Sunday, November 29, 2009

Center of Attention

Brothers opens on Friday, and the publicity blitz includes articles in the New York Times, the Boston Globe and the San Francisco Chronicle.

From the Toronto Sun feature on Jim Sheridan and the movie, a little glimpse into what it's like to work with Jake Gyllenhaal:

Of Jake Gyllenhaal he says, “He was always real on set, ‘cause he’s always finding something or looking for something. If you were the type of director who just wanted him to hit his mark, I think you’d curtail him in some way that doesn’t get the best out of him. ‘Cause I think he’s a charismatic actor, who’s always the centre of attention. Which drove me crazy for the first few weeks,” says Sheridan, deadpan, “as I wanted to be the centre of attention.”

Oh, Jim - face it: You never had a chance!









Unfortunately, Jake is NOT the center of much of the media attention for Brothers. Let's hope there are some articles and interviews as the week progresses. Looking forward to more reviews, as well.



(Photos courtesy of IHJ.)

84 comments:

Sag actor said...

This will be busy week indeed, thanks for the links to the interviews. I'm anxious to read the actual reviews from The NY Times, Boston Globe, etc.

I hope Jake does more press next week like Tobey did for the L.A. Times and The Boston Globe.

Sag actor said...

Thanks for posting these interviews. Interseting to read about the 2 different acting styles of Jake and Tobey.

I hope Jake does more press this coming week, so far he is just booked for the Kimmel show.

Anonymous said...

They want Tobey and Jim Sheridan to take the lead on this. It's by design that Natalie and Jake are "supporting" even in the publicity.

bobbyanna said...

Thanks for the links! I'm looking forward to Jimmy Kimmel. He has a real quirky sense of humor and it'll be interesting to see how they interact. I wish there were more, too! Maybe Ellen will surprise us!

Sheridan's comments about Jake made me remember the Fincher comments. I wonder if DF found Jake too playful and too distracting at some times?

Sounds like Sheridan and Jake worked well together, after adjusting to each others' individual styles. Sheridan said he found Jake "charismatic." I took that as Jake dominated the set during his scenes. Altho,Jake seems always to sort of blend in when I'm looking at the final product. He certainly did in Zodiac, and even BBM. Tho Ang also called him leading man material.

Sheba baby said...

Read all the interviews, thanks for posting them!

Sounds like Sheridan had to get used to Jake's acting style but was more than happy with the results.

There were a few clashes with Fincher on Zodiac, it doesn't sound like that happened on the set of Brothers. I think Sheridan just decided to go with the hands off approach where Fincher wanted more control.

I have my fingers crossed for some last minute appearences for Jake this week. I would love for him to pop up on Ellen or Conan.

Hope everyone survived their Thanksgiving!

Anonymous said...

Maggie was on Kimmel's show when "Sherry" was out and it was a fun, pleasant interview.
There were scenes in Zodiac that RDJ was not pleased about doing - felt they should be done another way. Rem. Ruffalo saying after doing a scene about 60 times he was hoping when Fincher was coming over to him he was going to say - "you're fired". Jake wasn't the only one making the movie who found it difficult going. But i think they still respected Fincher and Jake and Fincher are fine. Fincher told him that making it through the movie proved that he could do anything he put his mind to.
And they all are people who want what they do to be the best they can do.
Think the reviews from the people who see "Brothers" in the theater will be very positive and tho of course they will be impressed by Tobey, because it's not something they have seen from him before still think Jake will be just as impressive to them. The early showings back when got the best results from the Jake and Natalie storyline.

bobbyanna said...

Oh,I agree, Sheba. The end result you get with Jake should make any director proud. He's certainly worked with some fine directors, too.

I bet he and David Fincher will work together again, especially now they understand their personal style more. Actually, I think way too much is made of their comments about Zodiac.

I also take into account Fincher was working on Benjamin Button at the same time, for at least part of his Zodiac shoot. It was probably a stressful time.

I cannot wait for Friday!

Anonymous said...

once the hoopla dies down, Jake's fans are going to have major withdrawal!

Hope Lionsgate is smart enough to get the DVDs out to AMPAS members ASAP.

FL said...

Oh silly Anon. There's always hoopla where Jake is concerned.

After Brothers we'll have the hoopla of Jake starting Source Code.

After that hoopla we'll have hoopla surrounding the release of Prince of Persia.

After that hoopla we'll have hoopla when Love and Other Drugs is released.

The hoopla never ends. Jake is a hoopla-magnet. :-)

UltraViolet said...

I have to go out, but I assume when I get back, there will be more details on the People/twitter report that Jake and Reese have broken up. The twitter said to check people.com, but there's nothing there as of now.

In the meantime, Dark Horizons has a Jim Sheridan interview. Nothing new, really, but it's fun to hear his thoughts on things.

bobbyanna said...

I saw it. People ahs it up right now. Hope it isn't true.

Anonymous said...

Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal Split

By Ulrica Wihlborg and Stephen M. Silverman

Sunday November 29, 2009 02:45 PM EST

Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal Split



Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal have split, a source close to the actress tells PEOPLE.

No further details were given.

Witherspoon, 33, and Gyllenhaal, 28, costarred in the 2007 movie Rendition, after which rumors started flying about them as an off-screen couple.

By the summer of 2008, however, the rumors appeared to be confirmed, thanks, in part, to an extended Bastille Day holiday in Paris – followed, the next month, when they were seen in Marrakech, spending a Saturday strolling hand-in-hand, checking out bazaar stalls, before stepping into the shade for lunch, according to reports.

Come that Sunday, the couple reportedly stayed in their suites at the 5-star Amanjena Hotel, described as a beautiful, romantic getaway boasting a view of the Atlas Mountains.

'Very Supportive'
By that fall, Witherspoon was telling Vogue about Gyllenhall: "He's very supportive. Suffice it to say, I'm very happy in life, and I'm very lucky to have a lot of really supportive people around me who care very much for me, and, you know, that's all you can hope for in life. I am very blessed in that way."

This spring, in April, the two enjoyed a steamy escape to the Southern California desert, where they looked cozy together at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival. "Reese looked cute in a hat and bikini," an eyewitness told PEOPLE. "She was in a great mood and kept chatting with Jake between sips of a piƱa colada."

And as recently as last month, things still appeared to be running smoothly between the two, with Witherspoon telling InStyle, "We spend the weekends outside L.A, in Ojai, where I have a farmhouse. We have chickens and we grow cucumbers and tomatoes. I love it. It reminds me of where I grew up in Tennessee."

Oscar Recognition
Witherspoon, the 2006 Oscar winner as Best Actress for her role as June Carter Cash in the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line, was married for seven years to her Cruel Intentions costar Ryan Phillippe, until their 2006 divorce. They have two children, Ava, 10, and Deacon, 6.



Gyllenhaal's high-profile roles included those in Brokeback Mountain, which earned him a 2006 Oscar nomination.

Last year, Witherspoon costarred with Vince Vaughn in the holidays Four Christmases, about a couple who all but split due to pressures brought on by their respective families.

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20323257,00.html

shoe89 said...

this is so random...why did they break up. ahhh but what if it isn't true. omg i loved reese and jake together...aww

Anonymous said...

I'm not convinced. Maybe they hit a bump. This seems too abrupt. Too sudden. They were together in Pittsburgh very,very recently.

Anonymous said...

If it is true i would think they would like to put out their own statement and not have a "source" close to Reese give the info.
It would be a shame - but if so they still had some good years together.
I think about the kids tho - they seemed to have a very close relationship with him.

Chica said...

I didn't see that coming. I remember when it was announced the first time they broke up in 2007, People magazine reported it and then they got back together.

Weren't they just together a few weekends ago in Pittsburgh? I would prefer an official statement from their people though.

Looking forward to this week and Friday of course, just hope that this news doesn't get in the way of promotong Brothers.

Anonymous said...

I'm suspicious of this "news" coming the day before the LA premiere of his movie? I pray it isn't true.

shoe89 said...

it could be PR stunt and then randomly out of no where jake and natalie will be making out somewhere. but who knows...maybe they did break up. it could be b/c maybe jake wanted to get married and reese didn't or vise versa. then again it could be a short break.

Anonymous said...

Well they were not together for Thanksgiving. I knew that much.
Whatever happened was very, very recent. It didn't involve third parties, I'm pretty sure.
As you say, maybe a bump.

Anonymous said...

The only kind of PR stunt would be if we discover in a few weeks that they got married. They'd do a feint like that, but nothing involving a third party would be a "stunt."

Hope I'm Wrong said...

Well,is was pretty predictable, actually. As much as I hate to say it, because I adore Jake, Jake was Reese's rebound romance. They rarely last.

Personally, I think she's a fool if she dumped him. But there are real issues people have to work thru. Maybe she is content with her life as it is. She's reached a plateau.

If you look at her IMDB board, she has dozens of projects lined up. Her career and her two kids are a pretty full plate.

Maybe she doesn't want any more kids, and he finally had to accept that. Jake is looking for marriage and kids and she isn't. That's just my take on this.

They are both extremely close to their families, too. Maybe that was a source of conflict as well. If this is true, it will be very wrenching for the kids. Almost like going thru a second divorce. They grew very close to Jake.

Anonymous said...

That would be a very stupid "publicity stunt" and don't think it would be anything they would do.

debbie said...

I feel sick about this. I hope it is wrong.

Anonymous said...

According to E's Mark Malkin, Jake's rep says the story isn't true. So who knows?

I think this would be the first time jake's reps have ever even acknowledged that they are dating, no?

Anonymous said...

A spokeswoman for Reese Witherspoon has told EW that a story which broke earlier today about the star having split with Jake Gyllenhaal is “false.” The two actors first started dating after they were both cast in the 2007 film Rendition

EW.com

bobbyanna said...

Anon 4:46 I just saw that! I hope it's true, that both Reese AND Jake's official spokespersons say it's FALSE! I was just so bummed out about it. I'm still upset by it.

Anonymous said...

So do I Bobbyanna, so do I:)

Tweety said...

Denial from Jake's rep:

marcmalkinJake's rep just told me not true. Jake and reese are still together!
31 minutes ago from txt

And Reese's rep has denied it as well.

The fact that People didn't have a quote from their reps, just a "source" I think it's safe to say that the People story is BS. I hope they are still together, I really like them together.

And please don't let this cloud the Brothers premiere and press this week!

bobbyanna said...

I'm not crazy. No. really.
I've e-mailed justjared and told him to take down the item, since EW and Mark Malkin have better sources than "a person close to the actress." LOL! That headline just put knots in my stomach. I know. I need a life. LOL!

Anonymous said...

If the Reese and Jake's reps immediately got it out that the break-up was false - i think that's what we are to believe.
If we're upset - imagine what it felt like to them.
Apparently E and EW went right to the people involved, at least through their reps. which it doesn't seem People did.
I see its still up on People and also now Huffington Post.
Hope that will be corrected soon.

shoe89 said...

what i would like to know is where did this rumor of them breaking up start. its so random and unexpected.

Anonymous said...

Who Knows probably the same type of people "sources" who are constantly telling various magazines Brad and Angelina have broken up.
Some people like to play "pranks" just to see if they can do it.
Unfortunately in this time of wanting to get any kind of news out there before anyone else it seems fact-checking has kind of gone out the window.

Anonymous said...

US Magazine also say Reese's reps deny the reports, and Just Jared has changed the headline now.

get real said...

I am glad both Jake and Reese's reps are denying the break up story. It's so annoying that a false story like that would get in People.


Now bring on more Jake and Brothers promotion!!

Hope I'm Wrong said...

This is a holiday weekend. So maybe the reps are assuming they're still together. We don't know if their reps actually talked to either of them. Maybe the source close to Reese has more up to date information. I am going to wait and see.

They didn't spend Thanksgiving together. Jake was still in New York on Saturday. Maybe that is what started all of this.

Anonymous said...

Surely their reps would check before they made a statement!.

Anonymous said...

Even if true, why would a friend of Reese's contact People magazine on a Sunday? What kind of friend is that? Jake and Reese pay their reps good $$$ for stuff like that.

Jake was in TN on Thursday with her family, and NY Fri/Sat. Lot's of couples split the holidays when their families are in different states.

The sighting of him at the Newark airport eary Thursday morning was him making a connecting flight to Nashville. He flew to NY Friday/PM.

I think that is the reason why we got such a quick response from their reps, they knew they spent Thanksgiving together.

As far as People is concerned, this isn't the first time they jumped on false stories over the weekend. Weren't they involved in the Brad and Angelina got married story last year? Or was it Star? Either that or they jumped on it as well w/o checking.

Hope I'm Wrong said...

You connect to Nashville from Pittsburgh thru Charlotte or Atlanta. I think connecting thru Newark is...unusual. He was with Anne Thanksgiving morning.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure their reps got in touch with them and told them what was out there.
...And Reese was seen out to dinner with Paul Rudd one evening...
People who work on movies together sometimes are seen with that person.

Anonymous said...

It's not unusual. It's one of the connecting airports (EWR). They were both their real early on Thanksgiving morning, around 7:00. It was probably the only conecting flight that early to Nashville and the other connecting flights:Atlanta, etc. would have probably gotten him to Nashville a little later than he wanted.

Anne has family in NJ, makes sense for them to fly out of Pittsburgh together and fly to EWR with them finishing filming on LAOD.

This crap had better not overshadow Brothers this week.

PS: methinks that a bored "fan" e-mailed that bit to People knowing that it was some intern on duty on a Holiday weekend and they woudn't bother contacting their reps like US, Mailkin and EW did.

bobbyanna said...

Well, I think the official word from their reps is as good as it gets, and it's definitely worth hanging on to.

I have a theory.
The legal term is "cui bono?" I think I spelled it right. Lawgoddesss can correct me. It means, "Who profits?" It occurred to me. We haven't seen any pictures of Jake and Reese together for a little while. So maybe some photo agency started this. That way,they can get paid more for the pictures. Oh, well. It's as good a theory as any other. I'm really impressed with how quickly their reps denied this. I still say there's a wedding in the offing! LOL!

Whoops! said...

Denials from both reps:

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20323262,00.html

shoe89 said...

call me crazy but do you think this "source" could have been related to another studio trying to sabotage the release of brothers? people will focus more on jakes personal life than the movie? i m just speculating.

UltraViolet said...

Well, I expected details but we got a denial. Interesting. I see People finally acknowledged the denial - took them a while.

So what happened - did People get punked? I wonder if we'll ever know. Lots of different things could have happened, but I don't know if it does any good to speculate.

Hope. said...

People magazine is so embarrassed! LOL! I like it that both Jake AND Reese's reps were named and flat out denied it. "False!" Yes!

UltraViolet said...

I'm off to see Precious - can't wait to see if there's more breaking news tonight :)

I don't have time to listen to it, but NPR has an audio interview with Jim Sheridan.

And another Brothers report with good words on the performances.

See you later guys. Bobbyanna, keep keeping things in line :)

suvee said...

Whoa... what a roller coaster of emotions this afternoon! I love J&R as a couple, they seem so well suited and have been together so long...... I was shocked/upset by the initial People report they had split. It just seemed to come from left field..... usually there are clues.

The fact that both their reps denied it so quickly reassures me. I can't imagine why they would bother lying about the status of the relationship..... there's nothing to be gained from it. And I don't for one minute believe that their reps didn't talk to J&R before issuing the denial.

Clearly, People got burned!

bobbyanna said...

My cousin lectured me about not wanting to see Precious, UV. She said it was "uplifting." One daughter saw it the other hasn't.
Look forward to your impressions.

(Slinks off to watch the first eleven minutes of Rendition...several times.)

Office of Nancy Pelosi said...

Rollercoaster of emotions indeed!! I'm glad that their reps denied the original story, I really like them together.

And as you said get real, on with the Brothers promotion!

Unknown said...

"(Slinks off to watch the first eleven minutes of Rendition...several times.)"

That's the spirit, Bobbyanna. :)

What upsetting "news". The timing of it seemed off, too.

If both of their reps denied it, that's good enough for me.

And I bet Jake is furious.

Back to the good news- Brothers opens this week. At long last!

FL said...

My my. I go out shopping for a few hours and look what happens - they break up, but then not. Okay. People magazine must have given the full-time staff the weekend off; their original story reads like something an intern would have thrown together in the hopes of getting the "big scoop." Good luck with that.

suvee said...

Jake is a hoopla-magnet.

Love this, FL! I've added it to my personal list of favorite Jake descriptions. :)

Extra said...

Hoopla magnet and the center of attention!

Didn't even get a chance to comment on the "break-up" before the denials and that the story was false. I'm surprised that People would post that without checking with their reps. first like they usually do. I hope that's the end of it and that they are Ok.

I can't wait until Dec. 4th: Brothers opens and Jake appears on Sesame Street!

Anonymous said...

Maybe because Jake only spent one day in Nashville (Thanksgiving) and then spotted in NY Friday and Saturday and Reese spotted still in Nashville after started the rumors. The weekend staff on People follow tweets as well.

I guess that he was supposed to stay the whole holiday weekend and not visit his family or she should have followed him back to NY.

They are not married and they have family obligations. My bet is that it's been awhile since she and the kids spent any real quality time with her family in TN.

Anonymous said...

Amongst all those tweets earlier was one that said they still had 2 days of filming on LAOD. Wonder if Jake is back in Pittsburgh now.

SeethingInSeattle said...

I am angry because this rumor took hold like wildfire today, and it is almost as if it was spread deliberately to distract people and overshadow the Brothers premiere tomorrow. If she goes with him, the media will ask. If he is alone, the media will ask. If he ducks the red carpet, the media will ask. It's a no-win. If I could find the person I would wring their neck!

Anonymous said...

And of course most of the comments with the EW and People reports are about her being the beard..etc..etc.. and people writing in and saying they know all of this and everyone else does - etc... They don't know anything of the sort and are just there to continue to keep this going for whatever reason.
Somewhere along the way they have felt they were personally offended by Jake for having a girlfriend..by not being Jack .. i don't know.
This whole thing has been - as said - disturbing and not something these two people deserve.

Anonymous said...

Anne Hathaway was just spotted in the airport in Pittsburgh. Maybe Jake finished his part even if the movie has more shooting. Remember,Jake shot for days, before Anne arrived on set.

If Reese is going to the UK for Dec.2nd,and doing a TV show there Dec.4th,and Jake has a premiere on Dec.1st and Kimmel on Dec.3rd,in LA, they'll have a devilishly difficult time!

Monica said...

Anon 08:59, no one wants to see a picture of you.

shoe89 said...

8:59 PM that was really horrible.

Monica said...

shoe 89, funny. Especially when you know who is the person who posted it.

shoe89 said...

i don't know who the person is? why would you say something like that?

Office of Nancy Pelosi said...

It goes to show you the infantile behavior of mostly grown women.

And all this because Jake and Reese's reps. went on record to say that they are still together, pathetic.

These are the type of "fans" that could care less if Brothers was opening this week or not.

Jackasses.

Anonymous said...

One thing that's nice - Jake and Reese are above all this stuff.
There are people who believe things about Obama that are completely untrue but they keep on with their lies.
There is a right to have an opinion of course but to refuse to believe something that is true that kind of stops there.

Monica said...

shoe 89, I read many books of psychology at the university. Easy to know who is the kind of person who put these things.

shoe89 said...

look seriously. i did not post that...i m very offended that you would say something like that. you don't know anything about me and i m very hurt that you accuse me of doing that. i have never caused any problems on this blog.

Unknown said...

I imagine FL and UV would prefer we ignore the troll. They'll delete as necessary.

The NYT piece about Brothers was interesting, but not a review.

I'm looking forward to the praise I'm sure he'll get.

Does anyone have any info on whether he'll be attending the LA premiere?

Monica said...

When is the premiere of LA?

FL said...

Icky post deleted. Back to regular programming.

Monica, I think the LA premiere is on Tuesday, 1st December.

bobbyanna said...

Thank you, FL.

Chica said...

So the story was false. Great, just what he needs the week that he is going to be doing PR for Brothers.

I thought People was one of the few rags to check their srories.

FL said...

So has anyone been watching the 4+ hour Concert for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on HBO tonight?

Pretty spectacular.

Anonymous said...

Reese was tweeted at the Whiskey Kitchen in Nashville having dinner with her father a few hours ago.

American airlines said...

I told you she was in Nashville with her family for the holidays.
Too bad Jake and Reese didn't venture out on Thursday and "tweeted". I'm sure people won't believe that he was there on Thanksgiving.

Well he was seen in NY Friday afternoon/night and Saturday morning, nothing since. I wonder if he is headed back to L.A., it's a big week for him.

I Don't have HBO, I know i'm missing out on a incredible event!

Monica said...

Where did you read that he was on Tenessee?

Anonymous said...

HBO usually releases most of its shows on DVD. Am sure it will be out before long.

Sorry, but it bothers me.. said...

I really don't see Jake running from Pittsburgh, to Newark, to Nashville on Thanksgiving Day, and ended up in New York the next afternoon. Possible, but wow!

He was seen out alone on Friday and Saturday.If Reese is going to London,and Jake's professional responsibilities prevent him joining her,it seems like they'd want to be together. Especially since he has already spent so much time in New York while working in Pittsburgh. I accept the denial as truthful, but something seems off.

mary said...

gosh just got home from work and saw all this posts hopefully not true they are such a cute cuople glad the reps denied it right awy cnat image why people would post a story with out checking the facts first image how jake and rese feel

Monica said...

Shoe 89, was not saying it was you.
I know you're a good person

Sorry.

A very sweet blog said...

Thanksgiving weekend turned out a bit different than expected. Something was indeed "off." It's a family problem. It has put a recent strain on them, but they are still together, and very much in love.

shoe89 said...

monica i accept your apology. now lets get back to the good stuff aka the jake news

UltraViolet said...

Glad we got that cleared up - thanks, Monica and shoe! Let's not give that nastiness another thought.

Much better news. A rave for Brothers from NY Magazine:

Sheridan gets inside his characters’ heads without ever viewing them in isolation: Even separated by continents, no one can move without hitting someone else.

Who could have guessed that the stars who made their names as nerd heroes Peter Parker and Donnie Darko could be so credibly messed-up and volatile? Maguire isn’t big, but his tautness radiates strength. ...

As to the other two leads, Sheridan has gotten the best performances of their young lives. As much as I like Gyllenhaal, I’ve often found him fuzzy, as if he’s wary of losing control. Is that why he’s so affecting here? The dissolute Tommy turns out to be as tightly wound as his older brother, only too scared to focus. He looks pitifully vulnerable as he the supposedly dead Sam’s family and becomes protective. Portman has the kind of role that turns actresses into dullards: the wife who stands and looks stricken at her man (or men) in paroxysms of rage and grief. But she’s so grounded that as the others carry on, your eyes keep drifting to her. Yes, she’s almost unbearably pretty, but it’s her immediacy that keeps you glued to her face. ...

Sheridan’s actors work with their intellects fully engaged—and they engage us on levels we barely knew we had.


David Edelstein hasn't seen the original, which is a surprise and may account for why he loved this version, unlike some other critics who compare it unfavorably.

Monica said...

Thanks, UV. It's a great review.
Sheridan has gotten the best performances of their young lives.
Better than Brokeback Mountain?? I hope.
I love BBM. Jack Twist is unforgettable for me, but I want to see Jake progress as an actor, just like Heath was doing.

So nice to see someone talking about the performance of Jake.

UltraViolet said...

I think Jake has been progressing, Monica. Both Rendition and Zodiac were good performances, IMO. He hasn't had the dramatic change like Heath had from Ennis to the Joker. But I don't think progress has to be that dramatic.

Also, just a comment on this reply above:

And of course most of the comments with the EW and People reports are about her being the beard..etc..etc..

That is mostly the same people who always post on any Jake item on JustJared, US, EW, Popsugar. If you noticed on twitter, most people reacted either with sadness or surprise. A much different sampling.

New post for the start of the week.