In David Cronenberg’s new film A Dangerous Method , Keira Knightley plays Sabina Spielrein, a young woman who at times lapses into fits of hysterics and at other times, comfortably discusses masturbation and the arousing aspects of her father’s beatings. Originally though, this complicated character (and the onscreen spankings she endures) were not intended for the Pirates of the Caribbean star — but for Julia Roberts, America’s Longest-Reigning Sweetheart.
Throughout the Twilight franchise, one screenwriter has adapted author Stephenie Meyer ‘s bestselling book series about a teenager and her love for a vampire for the screen: Melissa Rosenberg . It’s a tricky job, balancing the desire to satisfy fans with the need to make Meyer’s 500+ page-novels cinematic, all while transforming heroine Bella Swan ( Kristen Stewart ) from unsteady teen to self-possessed woman. But in Breaking Dawn – Part 1 Bella finally is an agent of her own destiny, her senses awakened, and her choices confident. Was she, as Rosenberg insists, an active heroine under the surface just waiting to spring into action all along?
Scarlett Johansson first garnered major notice in The Horse Whisperer 13 years ago, which makes her 27th birthday today a momentous one — she’s essentially been famous (and garnering awards) for half her life. Let’s celebrate the well-spoken thespian and Tom Waits cover artist by choosing her her best role. What’s your pick?
Be Movieline’s guest and revisit everyone’s favorite tale as old as time, the second release in Disney’s quest for total world domination (AKA, The ‘See How Much Money Lion King 3D Made Us??’ business plan) which brings vintage Disney classics back to screens in limited runs in restored 3-D. Next up is 1991’s Beauty and the Beast , a singalong favorite for children of the ’90s that’s sure to make another bazillion or so dollars. Watch the trailer and decide if you’re giddy to see Belle sweep the Beast off his cloven feet with her brainy book smarts or just curious to know what Robby Benson’s up to these days…
‘He’s a great actor,’ director David Cronenberg tells MTV News. ‘It’s obvious in the movie.’ By Kevin P. Sullivan, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Robert Pattinson and Sarah Gadon in “Cosmopolis” Photo: Caitlin Cronenberg’s Twitter The infamous birth scene in “Breaking Dawn – Part 1” may have drawn comparisons to the work of director David Cronenberg , but star Robert Pattinson got to work with the auteur for real in the upcoming “Cosmopolis,” an adaptation of the novel by Don DeLillo. The role represents a dynamic shift from the character fans around the world know Pattinson for, Edward Cullen, but Cronenberg, when he spoke with MTV News’ Josh Horowitz, explained that the choice was nothing more than the normal casting process. “You start with the basics. How old is he? What does he look like? Is the character very nerdy? Is he handsome and devilish?” Cronenberg said. “Is he an intellectual? You think about all these things and you think about the actors who could possibly project the things that you need from this character.” Once Cronenberg had a list of potential candidates for the “Ulysses”-inspired protagonist, Eric Packer, it is important to consider a star’s profile in order to get the proper funding for the film. Cronenberg said that it takes an actor with a name like Pattinson to get his movies made. After judging Pattinson’s interest in the project and working around his schedule, it was clear to Cronenberg that he was the man for the job. “Ultimately, I felt he was the guy. Once again, intuition,” he said. “I saw his movies, including ones maybe his Twi-Hard fans don’t know about, like ‘Little Ashes.’ Maybe they saw ‘Remember Me,’ I’m not sure.” As for Pattinson’s “Twilight” reputation, it’s something Cronenberg acknowledges. “I can’t pretend that I’m not aware of that. This is an unusual jump for him. He said it himself. It’s scary,” Cronenberg said, adding that it’s the scary part of it that makes it worthwhile. “It’s a scary thing because he’s never really had to carry a movie quite that way before, totally on his own,” he said. “He’s in every scene. He’s almost in every shot, so scary for him, but for an actor, scary is good. You don’t want to be bored. You don’t want to be too confident.” The question that will be on everyone’s minds who goes to see the film may ultimately be, “Can the ‘Twilight’ kid actually act?” Cronenberg was quick to cast any doubt aside. “Really, he’s fantastic. He’s sensational,” he said. “Really, I’m telling you. He’s a great actor. It’s obvious in the movie. It’s not like maybe yes, maybe no. It’s obvious.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Cosmopolis.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
With five releases in 2011, Brit even made time for a Woody Allen movie, and he talks about it all in MTV News’ Thankful Week. By Kara Warner with reporting by Josh Horowitz Tom Hiddleston Photo: AFP To say that 2011 has been a banner year for relative newcomer Tom Hiddleston would be a serious understatement. If you didn’t see him beginning to discover his mischievous roots as Loki in “Thor,” you may have caught him in “Midnight in Paris” as F. Scott Fitzgerald, or noticed his name and/or face in trailers and posters for the upcoming dramas “War Horse” and “The Deep Blue Sea.” Not to mention all the attention paid to the filming of his villainous role in next year’s surefire summer smash “The Avengers.” It’s been a banner year indeed for Hiddleston, and from the looks of things, the very talented and delightfully disarmingly charming Englishman is just getting started. It should therefore come as no surprise to see that Tom Hiddleston is one of the actors for whom we’re most thankful this year. MTV News recently caught up with the 30-year-old to discuss his big year, what he is most thankful for and what the future has in store for him. MTV : With “Thor,” “Midnight in Paris,” “War Horse” and “The Avengers,” this has been an amazing year for you, yes? Tom Hiddleston : Yeah, it has been amazing. Amazing that I was even remotely considered for any of those roles. Amazing that I got them, and amazing that they turned into the films that they turned into. It’s hard enough to make a film … God knows anyone involved in the business, no one ever sets out to make a bad one. I’ve just been so very lucky. I’ve worked with some incredibly talented people whose chances of making a bad film are certainly slimmer, but they’re all extraordinary films in their own right. MTV : Looking back at the start of your career, is this the kind of success you wanted? Hiddleston : Oh yeah, but you dare not dream about it, you dare not dream. Sometimes to dream it, you think, almost, you kill the dream by trying to conceive it in your imagination. So my way, my process of making my way in the world is to put one foot in front of the other, accept each job for its own merits and that will lead to whatever it will lead to. And suddenly you’re doing five films in one year and they’re all awesome. MTV : In the spirit of being one of the actors for whom we’re most thankful, what are you thankful for this year? Hiddleston : I can’t believe you’re thankful for me! I am so beyond proud. I am thankful for so much. I am thankful for the things I hope I never take for granted: the love and support of my family, for my friends and their successes, and for the fact that life is generally pretty damn amazing if you let it be. I’m thankful for the fact that I can sleep on planes. … I know many people can’t. … I am thankful for my Nike “Flywire” red-stripe/ white-tick running shoes. … I’m thankful for my iPod Shuffle too and the music that propels me round these wonderful places. Come to think of it, I am thankful that I can run at all. There is nothing like the feeling of health: mens sana in corpore sano (a sound mind in a healthy body). I only realized that fully when I hit my late 20s. I am thankful that I made it to 30 in one piece! Thankful for my 30th birthday party, which was incredible and featured the greatest dance-off between my friends that I have ever seen. The dance floor was the star. It was raised up like a stage and had flashing lights underneath it like a cross between the sidewalk in Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” and the floor in “Saturday Night Fever.” … I’m thankful for the new album by Bon Iver, which I’ve just seen is the most played music in my iTunes Library. I am thankful for some incredible movies. My top five for 2011 are, in no particular order: “The Tree of Life,” “Warrior,” “Drive,” “Bridesmaids” and “The Help.” But I also haven’t seen a lot of the most talked-about yet: “Shame,” “The Descendants,” “The Artist,” “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.” I’m looking forward to all of those enormously. MTV : How would you summarize this last year for you, career-wise? What kind of recognition are you now getting that you might not have had before? Hiddleston : It has been an extraordinary year. Quite literally out of the ordinary. If the 30 years leading up to this one could have be classified as “ordinary,” this one definitely has the “extra” on the front. … I feel incredibly fortunate: fortunate to have worked with some of the greatest directors alive and working today; fortunate to have been in films that have affected people and ignited in their imagination; fortunate to have played such a diverse range of roles across such different projects. I have shuffled in the shoes of Scott Fitzgerald, filled the boots of a First World War cavalry captain, fallen in and out of love with Rachel Weisz and run riot (twice) as the chaos-craving comic-book mischief-maker himself. I couldn’t have dreamed it better. … In terms of what I get now that I might not have gotten before: letters! I have received letters written with such passion and fervor that they reinvigorate and reinspire me to get back to work. An actor is not an actor without an audience. And if the audience is moved and inspired, as some have beautifully expressed that they have been in their writing, then I find that more meaningful than anything in the world. But I can still walk down the street to buy bananas without getting recognized, if that’s what you mean. MTV : What’s next? Where do you go from here? Hiddleston : At the moment, I am playing Prince Hal in Shakespeare’s “Henry IV” part 1 and part 2, and Henry V in “Henry V.” Hal was a drunken rebel, and Henry V was the greatest warrior king of England, and the fun part is that they’re the same man. It’s a great character arc. We are shooting the three plays as three separate films for BBC and NBCUniversal, directed by Richard Eyre and Thea Sharrock, and produced by Sam Mendes’ Neal Street Productions. They’ll be on TV at the same time at the broadcast of the London Olympics. It’s mud, blood and warrior poetry for me. Back to my roots. “The Avengers” is released on May 4, 2012, which is, um … exciting! And then Chris Hemsworth and I will beam back up to Asgard for “Thor 2.” The rest is a blank page. Just the way I like it. The surprises are the best part. For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos Actors We’re Thankful For 2011
Ashton Kutcher reportedly has a lot more in common with Charlie Sheen than one line on the actors’ resumes. Like the star who preceded him on Two and a Half Men , a source tells Radar Online that Kutcher was into threesomes and often shared sexual partners with soon-to-be-ex wife Demi Moore. “Demi liked women and Ashton would bring another woman into their relationship for flings, but they both agreed to it,” this insider claims . So, why did Kutcher’s alleged affair with Sara Leal lead to this couple splitting after six years of marriage? It was the way Ashton handled the rendezvous, apparently. “As long as she knew about it, she was fine,” the mole said.
As Cullen family ringleader Carlisle, Peter Facinelli has faced off with the Volturi, rallied his clan to keep Bella and Edward safe and, in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1 , walks a tightrope trying to keep Bella unharmed during her unexpected pregnancy. Facinelli talked with Movieline about working with writer/director Bill Condon and Stephenie Meyer on the final two films and the daunting task of shooting them — at the junket for the film earlier in the day, Facinelli was still marveling at the screenplay’s heft.
Sure, Lindsay Lohan lost the lead role in that Linda Lovelace biopic long ago, but notorious Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss believes it’s not too late for the beleaguered LiLo to make an honest living out of paid sex: “She’s hot. She would have made a great hooker,” Fleiss said on HLN’ s Showbiz Tonight . “I could have made millions off her.” Additionally, Fleiss says that Lohan’s decision to pose for Playboy is “brilliant.” This is exactly the kind of encouragement Fleiss needed on Celebrity Rehab . [ ONTD ]
Actor. Writer. Photographer. Musician. And now Joshua Leonard makes his feature directing debut this week with The Lie , a darkly comic, sneakily moving vision of 30-something parenthood.
