Blog Stage - Acting in Film, TV, Theatre - Backstage

Gary Oldman Hits Joe Pesci

One of the most entertaining anecdotes to come out of our Evening With Gary Oldman a couple weeks ago was Oldman's story about his "JFK" co-star Joe Pesci. Oldman, who I learned over the course of a week with the gentleman, is actually a master mimic. He does a flawless Michael Caine and admits he based the voice of his "Hannibal" character Mason Verger on author Thomas Harris. In the above clip, he does his best Pesci, which he admits is "an easy one." Oldman is currently on screens doing amazing work as spy George Smiley in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and even though he failed to get a nomination from SAG or the Golden Globes, I believe he can still snag an Oscar nom for his work.

After the jump, more videos of Oldman talking about "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" and reveals his most difficult role.

--Jenelle Riley

"Warrior" Q&A Online

Hop on over to the SAG Foundation website to check out this video with myself and cast members of the movie "Warrior," including recent SAG Award nominee Nick Nolte. When I first saw "Warrior," I thought Nolte was a shoo-in to win the Oscar for his heartbreaking portrayal of an alcoholic father of two MMA fighters. Then the movie fizzled at the box office and the buzz never seemed to build enough. However, his recent SAG nom gave me some hope he can still land the Oscar nomination and be a real contender. You can also check out my interview with him here, where he talks frankly about his troubled past and how much he related to this role. And if you've been avoiding "Warrior" because you thought it looked too violent or too cliche, do yourself a favor and check it out. You'll be rewarded with one of the best moviegoing experiences of the year.

--Jenelle Riley

The Weird and Wacky Golden Globe Noms

The Golden Globe nominations were announced today, and judging by the love for Ryan Gosling, George Clooney and shows like "Revenge," the HFPA is apparently run by a bunch of 12-year-old girls. No recognition for intelligent, quieter films like "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" or "Take Shelter," and a whole lot of head-scratching choices ("My Week With Marilyn" in the Comedy/Musical field?) abound. My personal quibble: how can all the great tunes from "The Muppets" not land a single Best Song nomination?

Also, while I'm happy Kristen Wiig got a Lead Actress in a Comedy nod for "Bridesmaids," I'm disappointed by the lack of a nomination for Melissa McCarthy. This was the one organization I thought she had a real shot in--moreso than with SAG, for which she did get nominated yesterday.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is the strong showing for "The Ides of March," George Clooney's one-time contender that never quite gained the steam it needed to be a real player this season. I'm fine with star Gosling getting a nod, even though it should have been for "Drive" and it comes at the expense of  the likes of Michael Shannon ("Take Shelter"), Woody Harrelson ("Rampart"), Demian Bichir ("A Better Life"), and Gary Oldman ("Tinker Tailor"). But Clooney landing a Best Director nomination over the likes of Steven Speilberg or Nicholas Winding Refn, David Fincher, Roman Polanski, or Jason Reitman? Not to mention a screenplay nom when there are a dozen more deserving scripts? We get it, HFPA, you really want Clooney at your show.

Full list of nominations after the jump.

--Jenelle Riley

SAG Film Nominations: Who Surprised, Who Got Snubbed?

Some big surprises in the SAG Award film nominations today--mostly of the not good variety. Latecomers to the race like "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" and "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" were overlooked--from talking to Nom Comm members, I learned virtually nobody had seen either. Even with screeners and special screenings, the movies just have to get out there earlier, probably by Thanksgiving at least. The one exception is Meryl Streep for "The Iron Lady" but let's be honest; she's Meryl Streep.

To recap by category:

Male Actor in a Leading Role:

DEMIÁN BICHIR / Carlos Galindo - “A BETTER LIFE”

GEORGE CLOONEY / Matt King - "THE DESCENDANTS” 

LEONARDO DiCAPRIO / J. Edgar Hoover - "J. EDGAR" 

JEAN DUJARDIN / George - "THE ARTIST" 

BRAD PITT / Billy Beane - "MONEYBALL"

Happy to see Bichir slip in for his great work in "A Better Life." Not so happy to see the omissions of Michael Shannon for "Take Shelter" and Michael Fassbender for "Shame."  Also, while Gary Oldman didn't get a nod for "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," I do believe he will ultimately get an Oscar nomination. The film is just now being seen by people, and buzz should build for the long-respected actor in the coming weeks.

Female Actor in a Leading Role:

GLENN CLOSE  / Albert Nobbs - "ALBERT NOBBS” 

VIOLA DAVIS / Aibileen Clark - “THE HELP” 

MERYL STREEP / Margaret Thatcher - “THE IRON LADY” 

TILDA SWINTON / Eva - “WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN”

MICHELLE WILLIAMS / Marilyn Monroe - “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN” 

Can't argue with any of these nominees. Was starting to get worried for Close, whose been left off some recent lists, like the Critics' Choice Movie Awards, but actors came through for her. I wouldn't say this list is foolproof when it comes to the Oscar nominations, however, as Charlize Theron could still slip in for "Young Adult. " Not surprised that SAG didn't select her, as many Nom Comm voters I talked to found the movie unsatisfying. But she's not out of the race by a long shot.

Male Actor in a Supporting Role:

KENNETH BRANAGH / Sir Laurence Olivier - “MY WEEK WITH MARILYN”

ARMIE HAMMER / Clyde Tolson - "J. EDGAR"

JONAH HILL / Peter Brand - "MONEYBALL"

NICK NOLTE / Paddy Conlon - “WARRIOR”

CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER / Hal - “BEGINNERS”

So relieved Nick Nolte made the cut. But shocked that Albert Brooks, who has been racking up critics awards for "Drive," was snubbed. Also disappointed Patton Oswalt wasn't recognized for "Young Adult," as I think he steals the film. But as I said earlier, the Nom Comm was lukewarm on the movie. I still think Brooks and Oswalt can sneak into the Oscar race, and would say Hammer and Hill are the most vulnerable. As usual, this is the most competitive field--all these actors are great.

Female Actor in a Supporting Role:

BÉRÉNICE BEJO / Peppy - "THE ARTIST"

JESSICA CHASTAIN / Celia Foote - “THE HELP”

MELISSA McCARTHY / Megan - “BRIDESMAIDS”

JANET McTEER / Hubert Page - "ALBERT NOBBS”

OCTAVIA SPENCER / Minny Jackson - “THE HELP”

Happy that McCarthy made the cut, excited Chastain ws recognized, and the other three are no-brainers. I am surprised, however, that Shailene Woodley wasn't recognized for "The Descendants." Also would have loved a nod for her co-star Judy Greer, but knew it was a longshot. And Vanessa Redgrave, once the frontrunner for "Coriolanus," has been all but forgotten.

Cast of a Motion Picture:

"THE ARTIST"

"BRIDESMAIDS"

"THE DESCENDANTS"

"THE HELP"

"MIDNIGHT IN PARIS"  

No arguments here. Would be happy with any of these fine ensembles winning.

Full list of nominees after the jump.

--Jenelle Riley

Critic's Choice Movie Awards Noms Are Payne-less

The Broadcast Film Critic's Assocation announced their nominations for the Critic's Choice Movie Awards today, and there were surprises both pleasant and not-so-pleasant.

Among the good: Jessica Chastain and Melissa McCarthy slipped into Supporting Actress for "The Help" and "Bridesmaids," respectively. Nick Nolte managed to snag a Supporting Actor nod for "Warrior," despite the poor promotion of the film itself. Nicholas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling earned nods for, respectively, directing and starring in "Drive." And Andy Serkis earned a Supporting Actor nomination for his motion-capture work in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." On the writing front, glad to see "50/50" and "Win Win" score screenwriting nods.

The bad: Glenn Close is starting to look like not such a sure thing anymore for her gender-bending turn in "Albert Nobbs" after being snubbed by the BFCA. Vanessa Redgrave, once a leading contender for Supporting Actress for her work in "Coriolanus," was also overlooked. And how in the world was Alexander Payne not nominated for Best Director for "The Descendants"? Truly baffling for a critically beloved film that obviously bears the imprint of its director on every frame.

The awards show will be broadcast live on VH-1 on Jan. 14.

Best Picture
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"Drive"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
"The Help"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"Moneyball"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"

Best Director
Stephen Daldry, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Nicolas Winding Refn, "Drive"
Martin Scorsese, "Hugo"
Steven Spielberg, "War Horse"

Best Actor

George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Leonardo DiCaprio, "J. Edgar"
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
Michael Fassbender, "Shame"
Ryan Gosling, "Drive"
Brad Pitt, "Moneyball"

Best Actress
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Elizabeth Olsen, "Martha Marcy May Marlene"
Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Tilda Swinton, "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
Charlize Theron, "Young Adult"
Michelle Williams, "My Week with Marilyn"

Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, "My Week with Marilyn"
Albert Brooks, "Drive"
Nick Nolte, "Warrior"
Patton Oswalt, "Young Adult"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Andy Serkis, "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"

Best Supporting Actress
Bérénice Bejo, "The Artist"
Jessica Chastain, "The Help"
Melissa McCarthy, "Bridesmaids"
Carey Mulligan, "Shame"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"
Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants"

Best Adapted Screenplay
"The Descendants"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
"The Help"
"Hugo"
"Moneyball"

Best Original Screenplay
"The Artist"
"50/50"
"Midnight in Paris"
"Win Win"
"Young Adult"

Best Art Direction
"The Artist"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
"Hugo"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"

Best Cinematography
"The Artist"
"Drive"
"Hugo"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"

Best Costume Design
"The Artist"
"The Help"
"Hugo"
"Jane Eyre"
"My Week with Marilyn"

Best Editing
"The Artist"
"Drive"
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"War Horse"

Best Makeup
"Albert Nobbs"
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
"The Iron Lady"
"J. Edgar"
"My Week with Marilyn"

Best Score
"The Artist"
"Drive"
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
"Hugo"
"War Horse"

Best Song
"Hello Hello" from "Gnomeo & Juliet"
"Life's a Happy Song" from "The Muppets"
"The Living Proof" from "The Help"
"Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets"
"Pictures in My Head" from "The Muppets"

Best Sound
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Super 8"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"

Best Visual Effects
"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
"Hugo"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Super 8"
"The Tree of Life"

Best Animated Feature
"The Adventures of Tintin"
"Arthur Christmas"
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
"Puss in Boots"
"Rango"

Best Foreign Language Film
"In Darkness"
"Le Havre"
"A Separation"
"The Skin I Live In"
"Where Do We Go Now"

Best Documentary Feature
"Buck
"Cave of Forgotten Dreams"
"George Harrison: Living in the Material World"
"Page One: Inside the New York Times"
"Project Nim"
"Undefeated"

Best Action Movie
"Drive"
"Fast Five"
"Hanna"
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
"Super 8"

Best Comedy
"Bridesmaids"
"Crazy, Stupid, Love"
"Horrible Bosses"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Muppets"

Best Young Actor/Actress
Asa Butterfield, "Hugo"
Elle Fanning, "Super 8"
Thomas Horn, "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
Saoirse Ronan, "Hanna"
Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants"

Best Acting Ensemble
"The Artist"
"Bridesmaids"
"The Descendants"
"The Help"
"The Ides of March"

AFI Top 10 Announced: "Bridesmaids" Gets Some Love

No big surprises on The American Film Institute's list of Top 10 Films of the Year. "The Artist" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" were ineligible, technically being foreign-made films, which may have made room for some less-heralded films like "J. Edgar." Very, very happy to see "Bridesmaids" on this list.

The full list:

"Bridesmaids"

"The Descendants"

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

"The Help"

"Hugo"

"J. Edgar"

"Midnight in Paris"

"Moneyball"

"The Tree of Life"

"War Horse"

--Jenelle Riley

 

Critics Groups Weigh In

The last 24 hours have been a busy time for critic's groups, several of which weighed in on the best films of 2011. After the jump are nominations/winners from Houston, San Francisco, Detroit, L.A., New York, and Boston critics' groups. Nothing too surprising, although Kenneth Lonergan's long-delayed "Margaret," starring Matt Damon and Anna Paquin, did factor into the Boston race fairly significantly. (In a statement, the Boston Society of Film Critics said the film might have done even better, had more critics had access to it.) It's also nice to see Melissa McCarthy popping up on some lists for "Bridesmaids," and Albert Brooks getting a lot of love for "Drive."

--Jenelle Riley

Great Performances 2011: Best Actor

Well, it's here. Our annual Great Performances issue, where we talk to the actors who delivered some of the most memorable performances of the year on film. And this year is a particular embarrassment of riches in the Best Actor category. Right now, it's likely we can assume there will be nominations for George Clooney ("The Descendants"),  Jean Dujardin ("The Artist"), and Gary Oldman ("Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," you can read my interview with him here.) Nods are also very likely for Brad Pitt ("Moneyball") and Leonardo DiCaprio ("J. Edgar"), but there are some spectacular performances on the fringes just waiting to jump up and take a slot.

Probably at the forefront of this group is Michael Fassbender, who's been earning raves for his turn as a sex addict in "Shame." In this interview, Fassbender talks frankly and hilariously about shooting the movie. He also admits he can get proprietary about his characters, even Magneto in "X-Men: First Class." Fassbender was a terrific interview; candid, warm, and with a great sense of humor. I rarely attend press conferences, but happened to on this day, and there was a very odd moment when someone asked him the following question: "What advice would you have for sex addicts who aren't as rich and good-looking as you?" To his credit, Fassbender gave a polite and serious reply, explaining that sex addicts are members of  fringe society who have ways of finding each other, and money and appearance have little to do with it.

Coming up close behind Fassbender is the magnificent Micheal Shannon, who stars in the drama "Take Shelter" as a man who has terrifying visions of an oncoming destructive storm. You can read the interview here. Shannon regularly blows me away on screen--he was mesmerizing in "Bug" and stole "Revolutionary Road" out from under Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio with just two scenes--and "Take Shelter" is a bravura performance from a true actor's actor.

Also deserving attention are Demián Bichir of "A Better Life," interviewed here. This was one of my favorite movies of the year and Bichir is outstanding as an illegal immigrant struggling to raise his 14-year-old son. It's a quiet, internal performance that sneaks up on you and delivers a gut-punch in the end. When I spoke to director Chris Weitz earlier this year, he said he would do whatever it took to get Bichir an Oscar nomination, and he's been good to his word, promoting the actor at screenings and events--including one this Saturday at SAG Foundation I'll be moderating.

Ralph Fiennes is also on the short list for his work as the title character in "Coriolanus," though I believe his directing deserves some recognition, as well. You can read all about how he juggled both jobs in our interview here.

Finally, there's Woody Harrelson, who is outstanding in "Rampart," playing a corrupt cop miles away from his good-natured bartender on "Cheers." Our interview with him is here, where he talks very openly about not liking the film the first time he saw it because several plotlines were removed. After some distance, he was able to watch the film again and appreciate it for what it was, not what he thought it would be. I'm glad, because he's fantastic in it. The last time he teamed with writer-director Oren Moverman, he scored an Oscar nom for "The Messenger." Would love to see the magic repeat itself.

--Jenelle Riley

No Small Parts

Our ginormous Great Performances issue hits stands tomorrow, featuring interviews with all the actors we think deserve special recogition for their work in films this year. Which is sort of a nice way of saying these are people we think deserve nominations and awards from SAG and Oscar voters, really.

You can catch an early look at my interview here with the great Judy Greer, currently tearing up screens in "The Descendants." Though she only appears in three scenes, Greer is so good, she raises the level of the playing field for everyone around her. I fully believe she deserves to be on the short list of Supporting Actress nominees come Oscar time. It may only be a few minutes of screen time, but what she does with it is amazing, going from loving with and mother to woman scorned in a matter of minutes.

The same could be said of Corey Stoll, who managed to nab a Supporting Actor nomination from the Spirit Awards for his turn as Ernest Hemingway in "Midnight in Paris." Never mind he's surrounded by Oscar winners Kathy Bates, Marion Cotillard, and Adrien Brody--for me, the movie is all about Stoll. It's a star-making performance in just a few minutes, with Hemingway veering from comical to poignant. It also helps he gets to deliver some of Woody Allen's best writing in years, such as when Hemingway tells Owen Wilson's writer: "I believe that love that’s true and real creates a respite from death; All cowardice comes from not loving or not loving well which is the same thing, and when the man is brave and true who looks death square in the face like Belmonte who is truly brave, it is because they love with sufficient passion to push death out of their minds, until it returns as it does with all men. Then you must make really good love again. Think about it.”

Lastly, I want to sing the praises of Stoll's "Midnight In Paris" c0-star Tom Hiddleston, who plays F. Scott Fitzgerald in the movie. But he is soon to be seen in a small part in Steven Spielberg's "War Horse." If you've seen the trailer for the film, you've seen most of Hiddleston's performance--it's a brief role as a British soldier who promises a young boy he will do his best to bring his horse back to him. There is so much intelligence, compassion, and honesty in this brief scene, which could have veered towards the saccharine. I'm embarrassed to admit I was unfamiliar with Hiddleston before this year, when I saw him as the villain Loki in "Thor" and didn't even realize it was the same guy playing Fitzgerald. He's a true chameleon, and one to watch.

--Jenelle Riley

Another Win for 'The Artist'

"The Artist" took the top prize from the Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association, but it was Martin Scorsese who snagged directing honors for "Hugo" when the winners were announced today. Alexander Payne didn't go home empty handed, however--his script for "The Descendants" won Best Adapted Screenplay, an honor he shares with the writing team of Jim Rash (a.k.a. Dean Pelton on "Community") and Nat Faxon (a.k.a. the voice of Jeremy on "Allen Gregory.")

Still, it looks like the black-and-white silent movie is still the one to beat for Best Picture. In other news, Albert Brooks got a nice bump for Supporting Actor for "Drive" and the wonderful Octavia Spencer landed her first major critic's award for Supporting Actress for "The Help."

Full list after the jump.

--Jenelle Riley