Latest news with #Birdman
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dave Franco on Smoking With Bryan Cranston in ‘The Studio' Finale and Bringing ‘Toxic Positivity' to Every Scene
SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers for the Season 1 finale of 'The Studio,' now streaming on Apple TV+. Months after filming his final scenes in 'The Studio,' guest star Dave Franco got a call from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg for a last minute idea that wound up featuring a 'Now You See Me' tie-in. More from Variety How 'The Studio' Composer Created 'Wall-to-Wall' Music and Set Out to Prove He Wasn't a 'One-Trick Pony' After 'Birdman' Catherine O'Hara on Her Scene-Stealing 'The Last of Us' Character, Why Pedro Pascal Is Like Meryl Streep and Catching COVID While Making 'The Studio' Zoë Kravitz on Getting High While Reading 'The Studio' Mushroom Scene and Why Getting Slapped by Kathryn Hahn Was 'The Honor of a Lifetime' 'They said: 'We have this idea where you give a recap of Episode 9 and you're totally fucked up, and we have to film this tomorrow. Are you in town? We're about to lock this cut,'' Franco recalls. 'I think it was just a genius idea rather than a dry, typical recap. There's something really fun about hearing what happened from the perspective of the most fucked-up person at the party.' The finale kicks off right where Episode 9 left off as the Continental Studio executives, as well as Patty Leigh (Catherine O'Hara), are left to clean up Matt's (Rogen) mess and get CinemaCon presenters Franco and Zoë Kravitz camera ready. But as the executives soon realize, Franco and Kravitz show no signs of slowing down. Franco came into the mix as the ensemble neared the end of a long shoot, along with two weeks on location in Las Vegas. 'Everyone was a little exhausted, a little loopy, and so we were leaning into that energy,' he tells Variety. 'I obviously wasn't there as long as everyone else, I just popped in for a handful of days, so I could come in with slightly fresh energy and try to infuse that into the scenes.' 'The Studio' is the latest Franco collaboration with Rogen and Goldberg — they go back all the way to 'Superbad' in 2007. 'They want it to be a group effort and their main rule is best idea wins, no matter who it's coming from. And I've adopted that mentality when directing my own movies,' Franco says. Below, Franco breaks down smoking with Bryan Cranston, filming that chaotic CinemaCon sequence with a live audience and how the 'Together' cast and crew 'killed ourselves every step of the way' to make that film a reality. It was a discovery process. Before my first scene in those final episodes, I was talking to Seth and Evan about how how fucked up I should be. We quickly realized that there's no limit, really. The crazier I am, the better. But the best thing to focus on is bringing this extreme positivity and optimism to every scene, which would juxtapose where everyone else in the episode is mentally. They are all completely stressed out and whenever you insert me a scene with this toxic positivity, it infuriates all of that. She's doing something that people haven't necessarily seen from her before, where she's just completely unhinged and having the time of her life and being as silly as possible. In that specific moment, she is terrified because she has taken way too many mushrooms, but my reaction is that I am so excited that someone is going to maybe be on the level where I'm at. Finding out that she is about to go flying makes me so happy because I'm going to have another partner-in-crime that night. For him to tap into his 'Malcolm in the Middle' roots where he is fully embracing his silliness and, like me, being as fucked up as he possibly can — it's always fun watching one of the greats be that unhinged. My wife and I's idea of a wild night is being in bed at 8 p.m. and watching a documentary with our two cats! In-between takes, I was trying to conserve my energy. Nicholas Stoller was there — I've known him a long time and adore him, and I remember him trying to riff with me between takes. And then after a few takes, he realized: 'Oh shit, Dave's exhausted. I'm going to let him be.' But it's just trying to find those moments to recharge during takes. That was all real. It was a real auditorium in Vegas and we had an audience. When you're doing that, it makes it so much easier because you feel their energy, you're performing to a real crowd. I think the challenge of that scene was going from being extremely delirious on multiple drugs and then turning on a dime and becoming my character from the Ron Howard movie, changing my accent and adopting this confidence in front of hundreds of audience members. When they were first applying the bloody makeup, we all decided that the more beat-up I looked, the funnier it would ultimately be because I still come in with this toxic positivity even though I just got my ass beat. That was fun to continue that level of optimism even when I'm moments away from going to the hospital. It's a difficult question to answer. Gosh, I mean, obviously Seth's character is dealing with wanting to create art that will last forever, that has integrity, but he's in a position where his studio also needs to make money and needs to think about the commerce of it all. So that's the struggle that he's dealing with and, when thinking about my personal approach to this job: I don't overthink it. I want to create projects that do feel unique, that feel like something we've never seen before and I know it's a little more difficult to get projects like that off the ground. Sometimes you have to make them on a very low budget and you're killing yourself to help them see the light of day, but that's the stuff that I really love. I've been fortunate to continue making things that I feel like are pushing boundaries. That's a very specific example of something where we killed ourselves every step of the way. Now that it's picking up a bit of traction, it's so gratifying to see that it is resonating. All the work was hopefully worth it. If anything, those final episodes are potentially reminding people that so many of us are doing this because we love movies. For me, my first job was at a mom-and-pop store when I was 14 years old, and it was actually illegal for me to be working there at that age, so they paid me by allowing me to take home as many movies as I wanted. That was my film school, that's how I started seeing all the classics and it's the reason why I'm doing any of this. I didn't start acting until I was maybe 18 or 19, and it wasn't even necessarily something that I loved at first, but I figured this was a potential way into the industry and to be a part of it all. I feel so fortunate that I'm able to dip into all different sides of it now with directing, writing and producing. This interview has been edited and condensed. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival
Black America Web
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
2 Chainz Says Birdman Wanted $100K For Lil Wayne Introduction
Source: Prince Williams / Getty In a recent conversation with Shannon Sharpe on Club Shay Shay, 2 Chainz opened up about a surprising experience he had with Birdman and Lil Wayne during Wayne's prime. According to Chainz, Birdman had a habit of charging artists $100,000 just to get them in contact with Wayne. It was a costly fee, but one that many were willing to pay in hopes of securing a collaboration with the legendary rapper. 2 Chainz, however, found a more creative way to bypass the expensive fee. While shopping at a Gucci store, he bought a pair of red Gucci shoes for Wayne, symbolizing Wayne's 'red team' affiliation. He then took the shoes to Wayne at the studio, along with a beat CD. 'He don't know I'm about to take it to him,' 2 Chainz explained. Upon receiving the gift, Wayne was impressed, saying, 'Damn, these harder than a b*tch.' The two quickly got into the studio, but there was an issue with the email containing the song, which Wayne had sent. After sorting it out, they listened to the track, and 2 Chainz immediately recognized its potential. 'Man, you did that for me?' he asked Wayne. Wayne responded with a simple, 'Yeah boy.' Despite Weezy's generosity, Baby still expected his $100,000 for the connection. But as 2 Chainz aka 'Tony' quipped, 'it's only going to be just 100, not 200.' That song, 'Duffle Bag Boy' by Playaz Circle, would go on to become a major hit, cementing its place in Hip-Hop history. SEE ALSO 2 Chainz Says Birdman Wanted $100K For Lil Wayne Introduction was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Perth Now
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Alejandro G Inarritu teases 'brutal comedy' with Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise's next movie is a "brutal comedy". The 62-year-old actor is currently promoting 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' but he's also been busy working on director Alejandro G. Iñárritu's upcoming film, which is tentatively titled 'July' and has just wrapped shooting in London. The Oscar-winning director teased the film is "insane" and promised audiences will be surprised. He told The Hollywood Reporter: 'All I can say is it is a brutal, wild comedy of catastrophic proportions. It's insane. "It's scary and funny and beautiful. I know comedy is not what people expect from me, or Tom, and making this film was terrifying for me, but I don't like to repeat myself, and every film should scare you a little." The 61-year-old filmmaker praised Tom for his "total commitment" to the role and compared the tone to that of his 2014 movie 'Birdman'. He added: "I felt Birdman was a comedy, a dark comedy, and this one was challenging like that. "And Tom makes me laugh every single day. He has this total commitment, this total madness.' 'July' will also star Sandra Huller and the Mexican filmmaker has admired the 'Anatomy of a Fall' actress' work for some time. He said: "'I've loved Sandra since 'Toni Erdmann'. I met her here in Cannes that year [2017] and have been wanting to work with her ever since." Alejandro plans to begin editing the film - which will also feature the likes of Jesse Plemons, Riz Ahmed, Emma D'Arcy, Sophie Wilde, Michael Stuhlbarg and John Goodman - "next week" and 'July' is scheduled for release next autumn. Meanwhile, the filmmaker's breakthrough work, 'Amores Perros' - which starred Gael Garcia Bernal - is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and it still means a lot to Alejandro. He said: 'Back then, in Mexico, we made maybe seven movies a year. 'There was no real national cinema. If you made one film, that was it. That was your shot. And I poured everything into that film. "All the contradictions, the rage, the love, the chaos of Mexico City — it's all in there. That's why it's messy. That's why it's alive.' As well a marking the anniversary with a visual installation set to exhibit in Milan, Mexico City and Los Angeles later this year, 'Amores Perros' will also be rereleased into cinemas. The director said: 'So that young people can see it on the big screen, not just on one of these [phones]."
Scottish Sun
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Nepo baby with Hollywood star mum and A-list TV actor dad poses for new shoot – can you guess her famous parents?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WHEN your mum is an A-list actress with plenty of hit films under her belt and your dad is a famous TV star, you are bound to follow them into the limelight. Although this nepo baby hasn't gone into the world of acting, she has forged an incredible career as a model - but can you guess who her parents are? Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 7 This nepo baby is an up-and-coming supermodel Credit: BackGrid 7 The model looked stunning on a photoshoot in New York Credit: BackGrid 7 She looked stylish in this floral trouser suit Credit: BackGrid 7 The model in question is Kai Schreiber and is the daughter of Naomi Watts Credit: Getty The nepo baby in question is Naomi Watts' daughter Kai, 16, who she shares with her ex-partner Liev Schreiber. The former couple's youngest child is making waves in the world of modelling. In fact, Kai is doing so well, that she made her fashion runway debut at Paris Fashion Week by walking for Valentino earlier this year. This week she took part in stunning photo shoot in New York City. In the classy shots, the up-and-coming supermodel posed flawlessly in a blue floral print trouser suit with matching blazer. FAMOUS PARENTS Kai's parents have both conquered Hollywood and are known for TV and film. Naomi and Liev - who also have son called Sasha, 17 - were together for 11 years before they amicably split in 2016. Liev has since married Taylor Neisen, while Naomi went on to wed Billy Crudup. British-Australian actress Naomi is known for films like King Kong, Birdman and the Divergent franchise. While Liev is best known for his work on TV, he starred in the original Scream films and also the Meg Ryan movie, Kate & Leopold. Red Carpet Family Affair: Hollywood's Nepo Baby Steals the Spotlight (1) On the small screen he won multiple awards for his long-running series Ray Donovan. PROUD MUM Naomi often shares how proud she is of her daughter, in sweet posts on Instagram. When the teenager turned 16, her mum penned a heartfelt message to her. "Darling Kai. Happy sweet sixteen. Your sweetness is pure and I'm the luckiest mommy in the world and that world is SO lucky that you are here!" the proud mum wrote. "You blow me away with your wild spirit, strength and yes your soft sweetness too. You even let me post a baby picture! "I thank my lucky stars I get to be your mom [sic]. I Love you to the moon." 7 Kai seen here with her famous father Liev Schreiber earlier this month Credit: AP 7 Kai modelled for Valentino at Paris Fashion Week earlier this year Credit: Getty
The Irish Sun
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Nepo baby with Hollywood star mum and A-list TV actor dad poses for new shoot – can you guess her famous parents?
WHEN your mum is an A-list actress with plenty of hit films under her belt and your dad is a famous TV star, you are bound to follow them into the limelight. Although this nepo baby hasn't gone into the world of acting, she has forged an incredible career as a model - but can you guess who her parents are? 7 This nepo baby is an up-and-coming supermodel Credit: BackGrid 7 The model looked stunning on a photoshoot in New York Credit: BackGrid 7 She looked stylish in this floral trouser suit Credit: BackGrid 7 The model in question is Kai Schreiber and is the daughter of Naomi Watts Credit: Getty The nepo baby in question is The former couple's youngest child is making waves in the world of modelling. In fact, Kai is doing so well, that she made her fashion runway debut at Paris Fashion Week by walking for Valentino earlier this year. This week she took part in stunning photo shoot in New York City. Read more on nepo babies In the classy shots, the up-and-coming supermodel posed flawlessly in a blue floral print trouser suit with matching blazer. FAMOUS PARENTS Kai's parents have both conquered Hollywood and are known for TV and film. Naomi and Liev - who also have Liev has since married Taylor Neisen, while Naomi went on to wed Billy Crudup. Most read in Celebrity British-Australian actress Naomi is known for films like King Kong, Birdman and the Divergent franchise. While Liev is best known for his work on TV, he starred in the original Scream films and also the Meg Ryan movie, Kate & Leopold. Red Carpet Family Affair: Hollywood's Nepo Baby Steals the Spotlight (1) On the small screen he won multiple awards for his long-running series Ray Donovan. PROUD MUM Naomi often shares how proud she is of her daughter, in sweet posts on Instagram. When the teenager turned 16, her mum penned a heartfelt message to her. "Darling Kai. Happy sweet sixteen. Your sweetness is pure and I'm the luckiest mommy in the world and that world is SO lucky that you are here!" the proud mum wrote. "You blow me away with your wild spirit, strength and yes your soft sweetness too. You even let me post a baby picture! "I thank my lucky stars I get to be your mom [sic]. I Love you to the moon." 7 Kai seen here with her famous father Liev Schreiber earlier this month Credit: AP 7 Kai modelled for Valentino at Paris Fashion Week earlier this year Credit: Getty 7 Kai seen here with her blended family after her parents split and have gone onto marry other people Credit: INSTAGRAM/NAOMI WATTS
