Latest news with #TrueRomance
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Christian Slater honoured with star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
The True Romance actor received the 2,815th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame during a ceremony in Los Angeles on Monday. Officials from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce presented Slater with the honour under the category of Television in recognition of his performances in programmes such as Mr. Robot, Dr. Death, Dirty John, and Dexter: Original Sin. Addressing the crowd, Slater described receiving the star as a "dream come true.' "This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I feel very blessed and very grateful and very lucky..."
Los Angeles Times
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
James Gandolfini (and Tony Soprano) would have hated this biography
James Gandolfini is best known for playing a single character: Tony Soprano, the bearish New Jersey gangster at the heart of HBO's massively popular series 'The Sopranos.' But Jason Bailey's come-to-Jimmy moment came much earlier, when he saw the 1993 crime caper 'True Romance.' Directed by Tony Scott and written by an up-and-comer named Quentin Tarantino, that movie featured Gandolfini in a small but memorable role as Virgil, a thug who beats up Patricia Arquette's Alabama. Bailey, the author of the new biography 'Gandolfini,' was struck by what he now calls 'the tension between seemingly incompatible parts' within the actor. Virgil is vicious and terrifying, and, as Bailey puts it in an interview, 'There is no quicker shorthand for a scumbag than someone who is beating up a defenseless woman.' But there's something in the performance that suggests more than another garden-variety monster. 'Within that scene, which could be just an absolutely brutal slog, he finds these moments of levity and eccentricity,' Bailey said. 'The fact that he can put across those nuances and those incongruities in so little screen time, that's a really special actor. That's the scene, that's the performance, that's the actor that you remember, the one that you went in never having heard of.' Soon, of course, everyone would hear of him. 'The Sopranos' became an immediate cultural phenomenon when it premiered in January 1999, a Mafia drama with unusual depths of character development and narrative vigor. The series helped launch a new Golden Age of Television. And Gandolfini, who died of a heart attack in 2013 at age 51, was the show's tempestuous soul, playing a loutish killer with a quick temper and sad eyes. Separating Gandolfini from Tony Soprano might seem as futile as separating Carroll O'Connor from Archie Bunker or Mary Tyler Moore from Mary Richards. The tension between Gandolfini, the actor, and Tony, the character, was often hard for the star to live with. Bailey, whose previous book subjects include 'Pulp Fiction' and Richard Pryor, knows 'The Sopranos' is the reason why most readers would be drawn to a book about Gandolfini, and his biography spends ample time and space on the series. Among those he interviewed were series regulars Edie Falco, Steven Van Zandt, Vincent Pastore and Robert Iler. All clearly loved Gandolfini; they also readily admit that his demons, including his alcoholism, could make life on the set difficult (Gandolfini's disappearances and no-shows often threw production into turmoil). But Bailey was also eager to show another side of Gandolfini: a hard-driving, obsessive character actor who fretted over line memorization and sought out projects and roles that cut against what naturally became a tough-guy persona. For Bailey, the most emblematic of these is 'Enough Said' (2013), Nicole Holofcener's bittersweet romantic comedy starring Gandolfini opposite Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Many people Bailey interviewed said his character in the film, Albert, is similar in spirit to the real Gandolfini. 'That's the closest he ever got to his actual real personality onscreen,' Bailey said. 'Jim was like a bearded hippie, goofball, warmhearted teddy bear in Birkenstocks. It's such a charming performance that shows his range. You can't get further from Tony Soprano than Albert in 'Enough Said.' The fact that it took his entire life to get to a point where he felt that comfortable sharing that much of himself in a role really does speak to the tragedy of losing him when we did.' Some of Gandolfini's choices would become the source of ironic humor. Gandolfini felt uneasy about the idea of playing mafioso 'Sammy the Bull' Gravano in the 1996 HBO movie 'Gotti,' but he took the part anyway. Then, at the last minute, he backed out. He didn't want to play any more Mafia guys (irony No. 1). Executive producer Gary Lucchesi was irate. As Bailey reports, Lucchesi swore 'he would blackball Gandolfini,' and he 'would never work in the film industry again. And he'd certainly never work for HBO' (irony No. 2). The Gandolfini described in the book could be hot-tempered and unpredictable, but most who worked with him remember an extremely generous man, with both his money — he would often spring for parties and lavish dinners for his 'Sopranos' family — and a well-timed compliment. 'He was a big, lovable mother—,' Drea de Matteo, who played Adriana on 'The Sopranos,' told Bailey. 'He was a big, lovable, insanely talented man.' Not that he ever wanted to hear that. He could dish out compliments, but he was often too insecure to take them. Bailey gives the last word on the matter to Iler, who played Tony's son, Anthony Jr. 'I hate to tell you: He'd probably hate your book,' Iler told Bailey. 'Just because of how nice everyone is gonna be in it, and how much we're gonna talk about how much we love him and how incredible he is. He's so pissed right now.'
Telegraph
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Receding hairlines now have sex appeal (if you style yours correctly)
Great news for the 85 percent of the male population who have succumbed to a receding hairline: balding is officially sexy right now. Leading the charge is 53-year-old actor Walton Goggins, whose unabashed embracing of his rapidly rising forehead has been getting women (and men) hot under the collar during the recent season of The White Lotus. You can cancel that trip to Turkey after all. Goggins plays Rick, an ageing playboy with a much younger girlfriend (Chelsea, played by the brilliant Aimee Lou Wood, whose non-veneered teeth have also been a major talking point this season), who, and this is not a spoiler, is kind of a jerk. Styled sartorially on Christian Slater's character from True Romance, he oozes quiet confidence and a complete lack of concern about his looks – which as we all know, is incredibly sexy. What's more, the cinematography has done nothing to hide his fantastic forehead: it shines in candlelit scenes and the camera lingers on it. There's no smoke and mirrors wizardry attempting to disguise it here. In a world in which the hair transplant has become commonplace, whether or not it's owned up to (see: Justin Bieber, John Travolta and Jude Law) it's refreshing to see someone saying, 'No, I like my hair. I'm keeping it long – thank you very much.' Goggins is such an outlier that there are whole Reddit forums dedicated to the subject. One is titled, 'How is Walton Goggins doing it?' with questions about his hair type, cut and attitude – crucially, from a man who wants to emulate his look. The only other Hollywood star with a receding hairline that we could think of was Ralph Fiennes – an actor with a capital A, which might be part of the reason. 'It's not just the hair on its own,' agrees hairstylist Luke Hersherson. 'It's a combination of his confidence, his nonchalance and his attitude, as well as his style. Everything works together. The fact that he is embracing it, rather than hiding it, also adds to the attractiveness, as well as the long hair – it gives him this, 'I don't give a shit' attitude. I'm not sure we'd be talking about it if all those things weren't true.' And to answer that Redditor's million dollar question, how can real men who are starting to recede in their 50s and beyond achieve the same sexy, laid back vibe as Goggins' Rick? ' The key to his look is the length,' explains Hersherson. 'If you are keeping your hair long, then you need to make sure the sides are long enough to tuck behind the ears, otherwise they will stick out and give you too much width. If you've got really thick hair, then you might need to thin it so that it sits back more easily.' Don't reach for the blow-drier either: the key here is to look as au natural as possible. 'In terms of styling, I'd advise letting it dry naturally, and just using some good products that don't look too waxy or gel-like,' he explains. 'Our Almost Everything Creme is brilliant for giving a little bit of hold, separation and texture, without it being too set – you still want movement in it. Use it when the hair is wet, which will take away that fluffiness and softness of first-day post-wash hair, and then you can use some more when it's dry as a separator. It just gives an ease to the hair.' Sounds like it might finally be time to forget the first rule of 'hairline club': we never talk about hairlines.
Observer
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Observer
'Top Gun' and Batman star Val Kilmer dies aged 65
New York: Val Kilmer, one of the biggest Hollywood actors of the 1990s who shot to fame playing Iceman in the original "Top Gun", has died aged 65 after a career of memorable hits and on-set bust ups. The cause of death was pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes Kilmer told the New York Times on Tuesday, which was the first publication to announce the news. He battled throat cancer after being diagnosed in 2014 and appeared in the "Top Gun" sequel and a 2021 documentary appearing physically diminished and with a raspy voice. His film credits include blockbusters such as Oliver Stone's "The Doors", in which he played Jim Morrison, as well as a short-lived stint as Batman in "Batman Forever" in 1995 opposite Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones. "Once you're a star, you're always a star. It's just 'what level?'" he told the Hollywood Reporter in an interview in 2012. "And I was in some big, wonderful movies and enjoyed a lot of success, but I didn't sort of secure that position." A versatile character actor who also cultivated a theatre career, he toggled between big-budget successes, commercial flops and smaller independent films after his breakout role in "Top Gun" opposite Tom Cruise. Kilmer was superbly cast playing the cocky, square-jawed and mostly silent fighter pilot-in-training Tom "Iceman" Kazansky in the 1986 box office smash hit. After a cameo in Quentin Tarantino-written "True Romance", Kilmer also went on to star alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in "Heat". But he developed a reputation as a difficult actor who sometimes clashed with directors and co-stars. A 1996 Entertainment Weekly cover story dubbed Kilmer "The Man Hollywood Loves to Hate", depicting him as a sometimes surly eccentric with exasperating work habits. "Hollywood and our business, it's a very social business, and I never tried to be involved in the community of it," he conceded in a 2012 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Tributes flowed in on Tuesday from some of his past directors, however. Francis Ford Coppola, who worked with him for "Twixt", wrote that Kilmer "was a wonderful person to work with and a joy to know", while "Heat" director Michael Mann also praised his range and "brilliant variability." "After so many years of Val battling disease and maintaining his spirit, this is tremendously sad news," Mann wrote on Instagram. The official "Top Gun" account on X posted a picture of Kilmer as Iceman, saying he had left an "indelible cinematic mark". Born Val Edward Kilmer on New Year's Eve 1959, he began acting in commercials as a child. Kilmer was the youngest person ever accepted to the drama department at New York's fabled Juilliard school, and made his Broadway debut in 1983 alongside Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon. Having fallen out of favour after the turn of the century, he was mounting a comeback in the 2010s with a successful stage show about Mark Twain that he hoped to turn into a film when he was struck by cancer. "Val", an intimate documentary about Kilmer's stratospheric rise and later fall in Hollywood, premiered at the Cannes film festival in 2021 and showed him struggling for air after a tracheotomy. It also hinted at his frustration at signing autographs at conventions which, as he put it, was like "selling his old self." Kilmer "has the aura of a man who was dealt his cosmic comeuppance and came through it," US publication Variety wrote of the film. "He fell from stardom, maybe from grace, but he did it his way." When he reprised his role as "Iceman" in the long-awaited sequel "Top Gun: Maverick," Kilmer's real-life health issues, and rasp of voice, were written into the character. "Instead of treating Kilmer — and, indeed, the entire notion of Top Gun — as a throwaway nostalgia object, he's given a celluloid swan song that'll stand the test of time," GQ wrote. On his website, Kilmer had described himself as leading a "magical life". "For more than half a century, I have been honing my art, no matter the medium. Be it literature, movies, poetry, painting, music, or tracking exotic and beautiful wildlife," he wrote. According to the Times, he is survived by two children, Mercedes and Jack Kilmer. — AFP
The Independent
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Val Kilmer was handsome, charismatic and difficult to work with – but he was worth it
Val Kilmer, who has died at the age of 65, spent his career at war with himself. Fame was a burden. Success was a chore. He masked his face as Batman, disguised it in The Saint, surrounded it with a halo of unruly curls as Jim Morrison. In True Romance, he is Christian Slater's id – a devil-on-his-shoulder who speaks and moves like Elvis – and mostly off-camera. You see his neck. His chest. His face through a blurry reflection in a mirror. What was a Val Kilmer role without a degree of subterfuge to it? But it meant that when you did see him – once he dropped the pout, the mystery and the brooding stoicism – it would feel revelatory. Think back to the crushing devastation of his last scene in Heat, when he realises he'll never see his wife again. His smile droops, his eyes are suddenly moist. Or what about that gum-smacking grin of his in Top Gun. Or the heartwarming vulnerability of his return in Top Gun: Maverick 36 years later, his voice dimmed by his real-life throat cancer, but that twinkle intact, that cocky swagger, those sharp cheekbones that could still do damage. What a strange movie star Val Kilmer was. He was handsome, charismatic, difficult. Always a bit of a kook. He filmed himself on a camcorder constantly, footage of which made up the bulk of a documentary about him released in 2021, called Val. Appropriately, Val was more of a mosaic of Kilmer than an excavation of his psyche. Even in a film about his life, he maintained his strange obscurity: a man with peculiar creative tastes blessed (cursed?) with the looks of a God; a Christian Scientist in his private life; an ex of Cher's; an actor who seemed to get the most artistic pleasure out of the one-man show he wrote, directed and starred in, as the folksy humourist Mark Twain. Ticket holders would enter each venue Kilmer played to find the actor reclining in the stalls in old-age make-up, white fright wig and mustache. He'd make his way up to the stage, riffing on faith, mortality, the act of acting. Over the course of his 90-minute monologue, he'd slowly remove his prosthetics until he once again resembled Val Kilmer. He seemed, in the best and worst senses of the word, exhausting. He was a Method actor and mischief-maker, both nice ways of saying that a litany of filmmakers couldn't stand him. On the set of 1995's Batman Forever, one of his ill-fated attempts at name-above-the-title film stardom, he would show up late covered in blankets, clash with the crew, and say his lines so quietly that no one could hear them. 'The two weeks where he didn't speak to me [were] bliss,' its director Joel Schumacher once said. On The Island of Dr Moreau a year later, actors were so incensed by Kilmer's surly behaviour that they'd ring up their agents begging to quit the film. Marlon Brando reportedly threw Kilmer's phone in a bush and told him that he'd confused the size of his salary for the size of his talent. 'I don't like Val Kilmer, I don't like his work ethic, and I don't want to be associated with him ever again,' said the film's director John Frankenheimer. Kilmer tended to gloss over these incidents. He'd speak obtusely about them, with language so flowery that it'd take you a minute to realise he'd said nothing at all. 'In an unflinching attempt to empower directors, actors and other collaborators to honour the truth and essence of each project, an attempt to breathe Suzukian life into a myriad of Hollywood moments, I had been deemed difficult and alienated the head of every major studio,' he wrote in his 2020 memoir. Kilmer was a Juilliard-trained actor crammed into films he, early on at least, deemed beneath him. 'I was insecure and competitive when I was younger,' he said in 2017. 'I wanted to be loved for my Hamlet while I waited in line for my decaf, not [hear] 'Hey, Iceman!'' He turned down Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders – which made stars of Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze and Matt Dillon – to appear in a Broadway play, and spent years disliking Top Gun as he worried it glorified the military. Many of the films he desperately wanted to star in – Goodfellas and Full Metal Jacket, most notably – were ones he didn't get. Those he fought for and did get were directed by men who seemed to match his odd mix of slick, cocksure madness. When Oliver Stone dithered over casting him in The Doors, Kilmer spent thousands of dollars of his own money to fund an elaborate, multi-scene audition reel in full Jim Morrison drag that he shot in his Laurel Canyon home. Stone gave him the part. Ultimately, he was so convincing as Morrison – dropping to his exact weight and learning to sing 50 songs by The Doors despite only needing to sing 15 for the film – that the band's surviving members admitted that they couldn't tell the difference between Morrison and Kilmer's singing voices. It wasn't that Kilmer eventually found a sanctuary in serious independent films – most of his career was spent, by and large, inside the studio system – but the erratic quality of his career did prove a blessing in disguise. He was an actor who always seemed to be making comebacks, the ambiguity of his movie stardom meaning that every sudden reappearance felt like an arrival. His performance as the porn star John Holmes in 2003's Wonderland drew raves ('it proves once again what a marvellous actor we have in Val Kilmer,' went critic John Patterson), likewise when he played a gay detective in 2005's neo-noir comedy Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. 'Kilmer displays a rich comedic sensibility he should deploy more often,' went The Hollywood Reporter. It was easy to forget about Kilmer, then see him in something, then spend the immediate aftermath questioning why he wasn't in absolutely everything. In a review of Terrence Malick's wacky 2017 Hollywood tapestry Song to Song, the Variety critic Peter Debruge wrote: 'There's a very funny bit with Val Kilmer playing a rebellious old rocker who takes a chainsaw to his speakers mid-set – why not make a movie about him?' Despite his restlessness and penchant for chaos, Kilmer was undeniably talented, a man whose artistic and existential battles played out on screen, on set, and concurrent with his enormous, unasked-for fame. For many who worked with him, the noise was ultimately worth it – if only for those glimpses of something extraordinary once it had quieted down. 'I didn't say Val was difficult to work with, I said he was psychotic,' Joel Schumacher joked in 2020. 'But he was a fabulous Batman.'
