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24-4-2000CATE PROJECTS
os Angeles Times columnist Liz Smith reported this week the following tidbit: "Miramax won't confirm, but I do hear that Cate Blanchett is set for "Heaven," the last screenplay written by Krzysztof Kieslowski, who died in 1996. Tom Tykwer, director of the acclaimed "Run Lola Run," is also said to be on board. Blanchett who was so brilliant in "Elizabeth" and as the slightly dizzy, very American wife of John Cusack in "Pushing Tin," was a big hit at last week's BAFTA Awards in Britain and at Tina Brown's glittery pre-awards party in London."
L As major fans of the late, great Kieslowski, this is, indeed, wonderful if rather stunning news. Most know Kieslowski via his "Trois Coleurs" films, "Bleu", "Rouge" and "Blanc", while his "The Decalogue" remains one of the grand achievements in the history of cinema. We will anxiously await more info on this one to see if it pans out.
utlaws Update
O
As reported this week in Variety:
'Outlaws' ready for action
Production is expected to begin in September on another Hyde Park-MGM co-production, "Outlaws." Directed by Barry Levinson and starring Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton and Cate Blanchett, the $70 million-budgeted drama follows two ex-cons who become overnight celebrities by robbing banks and who find themselves falling in love with the same woman. Harley Peyton penned the script.Aussies and Spielberg
hile we don't have an update on Cate and "Minority Report", we can report that Frances O'Connor has confirmed her upcoming participation in Steven Spielberg's "A.I." project. According to Moviehole, earlier this week O'Connor appeared on the Australian TV program The Panel. The actress is reported to have said that she didn't have to audition for her role in the film and that she found Spielberg very unthreatening. We love Frances, Cate's co-star in "Thank God He Met Lizzie", and this is splendid news indeed!
W Cate and Sebastian Faulks. Again
here are new rumours surfacing out of the UK regarding the film project of Sebastian Faulks' celebrated novel, "Birdsong". Director Ian Softley ("Backbeat") is set to direct and the latest swirl of buzz has Cate attached in some way. Cate has been previously mentioned as being connected to the film of Faulks' "Charlotte Gray". We'll try and keep our eye on this one.
T FASHIONABLE CATE
e found this piece, courtesy of Jess Cartner-Morley in the Guardian UK to be worth a giggle:
w Once upon a time, you knew where you were with Australians.
Big rucksack, huge alcohol tolerance, good-natured. Then they started getting all sophisticated on us. First of all it turned out that Oz isn't actually anything like Ramsay Street but is in fact all passion fruit smoothies and power yoga and postmodern architecture.Then Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman started swanning around with the kind of sleek-haired, whip-thin elegance that makes everyone else feel like Wombles by comparison. And now, Australian designer Collette Dinnigan is
bringing a slice of Sydney chic to the Northern hemisphere, with the opening of her Chelsea store, the first outside of down under.
Dinnigan was born in New Zealand, but moved to Sydney in her late teens to launch a career in fashion, working for the costume department of the Australian Broadcasting Commission. In 1990 she left to set up her own-name label, but the influence of the time spent working on period costumes can be seen in her highly embroidered, colourful, romantic clothes. Since 1995, Dinnigan has held a coveted spot on the Paris fashion week schedule with collections snapped up by the smartest department stores, including Harvey Nichols in London and Barney's in New York.
The new store, which opened yesterday, has boudoir-pink walls, chandeliers, and flouncy curtains - pretty, but not nearly as pretty as the spring/summer collection currently in stock.
Dinnigan's trademark style is girlish and embellished in a style reminiscent of our very own Elspeth Gibson - you may find you have to fight off the likes of Cameron Diaz, Sandra Bullock and Jerry Hall for the summer frocks with muted tea-dress prints, ruffle-edge pink skirts and dresses, and lace-edged camisoles in sky blue satin. Just don't expect hats with corks on.
In a related story, in today's Sunday Times UK, it would appear that Cate was on hand for Collette's Grand Opening. As reported, "Cate Blanchett - Yes, her again. We love Cate in Frock Watch. In London for the opening of the Aussie designer Collette Dinnigan's boutique, the actress looked striking in a pink ponyskin gilet, £539, and black trousers, £249, both from Paul Smith."
Collette Dinnigan is at 26 Cale St, SW3 (0171-589 8897). SHEKHAR UPDATE
ome possible shift in casting on the upcoming Shekhar Kapur feature we have been talking about: Hot Aussie actor Heath Ledger (who costars with Mel Gibson in THE PATRIOT) may replace Jude Law to star in Shekhar Kapur's remake of THE FOUR FEATHERS, the WWI tale of courage and cowardice. Ledger is currently in Prague filming A KNIGHT'S TALE with writer-director Brian Helgeland (Payback).
S OSCAR AND LUCINDA. EH, CATE
inally, in what may be the last of our Oscar 2000 related news, we came across this piece from The Insider, which tracked down various celebs and asked them, "What movie were you most disappointed either didn't get an Oscar or wasn't even nominated?" Some of the responses:
F Robin Williams: "'Dr. Strangelove', because it's the greatest dark comedy ever made and probably the greatest character comedy. Kubrick's 'Paths of Glory' too. That's the greatest war movie. They both should have won."
Sharon Stone: "'Raging Bull'. Look at the list of top-five movies ever made and it's on it. It was a perfect movie."
Angelina Jolie: "It has to be 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. After seeing that movie, I went home and said, 'Dad, that's the man I want!' Go figure that one out."
Gwyneth Paltrow: "Well, it isn't a movie, it's a person for me. I feel that Nicole Kidman is ignored because she is married to Tom Cruise. I think people don't want to give her full respect and recognition because they resent the marriage in some way. She is brilliant, beautiful and so talented and gifted. I just couldn't believe that she didn't get an Oscar for 'To Die For'. That was so wrong."
Jessica Lange: "It has to be 'Some Like It Hot'. I've probably seen that movie a thousand times and every time, I still laugh out loud and roll around on the floor. That's my favorite movie. The whole film is one of those rare moments where everything comes together and creates an almost inexplicable magic."
Tom Hanks: "It would be '2001:A Space Odyssey'. I was 13 years old when I saw it, and, for the first time, the cinematic storytelling process. That movie is one of the reasons I'm here."
Michael Caine: " Every year there's one you think should have won. But one of my favorite pictures is 'Charade'. I love that picture. Great picture."
Julianne Moore: "'The Way We Were'. I remember it would come on TV in the 70s, and I would bring in the little black and white TV we had into my bedroom and cry. That was my favorite thing to do. I think that the first time I saw it, I was 13 and had never had, like, a romantic feeling for a movie star before. When I met Redford (years later) at Sundance, I was just speechless. I couldn't even speak."
Cate Blanchett: "As a kid, the first film I remember being impressed with was with Gene Wilder, about a train that crashed. I think I was about seven and it was really exciting, because I snuck in. 'Silver Streak', that's it, that's the one! Should have won an Oscar, it made such a huge impression on me!".
Uhhh, okay, Cate. Have to second Gwyn's comments though...very astute observation, IMHO.
Guess that's all for now, Blanchetteers! As usual, check out the latest 'Lord of the Rings' film shoot news at our companion News page, Lord of the Rings Update. And, don't forget, when all else fails, sing out, "Play A Volta!!"
