Monday, May 26, 2008

Out with the old

Poor Urth Caffe. Seems Jake Gyllenhaal has thrown them over in favor of the smooth stylings and una bella tazza that only Caffe Luxxe in Santa Monica can provide.

Bye bye, Urth.



Hello, Caffe Luxxe.






Photos courtesy of IHJ.

_____________________________________________________________

Classic scene from Tootsie, with Dustin Hoffman and Sydney Pollack.



But only with “Tootsie,” in 1982, did Mr. Pollack become a fully realized Hollywood player.

By then he was represented by Michael S. Ovitz and the rapidly expanding Creative Artists Agency. So was his leading man, Dustin Hoffman.

As the film — a comedy about a struggling actor who disguises himself as a woman to get a coveted television part — was being shot for Columbia Pictures, Mr. Pollack and Mr. Hoffman became embroiled in a semi-public feud, with Mr. Ovitz running shuttle diplomacy between them.

Mr. Hoffman, who had initiated the project, argued for a more broadly comic approach. But Mr. Pollack — who played Mr. Hoffman’s agent in the film — was drawn to the seemingly doomed romance between the cross-dressing Hoffman character and the actress played by Jessica Lange.

If Mr. Pollack did not prevail on all points, he tipped the film in his own direction. Meanwhile, the movie came in behind schedule, over budget and surrounded by bad buzz.

Yet “Tootsie” was also a winner. It took in more than $177 million at the domestic box office and received 10 Oscar nominations, including for best picture. (Ms. Lange took home the film’s only Oscar, for best supporting actress.)


RIP

Running man

It's a working vacation for Jake Gyllenhaal, on the run from Santa Monica to Brentwood. Let's hope the producers of Nailed have also been working this weekend, getting the money situation resolved once and for all!






Love the Jake smirk in the first ones. Looking good!

Happy Memorial Day!

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Doing Their Part

I keep reading that the restaurant business is slowing down because of the flailing U.S. economy. So it's nice to see Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon doing their part to keep them alive.

Bringing home a little something for Atticus and Coco after lunch.







And brrrr...they look cold. LA...cold...end of May? Armegaddon is upon us.

Later on it was the Phillipe Stark-designed Katsuya in Brentwood.










Wonder if they had a chance to try the Chocolat d'Orange Cocktail. Yum!



Special thanks to Stephanie for getting these so quickly. It's a working holiday weekend for her!

(Photos courtesy of IHJ.)

Friday, May 23, 2008

Check the source

More trouble on the set of Jake Gyllenhaal's movie Nailed. Production of the film has shut down again. Hollywood insider Nikki Finke reported the news this morning.

... IATSE today ordered its crew off the political comedy Nailed because they weren't paid. There are no plans to resume filming until next Thursday at the earliest. This is the 2nd time IATSE has moved to protect its union members, but only after the Screen Actors Guild first sounded the alarm bell over Capitol Films' cash crunch and instructed its actors to leave the set earlier this month. Because of this, it's been start and stop, start and stop, again and again. Isn't it that after three strikes, you're out? But, amazingly, both co-stars Jessica Biel and Jake Gyllenhaal are hanging in even though these shutdowns are a major pain in the ass for them and Russell and everyone else connected with the movie. I'm told the production is officially one week behind schedule, and this latest debacle will push it back two weeks.

Of course, GyllenBabble readers knew last night that trouble was afoot. It's an interesting world we live in, where fans know the news before it's fit to print.

With the Memorial Day weekend upon us, I guess Jake will have a little more time to relax, work out. Maybe go to the beach...





While he's seaside, maybe Jake will go over the Prince of Persia script, which was analyzed by Latino Review last year. The grade was an A- and they called PoP "one hell of a script."

I haven't read it - I assume there are spoilers. And since we know Jake's character has a best friend in the current script and he doesn't in the LR review, then obviously things have changed. But it's a good start! And since the folks at Latino Review were the ones who had the scoop on Jake's casting, I'm going to have a little faith in them. And Jake.


Summer blockbuster 2009, here we come.

(Photos courtesy of IHJ.)

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Stroll play

Bigger versions of the weekend pictures of Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon. I love the description of their activities:

After attempting to join two different yoga classes, without success, the couple headed to American Apparel store on Main Street for some shopping. Later they had a romantic dinner at AXE on Abbot Kinney in Venice. The couple are under watch as Jake is reported to plan to propose Reese. Could Axe restaurant could have been the perfect spot?

I am laughing at the idea that they were rejected from yoga class. Did they not look sufficiently relaxed? Or maybe they looked too content, thus indicating no need for a session!

Anyway, it's a cloudy morning here in Boston. So enjoy some LA sunshine:















(Pictures courtesy of IHJ and Posh24.)

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Jake in LA and Persia

Just freshening up the post with some Jake - in LA on the 18th:



A little more information from Variety on Prince of Persia:

"Persia" will mark the first time Jake Gyllenhaal has worked with Bruckheimer.

"He's a wonderful actor," Bruckheimer said. "He's someone I've been watching for a long time and somebody I've always wanted to work with."


And look - the official poster already:


Okay, okay, so that was Fluorescent Lamp's doing. The original, official poster, minus Jake's starring name, can be seen here.

They do move fast, though. GyllenBabble has gotten the exclusive on the PoP action figure, as well as the elaborate stunts Jake will be doing. (click to embiggen for full, dramatic effect!)

Action Figure Jake...err...Dastan


The Vertical Wall-Run


Column Jumping


Fighting, using the Dagger of Time




Bigger versions of the Ramey photos from the weekend. Still need the whole set, but these are fun:








There are some articles floating around the net about the trades (Variety and Hollywood Reporter) not giving credit to online sources who break news stories, as Latino Review did with Jake/Prince of Persia. It's an interesting information age we're living in.

Of course, we also knew before the trades ;)

(Jake/Reese pics courtesy of KateBlogsworth. Note: She calls everyone slags, not just Jake and Reese! Exclusive action shots made by ShadowViking on flickr. New Jake pics courtesy of IHJ.)

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Prince Charming



So the inside sources were right: Jake Gyllenhaal is the new Prince Of Persia.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton will star in "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," Walt Disney Pictures and Jerry Bruckheimer Films' adaptation of Ubisoft's popular video game. Mike Newell is directing.

In the fantasy adventure, Gyllenhaal will play Dastan, a young prince in sixth century Persia who must join forces with Tamina (Arterton), a feisty and exotic princess, to prevent a villainous nobleman from possessing the Sands of Time, a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world.

Doug Miro & Carlo Bernard, Jordan Mechner and Boaz Yakin wrote the script, which is based on the many games created by Jordan Mechner.

Bruckheimer is producing, while Mike Stenson, Chad Oman and Patrick McCormick are exec producing.

Production is set to start in July. ...


For those of you, like me, who are unfamiliar with the story, here's a the plot summary from IMDb:

Set in medieval Persia, the story of an adventurous prince who teams up with a rival princess to stop an angry ruler from unleashing a sandstorm that could destroy the world. Which is why after the prince was tricked by a dying Vizier to unleash the Sands of Time that turns out to destroy a kingdom and transforms its populace into ferocious demons. In his effort to save his own kingdom and redeem his fatal mistake, it's up to the prince and the princess to return the sands to the hourglass by using the Dagger of Time, which also gives him a limited control over the flow of time.

And here is a video rendering.

And some images of the Prince practicing parkour:





So July in Morocco, huh? Shirtless Jake as a dashing Prince? Sounds hot!

(PoP images courtesy of FilmJunk, G4G.)

Monday, May 19, 2008

You can lead Jake to water..

...but you can't make him go in the drink! Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon at the beach in Malibu on Sunday. Reese is appropriately attired in a bikini. Jake is covered up as if he's at the North Pole.

Okay, I exaggerate. But Reese in a bikini and Jake in shorts and a t-shirt, no matter how good he looks, is the reverse order of desired undressedness.


A concerned good Samaritan, seeing how cold Jake is, given the near-freezing Malibu temperatures, donates his blanket to the Keep Jake Covered cause.


Jake stares in wonder at the ocean, but decides he likes it better on the other side and that he'll wait to be back on the East Coast before going for a swim!



Struggling mightily, given the weight of his clothing, Jake valiantly arises and to begins to move out of the oceanic danger zone.



Jake is happier and happier as the ocean recedes, and so do our chances of seeing him out of that t-shirt.





Reese warns him they aren't out of the woods yet, and they look ahead to their seemingly unattainable goal - the waterfree parking lot!






And on and on they walked, dogs afoot and dog doo ahand (at least, I'm guessing that's what Jake is carrying so carefully). Where they stopped, nobody knows.

Okay, enough carping. It's great to see Jake so relaxed. I hope he enjoyed his day in the sun...

But is it wrong to hope that there were other paps on the beach, one of whom might have caught Jake pre-covered state?


An interesting article in the NY Times about an author who hoped to use independent financing (hedge funds and the like) to get his book made into a movie. Once flush with opportunities, the tide has turned and he's having trouble getting the money.

It's fascinating in the light of Nailed's troubles, but also because the writer imagined Jake starring in it. (It's funny how often authors cite Jake as the person they want to star in their movie adaptations.) One of his managers had to set him straight:

Despite the strong interest — Mr. Sanghoee also had a Canadian investor offering to put in the entire $15 million, with caveats — most investors were reluctant to complete a deal until they saw a cast list, even a tentative one. Mr. Sanghoee toyed with approaching Mr. Gyllenhaal, but Brillstein vetoed the idea.

“Everyone thinks that what they wrote is genius,” said Mr. Khanna, of Brillstein. “I’m here to tell Sanjay that certain things he wants are never going to happen.”

With Mr. Khanna’s help, Mr. Sanghoee hired two casting directors who had worked on movies like “The Good Shepherd” and “Coyote Ugly.” They came up with a list everybody thought was realistic. For the role of the investment banker, they would go after actors like Ryan Phillippe and Matthew Fox, according to a business plan that Brillstein helped develop. Winona Ryder and Claire Danes were possibilities to play the reporter.



New Jake/Reese picture from the weekend:


(Photos courtesy of IHJ.)

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Jake in the zone

The comfort zone, that is. Jake Gyllenhaal is back in L.A., and it's as if he were never away.


Brentwood Country Mart - check
Beverage in plastic container, Jake - check


Hybrid SUV du jour - check


Reese clothing about which Bobbyanna and Agent K will say nothing - check
Beverage in plastic container, Reese - check



Jake on cellphone - check
(Okay, that applies to Jake in any city, at any time.)


Shopping - check
(Apparently, Columbia has no newsstands. Look at the stack of magazines Jake's carrying!)


Perfectly rumpled, prefectly white v-neck tee - check
Phlebotomist's dream arms - check

One thing that IS different is the way those jeans are sliding off Jake's butt. BadGood thing he had a belt on, or we might have gotten some real candids! And Jake isn't wearing his aviators in the later pics, which I think were taken at a different time from the ones with Reese. For some reason, people hate those aviators. I don't mind them.

Oh, and I hear it's very hot in southern California right now. That can mean only one thing. Beach Jake!



Bathing suits don't have belts :)

(Pictures courtesy of IHJ.)

Friday, May 16, 2008

Jake deplanes as Nailed derails?

Looks like Jake Gyllenhaal has arrived back in Los Angeles. I hope that doesn't portend more Nailed troubles.







The latest reports suggested that Nailed filming would resume. So either Jake wasn't needed, or that prediction was too optimistic.

Let's hope Jake enjoys his return - perhaps with a trip to the beach - and goes back to work soon. I want to see this movie some day!



Update: Variety reports that Nailed filming will resume on Monday.

(Photos, gratuitous and fortuitous, courtesy of IHJ.)

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Updated: Nailed derailed?



Saturday afternoon update, from a FITS commenter:
the movie was only shut down for the day and it was on Friday (we had extras at the State House on Friday)…i hear they are back to filming starting possibly Monday and definitely Tuesday. I work in the State House and they have filmed a lot there and will be back Monday or Tuesday we are told

Let's hope this poster has or is a good source!

UPDATE from Nikki Finke (and it doesn't look any better):

SATURDAY AM UPDATE: I'm told by knowledgeable sources that David O. Russell's indie political comedy Nailed which began filming April 15th was shut down by the Screen Actors Guild on Thursday because of a "cash crunch". I've also learned the shoot is in trouble with both the IATSE and Teamsters unions, and some members have left the beleaguered production. Rumors also are circulating that the state of South Carolina could withdraw its incentive monies because of the financing problems. An insider confirms for me: "SAG told the actors to leave on Thursday. And then the actors came back on Friday. It's been touch and go the entire time. The financiers are doing the best they can. There's been a cash crunch, that's for sure. It's a drag, but they'll muddle though. Everyone seems happy and committed to the movie and hopeful all this stuff will get worked out." I'm told Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Biel and the other name actors are all standing by to see if the movie can continue to completion.


Hollywood insider Nikki Finke broke some interesting, unsettling news about the movie Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Biel are filming in Columbia, S.C. According to Finke's sources, filming has been halted due to financing issues.

I'm told by knowledgeable sources that David O. Russell's indie pic Nailed may have been put on hold yesterday. It's a risque political comedy starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Biel who sources say are standing by to see if the movie can continue to completion. The script co-written by Al Gore's daughter Kristen (once a staff writer on Futurama) and Russell began filming April 15th. Details are sketchy, but I've gleaned that the pic's predicament is related to its financing, not to its helmer Russell. ...

One source with insider knowledge about the production tells me, "The actors are waiting to see if the movie will continue. It's kind of amazing, really."


Nailed director David O. Russell is no stranger to tumult. It's worth checking this link in Finke's column. It's Lily Tomlin's reaction to the infamous videos making their appearance on YouTube. She's remarkably sanguine about it, seeming to hold no ill will toward Russell. James Caan and George Clooney probably have a different take.
I hope when all is said and done on Nailed that Jake has no regrets!

Jake's been pretty lucky with his movies, which have all made it to completion and release. Well, except Highway. Piiilot!




Sorry, had a Pilot moment there.

We'll keep you updated as news comes in. Maybe the FITS folks can stop making stuff up or using the site as a personal ad and actually get a real scoop!

(Pics courtesy of IHJ and FL's photo shop skills.)

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Thievery and New Pics Redux

People seem to be having trouble getting the comments page. (More reason not to use IE!) So let's try this again. (We'll bring all the comments over, as well.)

On Saturday, Ang Lee appeared at the eighth annual Ebertfest. In a Q&A following the screening of his version of The Incredible Hulk, Lee was asked about working with Heath Ledger on Brokeback Mountain. He is quoted in several places as saying: “Heath was the perfect cowboy. I wanted Heath to carry the movie and Jake Gyllenhaal to steal the show.”




I think that's a wonderful way to view the movie.

Of course, Jake has shown himself to be a master show-stealing thief. Whether it's hosting a comedy show:

Jake Gyllenhaal - Dreamgirls sélectionné dans Humour et Sketchs


Presenting an award:



"The claps, the whistles, the screams. He was the evening's rock star."


Winning an award
:



"One of the most popular awards of the night came with the presentation of ‘Best Supporting Actor’. Although George Clooney was nominated for two awards in this category (Good Night, and Good Luck And Syriana), and Matt Dillon and Don Cheadle were suitably perfect in Crash, there was a lingering moment when I do believe I wanted Jake Gyllenhaal to win. Not only for Brokeback Mountain, but for Donnie Darko and everything in between. To win an award to show that he was not merely another Hollywood heartthrob. And so he did… for the first time, in what has seemed like decades, an actor has looked genuinely shocked to have won. Gasping in terror as everyone burst into rapturous applause, Gyllenhaal made it to the stage but seemed too shell-shocked to make a speech. But like the respectable young man we know him to be, he delivered a genuinely thankful speech, full of praise for the BAFTAS. Isn’t it wonderful when an American seems just a little bit British?"

Working with more famous veterans:



"But it was Gyllenhaal I found most affecting. His performance is a largely interior one -- more so than in his earlier performances in pictures like "Donnie Darko" and "Lovely & Amazing." I suspect some people will think he's just not doing much, but for me, that's exactly the key: Joe is so immersed in grief that he's had to remove himself from it as a survival tactic -- he's drifting and paddling alongside it, like a cowboy who has dismounted his horse to ford a river."

Or wearing a Santa hat:



What are your favorite Jake scene steals?




FITS is at it again - new pics and trying to stir up trouble. But if they were taken last night, as they say and as the details indicate, then Jake certainly wasn't at a mall in LA yesterday.




(Pics courtesy of FITS)

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Setside with Jake and Reese

More photos of Reese Witherspoon joining Jake Gyllenhaal on the set of "Nailed." According to some reports, the filming day was long and hot. It's nice that Jake had some company!








(Photos from FITS)

Monday, May 5, 2008

Jake and Reese On Set

Oh look! Reese was on the set of Nailed on Friday.

As if we didn't already know.

They look adorable.







Photos courtesy of IHJ

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Jake and Reese in Charleston



Sunday finds Reese doing her part in Washington, D.C. as part of the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

Whether she's walking or supporting the walkers, one thing is for certain, she'll need a healthy dose of good old southern cooking before she gets there. And lucky for us, Kath was at the Hominy Grill in Charleston when Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon showed up today. Nothing says 'I'm ready to walk a marathon route' like a big plate of shrimp and grits.






On a more serious note, I urge you all to support the Avon Breast Cancer Walk in any way you can. I have two girlfriends I've had since I was a wee little filament, both developed aggressive breast cancer while still in their 30s, neither had a history of breast cancer in their families. Both will be walking in the Avon Breast Cancer Walk when it comes to my city. And I am grateful they are here to be able to do it.