Despite Michael K. Williams’ solid fan base from his role as Omar in the hit series The Wire, the celeb still gets starstruck. His latest role introduced him to one of his all time faves. “Come on, we’ve all been Viggo-tized before,” Michael tells PopEater of Viggo Mortensen, the Lord of the Rings stud and his The Road co-star. “He has that charisma, he has a swagger. He’s a great dude.” Read more »
Posts Tagged ‘viggo mortensen’
Viggo Mortensen, Jason Isaacs Light Up ‘Good’ Premiere
September 24th, 2008
Viggo Mortensen is the star of the Good premiere, which takes place at the Elgin Theatre during the Toronto Film Festival.
The dapper actor, 49, is considered to be a heartthrob around the world, so where does he meet the women of his choice?
“Where she is,” he tells me, laughing. “It’s hard to meet her if you’re not with her. I mean that in more ways than one.”
Despite the heaping praise he must receive, Viggo doesn’t let compliments go to his head.
“I haven’t gotten to the point of realizing or thinking I’m good at something. Every time you think you’re good at something or have something figured out is when you probably screw up. I think it’s good to realize that life is a work in progress.”
The divorced actor continues, “You call it a marriage? It’s an idea. Marriage is the process of somehow getting along. It’s give and take.”
Jason Isaacs, who is a Harry Potter staple, also appears in the drama. Even though his costar Daniel Radcliffe is starring in Broadway’s Equus, Jason doesn’t care to see him in it.
“Since I’m going to work with him again and again and again, I’m not sure I want to go watch him naked,” he tells me.
Afterwards, I sail on over to the Paris Hilton party held at Ultra Supper Club. Sadly Paris doesn’t do press because it’s raining outside. She has six umbrella holders shielding her and her posse! She towers over boyfriend Benji Madden in total TomKat fashion.
Catch Good in limited release this December.
George to Acting Unions: Stop Fighting!
June 27th, 2008
George Clooney is urging his acting peers to put forth a united front in the face of the SAG and AFTRA contract dispute.
With another potential strike looming, the Oscar winner penned a two-page letter to each acting union, asking them to "just talk."
”What we can’t do is pit artist against artist,” he wrote.
AFTRA and SAG have been butting heads the last few months over studio deals. AFTRA has already hammered out a tentative agreement with studios, which is expected to be ratified July 8; however, SAG, feeling like the third wheel, is against the deal.
Should the AFTRA deal go through in two weeks, producers can make one final offer to SAG, and if the union declines it, studios have the option to lock out SAG members.
Both of AFTRA’s and SAG’s current deals expire on Monday.
Thus far, many of Hollywood’s elite have taken sides: Alec Baldwin and Tom Hanks are Team AFTRA while Jack Nicholson, Viggo Mortensen and Holly Hunter are pro-SAG.
George is playing Switzerland in all of this, calling the rift counterproductive and saying he understands both parties’ sides.
"Both are, of course, right," he wrote. "AFTRA feels that a work stoppage would be devastating to its members and SAG believes that if they don’t draw a line in the sand, the studios will repeat what they did with DVDs."
Trying to negotiate, the 47-year-old also makes two suggestions of his own.
"First, we set up a panel … Jack Nicholson and Tom Hanks, for instance … 10 of them that sit down with the studio heads once a year … 10 people that the studio heads don’t often say "no" to," he suggested. "Those 10 people walk in the door with all the new data that SAG and AFTRA compile, and adjust the pay for actors… once a year."
Secondly, George calls for high-earning A-listers like himself — those who make "an exorbitant amount of money" — to do their part and pay a larger share of union dues.
"Right now, there’s a cap of 6,000 bucks that actors pay their union … based on $1 million in earnings," he said. "Make it $6,000 for every million … if someone makes $20 million, they pay $120,000 into the union. That could go a long way in helping pensions and health care.
He continued, "To be sure, I’m not the brightest bulb out there. So maybe someone has a lot better idea … I just happen to believe so strongly in both unions."
To read George’s full letter, click here.
Oscar Countdown: Best Actor
February 19th, 2008
Should we bother analzying the Best Actor race? All signs point to a done deal for Daniel Day-Lewis, but it’s never safe to assume anything. So OK! brings you Mr. DDL’s competition.
Best Actor
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Pro: George backed up his Supporting Actor win (for Syriana) with a beautiful controlled one as a legal fixer in this drama thriller. He can certainly charm his way to a bookend Oscar and those wanting to upgrade his Supporting Actor statuette to a Leading Actor one have their chance here.
Con: His nominated co-stars, Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton, are slightly better and have better odds. And there’s Daniel Day-Lewis.
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Pro: Um, everything. Can anyone dethrone the Day-Lewis Express? Not really. The Brit has swept the biggies and nearly all of the critics awards. And he’s not all to shabby either in the film, which is probably the understatement of the year. His sinfully delicious Daniel Plainview is a clinic in acting.
Con: Voters may be tired of a lock.
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Pro: Voters love when an actor stretches his talents and Johnny does just that, singing and slaying his way to a third nomination in five years. He is the film and when Johnny dives into parts, he dives deep.
Con: Third time will probably not be a charm for Johnny (though he will win one day) as the film may be too macabre for some voters. And there’s Daniel Day-Lewis.
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah
Pro: A surprise nominee, so could there be a surprise win? Tommy brought his A game in this subtle performance as a war vet searching for his MIA soldier son. He also benefits from starring in — and earning kudos for — No Country of Old Men, so he could score easy votes that way.
Con: His performance may be too subtle in an unforgettable flick. And there’s Daniel Day-Lewis.
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Pro: A nomination has been a long-time coming for Viggo. Never one to half-ass anything, Viggo was startling and startlingly fearless as a ruthless tattooed Russian hitman.
Con: It’s not meant to be. The film was too small and didn’t break any box office records, to say the least. And there’s Daniel Day-Lewis.
Prediction
Winner: Daniel Day-Lewis
Next in line: Johnny Depp
Hollywood Reacts to the Oscars!
January 22nd, 2008
This morning Hollywood’s biggest stars and Hollywood’s biggest rising stars got recognized for their hard work in the movies last year. The Oscar nominations were announced and here’s what the nominees had to say!
Atonement’s 13-year-old breakout star Saoirse Ronan was nominated for Best Supporting Actress and said, ”It’s unbelievable. Mom and I were in bed and dad was waiting up for the announcements again, because that’s the way my daddy is. It’s kind of a bit weird actually, in a good way, in a fantastic way. I never expected this in a million years to happen. I can’t believe it."
Meanwhile Viggo Mortensen, who dared to bare for his role in Eastern Promises, felt his nomination is bittersweet if the strike is still on for the telecast. ”No, if there’s a strike I will not go but I have a feeling they’ll solve it. I hope they do," he said, "I’m sure my mom would like to see me on TV and so forth, but if there’s a strike I’m not crossing the line."
Juno star Ellen Page, who’s nominated for Best Actress, tells OK! “I am extremely grateful and excited for this recognition and it is absolutely humbling to be nominated amongst actors who I admire and respect. I am grateful to be in the film in the first place. I am so happy for Jason and Diablo and everyone else involved in the making of this film.”
Best Actress nominee Marion Cotillard for La Vie En Rose admitted to Extra that it soak in the news, “I’m starting to believe it when I have my father crying on the phone… I’m like, ‘Wow!’”
"My cheeks hurt. I haven’t stopped smiling," Gone Baby Gone’s Best Supporting Actress nominee Amy Ryan tells Extra,
