Happy 50th Linda. You're not getting older you're getting better. Did you have a party like Oprah to celebrate?

I've been toying with it all day... fingers on lens yearning...fantasizing And after much reflection Realize I can only be happy by spending this day with the special birthday girl Linda! Happy 50th Dear Leeenda!!!

Ok, Ok, I'm back and feeeling quite squiffy and squishy. Bine, Welcome and thank you for the birthday wishes. You are so not a newbie in posting. It took me months to learn how to do that. I lost sleep over Colin's first birthday. Ada, yes it's the troublemaker's birthday...so what of it? huh? I can't believe you have chronicled all my keeps. I can't believe I'm still trying to spell after 3, count em, 3 dirty martinis and a port wine....Oh lord. I'm trying to be so good, here. All my keeps were trouble but legit. LOL, I've even forgotten a few of them, but nevertheless, I love Colin, FWD, Mark, Johannes, HD, Matthew, Peter and Ernest...all hot and sweaty, and that spoon is mine--all mine-so is the coat and the shirt and and...oh just wait till I wreak havoc on you in 2005. I'm claiming Mr. Brown--all of him. Remember, dahling--age before...well you know. Maria, oh wot can I say? Toying, Reflecting, Fantisizing, and Remembering. And the yearning, Lousia, the yearning...Actually, the yearing sums it all up!!;-)) Love your wishes, Lucie. Oprah can only hope she's had a birthday like this.

Annette, did you realize the significance of the poem you attributed to Shakespeare via Wessex? It was a hilarious and v. clever joke. The Passionate Shepherd to His Love was written by Christopher Marlowe, the rival of Shakespeare and the mistaken enemy of Wessex. I don't know if you did that intentionally, but it has delighted me all day! Linda, I just couldn't think of anything clever for your 50th birthday celebration. I wanted to find something that best expressed the excitement of the last year, but I think that's been done supurbly by the other DDs. A birthday cake from one of my baking idols seemed like a good beginning. And AFG pics of Colin are always nice. Then I tried to think about one thing that was particularly noteworthy and came upon an interesting fact that, I think, qualifies as one of what Kim would call a Karmic Colin Firth Sign. There was a full moon at the time of the LA premiere. There was a full moon for SNL. And this week has had this month's full moon, nearly coinciding with your birthday. So, it only seemed right to give you the full moon in all its glory... (Please forgive me, Boss, if I just broke Drool's rules of decency.) Happy Birthday Linda!!!

Crap. Sorry.

Is that better? *Sigh*

Is there decency here? If so, I'm in the wroonnnnng place. ;-)

ARG! I'm following the full moon with simple wishes for (or at this point congratulations on) a very happy birthday! Sounds like it's been a good one, hope it will set the tone for an enjoyable year to come!

Alert! It's Linda's B'day!!!! (OK . .now due to the time, it is just after her b'day) But I forgot to give you one of your gifts . . For the next time you are in NYC . .we can get come coffee right by 30 Rock . .perhaps you'll spot another tall, handsome stranger walking by!!!

Out of the Blue in 2002 You decided to delurk It may seem insane yet we are the same For Matthew we go beserk Doing your part right from the start To bring Ernest some success Let it be known to those who are grown To you Darcys are the best The BLP kept you in a transe WAGW is on your shelf Live on a Saturday you found the way To see the man himself Go on celebrate (so sorry I'm late) Share with Peter your martini Happy Birthday Linda, as they say in Italia Ma? 50 anni!

The Passionate Shepherd to His Love Was the subject of one of my favorite Valentines. It had the requisite pastoral scene on the front, with the line, "Come live with me and be my love. (yadda yadda) " Inside it said, "But you have to marry me first." ;-) (Shoshana) if I just broke Drool's rules of decency. Afraid so. It separates this place from *cough* other classless places. ;-)

Shosh, all full moons on those dates? Wow. A karmic Colin in all his glory is always in order;-)I've always believed that full moons were a sign. I just can't remember why?? Kim, Dean and Delucas is the new official Reiki headquarters! Dorine, is there decency anywhere? Sonia, such a verse...a true summation of all my days, here! Oh, having seen the man himself live on a Saturday Night still makes me tingle;-) And now, a party favor for each of you to take home and put under your pillow... And good night

Lets try that again,

(Linda) A karmic Colin in all his glory is always in order;-)I've always believed that full moons were a sign. I just can't remember why?? I thought it was rain that was the Karmic Colin sign. ;-)

Barb, I didn't mean to leave you out. Thanks for the wishes. I was a bit squiffy and squishy in the early AM. Hope you enjoyed your party favor.

(Linda)Lets try that again, *Thud*! The face that launched a thousand....(oh millions!) posts! Thanks for the party favor!

Annette, did you realize the significance of the poem you attributed to Shakespeare via Wessex? It was a hilarious and v. clever joke. The Passionate Shepherd to His Love was written by Christopher Marlowe, the rival of Shakespeare and the mistaken enemy of Wessex. I don't know if you did that intentionally, but it has delighted me all day! Shoshana, I'm afraid I was mislead :-( But - it can't be all bad, having provided you with a days delight :-) I own the Stratford Shakespeare, but decided to search online, so not to have to type it all. This is were I found the poem: http://www.bartleby.com/70/index2.html Linda, it was a great pleasure to attend your birthdayparty. So many wonderful guests :-)

Anette . .as another intersesting aside to that wonderful poem by Marlowe . . Sir Walter Raleigh had written a response: The nymph's reply to the shepherd If all the world and love were young, And truth in every shepherd's tongue, These pretty pleasures might me move To live with thee and be thy love. Time drives the flocks from field to fold When rivers rage and rocks grow cold, And Philomel becometh dumb; The rest complains of cares to come. The flowers do fade, and wanton fields To wayward winter reckoning yields; A honey tongue, a heart of gall, Is fancy's spring, but sorrow's fall. The gowns, thy shoes, thy beds of roses, Thy cap, thy kirtle, and thy posies Soon break, soon wither, soon forgotten,� In folly ripe, in reason rotten. Thy belt of straw and ivy buds, Thy coral clasps and amber studs, All these in me no means can move To come to thee and be thy love. But could youth last and love still breed, Had joys no date nor age no need, Then these delights my mind might move To live with thee and be thy love. http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/nymphsreply.htm

Oh, Gawd! I can't believe I missed Linda's Birthday! Please forgive me, Linda? You DO forgive me?? YES!! Hope it was a great one!

To all the Moms Enjoy the day!

this is a quickie - just wanted to wish all the moms on Drool a VERY happy Mother's Day. i'm grateful my own mom exposed me to you all! and most importantly: HAPPY MOMMALA DAY, BEEDEE

Down With Love was on the TV last night and I was only half listening while busy with other things. I was ab-so-lute-ly stunned at one point when I could have sworn it was not Ewan McGregor but rather ODB doing his Cold Mountain skit from SNL. I think it was the best part of the movie!

Sandy - re: Down With Love I love that movie . .it's so so cute and kitchsy . .i got it on DVD b/c I loved EM & RZ performances . . . The outtakes were hilarious on the DVD as well as the cute little song/music video that RZ & EM do at the end . .

Thanks, Eithne Plese no tears from Colin Ware...can't have those gorgeous eyes all puffy and red. Happy Mother's Day, ladies

Sandy - re: Down With Love (Kimberly)I love that movie . .it's so so cute and kitchsy Me too. But that makes only three of us;-(( I just saw "Ella Enchanted". The Guardian called Hugh Dancy "the next Colin Firth". Escapes me....but what do I know.

Happy Mother's Day!! Some Tribeca FF notes..... Went to the House of D premiere Friday night, debut film from David Duchovny as writer/director. Have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Ironically I bought a ticket not expecting much. Turns out I liked it very much. I just read on the imdb message board that it was picked up by Lions Gate (or rather, Lyin Gate ;-)), grabbed before it was screened on Friday. It's the first film ever to be bought at the TFF in its 3 years of existence. Stars of the movie who were there.... DD (small role..in beginning and a little more at the end), Robin Williams and his daughter Zelda (very cute girl, decent little actress), Magali Amadei (I don't know her), Orlando Jones (chewing gum like a hyperactive cow). Tea Leoni was in it, but wasn't there. The story is about DD's character as a 13 year old. TL played the boy's mother and it was the first thing I've seen that I've ever liked her in. To kill time before it started, I went out to watch other stars arrive on the red carpet including Billy Crystal (posing for cameras like one does running stops at stop signs, never truly stopping completely, at least at the beginning...but not so bad as Rowan Atkinson at the LA premiere by blowing straight through. ;-)), Julianne Moore and her DH, Tim Blake Nelson, Tim Daly, and much to my surprise Christopher Reeve and his family. http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=GLS====61528&nbc1=1&str=&styp=&sfld=&sortval=3a&PageNum=1 One of my panels, Sex and the Cinema was good. Had John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch), Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don't Cry), Steven Shainberg (Secretary), and Glenn Close subbing for Sharon Stone who didn't show for some reason. Moderated by someone at NY Times. Got into discussion of the totally arbitrary rulings by the MPAA. Steven Shainberg kept bringing up Young Adam as he'd just seen it the night before and was surprised at the rating it got for the little bit (not literally ;-)) that was shown of EM. Porn frequently popped up into the discussion, too. JCM talked about the film he's currently filming. I suspect it will end up Unrated, if not NC-17. My other panel on Creativity on Cable wasn't nearly as interesting, though had good people...Edie Falco, Kim Catrall, Tom Fontana (creator of TV shows Oz and Homicide), Tim Daly, and another guy who develops shows. The moderator, again from the Times, was awful. Almost as bad as Janet Maslin. The Sex panel made me late for another premiere of Stage Beauty with Claire Danes, Billy Crudup, and Rupert Everett. Got in the waitlist line and they let the last 12 of us into the theater, *then* told us there was no room, to go to the other theater showing it. I just went home. Long day, I was beat. Seems women's rooms are the place to talk about how amazing an actor Peter O'Toole is. Heard another one after a screening of a remastered print of Becket. I am aghast this man has never won a real Oscar. And what a film.

(Sandy) - re: Down With Love (Kimberly)I love that movie . .it's so so cute and kitchsy (Evelyn) Me too. But that makes only three of us;-(( Make that 4. I just watched that again a few weeks ago. I love it...the music, the colors, the campiness.

Dorine - thanks for the TFF update . .let me know how you like Stage Beauty . .that was the only one I was interested in seeing . .but my dang schedule is not permitting me to get down there . . Hurrah for fellow DWL fans!;) . .now it makes me want to watch my DVD again;)

(Sandy) - re: Down With Love (Kimberly)I love that movie . .it's so so cute and kitchsy (Evelyn) Me too. But that makes only three of us;-(( (Dorine) Make that 4. I just watched that again a few weeks ago. I love it...the music, the colors, the campiness. Me five!! Own DVD and watch it frequently! Great wardrobe! Cheeeeesy and funny!

Got into discussion of the totally arbitrary rulings by the MPAA. Arbitrary? Huh? I'd say they're totally predictable. Steven Shainberg kept bringing up Young Adam as he'd just seen it the night before and was surprised at the rating it got for the little bit (not literally ;-)) that was shown of EM. Yes, literally. It was a little bit and, if you blinked, you missed it.

(Karen) Yes, literally. LOL, now I was trying not to sound insulting to EM. It wasn't that little of a bit. ;-) Arbitrary? Huh? I'd say they're totally predictable. You might not say that after hearing some of the reasons they each heard for getting or not getting certain ratings, or what they had to cut out or do to get a certain rating. Sometimes what one had gotten through, another didn't, with really no difference between them. Kimberly Peirce and Steven Shainberg both mentioned how they were told they had too many thrusts (she did) during sex or too many...."uh's" during the spankings (he did) and to cut one, or two, or etc out. They said they just turned down the sound a bit on those parts or cut a thrust and kept one as a fade out and got it through on the next MPAA viewing....then turned up the sound again on the final print, LOL! They also said the rulings are handed down not in writing, but by word of mouth. The board doesn't write anything down. If anyone saw this week's Ebert and Roeper, about halfway through they mentioned a film called Valentin (valenteen), a Dutch/Argentinian production, set and filmed in Argentina. I saw it in class a few weeks ago and highly recommend it. Subtitled. A real gem. The kid in it was fantastic, so endearing.

(Kimberly) .let me know how you like Stage Beauty . .that was the only one I was interested in seeing . .but my dang schedule is not permitting me to get down there . . I didn't get in to see it Sat night and the Fest was over Sunday night.

Tony noms arrounced. From Playbill: Wicked, Frozen, I Am My Own Wife, Caroline, Oz Among 2004 Tony Nominees By Kenneth Jones 10 May 2004 Wicked, the new musical about the origin of the Wicked Witch of the West, from the "Oz" tales, earned 10 Tony Award nominations, announced May 10. Honoring work on Broadway in the 2003-04 season, the 58th annual Tony nominations spotlighted (in Best Play category) two recent Pulitzer Prize winners: Nilo Cruz's Anna in the Tropics and Doug Wright's I Am My Own Wife (the former has closed), which were nommed along with Frozen and William Nicholson's now-closed The Retreat From Moscow. The Best Musical nominees include Wicked (in which the leading ladies who play witches are in competition as Best Actress), Avenue Q and Caroline, or Change (which both began life Off-Broadway) and The Boy From Oz (an Australian import retooled for Broadway and starring matinee idol Hugh Jackman). The 58th Annual Tony Awards will be presented Sunday, June 6 at Radio City Music Hall. The Boy From Oz's Hugh Jackman will return as host for the annual event, which will be broadcast live on CBS-TV, 8-11 PM ET. The nominees, announced approximately 8:30 AM (ET) from the Hudson Theatre in Manhattan, include: Best Play Anna in the Tropics Frozen I Am My Own Wife The Retreat from Moscow Best Musical Avenue Q Caroline, or Change The Boy From Oz Wicked Best Revival of a Musical Assassins Big River Fiddler on the Roof Wonderful Town Best Revival of a Play A Raisin in the Sun Henry IV Jumpers King Lear Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play Kevin Kline, Henry IV Frank Langella, Match Jefferson Mays, I Am My Own Wife Christopher Plummer, King Lear Simon Russell Beale, Jumpers Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play Eileen Atkins, The Retreat from Moscow Tovah Feldshuh, Golda's Balcony Anne Heche, Twentieth Century Swoosie Kurtz, Frozen Phylicia Rashad, A Raisin in the Sun Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play Essie Davis, Jumpers Sanaa Lathan, A Raisin in the Sun Margo Martindale, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Audra McDonald, A Raisin in the Sun Daphne Rubin-Vega, Anna in the Tropics Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Hunter Foster, Little Shop of Horrors Hugh Jackman, The Boy From Oz Alfred Molina, Fiddler on the Roof Euan Morton, Taboo John Tartaglia, Avenue Q Best Director of a Play Doug Hughes, Frozen Moises Kaufman, I Am My Own Wife David Leveaux, Jumpers Jack O'Brien, Henry IV Best Director of a Musical Joe Mantello, Assassins Kathleen Marshall, Wonderful Town Jason Moore, Avenue Q George C. Wolfe, Caroline, or Change Total Tony Award nominations (by show): Wicked - 10 Assassins - 7 Avenue Q - 6 Caroline, or Change - 6 Fiddler on the Roof - 6 Henry IV - 6 The Boy From Oz - 5 Wonderful Town - 5 Frozen - 4 Jumpers - 4 A Raisin in the Sun - 4 Taboo - 4 Bombay Dreams - 3 I Am My Own Wife - 3 The Retreat From Moscow - 3 Anna in the Tropics - 2 Big River - 2 King Lear - 2 Never Gonna Dance - 2 Twentieth Century - 2 Little Shop of Horrors - 1 All noms here: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/86063.html

(Dorine)If anyone saw this week's Ebert and Roeper, about halfway through they mentioned a film called Valentin This is supposed to come to our little Princeton theater. I will see it if it makes it here. Thanks, Dorine for being our gal on the spot at TFF. Karen, thanks for the Tony noms.

David Leveaux, Jumpers YES! I get to glimps my sweetie again. :-) He looks so hot in a tux. Thanks for the TFF update, Dorine!

I didn't see the first series, but I heard it was v.g. On Sundance though: Altman, Trudeau to Do 2004 Sequel to 'Tanner '88' NEW YORK (Reuters) - Director Robert Altman and Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Garry Trudeau will create a sequel to "Tanner '88," their television series satirizing the U.S. presidential campaign, to run before the November election, the Sundance Channel said on Monday. The yet-to-be-named series of three episodes will reunite original cast members Michael Murphy, Pamela Reed, Cynthia Nixon and Matt Malloy, the cable channel said. Shot in a satirical faux-documentary style, "Tanner '88" followed fictional Democratic presidential candidate Jack Tanner, played by Murphy, against the backdrop of the actual 1988 presidential race. The show played up the seedy side of politics and the media, touching on such scandals as damaging sexual dalliances, political backstabbing and back-room deal-making. The new series, which is set to run in October, centers on Tanner's daughter Alex (Nixon), a documentary filmmaker seeking funding for a film about running for the White House and the toll it takes on those who lose. It promises to blur the line between factual and dramatic and will feature Tanner interacting with real candidates from the present day, the cable network said. Like the first series, the new shows will be written by Trudeau, who won the 1975 Pulitzer for his satiric comic strip "Doonesbury," and directed by Altman, a five-time Oscar nominee for best director.

A bit more detail from THR: Face time for 'Tanner' redo on Sundance By Andrew Wallenstein NEW YORK -- Sundance Channel has greenlighted an original update of Robert Altman's political satire "Tanner '88." The director will reteam with cartoonist Garry Trudeau and actors Michael Murphy, Cynthia Nixon and Pamela Reed for three new episodes to air in October, just before the U.S. presidential election. Earlier this year, Sundance rebroadcast "Tanner," a groundbreaking interweaving of scripted and reality storytelling that followed the fictional presidential campaign of the titular candidate. "Tanner" originally aired on HBO in 1988. "Garry and Robert's renewed interest in this project is a testament to how well Tanner's story holds up almost 20 years later," Sundance Channel president and CEO Larry Aidem said. The new version will be directed by Altman and written by Trudeau, with the two serving as executive producers with Adam Pincus, senior vp on-air and original programming at Sundance Channel. Matthew Seig and Wren Arthur of Sandcastle 5 Prods. will produce. The untitled update will catch up with the original characters 16 years later as Tanner's daughter Alex, played by Nixon before she went on to fame on HBO's "Sex and the City," shoots a documentary about the presidential campaign. Altman will shoot Murphy appearing in character as Jack Tanner at the actual Democratic National Convention in Boston in July. Production on the limited series begins next month. The actors had previously shot new footage for interstitials that ran on Sundance with the 1988 series. Also returning are Reed as campaign manager TJ Cavanaugh and Matt Malloy as Deke Connors.

From THR: Warners sews up deal for 'Button' Warner Bros. Pictures has boarded Paramount Pictures' long-gestating adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Benjamin Button." Warners will co-finance and co-produce the feature, with Paramount handling domestic and Warners taking on international rights to the film. David Fincher has a three-month holding deal to direct the project. But several producers around town are holding their breath to see which project Fincher actually directs next. The "Fight Club" helmer has been associated with a variety of projects, including Phoenix Pictures' film about the so-called Zodiac Killer, DreamWorks' "The Lookout" and the remake of "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud." Eric Roth wrote the most recent draft of "Benjamin Button" with previous writers including Robin Swicord. The "Button" project has been in development for some time and has attracted the interest of several directors over the years, including Gary Ross, Spike Jonze, Ron Howard and Phil Alden Robinson. "Benjamin Button" follows an old man who starts aging b ckward. When he hits 50, he falls in love with a 30-year-old and must come to terms with the situation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hmmm, probably something for Ashton Kutcher. ;-)

Going back to the Tony awards discussion, have they had a nominee presenting before? Surely they knew HJ was going to be considered in his category? Oh dear SRB up against some tough opposition.

Lizza, Hugh will be the master of ceremonies, and they'll have other people actually presenting each award. I think he's a shoo-in, and deservedly so--yummy! I think SRB's main competition will be Kevin Kline, who got raves, but then again so did SRB, so that's a tight race. Nice to see eileen Atkins in there, too. Here's Time mag's review of Troy--I am *so* there!:-) That's What You Call A Homer By RICHARD CORLISS Monday, May. 10, 2004 The Greeks had a word for it: hubris. But Brad Pitt's Achilles wears it well. Whether he slices through a horde of Trojan soldiers or blithely decapitates a statue of Apollo or struts naked through a tent � his elaborately muscled body a perfect subject for sculptor Praxiteles and already gold-plated by the sun � he gives a sense of the beast god luxuriating in his earned star quality. "I've known men like you my whole life," says the defiant virgin Briseis (Rose Byrne). "No, you haven't," Achilles replies, not as a boast but as a warning and a promise from a war stud. Some of Achilles' nerve comes in handy for anyone trying to make Homer's Iliad sing and swagger in a 2-hr. 40-min. movie. Director Wolfgang Petersen, writer David Benioff and their cohort just about pull it off. In this vigorous, stalwart epic, they blend martial breadth and emotional intimacy, honor and obsession, romance and machismo to show the glamour and folly of war. Old men plot; young men die; strong women weep. The old men are Agamemnon (Brian Cox), a greedy Greek with an addiction to regime change, and Priam of Troy (Peter O'Toole), whom melancholy has made too wise. Priam's younger son Paris (Orlando Bloom) has run off with Helen (Diane Kruger), legendarily gorgeous young wife of Agamemnon's brother Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson). Agamemnon and Odysseus of Ithaca (Sean Bean) lead a siege of Troy, and the kingdoms' best warriors � Achilles and Hector (Eric Bana) � are fated to fight it out. A war film needs battles, and Troy has nearly a dozen of them, employing arrows, spears, great balls of fire rolling down a slope to crush the enemy. The beach blitz has Achilles and his Myrmidons capturing the territory for Agamemnon in an Omaha Beach � like assault (Saving Priam's Rival). But thousands fighting thousands is war; man fighting man is drama. Troy boasts plenty of good old Hellenic fist power. Paris vs. Menelaus, Hector vs. Ajax the Great, Achilles vs. Hector � it's a dream card at Madison Square Garden, and the movie choreographs each set-to with burly ingenuity. This is The Iliad as a WWE SmackDown: violent fights, snappy insults and a connoisseur's idolatry of beautiful brawn. (Who knew Greece had so many blonds?) When Paris cringes from Menelaus and hugs Hector's sturdy leg, it's as if he thinks he can turn a one-on-one brawl into a tag-team match. In an outdoor epic, everyone has to look great, and everyone does here � fit for battle (the guys) or for bed (the women). Pitt and Bana carry the film on their dishy delts. Bloom is so winsome as Paris that he almost makes the cowardly girly-man a teen idol. And for echoes of epics past, Troy has David Lean's Lawrence and Lara: O'Toole, sere and majestic, and Julie Christie as Achilles' mother Thetis. What gives Troy its maturity is its refusal to take sides. Who's the hero here? Achilles? If so, he's a tragic one. Hector? He's on the losing side. For all its surface glorifying of war bravery and the brooding introspection it allows the leads, the film's view is from above, where the gods watch men kill one another for real estate and destroy the land they would occupy. This August, Greece, which gave birth to the poetics of war, will try to stage an athletic competition in which no one dies. But for a smart take on why men need to compete and combat, Athens won't be able to top TROY. And for movies, this is the summer game to beat.

(Mari) Hugh will be the master of ceremonies, and they'll have other people actually presenting each award. Plus he's going to have to perform as well, with the Boy from Oz being nominated for Best Musical (won't win, of course), there will be a production number. *yippee* Poor Evelyn. She really wanted us to see Wicked and I wouldn't go. ;-)

(Karen)Poor Evelyn. She really wanted us to see Wicked and I wouldn't go. ;-) Aw, that's alright; I'm goin end of May. Big shut-out for Sly....LOL, I'm seeing it too;-)

Speaking of Troy, went to sidewalk gawk at the premiere last night with Risa (Little Bee). Risa was hoping to get some decent pics of Eric Bana. Many fans there for Orlando Bloom, including some git behind us (she's not a git just b/c she's an OB fan, she was just freakin' annoying with the crap she was talkin'). Risa told her she didn't think OB was coming. The girl insisted that OB would be there last night as she and her friends had "just happened" (*snort*) to run into him, *and* Brad Pitt downtown yesterday. Gee, surprise surprise, he didn't show. *snort* Poor Risa got the bulk of the git's ruminations in her ear. I could tune her out. If you follow the crowd along the rail to the way background of the pic, near where the distant security guys are, we appear to be just off the arm of the furthest guy. If I really squint and think real hard, I can see Risa all in black there. ;-) Fortunately it was a beautiful night. I have to say I was very excited to see Peter O'Toole. I know, very silly. ;) A small chorus of "who?" erupted behind me when Risa and I seemed excited to see him. None of his movies we mentioned rung a bell with them. *defeated sigh* They were a good 10, maybe 15 years younger than us (they were around 20ish maybe), but still.....I knew who P O'Toole was when I was 15 and it wasn't for his newer stuff at that time. Oh, well... :-( Other people from the movie who showed included Saffron Burrows, Brian Cox (Risa...how did we miss him...in a kilt no less, and with the dress his wife had on! Oh my, you must check out wireimage.com for that), Sean Bean, looking like a well dressed beach bum, with long straight, kinda stringy hair, really... Diane Kruger (Helen), Rose Byrne, and the guy who played Achilles cousin (Risa, *that* was the blond guy with the stylized mussy hair that we couldn't figure out), and of course EB, BP, and Wolfgang Petersen. When EB got there, he and his wife (in an absolutely fabulous dress not captured well on Wireimage) walked to the fans down from us so he could sign some stuff. He did that for a while....unfortunately going along the *wrong* direction from us! :-((( Risa could never get a good pic through the security guards milling around near him. :-((( Then Brad and Jen showed up, getting out of the Expedition on our side. I *cannot* emphasize enough how *stunning* a couple they are in person. It's disgusting! ;-) Pictures really don't do them justice...at least the ones I've seen from last night didn't. ;-)) They were the only ones I got a decent picture of while they stood alone for a sec trying to decide where to start signing autographs. And boy did the security swarm around them when they went over to the crowd. I saw one guard really snatch a poster out of someone's hand who was trying to hand it over some people to be signed. Don't know if he gave it back. Finally, after everyone had arrived and was doing press, we decided to walk down to the other end of the crowd to try to catch EB before he went in, so Risa could get a pic. We couldn't see him, so I went across the street to walk by to find out exactly where he was in the process as it was unlikely he was done yet, even after being there for at least 30 mins already. They would let people walk along the press tent side, but not stop, but I could get a good look. I found him being interviewed by Tom Brooks (BBC America) about halfway through, but Risa wouldn't be able to get a shot of anything but his back. We decided to walk around to the plaza next to the Ziegfeld, but they had it roped off about 3/4 of the way back. We could see him, but her zoom wasn't enough to get a clean shot. Sean Bean was just standing outside gabbing by the theater, too. Maybe having a smoke? Maybe just gabbing. Too hard to tell. Just as EB was leaving the press tent and getting ready to go inside, we let out a *really* loud "Errrrrrriiic!!" We couldn't tell if he heard it. I'm sure the rest of Manhattan must've. ;-) We decided that screaming Eric didn't have quite the same timbre or singsongy quality as screaming "Colllllliinnnnn!!" ;-)) I think one of the reasons they didn't come our way, is we were standing behind wooden police barricades that weren't very sturdy and the bulk of the crowd was behind those metal barriers which were much more secure. I think security steered them over near there. Plus, that where the bulk of the people with homemade signs and stuff to sign were. Some of the press did that thing, too, of having those people with the signs yell for the camera as the did at LA. Afterward we went for drinks in the bar at the Hilton that was closed during the LA premiere. We decided against waiting at the theater til they came out or going to the party place to try to get better EB pics for several reasons, including having to take care of some other obligations elsewhere. The movie is so freakin long, it would've been too long to wait. Oh and another LA connection of sorts, Rodrigo Santoro was there. It was funny because some guy hanging near the outside of the red carpet entrance bore a strong resemblance to EB as he was in Troy with a beard and longer dark hair. We were jokingly saying it could be his brother, then I think it was Risa, I think realized it was RS. Boy was he lookin' good. ;-P And Risa, another guy who looked like EB that also we thought looked like he could be a brother, and had the not so great hair and big ears, I think was the screenwriter. The pics are on wireimage. Many of the other people must've gone in the front door rather than the red carpet way, like Bono, Snoop Dogg (cause I sure as hell would've noticed him), Javier Bardem, among others. Here's the wireimage links to the arrivals for red carpet and party. Outside - http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=gls====61896&nbc1=1 Inside - http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=gls====61888&nbc1=1 Party arrivals - http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=gls====61925&nbc1=1 Also, I've figured out the name of one of the photogs that shows up at the big ones and wanders the red carpet freely, like at LA, also. He also followed BP and JA out on the street when they went to sign stuff. He took the one I posted above. He's a Reuters photog. Maybe that will come in handy for schmoozing one day. ;-) Oooh, sorry this was so long. It was something fun to share. I had a great time with Risa!

(Karen) Plus he's going to have to perform as well, with the Boy from Oz being nominated for Best Musical (won't win, of course), there will be a production number. *yippee* Mmmmmm, could we hope for one of the costume changing numbers? ;-P Or the butt shaking in I Go to Rio? ;-)

Thanks for info on HJ Mari and Evelyn:-) Roll on June 6th. Agree that SRB and KK are a close call, luv 'em both.

I would think Christopher Plummer as King Lear would be up high on that list, too.

Great report, Dorine! I think you're going to need to do a John Madden on that pic if we're going to pick out Risa. ;-)

Dorine - thanks for the Troy premiere news . .sorry I couldn't join you:( Sounds like you had fun!

I second that! Thanks, Dorine. Why doesn't Jennifer Aniston wear a push-up bra?

Great reporting Dorine (and a big "Hey" to Little Risa Bee)! Like that you have become acquainted with photog (pays to have friends in high places...or at least friends who can wipe their muddy boots on the red carpet)! Good pic of the Pittage too!

(Tress) Like that you have become acquainted with photog (pays to have friends in high places...or at least friends who can wipe their muddy boots on the red carpet)! I figured out who he was, not acquainted with him....yet. ;-) (Moon) Why doesn't Jennifer Aniston wear a push-up bra? She looks amazing. She doesn't need one. Or at least it doesn't matter to me. Oddly enough, I didn't even notice until I looked at the pics this morning.

Wow, great premiere story, that must have been lots of fun! Did anyone get a look at Saffron Burrows? Is she really this skeletal? http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/040511/1889/fwd107b20040511jpg&e=8&ncid=707

Troy report terrific, Dorine....complete with the URLs. Where was the party? Did you get Mr Darcy vibes from Brad Pitt;-)

(Marianne) Did anyone get a look at Saffron Burrows? Is she really this skeletal? You know, I almost didn't recognize her, partially because we couldn't get a great look at her face til the last moment, but also because I was thinking the woman looked "older" than someone her age would look, then I realized who it was. She *is* thin, no wonder I didn't realize who she was. I was rather taken aback at those pics of her, too, this morning. (Evelyn) Where was the party? Cipriani's. Did you get Mr Darcy vibes from Brad Pitt;-) LOL, apparently not, because Mr. Darcy didn't once come to mind. Not sure if it occurred to Risa either. Neither one of us mentioned it. And Risa, I'm watching E! News and apparently the woman he and Diane Kruger were talking to rather at length, at the end while we were in the plaza, was from E!. They showed a snippet of them talking there. Poor BP, she brought up the stuff about the reports of him liking to go around his house naked, and he didn't want to go there. That doof, Billy Bush from Access Hollywood was there, too.

(Dorine)I figured out who he was, not acquainted with him....yet. Just give her time, ladies, give her time (uh, do you think you could hurry and do it before TEOR)?;-) Thanks Dorine.

(Dorine)If I really squint and think real hard, I can see Risa all in black there. ;-) Me too! Way down at the end, that's my baby! It sounds like it was a blast and it's always so much fun when you (any of you!) take the time to share your your experiences. Especially for us gimps in the back waters;-)) (Dorine)We decided that screaming Eric didn't have quite the same timbre or singsongy quality as screaming "Colllllliinnnnn!!" ;-)) Aw shucks, thanks for that:-))

That doof, Billy Bush from Access Hollywood was there, too. Oh yuk! Now that is a doof and makes me cringe! He is so full of himself:-(

Loved the Troy reports, Dorine.....the next best thing to being there. (Dorine)I figured out who he was, not acquainted with him....yet. Just give her time, ladies, give her time (uh, do you think you could hurry and do it before TEOR)?;-) Gotta' love her moves. She really is amazing at these things IMO....'the High Priestess of Cool.

(Marianne)Did anyone get a look at Saffron Burrows? Is she really this skeletal? My DH and I thought the same thing when we saw the film . . V. scary how stick insect thin these actresses are getting (Evelyn) Where was the party? (Dorine)Cipriani's. What? . .Dorine . .you didn't get into the party????;) . .Was it the cipriani's across from grand central station? . . (leslie)gotta' love her moves. She really is amazing at these things IMO....'the High Priestess of Cool. She's got moxi that Dorine of ours;) . . I'm in high admiration of it;) Nice to start making aquaintatnces w/ photographers . .hope we meet the same one for TEOR . . .i'll start the iggy going . .let's see what we can make happen:) As an odd aside . .just finsihed watching Rebecca w/ Laurence Oliver. Loved it . .saw shades of Colin in LO's performance . .guess Colin must a picked up a thing or two while working w/ him on LE?;) . .Maxim DeWinter . .that may be an interesting role for Colin in the future . .

Hey Dorine - thanks for the update on who we missed! Brian Cox is short, so i can easily understand how we'd miss him. probably during one of the times we were chanting for the cars or vans (or buses) to move! and yeah, i have a picture of Peter O'Toole, and that's it. not even a good one, but you know, if i was going to get a picture of just one person that night, he's not a bad second runner up ;) also, my pic is slightly better than the pics on wireimage. i did have a fab pic of Eric's wife's dress, from the back! i definitely want one like that. everyone, it was this gorgeous purple and looked like something from the costumes of A Midsummer Night's dream. speaking of paparazzi pics, honestly, jennifer's cleavage did NOT look that droopy in the sunlight. she looked absolutely incredible. i think it's the flash casting shadows, i do. i didn't realize those papparaz pics were do dreadfully lit. and i'm disgusted, disgusted i am that brad had so many pictures and Eric had so few! (i love my aussie boys...) i was indeed the one who recognized Rodrigo - it made up for the other big mistakes i made... *blush* you and i were the only ones shouting out his name, though! even when the girls to the right of you finally knew who we were fussing over, they still didn't yell. anyway, i could chatter more about this but it's late, and thinking too much about that day makes me want to reach around and strangle that awful girl ("i was with angelina jolie and she felt SOOO bad for me as i was bodyslammed against the wall by the cops!") graaagh... ~lil bee, waving hi to everyone :)

Miramax pulling a Pixar? 05/11/2004 Miramax power duo Bob and Harvey Weinstein's fractious negotiations to renew their contracts at Disney beyond 2005 have hit a Pixar-like impasse. Should the two sides fail to extend their deal in the next few weeks, a private investor team -- backed by financier Steven Rattner and Comcast CEO Brian Roberts along with several Wall Street lenders -- is apparently prepared to back a new shingle for the Miramax founders. Current talks to extend the Weinsteins' deal for another four years after it expires in 2005 have no doubt been exacerbated by the current fracas surrounding Disney's refusal to distribute the Michael Moore (news) documentary "Fahrenheit 911." Disney this week apparently rejected Miramax's proposal to buy Moore's controversial film back for $6 million plus costs in order to find a new distributor. Disney evidently preferred to keep any share of the upside with a third-party distributor. In the past, Miramax has been able to buy back similar "too-hot-to-handle" titles, as it did with "Kids" and "Dogma." Miramax meanwhile is prepping for a legal battle on the pic and has retained high-profile attorney David Boies in an effort to resolve the doc's distribution fate. Case could go to arbitration in coming days. But the stalemate with Disney CEO Michael Eisner over future terms for the Miramax team dates back long before the Moore controversy. At the heart of the tussle with the Mouse House are differing philosophical views as to the right size and scope for Miramax: The unit's budget, for example, is currently capped at $700 million a year, an amount Eisner apparently is looking to scale back but the Weinsteins would like to see at least maintained. Disney brass last fall rejected a Miramax proposal to bring in $450 million in outside financing from Goldman Sachs (effectively setting up an equity fund with a revolving credit line) in a bid to both reduce Disney's capital exposure to Miramax's film slate while supplementing the company's budget beyond the level Disney was willing to commit to. If the two sides fail to agree, Miramax could theoretically try to buy back the company and its 500-title library from Disney (something Disney has repeatedly rejected) or indeed actively seek indie financing and distribution for future production. People close to Miramax insist the Weinsteins are looking only for the same terms in a new deal that they have under the current arrangement. [Ed note: Hey, you wanna buy the Brooklyn Bridge?] Disney made the terms an issue by trying to negotiate down key production terms and compensation. Banking sources said Tuesday that the two brothers would have no trouble drumming up financing to support a new shingle. Creatives would follow Key to a new partnership's ability to raise financing for a new Weinstein shop is the pair's track record and the loyalty of regular filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, who might be expected to follow. Disney historically has minimized Miramax's relative contribution to its film profits when guiding Wall Street securities analysts, but lending sources believe Miramax has been one of the most profitable of Disney film units over the past five to 10 years. Miramax is believed to have generated a return of $5 billion out of $6.2 billion invested in its film slate, and last year, is believed to have generated as much as $200 million in profit to the Mouse. Bob Weinstein's Dimension is thought to be the big cash cow, delivering 20% returns over the past eight years. Miramax overall currently supplies around 40% of Disney's live-action releases. "Bob and Harvey have done a great job, and they would be an asset to any company," said Terry Semel, CEO of Yahoo! and former Warner Bros. topper. "Surely if Joe Roth (at Revolution) can raise $1.5 billion from Wall Street, Harvey and Bob with their reputation should have no trouble. All they need is a distribution deal," one film financier said. Street heat Disney would certainly feel heat from Wall Street if it lost another key creative contributor after Pixar slammed the door on its negotiations. Sources suggest the Weinstein brothers are willing to accept reduced salaries in exchange for more flexible production terms based on the success of released films and reduced Disney veto power (Mouse currently approves all projects over $30 million-$35 million). An already embattled Eisner apparently has refused to budge so far, but like the Pixar negotiations, he could be in a no-win situation. Wall Streeters say losing the creative contribution of the Miramax duo would be another headline blow to Disney's stock, indicating again that the company was unable to come to terms with its creative contributors. However, accepting a deal with Miramax that the Street perceives as overly generous could also smell foul to shareholders.

I shall always be grateful to Disney. Without the Mouse, we never would have had TEP.

Sorry, had to pick myself off the floor for this one. From Ananova: Keira says LA makes her feel fat Keira Knightley says spending too much time in Hollywood makes her feel like she's fat. The 19-year-old slender star of Pirates of the Caribbean actress has been spending time in Los Angeles for her work. Teen Hollywood quoted her as saying: "I love LA, but I couldn't live there. If you're walking around LA, you're seeing all these perfect people and you start to think: "I've got to be like that". "You have to be really strong to live there - to resist the fad diet and not get the biggest breast implants." She added: "There are a lot of pressures to conform to type - to be thin, blonde and busty. I'm skinny, but even I couldn't fit into some of the clothes there. There are some ridiculously skinny people in LA."

(KK)I'm skinny, but even I couldn't fit into some of the clothes there Pfft! Honey, if you were any skinnier, you'd be a zygote. (She's awfully clever deflecting criticism from herself by launching a pre-emptive attack; this kid has a smart PR machine, I'll say that for her.) And we may have been hasty in judging her ability to play Lizzie Bennett. After all, she's playing King Arthur: Clive, could you move a a little to your right. A bit more, please . .. Ah, still more. Um, Clive, you're still in the picture . . .

Disney brass last fall rejected a Miramax proposal to bring in $450 million in outside financing from Goldman Sachs Doesn't Hugh Grant's brother work there? ;-) (Mari), And we may have been hasty in judging her ability to play Lizzie Bennett. For me the problem is who will be Mr. Darcy.

Keira says LA makes her feel fat Oh honey, get over yourself already.

Keira says LA makes her feel fat Dorine: Oh honey, get over yourself already Be fair, that was just the headline, not her words - amongst the very few quotes (presumably in response to questions not shown), she said "I'm skinny..." I even think she CAN act

Ok, in being literal, that is indeed fair enough. I know how things get distorted in interviews. (Mark) I even think she CAN act I admire you for admitting that. ;-)))) I'll get back to ya after King Arthur.

The number one Mystery of the Universe continues. From THR: Affleck out on 'Town' with Binder By Chris Gardner CANNES -- Ben Affleck just might be working his way toward "Man About Town" status. The actor, who recently toplined "Jersey Girl" for Miramax Films and helmer Kevin Smith, is attached to star in the project, written and to be directed by Mike Binder. Media 8 is pushing the film with a one-sheet here at the company's Cannes Market booth. However, a company spokesperson declined further comment on the status of the project. According to sources, Media 8 is in advanced negotiations with DreamWorks for a domestic distribution deal for "Town." The studio is already in business with Affleck on the upcoming holiday comedy "Surviving Christmas." The Hollywood-centric project follows the life of a talent agent who is having an affair with a co-worker, sources said. Media 8 is repping international sales rights on the project, which reteams them with Binder, who directed the company's upcoming family drama "The Upside of Anger," starring Kevin Costner, Joan Allen, Erika Christensen, Keri Russell, Evan Rachel Wood and Alicia Witt.

(Karen)The number one Mystery of the Universe continues Amazing... Now, can he keep himself off screen?--that would be a plus.

is attached to star in the project, written and to be directed by Mike Binder. Ben Affleck and Mike Binder! A dream project that is sure to do well! With Binder's witty way with words and Ben's delivery? An Oscar contender surely!! ;-)

Silly little thing . . . not really CF news . . .just an amusing blurb from an article on 5/7 . .that a critic wrote about movies she bonded with her mother over . . . and YKW was one of her favorites;) � "The English Patient." This was the movie in which my mother and I bonded over that most British of actors, Colin Firth. Firth played Kristin Scott-Thomas' husband. He calls her "Ducky," and she cheats on him with that cold, dislikable Ralph Fiennes. Halfway through the film, I turned to my mom and whispered: "I like the husband!" And my mother whispered back, fervently: "SO DO I!!!" Since then we have sought out Colin Firth films, including ... � "Shakespeare in Love." "I like Tom Stoppard. I've seen him interviewed," my mother says. This movie doesn't get a perfect rating - far from it - because you've got Gwyneth Paltrow jumping readily into bed with Joseph Fiennes, and face it, mothers were placed on earth to keep their daughters, even when their 20s are far behind them, away from this kind of thing. But the movie's cleverness made up for its faults. (My mom's favorite joke: when Shakespeare, discussing his wife, Anne Hathaway, says: "She has a cottage.") So did Colin Firth - who, by the way, again played the unwanted husband. � "Girl with a Pearl Earring." My mother likes the paintings of Jan Vermeer for their lovely, sunlit domesticity. Plus, my mom and I both look like people out of his paintings. Plus, in this gentle, beautiful, sex- and swear-word-free movie, Vermeer is played by Colin Firth. (See "The English Patient.") http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20040507/1045876.asp

This is for Risa "lil' bee" :-) Newsflash, his real name isn't Bana. The man who battles Brad By JOE NEUMAIER NEW YORK DAILY NEWS FEATURE WRITER "Troy" star Eric Bana says he didn't hold back a thing when it came time to film the climactic, kick-ass, sword-and-slamdown fight with Brad Pitt. "Brad and I had a pact: All bets were off," the 34-year-old Australian actor told the Daily News about his epic battle with Pitt in the blockbuster Greek warrior movie, which opens tomorrow. "I just had to forget about the fact that I would upset billions of female fans around the world if I disfigured him," Bana said with a laugh. "I had to somehow put that out of my mind! "I got a little scar on my face, but Brad got nothing from me - I took good care of him. We were mates, and we decided that we weren't going to be offended by belting each other, so we absolutely went for it. "There was no holding back," he said. In "Troy," Bana - who catapulted to fame last summer in "Hulk" - plays the troubled Prince Hector, who defends his brother Paris (Orlando Bloom) and his city against the mercenary warrior Achilles (Pitt). First the Hulk, and now an ancient warrior - so what's next for Bana? Well, he insists that he definitely won't be the new Superman. There was speculation "Troy" director Wolfgang Petersen might tap him as the Man of Steel if the filmmaker rejuvenates "Batman vs. Superman," which was to be Petersen's next film before he decided to tackle the Trojans. "Even if Wolfgang ends up doing it, I will not be Superman," says the dark-haired, buff Bana. "I'd definitely turn it down. It's not for me. One superhero in a lifetime is enough." Bana - who changed his name from Banadinovich when he began performing - comes to Hollywood blockbusters from an unlikely route. Growing up in Melbourne (where he still lives with his wife and two children, ages 2 and 4), he fell into standup and sketch comedy, eventually starring in his own hit Australian TV series, "The Eric Bana Show Live." "I dreamt of being a dramatic actor all my life, but I found my way into sketch comedy and absolutely loved it," he says. "Every day I got to be five or six different characters. "The leap from sketch comedy to drama is not that far removed. So when the opportunity came up in Australia to audition for 'Chopper,' I just went for it." For "Chopper," a 2000 Australian drama, Bana packed on 40 pounds to play real-life ruffian Mark (Chopper) Read, who had a killer sneer and a nasty habit of serial slaying. It was that performance that got Bana a role in Ridley Scott's war drama "Black Hawk Down" and the starring role of Bruce Banner in last year's "Hulk." Even though that big-budget film underperformed at the U.S. box office and got a critical flogging, Bana says the experience was a good one. "People like to make 'Hulk' sound as negative as humanly possible," says Bana. "Sure, it was darker than what people were expecting, but I'm really proud of it ... "There was a luxury for me in that no one knew who I was. I wasn't on the poster, they weren't coming to see me. So there really wasn't pressure on me at all." Still, the extensive physical training, long shooting schedule and epic scale of "Troy" is making Bana hungry for comedy again. "If the right thing came along, I'd be absolutely interested and tempted," he says. "But to me, comedy is like a chocolate bar, and drama is like a smorgasbord - it tends to fill your stomach and stay there for a little bit longer. "And as with 'Troy,' I enjoy that feast."

Be fair, that was just the headline, not her words I agree. The point of her interview is that LA and the whole Hollywood culture make its participants paranoid about their looks and conforming to a certain image. European actresses are much more comfortable with their age than Hollywood actresses, who are constantly under the gun to diet and go under the knife. There was an interesting article about Eileen Atkins, Colin's costar in WAGW and the lady with the goat in Cold Mountain. She said that the producers had to go to Europe to find a woman for her role because American actresses being considered had too much plastic surgery to look like a grizzled mountain woman. A movie comparable to Calendar Girls could not realistically be made in the US. Keira was just saying that even though she knows she's skinny, the extremes of LA make even her feel fat. Actually I have been a fan of Keira ever since I read her spontaneous praise of Colin after being asked about Hugh Grant: "What about working with Hugh Grant? "Our paths cross in the film, but we sadly don't have a proper scene together. I met him a few times, and I also did a few days with Colin Firth who I absolutely love! He's fantastic and really cool, and we had a real giggle." http://keiraknightley.free.fr/News/STORY9.html

(Tress) Ben Affleck and Mike Binder! A dream project that is sure to do well! LOL -- *better* than Gigli and  L�dum ???  My suggestion for female cast: Heather Graham and Jennifer Rubin My worst nightmare: "We are thrilled to announce that Colin Firth has joined the cast of "Man About Town"

Theatre News from London: At the Almeida: "The third show in the season will see Simon Russell Beale, perhaps the leading Shakespearean actor of his generation, appearing as Macbeth in John Caird?s new production. The same actor ? director partnership was responsible for the internationally acclaimed production of Hamlet at the National in 2000. Perhaps the most visceral of Shakespeare?s tragedies, Macbeth tells the tale of an heroic warrior who finds himself in thrall to his own lofty ambitious and the brainworming words of others. Macbeth will open on January 20 2005 after previewing from January 13."

A movie comparable to Calendar Girls could not realistically be made in the US. Did Eileen Atkins say this or you? Because it's hardly accurate. There are plenty of out-of-work, post-40 actresses who could've done this, ones who are aging gracefully.

How about actresses in their '50s, which is more Mirren's age? Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon, Sigourney Weaver, Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates. That's just off the top of my head. Don't give them short-shrift, Katty, they're all very active, doing good work, looking great, and aging beautifully and naturally. As for Keira, sorry, IMO it's disingenuous for someone who is as painfully thin as she is to say she can't fit in the clothes, implying that she's "heavier" than the norm. Where is she shopping, Gap Kids?;-)

(Mari)How about actresses in their '50s, which is more Mirren's age? Diane Keaton, Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon......... LOL!!! This was my developing list as I read Karen's post! And some of them are still doing sexy nudish scenes!;-))

I wish I could play hookey from work tomorrow and see this. "Troy" Greeks Bearing Immortality By A. O. SCOTT New York Times CANNES, France "THIS war will never be forgotten. Nor will the heroes who fight in it." This line of dialogue expresses a thought that recurs frequently, with various inflections and in the mouths of various heroes, over the nearly two and a half hours of Wolfgang Petersen's "Troy," which had its world premiere here last night and opens nationwide in the United States today. In one sense, it is less a prophecy than a statement of the obvious, since the names of Achilles, Hector, Odysseus and the rest have endured for 3,000 years. At the same time, though, the endless talk of immortality seems to express the picture's anxious, na�ve ambition, which is to rise above the welter of summer blockbusters and ascend into the pantheon of movie classics. This is most unlikely. "Troy," which cost something approaching the gross national product of modern Greece, will be lucky to survive the arrival of "Shrek 2" on Wednesday. But for what it is � a big, expensive, occasionally campy action movie full of well-known actors speaking in well-rounded accents � "Troy" is not bad. It has the blocky, earnest integrity of a classic comic book, and it labors to respect the strangeness and grandeur of its classical sources. Some moments may make you rue the existence of cinema, or at least of movies with sound, since the dialogue often competes with James Horner's score for puffed-up obviousness. But there are others � crisply edited combat sequences, tableaus of antique splendor, a hugely muscled Brad Pitt modeling the latest in Hellenic leisure wear � that remind you why you like movies in the first place. From its opening scenes, "Troy," freely adapted by David Benioff from "The Iliad" and other sources, plunges you into a world shaped by complex codes of honor, loyalty and military virtue. Or, rather, it plunges you into a world where people talk about such things incessantly, and where every speech is punctuated by booming timpani and the ululations of an apparently tongueless female singer, her inarticulate moans announcing that this is not just a movie but an epic. Still, for once there really is a solid epic architecture underneath all the pageantry, and not just a very long movie set in the distant past. Mr. Benioff's script, for all its line-by-line infelicities, shows a real fascination with Homer's great characters, and with the nexus of divided loyalties and competing ambitions that led to so much death and destruction. Unlike movies that take war as a simple contest of good and evil, "Troy" remains faithful to Homer (and to human nature) by understanding war as a political event, with plenty of viciousness and virtue to go around. Like his screenplay for Spike Lee's "25th Hour" (based on his own novel), "Troy" is fundamentally a story about treachery and brotherhood � about the fallibility and fragile nobility of men. In other words, it was not all Helen's fault. Helen, played by Diane Kruger, a German model, is perfectly lovely, and it is easy to see why she prefers the boyish Paris (Orlando Bloom) to grouchy Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), the ruler of Sparta. But their puppyish romance is the trivial pretext for the war rather than its true cause. Menelaus's jealousy is exploited by his brother Agamemnon (Brian Cox), who uses the insult to further his imperial ambitions. His chief weapon is the sullen Achilles (Mr. Pitt), who in an early scene strolls out of his love tent, like a petulant movie star summoned from his trailer, to dispatch an enormous Thessalonian warrior with a single stroke of the sword. Achilles' temperament � a volatile mixture of vanity, cynicism and sentimentality � is the key to the movie, and Mr. Pitt attacks the role with the same vigor and agility the character demonstrates in combat. Yes, his accent sounds a bit like Madonna's, perhaps in deference to the mostly English and Australian actors who make up most of the cast, but for once he does not seem embarrassed by his charisma, or driven to subvert it with actorish tics. Achilles' narcissism is like that of a modern celebrity: he fights because it will bring him fame, not to serve the gods or the glory of the Greek nation or, least of all, his corrupt king. His true loyalty is to individuals � his beloved cousin Patroclus (Garrett Hedlund), his ruthless Myrmidons and his love interest, the captured Trojan priestess Briseis (Rose Byrne) � rather than to causes. His Trojan counterpart is Paris's brother, Hector (Eric Bana), who is constrained by the bonds of kinship, duty and patriotism that Achilles disdains. If Achilles is a kind of existentialist rock star, Hector is a stoical family man, protective of his wayward brother, respectful of his father, Priam (Peter O'Toole), and devoted to his wife, Andromache (Saffron Burrows) and their infant son. The events leading up to Hector's duel with Achilles � a tempest of failure, deceit and unappeasable emotion � are the beating heart of Homer's poem, and the filmmakers approach them with respectful sobriety, even going so far as to lower the volume on Mr. Horner's music. Mr. Bana, after his tentative superhero turn in "The Hulk," shows more confidence here. His brooding, bearded countenance plays against Mr. Pitt's gleaming blondness, and the visual contrast emphasizes the differences between the characters. Meanwhile, you can savor a generational contrast in acting styles whenever Mr. Cox or Mr. O'Toole appears onscreen. Mr. O'Toole, frail and pale-eyed, quavers and whispers his way through the movie with regal panache, and with that sly knack, common among British actors of a certain age, for seeming utterly aloof from the movie and at the same time utterly committed to it. Mr. Cox, for his part, never misses an opportunity to toss his impressive hair extensions and bellow like a beast of prey. If Odysseus hadn't thought up the Trojan Horse, this Agamemnon would have chewed through the walls of Troy all by himself. Whether "Troy" will spur a revival of Hollywood interest in ancient literature remains to be seen, but the Greek and Roman canon is full of franchise potential, since it consists mainly of sequels, prequels and spin-offs. Some are signaled near the end of Mr. Petersen's film as the Greeks overrun the city. (What's your name, kid? Aeneas? Here, take this sword and go found another city somewhere else. Penelope? Yeah, it's Odysseus. Yeah. Bad connection. Listen, I'll be home soon. Who were you just talking to?) One notable sequel, however, has been foreclosed, by a killing that is certainly merited but that will nonetheless be surprising to scholars. I won't spoil it, but if I were Aeschylus, I'd call my agent.

Re: Troy....I liked it overall and it was well made, but not work-skipping good, IMO. (Karen) Did Eileen Atkins say this or you? Because it's hardly accurate. There are plenty of out-of-work, post-40 actresses who could've done this, ones who are aging gracefully. I got the impression from what she was saying that Eileen Atkins said it, and if not her, it was said or implied in the article vs being Katty's opinion. And I'm sorry, but again, IMNSHO there isn't one of those actresses you all mentioned above I could see as a "grizzled" mountain woman without having to add *much* makeup, which was the point of that piece of the article. If I understood it correctly, they were looking for someone already a bit more naturally weathered, not just "older." I've seen Meryl Streep, Sigourney Weaver, Jessica Lange, Helen Mirren up close in the last year or so, and I'm telling you, there is nothing remotely "grizzled" about any of them. And my guess is that at least one of them is not aging gracefully....well at least naturally. ;-)

Oops, forgot to mention Calendar Girls. I do agree all of them could do Calendar Girls, though actually, they'd have to dowd those people up (or down as the case may be. Helen Mirren is better and younger looking in person. Maybe it was the way they shot it, the film stock, etc.

thank you Mari! that was a great little article! there's a picture of EB that i love, which is him doing one of his sketches, and he's got a TERRIBLE 80s mullet. i couldn't stop laughing!

There are two separate statements being made, both of which I disagree with: (1) She [Eileen Atkins] said that the producers had to go to Europe to find a woman for her role because American actresses being considered had too much plastic surgery to look like a grizzled mountain woman. Baloney! The US has character actresses as well, i.e., ones who do grizzled easily. It's hardly as if the majority of the US public who saw Cold Mountain would know Eileen Atkins from the cashier at the local Target. (somebody, maybe Atkins again) A movie comparable to Calendar Girls could not realistically be made in the US. (again, referring to the dearth of normal looking older actresses) Horse hockey! See above list. However, such a movie would not likely be made in the US because movies about older people just aren't made, unless it would be for TV. But that is changing with the popularity of the last two (flabby) Nicholson vehicles. Please put Ellen Burstyn on the above list too.

And Glenn Close, unless I missed her. Actually, I have to admit, I'm blanking on the US character actresses potentially in question. Though I did see one, Irma P. Hall, who was in The Ladykillers, in another movie tonight and she's great. Can't see her in the mountains, though. ;-) (Karen) It's hardly as if the majority of the US public who saw Cold Mountain would know Eileen Atkins from the cashier at the local Target. And unfortunately for the studio, it doesn't seem enough UK'rs or Europeans who would know who she is didn't see the movie. I don't think overseas box office was too hot, was it? It's late and am lazy now, don't want to look it up for sure. ;-)

(Dorine) And unfortunately for the studio, it doesn't seem enough UK'rs or Europeans who would know who she is didn't see the movie. Like I said before, given Eileen Atkins' lack of name/face recognition here, any nameless American character actress would likely have done for that role.

(Tress) Ben Affleck and Mike Binder! A dream project that is sure to do well! Was away for one day and I come back to this! LOL! Talk about being in the "in crowd"? Or did he sell his soul to the devil? ;-) Also to add to the list, is the actress who plays Julienne Moore's mother in Laws of Attraction, she was excellent. I'm sure she can do anything.

Frances Fisher (ex-wife of Clint Eastwood), but she's too well-preserved, which was the point of her character in Laws of Attraction. More dream casting! ;-D Girl' star will play twin role 05/12/2004 "What a Girl Wants" star Amanda Bynes is starring in an untitled pic being produced by Lauren Shuler Donner for DreamWorks. Film will be a contemporary take on Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" -- a story about the comic and romantic complications that ensue when a teenage girl poses as her missing twin brother for two weeks.

I was wondering what had happened to AB. She seems to be off the radar now. (Surely Colin is not responsible) ;-))) Lindsay Logan, the twins and Lizzy Maguire seem to be the hot ones. (Karen), Frances Fisher (ex-wife of Clint Eastwood), but she's too well-preserved, which was the point of her character in Laws of Attraction. True. And wasn't she great? Great actresses can do anything, IMO, especially now with the fantastic stage make up improvements. The grizzly look? Easy. ;-)

From the It-Pays-To-Be-Jude-Law's-Girlfriend Column...from Baz today: Sienna beats Scarlett to date with Casanova British actress Sienna Miller has beaten Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson to become the object of Casanova's desire. Sienna, 23, will be the leading lady - opposite Heath Ledger as the legendary lover and fighter - in a �40million drama about how Casanova finally met his match, in the shape of a woman apparently immune to his charms. "She wouldn't give him the time of day," explained Casanova producer Mark Gordon, the man behind the thriller Speed and forthcoming summer special-effects extravaganza The Day After Tomorrow. Sienna and Scarlett, who won much acclaim for her perfectly pitched performance in Sofia Coppola's movie Lost In Translation, were among several actresses who auditioned for the part of Francesca, daughter of an impoverished Venetian aristocrat. "The father wants to marry her off to a wealthy man she doesn't love; and then there's Casanova, who falls in love with her, but she's very resistant to his overtures," Gordon said. "Sienna's going to be a star," he insisted. "She's got the talent and everything else, but who knows about these things? We'll give her everything she needs and the rest is up to her. "Scarlett was certainly someone we looked at, but she wasn't cast and anyway, we decided to go with Sienna,' added Gordon, who will oversee the movie which Lasse Hallstrom will begin directing on location in Venice from August 1. Sienna, who became more than just good friends with Jude Law after they met on the set of What's It All About, Alfie?, clinched the part even though her first two films haven't even been released yet. The aforementioned Alfie film, an update of the Michael Caine classic, comes out in early autumn while Matthew Vaughn's much-anticipated Layer Cake will be premiered at the Venice Film Festival in late August. If the extensive Layer Cake footage I have seen is anything to go by, both the picture and its leads - Sienna and Daniel Craig - will be big hits.

(Dorine)there isn't one of those actresses you all mentioned above I could see as a "grizzled" mountain woman Dorine, re-read my note. I was referring to the Calendar Girls type roles, i.e., actresses in their '50s, same as Mirren, et. al. Grizzled? Agree with Karen and Moon, anyone could have played that. Regional theater--and North Carolina has a very active one--is full of them. And as an aside, if Minghella were truly concerned with people looking the part, I have to wonder why he had Nicole Kidman in full make-up, hair just so, meticulous manicures, and costumes/hats that must have been Raleigh-Durham by way of the Milan catwalk.;-) This was a woman who suffered through 4 years of war, starvation, and hard times.

*snort* BTW, I meant no disrepect to Eileen Atkins and her acting abilities. She's a marvelous actress.

BTW, I meant no disrepect to Eileen Atkins and her acting abilities. Same here, she's wonderful. And if Minghella got her to go to Romania by telling her no one else could play the role, well, what the heck.;-) I also don't want my comments misconstrued as whining about why an American wasn't cast. You know I despise that sort of thinking. The director liked her, she was cast, and she did a fine job, which is all how it should be. Was merely addressing the "there are no age-appropriate-looking American actresses" fallacy.

Yes, I did notice I had melded what I was reading after I made my comments. Oh well. I still stand by some of my points though.

(Moon) I was wondering what had happened to AB. She seems to be off the radar now. (Surely Colin is not responsible) ;-))) She's been pluggin' away at the WB on "What I Like About You" with Jennie Garth. Love Eileen...she was great in CM. Maybe she got the part cuz the UK is a shorter flight that the US. Needed to save moola for Nicole's Civil War baby blue frosted eyeshadow and couture. ;-)

Scarlett Johansson is on the cover of the June Elle mag.(Great picture and beautiful dress) She was asked about her favourite actors and did not mention Colin. Does want to direct one day. And is sometimes called Starlet Johansson because of her fits.

(Moon) called Starlet Johansson because of her fits. LOL, a diva in the making. ;-) Did she mention John Travolta or whoever her current co-star is now as one of her favorites? ;-) Is that the article she admits to the fling with Benecio Del Toro in the elevator at Chateau Marmont or wherever it was? Whatever it's from, it funny to hear her say it was unsanitary. I kept wondering why she was doing it then if it was so bad. ;-)

(Moon)She seems to be off the radar now. Not too far off, though. She recently did a round of AM talk shows, (saw her twice in the same week) but as I only had them on in the background I didn't catch what she was promoting. (Dorine)LOL, a diva in the making. ;-) LOL. In the making?

She's young yet and not fully flexed her diva muscles, though true she's gettin' there fast. Give her time, just give her time. ;-)

(Dorine)LOL, a diva in the making. ;-) A diva in the mating. ;-) Did she mention John Travolta or whoever her current co-star is now as one of her favorites? ;-) No. Gary Sinise was one. I thought she could have been nice and mention Colin. The writer said he tried to contact some of her old co-stars to get a comment for the article, but they all declined. Is that the article she admits to the fling with Benecio Del Toro in the elevator at Chateau Marmont or wherever it was? Whatever it's from, it funny to hear her say it was unsanitary Yes. Re: Troy, I hate the fact that there is no Cassandra. The gods are ignored, and once you do that, well it's not the same story. I say, rent the 4 hour version!