Biography: Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey is one of Hollywood’s most sought after leading men whose films have grossed over a billion dollars at the box office. He is a Texas native who, while attending the University of Texas in Austin, planned to be a lawyer. When he discovered an inspirational Og Mandino book The Greatest Salesman in the World before one of his final exams, he suddenly knew that he had to change his major from law to film.

McConaughey began his acting career in 1991, appearing in student films and commercials in Texas and directing short films. It was a chance meeting in Austin with casting director and producer, Don Phillips, who introduced him to director, Richard Linklater where he was cast as Wooderson in the cult classic Dazed and Confused. Since that time McConaughey has appeared in over 40 feature films, and has become a producer, director, and philanthropist all the while sticking to his Texas roots and ‘jk livin’ philosophy. Over the years, he has portrayed an athlete, a police officer, a football coach, and a lawyer, and has worked with Hollywood greats such as Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemekis, Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Sandra Bullock, and Al Pacino to name a few. Read more

Biography: Kristin Scott Thomas

Award winning actress Kristin Scott Thomas has become internationally renowned for her talent, elegance and commitment to her craft. Never shying away from challenging roles and determined not to repeat herself, Scott Thomas‘ body of work is an extraordinary collection of acclaimed film, television and theatre performances.

Scott Thomas was recently seen in Gilles Paque Brenner‘s Sarah’s Key. Based on the international bestseller by Tatiana de Rosnay, the film weaves two different stories, one set in World War II Paris and the other in the present. Scott Thomas received a Cesar Award nomination for her performance in the film. She was also recently seen in Alain Corneau‘s Crime d’amour which had an IFC release in 2011.

Upcoming, she will appear in Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod‘s Bel Ami opposite an all-star cast including Robert Pattinson, Uma Thurman and Christina Ricci; and Pawel Pawlikowski‘s La Femme du 5eme (aka The Woman In the Fifth) opposite Ethan Hawke; Lola Doillon Sous ton Emprise and Alain Corneau Une Femme Parfaite.

In 2010, Scott Thomas co-starred in Sam Taylor Wood’s directorial debut, Nowhere Boy. The film follows John Lennon‘s teenage years and his first steps to stardom and Scott Thomas plays Lennon’s aunt Mimi opposite Aaron Johnson and Anne Marie Duff. For her performance, she received a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA nomination and a British Film Independent Award nomination. In 2009, Scott Thomas was seen in Catherine Corsini’s Partir, about a woman prepared to abandon everything in the pursuit of passion.  For her performance, Scott Thomas received a Best Actress Cesar Award nomination. Read more

Garret Dillahunt on His New Film ‘Any Day Now’ and His Original Career Path

Actor Garret Dillahunt is probably best known for his role as Burt Chance on FOX’s sitcom Raising Hope, which makes his new turn in the indie drama, Any Day Now, even more impressive. 

In an interview with Huffington Post, Dillahunt spoke about playing a lawyer trying to help a gay man adopt an abandoned teen with Down Syndrome.  He said, “It’s fun to work with dialogue like that.  It’s sort of how it was on Deadwood, when I was playing Francis Wolcott and would have these incredible speeches.  Somehow, because they’re well-written, they flow off the tongue.  It’s fun to express yourself in different ways.  You hardly ever get to do things like that.” Read more

Michelle Williams on ‘Take This Waltz’: It’s about “a transition that you make in your life in your late 20s from being a girl into being a woman”

Actress Michelle Williams, Oscar-nominated star of My Week with Marilyn, appeared at Tribeca Film Fest to discuss her upcoming role in the indie Take This Waltz. 

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Williams said she initially thought the movie would be perceived as a comedy.  She said, “I gave the script to a friend of mine to read, I was like, ‘I’m so excited, I’m going to make a comedy.’  And I came back an hour later and she was on the couch reading it and she was crying, and she was like, ‘I don’t know when it’s going to get funny, Michelle!’”  She added, “Yeah, that’s my kind of comedy.” Read more

Jason Segel on His Early Acting Jobs and ‘The Five Year Engagement’: “I find romantic comedies very predictable, and that’s what most people don’t like”

From television, movies, and even singing and dancing with the Muppets, Jason Segel is just about everywhere right now.  But what sets Segel apart from many other comedians is the active creative role he takes in his projects — for instance, he co-wrote Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Muppets, and his upcoming romantic comedy, The Five Year Engagement with his collaborator Nicholas Stoller (who also directed both Sarah Marshall and Engagement). 

In an interview with NPR, he discusses his early acting roles, his writing process, and a surprising type of role he’d like to have one day. Read more

Sarah Silverman on Her Nude Scene in ‘Take This Waltz’: “It’s such a common, everyday thing for women that’s never reflected in movies”

Actress/comedienne Sarah Silverman appeared at the Tribeca Film Festival last weekend promoting her new film, Sarah Polley’s indie Take This Waltz.  As seen in The Hollywood Reporter, Silverman discussed her role starring alongside Michelle Williams.

The film depicts a full-frontal nude shower between the costars.  Silverman said, “The actual day wasn’t bad.  It was very supportive, and you forget it once you do it, but the morning leading up to it, I overgroomed.  You know when you even and even and even until nothing’s left?  It was bad.  Never try to even from the top.  Let the top be the top…It was all right.  I wish it was fuller.  Michelle’s was so full and awesome.” Read more

Trailer: ‘Take This Waltz’ starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman & Luke Kirby

Trailer: ‘House at the End of the Street’ starring Elisabeth Shue, Jennifer Lawrence & Max Thieriot

House at the End of the Street: Seeking a fresh start, newly divorced Sarah (Oscar(R)-nominee Elisabeth Shue; Leaving Las Vegas, Piranha 3D) and her daughter Elissa (Oscar(R)-nominee Jennifer Lawrence; X-Men: First Class, Winter’s Bone) find the house of their dreams in a small, upscale, rural town. But when startling and unexplainable events begin to happen, Sarah and Elissa learn the town is in the shadows of a chilling secret. Years earlier, in the house next door, a daughter killed her parents in their beds, and disappeared – leaving only a brother, Ryan (Max Thieriot, My Soul to Take), as the sole survivor. Against Sarah’s wishes, Elissa begins a relationship with the reclusive Ryan – and the closer they get, the deeper they’re all pulled into a mystery more dangerous than they ever imagined.

Director: Mark Tonderai
Cast: Elisabeth Shue, Jennifer Lawrence, Max Thieriot, Gil Bellows
Writers: David Loucka

In Theaters: September, 21st Read more

Mireille Enos on ‘The Killing’ Backlash

Mireille Enos, star of AMC’s The Killing, received her share of the backlash from viewers who thought the main mystery of the show should have been wrapped up in season one.  In an interview with Vulture, Enos said, “I feel bad if anyone felt misled.  I think the thing that is amazing about the show is the character development, and it seemed clear that if you love these characters, you would want to spend more time with them.  So it was a little confusing to me that so much focus at the end was put on having an answer instead of the development of the story.”

It’s true that viewers wanted to know who killed Rosie Larsen, but steadfast fans are willing to wait around for the answer that will most likely come in season two (which began airing on April 1.). Read more

Biography: Judy Greer

Judy Greer consistently captivates both critics and audiences with her engaging performances. She is one of the most prolific actresses of her time, appearing in 80 roles to date across film and television.

Greer can most recently be seen in Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants” opposite George Clooney.  The Academy Award^®-nominated film centers around attorney Matt King (Clooney), who learns, after his wife suffers a boating accident and winds up in a coma, that she’d been having an affair with local real estate broker Brian Speer (Matthew Lillard). When Matt and his daughters travel to the neighboring island of Kauai to confront Speer, they also meet the broker’s affable wife, a role “indelibly etched” by Greer, according to Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter.  Greer has received critical acclaim for her supporting role in the film, garnering solo nominations from both the Satellite Awards and the Denver Film Critics Society, in addition to being nominated as part of the ensemble cast for a Gotham Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Broadcast Film Critics Association Critics Choice Award.

Following “Jeff, Who Lives at Home,” Greer will be seen in screenwriter Robbie Fox’s “Playing the Field,” for director Gabriele Muccino, opposite Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Uma Thurman, Dennis Quaid and Catherine Zeta Jones.  In the comedy, which follows former professional athlete George (Butler) after he agrees to coach his son’s soccer team, only to find himself fending off the romantic advances of his players’ mothers, Greer stars as recent divorcee Barb, one of George’s’ many pursuers.  FilmDistrict will release the film December 25, 2012. Read more

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