Dwayne Johnson Gets 'Smart'

Dwayne Johnson is speaking to a drunken woman who has somehow managed to slip past security and into the middle of a scene he's shooting. He's in Las Vegas, outside a casino, filming his next kid-friendly movie, Race to Witch Mountain, in which he'll play a cabdriver being taken for a ride by two paranormal teens. When the inebriated woman wanders onto the set, you half expect Johnson to grab a metal folding chair and smash it over her head, but no. ''Excuse me, sweetheart,'' he tells her, in the reassuring tones usually reserved for putting small children to bed. ''Darling? Honey? You're in the shot.''

Clearly, the wrestler-turned-actor formerly known as The Rock isn't taking a single fan for granted these days. On June 20, Johnson will be seen opposite Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway as Agent 23 in Get Smart, a big-screen update of the 1965-70 sitcom about a bumbling secret agent. And once he's finished production on Witch Mountain (an update of the 1975 family classic Escape to Witch Mountain), he'll sprout wings and practice nocturnal dentistry as the star of Tooth Fairy. ''The idea that I could become the tooth fairy to children worldwide is hilarious to me,'' he admits.

That's right, folks, the guy who once cracked vertebrae in the wrestling ring and taunted his opponents with references to ''poon tang pie'' is now hell-bent on becoming your kid's favorite film star. After proving he could carry a movie to No. 1 with last fall's surprise hit The Game Plan, he's positioning himself as Hollywood's go-to family comedy hitman. It's all part of the latest reinvention of The Rock — which starts with not referring to himself as The Rock. ''I'm aware of everything that comes with that nickname, and I just think there's a lot more you can do without it,'' he says. ''But I wanted it to happen naturally, from 'The Rock' to Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson to 'Dwayne Johnson.''' He doesn't do the thing with the eyebrow anymore, either, and he's trimmed pounds of meathead muscle off his still handsomely chiseled 6'4'' self. The purpose of this massive rebranding effort: to cast himself in the image of his four-quadrant matinee idols Will Smith and Tom Hanks. ''They embrace being a movie star from beginning to end,'' says the 36-year-old actor. ''From preproduction through the all-important marketing, they work hard and enjoy it.''

Get Smart may not lift Johnson to megastar level, but it is his first big-studio, above-the-title credit without any geological references in his name. And it gives him a chance to show off his comedic chops to a wider audience than ever before. As Agent 23, a Bond-like alpha spy and ladies' man, he mentors Smart (Carell) while competing with him for the affections of Agent 99 (Hathaway). It's not a huge part — he's actually only in a few choice scenes (including one in which he and Carell suck face; more on that later) — but somebody at Warner Bros. clearly believes in Johnson's drawing power: The guy is all over the trailers. ''He's saddling up to do an enormous amount of publicity,'' says producer Andrew Lazar. ''Promoting the movie is tiring. But I think he's embraced it and made it a part of the routine and made it fun for himself.''

Johnson is so caught up in rebranding himself, he sometimes sounds like he's just stepped out of a Tony Robbins seminar. It's not uncommon to hear sentences like ''I love marketing!'' or ''I'm swinging for the fences'' or even ''I think it's important that you become fiscal partners with the studio to help the movie do well...'' tumble out of his mouth without a hint of that famously crooked grin. He's lately been known to wake up at 4 a.m. and fire off inspirational e-mails to members of the cast and crew (''We're going to slay some dragons today!''). In the name of his new kid-friendly image, he's also been trying to clean up his language, which can make for some awkward conjunctions (''Abso-damn-lutely!''). No matter what he's doing, Johnson works hard to make you like him, offering to fetch you a drink and using a politician's knack for peppering his sentences with your name. ''I think it's become part of my relentless drive," he says of his dream of packing movie theaters around the world. ''I would rather fail being aggressive than being passive and not trying to control what I can do. Because you know, I failed plenty of times, but if I do now, at least I'll feel like I'm doing something."

Johnson first tried to crack the Hollywood code seven years ago, when he attempted to parlay his hugely successful wrestling career (multimillion-dollar WWE contracts, a rabid fan base, a best-selling memoir called The Rock Says...) into a gig as a big-screen actor. But playing a Conan-like desert warrior in The Mummy Returns didn't exactly put him on the fast track to stardom. And even when he was given a shot at headlining his own sword-and-sandals franchise with the title role in the Mummy spin-off, The Scorpion King, the character never got enough traction to merit a sequel. ''As a wrestler, my brand was arrogant at times, funny and endearing,'' says Johnson. ''I was just learning how to understand it, apply it, protect it.''

To that end, over the years Johnson has repositioned himself almost as many times as Madonna. He took a shot at appealing to mass audiences as a heroic bounty hunter in director Peter Berg's 2003 jungle action-comedy, The Rundown, which opened to a respectable $18.5 million but was nowhere near the blockbuster he was hoping for. ''It just didn't work marketing-wise,'' he says. ''I should have focused more on action fans. I didn't have that kind of broad appeal yet. I wanted it but I hadn't earned it.'' For a while, he threw himself into a series of hardcore tough-guy roles — in Walking Tall (2004), Doom (2005), and Gridiron Gang (2006) — that didn't exactly hit pay dirt either. ''I was a little concerned after the failure of Doom,'' recalls Johnson, who despaired that he hadn't turned at least a few industry heads. ''A lot of times movies that fail at the box office [can still be] great opportunities for someone, but that wasn't the case at all.'' Even more frustrating, when he tried to stretch his range by taking on character roles in eclectic flicks (the gay bodyguard in Be Cool; an amnesiac action star opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in Southland Tales), nobody could smell what he was cooking.

Johnson decided it was time to deploy a new strategy. He got in touch with his inner mensch and took the lead in the kid-targeted comedy The Game Plan, portraying a playboy quarterback who suddenly finds himself Mr. Mom to an adorable little moppet. ''I put so much into The Game Plan thinking, This has to work,'' he says. ''I thought, not only does this formula speak to me, I also loved the idea of becoming partners with the brand and culture of Disney.'' Disney reciprocated the feelings. ''He's one of the hardest-working people on behalf of a movie I've worked with,'' says Oren Aviv, president of production for Walt Disney Studios. ''He's the guy who's constantly saying, 'What else can I do?' That puts him in a unique category of less than a handful of actors working today.'' By the time The Game Plan had grossed $91 million, The Rock was already well into his own brand overhaul, slimming down with a targeted workout routine and a low-sugar diet. ''For years I carried all that weight for football and wrestling, and I finally realized there's no need for it anymore,'' he says. ''Now I just want to look the part.''

The new, sleeker look certainly works in Get Smart, a movie he actively pursued before the filmmakers had begun casting. He even took a pay cut to share the screen with Carell in a goofy comedy aimed precisely at Johnson's new target audience: families. ''I got a call from his agent, asking would I consider Dwayne,'' says director Peter Segal. ''I said, 'Are you kidding me? I'd have to rewrite the part. It's not worthy of him.' The agent said, 'No, he's just interested in being in the movie. He just wants to be a part of it. He wants to be in the sandbox with everyone.' I thought that was the coolest thing.'' According to producer Lazar, it was also pretty crafty career management. ''People are just starting [to see] the process of how he's reinventing himself,'' he says. ''But taking the third lead in the movie — recognizing the potential of his character in this franchise — I think really shows that he's savvy beyond being a good actor.''

The transformation into family-friendly star did have its touchy moments. In one scene in Get Smart, he had to kiss costar Carell right on the mouth. ''Many actors get the type of material where you're asked to kiss another man, from Jake Gyllenhaal to Will Smith,'' he says of the big smooching scene. ''I'm happy to tell you, and Steve's wife will attest to this, the guy's got some pretty soft lips.'' (Adds Segal, ''Steve would constantly remark that Dwayne sweats testosterone while he sweats estrogen.'') But puckering up aside, Johnson may have finally found a brand image that works for him as well as the audience — one that gives him a decent shot at a genuine A-list career. If only that were enough for him. Turns out what Johnson really wants to do is run a studio. ''I'd love to not only have the ability to greenlight movies but to figure out the strategy on how the movie's going to work,'' he says. An unlikely ambition for a guy once known for dispatching his wrestling opponents with ''The People's Elbow.'' Then again, other famous former musclemen have managed to make such power dreams come true. Just ask the governor of California.

(taken from: here) [...]

Top ten young Hollywood male actors

The Silver actors of Hollywood are a crop of actors that came up in the 90's and have impressed us ever since. They respectfully hold their own up against the most regarded actors in the industry. The brilliance of these young actors affords the pick of the best scripts, directors, and co-starring. The is virtually the limit for the and their futures are so very bright that even they just might have to wear shades.

10. Jake Gyllenhall's role in the classic comedy City Slickers (1991) as Danny Robbins was the beginning of many a great things for Jake. His career would not really take off until 1998 in films like Homegrown as Jake/Blue Kahan and October Sky 1999) as Homer Hickam. A breakthrough role opposite Jennifer Aniston saw him fitting nicely into the shoes of leading man in The Good Girl 2002) as Holden Worther The Day After Tomorrow (2004) as Sam Hall and Brokeback Mountain (2005) as Jack Twist affirmed his immense talent and range. He continues to win both media critics and Hollywood's praise.

9. Tobey Maguire rise and rise in Hollywood begun on TV. His breakthrough roles came in The Ice Storm (1997) as Paul Hood and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) as Hitchhiker. He brought quirkiness to his portrayal of David in Pleasantville (1998). A compensate performance in The Cider House Rules (1999) as Homer Wells led him to exhibit the sensitivity that comes out in depictions of his characters no matter the genre. In Wonder Boys (2000) as James Leernd the evidence of his talent filled screen along with co-stars Michael Douglas and Robert Downey Jr. He reached mega stardom with the successful of not one but two Spider-Man (2002/04) as Spider-Man/Peter Parker. He can be seen in the newly released The Good German (2006) .as Patrick Tully.

8. Colin Farrell seems to have burst onto the Hollywood screen out of nowhere. The Irish born actor appeared in several TV shows in the UK that is until he appeared in Tigerland (2000) .as Pvt. Roland Bozz. Not long after was Hollywood knocking down his door to cast him. It was his intense performance opposite Tom Cruise in Minority Report (2002) as Danny Witwer that saw him come into his own. With his movie stardom assured, he delivered even more intensity in The Recruit (2003) .as James Douglas Clayton and Miami Vice (2006) as Det. James 'Sonny' Crockett.

7. Jamie Foxx first graced the silver screen in Toys (1992) as Baker. It was his roles in The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996) as Ed and The Players Club (1998) as Blue that he transformed from TV actor to movie actor. In Oliver Stones Any Given Sunday (1999) as Willie Beamen, Jamie Foxx shown evidence of true movie stardom in the making. His performances in both Collateral (2004) as Max and Ray 2004/I) as Ray Charles won him Golden Globe and Oscar nominations. It would be for Ray that Jamie Foxx received an Oscar for a more than deserving performance.

6. Health Ledger brought screams from young fan with his breakthrough role in 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) as Patrick Verona, He followed that role with a comedic delivery in A Knight's Tale 2001) as Sir William Thatcher/Sir Ulrich von Lichtenstein of Gelderland. Film roles in both Monster's Ball (2001) as Sonny Grotowski and The Four Feathers (2002) as Harry Faversham provided glimpse into the sheer commitment he brings to every role. It was in Brokeback Mountain (2005) as Ennis Del Mar that all the elements came together. He stunned the world with a brilliant portrayal of a tortured man overwhelmed by his lust. The performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination in 2006.

5. Ed Norton is one actor who reminds us that the myth of the immensely private actor exist, especially when it comes to him. His rise in Hollywood came with a tremendous performance in Primal Fear (1996) as Aaron Stampler. He quickly caused Hollywood to take notice with amazing portrayals in two controversial films The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996) as Alan Isaacman and American History X (1998) as Derek Vinyard. He took punches to the face with Brad Pitt in FIGHT CLUB (1999). He can be seen giving yet another breathtaking performance in The Illusionist (2006) as. Eisenheim.

4. Dijmon Hounsou entered the acting professional a little later in life then the other actors noted. He career begin on TV with roles in Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990) and Stargate (1994) as Horus. His breakthrough came under the direction of Steven Spielberg in Amistad (1997) as Cinque. He fast tracked to movie stardom as a slave/fighter in the epic film Gladiator 2000) as Juba. He can be seen delivering what can only be described as intensifying and powerful performance as Solomon Vandy in Blood Diamond (2006).

3. Joaquin Phoenix burst onto the silver screen in the late eighty in the Parenthood (1989) as Garry Buckman-Lampkin. He made a bigger in pack with his roles in Die For (1995) as Jimmy Emmett and 8MM (1999) .as Max California. However, it was his stunning performance as Commodus in Gladiator (2000) that made him a sought after movie star status actor. A mesmerizing performance in Walk the Line brought to life the magic and legend that is Johnny Cash. It was that perfect performance that won him a Golden Globe in 2006.

2. Josh Hartnett was launched into the heart and minds of many as John Tate in Halloween H20 (1998). The Faculty (1998) as Zeke Tyler and The Virgin Suicides (1999) as Trip Fontaine shown the raw talent and potential of Josh that was to come. It is his action packed performances in Pearl Harbor (2001) as Capt. Danny Walker and Black Hawk Down that solidified him as a movie star. He provides adorable comedic timing as Matt Sullivan in 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002). With films roles like Sin City (2005) as The Man and The Black Dahlia l(2006) as Ofcr. Dwight 'Bucky' Bleichert to his filmography, the longevity of this actor is assured.

1. Leonardo DiCaprio is at the top on the list of Hollywood's actors. He began his acting career on Santa Barbara from 1984 to 1990, but emerged in the 90's on TV shows like Parenthood (1990) and Roseanne (1991). It was not long before he was taken the silver screen by storm in Critters 3(1991) as Josh, What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993, Romeo and Juliet (1996) as Romeo. It was films like Titanic (1996) as Jack Dawson, Beach (2000/2001) as Richard, and Gangs of New York (2002) as Amsterdam Vallon that catapulted him to movie star status. He has melted our hearts in Catch Me If You Can (2002) as Frank Abagnale Jr. and wowed us in the Aviator (2004) as Howard Hughes. He can be seen delivering powerful performances in The Departed (2006) as Billy Costigan and Blood Diamond (2006) as Danny Archer both for which he has received Golden Globe nominations.

(taken from: here) [...]

R Kelly witness extortion claim

A key witness in the R Kelly child pornography trial attempted to extort money from the singer, a court in Chicago has heard.

Private Investigator Jack Palladino said the woman and her fiance used "coded language" to request a pay-off in return for changing her evidence.

The witness, Lisa Van Allen, claims to have taken part in sex sessions with R Kelly and an underage girl.

Her testimony is central to the prosecution case against the star.

Mr Palladino is known for his work on celebrity cases. In particular, undermining the credibility of witnesses.

He is said to have been responsible for "digging dirt" on several women who claimed to have slept with Bill Clinton.

He told the court he was employed by Kelly's defence team in 2002, soon after the emergence of a sex tape said to show the singer with a 14-year-old girl - which the singer denies.

Book deal

Mr Palladino said he met Lisa Van Allen, along with her fiance Yul Brown, in Atlanta, Georgia in March 2008.

"I knew their history. I wanted to give them the opportunity to commit crime," he said.

He told the jury that Ms Van Allen claimed to have a $300,000 (£150,000) book deal.

"I believed it was a coded way of getting money from my client," said Mr Palladino.

"They also said they wanted to do what was best for their family and that I should go and talk to our client."

Intimidation

Prosecution attorney Robert Heilingoetter mocked Mr Palladino's interpretation of events: "They said that? How dare they. That's extortion at its best.

"I'm trying to work out where this alleged extortion is, except between your ears."

Giving evidence earlier in the week, Lisa Van Allen said that Mr Palladino had attempted to intimidate her and her fiance.

Questioned about the claim, the private investigator replied: "I don't think Mr Brown is a man who is easily intimidated."

The court in Chicago also heard from an expert in forensic video analysis.

Defence witness Dr Charles Palm was asked if he was able to identify R Kelly as the man who appears in the sex tape.

He replied that it seemed to be a different person because a mole on the singer's back was missing in the video footage.

His testimony contradicted that of forensic video expert and prosecution witness Grant Fredericks, who took the stand earlier in the trial.

Video editing

He said that R Kelly's mole was visible on the tape.

The jury watched as Dr Palm picked through part of the video, frame by frame, attempting to support his view.

He also demonstrated a number of video editing techniques which he claimed could have been used to fabricate the sex tape on a relatively low budget.

Dr Palm claimed a fake could have been made for a quarter of a million dollars, but admitted it would need the kind of equipment used by Hollywood film studios.

R Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, denies 14 counts of making and owning child pornography.

If convicted, the 41-year-old faces up to 15 years in jail.

(taken from: here) [...]

Bruce Willis in Kane & Lynch film talk

Die Hard frontman Bruce Willis is negotiating to star in the big-screen adaptation of Kane & Lynch: Dead Men.

If he nods his bald head, Willis will fill the boots of Kane, according to Variety. Kane is the Death Row escapee you controlled in the videogame late last year.

Willis was linked with the project in 2007, alongside Lynch hopeful Billy Bob Thornton. Variety makes no mention of him, but says a co-star is still being sought. We recommend Waingro out of HEAT and you know we're right.

Stunt boffin Simon Crane will be making his directorial debut in Kane & Lynch. He was assistant director on other Eidos film effort Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life in 2003, and has filled the same position on X-Men 3 and Terminator 3 since.

Other relative newcomer Kyle Ward will be penning the script for it. Ward was described as the hottest new writer in Hollywood last year by the LA Times, after his first screenplay Fiasco Heights was sold to Universal and attracted the attention of producer Michael Bay.

Game developer IO Interactive is no stranger to the big screen, of course, as its well-known Hitman series opened passably in cinemas last November. It had tits, swords and Desmond from Lost on drugs in it, and you can't say fairer than that.

Filming on Kane & Lynch is scheduled to start before the end of 2008.

(taken from: here) [...]

Kidman wants $20m for Darling Point

Actor Nicole Kidman has listed her Darling Point villa with hopes of $20 million as she seeks another Sydney home with more grass for her baby to play on.

With the baby due in July, Kidman and her husband, Keith Urban, have decided to depart the house, which has no lawn and limited hedged gardens.

Buyers have recently inspected the hillside property - with 1068sqm of space spread over three levels - that has been her Australian abode since 1995.

The Nashville-based couple want to buy again in the eastern suburbs, but have not ruled out being closer to her parents at Longueville, possibly on the Hunters Hill peninsula where actor Cate Blanchett has her $10 million riverfront.

Her house is listed through Sotheby's International in conjunction with Janne Sutcliffe's Change of Address agency. She will be joining actors Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman in fossicking amid the limited supply of luxury homes.

She has also listed her beachfront retreat on the NSW far South Coast, which was consolidated at a $4 million cost. Rosedale residents suggest Kidman has been there less than a handful of times since she bought the first of three adjoining properties in 2004.

Kidman and her then husband, Tom Cruise, spent $4.2 million in 1995 to buy half of the Darling Point villa, five years after they met on the set of Days Of Thunder. The Garry Rothwell-designed house, which she inspected on a break during the Batman Forever movie shoot, remains registered in the name of an overseas company, N.T.Inc.

In 1998, about two years before Kidman and Cruise separated, N.T.Inc added the $4.75 million other half of the duplex, making eight bedrooms.

Kidman had made only one earlier Sydney property purchase, an $81,000 Military Road, Mosman unit that was given to her younger sister, Antonia.

In December Kidman sold a Walsh Bay penthouse, which cost $4 million in 2006, for $4.65 million. The couple have bought homes for $US7 million ($7.4 million) in Los Angeles and $US3.7 million in Nashville and a $US2.4 million ranch.

Her net worth in the BRW Rich List this week is $289 million. It was $237 million last year.

(taken from: here) [...]