Stunts given due

Harrison Ford co-starred in 'Cowboys & Aliens,' whose stunt pros were nommed. Veteran Hollywood stuntman and second-unit director Conrad E. Palmisano was once buried alive for a scene in 1977's "It Happened at Lakewood Manor."With his only source of oxygen coming from a small garden hose connected to him underground, he gave strict instructions to the surrounding film crew: "Bury me once, bury me good. I only want to do this once."It's this mix of levelheaded cool and keen mental focus to which Palmisano, who's worked most recently as a stunt double in CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" and "Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon," credits his success."When you start out in this career you think to yourself, this can't hurt me, it can only kill me," he deadpans. "Digital technology has made it much safer to perform stunts than it was two decades ago. Back then, you basically took your life in your hands."But while a slew of honors are presented each year by stunt biz insiders -- Taurus World Stunt Awards and the Stuntmen's Assn. of Motion Pictures Awards among them -- the SAG Awards and Primetime Emmys are the only major kudofests to feature a category for stunt coordination.As the Oscars continue to overlook their contribution to film, are stunt performers -- responsible for some of the most memorable scenes in movie history, from "Ben-Hur's" chariot race to "Bullitt's" famous car chase sequence -- getting their fair shake of industry praise?"Stunt performers get people into movie theaters every year and we deserve credit for that," says Palmisano, current chair of the SAG stunt and safety committee. "We perform part of the art and that should be acknowledged."On a certain level, Armstrong believes the Academy is vainly holding fast to the long retired notion that film is pure fantasy."In the 1940s and '50s, stuntmen were all hidden," he says. "Everybody wanted to believe that Errol Flynn did his own sword fighting and that Laurence Olivier did his own horseback riding. Today that's all changed. Because of videogames and the Internet, every 8-year-old knows of the existence of professional stuntmen and stuntwomen."Stunt coordinator Jane Austin ("Titanic," "Scream 3"), who's served on the national boards of both SAG and AFTRA, is confident that at some point in the future the Academy will give into the collective push to include a stunt category on its roster."We're delighted that SAG has put us in the category," says Austin. "My personal feeling is that this is a step closer to achieving recognition and acknowledgement at the Oscars.""SAG and the Emmys have honored us, so it's only time before the Oscars relent," agrees Palmisano. "It will happen."But not every stunt performer is vying for Oscar's attention."I like the anonymity," declares legendary stunt driver and stunt coordinator Gary Davis. "If my actor wants to say he's doing the stunt he should be able to do so. My job is to make him look good, not to take bows."SAG AWARDS 2012Idol of capri to acting icon | Howard talks up AFTRA merger | Acad, SAG share same voter pool | Partygoers relax, revel after the show | Stunts given due | Brisk pace gives winners last word | Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

The Brad Pitt Interview

Brad Pitt is a bit of a puzzle. One of the best character actors working today, he's trapped in a leading man's bone structure. And his choices defy traditional Hollywood logic; after bursting onto the scene in 1991 as the small-time hustler who seduces Geena Davis in "Thelma & Louise" and as the beatific brother of 1992's "A River Runs Through It," he likely had his pick of big movie roles. Instead, he grew a wild beard, had his front tooth chipped by a dentist, and appeared not to wash his hair for weeks to play a crazed killer in the indie "Kalifornia."Pitt's career would continue this somewhat schizophrenic pattern; for every big-budget blockbuster he appeared in ("Interview With a Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles," "Ocean's Eleven," "Troy"), he would lend his star power to a smaller movie that likely wouldn't have gotten made without his participation ("The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," "The Tree of Life"). Sometimes he found projects that combined prestige with box-office appeal, such as "Inglourious Basterds" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." But what seemed most important to Pitt was to work with the best filmmakers in the businessDavid Fincher, Quentin Tarantino, the Coen brothers, Terrence Malick. The size of his roles seemed secondary to being part of a great story.So it's no surprise that Pitt frequently cites great films of the 1970s and filmmakers such as Hal Ashby or actors such as Gene Hackman when talking about the works that inspired him. Last year, Pitt produced and starred in two features that he was drawn to largely because they reminded him of the films he loved growing up. In Malick's experimental drama "The Tree of Life," Pitt won raves for playing the strict father of two boys growing up in 1950s Texas. But it is "Moneyball" that has earned Pitt some of the best reviews of an esteemed career. As Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane, who implemented a scientific formula to assemble a winning baseball team with little money, Pitt charms, rages, and obsesses in a performance that is exhilarating to behold. And just this week, it earned Pitt his third Oscar nomination for acting.It would be easy to resent Pitt, an actor who makes everything he does look so natural. Take it from his "Moneyball" co-star Jonah Hill. "You know what sucks about Brad?" Hill says with a laugh. "Here's what sucks about him: He's super good at acting, he's got a great career, he's a great guy, and he's funnier than me! It's bullshitI am so sick of it. He can't let me have that one thing!"In addition to speaking at a recent Q&A, Pitt sat down with Back Stage to talk about his lengthy career.Back Stage: When did you first realize you wanted to be an actor? Brad Pitt: I grew up in Oklahoma and Missouri, and I just loved film. My folks would take us to the drive-in on summer nights, and we'd sit on the hood of the car. I just had this profound love for storytelling. I think it's just an amazing thing we get to do. We're so complex; we're mysteries to ourselves; we're difficult to each other. And then here's this storytelling that reminds us we're all the same. I consider it such a privilege. Back Stage: Did you have anyone who mentored you or really guided you in those early years? Pitt: When I first moved to L.A., I discovered Roy London. I didn't know anything about the arts, the profession; I had no technique, I knew nothing, I'm fresh from Missouri. I sat in on a few classes, and they just felt a little guru-ish and just didn't feel right to me. Until I met Roy. Back Stage: How did you find him? Pitt: I was taking all these odds jobs, and one of them was driving strippers around to bachelor parties. My job was to get them there, get them home, collect the money, play the music, and catch the clothes. For real. It was a very interesting education and paid really well, so I did it for three months and then decided I was going to move on. The boss said, "All right, but just come in one last night. I need you to do Sunday; I'm in a pinch." And this woman turned out to be dating an actor. I didn't know any actors or know anyone who knew any actors. She said she started this class an actor told her to go to. I asked for the name and went to check it out and felt like this was a really good direction. I learned so much from that man. I miss him. Back Stage: Did he teach a specific method or kind of create his own? Pitt: It was kind of based on Uta Hagen, but I think [Roy] really made it his own. He was tough, lovely, compassionate, tough. I give him full credit for pointing me in this direction. I studied with him for three years, I think, then started getting some work. Then I would work with him individually on projects. He loved film, and he loved storytelling. And he loved the individual and looking at what each person could bring to something.Back Stage: From the beginning of your career, you've made really interesting choices in your roles and collaborators. You could have just made big studio blockbustersand there's nothing wrong with those; I like them Pitt: You and me both. I enjoy them. But I actually wouldn't be very good at them. Back Stage: Why not? Pitt: It's just not my interest. I grew up on certain movies, particular movies that said something to me as a kid from Missouri, movies that showed me places I'd yet traveled, or different cultures, or explained something, or said something in a better way than I could ever say. I wanted to find the movies like that. It was less about a career than finding the films I wanted to see. Back Stage: You obviously play leading men, but I think of you as a character actor Pitt: I appreciate that!Back Stage: But because you are a star, did you ever worry you wouldn't get the character roles? Have you ever felt underrated as an actor? Pitt: No, I thought I could always get there or make that turn as long as they let me stay in the game. Listen, I've been pretty fortunate. And if I've been underrated, it's actually been something I've been able to work with; I can surprise people. It sets me up to exceed expectations, so I don't mind.Back Stage: What's your favorite part about being an actor? Pitt: I'm at an age now where I get to start looking back, I guess. And there are some really amazing people I've been able to hang out with and work with. Hollywood gets dubbed this place of extreme vanity and needinessand I guess it's therebut that's not the crowd I've seen or run with. I've found the most interesting, curious, engaging people in this funny thing we call storytelling. I love working with them, and I love the moment right before "Action" and the bell rings, and you don't know exactly what's going to happen; you just start following a vein of thought. And I love the surprises that come from that. And I love stories. I think it's an amazing thing we get to do; we get to contribute to the Zeitgeist of our time. I don't know how much relevance that haswe're not eradicating T.B.but I don't diminish it either. I think there's really something to getting to tell stories that investigate or laugh at what paradoxes and quizzical things we are.Back Stage: You've also gotten into producing, and spent years trying to get "Moneyball" made. How did the story find its way to you, and what attracted you to it? Pitt: Aaron Sorkin described the making of this film the other day. He said, "There are easy films, there are difficult films, then there's 50 feet of crap, then there's 'Heaven's Gate,' then there's us." It was an arduous undertaking. There was a first attempt at a script, and I felt there was something there, but it was geared to more of a major league kind of slant, more comedic. Then I read the book and became rather obsessed with this man's story, who was labeled a failure in some ways. And these ideas of valuehow we value ourselves, what are we worth to each other, and is this system even accurate? And then we started. Economics is not the most edge-of-your-seat subject matter, so it took us a few years to get it right. And we found [director] Bennett Miller. He's not getting enough credit for how much authorship he has of the film. I think he's going to be one of our best. Back Stage: What was the most unusual or difficult part about making the film? Pitt: Something that I think is particularly interesting to actors: Bennett was intent on bringing in real baseball insiders. Therefore they're not actors, a lot of the baseball players and scouts; they're not trained as we are. And he very wisely said, "Don't say the lines; put them in your own words." Then it became incumbent on us to respond to that, which can be very exhausting. You've got to be on your toes at all times. And these guys know baseball certainly more than we do. The interesting thingand it was the same thing in "Tree of Life," working with kids who didn't know the script and weren't actorsthere's a spontaneity that happens; there's a freshness that happens that's up on the screen that I really, really enjoy. I'm questioning myself how to bring it into future projects, because I think it makes that little bit of difference in what we do become more alive. You are really in the moment. I hope to be able to do more of that. Back Stage: You were also a producer on "Tree of Life." Is it true you didn't originally intend on acting in it? Pitt: Yeah. Our actor fell out, and suddenly the film was in jeopardy, and it was looking like it was going to go away. So I said, "Fuck itI'll do it." That movie was a challenge to get made and get the money for. Terry and I grew up in similar kind of country environments, and we certainly have a kinship.Back Stage: Another director you've collaborated with a lot is David Fincher. Pitt: He's a great friend. Sharp as a knife and wickedly funny. I will absolutely be working with him again. Back Stage: What do you make of his reputation for doing multiple takes of a scene? Pitt: It's not [Laughs.] You know, it's not true. There are times when it's a big technical thing and that happens. But it is this moniker he's received. But once it's down, it's there, it's in concrete. Back Stage: And isn't it a good thing to be able to do lots of takes? Pitt: It can be. But on "Tree of Life" we just did two takes on everything. And the second take was completely different from the first. So I can go either way.Back Stage: Although I'm assuming you haven't had to audition in years, what is your take on the audition experience? Pitt: Bennett talks about this a lot; a lot of times, what it takes to get elected to office has nothing to do with what it takes to govern. I find that true about the auditioning process, as well. You're sitting in a room, and you all kind of look alike, and you're all going over your lines, and you can hear the audition going on inside. And you have these few pages of black lines on white paper, and it says you smile here, you do this there. You start hearing the same thing over and over. Now you think of the people on the other side there, the people that are running the casting sessions. By the third, the fourth, the 10th, the 20th, they're hearing the same thing, and then suddenly somebody comes in and does something different. And it lands. Now you can't be different for different's sake, and this doesn't always work, but you have to separate yourself from the normal read. Of course, it has to be truthful. If it's not truthful, don't waste your time. I think that's a key thing that took me a while to figure out. Back Stage: Is there anything else you know now that you wish you'd known at the beginning of your career? Pitt: When you first get opportunities, suddenly you get surrounded by a lot of people who want to make money off you but also are there to help. But they start telling you so much what you need to be and what you need to do to maintain some idea of career maintenance. When you start out, it's very discombobulating, and you are ill-defined at that point as far as direction, what stories are personal to you. So there's two things I'm saying here; at that point, I wish I knew just to follow what was interesting to me. Because we're actors, we want to tell stories, we want to tell personal stories. And not just something you can plug any one of us in and basically get the same thing. Get into something that's really personal that means something to you, where you have something to say and is something really individualized. I wish I was more aware of that then instead of doing a few things I was told would be good for me. And they weren't, because it left me empty, so I didn't do a good job anyways. I think that's what's key to what we do: It's got to be personal.What's So Funny? At a Jan. 15 Q&A sponsored by Back Stage and SAG Foundation, Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill spoke to a packed house about their work on "Moneyball." One topic of discussion was a blooper reel on the DVD that features Pitt laughing hysterically for almost a full three minutes. The scene in question is one near the end of the film, when Hill tries to show him video of a baseball player who hit a home run without realizing it, and Pitt attempts to collect himself several times, to no avail. When asked what he was laughing about, Pitt put the blame on his co-star. "I can't tell you what he said. It's so wrong. So wrong," Pitt said. "This is the guy who did 'Superbad.' Just head in that direction, then go further." Though he wouldn't reveal what he said, Hill responded, "Movie shoots, sometimes you're there for like 12 or 15 hours, and sometimes you get joy out of trying to make the other person laugh when you're not on camera. I think that is one of the gifts of being an actor, is trying to see how someone handles it when they're getting told the dumbest things on the planet, and they have to actually react like they're watching something serious or they're moved by something. I had a really great time." Quipped Pitt, "I know you did." By Jenelle Riley January 25, 2012 Brad Pitt in "Moneyball" Brad Pitt is a bit of a puzzle. One of the best character actors working today, he's trapped in a leading man's bone structure. And his choices defy traditional Hollywood logic; after bursting onto the scene in 1991 as the small-time hustler who seduces Geena Davis in "Thelma & Louise" and as the beatific brother of 1992's "A River Runs Through It," he likely had his pick of big movie roles. Instead, he grew a wild beard, had his front tooth chipped by a dentist, and appeared not to wash his hair for weeks to play a crazed killer in the indie "Kalifornia."Pitt's career would continue this somewhat schizophrenic pattern; for every big-budget blockbuster he appeared in ("Interview With a Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles," "Ocean's Eleven," "Troy"), he would lend his star power to a smaller movie that likely wouldn't have gotten made without his participation ("The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford," "The Tree of Life"). Sometimes he found projects that combined prestige with box-office appeal, such as "Inglourious Basterds" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." But what seemed most important to Pitt was to work with the best filmmakers in the businessDavid Fincher, Quentin Tarantino, the Coen brothers, Terrence Malick. The size of his roles seemed secondary to being part of a great story.So it's no surprise that Pitt frequently cites great films of the 1970s and filmmakers such as Hal Ashby or actors such as Gene Hackman when talking about the works that inspired him. Last year, Pitt produced and starred in two features that he was drawn to largely because they reminded him of the films he loved growing up. In Malick's experimental drama "The Tree of Life," Pitt won raves for playing the strict father of two boys growing up in 1950s Texas. But it is "Moneyball" that has earned Pitt some of the best reviews of an esteemed career. As Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane, who implemented a scientific formula to assemble a winning baseball team with little money, Pitt charms, rages, and obsesses in a performance that is exhilarating to behold. And just this week, it earned Pitt his third Oscar nomination for acting.It would be easy to resent Pitt, an actor who makes everything he does look so natural. Take it from his "Moneyball" co-star Jonah Hill. "You know what sucks about Brad?" Hill says with a laugh. "Here's what sucks about him: He's super good at acting, he's got a great career, he's a great guy, and he's funnier than me! It's bullshitI am so sick of it. He can't let me have that one thing!"In addition to speaking at a recent Q&A, Pitt sat down with Back Stage to talk about his lengthy career.Back Stage: When did you first realize you wanted to be an actor? Brad Pitt: I grew up in Oklahoma and Missouri, and I just loved film. My folks would take us to the drive-in on summer nights, and we'd sit on the hood of the car. I just had this profound love for storytelling. I think it's just an amazing thing we get to do. We're so complex; we're mysteries to ourselves; we're difficult to each other. And then here's this storytelling that reminds us we're all the same. I consider it such a privilege. Back Stage: Did you have anyone who mentored you or really guided you in those early years? Pitt: When I first moved to L.A., I discovered Roy London. I didn't know anything about the arts, the profession; I had no technique, I knew nothing, I'm fresh from Missouri. I sat in on a few classes, and they just felt a little guru-ish and just didn't feel right to me. Until I met Roy. Back Stage: How did you find him? Pitt: I was taking all these odds jobs, and one of them was driving strippers around to bachelor parties. My job was to get them there, get them home, collect the money, play the music, and catch the clothes. For real. It was a very interesting education and paid really well, so I did it for three months and then decided I was going to move on. The boss said, "All right, but just come in one last night. I need you to do Sunday; I'm in a pinch." And this woman turned out to be dating an actor. I didn't know any actors or know anyone who knew any actors. She said she started this class an actor told her to go to. I asked for the name and went to check it out and felt like this was a really good direction. I learned so much from that man. I miss him. Back Stage: Did he teach a specific method or kind of create his own? Pitt: It was kind of based on Uta Hagen, but I think [Roy] really made it his own. He was tough, lovely, compassionate, tough. I give him full credit for pointing me in this direction. I studied with him for three years, I think, then started getting some work. Then I would work with him individually on projects. He loved film, and he loved storytelling. And he loved the individual and looking at what each person could bring to something.Back Stage: From the beginning of your career, you've made really interesting choices in your roles and collaborators. You could have just made big studio blockbustersand there's nothing wrong with those; I like them Pitt: You and me both. I enjoy them. But I actually wouldn't be very good at them. Back Stage: Why not? Pitt: It's just not my interest. I grew up on certain movies, particular movies that said something to me as a kid from Missouri, movies that showed me places I'd yet traveled, or different cultures, or explained something, or said something in a better way than I could ever say. I wanted to find the movies like that. It was less about a career than finding the films I wanted to see. Back Stage: You obviously play leading men, but I think of you as a character actor Pitt: I appreciate that!Back Stage: But because you are a star, did you ever worry you wouldn't get the character roles? Have you ever felt underrated as an actor? Pitt: No, I thought I could always get there or make that turn as long as they let me stay in the game. Listen, I've been pretty fortunate. And if I've been underrated, it's actually been something I've been able to work with; I can surprise people. It sets me up to exceed expectations, so I don't mind.Back Stage: What's your favorite part about being an actor? Pitt: I'm at an age now where I get to start looking back, I guess. And there are some really amazing people I've been able to hang out with and work with. Hollywood gets dubbed this place of extreme vanity and needinessand I guess it's therebut that's not the crowd I've seen or run with. I've found the most interesting, curious, engaging people in this funny thing we call storytelling. I love working with them, and I love the moment right before "Action" and the bell rings, and you don't know exactly what's going to happen; you just start following a vein of thought. And I love the surprises that come from that. And I love stories. I think it's an amazing thing we get to do; we get to contribute to the Zeitgeist of our time. I don't know how much relevance that haswe're not eradicating T.B.but I don't diminish it either. I think there's really something to getting to tell stories that investigate or laugh at what paradoxes and quizzical things we are.Back Stage: You've also gotten into producing, and spent years trying to get "Moneyball" made. How did the story find its way to you, and what attracted you to it? Pitt: Aaron Sorkin described the making of this film the other day. He said, "There are easy films, there are difficult films, then there's 50 feet of crap, then there's 'Heaven's Gate,' then there's us." It was an arduous undertaking. There was a first attempt at a script, and I felt there was something there, but it was geared to more of a major league kind of slant, more comedic. Then I read the book and became rather obsessed with this man's story, who was labeled a failure in some ways. And these ideas of valuehow we value ourselves, what are we worth to each other, and is this system even accurate? And then we started. Economics is not the most edge-of-your-seat subject matter, so it took us a few years to get it right. And we found [director] Bennett Miller. He's not getting enough credit for how much authorship he has of the film. I think he's going to be one of our best. Back Stage: What was the most unusual or difficult part about making the film? Pitt: Something that I think is particularly interesting to actors: Bennett was intent on bringing in real baseball insiders. Therefore they're not actors, a lot of the baseball players and scouts; they're not trained as we are. And he very wisely said, "Don't say the lines; put them in your own words." Then it became incumbent on us to respond to that, which can be very exhausting. You've got to be on your toes at all times. And these guys know baseball certainly more than we do. The interesting thingand it was the same thing in "Tree of Life," working with kids who didn't know the script and weren't actorsthere's a spontaneity that happens; there's a freshness that happens that's up on the screen that I really, really enjoy. I'm questioning myself how to bring it into future projects, because I think it makes that little bit of difference in what we do become more alive. You are really in the moment. I hope to be able to do more of that. Back Stage: You were also a producer on "Tree of Life." Is it true you didn't originally intend on acting in it? Pitt: Yeah. Our actor fell out, and suddenly the film was in jeopardy, and it was looking like it was going to go away. So I said, "Fuck itI'll do it." That movie was a challenge to get made and get the money for. Terry and I grew up in similar kind of country environments, and we certainly have a kinship.Back Stage: Another director you've collaborated with a lot is David Fincher. Pitt: He's a great friend. Sharp as a knife and wickedly funny. I will absolutely be working with him again. Back Stage: What do you make of his reputation for doing multiple takes of a scene? Pitt: It's not [Laughs.] You know, it's not true. There are times when it's a big technical thing and that happens. But it is this moniker he's received. But once it's down, it's there, it's in concrete. Back Stage: And isn't it a good thing to be able to do lots of takes? Pitt: It can be. But on "Tree of Life" we just did two takes on everything. And the second take was completely different from the first. So I can go either way.Back Stage: Although I'm assuming you haven't had to audition in years, what is your take on the audition experience? Pitt: Bennett talks about this a lot; a lot of times, what it takes to get elected to office has nothing to do with what it takes to govern. I find that true about the auditioning process, as well. You're sitting in a room, and you all kind of look alike, and you're all going over your lines, and you can hear the audition going on inside. And you have these few pages of black lines on white paper, and it says you smile here, you do this there. You start hearing the same thing over and over. Now you think of the people on the other side there, the people that are running the casting sessions. By the third, the fourth, the 10th, the 20th, they're hearing the same thing, and then suddenly somebody comes in and does something different. And it lands. Now you can't be different for different's sake, and this doesn't always work, but you have to separate yourself from the normal read. Of course, it has to be truthful. If it's not truthful, don't waste your time. I think that's a key thing that took me a while to figure out. Back Stage: Is there anything else you know now that you wish you'd known at the beginning of your career? Pitt: When you first get opportunities, suddenly you get surrounded by a lot of people who want to make money off you but also are there to help. But they start telling you so much what you need to be and what you need to do to maintain some idea of career maintenance. When you start out, it's very discombobulating, and you are ill-defined at that point as far as direction, what stories are personal to you. So there's two things I'm saying here; at that point, I wish I knew just to follow what was interesting to me. Because we're actors, we want to tell stories, we want to tell personal stories. And not just something you can plug any one of us in and basically get the same thing. Get into something that's really personal that means something to you, where you have something to say and is something really individualized. I wish I was more aware of that then instead of doing a few things I was told would be good for me. And they weren't, because it left me empty, so I didn't do a good job anyways. I think that's what's key to what we do: It's got to be personal.What's So Funny? At a Jan. 15 Q&A sponsored by Back Stage and SAG Foundation, Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill spoke to a packed house about their work on "Moneyball." One topic of discussion was a blooper reel on the DVD that features Pitt laughing hysterically for almost a full three minutes. The scene in question is one near the end of the film, when Hill tries to show him video of a baseball player who hit a home run without realizing it, and Pitt attempts to collect himself several times, to no avail. When asked what he was laughing about, Pitt put the blame on his co-star. "I can't tell you what he said. It's so wrong. So wrong," Pitt said. "This is the guy who did 'Superbad.' Just head in that direction, then go further." Though he wouldn't reveal what he said, Hill responded, "Movie shoots, sometimes you're there for like 12 or 15 hours, and sometimes you get joy out of trying to make the other person laugh when you're not on camera. I think that is one of the gifts of being an actor, is trying to see how someone handles it when they're getting told the dumbest things on the planet, and they have to actually react like they're watching something serious or they're moved by something. I had a really great time." Quipped Pitt, "I know you did."

Connecting over bard

Patti Cruz and Jessica Chastain Vanessa Redgrave and Rob Fiennes bring their mother-and-boy act towards the preem. Bob Balaban and Susan Sarandon Celine Rattray, Trudie Straightener and Paul Haggis party in the Royalton's Forty Four. Susan Sarandon had lots of compliments for friend Rob Fiennes, who introduced Shakespeare's "Coriolanus" to NY City Tuesday evening."I am just here to carry his hands," Sarandon stated of Fiennes, making his movie directorial debut.Fiennes was became a member of around the red-colored carpet by co-stars Vanessa Redgrave and Jessica Chastain, who were built with a little moment of her very own in the Forty Four afterparty."I'd no clue Susan Sarandon would be around! I have never met her! I'm able to hardly speak at this time, I am stuttering!" gushed Chastain, who continued to divulge her plans for that publish-honours season. "I am likely to Hawaii. And I am not likely to bring my telephone. Because I've not taken a holiday.Inch Meanwhile, Fiennes revealed what it really was prefer to direct Redgrave, who plays his mother within the pic. "Vanessa includes a quite strong response to a component. And That I felt it smart to pay attention and embrace what she was recommending," he stated.Also available for Fiennes' debut were Liam Neeson, Laura Linney and Harvey Weinstein, who introduced the Weinstein Co. film having a couple of jokes inspired through the Golden Globes."I acquired known to as a few names. When Meryl Streep stated 'God,' three of my children e-mailed me simultaneously after which Used to do a job interview having a dog two hrs later," stated Weinstein, mentioning to "The Artist's" Uggie. "Fame is fleeting in Hollywood." Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Actor Breaks Hands Throughout Onstage Slap

The thing that was stated to become an imitation slap increased to become genuine smack a week ago within the Huntington Theatre Company's output of "God of Carnage." 30 minutes just before the conclusion in the Jan. 14 matinee, Tony-Award-nominee Johanna Day, who plays Veronica, broke her hands when slapping cast member Stephen Bogardus within a scene. He wasn't hurt. A fight director had choreographed the scene, but a Huntington representative told Playbill.com, "Something simply went amiss this time around around around."Day finished the performance after which it visited a health care facility, where she was recognized getting a broken bone in their hands. The Jan. 14 evening performance was cancelled, as well as the production began again shows the very next day with modified fight choreography. Huntington's "God of Carnage" is scheduled to use through Feb. 6. .

Golden Globes Those who win Include George Clooney, Michelle Williams

The 2012 Golden Globe Honours wasn't as questionable or lewd as Ough Gervais' memorable turn as host finally year's show indeed, this time around around, the British comedian's jokes were missing a number of that signature sting however the outcome was believe it or not interesting for cinephiles keeping a careful eye on the highway towards Oscar. As numerous expected, "The Artist" and "The Descendants" were the large those who win from the evening, with Best Film wins for films in addition to Best Actor honours for Jean Dujardin and George Clooney. But there have been surprises within the mix too, including what's surely a globally approved victory for "Hugo" director Martin Scorsese, a script jerk for Woodsy Allen's "Night time in Paris" along with a Best Actress - Comedy award for Michelle Williams. Mind on to MTV News for the full listing of the 2011 Golden Globes those who win. Click for that 2012 Golden Globes those who win!

Kiefer Sutherland Returns to TV in touch: Bid farewell to Jack Bauer

Touch, Kiefer Sutherland Here's the primary one factor Kiefer Sutherland and Tim Kring want you to learn about their forthcoming Fox series Touch: It's nothing can beat 24. (Although we'd fun trying to attract critiques!) Whereas the terrorist-destroying, world-saving hero Jack Bauer was the kind of pent-up angst and repressed emotion, Sutherland's new alter ego, Martin Bohm, might be the precise opposite. Touch, the newest from Heroes boss Kring, notifies the story of widower Martin Bohm, the dad from the mute boy who provides hiding for that uncanny capacity for connecting designs and uncover this really is behind apparently unrelated occasions happening around the world. Start Searching: Watch Kiefer Sutherland make an effort to save the earth again in Fox's Touch Sutherland mentioned the advantage of playing Martin was his total contrast to Jack. "The possibility I'd in 24 wound up being to repress," he told reporters Sunday throughout Fox's winter TV preview. "[With Martin,] freely showing and becoming emotional reactions regarding the is happening in this exact moment is an additional fantastic chance." "In 24, the repression got heavier and heavier. Hopefully, this could become progressively more open," he mentioned. Also: Martin, unlike Jack, "reaches sit lower," Sutherland joked. "He reaches sit lower this will let you conversation." The:must-see new shows in the midseason As well as the versions don't finish there. Touch is certainly an unapologetically feel-good series, telling stand-alone, frequently sentimental tales of humanity's interconnectedness Heroes fans shouldn't expect the identical quantity of serialization. "Each week is really a different number of figures together with another slice-of-existence story," Kring mentioned. The solutions for the show's overarching mystery - the story behind Jake's gift - won't be overlooked, additionally they won't function as series' driving narrative. Kring isn't divulging any hints about people solutions yet either except to convey that Jake's abilities won't be treated like superpowers à la Heroes. Concurrently, "as storytellers, you need to reserve the idea to indicate that there are another factor, something supernatural or other, floating above this." More valuable to Kring is foregrounding Touch's uber-positive theme. "I've been considering this idea of interconnectivity for just about any super very long time. This really is really an chance to carry on I guess what happens you'd call 'social-benefit storytelling'... creating and marketing an positive energy in the world.In . See the trailer for Touch, which premieres Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 9/8c on Fox:

Start searching at Jeremy Renner in Bourne

The initial official image has turned up within the Bourne Legacy, plus it provides a preliminary have a look at Jeremy Renner as Jason Bourne's alternative - arse-kicking super-spy Aaron Mix.Wearing a dark leather jacket and grey t-shirt, it seems as though Mix remains raiding Bourne's wardrobe while he's been away. Tut-tut.In many honesty, the appearance doesn't reveal a lot of about what you should expect within the film, suffice to convey that Renner will get the steely-eyed power of your average Treadstone operative lower with a artwork.The film is not a reboot alone, rather another story told within the parameters in the existing Bourne world. The film will probably be directed by Tony Gilroy, who needs to be a dab hands at maintaining continuity, thinking about he was film author round the first three films.Renner will probably be grew to become part of by Rachel Weisz, Albert Finney, Joan Allen and Oscar Isaac, with Edward Norton on villain duties. The Bourne Legacy is released in Uk cinemas on 17 August 2012.

Benedict Cumberbatch is Star Trek 2 villain

Star Trek 2 has finally bagged itself a villain, and we're delighted to reveal that it's none other than Sherlock himself, Benedict Cumberbatch!For months it had seemed as though Benicio Del Toro would be cast in J.J. Abrams' sequel, but the Puerto Rican actor reportedly passed on the opportunity over a pay dispute.Now the door has swung open for Cumberbatch, who has seized upon what is surely the biggest role of his career to date. Combined with his vocal role as Smaug the dragon in The Hobbit, it seems as though his place on Hollywood's A-list is all but confirmed.As for who he might play, details have yet to be released at this point. Khan Noonien Singh, the villain originally played by Ricardo Montalban, was the hot favourite when Del Toro was attached, and we don't see why that would necessarily have changed now Cumberbatch is in place.In any case, it's great to see the multi-talented Cumberbatch get a chance to shine in a Hollywood blockbuster, and we can't wait to see him bring his signature brand of icy detachment to the Star Trek universe.He'll also be joined on set by another British actor in the form of Noel Clarke, who has also signed on for an as-yet unnamed role. Details are scarce at present, but Variety reports that Clarke will play "a family man with a wife and young daughter." Hmm, who fancies his chance of survival then?Star Trek 2 is released in the US on 17 May 2013, with a UK release date yet to be confirmed.

Album sales post first gain since 2004

Adele - '21'Thanks in great measure to soulful young English singer Adele, album sales crept up 1.3% in the U.S. during 2011 to mark the biz's first gain since 2004, according to year-end figures released Wednesday by Nielsen SoundScan.Overall music sales (comprising albums, singles, musicvideo and digital tracks) rose almost 7% year-to-year, vs. a 2.4% decline in 2010. Industry shifted a total of 1.6 billion units.Last year, album sales totaled 330.6 million units, vs. 326.2 million in 2010.Adele's unflagging megahit "21" -- which returned to No. 1 in its 45th chart week at year's end -- lofted domestic numbers by shifting 5.82 million units since its March arrival.The Columbia album -- the first to move more than 5 million in a year since Usher's "Confessions," which sold 7.98 million in 2004 -- was the driver for album sales, which had witnessed six previous years of steady decline. In 2010, total album sales spiraled down nearly 12.8%."Christmas," Canadian crooner Michael Buble's late-year gift to the industry, was the year's No. 2 title, but "21" still more than doubled its 2.45 million-unit score.The only other title to move more than 2 million copies was diva Lady Gaga's "Born This Way," which sold 2.1 million. Set debuted at No. 1 with a 1.1 million-unit tally after it was heavily discounted to 99 at Amazon.com in its opening week, and the blowout tag led to institution of a minimum price threshold of $3.49 for chart albums.The year's other top albums were rapper Lil Wayne's "Tha Carter IV" (1.9 million) and country singer Jason Aldean's steady-selling 2010 collection "My Kinda Party" (almost 1.6 million).Adele's super-hot set was also a factor in booming digital album sales figures, which soared nearly 20% to 103.1 million units. The field was led by "21," with 1.8 million copies downloaded.Compact disc sales continued to erode, falling almost 6% during the last 12 months with 223.5 million sold.Adele's inescapable No. 1 single "Rolling in the Deep" was the year's top digital song with 5.81 million copies sold. LMFAO's "Party Rock Anthem" (5.47 million) and Katy Perry's "E.T." (4.83 million) were the other digital bestsellers. The top two numbers were the first singles to track more than 5 million downloads in a year.Following a virtually flat 2010, digital track sales climbed 8.5% last year to a record 1.27 billion units.Vinyl continued its comeback, as 3.9 million LPs were sold last year (up 36.3%), outdoing the 2.8 million tally for 2010.After a steep 15% drop last year, catalog albums witnessed a 9% gain to 151.2 million units in 2011, while current albums slipped 4.2% to 122.7 million units.In terms of market share, perennial leader Universal Music Group staved off a strong challenge from Sony Music Entertainment. UMG captured 29.85% of total album market share, vs. 29.29% for SME, which rode Adele's cresting popularity.No. 3 label unit Warner Music Group took 19.13% of the album business, while No. 4 EMI Music took a slim 9.44% slice.The domestic market share landscape will likely be much different at the end of 2012, since UMG's pending acquisition of EMI's label interests should be completed by then, creating a major label playing field of just three companies.On this week's chart, "21" gains one position and retakes the No. 1 post for a 14th non-consecutive week. Despite a 64% post-Christmas plunge, the Columbia collection still managed a 144,000-unit frame, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures for the week ending Dec. 31.Brit singer's 2008 debut "19" witnessed a chart upswing, just missing the top 10 with a 35,000-unit stanza, good for a six-position gain to No. 11 in spite of a 50% drop.The last chart of 2011 reflects typical double-digit year-end declines for most titles, as sales cooled following the holidays. Several of the week's top sellers benefited from iTunes discounting.Trailing Adele in the top five by several lengths are Drake's "Take Care" (No. 2, 72,000 sold, off 45%), Young Jeezy's "TM 103: Hustlerz Ambition" (No. 3, 67,000, down 71%), Lady Antebellum's "Own the Night" (No. 4, 54,000, off 51%) and LMFAO's "Sorry For Party Rocking" (No. 5, 49,000, down 34%).At the rear of the top 10 pack were Florence & the Machine's "Ceremonials" (No. 6, 47,000, down 25%), the Black Keys' "El Camino" (No. 7, 45,000, off 51%), Coldplay's "Mylo Xyloto" (No. 8, 44,000, down 48%), Rihanna's "Talk That Talk" (No. 9, 42,000, off 58%) and the "Now 40" hits package (No. 10, 41,000, down 53%). Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com