andPOP » Actor

Morgan Freeman’s Next Gig: Answering Machines

Natalia Buia — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:25:13 +0000

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Without a doubt, Morgan Freeman has one of the most recognizable voices in Hollywood. He can narrates about Penguins, play God, put babies to sleep with a lullaby and now he’s on a new vocal adventure: recording answering machines.

Revolver Entertainment, one of the leading film distrubutors, didn’t want to rely on a robot to speak on the company’s automated telephone menu. Instead, they asked Million Dollar Baby actor Morgan Freeman to be the voice people hear first when they phone in.

This is a really good move on Revolver Entertainment. Many of us humans are sick and tired of calling major companies and getting a prerecorded droid on the other end. To hear a familiar voice will ease the pain of having to wait 20 minutes on the line to speak to an actual representative. Hopefully, more businesses reach out to Freeman because it seems answering machines are his forte.

Other celebrities that should follow in his footsteps: Adele, Sarah Silverman, Keifer Sutherland and Rosie Perez.

Listen to Morgan Freeman’s recording below.

Shia LaBeouf Gets Beat Up In Vancouver

@jordans_life — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:47:33 +0000

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Last night Shia LaBeouf got a severe taste of street justice after a fat guy beat him like a red-headed-step child (we’re allowed to make the jokes, @itsbooyeah is a ginger).

According to TMZ Shia was involved in an altercation outside of a bar in Vancouver called Cinema Public House when this happened:

Why would anyone want to take a swing at Shia LaBeouf? (Pause for sarcasm to take effect)

Well, you could speculate it was on account of a number of drunken altercations, his DUI, the press junkets where he compares his work in Transformers to cinematic masterpieces like Citizen Kane, or the simple explanation that he is a douchebag. After all, this is the very same actor that has such a severe Oedipus complex he openly stated he would sleep with his mother (if she wasn’t his mom).

Furthermore, he’s a deliberate bohemian that basks in controversy and celebrates confrontation. So, good for you Shia, Napoleon would be proud. The fact that you threw your 105 pound manorexic frame into an ass-kicking and attempted to go for seconds proves that you’re a true warrior. It’s too bad that all those stunt fighting classes never really paid off, but seriously, I’m glad that aside from a bruised ego, no one actually got hurt.

Tracy Morgan Goes On Anti-Gay Tirade At Comedy Show

Christian Allaire — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:30:12 +0000

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Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan went on anti-gay tirade during a comedy show in Nashville, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

Kevin Rogers, who attended the show, claims Morgan said he would “pull out a knife and stab” his son if he were gay. Here’s what he said of the incident:

“I have very thick skin when it comes to humor; I can dish and I can take,” Rogers wrote. “What I can’t take is when Mr. Morgan took it upon himself to mention about how he feels all this gay shit was crazy and that women are a gift from God and that ‘Born this Way’ is bulls-it, gay is a choice, and the reason he knows this is exactly because ‘God don’t make no mistakes’ (referring to God not making someone gay cause that would be a mistake).”

“He said that there is no way a woman could love and have sexual desire for another woman, that’s just a woman pretending because she hates a f–king man. He took time to visit the bullshit of this bullying stuff and informed us that the gays needed to quit being pussies and not be whining about something as insignificant as bullying.”

Morgan also added that “gay was something kids learn from the media and programming,” says Rogers.

Rogers says about 10-15 people walked out of the show, but he forced himself to stay because “I knew if I got up … he won. He wanted to piss people off and get a rise. … I’m not angry … just very very, very disappointed.”

A rep for Ryman Auditorim, where the show took place, said in a statement: “The Ryman Auditorium regrets that people were offended by statements made by Tracy Morgan during his June 3 appearance. The Ryman does not control the content presented by people appearing on its stage, nor does it endorse any of the views of, or statements made by, such persons.”

Morgan has also released a statement today, reading:

“I want to apologize to my fans and the gay & lesbian community for my choice of words at my recent stand-up act in Nashville,” he said. “I’m not a hateful person and don’t condone any kind of violence against others. While I am an equal opportunity jokester, and my friends know what is in my heart, even in a comedy club this clearly went too far and was not funny in any context.”

I think he’s dug himself a nice hole, and it will take a long time to get out of it. This kind of humour is simply unacceptable, joking or not.

Tim Robbins To Release Album In July

Christian Allaire — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:35:50 +0000

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Tim Robbins will be releasing an album this July, reports Billboard.

The actor will be releasing his first album as ‘Tim Robbins and the Rogues Gallery Band.’ The album will be released on July 19.

Robbins worked with 429 Records on the effort, and the band also plans to tour North America beginning July 8.

They will begin their tour at the Winnipeg Folk Festival and work their way across Canada, eventually hitting up Los Angeles and New York before finishing at the Edmonton Folk Festival.

Little did I know, the oscar-winer has been a musician for decades. Robbins has apparently created music for his film ‘Bob Roberts’, and has contributed to the soundtracks of ‘Dead Man Walking,’ ‘Human Nature’ and ‘Catch a Fire.’

He also plays guitar and is a songwriter, which is no surprise that he wrote the nine songs on the album. I didn’t know he was so musically inclined, but I can’t wait to hear what his voice and music sounds like!

50 Cent To Play Blind DJ In Movie

Christian Allaire — Fri, 20 May 2011 18:48:29 +0000

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Rapper 50 Cent is set play a blind DJ in ‘Odd Thomas,’ a film directed by Stephen Sommers and based on the original Dean Koontz novel.

The rap-superstar will join Anton Yelchin, Willem Dafoe and Patton Oswalt among the cast. That’s quite the cast, will he be able to perform?

Koontz’s bestselling 2003 novel follows the exploits of a clairvoyant cook who uses his powers to track the killer of a young girl. The film starts shooting this summer in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Kind of a random role for 50 Cent – I’m sure he could pull of the DJ thing no problem, but the blind part, I don’t know. Despite roles in action/music flicks, 50 hasn’t really done some serious acting, so we’ll see how this turns out.

Do you think 50 has what it takes to pull off a role like this? What’s your opinion on music stars turned actors? (Personally, I don’t like it. Not one bit. Unless you’re Jennifer Hudson and win an Oscar.)

Ryan Gosling Turns Director

Christian Allaire — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:59:52 +0000

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Ryan Gosling is a critically acclaimed actor, but he’s now set to be much more than that. In fact, Gosling is going to be a major motion picture director.

Gosling will get behind the camera for an upcoming remake of the 1980 film ‘The Idolmaker,’ which is a biopic of famed music scout Bob Marcucci.

The original film was the major motion picture directorial debut for Taylor Hackford, who went on to direct ‘An Officer and a Gentleman’ and ‘Ray,’ among others, and is now head of the Directors Guild of America. So, Gosling has some major shoes to fill.

Gosling is also set to act in the film, so he’ll really be directing himself.

It’ll be a busy few months for Gosling. He’ll be debuting his Steve Carell-costarring comedy ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love.,’ and his indie thriller ‘Drive,’ and has recently wrapped work on the political film ‘The Ides of March’ with George Clooney.

Hey, if James Franco can do it, so can he. He seems like an intelligent guy, and people often say to be a director you need to have previously acted, so this is perfect for him.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Bar Refaeli Split Up

Christian Allaire — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:16:50 +0000

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Leonardo DiCaprio and Bar Refaeli have reportedly split up, reports CTV.

The couple, who have been dating for over five years, ended their relationship last week after they both realized neither of them are ready to settle down.

A source said: ”It was amicable, they’re still friends and they are still talking. They just grew apart and went their separate ways.”

“Neither are ready to settle down, and both have busy careers that have been taking them in different directions.”

This is not the first time the couple have split. They split for six months in 2009 after dating for four years, before reuniting last year.

Leonardo, 36, has previously admitted he is unsure if he will ever marry because seeing other people’s failed marriages has put him off tying the knot.

“I don’t know whether I’ll ever get married. I’ve seen too many supposedly happy marriages go down. I’ve been as shocked as anyone,” said DiCaprio.

“No one can look at the marriages of other people and make a judgement. I don’t know the private lives of the actors I work with. I just know if they are good actors or good directors.”

If he can’t see himself marrying a supermodel like Refaeli, then I don’t know if he ever will get married. They seem to be an off-and-on couple, so my bet is they will be back together within months.

John Cleese Writes Memoirs To Fund Divorce Settlement

Christian Allaire — Mon, 09 May 2011 21:40:44 +0000

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Ouch, that has to sting.

John Cleese is writing his memoirs to fund a nasty divorce settlement, reports CTV.

The ‘Monty Python’ actor and comedian is writing a book in order to help fund his £12.2 million divorce settlement from third wife Alyce Faye Eichelberger.

The book, to be titled ‘The Maintenance Memoirs,’ will be written by John with an official biographer, with them each taking it in turns to write a page. The book is thought to be able to command an advance of around £2 million from potential publishers.

Cleese told ‘The Sun’ newspaper: “I don’t think anybody’s ever done one like this. I’d been putting it off – partly because I was too busy, and also because it was too difficult trying to remember things.”

The 71-year-old star has previously said he needs to earn about £1 million a year to pay off the settlement and he is currently on a comedy tour of the U.K., dubbed ‘The Alimony Tour,’ which finishes on July 2.

That has to suck. Working just to pay off a divorce? Cleese must be worth a hell of a lot or must have done something really bad, because the ex-wife seems to be getting a lot of money out of this.

Hopefully the book makes all that money and more, so he actually gets something out of writing it.

James Franco To Direct Theater

Christian Allaire — Mon, 02 May 2011 17:52:03 +0000

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James Franco certainly is a man of many talents.

This time around, Franco is making his debut as a dance theater director for the upcoming multimedia show ‘Collage,’ reports CNN. First he’s an actor, then Ivy League student, then Oscars host, and now theater director? Impressive!

“‘Collage’ is a mixed-media piece that uses sound and visuals to play with the idea of how different art mediums interact,” producer John Morrow says of the show, which will run at the Stella Adler studios in NYC from May 8 -15. “Using video, dance, poetry, theater and music, we have created a performance that will be an engaging experience for the audience.”

“The piece is so exhilarating because there are no boundaries to what we can create and play with,” says actress Nina Ljeti.

Adds choreographer Chloe Kernaghan, “The overall piece has been a continuous exploration of how using disparate elements can create a cohesive idea.”

Franco will appear live at each performance to narrate the production. This also isn’t the first time Franco has produced a musical number. He recently put on ‘James Franco Presents’ at Yale University, so he has the experience.

Bravo to him. If you have the power to explore different realms, then by all means do it. He’s talented at pretty much everything he does, so I’m sure the play will be a success.

Vanilla Ice to Join Adam Sandler Comedy?

Christian Allaire — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 19:14:22 +0000

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You heard right.

Vanilla Ice is on his way back into the limelight whether you like it or not, Perez Hilton reports. The former ‘rapper’ has been cast in an upcoming Adam Sandler comedy entitled I Hate You, Dad! – costarring Andy Samberg and Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester.

The premise of the movie will focus on Sandler, who moves in with his son (Samberg) and future daughter-in-law (Meester), only to immediately start butting heads with her. Ice will surprisingly not be playing himself, but the supporting role of Antonio, a gay wedding coordinator from Long Island. Really?

James Caan is also reported to play Leighton’s actual father. I’m actually quite impressed with this cast, despite Vanilla Ice, so it may be worth checking out.

Sean Anders and John Morris will be directing from a screenplay by David Wain and Ken Marino. Sandler is also producing through his Happy Madison banner along with Jack Giarraputo and Heather Parry. The movie is scheduled for release on June 15, 2012.

Meester most recently starred in “The Roommate,” meanwhile Vanilla Ice was last seen on the big screen in the 2002 teen comedy “The New Guy.” Ice is also playing Captain Hook in an upcoming theatrical production of Peter Pan in England. Looks like someone is focusing on his acting career. God help us all.

I’m not a huge fan of musicians turning into actors. Only the very few can actually make that transition, like Jennifer Hudson or Justin Timberlake, so I don’t think Ice’s role sounds like an Oscar-winner. I’m also not a huge fan of Sandler, so this movie is looking a little meak for me – but could be good. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

Charlie Sheen’s Pathetic Pickup Line ‘Hi I Am An A-Lister’

andPOP Staff — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:07:21 +0000

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Charlie Sheen has given up his suave charm for a more direct approach when it comes to picking up women. During his last week’s Las Vegas bender, Charlie was very direct when soliciting his female companions.

According to TMZ, Charlie sent the following email to an escort named Ginger from a website called CityVibe. It read as the following,

“Ginger..

U are fabulous!

I’m an a-list actor that you mite like to meet….Ure fone is dead and out of service…..”

This guy never gives up and he definitely never learns!

Interview – Jay Baruchel Is In The League

Ilan Mester — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:44:25 +0000

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He may be out of her league in a movie, but Jay Baruchel is definitely in the league of young, successful actors. He’s worked with Clint Eastwood in the multi Oscar-winning “Million Dollar Baby” and shared scenes with fellow Canadian Funnymen Seth Rogen and Michael Cera — and those are only three of his nearly 30 acting credits.

Earlier this year, Baruchel proved that a 5 can date a 10 in the comedy vehicle “She’s Out of My League.” Now, he has the No. 1 movie at the box office with “How to Train Your Dragon,” an animated 3-D movie he co-stars with a CGI fire-blower.

While he’s already accomplished a lot this year, let alone throughout his acting career, Baruchel hasn’t reached his ultimate goal — one that doesn’t involve comedy. The 27 year old hopes to direct horror films.

Although “Dragons” is far from a gory horror flick, Baruchel still had a blast making the animated movie. In fact, his character Hiccup is one of the closest characters to himself that he’s ever played. Even his mother was blown away by their similarities.

“We’re both kind of outsiders who both march to the beat of our own drum… when I was a kid, Hiccup’s age, all the other kids would be outside, you know, playing some sport in the park or whatever. I was always the one to stay inside, writing stories,” said Baruchel on the phone from Montreal.

“Dragons,” is set in the world of Vikings and tells the story of Hiccup, a boy who tries to train a dragon in a time where dragons are slain by humans. It features Gerard Butler and Craig Ferguson in all their Scottish glory (including accents).

“They get to talk how they talk, I get to talk how I talk. I’m just psyched that I got the chance to do my Scottish accent. For one little line I got to do my impression of them,” he laughs. “Any time I can do any kind of accent is always fun, but I just find it hilarious that I found myself in a movie surrounded by Scottish people”

To help establish a bond with the dragon, Baruchel recalled on the bond with his pet. “What’s amazing, I find the dragon looks suspiciously like a cat, he behaves just like a cat…I’m an animal lover and I have a very very close bond with my cat so I’ve often said that this movie is a classic boy and his cat story,” he shared.

Baruchel got to meet some of his cast mates during shooting in Los Angeles and New York. However, he voiced most of his scenes in Montreal. Many actors make the move to L.A. as soon as they start making movies in Hollywood — Baruchel is an exception. He keeps coming back to Montreal, where he was raised.

“It’s just my home and my heart and I live with two guys that I’ve known since I’m 14 and I live about three or four blocks away from my mother in the house I grew up in and my little sister,” he said of Montreal. “But also, more than anything I’ve also pretty much my whole life, I’ve felt a strange connection to this city. I love everything about it. But the best way I can articulate this is whatever guys like Scorsese and Woody Allen feel for New York City, that’s what I feel for Montreal.”

This summer, Baruchel will make the move from comedy to action star with Disney’s live-action remake of “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.” He’ll be dealing with a new dragon and starring alongside Nicolas Cage, who unlike Baruchel, is no stranger to stunts.

“I definitely got my ass kicked a bunch,” admits Baruchel, who got to do some of his own stunts for the film. “I got thrown around, I got my butt kicked quite a bit…I mean, the dragon is computer animated but all the stuff blown up around me is real. Yeah, that was a pretty crazy movie to make.”

Ultimately, his goal is to pen and direct horror films. “Horror movies are my life,” Baruchel revealed. “That’s my life’s work. That’s what I want to do for the rest of my life, direct horror movies in Montreal.”

He’s working on writing a project he hopes to release within the next three years. But for now, Baruchel will have to settle on being a leading man.

Larry Gelbart Passes Away At 81

Joelle Tomlinson — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:41:45 +0000

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Writer Larry Gelbart, best known as one of the key creative forces behind groundbreaking TV series M*A*S*H, died today at the age of 81.

According the Entertainment Weekly, his wife, Pat Gelbart, said he died of cancer at his home in Beverly Hills. Hailing from Chicago, the writer/director/producer’s work spanned radio, television, film and theatre. Producer-director Gene Reynolds hired him to write the pilot script for M*A*S*H (based on Richard Hooker’s 1968 novel). Gelbart served as executive script consultant and executive producer of the Emmy-winning Korean War sitcom from 1972-76, and also made a contribution by directing several episodes. He also worked and assisted with After M*A*S*H in the 1980′s.

Some of his notable achievements include, Tootsie, Oh God!, Blame it on Rio and A Funny Thing Happened on the WAy to the Forum.

His talent and significant contribution to the entertainment, film and television community will be sorely missed.

Under The Rock: Ryan Gosling Makes Weird, Beautiful Music

Emma Renda — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 19:55:42 +0000

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Just when I thought Ryan Gosling couldn’t get any sexier. Well, he’s in a band now. Not just any band – a duo with his best friend (and sister’s ex-boyfriend) Zach Shields called Dead Man’s Bones featuring, throughout the entire album, the Silverdale Conservatory Children’s Choir.

The result: songs with titles like “My Body is a Zombie for You” (the chorus of which is shouted by the aforementioned children), set to ominous piano-folk and the Roy Orbison-esque voice of Gosling. The mood is something like the Billy the Kid scene from I’m Not There, and if that reference is too obscure, let’s just call it Halloween. In the video for the band’s first single, “In the Room Where You Sleep”, the choir is outfitted in an array of costumes from skeleton to pirate to ghost.

Gosling has clearly gotten into character yet again – he and Shields created their own label, Werewolf Heart, that will release the debut Never Let a Lack of Talent Get You Down this summer. (Werewolf Heart has also taken on upcoming releases from Ima Robot and The Goat.) And just this week, Dead Man’s Bones announced plans for a North American tour in October, with stops in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, and will include a local talent show before each performance.

Dead Man’s Bones has apparently been a work in progress for a few years, according to Gosling’s first ever interview for the band with Pitchfork.com. And the children’s choir have been there from the start.

“We’d rather see a high school play as opposed to a Broadway show any day,” Gosling told Pitchfork. “Not that Broadway shows aren’t great, but there’s just something about a high school play…you’re not distracted by the achievements, you get to watch the process, the will to make something.”

Incidentally, the Silverlake Conservatory is a Los Angeles-based institution co-founded by Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. The choir joined Gosling, Shields and producer Tim Anderson (of Ima Robot) in the studio every Sunday afternoon for several months. On their own, Gosling and Shields followed a strict regime in an effort to maintain the rawest feel possible for the album. Besides a three-take limit and the outlaw of electric guitars, the duo tackle instruments for their first time, including piano, cello and drums.

The stripped-down approach comes in the wake of Gosling ‘sand Shields’ past encounters with industry execs trying to tweak their incongruities and refine their production styles.

“There was always some kind of function on the computer, a filter that would assimilate the thing that you wanted, and we didn’t understand why you couldn’t just record the thing that you wanted,” Gosling told Pitchfork. “Like, why you had to do the computerized version of it, why can’t you just record it? It’s more fun that way anyway, because you have to design a way to get that sound. For instance, if you want something to sound like it was on a PA system after a wedding and there’s a few people dancing, why not just create that situation and record that?”

The songs so far available on their MySpace page maintain an untreated vibe, with snippets of children’s laughter, instrumental falters and lopsided clapping rounds. But there is an element of polish coming from a couple of guys who know what they want their music to do. “My Body is a Zombie For You” has a haunting hook the Arcade Fire could have been responsible for, and “In the Room Where You Sleep” evokes a meeting between Morrissey and Tom Waits.

It all sounds a little weird, and it is. But Half Nelson was weird and Gosling landed himself an Oscar nomination for that one.

Hollywood’s Paul Newman Dead at 83

Jeremy Singer — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:56:12 +0000

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Tinseltown lost a bit of historic sparkle last night, as Oscar winning actor Paul Newman, died in his home at the age of 83 years old, due to cancer, said a spokesperson from CNN.

Newman, who starred in a variety of popular pieces such as “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”, “Exodus”, “Cool Hand Luke”, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, “The Sting” and “The Color of Money” was also well known for his heavy involvement as a philanthropist and received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 1994 Oscars.

His food company, “Newman’s Own”, donated all of the company’s after taxes profits to charity, which at the time of his death, is estimated to be more than $200 million over 15 years. Newman was also an avid supporter for “Hole in the Wall Gang Camp”, which he founded with author A.E. Hotchner in 1988. The camp provides camping experiences free-of-charge for children suffering from cancer and other serious illnesses and helps to support their families.

Born January 26th, 1925, Newman’s career as an actor began with a small role in the Pulitzer Prize winning Broadway play “Picnic”. However, it wasn’t until the mid-1950’s, after moving to Hollywood from Shaker Heights, Ohio, when he started to land star roles in movies such as his claim to fame, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (1958).

A slew of classic films would follow in the next decade such as “Sweet Bird of Youth,” “Hud,” and “Cool Hand Luke.”

“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “The Sting”, another pair the actor’s prime time performances, would be two films which were among the highest grossing of the era.

However, after 20 years in the industry and receiving seven Oscar nominations, the actor finally claimed his overdue little gold man in 1986 as Best Actor for his portrayal of “Fast” Eddie Felson in “The Color of Money”.

Newman would go on to rank a total of 10 Oscar nominations throughout his career.