Saturday, December 20, 2025
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Mick Jagger Says Possibility of Performing “Like a Rolling Stone” with Bob Dylan at Mega Concert

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Mick Jagger was the star of the show last night in Antibes at Charles Finch’s annual swanky A list dinner at the Hotel du Cap’s Eden Roc restaurant. It’s the hardest ticket in town, and the best insider party at the Cannes Film Festival every year. Finch–publisher, producer, raconteur, tummler, impresario–has a single classy sponsor, Jaeger LeCoultre watches– and they turn the Eden Roc magically in four hours time after lunch and before cocktails into a throwback of glamorous Cannes Film Festivals from long ago.

Jagger was the biggest star– he always is, because he’s Mick Jagger. But there were plenty of famous people in the room including filmmaker Nick Broomfield (who was honored and given a gorgeous J-LeC watch) Clive Owen, “Mad Max” director George Miller, Gael Garcia Bernal, Trudie Styler, Harvey Weinstein, “Black Mass” director Scott Cooper, model mogul Heidi Klum, Mads Mikkelsen, Rebecca Hall, Dominic West, and so on.

(There was also a big photo display Finch curated of famous filmmakers. One of the photographers was Philip Caruso, who also happens to be the son-in-law of “Ironweed” author and Pulitzer Prize winner William Kennedy. Caruso came with his beautiful wife, Bill and Dana Kennedy’s daughter, Kathy.)

What a swell night, chowing down on foie gras on the Mediterranean amid the likes of these folks. (If you’re young, think Cake by the Ocean.) So I did tell Mick Jagger that this column broke the story about the big mega Coachella concert next October and he was thrilled. (He really lit up like a Christmas tree.) I asked him if he and Bob Dylan, who playing are on the same night, might duet on Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone.” The Rolling Stones are known for a remarkable live version of that song.

“We could, we might,” Mick said. “We’ve done it at least once before, in Argentina. But never in the US. I have to ask him if we can.” Jagger said he’s incredibly excited about the shows, by the way. And then he headed to the sumptous buffet— yes, he served himself because as Dylan says you gotta serve some-body.

Broomfield, Charles Finch’s oldest friend, was the honoree of the night for his 3o plus documentaries. He told the crowd (after Finch’s introductory remarks– read hilariously behind dark glasses because Finch had lost his actual reading specs) about their wild times together getting into trouble and Broomfield almost being killed on three separate occasions) about his upcoming Whitney Houston film for Showtime.

Later he and I spoke about the Houston doc- I broke the story here about the Houston estate trying to block him.

“The harder they come at me I’ll come right back at them,” he assured me. What about rights to Whitney’s recordings I asked? “I have them,” Broomfield said without more explanation. But there’s more to come. And that’s when were interrupted by reasonable distractions: a strolling band playing the Beatles’ “Love Me Do” and the arrival of stunning Heidi Klum. And homemade ice cream was being served.

PS No sign of Leonardo DiCaprio who had had lunch on the Eden Roc patio hours earlier with pals including Tobey Maguire and Lukas Haas– eight guys, no women Leo’s posse or an outtake from “Entourage.”

 

Kate Hudson, Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens Will Join “Marshall” Movie Set in 1940

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EXCLUSIVE That movie about a young Thurgood Marshall helping in the defense of a wrongly accused black man of rape in 1940? “Marshall” already features Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, and James Cromwell.

But now I can tell you I’ve heard two more names added to director Reginald Hudlin’s cast: Kate Hudson and Dan Stevens, the former Matthew Crawley of Downton Abbey fame.

I thought I’d have a personal inside route to this film because Gad is playing my own real life great uncle Samuel Friedman when he was in his late thirties. Alas, this film is like any other– getting casting scoops is actually harder than ever!

I’m excited that Hudson, who has an Oscar nomination from “Almost Famous” in 2000, finally has a substantial role. She’s an excellent actress. This could be a big deal for her. Stevens has also looked for a major part since leaving “Downton Abbey.”

Paula Wagner is producing, and I’m told a pair of brothers– Hunter Ryan and David Ryan– have joined the team as producers.

The story is true– a wealthy socialite named Eleanor Strubing (Hudson) accused her black chauffeur Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown) of rape. Sam Friedman (Gad) took the case to defend Spell. The NAACP sent a young Thurgood Marshall (Boseman) to help with the case. Stevens will play the prosecutor.

You can read about the case here. Filming begins next month in Buffalo, New York.

(Watch) Justin Timberlake, Anna Kendrick Sing “True Colors” in Cannes for Fall Movie “Trolls”

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Cannes: on Wednesday, Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick performed Cyndi Lauper’s “True Colors” for screaming fans — unplugged and acoustic. They were promoting the new Dreamworks film “Trolls” set for a fall release. Dreamworks chief Jeffrey Katzenberg introduced them, and there was quite a bit of “Trolls” footage shown.

Not interested because it’s for kids? The movie seems to overcome that problem– it’s quite ingenious. The animation is very, very complex and clever. Justin wrote new songs, too, including his current hit “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” which the deejay played when Timberlake and co walked the opening night red carpet.

Justin, of course, is a rock star. But Anna Kendrick remains an enigma. She has a great voice and has already had a chart hit with “Cups.” She sings a lot in “Trolls” and is terrific. She needs to make an album already!

Cannes: “Money Monster” a Middling Effort, Star George Clooney Skips Starry Dinner

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Jodie Foster’s “Money Monster” is a middling movie with great ambitions that aren’t fully realized. The George Clooney-Julia Roberts effort which opens today in the US was shown in Cannes last to a lot of fanfare. But it’s a commercial studio film from Sony, and it was brought to Cannes to gain international marketing renown. Because you know, if “Money Monster” were going to be a big hit, Foster, Clooney and Roberts would have been all over the US media this week promoting it. Instead, they are here in Cannes.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t interesting, or doesn’t have a couple of surprise performances of note from newcomers Jack O’Connell and Caitriona Balfe. It’s also great to see Giancarlo Esposito as the captain of the New York police.

But “Money Monster” doesn’t know if it’s anti-Wall Street or pro, and in its short 90 minutes the theme is abandoned and the movie becomes a thriller. The plot: a Jim Cramer like TV financial advisor played by Clooney is held hostage in his studio by O’Connell, who’s lost money on an investment Clooney touted. Roberts is Clooney’s TV producer. Much more we don’t learn about the characters — they are all surface, there to fill a purpose in the plot.

All the actors do their best but this is a talky movie. Roberts, I think, only stands up twice. Mostly she sits. (Contrast this with the way Helen Mirren moves around in “Eye in the Sky.”) Foster doesn’t have a great visual style– see “The Beaver”– and I’d rather have seen her act in a film anyway.

The cast (well the stars) hit the Cannes red carpet with a vengeance. Clooney was the only one to include a spouse– Amal — in the processional. Later the Clooneys skipped the big private dinner at Michelangelo in Antibes (set for 90 people) and went to dine at another locale with friends. Very weird. Roberts went barefoot on the red carpet because she thought she towered over Foster. (For days all I’ve heard around town are horror stories about her repellent publicist.)

Also on the red carpet: Vanessa Redgrave with son Carlo, famed director James Ivory, Julianne Moore, and the mayor of Cannes.

Only Balfe turned up for an after party at the Hotel du Cap bar, but there were plenty of other stars hobnobbing until the wee hours including Mick Jagger, Brett Ratner, Naomi Watts, and so on. Roberts and her very bearded husband, Danny Moder, sailed through the bar to their rooms at one point without stopping.

What will happen with “Money Monster”? The box office depends solely on Clooney and Roberts drawing an audience. There’s no love story, and no one to root for. These will be problems. But O’Connell, of them all, who we met in Angelina Jolie’s “Unbroken,” is going to soar after this.

Cannes: Dionne Warwick, Courtney Love Announce Film Projects

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Cannes is full of announcements today.

I can tell you that tomorrow legendary singer Dionne Warwick, one of the greats, will be here to announce she’s made a deal for biopic. AMBI Pictures is producing. Tomorrow we’ll know more after we see Dionne walk on by at the Carlton. Her story is amazing, rising up from her family’s church and gospel group in New Jersey to international fame and fortune. And oh– those hits– from Bacharach and David to Dionne’s later hits like “Heartbreaker” and how she created “That’s What Friends Are For.” Her sister Dee Dee was a famous singer, as was her cousin Whitney Houston. Should be good…

Other side of music world– Courtney Love will star with Joey King in “The Possibility of Fireflies.” Dominique Paul will write the script based on her novel. Deborah Chow is directing. Courtney is better known as a rocker, but she’s had some great moments on screen.

Woody Allen Goes Digital and Uses “Green Screen” Technology for First Time

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Forget all this crap about Woody Allen that you see in today’s tabloids. He has an easily manipulated son. And a stupid French comic embarrassed him by accident. Woody’s over it.

He’s so over it that Woody came to lunch today with the American press at the beautiful Hotel Carlton’s Nikki Beach restaurant. He came with “Cafe Society” cast members Jesse Eisenberg, Cory Stoll, Kristen Stewart and Blake Lively. Woody, dressed like Woody, was a in very good mood and answered all questions.

But the most surprising revelation about Woody came from Jesse Eisenberg, who turns out to Allen’s best ever on screen surrogate. Jesse plays the romantic lead in “Cafe Society,” a young man who suffers from unrequited love in a triangle with Stewart and her older lover (played beautifully by Steve Carell).

Eisenberg, asked what it’s like to work with an 80 year old director, responded with all kinds of salutations about Woody’s high energy. But then he blurted out a good scoop: “He shot this in digital for the first time, and it’s the first time Woody ever had a green screen in a movie.”

A green screen is used for special effects. You act in front of a blue or green screen, and the shot is added later. In “Cafe Society,” Eisenberg and Stewart drive to the famed Hollywood sign. The sign was added in later.
“He looked at the [empty] screen and he said, where’s the picture?” Jesse chuckled. “It was very sweet.”

Woody told us his Amazon six part TV series with Miley Cyrus and Elaine May is all wrapped and ready to go this fall. “Cafe Society” is released on July 15th. And this week in New York, Allen starts work on his 47th feature, an untitled comedy set in a carnival type playland like Coney Island.

Woody Allen Publicist Absolutely Right to Ban Trade Rag– They Ambushed Him

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Woody Allen’s publicist, Leslee Dart, has banned The Hollywood Reporter from today’s press lunch in Cannes for “Cafe Society.” She’s absolutely correct.

The Hollywood Reporter is run by an editor who used to edit US Weekly, Janice Min. Take that into account for how that site now works. I often criticize THR myself because they liberally sample stories from other publications without credit– or a minimal one that makes them look like they wrote it.

This week, Woody Allen is on the cover of their magazine. The cover story is a fawning Q&A, and the magazine begged for it. They used Woody to give themselves a prestigious look for Cannes. Only they benefited from it.

So what a surprise yesterday when Woody’s estranged son, Ronan Farrow, failed MSNBC show host, attacked Allen in a piece on The Reporter’s website. It was designed solely to embarrass and humiliate Woody for the opening of his film at Cannes. Farrow is manipulated by his mother, Mia Farrow, who suggested a couple of years ago that Frank Sinatra was really Ronan’s father. If only. Ronan certainly demonstrates Sinatra’s spitefulness. That’s not a Woody Allen trait.

If Ronan Farrow really believed all the things his mother and sister say about Woody, he could confront him privately. They could go for counseling. Instead, Ronan (and Mia) use the press for shock value to hurt Allen. They have no interest in getting to the truth or getting closure. It’s despicable.

And the Hollywood Reporter– that’s not journalism, that’s just trash. They’re no better than a supermarket tabloid, or US Weekly. And they turned against their cover subject for no reason. Other celebrities should take note of what happened. That’s the REAL Hollywood Reporter. Blech.

Cannes Review: Woody Allen’s Got a Hit with “Cafe Society” starring Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell

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Woody Allen is back in form and better than ever in the very funny bittersweet romantic comedy “Cafe Society.” Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart and Steve Carell are perfect in the central triangle but all the actors–including some not so famous–are delightful.

This film also looks absolutely gorgeous–like buttah–thanks to Vittorio Storaro’s cinematography and a sumptuous production design. Woody himself narrates the saga of Hollywood vs. New York in the 1930s, and the film is full of Allen’s best laughs, great one liners and essential philosophies.

The press loved it, too–laughing all the way through the screening. There are some hilarious moments. But there are serious ones, too, as Woody described later at the press conference. He attempted to make a movie unfold like a novel– and it worked. The story is in three acts with many quick sidetrips throughout the characters’ stories. It’s a rich screenplay.

PS I see that in the US Ronan Farrow, Woody Allen’s misguided estranged son, has launched an attack on his father through the Hollywood Reporter– a trade magazine run by tabloid people. Shame on him. Manipulated all his life, Farrow waited until Allen had a new movie open to attack him. Why doesn’t he reach out privately and solve his own issues? No one’s buying this stuff.

Justin Timberlake Cuts Duets with Ariana Grande, Gwen Stefani for “Trolls” CD

EXCLUSIVE Justin Timberlake has the song of the summer with “Can’t stop the Feeling,” lodged at number 1 with no sign of letting up. “Can’t Stop” will be on the “Trolls” soundtrack from Dreamworks this fall.

In fact, Justin has two more big hits coming from the “Trolls” album over the next few months. He’s recorded duets with both Gwen Stefani and Ariana Grande. Their releases will be staggered through the year as Justin works on a new album scheduled for next year.

But all the songs will be out by September 23rd, a week before the Grammy deadline. That’s when the “Trolls” CD hits stores and the internet. Timberlake was snubbed by the Grammys two years ago when they ignored his 20/20 album, even though it was the biggest seller of the year. They dare not do that again.

Justin will perform “Can’t Stop” on Wednesday afternoon in Cannes at a presentation for “Trolls” by outgoing chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg. Anna Kendrick will also perform a song from the movie.

Timberlake, Katzenberg, Kendrick, and various “Trolls” players celebrated last night (Tuesday) in Antibes at legendary Michelangelo’s restaurant with a table for about a dozen. Justin is a big fan of the New York version of the famed eatery– called Mamo, in Soho– and wanted to show it off to pals including manager Johnny Wright and publicist Sonia Muckle.

And who did they run into the small main dining room? Why Woody Allen and wife Soon Yi, with Woody’s team from Wednesday’s opening night film “Cafe Society.” Woody and Soon Yi’s teenage daughters probably won’t believe this story when they hear it– they stayed home for school exams. I’m not sure if Woody knows who Justin is, but his girls definitely do. Timberlake was in such awe of Woody he shook his hand and said, “I’m a big fan of your work.” Through the evening the waitresses stared at Justin, and Justin stared at Woody.

And Cannes starts in the morning.

Cannes 2016: Omar Sy, Josh Gad in Pre-Fest “Angry Birds” Flurry

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Cannes has not begun yet. It starts Wednesday night. But I’ve already been down to one of the beach clubs for pre-fest promo for Sony’s Angry Birds movie. The animated film stars Josh Gad and Omar Sy, who each appeared on a pier in black tie this afternoon. A (presumably paid) actor wore a very convincing Angry Birds outfit and posed for pictures with the boys. This was like an old time Cannes promo, with Champagne, mimosas, and hors d’ouevres galore. And the festival hasn’t even begun yet.

Everyone’s asking about security. Is it vey different. I would say, it’s subtle. A lot of extra security guards are posted, all wearing black suits, white shirts and ties. They’ve been incredibly friendly so far. We’ll see how long that lasts! (Seems like it will. Very calm on the Croisette.)

But bags are being checked. Wanding is going to be common practice. Patience, not known here as a virtue before, is going to be needed. Maybe umbrellas, too, from what I hear.

Meantime, Omar Sy has really become a movie star since “The Intouchables.” He told he’s got a bunch of projects coming. He starts in Ron Howard’s “Inferno” with Tom Hanks this October.

Josh Gad heads from here to Buffalo, New York tomorrow– to play my actual great uncle Sam Friedman in “Marshall” with Chadwick Boseman as Thurgood Marshall, directed by Reggie Hudlin. Sterling K. Brown has joined the cast. Two more hires are imminent for announcement. I know one, and I can say I am very pleased.

So get ready– it’s all starting. Tomorrow brings Woody Allen, Kristen Stewart, Justin Timberlake, and a bevy of celebs to town. Steven Spielberg is said to already be here, maybe on his yacht. Somewhere in town a Starbucks has reportedly opened, but we’re going to ignore it. But where our old beloved news and stationery store once stood across from the Palais is now … Dior!

Sacre bleu!