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CelebWatch: Stardate 4.24.2008 April 24, 2008

by Charles Trotter , Filed under: CelebWatch , trackback

This week, the Watch brings you news on even more nominations for Patrick Stewart, disappointing news for Walter Koenig, Trek alumni participating in an Asian film retrospective, and DS9 stars discussing projects past and present, including Colm Meaney defending suicide? But the brunt of this week’s CelebWatch focuses on supporting actors from the various Star Trek films.

Who’s honoring Stewart now?
Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard) continues to pick up accolades for his stage work in Macbeth. This week he was nominated for the Outer Critics Circle Award and The Drama League Award. Stewart and the play have already picked up awards in the UK and theater watchers are wondering if they will be able to ‘break the curse’ and pick up some Tony Awards as well. The LA Times notes "Tony voters usually snub Shakespearean plays, but it may be hard for them to ignore the rave reviews that Stewart’s received."


Stewart after dealing with difficult Tony Award voters

Koenig cancels movie screening
Walter Koenig (the original Chekov) attended the Conglomeration 2008 in Louisville, Kentucky on April 18th, where he planned to screen his film InAlienable. However, according to The Reporter-Times a glitch caused the projected film to look like crap, so Koenig cancelled the screening. The report states that Koenig was proud of his work and wanted it to be shown properly, and was disappointed that the screening would not be happening. But that’s ok, because the movie’s available to view here for $2.99.

Meaney’s Damned United + defends latest movie
Colm Meaney (Chief O’Brien) has landed a role in The Damned United, a British biopic about legendary soccer coach Brian Clough. According to Variety Meaney will play rival coach Don Revie. In the meantime, Meaney’s latest film, Three and Out (which opens in the UK tomorrow) has been getting a lot of press due to the controversial nature of the film, in which a London Underground driver looks for a suicidal person to jump under his train so he can collect compensation. Oh, and did we mention it’s a comedy? But Meaney, who plays a suicidal man in the film, tells BBC that the film is not about suicide:

It’s about two guys who meet in the most bizarre circumstances, become friends and learn to care about each other. I don’t think anyone involved in the film would argue that suicide is a laughing matter. But this film is not about suicide, and I think anyone who sees the film will see that clearly.


So I commit suicide and you get the money? That’s hilarious!

Abrams and Perry vie for Time 100
Star Trek (2009) producer and director J.J. Abrams and one of his Trek actors, Tyler Perry, have both been nominated (via reader submissions) as finalists in this year’s ‘Time 100′, Time Magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Abrams has already been on the list once; can he do it again? And will this be a first time for Perry? See here for Abrams’ entry; for Perry’s entry, click here.

Moore and Lindelof in the Hollywood’s Geek Elite
FastCompany.com has labeled former Star Trek writer and producer Ron Moore and Star Trek (2009) producer Damon Lindelof as part of “Hollywood’s Geek Elite.” Why? Because they are responsible for “dweeby shows” (Battlestar Galactica and Lost, respectively) which have transcended to other forms of media… or something to that effect.

Visitor crosses over
In addition to the interview where she revealed she is going to be playing Mrs. Voorhees in the upcoming Friday the 13th remake, Nana Visitor (DS9: Kira Nerys) talked to jonja.net about various guest spots in career, including the upcoming spot on Battlestar Galactica. Visitor confirmed that she isn’t a Cylon, but did spoil a bit saying “I give a glimpse of the other side once you die.” The actress also said that she wished she and the DS9 cast had a shot at the big screen, noting "it would have been something different than most fans wanted, but it would have crossed over and everyone was a really good actor.”

Auberjonois talks Odo Coco
Rene Auberjonois (DS9’s Odo) talked with SFGate about working with acting legend Katharine Hepburn in the 1969-70 Broadway production of Coco. According to Auberjonois, he Hepburn ‘protected’ him and gives her ‘full credit for the Tony Award he received. Regarding his working relationship with Hepburn, Auberjonois said:

It was great to work with her. She set up this thing with me that whoever made a mistake or flubbed a line owed the other person $10. She would come stomping up the stairs to my dressing room with her hair rolled up in little pieces of newspaper and say, ‘Rene! Rene!’ She would come into my dressing room and pound the table and put a $10 bill down. Of course I needed the money and she didn’t. So I never made a mistake. It might have been her way of giving me a tip.


Auberjonois (left) is cookoo for Coco

Trek actors taking part in Asian film festival

George Takei (the original Sulu), France Nuyen (Elaan in TOS: “Elaan of Troyius”) and Rosalind Chao (Keiko O’Brien on TNG & DS9) will be among those participating in Turner Classic Movies’ Race and Hollywood: Asian Images in Film, a month-long film retrospective giving “an extensive, in-depth look at how Asians are depicted on film.” TCM will dedicate the entire month of June to this event.

Lloyd ventures to Camelot
Actor Christopher Lloyd (Kruge in Star Trek III) will be playing Pellinore in the New York Philharmonic’s production of the musical play Camelot. According to the New York Times performances will run from May 7th through May 10th at Avery Fisher Hall, but those who can’t make it need only turn on their TV sets on May 8th – that night’s performance will be broadcast nationally on PBS as part of the Live from Lincoln Center series. So keep a look out for that, won’t you?

Luckinbill salutes Simon + takes a cruise
Actor Laurence Luckinbill (Sybok in Star Trek V) and his wife, Lucie Arnaz (daughter of Lucy and Dezi), attended a ceremony which honored playwright Neil Simon with the Monte Cristo Award on April 21st, as reported by Playbill. Luckinbill and Arnaz will also be boarding the good ship Crystal Serenity for the Theatre Guild’s 36th Theatre at Sea Cruise, which sails from Venice to Monoco from September 12th through the 24th. But don’t let the actors have all the fun — you can go, too! Click here for more information on the cruise and how to get tickets.


Laurence Luckinbill (R) with Lucie Arnaz (along with producer Emanuel Azenberg, L)

Plummer - from Parnassus to Tolstoy and Caesar
Actor Christopher Plummer (General Chang in Star Trek VI) is moving on to other projects, having completed his work in the title role on the fantasy film The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, which wrapped production on Tuesday (see the full story at Globe and Mail). According to Playbill, Plummer will next be starring as Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy in a film based on the 1990 novel The Last Station (actually, filming on that has already begun, according to IMDb). After that, Plummer will be playing the role of Julius Caesar in George Bernard Shaw’s Caesar and Cleopatra as part of Canada’s Stratford Shakespeare Festival; see the Festival’s site for more info.

Woodard shows more support for Obama + upcoming appearances
Actress Alfre Woodard (Lily Sloan in Star Trek: First Contact) was in North Carolina this week showing her support for presidential candidate Barack Obama, participating in a phone bank (according to News & Observer. She also discussed her decision to support Obama at the Rocky Mount Telegram. In the meantime the Observer-Reporter, um… reports that Woodard will reminisce about her career in “An Evening With Alfre Woodard” this Saturday night at Byham Theater in Pennsylvania. And on October 29th, she’ll be the keynote speaker at the YMCA of Silicon Valley’s annual luncheon in California (so says The Mercury News).

Collins on Crank
With his work as General Ayel in the new Star Trek movie now concluded, Clifton Collins, Jr. has been cast as the main villain in Crank 2: High Voltage, the sequel to the hit 2006 action film. According to Variety, Collins’ character is a mobster who steals the antagonist’s near-indestructible heart and replaces it with one that requires regular jolts of electricity to keep working. Fast-paced chaos ensues, I’m sure. Expect to see Crank 2 sometime in 2009.

Where’s Shatner?
A whole week and not a peep out of The Shat. He must be busy getting ready for his annual Hollywood Charity Horse Show this Sunday. But can Bill ride after his recent hip surgery? According to his doc he is ready to get back in the saddle.

 

TrekBits

Happy birthday, George and Damon!

April 20th marked the 71st birthday of George Takei, the original Mr. Sulu. And today, April 24th, is Star Trek (2009) producer Damon Lindelof’s 35th birthday. Other Trek luminaries who celebrated their birthdays this week include:


Damon and Geoge…happy to finish another year

 

Comments»

1. S. John Ross - April 24, 2008

“Three and Out” sounds like a hoot, honestly. Very meaty potential in that premise, both for comedy and for characterization. Hope it hits over on this side of the pond sometime soon; I’ve love to see Meany on the big screen again; it’s been awhile for me (a lot longer for me than for him).

2. Iowagirl - April 25, 2008

Hey Bill - good to hear that shooting from the hip is feasible again!
Happy belated Birthday, George!
Happy belated Birthday Philip, hang in there - you never know..;)

3. SirMartman - April 25, 2008

hmmm,,, maybe Mr Shatner is filming his surprise part in the next Trek,,

: o )

4. Graldor - April 25, 2008

3: Get over it. Shatner’s NOT that good an actor despite popular consensus. Everything he’s done ever since Trek was horrible…he tries to be Kirk when he’s not supposed to be. I find it so unbelievable that so many Trekkies actually LIKE Shatner. He’s an a**hole, egotist, and just needs to die already. I shouldn’t feel like I’m committing blasphemy by bashing Shatner, OK?

5. Doug - April 25, 2008

gee (#4), if you can say nothing nice.. say nothing (please).

on a more positive note, wow! there are tons of things going on with the folks we grew up with! That’s awesome!

6. Dennis Bailey - April 25, 2008

“The original Mr. Sulu.” I like that. Sort of like “the original James Bond” or “the original Maytag Repairman.” LOL

7. Doug - April 25, 2008

I am feeling old (okay… just older… I refuse to get old) seeing that some of the YOUNG actors from TREK are now in their 30s and 40s.

Heck, Wil Wheaton is old enough to run for President of the United States (and he probably could do as good a job as our current PODUS (better even).

(grin)

8. Doug - April 25, 2008

oops, that was supposed to read POTUS… my bad.

9. mooseday - April 25, 2008

I think we need to specify William Shatner ( the original Kirk ) … I was getting confused ….

10. Anthony Pascale - April 25, 2008

graldor
warning for trolling

11. TrekNerd - April 28, 2008

Lawrence Luckinbill (Sybok) is married to the daughter of the original producers of Star Trek.

Fascinating.


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