Elisabeth Banks Was “Too Old” To Play Tobey Maguire’s Girlfriend In Spider-Man At 28

Elizabeth_BankstoooldtoplaytobymaguiresgilfriendIn an interview with the ever-amazing Glamour Magazine, Elizabeth Banks has revealed that she was deemed “too old” too play Toby Maguire’s Girlfriend in Spider Man, despite being close in age.

Now 42, Banks had a screen test with Tobey Maguire for the film that was released in 2002. She was rejected for the role because of her age, even though she is just 16 months older than Maguire.

“I screen-tested for the role of Mary-Jane Watson in the first Spider-Man movie, opposite Tobey Maguire,” she told Glamour magazine. “Tobey and I are basically the same age and I was told I was too old to play her. I’m like, ‘Oh, okay, that’s what I’ve signed up for’.”

Kirsten Dunst, who is six years younger than Maguire -34 to his 40- ended up playing the part. Banks played a minor role in the movie. As the Daily Bugle secretary Betty Brant.

The actress, director and producer recently directed Pitch Perfect 2, which grossed $285 million worldwide. She won’t be directing the sequel as she wants to spend more time with her family. “The new schedule butts up against my parental responsibilities in a way I’m not really comfortable with,” she said.

 

If you are an actor then check out How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur. It is available in print and in all eBook formats on both Smashwords and Amazon.

 

 

Screenwriting Workshop with BAFTA Award winning writer John Foster

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You may have had the opportunity to catch a performance of Shot At Dawn in Dorset over the last few weeks which has been earning fantastic reviews – and rightly so. Writer and Artistic Director, John Foster, kindly gave a pre-performance screenwriting  workshop for Dorset Writers Network  at Bridport Arts Centre.

John gave an overview of how to approach a project from a screenwriters’ point of view. An immense challenge to cover such a broad and detailed subject in an hour and a half but I came away with lots of useful insights that, even if I don’t use them myself, can pass on to other writers who may be in need of a few basic starting points.

The main difference I found was that, although structure, character and dialogue are as important as when writing a novel,  it pays to ‘think pictures’ and approach your idea from the visual aspect of telling your story. John provided a useful handout that presented the structure of a screenplay entirely in ‘pictures’ and it was quite easy to see from it how to build a story in this way.

For example:

                ‘Plump, juicy grapes growing up the wall.

                At the window. An elderly woman looking out.’  

And so on – I found that incredibly insightful, having zero knowledge of screenwriting.

Producers are always looking for people who can write pictures as opposed to dialogue. They are looking for unique writing ‘voice’ – basically an original way to tell a story. The main points I have taken away are:

If it is painful, write it.

If your ears are burning it’s a sign that you are writing something good.

Write about something that fires you up.

Who do I want the audience to really care about?

Can the story be told in sound and images? Do you have any sound motifs that give added depth?

Think camera. It is most important to think visually (but be careful how you put it on the page).

Invest in character and atmosphere and, as in all writing mediums – show not tell.

When you’ve finished your script make sure you are sending it out  to the right people. Do your market research.

I asked about his own writing practice and John described it as an organic process that grows and develops the more he writes. Ideas, he says, come from writing.

So there you have it. It’s no good thinking about it, get the words on the page, paint those pictures. Just do it.

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John Foster teaches screenwriting at Bournemouth University and Regent’s University, London. He has published fiction in the Guardian and Spectator and written for radio and theatre. Screen credits include many episodes for television drama series: Z-Cars, Softly Softly, Crown Court, Emmerdale, Juliet Bravo, Rockliffe, The Bill. John has written single dramas and dramadocs, including a BAFTA award-winning BBC Omnibus on Raymond Chandler. The movie of his screenplay Letters from a Killer featured Patrick Swayze in the lead role. He is contributor to the award-winning crime collection, Mean Time.  John is currently writing for the theatre, having helped found Doppelganger Productions, a theatre production company, of which he is Artistic Director.

www.dopplegangerproductions.com

 

Captain America: Civil War Film Review

_1453319820Based on the 2006 Marvel Comics crossover storyline Civil War is perhaps one of most adventurous pieces of comic book fare to be brought to the big screen. Based one year after the last Avengers movie; Age of Ultron and the colossal damages that occurred within all the previous cities the United Nations is preparing to pass the Sokovia Accords; an international governing body to monitor and police the rapidly growing superhuman population. The team is divided; Tony Stark supports oversight because he feels responsible for creating Ultron and for the destruction the android brought to Sokovia, while Rogers is distrustful of any government having control over them and wishes the Avengers to remain free to act of their own accord. When the Winter Solider reappears accused of another assassination Iron Man leads the charge forcing Captain America to choose a side. This leads to Civil War; a war within.

Featuring almost every Avenger (with the exception of Thor and Hulk) in addition to new characters like Spider-Man and returning supporting characters like General Ross this film should perhaps be re-named Avengers 2.5. It seems like this year when it comes to comic book adaptions it is all about the showdown between big superheroes and sprawling cataclysmic battles. No doubt comparisons will be eagerly made between this and the previously released Superman Versus Batman with fanboys clamouring either side to say which one is best. Civil War has been released with far less fanfare than its DC counterpart, but like the good old Captain America quiet confidence is perhaps what makes it so great. I’ll settle the scrap now; in my humble opinion Civil War is a better film.

There are a number of advantages that Civil War has over its Dawn of Justice rival. First is the fact that Marvel has spent numerous movies developing each and every character in the build up to this showdown and most of the characters have had their own films (or significant pieces within) to develop. In the run up to seeing the film, my friends and I were enthusiastically discussing which Marvel films we liked the most; some liked Iron Man, some liked Captain America, some liked Thor. Although film-wise there have been a couple of misses, what is undeniable is that Marvel has been successful in creating movie comic book characters that are semi-independent of each other, films that have their own valid personality and structure. Indeed, you can almost be divided over the movies like you could be the comic books. How that translates into Civil War is that less time needs to be dedicated showing their back stories (parents murdered or motivating tragedies) and secondly we have already come to know the characters as multi-faceted beings through their own movies which makes the ultimate show down far more complex than simply choosing a side. Tony Stark; the narcissistic billionaire but an individual always touched by the plight of the weak and defenceless versus Captain America a soldier who fights for freedom but has increasingly become disillusioned by the corruption he has witnessed. In Civil War the fights are gruelling but not gratuitous, no one wants to hurt each other but they will for what they believe in and ultimately they do.

Sadly, Civil War does suffer from a long build up, yes there is action but like Dawn of Justice it spends a long time getting you to see the story from both sides and introducing you to the new characters. But what a line up it is, in addition to Robert Downey Junior’s incredible Iron Man (let’s face it; there could only ever be one Iron Man) and Chris Evan’s one and only Captain America, we have Chadwick Boseman making his debut as an impressive Black Panther, Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man and the all new Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland.  I have to say I was a bit worried about the new wall crawler’s debut (I think we are on its third iteration within ten years) but with all honesty I think he was one of the many highlights and what he brought to the film was a much needed comedic boost to alleviate the movie’s more serious themes of lost friendship and broken trust. With Spider-Man a part of this film the credibility was seriously boosted in a way that perhaps only Wolverine could to a Hulk film. Overall then if you are a fan of Marvel, this film will excite and meet many if not all of your expectations. But we warned the ending is not a happy one. Last but not least there are two post credit scenes so stay until the very end.

O.k so my verdict:

Easily a 4 out of 5.

Olivia Wilde “too old” To Play Leonardo DiCaprio’s Girlfriend

olivia wilde too old to play leonardo dicaprio's girlfriends, ageism, sexism, acting, acting adviceOlivia Wilde has revealed she was “too old” for Margot Robbie’s role in “Wolf of Wall Street”
During an interview with Howard Stern the actress revealed she was “too old” for the role.  Stern had asked if she had ever not gotten a role because she was too good-looking. Wilde said:

 

“The funniest thing I heard recently was I had heard for a part that I was too sophisticated. And I was like, Oh, that sounds nice. I like that feedback. I didn’t get the part, but I’m a very sophisticated person. And then I found out later that they actually said ‘old.’ I want to make a translation sheet for Hollywood that’s all the feedback your agents give you and what it really means.” Wilde was 28 at the time.

 

Martin Scorsese did end up casting Wilde in “Vinyl,” his new HBO series. “I did not [have to audition for ‘Vinyl’] because I had auditioned unsuccessfully for ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ — that’s the one I was too old for” she clarified.

 

If you are an actor then check out How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur. It is available in print and in all eBook formats on both Smashwords and Amazon.

 

 

What’s On This Weekend

 

A round up of another glorious four-day week with a host of spectacular activities in and around The Capital. Our top picks include;

LOGO

The London Whisky Weekender 1-3rd;

Starting today, The London Whisky Weekender will transform the East London venue, Oval Space into a Dramtastic dream. With Whisky’s to try from all around The World this is the perfect day out for any Whisky Lover of any degree. Enjoy a dram of something you love or something brand new amidst a backdrop of blues music and some quality street food.

For tickets and info;

Whisky

EB-webnew

Saturday Brunch at Gaucho’s Electro Brunch;

From 11am-3pm every Saturday, work your way through Gaucho’s impressive, unlimited brunch menu complete with cocktails and sparkling wine. Available at their Canary Wharf, Piccadilly and Smithfield branches and priced at £45 this is the absolute perfect way to start the weekend.

For more info and booking;

Brunch

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Feast of Rugby takeover Urban Food Fest 2nd April;

This year’s HSBC London Sevens will be celebrating their partnership with Urban Food Fest by hosting a ‘Feast of Rugby’ takeover at the Shoreditch street food market on Saturday 2nd April.The market will be fully HSBC London Sevens themed and there will be special guest appearances from the England sevens team – who will be helping vendors cook up a storm on the day. From France to Fiji, think Sweet and Savoury Crêpes, slow roasted and pulled pork burgers and Venezuelan Maize arepas. Yum Yum.

Entry is free just turn up;

Euro Car Parks
162-167 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch
London, E1

For more info;

Food 

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The cosiest “Night In” at Pillow Cinema.

This Saturday, snuggle up to a loved one… or two in a stunning Tudor House setting in the heart of Hackney and enjoy a screening of either Romeo and Juliet or The Danish Girl. Complimentary blankets and fatboy beanbags provided. All you need to do is turn up for a super chill Saturday Night at The Movies.

For tickets and info;

Cinema

30 Days of Gratitude Day 24 #30daysofgratitude

Today I am grateful for film. I love film and I have worked in the film industry. Going to the cinema is still one of my favourite things to do. So today I am grateful for film and all of the amazing people who make them. It’s a tough industry, but it’s worth it.

what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting film review Prose & Cons film day one. The_avengers assemble film review Flight Film Review Taken 3 Movie

Catch up on other days:

Day 1.
Day 2.

Day 3.

Day 4.

Day 5.

Day 6.

Day 7.

Day 8.

Day 9.

Day 10,

Day 11.

Day 12.

Day 13.

Day 14.

Day 15.

Day 16.

Day 17.

Day 18.

Day 19.

Day 20.

Day 21.

Day 22.

Day 23.

What are you grateful for?

 

 

Ruth Wilson Called Meeting Over Raunchy The Affair Sex Scenes

Ruth Wilson Called Meeting Over Raunchy The Affair Sex Scenes, the affair, ruth wilson, boyfriend, sex scenesRuth Wilson got so upset by the amount of sex scenes in The Affair that she called a meeting to discuss it with the makers of the show. She says she found it “unnecessary and I felt uncomfortable”, adding: “Personally, I didn’t want to keep doing sex scenes and blow jobs.”

What followed was a chat with the directors and the show runner. Everything is now fine, she says.

“You have to listen to yourself in those situations. There’s still sex in it but it wasn’t expected that I would be nude.”

Ruth took the part in The Affair after getting annoyed with the lack of opportunities for women in Hollywood.

“To be honest, I wasn’t really looking at TV for America because I know the contracts and how long they are, but the film scripts weren’t good enough. There’s a very small number of women who get to do the best material that’s around, and there are probably only three movies scripts a year with good female roles in them. So there’s a limited amount of material to do. With television there’s so many shows led by women, it’s amazing.”

Ruth also talked about how hard it was to maintain a relationship when you are an actor. The 34-year-old actress told British Instyle:

“You can’t go on Tinder. You usually tend to find people you’ve known for a long time. It is difficult. Just the nature of the job means it’s difficult. The fame side of it is one aspect. But the fact that you are travelling a lot, or you have to be away a lot. It’s difficult to maintain a relationship even without the fame aspect of it.”

Ruth was asked about her rumoured relationship with Jake Gyllenhaal, she replied, “I don’t know. I don’t give much away and I don’t want to. It’s not anyone’s business.”

 

If you are an actor then check out my book, How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur.  It tells you everything you need to know about how to become a successful actor.

 

 

Chris Pratt To Struggling Actors: ‘Don’t give up. It will break before you do’

Chris prattParks and Recreation actor Chris Pratt has said he always knew he was going to be successful. Pratt has achieved leading man status in films Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World.

Chris posted teasers of the Guardians of the Galaxy sequel on his Instagram page. He posted a picture of his commute and wrote: “It’s 3:20am. I got picked up for work at 6:45am yesterday. I’m not good with math, especially after being up for approximately 61 hours but I think I’ve been up for over 77 hours. I did a table read for Guardians of the Galaxy 2 this morning and then shot all day on Passengers and just now wrapped some 144 hours later. Weirdly both films, which I’ll be shooting back to back, are being shot in Atlanta at Pinewood studios. We have the best crew. Total rock stars busting their asses. And the stuff we’re shooting. My God. I can’t wait for you to see it. I go back in in about 8 hours to do more.”

It’s 3:20am. I got picked up for work at 6:45am yesterday. I’m not good with math, especially after being up for approximately 61 hours but I think I’ve been up for over 77 hours. I did a table read for Guardians of the Galaxy 2 this morning and then shot all day on Passengers and just now wrapped some 144 hours later. Weirdly both films, which iI’l be shooting back to back, are being shot in Atlanta at Pinewood studios. We have the best crew. Total rock stars busting their asses. And the stuff we’re shooting. My God. I can’t wait for you to see it. I go back in in about 8 hours to do more. I am doing what I love. It doesn’t feel like work. Even though it is. I’m having fun. I’m overcome with joy and gratitude. I felt like posting this to say to anyone out there chasing your dream… Fifteen years ago I felt the same passion I feel today, but I had very little opportunity. I had to hustle hard and go hungry. I had to eat sardines and figure out how to get gas money. And I never had a plan B. I never stopped believing. Ever. Don’t give up. Apply constant pressure for as long as it takes. It will break before you do. Go get it.

A photo posted by chris pratt (@prattprattpratt) on

He then went on to tell fans to never give up on their dreams by saying:

“I am doing what I love. It doesn’t feel like work. Even though it is. I’m having fun. I’m overcome with joy and gratitude. I felt like posting this to say to anyone out there chasing your dream… Fifteen years ago I felt the same passion I feel today, but I had very little opportunity. I had to hustle hard and go hungry. I had to eat sardines and figure out how to get gas money. And I never had a plan B. I never stopped believing. Ever. Don’t give up. Apply constant pressure for as long as it takes. It will break before you do. Go get it.”

 

If you are an actor then check out my book, How To Be a Successful Actor: Becoming an Actorpreneur.  It tells you everything you need to know about how to become a successful actor.