This past August 18, the chihuahuas took over the carpet for the premiere of "Beverly Hills Chihuahua."
Jamie Lee is in pooch heaven.
Along for the pooch walk were Jamie Lee Curtis, George Lopez, Piper Perabo, Alyssa Milano, and Placido Domingo...Specially trained chihuahuas from the film walked the carpet or were carried for a moment by the various stars of the film. One interesting observation was the fact that it looked like Piper didn't want to hold any of the chihuahuas. Hmmm...wonder what that was all about.
George Lopez and Jamie have their share of chihuahuas.
A surprise for me was Placido Domingo on the carpet. To that Senor Domingo is has delved into the voice over field was a bit exciting instead of just singing his operatic heart out.
Alyssa Milano still has the look!
Jamie Lee looked stunning and relaxed as she posed for the cameras. When she's with her significant other, she sometimes seems rushed to get off the carpet.
I've been asked before if I've ever interviewed Charlize Theron who is currently starring in "Battle In Seattle." The last time I interviewed Charlize was for the film "Monster." In recent years, my colleague has interviewed her a number of times. Most recently for "Battle In Seattle."
Charlize Theron during a special screening of "Battle In Seattle" at the Clarity Theater in Beverly Hills
For those of you who don't mind going back in time for an interview I did with Charlize in 2003, here is the feature about her past project, "Monster"
Beauty and the Beast Charlize Theron discusses her transformation from model to 'Monster'
By Peterson Gonzaga Entertainment News Wire
HOLLYWOOD --Aileen Wuornos is remembered as the man-hating serial killer executed on Oct. 9, 2002 in Florida. Now, through the power of the lens, former model Charlize Theron, the sexy star of this year's hit "The Italian Job," humanizes Wuornos with her performance in the biopic "Monster." Theron takes us on a journey into Wuornos' psyche -- from her affair with lover Selby Ward (Christina Ricci) to the events that drove her to kill.
Seeing Theron in a Beverly Hills hotel, dressed in a brown suede princess-cut jacket and dark teal skirt, her blue-gray eyes sparkling, it is hard to believe this is the same woman who played Wuornos on-screen.
Theron, who gained 30 pounds for the role and utilized subtle makeup effects, is excited to tell the story of her transformation into a "Monster."
Entertainment News Wire: What was your first reaction to the physical transformation?
Charlize Theron: I was very happy. I mean, people think that when you say yes to a movie you know you're going to look that way or it's going to turn out that way, but you don't. You're in the dark when you say yes to something. Two things concerned me: I didn't want it to be Charlize Theron just trying to be ugly for the sake of being ugly, and what I wanted to do was trying to get to look as close as possibly I could to Aileen. In doing that, I didn't want it to be a caricature with too much prosthetics or too much makeup, where it kind of throws you out of the movie. I didn't want it to be a makeup job. So when I saw myself and what Toni G, the makeup artist, did, I was extremely happy. I felt like she's taken my face and elements in my face and maybe highlighted something very subtly that really changed something completely.
ENW: You had to gain weight for the transformation. Did that affect your self-esteem or make you feel unglamorous?
Theron: No. I mean, I think as an actor -- for me, I speak for myself -- but I really like the whole actor as becoming the character. I think as an actor that's your job and you can't be selfish and put yourself ahead and go, "I don't really want to do that." I think when you say yes to a job, you have to be willing to do whatever is demanded of you to do the job as well as you can.
Also, it wasn't about getting fat. It was about getting myself physically at a place where I felt my body resembled something closely to hers in that she had a baby when she was 13 and she was homeless, so she was eating a lot of crap and didn't know where her next meal was coming around. Nutrition wasn't the primary problem for her. Her means of survival was hanging at biker bars and drinking a lot of beer. She was not a woman who had spent one day in her life at the gym. So I wanted to get to that place where I felt like that with my body.
ENW: Did you stay in character during the off times?
Theron: Not necessarily staying in character, but it's just staying in the world. I don't take it home or I don't torture myself or other people on the little bit of time off I had. In this movie, I would've lost my mind, and I tend to work much better when I can switch off and switch on again. I think you just exhaust yourself after a time, and so I would do things like watch mindless television when I'd have an hour off just to empty my head so I could start again.
ENW: You did the shoots at the actual locations. Did that help you or hinder you?
Theron: It was helpful this way -- that we didn't have the amount of money to build the sets. It was actually cheaper for us to shoot at the actual place where we didn't have to change anything. Thankfully, the people in Orlando and Daytona were kind of enough to invite us to shoot in these places and very helpful. For me, there is a sense of, wow, she's been here. More importantly, a lot of those people are regulars and they all knew her, and having them there as extras was quite strange.
ENW: When you were making the movie, did you try to keep yourself in a dark place emotionally to help re-create Aileen?
Theron: I can't work like that. I like my life way too much and I've found in the past when I don't discipline myself to get out of that dark place, you almost get scared to go there again because you have this fear of not knowing if you're going to get out of it again. I didn't want that, because I think that would limit me as an actor. So I have to switch off. I like my job a lot. I like my life a lot, too, and I find if I balance the two out, I see they kind of work out together.
ENW: Did making "Monster" change your stance on the death penalty, or do you have any view on the death penalty?
Theron: I do, but it didn't change while I was making this film or because of Aileen. I've always felt that, first, the death penalty is ineffective if that's the word. Secondly, I liked that this movie wasn't a movie that really wore that side of politics really on its sleeve, because I think people almost expected that from this movie.
Actually, I think it's much more effective. It shows the reality of what happened to her. And when you go into the journey of watching her life and then you realize that ended up happening to her -- in just watching that without somebody hitting you over the head and going, "The death penalty is wrong" -- I think it's very effective. Because you watch it and you go, "Well, we're just going to keep killing people in our society and condemning them for the horrific things that they did without looking at why this is happening. So we're going to continue this vicious cycle."
ENW: On a lighter note, since this movie is called "Monster," if you were a monster, what would it be?
Theron: (Laughing) Oh geez. I want to be the big monster in "Monsters Inc." The one John Goodman played. Sully? Is that his name? I love him. I want to be him.
ENW: If there were a "Monsters Inc." sequel, would you want to be in it?
This past Friday, September 26, Eva Longoria and Tony Parker took their romance on the red carpet court as they attended EA Sports' NBA Live 09 Game Launch Party at Beso in Hollywood, CA
Check out the quick b-roll shot of Eva and Tony walking the carpet.
Dania Ramirez was also present. She garnered a lot of attention on the carpet with her sexy pink lipstick and her modelesque pose off for the photographers.
On September 17, 2008, the cowboys of the film Appaloosa took over Beverly Hills at The Academy Theater for the special screening of New Line's Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris and Renee Zellweger feature Appaloosa. Many attendees were dressed in Western attire while the threesome stayed close to the typical suits and red carpet dress.
Viggo looking dapper in his suit sans tie.
Renee seemed a bit shy and coy as she posed for the photographers. Viggo was having a bit of fun while making faces and Ed Harris enjoyed the company of his family on the carpet.
Renee showing off her ring.
Ed Harris gives me that striking glare like he's ready for a showdown.
According to Yahoo, the film synopsis about two gunmen, Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch, arrive in Appaloosa they find a small, dusty and lawless town suffering at the hands of renegade rancher Randall Bragg. Bragg has not only taken supplies, horses, and women for his own, but also has left the city marshal and a deputy for dead. In Bragg they find an unusually wily adversary who raises the stakes by playing with emotions. It is now up to Cole and Hitch to stand against the actions of the renegade rancher, which have already taken their toll on the town.
The film is currently open in limited theaters with rolling release throughout the U.S.
On September 14, 2008. The Jules Verne Festival Celebrated the 45th Anniversary of Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" with Tippi Hendren as the celebrated guest. Held at The Edison in Downtown Los Angeles, guests were treated to a q&a with Tippi and moderated by Ben Mankiewicz.
Tippi Hendren along with the Jules Verne Festival board members Frederic Dieudonne and Jean Christophe Jeauffre make their way down to the main floor of The Edison.
Tippi was also presented with the Jules Verne Legendaire Award for her role in "The Birds." Hendren definitely looked lovely as she sported a two piece dress outfit. Along with the q&a there was a presentation of the brand new Birds Barbie Doll to Tippi Hedren !
Ben Mankiewicz
Tippi Hendren holds up the new Birds Barbie Doll
As a few of you may know, Tippi is an activist for wildlife preservation. During the night of the presentation, guests were also urged to bid on various items to benefit of Tippi Hedren’s Roar Foundation for wildlife and of the Shambala Preserve.
Tippi Hendren along with Birds Barbie Doll designer Bill Greening.
After the presentation of the Birds Barbie Doll and q&a, guests were treated to the screening of "The Birds."
A special screening of "Battle In Seattle" was held last night at The Clarity Theater in Beverly Hills, CA. Here's a quick few seconds of B-Roll shot of Charlize and Stuart Being interviewed by CNN. Includes the Trailer of the Film.
One journalist who said they had watched the film a few days ago mentioned that this movie made them cry near the end.
By PETERSON GONZAGA Entertainment News Wire HOLLYWOOD _ On a Monday afternoon at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, the threesome of Dane Cook, Kate Hudson and Jason Biggs walk into an unusually warm hotel ballroom to talk up their new movie.
In "My Best Friend's Girl," Biggs plays Dustin, who is smitten with his beautiful co-worker Alexis (Hudson). They've dated for five weeks, but Dustin's overbearing affection has Alexis wanting to take things much slower. Not satisfied with Alexis' decision, Dustin seeks the help of his best friend and roommate, Tank. Cook plays Tank, who helps desperate guys win back their exes by seducing the ladies and then offending them. Dustin hires Tank to take Alexis out in hopes that a horrible date will drive Alexis back to him. But, as often happens in comedies of this sort, things don't exactly work out as planned.
As the three stars sit comfortably in their chairs, Hudson is looking lovely dressed in a gray jumpsuit accented with a turquoise necklace. She smiles and giggles after an inaudible exchange with Biggs, who's wearing an untucked blue dress shirt and khaki pants. Cook, meanwhile, sports designer jeans, a gray shirt and a jacket.
Hudson's giggles set the tone for the press conference.
Cook is asked if the movie will create copycat Tanks in real life. "I'm actually teaching a class at The Learning Annex on how to be like Tank Turner," he deadpans. "I think it's great that you can play a character that has a bit of silliness and tone and uses his dirty deeds for good at the end."
But the methods Tank uses to get women to run back to their ex-boyfriends seem a bit over the top. Does Cook think they'll actually work in real life? "There's definitely guys that take the aggressive approach, no filter," he says. "Use lewd and lascivious behavior and get the girl, man."
Hudson interrupts Cook, "You guys have no idea what you are talking about," she says.
"That is also true," Cook retorts. "You can just ask her. We're idiots."
Hudson jumps in once more, "You are, actually. Getting to know this one (Cook) ... you need to get yourself together."
Cook chimes back, "I don't kiss until the 40th date. I really like to take it slow. I'll present you with a pinata with my hopes and dreams. I can't speak for Jason, but yeah I have five sisters too, so everything about my upbringing was about how to treat a woman and things that girls like."
As for Biggs, is he, like his character, a hopeless romantic?
"I am romantic and not quite as hopeless," he says. "I am sort of insecure that if I get a slight hint that it might not be working, I'll depart. I'll pull the ripcord because I don't want to get hurt."
Hudson giggles, "Dude you should see a therapist."
Biggs banters back, "I am seeing one. No, but I'm working on it."
Hudson points at his finger, "Hence the ring on your finger, the marriage."
"Hence the marriage," Biggs explains. "She is there to give me confidence. She actually said the other day, 'I like you. I can stand you.' I look for tolerance more than anything else. No, it's all about the little things. Hold on, don't allude to. ...Maybe not all the little things. What I'm saying is, it's not about the flowers and the balloons, although those things are important. It's about thinking ahead. It's about, for example, last night: I put water next to her where she sleeps _ I put water next to her bed _ and I'm thinking ahead, and she says, 'Oh, I don't have my water. Oh, he brought the water.' See, it's the little things."
"I pour the water on a girl to wake her up," says Cook.
Last Monday, I covered the press conference for the new Kate Hudson, Dane Cook and Jason Biggs comedy, "My Best Friend's Girl." Dane commented about my hair after answering my questions
Here's a rough transcript of the question I asked:
Following up on vagina, in the scene where you and Dane get into the song Pop That Pussy, did you guys already know the words to the song? KH: Yeah, it's 2 Live Crew. DC: Sure. (laughter erupts). DC: By the way, we both voted you the best hair in the room. Pop That Pussy! Oh my god so romantic.
Well here's how my hair looks like. I don't think it's the BEST Hair..But I'm not going to argue with Dane if he says so!!!
Last night was the premiere of Eagle Eye at the Grauman's Chinese Theater. The usual suspects arrived at the premiere including Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Billy Bob Thornton along with guests Megan Fox, Aaron Yoo, and Malin Akerman.
Here's a few quick vid clips I took while trying to juggle taking photos and video taping the celebs as they walked the carpet.
Megan Fox posing for the cameras
Shia LaBeouf taking his turn for the photogs. He kept his broken hand in his pocket.
Malin Akerman looking cute in her dress
Aaron Yoo sporting cool alternative outfit with his headphones around his neck
Eagle Eye opens in theaters on September 26, 2008...
