Latest news with #Rossellini
The Guardian
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Conclave viewership rose 283% on day of Pope Francis's death
The death of Pope Francis on 21 April led to an abrupt uptick in viewership of Conclave, Edward Berger's thriller which depicts the events following the death of a fictional pope, and the cardinals wrangling to replace him. The film, which won best picture at the Baftas earlier this year and was nominated for eight Oscars, is available on assorted streaming platforms worldwide. According to Luminate, which tracks streaming viewership, Conclave was viewed for about 1.8m minutes on 20 April, and 6.9m minutes the next day – an increase of 283%. The pope's death, from complications caused by a stroke, was announced early on Easter Monday. The news also appeared to have spurred renewed interest in the 2019 Oscar nominee The Two Popes, starring Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins. That drama saw a 417% spike, from 290,000 minutes watched on Sunday, to 1.5m the following day. The awards campaign for Conclave coincided with the pope's hospitalisation for kidney failure in late February, and the cast – which includes Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow and Stanley Tucci – were frequently asked about the pontiff's health. Both the key Italian actors in the cast, Isabella Rossellini and Sergio Castellitto, were particularly vocal in their praise and concern for Pope Francis. 'First of all, we would like to wish Pope Francis a quick recovery,' said Rossellini as the cast picked up their ensemble prize at the SAG awards. Castellitto added: 'For us that live in Rome, to live at a few meters, few yards from the pope is to have a much closer relationship. We see the helicopter leaving his place: 'Oh, is the pope flying off today and coming back?' So, our relationship as Italians to the pope is much closer. I repeat, I really wish him well.' Rossellini's ex-husband, Martin Scorsese, was among many from the film industry who paid tribute to the pope. 'He was, in every way, a remarkable human being,' Scorsese wrote. 'He acknowledged his own failings. He radiated wisdom. He radiated goodness. He had an ironclad commitment to the good. He knew in his soul that ignorance was a terrible plague on humanity. So he never stopped learning. And he never stopped enlightening. And, he embraced, preached and practised forgiveness. Universal and constant forgiveness.' Conclave was adapted from the novel by Robert Harris by Peter Straughan, whose screenplay won a Bafta and an Oscar. Fiennes stars as Cardinal Lawrence, who must silence his own religious doubts after the death of the pope and preside over the secretive voting process to choose his successor.
CBS News
30-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Reimagining "Death Becomes Her" for Broadway
The 1992 cult classic "Death Becomes Her," about the intense rivalry of two women and their quest for eternal youth, is notable both for its Oscar-winning visual effects, and its cast of A-listers, including Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Isabella Rossellini. "You could get really hung up on the fact that some of the greatest actresses of all time played our roles," said Megan Hilty, who inhabits the Meryl Streep role of Madeline Ashton, an actress of "a certain age," in the new Broadway musical adapted from "Death Becomes Her." "But the thing is, we're not recreating their performances. We're recreating this story." Michelle Williams, of Destiny's Child, takes on the role of a mysterious sorceress (played by Rossellini in the movie). Rossellini actually came to see the play, which Williams said left here feeling "kind of like one of those wobbly things at the car dealer. My body just kind of left itself!" And two-time Tony Award-nominee Jennifer Simard ("Company," "Disaster!"), in Hawn's role of Helen Sharp, believes the movie is a natural as a Broadway musical. "The dark humor in the show lends itself to a musical, because it's very dramatic," she said. "And so, it's perfect for stage." "It's almost operatic," said director Christopher Gattelli. "It's so heightened that it's perfect fodder for a musical." To watch a trailer for "Death Becomes Her," click on the video link below: Gattelli knew that a successful transfer to the stage meant translating memorable moments from the movie, like the spectacular tumble Streep took down an ornate staircase: "We spent weeks in the room with a staircase throwing mannequins down the stairs, throwing balls with hair down the stairs – like, if you could throw it down a flight of stairs, we literally did it!" The solution? A fall guy (in this case Olympic gymnast Warren Yang) does the stunt for Hilty. "It really excited me because he does this feat every night, no wires," Gattelli said. "It's literally like a human going down the staircase kind of freefall." Judging from its response, the audience relishes being in on the joke. Hilty said, "It feels like an ocean of waves of laughter. Most of those, like, huge waves are in response to how things have been translated from the movie to the stage." "I think it's a laughter of respect that we got it right," said Simard. "They are probably wondering, 'How are they gonna do that?' And we did!" "Death Becomes Her" is just the latest in a long line of Hollywood movies turned into Broadway musicals. But the traffic used to move in the opposite direction: plays like "The Philadelphia Story," and stage musicals like "The Sound of Music," were turned into hit movies. Back then, movies were rarely turned into Broadway shows. "I think Broadway felt that the Hollywood source material was second-rate, that it was kind of low-rent, and not really worthy of the 'theater' on Broadway," said Laurence Maslon, a professor at New York University's graduate school for acting. "That started to change in the '50s when you had better movies, frankly in the '40s. And one of the first Broadway musicals based on a screenplay is 'Silk Stockings,' which is based on Billy Wilder's 'Ninotchka.' That's not too shabby a movie!" Still, if a movie made it to Broadway, most likely its title did not. For example, the film "All About Eve" became the musical "Applause." Then along came Disney, with movie titles that were major draws for theatergoers, and a trickle of Hollywood-to-Broadway adaptations became a roar. "'The Lion King,' when it opened, was such a theatrical reinvention of something that it captures the imagination to this day," said Maslon. "The Lion King" adaptation was a big, risky move that paid off. "The proof is in the pudding," said Maslon, "because the film of 'Lion King,' since it's been released, has made slightly under $1 billion worldwide. The stage version, which is making money even as you and I are talking, has made more than $12 billion." "The Lion King" illustrated how finding the perfect balance between the familiar and new is essential. When the musical version of "The Addams Family" opened in Chicago, they purposely didn't want to use the TV show's signature theme song. "They were like, 'No, we're our own thing,'" said Maslon. "And people started, like, walking away at intermission with these long faces!" For the record, yes, the producers ended up adding the theme. In the case of "Death Becomes Her," a story about aging that hasn't aged well, some re-writes were in order. In the movie, Streep's and Hawn's characters rip each other new ones in pursuit of a slouch played by Bruce Willis. Maslon said, "I think a stage version of 'Death Becomes Her' allows the creative team to take somewhat dated, misogynistic material and cut-and-paste it or tailor it a little bit so that it's palatable [today]." Simard and Hilty believe that focusing on their characters' friendship was key. "What is that phrase? 'The opposite of love is not hate? It's indifference,'" said Simard. "And we are not indifferent to one another. And ultimately, we do discover how much we love each other." The formula seems to be working. Williams can sense it from the stage during the opening number: "I love feeling the energy of the audience, and I'm able to go back and tell people, 'It's a good one, we've got a good one!'" For more info: Story produced by Kay Lim. Editor: Lauren Barnello.
The Independent
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Isabella Rossellini paid a subtle tribute to David Lynch at the Oscars
Isabella Rossellini paid special tribute to director David Lynch at the Oscars on Sunday (2 March). The 97th Academy Awards saw Anora dominate, winning five trophies, including in the coveted Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actress categories. Mulholland Drive director Lynch died aged 78 earlier this year, with his immediate cause of death listed as cardiac arrest due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Dehydration was also listed as a significant contributor. The Twin Peaks creator had been diagnosed with emphysema in 2020, with his death coming amidst the California wildfires. Rossellini, 72, appeared in Lynch's 1986 mystery thriller Blue Velvet. The film was named after a 1951 song by Bernie Wayne and Lee Morris of the same name, popularised by Bobby Vinton's more commercially successful rendition in 1963. In the movie, Rossellini wears a blue velvet dress throughout key scenes. The actor recreated the moment at the Awards with a Dolce and Gabbana dress made of the sumptuous material reminiscent of her outfit in the film. According to reports, the actor told Italian TV that the gown had been an intentional choice to honour Lynch. The director was known for his symbolism and visual motifs, and his choice of blue velvet has been interpreted as expressing danger, innocence, sensuality, and mystery. She also walked the Oscars red carpet with Laura Dern, who also stars in the movie, prompting fans to celebrate the ' Blue Velvet reunion'. Rossellini had a special relationship with the late director, who she not only worked with professionally but also dated for five years between 1987 and 1991. She once wrote of him: 'I suspect he lingers in other dimensions.' The actor also paid tribute to her mother Ingrid Bergman by wearing earrings that she wore in Viaggio in Italia, a movie directed by her father Roberto Rossellini. Bergman wore them to the 1975 Academy Awards when she was nominated for her performance in Murder on the Orient Express. Rossellini was up for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Vatican nun Saint Agnes in Edward Berger's film Conclave. She paid tribute to her parents and Lynch upon learning of her nomination as she wrote: 'And also today with this joy in my mind can't help lingering in the beyond to David Lynch. Our collaboration was key to my understanding of the art of acting.' She lost out to Zoe Saldaña, who picked up the award for her role in Emilia Perez.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Isabella Rossellini's 2 Children: All About the 'Conclave' Star's Daughter Elettra and Son Roberto (and How Their Continuing Their Family's Hollywood Legacy)
Isabella Rossellini, the daughter of Casablanca star Ingrid Bergman and famed director Roberto Rossellini, is Hollywood royalty — and her children Elettra Wiedemann and Roberto Rossellini are forging their own creative paths. The Blue Velvet star was married to model-turned-Microsoft executive Jon Wiedemann from 1983 to 1986 and they welcomed their daughter Elettra in 1983. She later welcomed her son, Roberto, via adoption when he was about 9 years old. After they grew up, Rossellini wanted them to continue experiencing a part of her own childhood. Speaking to the Golden Globe Awards in 2012, Rossellini opened up about the kind of memories she wished to pass on to Elettra and Roberto, including laughter and singing. She elaborated on wanting to share the "same warmth and cheerfulness that I had when I grew up." The following year, the Death Becomes Her actress founded Mama Farm, an animal sanctuary and bed and breakfast in Bellport, N.Y., in 2013. Today, the sister and brother work together on the Long Island establishment. In addition, Rossellini has inspired both her children to follow in her modeling footsteps and when they're not in front of a camera, they've joined her on the red carpet for her projects. Most recently, she received her first Oscars nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category for her work in the political thriller Conclave. Here's everything to know about Isabella Rossellini's two kids: Elettra and Roberto. Rossellini and Wiedemann welcomed Elettra-Ingrid Rossellini Wiedemann on July 26, 1983. She was named after one of Rossellini's middle names (her full name is Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna Rossellini) and her twin sister, Isotta Ingrid Rossellini. Elettra graduated from The New School with a bachelor's degree in international relations and from the London School of Economics with a master's degree in biomedicine. Apart from her studies, she has a long string of modeling credits to her name, including being photographed by famed artists like Annie Leibovitz and Mario Testino, and appearing in magazines like Elle, GQ and Vogue. In 2018, she and her mother appeared in a Mother's Day campaign for Mene jewelry. The pair are both longtime models for Lancôme as well. It was her modeling career — and the long days that came with it — that inspired her to find fast ways to eat healthy. Elettra founded the food website Impatient Foodie and published a cookbook of the same name in 2017. Today, she's using that food sensibility at Mama Farm, where she's program director. 'Mama Farm presented me with an opportunity to take my life experiences and weave them together in a way that's meaningful to me,' she told GOOP. 'And my responsibilities in helping develop the farm and its role within the community have given me a new challenge to contend with. It's been a real gift.' She lives next door to Mama Farm with her family. Elettra and her husband, Pretty Little Liars' Caleb Lane married on May 31, 2023. They are parents to sons Ronin, born in 2018 and Viggo, born in June 2021. Roberto Rossellini was born in Italy in 1982 and Rossellini adopted him in 1993. He spent his childhood as a 'bandwagon baby,' as he described it to W Magazine in 2016, traveling across Europe and America with his mother wherever the next project led them. It's how, Roberto said, he picked up French and Spanish, in addition to the English and Italian the family spoke at home. Talking to Oliver Peoples, Rossellini explained that it was actually Roberto who inspired the family's move to Long Island. 'We left New York City for Roberto's sake,' she said. 'He was having a difficult time in New York, and one day after school, he came home and told me, to my surprise, that he wanted to move to the countryside. And then we ended up moving to Brookhaven, and Roberto went to high school here before going back to the city again.' Roberto studied marine biology for two years before pivoting to a creative pursuit, getting his degree in underwater photography from the International Center of Photography in New York. After graduating, he worked as a photographer for a few years before pivoting to modeling. 'I've always had a thing for fashion. ... I'm using this as a way to learn more about it,' he told W. While he's still passionate about underwater photography, Roberto's main career is in fashion, both as a model and photographer. Roberto has done extensive print work, and also walked the runway for brands like Bottega Veneta and Michael Kors. In addition to his work in front of the camera, he has also shot work for outlets like Vogue and Vogue Italia. In 2017, Rossellini and Roberto appeared in a campaign together for Sies Marjan. 'Since I first picked up a camera in high school, I have wanted to dig deeper and capture images that say more than the imagery that often accompanies celebrities in popular culture in general and artists and musicians of color in particular,' Roberto told Oliver Peoples. He continued, 'So I am interested in who they really are, their unique ways of communicating, their gestures, and what style means to them.' Rossellini, Elettra and Roberto have even walked the runway together, appearing in a Dolce and Gabbana show in 2018. Elettra's husband Caleb and their son Ronin also made an appearance. When it comes to his modeling career, 'My mom always gives me tons of advice,' Roberto told W Magazine. ''Make sure you're always walking straight; make sure your back is tall; don't ever look down. ... Be normal and be cool. Be happy.' ' He lives in New York with his wife, filmmaker Kirsten Tanjutco, but still spends a lot of time at the farm. 'Agriculturally learning about food and where your food comes from is so important,' Roberto told High Snobiety. 'That to me was something I was just very driven towards.' Read the original article on People
New York Times
01-03-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Look at Oscar Nominees and Their Film Journeys
With the 97th Academy Awards upon us, let's look at some of the ceremony's nominees and what they told us about their work being honored this weekend. Ryan Pfluger for The New York Times Demi MooreBody horror films don't often find their way into the top categories at award shows, but Demi Moore's performance in 'The Substance' has been praised by fans and critics for spotlighting the often harsh and suffocating reality of being an aging woman. The role required 'wrestling with the flashes of my own insecurity and ego,' Moore explained. 'I was being asked to share those things that I don't necessarily want people to see.' Read More › Thea Traff for The New York Times Isabella RosselliniIsabella Rossellini is a model, an actress, an animal behaviorist and the daughter of the actress Ingrid Bergman. She is also a first-time Oscar nominee at age 72 for playing Sister Agnes in 'Conclave,' the Vatican-set thriller about selecting a new pope. Rossellini is happy to be following in her mother's footsteps: 'I was surprised to cry, but I was so moved — I think for the legacy, because I think my mom would have been so happy,' Rossellini said. Read More › Sam Hellmann for The New York Times Kieran Culkin Kieran Culkin has picked up almost every award he has been nominated for as his role as Benji in 'A Real Pain.' The 42-year-old actor says he would rather just be with his family. During the filming in Poland, Culkin took a quick trip to see them. 'I was home for 32 hours … but I just needed to be home and see the kids,' he told us. 'The work is so I can be home, not so I can be at work.' Read More › Dana Scruggs for The New York Times Ariana Grande and Cynthia ErivoAriana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are almost as known for their tearful interviews and strong bond as for their roles as Glinda and Elphaba in 'Wicked.' When talking to us, Grande summarized their last day on set as 'a nightmare.' She continued: 'We cried every minute, every hour. We both were in a horrible state for a few days.' Erivo is nominated in the best actress category and Grande is up for best supporting actress. Read More › Geordie Wood for The New York Times Jeremy StrongAfter years of playing Kendall Roy on 'Succession,' Jeremy Strong stepped out of TV and into film in the role of the cutthroat lawyer Roy Cohn, in 'The Apprentice,' which gives the origin story of President Donald Trump — and he sees both stories as tragedies. 'I 100 percent see it as a human tragedy, the way that I saw 'Succession' as a tragedy of late-stage capitalism,' he said. Read More › Caroline Tompkins for The New York Times Mikey MadisonTo get into the role of Ani, a sex worker who impulsively marries a Russian oligarch's son, Mikey Madison read memoirs, watched documentaries on strippers and even attended strip clubs in New York and L.A. 'I was always comfortable, and I also think because Ani was too. To me it was never a thought in my head to be nervous or anything,' she told us. Read More › Andre D. Wagner for The New York Times RaMell RossIn 'Nickel Boys,' the film directed by RaMell Ross that is nominated for two Oscars, including best picture, the students Elmwood and Turner are sentenced to a reform school in the Jim Crow South. 'Ross heightens the reality of racial trauma without compromising the dignity of those who withstood it,' the New York Times critic Salamishah Tillet wrote in her profile of the director. Read More › Zoe SaldañaZoe Saldaña, who is nominated for best actress, found a different type of joy and fulfillment in her 'Emilia Pérez" role as a Mexican lawyer who helps a cartel boss retire and transition into living as a woman. 'I was doing it for me, and for a long time, I stopped doing things for me,' she told us. Her previous roles in franchises such as 'Avatar,' 'Star Trek' and 'Guardians of the Galaxy' gave her job security but limited creative freedom. Read More › Chantal Anderson for The New York Times Fernanda TorresDecades before Fernanda Torres was nominated for best actress for her role in the Brazilian film 'I'm Still Here,' her mother, Fernanda Montenegro made history, as the first Brazilian actress to be nominated for an Academy Award. She lost to Gwyneth Paltrow in 1999. Before Torres received her own nomination she told us 'it would be an incredible story' if she got an acting nod. 'Now, winning — I consider it impossible,' she added. Read More › Caroline Tompkins for The New York Times Sebastian StanOver the years Sebastian Stan has played a superhero and a few infamous ex-husbands. But the role that got him his first Oscar nomination was as a young Donald J. Trump in 'The Apprentice.' Although several people advised him to avoid the role, he was ultimately able to find a common ground with the man he portrayed. 'I think everything he does is about power,' Stan said. 'There were a lot of times growing up where I felt very powerless over my life.' Read More › Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times 'Flow'Gints Zilbalodis's 'Flow,' an animated, dialogue-free story of animals helping one another through a flood, is the first Latvian film to receive Oscar recognition. When the Golden Globe statue the filmmakers received for best animated film was displayed at the Latvian National Museum, thousands of people lined up to see it. 'People are tired of bad news and maybe this film represents something that feels optimistic and hopeful in regard to the country's self-esteem,' Zilbalodis said. Read More › Geordie Wood for The New York Times Colman DomingoColman Domingo had just 18 days free in his schedule to film 'Sing Sing,' the true story of a man who was wrongly convicted and sent to prison, where he staged a comedy with a theater group of other prisoners. The performance netted a best actor nomination for Domingo, who performed alongside many actors who were previously incarcerated. 'We'd be accountable to each other for our own expertise,' Domingo said. 'They were experts in a way that I wasn't. There was a beautiful blending for us.' Read More › Guy PearceGuy Pearce's nomination for his performance in 'The Brutalist' hasn't changed his reluctance toward trading in his life in Australia for the allure of Hollywood. 'I've got a sister with an intellectual disability who's teased in the street because she looks different, so the idea of me wanting attention and being famous for no reason is vacuous and meaningless when there are people in the world who are far less privileged,' he said. Read More › Caroline Tompkins for The New York Times Chantal Anderson for The New York Times Adrien Brody It was more than 20 years ago that Adrien Brody won his first Oscar for his role in 'The Pianist,' a 2002 film. This award season, he brought home his first Golden Globe for his role as László Tóth, a Holocaust survivor and Hungarian architect in 'The Brutalist.' When he won that award, he told audiences 'there was a time, not too long ago, that I felt that this may never be a moment afforded to me again .' He is nominated for best actor at the Oscars. Read More › Chantal Anderson for The New York Times Timothée ChalametTimothée Chalamet has had a big year. After starring in 'Dune: Part Two,' the second installment of the space epic based on the 1965 novel by Frank Herbert, he portrayed Bob Dylan in 'A Complete Unknown.' Both films are nominated for best picture at Sunday's ceremony. 'The great irony of working with a master like Denis [Villeneuve] is it's not some pompous experience,' Chalamet said of his experience on 'Dune: Part Two.' Read More › Ryan Pfluger for The New York Times Karla Sofía Gascón Karla Sofía Gascón, who plays the title character in 'Emilia Pérez,' has been making less than positive headlines since her unearthed tweets derailed an Oscar campaign. She is still making history as the first openly transgender woman to receive an Oscar nomination. Over the course of filming the musical, Gascón felt so deeply connected to the character she played that 'to remove this character, it's almost like I had to do an exorcism,' she said through an interpreter. Read More ›
