Bradley Cooper says it wasn’t a stretch to call Robert De Niro “Dad” in Silver Linings Playbook . The Hangover actor plays Pat Solitano, the bipolar son of De Niro’s extremely OCD Pat Solitano, Sr. in the film, and at the New York premiere party , Cooper told us that his prior working relationship with De Niro on Limitless , which blossomed into a friendship, made it easy to channel that familial bond with the Taxi Driver actor. At a press conference for the movie earlier that day, Cooper, who lost his actual father in 2011, told the gathered media that he had trepidations about playing the role of a Philadelphia area man struggling with bipolar disorder. “He really did champion me” to get the part, Cooper said of De Niro, adding that he decided to take the role, in part, because, “I knew that I could say ‘Dad’ and look at him and it would come from a real place.” During the party at the Royalton hotel in midtown Manhattan, I asked Cooper to elaborate upon that comment, and he replied that because of his work with De Niro on their last movie, “We sort of became great friends,” adding: “I love him.” That relationship, he explained, became “a real bonus” when it came to the onscreen dynamic of the two actors in Silver Linings Playbook . With any movie role, Cooper explained, “You need certain anchors, and when I would say say the word ‘Dad’ to him, it just felt very deep and grounded.” In the David O. Russell -directed movie, De Niro gives his most authentic performance as a father since he directed himself in the 1993 picture A Bronx Tale . He even weeps in the movie — an unscripted moment that was caught on the last take of a highly charged scene shot in the attic of the Solitano family home. Russell, who, during the press conference, repeatedly referred to the veteran actor as “Mr. De Niro,” said the emotional moment caught him completely off-guard. “I was behind him in the attic going, ‘What’s happening?'” the director recalled. Russell’s son, Matthew, who plays a nosy teen-aged neighbor with a video camera, struggled with a different emotion while shooting a confrontational scene with De Niro: nervous laughter. The director recalled at the press conference that his son said to him that acting opposite De Niro ” was like waking up in Raging Bull . ” Russell said that he chided his son for the inappropriate outburst, telling him, “You’ve got to stop laughing.” But De Niro, he added, figured out a way to work with Matthew’s anxious laughter to ratchet up tension in the scene. Silver Linings Playbook opens in limited release on Friday. Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
“I am very proud of the work that our terrific staff has put into launching and sustaining our show for two seasons,” Cooper, 45, said in a statement. “I look forward to doing more great shows this season, and though I#39;m sorry we won#39;t be continuing, I have truly enjoyed it.” The cancelation, set to take effect after the summer of 2013, is more of a testament to the market than a reflection on the veteran journalist, an anonymous studio executive explained to The Times. Even changes to th
Usher just keeps getting opportunities left and right in light of his shady custody case. The Voice execs announced that he and Shakira will be stepping in as judges come this spring. According to The LA Times… The move will allow the veteran judges some breathing room as they embark on other projects. Aguilera is releasing a new album and going on tour. Green is working on new music and developing a scripted comedy series for the network based on his life. Not to worry, ladies (and gentlemen): Adam Levine and Blake Shelton will still be around. “We are thrilled to welcome Usher and Shakira to ‘The Voice,’” said NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt in a statement. “Doing two back-to-back cycles of this show requires a tremendous amount of time, and we are happy to accommodate the commitments made by Christina and CeeLo. The participants on our show benefit from our coaches’ expertise and their continued success in the music business allows for significant new contributions to the contestants when they return.” Regardless of the reasons for Cee-Lo and Xtina’s “temporary” exit, bringing Big Ush in as a replacement will be interesting something to watch. Images via Facebook
Kathy Bates, an Oscar winner for the 1991 film Misery and multiple-time Emmy nominee, revealed today that she was diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks ago and recently underwent a double mastectomy in her battle against the disease. “Luckily, I don’t have to undergo radiation or chemo,” Bates said in a statement. “My family call me Kat because I always land on my feet and thankfully this is no exception… My doctors have assured me I’m going to be around for a long time. I’m looking forward to getting back to work doing what I love to do.” Bates was also diagnosed with ovarian cancer nine years ago. She has a busy professional future ahead of her, beginning on September 23 Emmy Awards where the veteran star is actually nominated in two categories: Outstanding actress in a drama ( Harry’s Law ) and outstanding guest actress in a comedy ( Two and a Half Men ). We wish her a full recovery.
Randy Jackson Returning To American Idol Looks like the American Idol executives will have one less seat to fill for the upcoming season of show after all. Despite numerous early reports to the contrary, it turns out the American Idol veteran Randy Jackson will be returning to the judges table in this upcoming season alongside Mariah Carey. Allegedly the deal was completed after talks with Latin singing star Enrique Iglesias fell through. Ace Showbiz reports: Randy Jackson will serve as a judge on “American Idol” for another season, latest report says. Following speculations about his future on the show, Deadline learns from “sources close to the situation” that the R&B singer/music producer has closed a deal with FOX to stay on the show with the same role. According to the site, the deal-making was wrapped quickly after talks with Enrique Iglesias broke off. While the network hasn’t confirmed it yet, Simon Cowell stated the same with his tweet. The British producer, who was also a judge on the veteran singing competition, shared to his Twitter followers on Monday, September 10, “Just heard randy is back on idol. Right decision.” Randy himself refused to address his status on the veteran singing competition when visiting “Today” that morning. Asked by co-hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb if he’s still a judge on “Idol”, he dodged the question by saying, “Listen, it’s an amazing show. My friend Mariah Carey is there. I think she’s going to bring a lot of excitement to it. Let’s see what happens.” So wait, who’s place will Randy be taking ? American Idol has made some pretty lucrative offers to a couple of Hollyweird heavyweights…will the return of the dawg leave somebody jobless? Source
Trade or not, we’re not sure we would have sold this place. Jason Kidd Sells His $1.4 Million Dallas Condo According to TMZ reports : Jason Kidd has officially severed his final ties with Dallas after the Mavericks traded him to the Knicks — TMZ has learned, the NBA legend has sold his luxury condo in the Big D. Kidd listed the 2,607 sq. ft. pad for $1,595,000 back in October, and it remained on the market until June 21st — when it finally sold for $1,387,500. Kidd signed with the Knicks last month. According to official records, Kidd bought the condo in 2009 for $1,420,000 — meaning he lost a little on his investment … but nothing like Michael Phelps on his recent sale. It’s a pretty badass condo — featuring a 4-car garage, 2 fireplaces, a pool on the building’s rooftop, and a guarded entrance. But Kidd’s not just dumping his Dallas property, he’s also getting rid of his giant house in Arizona — listing his 6-bedroom, 9-bath, 13,523 sq. ft. Paradise Valley home for $5,995,000. Must be nice to have a $1.4 million condo AND a $6 million house… Hit the flipper to see more pics of the veteran ballers not-so-humble abode. Image via TMZ
With no clear answer over how his son passed away, Sylvester Stallone is reportedly taking proactive steps to clear up questions surrounding the tragic death of 36-year old Sage . According to TMZ, the veteran actor talked with Scott Ross this week, the private investigator who played a key role in both the Michael Jackson molestation case and the Chris Brown/Rihanna battery case. Ross met with Stallone, his brother Frank and an official from the coroner’s office yesterday. There’s been no evidence of foul play, but questions continue to arise over Sage Stallone, whose body was found on Friday inside his bedroom. Initial reports claimed an overdose and that Sage has been dead for days when discovered, but new evidence (e.g. Facebook posts) make it appear as if Sage were still alive within 17 hours of a housekeeper finding his corpse. Sources, meanwhile, swear he never had a problem with drugs. An autopsy has been performed , but the results of toxicology tests will not be known for weeks. [Photo: WENN.com]
While performing ‘Human Nature,’ Madonna pulled her bra down and exposed her right nipple. By Gil Kaufman Madonna Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic When paparazzi photographers catch a glimpse of a starlet accidentally showing more skin than she intended it’s called a “nip slip.” But what do you call it when you purposely pull down your bra to give thousands of fans a peek at your lady bits? Madonna found out on Thursday night when the 53-year-old singer gave fans in Istanbul an eyeful during a performance of “Human Nature.” According to a video of the incident posted on YouTube , the singer removed her white dress shirt, then a lacy piece of lingerie before first pulling down the strap of her bra, then thinking better of it and just doing the full monty and pulling her right breast out to the cheers of the audience. She shot her fans a naughty girl “oops” look before threatening to drop trou as well and then turning around to show a huge temporary tattoo on her back reading “No Fear.” It was the latest attempt at outrage on the veteran pop star’s MDNA tour. She kicked it off in Tel Aviv, Israel by taking a shot at Lady Gaga by playing a mash-up of her “Express Yourself” with Gaga’s similar-sounding “Born This Way” and then ending the song by chanting, “She’s not me.” Gaga appeared to respond to the dis during her show in New Zealand on Thursday. She also angered the French National Front leader Marine Le Pen during the same show by flashing a photo of Le Pen with a swastika on her forehead, which prompted a threat of legal action from the French politician. Related Artists Madonna
AMC series nerds out with ‘Lost’ references and Ken Cosgrove’s sci-fi novel about a robot and a bridge. By Josh Wigler Embeth Davidtz and Lane Jared Harris in “Mad Men” Photo: AMC All right, AMC, if we didn’t get it before, we certainly do now: You dudes are a bunch of nerds. No one is going to argue that point what with your record-smashing “Walking Dead,” or the developing series based on “Dead” creator Robert Kirkman’s “Thief of Thieves” comic book . But all those many, many geek references on this week’s “Mad Men”? Consider the message received, loud and clear. What, you missed the ’60s-set drama’s absurd amount of nerd-out moments last night (April 15)? For good measure, then, we’ll walk you through them all. “Mad Men” season five draws major attention for “fattening up” Betty Draper actress January Jones. First and foremost, the episode, titled “Signal 30” and directed by series star (and “Iron Man 2” actor) John Slattery, heralded the arrival of science fiction and fantasy novelist Ben Hargrove, the pen name for ad man Kenny Cosgrove (played by actor Aaron Stanton, already a fixture in geek culture for providing his voice and likeness to the lead role in video game “L.A. Noir” ). Previously operating in secret, Ken’s private passion was outted by Cynthia, Ken’s all-too-forgettable wife who is suddenly a whole lot more memorable when you realize that she’s played by Larisa Oleynik, formerly the titular shape-shifter on ’90s Nickelodeon series “The Secret World of Alex Mack.” Cynthia (or is it Cheryl? Like Don’s new wife Megan, we can’t really recall) spilled the beans on “The Punishment of X4,” an old story of Ken’s, during a dinner party held at Pete and Trudy Campbell’s home. Her description of the plot: “There’s this bridge between these two planets and thousands of humans travel on it every day, and there’s this robot who does maintenance on the bridge. One day he removes a bolt, the bridge collapses, and everyone dies.” “There’s more to it than that,” a nervous Cosgrove tells the hushed room. Don pushes for further details: Why does the robot destroy the bridge? “Because he’s a robot,” Ken answers, clearly encouraged by Don’s interest. “Those people tell him what to do and he doesn’t have the power to make any decisions, except he can decide whether that bolt’s on or off.” “Or he just hates commuters,” Pete quips in response. Ken’s fledgling career as a sci-fi novelist wasn’t the only nerdy reference at the Campbell family’s eventful dinner: Texas college sniper Charles Whitman was briefly misidentified as Charles Widmore, a clear Easter egg for “Lost” fans. Indeed, “Lost” co-creator Damon Lindelof (who already enjoyed a shoutout to his six-season sci-fi series earlier in the evening on “The Simpsons” ) took it upon himself to further flesh out Cosgrove’s “X4” through a series of fan-fiction tweets . Well worth a read from the man behind the DHARMA Initiative. “The solution seemed obvious… create a commuter colony that would work on Nephytus, but live on Aton.” — Damon Lindelof (@DamonLindelof) April 16, 2012 Later, at the same dinner, the faucet at Chez Campbell burst for the second time in the same episode, prompting Don to remove his dress shirt and get to work on fixing the sink. The heroic action drew immediate Superman comparisons from the onlooking housewives, which is far from the first time that Jon Hamm has been connected to the Man of Steel . Superman is a “young man’s game,” according to “Mad Men” superstar Jon Hamm Meanwhile, on a subtler note, Pete Campbell took a turn for the super-villainous this week. Aside from being completely shown up by Don’s ability to fix a sink in seconds, Pete spent the episode flirting with and fantasizing about a high school senior in his driver’s education class, and later having sex with a prostitute, but only after she switched into king-worshipping role-playing mode. He even got into an intense fist fight with fellow Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce partner Lane Pryce; usually the consummate British gentlemen on the AMC series, don’t forget that Lane is played by Jared Harris, who also appears as science terrorist David Robert Jones on Fox’s cult sci-fi series “Fringe” and recently enjoyed a celebrated turn as legendary villain Professor Moriarty in “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.” Pete clearly hasn’t seen the aforementioned show and film, but he nevertheless learned the hard way (and by hard way I mean via serious ass-kicking) that you never, ever get into a knockout brawl with Dumbledore’s son . All of this served as a reminder to me that Pete, whose views on Don oscillated between hero worship and pure spite throughout the episode, has known about Draper’s secret identity for several seasons now. With his latest turn toward the dark side, can it really be much longer before he uses that bit of proverbial kryptonite against the artist formerly known as Dick Whitman? Only Matt Weiner knows for sure. Finally, we return to Ken’s side-career as a writer, news of which spread throughout SCDP like wildfire. After a scolding from silver fox playboy Roger Sterling (played by the aforementioned Slattery, whose own Roger got his groove back a bit in this week’s episode, albeit to mixed results for his company), Cosgrove was persuaded to let his alter-ego Ben Hargrove go, but not before Peggy Olsen was able to read one of Ken’s short sci-fi stories, “the one in Galaxy about the girl who laid eggs.” ( Lindelof has titled the story “Ova,” though whether or not he tweets excerpts from the yarn remains to be seen.) But where Ben Hargrove dies, Ken is reborn anew as Dave Algonquin, writer of “The Man with the Miniature Orchestra.” The episode closes with a reading from Cosgrove’s latest effort: “There were phrases of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony that still made Coe cry. He always thought it had to do with the circumstances of the composition itself. He imagined Beethoven deaf and soul-sick, his heart broken, scribbling furiously while Death stood in the doorway, clipping his nails. Still, Coe thought, it might have been living in the country that was making him cry. It was killing him with its silence and loneliness, making everything ordinary too beautiful to bear.” Ken’s latest written effort isn’t exactly nerd-worthy, no, but it’s the perfect example of why it’s so fantastic to have “Mad Men” back after a year and a half, geek call-outs be damned. Tell us what you thought of the latest “Mad Men” episode in the comments section or hit me up on Twitter @roundhoward !
‘That’s what hip-hop is — we take pieces of this and that and make it new,’ Nas says of track featuring Drake, French Montana. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway Nas Photo: MTV News On Nas ‘ classic 2001 battle track “Ether,” the Queens, New York, rap great issues a challenge. Of course there’s the one he threw to then-rival Jay-Z, but that’s old news. In the song’s first verse, God’s Son declares that he’s the “truest” and then dares rap fans: “Name a rapper that I ain’t influence.” Nasir’s artistic reach may be hard to quantify, but every now and then you can see the Don’s musical DNA embedded in new rap material. Take Rick Ross , Drake and French Montana’s “Stay Schemin,’ ” for example: The song’s melodic hook is a direct lift from the unreleased “Stay Schemin’ Stay Dreamin’.” “It’s a big record,” Nas told “RapFix Live” host Sway when he appeared on the show last month. On the original Nas version, which was recorded in the late 1990s, the veteran MC sings of a jealous foe who’s plotting against him. “Lookin’ back at times, when I had on my shines, you were standing there/ I never tried to dis you, you didn’t need your pistol, why’d you have to take it there,” he starts off in the first verse. For the updated version, Ross recruits Bronx rapper Montana to lay an interpolation of Nas’ old-school hook. “Stay schemin’, n—as tryna get at me,” French harmonizes in homage. Nas says that the new record reflects rap’s sample culture, and ultimately he is a fan. “That’s what hip-hop is — we take pieces of this and that and we make it new. That record’s crazy.” How do you think Rick Ross’ “Stay Schemin’ ” holds up against Nas’ original? Tell us in the comments! Related Artists Nas Rick Ross
