Since we’ve all watched The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo like good little people-who-are-trying-to-figure-out-why-the-hell-it’s-is-such-a-phenomenon-because-even-my-parents-care-about-it-now, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what would’ve happened if David Fincher ditched Rooney Mara and opted for another ingenue to play Lisbeth Salander. Carey Mulligan? Ellen Page? Anne Hathaway? If I had the MS Paint prowess, I’d whip up renderings of Barbara Stanwyck, Faye Dunaway, and 94-year-old Joan Fontaine in the nose studs and combat boots, but I’ll leave that to your imagination. After the jump, check out a bunch of very accurate, wholly hypothetical Lisbeth portraits. I’m personally in love with the Ellen Page portrait. She’s so delighted to be a traumatized Nordic hacker! The Johansson work is devastating, and not just because of the iPhone-style nudity: As Fincher pointed out, she almost stole the part from Mara. Aww. And yet, I think this drawing is more than commensurate. Actresses as Lisbeth Salander [ But You’re Like Really Pretty via Huffpost]
Monta Ellis has allegedly pulled a Brett Favre . No, he hasn’t sullied his legacy by announcing multiple false retirements and then taking subtle shots at his superstar replacement. Instead, the Golden State Warriors shooting guard and one of the most dynamic players in the NBA has been sued by a former team employee, Erika Ross Smith, for supposedly sending her numerous unwanted text messages, culminating in a photo of his genitals. Talk about being a baller! (Sorry.) Smith worked last year as in the team’s community relations department, and claims in her lawsuit that Ellis texted her from November through January with lines such as “I want to be with you” and “Hey Sexy.” He would also ask what she was wearing. “On a micro level, my client has endured unwanted harassment, has suffered and continues to suffer emotional distress and trauma,” Burt Boltuch, Smith’s lawyer, said at a news conference this week. “On a macro level, this type of conduct, especially in the sports world, must stop… she was embarrassed. She was intimidated. She felt scared and helpless.” The Warriors have responded to the allegation and said Ellis – who is married – and Smith engaged in a “consensual relationship.” After Smith reportedly rejected the guard’s advances, she says he complained about her job performance and sent her a picture of his penis on December 17, 2010. Boltuch told reporters of the photo in question, which he possesses: “We know it came from him,” saying his client’s interactions with Ellis with “absolutely, unequivocally 100 percent not consensual.” Smith eventually lost her job, in her opinion, due to Ellis’ wife finding out about the text messages and complaining to team executives. The lawsuit alleges retaliation, wrongful termination and intentional infliction of emotional distress. It seeks unspecified damages.
Fincher, who says ‘I think there is a trilogy here,’ opens up to MTV News about ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,’ ‘Cleopatra’ and ‘Goon.’ By Josh Horowitz Rooney Mara in “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” Photo: Columbia Pictures If you’ve somehow missed the cultural phenomenon that is Stieg Larsson’s massively successful Millenium trilogy, it might be time to give in and see what all the fuss is about. MTV has already named David Fincher’s “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” the best movie of 2011, so you can bet we had plenty to discuss when we sat down with revered director of “The Social Network,” “Fight Club” and “Seven” on the eve of his much-hyped film’s opening. In a wide-ranging discussion, Fincher candidly addressed the microscope his latest project has been under, plus his plans to work with Angelina Jolie, the summer tent-pole movie he’s actually excited to helm and who the famously intimidating director actually fears pissing off. MTV : Congratulations on the film. You may have heard that MTV named it the best film of the year. David Fincher : I heard that! MTV : After a long debate, we came to a consensus. Fincher : Really? What possible debate could there be? [ laughs ] MTV : You’ve obviously had plenty of opportunities to helm a franchise and this, despite not being a happy-meal-friendly one, still is one. Fincher : There are a lot of those [franchise] expectations. I think there is a trilogy here, [but] I was looking it as a one off. I see a beginning, middle and an end in this first story. I would like for people to enjoy it. I would like for people to tell their friends. And I think it tees up two fascinating characters who I have really come to care about. There’s no doubt [Stieg Larsson] wrote it to be a rip-roaring yarn, but I don’t think he could have possibly imagined what it has become. There was no doubt that when we went to Stockholm that there were people asking, “Is this just a Hollywood land grab? Is this a co-opting of our cultural phenomenon?” I saw it as a ripping yarn and a partnership that I’d never seen before, and I like the idea of these two people who should never meet, much less sleep together, much less partner up. I had never seen that before and thought that’s kind of interesting. It was very Swedish and kind of sexy but also kind of oddly moving. Having no experience with the — I’m not saying these books are “Twilight” — but that message-board freak-out phenomenon that goes with it, I was unprepared for it, possibly because I’m just too insulated from the real world and because I’m kind of immune to that kind of sh–. MTV : The casting story became … Fincher : The casting story was blown out of proportion by a lot of people. I wasn’t prepared for that. The only way to win is to win on merit, and it’s the only satisfying way to win, and hopefully, that’s what we’ve done. In the end, I still work 14 hours a day whether or not people are doubting me. I doubt myself more, in much smarter and salient ways than people surfing the web. MTV : Your ending differs from the book’s. Was that a difficult choice? Fincher : It was an easy choice to make. I thought it was sleeker. I like the idea of someone who has been subjected to this kind of trauma learning to hide in plain sight. It’s a different choice than the one the book makes. Lisbeth manages to occupy in the shadows and margins. This is another way of doing that. And they are parallel stories. It’s silly not to think of them as that. MTV : Do you have the same affection for the other two books? Are they as cinematically interesting to you? Fincher : I think the second book is very cinematic. It suffers a little bit from a lack of Salander. I think it also ends in an odd way. I love the notion of really talking about sex trafficking. MTV : Rooney [Mara] was telling us she already has some ideas for her look the next time around. Fincher : We did a lot of exploring [the look]. We looked into the stitched, Sally from “Nightmare Before Christmas.” We’ve played around a lot. There are some things that we’ve learned. MTV : You’re not going to ask her to get implants, are you? Fincher : It’s interesting because when you go through the checklist of what Larsson did with [Salander], there were a lot of things [that seemed] like quasi-stripper Kardashian land. To me, that’s not who Lisbeth is. The guy created it. He’s not here to defend himself. I hold him in the highest esteem, but I don’t always agree with his choices. MTV : If he were around, what would you ask him? Fincher : I don’t know. Look, the person I wanted to impress the most on “Seven” was [screenwriter] Andy Walker. The person I wanted to impress most on “Fight Club” was [author] Chuck Palahniuk. I think my responsibility is first and foremost to the creator. MTV : Will Jules Verne be happy with what you do with “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”? Fincher : I think he would be. If we get to do what we’re planning on doing, it’s pretty interesting. MTV : Was that a book that was important to you as a young man? Fincher : No, not at all. I was alive when a man stepped on the moon. It was awe-inspiring, the notion of that much care that NASA took. I’m sure it was the same thing for the Manhattan Project. The idea of a post-Civil War version of science fiction and the notion of being able to breathe underwater was so radical in its thinking. That’s pretty cool. If you’re going to do big tent-pole teenage PG-13 summer movies, it’s kind of cool that it would be this. MTV : Is “Cleopatra” something you’re currently developing? Fincher : That’s something I would love to do with Angie [Jolie]. It’s something that was brought to me that you have to take seriously. [Producer] Scott [Rudin] has this wonderful book, and hopefully [screenwriter] Eric [Roth] can find a way in. I’m not interested in a giant sword-and-sandal epic. We’ve seen scope; everyone knows we can fake that. That stuff doesn’t impress in the way that it did even 10 years ago. We expect that from Starz [now]. So that’s not the reason to do that. What is it about this character that has purchased this place in our history and imagination that is relatable today? MTV : One film I’ve talked to you about in the past is “Rendezvous With Rama.” Should we keep talking about it, or should I drop it? Fincher : You should drop that. It’s great but it’s just a really expensive movie, and talk about the bones being picked by so many other stories … MTV : IMAX is something that filmmakers like Brad Bird and Christopher Nolan have lately been using. Does it interest you? Fincher : No. They’re going to have the digital equivalent of IMAX very shortly. I don’t like the idea of changing fidelity in the middle of a movie just to say, “Here comes some big sh–!” Whatever Brad Bird or Chris do is fine by me. I normally think in terms of homogenization. I want to be able to count on a kind of resolution and depth of field. I never saw “The Dark Knight” in IMAX. I could definitely see a difference in fidelity of the IMAX sequences. But to each his own. MTV : I saw you last at Comic-Con for “Goon.” How is that project looking? Fincher : We’re still trying. Eric [Powell] rewrote his script. He got away from the genesis story, and I feel like we need to go back to a little bit of what he had before. I don’t think you can tailor what Powell does to what Hollywood does. I think you have to allow for the disparity. I don’t think you can go into it saying, “We have to make it fit into this box.” Everything is a digression from what the main through line is. MTV : Is there anything else you’re looking to collaborate on with Trent Reznor? Fincher : We’ve talked about a lot of stuff. I would do anything for him. I feel so lucky to have had his attention for the year and a half that I’ve had it. I’m not going to push my luck. I’m walking on eggshells. I don’t want to piss that guy off. MTV : There’s always the “Fight Club” musical. Fincher : I keep trying! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos Best Movies Of 2011 Debate
It’s a sad day for fans of the inspiring sports classic Rudy . Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, perhaps the most famous collegiate football underdog of all time — on whom the title character in David Anspaugh’s 1993 film was based — has been charged by the SEC for a pump-and-dump scheme that earned him over $10 million in profits for a Rudy -branded sports drink.
Now that David Cross ‘s contractual obligations on the live-action/animation Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise are over — the third and final of which is this weekend’s Chip-Wrecked — the comic actor isn’t mincing words about the ordeal. “This last film was literally, without question, the most unpleasant experience I’ve ever had in my professional life,” he told The Playlist. (Funny, Movieline’s Michelle Orange, after reviewing the kid pic, might say the same.) Take in the spectacle of these burning bridges with more of Cross’s post-traumatic musings after the jump!
Chaz Bono sounds like a real drag. No pun intended. The “Dancing With The Stars” alum recently broke off his two-year engagement with longtime honey Jennifer Elia because he listened to Drake’s “Marvin’s Room” so much he’s convinced that he can do better she’s broke and can’t handle her liquor. Although he popped the question to girlfriend Jennifer Elia two years ago, and presented her with a ring on his reality TV show “Being Chaz,” the couple’s romance is kaput, sources say. “Chaz is totally over the relationship,” divulged an insider. “His parting shot to Jen made her realize there was no turning back. He told her, ‘I can do better than you.’ He wanted someone who could ride the wave of success with him but found Jen too much of a downer. “Chaz is already on the lookout for someone new and made it clear to Jen. He told her, ‘I’ve tried, but you just aren’t right for me. I’ve got to move on.’” Chaz — born Chastity Bono, the daughter of Cher and the late Sonny Bono — was with Jennifer, 36, for six years. But sources say their relationship began to suffer after Chaz underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2009. To make matters worse, Jennifer is unemployed while Chaz, 42, has become a media darling thanks to his recent stint on “Dancing with the Stars.” “Jen constantly gripes about not being able to find a job and her lack of money,” the insider confided. “She nags at Chaz about his weight and for the last few months her insomnia has been so bad that they don’t even sleep together.” But the couple’s biggest problem was Jen’s booze relapse, said the source. “When she drinks, Jen becomes a completely different person,” explained the source. “Chaz just can’t handle her then.” Sounds like they’re skirting the real issue here — that newfangled man part isn’t getting the job done. Source More On Bossip! More Basketball Wives Beef!!! Evelyn, Shaunie And Tami Light Up Twitter Over “False Email Claims” Making It Rain On Them Hoes: Forbes List Top Ten Earning Women In Music 2011 #HumbleBrag: Celebrities That Talk About Their Weird Body Insecurities 2nd Time’s The Charm? Famous 2nd Marriages…Did They Work Or Fail?
Ladies and gentlemen, the isht has officially hit the fan. Via CNN.com : The death of Robert Champion Jr. , the 26-year-old Florida A&M University student and drum major who died last month after a suspected hazing incident, has been ruled a homicide, according to a medical examiner. The Friday afternoon announcement came just as Florida Gov. Rick Scott wrapped up a meeting with James Ammons, the university’s president, whose suspension he recommended amid an investigation into various issues at the university — including Champion’s death. Orange County officials said in a statement that Champion died November 19 because of “hemorrhagic shock, due to soft tissue hemorrhage, due to blunt force trauma sustained during a hazing incident.” He died in Orlando, where the band had been playing. Associate Medical Examiner Sara Irrgang performed the autopsy on Champion, overseen by Chief Medical Examiner Jan Garavaglia. According to the release, they noted that Champion was “previously healthy (when he) collapsed and died within an hour of a hazing incident during which he suffered multiple blunt trauma blows to his body.” He complained that he was thirsty and tired immediately after the incident and, minutes later, lost his eyesight. “These symptoms are consistent with hypotension or shock,” the statement noted. Some band members have said Champion may have died after a rite of passage called “crossing Bus C.” One member, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained students “walk from the front of the bus to the back of the bus back backward while the bus is full of other band members, and you get beaten until you get to the back.” The autopsy found that Champion had “extensive contusions of his chest, arms, shoulder and back.” There was no evidence of “natural disease except for a slightly enlarged heart.” The young man’s father, Robert Champion Sr., said, “We are pleased to find out what caused our son’s death.” “Now, we need to move forward, so this doesn’t have to happen to any other kid,” the father said in a statement. SMH. So sad… What do you think this is going to mean for FAMU’s band program? More On Bossip! More Basketball Wives Beef!!! Evelyn, Shaunie And Tami Light Up Twitter Over “False Email Claims” Making It Rain On Them Hoes: Forbes List Top Ten Earning Women In Music 2011 #HumbleBrag: Celebrities That Talk About Their Weird Body Insecurities 2nd Time’s The Charm? Famous 2nd Marriages…Did They Work Or Fail?
‘I generally get behind everything Ron does, no matter how extreme,’ Nick Offerman tells MTV News of his ‘Parks and Recreation’ antihero. By Josh Wigler Nick Offerman in “Parks and Recreation” Photo: NBC If ever there were a man deserving of all the eggs and bacon you have, it’s Ron Swanson. The Parks Department director of Pawnee, Indiana, is perhaps the manliest man on television, complete with what is indisputably the manliest mustache on TV today. There’s something else you should know about Mr. Swanson too: He’s the best television character of 2011! Swanson won the highest honor in our Top 50 TV Characters of 2011 countdown over the likes of cancer-stricken chemistry teacher-turned-murderous meth cook Walter White of “Breaking Bad” and our very own “Jersey Shore” favorite Snooki. All three could have easily earned that top prize, but in the end, there’s just no resisting the raw, hilarious awesome that is Ron Swanson. But Ron would be nothing without Nick Offerman, the actor, comedian and professional woodworker who has played the staunch anti-government government employee for four seasons of “Parks and Recreation.” Offerman spoke with MTV News about his status as 2011’s top television character, why Ron is such an appealing figure, his battle with the terrible Tammys and much, much more. MTV : Congratulations! Ron Swanson is our #1 pick for the best TV character of the year. It goes without saying that we’re all very big fans over here! Nick Offerman : Well, thank you. I’m over the moon. I’m so flattered. It’s crazy! MTV : When did it dawn on you that Ron was such a big hit? We’ve seen countless Internet memes about him, and he’s always the topic of conversation after a “Parks and Rec” episode airs. When did it hit you that Ron had really arrived? Offerman : It sort of came out of the blue around the holidays two years ago. It was the fall of our season two. My wife [Megan Mullally, who plays Tammy Two] and I don’t really cotton to the Internet too much, so people started saying to me, “You’re getting a lot of attention on the Internet. You might want to think about getting a publicist. I think you might have something here.” I said, “OK, that sounds like hogwash to me, but I’ll go along with it.” And I haven’t looked back. It’s been incredibly gratifying and astonishing. See our Top 50 TV Characters of 2011, 50 to 41, including a masked bachelor and dashing novelist/crime-fighter. MTV : You spend so much time playing this character, four seasons deep now. For you, what’s the appeal of Ron? What is it about this character that you love playing so much? Offerman : Well, I guess I spent so many years of my career utilizing a sense of humor that we see in Ron and being rejected for it. For so many years, people have been telling me to talk faster. “Try not to be so scary.” [ Laughs. ] To finally find writers that have such simpatico with me and my sense of humor has got to be my favorite thing about Ron. They write me a scene where the most important thing I can do is remain silent and immobile, and that’s the hilarious part. [ Laughs. ] It kind of feels like coming home after all these years. MTV : It’s been a big year for the character. Right out the gate in season four, we got to meet the other two Tammys in Ron’s life, Tammy One and Tammy Zero. What was it like finally getting to interact with all these legendary women in Ron’s life? Offerman : For me the actor, it’s such an embarrassment of riches to do an episode with Megan, Patricia Clarkson and Paula Pell. It’s like being told that you’re going to play in the World Series with the most incredible all-star team assembled as your teammates. I was really traumatized by the effects all these women had on Ron. His face was denuded of his mustache, much like Samson having his locks snipped off by Delilah, as well as his family jewels. It really felt like I was being simultaneously raped and fed a delicious meal. [ Laughs. ] See our Top 50 TV Characters of 2011, 40 to 31, including a “hootie hoo!”-hollering chef and funnyman talk-show host. MTV : Do you think we’ve seen the last of the Tammys? As in, are there any other Tammys lurking about out there in Ron’s life? Offerman : I can’t imagine. I think the power of this triumvirate is so all-encompassing. I think we have more than enough fuel for many more seasons with the Tammys we’ve established. MTV : You brought up something that I was going to touch on: Ron losing his mustache really was a Samson moment. Could Ron ever truly be Ron Swanson without that mustache, or is it critical to who he is? Offerman : I think if, God forbid, Ron was in some sort of disfiguring accident that disallowed him to grow whiskers anymore, I don’t think he could bounce back. I think Ron is an accessory to the mustache, or the mustache is an accessory to Ron. My friend is this genius artist named Pat Roberts, and he has a painting of a wimpy-looking sheriff with a sheriff’s badge on, and there’s a balloon with this mean look on its face, hanging next to the sheriff. It says: “For obvious reasons, Staticky Pete wore the badge, but everyone knew the balloon was the sheriff.” I think everyone knows that the mustache carries the thunder for Ron. Check out our Top 50 TV Characters of 2011, 30-21, including a depressed meth cook and a football coach with a heart of gold. MTV : One of the reasons we love Ron so much is that he gets away with things that we only wish we could get away with in our life. For example, when he discovers how much personal information can be learned about him through Google — that you can see a satellite image of his property — his response is to throw his computer in the trash. I can certainly relate to that. Do you relate to Ron’s view of the world? Offerman : Absolutely. I’m very much a Luddite by choice. I grew up on a farm out in the middle of a cornfield. You’d go for days without being reached by people. Now, in the information age, you have everyone at your beck and call — or, more to the point, to be at the beck and call of the world — on a device in your pocket, and it’s incredibly distasteful. I often fantasize about throwing the whole thing in the ocean. Unfortunately, I’m in a business where my agent tells me I have a meeting with Patricia Roberts next week. MTV : You’re hooked in, sir. There’s very little you can do. Offerman : There is, but look, what my wife and I do is eschew as much as we can. We don’t do Twitter, we don’t do Facebook. It’s all we can do to answer our e-mails; that already takes up too much time, so we don’t do much [Web] surfing. MTV : On the flipside, is there anything about Ron that you can’t relate to? Are there things he does that you just can’t see yourself pulling off in your life? Offerman : In principle, no. I generally get behind everything Ron does, no matter how extreme. But when Ron exhibits superhuman abilities, that’s when it crosses the line. We shot an episode recently where I have to jam an entire hamburger into my mouth. We did a take and it was obviously really hard — bun and all, I had to shove the whole thing into my mouth! We did a take, and the director said to the prop lady, “Was that the small, medium or large burger?” It was the small. “Can we get another one?” And I go, “Hey! I understand that Ron could get the whole slab of a cow in his mouth and pull out a bone like Fred Flintstone, but I’m an actor in the physical world!” [ Laughs. ] There’s only so much grub I can cram into my mouth! Check out our Top 50 TV Characters, 20-11, featuring a sword-wielding 9-year-old and a Trouble Tones teen. People will also ask me … there’s this one episode where Ron makes an Irish harp in one night after drinking an enormous amount of whiskey. People will say to me — and this is the power of TV — did you really do that? [ Laughs. ] No! No one can really do that! That’s ridiculous! It’s a hilarious comedy! Even my brother who works in my shop with me, there’s one episode where I’m carving a chunk of wood, and in the next scene there’s a big, wooden swan that I’ve ostensibly carved in about 40 minutes. And my brother said, “Did you really carve that?” [ Laughs. ] He’s familiar with my work! He’s familiar with my method! It would take me a day and a half if I hustled. For shame! MTV : “Parks and Rec” is one of the funniest shows on TV. I think a lot of that owes to the fact that, obviously, the writing is incredible, but the cast is so strong. These characters play off each other so well. What’s that dynamic like on set, four seasons into the game? Offerman : It’s so fun. We never stop talking about how lucky we are that we get to do this for pay. We’re shooting an episode this week where the whole cast is in a recording studio recording a song for Andy Dwyer. That situation is so goddamn enjoyable, and everybody gets to add their flavor to this incredibly steamy goulash that we’re serving. It’s so fun to look around and watch one person after another hit a home run. Don’t miss our Top 10 Characters of 2011, including a “Jersey Shore” guidette and a real daughter of New Jersey. MTV : Final question for you: We know what Ron’s capacity is … but what is the most bacon and eggs you’ve ever eaten? Offerman : Gosh … I’d have to go back to my youth when my dad and I would have bacon and eggs every morning. I’d say five eggs, and I take those over medium, and close to a pound of bacon. MTV : Wow. Offerman : I can pack it away, but my capacity pales in comparison to Mr. Swanson. Only Ron Swanson could stomach all of the eggs and bacon you have. MTV will reveal the best artists, songs and movies of the year. Come to MTV News each day to see more big reveals and check out more of MTV’s Best of 2011 music, TV, movies and news coverage.
Fairy tales really do come true… when Hollywood is out of other ideas. EW has the first look at Tommy Wirkola’s Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters , a film starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as grown versions of the Grimm trekkers who once killed a witch during their youth. Apparently the movie takes on a gritty Pulp Fiction vibe while invoking the very real bonds between siblings who’ve suffered abuse and trauma. Bread crumbs and broken lives, y’all. Click through for a first glimpse.
A quick scan of Ray Liotta’s filmography indicates that the 56-year-old actor has played tons of officers, captains and detectives. He sticks to that milieu in The Son of No One , a Sundance-debuted thriller about a young cop (Channing Tatum) who is assigned to protect the rough Queens neighborhood where he grew up. As Captain Marion Mathers, Liotta works authoritatively alongside a veteran detective (Al Pacino), even after an anonymous source reveals new information about unsolved murders and a potential police cover-up. Movieline phoned Liotta to talk about the new movie, memories of Goodfellas and traumatizing moviegoers in Hannibal .
