Catch our Sundance panel this afternoon with Evolution Mallorca Film Festival and Latino Filmmakers Network; Javier Bardem and Daniel Craig have the most amusing friendship; a fresh look at Sinéad O’Connor; Evan Rachel Wood holds nothing back in Phoenix Rising. All in today’s Movie News Rundown.
Don’t Miss Our Sundance Panel: This afternoon, I’ll be speaking on a panel about film festival strategies with Sandra Lipski, founder of Evolution Mallorca Film Festival and film fest expert at The Festival Key; Gabriela Ortega, the writer-director of the short film Huella; and producing team behind Huella, Rafael Thomaseto and Helena Sardinha. The panel is presented by MovieMaker and Evolution Mallorca Film Festival in partnership with Latino Filmmakers Network (LFN), Sundance, and Acura. You can tune in here via the LFN website from 6-7 p.m. PT.
Jeen-Yuhs: Part one of the Kanye West doc just premiered yesterday afternoon at Sundance, and I learned so much I didn’t know about the prolific rapper. He didn’t get signed to Roc-a-Fella Records right away — in fact, it took him years of struggling to be recognized for his talent as a solo rapper on top of being a producer for other artists. It’s kind of comforting to know that even Kanye West is human.
Speaking of Sundance: It’s Day 5 of the festival, and we’ve seen some amazing films so far. Some of my favorites have been Living, starring Bill Nighy (he was beyond lovely, I spoke to him, our interview will be out soon); Cha Cha Real Smooth; Phoenix Rising; Descendant, and Sharp Stick.
Also, Sinéad O’Connor: The new Sundance doc makes the case that now, more than ever, is the time for respect and compassion for the Irish rocker who shattered her thriving pop career by tearing a picture of the pope on Saturday Night Live. She did it to protest abuse in the Catholic Church, which she called out a decade before it became global news. Whether or not you agree with her decision, you’ll understand it by the end of Nothing Compares.
On Phoenix Rising: The first half of the two-part HBO documentary premiered last night at Sundance, and it features Evan Rachel Wood revealing absolutely horrifying details about her relationship with Marilyn Manson, whom she has accused of sexual assault and domestic violence. (He has denied ever abusing her or anyone else). This documentary is extremely powerful and is going to absolutely rock people when it premieres for the public on HBO later this year.
“It’s Time for Me to Tell the Truth”: That’s what Wood said during the Q&A last night following the premiere. “It’s time for me to finally tell my side. I can’t have it told for me anymore. And people are going to believe whatever they’re going to believe. It’s not my job to convince people I’m not lying. It’s my job to tell the truth, and that’s what I’ve done.”
Peter Dinklage Has an Opinion: About the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon, which is supposed to come out this year. Dinklage was on Marc Maron’s podcast WTF, and had some thoughts about the new series (which he will not be in), according to The Hollywood Reporter.
He Said: “I think it is going to be a really good show. The director and producer of it worked on our show, and I think it’s going to be really fucking good. But, they took a risk on our show, HBO did. They took a huge risk on our show. It was a slow start, but why don’t they do that again? This isn’t a risk. It’s a proven thing that works.”
Speaking of Dinklage: He’s in Joe Wright’s Cyrano co-starring opposite Haley Bennett and Kelvin Harrison Jr., which will be out on Feb. 25. I spoke with Wright about the making of the movie-musical adaptation in our latest print issue, which hits newsstands on Feb. 8, so be sure and snag yourself a copy, or read the full issue digitally now.
Javier Bardem and Daniel Craig’s Friendship Is Goals: I’m very sorry that I sound like a Cosmo writer from 2013, but I’m actually not sorry, because Skyfall alums Bardem and Craig’s friendship really is goals. Why? Because, according to a conversation the pals had for Variety‘s Actors on Actors, Bardem once dressed up as a Bond girl and jumped out of a cake to celebrate Craig’s birthday.
“I Remember You Were in Drag”: That’s what Daniel Craig said to Bardem, adding, “But I know that’s a whole other story.” What is the other story, Daniel???
OK, This Is Too Good: Then, Bardem said: “I was supposed to be the Bond girl that night, and oh, my God, I was.”
I’m Just Gonna Leave This Here: Because I simply love Javier Bardem and I’m guessing you do, too.
Main Image: Evan Rachel Wood during the Q&A for the premiere of Phoenix Rising. Courtesy of Sundance Institute
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