All the fing young cannibals and other tales of the city.
The trailer for Woody Allen’s upcoming film “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is out.
The film features several steamy love scenes, including a threesome between it’s stars, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, as well as a lesbian scene between Johansson and Cruz. “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” opens September 5th, 2008.
24-year-old Henry Cavill (”The Tudors,” “Stardust”) has joined the cast of Woody Allen’s upcoming, untitled, romantic comedy.
Cavill will play a man who is set up with Evan Rachel Wood’s character by her mother. Larry David stars as Wood’s love interest. Allen is co-starring, directing and also penned the script, which is being kept under wraps. The film is currently shooting in Queens.
Entertainment Weekly reports that “Seinfeld” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm” writer, Larry David, has been cast as the lead in Woody Allen’s next, as-yet-untitled feature, which is scheduled to shoot in New York City this spring.
Plot details are being kept under wraps, but David, who bares a resemblance to Allen, will star alongside Evan Rachel Wood (”Across the Universe”).
Woody Allen‚Äö?Ñ?¥s $25.9 million Trowbridge & Livingston Upper East Side townhouse, located on East 70th Street. Just in case you were wondering.
Source: Curbed
Tripplehorn Goes “Grey”
Jeanne Tripplehorn (”Big Love”, “Basic Instinct”) has been cast as Jackie Kennedy Onassis in Drew Barrymore and HBO’s “Grey Gardens” project.
Barrymore and Jessica Lange star as “Little Edie” and “Big Edie,” the respective aunt and cousin of Onassis, who made headlines when the health department threatened to raid their flea and raccoon-infested estate in East Hampton, N.Y.
Tripplehorn will be joining Daniel Baldwin, who plays Julius Krug, the former secretary of the interior and secret true love of Little Edie; Ken Howard (”Cane”) as Big Edie’s husband; Malcolm Gets (”Caroline in the City”) as Big Edie’s accompanist; and Arye Gross (”The Practice”) as documentary filmmaker Albert Maysles.
Michael Sucsy is directing the project, currently shooting in Toronto. Source: Reuters
No Romance For Woody In Barcelona
The citizens of Barcelona, Spain aren’t exactly thrilled that director Woody Allen has chosen their city as the location for his upcoming production, “Midnight In Barcelona.”
While scouting locations for the film along the city’s famed artery, Las Ramblas this past June, Allen was enthusiastically welcomed by the city’s adoring fans, the director returned the admiration by promising the movie would be “a love letter to Barcelona.”
Now that production is underway however, the romance between Barcelona and Allen has all but fizzled. Weeks of roadblocks and a dispute over subsidies have made the local residents regret that they ever agreed to let the 70-year-old film director use their city as a movie set.
To accommodate the shoot, the city’s Socialist government shut down part of Las Ramblas, obstructing the locals’ morning stroll and blocking access to many restaurants. With the taxpayers of Barcelona and its region Catalonia, paying for roughly 10% of the film’s budget, opposing political leaders and some of it’s citizens, notably local filmmakers who feel Allen is getting special treatment, are beginning to express their dissatisfaction with production.
For the time being however, Barcelona’s heated relationship with Woody Allen will get a chance to cool off a bit. This past Monday, the cast and crew began shooting in Oviedo, the less cosmopolitan capital of the region of Asturias.
Oviedo’s spokesperson, Pilar ??Övila, says she hasn’t received any complaints about Allen’s shoot so far, “Just the opposite” she says, “people are delighted.”
“Perhaps this is because Oviedo, unlike glamorous and popular Barcelona is happy to bask in a little international attention.” Or it could be, as ??Övila noted, because Oviedo’s investment in the film so far amounts to “not a single euro.”
“Midnight In Barcelona” stars Scarlett Johansson as an American tourist caught in a love triangle with a local painter (Javier Bardem) and his jealous ex-girlfriend (Pen?¬©lope Cruz). The film is scheduled for a September 2008 release.
Source: Time Magazine
The Trouble With Prince Harry
While we’re on the subject of Europe, the image above is the cover of the September issue of Radar Magazine.
The “cut-and-paste” Photoshop job shows England’s Prince Harry, sitting on the Royal Thrown wearing boxers and surrounded by beer cans.
Radar claims their cover story offers an inside look at the turbulent life of England’s 22-year-old prince, revealing details of Harry’s rowdy lifestyle and military career.
Source: Radar Online
Zac Efron Gets Rolling
Someone else who’s featured on a magazine cover this week is teen sensation and “High School Musical” star Zac Efron, who’s shown in this image from the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, revealing an impressive set of abs. Looks like Zac wants us to know he’s all grown up and working overtime to get rid of that Disney baby fat.
In the interview, Efron, 19, talks about his newfound fame, how his on-set relationship with “Musical” costar Vanessa Hudgens, turned into a true-life romance and how he handles the critics.
He told Rolling Stone, ‚Äö?Ñ??I can‚Äö?Ñ?¥t even go on IMDB because I know that so much of it would be negative. It‚Äö?Ñ?¥s just depressing. I know, for instance, at my cousin‚Äö?Ñ?¥s school, there‚Äö?Ñ?¥s a club called the I Hate Zac Efron Club. And I laughed hysterically when I heard that. I laughed because if there are people out there devoted enough to make a club that hates me, I‚Äö?Ñ?¥ve gotta be doing something right.‚Äö?Ñ??
Perhaps. Or maybe, just maybe, they really don’t like you Zac.
When it comes to the subject of fame, Efron said, “a lot of problems you see people having in this business is that it becomes about their personal lives and not about their work. Matthew McConaughey has single-handedly funded the tabloid magazines for the past two years now. If he would put on a shirt and just get away from the beach, maybe there would be a few less paparazzi around.‚Äö?Ñ??
Actually, if Matthew McConaughey put on a shirt and got away from the beach, his career would cease to exist. I think celebrities like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan have done a far better job of single-handedly keeping the tabloids in business for the past two years than McConaughey ever has.
But who am I to say anything, Zac’s the one with his own Hate Club at his cousin‚Äö?Ñ?¥s school, I’m just a mere celebutante with a blog.
“High School Musical 2″ premiers Friday, August 17th on the Disney Channel, the new issue of Rolling Stone is on news stands now.
Source: Rolling Stone
Is That Matthew McConaughey Or Someone’s Grandfather?
And speaking of my favorite surfer dude, here’s a picture of Matthew McConaughey “hanging” out somewhere only he knows. The fact that Matthew likes to go commando should come as no surprise, considering he barely ever wears anything at all…and that’s just fine with me.
Personally I’ve always liked Matthew’s attitude, I think more people should live life as carefree as he does. I’m adding him to my list of heroes, right next to Bear Grylls of “Man vs Wild.” Love that show.
Click for larger view
Supergirl Does Smallville
Supergirl will be joining Clark Kent in the CW Network’s hit series “Smallville” in its upcoming seventh season.
The new season will premiere with the arrival of Kara, Clark Kent’s (Tom Welling) 19-year-old cousin born on Krypton. Like Clark, Kara will have superpowers, including one that Clark has yet to develop: the ability to fly.
Executive producer Al Gough said “One of the joys of creating ‘Smallville’ has been our ability to reinvent and reinterpret classic DC Comics characters…I believe that Supergirl will give our series the mythic jolt that it needs as we head into our seventh season.”
Source: Zap 2 It
Click for larger view
“Woody Allen Does Spain”
Woody Allen arrived in Barcelona on Monday to prepare for filming of his latest feature, tentativly titled “Midnight in Barcelona.” The 71-year-old Oscar-winning film director, actor and jazz musician was accompanied by his wife Soon-Yi Previn, 36, and their daughters Bechet, 8, and Manzie, 7.
“Midnight in Barcelona” stars Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem and Woody’s latest muse, Scarlett Johansson. The film is scheduled for a 2008 release.
Source: Yahoo! News
Gays Won’t Do John Travolta
Gay fans of John Water’s original “Hairspray” movie won’t be coming back for a touch-up.
Gay leaders are calling for a boycott of a new musical update of the cult classic starring John Travolta, because of Scientology’s stand on homosexuality.
Kevin Naff, managing editor of the gay-oriented publication The Washington Blade, says “Travolta, a prominent Scientologist, has no business reprising an iconic gay role, given his [religion's] stance on gay issues.” Naff continued, saying “It’s well known that Scientology rejects gays and lesbians as members and even operates reparative therapy clinics to “cure homosexuality.”
Travolta dons drag to play Edna Turnblad in the film, a role originally played by drag performer Divine. “Divine is spinning in her grave,” said Naff.
Source: MSNBC
It’s a No Go For Double “O”
It now looks like Sean Connery will not be joining the fourth installment of the popular “Indiana Jones” movie franchise. An agreement was in the works for the 76-year-old acting veteran to reprise his role as Indy’s father in the George Lucas/Steven Spielberg production, but that deal has since fallen through.
In a statement issued by Connery’s reps, he said: “I thought long and hard about it and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an Indiana Jones film. I love working with Steven and George, and it goes without saying that it is an honor to have Harrison as my son. But in the end, retirement is just too damned much fun.”
“This is a remarkable cast,” said Connery, “and I can only say, ‘Break a leg, everyone.’ ”
The fourth “Indiana Jones” film, is being directed by Spielberg and stars Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Shia La Beouf and John Hurt. Shooting is already underway in nearby Connecticut, and the movie is set for a May 22, 2008 release.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Woody Allen’s upcoming Spanish project will be titled “Midnight in Barcelona.” The film stars Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem, and Penelope Cruz and is scheduled to shoot on location in Barcelona this Summer.
Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Jada Pinkett Smith, Debra Messing and Candice Bergen are in negotiations to star in an updated remake of the 1939 classic “The Women.” Diane English, writer and producer of the hit TV show “Murphy Brown,” will be making her directorial debut on the drama, which is due for release next year. George Cukor directed the original, which starred Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell.
Don’t count on Hollywood legend Sofia Loren to make an appearence in any of director Quentin Tarantino’s movies any time soon. During a press conference held at the Italian-Australian Film Festival in Sydney, the 72-year-old Italian cinema icon was asked what she thought about comments Tarantino made at the Cannes Film Festival recently in which he claimed Italian cinema was dead. “How dare he talk about Italian cinema” replied Loren, “when he doesn’t know anything about American cinema.” Ouch.
Sources: Dark Horizons, The Australian
Although Woody Allen’s film “Match Point” was both a critical and financial success, giving the 71 year old director a much needed boost to his career, his follow up project “Scoop” proved to be a totally different story.
Despite an amusing plot reminiscent of Allen’s own “Manhattan Murder Mystery” and a stellar cast which included Scarlett Johansson and Hugh Jackman, “Scoop” barely registered at U.S. box offices and failed to get distribution in the U.K., where the film was produced.
Now comes word that Allen’s latest cinematic endeavour, “Cassandra’s Dream,” didn’t fair too well at the Cannes Film Festival where it was seeking distribution, failing to gather any interest, not only from British distributors, but from anyone at all.
The film, which was not shown in competition at the festival, was rumoured to have had a deal in the works with a U.S. distributor during the event, but as of the festivals closing nothing concrete was finalised.
Described as “an even more sober affair than Match Point,” “Cassandra’s Dream” stars Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell as brothers with serious financial woes, who become bitter rivals when they turn to a life of crime.
Source: Teletext News
Update: May 31, 2007
Good news for Woody Allen fans, according to The Hollywood Reporter, The Weinstein Co. has obtained U.S., Australian and New Zealand distribution rights to “Cassandra’s Dream.” No release date has been set.
Scarlett Johansson may be playing Nellie Forbush in a planned 2008 Lincoln Center revival of South Pacific. Johansson and Reese Witherspoon are two of the superstars under consideration for what’s being described as a “sexy revival”. Scarlett has long expressed an interest in starring in a Broadway show and is said to be a big fan of the classic Rogers and Hamerstein musical. Johansson was recently in negotiations to star in the London revival of The Sound of Music and even went as far as to meet with producer Andrew Lloyd Webber, but the deal didn’t go through.
In movie news, Scarlett and director Woody Allen will be teaming up for a third time in Allen’s upcoming Spain-set film project. This marks Scarlett’s third starring role in an Allen film, his most frequent use of one particular actress since Mia Farrow and Diane Keaton.
In the April edition of Vogue magazine, Johansson had nothing but praise for the 71-year-old film director, telling the publication “I’d sew the hems of his pants if he asked me to.” Allen, in turn describes his new muse as “criminally sexy”. He goes on to say “she is unlike anyone who has come before her, and while she is a much stronger actress in every way, there is a tiny bit of Marilyn Monroe in her zaftig humidity.” - got that Soon-Yi?
Scarlett and Woody’s untitled Spain project co-stars Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz and will be shooting for seven weeks in Barcelona and Asturias this July.
Sources: Broadway World, Variety, People
