'Raisin' and 'Springer' Lead LADCC Nominations

'Raisin' and 'Springer' Lead LADCC Nominations By Les Spindle January 30, 2012 Photo by Craig Schwartz The nominees and special award recipients for the 43rd annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, honoring distinguished achievements in L.A. theater during 2011, were announced on Monday. Ebony Repertory Theatre Company's revival of Lorraine Hansbury's classic drama " A Raisin in the Sun," currently restaged at the Kirk Douglas Theatre with one lead role recast, and the Chance Theater's Southern California premiere of "Jerry Springer: The Opera" both lead the nominations with a total of eight each.Other shows receiving several nominations are the Odyssey Theatre-Evidence Room co-production of Len Jenkin's noir-inspired "Margo Veil" with five, and the zany world premiere tuner "Re-Animator the Musical" with four. Leading production companies were Center Theatre Group, which netted 10 nods, for shows at its Ahmanson and Kirk Douglas Theatres and the Mark Taper Forum. Eight nominations each went to Ebony Repertory Theatre, Chance Theater, and Rogue Machine. Geffen Playhouse received seven.The awards ceremony is set for Monday, March 19, 2012 at A Noise Within (3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena), the classical repertory theatre company. The show will be hosted by actor-singer Jason Graae, who received LADCC's 2007 Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theater, and actor Lesli Margherita, a nominee this year for "Kiss Me, Kate." Additional performers and presenters will be announced soon.A complete list of nominees is below.Production9 Circles, Alicia Adams and Jessica Hanna, Bootleg Theater Blackbird, Rogue Machine, Theatre/TheaterHouse of the Rising Son, Ensemble Studio TheatreLA, Atwater Village TheatreJerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterMargo Veil, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room, Odyssey TheatreRe-Animator: The Musical, Dean Schramm & Stuart Gordon, Steve Allen TheaterSmall Engine Repair, Rogue Machine, Theatre/TheaterThe Cripple of Inishmaan, Center Theatre Group and Druid and Atlantic Theater Company, Kirk Douglas TheatreWay to Heaven, Ron Sossi, Odyssey Theatre Tom McCulloh Award for RevivalA Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre, Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterCabaret, Reprise Theatre Company, Freud PlayhouseKiss Me, Kate, Reprise Theatre Company, Freud PlayhousePeace in Our Time, The Antaeus Company, Deaf West TheatreThe Crucible, Theatre BansheeDirectionTrevor Biship, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterAndrew Block, Small Engine Repair, Rogue Machine at Theatre/TheaterSean Branney, The Crucible, Theatre BansheeBart DeLorenzo, Margo Veil, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey TheatrePhylicia Rashad, A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterWriting Jane Anderson, The Escort, Geffen Playhouse David Harrower, Blackbird, Rogue Machine at Theatre/TheaterJohn Pollono, Small Engine Repair, Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater Charlayne Woodard, The Night Watcher, Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre Writing (Adaptation) Dakin Matthews, The Capulets & the Montagues, Andak Stage Company at NewPlace Studio TheatreDennis Paoli, Stuart Gordon & William J. Morris, Re-Animator: The Musical, Steve Allen TheaterMusic Direction Gregory Nabours, Falsettos, Third Street TheatreMichael Paternostro, Kiss Me, Kate, Reprise Theatre Company at Freud PlayhouseGerald Sternbach, The Robber Bridegroom, International City TheatreMike Wilkins, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterChoreography Karole Armitage, Hair, Broadway/L.A. at the Pantages TheatreAndy Blankenbuehler, Bring It On: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson TheatreTodd Nielsen, The Robber Bridegroom, International City TheatreKelly Todd, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterMusical Score Lin-Manuel Miranda, Amanda Green, and Tom Kitt, Bring It On: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson TheatreMark Nutter, Re-Animator: The Musical, Steve Allen TheaterJeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire, Shrek the Musical, DreamWorks Theatricals, Neal Street Productions, and Broadway/L.A. at the Pantages TheatreRichard Thomas and Stewart Lee, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterLead Performance Patrick J. Adams, 9 Circles, Bootleg Theater Sam Anderson, Blackbird, Rogue Machine at Theatre/TheaterGigi Birmingham, Hermetically Sealed, The Katselas Theatre Company at the Skylight TheatreAnne Gee Byrd,All My Sons, Matrix TheatreL. Scott Caldwell, A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterKevin Carroll, A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterEdi Gathegi, Superior Donuts, Geffen PlayhouseLesli Margherita, Kiss Me, Kate, Reprise Theatre Company at Freud PlayhouseLisa OHare, Cabaret, Reprise Theatre Company at Freud PlayhouseMaggie Siff, The Escort, Geffen PlayhouseNorbert Weisser, Way to Heaven, Odyssey TheatreFeatured PerformanceKenya Alexander, A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterAnne Gee Byrd, I Never Sang for My Father, The New American Theatre at the McCadden TheatreDermot Crowley, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Center Theatre Group and Druid and Atlantic Theater Company at the Kirk Douglas TheatreDeidrie Henry, A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterKate Huffman, 100 Saints You Should Know, Elephant Theatre Company Casey Kramer, Dolly Wests Kitchen, Theatre BansheeRyann Redmond, Bring It On: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson TheatreEnsemble Performance A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterJerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterMargo Veil, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey TheatreThe Cripple of Inishmaan, Center Theatre Group and Druid and Atlantic Theater Company at the Kirk Douglas TheatreThe Crucible, Theatre BansheeSolo Performance Tom Dugan, Nazi Hunter Simon Wiesenthal, Theatre 40 at the Reuben Cordova TheatreJohn Fleck, Mad Women, The Katselas Theatre Company at the Skylight TheatreGuy Hollingsworth, The Expert at the Card Table, Menier Chocolate Factory at The Eli and Edythe Broad StageJohn Leguizamo, Ghetto Klown, WestBeth Entertainment at The Montlban Charlayne Woodard, The Night Watcher, Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas TheatreSet Design Cameron Anderson, A Midsummer Nights Dream, South Coast RepertoryJohn Lee Beatty, Poor Behavior, Center Theatre Group at the Mark Taper ForumBrian Sidney Bembridge, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Geffen PlayhouseMichael Ganio, A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterRichard Hoover, House of the Rising Son, Ensemble Studio TheatreLA at the Atwater Village TheatreLighting Design Patrice Besombes, Iris, Cirque du Soleil at Kodak TheatrePaule Constable, Les Misrables, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson TheatreJeremy Pivnick, House of the Rising Son, Ensemble Studio TheatreLA at the Atwater Village TheatreBrian S. Shevelenko, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterCostume Design Ann Closs-Farley, Margo Veil, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey TheatrePhilippe Guillotel, Iris, Cirque du Soleil at Kodak TheatreTim Hatley, Shrek the Musical, DreamWorks Theatricals, Neal Street Productions, and Broadway/L.A. at the Pantages Theatre Garry Lennon, Kiss Me, Kate, Reprise Theatre Company at Freud PlayhouseSound Design Mikhail Fiksel, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Geffen PlayhouseCasey Long, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterAdam Phalen, 9 Circles, Bootleg TheaterJohn Zalewski, Margo Veil, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey TheatreSpecialty Eric Anderson (fight choreography), Gospel According to First Squad, The Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble at The Powerhouse Theatre John Boesche (projection design), Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie, Geffen PlayhouseDavid Combs and Linda Hoag (puppet design), Monkey Adored, Rogue Machine at Theatre/TheaterTony Doublin, John Naulin, John Buechler, Tom Devlin, & Greg McDougall (special effects), Re-Animator: The Musical, Steve Allen TheaterShana Carroll, Boris Verkhovsky, Pierre Masse (acrobatic performance design), Iris, Cirque du Soleil at Kodak TheatrePeter Nigrini (projection and video design), The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Geffen PlayhouseUnique Theatrical EventStanding on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays, Joan Stein and Stuart Ross in association with the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Centers Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center at The Renberg TheatreSpecial awardsTed Schmitt Award for the world premiere of an outstanding new play: David Wiener for Extraordinary Chambers, accompanied by an offer to publish by Samuel French, Inc.Polly Warfield Award for an excellent season in a small to mid-size theater: Rogue Machine; accompanied by an honorarium funded by the Nederlander Organization.Bob Z award for career achievement in set design: Kurt Boetcher.Angstrom Award for career achievement in lighting design: Lap Chi Chu; accompanied by an honorarium funded by Angstrom Lighting.Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater: the Odyssey Theatre.Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theatre: Lee Martino.Milton Katselas Award for career or special achievement in direction will be awarded to Matt Shakman; accompanied by an honorarium funded by The Katselas Theatre Company. Editors note: Les Spindle is a member of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle. 'Raisin' and 'Springer' Lead LADCC Nominations By Les Spindle January 30, 2012 PHOTO CREDIT Craig Schwartz The nominees and special award recipients for the 43rd annual Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards, honoring distinguished achievements in L.A. theater during 2011, were announced on Monday. Ebony Repertory Theatre Company's revival of Lorraine Hansbury's classic drama "A Raisin in the Sun," currently restaged at the Kirk Douglas Theatre with one lead role recast, and the Chance Theater's Southern California premiere of "Jerry Springer: The Opera" both lead the nominations with a total of eight each.Other shows receiving several nominations are the Odyssey Theatre-Evidence Room co-production of Len Jenkin's noir-inspired "Margo Veil" with five, and the zany world premiere tuner "Re-Animator the Musical" with four. Leading production companies were Center Theatre Group, which netted 10 nods, for shows at its Ahmanson and Kirk Douglas Theatres and the Mark Taper Forum. Eight nominations each went to Ebony Repertory Theatre, Chance Theater, and Rogue Machine. Geffen Playhouse received seven.The awards ceremony is set for Monday, March 19, 2012 at A Noise Within (3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena), the classical repertory theatre company. The show will be hosted by actor-singer Jason Graae, who received LADCC's 2007 Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theater, and actor Lesli Margherita, a nominee this year for "Kiss Me, Kate." Additional performers and presenters will be announced soon.A complete list of nominees is below.Production9 Circles, Alicia Adams and Jessica Hanna, Bootleg Theater Blackbird, Rogue Machine, Theatre/TheaterHouse of the Rising Son, Ensemble Studio TheatreLA, Atwater Village TheatreJerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterMargo Veil, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room, Odyssey TheatreRe-Animator: The Musical, Dean Schramm & Stuart Gordon, Steve Allen TheaterSmall Engine Repair, Rogue Machine, Theatre/TheaterThe Cripple of Inishmaan, Center Theatre Group and Druid and Atlantic Theater Company, Kirk Douglas TheatreWay to Heaven, Ron Sossi, Odyssey Theatre Tom McCulloh Award for RevivalA Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre, Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterCabaret, Reprise Theatre Company, Freud PlayhouseKiss Me, Kate, Reprise Theatre Company, Freud PlayhousePeace in Our Time, The Antaeus Company, Deaf West TheatreThe Crucible, Theatre BansheeDirectionTrevor Biship, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterAndrew Block, Small Engine Repair, Rogue Machine at Theatre/TheaterSean Branney, The Crucible, Theatre BansheeBart DeLorenzo, Margo Veil, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey TheatrePhylicia Rashad, A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterWriting Jane Anderson, The Escort, Geffen Playhouse David Harrower, Blackbird, Rogue Machine at Theatre/TheaterJohn Pollono, Small Engine Repair, Rogue Machine at Theatre/Theater Charlayne Woodard, The Night Watcher, Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas Theatre Writing (Adaptation) Dakin Matthews, The Capulets & the Montagues, Andak Stage Company at NewPlace Studio TheatreDennis Paoli, Stuart Gordon & William J. Morris, Re-Animator: The Musical, Steve Allen TheaterMusic Direction Gregory Nabours, Falsettos, Third Street TheatreMichael Paternostro, Kiss Me, Kate, Reprise Theatre Company at Freud PlayhouseGerald Sternbach, The Robber Bridegroom, International City TheatreMike Wilkins, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterChoreography Karole Armitage, Hair, Broadway/L.A. at the Pantages TheatreAndy Blankenbuehler, Bring It On: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson TheatreTodd Nielsen, The Robber Bridegroom, International City TheatreKelly Todd, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterMusical Score Lin-Manuel Miranda, Amanda Green, and Tom Kitt, Bring It On: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson TheatreMark Nutter, Re-Animator: The Musical, Steve Allen TheaterJeanine Tesori and David Lindsay-Abaire, Shrek the Musical, DreamWorks Theatricals, Neal Street Productions, and Broadway/L.A. at the Pantages TheatreRichard Thomas and Stewart Lee, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterLead Performance Patrick J. Adams, 9 Circles, Bootleg Theater Sam Anderson, Blackbird, Rogue Machine at Theatre/TheaterGigi Birmingham, Hermetically Sealed, The Katselas Theatre Company at the Skylight TheatreAnne Gee Byrd,All My Sons, Matrix TheatreL. Scott Caldwell, A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterKevin Carroll, A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterEdi Gathegi, Superior Donuts, Geffen PlayhouseLesli Margherita, Kiss Me, Kate, Reprise Theatre Company at Freud PlayhouseLisa OHare, Cabaret, Reprise Theatre Company at Freud PlayhouseMaggie Siff, The Escort, Geffen PlayhouseNorbert Weisser, Way to Heaven, Odyssey TheatreFeatured PerformanceKenya Alexander, A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterAnne Gee Byrd, I Never Sang for My Father, The New American Theatre at the McCadden TheatreDermot Crowley, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Center Theatre Group and Druid and Atlantic Theater Company at the Kirk Douglas TheatreDeidrie Henry, A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterKate Huffman, 100 Saints You Should Know, Elephant Theatre Company Casey Kramer, Dolly Wests Kitchen, Theatre BansheeRyann Redmond, Bring It On: The Musical, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson TheatreEnsemble Performance A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterJerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterMargo Veil, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey TheatreThe Cripple of Inishmaan, Center Theatre Group and Druid and Atlantic Theater Company at the Kirk Douglas TheatreThe Crucible, Theatre BansheeSolo Performance Tom Dugan, Nazi Hunter Simon Wiesenthal, Theatre 40 at the Reuben Cordova TheatreJohn Fleck, Mad Women, The Katselas Theatre Company at the Skylight TheatreGuy Hollingsworth, The Expert at the Card Table, Menier Chocolate Factory at The Eli and Edythe Broad StageJohn Leguizamo, Ghetto Klown, WestBeth Entertainment at The Montlban Charlayne Woodard, The Night Watcher, Center Theatre Group at the Kirk Douglas TheatreSet Design Cameron Anderson, A Midsummer Nights Dream, South Coast RepertoryJohn Lee Beatty, Poor Behavior, Center Theatre Group at the Mark Taper ForumBrian Sidney Bembridge, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Geffen PlayhouseMichael Ganio, A Raisin in the Sun, Ebony Repertory Theatre at the Nate Holden Performing Arts CenterRichard Hoover, House of the Rising Son, Ensemble Studio TheatreLA at the Atwater Village TheatreLighting Design Patrice Besombes, Iris, Cirque du Soleil at Kodak TheatrePaule Constable, Les Misrables, Center Theatre Group at the Ahmanson TheatreJeremy Pivnick, House of the Rising Son, Ensemble Studio TheatreLA at the Atwater Village TheatreBrian S. Shevelenko, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterCostume Design Ann Closs-Farley, Margo Veil, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey TheatrePhilippe Guillotel, Iris, Cirque du Soleil at Kodak TheatreTim Hatley, Shrek the Musical, DreamWorks Theatricals, Neal Street Productions, and Broadway/L.A. at the Pantages Theatre Garry Lennon, Kiss Me, Kate, Reprise Theatre Company at Freud PlayhouseSound Design Mikhail Fiksel, The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Geffen PlayhouseCasey Long, Jerry Springer: The Opera, Chance TheaterAdam Phalen, 9 Circles, Bootleg TheaterJohn Zalewski, Margo Veil, The Odyssey Theatre Ensemble and Evidence Room at the Odyssey TheatreSpecialty Eric Anderson (fight choreography), Gospel According to First Squad, The Los Angeles Theatre Ensemble at The Powerhouse Theatre John Boesche (projection design), Radiance: The Passion of Marie Curie, Geffen PlayhouseDavid Combs and Linda Hoag (puppet design), Monkey Adored, Rogue Machine at Theatre/TheaterTony Doublin, John Naulin, John Buechler, Tom Devlin, & Greg McDougall (special effects), Re-Animator: The Musical, Steve Allen TheaterShana Carroll, Boris Verkhovsky, Pierre Masse (acrobatic performance design), Iris, Cirque du Soleil at Kodak TheatrePeter Nigrini (projection and video design), The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Geffen PlayhouseUnique Theatrical EventStanding on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays, Joan Stein and Stuart Ross in association with the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Centers Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center at The Renberg TheatreSpecial awardsTed Schmitt Award for the world premiere of an outstanding new play: David Wiener for Extraordinary Chambers, accompanied by an offer to publish by Samuel French, Inc.Polly Warfield Award for an excellent season in a small to mid-size theater: Rogue Machine; accompanied by an honorarium funded by the Nederlander Organization.Bob Z award for career achievement in set design: Kurt Boetcher.Angstrom Award for career achievement in lighting design: Lap Chi Chu; accompanied by an honorarium funded by Angstrom Lighting.Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater: the Odyssey Theatre.Joel Hirschhorn Award for outstanding achievement in musical theatre: Lee Martino.Milton Katselas Award for career or special achievement in direction will be awarded to Matt Shakman; accompanied by an honorarium funded by The Katselas Theatre Company. Editors note: Les Spindle is a member of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.

Ryan Gosling talks about Thai boxing film Only God Forgives

[brightcove]1033185244001[/brightcove]Ryan Gosling has shed light on his role in Bangkok-set boxing flick Only God Forgives in a chat with The Hollywood Reporter.The film sees him reunited with Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn. At the Hua Hin International Film Festival, Gosling called Bangkok: "Incredible... Ever since I came here I've been dreaming about making a film in Bangkok."He also spoke about his training routine in preparation for the Muay Thai boxing scenes in the film: "It's sparring basically. They don't really use weights. Nicolas is doing it as well."Gosling also commented on two recent snubs he's been at the centre of: the 2012 Oscar nominations and People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive poll.On the former, the actor was asked if he was felt snubbed by the Academy, and he responded with a definitive "No."Whereas, regarding the Sexiest Man Alive title, he responded with his trademark wit: "I voted for Bradley [Cooper] and I'm glad he won."Only God Forgives is expected to open later this year.

Oliviers take New You are able to stage

The Olivier Honours, U.K. theater's most exclusive awards, will be provided in NY this season the very first time using a live show relay from London's Royal Opera House.Ceremony, presented through the Society based in london Theater, can make its Stateside debut included in a Gotham reception. In your own home, the big event will get extensive coverage on BBC TV, radio an internet-based.Press blitz marks a substantial step-up for that kudofest, now in the 36th year, following a 2010 appointment of SOLT chief professional Julian Bird, who elevated the event's industry and media profile this past year by moving it towards the Theater Royal Drury Lane in the hotel that had formerly been held.The Broadway celebration will contain British stars and-profile industry figures gathering in an up to now surprise venue to celebrate the honours."NY City and London share a lengthy tradition of theatrical productions which have moved from Broadway towards the West Finish and the other way around,Inch stated Gotham Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "It does not matter should you spell it 'theater' or 'theatre' musicals and plays really are a top attraction for vacationers, and that we anticipate hosting greater than a million site visitors in the Uk in next season.InchErina Ball and Imelda Staunton, the leads within the forthcoming West Finish revival of Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd," will host the big event, which is further broadened using a free bigscreen live show relay within the Covent Garden piazza.SOLT will announce the entire listing of nominees March 15. This season noms is going to be broadcast live online the very first time. Contact David Benedict at benedictdavid@mac.com

Zoe Saldana Heats Up Sundance With 'The Words'

Zoe Saldana Heats Up Sundance With 'The Words' By Jenelle Riley January 18, 2012 Photo by Jeff Vespa/Contour by Getty Images Zoe Saldana The first time Zoe Saldana attended the Sundance Film Festival, she was, in her words, "somebody's plus-one." Her sister Cisely worked on "Gun Hill Road," which premiered at last year's fest, and Saldana went along to offer support. The actor had also participated in the 2001 Directors Lab workshop, in which she spent part of her summer working on a script called "Sleep Dealer." Says Saldana, "It was heaven. Everybody just lends their time and support to these filmmakers; it was a great experience." So the stunning actor, perhaps best known for films such as "Avatar" and "Star Trek," is already familiar with the Park City, Utah, neighborhood. This year she will be attending with a film of her own, the twisty thriller "The Words," co-starring Bradley Cooper and Olivia Wilde. The film marks the feature-writing and directing debut of Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal, childhood friends of Cooper, who plays a writer on the verge of major success who might have plagiarized the work of an author played by Jeremy Irons. But Saldana says it's about much more. "It's a love story, and it's also a story about a boy trying to become a man," she notes. "There are some interesting twists, so I wouldn't even know how to explain it to you in a way that wouldn't give something away." Saldana plays the wife of Cooper's character, a role she says is quite different from women she has previously portrayed. "This is someone who believes so much in her husband and is willing to do anything for love," she says. "The script got my attention immediately, and when I went to meet Brian and Lee in person, they told me their plans for making the film. And I was completely swept off my feet." Of course, the low-budget world of "The Words" must be very different from working on a project such as "Avatar," the highest-grossing movie of all time. Is it safe to say the catering bill on James Cameron's sci-fi flick was larger than the entire shooting budget on "The Words"? Saldana laughs and replies, "It was, but both films have the same amount of heart." As for working with first-time directors, Saldana is equally generous in her praise. "If anything, working with small budgets and directors just starting out is more familiar to me. Being an underdog myself, I know what it's like when a chance is taken on you." Being Blue Saldana admits there was a time when she swore off big-budget movie experiences. She broke out with her 2000 film debut, "Center Stage," an ideal role for the trained dancer. Shortly thereafter, she signed on to "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," which would become a blockbuster and spawn three sequels (as of now). But it was not a pleasurable time for Saldana. "I had such a bad experience working on a big-budget movie; I literally left that experience with the worst aftertaste of Hollywood ever," she reveals. "I was like, I'll never do a big movie again; I'll never move to L.A.I was even thinking about quitting." Instead, she put herself on tape for Steven Spielberg's next film, the 2004 comedy-drama "The Terminal." She wanted to try something different, so she committed an audition sinshe chewed gum while delivering her lines. Word came back that Spielberg wanted to see her again. "He liked the fact that I tried something different, but he wanted to see me without the gum," Saldana says. When she won the role, she had some hesitation. "I remember thinking that if 'Pirates' was big, this would be 10 times bigger. And it was. But it was also the most amazing, humbling experience, and it taught me so much." She credits Spielberg with renewing her faith in filmmaking. "Before he's a filmmaker, he's a father, a friend, a brother, a son," she enthuses. "He's someone I want to be when I grow up."No longer scared away by big budgets, Saldana jumped with glee into the role of Nyota Uhura in the "Star Trek" reboot. "People don't believe me when I say this, but I'm a fucking geek!" she exclaims. "I've been a science fiction fanatic all my life. The first movie I really remember impacting me was 'The Hunger.' I was reading Stephen King as a kid! I wanted to go as Lady Jessica from 'Dune' for Halloween!" That is only one of many things that made Saldana the perfect choice to play Neytiri, the beautiful and spirited daughter of the leader of the Na'vi clan in "Avatar." Saldana spent countless hours on a motion capture stage, with more than 100 cameras recording her every movement. She earned raves for the performanceCameron called it Oscar-worthybut did it ever bother her that her face wasn't being seen? "If I told you no, I would be lying to you, and I don't want to bullshit you," Saldana says with a laugh. "The reality is that, as human beings, we're prone to vanity." She says once the process was explained to her, she got over her doubts. "The reality is, I want to be known for my work, not my face. In truth, Neytiri is the best role an actress could ever be given. I got to pour my heart and soul into her, and that's what stays with peoplenot who I'm dating or what I'm wearing. I literally bled for that character, and the fact it touched so many people is a blessing."Her work didn't go unnoticed by the industry. Among her fans was filmmaker Luc Besson, who cast Saldana in the lead role of last year's action flick "Colombiana," which he wrote and produced. "He was really moved by 'Avatar,' and he gave me this script," Saldana recalls. "He said, 'Read this. If you want to do it, it's yours.' " Another perk of the role? Daniel Day-Lewis approached Saldana to tell her his son had a crush on Neytiri. "To me, he's one of the best actors who has ever walked this earth," she raves. "And for him to give me credit,I can't even explain it. I won. I won everything." Thrill of the Chase Saldana is being offered movies like "Colombiana" with increasing frequency, but she has mixed feelings about skipping the audition process. "It has gotten easier to get in certain rooms," she says. "But I wouldn't want it to get too easy, because it takes away the hunger and the excitement of getting something. I like having to chase something I really want, because things that fall in your lap are things you take for granted."She will admit to some bad audition experiences"where you freeze or you cry or you sabotage everything"but also says there have been roles she didn't get but that left her feeling like she had won the respect of the director and the CD. Either way, she looks for feedback. "I always tell my team to tell me the truth; it's the only way I can get better," she notes. "I don't like hearing 'Well, you just weren't what they were looking for.' No, tell me! I want to know!" Saldana says her attitude about auditioning has been helped by her mother's support. "My mother has been such an encouraging figure in my life and always told me to remember I am equal to everything and everyone," she notes. "Every time I'd leave the houseI could have been going for an interview or meeting someone's parents for the first time or going on an auditionshe would always say before I walked through the door, 'Zoe? I hope you like them.' " Continues Saldana, "With that simple thing, she told me so much: that even though I'm out there to look for something, to see if they will give something to me, I also have to give it back to them. Me liking you is just as important as you liking me. I matter just as much. She always centered me. She would say, 'It's fifty-fifty, and you bring in one of the fifty.' "Coming Attractions Sequels for "Star Trek" and "Avatar" are in the works, though Saldana is understandably mum when it comes to information on either. "I could tell you the things I've heard, but then I would be robbing you of the experience of seeing them," she notes. "I don't want to lose that childlike quality in me that made me fall in love with movies in the first place. And I really don't want to do that to anyone else." She does know that Cameron is hard at work on a script for "Avatar 2," adding, "I don't know that much about it, but I know it will be amazing and heart-wrenching." Of course, Saldana is bundling up to head to Sundance to see "The Words" with an audience for the first time. Asked if she'll have time to hit any of the famous parties, she replies, "To me, going to see movies and supporting colleagues is my party. So I certainly hope to do that and soak up the experience of having a film at Sundance.""The Words" plays the Sundance Film Festival Jan. 27, 6:30 p.m.; Jan. 28, 9 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.; Jan. 29, 12:30 p.m. Visit filmguide.sundance.org/film/120121/the_words for more information. Outtakes -Other films include "Death at a Funeral," "Guess Who," and "The Losers"-Began working as a teenager with a theater group in Brooklyn called FACES, which puts on shows promoting positive messages to kids-Got her SAG card on a Burger King commercial-Works with acting teacher Catlin Adams, whom she calls "my guru" Zoe Saldana Heats Up Sundance With 'The Words' By Jenelle Riley January 18, 2012 Zoe Saldana PHOTO CREDIT Jeff Vespa/Contour by Getty Images The first time Zoe Saldana attended the Sundance Film Festival, she was, in her words, "somebody's plus-one." Her sister Cisely worked on "Gun Hill Road," which premiered at last year's fest, and Saldana went along to offer support. The actor had also participated in the 2001 Directors Lab workshop, in which she spent part of her summer working on a script called "Sleep Dealer." Says Saldana, "It was heaven. Everybody just lends their time and support to these filmmakers; it was a great experience." So the stunning actor, perhaps best known for films such as "Avatar" and "Star Trek," is already familiar with the Park City, Utah, neighborhood. This year she will be attending with a film of her own, the twisty thriller "The Words," co-starring Bradley Cooper and Olivia Wilde. The film marks the feature-writing and directing debut of Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal, childhood friends of Cooper, who plays a writer on the verge of major success who might have plagiarized the work of an author played by Jeremy Irons. But Saldana says it's about much more. "It's a love story, and it's also a story about a boy trying to become a man," she notes. "There are some interesting twists, so I wouldn't even know how to explain it to you in a way that wouldn't give something away." Saldana plays the wife of Cooper's character, a role she says is quite different from women she has previously portrayed. "This is someone who believes so much in her husband and is willing to do anything for love," she says. "The script got my attention immediately, and when I went to meet Brian and Lee in person, they told me their plans for making the film. And I was completely swept off my feet." Of course, the low-budget world of "The Words" must be very different from working on a project such as "Avatar," the highest-grossing movie of all time. Is it safe to say the catering bill on James Cameron's sci-fi flick was larger than the entire shooting budget on "The Words"? Saldana laughs and replies, "It was, but both films have the same amount of heart." As for working with first-time directors, Saldana is equally generous in her praise. "If anything, working with small budgets and directors just starting out is more familiar to me. Being an underdog myself, I know what it's like when a chance is taken on you." Being Blue Saldana admits there was a time when she swore off big-budget movie experiences. She broke out with her 2000 film debut, "Center Stage," an ideal role for the trained dancer. Shortly thereafter, she signed on to "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," which would become a blockbuster and spawn three sequels (as of now). But it was not a pleasurable time for Saldana. "I had such a bad experience working on a big-budget movie; I literally left that experience with the worst aftertaste of Hollywood ever," she reveals. "I was like, I'll never do a big movie again; I'll never move to L.A.I was even thinking about quitting." Instead, she put herself on tape for Steven Spielberg's next film, the 2004 comedy-drama "The Terminal." She wanted to try something different, so she committed an audition sinshe chewed gum while delivering her lines. Word came back that Spielberg wanted to see her again. "He liked the fact that I tried something different, but he wanted to see me without the gum," Saldana says. When she won the role, she had some hesitation. "I remember thinking that if 'Pirates' was big, this would be 10 times bigger. And it was. But it was also the most amazing, humbling experience, and it taught me so much." She credits Spielberg with renewing her faith in filmmaking. "Before he's a filmmaker, he's a father, a friend, a brother, a son," she enthuses. "He's someone I want to be when I grow up."No longer scared away by big budgets, Saldana jumped with glee into the role of Nyota Uhura in the "Star Trek" reboot. "People don't believe me when I say this, but I'm a fucking geek!" she exclaims. "I've been a science fiction fanatic all my life. The first movie I really remember impacting me was 'The Hunger.' I was reading Stephen King as a kid! I wanted to go as Lady Jessica from 'Dune' for Halloween!" That is only one of many things that made Saldana the perfect choice to play Neytiri, the beautiful and spirited daughter of the leader of the Na'vi clan in "Avatar." Saldana spent countless hours on a motion capture stage, with more than 100 cameras recording her every movement. She earned raves for the performanceCameron called it Oscar-worthybut did it ever bother her that her face wasn't being seen? "If I told you no, I would be lying to you, and I don't want to bullshit you," Saldana says with a laugh. "The reality is that, as human beings, we're prone to vanity." She says once the process was explained to her, she got over her doubts. "The reality is, I want to be known for my work, not my face. In truth, Neytiri is the best role an actress could ever be given. I got to pour my heart and soul into her, and that's what stays with peoplenot who I'm dating or what I'm wearing. I literally bled for that character, and the fact it touched so many people is a blessing."Her work didn't go unnoticed by the industry. Among her fans was filmmaker Luc Besson, who cast Saldana in the lead role of last year's action flick "Colombiana," which he wrote and produced. "He was really moved by 'Avatar,' and he gave me this script," Saldana recalls. "He said, 'Read this. If you want to do it, it's yours.' " Another perk of the role? Daniel Day-Lewis approached Saldana to tell her his son had a crush on Neytiri. "To me, he's one of the best actors who has ever walked this earth," she raves. "And for him to give me credit,I can't even explain it. I won. I won everything." Thrill of the Chase Saldana is being offered movies like "Colombiana" with increasing frequency, but she has mixed feelings about skipping the audition process. "It has gotten easier to get in certain rooms," she says. "But I wouldn't want it to get too easy, because it takes away the hunger and the excitement of getting something. I like having to chase something I really want, because things that fall in your lap are things you take for granted."She will admit to some bad audition experiences"where you freeze or you cry or you sabotage everything"but also says there have been roles she didn't get but that left her feeling like she had won the respect of the director and the CD. Either way, she looks for feedback. "I always tell my team to tell me the truth; it's the only way I can get better," she notes. "I don't like hearing 'Well, you just weren't what they were looking for.' No, tell me! I want to know!" Saldana says her attitude about auditioning has been helped by her mother's support. "My mother has been such an encouraging figure in my life and always told me to remember I am equal to everything and everyone," she notes. "Every time I'd leave the houseI could have been going for an interview or meeting someone's parents for the first time or going on an auditionshe would always say before I walked through the door, 'Zoe? I hope you like them.' " Continues Saldana, "With that simple thing, she told me so much: that even though I'm out there to look for something, to see if they will give something to me, I also have to give it back to them. Me liking you is just as important as you liking me. I matter just as much. She always centered me. She would say, 'It's fifty-fifty, and you bring in one of the fifty.' "Coming Attractions Sequels for "Star Trek" and "Avatar" are in the works, though Saldana is understandably mum when it comes to information on either. "I could tell you the things I've heard, but then I would be robbing you of the experience of seeing them," she notes. "I don't want to lose that childlike quality in me that made me fall in love with movies in the first place. And I really don't want to do that to anyone else." She does know that Cameron is hard at work on a script for "Avatar 2," adding, "I don't know that much about it, but I know it will be amazing and heart-wrenching." Of course, Saldana is bundling up to head to Sundance to see "The Words" with an audience for the first time. Asked if she'll have time to hit any of the famous parties, she replies, "To me, going to see movies and supporting colleagues is my party. So I certainly hope to do that and soak up the experience of having a film at Sundance.""The Words" plays the Sundance Film Festival Jan. 27, 6:30 p.m.; Jan. 28, 9 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.; Jan. 29, 12:30 p.m. Visit filmguide.sundance.org/film/120121/the_words for more information. Outtakes -Other films include "Death at a Funeral," "Guess Who," and "The Losers"-Began working as a teenager with a theater group in Brooklyn called FACES, which puts on shows promoting positive messages to kids-Got her SAG card on a Burger King commercial-Works with acting teacher Catlin Adams, whom she calls "my guru"

Nick Cannon Hospitalized With Kidney Problem

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon Nick Cannon has been hospitalized as a result of "mild kidney failure," Mariah Carey tweeted Wednesday.Carey, 41, also posted a photo of the two lying together in Cannon's hospital bed, and elaborated about the situation on her blog."This is us in the hospital - role reversal. Last year it was me attached to the machines (after having dembabies) and Nick was there with me through it, and now here we are," she wrote, referring to the April 30 birth of the couple's twins Moroccan and Monroe.Mariah Carey unveils post-baby body: I lost 70 pounds"We're trying to be as festive as possible under the circumstances but please keep Nick in your thoughts because this is very painful."Cannon, 31, was hospitalized in Aspen, Colo., where the couple went to spend New Year's Eve.