Addicted to Ugly
Charlize Theron is set to take on another gritty role as a heroin addict and single mother in The Ice at the Bottom of the World, which the actress will also produce. The film tells the story of an old naval captain who returns home to die but finds his estranged family members have changed since he saw them last. I guess the luscious Theron just likes to dress down. Of course, she denies that since winning her Academy Award in Monster, while playing a serial killer 20 pounds overweight with no eyebrows, she looks for serious roles that will make her look unattractive as a way to get Oscar attention again. “That’s nonsense,” Theron said. “It was necessary to change my looks for North Country, because mine workers really don’t look chic. When beautiful women change her looks for a movie–like Nicole Kidman in The Hours or Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball–that has nothing to do with calculation! It’s the job of an actress to play other people.” Uh-huh. But it’s also true the Academy voters like it when beautiful women get ugly for their art. Just ask Felicity Huffman, after she wins her Oscar for her portrayal of a male-to-female transsexual in Transamerica.
Lopez as a Stock Trader?
Maybe Jennifer Lopez should consider getting ugly in her next film, you know, just to give her a leg up on the competition. Instead the lovely Ms. J. Lo has opted to come out of hibernation to star in New Line’s Bridge and Tunnel, in which she’ll play a stock trader who relies on a suburban teen who day-trades on his home PC. Riiight. Perhaps she’ll be ugly on the inside.
Parker Gets Thrown in the Slammer
Sarah Jessica Parker is following in her real-life hubby Matthew Broderick’s footsteps. Filmmaker Todd Graff is in talks to direct the Parker in the musical-comedy Slammer, as a follow-up to his 2003 directing debut Camp. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the film is described as being in the vein of Private Benjamin, centering on publicist Maggie Ray (Parker), who is framed for theft and shipped to Sing Sing Prison in New York. In an attempt to polish the prison’s image, she produces an inmate-led musical that could save her career. Oh, OK, sort of an update on The Producers, except with a woman. This could work, I suppose, but I’m a little unsure if the Sex and the City gal can pull something like this off without looking too over the top.
Sarandon Gets Wicked
Oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon will star as a wicked queen intent on destroying true love in Enchanted, a Walt Disney Pictures fairy tale that will blend animation and live action. Sarandon has signed on to play the vainglorious Queen Narissa, who banishes a star-crossed princess-in-waiting (Junebug’s Amy Adams) from a classical animation world and dumps her into a modern-day, live-action Manhattan. The prince is being played by James Marsden. According to the Reporter, Sarandon‘s role calls for her to be transformed into a toon, created by Disney animator James Baxter, best known for his supervision of the character Belle in 1991’s Beauty and the Beast. Sarandon‘s likeness also is being re-envisioned by Oscar-winning makeup effects artist Rick Baker. The actress recently attended prosthetic modeling sessions at Baker’s Cinovation Studios. What fun for her!
From the Torso Up
Apparently, Seven director David Fincher seems to like wallowing in gruesomeness. His next pic is Torso, a thriller about federal agent Eliot Ness’ exploits after his Al Capone days. The film tells the relatively unknown story of Ness’ move to Cleveland to become the city’s public safety officer. Torsos began appearing in the river, and Ness received notes taunting him to catch the killer. Ness, who had no experience in police work, put together a team of ex-officers to apprehend the serial murderer. Torsos, huh? That’s an interesting twist to the whole dismemberment theme. Oh, Fincher is also currently shooting Zodiac, with Jake Gyllenhaal, about the 1970s San Francisco serial killer. Wonder how he sleeps at night.
They’re Baaaaaaack!
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water…a remake of the 1978 cult horror fav Piranha is in the works (or Per-RA-na, as pronounced by the little demon girl in Finding Nemo). Director Chuck Russell (The Mask) is in talks to shoot the project, which will be distributed in North America by Dimension Films. In the remake, written by Russell, the story is set in Lake Havasu, Ariz., which sits on a crater formed by a prehistoric volcanic eruption. When a tremor cracks the lake floor open, prehistoric piranhas are set loose and people begin to disappear. Oh, god, no! In the original, produced by B-movie mogul Roger Corman, genetically altered piranhas are accidentally released in a holiday resort. Now, frankly, that makes more sense.
Speaking of creepy…
Sci Fi Channel is getting into business with Steven Spielberg again by giving the green light to Nine Lives, a 12-hour miniseries which will focus on characters who are each grieving over the loss of a loved one and somehow discover how to reunite with them in the afterlife through near-death experiences. Wow. Don’t you just love Spielberg’s sense of the adventure? If you remember, Sci Fi also collaborated with Spielberg on the Emmy-winning 2003 miniseries Steven Spielberg Presents Taken, about alien abductions. Wonder how HE sleeps at night.
Until next week…
