Former ‘Dawson’s Creek’ co-star says at Sundance that ‘My Week With Marilyn’ actress ‘had the clearest idea about what she wanted to do.’ By Josh Wigler, with reporting by Josh Horowitz Michelle Williams Photo: Jeff Vespa/ WireImage PARK CITY, Utah — A lot has changed since the days of “Dawson’s Creek.” Joshua Jackson is off fighting a war between parallel universes on “Fringe.” Katie Holmes is busy trying to get her husband down from that stupid couch. James Van Der Beek is … somewhere. But perhaps the most impressive arc of the old “Dawson’s” gang belongs to Michelle Williams. Since wrapping up her role as troubled teen Jen Lindley on the WB series, Williams has racked up two Academy Award nominations, for “Brokeback Mountain” and “Blue Valentine.” Very soon, she could be looking at her third, as many onlookers consider her a lock for a Best Actress nod for her work in “My Week With Marilyn,” a role for which she’s already won a Golden Globe. Though her days on the “Creek” are long behind her, Williams’ work has not gone unnoticed by her former co-stars. MTV News spoke with “Lay the Favorite” star Jackson at the Sundance Film Festival, where he expressed his joy in seeing his old friend’s success in the awards circuit. “It’s surreal in that it would be surreal to see any of your friends [up for an Oscar],” he said. “It’s amazing. She’s an excellent actress.” Still, Jackson doesn’t sound surprised by Williams’ continued awards buzz. “Of all of us, when we finished that show, she was the one who had the clearest idea about what it was that she wanted to do,” he said. “To be able to go out and achieve that is no small feat. I just think it’s wonderful.” That said, Jackson joked that Williams must be getting a bit tired of all the attention from Oscar voters: “You think she would be bored of it by now. She has to do a guns and explosions movie. ‘Come on! Enough! Quit giving me these awards!’ ” The 2012 Sundance Film Festival is officially under way, and the MTV Movies team is on the ground reporting on the hottest stars and the movies everyone will be talking about in the year to come. Keep it locked with MTV Movies for everything there is to know about Sundance. Related Videos Sundance 2012: Interviews From Park City
This is Kate Upton for some shit called Beach Bunny….she’s got an amazing fucking set of tits and is the kind of 19 year old pussy you want to lust after, which according to my new Christian friend is a sin cuz it ruins marriages and porn is the work of the devil, but luckily for all of us God forgives all sins, making all this good as long as you repent and mean it right before you die….I mean just to be safe cuz you never know….. Either way, take it in, cuz in a few years, the rest of her will catch up to her tits…it’s a scientific fact… Another fact, I’m at the porn convention in Vegas…I should be socializing with tits…in person…rather than talking about some photoshopped model shit…and that’s just what I’m gonna do..
Celebrity chef Paula Deen is, quite predictably, being called a hypocrite both for hiding her diabetes while promoting unhealthy foods and for turning around and partnering with a pharmaceutical drug company that provides relief for diabetics. Deen, a popular Food Network host, confirmed Tuesday that she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease, three years ago. In the same breath, she announced a partnership with drug maker Novo Nordisk. Fellow celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain is perhaps her best known and most vocal critic, but diabetics across the United States are up in arms at Deen’s disclosure. “It is hypocritical [for Paula] to have continued to very publicly promote entirely unhealthy food choices so vital to the management of diabetes,” one told Fox411. “We of course don’t know the terms of her contract with the company, but it seems either stupid or hypocritical of them to be endorsing her lifestyle,” says another. Deen gave no comment when it was requested, but a source close to the network tells Fox411 that they found out about Deen’s condition only a week ago. Some of Deen’s fans expressed outrage that the 65-year-old chef had found what they believe is a way to capitalize on a diagnosis she kept secret for so long. “I understand she has an empire and a huge following to protect, but working with Novo Nordisk is just adding another revenue stream, and that is tweaking people like me who are in the diabetes education community,” said Carl Moore. Moore, a type 2 diabetic and an educator on diabetic issues, said the news didn’t exactly come as a surprise to him and others with the disease. “Many of us have watched the Buttuh Queen for years cooking with no thought for the consequences and waiting to hear she was diabetic,” he said. Betsy Lampe, who has struggled with type 2 diabetes for more than 20 years, said Deen has already missed her first opportunity to educate victims. “She didn’t tell us anything on the ‘Today Show’; she got really defensive,” Lampe said. “She didn’t even tell us what her blood sugars were.” “You know, diabetics want to entertain and cook too. If I were her I would have announced a whole new show for entertaining as a diabetic. It was just offensive to me. “She kept talking about moderation, but moderation in what? She didn’t explain.” “She is overweight and that makes her, in my opinion, not credible or valid to promote diabetes drugs,” adds Richard Deems, a type 2 diabetic like Deen . The American Diabetes Association, however, was supportive of the Southern chef. “People may benefit from seeing how others successfully manage type 2 diabetes,” the group said in a statement. “Paula Deen, through her work with Diabetes in a New Light, is likely to inspire many people living with type 2 diabetes.” Hopefully, the group says, people will “take a more positive approach to their diabetes care. We commend her for speaking out on behalf of people with type 2 diabetes and welcome her to the Association’s Stop Diabetes movement.”
“Well I was quoted correctly but only a fraction of what I had to say. I’m a big fan of Albert Brooks so I had things to talk to him about his work, about his movies, we talked about an album of his that I loved called A Star is Bought . And I had to tell him so. And that was really the gist of our conversation, but the little Hoberman moles standing around, they didn’t care about that. Albert asked me the question, is Jay Hoberman here, and I said, that jackass? Cause I couldn’t figure out why somebody as smart as Albert Brooks would even want to know.” [ The Interrobang ]
They are saying that these are pictures of Rihanna smoking a blunt, you know to influence all her 12 year old fans that along with loving the smell of sex and chains and whips excite her….she’s also into getting high…a substance proving by conservative christians in the 50s to make a motherfucker go crazy, murder, and lead into psychosis….a substance that has since been proven to not have any negative side effects…making these pics a no – big deal….not to mention Rhianna is black and from the islands…her NOT smoking a blunt would be far more shocking….and none of that matters, what matters is how lazy she is with her work out routine, get high, lay in sun in Hawaii, do obligues…fucking slacker…but at least she’s in leggings.
Brad Pitt at the 2012 Golden Globes Photo: Getty Images The mutual love between George Clooney and his “Ocean’s Eleven” co-star Brad Pitt is anything but new. But on Sunday night (January 15), their love was on full-display as the pals put on some major emotional PDA for Golden Globe viewers. In pop culture, three’s a trend, and if that’s the case, consider the Pitt/Clooney bromance incredibly trendy. Walking out with a cane, an obvious friendly jab at Pitt’s current use of a cane, Clooney brought the first bromantic moment when he presented the video package paying homage to his friend’s Golden Globe-nominated film, “Moneyball.” “I have to give it back to him or he can’t make it to the bar otherwise,” Clooney said of the cane. “It’s been called a baseball movie that’s not a baseball movie because it transcends the sport. This a David and Goliath story of a general manager, his assistant and a failing Oakland A’s team who takes on powerhouse teams like the New York Yankees. It’s a movie about turning conventional wisdom on its head. And it’s nominated for four Golden Globes, including ones for Jonah Hill and some up-and-comer named Brad Pitt.” Pitt then showed Clooney some love back when he hit the stage to present the package for the Clooney-directed “The Ides of March.” “Young, idealistic campaign workers and dirty politics are the focus of a movie that shows how the desire for power can corrupt anyone in the political process,” he said. “Ryan Gosling is nominated tonight for acting and co-star George Clooney received Golden Globes nominations for his writing and directing of the film.” The final shout-out of the night came when Clooney won for Best Actor — Drama for his work in “The Descendants,” beating out Pitt. While Pitt may not have won, his presence was felt on the stage. “Wow, well, that’s the funny thing about evenings like this. You get the chance to catch up with old friends and see people that you haven’t seen in a long time,” he said before diving into the compliments for Pitt. “I wanted to say it’s nice to see Brad and it’s nice to be able to tell him not just what wonderful work he’s doing in two films this year, but also what wonderful work he does in the world to the rest of the people. I’m a fan,” he added, before also praising “Shame” star Michael Fassbender for his own talents in the frontal-nudity department. In the weeks leading up to the show, Clooney was poised for many a “death match” at the onslaught of awards season. Stick with MTV News for the 2012 Golden Globes winners , and don’t miss all the fashion from the Golden Globes red carpet ! Related Videos On The Red Carpet At The Golden Globes 2012 Golden Globes: Highlights From The Show Related Photos MTV Style | 2012 Golden Globes Red Carpet Photos Golden Globes 2012 Press Room
‘My Week With Marilyn’ actress takes home same award as Monroe did in 1960. By Jocelyn Vena Michelle Williams at the 2012 Golden Globes Photo: HFPA/ NBC Michelle Williams has come a long way since her “Dawson’s Creek” days. On Sunday night (January 15), the pixie-haired actress took the stage to accept her prize for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical for her chameleon-like turn as silver-screen icon Marilyn Monroe in “My Week With Marilyn.” “I consider myself a mother first and an actress second, and so the person I most want to thank is my daughter, my little girl [Matilda Ledger], whose bravery and exuberance is the example I take with me in my work and in my life. I want to say thank you for sending me off to this job every day with a hug and kiss,” she gushed in her Jason Wu gown. “I couldn’t have done it otherwise. You kept me so excited to come home at night and for suffering through six months of bedtime stories where the princesses were read out loud in a Marilyn Monroe sounding voice. “I could go on and on,” she continued, thanking everyone from producer Harvey Weinstein to her longtime pal and former “Dawson’s” co-star Busy Phillips, adding, “I wish I could go on and on; there’s so many people to thank. Thank you to Hollywood Foreign Press Association for putting in my hands the same award that Marilyn Monroe herself won over fifty years ago. I’m honored.” In 1960, Monroe took home the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Actress in Comedy or Musical for her iconic role in “Some Like It Hot.” Williams has been nominated twice before, in 2005 for her work in “Brokeback Mountain” and again in 2010 for her role in “Blue Valentine.” This is her first win. Stick with MTV News all night for the 2012 Golden Globes winners, and don’t miss all the fashion from the Golden Globes red carpet ! Related Videos 2012 Golden Globes: Highlights From The Show Related Photos MTV Style | 2012 Golden Globes Red Carpet Photos Golden Globes 2012 Press Room
‘All sorts of things go wrong, all sorts of things go right,’ castmember Matt ‘Danger’ says of episode two of MTV series. By Matt Elias “Caged” star Matt “Danger” Photo: MTV News The series premiere of MTV’s new docu-reality show “Caged” brought plenty of hard knocks and drama on Monday night. The show centers on the lives of MMA fighters both in the cage and out, and from what we saw, both bring heavy blows. From the rocky relationship between castmembers Wes and Red to fellow fighter Daniel’s tragic loss of his girlfriend Hannah, this season is sure to bring plenty of drama. Even the training leading up to a big fight had its heart-pounding moments, like Wes’ decision to don a sauna suit in a hot car in order to sweat away water weight. While the premiere focused more on the personal lives of Daniel and Wes, episode two brings more attention to the series’ other standout castmember Matt, a.k.a. “Danger.” “In the next episode, you’ll see a little more of my story and [the show] will start picking up more with me,” Danger told MTV News. In last Monday’s episode we saw a bit of that story begin to develop. Danger confronted his sister about her decision to be a stripper, but the season teaser shown at the end of the episode alluded to an even bigger family problem: his mother’s struggles with alcohol. “At the time, my mother was going through a really difficult time, so I move in with her, I quit my job and start training full time. And it’s a roller coaster of emotions and all sorts of things go wrong, all sorts of things go right, and a lot of things fell into my favor and a lot of things didn’t,” Danger said. “But y’all stay tuned and hopefully enjoy my story and become a fan of mine. I’m a hardworking fighter and I think you’ll be able to tell.” While we’ve seen the downs, the series isn’t without its ups. Danger was careful not to reveal too much, but he clued us in to what some of those ups will include over the course of this season. “In coming episodes, you’ll be able to see good friends of mine — a buddy of mine, Tony Kelly, he’s coming up. He’s a good training partner and one of my best training partners. I’ve been training with that dude now for two, three years — so very excited to see him get his opportunity to shine.” You can catch “Caged” on Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on MTV. Related Videos Caged | Ep. 1 | Online Exclusive Scenes Related Photos Caged | Matt “Danger”
Walker talks to MTV News about playing a vampire-killing president. By Josh Horowitz Benjamin Walker in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Film MTV News’ first couple minutes on the set of “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” last spring were freaky. There we were, on a soundstage in New Orleans, and yet standing in front of us was the 16th President of the United States himself. A Fox publicist’s assurance that we were set to talk to Benjamin Walker, star and namesake of “Vampire Hunter,” rather than the man who was gunned down in a theater in 1865, did little to diminish the creepiness, because we were starring at no actor but Honest Abe himself. Eventually we composed ourselves, and an epic and whirlwind day on the set of director Timur Bekmambetov’s adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith’s best-selling novel proceeded without a hitch. Now, we’re rolling out our exclusive look at the set, including interviews with Walker, Bekmambetov and costar Anthony Mackie. It’s all part of our Ones to Watch series, a weeklong look at actors and actresses set to have amazing years in 2012. Out of his Abe getup and with “Vampire Hunter” set for release on June 22, Walker called us up to chat in greater depth about his experience in the genre mashup and why the film will show us Lincoln as we’ve truly never seen him before. MTV News : Is it a daunting proposition knowing what’s to come? This is a summer tent pole and you’re the guy. Do you feel a little bit of that weight? Benjamin Walker : Having never done it, I really don’t even know what to be afraid of. I’m just taking it in stride. MTV : Was this role, when you heard about it, something that was like, “Oh my god, that’s something I’m dying to do?” Or was it something that took a little discussing with your team to say, “Hey, this would be cool for you.” Walker : Well, I had just finished doing a rock musical about Andrew Jackson, so I was already suited for it. What really got me excited was Timur. I liked his work, and as soon as I found out he was directing it, I wanted to be a part of it. MTV : Can you give me a sense of what the process was like in getting the role? Did you have to go through multiple auditions and screen tests? Walker : I met him in LA months before I got the job, and then he came and saw the Andrew Jackson show. There was a test that we did together with no prosthetics, and then we had the test Greg Cannom and Will Huff, the makeup artists. After that, the deal was closed, but we’re talking about over the span of six or seven months. MTV : What’s the preparation for a role like this? What were the things you needed to get done before you stepped onto set for the first time? Walker : First off, I had to lose about 30 pounds. I put on a lot of weight for Andrew Jackson, and Lincoln, particularly later in his life, was a very slight man. I learned ax fighting, which was a whole new martial art that they created for the film. Then I started brushing up on my Abe Lincoln history. MTV : Was the weight loss easy for you to do? Walker : Who can do that? It’s the easiest way to do it, when a studio’s willing to help you do it, and then you’re training at the same time so you’re exercising regularly and heavily. Certainly the easiest way to do it, but certainly not pleasant. MTV : Tell me about Lincoln’s fighting style. Walker : The stunt guys and the fight choreographer, Mic Rodgers, who is a stunt legend, and a gentleman named Don Lee — all of these guys are martial artists and stuntmen. They created a form of fighting that would be unique to Lincoln at that time, that’s never been in a movie before. As I’m learning it, they’re creating it. It was really fascinating. MTV : What is it comparable to? Walker : It’s comparable to a kind of bow staff fighting. If you imagine a shorter bow staff with a blade on the end of it, a kind of continuously spinning, ruthless and simultaneously graceful martial art. MTV : When I was on set, I noticed the makeup on you was remarkable up close. I would imagine that you have to do this fighting stuff in that getup, obviously. That seems like a twofold challenge for you. Did that get in the way at all? Walker : It became uncomfortable over time. You start to sweat under it. You’re wearing a three-piece wool suit and fighting vampires and you’re wearing a mask. It really becomes uncomfortable, but the men who created it, Greg Cannom and Will Huff, are absolute geniuses. If I ever felt frustrated, all I had to do was catch a reflection of this amazing sculpture that they had created on my face. The frustration would just fall away because I knew how great it looked. MTV : Did your friends or wife visit you on set, and what did they make of your look? Walker : Mostly everyone was creeped out by it because it’s Abraham Lincoln, and I’m talking about where we’re going to go have dinner. MTV : So you didn’t ever walk off set in downtown New Orleans as Abraham Lincoln? Walker : No, because we’re trying to keep it and how magnificent it looks as secret as possible. I was kind of sequestered to a tent anytime I was off shooting. MTV : I’m anxious to see some finished footage in a trailer. Have they shown you much yet? Walker : I’ve only seen some ADR material, and it’s very, very exciting. MTV : Did you guys shoot it in 3-D or are you posting it in 3-D? Walker : If I’m not mistaken, we’re posting it in 3-D. MTV : Was the book itself useful? Had you read the book prior to this opportunity coming up? Walker : I read the book as soon as I knew I was going to meet on it. It’s helpful in terms of understanding the style and the seriousness with which we embrace this mashup, but there are going to be things in the movie that are surprises to people who know the book. But, also, we pay homage to what’s great about the book. MTV : My sense is — correct me if I’m wrong — that it feels like I was on the set of a Lincoln biopic because I didn’t see any of the action stuff. It feels like it was all shooting extremely seriously and then you add that layer of crazy action and irreverence in that form. Does it feel like we’re in a drama that’s infected with action and violence? Walker : It’s more like we looked at Lincoln through the lens of that. What we do is embrace a dramatic story. It’s in the title. You get it. Vampires. Now we commit to it, and you get to go on that ride. MTV : Do you feel a little bit of resentment toward Mr. Daniel Day-Lewis? This guy can’t let you be the one Lincoln of the year. You have some competition from the greatest living actor on the planet. Walker : Luckily, they’re very different movies. MTV : What can you guarantee to me is better about your Lincoln movie than his Lincoln movie? Walker : Our vampires will be much better than their vampires. MTV : Although, I would like to see Daniel Day-Lewis fight vampires. You could do a mashup there one day. Are your presidential days behind you? Walker : I would love to continue through the cannon of American presidents. They’re fascinating people. America’s story is a story that fascinates me. I’ll never turn down a president. MTV : Let it be known to casting directors everywhere. Walker : It has to be a weird interpretation of the president, apparently. MTV : A very specialized career you have going. ‘Paradise Lost,’ what’s going on with that? Is that a stop? Is that a go? Walker : It sounds like what they’re trying to do is so ambitious they need a little bit more time to prep. They’re looking for the summer, which is fine by me. It’s also the kind of movie that if we’re not ready, we don’t need to start. They’re doing something in a technological aspect that nobody’s ever done in a movie. If they want a little extra time, they can have it. MTV : I assume you’re jazzed about that one. You like the script and you like the interpretation? We haven’t seen many blockbusters made of poems in the history of cinema, but this will be something unique, I think. Walker : That story is the story that began all stories. It’s one of the greatest stories of all time. It’s something I studied in school and I’m excited to be a part of. MTV : Are you still doing some comedy in New York or elsewhere? Walker : Oh yeah, Find the Funny is at Joe’s Pub usually the first of every month. We’re working out some kinks for the New Year, but we’re certainly going to be starting out here shortly. It’s something I love to do and something I love to be a part of. MTV : That side of you is something we haven’t seen on the big screen yet. Is that opportunity is exciting for you? To bring a little bit of that stage persona to the big screen work? Walker : I think it would be a lot of fun. There’s little greater in life than making someone laugh. If you can do it in the medium of film, it’s even more rewards, I imagine. MTV : Do you know what the next gig is, whether it’s on stage or in front of the camera? Walker : Well, the industry is coming back together after the holidays. There are a lot of possibilities. “Paradise” moving has changed some things. So far, I’m gearing up for the press tour for “Lincoln,” which is going to be a huge undertaking. MTV : Have you talked to friends and family that have gone through this sort of thing yet to know what you’re getting into? It’s a lot of sitting in hotel rooms and answering the same questions for hours on end, carpets. Walker : I could probably ask you what it’s like. You know better than anybody. You probably have to be much more miserable than I have to be. MTV : I’m looking forward to seeing how glazed over your eyes are when I see you at your first junket. Will it be your first junket you’ve done? Walker : You can reserve the right, because we know each other, to reach across the table and swat me, to bring me back to life if you need to. MTV : There was talk that you did a workshop for this “American Psycho” musical. Was that something that was fun? Is that something you’re hoping might come together in another form? Walker : I’d love to do it. The music was great. Duncan Sheik did the music. It’s a very timely story right now. It’s a musical about the deregulation of American finance through the lens of a crazy person. It’s a lot of fun. The thing that’s great about “American Psycho” as a play or musical is that it’s funnier. MTV : Were you a fan of Mary Harron’s film? Obviously, Christian Bale was amazing in that as well. Walker : That was an amazing movie. MTV : A little bit of a different take, it sounds like. I guess accentuate the humor a little bit more. Walker : A lot of the things that happened in the film were inferred through voice-over, with a stage play, it’s direct address. You’re literally having a conversation with the audience. MTV : Is there Phil Collins? Is there Genesis in the stage play? Walker : Oh, yeah. “Feel It Coming In the Air Tonight.” Related Videos 2012 Ones To Watch
Walker talks to MTV News about playing a vampire-killing president. By Josh Horowitz Benjamin Walker in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” Photo: Twentieth Century Fox Film MTV News’ first couple minutes on the set of “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” last spring were freaky. There we were, on a soundstage in New Orleans, and yet standing in front of us was the 16th President of the United States himself. A Fox publicist’s assurance that we were set to talk to Benjamin Walker, star and namesake of “Vampire Hunter,” rather than the man who was gunned down in a theater in 1865, did little to diminish the creepiness, because we were starring at no actor but Honest Abe himself. Eventually we composed ourselves, and an epic and whirlwind day on the set of director Timur Bekmambetov’s adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith’s best-selling novel proceeded without a hitch. Now, we’re rolling out our exclusive look at the set, including interviews with Walker, Bekmambetov and costar Anthony Mackie. It’s all part of our Ones to Watch series, a weeklong look at actors and actresses set to have amazing years in 2012. Out of his Abe getup and with “Vampire Hunter” set for release on June 22, Walker called us up to chat in greater depth about his experience in the genre mashup and why the film will show us Lincoln as we’ve truly never seen him before. MTV News : Is it a daunting proposition knowing what’s to come? This is a summer tent pole and you’re the guy. Do you feel a little bit of that weight? Benjamin Walker : Having never done it, I really don’t even know what to be afraid of. I’m just taking it in stride. MTV : Was this role, when you heard about it, something that was like, “Oh my god, that’s something I’m dying to do?” Or was it something that took a little discussing with your team to say, “Hey, this would be cool for you.” Walker : Well, I had just finished doing a rock musical about Andrew Jackson, so I was already suited for it. What really got me excited was Timur. I liked his work, and as soon as I found out he was directing it, I wanted to be a part of it. MTV : Can you give me a sense of what the process was like in getting the role? Did you have to go through multiple auditions and screen tests? Walker : I met him in LA months before I got the job, and then he came and saw the Andrew Jackson show. There was a test that we did together with no prosthetics, and then we had the test Greg Cannom and Will Huff, the makeup artists. After that, the deal was closed, but we’re talking about over the span of six or seven months. MTV : What’s the preparation for a role like this? What were the things you needed to get done before you stepped onto set for the first time? Walker : First off, I had to lose about 30 pounds. I put on a lot of weight for Andrew Jackson, and Lincoln, particularly later in his life, was a very slight man. I learned ax fighting, which was a whole new martial art that they created for the film. Then I started brushing up on my Abe Lincoln history. MTV : Was the weight loss easy for you to do? Walker : Who can do that? It’s the easiest way to do it, when a studio’s willing to help you do it, and then you’re training at the same time so you’re exercising regularly and heavily. Certainly the easiest way to do it, but certainly not pleasant. MTV : Tell me about Lincoln’s fighting style. Walker : The stunt guys and the fight choreographer, Mic Rodgers, who is a stunt legend, and a gentleman named Don Lee — all of these guys are martial artists and stuntmen. They created a form of fighting that would be unique to Lincoln at that time, that’s never been in a movie before. As I’m learning it, they’re creating it. It was really fascinating. MTV : What is it comparable to? Walker : It’s comparable to a kind of bow staff fighting. If you imagine a shorter bow staff with a blade on the end of it, a kind of continuously spinning, ruthless and simultaneously graceful martial art. MTV : When I was on set, I noticed the makeup on you was remarkable up close. I would imagine that you have to do this fighting stuff in that getup, obviously. That seems like a twofold challenge for you. Did that get in the way at all? Walker : It became uncomfortable over time. You start to sweat under it. You’re wearing a three-piece wool suit and fighting vampires and you’re wearing a mask. It really becomes uncomfortable, but the men who created it, Greg Cannom and Will Huff, are absolute geniuses. If I ever felt frustrated, all I had to do was catch a reflection of this amazing sculpture that they had created on my face. The frustration would just fall away because I knew how great it looked. MTV : Did your friends or wife visit you on set, and what did they make of your look? Walker : Mostly everyone was creeped out by it because it’s Abraham Lincoln, and I’m talking about where we’re going to go have dinner. MTV : So you didn’t ever walk off set in downtown New Orleans as Abraham Lincoln? Walker : No, because we’re trying to keep it and how magnificent it looks as secret as possible. I was kind of sequestered to a tent anytime I was off shooting. MTV : I’m anxious to see some finished footage in a trailer. Have they shown you much yet? Walker : I’ve only seen some ADR material, and it’s very, very exciting. MTV : Did you guys shoot it in 3-D or are you posting it in 3-D? Walker : If I’m not mistaken, we’re posting it in 3-D. MTV : Was the book itself useful? Had you read the book prior to this opportunity coming up? Walker : I read the book as soon as I knew I was going to meet on it. It’s helpful in terms of understanding the style and the seriousness with which we embrace this mashup, but there are going to be things in the movie that are surprises to people who know the book. But, also, we pay homage to what’s great about the book. MTV : My sense is — correct me if I’m wrong — that it feels like I was on the set of a Lincoln biopic because I didn’t see any of the action stuff. It feels like it was all shooting extremely seriously and then you add that layer of crazy action and irreverence in that form. Does it feel like we’re in a drama that’s infected with action and violence? Walker : It’s more like we looked at Lincoln through the lens of that. What we do is embrace a dramatic story. It’s in the title. You get it. Vampires. Now we commit to it, and you get to go on that ride. MTV : Do you feel a little bit of resentment toward Mr. Daniel Day-Lewis? This guy can’t let you be the one Lincoln of the year. You have some competition from the greatest living actor on the planet. Walker : Luckily, they’re very different movies. MTV : What can you guarantee to me is better about your Lincoln movie than his Lincoln movie? Walker : Our vampires will be much better than their vampires. MTV : Although, I would like to see Daniel Day-Lewis fight vampires. You could do a mashup there one day. Are your presidential days behind you? Walker : I would love to continue through the cannon of American presidents. They’re fascinating people. America’s story is a story that fascinates me. I’ll never turn down a president. MTV : Let it be known to casting directors everywhere. Walker : It has to be a weird interpretation of the president, apparently. MTV : A very specialized career you have going. ‘Paradise Lost,’ what’s going on with that? Is that a stop? Is that a go? Walker : It sounds like what they’re trying to do is so ambitious they need a little bit more time to prep. They’re looking for the summer, which is fine by me. It’s also the kind of movie that if we’re not ready, we don’t need to start. They’re doing something in a technological aspect that nobody’s ever done in a movie. If they want a little extra time, they can have it. MTV : I assume you’re jazzed about that one. You like the script and you like the interpretation? We haven’t seen many blockbusters made of poems in the history of cinema, but this will be something unique, I think. Walker : That story is the story that began all stories. It’s one of the greatest stories of all time. It’s something I studied in school and I’m excited to be a part of. MTV : Are you still doing some comedy in New York or elsewhere? Walker : Oh yeah, Find the Funny is at Joe’s Pub usually the first of every month. We’re working out some kinks for the New Year, but we’re certainly going to be starting out here shortly. It’s something I love to do and something I love to be a part of. MTV : That side of you is something we haven’t seen on the big screen yet. Is that opportunity is exciting for you? To bring a little bit of that stage persona to the big screen work? Walker : I think it would be a lot of fun. There’s little greater in life than making someone laugh. If you can do it in the medium of film, it’s even more rewards, I imagine. MTV : Do you know what the next gig is, whether it’s on stage or in front of the camera? Walker : Well, the industry is coming back together after the holidays. There are a lot of possibilities. “Paradise” moving has changed some things. So far, I’m gearing up for the press tour for “Lincoln,” which is going to be a huge undertaking. MTV : Have you talked to friends and family that have gone through this sort of thing yet to know what you’re getting into? It’s a lot of sitting in hotel rooms and answering the same questions for hours on end, carpets. Walker : I could probably ask you what it’s like. You know better than anybody. You probably have to be much more miserable than I have to be. MTV : I’m looking forward to seeing how glazed over your eyes are when I see you at your first junket. Will it be your first junket you’ve done? Walker : You can reserve the right, because we know each other, to reach across the table and swat me, to bring me back to life if you need to. MTV : There was talk that you did a workshop for this “American Psycho” musical. Was that something that was fun? Is that something you’re hoping might come together in another form? Walker : I’d love to do it. The music was great. Duncan Sheik did the music. It’s a very timely story right now. It’s a musical about the deregulation of American finance through the lens of a crazy person. It’s a lot of fun. The thing that’s great about “American Psycho” as a play or musical is that it’s funnier. MTV : Were you a fan of Mary Harron’s film? Obviously, Christian Bale was amazing in that as well. Walker : That was an amazing movie. MTV : A little bit of a different take, it sounds like. I guess accentuate the humor a little bit more. Walker : A lot of the things that happened in the film were inferred through voice-over, with a stage play, it’s direct address. You’re literally having a conversation with the audience. MTV : Is there Phil Collins? Is there Genesis in the stage play? Walker : Oh, yeah. “Feel It Coming In the Air Tonight.” Related Videos 2012 Ones To Watch
