Tuesday, October 8, 2024
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Rock Tragedy: David Bowie Dead from Cancer Two Days After His 69th Birthday

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It’s so awful that David Bowie is gone, it’s hard to express the grief. He was a genius. Simple fact. Now he’s dead two days after his 69th birthday, and two days after the release of his final album. The Bowie canon is a huge part of our culture, so wide ranging probably no one realizes how much Changes and Space Oddity and Young Americans and Fame and Let’s Dance fill our radio waves every single freakin’ day. And that’s just the music. Bowie’s influence on fashion and art are just as far reaching.

Bowie’s website says he was sick for 18 months. But even when his album The Next Day came out on March 8, 2013 he was basically unavailable for press. We knew something was up. He was reclusive and unavailable. The album is filled with great songs, too.

His long time producing associate Tony Visconti posted on Twitter a short time ago that he knew for a year this was coming. I’m sure it was a hard secret to keep. Natalie Cole last week. David Bowie this week. It’s our loss.

 

Golden Globes — Winners include The Revenant, Dicaprio, Brie Larson, The Martian, Lady Gaga, Sylvester Stallone, Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jon Hamm, Oscar Isaac, Cookie from Empire

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Keep refreshing. ..
Best Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio
Best picture
The Revenant
Best Actress
Brie Larson
Best comedy
THE MARTIAN
Best Actress in a comedy
Jennifer Lawrence
Best Director
Alejandro Innaritu
Lady Gaga
Best supporting actress drama
Best foreign film
Son of Saul
Best screenplay
Aaron Sorkin
Best supporting actor
SYLVESTER STALLONE
Best animated film
Inside Out
Best actor comedy
Matt Damon
Best supporting actress in drama
Kate Winslet
Best supporting actress in drama TV
Maura Tierney
Best actress TV comedy
Rachel Bloom
Best TV comedy
Mozart in the Jungle
TV Oscar Isaac best actor in mini series
Best supporting actor limited series
Christian Slater
Best movie score
Best actor TV drama
Jon Hamm
Ennio Morricone, Hateful Eight
Best actress TV drama
Tarawa P. Henson

“Carol” Writer Phyllis Nagy Plotting Rachel Roberts Biopic with Rachel Weisz

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EXCLUSIVE Oscar winner Rachel Weisz has a hot project going. She and “Carol” screenwriter Phyllis Nagy are plotting a biopic of late great British actress Rachel Roberts, an Oscar nominee herself and the wife through the 1960s of Rex Harrison.

Roberts, a huge success and much admired, was known for a long resume that included her nomination– for “This Sporting Life” in 1963, to “Picnic at Hanging Rock” and “Murder on the Orient Express.”

The actress committed suicide in 1980 at age 53, rather violently. She left a diary of her entire life right up to the end which was eventually published as “No Bells on Sunday: The Rachel Roberts Journals.”

Nagy is hoping to direct from her own screenplay. Who would play Harrison? Oh come on, Colin Firth seems like the obvious choice but Tom Hiddleston could pull it off.

with Roger Friedman

Watch Madonna’s Live, Beguiling Unplugged Ukulele Version of “La Vie en Rose”

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Madonna never sings at charity shows, rarely performs live without some kind of backing track or big time accompaniment.

But last night at ex husband Sean Penn’s Haiti fundraiser in Beverly Hills, Madonna got up and sang on stage with just a ukulele. She said her daughter (presumably Lourdes) taught her how to play it. Madonna was absolutely captivating. You can see below what was going on. Justin Bieber, with a weird blonde top knot and aviation wings tattooed on his neck, came in, watched and left as soon as she was done. Penn smoked a cigarette and was mesmerized. His son Hopper (named for Dennis Hopper) was there, also smoking and enjoying the show (very nice kid, 22 years old). Madonna brought her two adopted kids from Malawi.

In the audience: Leonardo (i want that Oscar) DiCaprio, plus best looking couple in town, Rebecca Gayheart and Eric Dane. They left after Madonna to prepare for their 4 year old daughter’s birthday party today…

Here she is:

“Star Wars” Holds Off Leo and the Bear in “Revenant” for Another Huge Weekend

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Leonardo DiCaprio and his bear did very well on their opening weekend– #38 million. But it wasn’t enough to stop another huge “Star Wars” weekend. Han Solo and friends made $41.6 million and beat “The Revenant” by over three million bucks.

As the saying goes: Some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you. Grrr….

“Star Wars” worldwide total is now $1,733,411,043. I assure you, Harrison Ford will be back for the next one.

Madonna to Sean Penn at Haiti benefit: “I loved you when I first laid eyes on you and I still love you just the same”

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Madonna was ex husband Sean Penn’s date tonight at Penn’s annual Haiti fundraiser. After the revelation that Penn has interviewed international criminal El Chapo, it seems like he can handle his ex. They are thick as thieves, very affectionate, posing for pictures with two of Madonna’s children on the red carpet.

But the real excitement in the Montage hotel ballroom was Madonna’s surprise acoustic performance of “la vie en rose.” She accompanied herself on ukulele, and impressed everyone including Leonard DiCaprio and Justin Bieber (who stopped in briefly but lost interest). Madonna told the crowd, referring to Penn, “I loved you when I first laid eyes on you and I still love you just the same. I just wish you didn’t smoke so many cigarettes.”

Madonna and Penn were married from 1985 to 1989. They have no children together.

Are they back together? No one can say for sure, but the formerly married couple put on quite a show Saturday night while millions were being raised for Penn’s J/P Haiti foundation. They sat almost on top of each other at the main table, with DiCaprio across from them.

Last year, Penn’s date was Charlize Theron, and there were certainly many more celebs. But this year, aside from the main table, Pamela Anderson was the main attraction.

For a short time, when Madonna sang, pop twerp Justin Bieber ambled in and plopped down to watch her performance with a couple of friends. But when Madonna was finished, so was the Beebs. He hopped up and exited. A waiter told me Bieber basically “lives” at the Montage, as well as at a house in Beverly Hills.

Madonna later contributed the ukulele to the live auction. She told the auctioneer that she’d sign it, “lick it,” and “kiss it” when her tour was over in March. She also said she’d put something secret inside it for the highest bidder. “It will be wet inside and dry inside,” she said. When the auctioneer asked who’d made the ukulele, Madonna replied: “None of your f—ing business.”

A lunch with Penn and DiCaprio, plus a night at DiCaprio’s Palm Springs spread, went for the bargain price of $200,000. Of course, many in the room may not have known that Penn had interviewed El Chapo, and might have good anecdotes from that experience.

Penn is devoted to Haiti, and is clearly making progress down. He’s so passionate about it tears came to his eyes twice talking about getting health care for a dying teen. If he’s diverted Madonna’s attention from Kabbalah into this worthy cause, then he’s really scored points. Bravo!

Leonardo DiCaprio: Oscar Campaign in Full Swing as “Revenant” Mauls “Star Wars” on Opening Night

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“The Revenant,” with all its blood and guts, the mauling bear and gorgeous natural light photography, beat “Star Wars” on its opening night. The Leonardo DiCaprio epic made just over $14 million on Friday night vs. a Jedi $10 million.

With “The Revenant” expanding into general release, DiCaprio is also ramping up his Oscar campaign for Best Actor. The little gold man is his to lose. After twenty years in the game, DiCaprio — who’s had several top notch performances–has little competition. This year was not a good one for leading men. “Spotlight” and “The Big Short” came off as ensemble pieces. Matt Damon in “The Martian” might be the strongest candidate. Michael Fassbender as “Steve Jobs” is wonderful, but the movie fizzled. Will Smith is good in “Concussion,” but the movie hasn’t really broken out. Eddie Redmayne is convincing in “The Danish Girl,” but he just won the Oscar.

One industry insider observed to me: “I’d watch Bryan Cranston once Leo wins the Golden Globe. Hollywood really likes “Trumbo,” and Cranston has a lot of good will built up from Breaking Bad. He’s really liked.”

The major difference between “The Revenant” and the other films with lead actors? “The Revenant” push has mostly been stealth. It’s been aimed directly at Oscar voters. This past week, DiCaprio was feted in New York at a private lunch, and then in Hollywood at a private dinner. There’s been no press involvement. In New York, Sting sang Happy Birthday to his wife, Trudie Styler, which wowed the crowd of Academy voters. Stars on the level of Barbra Streisand, Warren Beatty and Sean Penn were enlisted for the west coast dinner.

And all the anecdotes have been fed to gossip columns instead of being witnessed. This is quite the opposite of campaigns for other movies. For instance, Matt Damon mixed and mingled last week, charming as ever, with press and Oscar voters at a 21 Club tea. Will Smith has made himself ultra accessible for “Concussion.” Ditto the “Spotlight,” “Hateful Eight,” and “Big Short” casts.

Cleverly, DiCaprio’s Oscar campaign casts him as a real life version of Robert Redford’s “Candidate.”

So now everyone waits to see what happens tomorrow night. DiCaprio should win the Golden Globe handily. He’s won it before, for “The Aviator.” Once that’s over, it will be interesting to see who is nominated for Lead Actor by the Oscars on Thursday. From that group, perhaps Cranston or Smith or Damon will launch an offensive to grab the real gold.

Amy Winehouse Father Comes Out Swinging on Twitter: “This Film is a Lie”

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Amy Winehouse’s father, Mitch, has come out swinging on Twitter tonight. “This film is a lie,” he says of the hugely successful documentary about his late daughter. The film “Amy” directed by Asif Kapadia is nominated for a Golden Globe on Sunday. It also airs on British TV this weekend.

Winehouse also wrote on Twitter: “I never said Amy didn’t need rehab. I said she didn’t need rehab in 2005. Later on different story. They edited that out…Can I ask you all a question? Did the film say that Amy was clean of drugs for 3 years? How do u think she got clean without treatment?…Amys tweets to me. Seems like yesterday. I’m Amy’s dad. We won’t give in. Too many disadvantaged kids need our and Amy’s help…”

Mitch Winehouse also defended the foundation he started in his daughter’s name.

Adele Surprises with Final Sales Numbers This Week, 200K Total Including Streaming

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It’s just water under the bridge. I told you on Wednesday that Adele was going to sell a “Mere” 150,000 copies of her “25” album.

In the end, including streaming, hitsdailydobuble.com says it was 204K. Justin Bieber, number 2, sold 127,000 including streaming.

Bieber sold only 55,000 actual copies. The bulk of his number comes from streaming.

Adele had only 30,000 streams. Almost all of it was sales in hand, so to speak. She sold 173,000 CDs and digital downloads.

The rest of the top 10 added up to about Adele’s number including Bieber.

Where IS Adele when these reports come out? Does she just say “F—in’ A,” and have a beer, or what? Is she bathing in Evian? Sleeping on thousand count sheets? It must be a strange feeling.

Uncasting News: Jennifer Aniston Out of “The Comedian,” Christian Bale Staying in “Ferrari”

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Not all casting announcements work out. And it’s no one’s fault. Just didn’t click for different reasons.

Jennifer Aniston is not going to make “The Comedian” with Robert DeNiro, directed by Taylor Hackford. I heard this last night, and Tweeted it today once I confirmed it. The movie starts shooting next month. Hackford, one of our best directors, will bring in a successor to play opposite De Niro.

I’d love to see Sandra Bullock with De Niro. Or if Hackford wanted to get creative, someone like Annabella Sciorra would be very cool. No one asked me however! (Hey about Patricia Clarkson?) Producer Art Linson is very smart, and I’m sure it will all be resolved. Aniston goes on to greener pastures.

There’s talk that Christian Bale may not play Enzo Ferrari in Michael Mann’s biopic of the racing legend. I’m told that everything is fine however. Michael Mann has made some great movies, like “Heat” and “The Insider.” This combo sounded good on paper. We’ll wait and see.

Meantime. I’m hearing Josh Gad may be cast in “Marshall,” the movie directed by Reginald Hudlin and also starring Chadwick Boseman as a very young Thurgood Marshall. Paula Wagner is producing.

PS HBO’s gift suite at the Four Seasons Hotel was hopping this afternoon. Guests received products from Swiss Army Victorinox, Nautica, Solo Computer Bags, Boiron homeopathic products, and so on. There was also a whole private cafe! A lot of the people working there came out from New York. Of course.