Director Paul Weitz wanted Tina Fey so badly for his new movie Admission that he was willing to keep her clothed. “Originally the movie was closer to the book in that it had a couple of legitimate sex scenes in it and I was like ‘Urk!'” Fey tells me. “So they were kind enough to accommodate that.” That doesn’t mean though that she and co-star Paul Rudd didn’t enjoy good chemistry. Rudd says he was “predisposed to liking her anyway” as they share many of the same friends. As for the film’s Princeton setting, the actor admitted that making Admission was the only way he could ever get on the campus as his “GPA was very middling”. Is Weitz worried that colleges will hold Admission — which is also very candid about the college admissions process — against his kids when they apply to college later down the line? Turns out he already has a plan! “I’m going to change their names!” But Princeton won’t hold a grudge, as Weitz says they agreed to let him film on campus because “they liked the idea of having Tina Fey around for a little bit”. However, he adds, the actual Princeton admissions office does not appear in the film because it remains “super-duper top secret”! Check out my full interviews below: Follow Grace Randolph on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Actor becomes a motocross pro in the new film, also starring Bradley Cooper and Eva Mendes. By Kevin P. Sullivan Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes in “The Place Beyond The Pines” Photo: Focus Features
Shauna Robertson and Edward Norton are expecting, and soon, reports indicate. The Moonrise Kingdom actor and his fiancee are set to welcome their first child. The baby is coming “any day now,” according to celeb gossip magazine Us! “Ed is really excited for fatherhood . He helped pick out a stroller for the baby!” Norton and Robertson, a Canadian film producer who has worked frequently with Judd Apatow, reportedly got engaged in 2011 after six years of dating. Together, they co-founded the fundraising site CrowdRise, which uses crowd-sourcing and incentives to get people to raise money for various charitable causes. They are extremely private; a rep for the actor had no comment regarding Roberton’s pregnancy, nor was it even publicized that they were expecting. Congratulations in any case to the happy couple!
There’s an interview with Robert Downey Jr. in Collider that’s got me thinking about the actors in Marvel’s very lucrative superhero stable. When the website’s Steve “Frosty” Weintraub asked the actor if he’s going to sign on for several more Marvel movies or take them “one at a time”, Downey responded that he wasn’t sure but then added candidly: “Let’s just say that me, the agents and the lawyers are having a bit of a ball right now.” In other words, the Iron Man 3 star realizes just how vital he is to Marvel’s plan for cinematic superhero domination, and he’s going to milk it for all its worth. And he should Sure, no actor is indispensable in the-show- will -go-on world of big-studio movie production, but I’d wager that the appeal and the box office of the Iron Man and The Avengers franchises would take a big hit should Downey ever hang up his metal suit. He sets the standard against which all other superhero performances — Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne/ Batman included — should be judged, and Disney/Marvel should do everything it can to hold on to him. His portrayal of Tony Stark is a pitch-perfect mix of wit, swagger and emotional depth that satisfies Marvel Comics fans and moviegoers who’ve never picked up an issue of Iron Man . He also brings his previous history as a self-destructive party boy to the role, so Stark never seems less than authentic. I hope he is having a ball negotiating his next contract. The Avengers’ Best Heroes But what about the other key members of the current Marvel Universe? Here’s how I rank them in terms of their importance to the Marvel movie franchise: 1. Robert Downey Jr.: As close to indispensable as it gets. (See above.) Also, hands down, he has the coolest costume of the group. 2. Chris Evans : Although Evans is nowhere near as interesting an actor as Downey, his soulful, no-nonsense portrayal of Captain America makes him a good straight (edge) man to Tony Stark’s class clown. Also, thanks to the surprisingly well done origin movie, Captain America: The First Avenger , Evans’ character is the second-best developed member of the Avengers. Unless his standalone sequel, Captain America: The Winter Soldier tanks, he’s in a good place. By the way, I’d love to see Cap’s costume, particularly the cheesy headgear, updated. 3. Scarlett Johansson : ScarJo was reportedly offered $20 million to reprise the Black Widow in The Avengers 2 , and I hope that means she’ll get an equally rich narrative arc in the sequel. Her storyline in The Avengers left a lot to be desired, especially since Johansson has the chops to do much more with her character. (The flip side of that is she’s an ambitious actress who has much bigger career goals than playing a leather-clad superhero.) She also has such a distinct look and Ferrari-style curves that it would be a mistake to replace her. If push came to shove, I suspect the producers would just write Black Widow out of the story. The good news is that, as the first woman member of this cinematic superhero team, it’s in Marvel’s interest to keep her happy and present. That said, I’m still crossing my fingers that Lizzy Caplan gets at least a cameo in the sequel. 4. Chris Hemsworth : Thor is an example of a character where the costume overshadows the guy inside it. Hemsworth’s a fine acting, but there are so many brawny-but-emo actors who look good wearing long flowing locks and holding a giant hammer that I don’t think Hemsworth would be missed all that much if he gave up his breastplate. Then again, if Thor: The Dark World does gangbusters, he could bump Evans from the number-two spot. 5. Jeremy Renner : Hawkeye was never the most scintillating Avenger. I mean, the dude shoots arrows. But Renner has a memorable face, does smart-ass really well and is good at expressing the inner darkness that makes comic geeks, ahem, quiver with excitement. I think it also helps that his costume is not memorable. It makes the actor who wears it that much more important. The problem is that, like Black Widow, Hawkeye pretty much served as window dressing last time around, and Renner reportedly was not happy with that. His part is supposed to be more substantial in the sequel. We’ll see. 6. Mark Ruffalo : I thought Eric Bana made a better Bruce Banner, but, really, it’s all about the CGI here. It was the computer-generated Hulk that got laughs and high marks from fans in The Avengers . Hell, Carrot Top could play Banner, and I don’t think fans would raise a stink. [ Collider ] Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Vanessa Hudgens was born in the wrong decade. That’s how she phrases it to Cosmopolitian in that magazine’s latest issue, donning a flower child-esque outfit (and showing some cleavage!) while admitting: “I’m a total gypsy Bohemian.” Meaning what, exactly? “If I could go back in time, I’d be front row for Janis Joplin at Woodstock!” Hudgens says, adding of the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Annual Festival: “The first time I went, I thought, ‘This is heaven.’ You just feel completely free. I’m going to go every single year until I die.” Austin Butler, Vanessa’s boyfriend of a year and a star on The Carrie Diaries , is also featured in the interview. But instead of talking about fashion or music preferences or even Vanessa Hudgens nude , the actor gets serious and addresses past personal struggles. “I went through a period when I was rebellious and a mess of a person,’ Butler says. “I’d swing from happy to depressed, and I realized the patterns of my mental state were contingent on the feelings I was allowing in my head. “Depression and anxiety can’t fit in your head if you’re cultivating feelings of joy and inspiration. So now every morning, I go for a walk and list all the things I’m grateful for. It makes me so happy.” Sounds like an important lesson from which we all could learn a thing or two.
A day after news broke of Michelle Williams and Jason Segel calling it quits, another Hollywood romance has come to an end. Insiders confirms to Us Weekly that Rachel McAdams has split from Michael Sheen, the actor 10 years her senior who McAdams has been dating since October. No reason was cited for the break up. McAdams, who previously dated Ryan Gosling for many years, met Sheen on the set of a Woody Allen movie, Midnight in Paris . She tole Stella magazine a year ago that the pair started out as “good friends” and romance blossomed from there. Sheen, meanwhile, dated Kate Beckinsale from 1995 until 2003 and shares a 14-year old daughter with that gorgeous star.
Actor Godfrey Gao saunters around set in his skivvies during MTV News’ visit. By Amy Wilkinson, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Cast of “The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones” Photo: MTV News
Happy Academy Awards day, movie fans! With the 2013 Oscars airing tonight on ABC – and viewers anxious to either praise or tear apart host Seth MacFarlane – THG is here with our annual bold predictions for the ceremony. Who WILL win? Who SHOULD win? Read our take below and sound off with your own… BEST PICTURE Will Win: Argo . Should Win: Silver Linings Playbook . Many consider it too simple of a movie to win, but the performances are incredible and it’s simply entertainment at its finest. BEST DIRECTOR Will win: Steven Spielberg, Lincoln . Should win: Ang Lee, Life of Pi . Have you read that book? It’s uncanny this was turned into a coherent, enjoyable film. BEST ACTOR Will win: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln . Should win: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln . The clear favorite for a very good reason. BEST ACTRESS Will win: Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty . Should win: Naomi Watts, The Impossible . A memorable performance in a truly harrowing tale, which is based on a very real, scary story. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Will win: Robert De Niro, Silver Linings Playbook . Should win: Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained . Come on. Who doesn’t adore this guy?!? BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Will win: Anne Hathaway, Les Misérables . Should win: Helen Hunt, The Sessions . Yes, Hathaway sang on song, really, really well. But give us Hunt’s more featured, layered performance in what we hope will be the evening’s biggest upset.
