MTV News |
- Snooki The 'Same Person,' Despite 'Jersey Shore' Fame
- 'Battleship' Trailer: Rihanna Speaks, Aliens Attack
- Lindsay Lohan's <i>Playboy</i> To Drop Early After Leak
- 'The Sitter': The Reviews Are In!
- 'Breaking Bad' Finale 'Shocked' Giancarlo Esposito
- Katy Perry Raves About 'SNL' Musical Guest Robyn
- Linday Lohan's <i>Playboy</i> Photos Leak
- Lil Twist Reps Young Money In Hottest Breakthrough MC Race
- Adele In No Hurry To Record <i>21</i> Follow-Up
- Tom Cruise Reflects On 'M:I' At 'Ghost Protocol' Debut
- Is Pitbull Joining The 'Glee' Cast?
- 'New Year's Eve': The Reviews Are In!
- 'Dark Shadows': Johnny Depp, Vampires, Spooky First Looks In 2011
- Britney Spears 'Gets A Kick Out Of Fist Pumping,' Pauly D Says
- French Montana Vies For Spotlight With Hottest Breakthrough MC Nod
- Ron Swanson Is MTV News' #1 TV Character Of 2011!
- Christopher Nolan Unveils 'Dark Knight Rises' Prologue
- 'Always Sunny' Star Rob McElhenney Had <i>Huge</i> Year As Fat Mac
- Kris Humphries Opens Up About Kim Kardashian Split
| Snooki The 'Same Person,' Despite 'Jersey Shore' Fame Posted: 09 Dec 2011 03:10 AM PST Pint-size guidette lands at #3 on MTV News' Top 50 TV Characters of 2011.
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi is America's favorite self-proclaimed "meatball." As one of the tanned, colorful stars of "Jersey Shore," Snooki has charmed America with her devil-may-care attitude, her search for love and her ability to put guys in their place without flinching, thanks to her scrappy attitude.
This year, Snooki traveled the globe with her "Shore" pals, taking their visa-revoking-worthy antics to Italy. Come 2012, the crew will be back home in Seaside Heights, where they'll once again GTL their way through parties and drama for season five of the hit MTV show. Snooki also appears in the highly anticipated "Three Stooges" flick, due in the spring. Sure, it's hard not to love everyone on "Jersey Shore," but in 2011, Snooki proved she's more than just a small-screen sensation. She became an author, pistachio spokesperson and mini-mogul, putting her name on a variety of products ranging from slippers to perfume. She also sits at #3 on our list of the Top 50 TV Characters of 2011. MTV News got on the phone with Snooki on Friday (December 9) to talk about her whirlwind 12 months. MTV: You landed at #3 on our list of favorite TV characters! As you reflect back on 2011, what was your favorite moment? Snooki: Oh, cool! Great! I would probably say Wrestlemania [back in March]. It was really fun to be in the ring and just doing back flips. MTV: We are very close to the next season of "Jersey Shore." The trailer came out this week, and there's a lot of crazy stuff in there. What was your reaction to the trailer? Snooki: Kind of like with every season, just memories. They're gonna be excited to see us back in Seaside. MTV: Watching the trailer, there seems to be some situations between you and the Situation. Can you talk a little bit about what's happening between the two of you? Snooki: We can't really give it away; it's just our relationship and how it progresses, whether it be really good or really bad [with the Situation]. MTV: As we look forward to 2012, what are you most looking forward to in the next phase of your life? Snooki: I'm just really excited about my brand and all my products that are coming out. I definitely want to brand myself and have a big line of things. So I'm really excited about that. MTV: When the "Three Stooges" trailer came out this week, "Shore" fans were surprised to see you and JWoww at the end. Can you talk about your part in the film?
Snooki: We're pretty much playing ourselves, like what you see on "Jersey Shore." So it was pretty easy just to be yourself. I definitely want to do more movies like that. We [Snooki and her "Jersey Shore" castmates] went to L.A. for four days. I've seen [the original], when it was in black-and-white and stuff like that. It was fun to be on set. MTV: As we reflect and look forward, what's it like to be Snooki right now? Snooki: I'm still just the same person that I was before everything happened. I'm still the same person. Obviously, there's a lot more opportunities that we get to do, but I'm still the same person. When I'm not doing the stuff with the show or promoting myself, I'm still just hanging out with my friends and doing the same stuff. The fifth season of "Jersey Shore" premieres Thursday, January 5, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. For continuing "Shore" coverage, be sure to check in with MTV's Remote Control blog. Related Videos Related Photos |
| 'Battleship' Trailer: Rihanna Speaks, Aliens Attack Posted: 09 Dec 2011 04:11 AM PST Preview suggests inspiration from Hasbro game and 'Transformers.'
When we saw the first trailer for Peter Berg's big-screen adaptation of the Hasbro game Battleship, there were "Blue Crush" and "Armageddon" vibes with regard to how we meet the main characters. Its roster is filled with some of Hollywood's most attractive players, after all, including Taylor Kitsch, Alexander Skarsgard, Brooklyn Decker and Rihanna. Now, we have a new trailer that has done away with any expositional elements in favor of full-throttle action sequences. Here are five key elements to take away from this new footage:
Man vs. Sea vs. Aliens Rihanna Speaks! The "Transformers" Effect
War Games Supporting-Cast Shout-Outs Check out everything we've got on "Battleship." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Photos |
| Lindsay Lohan's <i>Playboy</i> To Drop Early After Leak Posted: 09 Dec 2011 04:11 AM PST Hugh Hefner tweets the news Friday after several photos from Lohan's spread leaked online.
Following the recent leak of photos from Lindsay Lohan's highly anticipated Playboy spread, Hugh Hefner and the powers that be at the magazine have decided to move up the issue's release date. "Because of the interest & the Internet leak, we're releasing the Lindsay Lohan issue early," Hefner tweeted Friday (December 9). Although he didn't specify a release date, he did tweet a few positive comments about Lohan's spread. "The Lindsay Lohan issue of Playboy is going to be a true Collector's Edition," he wrote, adding that online demand is clearly high: "Lindsay Lohan was the top search name on the Internet yesterday. Her issue goes on sale late next week. Hot. Hot. Hot." The photo leak has been traced to an anonymous hacker who told Fox News he is responsible for uploading the files to Russia-based file-sharing site. A rep for Playboy addressed the latest leak to MTV News in a statement: "Someone took photos of Lindsay's pictorial in an advanced copy of the January/February issue. They posted the photos online without permission. We are not releasing any official images or information until December 15." Lohan is rumored to have received $1 million for the photos and the interview. She's scheduled to appear on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show next week to discuss her decision to pose for Playboy and had also planned to debut the now-leaked cover and another photo. |
| 'The Sitter': The Reviews Are In! Posted: 09 Dec 2011 03:32 AM PST Critics call Jonah Hill comedy an R-rated 'Adventures in Babysitting.'
From the moment Fox unleashed the clever "Need a Sitter?" poster advertising Jonah Hill as a for-hire babysitter, we were intrigued to see what comedic genius might be born of the qualified actor/director combination of the "Superbad" star and "Pineapple Express" helmer David Gordon Green.
Once the trailers hit, it was obvious audiences would be in for a raunchy, envelope-pushing experience, the effectiveness of which has the critical masses a bit divided and sitting at a 21 percent rating over at Rotten Tomatoes. Read on as we sift through "The Sitter" reviews: Plot Twists, Turns and Caveats The Performances Mixed Messages The Final Word, Pro-Con-Pro Style " 'The Sitter' plays like an R-rated homage to the 1980s comedy 'Adventures in Babysitting,' with some 'Date Night' and lots of filthy humor thrown in. Spiked with some loopily inspired supporting performances (Sam Rockwell turns up as a freaky, tweaky drug dealer running the world's most hilariously depraved coke den) and Hill's characteristically inspired improvisational asides, 'The Sitter' is an efficient but uneven programmer, whose most valuable contribution to the cinematic landscape is its blessedly brief 80-minute running time." — Ann Hornaday, The Washington Post
"Hill is a strong comic, and this movie, considerably funnier than director Green's last, the execrable 'Your Highness' — low standard — allows the actor to show off his beautiful timing (also evident in 'Moneyball,' but without the hijinks). Screenwriters Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka have barely a screen credit between them, but they understand the Hill persona, a little whisper here, an off-the-cuff insult that lands as softly as a kiss and a nonplussed double take followed by a quick rejoinder. Noah is the fat guy who wears a plaid flannel shirt underneath a jacket opened to reveal a clashing plaid lining. He's also good and decent and open to admitting all of his faults. 'I had a monthlong, intense addiction to Robitussin,' he tells Slater, trying to put him at ease. 'The Sitter' is predicated on a belief that chunky Jonah Hill, or at least the persona he presents, is secretly supercool. While it turns out to be a wisp of a movie, on that front at least, it is persuasive." — Mary Pols, Time Check out everything we've got on "The Sitter." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| 'Breaking Bad' Finale 'Shocked' Giancarlo Esposito Posted: 09 Dec 2011 03:34 AM PST His Gus Fring is part of MTV News' Top 10 TV Characters of 2011.
"Breaking Bad" found itself in a unique position at the beginning of its fourth season. Critics and fans alike had heralded it as "the best show on television" for years, and heading into the most recent season, creator Vince Gilligan and the team behind the show had the seemingly impossible challenge of topping the three previous years of nail-biting episodes. So what did they decide to do? They made the main character, Bryan Cranston's Walter White, into a weakling. His nemesis, the mild-mannered but perpetually dangerous Gustavo Fring, played by Giancarlo Esposito, beat him at every turn. The action slowed to the point where some fans declared it boring, but that was all part of the game. In the slow-down, we learned more about the characters, in particular Esposito's Gus Fring, who had emerged after two menacingly quiet years on the show as a fan favorite. Each seemingly docile moment added up to what may go down as one of the greatest slow burns in the history of television. It all led to the most-talked-about moment in television this year — SPOILER ALERT! Gus Fring's explosive death. MTV News spoke with Esposito about his character, why Gus caught on with fans like he did and filming the infamous "Face Off" scenes. MTV: Giancarlo, I think some congratulations are in order. You made it into the top 10 of MTV News' Top 50 Television Characters of 2011. Giancarlo Esposito: Oh, awesome! Really awesome. MTV: What did you like about Gus as a character? Esposito: I had loved what I was reading in season four when the writing started to come down for each episode, and I realized I had the opportunity to do a couple different things. One was to play an extremely villainous character, but also to layer him with a lot of grace and kindness and make him a likable bad guy, in a way. The way I created Gus and the way I started to read it was I was very impressed he was someone who would work in his own restaurant and serve his own customers from the very beginning. I thought if I could play him with this very caring, sensitive attitude that it would go a long way. So I was a bit surprised when people got more wrapped around who Gus really was and started to like him, even though he had such deeply evil aspects to him. MTV: Did you see him becoming such a highly regarded character? Esposito: No, no I did not. I was just going about doing my work, and I had no expectations other than enjoying what I was doing in trying to create a full and measured character that I could enjoy and I would imagine the writers would love. I had no idea the audience would get so wrapped around what I was doing as an actor and what Gus was portraying as a character. MTV: What was your favorite part about playing him? Esposito: I think my favorite part was the idea that you could have a man hiding in plain sight, that here is the man who is not afraid to be gracious and kind and have a great amount of courage avoiding being found out. I think the smart part of Gus really appealed to me. I think it's been a long time since we've seen a character so well put together and so intelligent and so graceful, and he pulls it off. For me that was my favorite part of the character. I also loved that he had such great dominance over Walt, that he was an adviser, that he was trying to get Walt to do what he wanted to do, but he also wanted Walt to become a better person. I love that fact as well. He wasn't just someone who was a bully. He was someone who was saying, "Your life will be better. You should provide for your family. This is what a man does. He provides." In a way, Gus was a partner to Walt in many aspects of his life, not only economically through the business, but also advising him on how to live his life. I think that has to be the favorite parts for me. MTV: What was your initial reaction to reading the "Face Off" scene? Esposito: I knew we were going to kill Gus in that way, so I was a bit prepared for the possibility that it would be quite brutal and quite gruesome. What I loved about it was that it was a much more intimate moment than I had ever expected. Vince and I had talked, and he had asked me what Gus might be doing if this explosion happened. I said, "You probably observed me and what I do. I make sure my buttons are buttoned when I get up from a seated position and walk out of a room. I check my tie to make sure I'm completely put together and acceptable when I'm leaving space into another space," and [Gilligan] chose to make the move the tie, and I was really honored by that, because it is something that I do. I was shocked because the way it was done was so absolutely perfect. You really don't know. You're held in suspense until the camera comes around and I turn a little bit and you realize, "Oh my gosh. He's not going to make it through this. He really has lost half of his face." To me, that was the most shocking moment, in the way that it was done, in the way that suspense was held at bay and in the intimate moment. It was a very intimate moment personally that [Gilligan] captured. I believe it was the right way to go. I was absolutely shocked! All I could think of was, "Can I render this believable?" MTV: What was it like watching the finished scene? Esposito: I was shocked. I was pleased that it came out so well, but always when I die a character death, part of that character death is a personal death as well. I was overwhelmed. I don't often watch myself die on television, but in this case, it was important for me to see what the team put together. I watched it once, and I couldn't watch it again, because it was so disturbing. MTV: What did the effects involve for you? Esposito: I got my head cast. That took about an hour to get all the stuff lined up in terms of how to create the mask on my torso. It took about two, two-and-a-half, three-hour makeup to get all that on me. After that, we had to also position dots to be able to add whatever we needed later on, so it was a quite extensive process. Not just a mask out of a store for Halloween. That was my only hesitation about the way all this happened in the end, that it might look cheesy. I didn't want it to look like a Freddy movie. It had to be something where your mouth would drop and you would look at it and say "Oh my God. That is so real," and that's something we've never seen on television before. MTV: What do you think of the choice to end Gus' story there with so many questions still unanswered about his background? Esposito: I think it was really difficult for all involved to not have found out more about Gus. I know that the season really called for this showdown, that the town wasn't big enough for Walt and Gus. For me, it was a little disappointing not to be able to get to some of what I had hoped they would get to, which was his background. In a way I was disappointed. In another way, Vince kept focus. The show is about Walt and what happens to him. Obviously, season four allowed Gus to excel and to see his story. It also gives me pause because there is an opportunity now to go back and find what about Gus that we didn't know moved him to be as powerful as he is, as gracious as he is, and how did those building blocks come about in his character? I think we still have the opportunity to go back and find that out. MTV: Will that be in flashbacks or just other characters looking into his background? Esposito: I don't know, but I know that it is an option for us to know. Flashbacks are an option, but I think there are a few other options which I haven't thought of or, as time goes by, that are a possibility. I wouldn't count Gus out. I'd also be very interested in seeing what this team does with this end of Gus and move toward the end of Walter's character arc. I think Gus will be a part of that. MTV will reveal the best artists, songs and movies of the year. Come to MTV News each day to see more big reveals and check out more of MTV's Best of 2011 music, TV, movies and news coverage. Related Photos |
| Katy Perry Raves About 'SNL' Musical Guest Robyn Posted: 09 Dec 2011 01:13 AM PST Perry tells MTV News the Swedish star is 'the epitome of effortless cool.'
NEW YORK — Katy Perry knows a thing or two about being the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live". But this week, she steps up into the role of hostess, and she's welcoming her former California Dreams tourmate and Swedish pop powerhouse Robyn as the show's musical guest.
When MTV News caught up with the pop stars during rehearsals Thursday, they opened up about reuniting for the late-night show. "It was a pleasure to do rehearsals here today in the 'SNL' studio," Robyn told us. "You're gonna see what you always see: me, like, dancing and giving it my all." While Perry and Robyn, an "SNL" first-timer, hung out a bit during a promo shoot — co-starring the show's city correspondent, Stefon (played by Bill Hader) — she said she hadn't yet gotten some words of wisdom from the California Gurl. But when we asked Perry if she had any advice for her pal, she didn't think she had much to offer. "I don't need to give her advice," she said. "She needs to give me advice. She's cool, dude. She makes everyone cooler. ... She's just, like, the epitome of effortless cool, like you look at her wardrobe and you think, 'I don't think I could wear that,' but she wears it and she just owns it."
There's one look you may see Perry sporting on the show that was inspired by the singer. "She's always wearing platform shoes, whether it's, like, creepers or Prada shoes. And she was wearing them way back when, in the beginning of the tour," she said. "And now Prada's doing them; everyone's wearing them. Rihanna's wearing them. I'm wearing them after all of the convincing, so she's kind of the tastemaker. It's gonna be a great show because of that." What songs are you hoping Robyn performs Saturday night? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists |
| Linday Lohan's <i>Playboy</i> Photos Leak Posted: 09 Dec 2011 12:31 AM PST Mag tells MTV News 'someone took photos of Lindsay's pictorial in an advanced copy of the January/February issue.'
First, Lindsay Lohan's Playboy cover leaked, and days later, a set of photos set to appear in the January/February issue hit the Net when Perez Hilton posted the photos on his blog Friday (December 9). The photos clearly pay homage to Marilyn Monroe and her vintage Playboy pictorial. Lohan, donning little more than red lipstick (and, in one pic, a fur shrug), poses nude in front of a red curtain. The actress was photographed in soft light as she poses on red couches and bedding, in various sexy positions. The photos were shot in November in Los Angeles, in between Lohan's court dates and legal issues. In an interview with "The Insider," mom Dina said the pictorial would be "tastefully done." "She's been working in front of the camera with Ford Models since she was a little girl," she added. "So she kinda knows how to work that." A rep for Playboy addressed the latest leak to MTV News in a statement: "Someone took photos of Lindsay's pictorial in an advanced copy of the January/February issue. They posted the photos online without permission. We are not releasing any official images or information until December 15." Lohan is set to do an interview with Ellen DeGeneres on her December 15 talk show to about the pictorial. It was originally planned that the cover and an additional image would debut on the show. A source told TMZ that Playboy execs are "freaking out" about the leak. The magazine is slated to hit newsstands next week, and the magazine allegedly printed thousands of extra copies. They fear the leak could hurt sales and they had been banking on the fact that this would be the mag's best-seller of the year. The actress was reportedly paid nearly $1 million for the shoot. |
| Lil Twist Reps Young Money In Hottest Breakthrough MC Race Posted: 09 Dec 2011 01:36 AM PST Can 18-year-old up-and-comer top MTV News' 2011 list? Vote now!
You try standing out on a label headed by Lil Wayne and anchored by Drake and Nicki Minaj. That's exactly what Lil Twist did in 2011 as he carved out his own identity in the omnipresent YMCMB machine.
Twist appeared on the 2011 XXL Freshman cover at the top of the year and capitalized on that exposure by releasing a number of singles, including his cheater's ballad "Love Affair" with Young Money boss Lil Wayne. From there the Mohawked Dallas, Texas, rapper released "New Money" with R&B crooner Mishon and then "Turnt Up," a rapid-fire Busta Rhymes collaboration. The 18-year-old up-and-comer also hit the road this year, joining labelmate Tyga and R&B group Mindless Behavior on the Closer to My Dreams Tour. When he wasn't out performing, Twist was busy putting the finishing touches on his upcoming debut album, Don't Get It Twisted. Hottest Breakthrough MCs was established by MTV News in 2010 as a fan-driven initiative that spotlights, celebrates and cultivates new talent. MTV News chose a pool of young rappers and urged fans to vote for their favorite. When it was all said and done, Wiz Khalifa emerged as the Hottest Breakthrough of last year. The competition was tough, but the Taylor Gang General beat out runner-up Nicki Minaj, ATL group Travis Porter, Diggy Simmons and J. Cole. This year, you can vote for Lil Twist (or your favorite up-and-comer) over at RapFix.MTV.com, and be sure to check back for daily updates and poll results. Each day, MTV News will spotlight a new Hottest Breakthrough MC before we conclude December 13 when the polls close at 11:59 p.m. ET. The 2011 Hottest Breakthrough MC will be revealed during December 14's "RapFix Live," during which the winner will appear as our in-studio guest. There will also be a special announcement about MTV News' upcoming Hottest MCs in the Game list and debate. To be considered a Hottest Breakthrough MC, an artist cannot have released a major-label full-length album. Finalists from 2010's Hottest Breakthrough MCs poll will not be eligible for 2011 consideration, so unfortunately, Diggy Simmons and Travis Porter won't be part of this conversation. Who do you think should be 2011 Hottest Breakthrough MC? Share your picks in the comments! Stick with MTV News as we profile the 2011 Hottest Breakthrough MCs before announcing the winner December 13 on "RapFix Live" — vote now! |
| Adele In No Hurry To Record <i>21</i> Follow-Up Posted: 09 Dec 2011 12:57 AM PST 'I haven't even thought about my third record yet,' Adele tells Billboard.
Everywhere you went in 2011 it seemed like Adele was there. With such hard-to-escape singles as "Rolling in the Deep," "Someone Like You," "Rumor Has It" and "Set Fire to the Rain," she ruled the charts and radio on her way to landing the year's best-selling album with 21.
If she were taking a page from the Rihanna playbook, that would mean that right about now, the British belter would be hard at work on a follow-up to her smash. But, in keeping with the long, slow burn of "Rolling" and her generally less hectic pace, Adele recently told Billboard magazine that she's taking her time with album #3. Still unable to speak after recent surgery to remove a benign polyp from her throat, the six-time Grammy nominee emailed the magazine that she's looking forward to some "do nothing" time in the near future. "I imagine I'll be 25 or 26 by the time my next record comes out, as I haven't even thought about my third record yet," said Adele, who is 23. "I'm just gonna lay some concrete, set up home and just 'be' for a bit. I'll disappear and come back with a record when it's good enough. There will be no new music until it's good enough and until I'm ready." She's had plenty of time to do the latter, given that she canceled all remaining 2011 dates in October to rest her voice and recover from the surgery. The good news is, the surgery went really well and, while it may take a bit of time to build her chops back up, going forward, it will be much easier to sing than before, she said. "And mentally, I won't be worried about my voice onstage anymore," she said, speculating that by February — the Grammys are February 12 — she'll be ready to sing again. Explaining that she was inspired by late British siren Amy Winehouse's self-created artistic method, Adele said she sees no upside to having a specific, market-tested plan as an artist. "Who f---ing cares if people don't get it or don't like it? I'd rather trust myself, to like what I've done and stick to my guns than make music I don't like, wear clothes that don't suit me and flutter between genres because I'm scared I won't be relevant if I pass my 'sell by' date," she said. "Amy tattooed that in me! She made music because she was good at it and wanted to. And she was a huge artist who was always a bigger fan. That's why I gravitated towards her and listened when she sang and spoke." She's also careful about overexposure and not taking every opportunity to hawk 21 just to move a few more units. "If I did everything, my artistry and music would become diluted," she said. "Performances and interviews travel globally and instantly nowadays because of YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and blogs. I'd be repeating myself and be overexposed if I did every TV and every magazine cover I was given the opportunity to do." Refreshingly, she also admitted that "my career isn't my life," saying she leaves work at the door when she comes home and has stuck with her same group of friends and advisers, from obscurity to worldwide fame. "Of course I'm bowled over by people's response to 21, and when I meet artists I love, it blows my mind," she said. "But it baffles me as well. I go home and my best friend laughs at me, rather than going to a celebrity-studded party to rub shoulders with people who know me but who I don't know. I'm Z-list when it comes to that sh--." MTV is also celebrating the Best of 2011, so tune in all next week to see our panel of experts count down the top EDM artist of the year as well as best overall song and artist of 2011. Adele is also in the running for the Best MTV Live Performance of 2011. Are you voting for Adele for the best live performance of the year? Let us know in the comments below! Check out the nominees, watch show highlights and vote for the Best MTV Live Performance of 2011. Stay tuned for the results on Tuesday, December 13, at 4:59 p.m. ET on MTV and MTV.com! Related Artists |
| Tom Cruise Reflects On 'M:I' At 'Ghost Protocol' Debut Posted: 09 Dec 2011 12:44 AM PST Actor also gives MTV News a Les Grossman update at Dubai premiere.
After four "Mission: Impossible" films, Tom Cruise has seen his fair share of action sequences as special agent Ethan Hunt. So many of the series' famous set pieces come to mind almost instantly: infiltrating Langley in "Mission: Impossible," climbing a rock face freestyle in "M:I 2" and now the stunt outside Dubai's Khalifa Tower in "Ghost Protocol."
When MTV News' Josh Horowitz caught up with Cruise at the latest film's premiere in Dubai, he asked the actor which famous action sequences he looks back on with the most fondness. "It's hard to say, because each one has been so different, and each had different kinds of challenges," Cruise said. But few will deny that the iconic rappel into the heart of CIA headquarters is the series' defining moment. Cruise recalled the challenges he had filming that scene. He credits director Brian De Palma for the scene's success. "I remember when I was doing it, my head kept hitting the floor. ... I was running out of energy, and we were running out of time," Cruise said. De Palma said if they didn't get the stunt on the next take he would be forced to pull it off with tricky editing. "To one of the stunt guys, I said, 'Give me your pound coins out of your pocket,' " Cruise said. "I put the pound coins in my shoes, the tips, so that's what allowed me to be able to balance and keep off the floor for that whole shot. That kept my face from hitting the floor." That wasn't the end of it, though. Cruise needed to maintain that position for the rest of the take. "De Palma knew that we had the shot, and he just held it and held it. I was like, 'How long can I hold off the floor?' Brian had a fantastic laugh, and then he said, 'All right, cut.' "
One of the projects Cruise has been attached to for a while is the long-gestating "Tropic Thunder" spin-off for his scene-stealing character Les Grossman. There have been no signs of progress toward production, so Cruise updated us on its status. "It's not where we all want it to be," Cruise said, suggesting that Internet shorts may be the way to go. "[Les Grossman] is so much fun to do. There are all different kinds of things we're thinking about." Check out everything we've got on "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Photos |
| Is Pitbull Joining The 'Glee' Cast? Posted: 08 Dec 2011 11:03 PM PST Rapper would play Santana's older brother on a January episode.
Pitbull is capping a truly massive 2011 with a bit of a casting coup: He's reportedly in talks to join "Glee." According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pit is currently in discussions with producers to play Santana Lopez's older brother on an upcoming episode, tentatively set to air in January. He would be joining singer Gloria Estefan, who was recently cast as Lopez's mother. The January episode was also set to feature Ricky Martin as "a musically inclined Spanish teacher," though Martin's cameo has been moved to a later ep to make room for a larger, Santana-centric story line, according to The Reporter. Naya Rivera's Santana was just named MTV News' #11 TV Character of 2011. A representative for Pitbull did not immediately respond to MTV News' request for comment. The rumored role is a rather fitting way to end a year that saw Pit breakthrough to the mainstream with his massive hit Give Me Everything, which rose to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this summer. The song earned him a nomination at the 2011 Video Music Awards, and at the show, he teamed with Ne-Yo for a performance that most definitely brought the Miami heat. Some of the "Everything" lyrics got the rapper in hot water with actress Lindsay Lohan, who sued to have the song removed from airwaves (he's since filed a countersuit). But he didn't let the legal issues slow him down: He can currently be seen in a high-profile ad campaign for Dr. Pepper and is working the latest single from his Planet Pit album, the Chris-Brown assisted "International Love." Are you excited for Pitbull's "Glee" arrival? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos Related Artists |
| 'New Year's Eve': The Reviews Are In! Posted: 08 Dec 2011 11:03 PM PST Critics complain of the movie's crowded cast and 'half-dozen trivial subplots.'
How many stars does it take to make a successful romantic comedy? Whatever the right answer may be, the reviews for "New Year's Eve" indicate that two dozen is probably too many.
The follow-up to last year's successful "Valentine's Day," the star-packed rom-com modeled on "Love Actually," has earned some of the worst reviews of the year, with critics complaining of over-jammed story lines and convenient storytelling. Check out our roundup of the reviews to help you decide whether to check out "New Year's Eve" this weekend. The Story The Cast Hilary Swank The Directing and Screenplay Final Word Will you see "New Year's Eve"? Let us know in the comments. Check out everything we've got on "New Year's Eve." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. Related Videos |
| 'Dark Shadows': Johnny Depp, Vampires, Spooky First Looks In 2011 Posted: 09 Dec 2011 12:31 AM PST We relive the best moments of the year as production on Tim Burton's 2012 adaptation finally kicked off.
This year, filming finally began on director Tim Burton's long-in-the-works big-screen adaptation of "Dark Shadows," a campy, late-1960s soap opera about vampires, witches and time travel. Burton is a lifelong fan of the series and, as his partner Helena Bonham Carter told MTV News this month, "This was a thing that he raced home to see when he was about age 10."
With its atmospheric New England setting and myriad mysterious characters, "Shadows" has the feel of a classic Burton film, more akin to his "Sleepy Hollow" and "Batman" flicks than his more candy-colored efforts like "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." And Burton at his dark and spooky best, working on a passion project, is something to get excited about. Production began on "Shadows" at Pinewood Studios outside of London in May. The director lined up a dream cast — from Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer to Chloe Moretz and Jackie Earle Haley, not a single part appears miscast. And while Burton has kept the film under lock and key, paparazzi did catch a fleeting glimpse of Depp during production, which briefly became cause for worry among some fans of the series. The shot of Depp in character as Barnabus Collins, wearing heavy white makeup walking down a seaside hill, found its way online in mid-September and was derided by fans as being too cartoonish, too reminiscent of Depp's styling in Burton's "Alice in Wonderland." Based on those initial images, the world Burton looked to be creating seemed to have little in common with the Gothic aesthetic established in the soap. Concerns were alleviated, however, when just a week later, Entertainment Weekly debuted the first official image from the film. Through Burton's lens (and some creepy filters), Depp's makeup took on the undead-but-oddly alluring look you'd expect from a traditional vampire movie. The rest of the cast captured the feel of their TV counterparts too: Pfeiffer looked regal and sullen as family matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard; Johnny Lee Miller's smarm as Roger Collins was apparent; and Bonham Carter looked every bit the orange-haired, eccentric "alcoholic psychiatrist," Dr. Julia Hoffman. Of the film, Moretz, who plays Carolyn Stoddard, had this to say when talking to MTV News last month: "It straddles the typical Burton line: camp and drama. It's an amazing movie. Going in and working on this movie with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter — it really does get back to Tim's roots. It gets back to 'Beetlejuice,' 'Edward Scissorhands,' back to true Burton. So working on this movie was epic for me because he's always been my dream director to work with because, god, he's so iconic." Moretz's "Shadows" co-stars share the love for Burton. Pfeiffer, who worked with the director on 1992's"Batman Returns," described work on the new film as a "dream job." "[It is] such a fun cast and we had so much fun. I just love working with Tim [Burton], I love watching him direct. [There's] nobody like him," she told MTV News. "I loved meeting Helena and getting to know her. I hope it's successful so that we can do a bunch of them because it was such a fantastic, creative group of people."
Hopefully, that on-set camaraderie and excitement will help "Shadows" fulfill fans' high expectations. The original soap spanned some 1,225 episodes, so there's plenty of plot for sequels if Pfeiffer gets her wish. While we're still waiting for a trailer for the May 11, 2012, release (come on, Tim, give us something!), what we've seen so far gives us faith that Burton and Co. are getting it all exactly right! Are you looking forward to seeing what Tim Burton and co. cook up for "Dark Shadows"? Sound off in the comments below and tweet me at @JohnMitchell83 with your thoughts and suggestions for future columns! Check out everything we've got on "Dark Shadows." For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com. |
| Britney Spears 'Gets A Kick Out Of Fist Pumping,' Pauly D Says Posted: 08 Dec 2011 10:28 PM PST 'Jersey Shore' star teases his gig with Spears this weekend in Puerto Rico.
Pauly D has a lot of experience playing shows with Britney Spears. He not only opened for her in Las Vegas earlier this year during the taping of her "I Am the Femme Fatale" MTV special, but he later hit the road with Spears for her Femme Fatale tour.
So opening for the princess of pop as she wraps up her world tour this weekend won't be too difficult for the "Jersey Shore" star. He's slated to appear with her on December 10 in Puerto Rico. It's the very last stop on the months-long, sprawling trek around the globe. Since Pauly last hit the road with pop's ultimate femme fatale, he told MTV News that he has been keeping in touch with his pal. "Yeah [we keep in contact], oh yeah, for sure," he said. "A lot of tweets." While Pauly played it coy during our chat about the upcoming gig, he did give us just enough hints to let us know that the show is indeed all set for Saturday. "There's rumors; rumors have it that I might be on that tour," he joked. "I'm not sure. I'd love to. I hope so. I like Puerto Rico and it's nice this time of year." Is there any chance that Britney might make an appearance on Pauly's in-the-works solo reality show while he's out there with her? "She's busy. She's really busy and I'd love to link up with her and get her on this 'cause doing her tour, that was another dream for me, to do an artist's tour. I've been a fan of Britney my whole life, so it's been great for me." "She was happy for me," he continued. "She was like, 'Oh you're going to be fist pumping on the show.' She gets a kick out of the fist pumping." If that appearance doesn't pan out, DJ Pauly D needn't worry too much. He just announced his deal with 50 Cent's G-Note Records, a step that should help to take his DJ career to the next level. 50 spoke to MTV News about the deal earlier this week, teasing some big things. "Pauly's project is not all his performance on the actual records," Fif explained of the "hit record" he hopes to make with the DJ, set for release in 2012. "It's more like what you would get from a DJ Khaled or DJ Drama but also what you would get from David Guetta — so it's a cross between those two worlds, and I think it's exciting." Fans of Pauly D are also pumped for the latest season of his hit MTV series "Jersey Shore." Just this week, a season 5 trailer dropped and there seems to be enough drama, GTL and smushing to go around for everyone. "There was a lot of tension in [Italy], because we were away from our friends, away from our family, so all we had was each other — that's it," Pauly said. "So now we literally ran to Jersey, because we missed it so much, and we just shared that bond, because we've been there before, so we enjoyed it with everybody this year. It was really one of my best years, I think." The fifth season of "Jersey Shore" premieres Thursday, January 5, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on MTV. For continuing "Shore" coverage, be sure to check in with MTV's Remote Control blog. Related Artists |
| French Montana Vies For Spotlight With Hottest Breakthrough MC Nod Posted: 09 Dec 2011 09:33 AM PST Courted by the likes of Kanye West, Rick Ross and Jay-Z before joining Diddy, Montana earns a spot on MTV News' 2011 list — vote now!
From the very moment the horns from the Lords of the Underground's 1993 classic "Funky Child" sound until the moment that "Shorty got potential, I could be her sponsor" is heard, it was evident that French Montana had a hit on his hands with "Shot Caller." Montana's rise to prominence wasn't that instantaneous, however.
French Montana has been making noise on New York City's underground rap scene since the early 2000s with his "Cocaine City" DVD series. Montana hoped the street series — showcasing interviews with big-name artists like T.I. and then unknowns like Nicki Minaj and Waka Flocka — would help broaden his fanbase in the same way other up-and-comers hoped their mixtapes did. He started gaining a lot of momentum later on in the decade, especially when he and Max B teamed up to drop the Coke Wave mixtape series. That momentum slowed when the Biggaveli was incarcerated, but Montana never stopped working. Fast-forward a couple of years and he found himself in the middle of speculation concerning whether he would sign with Kanye West, Diddy, Rick Ross or Jay-Z — two of the Bronx MC's suitors, Rick Ross and Diddy, even hopped on the remix of "Shot Caller." Wherever Montana landed, it was clear he wanted to be the main attraction. "I rather be LeBron in Cleveland than LeBron in Heat, so you read between the lines," French said. "Wherever I go, I'd rather be the star than have to sit there. I worked this hard to get here so when I step in, I have to be the main focus." On Thursday, French ended the speculation when he hit BET's "106 & Park," making a splashy appearance with his new label boss: Diddy. With rappers assembling crews like a game of dodgeball during PE, Montana promises to be a star as he puts his John Hancock — insert obligatory "pause" — on a Bad Boy contract. And with the streets already flooded with mixtape material and a joint LP with Waka on the way, there's no question that the work ethic is there. Hottest Breakthrough MCs was established by MTV News in 2010 as a fan-driven initiative that spotlights, celebrates and cultivates new talent. MTV News chose a pool of young rappers and urged fans to vote for their favorite. When it was all said and done, Wiz Khalifa emerged as the Hottest Breakthrough of last year. The competition was tough, but the Taylor Gang General beat out runner-up Nicki Minaj, ATL group Travis Porter, Diggy Simmons and J. Cole. This year, you can vote for Machine Gun Kelly (or your favorite up-and-comer) over at RapFix.MTV.com, and be sure to check back for daily updates and poll results. Each day, we'll spotlight a new Hottest Breakthrough MC before we conclude on December 13 when the polls close at 11:59 p.m. ET. The 2011 Hottest Breakthrough MC will be revealed during December 14's "RapFix Live," during which the winner will appear as our in-studio guest. There will also be a special announcement about MTV News' upcoming Hottest MCs in the Game list and debate. To be considered a Hottest Breakthrough MC, an artist cannot have released a major-label full-length album. Finalists from 2010's Hottest Breakthrough MCs poll will not be eligible for 2011 consideration, so unfortunately, Diggy Simmons and Travis Porter won't be part of this conversation. Who do you think should be 2011 Hottest Breakthrough MC? Share your picks in the comments! Stick with MTV News as we profile the 2011 Hottest Breakthrough MCs before announcing the winner December 13 on "RapFix Live" — vote now! |
| Ron Swanson Is MTV News' #1 TV Character Of 2011! Posted: 09 Dec 2011 08:42 AM PST 'I generally get behind everything Ron does, no matter how extreme,' Nick Offerman tells MTV News of his 'Parks and Recreation' antihero.
If ever there were a man deserving of all the eggs and bacon you have, it's Ron Swanson. The Parks Department director of Pawnee, Indiana, is perhaps the manliest man on television, complete with what is indisputably the manliest mustache on TV today. There's something else you should know about Mr. Swanson too: He's the best television character of 2011!
Swanson won the highest honor in our Top 50 TV Characters of 2011 countdown over the likes of cancer-stricken chemistry teacher-turned-murderous meth cook Walter White of "Breaking Bad" and our very own "Jersey Shore" favorite Snooki. All three could have easily earned that top prize, but in the end, there's just no resisting the raw, hilarious awesome that is Ron Swanson. But Ron would be nothing without Nick Offerman, the actor, comedian and professional woodworker who has played the staunch anti-government government employee for four seasons of "Parks and Recreation." Offerman spoke with MTV News about his status as 2011's top television character, why Ron is such an appealing figure, his battle with the terrible Tammys and much, much more. MTV: Congratulations! Ron Swanson is our #1 pick for the best TV character of the year. It goes without saying that we're all very big fans over here! Nick Offerman: Well, thank you. I'm over the moon. I'm so flattered. It's crazy! MTV: When did it dawn on you that Ron was such a big hit? We've seen countless Internet memes about him, and he's always the topic of conversation after a "Parks and Rec" episode airs. When did it hit you that Ron had really arrived? Offerman: It sort of came out of the blue around the holidays two years ago. It was the fall of our season two. My wife [Megan Mullally, who plays Tammy Two] and I don't really cotton to the Internet too much, so people started saying to me, "You're getting a lot of attention on the Internet. You might want to think about getting a publicist. I think you might have something here." I said, "OK, that sounds like hogwash to me, but I'll go along with it." And I haven't looked back. It's been incredibly gratifying and astonishing. MTV: You spend so much time playing this character, four seasons deep now. For you, what's the appeal of Ron? What is it about this character that you love playing so much? Offerman: Well, I guess I spent so many years of my career utilizing a sense of humor that we see in Ron and being rejected for it. For so many years, people have been telling me to talk faster. "Try not to be so scary." [Laughs.] To finally find writers that have such simpatico with me and my sense of humor has got to be my favorite thing about Ron. They write me a scene where the most important thing I can do is remain silent and immobile, and that's the hilarious part. [Laughs.] It kind of feels like coming home after all these years. MTV: It's been a big year for the character. Right out the gate in season four, we got to meet the other two Tammys in Ron's life, Tammy One and Tammy Zero. What was it like finally getting to interact with all these legendary women in Ron's life? Offerman: For me the actor, it's such an embarrassment of riches to do an episode with Megan, Patricia Clarkson and Paula Pell. It's like being told that you're going to play in the World Series with the most incredible all-star team assembled as your teammates. I was really traumatized by the effects all these women had on Ron. His face was denuded of his mustache, much like Samson having his locks snipped off by Delilah, as well as his family jewels. It really felt like I was being simultaneously raped and fed a delicious meal. [Laughs.] MTV: Do you think we've seen the last of the Tammys? As in, are there any other Tammys lurking about out there in Ron's life? Offerman: I can't imagine. I think the power of this triumvirate is so all-encompassing. I think we have more than enough fuel for many more seasons with the Tammys we've established. MTV: You brought up something that I was going to touch on: Ron losing his mustache really was a Samson moment. Could Ron ever truly be Ron Swanson without that mustache, or is it critical to who he is? Offerman: I think if, God forbid, Ron was in some sort of disfiguring accident that disallowed him to grow whiskers anymore, I don't think he could bounce back. I think Ron is an accessory to the mustache, or the mustache is an accessory to Ron. My friend is this genius artist named Pat Roberts, and he has a painting of a wimpy-looking sheriff with a sheriff's badge on, and there's a balloon with this mean look on its face, hanging next to the sheriff. It says: "For obvious reasons, Staticky Pete wore the badge, but everyone knew the balloon was the sheriff." I think everyone knows that the mustache carries the thunder for Ron. MTV: One of the reasons we love Ron so much is that he gets away with things that we only wish we could get away with in our life. For example, when he discovers how much personal information can be learned about him through Google — that you can see a satellite image of his property — his response is to throw his computer in the trash. I can certainly relate to that. Do you relate to Ron's view of the world? Offerman: Absolutely. I'm very much a Luddite by choice. I grew up on a farm out in the middle of a cornfield. You'd go for days without being reached by people. Now, in the information age, you have everyone at your beck and call — or, more to the point, to be at the beck and call of the world — on a device in your pocket, and it's incredibly distasteful. I often fantasize about throwing the whole thing in the ocean. Unfortunately, I'm in a business where my agent tells me I have a meeting with Patricia Roberts next week. MTV: You're hooked in, sir. There's very little you can do. Offerman: There is, but look, what my wife and I do is eschew as much as we can. We don't do Twitter, we don't do Facebook. It's all we can do to answer our e-mails; that already takes up too much time, so we don't do much [Web] surfing. MTV: On the flipside, is there anything about Ron that you can't relate to? Are there things he does that you just can't see yourself pulling off in your life? Offerman: In principle, no. I generally get behind everything Ron does, no matter how extreme. But when Ron exhibits superhuman abilities, that's when it crosses the line. We shot an episode recently where I have to jam an entire hamburger into my mouth. We did a take and it was obviously really hard — bun and all, I had to shove the whole thing into my mouth! We did a take, and the director said to the prop lady, "Was that the small, medium or large burger?" It was the small. "Can we get another one?" And I go, "Hey! I understand that Ron could get the whole slab of a cow in his mouth and pull out a bone like Fred Flintstone, but I'm an actor in the physical world!" [Laughs.] There's only so much grub I can cram into my mouth! People will also ask me ... there's this one episode where Ron makes an Irish harp in one night after drinking an enormous amount of whiskey. People will say to me — and this is the power of TV — did you really do that? [Laughs.] No! No one can really do that! That's ridiculous! It's a hilarious comedy! Even my brother who works in my shop with me, there's one episode where I'm carving a chunk of wood, and in the next scene there's a big, wooden swan that I've ostensibly carved in about 40 minutes. And my brother said, "Did you really carve that?" [Laughs.] He's familiar with my work! He's familiar with my method! It would take me a day and a half if I hustled. For shame! MTV: "Parks and Rec" is one of the funniest shows on TV. I think a lot of that owes to the fact that, obviously, the writing is incredible, but the cast is so strong. These characters play off each other so well. What's that dynamic like on set, four seasons into the game? Offerman: It's so fun. We never stop talking about how lucky we are that we get to do this for pay. We're shooting an episode this week where the whole cast is in a recording studio recording a song for Andy Dwyer. That situation is so goddamn enjoyable, and everybody gets to add their flavor to this incredibly steamy goulash that we're serving. It's so fun to look around and watch one person after another hit a home run. MTV: Final question for you: We know what Ron's capacity is ... but what is the most bacon and eggs you've ever eaten? Offerman: Gosh ... I'd have to go back to my youth when my dad and I would have bacon and eggs every morning. I'd say five eggs, and I take those over medium, and close to a pound of bacon. MTV: Wow. Offerman: I can pack it away, but my capacity pales in comparison to Mr. Swanson. Only Ron Swanson could stomach all of the eggs and bacon you have. MTV will reveal the best artists, songs and movies of the year. Come to MTV News each day to see more big reveals and check out more of MTV's Best of 2011 music, TV, movies and news coverage. |
| Christopher Nolan Unveils 'Dark Knight Rises' Prologue Posted: 09 Dec 2011 06:13 AM PST A lucky audience got a glimpse at director's nearly seven-minute clip, in which Bane proves as fearsome as Batman fans have hoped.
LOS ANGELES — If you happened to be in or around the IMAX theater at Universal City Walk Thursday night, there's a decent chance you may have been privy to the collective fangasm (some shock and awe) generated by the lucky audience invited to screen the prologue for Christopher Nolan's third Batman movie, "The Dark Knight Rises." Nolan was on hand himself to introduce the nearly seven-minute clip, which he described as, basically, the opening sequence, with a few out-of-order bonus shots thrown in at the end. The director also emphasized his love for IMAX technology, explaining that even though it was probably developed before he was born, it is "far and away the best imaging format created," and it's one that allows fans to experience the grandeur of old Hollywood films, which Nolan said is "slowly being chipped away." At the special screening, he encouraged fans to seek out official IMAX screens for a fully immersive experience when "Rises" opens next summer, but not to inquire about the plot of the film. "I've barely started to edit, so don't ask me about the ending," he joked just before the lights in the theater dimmed. Check out "The Dark Knight Rises" Viral Survival Guide! In the interest of preserving the mystery of the movie, Warner Bros. politely asked journalists in attendance to refrain from giving blow-by-blow reactions, a request MTV News is happy to heed. What we can say is that the action in the opening sequence occurs mostly on a plane and that it features several high-flying, mind-blowing special effects of the practical, not the CG, variety. The sequence seems to pick up right where "The Dark Knight" leaves off — Gotham District Attorney Harvey Dent's funeral — and, most important, features one of the more memorable character introductions we've seen of late as viewers got the first look at Tom Hardy in action as Bane, complete with creepy leather face mask. There are government agents, military personnel and civilians involved in the setup, but it's all eyes on Bane. And if what we see him say and do in the first few minutes is representative of his villainous arc in the full-length feature, it's clear that Nolan is venturing into more ominous territory in "Rises." Where Heath Ledger's unforgettable Joker was dark, twisted and almost whimsically crazy, Hardy's Bane is a horrific, maniacal force. That's apparent whenever the camera locks onto his eyes or when he speaks for the first time, revealing a garbled, aggressive German accent. Bane will no doubt prove a formidable force to be reckoned with, and we can't help but anticipate his first meeting with Batman. Speaking of Batman, the caped crusader, played of course by Christian Bale, makes his first appearance in a few quick clips at the very end, along with new additions Catwoman/Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) and cop John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Check out everything we've got on "The Dark Knight Rises." For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com. Related Photos |
| 'Always Sunny' Star Rob McElhenney Had <i>Huge</i> Year As Fat Mac Posted: 09 Dec 2011 09:46 AM PST 'I was trying to destroy myself physically,' McElhenney says of gaining 50 pounds to play Fat Mac, one of MTV News' Top 50 TV Characters of 2011.
Gregor Samsa became an insect. Hulk Hogan dyed his beard black and joined the nWo. Metallica used to be awesome.
Transformations are as much a part of life as eating, breathing and making fun of Lulu, yet rarely are they as unexpected as the grand, grotesque metamorphosis Rob McElhenney pulled off on the seventh season of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," when he turned the formerly fitness-obsessed Mac into a bulbous, bloated buffoon ... mostly because he thought it would be funny. But McElhenney was also making a deeper point, too. By gaining 50 pounds of solid fat, he took a not-too-subtle jab at one of TV's oldest tropes: Namely, that as shows go on, characters don't age and they seemingly get better-looking. It's the kind of deconstructionist slant that has made "Sunny" a cult favorite and made Fat Mac one of the year's best characters. Because while, sure, it was funny to watch him inject insulin into his ginormous gut, you couldn't help but ask yourself why there aren't more characters like him on network shows. So, in celebration of Fat Mac's inclusion in MTV News' Top 50 TV Characters of 2011, we spoke to McElhenney about piling on the pounds, the silky comfort of Tommy Bahama shirts, and how, someday, he hopes to be considered "the De Niro of basic-cable comedy." MTV News: First off, congratulations on making our list of the Top 50 TV Characters of 2011. Fat Mac actually came in at #8 on the list. Rob McElhenney: I made the top 10? F--- yeah! That's really awesome. Who was ahead of me? [We start reading McElhenney the list, but he makes us stop when we reveal that Snooki came in at #3.] What? Are you f---ing kidding me? I refuse to hear anything else. Jesus Christ. MTV: Mac's transformation was one of the television highlights of the year, and not just because it's funny to see him, you know, lug around a garbage bag filled with chimichangas. You just don't see characters put on that kind of weight on sitcoms now, or really ever before. McElhenney: Yeah. Vanity is such a huge part of television, and if you watch any average sitcom, you notice that the actors get better-looking as the years go by. And I caught myself sitting in the editing room last year, looking at myself, and I said, "Man, I don't look very good in this scene; I should try to find a different shirt or something next time." And I realized, "Wow, that is the first time I'd ever really thought that." So I realized I needed to go in the extreme opposite direction. It's always been our goal to do the opposite of what any sitcom on network television would do, so that's what I did. MTV: So it went beyond, just, "It would be funny to see Mac gain an obscene amount of weight ..." McElhenney: It wasn't just a stunt. I thought, if we were being true to the characters, and we were really showing what these people would look like if they lived the way that they claimed to live, this is what we would look like. All we do is sit around and drink and eat terrible food, and there's certainly no exercise going on, and we don't seem to really care about our health. So when you hit a certain early-30s, mid-30s range, it's going to start to fall apart. So, to me, it was less of a stunt or a gag and more of an actual representation of what Mac really might look like at this point in his life. MTV: So once you decided you were going to gain the weight, how'd you go about doing it without, you know, totally destroying your body? McElhenney: Oh, I was basically trying to destroy myself physically as much as I possibly could. I was trying to eat around 5,000 calories a day, and at first I was doing it as healthy as possible, but after like the 3,000th calorie of grilled chicken breast and rice, you realize you literally have to consume twice as much volume as opposed to just eating a cheeseburger. So after a while, I started eating a lot, a lot of doughnuts. It was really hard, man. The key to it was force-feeding myself this milkshake that I made every day that had weight gainer, chocolate milk, chocolate ice cream, and creatine, which creates bloating, and force-feeding myself two of those every day, and those were about 1,000 calories a piece, and that's what really put it over the edge. MTV: You know, it's funny, because you hear about all these actors gaining or losing weight for roles, and they're almost always lauded for doing so. Does it bother you that, after going through so much, people only see Fat Mac as this sort of stunt? McElhenney: Well, I'd like to enter that conversation. You know, "the De Niro of basic-cable comedy." [He laughs.] Nah, it doesn't bother me. We're not that kind of show. But I don't think people understand how hard it was to just gain all this weight. I started at 162 and I got up to 212 ... and I was also working out, just doing, like, powerlifting, because I noticed that most of my weight was just going to my gut, and it wasn't filling out everywhere else and it wasn't really playing, so to create that sort of non-defined, smooth look, I had to lift weights, and then the fat just sort of sat on top of the muscle. I was trying to create David, and as we all know, Michelangelo had to start with a slab of marble and then whittle it down. So I was just creating the slab. MTV: Another great thing about the character this season is that he introduced the Tommy Bahama shirt into the national conversation. McElhenney: [He laughs.] I see a lot of people wearing them. And I think middle-aged guys wear them because they think it hides their gut, and it doesn't. In a bizarre way, it makes them look bigger, and originally I was wearing these super-tight T-shirts, and since my fat was kind of rolling out from underneath it, you would think that you would look bigger onscreen that way, as opposed to this big, flowing shirt. But for whatever reason, they actually accentuate the size. They're like a muumuu. And the truth is, once you slip one of those bad boys on, they're unbelievably comfortable. They're made out of silk, and they really just flow and they breathe, and I was like, "Goddamn, I kind of really love these shirts." I took some home, but my wife ["Sunny" co-star Kaitlin Olson] wasn't having it. MTV: One of the key episodes this season was "How Mac Got Fat," which, as the title implies, explained why he put on all the weight. There are scenes of you in flashback when you were skinny. Can you explain the backstory of that episode? McElhenney: We shot it last season, and it was a completely different episode and we were going to air it this year, because we had one less slot last year. So that was always the intention, and then as we started the season, and I went through this endeavor, we realized we couldn't just air this episode because it wouldn't make sense anymore. So we sort of broke down the episode and said, "How can we tell this as a flashback, and create this as being the reason why Mac did this in the first place?" So we rewrote it, based on the cut and based on the footage we had, and then we went back and created this completely different episode. It was literally the last thing we shot this season. MTV: So, finally, we know you've dropped most of the Fat Mac weight now. Looking back, how do you feel about the entire endeavor? McElhenney: Yeah, I've dropped almost all of it. I think the remaining 10 to 12 pounds are probably just going to stay. I'm OK with that. [He laughs.] And, you know, I'm really happy I did it. It was hard, but it was worth it. I can tell you right now that this never would've happened on network television. Because when I would've gone in to pitch it to the network executives, they would've said, "Absolutely not." Because the glamour is such an important part of how they sell their shows, so trying to make the actors look as good as they possibly can is an important part of the process. And our show has never been about that. MTV will reveal the best artists, songs and movies of the year. Come to MTV News each day to see more big reveals and check out more of MTV's Best of 2011 music, TV, movies and news coverage. |
| Kris Humphries Opens Up About Kim Kardashian Split Posted: 09 Dec 2011 07:51 AM PST 'I'm just moving forward,' basketball player said Friday on 'Good Morning America.'
Kris Humphries has remained relatively low-key since his split from Kim Kardashian, but the basketball player sat down with "Good Morning America" on Friday (December 9) to finally speak out about his divorce from the reality starlet.
"For me, it's just certain things happen in life and you've got to move forward," he said. "Through everything I'm just focused on family and preparing for basketball. Basketball has always been something I've taken really serious and I continue to do that and I'm just moving forward." While the couple, who had been married for 72 days before they confirmed their split in October, are no longer together, their relationship is playing out on the current season of "Kourtney & Kim Take New York." "I can't say for sure or not for sure [if the cameras hurt my marriage]," Humphries said on "GMA." "It's the only time I've been married. I've been in the NBA since I was 19 years old, but it's a different level. "I'm focused on just what I can control. I don't really play into all the gossip and things that take place, but that's life," continued the currently free agent, who also has a foundation dedicated to fighting childhood obesity. "I've been doing a lot of things with my foundation and spending time with my family and working on my game. Hopefully I'll be on a team soon and get ready to go." Humphries, who recently filed for annulment after Kim filed for divorce, also baked cookies on the show with his mom and kept most of his talk about Kim and the split focused on the here and now and not so much on the events that led to the split. "Really right now I'm focused on basketball and other things will take care of themselves. It's a great day for the NBA and the fans," he said. "The only things I watch on TV of myself is playing basketball. I've never really been one to watch the show on TV. For me my focus is just basketball, my foundation, my family and moving through life." Related Photos |
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