Nearly a quarter century of The Simpsons alone have made Hank Azaria one of the more inveterate voice actors in the industry. But what’s the flesh-and-blood Azaria — no slouch himself onscreen over the years — to do when playing a cartoon come to life? That’s one of the dynamics factoring into this week’s live-action/CGI adaptation of The Smurfs , featuring Azaria as the tiny blue title creatures’ arch-nemesis Gargamel.
Child actors of the early ’90s understood chutzpah , you know? The newsies gyrated, the Cucamonga campers jived, and even the Tonka-tough Little Leaguers burst with starpower. Case in point, Thomas Ian Nicolas, the future American Pie and Please Give costar , bounds into Camelot with Louisville Slugger confidence in A Kid in King Arthur’s Court , the kiddie flick from ’94 that also features two of Cowboys & Aliens ‘s best attributes: a hokey mashup of disparate eras and — oh yes — Daniel Craig.
Saturday was the third day of Comic-Con and judging from the photographic evidence presented ahead, the most star-studded from a geek standpoint. After all, not only were acclaimed directors Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola on hand, but so too were James Bond (Daniel Craig), Indiana Jones and Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Superman (Henry Cavill) and Elvira (Elvira herself). Click through for the nerdy glitz and glamour.
With just two more weeks until the release of Cowboys & Aliens , Jon Favreau & Co. are doing their best to maintain hype for the summer sci-fi Western. First with buzz-worthy stories from the producers and cast — about Olivia Wilde’s near-fatal horse accident , Steven Spielberg’s one-minute-in-horizon hell with John Ford, and Harrison Ford’s Star Wars memories — and now with a new clip from the film, which features Wilde being pulled off of a horse by an extraterrestrial spaceship overhead, as was so common in the 19th century pioneer days.
Jersey Shore Cast: Bring Back Vinny Guadagnino! After bailing on Jersey Shore last week following a fight with a cast member, Vinny Guadagnino is having dinner tonight with the rest of the cast. If things go well, things may be smoothed over and the pride of Staten Island may be returning to the house for the duration of the fifth season. In fact, several stars are reportedly lobbying for his return already. Last weekend, Vinny Guadagnino was said to be burned out with the show, got into a huge fight and left for good, heading home to Staten Island. Surprisingly, many affiliated with the show were not exactly sad to see him leave, although there has reportedly been a change of heart since. They plan on going clubbing after dinner this evening, and assuming it’s like old times, Vinny will likely be welcomed back into the fold if he wants. No word if similar overtures are being made to The Situation . [Photo: Fame Pictures]
Prince William and Kate Middleton took over Southern California yesterday. After a day at the Santa Barbara polo fields, the newlyweds brought glamour, grace, star power and formal wear to the BAFTA Brits to Watch event. Walking down the red carpet, Kate wore a lilac Alexander McQueen gown and earrings borrowed from the Queen, and William a classic black tux … “In terms of pure star quality, William and Kate are the biggest stars in the world ,” said Piers Morgan, among the guests at the hottest ticket in Hollywood. How impressed were the celebs? In a town where your worth is gauged by how late you get to show up, the biggest names in showbiz were there early. The best seats – at the table with the royal couple – went to Nicole Kidman, Barbra Streisand and James Brolin, along with executives and diplomats. Also attending were Jennifer Lopez, Blake Lively , Dana Delany, Elizabeth Moss, Marie Louise Parker, Kristin Chenoweth, Jason Bateman, Elizabeth Banks, Jack Black, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Jonah Hill and Chris Evans. Earlier in the day, Prince William and Kate Middleton brought their American tour to Santa Barbara for lunch and polo, and got a big celebrity welcome. Rob Lowe, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Molly Sims, Joe Jonas, Zoe Saldana, Rosario Dawson and Billy Zane were on hand as the pair arrived by helicopter and walked across the lawn to the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club in Carpinteria. “Catherine and I have had a busy few days so the prospect of being able to let loose this afternoon is wonderful for me,” William said. As for whether he’ll return to Santa Barbara, the 29-year-old said, “That depends on the result out there today – I’m not a good loser.” Good news for Santa Barbara residents. As the lovely Catherine smiled and clapped, William scored four goals as his team won, 5-2. Kate wore a silver and grey silk dress by Jenny Packham. Tickets cost up to $4,000 and celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis did the cooking! [Photos: Fame Pictures]
The next James Bond movie will hit theaters in November 9, 2012. Who will join Daniel Craig in 007’s next adventure? Sources now confirm that Naomie Harris ( 28 Days Later , Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides ) will come on board as the classic character of Moneypenny, M’s assistant at MI6. She’s appeared in over 20 installments of this franchise. Javier Bardem and Ralph Fiennes have also booked roles in the film. The former will portray Bond’s nemesis, while insiders simply say Fiennes will take on a “darkly complex” character. He’s had some practice with that as Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies. [Photos: WENN.com, Fame Pictures]
Did you hear the one about sexy Girl with the Dragon Tattoo star Daniel Craig meeting Clint Eastwood in the dorkiest way possible on the set of Steven Spielberg’s mega-budgeted Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn ? If not, allow Craig to tell you the anecdote himself.
While Daniel Craig is off channeling Edie Falco , Edie Falco will soon be channeling the Greek goddess Artemis in the big screen adaptation of Brit lit bestseller Gods Behaving Badly . Also on board, fleshing out what I’m predicting to be the strangest casting blitz we’ll see all week: Phylicia Rashad as Demeter! John Turturro as Hades! Sharon Stone as Aphrodite! Christopher Walken as Zeus! Your full list of ’90s stars playing downtrodden gods and goddesses after the jump.
What you may have missed this weekend: The L.A. Film Fest came to a close, Cars 2 zoomed to the top of the box office, and, oh yeah — Rachel Weisz married Daniel Craig in a super quiet ceremony last week in New York, according to reports. The pair play a married couple in September’s Dream House , but what’s really sounding great now is the idea of casting Weisz opposite her new hubby in the next Bond film. Whaddya think — could Drachel give Brangelina a run for their money? [ Daily Mail ]
