WEIRDLAND

Friday, June 24, 2011

Happy 39th Birthday, Selma Blair!

Jake Gyllenhaal, Jared Leto and Selma Blair in "Highway" (2002) directed by James Cox

Selma Blair - A Guy Thing (2003)

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Warren Beatty will direct and star in Howard Hughes film

Billionaire tycoon Howard Hughes with actress Gene Tierney

"We heard on Monday that Warren Beatty made a deal with Paramount to produce, write, direct, and star in a new project after a decade-long hiatus from filmmaking. At the time, there were whispers this was the opportunity for Beatty to play legendary movie mogul Howard Hughes, a role the actor has long coveted.

American industrialist, aviator, and film producer Howard Hughes (1905 - 1976) sits with American actress and screen icon Ava Gardner (1922 - 1990) during an event in 1946.

Story details are still scarce, but Deadline hears this is indeed a Hughes-centric project that “involves an affair [Hughes] had with a young woman in the later years of his life.” Beatty’s script is not a biopic, per se. That is understandable, since Beatty is older now (74) than Hughes when he died (70). Deadline’s initial report suggested it may be a comedy.

Warren Beatty dated Natalie Wood in 1962

Beatty is going all out to assemble a supporting cast, meeting with Andrew Garfield, Alec Baldwin, Shia La Beouf, Jack Nicholson, Evan Rachel Wood, Rooney Mara, and wife Annette Bening (duh). Hughes had a lot of famous friends, and I encourage you to match this list of actors to their Old Hollywood counterparts in the comments. Given Beatty’s age, though, the film presumably takes place during Hughes’ recluse years — I do not know who kept him company at this stage in life. More after the jump:

Leonardo DiCaprio played Howard Hughes in "The AViator" (2004) directed by Martin Scorsese

Baldwin, of course, already played Pan Am founder Juan Trippe opposite a fictional Hughes (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) in The Aviator. Speaking of such conflict, how do you think Christopher Nolan — another filmmaker fascinated by the Hughes legend — feels about this development? Source: collider.com

Frank Sinatra - Pale Blue Eyes video


Frank Sinatra - Pale Blue Eyes from Kendra on Vimeo.


Frank Sinatra - Pale Blue Eyes video: featuring pictures with wives, co-stars and lovers Ava Gardner, Mia Farrow, Barbara Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, Lana Turner Judy Garland, Kim Novak, Grace Kelly, Shirley MacLaine, daughters Nancy and Tina Sinatra, etc.

Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner were married from 1951-1957

Songs "Pale blue eyes" by The Velvet Underground and "My Way" by Frank Sinatra.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Elisha Cuthbert in Flare magazine photoshoot, July 2011





Elisha Cuthbert in Flare magazine photoshoot, July 2011

Jake Gyllenhaal leaving The Ammo Cafe in Los Angeles

Café Ammo 1155 North Highland Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90038

Jake Gyllenhaal leaving The Ammo Cafe in Los Angeles on 21st June 2011

J. Edgar [Hoover], My Week with Marilyn

Leonardo DiCaprio in the first poster of J. Edgar (2011) directed by Clint Eastwood

"In the 1930s, his easy access to FDR's White House made him a consummate Washington insider. He was a radio pundit and a regular panellist on Meet the Press in its early years on television. But after Roosevelt's death, Stone's refusal to abandon his Popular Front belief in the need for liberals and radicals to work together made him an increasingly isolated figure. During the postwar red scare, his unstinting attacks on Senator Joseph McCarthy and the FBI chief J Edgar Hoover brought the wrath of the Bureau down on his head. By 1952, he was practically deaf, out of work and saddled with a manuscript of The Hidden History of the Korean War which even the New Statesman was afraid to publish. The US state department refused to renew his passport and the Nation wouldn't give him his old job back. "I feel for the moment like a ghost", he wrote.

By the time he shut the Weekly down 18 years later, circulation had risen above 70,000 - helped in part by supporters such as Marilyn Monroe, who bought subscriptions for every member of Congress". Source: www.newstatesman.com

"After wowing critics last year in “Blue Valentine” Michelle Williams is set to once again do the awards circuit, taking on one of the most iconic actresses of all time in “My Week With Marilyn.”
The project, directed by TV veteran Simon Curtis (”Cranford”), centers on Marilyn Monroe (Williams) and follows her friendship with young Englishman Colin Clark while in the country shooting “The Prince and the Showgirl” as well as her tempestuous relationship with director/co-star Laurence Olivier.
Eddie Redmayne on the set of "My Week With Marilyn", shooting in central London.

Rising star Eddie Redmayne plays Clark, with Kenneth Branagh taking on the mantle of Olivier, and a solid supporting cast including Judi Dench as actress Sybil Thorndike, Julia Ormond as Olivier’s wife Vivien Leigh, Dougray Scott as Monroe’s husband Arthur Miller, with Derek Jacobi, Dominic Cooper and Emma Watson rounding things out. The film will wiggle its hips into theaters on November 4th". Source: blogs.indiewire.com

Marilyn Monroe with Frank Sinatra

President John F. Kennedy with Robert F. Kennedy and J. Edgar Hoover by Cecil Stoughton

"Bobby [Kennedy] had become even more alarmed on February 27, 1962, when he received a memo from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover: While investigating Johnny Roselli, agents had found many calls to Judith Campbell. A check of her telephone records disclosed several phone calls to Evelyn Lincoln, President Kennedy’s personal secretary in the White House, as well as to Sam Giancana. Bobby did not know then that Frank Sinatra was the link between Judy Campbell and the President, and Judy Campbell and Sam Giancana, but he did have enough information about Sinatra’s connections to organized crime to dissuade his brother from accepting Frank’s hospitality as planned in March 1962. Bobby immediately stepped up surveillance on Giancana as well as on Judith Campbell, and dispatched J. Edgar Hoover to give the FBI reports to the President while he called Peter Lawford to cancel the President’s weekend stay at Sinatra’s house".
-"His Way: The Unauthorized Biography of Frank Sinatra" by Kitty Kelley (2010)

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Peter Sarsgaard wants Jake Gyllenhaal involved in "Born to Run"

Peter Sarsgaard attending the premiere of Green Lantern on 15th June 2011

"Sarsgaard is not only directing Born to Run, he is writing the script. Acting in it as well would be a step too far. He told Hitfix: We’re going to try to make, you know, a kind of wild dirt magazine sort of version of Born to Run that honors the true free spirit of what a lot of these people are like… I was drawn to it because I wanted to play Caballo Blanco and then I got drawn into directing it and now I don’t feel comfortable [doing both].
Jake Gyllenhaal jogging in The Hollywood Hills on 15th June 2011

With Gyllenhaal frequently spotted running across the Hollywood Hills, sometimes in the ‘barefoot shoes’ made famous by McDougall, one might consider him a definite possibility for the lead (incidentally, he is also about to appear in a celebrity episode of Man vs Wild with Bear Grylls). Chris McDougall himself has contributed to the mystery over which of the actors would feature:
Jake Gyllenhaal attending A U2 Concert in Anaheim, CA on 18th June 2011

They’re keeping that one a bit under wraps for now, but [Jake's] involved. I’m not sure in what sense. But I will tell you that this dude is in unbelievable shape. We went up this mountain pass and this guy just blazed on by.
Sarsgaard is currently looking for funding for Born to Run, which will be produced by Kathy and Frank Marshall. The aim is to shoot through the winter in Sierra Madre, Mexico". Source: www.bleedingcool.com

-What was it like working with Peter Sarsgaard, who plays Dr. Hector Hammond?

-Blake Lively: Peter’s so talented. Seeing him escape into that character — he completely disappeared to the eye when you look at him go through eight hours of prosthetic work. But the way that he would move, the way that he would carry himself as Hector, who’s been infected, it’s so remarkable.
Also, it really spoke a lot about the film that they wanted Peter Sarsgaard for this role. He’s such an interesting actor, but he can also play very dark and sinister in a way that’s a little off, that you can’t quite put your finger on. It’s not obvious. We had very few scenes together, but just being on-set and watching him work when I wasn’t in the scene with him was an incredible learning experience for me. I was just completely fascinated by him. And I’ve always been such a fan of his. Source: www.instyle.co.uk

Marilyn Monroe: The Seven Year Itch's "subway dress" breaks auction record


Marilyn Monroe "The Girl" ivory pleated "Subway" dress by Travilla, the most recognized costume in film history, from The Seven Year Itch, offered this June 18, 2011 at Debbie Reynolds The Auction by Profiles in History

Tom Ewell and Marilyn Monroe in the "Subway Dress" - The Seven Year Itch (1955) directed by Billy Wilder

An auction of actress Debbie Reynolds' Hollywood memorabilia earned $22.8 million over the weekend and included the record-breaking sale of Marilyn Monroe's iconic "subway dress" from 1955 movie "The Seven Year Itch" organizers said on Monday.

The William Travilla design was estimated to sell for between $1 million and $2 million, the crown jewel at a 12-hour auction of nearly 600 costumes and pieces of memorabilia being sold by actress Debbie Reynolds in Beverly Hills on Saturday.

Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (20th Century-Fox, 1953)

Monroe's red-sequined dress from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" went for $1.2 million.

Auctioneer Profiles in History said the previous costume sales record was held by Audrey Hepburn's iconic little black dress from the 1961 film "Breakfast at Tiffany's", which sold for $923,187. Source: www.reuters.com

Jake Gyllenhaal in "Man vs Wild" TV Special (2011)

Jake Gyllenhaal in "Man vs Wild" TV Special (2011)

Jake Gyllenhaal will share an Icelandic snow cave with Bear Grylls on the premiere episode of this season's Man vs. Wild: For two days, Bear and Jake embark on a survival experience neither will forget, to an Icelandic landscape dominated by mountains, huge glaciers and some of Europe's most active volcanoes. Jake will have to go where Bear goes, eat whatever Bear eats, and on occasion even take the lead, if he's going to cope with some of the worst conditions known to man. "For me, it's all about discovery", said Gyllenhaal.
Said Bear about the experience, "The wild is always very revealing - not only physically but mentally. You've got to smile when it's driving horizontal hail and be able to face your fears and just get on and do it -- and on both of those accounts, Jake came up strong." Source: realityvwebsite.com

Bear revealed: "A couple of weeks ago I took Jake Gyllenhaal, reportedly the fittest man in Hollywood, on a Born Survivor to Iceland. He said he wanted to to be pushed and afterwards said he'd never been pushed so hard.
He went on: "We had crazy conditions - sleeping in snow caves, huge river crossings and these torrential storms. I was a little bit nervous as I promised Jake's management team I would keep him alive, but he was brilliant.
"There's something magical about the raw emotion of fear and nerves. I think that's what people like about the show." Source: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk

"When the Winter weds the Northern Wind
The child they bear is snow.
And the branches bow like worried bridesmaids
But the trees will grow.
Sun and Earth in time will come together,
God will give us back our summer weather,
But the mem'ries of that first sweet
Taste of love pass away so slow.
Dream away, child; let your dreams run wild
Or a lifetime of worries might claim you.
When there's no room left to live inside ourselves
Do we dream away".
-FRANK SINATRA - DREAM AWAY (OL' BLUE EYES IS BACK) lyrics (J.Williams, P.Williams, recorded August 20, 1973, Hollywood)

Friday, June 17, 2011

Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon and Kristen Stewart in PopSugar 100 TopList

Jake Gyllenhaal at Love and Other Drugs press conference, on 6th November, 2010

25. Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal may be a single man, but he was surrounded by beautiful women all year long. Jake's relationship with Taylor Swift surprised fans in the Fall, though their mutual love of maple lattes wasn't enough to make the romance last more than a few months. In the midst of dating Taylor, Jake threw himself into promoting Love and Other Drugs alongside Anne Hathaway, and the movie earned him a Golden Globe nomination. In the Spring, Jake hit the road again for Source Code and got to work shooting End of Watch with a very sexy buzz cut.

Reese Witherspoon attending the 125th Anniversary Avon in Poland, on 16th june 2011

9. Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon had a year full of highlights both professional and personal since landing at number three in the 2010 PopSugar 100. After a year-long romance, Reese announced her engagement to Jim Toth over the holidays, and the two tied the knot on her Ojai estate in April. The good girl actress celebrated the release of two big movies — first up was How Do You Know with Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson, followed by Water For Elephants alongside Robert Pattinson. She may be the envy of Twilight fans everywhere for getting to kiss Robert, but she only has eyes for Jim and their family-filled weekends around LA. Reese also remained active in her role with Avon and was honored with the Generation Award at the MTV Movie Awards.

4. Kristen Stewart with Robert Pattinson in "Twilight saga: Eclipse" (2010)

Kristen Stewart was eliminated early in a surprising 2010 PopSugar 100 turn, but in 2011 she shot right up to the top! The Twilight star has legions of devoted fans around the world, who love everything from her red-carpet style to her relationship with costar Robert Pattinson. Kristen celebrated a milestone birthday this year, turning 21 just as she finished up work on Breaking Dawn. Kristen landed on her first ever cover of Vogue and further cemented herself as a fashion risk-taker on red carpets while maintaining her t-shirt and jeans style otherwise. Kristen also shot On the Road and signed on to star in an upcoming adaptation of Snow White called Snow White and the Huntsman

Jennifer Aniston in SmartWater advertising campaign

Jennifer Aniston is on a roll with her movie career. Just Go With It was a hit at the box office, and Horrible Bosses is shaping up to be one of the most popular comedies of the Summer. The Smartwater spokeswoman also launched her first eponymous fragrance in the States between her many film projects. Jennifer spent time in the South shooting Wanderlust, and she met her current flame, Justin Theroux, on set. The two are just starting to go public, and she has reportedly introduced him to her friends, including Courteney Cox. Jennifer celebrated her 42nd birthday, tried her hand as a director by working on a short film this Spring, and guest starred on Courteney's Cougar Town. Jennifer somehow still found time to head to Cabo on a handful of vacations with friends, which helped her earn the title of PopSugar's best bikini body of 2010.

Robert Pattinson in TV Week photoshoot

2. Robert Pattinson
Robert Pattinson slipped from the top spot to number two in the 2011 PopSugar 100! After coming in at number one for 2009 and 2010, Robert still has an amazingly devoted fan base who come out to vote for him in droves, no matter the contest. Robert scored his first big post-Twilight success this year with Water For Elephants, which costarred Reese Witherspoon. Robert also got back into character as Edward Cullen to film both Breaking Dawn movies, which come out in November of 2011 and 2012. Shooting the sexy honeymoon scenes gave us a peek at his hot shirtless body with a bikini-clad Kristen Stewart, and their offscreen romance is still hot as ever. He's currently working on another high-profile movie, David Cronenberg's Cosmopolis, which will once again cement Robert's leading man status after the franchise that made him famous.

Johnny Depp attending Cannes Film Festival 2011 in France

1. Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is your 2011 Popsugar 100 number one! This A-list star is at the top of the his game with Spring blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which has already made over $800 million at the box office worldwide. It was the end of an amazing 12 months for Johnny, who also scored two Golden Globe nominations for his work in both The Tourist and Alice in Wonderland. The devoted family man also spent tons of time with his kids and partner, Vanessa Paradis, between his movie projects, like the critically acclaimed Rango. The big-hearted actor even surprised a classroom of kids in full Jack Sparrow costume, proving that this is the kind of star who deserves the top spot. Congrats, Johnny!
Source: www.popsugar.com