Thompson on Hollywood

Old Spice Launches New Star, Fincher's Final Four, Mulligan Considers Horror, Carell Raised by Wolfs

Isaiah Mustafa, the Old Spice guy who revived a deodorant brand, is launching a career as a movie star (or at least A YouTube phenomenon). With roles in the Aniston/Bateman flick Horrible Bosses (a cop), Tyler Perry's For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf (both releasing next year), and a guest spot on NBC's Chuck, this man's life is about to change even more. Mustafa spoke with THR about the luck of booking the Old Spice commercial, his dream to be on SNL (he was "in love with Mr. Bill"), his current vegan-cleansing diet, and whether he is truly a ladies man: "No, I'm not one of those guys. If a woman is into me, it usually takes me a while to figure that out. She has to hit me over the head with it." But he certainly knows what women want...

By Sophia Savage
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July 28, 2010 3:49 AM
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Toronto vs. Venice: Who Got What?

The Toronto International Film Festival announced fifteen galas and 35 special presentations Tuesday morning, including 25 world premieres. Among the auteurs debuting their films at TIFF are Robert Redford (The Conspirator), Michael Winterbottom (The Trip), Guillaume Canet (Little White Lies), John Cameron Mitchell (Rabbit Hole), Mike Mills (Beginners), Tony Goldwyn (Conviction), Mark Romanek (Never Le Me Go), George Hickenlooper (Casino Jack) and Andrucha Waddington (Lope).

By Anne Thompson
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July 27, 2010 6:01 AM
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Mad Men's Manly Hamm in Movies, Braff's Garden State Follow-Up, Quinto Talks Star Trek 2

New York Magazine profiles Mad Men womanizer Don Draper - or rather, they profile the man who channels him: Jon Hamm. While many of us already know that Hamm is funny (SNL show-stealer) and manly (he grows a beard in two hours), New York wanted to find out just exactly what Hamm is worth. Word on the street (the side where agent, managers and publicists hang out) is that while Mad Men fans love him, there are still plenty of people who need to discover Hamm. With a handful of film roles coming up, including supporting roles in Ben Affleck's The Town and Judd Apatow's Bridesmaids, Hamm's range and accessibility is growing. While he may not be an overnight leading man, he has Clooney-esque better-with-age sex appeal and good looks that can bide him some time as a long term investment.

By Sophia Savage
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July 26, 2010 5:30 AM
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Julie Taymor's The Tempest to Close Venice Film Festival

The Venice International Film Festival announced Monday morning that Julie Taymor's The Tempest will close the fest, which runs September 1 through 11th. Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan is the opener.

By Anne Thompson
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July 26, 2010 3:26 AM
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Trailer Watch: De Niro and Norton Star in Stone

Writer-director John Curran (The Painted Veil, writer of The Killer Inside Me) has directed the new thriller Stone, which is is set for an October 2010 release. Edward Norton, who starred in The Painted Veil, co-stars with Robert De Niro. This is yet another Overture film which may or may not get the support it needs. Originally set for wide release, the film will go out October 8 in limited situations.

By Anne Thompson
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July 22, 2010 5:04 AM
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Trailer Watch: The Social Network

Here's the new trailer for David Fincher's upcoming The Social Network, which opens the New York Film Festival. The story depicts nerdy Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) triumphing over business rivals and the rigors of becoming a billionaire.

By Cameron Carlson
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July 16, 2010 5:43 AM
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Lone Scherfig's One Day Starts Filming with Hathaway and Sturgess

Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess have started filming One Day, which David Nicholls adapted from his bestselling novel. Lone Scherfig (An Education) is directing; the ensemble includes Romola Garai (Atonement), Jamie Sives (Get Him To The Greek), Rafe Spall Hot Fuzz, Ken Scott (Charlie Wilson's War) and Jodie Whittaker (Venus).

By Sophia Savage
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July 15, 2010 6:36 AM
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Trailer Watch: Biutiful, A Film of Inarritu

Will Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's long-awaited follow-up to Babel (which scored seven Oscar nominations in 2007 including best picture) find a stateside home? Word is, CAA is on the verge of making a deal for the Spanish-language Biutiful, which earned divided reaction in Cannes, although Javier Bardem shared the best actor prize. (The actor just wed lady love Penelope Cruz in the Bahamas.)

By Anne Thompson
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July 15, 2010 1:29 AM
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David Lynch Wants Your Money, Hefner Takes Back Playboy, Ruffalo Directs, Inception Without DiCaprio

- Got fifty bucks? David Lynch wants your money to fund the final installment of LYNCHthree, a documentary trilogy that follows his life and work. LYNCHone was cut from 700 hours of footage shot over two years post-Inland Empire. A behind-the-scenes look at Inland Empire comprised LYNCHtwo. Now, LYNCHthree will be shot by the director of the first two installments, who goes by the pseudonym "blackANDwhite."

By Sophia Savage
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July 13, 2010 4:11 AM
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Dennis Hopper's Summer of Love: American Dreamer

In a double-bill with Easy Rider, the rarely seen 16 mm doc American Dreamer kicked off a month-long Dennis Hopper tribute at L.A.’s Silent Movie Theater, which coincides with a major retrospective of Hopper’s art at L.A.’s Museum of Contemporary Art. Amy Dawes covered the films and the Q & A with co-director L.M. “Kit” Carson.