Kevin Costner has starred in his share of first rate sports films (Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, Tin Cup, the underrated Draft Day), and with McFarland, USA, the actor is taking on a different side of athletics.
The feature, directed by Whale Rider and North Country filmmaker Niki Caro, is inspired by the 1987 true story of the trials, tribulations, and success of a cross country team from California’s farm-centric Central Valley. Costner stars as the Coach Jim White, a mentor to the students who helps them realize their true potential.
During the Draft Day press conference, Kevin Costner talked about why, when it comes to sports, he performs better under pressure. He also elaborates on why he’s also placed all his cards on the table when it comes to filmmaking. “I have a tremendous belief in people,” said Costner. “And the common experience.”
To hear Costner’s full comments, check out the audio clip below:
McFarland, USA’s Official Boilerplate:
Inspired by the 1987 true story, “McFarland, USA” follows novice runners from McFarland, an economically challenged town in California’s farm-rich Central Valley, as they give their all to build a cross-country team under the direction of Coach Jim White (Kevin Costner), a newcomer to their predominantly Latino high school. Coach White and the McFarland students have a lot to learn about each other but when White starts to realize the boys’ exceptional running ability, things begin to change. Soon something beyond their physical gifts becomes apparent—the power of family relationships, their unwavering commitment to one another and their incredible work ethic. With grit and determination, the unlikely band of runners eventually overcomes the odds to forge not only a championship cross-country team but an enduring legacy as well. Along the way, Coach White realizes that his family finally found a place to call home and both he and his team achieve their own kind of American dream.
McFarland USA – Walt Disney Studios
Co-starring Maria Bello, McFarland, USA opens February 20, 2015.
The Voice artist Ricky Manning‘s memories of being a subway busker, coupled with comments from Adam Levine that he resembled Joaquin Phoenix (Taylor Swift also said Manning has a Robert Pattinson-y vibe), made it difficult for some viewers (including myself) to look past his telegenic appearance and intriguing history.
The Knockouts completely changed the game for Manning, as he delivered a heartbreakingly dramatic and effective performance of the Miley Cyrus power tune “Wrecking Ball.” Though he was roundly praised by judges, he lost his Knockout round to Elyjuh Rene (Pharrell, probably realizing Manning would get stolen, wanted to continue nurturing Elyjuh’s growth).
But all’s well that ends well, as Manning is now being coached by Gwen Stefani for The Voice’s Live Playoffs. He’s also one of the artists who’s carrying a ton of momentum heading to the next round.
During our chat, Ricky Manningreflected on his “Wrecking Ball” experience and he also expressed sincere gratitude for the fans that have followed him throughout his journey. If Manning continues to connect with his song choices, he could go deep into the competition, as he has enough moxie and natural talent to pull it off.
Is there an advantage to being stolen on “The Voice,” since you’re gaining experience from two different coaches (Pharrell and Gwen Stefani). Are you looking at it from that aspect?
That’s exactly how I’m taking the steal because I got to work with Pharrell who’s an incredible producer – and that’s just one side of it. That’s kind of the reason I chose him – a producer works with an artist and shapes an artist and makes them a better singer and performer. That was one of my strategies picking Pharrell.
And now, working with Gwen, I feel like I’m getting the best of both worlds because I’m getting to work with an incredible, legendary performer now. The energy Gwen has on stage is remarkable and I can’t wait to hopefully take in some of that energy and learn from her.
Honestly, it’s such a blessing that I am getting to work with a fantastic producer and now a fantastic performer. I feel super lucky about that and that’s exactly how I’m taking the steal.
Where did you get the stones to take on such a huge song like “Wrecking Ball,” and how good does it feel to get such a positive reaction from the coaches and fans of The Voice?
When I chose ‘Wrecking Ball,’ I knew it was a big song but I guess I didn’t know how big it was or how monster of a song it was as Pharrell said. I knew it was going to be challenging. I didn’t know exactly how much. I never really dove into the song like I did until I got it.
The hardest part for me was finding a place to sing that song from. I have a girlfriend who I’ve had for the last four and a half years and we’re very happy and I’m not heartbroken.
So it was very hard to come from a heartbroken place but I got there. Luckily thanks to some acting classes in high school – thank you!
So that was pretty cool, and to get the immediate praise from the coaches was so – it was hard to hold back tears. Because with The Blinds, it wasn’t my strongest performance, and Battles got better but to get this praise from Adam Levine who I’ve been a fan of since elementary school. It’s just so amazing to hear (him) tell me I’m becoming a star and that I had a moment on the show. Blake (said) that it was his favorite (performance) of the Knockouts. Yeah, like I said, it was hard to hold back the tears. It’s just so much confirmation that (music) is what I’m supposed to be doing.
Getting the good reviews from America, and even other countries. It’s been really awesome because the reviews from my Blinds weren’t the best. It’s awesome seeing the websites that gave me not so great reviews on my Blind Auditions give me awesome reviews for my Knockouts. So that’s been a pretty gratifying thing for me.
The support from your fans even before you were on The Voice must mean a lot to you.
It’s so surreal. I had a little bit of a following before the show because of Vine. I posted six second covers, and I had like 170,000 (followers) before the show. I have some fans now, but it’s just a whole different ballgame. Millions of people watched me and thousands of people want to follow me now – “fannings” are what my fans are called.
I had a meet and greet two days ago in my hometown and I thought maybe 20 girls would show up. But it ended up being 150 or more girls lined up outside the restaurant just screaming my name. There’s videos of girls chanting my name.
When I walked into the restaurant, they were banging on the windows. Some of them were crying, some of them were shaking. It’s just like ‘wow’ – this is everything that I’ve wanted and it’s happening right now.
It’s hard to kind of live in the moment because it’s happening – you don’t realize the moment until after it’s happened. But I’ve got to really put myself in the moment and realize, ‘this is your dream and it’s literally happening right now.’
There’s no price tag to this experience.
It seems that you are really enjoying your time on The Voice, whether you’re getting massive amounts of support or even if haters critique your work. No matter what, you’re working hard and just appreciating your journey. Is that a fair assessment?
Of course. Who am I to be bitter about anything that’s being said about me? There’s so many talented people that auditioned for this season that didn’t make it past Blinds, or Battles, or Knockouts. I can only be grateful for anything that’s being written about me.
Any press is good press. Whether it’s good or bad, my name is somewhere. Honestly, the most important part for me on this show – of course I want to advance on the show and potentially be the winner. But, an even bigger part for me is growing my fanbase and keeping a fanbase that’s going to follow me after The Voice and buy my original music and show up to my concerts.
On the social platform, I’m just trying to engage with people who want to meet me and want to be a fan. I’m trying to be like, ‘Hey, I appreciate you and I really love you for loving me.’
I’m just grateful for anyone who’s talking about me – good or bad. Especially the love I’m grateful for because there’s so much of it. I have nothing but gratitude for this show and this experience.
Going into the live playoffs, have you learned to put your heart and soul into your songs? Or is that something you’ve always had?
Actually one of my biggest strengths is being emotional when I’m singing and really connecting to the song. Luckily, that’s something I’ve been blessed with. I realized after performing “Wrecking Ball” and watching it back that, wow, I think I kind of have something here with this whole emotional performance thing.
I’ve received so many messages like ‘Wow, Ricky Manning, I just want to tell you that your Wrecking Ball performance touched me, it really made me emotional.’
The fact that I touched people like that? It’s nuts, man. For the next round I think I’m going to try to do something similar to that – another soulful, emotional performance because that’s what people responded to and really liked from me. I think I’ll try and stick with that for the next one.
Awesome – thank you Ricky for your time. And, go big or go home, right?
That’s exactly right man. Thank you for having me.
Filmmaker Dana Brown (Dust to Glory, Step Into Liquid) gives viewers a visually breathtaking and insightful look at the world of motorcycle riding. Dana’s father Bruce Brown directed On Any Sunday back in 1971 with Steve McQueen at front and center. WithOn Any Sunday: The Next Chapter, Dana Brown continues his father’s narrative and explores a community that’s deeply passionate about the world of motorcycles.
MotoGP riders Dani Pedrosa and Marc Márquez along with motorbike stunt rider Robbie Maddison, are among the people who take part in the ambitious, 95-minute feature, which was shot all around the world (Spain, Africa, Austria, and Vietnam are just a few of the locales). Armed with RED and 4K cameras, along with various state of the art equipment, Brown and his crew have created a project that should be enjoyed with a wide audience.
“We’re so fortunate that on November 7, we’ll be in 250 theaters,” said Brown. “But we did make it for the big screen. We made it as kind of a statement like ‘here’s something real that is just as enjoyable to watch as the latest action (or) comic book film – but it’s real. So we shot it in 4K, we have the Dolby Atmos mix, and did all these big Hollywood things. You can watch it on your phone, but hopefully you’ll go into the theater and watch it because I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.”
In the audio clip below, Dana Brown talks about the importance of capturing the human elements of motorcycle riding for On Any Sunday: The Next Chapter:
For more info on On Any Sunday, The Next Chapter, check out the film’s official website: onanysundayfilm.com
Cliff Martinez, a celebrated film composer who frequently collaborates with filmmakers Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive, The Knick) and Steven Soderbergh (Solaris, Contagion, Showtime’s The Knick) has composed the soundtrack to the highly anticipated first-person shooter Far Cry 4.
Martinez collaborated with Ubisoft Montreal’s Far Cry 4 music designer Jerome Angelot, music supervisor Simon Landry, and audio director Tony Gronick to craft original music for the gameplay and also added musical textures that enhance the detailed environment and ruthless characters featured in the game.
Before he embarked on his film career, Martinez was a former drummer for Red Hot Chili Peppers (he, along with the band, are Rock and Roll Hall of Famers).
“It was an honor to be asked to write the music for the Far Cry 4 game as my first full-length video game soundtrack,” said Martinez, who also scored Spring Breakers. “It was exciting for me to be asked to take my usual minimalistic cinematic approach to the immersive game world. Any game where you can ride on a rampaging elephant is a project you can’t turn down!”
Far Cry 4 comes out November 18 for the PlayStation 3 &4, Xbox One & 360, and Windows PC. The Far Cry 4 Original Game Soundtrack (digital edition) comes out November 4, with a limited 2-CD edition hitting North America on December 2 (December 9 in Europe). A 3-LP version releases on January 2015.
No Good Deed (PG-13, 84 minutes),a thriller starring Idris Elba as an escaped convict saddled with horrible relationship issues, hits Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD January 6 via Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Taraji P. Henson co-stars as the housewife who lets the convict enter her home after his car breaks down in the rain. Her “good deed” leads to nightmarish repercussions for her family and best friend (Leslie Bibb), as the delusional criminal won’t stop until he gets exactly what he wants.
I actually liked this thriller, and there’s an interesting twist that occurs in the third act which makes No Good Deed into a cut above your average B-movie experience. I won’t give out any spoilers, but this flick was one of my cinematic guilty pleasures this year.
Blu-ray Exclusive Features:
“The Thrill of a Good Fight” – Idris Elba and Taraji P. Henson talk about the fight sequences in the film.
“Good Samaritan” – Henson and the filmmakers (the picture’s directed by Sam Miller, who worked with Elba on Luther) discuss Terri’s (Henson) decision to let a stranger into her home.
Blu-Ray & DVD Features:
“Making a Thriller” Featurette – Idris Elba, Taraji P. Henson, director Sam Miller, and producers Glenn S. Gainor and Will Packer talk about the feature.
The Voice artist Jessie Pitts initially picked Gwen Stefani as her coach during the Blind Auditions (Pitts performed Brandi Carlile’s tune ‘The Story’), and although she lost in the Battle Rounds to Ryan Sill, Blake Shelton stole Pitts and kept her in the competition.
After advancing during the Knockouts with a refreshingly subtle rendition of the Elton John classic ‘Your Song,’ Pitts is now prepping for the Live Playoffs under the guidance Shelton. Pitts, who was raised in Alabama and traveled to Nashville to pursue her music dreams, has one of the more unique voices in the competition, and hopefully she continues to gradually sneak up on America.
How crazy has this whole experience on The Voice been for you?
It’s crazy. It’s surreal. I know I’ve said that word so many times but that’s the only way to describe it. I would never have imagined to be in this position – to be going to Lives.
My goal was to get a chair turn, and that happened. And then the goal was to win my battle but that didn’t necessarily happen, but I got stolen. I’m simply thrilled and grateful to be where I am – going into Lives, it’s crazy.
Is part of that process for you taking things one step at a time on The Voice?
Yeah, well I try to stay humble (but) my goal is to win the whole thing. If I’m saying (to myself) ‘I’m going to win the whole thing and I’m going to be The Voice,’ I feel it’s easier for me to work really hard and that’s going to get me there.
It’s different for everyone and for me it’s definitely a step by step kind of process. I just have to put everything into the song I’m singing in that round.
In a big picture way, is being stolen an advantage since you can learn from people like Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton?
I definitely think it’s an advantage because Gwen taught me so many different things. She taught me a lot of stage presence tips and (utilizing your) emotion and Blake is teaching me technique, and tips about my pitch and timing.
So I get the best of both worlds by getting to combine both of their advice and use that to make my song better.
What’s it like to have Blake Shelton in your corner, since he’s been a huge supporter since your Blind Audition.
It means a lot to me even though I didn’t choose him in the beginning, he decided to steal me anyway. Blake was always the one that I was going to go with before I even tried out. But Gwen just made a connection and I think it was the right decision because Blake stole me and what happened was meant to be, I guess. Right now I’m on the team I’m supposed to be on. Blake’s such a big supporter – it’s like he’s my biggest fan right now and that feels really great.
Can you see your own improvement on The Voice, or is that something you’ve still yet to process?
Well, I was talking to Blake the other day and he said I kind of snuck up on America, and that really hit me for the first time that I really had changed.
For me to sneak up on America, I must have been doing something right and it means a lot that people can see my improvement because I definitely see it in my voice, especially. I’ve learned so much from this whole process, so for everyone to notice that – it feels really great.
You seem to have an easy emotional access to whatever song you’re singing. Is connecting with the audience one reason you love to sing?
That’s the thing that’s always been important to me when I’m singing. I could be singing my ‘A, B, C’s’ but I’m going to get emotional about it (laughs). That’s how I am as an artist. You can be a great singer and sing perfectly and technically, but if there’s no emotion, it can’t move the audience. So my goal is to touch the audience in a way that many people can’t.
THE VOICE — Season: 7 — Pictured: Jessie Pitts — (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBC)
Having worked at a record label, does that give you an advantage in seeing a different side of the music industry?
In addition to working at the label, I was also studying music business at Belmont University and I think it’s an advantage because I know the ins and outs of this business. And I know how you can get trapped into certain things. (I know) what kind of people you want on your team, and what kind of people you want working with you.
So I think I’m prepared going into the music business. I’ve worked (at the label), I’ve studied music business, so now I want immerse myself (as a music artist).
So specifically, what kind of people would you like to work with moving forward?
That’s a good question. I don’t have any criteria right now – I just want people that really see my vision and know who I am as an artist.
Blake Shelton is an amazing connection that I have now as well Gwen Stefani. No matter what, I feel confident that I’m going to find a place in the music business that is meant for me.
Is making close friends on The Voice another great part of the experience?
Absolutely. That’s one of the biggest things I’ve taken from this competition. I have lifelong friends that I have met here. Everybody just wants everyone to succeed and do the best that they can on the show. I was surprised at how well I got along with everyone. I was pleasantly surprised at how everyone has each other’s back.
I love L.A. – I would die to live here some day. It’s just so different. There’s so many opportunities out here – it’s different from Nashville. I love Nashville because it has a big city in a small town feel.
But L.A., there’s just something about it – I would love to move out here at some point.
Lastly, what are you looking forward to next on The Voice?
I’m looking forward to passing through the Live Playoffs and I’m excited to be on the stage by myself once again and step up my game even more. I feel like I have to top my last song. So I’m excited (and) I’m working hard to do that.
Thank you for your time Jessie and continued success on The Voice.
Thank you so much.
(The Knockouts continue as The Voice airs tonight and tomorrow on NBC at 8 pm et/pt)
Coming out as a Blu-ray Combo Pack and on Digital HD November 4, Land Ho! centers on ex-brothers-in-law Mitch and Colin (Earl Lynn Nelson, Paul Eenhoorn) who take a spontaneous (and ultimately rejuvenating) trip to Iceland.
Mitch is a rambunctious and bawdy surgeon who’s never lacking in conversation, while Colin is much more reserved. Though Mitch’s behavior occasionally borders on abrasive, he means well, as the Icelandic journey was his way of shaking Colin out of his emotional rut.
Filmmaker Martha Stephens and Earl Lynn Nelson are cousins, and the genesis for Land Ho! came from her desire to cast Nelson in a lead role (he previously worked with her on Passenger Pigeons and Pilgrim Song) and place him somewhere that was out of his element.
As for Eenhoorn, his performance in the 2013 film This Is Martin Bonner inspired co-director Aaron Katz to cast him as Colin.
Earl Lynn Nelson – Land Ho! (Sony Pictures Classics)
Land Ho!, which features a wonderful 1980s inspired score for Keegan DeWitt and provides beautiful, breathtaking shots of Iceland, is an inspired, bawdy, and altogether resonant look at two buddies who are having the time of their lives. It’s one of this year’s most pleasant cinematic surprises, and it’s definitely worth a look if you love road trip type features.
Land Ho! Special Features:
1. Deleted Scenes (12:18)
“At The Club” is an extended nightclub sequence featuring Eenhorn, Nelson, and co-stars Elizabeth McKee and Karrie Krouse.
“Balls” contains several cuts of Earl Lynn Nelson walking into a hotel room and exclaiming “balls.” “
Ghost Job” has Colin recounting a sexual experience he had with a ghost (hence the scene’s moniker).
Alternate Intro – The original title sequence of the film, which was originally named Lay of the Land.
2. Los Angeles Film Festival Q&A w/ Earl Lynn Nelson, Paul Eenhoorn, Martha Stephens, Aaron Katz, and Elizabeth McKee (13:27) – The filmmakers and actors talk about shooting in Iceland for a huge portion of the Q&A, but the most memorable part of the session had nothing to do with filmmaking. Earl Lynn Nelson, who refreshingly doesn’t hold back his thoughts, told the audience that, even at 72, he’s still a vital man, humorously adding that his “stinger” is still working.
During the Q&A, Earl Lynn Nelson explained why Land Ho! contains a relatable theme:
“I don’t know why people are (pigeonholing) this as an old people’s movie when this is a movie for everybody. You’re taking your life and going on with it. Live every day, because guess what, tomorrow might never come. And that’s my philosophy, and that’s the way I am, and that’s the way I live.”
3. Commentary with Paul Eenhoorn, Earl Lynn Nelson, Martha Stephens, and Aaron Katz – One interesting tidbit from the commentary is learning that the film, though mainly shot with two Red One cameras, also featured sequences shot with a DSLR camera (Canon 5D).
Land Ho! – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
During my interview with Martha Stephens and Aaron Katz, the filmmakers talked about the universality of Land Ho!:
Team Blake artist Reagan James, though just 15, has already released an album (Remedy came out in 2013) to her credit and is now looking to go make the live playoffs for The Voice (TV Line spilled the beans on the Knockout pairings last week).
I was highly impressed with James’ approach to songwriting and music, and during our interview she gave refreshingly candid answers to my questions – even explaining why she tends to be “all over the place.”
Check out our chat below, as the Burleson, Texas resident discusses about her passion for music, getting coached by Blake Shelton, and, of course, the joy of eating black olives! (For more info on Reagan James, check out her official site)
Good morning Reagan, how are you?
Hi I’m good. How are you?
Great. First off, I have a stupid question. You’ve said in previous interviews that you love black olives.
Oh my gosh, yes!
Do you like them by themselves, on pizza, or just on anything?
All three of those answers are a ‘yes.’ I love them anywhere – anytime (laughs).
How awesome is it to be on The Voice and already have an album out?
It’s so great, because if I didn’t have any of that, I’d just have to point (people) to YouTube videos or things like Instagram and Twitter. I wouldn’t actually have a product that I could give them. It’s cool that they can already go and listen to my stuff and start following me right now. So it’s a blessing, I’m so happy I did that (laughs).
THE VOICE — Season: 7 — Pictured: Reagan James — (Photo by: Paul Drinkwater/NBC)
Coming from a musical family and learning how to play guitar, how important is learning how to craft a song through writing along with having a working knowledge on the musicianship behind it? There must be more layers to your work than just the singing aspect.
Yeah. Writing is my biggest passion. It comes before everything. I think that being able to sing and play instruments and write altogether is . . . I’m really happy that I have all those abilities just because you can completely change somebody’s day with your lyrics. You can completely alter how someone’s feeling – and I love it.
Blake Shelton has a way of connecting with artists, no matter what the genre. What has he taught you along the way? Is his ability to relate to the people he coaches a big reason for his success?
I think, it doesn’t matter how good the coaching is. If you’re not comfortable in your skin, you’re not going to get anything out of it. You’re going to be too worried about what you look like (and) what you sound like. The best thing that Blake’s done for me so far is providing me with a sense of comfort within myself to an even bigger extent than I already had.
I’ve always been really confident and aware of my talent. Whenever I’ve been able to work with him, everything is so positive, and encouraging, and instructive. It just boosts my self-confidence. If you can boost your self-confidence, the rest will come and you’ll be able to take the input that people are giving you and you won’t take it harshly. You’ll take it as a good thing. He’s boosted my self-confidence a lot.
You’ve heard it time and time again about being wise beyond your years. I’m wondering where that sense of maturity, especially with how you approach your craft, comes from?
I think that where you are has to do with what you’ve been through. It doesn’t have to be with how long you’ve been alive. The things that I’ve experience and the things I’ve done over the course of my life has shaped me and molded me into the person I am today.
I don’t really have a complete explanation for it – but definitely music has a lot to do with it. Writing – it forces you to get outside your comfort zone and to look at other people’s perspectives on things.
I know you can’t say much about the Knockouts without getting into trouble. But can you, I guess in a vague fashion, talk about the song you chose for this round?
The reason that I song the song that I chose (laughs) – is it fits perfectly into my genre. Lots of chances to go really big and a lot of chances to show off my falsetto. It has a good variety and I think it’s really fun to perform. I think everyone’s going to like it.
I was talking to Matt McAndrew the other day and he was talking about how writing was an autobiographical process. Is that the same for you?
I write a lot of different styles. What I find myself doing a lot of the time is (although) I am still young I really want to write deep stuff that everybody can grasp onto.
But as a kid, I haven’t been through everything yet. I like to be able to look at other people’s lives and experiences and take those things and put myself in their shoes and write like I’m living what they’re living. So I do a lot of that.
I also do a lot of imagery writing – metaphorical stuff. And yeah, I write about my feelings all the time. Not like organized poetry, but (more like) free writing. Then I take that and put it into song form.
I’m writing all the time. Like the notes on your phone? I have hundreds of those.
THE VOICE — “Blind Auditions” Episode 702 — Pictured: Reagan James — (Photo by: Tyler Golden/NBC)
How great is to have your family and friends supporting you?
You look at some artists and they’ll say they have no support from their families. They’ve come up all on their own and they don’t have anything. Looking at them, and then I look at my situation and I feel so blessed. I have so many people – my whole town is backing me up.
There’s never a moment when I’m alone in this game. I always havepeople to go to and talk to and help me. That’s an amazing feeling.
Is music your main thing down the road?
Music is my main thing forever. I could see myself writing, producing, performing – all that stuff. That’s why I have such a hard time when people ask what my genre is. I don’t want to fit in one box. I want to do everything.
If I want to go record a country album or if I want to go hip-hop or rock, I want to be able to do that and not be held in one category.
Part of your confidence as a writer and singer, does that come out of your innate curiosity for life? Do those elements add color to your music?
I think what brings out the most colors is the fact that I question myself daily. One day I’ll have one view on life and the next day it will be completely changed.
That seems unstable, but at the same time I’m thankful that I’m all over the map because it allows me to reach so many other people. I can connect with everybody because I have all these thoughts that, if you’re human, you’re going to relate to at least one of them, you know?
Thank you for your time Reagan! Good luck moving forward.
Thank you!
Knockouts continue this week as The Voice airs Monday and Tuesday nights (NBC, 8 pm et/pt).
The Dark Knight trilogy filmmaker Christopher Nolan sends Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway to a new galaxy in his ambitious, science fiction epic Interstellar. Playing a pilot turned farmer named Cooper, McConaughey is eventually tasked with leading a group of explorers to find a new inhabitable planet for humankind.
During the Interstellar press conference, Nolan elaborated on his passion for the project (he co-wrote the film with brother Jonathan Nolan):
“For my part, I look for a great story. What I found in Jonah’s draft was a very relatable situation. A great opportunity to challenge myself as a filmmaker in terms of various technical issues but also emotional issues. I’m a father myself and I related to the character as a father. I wanted to really push that in the telling of the story. I couldn’t tell you any more specifically . . . I just look for something that grabs me and holds me emotionally.”
One emotionally charged sequence, which I won’t spoil, has Cooper experiencing an incredibly profound moment. McConaughey talks about how he approached the scene below, and Nolan adds that “manly man tears” were shed after watching that sequence in dailies.
Opening in select cities November 7, The Theory of Everythingcenters on the inspiring and steadfast relationship between astrophysicist Stephen Hawking (Eddie Redmayne)and his wife Jane (Felicity Jones). The film, directed by Man on Wirefilmmaker James Marsh, is based on Jane Hawking’s memoir Travelling to Infinity: My Life With Stephen.
“This is a fascinating and formidable woman to be playing,” said Jones. “It was a project where I knew that I would need to do a lot of research and a lot of preparation. When you’re playing real people, you feel a sense of responsibility, because you know that they’re going to see it at some people. It can sound a bit grandiose, but you want to do justice to their experiences – and Jane and Steven, they really lived extraordinary lives in an extraordinary way.”
In the audio clip below, Felicity Jones talks about the prep work involved in tackling such real life women as Jane Hawking in The Theory of Everything and Nelly Ternan in The Invisible Woman.
