Associated Press journalists open their notebooks at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah:
A MOVIE MUGGLE WITHOUT HIS WAND?
You’d think that when Daniel Radcliffe signs on to your independent film, the money would start flowing.
Yet John Krokidas said landing Radcliffe to play young Allen Ginsberg in his drama “Kill Your Darlings” did not guarantee the film would get off the ground.
Radcliffe came aboard two years ago, after the project had come together and fallen apart repeatedly over the years, Krokidas said at the Sundance Film Festival, where “Kill Your Darlings” premiered. The project had been looking dead for good before that, but even with the former “Harry Potter” star, Krokidas said financing was not a sure thing.
“Believe it or not, Daniel Radcliffe at that point does not green-light a movie,” Krokidas said. “I was told Daniel Radcliffe cannot open a movie without a wand in his hand.”
Krokidas eventually secured financing for “Kill Your Darlings,” which chronicles a dark and deadly period in the youths of Ginsberg and fellow future beat writers Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs.
_ David Germain
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JANE LYNCH SAYS, “GO JODIE!”
Jane Lynch doesn’t feel let down that Jodie Foster didn’t more directly address her sexuality in her much-discussed Golden Globes speech.
The openly gay “Glee” star was at the Sundance Film Festival promoting “Afternoon Delight” and had been at the Globes when Foster delivered her remarks.
“When I was sitting there watching it, I kept looking back at the Teleprompter to see if it was written. And indeed it was. Because it was kind of rambley,” Lynch said. “But you know what? We all do it our own way. And I have compassion for what she had to go through being a kid star. She’s been in the business for 47 years. So it’s a completely different experience than mine and we all have our own. But I hope she felt better for it. Because it felt kind of cathartic.”
Lynch said she didn’t want to join the call from some gay activists who felt Foster should have been more direct in her emotional speech. “Just because you’re an actor doesn’t mean you have to be an activist,” Lynch said. “You don’t have to. Do whatever you want. Go Jodie!”
_ Ryan Pearson, Twitter: www.twitter.com/ryanwrd
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SEARCHLIGHT, CARELL AND COLLETTE GO WAY, WAY BACK
Steve Carell and Toni Collette already had a nice reunion going at the Sundance Film Festival with this year’s premiere “The Way, Way Back,” their first collaboration since the 2006 festival sensation “Little Miss Sunshine.”
Now Fox Searchlight is back in the act. Fox Searchlight, which snapped up “Little Miss Sunshine” back then, has bought rights in North America and some overseas territories for “The Way, Way Back,” writer-directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash’s comedy about a misfit teen (Liam James) and the oddball friends he makes working at a rundown water park over the summer.
Scheduled for release this summer, the film also stars Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney and Maya Rudolph.
Among other Sundance acquisitions: Sony Pictures bought worldwide rights to Jerusha Hess’ romance “Austenland,” produced by “Twilight” author Stephenie Meyer and starring Keri Russell as a Jane Austen-obsessed lonely-heart; Radius-TWC, a unit of the Weinstein Co., picked up North American rights to Stacie Passon’s “Concussion,” starring Robin Weigert as a lesbian housewife who embarks on a double life after a blow to the head; the Weinstein Co. bought rights in the U.S. and some other territories for Ryan Coogler’s “Fruitvale,” starring Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz and Octavia Spencer in the real-life story of Oscar Grant, who was shot dead by an Oakland police officer; CNN Films and Magnolia Pictures teamed to buy U.S. rights to Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s “Blackfish,” a documentary exploring the deadly consequences of keeping whales in captivity; and Elle Driver-Wild Bunch bought overseas rights to Morgan Neville’s “Twenty Feet from Stardom,” a documentary on backup singers whose U.S. rights went to Radius-TWC.
_ David Germain
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NICOLE KIDMAN: ROLE MODEL
Nicole Kidman came to the Sundance Film Festival for the premiere of “Stoker,” in which she stars with fellow Australian actress Mia Wasikowska.
But she didn’t want to hear whether Wasikowska considered her a role model.
“You can’t ask that,” Kidman said, sitting beside her co-star.
“No, you can,” Wasikowska said. “Nicole is a role model. No, for anyone coming from Australia it’s pretty amazing to be in a film with her. So it’s been cool.”
“Stop it, that’s so embarrassing,” Kidman said. “She’s a role model though. She sits on the set, reading Chekov. You were reading Chekov on the set. To all young actresses, sit on the set and read Chekov. That’s how you become great. Truly, and she’s so good already.”
_ Ryan Pearson, Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/ryanwrd
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