Latest news with #BridgetJones'
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Selena Gomez, Martin Short, Steve Martin and the ‘Only Murders in the Building' cast share their personal highlights from Season 4
Even in the fourth season of Only Murders in the Building, as Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez's characters visit Hollywood, there was at least one revelation to be found for cocreator Martin. 'It was not until our actual fourth season that I realized Marty did comedy,' Martin deadpanned during an FYC panel for the Hulu series. 'I mean, I did all these seasons with him and I'm thinking 'What a brilliant dramatic actor!' And that was only based on because there were no laughs.' More from GoldDerby 'Squid Game' cast and creative team reveal why Mingle was the standout Season 2 set piece and hopes for Season 3 'Bridget Jones' star Renée Zellweger's emotional admission: 'I didn't want Mark Darcy to go away' 'It's in my contract that I have great clothes, funny lines, and a lover': Christine Baranski on her surging career in her 70s 'Just like now, you mean,' Short quipped without missing a beat. The roasting repartee between the old friends was just one aspect of a rollicking conversation at the Directors Guild of America in Hollywood in which Martin, Gomez, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and Michael Cyril Creighton joined via Zoom — they're currently at work filming the fifth season in New York City — while guest stars Jane Lynch, Molly Shannon, and Kumail Nanjiani joined cocreator and showrunner John Hoffman live. The panelists quickly zeroed in on some of their personal highlights of the season, which landed on building the show's big emotional moments as the Charles, Oliver, Mabel and their cohorts grow closer and more entwined, building out scene-stealing turns into bona fide costars, the effects of bringing Only Murders to Hollywood. Disney/Eric McCandless Gomez: 'I've spent five years with these iconic people and it's been wonderful being able to become really comfortable and in a groove with what we've created in our bond. So when we do get these emotional scenes I tend to prefer those, because I do have a soft spot for Steve and Marty. … I think there's just magic with them and I feel really grateful that I'm a part of that in any way, and genuinely it was really fun to explore that.' Martin: 'Characters like Howard and Det. Williams, they come in as it may be for two shows or something, and then later you realize 'You know who we need here? We need Howard back. We need Det. Williams back.' And they sort of create an intrinsic involvement in the show, just through their portrayals of their characters.' Creighton: 'I never know what's going to happen in a season. I always like to find out as I get the episodes. So I'm constantly surprised by how John and the writers flesh out how he could so easily just be a joke. But I feel very deeply for him. I think he's at his core really lonely and this trio has brought him out of his shell in such an amazing way. Howard started out as a really isolated character who never left his apartment and was constantly crying. Now he's doing anything he can to support the trio. He is desperate for their approval. He is deeply trying to be the fourth wheel on a tricycle, and it's been really exciting to see him figure out what he's good at, figure out what he's bad at and sort of use all his skills to try to help this amazing trio that he loves so much — even if their relationship is a little adversarial." Randolph: '[Det. Williams] could have easily become very stereotypical, and I love all of the nuances that we're able to create with her. … It's almost like siblings, right? Where it is at the core of it, she's absolutely madly in love with every single one of them, and she also can see their strengths and weaknesses. And so I think this far along and the world of the show, she would do anything for them. She would kill for them. Well, let me not start propaganda!' Hoffman: 'Coming to L.A. felt exactly right — and anachronistic, and that was exactly what felt right about the comedy potential for that, and also for these young amateur podcasters to be enticed and invited to Hollywood, which is very much of the moment, I think, so it felt natural. And I was really curious about these three dyed-in-the-wool New Yorkers in Los Angeles … watching them sort of make their way through the embrace of someone like Molly Shannon as a studio head felt just too dreamy to avoid. ... It was just story-wise, ready to give it a little bit of a jolt and then bring them back to New York.' Martin: 'Our first scene that we shot in L.A. was on the Paramount lot, right there. It was the inner gate and it was a spot I'd walked over 50 years going back and forth on the Paramount lot, getting rejected.' Nanjiani: 'I genuinely begged to be on the show. I had a Zoom with John and I was like, 'Please, I need to be on this show! I love this show, I'm a fan of everyone on this show!' And then when I got there, you kind of have to pretend to be just normal and act like you've been there. Like, 'Steve — am I saying that right? Steve?' 'Marty — Nice to meet you.' I was like, just be cool. And then on day two I was like, 'So when you guys were making Three Amigos…' And they totally indulged me and told me everything and at was really, really sweet.' Lynch: '[It was] a delight to watch Steve, and every time we did a scene together I would watch him in rehearsal and I would mimic what he did when he would. He had the idea of the first thing we did together, which was with our glasses, and then we took off from there. It was fun to wear the same clothes he wears. It was fun to steal his girlfriend. It was fun to be so much more charming and more sociable than he is. It's fun to be a much more happy person than he is. And yet the love was real — there's such love for him.' Nanjiani: 'At one point Steve came up to me because one of a line, I had referenced a movie of his and he's like, 'Hey, Kumail, I want to tell you: I was in this movie called Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid…' And I was like, 'Steve, I know who you are!' I genuinely think Steve does not know that he's an icon. I don't think he knows. Marty knows. Marty will refer to himself as such. And I do not disagree because he is right.' Patrick Harbron/Hulu Randolph: 'It's really, really cool to see major names in their own right, you almost see the little actor in them when they come on this show, because that true love of why they do what they do comes out. I've seen it in every single major new star that we get every season. I thought I knew them. … If people could see the behind the scenes of this show and see people's heart and who they are as actors, you see that little thing in them that grew big to make them who they are. And that's to me just the coolest thing to watch.' Nanjiani: 'What I loved about working with them was that the joy of the job is so evident. They obviously make so much great stuff, but in every single scene when they're there, they want to be the best that they can be in that scene. And I think as someone who's grown up — I'm getting emotional — watching them since I can remember. genuinely they've never been better than they are right now.' Gomez: 'It's actually so incredible. And you see why these people are so incredible through their work ethics, through the fun they have, the passion. They're on time, they pour their all into it. I never in a million years thought I'd seen Meryl Streep punch [Melissa McCarthy].' Shannon: 'When I was a struggling actress in Hollywood I worked for agencies, and so I felt like I was like a spy because I was studying for producers and how they work behind the scenes. … So mostly the greatest was trying to make Selena laugh because she's the best. There's nothing better than me making Selena laugh and she is the greatest comedy partner — so my character was, she's just like, 'F--k it! Actors! And your little slippers, and your special food…'' She gets to go off on them.' Short: 'Molly comes in and she's changing the words in every take. And you just see Selena turn upstage, and she's shaking.' Gomez: 'We actually had to use edits of me laughing anyway because there was no other option! You did it different every time — and I hate to say it, but it was really spot on!' Shannon: 'That particular scene — Meryl was in it too, and I was just so nervous, actually, in all honesty! I was like, 'I have to bring my A-game because I'm with these superstars.' So I was nervous. And so that scene did go very well … and I have to say, when I got home to my hotel that night, a fancy hotel that the show put me up in, and I had a margarita and I did little dance because I was so excited! That's the truth!' Best of GoldDerby 'I cried a lot': Rob Delaney on the heart and humor in FX's 'Dying for Sex' — and Neighbor Guy's kick in the 'zone' TV directors roundtable: 'American Primeval,' 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power,' 'Paradise' 'Paradise' directors John Requa and Glenn Ficarra on the 'chaos' of crafting 'the world coming to an end' Click here to read the full article.
Chicago Tribune
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' review: Writing and living her own private rom-com
A pleasant, low-friction bit of romantic fiction, 'Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' is the first feature from writer-director Laura Piani. In her mid-20s, Piani worked in Paris in the venerable English-language bookshop Shakespeare and Company, a primary location in this debut project. When Piani took a job there, she'd already had her head filled as a teenager by the smart women and foolish choices, happily avoided, created by the author and life-wrecker of this film's title. The story's nice and simple. It takes its aspiring-novelist protagonist outside her comfort zone, from Paris to an Austen writing residency in England. Piani's film is, in itself, a comfort zone for viewers, the latest of many cinematic mash notes to Jane Austen, from 'Clueless' to four 'Bridget Jones' movies. Pulling from the filmmaker's life, the character of Agathe — played with untheatrical gravity and hints of a blithe spirit in the making by Camille Rutherford — spends her days among the stacks at Shakespeare and Company, sorting, helping customers, dishing with her good friend and fellow employee Felix (Pablo Pauly). He's bachelor No. 1, a bit of a cad but reasonably charming about it. His intentions may be up in the air regarding Agathe, but he looks out for her. He sneaks a look at the chapters she's written and, impressed, submits them behind her back to the Austen residency for consideration. It works, and reluctantly Agatha accepts the two weeks in the English countryside with other invitees toiling on their own projects. Earlier, in an anxious state over the prospect of finishing her novel, Agathe is pessimistic. Felix mansplains that she suffers from imposter syndrome. Her reply: 'No, I don't, I'm a imposter.' The scenario's bachelor No. 2 arrives in the brooding personage of Oliver (Charlie Anson), the great-great-great-great-nephew of Austen herself. He's no fan, though ('overrated'), which gives Agathe, the visitor he picks up at the ferry landing, something to argue about straight off. From there, Piani's film does its self-assigned work in solid if programmatic fashion, establishing a back bench of supporting characters at the residency, as well as at home in Paris where Agathe, who hasn't dated in a couple of years, lives with her sister and nephew. She's a tough nut, emotionally guarded in the wake of the sisters' parents' death in a car crash. These circumstances are layered enough to make 'Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' a little more than rom-com piffle, though there's little romantic tension in Piani's triangle since Oliver is the auxiliary Mr. Darcy here, and therefore a pre-ordained match made in literary heaven. Shot entirely in France, the movie renders its ideas of romantic melancholy and Agathe's default romantic defeatism in ways that reassure the audience every second. Agathe is either inside her beautiful bookshop, her beautiful, sunny Parisian domicile or roaming a beautiful house and grounds for knocking out a novel while your heart figures things out. Piani did the right thing in casting Rutherford, whose physical embodiment of Agathe suggests a tall, gangly, striking woman trying not to be seen. The actress leans into the character's unsettled, often sullen side, though not at the expense of the comic tropes (at one point, nude, she walks through her bathroom door, which turns out to be Oliver's room). Rutherford provides the internal friction throughout, while the generally frictionless mechanics of the movie itself hum along, with soothing sights and sounds. These include the fine actress Liz Crowther, as the Austen residency's hostess, quoting Wordsworth's notion of the best part of life: the 'little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.' 'Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' — 3 stars (out of 4) MPA rating: R (for language, some sexual content, and nudity) Running time: 1:34 How to watch: Premieres in select theaters May 23
Daily Mirror
11-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mirror
'I'm an interiors expert - clutter is back in and here's why I'm obsessed'
Earthy tones and minimalism have been on trend for years, but an interiors expert has revealed why a cluttered-looking home is coming into fashion and why she's obsessed with the concept Move aside minimalist homes, maximalist decor is the way to go embrace clutter Inspired by the 'cluttercore' of Bridget Jones' Victorian townhouse in Mad About The Boy? Then read on to find out how to make the most of the 'intentional clutter' look in your own home, in five simple, budget-friendly steps. Curate your clutter The concept of 'intentional clutter' is gaining popularity with people keen to display more of their own personalities – and 'stuff' – in their homes, while still keeping them stylish. In fact, online searches in the UK for maximalist decor have skyrocketed by 120% over the past year. Charlotte Ford, Marketing Director at Ruggable, explains, 'Intentional clutter is about curating, not hoarding. 'Avoid keeping items just for aesthetics and instead, showcase books you love, meaningful trinkets and souvenirs that spark joy.' Keep colou Charlotte says, 'If your trinkets, books and art are mismatched, try to keep the other colours in your space as harmonious as possible. Choose a colour palette that complements the mood and vibe you want to create.' Earthy tones like terracotta or sage green are a good option, alongside mustard and brown tones. They create a relaxing backdrop while allowing your accessories to shine through. Harness plant power Studies show plants, such as the ever-popular palm, can help boost productivity and mood, which is great if you work from home. 'Having pockets of nature in your home can bring about relaxation and add an organic energy,' Charlotte continues. 'To maximise that 'curated clutter' feel, opt for trailing ivy and towering monstera plants that will hang and wind around furniture. 'Hanging plants are also a good option because they draw the eye upward, helping to shift focus away from clutter on the floor. This makes the room feel less chaotic and more organised, even in a busy space.' Turn treasures into art Art can really bring a home to life, so why not showcase postcards, ornaments and paintings like your very own mini art exhibition? Experiment with colours and textures, like placing a postcard in an antique frame with a colourful backdrop, arranging your favourite books on a coffee table or dotting knick-knacks around shelves for an eclectic yet personal feel. Using items we already own is a more sustainable option than buying new things, and they're a talking point. Incorporate vintage pieces Vintage, second-hand pieces are an integral part of the intentional clutter trend. Charlotte adds, 'These pieces could've been passed down through generations or be something you have picked up and connected with. This is important because not everything in your home will match. 'Interiors are moving towards personalised spaces, with less focus on plain walls and generic artwork. Many are now gravitating towards homes that embrace lived-in mess and personal memorabilia.' Vintage rugs, especially colourful ones, are a great place to start as they are the focal point of a room. Then look for trinkets that clash with the colours that you can see.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy' Holds Strong at No. 1 as ‘The Monkey' and ‘I'm Still Here' Debut in U.K. and Ireland Box Office
Universal's 'Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy' continued its box office dominance in the U.K. and Ireland, bringing in £6.8 million ($8.7 million) in its second weekend, according to Comscore. The highly anticipated fourth installment in the 'Bridget Jones' franchise has now reached $34.6 million, maintaining a firm grip on the No. 1 spot. Disney's 'Captain America: Brave New World' remained in second place with $3.7 million in its second weekend, pushing its total to £13.21 million ($16.74 million). More from Variety 'Deadpool' Creator Says Kevin Feige Should 'Get Off the Mound. He's Spent' as 'Captain America: Brave New World' Suffers Huge Box Office Drop Korea Box Office: 'Captain America: Brave New World' Stays on Top as 'Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning' Opens Strong 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy' Surpasses $70 Million Overseas, 'Captain America: Brave New World' Nears $300 Million at Global Box Office Universal's 'Dog Man' stayed in third place, earning $2.5 million in its third weekend. The animated family hit has now amassed $13.9 million. Black Bear's 'The Monkey' opened in fourth place with $1.3 million). The Stephen King adaptation, directed by Osgood Perkins and starring Theo James, Adam Scott and Elijah Wood, proved to be a strong draw for horror fans. Disney's 'Mufasa: The Lion King' continued its steady run in fifth place, earning $742,349 in its 10th weekend. The prequel has now grossed $41 million. Altitude Film Distribution's 'I'm Still Here' debuted at No. 6 with $616,046. Directed by Walter Salles, the Brazilian drama found an audience across 100+ locations, benefiting from awards buzz. Paramount's 'Sonic The Hedgehog 3' held onto seventh place with $462,252 in its ninth week. The film has now grossed $32.9 million. The National Theatre's event release, 'Importance Of Being Earnest – NT Live 2025,' made an impact at No. 8, earning $432,246 for a total of $1.3 million. The NT Live production continues to showcase the growing appeal of event cinema in the region. Disney's 'A Complete Unknown' dropped to ninth place with $286,837 in its sixth weekend, bringing its total to $14.5 million. The Bob Dylan biopic, starring Timothée Chalamet, remains a steady performer. Rounding out the top 10, Yash Raj Films' 'Chhaava' earned $260,147 in its second weekend, bringing its total to $764,927. The Indian historical epic continues to draw audiences from the South Asian diaspora. Upcoming releases are headlined by 'The Last Showgirl' from Picturehouse Entertainment. Directed by Gia Coppola and starring Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Dave Bautista, the drama follows a former Vegas showgirl navigating life after the spotlight fades. Peccadillo Pictures releases 'The Summer With Carmen,' an LGBTQ+ comedy set to play in select locations. Meanwhile, the anticipated Chinese animated epic 'Chang'An' arrives courtesy of Miracle/Dazzler. Park Circus brings back a cult classic with the re-release of 'The Big Lebowski.' The Coen brothers' 1998 comedy, starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, and Julianne Moore, returns to cinemas in 25+ locations, offering fans a chance to experience The Dude's antics on the big screen. MetFilm Distribution introduces 'Superboys of Malegaon,' directed by Reema Kagti and starring Adarsh Gourav and Shashank Arora. The film, screening in select locations, explores the lives of aspiring filmmakers in Malegaon, India, adding a unique behind-the-scenes perspective on grassroots cinema. Also joining the lineup is 'Babymetal Legend-43 The Movie' from Source Entertainment, a concert film that captures the high-energy performances of the Japanese kawaii metal group Babymetal. Central City Media releases 'Papa,' a drama directed by Philip Yung and starring Sean Lau. The film, playing in 25+ locations, explores loss, complex family relationships and emotional depth. Bollywood fans can revisit Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Padmaavat,' presented by Bakrania Media. The lavish historical epic, starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, and Shahid Kapoor, returns to the big screen for audiences who missed its original theatrical run. The week closes with Saturday, March 1, when Dragon Ball fans can experience 'Dragon Ball Z: Battle Of Gods (Extended Cut),' distributed by Piece Of Magic Entertainment. The extended version of the anime blockbuster brings more action, humor, and high-energy battles to the big screen for longtime fans. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win? What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy' Director Says Previous Films Weren't ‘Misogynistic,' but Instead Shone a Comedic Light on ‘Pressures That Existed' at the Time
Expertly timed to coincide with Valentine's Day, the fourth — and apparently final — installment in the iconic Bridget Jones franchise has now been released, available on Peacock in the U.S. and in theaters via Universal around the world, including the U.K. The long-gestating 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy' — based on Helen Fielding's third Jones novel — drags cinema's favourite diary-writing singleton in the 2020s, this time as a widow with two small children and who's nervously reentering the dating scene. As the story sounds, it's considerably more emotional than the previous titles, but still manages to pack in the all-important rom and com. More from Variety Why Hollywood Keeps Sending Rom-Coms Like 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy' Straight to Streaming 'Bridget Jones' Author Helen Fielding on Bringing 'Mad About the Boy' to the Big Screen and Defying Stereotypes About Women Dating Younger Men: 'Bridget Isn't Anyone's Old Bat' 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy' Review: Renée Zellweger Charms in What Feels Like a Sweetly Romantic but Mild Finale For director Michael Morris, 'Mad About a Boy' marks only his second feature and came his way after a chance meeting with Fielding at a friend's house. As she described the story of the novel he says it got him thinking about what would happen if he mixed 'Bridget Jones' with 'Truly Madly Deeply.' Speaking to Variety, the Brit discusses going with his instincts to cast Leo Woodall before 'One Day' and explains why he thinks the first Bridget Jones films — while they may be looked upon as outdated now — were never intended to be misogynistic. Your debut feature was 'To Leslie' which was hugely well received and took Andrea Riseborough to the Oscars. That film was about a single woman dealing with a few issues, but in a much less colourful and rom-com world than that of 'Mad About the Boy.' Did you see a connection between the two? It's funny, because I've occasionally stopped to observe that myself. On face value, they're very different. What does one have to do with the other? But they are very much are entwined. There's a lot of shared DNA in an odd way, as you say, in these sort of compellingly flawed women at the very front and center, in every frame of the movie, pretty much. And both movies really sort of chart them finding that they have to adjust themselves. Obviously, one is in the drama world very squarely, and one isn't, but they do have to adjust their learned behavior and lived behavior in a quite uncomfortable way in order to be able to move forward. It's pretty fun, the challenge. This was one of the reasons I really wanted to do the film – can you do a comedy of grief? It's a challenge. It's a slightly different twist on the rom-com, because you want to be able to satisfy the comedy. You really want people to have fun and to laugh. It's part of Bridget's universe, but you also want to allow enough space in the filmmaking and the storytelling for the audience to inhabit those other more emotional parts. So how did this film come your way? Before 'To Leslie' you were a relatively untested director in the film world, but had obviously done a lot of TV It came just almost coincidentally. One evening I was at a friend of mine's house, and Helen Fielding was there. I never met Helen before, but we started chatting about what she was doing next and she said, 'Well, I've got this book that hasn't been done yet.' She started to describe it and describe how Mark Darcy was dead. I hadn't read the book, so for me, I had the experience a lot of people have, which was like: what Mark Darcy's dead? And I immediately thought, in my own sort of filmmaker lizard brain, it's like, what happens if you cross 'Bridget Jones' with 'Truly Madly Deeply.' And it just led to a long conversation and, fortunately, some of the television stuff that I had done Helen really loved. And so it came from there. Were you involved in the casting process? You've brought back all the old favourites, but this time we've also got both Chiwetel Ejiofar and Leo Goodall. That's the wonderful thing about about Working Title is that they really do support their filmmakers. So even though this is a big franchise for them, we very much approached it as: Who do you want? Who do you want cast? And this is maybe the power of the franchise or the power of Working Title — I'm not accustomed to wielding any of that — but I got the actors that I wanted. I literally sat down with (casting director) Lucy Bevan and (producer) Eric Felner and the team, and was like, do you think there's a chance that we could get Chiwetel? Chiwetel's rejoining the Working Title rom-com universe! Of course, he did 'Love Actually.' And he's done nothing else since then! Ha! But to get someone with those kind of dramatic chops to play a romantic lead in a film like this … it just inspires you to keep making the film, which is maybe a little bit different in its personality than the previous Bridgets. And Leo, we cast him actually before 'One Day' had come out. I fell in love with him in 'The White Lotus.' He has such an outsized presence in that and inhabits every scene he's in with so much confidence. And I really wanted that from from this part, because I just wanted the audience to fall in love with him right from the get go. And now casting Leo feels like a really inspired choice You've got to listen to your instincts. Because I wasn't the only one. They cast him in 'One Day' for a reason too. But he's got it. He's an absolute star. So yes, I'm pretty lucky. The first Bridget came out more than 20 years ago, which was a very different time. I remember when this film was first announced, there were a few murmurings of discontent about how Bridget was a little dated and misogynistic and probably wasn't right for our times. Was that something you considered before setting out on this? I understand those comments and I saw similar ones. But I think of it a bit differently, because I remember seeing the movie in 2001 when I was making my own way in London. It was a very different time. We make contemporary films, I think, as documents of the time that we're in. I was not part of the first films at all, but I don't believe that the intent of the filmmakers was in any way to be misogynistic or to partake in terrible things like fat shaming. I think what they were doing, if anything, was shining a light, in a comedic way, on those pressures that existed and on those things. Knowing Renée, she approaches everything with this warmth and I think she's always felt of Bridget as being representative of women who have had to deal with all that shit in the past. And now I think it's just effortless to leave some of that behind, because I'm not making that film. It wouldn't feel right in any way for her to be chronicling her weight in her diary, because that's just not the pressure that she's under. She's under a whole load of other pressures. Women are under all kinds of other pressures in the age of Instagram to be perfectly slick and tidy and on time and all this other stuff. But it's just not in the same categories as it was. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Grammy Predictions, From Beyoncé to Kendrick Lamar: Who Will Win? Who Should Win? What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025
