Breaking Nudes from Sundance: Kristen Bell, Kate Bosworth, Juno Temple, and Riki Lindhome
Kate Bosworth shows her little mountains in Big Sur, where she gets topless at the 44 and 52-minute marks.
Kristen Bell spends most of The Lifeguard in her red lifeguard bathing suit, but(t) bares the bottom of her buns 58-minutes in while getting banged against the bathroom sink.
Juno Temple shows off her hoots and hairy Temple in the bathtub 4-minutes into Magic Magic, then buns at 1-hour 5-minutes in while forcing Michael Cera's head into her crotch.
Riki Lindhome shows every heavenly inch in Hell Baby, where Rob Corddry opens the shower curtain on her full frontal at 55-minutes in. Looks like it’s time for a road trip to Park City. We’ll be hitchhiking under the covers.
Looks like Alice in Wonderland star Mia Wasikowska is finally delivering a real happy ending, because she's made her nude debut in Stoker. The film follows Mia and her unstable mother, played by Nicole Kidman, as they deal with her father’s death and the arrival of her enigmatic uncle. Our Skin Skout reports from Sundance:
(0:58) Mia Wasikowska right breast and buns while masturbating.
(1:00) Mia Wasikowska and Nicole Kidman in nightgowns(0:58) Mia Wasikowska right breast and buns while masturbating.
Stoker? They should have called it Stroker!
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Elisabeth Moss on Top of the Lake, Working With Jane Campion, and Getting NakedOnscreen, yes. Definitely. [Laughs.] Yeah, that was an interesting part of it, because I knew there was going to be some nudity, and I didn’t want to do it at first. I sort of balked at it and scrutinized it and went over it, but in my initial conversations with Jane, I’d get off the phone with her and be like, "You know, I just feel safe. I have a feeling that this is going to be fine." And it wasn’t just that she told me it was gonna be fine and she told me it was gonna be safe. But Jane Campion is going to be the last … she’s the most feminist woman in the world. You know, she’s going to be the last person to take advantage of you. Most importantly, too, she was like, “You’re gonna look great.” [Laughs.] And as a female, an actress, that’s important. And you don’t want to be put in any position — pun intended — that’s not good. And she just made me feel safe. I was able to look at playback on set and make sure that things were going in the right direction. And there’s actually a lot less in [the miniseries] than we shot.
More here
* "And there’s actually a lot less in [the miniseries] than we shot"....don't worry guys. In actress vernacular it means a good long view of her breasts and probably a glimpse of her pubes. The more eloquent she is about the nudity ala Kristen Stewart, the less will be shown. Actresses who downplays their nude scene usually the ones who ends up showing us the most.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
* I didn't get the reply I hoped for from an informant regarding Kate Mara nude scene except to point me to this article claiming the answer to my pervy curiosity is between the lines.
Spacey, Fincher build a winning 'House of Cards' for Netflix
Baltimore-shot drama gambles with a new distribution model -- but for the viewer, the series is a sure payoff
 |
| Kate Mara, who plays a reporter, and Kevin Spacey, who stars as a congressman bent on revenge, in a scene from "House of Cards," available on Netflix starting Feb. 1. (Melinda Sue Gordon/Netflix / January 25, 2013) |
And therein lies one of the biggest media stories of the year: Whether spending $100 million to hire an Oscar-winning star and one of the most gifted feature film directors in Hollywood can lead to a TV series compelling enough to change the way viewers have been watching television most or all of their lives.
In one of the biggest media gambles of the decade, Spacey, David Fincher, Netflix and a production company you probably never heard of named Media Rights Capital are betting that the 13 episodes of a political drama they created in and around Baltimore last year can alter the basic TV business model that’s essentially been in place since the 1950s.
Predicting lifestyle and entertainment industry change in these tumultuous times is a fool’s game. But after seeing the first two episodes in this Shakespearean saga of Washington betrayal and revenge, it is safe to say that if it were on television, “House of Cards” would be the best series the medium has to offer.
The two episodes directed by Fincher, the only ones Netflix made available for screening, can stand shoulder to shoulder with the first two hours of “Mad Men” or “Homeland.” In fact, visually, “House of Cards” is far superior to both. And I say that after watching on a standard computer screen.
Starting Friday, Netflix subscribers will be able to go online and stream all 13 episodes of Season One. The thinking is that the quality of the production and the ability to watch a full season without being at the mercy of a network or cable channel that parcels the series out one episode a week will be enough to get viewers to join Netflix and change the way they have essentially consumed TV since the late 1940s.
“House of Cards” will not be on TV in the U.S., the U.K. or Scandinavia, where Netflix bought first-run rights usurping cable channels like HBO, Showtime and AMC that have come to own the quality TV game since the 1990s, when the broadcast networks surrendered the territory in favor of cost-effective reality TV.
Modi Wiczyk, CEO of Media Rights Capital, says the last thing his production company expected to do was change the way TV is bought, sold and consumed.
“All we did was set out to make the best TV show we could with the best people we could,” says Wiczyk, who characterizes MRC as a production company centered on relationships with star film directors like Fincher. “Our initial assumption was that it would go to any one of the usual suspects of the pay cable services.”
But, Wiczyk says, that plan changed once MRC talked to Netflix about buying secondary rights, after an anticipated premiere on a cable channel like HBO, Showtime or AMC.
Netflix had its own agenda and wanted to start owning original content just like HBO, Showtime and AMC.
"So, they read the script and said, ‘We absolutely love this, we want to go into original content ourselves and we want to make this our anchor show,’" Wiczyk says.
“They gave our artists two things: The broadest canvas possible with a 26-episode commitment, and absolutely no interference whatsoever,” Wiczyk says. “That’s a very unusual dynamic for television.”
The commitment from Netflix to 26 episodes without a pilot being made is more than unusual. It’s unprecedented. But without it, they probably wouldn’t have had a chance at a production with artists like Spacey, Fincher and screenwriter Beau Willimon (“Ides of March”).
It was a happy development for Baltimore and Maryland once the producers decided to film here for reasons of geography, state incentives and the history of successful productions like “The Wire” and “Game Change.” Much of the $100 million is being spent on crews, local actors, building supplies, housing and food as Baltimore stands in for Washington.
Because of the length of commitment, the production could put down roots, building 150,000 square feet of soundstages in Harford County.
Comparable to a Hollywood studio backlot in size, the soundstages house congressional offices, West Wing offices, Capitol Hill and Georgetown apartments and town houses.
The producers also built a soundstage at The Baltimore Sun to film scenes involving a young reporter who plays a key role in the series.
And the production filmed at such area sites as the Baltimore Museum of Art, the War Memorial Building, the Peabody Conservatory and the Engineer’s Club – all of which appear as Washington locations on screen in the first two hours. Production on Season Two is tentatively scheduled to start April 15 in Baltimore.
In the end, money spent doesn’t matter unless viewers can see it on the screen. In this case, they can — and then some.
Based on a 1990 BBC mini-series starring Ian Richardson, this “House of Cards” tells the story of Francis Underwood (Spacey), a South Carolina congressman of 22 years who has ascended to House Majority Whip and now expects to be named secretary of state based on a deal he made to help a new president get elected. Except as the new president takes office, he decides to renege on his promise, having his chief of staff tell Underwood the administration needs him to stay in Congress.
The script, the acting and the visuals of the first two hours are feature-film quality. The series opens with an overture-like scene that plays out at night, on the street in front of Underwood’s townhouse, where an animal has been injured by a hit-and-run driver. It gives the audience an unsettling glimpse into the steely psyche and political philosophy of the lead character as he deals with the bloody situation that landed at his doorstep.
Viewers also get their first taste of direct address, with Underwood speaking to the camera, much the way Shakespeare’s Richard III spoke to theatergoers. The words written by Willimon are inspired, but it is Spacey who ultimately makes the strategy on breaking the fourth wall such a success, seducing viewers with his charm, political savvy and easygoing candor — all the while enlisting them as co-conspirators in his dark designs for retribution before they know what happened.
Fincher wraps the first two hours in a rich, dark, atmospheric cloak that seems to draw as much from Alan Pakula’s “All the President’s Men” (1976) as it does his own “The Social Network” (2010) and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (2011). Fincher drenches his Washington in daytime monuments, ornate domes and lavish offices set against darkness, night and the shadows in which plots are hatched and conspirators meet.
Mara’s Zoe Barnes character is the gateway into this production for younger viewers. She is not as complicated as Francis or Claire Underwood, but she is only about half their age, so how could she be? What’s fascinating about her is watching the way she reacts to the devil’s dance the congressman invites her to do with him — and the youthful moves she brings to their alliance.
The best TV dramas, from “The Wire” to “The Sopranos,” have a variety of directors, but those series also had TV auteurs as executive producers, in David Simon and David Chase, ensuring continuity from episode to episode. TV is a producer’s medium, whereas film has been called a director’s medium. Without seeing the other episodes, there is no way of knowing if Fincher, a creature of film not TV, maintained such continuity.
In the end, all I can promise is this: Viewers who give themselves up to Spacey’s Underwood, Willimon’s words and Fincher’s direction in the first hour are in for a delicious and wicked ride unlike anything else television currently offers.
Though like Underwood at the end of the opening scene with that injured animal, they might want to wash their hands at the end of episode one given all the pleasure they have taken in bad things that he made happen.
And then, they’ll want to instantly order up the second episode from Netflix.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
* Someone recently wondered if Chloë Grace Moretz will get naked in much-anticipated horror flick (at least by me) Carrie (2013). Here is an article from 2004 - still very much relevant today.
The Casting Corner : 18 to Play Younger
by Mark Sikes (October 25, 2004)
PARENTAL WARNING: Many parents are not going to like what I have to say this week. So, read on with an open mind and, as always, I welcome your feedback.
Most folks want their kids to focus on college from 18 to 22 so they have a craft to rely on when they get over this crazy "acting bug." But if your son or daughter truly has the passion and talent for acting, I urge you to keep reading and consider your child's future. Not how much money they can make, but how happy they will be making it.
I was sitting in a talent manager's office the other day with one of my students. He picked up the phone and in 30 seconds had her in consideration for a role on a TV series. The casting director was only interested in actors "18 to play younger." We left his office and dropped a headshot off at the studio immediately.
What does the term "18 to play younger" mean?" Simple. Once an actor is 18, they're an adult, at least legally. We can work them a full day when hiring them for film and T.V. When talent is under 18 you enter the world of studio teachers, less hours and a parent or guardian on the set. So, with so many shows like "Veronica Mars" and "Jack and Bobby" on the air, there's an endless need for actors who are "18 to play younger."
Most young actors can no longer play high school by the time they're 23 or 24. So if they don't take advantage of that market when they're 18-22, it's a pretty small window for them to pursue those roles. I would rather have my child focus on acting from 18 to 22 when they are such a strong commodity in the business. If they lose interest they can go to college at 23. Many people get their degrees at less traditional ages these days.
I also think it's possible to come to L.A. and go to college simultaneously. Realistically, most newcomers aren't going to get hundreds of auditions their first year. They could do their first year of school, check out the acting scene and make an informed assessment of how to proceed. They could also attend college part-time until they are more locked in on their choices. All it takes is one national commercial and the teenager can pay for their own tuition.
Hollywood can be a scary place, especially to an 18 year-old. So, if your son or daughter has an interest in acting professionally, don't wait until their senior year of high school to get involved. Help them learn more about the business. This means you have to learn more about the business. There are a lot of free resources out there. Every state has a film commission. Every state has a SAG office. The internet has a lot of information as well. It's up to you to separate the good from the not-so-good and pass on the best tools to your child. Samuel French Bookstore offers a wealth of great material on acting and the entertainment industry and they also have an on-line store.
The day your child turns 18, they can legally appear nude in film and TV, even if they're still in high school. I don't bring this point up to take a position on roles requiring nudity. I simply think that the first time the subject of nudity comes up, it should be with the parents; before they move here if possible. You talk to your kids about drugs, sex and alcohol. If your son or daughter plans to pursue an acting career, talk to them about nudity. Because someone else eventually will.
And if I may speak directly to the young actors reading this column: Coming to L.A. at 18 isn't for everyone. You should have a deep-rooted love of acting. You shouldn't be able to imagine yourself doing anything else. And you should love to study. Don't just wake up one morning in the middle of senior year and decide to come to L.A. Do some theatre. Take some drama classes. Find out what's available for classes in nearby cities. It's harder if you're hundreds of miles away from a big city, but there are theatre companies everywhere. If there isn't, start one.
There are also lots of summer classes, camps and college-sponsored programs which offer great opportunities to teens. UCLA offers a wonderful summer program for teens and if you look just to the left of this column you'll find a link to a great new summer camp for teens. (I can get away with shameless plugs because the Icicle Creek Young Actor's Conservatory is a non-profit endeavor that sends lots of under-privileged kids to camp.)
You can't expect your parents to take this dream seriously if you yourself have not exhibited serious interest over an extended period of time. Show them you really want this by making the necessary sacrifices to get involved in local theatre and acting opportunities while keeping your grades up.
In my early 20's I was the advisor to a youth theatre group in Western Massachusetts. I watched these kids year after year and eventually they would head off to college and many of them were picking majors based on what their parents wanted. They wanted to pursue their dreams and major in theatre, but most of their parents wouldn't pay for college unless they picked a "real" major. And not going to college wasn't an option either, so off to business school they went. For a lot of these kids, it may have been just as well. Not every teenager who takes drama in high school has truly serious aspirations for a career in professional acting. But there were some, however few, who really had the drive to act. But with no support system available to them, the dream died and they were sent off to more "serious" pursuits.
Remember, your son or daughter may very well be the next DeNiro or Streep. How many world-class actors would tell you their parents were excited about their career choice when they were 18? Our kids aren't going to end up homeless because they didn't go to business school. But they might end up hating their lives if they aren't allowed to follow their dreams.
* Another must-read piece from 2005 talks about casting notices and roles requiring nudity
The Casting Corner : The Naked Truth
by Mark Sikes ((March 15, 2005)
If you've ever disrobed for the camera, or even considered it, you might want to read this two-part column on the "dos" and "don'ts" of nude scenes.
More and more frequently actors and actresses are up for jobs that call for nudity. Cable channels are doing more original programming which regularly include nude scenes and even network shows like "NYPD Blue" and "ER" now feature partial nudity. So, should you or shouldn't you? And if you do, how do you protect yourself from overexposure?
First, if you're never going to be comfortable with nudity no matter what, then the rest of this column isn't going to make a difference either way. And I have no problem with actors who say they won't do nudity under any circumstances. That's a personal decision each actor needs to make for themselves. But a lot of people are on the fence because they aren't sure of the consequences or how the industry will think of them.
Before we examine the ramifications of onscreen nudity, we should map out the landscape with a few definitions. There are various degrees of nudity and it will help if we first agree on our terminology.
"Implied nudity" - This is not technically nudity because nothing is revealed. You look nude without showing anything. If we shot an actress from behind and she was wearing nothing above the waist, this is implied nudity. We can't see her front, but it is implied that she is topless. This can also be achieved from a side shot if the actress is embracing another actor, thus blocking our view of her breasts. In the film "Pretty Woman," Julia Roberts had an implied nude scene when she appeared nude in a bath tub. You could not actually see her breasts, but we were made to believe she was taking a bath. Also, if you watched the premiere of the new John Stamos show "Jake in Progress" Sunday night, there was an implied nude scene when a girl came out of the bathroom nude but all we saw was her upper back.
"Brief Nudity" - This is partial nudity, breasts and/or buttocks, but it is quick or only seen from a distance. Network shows like "NYPD Blue" feature scenes like this.
"Partial Nudity" - This is when the breasts and/or buttocks are visible for more than a few seconds. It could be in the context of a love scene or just the actress alone.
"Nudity" (a.k.a. "Full Nudity") - Whether it's a man or a woman, full nudity means just that. This frequently occurs when the director wants the ability to shoot the scene anyway they choose. Holly Hunter had a scene or two in "Thirteen" which involved full nudity. Of course, with a script like that, the actress comes off looking very brave and committed to her role. Doing full nudity in the wrong movie can make you look like a porn star.
Regardless of the degree of nudity, another key factor is context. There is a huge difference between a tasteful nude scene in "Shakespeare in Love" and the full-on grinding we can tune into on certain late night cable channels. If your character has five love scenes, Sidney Pollack better be directing or you're in a soft-core porn flick. There are "A" pictures that deal with mature themes and involve explicit nudity. "9 1/2 Weeks" was a sexy, erotic film. Gary Marshall's "Exit To Eden" featured many nude scenes, but was a delightful comedic romp, not a porno. If the term "simulated sex" comes up during your negotiation it better be a scene with Tom Cruise!
One recurring fear among actors is that if they do a nude scene, it will "come back to haunt them" later. Does nudity hurt your career? Kim Basinger did 9 1/2 Weeks and her career took off. Heather Graham had nude scenes in "Boogie Nights" and all of a sudden she was working non-stop. Jessica Pare, who stars on "Jack and Bobby," had no trouble getting cast on the WB show yet she's done nude scenes in two films. So, drawing the conclusion that doing a nude scene will hurt your career doesn't seem to play out. There are hundreds of actresses working today who have done nude scenes. No correlation. I'm not talking about the softcore Skinemax stuff here. That stuff haunts you no matter what becomes of your career.
A lot of actresses have resorted to nude scenes to jump start, or re-start, their careers. Heather Graham's career was stalled and then she did "Boogie Nights" and was quickly thrust to A-list status. Alyssa Milano wanted to redefine her image after "Who's The Boss?" so she did a series of edgier roles, some requiring nudity.
Who are some more of these actresses who have performed nude? The list may surprise you. Katie Holmes, Reese Witherspoon, Jamie Lee Curtis, Selma Blair, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Holly Hunter, Meryl Streep, Joely Richardson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hilary Swank, Halle Berry, Christina Ricci, Rebecca Romjin, Julie Andrews, Julianne Moore, Kim Delaney, Parker Posey, Laura Linney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Sandra Bullock, Emily Watson, Rachel Weisz, and many, many more.
But nude scenes aren't for everyone. Julia Roberts has never done one. Neither have Jennifer Love Hewitt, Alicia Silverstone,
I polled a lot of actors regarding their stance on nude scenes. Had they done them and if so did they regret it? Would they ever do it? Why or why not?
Tara Platt, an actress I worked with recently, talks about her approach to nude scenes. "Personally, I am comfortable with nudity. We all have bodies.so, for me that isn't the point, the point is in this particular slice of life, what is the character going through - who are they, how do they feel about their body.and if it lines up, then count me in. My job as an actor isn't to play me, it is to play truthfully in the supposed situation."
"Either don't do that because it doesn't feel right or do it because you can accept it for what it is." - Tara Platt, Actress, on gratuitous nudity.
And what about "gratuitous" nudity? Tara feels that actors should "trust your gut instinct and acknowledge it for what it is. Either don't do that because it doesn't feel right or do it because you can accept it for what it is - because when you are on set you are going to have to get to that "shower scene" or "make-out session" and you are going to have to take your shirt off so that the backers can sell the movie for distribution."
Tara has an unusually realistic approach to nudity. Not just in her comfort level, but in calling a spade a spade. I think actors too often intellectualize nude scenes as if most of them are actually there for art's sake. Almost every horror film has some nudity. All of it could be called gratuitous. I don't think that necessarily makes it evil, but, like Tara points out, actors should take it for what it is. You're either comfortable with it or you're not. Don't kid yourself into thinking that most nude scenes add artistic impact to the project. Even studio films throw it in for sales.
Several actors wrote me about problems on films that were only asking for "implied nudity."
* also correlates with "possible nudity" used far more widely at present time to allow some legal leeway in persuading the party concerned into disrobing. Example: Dominik García-Lorido (Magic City)
They reported that after agreeing to do the scene one way, they were pressured into going a little farther once on the set. Here is where you need to be very careful because if they get it on film they're going to use it. I strongly advise putting a clause in your contract that says "no nudity." That way they can't even use anything if they "accidentally" expose you.
Here's one actress' experience: "I starred in a SAG feature, -it was written with nudity, however the casting director told me in advance that there was no nudity. Throughout the shoot the producer/director/co-star kept pressuring me, using intimidation tactics and even lying to me about what he could and could not see on the footage. I believe this was not the norm and this producer was just getting off on himself." Definitely not the norm.
This is an all-too-common occurrence, proven by another actress' story. "I did implied nudity in a western at the beginning of my career. I was in a bathtub, the angle of the camera actually showed more than the director said would show as they were shooting at more of a downward angle than outwardly visible. Bubble bath didn't exist in the old west, as in "Pretty Woman" so you could see "things" pretty clearly. When I first saw it I was upset, then I just laughed because I felt it was my responsibility to know more about the camera than I did." A very forgiving attitude. It would be nice if more actresses could trust their directors and DPs.
Yet another actress wrote me about an incident that occurred to her in an audition where the "producer" proceeded to have her strip off her clothes and perform simulated sex with her in his office. For the record, a body check should take all of ten seconds and if there's any contact at all, it's a porno or a scam. And if it's a scam, please report it, even anonymously. I was actually surprised not to hear from more actresses about their experiences because I know there's a lot more misconduct going on out there than anyone's reporting. So often actresses share with me confidentially their horror stories, but they are never willing to do anything about them. So, unfortunately, these creeps get away with it and probably keep doing it.
And there are horror stories from the guys as well. One actor told me about a producer who wanted him to star in his next feature. Everything was fine until the actor read the scene where he's supposed to have sex with another guy in a public restroom stall. But even that did not scare off this actor. He asked the director how this was going to be shot. The director told him that the audience wouldn't see much because the camera would be looking through the cracks in the bathroom door. That sounded fine. But then the director told him that he wanted to shoot the two actors actually having oral sex, not implied, not simulated, but actual oral sex! I don't care if it's male or female, that's just wrong. Even the late night cable soft porn movies are only simulated.
One recurring element in a lot of these stories is that they happened with creeps who aren't even in the business. Do your research. Make sure who you're dealing with. Use the internet. The imdb is a fantastic resource and there's always Google. You'd be surprised how much information is right at your fingertips. This isn't to say that a first-time director is more likely to be a sleaze, but you might want to sit down with a novice filmmaker to see if this is someone you feel comfortable working nude for.
Some actors have had changes of heart on the subject. One actress wrote me and said "there was a time when I would not consider nudity under any circumstances. I felt nudity was overused and unnecessary. But as I have gotten older, I have seen many films and stage productions in which nudity truly helped tell the story and intensify the impact of a particular moment. That being said, I now consider parts with nudity but the role better be damn good."
A couple actresses I spoke to were okay with doing nudity, but had some hesitation because after having children they felt awkward about their bodies. It is understandable to feel self-conscious in this body-conscious business, and I trust my sources that the female body endures a lot during childbirth, but many actresses have given birth and gone on to do love scenes. If you're comfortable with the idea of a nude scene, I suggest talking frankly with the director or casting director at the time of the audition. Let them know exactly what your concerns are and see if there's a compromise. Not that I have any right to give post-pregnancy advice to women, but if you fit into that 20's-30's leading lady category, you're going to want to get back on an intense physical regimen as soon as possible. That's what stars have to do to stay competitive.
The industry members I polled seemed overall open to the concept of nudity, which is no surprise since projects with nudity are so pervasive. To reject the idea of doing any work even partially nude means turning down a large percentage of the available film roles out there that are left after all the name talent is cast. "I bring the client the opportunity and leave it up to her," states Michael Goldberg of the Artists Group Talent Agency. "The one thing to remember in this day is that it will always be out there. With video, cable and the internet you can not run away from it. So it's got to be something you'll be okay with forever."
Longtime agent Mimi Mayer says "there are so many factors that have to be considered before sending the actor in for the audition. But it's always worth having a conversation about and not just passing because the word `nudity' is in the breakdown. Nudity on T.V. is probably going to be minimal (although the talent will be naked for a time on the set, which we hope is a closed one). Nudity in film is potentially going to come with a lot more exposure (no pun intended) and an honest conversation needs to be had between the agent/actor, agent/casting director, and casting director/director-producer about what the requirements of the actor are going to be."
Another agent says "I prefer my clients to pass on roles that require nudity in general. It depends on the material and the client's wishes. I mostly represent younger talent. I rep teens and young adults so in general they do not wish to do nudity. But if it's tasteful or a great part or great material, there are exceptions if the client is comfortable but I never force a client to do it if they feel strongly against it."
Do agents believe that nudity can negatively affect an actor's career? Michael Goldberg points out that "Halle Berry won an Oscar for "Monster" in which she was nude. Kim Basinger's done nudity and she's won an Oscar. It just depends on the actor. In this day and age it seems to be acceptable when porn stars are becoming real stars." Mimi Mayer sums it up tidily, when asked if nudity hurts an actor's career by answering, "sometimes, not always, and not forever." And manager Pat Cutler doesn't feel it will hurt an actor as long as "it's done in good taste."
And from the casting perspective, Michael Donovan says he's "very upfront about it. The actor needs to understand that he/she should only be auditioning for this if it's something he or she is very comfortable doing. Make sure the nudity is appropriate and be specific about what you are and are not willing to do.rear nudity OK? Frontal? Etc. Also, I think actors need to understand that they're not going to be naked for just a few seconds on a sound stage. It will probably be quite a while. I think nudity is not that big a deal any more - but it does depend on what the project was. Pretty much, except for hardcore and softcore porn, I don't think it hurts an actor's career the way it once did. And even then it hasn't hurt some people!"
So how does an actor protect themselves throughout the entire process? First, save us all a little trouble and do not submit for roles with nudity if you are 100% against doing any nudity. Nudity is not swimsuit or lingerie. You cannot count on it to be implied or shadowy. Nudity means we will see you topless, completely nude or nude from behind.
If you are given the opportunity, ask in advance about any nudity. If not, ask when you come in. I recommend asking up front so you don't waste your time or ours. Actors need to remember that just because you come in and audition, it doesn't mean you have to take the part if offered. You're checking us out just as much as we're checking you out. I'm simply recommending candor to avoid a mutual waste of time.
Make sure you and your agent are on the same page about this and don't sign anything unless your agent sees it first. It's essential to discuss with your agent your position on nudity and it's equally important that they respect it. Be as specific as possible because it's inevitably going to come up. If your agent or manager is constantly trying to talk you into doing things you're not comfortable with, then it's time to drop that person and seek representation elsewhere.
If you decide to audition for a film with nudity, there might be a body check. These should be conducted professionally, with minimal people in the room. Use these as a gauge for what to expect on the set. If filmmakers behave unprofessionally during a body check it's a guarantee that they will do the same once you're hired. And never allow yourself to be filmed or photographed during a nude body check. "Body checks are a necessary part of the process," says Michael Donovan, "and there's so NOT anything sexual about them. It's at best a bit awkward to everyone in the room. So, if the actor is comfortable, everyone relaxes." This is very true. If an actor is going to be uncomfortable in the office with two people there, they're going to be worse on the set.
I worked with a director a long time ago who wanted to do nude body checks of every actress we read. I was so outraged at this that I went to the producer, who immediately supported me and told the director "no way." It didn't make me popular with the director, but what a ridiculous request. There are definitely a lot of guys working out their issues in Hollywood. Don't let them pressure you into anything inappropriate. You have to be totally comfortable with walking out and saying "no thanks." There will be other opportunities.
So, you've made it through the audition and the subsequent body check. Your agent calls to tell you that you're our first choice and we want to offer you the role. Don't get overwhelmed so much that you allow for sloppy negotiation. This is the time for the agent to lay out the specifics of the nudity in contract form. Don't be shy. If you're going to do the nudity, you should be able to discuss it openly. The contract should reflect exactly what will be shot and how much will be seen. Seeing to these details during the negotiation will help protect you when it comes time to shoot. And when they hand you your contract, make sure it accurately represents what was agreed upon before signing it.
Note: If you are offered a role with nudity, but don't have a manager or agent, you might consider hiring a lawyer to go over the contract. It may cost you a few bucks, but you'll be glad you did it later.
This is where SAG can come in handy. If it's a union film, and you have a contract, the producers are bound legally to honor that contract and all deal points within or they risk a long, drawn-out legal battle with the Screen Actor's Guild. Very unpleasant. If it's a non-union film, get it in writing and then it's up to you personally to sue the producers if they breach the agreement. Who knows, you might end up owning the film.
As I said before," just because a film is non-union is no excuse to work without a contract. Every time you work you should have a contract or deal memo. Even on a student film. This is how you protect yourself regarding things like nudity, tape, dressing room, etc. Legitimate producers want a contract, too, because it protects them and guarantees that you're going to show up to the set.
As for how to protect yourself during shooting, assume that the camera is seeing everything. And feel free to insert these following tips right into your contract.
Seriously, if you want a 100% guarantee that some sleazy producer isn't going to try to shoot a little more skin than agreed upon, place black tape over your nipples. A crotch pad will work just fine to conceal areas below the waist. If you don't want them to see your rear, keep your damn pants on! Really no other way to hide one's buttocks. It is industry standard for an actor to wear a pad or tape for comfort on the set. And it's okay to request that your "partner" wear coverage as well. If a producer objects, they probably have another agenda.
"Producer agrees to shoot all nude/love scenes on a closed set with no non-essential crew or personnel present."
This shouldn't be a problem on a legitimate shoot. There's no reason for the production assistants or seven producers to be in the room while you're undressed. This is just a matter of respect.
"Producer and artist agree that there will be no nude still photography at any time."
The still photographer should not be taking photos of you during nude scenes or love scenes. It's wise to put this right in the deal memo. On a closed set, the photographer shouldn't be there anyway, but if it's in the contract you're protected.
"Performer agrees to allow producer to body double performer in one nude scene for the project. Performer has the right to approve the person chosen as their body double."
Body doubles are not usually an option on projects with a small or medium budget and they usually look bad. I actually recommend against body doubles whenever possible. As the actor being body-doubled, remember that the body double may not be flattering.
And a sidebar here. I don't care how sweet and gentle a director or producer may seem, most of them will sneak a little extra given the opportunity, so don't be swayed by a silver tongue. Some producers don't even let actors know in advance that a role has nudity. I worked on one film where the producer waited until after the table read to tell the director and me that two of the roles now required nudity. We had our cast. None had been told about nudity. We felt crappy, but had to do it. We lost two actresses and spent a week recasting roles that now required nudity. I will never work for that company again or the woman who was in charge because she had no respect for actors, the director or myself. She made it look like I had withheld this information. So, beware. And remember, just because the casting director is the one bringing you the information, doesn't mean we were complicit in misleading you.
How much is too much? It always amazes me when "actresses" do soft-core porn for late night cable over and over and then don't understand why no one will take them seriously. These films do not feature acting, ladies. While I don't think there's anything detrimental in doing nudity or a love scene, you need to be careful of overexposure. If you've done seven movies, and had nudity in all of them, that's too much. Whenever producers have a role with nudity, you're going to be their "go-to girl." And, unfortunately, those are the only roles they will seriously consider you for. All things in moderation.
When do you definitely say no? There are plenty of situations where you should just say "no." When you're nude in every scene. When there are six nude scenes in the movie, even if you're not in any of them. When your character spends more time out of their clothes than in them. When they won't put it in writing. When the people in the audition totally creep you out.
Don't do nudity for the money. Get a job. Get a second job. Never do nudity as a means to paying the bills. That's called stripping, not acting. This goes for posing nude for print work or internet work as well. These are short cuts that never lead where the women think they will. Ever seen a Playboy Playmate give an Oscar acceptance speech?
I wouldn't do nudity at the last minute. Producers should tell you before you accept the role if there is any nudity involved. They may sweet talk you or offer a little more money but I wouldn't give in. There are producers out there who know if they wait until the very last minute an actress can be pressured into things they wouldn't normally do. Always call your agent, manager or lawyer.
Doing nudity because of your acting class is also a mistake. There are actually classes that pressure their students into taking jobs, no matter what the quality, to prove that they are a "working actor." This is the biggest load of BS ever and these teachers should be ashamed of themselves. They know who they are. Don't get caught up in their dementia. Your acting class is never a good reason to take your clothes off.
And, most importantly, you never do nudity if you feel completely uncomfortable with the idea of it. If you know you're going to regret it later, don't do it now. That doesn't mean you should expect the day of the nude scene to be totally comfortable, but there are those actors who are on the fence, and those who know it's not for them.
And finally, let me sign off this week with a couple of anecdotes of my own. I was recently casting a SAG feature and one of the roles had nudity. It was partial nudity, topless only. Many actors didn't want to be considered for it. Many did. One actress came into the callbacks and told us she was not comfortable with nudity. This wasted everyone's time. She said she was okay with it if nothing was shown, but, as we told her, that's not nudity. The breakdown said "nudity" right on it. The agent was told of this nudity and we were told the actress was comfortable with it. What was she thinking?
Ironically, on the same film, the girl we ended up casting decided on the day of the nude scene that she didn't want to do it. This was a huge problem. People can lose their jobs over this. I can lose my job over this. I feel bad for the actress because clearly it was a hard decision for her, but she put a lot of people at risk and actually compromises the entire film. How? Because the simple truth is that sometimes one of the elements that a director is contractually obligated to deliver is a love scene. I have seen this many times over the years. The producers want to sell the film overseas and they know a love scene helps with those markets. Why do you think so many horror films have that obligatory nude scene? It actually is a matter of commerce. So when an actress agrees to do it and then changes her mind at the last minute, it can really have dramatic repercussions.
I would also like to say that I think there are worse things you could do than a nude scene. I coached a student last fall for "American Pie 12" or whatever number they're on. The character and dialogue were so bad that I secretly hoped she didn't book it. I think women should avoid tasteless sex comedies like the plague. It's much more offensive to play a bimbo who keeps her clothes on than to have a nude scene in a legitimate film.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The continuing saga of Paul Schrader's Lindsay Lohan movie 'The Canyons' includes rejection, inevitable infamy
Paul Schrader is on the verge of further infamy now that the craziness he endured making "The Canyons" with Lindsay Lohan has been made public. First, the Grand Rapids-born filmmaker's troubled shoot was the subject of a Jan. 10, 2013 New York Times Magazine expose that detailed his struggles with Lohan. Now, The Hollywood Reporter says that the film has been rejected by the South by Southwest Film Festival, after it was previously turned down by Sundance.THR's piece quotes an unidentified source that "The Canyons" was axed by SXSW because it suffers from "quality issues" and that “It’s got an ugliness and a deadness to it.”
On Jan. 16, Schrader sort of pre-empted this news via a post on the film's Facebook page, saying it will be a few months before anyone can see it. "When the film is shown it should also be available VOD (video on demand) and limited theatrical," he wrote, later adding, "The film is very good. I have no qualms about that."
"The Canyons" reportedly features numerous instances of graphic sex and violence. Starring opposite Lohan is porn star James Deen, and the screenplay was penned by Bret Easton Ellis.
Schrader, 66, is a Calvin College alum best known for penning the screenplays for "Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull" and "The Last Temptation of Christ," and for directing "Cat People," "Affliction" and "Auto Focus." He infamously filmed 1979 drama "Hardcore," in which George C. Scott plays a businessman who ventures into pornography, in Grand Rapids.
You Must Make Your Heart Still
Otherwise I wouldn’t have survived the newly-released Hemlock Grove trailer.
To understand how big a deal it is to me, let it be known that Landon Liboiron (who everyone must know by now is the Big Damn Love of My Life) gets third billing. After devouring most of his filmography and watching Terra Nova reruns on Fox, I was left with no new videos, pictures or anything else of him, aside from the occasional appearance and that new The National cover, which is really good, by the way. For a while the smallest bit of anything new with Landon was anticipated. And this? This is huge. This is concrete. This means thirteen hours of Landon goodness. Finally. All these months have been building up to this. (And now I’m excited for new projects for him again. More awesome films, please! *cough*TFiOS*cough*)
I waited for this trailer for eight months, and apparently I will have been waiting for the show for over a year when it premieres on April 19th. I was starting to fear that it wouldn’t happen, after all. When filming started last July I was all YES. They kept a lot of things under wraps and weren’t gaining much media attention, but that’s all about to change now. It’s a done deal, it’s for real, and it’ll be here real soon. That is freaking golden.
(It kind of sucks that everyone’s ignoring Landon and focusing on Bill Skarsgård and Famke Janssen, even though Peter is the arguable main main protagonist of the whole story. Landon deserves more than a sliver of attention, too! A true underdog like his character, I suppose. Maybe if the series does well, which I hope it does, this’ll be his breakout role?)
Also, I read the book on which the miniseries is based (out of excitement and curiosity, of course) and it’s pretty good. Lots of great moments full of twists and turns and
So now I’m doing a quick recap of the trailer. Which is obviously just an excuse to objectify Landon and admit that I’m sort of crushing on Bill Skarsgård—all Skarsgård genes, raw talent and six feet and three inches of him—too.
Welcome to Hemlock Grove, Pennsylvania.
Here, attractive seventeen-year-old boys make friends with each other while trespassing in closed parks at night and admit they “see things” and wax philosophical about death and mortality. I should probably mention that a girl has recently been killed, horribly mutilated. The cops think one or both of them is to blame, and they’ve decided to go look for the murderer themselves.
This one’s Peter. He’s a Gypsy, which is very Heathcliff of him. He’s the new kid. He lives in a trailer. He’s very mysterious. Also he’s big on stubble. Or probably cannot afford a razor. Or both.
All of these, and he supposedly turns into a big black dog under a full moon.
(Note to the Hemlock Grove costume department: Thank you ever so flipping much for putting Landon with that hair in that leather jacket. THANK YOU.)
This one’s Roman. Future heir (is that redundant?) to the Godfrey Steel Company, which is practically royalty in Hemlock Grove. He does something to people with his eyes. He also likes to bleed. Peter claims he’s an upir.
That’s
This is the Godfrey Steel Mill, or something. Shit goes down in here, one way or another. I remember there being an immaculate White Tower thing in the middle of town; I don’t remember what it was for. I think it was a hospital or something For Science. It’s a symbol of power.
I’m guessing right now we can make a drinking game out of the frequency with which these boys brood to each other. Did they go to the Lucas “Broody” Scott School of Brooding?
I’ll take that as a yes.
(Also, the potential for slash is high in this one. Do you see how Roman looks at Peter? It’s even lampshaded in the book. I swear it’s like oh man stop mutually snarking already you’re both clearly gay for each other yes homo it’s okay you can make out instead forget all the batshit Gothic craziness in your batshit Gothic crazy lives!!!)
Whoops. Sorry, Roman, looks like Peter’s already off to different endeavors with your cousin Letha. Who, by the way, thinks the father of her “miracle baby” is an angel. Yep, girl’s pregnant by supposed immaculate conception.
Not to worry, Roman gets his own action. In an awesome red car, too, no less. Except it’s kind of…rape.
Peter’s mom—Lili Taylor, ahhhhh! Total goddess in Dogfight and Say Anything…—warns him against schmoozing with the Godfreys. They are not to be trusted. And with good fuckin’ reason, Pete. “But Mom, I love him!” Okay. Maybe not.
OH HEY IT’S GARRETT NICKELSEN!!!!!!!!
…oh my god. He even has Garrett’s tank top, along with his hair and his eyes and his beard. I just realized. This is so weird. It never would have even crossed my mind that Landon looks a lot like Garrett right now if it weren’t for Camille.
I’ve always wanted to see Landon’s gorgeous blue eyes up-close. They seem endless. Can you imagine how pretty they’d be in sunlight?
I CANNOT COMMENT BECAUSE I’VE DIED.
And then some other stuff happens, more people get killed, gasp-inducing secrets are exposed (along with some human guts), insane werewolves materialize, lots of different endeavors happen, we meet Roman’s sister Shelley whose name is an obvious homage and who is like the best character ever, and so on, and so on. And, duh, more brooding!
I love how they incorporated the very symbolic snake-eating-itself image (it appears often in the novel) into the logo.
Once again, all thirteen episodes of Hemlock Grove are due this April on Netflix. As for me, I’ll be waiting for them to appear on iSoHunt. They’ll find their way there eventually.
They better.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Deft ft. Om'Mas Keith - 'Let's Hook Up' (Official Video) - A Dark Fashion Short
from Dani Deville+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
22-years old Norwegian model Lise Aanes by Daemian and Christine
“This past summer we were lucky enough to meet Lise Aanes at a casting at our apartment. Shortly afterwards we shot her for an extensive series of nudes. Not surprisingly, she was an incredible subject.”
Lise got into modeling through her passion for theatre and acting. Placed with Elite Milan, she has shot the Max-and-Co lookbook with Matteo Montanari and is, in our opinion, the fabulously high fashion version of Amelie Poulain.
INTERVIEW: Gaby Hoffmann's 'Crystal (Fairy') Method
By: Frank DiGiacomo
At the film's Sundance premiere, Silva said that his movie, which is based on a real-life encounter, is "about the birth of compassion in someone's life." Although it's actor Michael Cera, in the lead male role, who undergoes that emotional transformation, Hoffmann plays the part of catalyst with such heartbreaking authenticity that I couldn't help but take that roller-coaster ride, too.Hoffmann's performance is all the more remarkable when you consider that Crystal Fairy was almost entirely improvised and shot in 12 days in Chile while Silva was waiting for production to start on another movie he brought to Sundance, Magic Magic.
A New York native, Hoffmann, 31, has quite a bit of experience with iconoclastic personalities. She is the daughter of Warhol superstar Viva and grew up in Manhattan's fabled Chelsea Hotel. In the interview below, she talks about the non-conformist surroundings of her childhood, filming Crystal Fairy while tripping on mescaline, and how her experience on the set reaffirmed her commitment to acting after 10 years of soul-searching, following performances in Field of Dreams, Sleepless in Seattle, You Can Count on Me and The Man Without A Face.
Movieline: You told me earlier that you were overwhelmed by Sundance audiences' response to Crystal Fairy and your performance. What kind of feedback have you been getting?
Gaby Hoffmann: People really love the movie and the character — the [smiles] titular character I created which is kind of a first experience for me — at least as an adult. I mean, I made a lot of movies that people loved when I was a kid, but I didn’t have any real relationship to them. I had fun making them, I loved the people I worked with, but I wasn’t conscious of anything I was doing, you know? I didn’t even realize that I was interested in film until I was in college, and since then, I’ve had a very uncertain and sort of lost decade. And this is one of the first things I’ve worked on since I decided I really wanted to keep exploring acting as the person I am now.
How did you come to be cast as Crystal Fairy?
I had seen The Maid here at Sundance a few years ago. I was here for 24 hours. I wanted to get the fuck out of here the second I got here. My boyfriend at the time and I drove here from L.A. to support a friend’s film. We saw it and were about to drive back when I said, ‘This is really stupid. We’re both filmmakers. We should see a movie.’ So I flipped through the book, and I picked out The Maid. I knew nothing about Sebastián. I’d never heard of him, but we went to see the The Maid, and it was a really important moment for me. I’d been questioning my interest in acting, and I thought, God, if people are making movies like this, I want to keep making movies. I’ve also wanted to write and direct movies as well as act in them, so it was what needed at that moment. Maybe one out of every 50 films I see does that to me. The rest make me think, What the fuck are we all trying so hard to do this for?
Anyway, when Sebastián took part in the Q-and-A, I just — he’s the most charming, lovable man in the world and I fell in love with him. But I didn’t meet him. Cut to a year later. I got a call from my agent. Once again, I was at the point of thinking, I don’t even know if I want to act. I had been exploring other things. I was getting into cooking and thought I wanted to be a chef. I spent my 20s doing what I think people do when they’re teens, feeling out what I really wanted out of life.
Just wait until you hit middle age.
Oh, good. I hope it happens over and over and over again. It’s difficult but wonderful. So I was having another moment of like, Oh, God, I don’t even really know if I want this, when I got a call from my agent saying: “You’re fluent in French, right?” I’m not, but I should be. I’d just been engaged to a Frenchman, so everyone thought I should have gotten that much out of it. But something clicked, and I said, “Why?” The trail led back to Sebastián. He was making a web series for HBO called The Boring Life of Jacqueline. And I’m like, “You don’t understand. This man made the best movie of the last decade. Get me in the room.” I really do think that The Maid is one of the best films of the last decade, by the way. So I got in the room, and somehow convinced Sebastian to hire me even though I’m not fluent in French. And we made the series together. Michael [Cera], who’s also a huge fan of The Maid, is in it, too. He has a cameo. So that’s where we all met. We shot in New York and Sebastian and I became good friends.
And then?
A year later Sebastián called and said, “You want to get on a plane to Chile and play this woman in Crystal Fairy where you take a road trip through the desert with Michael Cera and take mescaline and there’s no script and you have to leave in four days?” And I said, “Are you kidding? You know, I’ll parachute myself there. Whatever you want.”
And that’s what we did, but even though I trust Seb as a filmmaker and as a person, we had little preparation time and none of us had done improv. I really had no idea if we’d pulled it off until I got here and saw the movie with a thousand people. And it has been really cool.
You really did pull it off.
I’ve never had this experience of communing with people in this way. To have woken up one morning in Chile and thought, I really want Crystal Fairy to have these elements. I want these things to come across to the audience about who she is. And then, all these months later, to have people come up to me on the street here, like 60-year-old men, and say, “She was all of those things” — I’ve never had this experience as an actress.
Is Crystal Fairy entirely your creation, or did Sebastián give you some direction?
There were biographical things about her that he told me. You know, he’d actually had this experience with this woman, so, I don’t want to reveal too much, but elements of the character, like the story she tells at the end, are factual. But, for me, it was more about taking those facts and making her dynamic instead of one-dimensional and cliché, which she could easily have been.
You had never improvised a performance before, right?
I did this weird James Toback movie [Black and White] that was improvised, but I barely participated because I wasn’t – because it was a James Toback movie and because the Wu-Tang Clan was getting us stoned without our knowledge. But, no, nothing to this extent, and certainly nothing that I wanted so much to make work. Crystal Fairy was one of the first movies I did after I recommitted to the idea of acting. Like two months before Sebastián called I had this moment with my then boyfriend on the edge of a mountain cliff where he said, “This is driving you crazy. You have to figure out if you want to do this or not.” I had spent 10 years painfully struggling with this ambivalence and really not doing anything about it. And I thought, “Okay, I’m gonna just spend a year committed to the idea of exploring it.” So, I wanted to succeed for Sebastián and for the film, but this was also one of my first opportunities to see how I felt about myself as an actor and if I enjoyed the work.
How long did you have to figure out how you were going to portray Crystal Fairy?
I think it was like a week before I got on the plane to Chile that Sebastián told me who she was. And that was like a four-minute conversation. He was in Chile. I was on another movie set. And all he did was say, "Go buy some books about 2012 [Ed.Note: more specifically, about the end of the Mayan calendar] and get on the plane." So I did. We spent a week in Santiago in pre-production. And I say pre-production in quotes because we were all living at Sebastián’s parents’ house. Sebastián wasn’t living there, but the brothers and Michael Cera and I were. Tt was the house where The Maid was shot, and the boys would sit out back playing guitar and singing songs on this beautiful patio and the music would stream in through the open doors. And Sebastián and I would sit at a desk and I would draw Crystal Fairy’s weird drawings in her book.
So, those are your drawings in the film?
Yeah, I made that whole book. And read this book about 2012, and I talked to Seb about Crystal Fairy. I would tell him, “Never let me go too far. Don't let me try to make her so funny that I lose sight of who this person really was. She was a huge influence in his life. He had a very emotional experience with her.
Did you and Michael Cera discuss how you would interact in the film or were you both just reacting to each other?
We didn’t really discuss much. I mean there was an outline and every scene had some moment that led us to the next place, that gave the movie its narrative arc. And I remember being very concerned and voicing again and again that, you know, let’s make sure the scene’s not just about that one thing. We have to also be having a moment together and a conversation and let’s let it go. So, we did discuss that to some extent, but we didn’t do any real improv crap. We didn’t do any rehearsals in character. The boys had been living together for months because Michael had been in Chile learning Spanish for Magic Magic, so they had a whole thing which worked perfectly because I was really the outsider. And I just had a real easy time with them. Those boys, the Silva boys, they’re magical. That whole family is, as is Michael Cera. So it was pretty easy to slip in and find the adventure on film. And we had the opportunity to shoot everything because we were doing digital. It was like we improv'd the improv, if you know what I mean.
You grew up in the Chelsea Hotel, which, I imagine, was full of characters like Crystal Fairy. Did you use anything that you encountered during your childhood in your performance?
I definitely grew up around a lot of characters. I’m trying to figure out how to say this articulately, but I also spent 10 years before making that movie going to college and really struggling with myself and experiencing a lot of depression and having a real breakdown of ego – which I never even thought about before then. My mother is the sort of a person who has no boundaries and no filter. She also has a big ego but it’s a very unique one. And I grew up with lots of artists in an environment where conformity and the norm were totally not what anybody was after. So, while the character of Crystal Fairy is not me at all, elements of who she is are very comfortable territory for me. I wasn’t exactly drawing on specific people but rather the world I grew up in, which was a world about individuality and expression and people being themselves at any cost. I don’t really see the point to living any other way.
How would describe Crystal Fairy to someone who hasn't seen the movie?
I think she's living with a lot of fear. You don’t really realize this until the end of the movie, but she's having a post-traumatic stress moment, and I think she's created an alter ego to escape a wound that she never processed. So she’s actually putting on a character. At the end, she sort of reveals who she really is and why she’s on this trip, which, I think, is one of escape.
I found your performance remarkably ego-free. I never felt like, hey, that's an actor up there playing Crystal Fairy.
In all honesty, I don’t really know how to act in any other way. I’ve never studied acting. So, when I have a piece of material in front of me that is not well written, I don't think I'm very good because I'm not a trained actor. I can’t really come around the back. I have to have an entry point that feels real. It doesn’t mean the character has to be like me, but I have to find something in the role that I can make feel natural. Otherwise, I don’t really know how to pull it off. It’s limiting. There’s a lot of work I don’t think I can do. If the writing is there and the intention is there, and the filmmakers are after something that is honest and real, I think I can go anywhere. I’m not afraid of revealing anything. But I don’t know if I’m good at acting.
You said earlier in the conversation that doing Mescaline was part of the plan. What's like to act while tripping?
Yeah. I really wanted to do it. I’m not a method actor at all, but I like taking mushrooms and I’m comfortable with it. I knew that whatever happened it would work. But people were uncertain if it was too much. First, we thought well, let’s all do it one day off camera and see how it goes and how we feel about it. And then we’ll decide if we want to shoot like that. But we didn’t have that day. We lost that day actually because we broke our Epic camera and it was the only Epic in Chile. So I was the guinea pig. In the movie, the boys are all together when they trip, so it was like, “Okay, should we try it with four people at once or should we try it with one person?” And I said, “Let’s do my day first,” because I just knew it would be okay. My dose was weak, so I had to take a second one even though it was so revolting, but I really loved it. I was totally present in the experience of the making of the movie, and I felt like it was subtle enough that I could step in and out of it.
So you are tripping on camera?
Yes. Yes. Yes. And I felt like it was a tool that I could choose to pick up and use when I wanted. I never felt like, “Oh my God, I’m tripping and I have to make a movie.” I felt like I could totally step out of it and be like, “Okay, Sebastián, what’s going on? What do we need to do?” And then I could step back into it and just go with it. And, you know, there’s like hours and hours of footage that you don’t see because it was like a 10-hour trip and we were in that desert the whole time. It was great, but it was subtle.
So, thanks to your experience with Crystal Fairy, you are rededicated to making a career of acting?
This is one of many experiences I’ve had this whole year that, yeah, has led me to a place where I know that I want to keep going. A month ago I was like trying to get hired as a bartender.
You also said you were thinking of becoming a chef. Did you study a particular cuisine?
You know, I never really thought I was gonna be a chef. I just started really loving cooking, and I was spending a lot of time being very domestic and escaping from the world. I went to the American Academy in Rome to do this program that Alice Waters set up there called the Rome Sustainable Food Project. It was a three-month internship where you’re cooking traditional Roman cuisine. I love that food, but I love everything. And I definitely don’t want to be a chef.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Genesis Rodriguez makes her case for sexiest actress on the planet
Remember a few weeks ago when you clued you in to some smoking hot pictures of actress Genesis Rodriguez? Well, there’s now an accompanying video that is equally as hot. As you may recall, our pals over at GQ sat down with Genesis for a little one-on-one and took some fantastic pictures. But they didn’t stop there. Oh no they didn’t. As you can see from this video there is a reason Genesis is a Woman to Watch in 2012. And there’s a reason why one of my all-time favorite movie scenes involved her changing clothes in Man on a Ledge. She, simply put, has a body to die for, and it’s on full display here in this shoot (an early sexiest video of the year contender). Not only that, she also gives out three tips for dating her. Like any of us have a freaking shot.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dani Smith in Sang Bleu [Issue #6]Winter 2012/2013
Since the age of 15, California-born Dani has been an international model. Skipping “the whole school thing”, Dani has lived in London, Paris, New York and LA. “Being able to model is quite a personality trait,” she says. “You’re a 16-year-old girl doing a shoot in Germany; you walk into a room full of strangers who don’t speak the best English and you have to make your personality come through. You have to put yourself out there and be able to mesh with anyone.” Aside from the glamour, working in the competitive world of modelling can be gruelling. “You have to be tough, stick to who you are and ask questions,” says Dani. “You can’t allow yourself to get caught up in the bullshit. Having been in the industry for so long, I know when my booker tells me one thing, she means another. I get it now.” At 23, Dani seems older than her years, and retains a quiet but steely ambition.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
* Is she high?
Adelaide Clemens "Tawny" - New Original Series RECTIFY
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Some "Sugar Babies" Don't Understand The Definition Of Prostitution
Now, we firmly believe that consenting adults should be allowed to do what they want within the bounds of the law and whatnot. But Phillips—who wasn't yet born when Nirvana's Nevermind was first released—doesn't seem to quite understand what she's involved in. “I am really strict with my sexual partners,” Phillips says, “and this is a monogamous relationship. We don’t use ‘sugar daddy’ or ‘sugar baby’ in our vocabulary. He calls me his girlfriend.” Just like how Brande Roderick, Izabella St. James, Tina Marie Jordan, Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt, and Kendra Wilkinson all called Hugh Hefner their boyfriend.
According to Websters, prostitution is "the act or practice of engaging in promiscuous sexual relations especially for money." The old man is still "direct paying" if you are benefiting directly from him in every area of your life that you would have spent said money on. Or to simplify things, how about this: if you have to clarify that something is "just like dating," then it definitely isn't.
The News has a few more interviews with women involved with the site, including NYU student Minoo Mirsaidi who dated someone in his 70s (“He couldn’t always have sex because he was too old...but usually he was fine”), and 20-year-old Queens College student "Andrea,” who gave this confusing defense of the practice:
“I don’t see anything wrong with it, but just because it’s so many younger women — like 20- and 21-year-old girls — and a lot of older men, (other people) really see it as an exchange of sex for money, it’s not necessarily that,” she says. Although she admits that sex just, well, happens. “It’s an arrangement, but not prostitution. It’s more for companionship,” she explains. “They want to go out for dinner, or go to a movie. Honestly, we only spend time having sex for an hour, less than that; the rest of the night we’re out for dinner or for a show.”Does the amount of time one is physically capable of having sex change the basic nature of the exchange of services and goods that defines one of these "sugar daddy/baby" relationships? Does a monetary transaction by any other name still smell like kareishuu?
Like Phillips, she gets to know her Daddy Warbucks over a couple of dates before slipping between the sheets. “Most of these guys just want to meet and have a drink,” Andrea says. “Usually we talk on the phone and text, and then we having a meeting first where we don’t do anything, and then we meet again. “You don’t just go straight to sex. You transition into it.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Korean TV Star Gets Lost in the Moment, Stands to Attention During Variety Show
Jan 26, 2013 by
Spontaneous physical arousal, also known in the western world as “random wood” amongst other monikers, has happened to most men at some point in their lives. For those just entering adulthood, it can can be painfully embarrassing – and in some cases even lead to some taking drastic action – but thankfully the majority of us are not TV stars being watched by millions when it happens.
As part of a romantic comedy sketch acted out on a recent Korean variety show, popular TV personality Gili Kim embraced beautiful Jimin Kim and lifted her up in the air. From there, tragically, physiological instincts took over, leaving poor Gili with no way of concealing his excitement. The images were soon shared thousands of times via Twitter and Korean Internet bulletin boards, prompting the star to speak out and admit that he may have become lost in the moment.
“This was a misunderstanding,” Gili is reported to have said in regard to his spontaneous trouser protrusion. “My emotions took over and I wasn’t able to maintain control.”
Perhaps the worst part of it all is that Gili’s own mother is also believed to have caught sight of the embarrassing images on TV. It’s one thing to have millions of strangers witness nature get the better of you, but your dear ol’ mum seeing you stand to attention must be a different kind of shame altogether.
Understandably, netizens had plenty to say about the cheeky image. While some empathized with Gili:
Well, it’s nice to see him being open about it!Others were less understanding, and suggested that a man in his 20s ought not to lose control quite so easily:
Hey, I think pretty much every guy out there has had this happen to him.
He’s a young guy- it can’t be helped!
A “misunderstanding”? That’s one heck of a misunderstanding, there…As embarrassing as this entire incident must be for Gili, we have to commend him for coming clean about it all. It’s unfortunate, sure, but in a way it’s quite endearing that he should become so caught up in the moment. And besides, Jimin Kim’s a good-looking girl, Gili; there’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Does this kind of thing really happen just by laying eyes on a woman!?
“Lost control”? How old is this guy, exactly?
Um, are you a middle school student or something?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sundance or 'Porndance'? Two decades on from sex, lies and videotape
Sexual content was to the fore this year, including Daniel Radcliffe indulging in a gay kiss, Steve Coogan as Paul Raymond and James Franco in a leather bar
Sex sells. That's a maxim more commonly applied to glitzy Hollywood films than independent ones, but it is true even at the Sundance film festival, where audiences bundled up for the Utah winter have over the past 10 days been flocking to see famous people remove their clothes. This year's festival has boasted a bumper crop of onscreen flesh of all kinds, from straight porn addicts to gay leather bars to foxy moms sleeping with each other's sons to a lesbian who suffers a concussion and decides to become an escort.
All of this smut has got people talking. Local conservative groups in Utah made empty threats about boycotting the festival. The talent agency CAA threw an instantly infamous party featuring burlesque dancers on poles. Even Sundance veterans have been making cracks about "Porndance" and wondering how the festival suddenly became so racy. Sundance has always been known for pushing boundaries – Steven Soderbergh and the festival were both put on the map when sex, lies and videotape premiered here in 1989, and it's long been a cliche for Hollywood actors to try to change their images by signing up for an indie film and taking off their clothes.
But the festival's biggest successes in recent years have generally had more on their mind than titillation, with dramas like Precious or Beasts of the Southern Wild tackling tough social issues, or hardheaded documentaries from the likes of Michael Moore and Al Gore turning the world's attention to problems it might rather ignore.
Of course, sex comes with its own problems as well. James Franco, who brought unsimulated and graphic gay sex to this year's festival with his experimental Interior: Leather Bar, also appears in the biopic Lovelace as none other than Hugh Hefner, one of the many men called out for taking advantage of famous porn actress Linda Lovelace (played by a nearly unrecognisable Amanda Seyfried). As if one porn biopic wasn't enough, there's also Michael Winterbottom's The Look of Love, which stars Steve Coogan as the legendary "King of Soho" Paul Raymond, and offers plenty of nudity and depravity, possibly to cover up what some critics called lifeless and dull storytelling.
Back in the present day, porn is also a major factor in Don Jon's Addiction, the writing and directing debut of The Dark Knight Rises boy wonder Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who also stars as a musclebound New Jersey dude proud of his crippling porn addiction. Gordon-Levitt is embodying some of that familiar high-minded Sundance spirit, trying to explore the way modern access to porn warps the brains of young men, but that idea is masked pretty well behind a whole lot of sex scenes and jokes. Unsurprisingly, Don Jon's Addiction sold very well.
Then there's Two Mothers, an unintentionally funny drama in which Naomi Watts and Robin Wright sleep with each other's teenage son. And Stoker, in which Mia Wasikowska plays a teenager whose sexual awakening is linked inextricably to violence. The most talked about sex scene of all last week probably involves Daniel Radcliffe, who in Kill Your Darlings plays famous Beat poet Allen Ginsberg as he comes to terms with his homosexuality. The promise of Harry Potter's gay kiss may get people into Kill Your Darlings, but it's also an insightful look at the poet's life with a great performance to boot – an example of how, at Sundance, some of the sex they are selling comes with deeper meaning too.
Of course, many of this year's biggest hits don't fit this trend at all. The dramas Fruitvale and Blue Caprice make up their own mini-theme of harrowing true-life stories acted out on film, recreating the shooting death of a 22-year-old black man in San Francisco and the 2002 Washington DC sniper respectively.
The biggest sale of the festival has been The Way, Way Back, a light comedy so reminiscent of Little Miss Sunshine it even shares part of its cast, with Steve Carell and Toni Collette in two lead roles. It sold for $10m, the kind of sky-high price not seen here for a few years. There's been no single runaway hit in 2013, although at the time of writing Fruitvale and The Spectacular Now were being widely tipped for the audience award. The festival may have had its mind in the gutter this year, but in the hands of some of these film-makers, it was an interesting place to be. Here are some of the highlights.
Director Nat Faxon and Jim Rash
Cast Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, Sam Rockwell, Liam James
What's it about? After winning the Oscar for co-writing The Descendants with Alexander Payne, Faxon and Rash make their directing debut with a coming-of-age story about a 14-year-old boy on vacation with his mom (Colette) and her overbearing new boyfriend (Carell). He finds solace by taking a job at a local water park, and also in a fledgling romance with a neighbour.
Did it sell? Fox Searchlight picked it up with a sky-high $10m offer, and is planning a summer release – New York Post
Director Jon Krokidas
Cast Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Ben Foster, Jack Huston
What's it about? Before Allen Ginsberg (Radcliffe) was a legendary poet, he was a sexually confused freshman at New York's Columbia University, developing an intense friendship with the charismatic Lucien Carr (DeHaan), who introduces him to fellow Beat legends Jack Kerouac and William S Burroughs. But the burgeoning literary movement the four men dream of hits major trouble when all four of them are implicated in a murder.
Did it sell? Sony Pictures Classics picked up the rights for the US and several other English-speaking countries, though not the UK.
What the critics said "Kill Your Darlings succeeds more than most in capturing the first flickers of the literary movement without hipster self-consciousness" – Hollywood Reporter
Director Zal Batmanglij
Cast Brit Marling, Ellen Page, Alexander Skarsgård, Patricia Clarkson
What's it about? Co-writers Batmanglij and Marling debuted at Sundance two years ago with Sound of My Voice, about undercover journalists investigating a cult. They return with another story about a tight-knit group being infiltrated by an outsider, this time the violent environmentalist group the East, led by a charismatic Skarsgård, and the infiltrator is Marling, a corporate spy hired to keep the East away from her company's clients.
Did it sell? Already had a distributor – Fox Searchlight – which brought the film to the festival.
What the critics said "[A] clever, involving spy drama build[ing] to a terrific level of intrigue before losing some steam in its second half" – Variety
Director Park Chan-wook
Cast Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, Mia Wasikowska, Jacki Weaver
What's it about? The English-language directing debut of Korean auteur Park, renowned for 2003's hyper-violent Oldboy, Stoker is a riff on a gothic melodrama that brings Goode's Uncle Charlie back into the family fold after the mysterious death of his brother. His relationship with his niece India (Wasikowska) starts off a little creepier, but only gets wilder, more lurid and more violent from there.
Did it sell? Didn't have to. Another Fox Searchlight picture, with a US release set for 1 March.
What the critics said "A splendidly demented gumbo of Hitchcock thriller, American Gothic fairy tale and a contemporary kink all Park's own" – Variety
Director James Ponsoldt
Cast Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, Kyle Chandler, Jennifer Jason Leigh
What's it about? Returning to Sundance just a year after debuting his acclaimed drama Smashed, Ponsoldt adapts Tim Tharp's young adult novel about a popular high school senior (Teller) who falls for a shy classmate (Woodley, from The Descendants). Far from a typical high school couple, the two grapple with his drinking problems, her lack of ambition, and strained relationships with their parents, all with a sharp mix of humour and drama.
Did it sell? Upstart distributor A24 picked it up just a few days after the premiere, and plans a summer release in the US.
What the critics said "… benefits from an exceptional feel for its main characters on the parts of the director and lead actors" – Hollywood Reporter
Director Richard Linklater
Cast Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
What's it about? Nine years after reuniting in Before Sunset, and 18 years after meeting on that train to Vienna in Before Sunrise, Celine and Jesse are once again together and talking in Europe, this time in southern Greece. Fans of the trilogy may be anxious to know what has happened to the famous pair of lovers, but we wouldn't dream of spoiling it…
Did it sell? Yes, to Sony Pictures Classics for a rumoured seven-figure sum.
What the critics said "A complicated, meandering but also wonderful film" – Screen Daily
All of this smut has got people talking. Local conservative groups in Utah made empty threats about boycotting the festival. The talent agency CAA threw an instantly infamous party featuring burlesque dancers on poles. Even Sundance veterans have been making cracks about "Porndance" and wondering how the festival suddenly became so racy. Sundance has always been known for pushing boundaries – Steven Soderbergh and the festival were both put on the map when sex, lies and videotape premiered here in 1989, and it's long been a cliche for Hollywood actors to try to change their images by signing up for an indie film and taking off their clothes.
But the festival's biggest successes in recent years have generally had more on their mind than titillation, with dramas like Precious or Beasts of the Southern Wild tackling tough social issues, or hardheaded documentaries from the likes of Michael Moore and Al Gore turning the world's attention to problems it might rather ignore.
Of course, sex comes with its own problems as well. James Franco, who brought unsimulated and graphic gay sex to this year's festival with his experimental Interior: Leather Bar, also appears in the biopic Lovelace as none other than Hugh Hefner, one of the many men called out for taking advantage of famous porn actress Linda Lovelace (played by a nearly unrecognisable Amanda Seyfried). As if one porn biopic wasn't enough, there's also Michael Winterbottom's The Look of Love, which stars Steve Coogan as the legendary "King of Soho" Paul Raymond, and offers plenty of nudity and depravity, possibly to cover up what some critics called lifeless and dull storytelling.
Back in the present day, porn is also a major factor in Don Jon's Addiction, the writing and directing debut of The Dark Knight Rises boy wonder Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who also stars as a musclebound New Jersey dude proud of his crippling porn addiction. Gordon-Levitt is embodying some of that familiar high-minded Sundance spirit, trying to explore the way modern access to porn warps the brains of young men, but that idea is masked pretty well behind a whole lot of sex scenes and jokes. Unsurprisingly, Don Jon's Addiction sold very well.
Then there's Two Mothers, an unintentionally funny drama in which Naomi Watts and Robin Wright sleep with each other's teenage son. And Stoker, in which Mia Wasikowska plays a teenager whose sexual awakening is linked inextricably to violence. The most talked about sex scene of all last week probably involves Daniel Radcliffe, who in Kill Your Darlings plays famous Beat poet Allen Ginsberg as he comes to terms with his homosexuality. The promise of Harry Potter's gay kiss may get people into Kill Your Darlings, but it's also an insightful look at the poet's life with a great performance to boot – an example of how, at Sundance, some of the sex they are selling comes with deeper meaning too.
Of course, many of this year's biggest hits don't fit this trend at all. The dramas Fruitvale and Blue Caprice make up their own mini-theme of harrowing true-life stories acted out on film, recreating the shooting death of a 22-year-old black man in San Francisco and the 2002 Washington DC sniper respectively.
The biggest sale of the festival has been The Way, Way Back, a light comedy so reminiscent of Little Miss Sunshine it even shares part of its cast, with Steve Carell and Toni Collette in two lead roles. It sold for $10m, the kind of sky-high price not seen here for a few years. There's been no single runaway hit in 2013, although at the time of writing Fruitvale and The Spectacular Now were being widely tipped for the audience award. The festival may have had its mind in the gutter this year, but in the hands of some of these film-makers, it was an interesting place to be. Here are some of the highlights.
THE WAY, WAY BACK
Director Nat Faxon and Jim RashCast Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, Sam Rockwell, Liam James
What's it about? After winning the Oscar for co-writing The Descendants with Alexander Payne, Faxon and Rash make their directing debut with a coming-of-age story about a 14-year-old boy on vacation with his mom (Colette) and her overbearing new boyfriend (Carell). He finds solace by taking a job at a local water park, and also in a fledgling romance with a neighbour.
Did it sell? Fox Searchlight picked it up with a sky-high $10m offer, and is planning a summer release – New York Post
KILL YOUR DARLINGS
Director Jon KrokidasCast Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Ben Foster, Jack Huston
What's it about? Before Allen Ginsberg (Radcliffe) was a legendary poet, he was a sexually confused freshman at New York's Columbia University, developing an intense friendship with the charismatic Lucien Carr (DeHaan), who introduces him to fellow Beat legends Jack Kerouac and William S Burroughs. But the burgeoning literary movement the four men dream of hits major trouble when all four of them are implicated in a murder.
Did it sell? Sony Pictures Classics picked up the rights for the US and several other English-speaking countries, though not the UK.
What the critics said "Kill Your Darlings succeeds more than most in capturing the first flickers of the literary movement without hipster self-consciousness" – Hollywood Reporter
THE EAST
Director Zal BatmanglijCast Brit Marling, Ellen Page, Alexander Skarsgård, Patricia Clarkson
What's it about? Co-writers Batmanglij and Marling debuted at Sundance two years ago with Sound of My Voice, about undercover journalists investigating a cult. They return with another story about a tight-knit group being infiltrated by an outsider, this time the violent environmentalist group the East, led by a charismatic Skarsgård, and the infiltrator is Marling, a corporate spy hired to keep the East away from her company's clients.
Did it sell? Already had a distributor – Fox Searchlight – which brought the film to the festival.
What the critics said "[A] clever, involving spy drama build[ing] to a terrific level of intrigue before losing some steam in its second half" – Variety
STOKER
Director Park Chan-wookCast Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, Mia Wasikowska, Jacki Weaver
What's it about? The English-language directing debut of Korean auteur Park, renowned for 2003's hyper-violent Oldboy, Stoker is a riff on a gothic melodrama that brings Goode's Uncle Charlie back into the family fold after the mysterious death of his brother. His relationship with his niece India (Wasikowska) starts off a little creepier, but only gets wilder, more lurid and more violent from there.
Did it sell? Didn't have to. Another Fox Searchlight picture, with a US release set for 1 March.
What the critics said "A splendidly demented gumbo of Hitchcock thriller, American Gothic fairy tale and a contemporary kink all Park's own" – Variety
THE SPECTACULAR NOW
Director James PonsoldtCast Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, Kyle Chandler, Jennifer Jason Leigh
What's it about? Returning to Sundance just a year after debuting his acclaimed drama Smashed, Ponsoldt adapts Tim Tharp's young adult novel about a popular high school senior (Teller) who falls for a shy classmate (Woodley, from The Descendants). Far from a typical high school couple, the two grapple with his drinking problems, her lack of ambition, and strained relationships with their parents, all with a sharp mix of humour and drama.
Did it sell? Upstart distributor A24 picked it up just a few days after the premiere, and plans a summer release in the US.
What the critics said "… benefits from an exceptional feel for its main characters on the parts of the director and lead actors" – Hollywood Reporter
BEFORE MIDNIGHT
Director Richard LinklaterCast Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
What's it about? Nine years after reuniting in Before Sunset, and 18 years after meeting on that train to Vienna in Before Sunrise, Celine and Jesse are once again together and talking in Europe, this time in southern Greece. Fans of the trilogy may be anxious to know what has happened to the famous pair of lovers, but we wouldn't dream of spoiling it…
Did it sell? Yes, to Sony Pictures Classics for a rumoured seven-figure sum.
What the critics said "A complicated, meandering but also wonderful film" – Screen Daily
Inside the American Brothel
If Zagat did a guide to brothels, they might want to consider a consultation with photographer Marc McAndrews. After all, McAndrews spent five years photographing 33 of Nevada’s (legal) brothels for Nevada Rose: Inside the American Brothel (Umbrage Editions).
The spark for the project came to McAndrews in 2004 while he was working in Nevada. He was asked if he’d ever visited a brothel (he hadn’t), but he was intrigued and showed up unannounced at various brothels in hopes of gaining permission to photograph them.
More pics here
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
33-years old South African actress Tanit Phoenix (T-and-A) in Death Race 3: Inferno (2013)....
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
No comments:
Post a Comment