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Post by serin on Jun 11, 2011 4:05:01 GMT -5
'King's Speech' actor Colin Firth honored by queen [/img] June 10, 2011, LONDON (AP) -- British actor Colin Firth won an Oscar for portraying King George VI in "The King's Speech," and now the king's daughter Queen Elizabeth II will give him another prize. Firth, who won acclaim for his portrayal of a troubled monarch working to overcome his stutter to make a radio broadcast at the beginning of World War II, will be named a Commander of the British Empire or CBE in the Birthday Honors List published Saturday. Queen Elizabeth II turned 85 in April, but she has traditionally celebrated an "official" birthday on June 11. Britain's honors are bestowed twice a year by the monarch — at New Year's and on her official birthday in June — but recipients are selected by committees of civil servants from nominations made by the government and the public. In descending order, the honors are knighthoods, CBE, OBE and MBE — Member of the Order of the British Empire. Knights are addressed as "sir" or "dame." Recipients of the other honors have no title but can put the letters after their names. msn.com
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Post by serin on Oct 11, 2011 5:13:27 GMT -5
Hollywood stars give voice to their favourite novels in audiobook boom
Kate Winslet, Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman are among the A-list names signing up to read 'talking books' Colin Firth is following up last year's Oscar for The King's Speech by recording an audiobook of Graham Greene's The End of the Affair. An array of Oscar-winners and A-list stars have signed up to narrate literary classics of their choice for the rapidly growing audiobook market. Nicole Kidman, Kate Winslet, Dustin Hoffman and Colin Firth are among Hollywood's biggest names to set the trend. [/URL] Not so long ago, audiobooks were the poor cousins of the publishing world, particularly in the UK, where "talking books" were largely abridged. Jobbing actors were usually recruited as readers. Now, with worldwide demand soaring, the stars want to be heard reading unabridged books. A dozen A-list names have already been cast as narrators, inspired by the chance to read a favourite book. Seven are Oscar-winners. Winslet, who won the 2009 best actress award for The Reader, has long wanted to film Zola's gripping murder story Thérèse Raquin but, as Hollywood is yet to be convinced, narrating it is the next best thing. Winslet said: "As a listener, being able to tune out and be taken into another world, an atmosphere, an environment that is being created entirely for you by somebody else's voice, is a wonderful, magical thing." Kidman, who won an Oscar in 2003 for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in The Hours, will record Woolf's To the Lighthouse. Firth, fresh from his recent Oscar success with The King's Speech, has chosen Graham Greene's The End of the Affair, "a record of hate far more than of love", as one of the characters observes. The recordings will be launched next year by Audible, the UK's largest provider of downloadable audiobooks, and a US subsidiary of Amazon. Its founder, Donald Katz, told the Observer: "Colin Firth could read me the back of a Marmite jar and I would listen… I'd pay Dustin Hoffman to read from a cereal box." You can read the rest here : Guardian.co.uk
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Post by serin on Feb 3, 2012 6:17:17 GMT -5
Colin Firth to star in West Memphis 3 movie 'The Devil's Knot'Feb. 1, 2012, 4:15 PM EST TheWrap /msnbc Colin Firth has signed on to star as Ron Lax, the private investigator whose detective work helped get three men who had been convicted of murder released from prison in Arkansas, the producers of the Weinstein Co.'s "The Devil's Knot" told TheWrap Wednesday. Lax "really is the unsung hero of this story," producer Elizabeth Fowler said. The West Memphis Three are Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley, Jr., who were convicted of killing three 8-year-old boys in West Memphis, Ark., in 1993. Their guilt has been questioned ever since, with filmmakers taking up the case in a series of documentaries. "The Devil's Knot" will take a fictionalized approach to the case, which shot back into headlines in August when a judge ordered the West Memphis Three freed. The judge freed the men based, in large part, on evidence that Lax found. The private investigator -- who worked on the case at no charge for more than a decade because he opposes the death penalty -- found DNA evidence that linked the stepfather of one of the murdered boys to material that was used to bind one of the victims. The movie, however, "is not about how they got out of prison," producer Clark Peterson told TheWrap. "It's about how they got in." The story is told through Lax's eyes and through the eyes of Pam Hobbs, whose son, Steven Branch, was one of the victims. Ultimately, Lax found DNA evidence linking Hobbs' husband to the crime scene. Lax, originally from Memphis, Tenn., built a successful private investigation business that is one of the largest in the Southeast. When he heard that the state of Arkansas planned to pursue the death penalty against Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley, he offered his services. But he was reluctant to participate in a movie, according to Fowler. "He's a private investigator," Fowler said. "He's not a person who seeks attention or publicity." She said that she convinced him to participate in the project "so we could tell the story with him as our male lead because it was important to get this story told, and a feature film would reach many more people than documentaries would." Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky filmed three "Paradise Lost" documentaries about the case, and Peter Jackson produced "West of Memphis," which screened at Sundance. "The Devil's Knot" is based on journalist Mara Leveritt's book. Atom Egoyan is directing the movie, which begins shooting this summer. The Weinstein Co.'s Dimension Films has been developing the project for years. In addition to Fowler and Peterson, Richard Saperstein and Paul Harris Boardman will produce. Boardman and Scott Derrickson are writing.
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Post by serin on Apr 15, 2012 4:55:00 GMT -5
ARTHUR NEWMAN, GOLF PROThe plot : Wallace Avery (Firth) hates his job. His ex-wife and son hate him, and he's blown his one shot at living his dream. Not wanting to face all this, he stages his own death and buys himself a new identity as Arthur Newman.
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Post by serin on Aug 14, 2012 3:32:33 GMT -5
Colin Firth talks about THE RAILWAY MAN in which he co-stars with Nicole Kidman THE RAILWAY MAN is based on Lomax's book of the same name, which tells of his suffering as a young Scottish POW on the Burma railway and how, with the help of his wife, he travelled back to Asia to meet one of his torturers in an attempt let go of a lifetime of bitterness and hate. Speaking at a press conference in the Scottish capital alongside Kidman and co-stars Stellan Skarsgård and Jeremy Irvine (who plays the young Lomax), Firth said he had been struck by the old soldier's story and how it still has relevance today. "Just about any era you could name could be held to be famous for its brutality and devilish tortures," said Firth. "Sadly, I can't envisage a time when it won't be relevant. I think what is not often addressed is the effect over time. We do sometimes see stories about what it's like coming home from war, we very rarely see stories about what it's like decades later. This is not just a portrait of suffering. It's about relationships… how that damage interacts with intimate relationships, with love." Well, you cant help but give that look to Mr Darcy ! ;D
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Post by serin on Aug 14, 2012 3:51:12 GMT -5
Production Begins on Devil's Knot16 July 2012 Production has officially commenced on two upcoming projects. First up, filming is underway in Atlanta on the real-life drama Devil’s Knot, directed by Atom Egoyan. The film stars Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth and follows the true story of the West Memphis 3 case, in which three teenagers were wrongfully charged with murdering three young boys in West Memphis, Arkansas in the 1990s. Witherspoon plays the mother of one of the victims, while Firth plays the private investigator hired to look into the case. The cast also includes Amy Ryan, Dane DeHaan, and Stephen Moyer. Collider Goodness..He is working non-stop !
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Post by serin on Sept 25, 2013 5:19:24 GMT -5
Was there a dress code? Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth suit up for The Railway Man premiere in Toronto
They're both Oscar winners happily married with two small children. And Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth both suited up Friday night for the Toronto Film Festival premiere of their film The Railway Man. The 46-year-old actress looked chic in a snug Altuzarra pantsuit, featuring lacy cut-out detailing on the blazer and sleeves. Oscar winners: Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth both suited up Friday night for the Toronto Film Festival premiere of their film The Railway Man With her blonde locks in an updo, the Moulin Rouge star added a few more inches to her five-foot-11 frame with bowed Louis Vuitton pumps. Her 52-year-old co-star looked every but the dapper English gentleman in his classic black suit, necktie, and white dress shirt. Both Nicole and Colin posed with their Canadian fans outside the bustling Roy Thomson Hall. The Railway Man is a WWII drama - premiering January 3 in the UK - about real-life British prisoner of war, Eric Lomax. The Railway Man: The To Die For actress plays Eric's second wife Patricia, who helps him overcome the unspeakable torture he endured working on the Thai/Burma 'Death Railway' The Pride and Prejudice hunk was joined at the glitzy red carpet event by his wife of 16 years, Italian director Livia Giuggioli. Nicole and Colin both attended the after party for the film at the Live at the Hive event and chatted to guests sipping on SodaStream custom cocktails. The longtime couple are parents to two sons - 12-year-old Luca and 10-year-old Matteo. On Sunday night, Colin is scheduled to attend the TIFF premiere of his other real-life drama, Devil’s Knot. Greeting fans: The 46-year-old actress looked chic in a snug Altuzarra pantsuit, featuring lacy cut-out detailing on the blazer and sleeves Say cheese! Her 52-year-old co-star looked every but the dapper English gentleman in his classic black suit while posing with his Canadian fans outside the bustling Roy Thomson Hall Kidman and Firth will act opposite each other again in next year's amnesia thriller Before I Go to Sleep. Meanwhile, Nicole's husband Keith Urban was busy filming his second stint as judge on the 13th season of American Idol in Los Angeles. When asked on Friday what she'd think of a duet between the four-time Grammy winner and returning judge Jennifer Lopez, Kidman got excited. 'I'd [want] to see it,' she told E! Online. 'I'm a huge fan of both of them.' Amazon: With her blonde locks in an updo, the Moulin Rouge star added a few more inches to her five-foot-11 frame with bowed Louis Vuitton pumps attending the after party at Live at the Hive Sheer cut-outs: Nicole accessorised her all-black ensemble with black drop-earrings and a diamond broach Fancy date night: The Pride and Prejudice hunk was joined at the glitzy red carpet event by his wife of 16 years, Italian director Livia Giuggioli The Fox singing competition returns to airwaves next January. The Rabbit Hole star and her country singer beau are parents to two daughters - two-year-old Faith Margaret and five-year-old Sunday Rose. She also has two adopted kids - 20-year-old Isabella and 18-year-old Connor - with ex-husband Tom Cruise. Back for more! Meanwhile, Nicole's husband Keith Urban was busy filming his second stint as judge on the 13th season of American Idol, which airs January on Fox Nicole will next be seen in the biopic Grace of Monaco, which comes out November 27. She reportedly beat out Jessica Chastain, Charlize Theron, Reese Witherspoon, and Gwyneth Paltrow for the coveted role of Oscar winner-turned-Princess Grace Kelly. The three-time Golden Globe winner will also appear in Anchorman: The Legend Continues, due out December 20, with Will Ferrell. Happy family: The Rabbit Hole star and her country singer beau are parents to two daughters - two-year-old Faith Margaret and five-year-old Sunday Rose Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2414543/Nicole-Kidman-Colin-Firth-suit-The-Railway-Man-premiere-Toronto.html#ixzz2ftkLzqpI
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Post by serin on Nov 22, 2013 5:09:22 GMT -5
Christopher McQuarrie Will Direct Colin Firth In ‘Three to Kill’
Published 4 hours ago by Andrew Crump Since busting out of director jail last year and helming a big screen treatment of Jim Grant’s Jack Reacher series, Christopher McQuarrie has been making every effort to keep himself busy; the former Wolverine scribe has hopped on board for a feature-length rendition of British TV series Unforgiven (not, as one might assume, a remake of the classic Clint Eastwood Western), and more recently signed up to take the reigns on Mission: Impossible 5, which will reunite him with Reacher star Tom Cruise. (To say nothing of his numerous writing credits, which include, but aren’t limited to, Jack the Giant Slayer and Cruise’s 2014 sci-fi action flick, Edge of Tomorrow.) Now, McQuarrie has added yet another production to his burgeoning pile: an adaptation of Three to Kill, a book by French author Jean-Patrick Manchette. That’s not to be confused with Three Days to Kill, also French, but a completely different picture altogether. Manchette’s narrative, set on the country’s coast, revolves around a businessman who finds himself caught in the sights of two ruthless killers after witnessing a murder; with McQuarrie at the wheel and Howard Rodman on script duty, the leading role has been handed over to Colin Firth, though no other casting information has been made available thus far. Deadline broke the news just recently. For all of McQuarrie’s big future plans, Three to Kill sounds like it could be a good choice for the off-season when he’s not chasing after action blockbusters like Mission: Impossible 5. A lean, focused, straightforward thriller (which honestly sounds slightly Hitchcockian at a glance) sounds like a nice refresher course following the further escapades of Ethan Hunt – though perhaps Manchette’s novel has more twists and turns to it than meet the eye. Maybe we’ll get a better idea of what shape Three to Kill will take next year, when Pierre Morel (Taken, District 13) releases The Gunman, which he’s adapted from a totally separate Manchette story. That film features the likes of Idris Elba, Sean Penn, and Javier Bardem in primary and supporting parts, though it also seems quite a bit more gun-happy and focused on international intrigue, so there could be nothing that The Gunman can teach us about what McQuarrie has in store for us with his own Manchette project. Perhaps there’s more to learn from West Coast Blues, the Eisner-nominated comic book based on Three to Kill; that alone suggests the material has something great going for it, and should be cause for excitement more than the names attached to the film so far. Firth, for his part, has plenty on his plate too – The Railway Man and Devil’s Knot both enjoyed their premieres at TIFF this past September, and the former will begin its theatrical run in Australia December 26th. Meanwhile, he’s all set to join Emma Stone for Woody Allen’s next film, Magic in the Moonlight, as well as Matthew Vaughn’s The Secret Service. Hopefully none of this means he has to squeeze Three to Kill out of his schedule; he and McQuarrie could make a great duo. We’ll wait to see where all of this goes. _____ Source: Deadline
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Post by serin on Apr 9, 2014 4:47:21 GMT -5
THE RAILWAY MAN
Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman / Film opens at 18 April 2014
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Post by serin on May 1, 2014 5:40:03 GMT -5
Colin Firth Finds an Eye In The Sky
Gavin Hood will direct the drone thriller
30 April 2014 | Written by James White | Source: Deadline
Drones remain very much a hot topic and a source of drama for films that want that extra political edge. Now Eye In The Sky, a film about use of the unmanned weapons, has emerged from the depths of development hell pulled by leading man and producer Colin Firth.
With Firth’s company Raindog Films working with Entertainment One to get the film made, Ender’s Game director Gavin Hood has come aboard to call the shots for the thriller. With a script from Guy Hibbert that was originally developed at BBC Films, Sky follows the complicated chain of authority that is firmly yanked when a new wrinkle enters a drone mission.
The focus is on a few characters involved, including military intelligence officer Colonel Michelle Madden, remotely commanding a drone operation to locate terrorists in Nairobi. When the team discovers that their targets are planning a suicide mission, the targets are marked for death instead. Then, just as pilot Steve Watts is set to destroy the safe house, he spots a nine-year-old girl entering the kill zone and must pass the request for confirmation of the next step up to the highest levels, including our own foreign secretary.
“The use of unmanned aircraft in modern warfare and in the so-called 'War on Terror’ poses critical questions for us all,” Firth says in a statement picked up by Deadline. “Raindog was launched with the hope of making challenging thoughtful films, and I’m pleased to be a part of an exploration into such a crucial issue.”
The story has been floating for a while, and in 2011, it looked like Downfall director Oliver Hirschbiegel might take it on. Now, however, Hood is in the director’s chair and Entertainment One will be offering the film to distributors at the upcoming Cannes film market.
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