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Ronni Chasen Murder Case: New Shocking Developments

Roger Friedman
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Ronni Chasen Murder Case: New Shocking Developments

There have been a lot of new, shocking developments in the murder case of beloved Hollywood publicist Ronni Chasen.

Last night in Los Angeles, a man whom the police considered a suspect in the murder, killed himself when he was confronted at his apartment.

The suspect, according to various reports, was returning home to the dingy Harvey Apartments, a building right out of a Raymond Chandler detective novel, when the cops found him. Without discussion, he shot himself in the head.

Some reports say the police had been casing the apartment house all day, waiting for a man the LA Times has ID’d only as “Harold.” http://tinyurl.com/26d5j24

So what does it mean? Was he an actual ‘hit man’? Most hit men don’t usually kill themselves. And who would have hired someone to kill Ronni Chasen?

This news comes on the heels of other revelations: that whoever did shoot Chasen five times used hollow point bullets, the mark of an assassin. What everyone now knows is that the police do not consider this a random murder.

Last night’s event took place in Los Angeles; the murder was in Beverly Hills. These are two different police departments. As noted everywhere, they famously do not get along or cooperate much with each other. Fifteen years ago, when I covered the OJ Simpson murders for New York magazine, I remember the frustration of dealing with all these different police departments that hadn’t shared information–or actually ignored it. This was before the internet existed. Maybe in this “modern” era, the police can actually all work together to solve this terrible crime.

Kirsten Dunst: “I Feel the Pressure of Making On the Road”

Roger Friedman
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Kirsten Dunst: “I Feel the Pressure of Making On the Road”

Kirsten Dunst–a late entry in the Oscar race  in Andrew Jarecki‘s “All Good Things”–is shooting Jack Kerouac‘s classic novel, “On the Road” right now. She plays Mary Lou Camille, one of the female leads in the Walter Salles production. (Marylou is played by Kristen Stewart.)

“Believe me, I feel the pressure,” she told me last night at the “ATG” premiere. “I know how big it is. Every time I’ve been on the set, I’ve thought, ‘This is On the Road.'”

Jareck–of Moviefone fame–threw a lavish premiere at the very hip Buddakan following the screening with Candice Bergen, Nora Ephron and Nick Pileggi, Bob Balaban and Lynn Grossman, famed singer Kate Taylor (James’s sister), “Knots Landing” star Michele Lee, ABC’s Lynn Sherr, Griffin Dunne, and Parker Posey all captivated and caught up in the “Cold Case” nature of the mystery.

In the film, Dunst plays Kathie, Ryan Gosling is “David” or Robert; and Lily Rabe is Susan. Frank Langella is sublime as always as the Durst patriarch, Seymour. They are outstanding performances. And while Gosling goes for Best Actor in “Blue Valentine,” Dunst has a square shot for Best Supporting Actress as Katie/Kathie.

You think you know Kirsten Dunst. But she’s only 28. “I’m at a funny age,” she told me last night. “There aren’t so many great parts. Believe me, I’m looking.” She’s being choosy. Her portrayal of Katie will knock her up several pegs. She’s a serious, dramatic actress who can carry a film.

“ATG” is true crime murder mystery changes the names of the real people, but is very much based on the 1982 disappearance–still unsolved– of Kathie Durst. the young wife of New York real estate heir Robert Durst. He’s from the wealthy, dynastic Durst family, here with name changed to Marks.

Imagine that in 28 years, no one has ever figured out what happened to Kathie Durst. It’s been surmised that Robert, her crazy husband, killed her. Jarecki’s very taut thriller traces the couple’s marriage, the disappearance, and a 2001 trial for another crime Durst was accused of: dismembering a friend. He cut the guy up, but a brilliant Texas jury acquitted him. He served four years in jail for miscellaneous crimes. But Durst never stood trial for Kathie’s murder or the murder of his female best friend, Susan Berman. He remains the only suspect in the latter.

Durst, according to the New York Times, likes the movie. He’s also living on a $65 million settlement from his family. Crime pays! The Durst Organization has threatened to sue the filmmakers for maligning them. Kathie Durst’s brother told me: “We pray for Robert every day to do the right thing. We just want to know what happened to Kathie.”

Tarantino Dirty Sexy Friars Roast: Travolta, Uma Object of Comics’ Poison Darts

Roger Friedman
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Tarantino Dirty Sexy Friars Roast: Travolta, Uma Object of Comics’ Poison Darts

Whoops! Did Uma Thurman have any idea what she was in for when she agreed to sit on the dais next to Quentin Tarantino at his Friars Club Roast?

The Oscar nominated beauty wound up getting just about as roasted as her favorite director yesterday at the annual extremely bawdy and coarse luncheon fest.

The audience: 2200 guests at the New York Hilton who paid to contribute to the Friars’ myriad charities. Among them: Howard Stern and his wife Beth, Tarantino producer Lawrence Bender, actress LaTanya Richardson (aka Mrs. Samuel L. Jackson) and dozens of New York notables.

On the dais with Quentin and Uma: emcee Samuel L. Jackson, plus special guest Jerry Lewis, Harvey Weinstein, comic Jeffrey Ross, Brett Ratner, Michael Madsen, Patricia Arquette, Danny Aiello, Robert Wuhl, Richard Belzer, Steve Buscemi, Rob Schneider, Sarah Silverman, Harvey Keitel, Whitney Cummings, Rosario Dawson, Kathy Griffin, Dick Cavett, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Simone, and Eli Roth.

Plus there were the Friars comic legends, like Freddie Roman, Stewie Stone, and the “closer,” the amazing Pat Cooper. Cooper came on at the end of nearly three hours and exclaimed, loudly, to Tarantino: “I don’t know you, I’ve never seen your movies, and who the f— cares?” He’s 82, nearly deaf, and absolutely hilarious.

One of the best lines– Stewie Stone, commenting on Cher‘s faux retirements: “When the world comes to an end, all we’ll have is cockroaches and Cher.”

Remember, Eli Roth, who told us the night before that his speech would be a “career-ender”? Almost! Roth was brutal as the kickoff speaker, but everyone who followed went right into the gutter with him. It’s a beautiful thing, the Friars Roast: dirty, politically incorrect, racist, misogynist, ugly, unprintable.

Tarantino star John Travolta, absent, was the butt of many extremely unprintable gay jokes.

Thurman endured her ribbing with incredible grace. At the end of her own speech, which was very funny, she took off her designer shoes, poured wine into them, and she and Tarantino drank from them. But she had to listen to many zetzes about her marriage to Ethan Hawke, her current billionaire boyfriend Arky Busson, and an unfavorable dissection of the movies she’s starred in.

Tarantino had to sit through long tirades about his less successful films like “Grindhouse’ and “Four Rooms.”

May I say: Jerry Lewis, 85 years young, still gives as good as he gets, was completely abashed by his two standing ovations, rose up from his seat after almost three hours and managed speak eloquently and was still hilarious.

“Bloody Andrew Jackson” Next Broadway Show Set to Close

Roger Friedman
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“Bloody Andrew Jackson” Next Broadway Show Set to Close

We can add “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” to the list of Broadway shows posting closing notices.

Last night the cast of the clever musical was told that the show — which began off Broadway and maybe should have stayed there–will have its last performance on January 2nd.

“Bloody” joins a long list of shows folding up their tents, from “Promises, Promises” and “A Little Night Music” to “The Scottsboro Boys.” “Elf,” “Elling,” “Fela!”, “In the Heights,” “Next to Normal,” and “The Pee Wee Herman Show.”

“Bloody” will have a legacy, though. It made a star out of Benjamin Walker, also the fiance of actress Mamie Gummer, daughter of Meryl Streep. Walker was supposed to be in the new “X Men” movie but chose instead to continue with the musical. Now I’m told he’s being courted for a half dozen new movies. I do hope “Andrew Jackson” is filmed for posterity. It’s a highly ambitious, innovative show.

Kate Winslet Admits “Secret Relationship” with Michelle Williams

Roger Friedman
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Kate Winslet Admits “Secret Relationship” with Michelle Williams

Oscar winner Kate Winslet admitted last night to a “secret relationship” with Michelle Williams, star of “Blue Valentine.”

Winslet told this a pretty high falutin crowd at the Tribeca Grand Hotel screening room, for a showing of “Blue Valentine” and a chance to meet Williams–just returned from the UK, and director Derek Cianfrance.

In the crowd were people like big deal actress Hope Davis, Judd Hirsch, Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham, and Kim Cattrall.

Winslet confessed to the assembled crowd that she’d only met Williams once and didn’t know her well at all. “But we have a secret relationship,” Winslet said. “I dream about her.” She spoke emotionally, saying that from Williams’ roles she felt she knew her and they had a bond. It was such a lovely speech that Williams started to cry.

Williams–who should be nominated for everything along with “Blue Valentine” co-star Ryan Gosling–has just returned from shooting “Marilyn and Me” in London. Now she and daughter Matilde will celebrate the holidays in upstate New York and regroup. “It’s the hardest work I’ve ever done,” she said of “Marilyn.” It’s the first time she’s literally carried an entire film.

As for Winslet, she, too, is wiped out after filming a five episode mini series remake of “Mildred Pierce,” for HBO. She and Williams discussed the fact that they can’t watch their own work ever.

“I watched one daily of Blue Valentine and I stopped working for an hour,” she told me. “I said, I’m awful, why did I do that?”–meaning a bit of acting. “I can’t watch myself on the screen at all.”

PS Now that Michelle is back, maybe Baz Luhrmann will call her for “The Great Gatsby” remake. She’d be a perfect Myrtle Wilson.

Mila Kunis Jumps from “70s Show” to Oscar Circus with “Black Swan”

Roger Friedman
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Mila Kunis Jumps from “70s Show” to Oscar Circus with “Black Swan”

At last, we had the premiere of Darren Aronofsky‘s excellent, cutting edge psychological thriller, “Black Swan,” last night.

Aronofsky and Natalie Portman are old pro’s at this sort of thing. Not so Mila Kunis, who’s made the jump from TV fame on “That 70s Show” to the Oscar race with a standout performance in “Black Swan.” She’s a ballet dancer who may or may not exist, and may or may not be a friend of Portman’s character.

On the red carpet at Monday night’s Gotham Awards, Kunis looked, well, frightened. She came into 55 Wall Street with her eyes crossed. She was also exhausted. Last night, at the movie’s premiere, she cut her red carpet appearance short.

Later, at the swanky party at the St. Regis Hotel following the Ziegfeld Theater screening, Mila arrived after a costume change. She was a little calmer. “I’ve done like 50 Q&A’s since Toronto,” she told me. Luckily, last night she had the help of good friend Emmanuelle Chriqui, of “Entourage” fame, to guide her along.

I think Mila’s going to do fine, but what happens if she gets some award action? Yesterday “Black Swan” picked up some Indie Spirit nominations including Best Feature, Director, and Actress. It’s all starting.

Meanwhile some other guests at the Black Swan premiere included the movie’s costars Barbara Hershey, Winona Ryder and Vincent Cassel, as well as Debra Winger (who brought her 23 year old son — wow–time flies), Eli Roth (planning his Friars Roast speech for today honoring Quentin Tarantino--“this speech should be a career-ender,” he joked), Robert Wuhl, Dana Ivey, Giancarlo Esposito, producer Marty Richards, super agent Bryan Lourd, and Ellen Barkin.

Remember the great Spanish actor (with a French name) Jean Reno from “Mission Impossible”? He starred with Natalie Portman when she was 11 in “The Professional.” That was sixteen years ago! “I always knew she would be a star,” Reno said suavely at dinner. And, he was right!

So this is what I think of Mila Kunis, who is 27, was born in the Ukraine, is Jewish and was raised in Los Angeles. She’s on her way. Once audiences see “Black Swan,” all thoughts of the “70s Show” will be erased.

Nicole Kidman May Get James Franco as Broadway Co-Star

Roger Friedman
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Nicole Kidman May Get James Franco as Broadway Co-Star

Okay. A day after it was announced that today’s newly minted Indie Spirit nominee and probable Oscar nominee James Franco is co-hosting the Oscars, here’s the latest from the actor’s never boring career.

It turns out that Franco is very much in the mix to play opposite Nicole Kidman next fall on Broadway in “Sweet Bird of Youth.”

The role of course would be that of Chance Wayne in the Tennessee Williams classic was played on screen by Paul Newman. The last time it was on Broadway, Christopher Walken had the role. That was in 1975.

Nicole, obviously, is taking the Geraldine Page role of Alexandra deLago (Elizabeth Taylor in the TV Movie). It’s her second Broadway play, and Franco’s debut if it all gets ironed out.

In this production, David Cromer is directing. The talks between Franco and producer Scott Rudin have been going on for a while, I am told. But the hitch has been whether the production can do rehearsals late in the day next fall to accommodate Franco’s school schedule. Apparently, Yale gives homework!

No confirmation yet, but it does seem like this is going to happen. Hot ticket? The hottest, I’d say. Kudos to Rudin, too. He’s also got two Oscar-buzzed movies this season, “The Social Network” and “True Grit.”

2011 Spirit Award Nominees Aren’t So Different from Academy Awards

Roger Friedman
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2011 Spirit Award Nominees Aren’t So Different from Academy Awards

The 2011 Spirit Awards aren’t going to look too different from the 2011 Academy Awards. This morning’s nominees include studio movies like “127 Hours,” “The Kids Are All Right,” “127 Hours,” “Black Swan,” and “Rabbit Hole.”

Strangely enough, the Spirit Awards also nominated Oscar tipped “The King’s Speech” for Best Foreign Film. That’s because it’s in English–no, seriously, movies made anywhere abroad, including the UK, are considered foreign.

Best Feature Film nominees are ‘Black Swan,” “127 Hours,” “Greenberg,” “Winter’s Bone,” and “The Kids Are All Right.”

Best Actor: James Franco, Aaron Eckhart, Ronald Bronstein, John C. Reilly, and Ben Stiller.

Best Actress: Annette Bening, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Williams, Greta Gerwig, and Natalie Portman.

Best Supporting Actor: John Hawkes, Bill Murray, Samuel L. Jackson, John Ortiz, and Mark Ruffalo.

Best Supporting Actress: Ashley Bell, Dale Dickey, Allison Janney, Daphne Rubin Vega, Naomi Rapace.

Robert Altman Award: to “Please Give” the terrific film by Nicole Holofcener.

But at this rate, with Kidman, Franco, Portman, Murray, Williams, and Bening all in probable Oscar contention, too, they’re going to have make a new Spirit Awards for the next level of films. I always thought the purpose of the Spirit Awards was not reward a Franco film like “127 Hours,” from Fox Searchlight with an Oscar winning director like Danny Boyle, but to highlight a little film like “Howl.” Ditto for “Black Swan,” Darren Aronofsky and Natalie Portman. That’s for the Academy Awards.

Also: if three of the five Spirit Award nominees for Best Feature wind up with Oscar nods for Best Picture–127, Swan, and Kids–what’s the difference at this point?

Anne Hathaway Made Last Minute Decision to Co-Host Oscars

Roger Friedman
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Anne Hathaway Made Last Minute Decision to Co-Host Oscars

Here’s a little more info on new Oscar co-hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway.

Hathaway told me last night at the Gotham Awards that she literally agreed to be co-host on Sunday night. “It’s a big responsibility,” she told me. “I’m not even sure what it means yet.” She also hasn’t discussed with the producers whether or not she’ll sing, although she definitely wants to. It seems like a natural plan: Hathaway has a terrific voice.

Franco, she says, was already willing and able to do the job.

From what sources say, Franco’s role in this came about because of his relationship with this year’s Oscar producer, Bruce Cohen. Cohen produced “Milk,” in which Franco co-starred with Sean Penn. That’s how Cohen made the connection. So far this year Franco has starred in two important movies, published a book of short stories, shot documentaries and is now shooting a feature film, curated a downtown New York art show, guest starred on “General Hospital,” finished graduate work at Columbia and NYU, and commenced post-graduate work at Yale and the Rhode Island School of Design.

Co-hosting the Oscars shouldn’t be a problem!

Another source says that Cohen’s plan is to have the pair of actors do less ‘hosting’ and more sort of ‘introducing.’ “It’s supposed to hearken back to the Oscars of the 1950s.”

“Winter’s Bone” Wins Gotham Awards, Plucks Hollywood Banjo Heartstrings

Roger Friedman
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“Winter’s Bone” Wins Gotham Awards, Plucks Hollywood Banjo Heartstrings

“Winter’s Bone,” a movie about a young girl in the Ozarks trying to track her errant, drug dealing daddy, won the Gotham Awards last night in the category of Best Ensemble and Best Feature.

The Roadside Attractions film, as rural as it could be and cheap too with a $2 million budget, beat more sophisticated outings such as “The Kids Are All Right,” “Blue Valentine,” and “Please Give.”

But its win was a victory for extremely low budget films shot without stars or much soap. Strange as it may seem, New Yorkers love a banjo.

Otherwise, the 20th annual Gotham Awards, now delivered at Cipriani Wall Street for the last couple of years, were full of stars and New York glitz.

It was funny to survey the scene. In the 1980s, there was barely a movie business in New York. Warner, Fox, Paramount, Universal, and Disney were the only studios. They had small development offices in New York.

Then the Weinsteins at Miramax, and Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne at New Line, set up shop. Everything changed for the better.

Last night, everyone from Annette Bening to Natalie Portman, Robert Duvall to Jesse Eisenberg flooded Cipriani. Julianne Moore, Barbara Hershey, Hilary Swank, Tony Goldwyn. Mark Ruffalo, Darren Aronofsky, Anne Hathaway, Davis Guggenheim, Winona Ryder, Steve Buscemi, Ethan Hawke, and Anthony Mackie were among the stars who gathered as Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci hosted the show.

Lifetime achievement awards were handed out to Duvall, Aronofsky, Swank, and Focus Features leader James Schamus. The latter used the opportunity to deliver a professorial like address about how films legitimize pornography (I think). He used a white wipe-board and magic markers. It was very scholarly, and a nice break from the usual thank you speech.

Duvall–introduced by “Get Low” co-star Bill Murray with a freewheeling speech–joked about never being in New York and how much he liked Texas. He told one story about being mistaken down there by a fan for Terry Bradshaw.

Do the Gothams affect the Oscars? Not much really. Some voters may go out of their way now to check out “Winter’s Bone,” but Debra Granik’s carefully crafted film is really more for the Indie Spirit Awards.

Indie Spirit nominees will be announced this morning at 11AM Eastern.

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