Nicole Kidman did NOT endorse Donald Trump in a BBC interview. Before this gets out of control, you can hear what Nicole said at 13:49 on this video. She’s promoting her wonderful movie, “Lion.” Nicole, a longtime Democratic donor by the way, does say “he’s now elected…however that happened, he’s there and let’s go.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but a very Aussie resignation to a bad deal. She’s extremely tactful which is right since she is not thought of as American (although she was born in Hawaii). The whole interview is worth viewing because Kidman is so articulate and thoughtful.
Review: Cate Blanchett Makes an Astounding Broadway Debut with Richard Roxburgh in “The Present”
You think you know Cate Blanchett from her sensational film résumé and two Oscars. But you haven’t seen her on stage. A limited group got to see her a couple of years ago with Joel Edgerton in “A Streetcar Named Desire” out in Brooklyn at BAM. But now here she is, at the Ethel Barrymore Theater on West 47th St. and you know she’s got “The Present” in hand.
Blanchett’s director-writer husband Andrew Upton has adapted Anton Chekhov’s unfinished play sometimes called “Wild Honey” or “Platonov” for his wife’s Broadway debut. They’ve brought over members of their Sydney theater group for the limited run (through March 19th). Michael Frayn directed Ian McKellen in a hit version in 1986 in New York.
Upton’s version is pretty great and very different than the Frayn one; Chekhov is probably amused by it in heaven. Upton has retained a lot of the Chekhov but updated it. You do hear the ‘f’ word a lot, references to climate change, and a lot of The Clash used as bumper music. This is not your grandad’s Chekhov. He’s also condensed four acts into two, with a running time (including intermission) of three hours.
Believe or not, the time passes quickly. Upton has found lots of humor and spread it wisely. The audience I saw it with last night was enthralled. There are a lot of laughs. while still retaining the drama of the main character– a rogue schoolmaster named Platonov (Richard Roxburgh) who cannot keep seducing the ladies at his old friend Anna Petrovna’s (Blanchett) Russian estate. Her friends have arrived for her 40th birthday, and you know, a lot will be revealed about her older husband, her three stepsons, and miscellaneous guests.
Give Blanchett a lot of credit because Platonov is the main character no matter how much is updated for Anna. Roxborough doesn’t steal the show, he just occupies the center of it, and he’s a revelation. Even Blanchett knows it. When I saw her after the show, the first thing she said to me was, “How did you like Richard?”
Let’s say Roxburgh leads the magnificent supporting cast. But “The Present” cast is an ensemble, only that Blanchett cannot keep from being the centerpiece. Watching her is seeing a legend at work in her heyday. She is so comfortable on stage you know she could keep going after the third hour. She’s loving Anna, and all the plot twists and turns. The machinations at the estate never get dull.
Indeed, there are fireworks, explosions, gun shots, smoke. Again, no one is knitting on the front porch. And a party sequence toward the end of Act 1 is enough reason to see this production again and again. Anna’s 40th birthday party literally explodes on stage, and the denouement after this catalyst is equal to its highest points. Irish director John Crowley brings Upton’s ideas to life, and it’s interesting– the Irish really get Chekhov. Three years ago I saw an Irish adaptation (directed by Max Stafford Clark, starring Trudie Styler) that got raves. Who knew?
But do see Cate Blanchett now if you can. This is like seeing Janet McTeer–she’s the real real thing, we’ll be talking about Anna Petrovna long after the show closes. And the Tony Awards– this is for them.
Directors Guild Surprise! Nom for “Lion”– No Eastwood, Scorsese, Denzel, Mel Gibson
“Lion” is a huge surprise nominee from the Directors Guild awards– director Garth Davis is in, and it’s the best news of the movie season. “Lion” is the favorite movie of so many people, and it’s trailed behind in kudos severely. Well played by Harvey Weinstein and co.
The other nominees are Kenny Lonergan for “Manchester,” Damien Chazelle for “La La Land,” Denis Villeneuve for “Arrival” and Barry Jenkins for “Moonlight.”
Not nominated are Martin Scorsese for “Silence,” Denzel Washington for “Fences,” Clint Eastwood for “Sully,” and Mel Gibson (thank god) for “Hacksaw Ridge.”
The DGA is the best predictor of the top 5 movies, which means the four we were used to, plus “Lion,” are now the leaders in the Oscar race.
The other four, just as deserving, should nevertheless include “Fences.”
“Lion” — which has strong supporting acting from Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel, plus an excellent screenplay and Oscar worthy cinematography–now makes a strong bid for Best Picture. No kidding. The Golden Globes sort of ate up the enthusiasm for “La La Land” and “Moonlight.” At least with the DGA, we now have a real dark horse in the race.
Hot stuff. And even if this is the farthest Garth Davis gets for now, next season we him directing Rooney Mara in “Mary Magdalene.” So stay tuned…
Davis sent out this statement: “I am both humbled and astonished at this great honour. Deepest thanks to the DGA for these nominations – I can’t thank you enough for this support. Love and thanks goes to the entire cast and crew, whose immense passion and commitment made this possible, and to the Brierley family – your trust and openness touched us so deeply and allowed us to do our best work on LION. Thank you to my family, and to all the families of the crew that support us in all we do.”
Paris Jackson Angry Joseph Fiennes Playing Michael Jackson in Brit TV Show: “It honestly makes me want to vomit”
On Twitter today, Michael Jackson’s very astute daughter Paris commented on her father being played by actor Joseph Fiennes in a British comedy for SKY Television. “Urban Myths” is a series of 30 minute comedy sketches about things that never happened– but people believe they did. This was about Michael, Liz Taylor and Marlon Brando driving cross country from New York to LA after 9-11.
Last year I wrote that the idea of Fiennes playing Michael was not a good one. When I saw the clip the other day. I wrote that it wasn’t so bad– it’s a comedy and nothing can take away from Michael Jackson.
But my opinion doesn’t count when it comes to Paris or Michael’s other children. They have a right to be upset and to say so. I think Paris has put it very succinctly here. Again, this is for British TV, I don’t know if we’ll see it here. But I will endorse Paris’s opinion, largely because of the three stars potrayed in the show, Michael comes off as most buffoonish.
Paris wrote in three separate Tweets:
“i’m so incredibly offended by it, as i’m sure plenty of people are as well, and it honestly makes me want to vomit.it angers me to see how obviously intentional it was for them to be this insulting, not just towards my father, but my godmother liz as well..where is the respect? they worked through blood sweat and tears for ages to create such profound and remarkable legacies. shameful portrayal..he [Michael Jackson] made a point of it plenty of times to express his pride in his roots. he would never have wanted this..”
PS Paris made a low key appearance at the Golden Globes, even got a picture taken with Jimmy Fallon in the Bev Hilton garage. She wore a beautiful gown to the InStyle/Warner Bros. party. It looks like she had a good time. And I’m sending get well wishes to her mom, Debbie Rowe, who’s a real fighter and a winner…
Theatre: Deborah Cox Wowing Whitney Houston Fans as “The Bodyguard” Musical Hits the Road
There’s no better tribute to Whitney Houston than what pop and Broadway star Deborah Cox is doing right now: she’s starring in the national tour of the musical “The Bodyguard” singing Whitney’s hits as a nod to the late diva’s memory.
“It’s a real treat,” Deborah told my by phone recently. “We were label mates at Arista Records. We’d see each other at all the events.
Cox, like Whitney, was a Clive Davis protege. A decade younger than Whitney, Cox had a lot of hits for Davis, but none bigger than “No One’s Supposed to Be Here” in 1999. It was a top 10 smash, and launched her for good. “I came up listening to Whitney,” she adds.
But Cox also came from theater, unlike Whitney, and couldn’t help but get back in that game. In 2004, she made her Broadway debut when she joined Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida.” Since then she’s been able to mix pop and Broadway effortlessly. “When Clive saw me in Aida, he said, You’ve got to continue this, too,” Cox recalls.
Davis has been very supportive of Cox playing Rachel Marron in the new musical. “He told me about the part seven years ago, and pushed me for it.”
The idea is to bring “The Bodyguard” to Broadway after the tour, sometime next year. The show just finished a very successful run at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey– where many Broadway shows come from. The musical adds Whitney hits to the movie’s soundtrack (still the number 1 movie soundtrack of all time). But the song everyone waits for is “I Will Always Love You.” It’s the 13th number of the night for Cox, which isn’t easy considering she’s got to belt it out and make it perfect.
“I know the pressure,” she told me. She goes on vocal rest, doesn’t speak, just sips water. She’s also battling the temperature in the theatre. Remember– Whitney used to turn off the air conditioning. “I keep a humidifier in the dressing room,” she says.
To solidify her tribute to Whitney, Deborah will record her eight songs from the show this month, probably for release on iTunes. It’s not a cast album, but she’s been getting requests from her fans. And everyone knows it’s done with love.
Her favorite song from the show– besides “I Will Always Love You”? “All the Man That I Need,” she says. “It’s overlooked, and it’s such a great arrangement.”
U2 Scraps New Album For Easier “Joshua Tree” 30th Anniversary Tour This Summer
U2 has scrapped plans for now, for “Songs of Experience,” their expected new album this spring.
Instead, they’ll do a world tour for the 30th anniversary of their hit “Joshua Tree” album released in 1987. An expanded “Joshua Tree” collection is expected with outtakes, etc.
This is SO much easier than marketing and releasing a new album. The Edge told Rolling Stone, complicit in all publicity matters, that the band wanted to re-consider the album in light of Trump’s election.
That’s a good hook, but really, a new album is a risky undertaking. Legacy groups have been striking out saleswise and radio-play-wise with new material for the last few years. U2’s last album was given away free with iTunes, which made a lot of people angry. It also kept them out of commercial competition. A new album would have to face the music, so to speak.
As I said, very few older acts have had much success lately. The Rolling Stones hit a bullseye with their “Blue and Lonesome” set. But otherwise, fans seem only to want the hits, not new music of old stars. Everyone from Van Morrison to the Pretenders came and went with new albums this fall. Only Leonard Cohen stayed on the charts, and that’s sadly because he died.
U2 will have to come up with some real radio hits, too. “Songs of Innocence,” the last album, had none. The whole preceding album, “No Line on the Horizon,” had no hits on the record. Their last big hit was “Vertigo,” in 2004. That’s right– if you’re 14 now, there has never been a new U2 song on the radio. Weird, huh?
I love U2, and had favorite songs from those last two albums. But that doesn’t mean anything. So take your time, guys. You still haven’t found what you’re looking for.
Watch Joseph Fiennes Play 2001 Edition Michael Jackson in Brit Comedy “Urban Myths”
Yes, Oscar nominated very white actor Joseph Fiennes is playing Michael Jackson on British TV. It’s for a one off 30 minute comedy called “Urban Myths.”
This is the NOT TRUE story that became an urban myth, that after the 9-11 attacks Michael, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando drove from New York to L.A. instead of flying home. It is NOT TRUE, this is a comedy.
What were the producers going to do? Michael’s skin was translucent white by then. I sat next to him on a sofa a few months before this happened. He was whiter than me!
Stockard Channing plays Taylor, Brian Cox is Brando.
Listen: in real life, Michael should have flown them all home. After all, I reported them that he gave Liz a $600,000 piece of jewelry to show up a his 30th anniversary concert that weekend. He PAID Brando a million bucks cash to lounge around like a giant lox on a sofa on stage and say some gibberish.
Anyway, Joe Fiennes makes a perfectly good Michael.
Bill O’Reilly Caused Fox News to Settle Another Sexual Harassment Claim Brought By Former Anchor
How is it Bill O’Reilly hasn’t been fired into the next century? For the second time, Fox News has settled a major sexual harassment claim against him by one of their employees.
This time it was from former anchor Juliet Huddy, who I worked with and knew for years. She was a rising star at Fox until she was suddenly yanked off the network and sent to local Fox 5 News in New York– at 4:30 in the morning.
Now thanks to LawNewz website, we know what happened. When Gretchen Carlson and Megyn Kelly overturned Roger Ailes, and Fox made reparations to female staff with claims against the network, Huddy finally came forward.
I wrote about Huddy’s departure, and suggested there was a lot more to it. I asked Juliet about it, but she couldn’t say more than it was “a challenging 20 years” and that she was going to write about rock music now that she’d left the network.
Huddy made claims against O’Reilly and now news chief Jack Abernethy. According to the reports, Fox paid her, and no money came from either employee.
You may recall that a few years ago O’Reilly– whose contentious divorce has been well chronicled in New York’s tabloids– was involved in another sexual harassment case. Fox News was rumored to have paid off $10 million in that case. When you leave here, go check that link.
O’Reilly must be a pain in the side for James and Lachlan Murdoch. After Ailes, he’s FoxNews’s most egregious star. Are his ratings really worth these huge embarrassments? And unlike Greta van Susteren and Megyn Kelly, if O’Reilly leaves he won’t be heading to NBC or a major network. The end of his career is in sight.
Oscars: “Deadpool” Surprise as Producers Guild Names the 10 Pictures Headed to the Big Award
Here are the 10 Producers Guild nominees. I think this clarifies the 10 Best Picture nominees. Nice to see “Deadpool” getting some recognition. “Hacksaw Ridge” is the 10th choice for an Oscar. The rest are all great. My personal faves, “Silence” and “20th Century Women,” suffered. You can’t have everything.
The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:
• Arrival
Producers: Dan Levine, Shawn Levy, Aaron Ryder, David Linde
• Deadpool
Producers: Simon Kinberg, Ryan Reynolds, Lauren Shuler Donner
• Fences
Producers: Scott Rudin, Denzel Washington, Todd Black
• Hacksaw Ridge
Producers: Bill Mechanic, David Permut
• Hell or High Water
Producers: Carla Hacken, Julie Yorn
• Hidden Figures
Producers: Donna Gigliotti, Peter Chernin & Jenno Topping, Pharrell Williams, Theodore Melfi
• La La Land
Producers: Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz, Marc Platt
• Lion
Producers: Emile Sherman & Iain Canning, Angie Fielder
• Manchester By the Sea
Producers: Matt Damon, Kimberly Steward, Chris Moore, Lauren Beck, Kevin Walsh
• Moonlight
Producers: Adele Romanski, Dede Gardner & Jeremy Kleiner
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:
• Finding Dory
Producer: Lindsey Collins
• Kubo and the Two Strings
Producers: Arianne Sutner, Travis Knight
• Moana
Producer: Osnat Shurer
• The Secret Life of Pets
Producers: Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy
• Zootopia
Producer: Clark Spencer
The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:
* The PGA previously announced the nominations in this category on November 22, 2016. The list below has been updated to include eligible producers.
• Dancer
Producer: Gabrielle Tana
• The Eagle Huntress
Producers: Stacey Reiss, Otto Bell
• Life, Animated
Producers: Julie Goldman, Roger Ross Williams
• O.J.: Made in America
Producers: Ezra Edelman, Caroline Waterlow
• Tower
Producers: Keith Maitland, Susan Thomson, Megan Gilbride
BAFTA British Oscars Strong for Manchester, La La, Moonlight– Scorsese’s Silence Snubbed, Along with Eastwood, Washington, Hanks.
BAFTA nominees are largely American films that we’ve seen in other settings. Brit Ken Loach got a lot for “I Daniel Blake.” No one in America knows his work. BAFTA snubbed Tom Hanks, Clint Eastwood, Denzel Washington, and Martin Scorsese. “Loving” was also completely snubbed. But Tom Ford’s “Nocturnal Animals” made a bit of a comeback, which is nice. No Isabelle Huppert, but “Elle” wasn’t elligible. Emily Blunt took her place. Does any of this matter with the Oscars? A little, not a lot.
Best Film
- Arrival
- I Daniel Blake
- La La Land
- Manchester By The Sea
- Moonlight
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
- AMERICAN HONEY Andrea Arnold, Lars Knudsen, Pouya Shahbazian, Jay Van Hoy
- DENIAL Mick Jackson, Gary Foster, Russ Krasnoff, David Hare
- FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM David Yates, J.K. Rowling, David Heyman, Steve Kloves, Lionel Wigram
- I, DANIEL BLAKE Ken Loach, Rebecca O’Brien, Paul Laverty
- NOTES ON BLINDNESS Peter Middleton, James Spinney, Mike Brett, Jo-Jo Ellison, Steve Jamison
- UNDER THE SHADOW Babak Anvari, Emily Leo, Oliver Roskill, Lucan Toh
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
- The Girl With All the Gifts: MIKE CAREY (Writer), CAMILLE GATIN (Producer)
- The Hard Stop: GEORGE AMPONSAH (Writer/Director/Producer), DIONNE WALKER (Writer/Producer)
- Notes on Blindness: PETER MIDDLETON (Writer/Director/Producer), JAMES SPINNEY (Writer/Director), JO-JO ELLISON (Producer)
- The Pass: JOHN DONNELLY (Writer), BEN A. WILLIAMS (Director)
- Under the Shadow: BABAK ANVARI (Writer/Director), EMILY LEO, OLIVER ROSKILL, LUCAN TOH (Producers)
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
- DHEEPAN Jacques Audiard, Pascal Caucheteux
- JULIETA Pedro Almodóvar
- MUSTANG Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Charles Gillibert
- SON OF SAUL László Nemes, Gábor Sipos
- TONI ERDMANN Maren Ade, Janine Jackowski
DOCUMENTARY
13th Ava DuVernay
THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK- THE TOURING YEARS Ron Howard
THE EAGLE HUNTRESS Otto Bell, Stacey Reiss
NOTES ON BLINDNESS Peter Middleton, James Spinney
WEINER Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg
ANIMATED FILM
FINDING DORY Andrew Stanton
KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS Travis Knight
MOANA Ron Clements, John Musker
ZOOTOPIA Byron Howard, Rich Moore
DIRECTOR
ARRIVAL Denis Villeneuve
I, DANIEL BLAKE Ken Loach
LA LA LAND Damien Chazelle
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Kenneth Lonergan
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Tom Ford
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
HELL OR HIGH WATER Taylor Sheridan
I, DANIEL BLAKE Paul Laverty
LA LA LAND Damien Chazelle
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Kenneth Lonergan
MOONLIGHT Barry Jenkins
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
ARRIVAL Eric Heisserer
HACKSAW RIDGE Robert Schenkkan, Andrew Knight
HIDDEN FIGURES Theodore Melfi, Allison Schroeder
LION Luke Davies
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Tom Ford
LEADING ACTOR
ANDREW GARFIELD Hacksaw Ridge
CASEY AFFLECK Manchester by the Sea
JAKE GYLLENHAAL Nocturnal Animals
RYAN GOSLING La La Land
VIGGO MORTENSEN Captain Fantastic
LEADING ACTRESS
AMY ADAMS Arrival
EMILY BLUNT The Girl on the Train
EMMA STONE La La Land
MERYL STREEP Florence Foster Jenkins
NATALIE PORTMAN Jackie
SUPPORTING ACTOR
AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON Nocturnal Animals
DEV PATEL Lion
HUGH GRANT Florence Foster Jenkins
JEFF BRIDGES Hell or High Water
MAHERSHALA ALI Moonlight
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
HAYLEY SQUIRES I, Daniel Blake
MICHELLE WILLIAMS Manchester by the Sea
NAOMIE HARRIS Moonlight
NICOLE KIDMAN Lion
VIOLA DAVIS Fences
ORIGINAL MUSIC
ARRIVAL Jóhann Jóhannsson
JACKIE Mica Levi
LA LA LAND Justin Hurwitz
LION Dustin O’Halloran, Hauschka
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Abel Korzeniowski
CINEMATOGRAPHY
ARRIVAL Bradford Young
HELL OR HIGH WATER Giles Nuttgens
LA LA LAND Linus Sandgren
LION Greig Fraser
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Seamus McGarvey
EDITING
ARRIVAL Joe Walker
HACKSAW RIDGE John Gilbert
LA LA LAND Tom Cross
MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Jennifer Lame
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Joan Sobel
PRODUCTION DESIGN
DOCTOR STRANGE John Bush, Charles Wood
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Stuart Craig, Anna Pinnock
HAIL, CAESAR! Jess Gonchor, Nancy Haigh
LA LA LAND Sandy Reynolds-Wasco, David Wasco
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Shane Valentino, Meg Everist
COSTUME DESIGN
ALLIED Joanna Johnston
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Colleen Atwood
FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS Consolata Boyle
JACKIE Madeline Fontaine
LA LA LAND Mary Zophres
MAKE UP & HAIR
DOCTOR STRANGE Jeremy Woodhead
FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS J. Roy Helland, Daniel Phillips
HACKSAW RIDGE Shane Thomas
NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Donald Mowat, Yolanda Toussieng
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Nominees tbc
SOUND
ARRIVAL Claude La Haye, Bernard Gariépy Strobl, Sylvain Bellemare
DEEPWATER HORIZON Mike Prestwood Smith, Dror Mohar, Wylie Stateman, David Wyman
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Niv Adiri, Glenn Freemantle, Simon Hayes, Andy Nelson, Ian Tapp
HACKSAW RIDGE Peter Grace, Robert Mackenzie, Kevin O’Connell, Andy Wright
LA LA LAND Mildred Iatrou Morgan, Ai-Ling Lee, Steve A. Morrow, Andy Nelson
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
ARRIVAL Louis Morin
DOCTOR STRANGE Richard Bluff, Stephane Ceretti, Paul Corbould, Jonathan Fawkner
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Tim Burke, Pablo Grillo, Christian Manz, David Watkins
THE JUNGLE BOOK Robert Legato, Dan Lemmon, Andrew R. Jones, Adam Valdez
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Neil Corbould, Hal Hickel, Mohen Leo, John Knoll, Nigel Sumner
BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
THE ALAN DIMENSION Jac Clinch, Jonathan Harbottle, Millie Marsh
A LOVE STORY Khaled Gad, Anushka Kishani Naanayakkara, Elena Ruscombe-King
TOUGH Jennifer Zheng
BRITISH SHORT FILM
CONSUMED Richard John Seymour
HOME Shpat Deda, Afolabi Kuti, Daniel Mulloy, Scott O’Donnell
MOUTH OF HELL Bart Gavigan, Samir Mehanovic, Ailie Smith, Michael Wilson
THE PARTY Farah Abushwesha, Emmet Fleming, Andrea Harkin, Conor MacNeill
STANDBY Charlotte Regan, Jack Hannon
EE Rising Star Award
- Tom Holland
- Ruth Negga
- Laia Costa
- Lucas Hedges
- Anya Taylor-Joy