Obama Unintentionally Brought Attention To Robin Roberts’ Sexuality With Gay Marriage Interview Is “Good Morning America” host Robin Roberts trapped in the closet? And did her historic interview with Barack Obama just bring more attention to rumors about her own sexuality? That’s what some folks are saying: President Obama may have unintentionally “outed” ABC newswoman Robin Roberts by giving the “Good Morning America” host his historic gay-marriage interview. Insiders say the president had no idea that the 51-year-old had long been at the center of gay rumors. And while the unmarried “GMA” star knew that taking on the assignment would shine a spotlight on her personal life, insiders say there was no way she was “going to turn down a career-making interview,” said a friend. “It was the first time a sitting president declared his support for same-sex marriage. “When Robin was told by ABC bosses that she was handpicked for the interview, she immediately put her personal issues to the side and said she’d do it. “But it appears Obama knew nothing of the rumors, and in some respects he may have unintentionally outed her by making her Robin has never been linked romantically to a man, and Internet bloggers have been buzzing for years that she may “play for the same team.” After the May 9 interview at the White House, the gay website Queerty.com questioned whether Obama chose Robin for the interview because he’d heard the rumors that she was a lesbian. Throughout her career, Robin has tried to steer clear of discussing her sexuality. A breast cancer survivor, she lives on New York’s Upper West Side with her Jack Russell terrier, K.J. “The White House never told ABC or Robin why she was chosen,” noted a source. “She wants to believe it was because she’s a fair and accurate TV journalist. “But if she is gay, it’s certainly going to make her even more popular in that community than she already is.” SMH @ 51-years-old living on Upper West Side with her Jack Russell terrier K.J… Poor thang! Not that there is anything wrong with being single at any age, it’s just the way they painted her all “pitiful”. We weren’t even thinking about whether or not Robin was gay when Obama was talking to her, but now that they mention it… What do you think? Source Getty Images Continue reading →
Actor’s lawyer says he’s been ‘completely vindicated.’ By Gil Kaufman John Travolta Photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images The first of the two anonymous massage therapists who filed a sexual battery lawsuit against John Travolta has withdrawn his legal action. According to CNN , Okorie Okarocha, the lawyer representing a client known as John Doe #1, filed papers on Tuesday to drop the client after he discovered that the masseur had misstated the date on which he alleged the incident with Travolta took place at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Travolta’s lawyer, Martin Singer, said the withdrawal means the actor has been “completely vindicated” and added that, “we fully expect that my client will similarly be vindicated with respect to Doe #2, as well as with respect to any other person who makes meritless claims against John Travolta.” Despite Singer’s claims, Okarocha he stood behind the second unnamed plaintiff, who claimed Travolta groped him during a massage in an Atlanta hotel last January. “I can guarantee that John Doe #2 has a truckload of witnesses to back up what he’s saying,” he said. Okarocha said the second therapist’s claims are reportedly backed up by a series of e-mails in which he complains to his supervisors about Travolta’s advances. Reacting to that comment, Singer said the documents he’s seen online purporting to be one of those e-mails, “significantly does not refer to my client at all, nor does it make any mention whatsoever of any of the things outrageously alleged in Doe #2’s lawsuit … Instead, Doe #2 voiced complaints about his co-workers gossiping and being insubordinate.” The fact that the e-mail doesn’t once mention Travolta’s name, “says it all,” according to Singer. “Nothing that is alleged in Doe #2’s lawsuit was mentioned in the e-mail he sent to his bosses, making his claims even more unbelievable … The allegations in ‘Doe #2’s’ lawsuit are unraveling, just like ‘Doe #1’s’ ridiculous allegations, which were proven false and impossible,” he said. Okarocha appeared confident in his case, though, vowing to “mop up” in the courtroom with the witnesses and documents in the case against Travolta. “I think I can show a custom, habit and practice,” Okarocha said, referring to his claims that the actor has sexually assaulted dozens of other massage therapists over the years. “If I bring in 100 people that don’t have an ax to grind, don’t want any money, they’re in 50 different states, they don’t know each other, they’re all massage therapists, they all have dates, they’re at different spa resorts and they say this exact same thing happened, it’s pretty hard to refute.” Unlike the first accuser, Okarocha vowed that his client, “ain’t going nowhere,” and is looking forward to a trial. Travolta, 58, has been married to actress Kelly Preston for 20 years and has repeatedly denied whisper campaigns about his sexuality. Before dropping the first accuser, Okarocha apologized on Friday for putting the wrong date of the John Doe #1 incident in the lawsuit, which his client initially told him occurred on January 16, 2012. Singer was able to produce a restaurant receipt and a time-stamped photo that showed Travolta was in New York, not Los Angeles, on that date. Rather than amend the lawsuit, Okarocha decided to withdraw the allegation from the suit and drop John Doe #1 to avoid hurting the chances of the second plaintiff’s suit. Radar Online reported that John Doe #1 has hired famed L.A. attorney Gloria Allred to represent him. “I represent John Doe #1. Mr. Doe’s lawsuit was dismissed without prejudice which means that he is still legally entitled to file another lawsuit against John Travolta if he chooses,” said Allred. “We are in the process of conferring with him regarding the next steps, which he may wish to take. Our client and our firm has no further comment at this time.”
Seoul, South Korea, set list heavy on new material, but Gaga’s biggest hits come out to play. By John Mitchell Lady Gaga arrives in Seoul on April 20 Photo: Getty Images Lady Gaga kicked off her hotly awaited Born This Way Ball at Seoul, South Korea’s Olympic Stadium on Friday (April 27) in front of 45,000 fans, and despite protests from Christian groups saying Mother Monster was “obscene” and could “taint” young people with her performance, the concert appears to have gone on without incident. Intrepid Twitter fans are already showing off pictures and video of the BTW Ball’s enormous Gothic castle backdrop and myriad costume changes, making it clear that Gaga has outdone even her own Monster Ball in terms of spectacle. While we wait for reviews to trickle in from halfway around the world, one thing is certain: No minors were corrupted at the show. Earlier this month, the Korea Media Rating Board decided to elevate the age rating for the concert from 12 to 18, prohibiting minors from seeing the concert. When the board notified Gaga’s tour promotion company and a sponsor of the change in age restrictions, it did not offer a reason why the show — which at the time was still in rehearsals and has not been reviewed publicly — was considered unsuitable for children under 18. The likely catalyst for the board’s decision came more into focus as the concert neared and protests from a group of conservative Christians calling itself the Alliance for Sound Culture in Sexuality ramped up. The group covered Seoul with posters accusing Gaga of “spreading unhealthy sexual culture” through “lewd lyrics and performances.” The superstar and her fans, however, were undeterred. Though she tweeted her hopes that the Korea Media Rating Board would reverse its decision (it didn’t), she continued on as planned. Many fans reportedly arrived at the show wearing versions of Gaga’s most well-known flamboyant costumes, and there have been no reports of disturbances at the concert. Before the show, Gaga tweeted , “I can you hear you Korea. I’m shaking.” Gaga’s performance was heavy on material from her Born this Way album, though her biggest hits, including “Bad Romance,” Poker Face” and “Just Dance,” were represented. Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Ball set list:
There’s a picture going around that has been emailed me to at leeast once today…..the claim is that it is Kim Kardashian before she got her tits done……and as I’m looking at that pic, I’m thinking there is no way that is Kim Kardashian….if anything it is just some other brown monster of a bitch, possibly an Armenian, with little shitty tits that make everyone who fuck her question their sexuality when done with her…..or worse…when waking up next to her and not remembering how you ended up in her cave…unable to see if she has a cock or not cuz she has pants on….putting you in an awkward place of “if i reach over, cock on not, it’ll wanna fuck again”…… If you want to see Kim Kardashian’s tits in 2007 – Here: Shes a fat chick who just carries her weight in her tits and ass and pussy lip and under her SPANX, I doubt she has implants….but she is a pornstar, so it is possible, I just doubt this pic is her…. If you want to see her get fucked, you know how she launched her career… FOLLOW THIS LINK …..
23-year-old actor opens up to The Village Voice about his sexuality and his new show, ‘Kenzie’s Scale.’ By Jocelyn Vena Paul Iacono Photo: Getty Images “The Hard Times of RJ Berger” star Paul Iacono took to Twitter on Wednesday to open up about his personal life, announcing to the Internet that he is gay. “Yes I’m gay,” he tweeted . “And yes, it does get better. #YOLO.” (#YOLO is short for “You Only Live Once.”) Iacono opened up about his decision to come out in an interview with The Village Voice, noting that while he does identify himself as gay, he believes that sexuality isn’t all that black and white. Yes I’m gay. And yes, it does get better. #YOLO — Paul Iacono (@paul_icon) April 11, 2012 “I didn’t think I’d be coming out. But why not now? I think it’s the right time to say something. It’s not about me, it’s about change and the work,” he explained in the interview, adding that his sexuality wasn’t always something he was comfortable talking about. “I grew up in a really old-school Italian traditional family in New Jersey. I tried coming out a couple of times as a kid, from 13-14 on, and was always squashed on,” he recalled, before noting that it then took years for him to open up to his family about it. “I was just coming to terms with the fact that I was bisexual, which culturally I do identify with as a gay man — I am attracted to girls, I’m just attracted to guys much more. I had to feign heterosexuality for a couple of years,” the 23-year-old explained. “It messed with my head. It took me a longer time to be OK with it. It was not until I was 18 that I came out with my mom and 20 with my dad. I was older and able to address it from a different perspective.” He now wants to explore those themes on his new show, “Kenzie’s Scale,” which is not only the name of a character on the show, but also a reference to the famed Heterosexual-Homosexual Rating Scale designed by Dr. Alfred Kinsey that places a person’s sexuality on a scale of one to six. “The whole reason we came up with ‘Kenzie’s Scale’ is to give young gays characters to look up to. … I didn’t have much to look up to as a kid,” he explained to The Village Voice. “I had to search to find like-minded images. I’m happy to be that person so kids won’t have to grow up and be afraid of their sexuality and this won’t be an issue.” The show follows a young couple, Cole (Iacono) and Kenzie, who continue to live together as roommates in New York City after Cole realizes he’s gay. Iacono described the show as a “radical young ‘Will & Grace.’ ” Related Videos It Gets Better
Obviously I didn’t know who the hell this Indiana Evans hottie was, this is the first I’m hearing of her, but thanks to the magic of the internet I discovered she’s an Australian actress and she’s filming a remake of The Blue Lagoon . That and she looks pretty amazing in a sexy little bikini. I’ll take it. Wait, they’re remaking this crap again? Do we really need another movie about a shipwrecked hottie exploring her sexuality…. Hell yes.
What is the color of democracy? Would you believe brown? At least that’s what it looks like here at Movieline, where our inaugural Soily Awards for the worst in cinema roll on today with the distinguished Brown Note — the totally free, 100-percent reader-generated prizes now open to your vote. While certain other, more over-the-hill awards want to charge you as much as $40 for the “privilege” of voting for the cinematic fails of 2011, the Soilies not only charge nothing, but also solicit write-in votes for noteworthy crap not recognized by our esteemed Brown-Ribbon Panel. The polls are open immediately and and will remain so for a week, until March 21 at midnight EDT/ 9 p.m. PDT . The first-ever Soily winners will then be announced on March 23 . Have a look back at the six voting categories and official nominees reprinted here, and vote away below that. And please spread the word! Check out the Soilies on Facebook and campaign for your Soily favorites with the #Soilies hashtag on Twitter. Thanks! The Soily for Worst Picture of 2011 The most appalling, misconceived and/or unpleasant-to-watch film of 2011. The more ambitious/pretentious, the better. Take Our Poll The Soily for Achievement in Bad Directing The director of the most appalling, misconceived and/or unpleasant-to-watch film of 2011 — or maybe just most appalling director? (NOTE: The award will be named after its inaugural winner.) Take Our Poll The Soily for Achievement in Bad Acting A unisex award recognizing the worst and/or least inspired performance by any actor in any film in 2011. Take Our Poll The Brown Paycheck Achievement in Bad Acting A unisex award recognizing the most lopsided ratio of salary to quality. Take Our Poll The Shart Prize A film that seemed like it might be bad but turned out much, much more aromatically awful than anyone could have imagined. Take Our Poll The Shit-the-Bed Award Arguably the most prestigious Soily, this honor goes to the movie that, despite its pedigree and everything it had going for it on paper, nevertheless resulted in a massive failure to move the cultural needle or achieve anything remotely resembling entertainment. Take Our Poll PREVIOUSLY: Introducing the Soily Awards, Movieline’s Inaugural Tribute to Cinema’s Worst Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Preparing for a battle to the death in which the odds are most definitely not in her favor, Jennifer Lawrence’s Hunger Games heroine Katniss Everdeen feels utterly alone, trapped within the deceptively cushy confines of the Capitol. Thankfully, she has at least one key ally on her side: Her stylist Cinna, played gracefully by rock star-turned-actor Lenny Kravitz , who discovered only after being cast that he’d be sharing the screen with one of his daughter’s close friends. “I asked, ‘Who’s playing Katniss?’” Kravitz recalled to Movieline. “‘It’s Jennifer Lawrence.’ And I was like, ‘Wow, she was just in my house cooking breakfast!’” Their previous friendship (through daughter Zoe, who co-starred with Lawrence in X-Men: First Class ) helped lend a natural rapport to scenes between Katniss and Cinna , moments that evoke the stalwart tribute’s hidden fears and anxieties on the eve of The Hunger Games ’ death Olympics. For Kravitz’s part, his take on Cinna is at once subtle and fresh; cast on the strength of his acting debut in Lee Daniels’ Precious , he lends Cinna unexpected warmth and complexity and breathes confident life into one of the books’ most beloved supporting characters. Kravitz spoke with Movieline about the call from Gary Ross offering him the part of Cinna, the all-night reading sessions that caught him up on Suzanne Collins’ page-turner, and why, in this age of media oversaturation and reality TV fame, The Hunger Games rings scarily true. (Also discovered: Lenny Kravitz totally watches Hoarders .) Revealing the real-life inspirations for his take on Cinna – described in the books as a gold-eyeliner wearing fashionista who is also the most “normal” person Katniss encounters in The Capitol – Kravitz answered Movieline’s burning question about Cinna and his intentionally ambiguous sexuality, a question that’s led to much discussion of Collins’ more subtle commentaries on modern culture. Is Cinna gay? [ GALLERY: Jennifer Lawrence & Co. shine at the Hunger Games premiere ] So, you weren’t familiar with the books beforehand and only heard about them when you got the call for Cinna? Yes, through Gary Ross – I had no idea. Did you know Gary beforehand? I had met Gary once at a dinner, a random dinner. He and I had a conversation about film in general, and I was completely taken by the fact that he had written Big and it was his first thing, off the cuff – ‘Oh, I’ll write this movie called Big …’ But that was it! I’d met him once at a dinner. Never saw him again, didn’t have his phone number. How did he track you down for this phone call? I’m in the Bahamas, recording my album, and I’m in the booth somewhere. The engineer knocks and says, ‘There’s a Gary Ross on the telephone.’ I had kind of forgotten, you know? I pick up the phone and he’s like, ‘It’s Gary! Remember, we had dinner…’ I was like, ‘Oh! Gary Ross . Cool. What’s up?’ He said, ‘I’m doing this movie called Hunger Games and there’s a character called Cinna. If you want it, you’ve got it – just tell me. You won’t have to audition.’ I’m sitting there like, what? But in the back of my head I’m thinking, who’s Cinna and what’s Hunger Games ? I had no idea what it was. So I said, ‘Thank you, I’m sure I’d want to do this but – I don’t know what it is, so let me get the book.’ I was in the Bahamas in a small town, not a lot of internet around, so I’m with my iPad trying to get a signal to download this entire book… and I began to read, began to read, and at the end of Chapter One I thought, oh shit – I can’t put it down. I’ll just read another chapter. It was at night and I had been working all day so I’m tired and I figured I’ll make a chapter or two before I put it down, but I couldn’t. I was like, wow, this is a really good story! So I called him the next day and said, ‘I’ll be there.’ Your scenes in the film are mostly comprised of just you and Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, and you two share a great chemistry together. But you had already known her prior through your daughter Zoe, who was also in X-Men . What was your relationship like with her before making the movie together? She used to come over, and I’d go to London and see them. I mean, I fell for her the day she walked in my house. This girl is family. She’s so funny, such a joy to be around. She brings sunshine to any situation. And obviously it was a plus to find out, because when I told Gary I would do the movie I asked, ‘Who’s playing Katniss?’ ‘It’s Jennifer Lawrence.’ And I was like, ‘Wow – she was just in my house cooking breakfast!’ Did Gary know about this connection when he called to offer you the part? Did he know? No, he didn’t know. I told him and he said, ‘Really? Well, that makes it even better because there’s going to be a natural chemistry already.’ That definitely was a plus. Did you read the whole book in a day? At night, and then the next day. Quickly. I could not put it down. What a great opportunity! And the fact that he’d called me – he said he’d seen Precious and he thought that Nurse John and Cinna, even though they’re completely different characters, had similar characteristics as far as being nurturing and all that. Certainly, they do. When it comes to Cinna, though, maybe given the fact that he’s a fashionista some readers of the books infer that he’s gay, even though his sexuality remains ambiguous. Right, they assume. And that was a question: How far do we take it? If we had gone the outrageous route, it would have been just another stereotypical statement. Immediately I’m thinking science fiction, crazy costumes, this sort of possibly effeminate costumes. I started thinking Chris Tucker in The Fifth Element , because I didn’t know where Gary was going stylistically. Then when I got to the set I thought, this is really smart. The look of the Capitol and the way everybody dressed, it was real – it wasn’t this outrageous costumey stuff. There were a lot of outrageous colors and big statement, but there were a lot of old things and new things mixed, just like it is now. We’re in 2012 and we’re still wearing clothes that look like clothes. We’re not wearing silver space suits with helmets and all that… well, some of us are. [Laughs] Did you take inspiration in terms of Cinna’s style or carriage from any real life figures? I thought about Yves Saint Laurent and Tom Ford, who are both very inspiration design characters for me. And both of them are kind of right down the middle and very classically dressed, not say, like a Galliano or someone who is more outrageous and flamboyant in dress. That was the way we decided to play him and I think that was definitely the right choice. So then: Is Cinna gay? I have no idea. I have no idea. I played him right in the middle, and one of the inspirations is a friend of mine, actually, who I grew up with. He’s bisexual and you could think he’s gay, you could think he’s straight, you’re not really sure. It’s very subtle. You wouldn’t know it, but Cinna’s speech patterns and the way he enunciates was kind of based on this person that’s just a friend of mine, who I thought was a good example. It’s worth noting that the way you play Cinna, what stands out a bit more than in the books is that he comes off as more of a strategist than a stylist. Was that an important element to highlight? Most definitely. When people think at first, ‘So, what is Cinna?’ I play a stylist, but it’s hard to just say I play a stylist. What does that mean? He’s not that, he’s trying to help Katniss make an impression and he’s trying to save her life, and he wants people to like her because that’s part of the game. So that’s a good word, strategist. Given how much of a stark contrast he is to most people in the Capitol, more sensitive and grounded and restrained in his sense of style, it feels as if he’s infiltrating Capitol culture. Right. He’s clearly on Katniss’s side, doesn’t agree with the Capitol groupthink. No, he’s doing his job, trying to stay alive and do his thing and not get on the bad side of the government… How much of Cinna’s backstory did you cultivate with Gary or Suzanne Collins in terms of where Cinna comes from, even if that backstory isn’t included in the film? Not a lot, really. I just thought about him as being a person who’s been there for a few years; he hasn’t been there forever, he’s not that old, and he’s one of those people that kind of wishes or wants to break out and it’s not the time, necessarily. So he’s going to keep things even but he’s going to show his talent, he’s going to be fierce about it – he’s making these fire costumes and all this stuff – and he obviously is talented and likes using his talent. I’m sure he’s cared about everybody that’s come his way over the years, but now he’s met this girl that he really sees something in, and she’s the biggest underdog there is, and he’s going to do his best to help. Do you see a contradiction between the wariness in the books of mass media and the dangers of entertainment as a means of cultural control, and the fact that the Hunger Games movie is a now studio franchise involving hundreds of millions of dollars that will likely dominate pop culture when it comes out? Especially given your unique position as a successful recording artist, how do you view that fine line? It’s a very interesting time we live in. You know, it took me a long time to join this party of Facebook and Twitter and reality TV – I mean, I still don’t really watch it, but sometimes when I’m on the tour bus late at night trying to bring my brain back to a neutral place I’ll flip past these shows, and when I stop it’s because I’m really blown away that I’m watching this… that it exists . There’s a show for people that don’t know how to throw away their garbage! Or guys who have a pawn shop. Last night I was flipping channels for a bit before I went to bed and there was a show for guys in prison and how they function in prison and all their secrets! This one guy’s making moonshine liquor and they’re getting him to show us and it’s like, my god, what’s going on? Well, some of those shows are amazingly insightful, but then you have the other kind of reality TV shows… You have the bad behavior being glorified, and they’re becoming role models. Kids, everybody just wants to be famous now. I mean, I grew up saying I wanted to be a musician. Did I want to make it and be famous? Why not, sure. But I never said I wanted to be famous, I wanted to be a musician . Now it’s just all about fame. They’re showing everything. It’s quite interesting, but I think the movie is trying to show us where we are. We’re not yet in arenas killing people, but it happened thousands of years ago. Could it happen again? How much is it going to take to keep quenching our thirst? Look at where we are now. How’s it going to be a hundred years from now? People are going to be numb. That’s the great thing about the novels; it’s a young adult series and could be dismissed on first glance as a children’s property… But it’s not! That’s what’s so interesting. That’s why I think this is going to be very successful. The Hunger Games is in theaters March 23. Read more here. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Preparing for a battle to the death in which the odds are most definitely not in her favor, Jennifer Lawrence’s Hunger Games heroine Katniss Everdeen feels utterly alone, trapped within the deceptively cushy confines of the Capitol. Thankfully, she has at least one key ally on her side: Her stylist Cinna, played gracefully by rock star-turned-actor Lenny Kravitz , who discovered only after being cast that he’d be sharing the screen with one of his daughter’s close friends. “I asked, ‘Who’s playing Katniss?’” Kravitz recalled to Movieline. “‘It’s Jennifer Lawrence.’ And I was like, ‘Wow, she was just in my house cooking breakfast!’” Their previous friendship (through daughter Zoe, who co-starred with Lawrence in X-Men: First Class ) helped lend a natural rapport to scenes between Katniss and Cinna , moments that evoke the stalwart tribute’s hidden fears and anxieties on the eve of The Hunger Games ’ death Olympics. For Kravitz’s part, his take on Cinna is at once subtle and fresh; cast on the strength of his acting debut in Lee Daniels’ Precious , he lends Cinna unexpected warmth and complexity and breathes confident life into one of the books’ most beloved supporting characters. Kravitz spoke with Movieline about the call from Gary Ross offering him the part of Cinna, the all-night reading sessions that caught him up on Suzanne Collins’ page-turner, and why, in this age of media oversaturation and reality TV fame, The Hunger Games rings scarily true. (Also discovered: Lenny Kravitz totally watches Hoarders .) Revealing the real-life inspirations for his take on Cinna – described in the books as a gold-eyeliner wearing fashionista who is also the most “normal” person Katniss encounters in The Capitol – Kravitz answered Movieline’s burning question about Cinna and his intentionally ambiguous sexuality, a question that’s led to much discussion of Collins’ more subtle commentaries on modern culture. Is Cinna gay? [ GALLERY: Jennifer Lawrence & Co. shine at the Hunger Games premiere ] So, you weren’t familiar with the books beforehand and only heard about them when you got the call for Cinna? Yes, through Gary Ross – I had no idea. Did you know Gary beforehand? I had met Gary once at a dinner, a random dinner. He and I had a conversation about film in general, and I was completely taken by the fact that he had written Big and it was his first thing, off the cuff – ‘Oh, I’ll write this movie called Big …’ But that was it! I’d met him once at a dinner. Never saw him again, didn’t have his phone number. How did he track you down for this phone call? I’m in the Bahamas, recording my album, and I’m in the booth somewhere. The engineer knocks and says, ‘There’s a Gary Ross on the telephone.’ I had kind of forgotten, you know? I pick up the phone and he’s like, ‘It’s Gary! Remember, we had dinner…’ I was like, ‘Oh! Gary Ross . Cool. What’s up?’ He said, ‘I’m doing this movie called Hunger Games and there’s a character called Cinna. If you want it, you’ve got it – just tell me. You won’t have to audition.’ I’m sitting there like, what? But in the back of my head I’m thinking, who’s Cinna and what’s Hunger Games ? I had no idea what it was. So I said, ‘Thank you, I’m sure I’d want to do this but – I don’t know what it is, so let me get the book.’ I was in the Bahamas in a small town, not a lot of internet around, so I’m with my iPad trying to get a signal to download this entire book… and I began to read, began to read, and at the end of Chapter One I thought, oh shit – I can’t put it down. I’ll just read another chapter. It was at night and I had been working all day so I’m tired and I figured I’ll make a chapter or two before I put it down, but I couldn’t. I was like, wow, this is a really good story! So I called him the next day and said, ‘I’ll be there.’ Your scenes in the film are mostly comprised of just you and Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, and you two share a great chemistry together. But you had already known her prior through your daughter Zoe, who was also in X-Men . What was your relationship like with her before making the movie together? She used to come over, and I’d go to London and see them. I mean, I fell for her the day she walked in my house. This girl is family. She’s so funny, such a joy to be around. She brings sunshine to any situation. And obviously it was a plus to find out, because when I told Gary I would do the movie I asked, ‘Who’s playing Katniss?’ ‘It’s Jennifer Lawrence.’ And I was like, ‘Wow – she was just in my house cooking breakfast!’ Did Gary know about this connection when he called to offer you the part? Did he know? No, he didn’t know. I told him and he said, ‘Really? Well, that makes it even better because there’s going to be a natural chemistry already.’ That definitely was a plus. Did you read the whole book in a day? At night, and then the next day. Quickly. I could not put it down. What a great opportunity! And the fact that he’d called me – he said he’d seen Precious and he thought that Nurse John and Cinna, even though they’re completely different characters, had similar characteristics as far as being nurturing and all that. Certainly, they do. When it comes to Cinna, though, maybe given the fact that he’s a fashionista some readers of the books infer that he’s gay, even though his sexuality remains ambiguous. Right, they assume. And that was a question: How far do we take it? If we had gone the outrageous route, it would have been just another stereotypical statement. Immediately I’m thinking science fiction, crazy costumes, this sort of possibly effeminate costumes. I started thinking Chris Tucker in The Fifth Element , because I didn’t know where Gary was going stylistically. Then when I got to the set I thought, this is really smart. The look of the Capitol and the way everybody dressed, it was real – it wasn’t this outrageous costumey stuff. There were a lot of outrageous colors and big statement, but there were a lot of old things and new things mixed, just like it is now. We’re in 2012 and we’re still wearing clothes that look like clothes. We’re not wearing silver space suits with helmets and all that… well, some of us are. [Laughs] Did you take inspiration in terms of Cinna’s style or carriage from any real life figures? I thought about Yves Saint Laurent and Tom Ford, who are both very inspiration design characters for me. And both of them are kind of right down the middle and very classically dressed, not say, like a Galliano or someone who is more outrageous and flamboyant in dress. That was the way we decided to play him and I think that was definitely the right choice. So then: Is Cinna gay? I have no idea. I have no idea. I played him right in the middle, and one of the inspirations is a friend of mine, actually, who I grew up with. He’s bisexual and you could think he’s gay, you could think he’s straight, you’re not really sure. It’s very subtle. You wouldn’t know it, but Cinna’s speech patterns and the way he enunciates was kind of based on this person that’s just a friend of mine, who I thought was a good example. It’s worth noting that the way you play Cinna, what stands out a bit more than in the books is that he comes off as more of a strategist than a stylist. Was that an important element to highlight? Most definitely. When people think at first, ‘So, what is Cinna?’ I play a stylist, but it’s hard to just say I play a stylist. What does that mean? He’s not that, he’s trying to help Katniss make an impression and he’s trying to save her life, and he wants people to like her because that’s part of the game. So that’s a good word, strategist. Given how much of a stark contrast he is to most people in the Capitol, more sensitive and grounded and restrained in his sense of style, it feels as if he’s infiltrating Capitol culture. Right. He’s clearly on Katniss’s side, doesn’t agree with the Capitol groupthink. No, he’s doing his job, trying to stay alive and do his thing and not get on the bad side of the government… How much of Cinna’s backstory did you cultivate with Gary or Suzanne Collins in terms of where Cinna comes from, even if that backstory isn’t included in the film? Not a lot, really. I just thought about him as being a person who’s been there for a few years; he hasn’t been there forever, he’s not that old, and he’s one of those people that kind of wishes or wants to break out and it’s not the time, necessarily. So he’s going to keep things even but he’s going to show his talent, he’s going to be fierce about it – he’s making these fire costumes and all this stuff – and he obviously is talented and likes using his talent. I’m sure he’s cared about everybody that’s come his way over the years, but now he’s met this girl that he really sees something in, and she’s the biggest underdog there is, and he’s going to do his best to help. Do you see a contradiction between the wariness in the books of mass media and the dangers of entertainment as a means of cultural control, and the fact that the Hunger Games movie is a now studio franchise involving hundreds of millions of dollars that will likely dominate pop culture when it comes out? Especially given your unique position as a successful recording artist, how do you view that fine line? It’s a very interesting time we live in. You know, it took me a long time to join this party of Facebook and Twitter and reality TV – I mean, I still don’t really watch it, but sometimes when I’m on the tour bus late at night trying to bring my brain back to a neutral place I’ll flip past these shows, and when I stop it’s because I’m really blown away that I’m watching this… that it exists . There’s a show for people that don’t know how to throw away their garbage! Or guys who have a pawn shop. Last night I was flipping channels for a bit before I went to bed and there was a show for guys in prison and how they function in prison and all their secrets! This one guy’s making moonshine liquor and they’re getting him to show us and it’s like, my god, what’s going on? Well, some of those shows are amazingly insightful, but then you have the other kind of reality TV shows… You have the bad behavior being glorified, and they’re becoming role models. Kids, everybody just wants to be famous now. I mean, I grew up saying I wanted to be a musician. Did I want to make it and be famous? Why not, sure. But I never said I wanted to be famous, I wanted to be a musician . Now it’s just all about fame. They’re showing everything. It’s quite interesting, but I think the movie is trying to show us where we are. We’re not yet in arenas killing people, but it happened thousands of years ago. Could it happen again? How much is it going to take to keep quenching our thirst? Look at where we are now. How’s it going to be a hundred years from now? People are going to be numb. That’s the great thing about the novels; it’s a young adult series and could be dismissed on first glance as a children’s property… But it’s not! That’s what’s so interesting. That’s why I think this is going to be very successful. The Hunger Games is in theaters March 23. Read more here. Follow Jen Yamato on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .
Wait, people think that George Clooney is a Gaylord Focker?? George Clooney has addressed long-running rumors about his sexuality, claiming that he does not “give a s**t” if people think he is gay. The 50-year-old “Descendants” star has dated a string of beautiful women but has been dogged by claims that he is hiding his true sexuality. However, the Hollywood heartthrob told gay news magazine The Advocate that he found the gossip amusing. “I think it’s funny, but the last thing you’ll ever see me do is jump up and down saying ‘These are lies!’ That would be unfair and unkind to my good friends in the gay community,” Clooney said. A vocal supporter of gay marriage, the star admitted the public would likely speculate on his true sexuality long after he was dead. “I’m not going to let anyone make it seem like being gay is a bad thing,” he added. “My private life is private, and I’m very happy in it. Who does it hurt if someone thinks I’m gay? I’ll be long dead and there will still be people who say I was gay. I don’t give a s**t.” Clooney was once married to actress Talia Balsam but the couple divorced in 1993. He has had high-profile relationships with several women, including Italian model Elisabetta Canalis and British TV presenter Lisa Snowdon. He is currently dating actress and former WWE wrestler Stacy Keibler, who he escorted to the Oscars last month. Brad Pitt jokingly implied that Clooney was gay when he said that he would not marry Angelina Jolie until Clooney could legally marry his partner. Good for George…eff what them haters think, son! Source WENN More On Bossip! Where’s The Meat? Super Skinny Dudes That Chop Down Absolute Dimes Celebrity Cribs: Check Out Michael Jordan’s $29 Million Chicago Compound Up For Sale [Photos] Eat Your Heart Out RihRih: Karrueche Flexes On Twitter As Breezy Is On His Best Boyfriend Behavior A “Lil Positivity”: A Gallery Of African-American Professionals That Are On The Come Up
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