My eyes are tearing with delight!! We never thought we’d see the day, but God bless Paramount Pictures for investing in ZOOLANDER 2! Hansel and Derek fierced-it-out, renewing their famous Rivalry on the Runway at the Valentino Fall/Winter 2015 Show as part of Paris Fashion Week earlier today and they slayed it!
For those curious, here is what they wore:
Derek wears a custom Night Butterflies brocade suit with hand-embroidered overcoat and black Creeper shoes.
Hansel wears a Silk Continent print Pajama suit with Double Cashmere overcoat and Open sneakers.
Dead.
Watch Derek and Hansel return to the Runway!
Did you hear that applause???
Paramount Pictures release ZOOLANDER 2 Friday, February 12, 2016!
(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures)
You know him quite literally as the Sidekick in pretty much everything. Adrian Martinez has starred in over 80 titles, stealing scenes alongside an A-list Resume of talent including Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell, Christian Bale and now Will Smith in smart new Action-RomCom, FOCUS.
The personable Funnyman was in Toronto recently to promote the Blockbuster which hopes to whet the appetites of Moviegoers craving both tough punches and romance this Valentine’s Day. The Movie centers on an experienced Con Artist Nicky (Smith) and the stunning Jess (Margot Robbie), whom he takes under his wing. Passions flare after he finds himself with conflicting emotions, careful not to let her in too deep, ultimately the two are torn apart. Fast-forward a few years and the two reunite under the most unlikely circumstances. The bonds of trust are broken and the Story takes us through several unexpected twists and turns. Will Nicky and Jess be able to make it through together, or will danger separate them as the stakes (and risks) are multiplied exponentially as other powerful figures enter the picture?
Chatting with a select group of Digital Journalists, Martinez gives candid responses about the many talented Actors he has worked with, coming a far way certainly since his one-liner debut in an Unsolved Mysteries re-enactment.
Martinez in FOCUS plays the frank, forward and multi-disguised Sidekick Farhad to Smith‘s slick Nicky, one of the few people whom the latter trusts fully. He tells us that truly he connected with this Character. “I read the Script and didn’t see the ending coming. A lot of Movies are formulaic. This one took a lot of nice twists and turns and I wanted to be a part of it”, says Martinez. “Farhad is extremely faithful to Nicky and I am faithful to-the-death to my Family and Friends being a Scorpio, and that was common ground in how to build the Character.”. “He doesn’t know everything, but he knows he has to protect his Boss (Nicky).”.
On how to play a Criminal, he says “You have to be authentic when bullsh*tting. Same thing with acting. You’re using real emotions to sell imaginary situations”. “It’s similar to being a Con-Man in that regard.”.
But does Martinez consider himself a Character Actor? “I consider myself a Lead Actor in a character suit. Like Wilson in Cast Away” he jokes, “Now he has balls.”. He adds, “Character Actors represent a tradition in acting that you need in Movies.”. “We need these kind of Actors. Not everyone can look like Will Smith or Margot Robbie, so you need these Actors to counterbalance that by grounding and putting it all into perspective.”.
I ask him of the many people he has worked with, just who inspires him most. He equates Will Ferrell much like a “Banker” off-camera – not particularly funny. “The moment he yells ‘Action!’, he is right there with the humour and timing.”. Ben Stiller is commended for what Martinez calls “mind-blowing work ethic”, pulling-in easily 16 hour work days on-set and after the day has wrapped. And although most of his work was cut from American Hustle, he jokes “Thankfully the cheque cleared!”. “I do still love Jennifer Lawrence.”.
On his experience working with Will Smith, he recalls some fond memories and feeling gratitude. “There was a sense of community and party in the air. Will would start dancing at 3 am around the Superdome (a key scene involves a high stakes Football bet). He brings this relentless sense to every take of ‘I’m really gonna f*ckin’ go for it, man!'”. Martinez recalls Smith‘s gym-equipped Trailer being the size of a block. “He is in another league in terms of work ethic”, he comments on Smith‘s physical preparation for the role of Nicky. “Meanwhile I’m like, do I choose the multigrain bagel or Cheerios?”, he laughs.
Martinez also has high praise for the stunning Margot Robbie, whom he works closely with in a few scenes in FOCUS, crediting her for making “smart choices”. “She was all ‘I’m not gonna let this guy throw me!’ and it really was a Chess Match with her.”. “She’s gorgeous, intelligent and grounded. Awesome like a Jane Bond.”.
Although often we see a comedic side to Martinez on-screen, he reveals plans for something big in-the-works. “Time-Warner and I are co-creating a Project. It’s still funny, but saucy”, he tells us before stopping himself. “I’m not supposed to talk about it, but it’s gonna be good.”.
And speaking of good, word is Martinez is a huge Fan of Poutine! We hear he loved the Pasta Poutine at his Toronto Hotel very much. Honourary Canadian.
Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release FOCUS on Friday, February 27, 2015.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Today will forever go down as the most explosive day of all time for TIFF! Stars were bursting at every seam after what was felt by the consensus as a a slow start to the Festival on Thursday. Parties were held all around the City and we made several successful Pit Stops around the City and got fueled by Starpower!
The day began with a Press Conference for Jason Reitman‘s new Film about sexual frustrations, Men, Women & Children and although normally Fans get a chance to see and interact with the Cast, it would be the running-behind-schedule which hindered the experience. We still managed to see the following:
Jennifer Garner
Jason Reitman
Kaitlyn Dever
Adam Sandler
Ansel Elgort/Kaitlyn Dever
We also got a little surprise from Australian Actor Alex Russell, whom we met filming CARRIE here a couple years back! The Actor stars in CUT SNAKE at TIFF ’14! He remembers us!
We love Paul Bettany and were ecstatic about meeting him as he went about his Press Day for self-directed Shelter, which premieres at TIFF ’14.
Not too far long after, we made our way over to the official Audi-sponsored Party for Oscar Contender, PRIDE over at Hotspot The Citizen. All I have to say is Truffle Poutine. Delish. The light-hearted Dramedy documents the true struggle of a Gay Activist Group in England, supporting Miners in need. The only thing however, is that the striking Miners didn’t want to be associated with the Group. The Film won a two-minute Standing Ovation from its Audience yesterday afternoon. See some Snaps of the talented Cast:
Bill Nighy
Ben Schnetzer & Jessie Cave
Dominic West
Andrew Scott
The Cast and Team behind PRIDE
We thought we’d re-visit the Cast of Paramount Pictures‘ Men, Women & Children once more at the official Party for the Film at new It-Spot, Montecito which happens also to be owned be legendary Filmmaker Ivan Reitman, Father of Director Jason. Fans and Cameras lined the Carpet in eager anticipation as the Stars paraded by one-by-one including a few surprises! I was so happy to see our Friend Ansel Elgort, whom we met here in the City a couple years back when he was filming CARRIE. He noticed us right away at the Carpet proclaiming, “I’ve got to get a Selfie with Mr. Will!”. We’re incredibly proud how well he’s done and also what’s next to come for the Divergent and The Fault in our Stars Talent, who clearly has been propelled into Mega-stardom from the ecstatic screams I heard from Fans everywhere he went today.
Jennifer Garner
Rosemarie DeWitt
Ansel Elgort
Eugene Levy
Adam Sandler
An annual favourite Fixture of ours at TIFF is the InStyle Magazine Party, which shuts down a strip of Yorkville for a night and the amount of Starpower seen here was s t a g g e r i n g. We admit it was a bit of on the decline mostly due to unfortunate timing later in the Festival after an abundance of Stars leave town, but was it ever a night to remember for the Fans! We’re talking Megawatts!
Chris Evans (Before We Go)
Robert Downey Jr. (The Judge)
Noomi Rapace (The Drop)
Missy Peregrym dressed in Intermix (Backcountry)
Sarah Rafferty
Paul Dano (Love & Mercy)
Madeleine Stowe
Miles Teller (Whiplash)
Lacey Chabert (aka GRETCHEN WIENERS!!!)
Mark Ruffalo (Infinitely Polar Bear, Foxcatcher)
Jessica Chastain (Miss Julie)
Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner)
Ben Stiller (While We’re Young)
Jake Abel (Good Kill)
J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
Abigail Spencer (This is Where I Leave You and The Forger)
Chloë Moretz (Laggies, Clouds of Sils Maria and The Equalizer)
Rick Hoffman
Nicola Peltz
Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)
Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game)
Kevin Costner (Black & White)
Will Peltz (Men, Women & Children)
Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything)
Salma Hayek (Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet)
We spotted Channing Tatum, Jon Stewart and many, many more there also!!
Okay, we admit it. We were on a high and kept going right after till 5 AM (!!!) when we also spotted several other Stars out and about! Look!
Anna Kendrick (The Last Five Years)
Douglas Booth (The Riot Club)
Rosario Dawson (Top Five)
Cedric the Entertainer (Top Five)
Jay Pharoah (Top Five)
We ain’t done. Wait till you see what we have in store next, Willionaire$!
Find out first here:
Twitter: @mrwillw
Instagram: @mrwillwong
All Photos captured on the NIKON D3300 and communicated via the Samsung Galaxy Tab S.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
It absolutely is our favourite time of the year again and announced this morning is the official list of Talent coming to Toronto for TIFF ’14! We look forward to seeing plenty of returning names – some just here last year like the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Kate Winslet – and also plenty of Stars from years past making their way back here once more!
Among the names attending TIFF ’14 this year include:
Jon Stewart, Martin Scorcese, Richard Gere, Andrew Garfield, Viggo Mortensen, Gael Garcia Bernal, James Franco, Jane Fonda, Chloë Moretz, Brit Marling, Laura Dern, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vanessa Redgrave, Vera Farmiga, Al Pacino, Tina Fey, Haley Joel Osment, Robert Pattinson, Ansel Elgort, Alice Eve, Sam Rockwell, Amanda Seyfried, Michael Shannon, Dax Sheppard, Robert Duvall, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Hailee Steinfield, Justin Chatwin, Method Man, Jennifer Connelly, Bobby Cannavale, Kuoth Wiel, Cassie Williams, Danny Webb, Dominic West, Jung Woo-Sung, John Boylan, Sam Worthington, Tye Sheridan, Andrew Scott, Timothy Spall, Alan Rickman, Connie Britton, Reese Witherspoon, Evan Bird, Zhao Wei, Han Ye-Ri, Melissa Benoist, Haley Bennett, Sonja Bennett, John Travolta, Julianne Moore, Isaach De Bankolé, Dan Stevens, Jason Bateman, Corey Stoll, Xavier Dolan, Peter Stormare, Ben Schnetzer, Abigail Spencer, Ellen Barkin, Bill Pullman, Charlotte Aubin, Kate Winslet, Ryan Reynolds, Rene Russo, Roger Waters, Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike, Loreto Aravena, Tobey Maguire, Aubrey Plaza, Tobey Maguire, Gemma Arterton, Juliette Binoche, Zhang Yimou, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kristen Wiig, Adam Sandler, Rose Byrne, Channing Tatum, Chris Evans, Jake Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Mark Ruffalo, Bill Murray, Daniel Barber, Liam Aiken, Mike Leigh, Olivier Assayas, Richard LaGravenese, Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline, Anna Kendrick, Morgan Freeman, Benicio del Toro, Michael Douglas, Rosario Dawson, Chris Rock, John Cusack, Benedict Cumberbatch, Octavia Spencer, Keira Knightley, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Kevin Costner, Anthony Mackie, Patricia Clarkson, J.K. Simmons, Miles Teller, Priyanka Chopra, Daniel Bruhl, Michael Winterbottom, Justin Chon, Steve Carell, Gong Li, Hayden Christensen, Tory Kittles, Jordana Brewster, Holliday Grainger, Max Irons, Lone Scherfig, Sam Claflin, Douglas Booth, Paul Bettany, Daniel Barnz, Noah Baumbach, Barry Avrich, Jennifer Aniston, Akon, Nick Kroll, Holly Hunter, Catherine Keener, Greta Gerwig, Omar Sy Jennifer Garner, Salma Hayek, Kevin Smith, Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Faye Marsay, Bill Nighy, Justin Long, Christopher Plummer, Marton Csokas, David Cronenberg, Sarah Gadon, Tom Schilling, Tom Hardy and more!
TIFF also will be hosting a series of In-Conversations-With as part of their Mavericks Programme. Joining-in are the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Denzel Washington, Richard Gere, Juliette Binoche, Jon Stewart, Dan Savage, Julie Taymor and several more!
As is the case always, it’s sometimes not just who’s coming – it’s who they’re bringing. Don’t be surprised if Jennifer Garner brings Husband Ben Affleck along and be warned if Andrew Garfield brings Emma Stone along!
Who’s on our list of Must-Meets? Plenty! We hope finally to get a positive moment with Reese Witherspoon and Kate Winslet! Excited about Martin Scorcese, J.K. Simmons, Bobby Cannavale, Miles Teller, Corey Stoll, Tobey Maguire, Rose Byrne, Michael Douglas and newer names like Max Irons and Douglas Booth, that’s for sure. And did we read TINA FEY!?!? Finally! AND WHERE IS TOM HARDY?!?!
The list is always subject to surprise and no-shows as we know all too well!
Visit the official TIFF Website for more.
TIFF ’14 runs September 3 – 14, 2014.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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