courted controversy in the build-up to the premiere, with Watts herself admitting she may have to “leave the country” following the movie’s release.

The actress had turned down the part twice before and said of her reasons for finally accepting it: “I guess the challenge of taking on that kind of transformation and it’s annoying when fear gets in the way of things.

“I was afraid to play the most famous woman of our time because of all the comparisons of people thinking oh, well she belongs to us. How do you take possession of a character like that and also the sensitivity of it, the concerns of how the rest of her family feel about it?”

She admitted there had been no seal of royal approval yet: “I don’t think so, they wouldn’t make a comment.”

British-born Naomi said playing the British icon had put her back in touch with her roots.

“I still feel very connected to Britain and come here a lot. I love London, it would be so easy for me to come back here and live and my mum’s here all the time. I feel very much connected to England.”

She said of the most difficult Diana mannerisms to master: “She moves her face in very different ways. That look from under the fringe was such a memorable one, we had to get that right obviously.”

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04 September 2013

Juno Temple insists she isn’t bothered by the thought of shedding her clothes on a movie set.

The 24-year-old actress stars as a stripper-turned-prostitute in comedy-drama Afternoon Delight and she admits she never gave the raunchy content a second thought.

“I don’t believe in explicit, useless nudity. But I’m very European. I grew up with everyone sunbathing topless and s**t,” she told Backstage magazine.

Juno, who grew up near London with her mother, movie producer Amanda Pirie, and father, director Julien Temple, acknowledged she’s been sexualised in several roles.

The star credits her open nature with attracting that kind of work.

“So I think it’s more that in a lot of the scripts there have been a bunch of sexual elements, and I’m not afraid of it,” she reasoned.

Juno also has no preference when it comes to being directed by a male or female on set. She appeared to shrug at Afternoon Delight writer/director Jill Soloway’s remarks she felt her team was “rescuing” the actress from “the way that all these male directors have seen her”.

“I mean, for me it doesn’t really matter, male or female,” Juno said, musing, “Maybe one day I’ll be directed by an ape.”

The Atonement star does have one regret, however. She admits she wishes she had started her research on her Afternoon character sooner in order to reap the benefits of learning to pole dance.

“I wish I’d started earlier because then maybe I could have climbed a pole,” Juno mused.

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05 September 2013

Scarlett Johansson is ready to marry again – she’s engaged to French journalist Romain Dauriac.

The actress, 28, who was previously wed to Green Lantern star Ryan Reynolds, appeared at the Venice Film Festival this week wearing a vintage diamond art deco-style ring.

Now her publicist has told Harper’s Bazaar UK: “I can confirm that Scarlett and Romain are engaged,” adding that “they haven’t chosen a date for the wedding”.

The pair have been dating for just nine months.

Scarlett talks of her love for Romain’s hometown Paris in Bazaar’s October issue interview, where she also discusses her hopes of starting a family.

The Lost In Translation actress married Canadian actor Ryan in 2008, but they divorced in 2011 and Ryan later wed Gossip Girl‘s Blake Lively.

Scarlett, who has been promoting new movie Under The Skin in Venice, began seeing her now fiance in November last year after they were introduced by mutual friends, according to reports.

She has previously said: “I got married when I was young and it was incredibly romantic and I liked being married, actually.

“But it is different. It’s hard to put into words. To me, being in a functioning relationship doesn’t mean you have to be married.

“I never think about marriage. Is that weird? The only time I ever think about it is when people ask me. It’s really not important to me.”

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05 September 2013

Richard Curtis has revealed it is “unlikely” that Blackadder would return for a big-screen outing.

The About Time filmmaker, who created and wrote the BBC comedy, poured cold water on the possibility of a Blackadder film, despite star Rowan Atkinson apparently saying in 2011 that he was keen to reprise the role in a movie spin-off.

“I don’t believe that! If Rowan’s really keen, that would be interesting to hear but he hasn’t said it to me,” he said.

“We went away for a weekend a decade ago to see whether we could work out a way of doing it and we never could, so I’m sure it won’t happen. I think it’ll be quite unlikely that there will be a Blackadder movie.”

Rowan, Tony Robinson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Tim McInnerny and Rik Mayall all starred in the hit BBC sitcom, which was written by Richard and Ben Elton. The series, which ran on television from 1983 to 1989, followed character Edmund Blackadder throughout the ages. Rowan has reportedly met with the show’s producer John Lloyd to discuss the potential of adapting it for the big screen.

Richard revealed they had discussed the idea for a film years ago.

“We did say when we were young, if ever we did Blackadder again, it would be when we are old,” he continued.

“We thought we should wait 30 years and then vent our anger at the younger generation in the way that the original Blackadder was venting our anger as young men about older men and how messed up the world was, particularly in the First World War.”

The 56-year-old added: “So it’s not impossible but I think it would be too painful.”

:: About Time is in cinemas now.

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03 September 2013

Louis Tomlinson has joked he want to see more of Niall Horan’s nipples in the next One Direction movie.

The boys are currently enjoying box office success with their 3D documentary This Is Us, which follows them on tour. It seems they are already considering a follow-up and are eager to test their acting skills out.

“We want to do a spoof version,” Liam Payne joked to MTV News. “Like a zombie version, That Wasn’t Us. A zombie film that will start in Australia with Niall’s zombie nips.”

The boys wished more footage from the US and Australian legs of their world tour had been featured in the documentary. However, they are eager to explore other countries next time they are in front of the cameras.

“More of Niall’s nips,” Louis Tomlinson added. “And definitely some more American and Australian tour stuff ’cause we didn’t have the time to film that.”

It seems Louis is also impressed with Niall’s lip locking technique as well as his toned physique. He has told We Love Pop magazine that the Irish heartthrob is the “best kisser” in the group.

Morgan Spurlock directed This Is Us and has also been considering working on a sequel, which could follow the band on their upcoming Where We Are world tour.

He believes that any new project must offer fans something completely different to what they have already seen.

“I feel like this film you get access you get intimacy,” he explained. “I think the next film if we end up doing another one would be a very different process and a very different project.

“In 4-D, this one will be in smell-a-vision, because the boys, they smell like unicorns and rainbows, you can’t see that in the movie.”

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03 September 2013

Robert Pattinson could have played Christian Grey in 50 Shades of Grey if author E.L. James had her way.

The movie’s lead stars were confirmed as Dakota Johnson, 23, and Charlie Hunnam, 33, today, but the latter was allegedly not the preferred option.

The billionaire character of Christian Grey could have been portrayed by 27-year-old Robert, according to Bret Easton Ellis.

“Talked to E.L. James at a party over the summer: her first choice for Christian was Rob Pattinson,” the author and screenwriter claimed via Twitter on Monday. “E.L. James and I were at Rob Pattinson’s house when she admitted that Rob was first choice for Christian.”

Bret spilled that he and the 50 Shades of Grey author joked about other options as they drunkenly discussed the Twilight hunk’s appeal.

He suggested Lindsay Lohan’s The Canyons co-star, porn star James Deen, come on board the erotic tale.

Ellis, who penned books Less Than Zero and The Rules of Attraction, happens to be screenwriter for Lindsay’s new film.

“When E.L. James asked me who I thought should be Christian I said ‘James Deen, of course,’ and then she shoved me. We were both very wasted, (sic)” he posted on the micro-blogging website.

Ellis and James both went to a bash at Robert’s Los Feliz, California, property in June where guests had tacos and reportedly danced until 3am, according to Us Weekly.

Now the casting news is officially out after much speculation, Ellis opened up about some unfounded stories. He claims Matt Bomer and Ian Somerhalder were never considered, despite rumours both were in the running.

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03 September 2013

Olivia Wilde plays the “worst version” of herself in comedy Drinking Buddies and realises being an attractive woman doesn’t guarantee the “perfect life”.

The 29-year-old actress admits she’s charmed as a Hollywood star but playing a sharp-tongued brewery worker named Kate in new movie Drinking Buddies shifted her perspective.

“Kate felt like where I could have ended up if things hadn’t worked out for me and I’m very much aware that it’s just around the corner,” she told Backstage magazine. “She is the worst version of me.”

The Tron star realises she’s fortunate to have not gone down that path she but doesn’t shame women who have.

Living in the spotlight has taught her that others can be living realities vastly different than public perception and that attractive women especially aren’t guaranteed privileges.

“A lot of people assume that women of a certain age who are not unattractive have no excuse for not having a perfect life. But you can have emotional baggage that is dragging you down like cement blocks tied to your feet,” Olivia explained.

After a decade of trying to make it in Hollywood Olivia only now feels that she’s coming into her own.

The star, who will appear in Ron Howard’s film Rush later this month, says she finally isn’t frightened to reject projects because of the confidence she’s gained over the years.

“I consider my education to be the first 10 years of my career,” Olivia said.

“I only now, to be honest, feel as if I’ve started working. I’ve had really great experiences, but in the last two years I have finally started making the choices that I want to make. I started being as discerning as I want and saying no way more than I’m saying yes.”

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02 September 2013

Lady Gaga was a real pro as she filmed the Sin City sequel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has revealed.

Joseph, who will take the lead role of gambler Johnny, admitted he was really impressed by the Applause singer, who makes a cameo in Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller‘s new film, Sin City: A Dame To Kill For.

He told US radio show Jam’n 94.5: “Lady Gaga is in a scene and I gotta say, she did a really good job. She’s a great actress and I didn’t know that.

“I was like, ‘OK, sure, they’re having a huge pop star do a scene in the movie, I understand.’ But then she came in and, like, nailed it. She had her character down, and she was like a total pro, and did a great job, I was really impressed.”

Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson and Mickey Rourke will return for Sin City 2, which is being shot in 3D and is set for release in August 2014. Josh Brolin, Ray Liotta, Jeremy Piven and Juno Temple appear in the film noir adaptation of the graphic novel.

As well to her cameo in Sin City 2, Lady Gaga – whose real name is Stefani Germanotta – will make her big-screen debut as La Chameleon in Robert Rodriguez’s Machete Kills.

Joseph, who next makes his directorial debut with Don Jon, also confirmed that he won’t be reprising his Dark Knight Rises role of Robin John Blake and his superhero alter-ego Nightwing.

Asked about a spin-off movie, he said: “Not that I know of. I think it’s a really good ending to that trilogy.”

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02 September 2013

Bradley Cooper is set to voice Rocket Raccoon in Marvel movie Guardians Of The Galaxy.

The Oscar-nominated Silver Linings Playbook star will make his voiceover debut as the superhero rodent after officially joining the cast of James Gunn’s upcoming film, reported Marvel.com.

Zoe Saldana has already signed on to play alien superheroine Gamora, while Chris Pratt and Dave Bautista are also on board as Peter Quill/Star-Lord and Drax the Destroyer respectively.

Vin Diesel, John C Reilly, Karen Gillan, Djimon Hounsou, Glenn Close and Benicio del Toro have also been reported to have roles in the film.

Director James previously told Hey You Guys: “Rocket Raccoon has been slightly different over the years, in the comic books, and within my scripts he is a very, very specific guy, and I think people are going to have to wait for a few weeks before they see. We’ll get our dream guy, because a lot of people want to do it, so we’ll get the person who’s perfect for the role.”

Production on the live-action film will start in London in coming weeks, in time for an August 2014 release.

James has teased that Guardians Of The Galaxy will blow all other superhero movies out of the water.

“We’re assembling an amazing cast – I can’t tell you how excited I am about it – and it’s going to be an enormously huge movie. Imagine combining Star Wars and the Avengers and that’s what Guardians is,” he said.

“A lot of people don’t know who the Guardians are and this is our chance to recreate them on the big screen in a new way. There’s a lot of drama, comedy and action sequences like nobody will believe. We’re going to reinvent the science-fiction movie.”

Bradley, who was last seen in The Hangover 3, will next reunite with his Silver Linings Playbook director David O Russell and co-star Jennifer Lawrence for American Hustle.

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