Movies
Movies
Sean Connery was urged to ditch his accent at the beginning of his career.
The Scottish actor was told his accent was "off-putting" by producer
Alvin Rakoff who worked on 1950s' TV drama 'Requiem for a Heavyweight' where the Hollywood legend starred as Harlan McClintock.
He told The Sun newspaper: "I met Sean in his 20s. He had the looks but I couldn't see him as a star. We thought his accent was distracting -- how wrong we were."
The 83-year-old star is best known for portraying James Bond and starred in seven films about the secret agent between 1962 and 1983. Following a string of successful hits he confirmed his retirement
after receiving the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award on 8 June, 2006.
Since then he's taken on a few projects, mostly voice work.
In 2005 he recorded voiceovers for a new video game version of his Bond film 'From Russia with Love' and has lent his voice to the titular character in 2012's animation 'Sir Billi the Vet'.
Sean Connery told to ditch accent in early career
Sean Connery was urged to ditch his accent at the beginning of his career.
The Scottish actor was told his accent was "off-putting" by producer
Alvin Rakoff who worked on 1950s' TV drama 'Requiem for a Heavyweight' where the Hollywood legend starred as Harlan McClintock.
He told The Sun newspaper: "I met Sean in his 20s. He had the looks but I couldn't see him as a star. We thought his accent was distracting -- how wrong we were."
The 83-year-old star is best known for portraying James Bond and starred in seven films about the secret agent between 1962 and 1983. Following a string of successful hits he confirmed his retirement
after receiving the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award on 8 June, 2006.
Since then he's taken on a few projects, mostly voice work.
In 2005 he recorded voiceovers for a new video game version of his Bond film 'From Russia with Love' and has lent his voice to the titular character in 2012's animation 'Sir Billi the Vet'.
Movies
Bryan Cranston found learning Japanese "difficult".
The 58-year-old actor picked up a number of phrases to use in his latest movie 'Godzilla', but found it very hard to master even short bursts of the unfamiliar tongue.
During an interview on BBC Radio 1, he said: " learned it in context with the scene but you don't want to hone in too much because they'll change the scripts, so what you learn will become, 'Oh no, we're not going to do that scene?'
"A lot of it was done phonetically and we had a language coach on set to help and even when you read it, for the English speaker, to read Japanese phonetically is still difficult because they change that, there's a lilt to it that's not written. The tone is different.
"They could teach you anything. They could destroy your career."
Bryan is best known for playing teacher-turned-drug lord Walter White - aka Heisenberg - in TV series 'Breaking Bad' and admits he is not always impressed by the tattoo tributes he sees in honour of his alter ego.
He said: "I've seen tattoos of Heisenberg or Walter White on derrieres too. It was impressive that they did this but it's something you don't want to look at, it's not like it was on a 25-year-old model."
Bryan Cranston struggled to learn Japanese
Bryan Cranston found learning Japanese "difficult".
The 58-year-old actor picked up a number of phrases to use in his latest movie 'Godzilla', but found it very hard to master even short bursts of the unfamiliar tongue.
During an interview on BBC Radio 1, he said: " learned it in context with the scene but you don't want to hone in too much because they'll change the scripts, so what you learn will become, 'Oh no, we're not going to do that scene?'
"A lot of it was done phonetically and we had a language coach on set to help and even when you read it, for the English speaker, to read Japanese phonetically is still difficult because they change that, there's a lilt to it that's not written. The tone is different.
"They could teach you anything. They could destroy your career."
Bryan is best known for playing teacher-turned-drug lord Walter White - aka Heisenberg - in TV series 'Breaking Bad' and admits he is not always impressed by the tattoo tributes he sees in honour of his alter ego.
He said: "I've seen tattoos of Heisenberg or Walter White on derrieres too. It was impressive that they did this but it's something you don't want to look at, it's not like it was on a 25-year-old model."
Movies
J.J. Abrams has shared a message of encouragement for the 'Star Wars: Episode VII' cast.
The filmmaker has penned a handwritten note, which is circling online, addressing the ensemble of the upcoming sci-fi saga, thanking them for their hard work and boosting their confidence in the face of the audience's sky-high expectations.
The note reads: "Dearest Cast and Crew, What an honour it is to work beside all of you, on Star Wars Ep VII. I can't thank you enough, for all work past and future. Let's take good care of not just ourselves, but of each other. Amazing, but true: the world awaits this film. Let's give 'em something GREAT. xo JJ"
The movie will see former stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher return for Abrams' new instalment, alongside newcomers John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Andy Serkis, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson and Max von Sydow.
Filming began in Abu Dhabi last week and is then expected to continue at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England.
Bad Robot - J.J Abrams' production company - broke the news on Twitter, posting an image of the first film slate from the shoot, along with the hashtag "#DayOne".
The movie, which has a screenplay written by the director and Lawrence Kasban, opens worldwide on December 18, 2015.
J.J. Abrams posts message for Star Wars cast
J.J. Abrams has shared a message of encouragement for the 'Star Wars: Episode VII' cast.
The filmmaker has penned a handwritten note, which is circling online, addressing the ensemble of the upcoming sci-fi saga, thanking them for their hard work and boosting their confidence in the face of the audience's sky-high expectations.
The note reads: "Dearest Cast and Crew, What an honour it is to work beside all of you, on Star Wars Ep VII. I can't thank you enough, for all work past and future. Let's take good care of not just ourselves, but of each other. Amazing, but true: the world awaits this film. Let's give 'em something GREAT. xo JJ"
The movie will see former stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher return for Abrams' new instalment, alongside newcomers John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Andy Serkis, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson and Max von Sydow.
Filming began in Abu Dhabi last week and is then expected to continue at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England.
Bad Robot - J.J Abrams' production company - broke the news on Twitter, posting an image of the first film slate from the shoot, along with the hashtag "#DayOne".
The movie, which has a screenplay written by the director and Lawrence Kasban, opens worldwide on December 18, 2015.
Movies
Angelina Jolie found it difficult being mean to daughter Vivienne in 'Maleficent'.
The 38-year-old actress who plays the titular villain in the re-imagining of Walt Disney's 1959 'Sleeping Beauty' worked opposite her adorable five-year-old daughter who was cast as the young Princess Aurora and although she had to say horrible things to the tiny tot she was glad to have her lovingly staring back at her.
Talking on 'Good Morning Britain', she said: "It's not easy. I actually had to say to her things like 'I don't like children, go away'. When you say that to your own kids in the big devil horns, in the staff... But, fortunately, because she's my kid, that's why we cast her, other kids were scared of me. I could say anything and look as scary as they come and she'd just smile at me like 'I don't care, I love you'."
Despite Vivienne being in the film Jolie - who also raises Maddox, 12, Pax, 10, Zahara, nine, Shiloh, seven, and twins Knox with fiance Brad Pitt - admitted they didn't want any of their six children to become movie stars.
She told Mail Online: "Neither one of us want our children to be actors, Brad and I but it was just I really couldn't ask another four/ five year old to do it because kids on set did actually get scared and they would cry when they would see me."
Angelina Jolie: Vivienne could handle Maleficent
Angelina Jolie found it difficult being mean to daughter Vivienne in 'Maleficent'.
The 38-year-old actress who plays the titular villain in the re-imagining of Walt Disney's 1959 'Sleeping Beauty' worked opposite her adorable five-year-old daughter who was cast as the young Princess Aurora and although she had to say horrible things to the tiny tot she was glad to have her lovingly staring back at her.
Talking on 'Good Morning Britain', she said: "It's not easy. I actually had to say to her things like 'I don't like children, go away'. When you say that to your own kids in the big devil horns, in the staff... But, fortunately, because she's my kid, that's why we cast her, other kids were scared of me. I could say anything and look as scary as they come and she'd just smile at me like 'I don't care, I love you'."
Despite Vivienne being in the film Jolie - who also raises Maddox, 12, Pax, 10, Zahara, nine, Shiloh, seven, and twins Knox with fiance Brad Pitt - admitted they didn't want any of their six children to become movie stars.
She told Mail Online: "Neither one of us want our children to be actors, Brad and I but it was just I really couldn't ask another four/ five year old to do it because kids on set did actually get scared and they would cry when they would see me."
Movies
Vin Diesel struggled to work following Paul Walker's death.
The 46-year-actor found it "challenging" to return to the set of his new movie 'Guardians of the Galaxy' following his 'Fast and Furious' co-star's death last November.
Diesel put his energy into his work and focussed on his portrayal of Groot, who he lends his voice to in the sci-fi-adventure, and found this "therapeutic".
During a Facebook Q&A on Monday (19.05.14), he said: "It was very personal- it was the month after the accident happened with my brother Paul Walker and it was the first time I had worked since.
"Although it was challenging, just to get back to work was therapeutic- especially as Groot. There was an innocence about the character that was just refreshing- and it may have been more challenging under other circumstances, but at that time, it was very therapeutic."
Walker - who starred alongside Vin for over a decade in the 'Fast and Furious' movie franchise - died along with his friend Roger Rodas on November 30 after the Porsche Carrera GT they were travelling in crashed into a tree and burst into flames in California.
The coroner listed speed as the lone reason for the fatal crash after investigators found no sign of mechanical fault.
Vin Diesel struggled to work after Paul Walker’s death
Vin Diesel struggled to work following Paul Walker's death.
The 46-year-actor found it "challenging" to return to the set of his new movie 'Guardians of the Galaxy' following his 'Fast and Furious' co-star's death last November.
Diesel put his energy into his work and focussed on his portrayal of Groot, who he lends his voice to in the sci-fi-adventure, and found this "therapeutic".
During a Facebook Q&A on Monday (19.05.14), he said: "It was very personal- it was the month after the accident happened with my brother Paul Walker and it was the first time I had worked since.
"Although it was challenging, just to get back to work was therapeutic- especially as Groot. There was an innocence about the character that was just refreshing- and it may have been more challenging under other circumstances, but at that time, it was very therapeutic."
Walker - who starred alongside Vin for over a decade in the 'Fast and Furious' movie franchise - died along with his friend Roger Rodas on November 30 after the Porsche Carrera GT they were travelling in crashed into a tree and burst into flames in California.
The coroner listed speed as the lone reason for the fatal crash after investigators found no sign of mechanical fault.