Friday, March 29, 2024

Woody Allen’s Year: Oscar Push for “Paris,” and Broadway Cast Set

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I told you weeks and weeks ago — exclusively– about the three one act plays coming by Woody Allen, Elaine May, and Ethan Coen. I also told you that Marlo Thomas has been set to star in Elaine May’s one acter, called “George Is Dead,” since the project was first initiated. Now I can tell you that Marlo will only be in the Elaine May play. The Woody Allen and Ethan Coen plays–respectively called “Honeymoon Hotel” and “Talk Therapy”–will have overlapping casts.

Actors who’ve worked with both Woody and the Coen Brothers were selected for that reason–the great Julie Kavner (a Woody staple), Fred Melamed (featured in several Allen films and in the Coens’ “A Simple Man”), and Caroline Aaron–also a Woody favorite. Add to that group Steve Guttenberg, Danny Hoch and Grant Shaud–aka Miles from “Murphy Brown.” The whole enterprise is called “Relatively Speaking,” and will be directed by John Turturro, a Coen regular. This will be a hot, hot ticket.

I also told you back on June 16th that Woody’s “Midnight in Paris” was on track to become his biggest hit ever. All the copycat trade sites ran the same story…yesterday. Oh well. Technically, it’s already happened. “Paris” had made $46 million worldwide. Its $23 mil domestic beats both “Match Point” and “Vicki Cristina Barcelona.” In 1986, “Hannah and Her Sisters” did $40 million total. “Paris” will exceed that both domestic and worldwide.

Now comes the fun part: Sony Pictures Classics will make a big Oscar push for Best Picture, and for Woody as director and screenwriter, Owen Wilson and Marion Cotillard for Best Actor and Actress. I do think their best bet in the acting categories, though, is Corey Stoll, who plays Ernest Hemingway. Stoll is a TV actor with loads of credits, but no listed publicist. Corey, call Donna Daniels or Cynthia Swartz, and get going. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

How good are the chances? “Midnight in Paris” is the only movie released between January 1st and July 1st of Oscar caliber. It will certainly get enough votes to make a top 6 through 10 next December.

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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