2013-05-21T23:41:41-04:00 Alex Suskind http://www.news.moviefone.com/author/index.php?author=alex-suskind Copyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc. HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Alex Suskind Good old fashioned elbow grease. tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-05-17T10:54:19-04:00 2013-05-17T12:30:18-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/
For the film -- which was shot in secret during 2011 and 2012 -- Baumbach decided to withhold parts of the script from the cast, providing them with only the scenes in which their characters appeared. This method appears to have paid off, as critics have been swooning over "Frances" since it premiered at Telluride Film Festival last fall.

Of course, the secrecy factor is where the blockbuster comparisons end for "Frances Ha." The black-and-white movie follows Frances (Greta Gerwig), an aspiring 27-year-old dancer who is looking to come to grips with adulthood as she struggles to keep a job in New York City.

Here, Baumbach offers some tips on shooting a secret film, talks about why all of his movies have great soundtracks, and reveals how he ended up writing "Madagascar 3."

Moviefone: You didn’t set out to shoot this in secret. But, either way, it seems like a tough thing to do.
Noah Baumbach: We gamed the Internet! It was deliberate to keep the low profile, but I didn’t think Oh, we won’t be reported [in the media] somewhere down the line. We just didn’t announce ourselves and then that was really it. But it’s like, we were [in New York City] doing it. If people had walked by us and recognized us, they would have discovered something.

Was shooting low-profile a good experience? It seems like it worked to your benefit.
I mean, we could have done the same work and everything we did, even if we had been [more official]. But I think there’s something kind of nice, particularly in 2011-12, to be the only ones who know about it. Writing is a private experience and filmmaking is sort of necessarily a communal group thing, but it’s kind of nice in a way for the crew to feel sort of focused and private about it; it was our thing and nobody else's.

It seemed pretty secret within the production itself. You withheld some of the script from the actors.
Yeah, I didn’t show the script. No actor -- except Greta [who co-wrote the film] -- had the script beyond their scenes. And what we’d do, we would send them -- and we shot chronologically, so we could do this -- the pages for that week, maybe a few days in advance, but not past that. So not only did they just get their scenes, they got them as those shooting days approached. And I think it just kept people in the moment and not overly concerned with the movie as a whole. It’s my job to be concerned about that. And because the movie was in chapters, and some people are kind of in a chapter and then disappear for awhile and then come back in another chapter, it kind of made that easier, too.

Actors didn’t really need to know what they were doing in the meantime or anything like that. And, if they asked, I would just make something up for them [laughs].

It’s funny to hear that method being used for an indie film. Most of the time you hear about those techniques used on a giant superhero movie (withholding the entire script from actors, shooting in secret, etc.).
Yeah, who the villain is is not important here [laughs]. But, you know, I suppose in our own way, we’re looking for some of the privacy that [those films have].

A lot of people are going to have David Bowie’s “Modern Love” stuck in their heads after this movie.
That’s a good one to get stuck in your head.

Was that always the song you had in mind?
I thought about a few different things, but I think that song’s kind of perfect. It’s so joyful. I feel like everything about it sounds great -- his vocal is so great, the way he kind of shout-sings it. It just feels so immediate. When I was a kid and I got the “Let’s Dance” record for the first time, it was the first song on it and I remember just hearing that song; I don’t think I’d heard a better song and I would just play it over and over again.

All of your movies have really great soundtracks: “Margot at the Wedding” had Steve Forbert, “Greenberg” had a James Murphy score. Even movies you wrote but didn’t direct, like “Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou,” have great music.
Yeah, although we wrote the David Bowie into the [“Life Aquatic”] script because it was always written that Seu Jeorge’s character, Pele, would play David Bowie. I mean, it’s always interesting. With “Greenberg” I was listening to LCD Soundsystem’s “The Sound of Silver” while I was working on it. I didn’t necessarily feel like that music was tonally right for “Greenberg,” but I felt like the guy who made this music should probably score “Greenberg.” So I met James Murphy, and we became friends and he wrote a score, which is awfully different from LCD Soundsystem. I thought they were beautiful. I really love what he did.

With “Frances,” I had this instinct that, when I was cutting it, it could really hold a big, bold score, and I started to put in all these old French New Wave scores. It felt like the movie was so strong and flexible that it could hold it, and I really pushed it. I felt like it really elevated and broadened the movie. You almost couldn’t get too big or too romantic.

Fans of your work were pretty surprised that you ended up writing "Madagascar 3," since you had really only done smaller indies up to that point. How was that experience?
It was a great experience. I really enjoyed it. I learned a lot about the animation process, which was really interesting to me, because you work over such a long period of time. And I liked those guys so much and I think they’re so good at what they do. I have a movie that I am developing there that I would direct. But yeah, I loved it. It’s not altogether different from when I work with Wes [Anderson]. It’s like I felt my job there was to help make the movie as good as possible. And there’s something nice about that as an alternate to what I do with the movies I direct, which is so rigourous and I am involved with every part of it until the very end. It doesn’t stop until you let go of it, which I probably need to do.

Did they approach you?
They came to me, and I worked with Ben [Stiller] on “Greenberg,” so Ben, I think, liked the idea, and I really liked the other two movies and I like Chris Rock a lot, too. It seemed like fun. That said, when I started it, I didn’t know how long the process was -- I had never done animation.

Earlier on Moviefone: Greta Gerwig, 'Frances Ha' Star, Isn't Interested in 'Being a Great Actor in a Sh-- Movie']]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-05-16T10:34:11-04:00 2013-05-16T12:53:55-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/ "Frances Ha" -- about an awkward 27-year-old aspiring dancer in Brooklyn who's trying to get her life together -- your first inclination might be to compare it to another Brooklyn-based project with a twentysomething female protagonist. However, "Frances Ha" is not HBO's "Girls, and its co-writer and star, Greta Gerwig, is not Lena Dunham (nor is she playing Hannah, Dunham's character on the show). That's nothing against "Girls," it's just that "Frances Ha," and its terrific performance from Gerwig, deserves to stand on its own.

Most mainstream audiences are likely unfamiliar with Gerwig. Other than supporting roles in "No Strings Attached" and "Arthur," as well as Woody Allen's "To Rome With Love," she hasn't had much exposure outside of the indie film world. Whether that changes with "Frances Ha" remains to be seen. Either way, the 29-year-old actress is someone to keep an eye on.

Here, Gerwig talks about the trepidation she had about acting in "Frances Ha," the new movie she just wrote about herself (she also plans to direct it), how she avoids being in bad movies, and why she's ready to take a vacation.

Moviefone: This film isn't just getting great reviews. It seems to genuinely make people happy.
Greta Gerwig: I am so glad about that!

Are you getting that same sense?
I mean, my experience of people talking to me after the movie is this joy that seems to penetrate through the movie or live through the movie that people connect to. There was a screening at the San Francisco Film Festival, and they seemed to really love it... I really love the movie and I loved making it, and it was a real expression of the best that I was capable of. I’ve never felt so invested in a film, so the fact that people are taking joy from it is tremendously pleasurable for me.

You've written stuff in the past, but I get the feeling this project was different.
This was the first time I felt like I was really…like, that’s half of my writing and it’s really represented, and I got the joy that I felt when I wrote plays and gave them to other actors to play. I mean, I was in this, but I also had the experience of saying “I wrote that line and now I have great actors saying that and it sounds so good coming out of there mouths!” It’s so intensely pleasurable and scary.

Were you worried about acting in a film you were so invested in from the beginning?
Yeah. I didn’t have any ideas as a writer when I thought about myself acting in it, so I didn’t think about myself acting in it. I thought briefly about not acting in it; I thought maybe I would play Sofie and someone else could play Frances. But then I thought, No, that’s ridiculous, you’re going to play Frances. There was something that felt [long pause] …

... it just made sense?
Yeah! But it was also scary because, I don’t know … Being an actor you feel inadequate constantly. I mean, I guess it’s just being an artist or a writer a musician -- it’s a constant swing between gross ego and then gross inadequacy. I try to keep a more steady sense of self because I think it’s a sign of real immaturity as a person if you gauge how you feel about yourself by how other people feel about yourself. But I also think nobody is more susceptible to doing that than artists because they’re always constantly looking for approval.

So you guys ended up taking some breaks in between filming to tweak the movie. Was there anything major you changed?
Nope. Actually, Noah told me that this is the movie that he’s made that’s most closely cut to the script, which he wasn’t saying was a good thing or a bad thing, he was just noting that most of the time big things get left out once he’s done cutting a movie, or get moved around.

That must be nice, especially if you’re writing and acting in the movie.
It was nice! Even the stuff that we moved around, I had a moment of “Ahhh, should we move it?” But it was right.

Has there been anything you learned in the writing process for this movie in terms of what not to do as a writer going forward?
Oh, a tremendous amount. I have basically written every day for my whole life, but it was just directionless writing -- it was just notes -- and it was not for anything. It was just for myself or…I didn’t know what. I didn’t really know that I could be a writer. And then, luckily, I had some professors in college that pointed me in the right direction. I am a little bit ADD [laughs]. I suffer from really poor organization. I think one of the things -- and this sounds very small -- I learned from Noah is he just keeps one document. You just keep adding to that one document and changing that one document and you save drafts as you go. Even if I was going to start a document, I’d write five things and then I’d save it and lose it somewhere on my computer and then I’d start a new thing.

It’s like the image of the tortured writer ripping pages out of their notebook, crumbling them up and starting a new draft.
Yeah, totally! Also these observations were winding up everywhere. [On this] I really learned how to gather and force myself how to stay in this one document. That helped me a lot because it’s just my tendency to really spread out in a way that’s really not helpful for actually finishing anything.

Have you’ve tried that method since you wrote "Frances Ha"?
Yeah, [Noah and I] wrote another movie.

Is this the animated movie with the dog?
No, that’s another one. We wrote the animated movie together and then we wrote another movie together, and then I wrote a movie about myself.

Oh, wow. That’s a lot. So the plan is to move forward with all three of those?
Noah is directing the animated one, we finished the other one we wrote together, and he directed it, and I am going to direct the one I wrote. So, yes, moving forward. It makes me tired to think about it. My goal in 2014 is to take a vacation.

Anywhere in particular?
Somewhere with a beach. I mean, it’s not that I can’t take a vacation now, it’s that I just have trouble taking a vacation when I feel like I have yet to accomplish major life things. And my most recent major life thing that I feel like I need to accomplish before I take a vacation is to direct a movie. That’s a really hard thing to put in the way of a vacation [laughs].

You’ve mentioned in the past how people often confuse you for the role you played in “Greenberg.” How does that affect you as an actor? Are you a little more pickier with your roles? Do you just ignore it?
I just try to ignore it. I really just try to work with the best directors who want to work with me. I think the only thing that’s changed is that I kind of care less about people thinking whatever they think. You develop some coping skills and you stop feeling like you want to write a comment on an article [saying] “I am that person! This is totally wrong!!” Which, you do have that impulse for the first year of people writing things about you because you’ve never had anybody write anything about you before and you feel the need to correct the record. And it doesn’t matter. You kind of just have to let it go because it will just make you insane. So I just try to pick things I really like and I really think are great.

More than even the character I play, I look for the movie itself. Being a great actor in a sh*t movie is not something I am that interested in. I’d rather be a small part in a great movie than a big part in a stinker. But I will also be in a stinker, don’t worry. [Laughs] I have been in some stinkers. I mean, you can’t avoid being in a stinker but you can try and be honest about why you choose things for yourself. I also think you kind of just have to be, you know ... Sometimes you just need a job. You can’t get too precious about it.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-05-13T07:03:56-04:00 2013-05-13T09:54:11-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/
Each film is filled with loose dialogue and uninterrupted shots, making the conversations between Jesse and Celine feel very real, so much so that since the first movie was released in 1995, fans of the series approach both Delpy and Hawke believing that they are their characters (the fact that the two stars have writing credits on each film only adds to that belief). "Midnight," which hits theaters this weekend, will do little to dispel that notion, as we once again get a glimpse into Jesse and Celine's continuing relationship and how that one night 18 years ago changed their lives forever.

Hawke and Delpy sat down with Moviefone to discuss "Before Midnight" and the effect creating these characters has had on them. The conversation was appropriately loose and rambling at times, as they discussed their friendship off-screen and the disappointment fans feel when they find out the two actors aren’t dating in real life.

I was at the Tribeca Film Festival panel yesterday, where you two and Richard [Linklater] discussed the movie. It was fun to watch fans in the audience react to the dynamic between you three.

Ethan Hawke: That was kind of amusing. We had a good time.
Julie Delpy: We have a dynamic? [Laughs]
Hawke: Julie is a dynamic everywhere she goes.
Delpy: Yeah, we have a dynamic. We do hate each other sometimes.
Hawke: Yeah, we f*cking fight …
Delpy: … all the time!
Hawke: But the fun thing about working on the project for years together is that you know that, ultimately, you’re safe.

It’s interesting to watch how people react when they find out this film isn't improvised; they really do feel improvised.

Hawke: Fans want it to be improvised.
Delpy: All the time! And they want those characters to be us.
Hawke: That’s what’s so funny about it.
Delpy: I will date his wife before I date him. [Laughs]
Hawke: [Laughs] When I had my wife at the [premiere] party, she felt like she was crashing, ruining people’s imaginations. She was like “I will leave you guys alone, because people want so badly [for you two to be together].” It’s like a magic trick, you just want to believe it.

Well, that’s a testament to the films themselves and your performances.

Delpy: It shows you how much it brings people [together].
Hawke: The fact that people can watch this in a movie and actually in their brain can picture 18 years ago when we met; it feels like a friend or something.

And the response to "Before Midnight" has been overwhelmingly positive.

Hawke: It’s awesome. I have done enough movies now where I just don’t take it for granted when people are relating to something. Because every movie you do you put a tremendous amount [of work in]; you always want it to be good. And I think the scariest thing of making this third movie is that somehow we would let the fans of the first two down. So there’s a nice feeling I think we’re all having of …
Delpy: … people who like the first two are not disappointed. I mean, I am sure there are some…
Hawke: …yeah, you can’t please people all the time. But those two movies have a limited following, and the following is a passionate one. And they are generally people I like [laughs]. If they like these movies, it says something [good] about them.
Delpy: So many women come up to me saying, “It was great, you spoke for us.” I am like, Okay! [Laughs]

Do you get that a lot with these movies? People really romanticize them.

Delpy: Yeah, well I was saying earlier, I know so many people who come up to me -- I know how that sounds, it’s a small group of people who are big fans of the film. It’s not like “Star Wars” -- but in that small group of people, it really means something to them. So many people come up to me and say, “We got married because of these films.”

Oh, wow.

Delpy: We’re responsible for a few loves.
Hawke: Yeah, I like that.

Have you two found yourselves romanticizing the story? You’ve done three films now, and you both have spent so much time with the material.

Hawke: I find myself romanticizing my whole life all the time.
Delpy: Yeah, anything.
Hawke: I don’t know if it’s because we grew up on movies or anything, but I am somehow making a narrative about our interview.

Oh, man. I hope I come off good in this narrative.

Hawke: Oh, yeah, it’s going great [laughs]. What about you Julie?
Delpy: Hm. I don’t know [about romanticizing the films]. I mean, I live so much in the moment, it’s hard for me to say … but I think it must affect me somehow. I always say reality and fiction is a big blur for me sometimes.
Hawke: Yeah, I know, me too.
Delpy: Yeah, and I write so much stuff, different stuff. I don’t know...
Hawke: For me, these movies, all three of them, are so much about my friendship with Rick [Linklater] and Julie that it’s very easy for me to romanticize them. Three summers we spent making these movies...
Delpy: …were just the best time.
Hawke: This one was so much work…and I can feel it happening already, romanticizing it. It was nine months ago and I am already going Ohhhh. Because even your fights become fun when you work through them and they amount to something you feel proud of.
Delpy: I mean they are very, you know they are [pauses]... cathartic?
Hawke: Nice English [laughs].
Delpy: [Laughs] I can’t say that word.
Hawke: Cathartic, you got it.
Delpy: It’s the “th.” But yeah, I remember every shooting and writing process as a really fun time, even though during that time it could be...
Delpy and Hawke: ...very stressful.

Is it easier the third time around?

Hawke: Yeah, it’s easier.
Delpy: Yeah, once you’ve done it a bunch of times. Although, walking down that little village was a nightmare.
Hawke: Acting gets harder the older you get. We started when we were real young.
Delpy: But this one I thought was really hard. All those scenes in the village and the car.
Hawke: Well, the truth is Julie, you haven’t been acting for anybody else in years.
Delpy: Yeah, I act for myself [laughs].
Hawke: Julie was finding herself in a very unique position, because when we did “Before Sunrise,” you were a professional actor, you acted all the time.
Delpy: Oh, and now I am not anymore? [Laughs]
Hawke: You are! But now you are a filmmaker and you write your own movies and you direct them. It’s the last couple movies you’ve acted in, you didn’t have a boss. It’s a very different feeling when you’re performing for somebody else.
Delpy: Well, I don’t think that’s the reason why. There were challenges on this film. It was basically seven scenes. But they were…
Hawke: …It was very hard.
Delpy: And Rick wasn’t behind the camera because he broke his foot. So that was stressful because we were doing the scene and then he had to watch it. That, for me, was the stressful part. That’s why it was so much more comfortable doing that [nude] scene in the hotel... There’s something about being topless and starting a fight.
Hawke: …it’s so vulnerable
Delpy: It’s vulnerable but it’s also realistic. There’s something about being like, That’s who I am. And I kind of like that feeling. There’s a certain f*ck you in those breasts [laughs].

You both have said that writing these movies together allows you to keep each other in check. Was there any completely crazy ideas on this film that you guys shut down?

Delpy: Oh, all the time.
Hawke: That’s most of the day [Laughs]
Hawke: It’s 11 hours of going, “That’s the dumbest idea I have ever heard.”
Delpy: Yeah, it’s “What’s that mean? That’s bullsh*t.”
Hawke: And then fifteen minutes [later], I am going “Okay! You got something going there.”
Delpy: Yeah, that’s pretty much it.
Hawke: Luckily, we all come from different backgrounds and yet understand each other, so we have different things to offer each other. I don’t know; I have learned a lot from Julie and Rick, both of them.
Delpy: Me too.
Hawke: I bring it with me on other film sets. I always think about, whenever I am doing something else, I think “Julie would think this is pretentious.” [Laughs]
Delpy: [Laughs]]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-05-09T09:45:00-04:00 2013-05-10T11:33:56-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/
Told through the eyes of Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire), the story follows Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), a mysterious millionaire known for throwing lavish parties at his mansion in West Egg. Carraway, who lives in a small cottage next to Gatsby's home, soon becomes fascinated with his neighbor, as he looks to find out everything he can about him.

Luhrmann's past credits include "Moulin Rouge" and "Romeo + Juliet," so, if anything, moviegoers are in for a very unique look at this classic story of love, betrayal, and prosperity during the 1920s.

Before you head off to the theater, here are 10 things you should know about "The Great Gatsby."

1. Don't Expect a Faithful Adaptation of the Book
This version of "Gatsby" is less adaptation and more interpretation. Not to say that he's changed the story itself; Luhrmann more or less sticks to the same over-arching plot of Fitzgerald's book. However, the film is filled with modern flourishes (pop music), and there are a few changes to the characters that deviate from the source material. Just remember: This isn't a history book's take on the 1920s, it's Luhrmann's.

2. It's Visually Stunning
Luhrman loves inserting big, bombastic visuals into his movies, and "Gatsby" is no exception. This thing is filled with color, from the sunshine yellow of Gatsby's roadster to the bright, emerald green light shining off the end of Tom and Daisy Buchanan's boat dock. Then there are the parties -- Jay Gatsby's weekend romps, where thousands of city dwellers come pouring into his East Egg mansion to take part in the debauchery. Buhrman has layered these happenings with multi-colored confetti and shiny costumes. Also worth nothing: Gatsby's and the Buchanan's houses are every bit as opulent as Fitzgerald imagined them to be.

3. It Takes Some of Fitzgerald's Text Very Literally
As in, sentences-get-typed-out-on-the-screen literally. It's a cool effect -- at least in the beginning; by the end of the film it feels forced. Then there are other moments when Luhrmann beats viewers over the head with the book's famous symbolism, meaning you get treated to shot after shot after shot of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg's eyes and how they're "watching over" everyone, as well as DiCaprio reaching out to the green light across the bay.

4. The Performances Are Outstanding
Leo may not have been everyone's first pick to play Gatsby, but boy does he deliver. Also brilliant: Joel Edgerton, Carey Mulligan, and Tobey Maguire. Edgerton is terrific as the arrogant Tom Buchanan; Mulligan brings the perfect mix of beauty and haughtiness to Daisy; and Maguire plays Nick Carraway with the same excitable curiosity we found in the books.

5. Yes, There Is Rap Music
Related to No. 1, if the thought of mixing Jay-Z with the roaring '20s makes you sick, you may want to save your money. However, if it doesn't, then for you ...

6. The Soundtrack Is Perfect
Luhrmann recruited a talented mix of musicians for the film, including Florence + the Machine, the xx, Jack White, and the previously mentioned Jay-Z (who also serves as the soundtrack's executive producer). The music provides a perfect backdrop for the film, particularly during the dance sequences. Oh, and a special shout-out to Lana del Rey, who nails the movie's unofficial theme song, "Young and Beautiful."

7. The Second Half Is Surprisingly Boring
The gorgeous scenery, the music, the characters, the punched-up story -- they're all great ... for the first 45 minutes. Once the film hits the one-hour mark, it takes a dive. It's an odd turn for Luhrmann, whose movies are anything but boring. But he seemed unable (or perhaps unwilling) to keep up the pace for the entire movie. By the time the story's famous ending arrives, it feels like an afterthought.

8. There's a Small Twist With the Story's Narrator
We won't spoil it here, other than to say it doesn't really affect the film all that much.

9. The 3D Is ... OK
Fans of "The Great Gatsby" (the book) were up in arms over Luhrmann's decision to turn The Great American Novel into a three-dimensional, visual thrill ride. However, the 3D isn't much a of hindrance here. Other than a few scenes and the opening credits, it mainly takes a backseat to the most important part of the movie: the story.

10. The Phrase "Old Sport" Gets Said a Lot
Whether you like the movie or not, you should just accept the fact that "Old Sport" will be stuck in your head for the next week. (One fellow movie writer clocked the phrase being mentioned in the film 46 times.)]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-05-07T11:52:40-04:00 2013-05-07T17:53:30-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/ has a sad ending -- one Linklater gets a bit emotional talking about.

"We spent one night walking around Philadelphia [together] in 1989, and I just found out a couple years ago that she had died young in a motorcycle accident," he says, which is one of the reasons why "Midnight" is dedicated to her memory.

Of course, Linklater admits that if he never met her, these movies, which follow the continued romance between Jesse and Celine, may not have been made. Talking about them, along with the work he and his two co-writers (and stars of the film), Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, have put in over the last 18 years, makes him happy.

Below, Linklater discusses the difficulty of shooting the third chapter in the series, "Before Midnight" (which hits theaters May 24) as well as the prospects of a fourth "Before" film. He also gives some thoughts on the musical based on his 2003 movie "School of Rock," his reaction to "Dazed and Confused" being inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame, and why "Newton Boys" was never appreciated.

The response to this movie has been overwhelmingly positive, which must be nice.

Yeah, yeah. It’s cool. There’s something about it. I guess the aging thing [between Jesse and Celine]. It reaffirms something in people. It’s like, “Oh yeah, you can get a little older and have a deeper experience where there’s still maybe romance.”

You mentioned during the "Before Midnight" panel at the Tribeca Film Festival that no one wanted the sequel to “Before Sunrise.”

Yeah, we weren’t kidding. People did ask [after the first movie] “Did they get together or not?” But no one asked “Is there going to be another movie?” I mean, there was interest. But I think no one expects a sequel to anything that isn’t a Hollywood blockbuster. That was the big leap, taking that second one. We did a little jumpstart to that, because I got Ethan and Julie together in a scene for “Waking Life,” where they’re playing, arguably, Jesse and Celine. That was like my own little fever dream. We shot that in ‘99 and we realized that we were working the same way. And then we all looked at each other at the end of that and went, “We have to do this now. We’ve been joking about it for a few years. Let’s hunker down -- I think we should do a sequel.” So that was the jumpstart.

Was it easier filming this the third time around, since you’re working with the same actors and the same characters?

Yeah, you don’t have to spend a lot of time [developing the background]. In the first film, yeah, and the second time to some degree, [but] by the third one, we know Jesse and Celine. The only thing is that you just have to remind yourself where they are and what they’ve been through in nine years.

So you went to Greece to write the film. Ethan had mentioned that that was all you guys were going to do, and if the story you three came up with worked you’d shoot a movie.

And that wasn’t a lie. We were there hoping to make a movie. We had a bunch of material, we had an outline. I mean, money was being spent, but we still left ourselves an out.

The perception from a lot of people was that you guys were hiding something.

Well, we weren’t really financed... [Laughs]

OK, well that’s a problem.

Yeah, so when people were like “Oh, did you shoot in secret?” No, we couldn’t make an announcement because we weren’t even an official movie until a week before we wrapped. So, we [said] “Let’s just announce it on completion of photography, because it’s only a 15-day shoot.” But yeah, it wasn’t some big plan to keep it secret. It was pretty remote and quick and under the radar by its natural self.

People have been asking about a fourth film, but considering how you’ve shot the previous two, I feel like it wouldn’t be in the spirit of this series to announce another one right this second.

Yeah, and we don’t [know]. We know enough to know for sure that it’s going to be five years at the absolute minimum before any one of us has remotely a good idea. This isn’t like a nine-year period of working. It’s five years of blank space. We have to wake up and realize where they are. And a lot of that has to do with where Ethan and Julie are in their lives. Once you’re at a new station in life, then Jesse and Celine can kick in. But nothing is going to happen until then.

I wanted to switch gears and talk about “Bernie” for a second.

Oh, yeah!

I feel like the reaction to that movie was a bit delayed. It really didn’t gain awards traction until months after its release.

As it should have! [Laughs]. Jack [Black] gave a great performance, as did Shirley [MacClaine]. I think it’s one of those [films] that just sort of keeps coming and people keep discovering it. But hey, that’s not a bad trajectory for a certain kind of film. I was just glad to get that film made. I had been trying to get that made for over 10 years. It was special to me.

It was fun to see you working with Jack again, particularly on something so different from “School of Rock” -- which now apparently has a musical in the works.

Yeah, Jack said he got a call about that. I was kind of like, “Hm, do I get anything out of this?” [Laughs]

Did you ever envision that movie being turned into a stage production?

It’s pretty damn musical. I remember at the studio, the weekend after -- you know, you have your opening weekend, and this is how most sequels happen -- our producer got a call from the head of the [studio and asked him] “Series or sequel? Which is it?!” I was like [rolls his eyes].

You’d like to think that that doesn’t happen, but I guess it does.

It does. That’s why it’s all so sh*tty. You know, we flirted with a sequel all those years later, but Jack and I never wrapped our heads around it. We just didn’t like it enough, I guess. I learned on this, if you do one the next year, people kind of understand. It is sort of economic and you just do the best you can -- give people what you think they wanted the first time. But if you are going to wait seven years, you better have something to say about the time going on. And that’s what I wanted with [the “Before” movies]; you have to dig a little deeper. It’s got to be something deep and resonant and can’t just be a victory lap sequel. But anyway, when that wasn’t coming together, I was like “Jack, I am going to send you a script. It’s something I’ve been working on for a long time.” So it did segue into “Bernie.”

It was also nice to see Matthew McConaughey coming back into the Linklater fold in "Bernie."

Always!

Everyone’s been talking about this critical renaissance he’s having, though directors who have worked with him say he’s always been super dedicated no matter what role he’s playing.

He’s always been. He’s always all in. He’s actually very good in all those movies that people … well people are just lazy. Perceptions are lazy. His first movie, “Dazed and Confused,” he was doing hardcore character actor work. That’s not Matthew, with his hair [like that] and a tattoo and acting all sleazy. We always said, Matthew is a character actor trapped in a leading man’s physique. But nothing Matthew does surprises me. But it’s fun to see.

I worked with him, initially unknown, then [once again] at the height of Matthew-with-the-shirt-off backlash on “Newton Boys,” which isn’t really fair there, either. [Audiences] were not going to give him a chance. We were dead on arrival because it was just like “Oh, it’s Matthew [McConaughey]. F*ck that guy.” I was like, “Oh, okay.” And now, being part of this renaissance, hopefully there will be more phases along the way.

It was great that “Dazed” got inducted into the Texas Hall of Fame.

Yeah, you know, it never goes away, that film.

I didn’t realize the relationship Quentin Tarantino had with the movie.

[Laughs] Yeah, Quentin has his own history with that film. We got to know each other before that film came out. It was the first film he saw once we were friends. But he told me later -- he never went to high school -- that that’s kind of his high school [and] what he thinks it would have been like. I had a letter once from someone who had an injury -- you know, you get these strange letters -- and he says, “I had an accident and my memory got erased. So I see this film and it makes me think that that was my high school, so I just want to thank you for that.” So it’s like people who have forgotten [they’re] filling in the blanks of experiences.” So for Quentin, I think it’s his high school.

People see "Dazed" as an extension of their life.

Yeah, kind of like Jesse and Celine. Movies have that power -- they’re parallel universe potential. If somebody’s being honest about something, people pick up on that if it’s personal.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-04-28T02:48:29-04:00 2013-04-28T12:10:46-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/ 2013 Tribeca Film Festival in hysterics.

The three legends were on-hand to screen a digitally restored version of “The King of Comedy.” The dark comedy classic -- about wannabe stand-up comic Rupert Pupkin (De Niro), who harasses celebrated talk-show host Jerry Langford (Lewis) for a shot at glory -- was a box-office failure when it first hit theaters in 1983. Since then, it has developed a cult following and is now considered one of Scorsese and De Niro’s most underrated collaborations.

“I haven’t seen ‘The King of Comedy’ in twenty-five years,” De Niro said, before the film began. “I’m very curious to see it. If I am not too embarrassed, I will stay here after.” Of course, judging by the reaction from the crowd, there was nothing to be embarrassed about, as the movie’s twisted take on celebrity culture produced plenty of laughs.

Granted, the real entertainment began after the screening, when the two stars and Scorsese got up to talk about the movie and its legacy -– at least that’s what was supposed to happen; when Jerry Lewis is involved, all bets are off. Once the comedy legend joined Scorsese and De Niro on stage, he joked about everything from parrot sex to birth control to stalkers. Not that anyone minded, as the audience, rapt, looked on with wide-eyed amusement, watching the titan of comedy cracking jokes and having a good time while Scorsese and De Niro listened.

That said, there was at least some time for reflection on the movie, one that Scorsese seemed to have a lot of fun shooting. “I had so many asthma attacks on the picture from laughing,” he said, later admitting that Lewis developed a penchant for tossing rubber chickens during production. “In one scene…[Jerry] goes around the corner and I am holding the camera, and all of a sudden a rubber chicken hits the camera. The timing was perfect.”

Lewis confirmed Scorsese’s fits of laughter: “We heard you sitting behind the camera, hysterical. I said, ‘Are you going to continue laughing or are you going to cut this godd*mn scene?’”

“It brings back so many memories of that time,” De Niro added. “I think Jerry was terrific. That was reinforced with me watching it tonight. Finally, I can watch a movie twenty-five, thirty years after I do it; I can get a little objectivity.”

Sadly absent from the discussion was the film’s other star, Sanrda Bernhard. “The King of Comedy” was the actress’s breakout role, with her starring as Langford’s stalker, Masha. But just because Bernhard couldn’t make it out to the screening didn’t mean she was going to miss out on all the fun; she taped a pre-recorded message full of barbs.

“Marty! Bobby! It seems like it was just yesterday that we took over New York City in the summer of 1981. The day you discovered me was the day everything fell apart. Look at where I am now. Nowhere. Thanks a lot you sons of b*tches. Hey, remember when Jerry Lewis called me fish lips? That was a great moment on the set. The next day he brought me a handwritten apology letter. I coveted that letter. But by the end of the day it was missing. I figured he probably stole it back so no one could accuse him of ever apologizing to anybody.”

Despite Bernhard’s cracks, Lewis got the last laugh, joking afterward that his one-time co-star was “the reason for birth control.”

As for the film’s lasting legacy, “The King of Comedy” basically foreshadowed our current celebrity-obsessed culture. But that was by accident. As Scorsese revealed, the movie was only commenting on the culture at the time -- he never saw it blowing up into what it is now. Bernhard alluded to that, too, adding, “Look at the world we’re living in. It’s a sh*tshow. Whatever we predicted in ‘The King of Comedy’ went so far beyond our wildest expectations that it seems almost homespun.”

Coincidentally, that culture was in full effect last night, as audience members repeatedly ignored the no-photo rule. After all, when you have Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and Jerry Lewis (who, at one point, was wearing a clown nose) sitting next to each other, you want to do everything you can to capture the moment.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-04-23T13:10:12-04:00 2013-04-23T14:44:32-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/ "Before Sunrise," along with its follow-up, "Before Sunset," represent the anti-rom-com -- two movies that drop the overused romantic cliches and happy endings we see in mainstream films and instead opt for the mutual curiosity and messiness we actually experience during a relationship.

The path of Celine (Julie Delpy) and Jesse (Ethan Hawke), two strangers who first meet in "Before Sunrise" on a train in Vienna and fall in love, was initially inspired by Linklater's experience one night back in the '80s. However, until now, the specific details of that night were unknown.

Yesterday, the Times of London gave a little more insight into it, and provided details about the woman (Amy) who was Linklater's inspiration for the "Before" series. (You can read about that over on the Times' site.)

While doing press at the Tribeca Film Festival, Moviefone spoke with the director a little more about that night, its sad aftermath, and the decision he made to dedicate this film to her.

"We spent one night walking around Philadelphia [together] in 1989, and I just found out a couple years ago that she had died young, in a motorcycle accident," a emotional Linklater said. "I didn't know... She wasn't even alive when we shot in Vienna. She died that Mother's Day weekend. It's just so sad."

Linklater was able to figure out the details after a friend of the woman's had put the story together and reached out to the director. Despite the sad fate of Amy, Linklater was happy for the memories he had with her, and how situations like these can blossom into a story like "Before Sunrise."

"It's just how we influence each other. That's why we always have to give your best self to everyone, because you never know how you're going to influence these people in this world. And Ethan [Hawke] was like, well if she never existed, these films wouldn't have been made and we wouldn't have known each other. I mean, who knows how we reverraberate through each other's lives. But she's an inspiration on this."

You can read our full interview with Linklater, where he discusses much more about "Before Midnight," next week.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-04-22T00:27:12-04:00 2013-04-22T13:17:36-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/ a movement began among the Marvel faithful -- one to help resurrect and carry on the memory of their favorite S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Then, in October 2012, "Avengers" director Joss Whedon decided to resurrect the character on the upcoming Marvel television show, the tentatively titled "Marvel's Agents of "S.H.I.E.L.D."

Clark Gregg, the veteran character actor who portrayed the agent, admits that the support behind Coulson was one of the most moving things that ever happened to him. Right now, Gregg is in press mode for "Trust Me," his second feature film outing behind the camera (he also wrote the screenplay). The movie follows Howard Holiday (Gregg), a down-on-his-luck agent for child actors who's looking to crawl his way back to the top of Hollywood's totem poll. Needless, to say, this is a far cry from superhero lore.

While promoting "Trust Me" at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival, an energized Gregg spoke to us about his new film, the pressures of being a child actor, and his return as Agent Coulson.

Congratulations on the film.
Thanks. I actually just finished it last week.

I assume that wasn't the plan, to finish it a week before its world premiere?
No. I had been traveling, doing some press for some other stuff, and there wasn’t really an opportunity.

I feel like there isn't a lot of stuff out there that talks about the pressure child actors face today. Was that one of the reasons you decided to write this?
Well, I was doing a couple jobs with young actors, and there was a couple of people who represented them where I thought, “Wow, that’s amazing how much catering they have to do to a child.” I realized once I got into it a little bit, there really hadn’t been much done in this world. So I wrote what I thought was going to be a funny comedy, but when I read it back, there was more stuff going on.

What other stuff?
You can’t really read up on this [topic] and see how many young people lose their way and end up having these tragic experiences. It's young people with too much authority and power. When I first read [the script] back, it tapped into more ambiguous feelings that I had about this kind of obsession with stardom as a transformative mineral in our society. We’ve gotten more celebrity obsessive. I read somewhere years ago that the number of people going to film school had eclipsed the number of people going to law school. That felt like what I had gone into. And if you [act] long enough, you end up feeling like Howard Holiday at some point, kind of getting your ass kicked and feeling like you’re never going to get a shot.

Having been in the business awhile, I assume you've seen that a lot: actors not getting their shot.
Oh yeah. I know a lot of brilliant actors who never got a shot, and they may not ever get a shot. It’s kind of heartbreaking. I was one of them I thought, and then I started working as a screenwriter. I don’t know, maybe I started not caring as much about acting and suddenly people started hiring me more and they put me in these Marvel movies. I’ve now had a really fantastic ride and I don’t feel like Howard Holiday. But I certainly spent my years feeling very much like that.

How do you handle it when you’re going through that?
I mean, I find it emotionally difficult to put my heart and soul into preparing for an audition, and then having them go “Yeah, they weren’t into you.” The code they use is, “It’s not going to go any further,” which means you sucked or something. At least that’s how I translate it. I find that hard to metabolize at my age. It’s a nerve-wracking experience. It’s a rough thing to put a kid through. My daughter wants to act and I gave her a tiny cameo in the movie. But I am very protective, it’s hard for me to let her.

So you worry about your daughter going into acting?
Yeah. I don’t know if she has that kind of thick skin.

Is there a way to fix that? To give these child actors more support than what they’ve been getting?
I think, like a lot of things, it’s their parents’ jobs to have some limits. One of the things that I found in this story that felt true to me is, in some cases, people start to get so invested in what’s going on with their kid or for the money or celebrity that’s coming along with it, that it starts to subvert what I consider -- especially as a father -- one of your most primal powerful human urges, which is to protect your child. And you see it over and over again, tearing these relationships aside, or there’s something that often goes wrong in it, and I was lucky that I didn’t have that as a kid.

At what point did you realize Agent Coulson had started to gain a cult following among the Marvel fan base?
My wife [actress Jennifer Grey] was doing “Dancing with the Stars” and I formed a Twitter account for her. I was helping her set it up so she could get votes because she wanted to win, which she did -- not because of the Twitter account, she danced her ass off. [During that] we put in a few searches and found out that there were all these people who were obsessed with Agent Coulson, because he was them. They already knew, before Joss [Whedon] had even revealed it, that he was a nerd and that he was their avatar in this world -- that he was a fanboy, and he had no superpowers. And that was so moving to me, to connect with people. I had loved comics, I was into sci-fi, I had been to the Cons. So it had become this gift. When they killed me of in “The Avengers,” I didn’t care. I had such a great ride, and I loved what they did with him. But when they did this whole “Coulson Lives” movement, it was one of the most moving things that has ever happened to me.

It seemed to be worldwide, too.
Yeah, I was in Paris this summer shooting, and all of a sudden I heard these whispers and turned and there were all these French 12-year-old boys going “Coulson, Coulson.” The global reach of that is mind-bending. It blows me away.

Was there ever a point where you thought this character was absolutely, 100 percent done for good? Or was there something in the back of your mind that said, Well, maybe he will come back.
The Marvel guys were sweet -- they’re nerds, so they are also part of Coulson’s army -- and they said, “C’mon, maybe he’s not that dead.” You know, I got this call -- much sooner than I imagined it would come, if it ever came -- and they said, “We want you to come to New York Comic Con. We have some news.” And when I saw this video where Joss and [Marvel Studios president] Kevin Feige came out, and Kevin was wearing a “Coulson Lives” t-shirt, It was really moving to me, because I felt the fans had brought Coulson back to life. Two days ago, I was shooting my last couple pick-up scenes in a show called “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

So that’s the official title?
I believe it is.

How was it stepping back into Coulson’s shoes?
You know, it was definitely familiar. It was moving to put the suit back on.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-04-12T15:19:11-04:00 2013-04-17T12:40:29-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/ Tribeca Film Festival. Launched back in 2002 by Robert De Niro, producer Jane Rosenthal, and real estate investor Craig Hatkoff, Tribeca began, at least in part, to help revitalize the downtown Manhattan community after the devastation of 9/11 terrorist attacks.

While the festival is mostly known for showcasing smaller independents, it has had the opportunity to premiere some major studio releases over the years, like "The Avengers" and "Spider-Man 3." Though this year's festivities -- taking place from April 17 - 28 -- are devoid of any superhero epics, the schedule still features a diverse list of small films starring some of your favorite actors, from Julianne Moore to Paul Rudd to John Cusack.

Below, we've rounded up a few of the movies on the Tribeca slate this year that star big names. Make sure to keep an eye on Moviefone all week for interviews, red carpet galleries, and more from this year's Tribeca Film Festival.

]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-04-08T15:52:21-04:00 2013-04-10T16:55:34-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/ "Elysium."

The long-awaited follow-up to Blomkamp's surprise 2009 hit "District 9," "Elysium" focuses on issues of class and oppression in the year 2159. Here, Matt Damon stars as Max Coburn, an ex-con living on a ruined planet Earth, which has become overpopulated with the sick and poor. As for the rich folks, they're floating above Earth in Elysium, a utopia where the extremely wealthy live out their opulent lives, blissfully unaware of the chaos happening below.

Moviefone was recently invited to a sneak preview of the film, where we got a look at the trailer and several minutes of footage. Here are seven things to expect when "Elysium" (a film you should be excited about) hits theaters on August 9.

1. The Earth in "Elysium" Is in Shambles: Are you part of the 99 percent? Sorry, but in this film you've been left on Earth to slum it with most of humanity. The footage we saw depicted a planet filled with crumbling buildings, shantytowns, and disease. In a nutshell, this version of Earth sucks, which is why everyone who is still living there is trying to get out and go to "Elysium." Why? Because ...

2. Elysium Is Utopia: If you want to build a space station for super-rich people, you better make it shine. The world of Elysium (the station not the movie) is flush with beautiful green fields, crystal clear bodies of water, and picturesque views of space. As the trailer states, on Elysium, there is "no poverty, no war, no sickness." Sounds like a pretty sweet deal if you can make the cut.

3. Matt Damon Is Back in Fighting Mode It's been quite some time since we saw "action star" Damon. Here, he plays an ex-con looking to sneak into Elysium, where he can get top-of-the-line medical care to help save his life. The only problem is actually getting there. Enter Damon's gigantic robotic arm, a piece of equipment that gives him a ridiculous amount of strength and the ability to download knowledge from others. When I spoke to Damon at Comic-Con last summer, he called this arm the hulk suit (for the record, I am not sure if that's the official term for it), which "bolts into and locks into your nervous system." Cue a scene in the footage where the piece of metal is actually bolted into his nervous system. Ouch.

4. Fun With Technology: "Elysium" takes place a hundred years in the future, so you better believe Blomkamp stuffed this movie with tons of futuristic new toys, the most important being Damon's aforementioned robot arm. But there are plenty of other fun gadgets, too, including the "Prometheus"-like medical treatment center, which can diagnose everything from a cold to cancer.

5. The Visuals Are Spectacular: CGI can be hit or miss these days. However, if the "Elysium" footage we saw is any indication, the visuals in this movie will be absolutely stunning. The 2159 screwed-up version of Earth looks the part, as does the beautiful, heaven-like Elysium. "By far the biggest challenge is the space station itself. There was a sh*tload of robotics and aircrafts and weapons. It looks cool, though," Blomkamp told me last summer.

6. Jodie Foster Is Not Messing Around: Foster is the big baddie in this film, playing Secretary Delacourt, a hard-nosed head-of-state looking to protect the world of Elysium at all costs. The wealthy space station she helps run has a strong anti-immigration policy, which means trespassers get shot on site.

7. The Plot Mirrors Some of Our Current National Issues: Just like "District 9" before it, "Elysium" deals with the divisive issue of class warfare. In America, a minority of the population owns a vast majority of the wealth, a fact that is certainly not lost on Blomkamp. There's also the anti-immigration policy, a topic which is currently making the rounds in Congress.

8. The Movie Has a Sense of Humor: Matt Damon may be fighting for his life, but his character seems to be taking it in good spirits. At one point in the footage, he publicly shames his robot parole officer by throwing a little sarcasm his way. He even screws around with a robot security force that tries to frisk him (unfortunately for him, his jokes end up getting his arm broken).

"Elysium" hits theaters August 9]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-04-02T10:18:23-04:00 2013-04-02T13:58:06-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/ Ariana Richards, but odds are you've seen her before, as a young girl screaming in an overturned SUV while a tyrannosaurus rex came barreling down from above.

At the age of 12, Richards was cast in Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster "Jurassic Park" as Lex, a girl who visits her grandfather's new dinosaur-inhabited theme park.

This week, audiences get to hear Richards push her vocal chords to their limits once again on the big screen, as "JP" hits theaters in 3D, 20 years after its release. While she now spends most of her time as an artist (you can see her work here), Richards looks back fondly on her "Jurassic Park" days.

Richards spoke to us about filming "Jurassic Park," keeping in touch with Spielberg (she calls him Steven), taking a spin on the "Jurassic Park" ride at Universal Studios, and her first acting credit, on "The Golden Girls."

You shot this film 20 years ago. Is it weird that you’re still being asked to talk about it?
You know, I actually can’t believe it’s already been 20 years. It’s amazing. Time really went fast. “Jurassic” is a legacy and a classic. Steven Spielberg created something pretty spectacular. It’s actually really interesting, when I look at it, I ask “How has my life changed since being Lex?” And I can literally walk into just about any city in the world and people will know who I am. They’ve enjoyed the movie and feel like they know me because they had this shared experience of going through “Jurassic” with my character and surviving.

Was it alarming when everyone immediately started recognizing you?
Yeah, filming it was such a blast in so many ways, especially being a child actor in that situation. I wasn’t even aware or thinking about the future -- how it would be taken, whether would it be a big blockbuster -- I was just enjoying the process. Then, when it all happened like it did, I would say it was a surprise for me to get that much attention.

Do you remember the first time that happened?
I don’t have a first time that sticks out in my memory. But I do remember doing a lot of great traveling for premieres of “Jurassic Park” when it was first coming out, and getting to visit some pretty spectacular places, like when the cast and Steven and I went to London for a premiere where I got to meet Princess Diana. That was pretty special.

What was going through your head when Steven cast you?
I went into his office after taking a break from my trip to Disneyland. I was going with my mom and sister. Of course, we put that on hold for a few hours once we got that phone call to go see Steven, and I went to meet him in his office. He put me right at ease. He was really warm and funny and easygoing. Actually, in the meeting itself, he surprised me. He offered me the job right then and there. He said, “Ariana, are you busy this summer?” Of course I knew what to say.

You were 12. That seems like it would be a difficult age to be immortalized on screen. Do you find it difficult to watch now?
I don’t have a problem watching it. It just brings back neat memories when I see it every so often. It’s true, age 12 to 13 is an interesting age to be immortalized in. But it’s also kind of fun. It’s kind of in between childhood and adulthood. It was neat that Steven gave me an interesting role, where even at that young age it can be kind of awkward for a girl. It was a really powerful role for a girl, where I got to save the day and have all this knowledge about computers.

In the book, the roles of Lex and Tim are reversed -- he’s the older sibling and computer nerd.
Exactly. I had read the book and I was aware of that when I saw the script and the changes there, which I was happy to see. I didn’t have to play some spoiled little brat sister who was just kind of annoying. It added some meat to my character.


"Jurassic Park" star Ariana Richards is now an artist

Have you kept in touch with Steven over the years?
I have, actually. I am really happy to have that friendship and be able to keep in touch. It’s great. Of course he’s a genius, but he’s also a pretty spectacular person.

I read that you had made a watercolor for him while on set that showed you holding the spoon full of Jell-O, with the velociraptor in the background.
That’s right! [laughs]

Have you created any other “Jurassic Park”-inspired art?
That’s a really good question. That was the “Jurassic” piece that I created shortly after the movie. I haven’t created one since then. I figured that that was the one that boiled down my entire experience into a graphic expression.

Random question: Have you ridden the “Jurassic Park” ride at Universal Studios?
[Laughs] Of course! I was there for the opening. It was a really fun day. I was there with Joey, Jeff Goldblum, General [Norman] Schwarzkopf, and Steven was there, too. However, Steven is always allowed to get off the ride early. I don’t think he’s ever gone down the whole ride, as far as I know.

Now “Jurassic Park 4” is on the move. Do you have any interest in being in it?
You know, that is all about seeing a script. I have not seen a script for it yet, so I would need to see one before I actually say anything.

Before I let you go, I had to ask about your role on “The Golden Girls.”
Oh my gosh, that is going way back in time. That was my first real acting job. I was six years old. I was so little. I had this high little voice, and I played one of Rose’s babysitting charges. I still remember we had some sort of newspaper hats that were folded and put on our heads as we paraded around on set.

I remember liking Betty White a lot. It was one of those things as a little child actress, you get inspired by experienced actresses and actresses that reach out to you. There’s a cute story: I went over to her dressing room to ask her, “Hey, Betty, can I get a picture with you?” And she opened the door and she had her hair full of rollers. I said, “It’s fine, I can wait until later.” And she said, “Oh no! Let’s get the picture!”

”Jurassic Park 3D” hits theaters April 5.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-03-27T10:35:26-04:00 2013-03-29T16:31:26-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/ star as Harry Osborn, alongside Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone in the sequel to last year's "The Amazing Spider-Man."

But before the hoopla of a blockbuster superhero flick unfolds, DeHaan is talking about his newest film, "The Place Beyond the Pines." Taking place over a 15-year stretch, the movie stars Ryan Gosling as Luke, a stunt motorcyclist who finds out he has a son from a one-night stand with a waitress (Eva Mendes). The choices Luke makes over the next few months end up affecting everyone around him, including his son (the grown version of which is played by DeHaan).

We sat down with DeHaan to discuss the film, starring in last year's found-footage superhero flick "Chronicle," having a non-speaking role in "Lincoln," and what to expect from his turn as Harry Osborn in "The Amazing Spider-Man 2."

You’ve been having quite the year.
Yeah, so far. We’re only a couple months into this one, though [laughs].

I assume you’d seen “Blue Valentine” before this?
Absolutely. Even reading the script you understand it’s a very ambitious movie. But I knew Derek [Cianfrance] would be directing it, so it was awesome. The kind of performances he got out of “Blue Valentine,” that’s kind of what I strive for as an actor. So the opportunity to get that out of me was really exciting.

Since you’re playing the son of Ryan Gosling's and Eva Mendes's characters in this movie, did you try to study their mannerisms at all?
I don’t really work in a way where I study mannerisms. I actually made a specific choice -- and I think Derek did as well -- to keep Ryan and I separate. I didn’t want to watch any of Ryan’s footage. And I did that because Ryan to me is someone I truly look up to and I have a lot of respect for. At the time, it was almost like a mystic, I-could-learn-so-much-from-you respect. That, in a lot of ways, mirrors the way Jason has with his father, in that his father is somebody he built up in his mind to be the key to his life. If he can find out who is father is it will set him free.

Did it take you a while to get the hang of riding a motorcycle?
A little bit. I knew how to drive a stick shift car, which is helpful in terms of the clutch. But that scene in the movie, it’s the longest and fastest I have still ever ridden on a motorcycle. It was fun.

You worked with a ton of talented actors and directors over the last year, like Bradley Cooper and Steven Spielberg. Has there been one piece of advice that you’ve taken with you?
Hm, I don’t know. Not particularly. It’s not like I ask all these questions and look for advice. I learn something from everybody I work with. I think I would be a fool to think I didn’t. Ultimately, how I look at it is I am acting, and acting is something I’ve always wanted to do. I am really lucky that I get to do it at this crazy level that I never thought I’d be able to, and I get to do it with these people that I never thought I’d get a chance to work with. I soak it all in. Ultimately, I try to carve my own path.

I assume you soaked it all in on the set of “Lincoln."
That was just one night [of shooting]. It was super fun. When you get the phone call of “Do you want to spend a night with Daniel Day-Lewis and Steven Spielberg?” the answer is yes [laughs]. It gave me a lot of respect for actors who have to go in there and knock it out in one day. It’s actually a really tough job to do that. Obviously it was amazing to watch Spielberg and DDL working together. And the production value on the set was amazing. It was certainly a memorable night.

Do you audition for a small non-speaking role like that?
No, that was just one of those things where Spielberg called my agent.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, “Chronicle” has seemed to take off into this cult hit.
Yeah, it’s been super well-received. I think it makes more sense than most found-footage movies. I think ultimately whatever the movie is, it will be successful if it’s told in a really human way and it resonates with people. I think we did a good job in that movie of not only telling this crazy story but showing human beings going through things and why things were happening and why they were moving forward. In a really interesting way it all made a whole lot of sense.

You'll get to do the superhero thing again with "Spider-Man 2" in 2014. Where were you when you first heard about the Harry Osborn gig?
That was such a long, drawn-out process to get that part. I really battled, from getting my first audition to going all the way through. Like, three times I was convinced that I completely didn’t get it and I was just moving on in my life. So, honestly, when I finally got the phone call that said I got the part, I was obviously ecstatic. It was a childhood dream come true. But it was also a huge sigh of relief because I had won the war [laughs]. I had done battle after battle after battle. I was like, I can relax now.

Is there one particular thing you want Spider-Man fans to know about your version of Harry?
Just let them know that they might think they know, but they have no idea.

RELATED: Daniel Radcliffe's 'Kill Your Darlings' Performance: We're a Long Way From Harry Potter

"The Place Beyond the Pines" this theaters in a limited release on March 29.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-03-25T17:02:02-04:00 2013-03-26T11:44:31-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/ Eva Mendes is mostly known for her work in big-budget studio flicks, and she isn't sure why. "I have actually done a lot more independents than big pictures, and nobody ever brings that part up," she tells us while doing press for her upcoming film the (relatively) small-budget, "The Place Beyond the Pines."

She has a point. Last year, Mendes starred in the dreamy psychedelic flick "Holy Motors." Prior to that, it was a role in Massy Tajedin's "Last Night." In "Pines," she plays Romina, a woman coming to grips with a child she had with a vigilante / motorcycle stunt driver Luke (played by real-life boyfriend Ryan Gosling). Here, Mendes is completely dressed down, playing a character who's both physically and emotionally distraught. Needless to say, it's a far cry from her roles in "Hitch" and "Ghost Rider."

Mendes spoke with Moviefone about her new film, the movie she wishes got more attention, and being an extra in "Night at the Roxbury." She also shared a video of her from the upcoming HBO movie "Clear Eyes," which features the actress wearing a fat suit (seriously).

Your character doesn’t catch much of a break in this movie.
After seeing “Blue Valentine,” I immediately had that feeling of That’s how I want to work. That’s what kind of movie I want to be in. It’s a thought-provoking film that feels authentic and creates a dialogue. I wanted to go out for this role, and [Derek] didn’t feel I was right for it. I said, “That’s crazy, I want to go in and audition for it.”

It was really great because it challenged me in a way. I knew this was my role. I needed to play this woman. So when I showed up to his casting office in L.A., I showed up looking completely different than what you see me today -- crazy, weird head full of mousse, no make-up. When I was waiting for him in the lobby he came out and passed me. He didn’t know it was me, and I was like “Yes! That’s a great sign.” I think he was taken with that.

So you showed you wanted it.
Exactly. Derek likes history, he likes drawing parallels.

You mentioned that this is a "thought-provoking" film. You certainly starred in one last year, with “Holy Motors.”
I still feel like [that movie's] a dream. I am very connected to my dreams. And when I wake up sometimes and I try to analyze them and dissect them, that’s the fun part. But then when I talk about them, it almost takes away some of its currency. It almost takes away some of its power in a way. And I feel like that with “Holy Motors.” It’s such an abstract piece of art that I don’t feel, just as an actress, that I should put my opinion out about what it is. I don’t want to ruin it for everybody. To me, it was personal.

How different is the process for you of working on a movie like “Pines” and “Holy Motors” as opposed to “Ghost Rider” or “2 Fast 2 Furious”?
Those films were really long ago. When I started out, I was lucky to be a part of some great big studio films. But “2 Fast 2 Furious” was ten years ago.

It was five sequels ago!
[Laughs] Exactly! People are like “It’s nice to see you in a drama.” But it’s like, “I started in a drama!” “Training Day” was my big break, and it was just a few scenes but it was dramatic and raw and scary and gritty. So it’s funny that people have an idea of what you are, and they like having the idea of what you are, when [in reality] the past six years, all I have done is indie films, besides “The Other Guys.”

Is there one film of yours you wish people had paid more attention to?
Yes! “Last Night.” Massy Tadjedin. She wrote and directed this film that I am in with Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, and Guillaume Canet. It is so great. It came out three years ago and nobody saw it. Please put the word out there. But not for me. I want people to watch it for Massy. She’s an incredible writer and director.

You had a chance to do some non-movie stuff in the last few years, like “Drunk History of Christmas.” Are Funny or Die shorts as fun to shoot as they are to watch?
I love those guys over on Funny or Die -- [Adam] Mckay and [Will] Ferrell -- so much. I have done quite a few things with them. I did this crazy sex-tape thing for them, which I thought was funny. And then, in “The Other Guys,” at the end, I sang this song with Cee Lo Green. I did this ridiculously lame music video that just kind of spoofs music videos. So with “Drunk History,” Ryan was doing it. That was more of a fun thing. But those guys from Funny or Die, they’ll call me up and I’ll be like “Sure, anything. You guys are the best.”

You have a little bit of a history with Will Ferrell, too, because you were in “Night at the Roxbury.”
Yes! A little trivia. That was the first job I booked in the business. I was an extra in there. In that film, I am in the wedding scene and Will Ferrell comes on to me. So that’s how our relationship started. The next time I see Will Ferrell is about six years later on a film called “The Wendell Baker Story.” I have one scene with Will. I basically leave Luke WIlson’s character to go for a more stable man. That man is Will Ferrell. So, at first, we have the initial flirtation at “Roxbury,” then we are boyfriend-girlfriend in “The Wendell Baker Story.” And then, the husband-and-wife story in “The Other Guys.”

Did he remember you when you saw him again on “Wendell Baker”?
That was the first thing I asked. Do you remember me?! He was like “Of course I remember.” I mean, who knows. I have a feeling I'll have another film with him soon. If you look at the sequence of movies we’ve done together, he would now have to be my baby daddy.

You have “How to Catch a Monster” coming up with Ryan.
I am super excited, but I am so incredibly superstitious, and this is something that drives my family crazy, but until I am on the set, I don’t even talk about things. I never talk about what I am about to do. But, I just did something with Larry David. It’s so funny. In fact, I will show you something [she grabs her phone]. I snuck a video. [The video is of her wearing a fat suit].

Wow. Do you look like that throughout the whole movie?
No, it was for a day. Do you know how happy I am? For me, the joy is playing characters. Whether it’s “Holy Motors” and some weird stringy red wig and standing on a tomb and having feathers as eyelashes, or playing Romina, who’s just this very kind of raw character in a crazy predicament. It’s the fun of it all. I think secretly I am a character actor. I think I am finally realizing it.

"The Place Beyond the Pines" opens in limited release on March 29.

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Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/ Ryan Gosling became the Internet's best friend. There's the YouTube video of him breaking up a street fight in New York City, and the ridiculously popular "Hey Girl" meme. The man even has dish towels with his face on them being sold on Etsy (a product that was brought to his attention during a recent interview).

Nevertheless, the star seems to react to Gosling mania with bemused detachment. (Regarding the "Hey Girl" meme, he told the Hollywood Reporter last week that "I don't think it's really about me.") Besides, he has other things to worry about, like pretending to rob real bank tellers and riding a motorcycle, which he did for his new movie, "The Place Beyond the Pines," which hits theaters this Friday.

The film has Gosling re-teaming with "Blue Valentine" director Derek Cianfrance. Here he stars as Luke, a motorcycle stunt driver whose life takes a drastic turn after he finds out he has a son.

Gosling sat down with Moviefone to talk about his latest project, why he was ashamed by his character's face tattoos, and how he successfully made the transition from "Mickey Mouse Club" kid to adult actor.

So don’t worry, I won’t be bringing out any dish towels with your face on it during this interview.
Thank you. You never know these days.

You seemed to take that in good spirits, all things considered.
Well, what are you going to do? What are my options? I guess once they start making dish towels with your face on it you’ve got to find another job.

This is your second film with Derek Cianfrance. Is it easier working with a director you’ve been with before?
Yeah, you know I’ve been with the same agent since I was 14 and the same manager since I was 16. History is something that I thrive on. So I am just happy to be at a point in my career where I’ve developed a little history with some people and I am not eager to let that go. It’s sort of one of the keys to creativity. On a practical level, you trust the person so you don’t have to try and tell the story. In a case like this, it’s easier just to be a part of the scene and trust that the director is going to tell the story and you won’t have to. But on another note, “Blue Valentine” was twelve years for Derek, six years for me, and that was in the prep. That movie's been affecting my life for a few years now.

How so?
Just having been in it. Having it out there in the world. It’s, like, six years of my life. And then we make this together. We have hours logged, and there’s a trust that comes with that and a sort of brotherhood that you have to work to have.

It feels like there’s no real hero in "Pines."
I think this film is about consequences. Every character is having to directly relate to the ramifications of their choices. Everyone is kind of being given a mirror in the movie. In my case, it’s a melting pot of masculine cliches -- muscles, tattoos, motorcycles, guns. Yet, when he’s faced with this child, it’s like a mirror, and he sees that none of those things make a man, and that he’s none of a man at all.

Do you think he knows what he’s doing is bad? Or is he just completely blinded by this kid in his life that he’s trying to do whatever he can at all costs.
Well, he’s a guy with a face tattoo. He’s not someone who really thinks things through. He’s sort of an unthoughtful person who doesn’t understand consequences.

Did a lot of thought go into the face tattoos?
It did. In the beginning, we were trying to make it a portrait of someone who obviously lived a life making bad decisions. We were trying to get the most bad tattoos of all time. And then I went too far with the face tattoo and was embarrassed. I said to Derek that I really wanted to get rid of it. I felt a lot of shame for having gone too far and for making a decision that was careless that might ultimately affect the movie. I was so ashamed that that shame lived with me on set, as I had to wear that stuff around.

So looking in the mirror every day, you were ashamed?
Looking in the mirror, seeing it on film. It was humiliating, and I feel like that was something inherent to the character, and probably something that I couldn’t have acted.

How much bike riding did you do in this film?
Derek wanted to shoot all the bank heists in one take, which were like ten-minute takes, and they involved me riding into the scene, going into the bank, robbing it, and making a getaway. So I had to do a lot more because of that.

That sounds exhausting, doing take after take like that.
They were exhausting but for reasons that I didn’t expect. Derek thought to hire people that really work at the bank and have the real patrons of that bank be the ones you robbed. When I was robbing it I looked at them and they were all sort of smiling and some filming me with their cell phone cameras, and I realized that they were just having a good time and they were happy to be in the movie. So Derek said to me that it was my fault, that I was not being scary enough. So I did twenty-two takes, each ten minutes. It brought out a level of hysteria in me that I hadn't initially planned.

You’ve been playing the on-screen vigilante as of late. You have this film, “Drive,” and you get to fight in “Only God Forgives,” which reteams you with “Drive” director Nicolas Winding Refn.
Well, I get my ass kicked [in “Only God Forgives”]. In the first script, it was me being a good fighter. But I got there and I trained for two months, and I realized that it was the guys who were training me that I was going to have to pretend to be beating in the fight. It just felt stupid. So we just thought it would be more realistic to get my ass kicked.

Not many people have been able to successfully transition from kid star to action hero. Do you think there’s one thing that you did that others haven’t -- something that helped set you apart?
It was the “The Believer.” [Director] Henry Bean gift-wrapped me a career. It was extreme. It was exactly what I needed to shift the perceptions of me, even in myself. I didn’t really feel -- as much as I wanted to make movies -- I was going to have these kind of opportunities.

I don’t know if I was just young and overconfident, faking-it-until-you-make-it kind of thing, or that I did have a sense that I could do it. I know when I got that part, I didn’t believe that I could do it. I think once my confidence was shaken, I was able to do better work. That’s funny that that keeps happening. Every time I get a little big for my britches, I realize all the things I don’t know, I suddenly make a small step forward. For whatever reason, every time I was confident I just did sh*tty work. And every time I was humbled by that realization I had a small window of time where I did something that was worthwhile.]]> tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog// 2013-03-11T14:30:02-04:00 2013-03-14T13:40:14-04:00

Alex Suskind http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alex-suskind/ Steve Buscemi was known exclusively for his off-beat supporting roles, in films like "The Big Lebowski," "Fargo," "Con Air," and "Armageddon." Now, after several years as the lead on HBO's impressive "Boardwalk Empire," he is returning to the entertainingly peculiar characters that helped launch his career.

In "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone," which hits theaters this Friday, the actor plays Anton Marvelton, an aging Vegas performer and magic partner to the film's titular character (played by Steve Carrell). Here, Buscemi explores his more colorful side, right down to the ridiculous wigs and velour suits.

"That was part of the appeal to want to do the film. I don’t think I’ve quite played a character like this," Buscemi told Moviefone. "Also, I loved the script [and] the opportunity to work with Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, and Olivia Wilde. It really was a no-brainer."

He and Carell were able to pull off a few tricks of their own while filming, including their characters’ most popular illusion, the Hangman. The two even stood in a plexiglass box above the Vegas Strip for one of the movie’s most memorable sequences.

“That was really something, because they had us float there doing the scenes in the box above the Strip. Doing that makes it all that more authentic and exciting,” Buscemi said.

In addition to "Burt Wonderstone," Buscemi was nice enough to talk about a few of his supporting roles over the years. So, before the magic begins this Friday with his new film, see what the actor had to say about his performances in "The Big Lebowski," "Reservoir Dogs," and more.

WARNING: Some of the videos below include cursing.
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