Here are some new photos of Amanda Seyfried and Julianne Moore at the New York premiere of Chloe, their sexy drama also costarring Liam Neeson (who did not attend the premiere). I actually love Amanda’s dress and her whole look. I’m not so in love with Julianne pink dress and black tights, but she looks so much better now that Tom Ford isn’t trying to dress her garbage bags so she won’t steal Colin Firth’s thunder. Anyway, the basic plot of Chloe is that Julianne and Liam play a married couple, and Julianne fears her husband is having an affair. So she hires a hooker (Seyfried) to seduce Liam’s character as a test. Sexy shenanigans ensue. Here’s a little more from a Seyfried interview:

“It’s a character that wouldn’t come up very often for a person my age,” says Seyfried, promoting the film at a recent roundtable with reporters at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills. What will her fans make of her switch to such a dark-side role? “Hopefully they will see me as an actress, rather than just a sweetheart,” she says. “I think ‘Chloe’ is going to raise the bar a bit,” adding, I hope it’s a turning point.”

Approaching the role of Chloe, Seyfried admits, was daunting. “I was worried that I was incapable of nailing it the way it was written,” she says. “It’s so realistic. And the way things happen are so unexpected. I’ve never seen that in a movie.”

Also participating at the roundtable is the film’s screenwriter, Erin Cassandra Wilson, who is fulsome in her praise for Seyfried, not just for her performance in the film, but for her physical beautiful. “The face is so insanely given to us by heaven,” she says. And indeed Seyfried in person, with her saucer-shaped blue eyes and bee-stung lips is as uniquely striking as she is on the screen.

Wilson, who adapted the script from a 2003 French film, “Nathalie,” recalls Seyfried’s audition. Up against a number of well-known actresses, she got the part because she showed she “knows how to walk the line between good and bad. … Her soul was able to play two things at once.”

Seyfried’s steamy sex scene with Moore inevitably comes up. “No intimate love scene like that is going to be easy whether it’s with a man or a woman,” says Seyfried. “I think we got through it as best we could.” She praises Moore for her willingness to collaborate. “Julianne treated me like a peer and like a teammate,” she notes. “We had to discover something, a relationship–we had to work through it together. It was amazingly generous for someone like her, so established and so unbelievably intelligent, to be able to give me her respect.”

Seyfried shies from talk that that her career is at a new launch point. “I feel like that they’ve said that before about me, but mainly because I had a movie that won at the box office,” she declares. “When people say ‘I’m in the moment,’ how long does a moment last?”

Her popular February release, “Dear John”—in which she co-starred with Channing Tatum in a wistful modern-day wartime romance, has so far taken in $77 million at the box-office, triple its production costs. It was also the first film to knock “Avatar” off its No. 1 box-office perch. Though critics generally panned the film, Seyfried was singled out for praise in a number of reviews. A.O. Scott of the New York Times called her “a resourceful and engaging young actress industriously turning herself into a movie star.”
Looking forward, Seyfried has a platter of projects. She recently agreed to do a fourth season of HBO’s “Big Love,” which will be her last, playing the oldest daughter in a polygamous Mormon family. It’s considered to be her breakthrough role.

In “Letters to Juliet,” to be released in May she reverts to her sweetheart side, co-starring with Gale Garcia Bernal. Set in Italy, it’s a fanciful story about the discovery of a trove of letters from Juliet Capulet. “That’s more like me,” she notes. “Chloe isn’t me.”

Next up for Seyfried is a period piece comedy, “A Woman of No Importance,” based on an Oscar Wilde play, that also stars Annette Bening and is being directed by Bruce Beresford (“Driving Miss Daisy”).

Seyfried is meanwhile in late-stage negotiations to star in “Red Riding Hood,” another psychological thriller that Catherine Hardwicke, who did “Twilight,” is directly. And Seyfried says she has also been talking about a part in “Albert Nobbs,” based on Glenn Close’s Broadway hit about a 19th century woman who impersonates a man to survive. “Working with Glenn Close,” she says, “that would really be amazing.”

[From Monsters and Critics]

I think having a love scene with Julianne Moore would be wonderful. But I’m a ginger-lover, so maybe that’s why I romanticize Julianne. I’m not going to see this movie or anything, but I might rent it at some point just to see my lover Julianne.

You know what just struck me? I haven’t seen Amanda with her boyfriend Dominic Cooper in a while. Did they break up? There were tons of rumors about him cheating, and he wasn’t her date to the Oscars or to last night’s premiere. Hmm…

Julianne and Amanda at the ‘Chloe’ premiere on March 15, 2010. Credit: WENN.

I’ve been reading a lot about fashion designer-turned-writer/director Tom Ford’s debut film, A Single Man, and I‘m intrigued. It looks really good, and it’s been getting overwhelmingly positive reviews. The film is a day-in-the-life story of a British, gay professor (played by Colin Firth) living in California in the 1960s. I think the gist of it is that Firth’s character’s lover recently died, and Colin Firth’s character is considering suicide. The film also stars Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, Lee Pace and Nicholas Hoult. Many critics already have Colin Firth, Julianne Moore and Tom Ford down for Oscar nominations - so, of course, the backlash has got to start now too, right?

The backlash may have started when a new trailer for A Single Man was released. In the older trailer (released a few months ago), there were several vaguely blink-and-you’ll-miss-them homoerotic shots of Colin Firth and Matthew Goode kissing, and of Colin Firth and Nicholas Hoult frolicking in the ocean. Here’s the original:

The Weinstein Company (who produced the film) just released a new trailer, this time taking out the man-on-man kiss (and yet, leaving in the kiss between Julianne Moore and Colin Firth). As Indie Wire points out in a piece de-crying the “de-gaying” of the trailers, “the film’s gay content” is left out and “the new trailer essentially is altered to suggest the core of the film is the relationship between Colin Firth and Julianne Moore’s characters, even removing the names of both Matthew Goode and Nicholas Hoult (who play Firth’s love interests) from the end of the trailer.” Here’s the new version:

The second trailer has much less impact, in my opinion, especially compared to the more visceral reaction of “I want that!” when I saw the first one.

At the end of the day, it might simply be a business decision, and one that the producers and Tom Ford (who is openly gay) feel they have to give in to. In Ford’s profile in W Magazine, both Harvey Weinstein and Tom Ford take pains to “de-gay” the story too:

Like others involved in the project, [Harvey] Weinstein notes the film’s universality: “Everyone has had the kind of day that George has, an incredible adventure, and at the end of it finding peace.” Says Firth, “Anyone who’s ever felt alienated or anyone who’s ever felt they’ve got to make an effort to face the day or anyone who’s ever lost anybody will find something in this guy, I think.” And from Ford: “That’s the thing about my film—it’s the isolation we all feel and the universal need to connect with others.”

Translation: This is not a gay movie. While one may assume the sophisticate Ford to be above so mundane a pronouncement, the marketer Ford seizes that crucial moment of consumer connection, and if he has to spell it out, so be it. “I like chocolate cake. Do I define my life by the fact that I like chocolate cake?” he queries. “For me, that’s what sexuality is. I didn’t think of making a movie with gay characters.”

Yet he wants to make clear to those who don’t dine at the chocolate-cake table that there’s plenty of red velvet, too. For the article’s photo shoot, W had hoped to photograph the director surrounded by his leading cast members. With all but Moore assembled in London a day or two before the festival there, suggestion B was a picture of Ford with the featured male actors. He declined, saying it would send the wrong message, and subsequently agreed to the photo with only Firth.

“I want to make sure that people don’t think this is a gay film, because it is a universal film,” he says. “We all go through the same things in life—romance, grief, isolation, trying to come to an understanding of what life is about. I wouldn’t want someone not to see it, thinking, Oh, that’s a gay love story. That’s not the core of the film.”

[From W Magazine]

Indie Wire calls this “the Brokeback Mountain approach” to publicizing a film with gay content. Which I guess means that we can expect Colin Firth, his wife and Julianne Moore to sit on Oprah’s couch and talk about everything but hot, gay action. And, that approach resulted in a mixed bag during the awards season for Brokeback. The director, Ang Lee took home the Best Director Oscar, but the actors didn’t get any of the big awards. I hope that doesn’t happen with Colin and Julianne - they’re two of the most deserving actors out there. I love them. I want them to win everything this year!

Here is Colin Firth at the AFI Fest 2009 Screening Of ‘A Single Man’ at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on November 5, 2009.

This is Julianne Moore on the red carpet for the 13th Annual Hollywood Film Festival Awards Gala Ceremony in Beverly Hills last night. She was being recognized for her supporting work in Tom Ford’s A Single Man, for which many think she’ll be nominated for yet another Oscar. Now, here’s the thing: I f-cking love Julianne Moore. She’s amazing. She’s one of the most talented actresses out there, and I think very highly of her beauty. But Julianne is not Cate Blanchett. Julianne is not a style icon. She’s a beautiful woman who gets it wrong on the red carpet often enough that I think to myself “Why doesn‘t my girl get a better stylist?”. Last night was one of those times. I don’t know who designed this puff-sleeved, peach-pink monstrosity, but I hope they’re pleased with themselves. This junk is so ugly, I really feel for poor Julianne. What was she thinking? “Tonight, I want to look like a budget bridesmaid!”?

In happier news, Julianne is out there promoting her work in both Chloe and A Single Man. So we have a new interview! Yeah! It’s this piece from Indie Wire called “10 Things You Want to Know About Julianne Moore”. Unfortunately, I only wanted to know about six of these things, so here are the highlights (full article is here):

Her character in “A Single Man” was inspired by Tom Ford’s grandmother.
“He had a very glamorous grandmother,” Moore said of Ford. “She lived in Santa Fe. When I went for my first costume fitting, he was very specific about the dress. He pulled out quite a few options, but when he whipped out this one dress, and I put it on, he was like, “That’s the dress.” And the dress had come from a vintage store in Santa Fe, where his grandmother lived. So he got very emotional and said he could not believe the dress I was going to wear was from there. But, yeah, she had the hair and the makeup and the jewelry, and was it fun… So that’s where a lot of that came from.”

She does not believe there is a downside to awards attention.
“Noooo,” she yelped when moderator Briony Hanson asked if getting awards attention had a downside. “Are you kidding? It helps you get another job! Bring it on! You’re like, ‘thank you.’ It’s great.”

Though she did see a downside to getting nominated twice in one year (as she did in 2002 for “Far From Heaven” and “The Hours”).
“Obviously it’s nothing to sneeze at,” she said of the double nomination. “But in that same way that every film is your baby… you like each one to have its moment. So when you have two at the same time, it’s like having twins. It probably would be nicer to be able to focus on one or the other but, you know, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, as they say.”

She’s not afraid of aging.
“I’ve been asked about aging in Hollywood since I started,” Moore said. “I think because I started making movies when I was 30 or 31. So the first question out of everybody’s mouth is ‘what does it feel like to be an older actress working in Hollywood.’ And I keep getting it. And my answer to it always has been that you can’t be anywhere except where you are. I’m 48. I’m going to be 48 until I’m not anymore and then I’ll be 49. And if I spend all my time at 48 wishing that I was 35, I’m not going to experience 48. And I’m not going to play parts I played at 31 either. It’s not going to happen. So I feel like as far as aging is concerned for anybody in their life, at any point… you have to go, ‘this is where I am today, and appreciate it.’ Because none of it lasts very long.”

Moore cautions a previous statement she’d made where she said that she makes some films “to pay her mortgage.”
“That sounds like a horrific statement,” Moore said when Hanson quoted her. “Because I’ve also been really pleased and happy doing the more commercial work that I’ve done. I’ve worked with people like Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott and Ivan Reitman. Directors that are really talented and interesting but just happen to be making great big movies. So it’s nothing to sneeze at, but you also have to, as an actor, work within the range of films that are out there. It’s like, if you ate tomatoes every day, you’re like ‘okay, enough tomatoes. I can’t stand it anymore.’ So I think it’s that way with anything we do in our lives. You want to have some variety, and some different experiences.”

But she admits that they do pay the mortgage, and allow her to make smaller films.
“There’s this misnomer about actors that whatever we do we get paid for,” she said. “I made a movie this summer with Lisa Cholodenko [‘The Kids Are Alright’]. And it actually cost me money. Because you have to uproot your whole family. So some movies allow you to have a career and a regular job. And some movies you just do because you want to do them, but you’re not getting paid. It’s all part of a whole thing. And I’ve been super, super fortunate that I’ve had varied opportunities.”

[From Indie Wire]

I’m actually looking forward A Single Man. It looks really interesting, and the cast is superb. The film is adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s 1964 book of the same name. According to the reviews (which are stellar), the film is a day-in-the life story, following and narrated by George (Colin Firth), a British university lecturer in L.A. whose male partner has died. George has decided to kill himself, but is constantly reminded of how much life there is beyond his grief. Julianne, in a glamorous turn, plays George’s best friend. Maybe Julianne will finally get the Oscar!

Trailer for “A Single Man”:

Images thanks to WENN.com and BauerGriffinOnline.

The November issue of Elle is devoted to “Women in Hollywood”. Katie Holmes is the cover girl, but they also profile Emily Blunt (love her), Julianne Moore (love her more), Renee Zellweger (meh) and Zoe Saldana (pretty girl, but meh to her as well). As for the cover shot, I actually like it. Katie looks very cute with her choppy, cute haircut. And her eyes are looking less zombie-esque (can they photoshop the zombie out?). The dress is alright, and it is nice to see Katie in a bright color, but the dress just shows off how very thin Katie is.

Everybody was interviewed, but none of them really had anything fascinating to say. Katie loves vampire movies (and yet, no mention of zombies). Emily loves being a character actress, and she bitches about aging in Hollywood (her picture is awful too - it‘s like they were trying to make her look vacant). Julianne, who is by far one of the greatest actresses working today, was barely interviewed (but her photo is fab). Renee watches a lot of Katherine Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe movies (who doesn’t?). Zoe is zzzz…

KATIE HOLMES-On family life: “In my own life, my whole world really revolves around family. I do what I need to do, but it’s like, ‘How is everybody else doing?’ And it’s wonderful for me as an actress to put some of that into a character.”

-On life as a working mom on the Broadway set of All My Sons: “Suri would sit in my lap in the makeup chair. She’d hand the wig lady the bobby pins.”

-On fashion: “I love Alaia, for sure. Stella McCartney. I like Ralph Lauren because I feel like it’s very American, and I’m pretty all-American, from Ohio. Isabel Marant and a new designer, Sari Gueron.

-On the genre of film she loves most: “It can be any genre. I even like vampire movies – they just have to be well done. I want to believe in the characters. The minute it starts to feel not real, I’m not interested.”

EMILY BLUNT
-On adjusting to Hollywood life since moving from the UK: “I feel the fear of the business creep under my skin in L.A. in a way that it doesn’t in England. It’s funny – I feel like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, unless you’re in Hollywood! It’s shameful how you have to look a certain way. Women are simply not allowed to grow old gracefully. That’s why I love playing character parts, because I’m not pigeonholed into trying to remain young forever to play the ingénue or romantic lead.”

JULIANNE MOORE-On types of characters she is drawn to: “I think my connection to acting has been through reading. I’m interested in scripts. People ask me, “What role are you dying to play?” It’s really, What story do I want to be in?”

RENEE ZELLWEGER-On actresses from earlier eras that have influenced her: “For Leatherheads, I was thinking of Katharine Hepburn, the way she leaned forward with her shoulders back, speaking in her lower register the whole time. I like her confidence, her intelligence, her sense of entitlement. When I was making Chicago, I couldn’t stop watching the Marilyn [Monroe] videos. Not so much because of the sex kitten thing; it was more her vulnerability. That was a huge part of the Roxie character. But it’s not about emulating; it’s about a feeling.”

-On whether a successful movie career requires sacrificing your personal life: “A friend of mine couldn’t decide between moving to New York or staying in L.A., and another friend said, “Do Everything!” I thought, That’s it, do everything.”

ZOE SALDANA-On being known as a beautiful Hollywood actress: “I’m sorry, but it’s sexy to know that guys find you attractive. It’s empowering.”

[From Elle Magazine]

Eh, I’m just going to avoid talking about the other girls, and just focus on my girl Julianne. She’s got two films coming out this fall/winter, and both look interesting. First, there’s Chloe, which doesn’t have a release date yet. Julianne plays a wife who suspects her husband is cheating, so she hires a hooker, Chloe, to seduce him. It stars Amanda Seyfried (as Chloe) and Liam Neeson (as the husband). The second film is Tom Ford’s directorial debut, A Single Man. Julianne plays a supporting role to Colin Firth, who is an early contender for Lead Oscar. Hopefully, we’ll be seeing Julianne on some red carpets this awards season too - she usually brings it, and I love her so much.

Photos courtesy Elle.com. To see the rest of the ‘Women In Hollywood’ covers visit Elle.com

The National Federation for The Blind takes offense at the portrayal of blind people in the upcoming thriller Blindness, starring Julianne Moore and Marc Ruffalo. Blindness portrays a breakdown in society after a virus starts wiping out everyone’s vision, turning them into savages who compete for meager resources. Blind people think it’s outrageous that they’re portrayed so negatively and plan a protest of the film, which is out in limited release in the US this Friday, October 3.

Blind people quarantined in a mental asylum, attacking each other, soiling themselves, trading sex for food. For Marc Maurer, who’s blind, such a scenario _ as shown in the movie “Blindness” _ is not a clever allegory for a breakdown in society.

Instead, it’s an offensive and chilling depiction that Maurer fears could undermine efforts to integrate blind people into the mainstream.

“The movie portrays blind people as monsters, and I believe it to be a lie,” said Maurer, president of the Baltimore-based National Federation of the Blind. “Blindness doesn’t turn decent people into monsters.”

The organization plans to protest the movie, released by Miramax Films, at 75 theaters around the country when it’s released Friday. Blind people and their allies will hand out fliers and carry signs. Among the slogans: “I’m not an actor. But I play a blind person in real life.”

The movie reinforces inaccurate stereotypes, including that the blind cannot care for themselves and are perpetually disoriented, according to the NFB.

“We face a 70 percent unemployment rate and other social problems because people don’t think we can do anything, and this movie is not going to help _ at all,” said Christopher Danielsen, a spokesman for the organization.

[AP via Huffington Post]

Seven staff members of the National Federation for The Blind, including three people who are not blind, attended a screening of the film last week. They’re not simply responding to the trailers and have a legitimate beef with the film.

The film was not received well at Cannes, with the jury giving it a 1.3 average out of 4. Blindness has a 41% aggregate critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes and it seems like people either love it or hate it. It’s criticized as being too self-important and negative in tone. The film also features Danny Glover and Gael Garcia Bernal.

Here are two trailers.

Thanks to AllMoviePhoto for these pictures.

The fifth annual “Comedy for a Cure” benefit for The Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance was held last night in Hollywood. Attending stars included Julianne Moore, Teri Hatcher, Sarah Silverman, Jimmy Kimmel, Jane Kaczmarek, Patricia Heaton, and Marissa Jaret Winokur. Royal asshole Billy Bush served as master of ceremonies.

Calista Flockhart was also supposed to serve as a host, but does not seem to have shown up since there aren’t any pictures of her.

A little more about the disease Tuberous Sclerosis:

The event featured live auctions and comedy. Teri Hatcher even sat on a winning bidder’s lap.

12 more pictures after the jump.

(Read more…)