Latest news with #SethRogen
Tom's Guide
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
The most surreal noir thriller of the year just landed on Hulu — and it will stick with you for days
If you're a fan of Hollywood, you probably watched "The Studio," Apple's critically acclaimed comedy about the movie-making business. But if you're a fan of the noir genre, you were probably disappointed by the show's least successful episode. Smack dab in the middle of "The Studio," the series shifts gears and becomes a shadowy thriller in which Seth Rogen's bumbling studio head attempts to track down a stolen film reel. The episode was a tonal misfire, a rare blip in an otherwise near-perfect season of television and a bummer to anyone whose favorite movie is "Double Indemnity," "Chinatown" or any other noir classic. But to paraphrase a famous Bible verse, when Hollywood takes away, it also gives. And in this case, that gift comes in the form of "The Actor," an indie noir about the dark side of show business that just made its streaming debut on Hulu. "The Actor" is everything that "The Studio's" noir detour failed to be: a taut, trippy, and fiercely authentic thriller that blurs the lines of cinema and reality until they're completely unrecognizable. "The Actor" is the kind of movie that's best watched knowing as little as possible, but if you insist, I'll give you a brief overview. Paul Cole (André Holland) is an actor traveling with a theater troupe who decides to sleep with a married woman while on the road. After the husband gives him a brutal beating, Paul winds up with amnesia and gets stranded somewhere in the Midwest. Without enough money to get back home to New York , he takes a $5 bus to a mysterious town and finds a job at the local factory. He also meets a beguiling woman (Gemma Chan) and begins to fall in love. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. In the movie's meaty second act, an old playbill triggers Paul's memory just enough to dislodge his New York address. He heads home, but soon learns some disturbing truths about the man he once was. After struggling to revive his acting career — his utter failure to deliver a single line for a minor role on live television leads to the movie's most stressful moment — Paul attempts to make his way back to a town and a woman he can barely remember. "The Actor" isn't so much a movie about the business of acting as it is a warning about the perils of the profession. Even without the amnesia, Paul lives a sad and depressing life. When he arrives in New York, he learns he was juggling several girlfriends, all of whom seem to hate him. His old friends aren't much better, goading Paul into telling offensive jokes and snickering at him behind his back. It's only when Paul abandons that career for a job in a factory that he seems to find some measure of happiness. But while "The Actor" is surprisingly short on scenes about acting, its promise of noir storytelling comes through in every frame. Filmed on a soundstage in Budapest, where director Duke Johnson could control each tiny variable, the movie is bathed in moody shadows and shades of grey. The music, dialogue, and direction come together to perfectly recreate the feeling of a femme fatale mystery. There's no hesitation or winking at the audience, just pure commitment to this high-concept cinematic vision. At the center of the film is André Holland, who appears in nearly every scene and beautifully conveys the experience of a man drifting through life with no memories of his past. Paul is somehow both perpetually lost and unnaturally confident, as if amnesia robbed him not just of his life story but of his anxiety, too. It's hard to imagine anyone else in the role (although, fun fact: Ryan Gosling was originally set to star before dropping out for scheduling reasons). Holland's performance alone is enough to anchor "The Actor," but the rest of the cast isn't slacking either. It's clear everyone involved is fully devoted to both the noir aesthetic that envelopes the film like cigarette smoke, and the Hollywood critique at its core. Each scene and each line feels pulled straight out of some lost 1940s thriller. It just goes to show what's possible when you decide on a bit and stick to it. Stream "The Actor" on Hulu
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Seth Rogen Reveals the Audition Tape That Would ‘End' His Career
As Hollywood careers go, Seth Rogen has lived a pretty charmed—and scandal-free—life. And he hopes to keep it that way. But Rogen, who is currently riding high on the success of The Studio, the Apple TV+ cringe comedy he co-created and stars in that skewers Hollywood stereotypes, knows that there is some grainy old footage still possibly floating around out in the world somewhere that could spell an end to his own appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week, Kimmel asked Rogen—who broke out with his very first acting role in Freaks and Geeks back in 1999—about the last time he actually had to audition for a role. The Superbad creator admitted that it had been a while, then shuddered to remember the last time he was forced to do it. 'Thank god it was mostly physical VHS tapes and stuff like that that were being used when I was auditioning for things,' said Rogen. 'Because the things I auditioned for, in retrospect, if they were out there in the world would end my career very, very fast I believe.' When pressed by Kimmel to share an example, Rogen recalled his audition for Gigli, Martin Brest's infamous 2003 crime/rom-com that starred Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez back when they were their first iteration of Bennifer. 'In Gigli, [Affleck and Lopez] are assassins who are sent to watch over a boy who—and this was not the words they used at the time—had a cognitive disability, let's say,' Rogen continued while Kimmel, clearly guessing where the story was going, struggled to compose himself. 'So I, as an aspiring young actor… I auditioned for this boy with a cognitive disability,' Rogen shared. 'And I don't think the script was written in what, by today's standards, would be the most sensitive portrayal of a boy with a cognitive disability. And I also, as a young actor, you know, I didn't get a lot of auditions. The movie was directed by Martin Brest, who did Beverly Hills Cop and Midnight Run. Great director. So I wanted to leave an impression.' At this point, Rogen himself was nearly speechless in recalling the details of what was clearly the mortifying kind of memory that would fit right in with the comedy of The Studio. 'I don't think I wore a helmet into the audition itself,' he said, 'but it was that play. And I'm tempted to do an impression of what I did, but I can't even do it. That's how bad it was. It's so bad, I dare not even portray what I did in this audition—'cause I went for it! I saw myself at the Oscars. I was like, 'This is the clip.'' 'Truthfully,' Rogen admitted, 'if that tape were out in the world today, this would be the last interview you ever saw me do—other than my apology tour.'Finally, Rogen addressed the camera and anyone who might be listening with an earnest plea: 'Please, if you have it: Burn it. Please!' The role in question, a young man named Brian, was ultimately played by Justin Bartha, in his first credited feature film role. Bartha would go on to star in National Treasure and The Hangover movies. Seth Rogen Reveals the Audition Tape That Would 'End' His Career first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 24, 2025
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Seth Rogen says his audition for 'Gigli' "would end" his career today
Actor and comedian Seth Rogen recalled the last time he auditioned for a role in 'Gigli' that would have ended his career. Actor and comedian Seth Rogen recalled the last time he auditioned for a role in 'Gigli' that would have ended his career. 'Gigli' is a 2003 American romantic comedy crime film written, co-produced, and directed by Martin Brest, and starring Ben Affleck , Jennifer Lopez , Justin Bartha , Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Lainie Kazan. Seth Rogen opened up about his audition for 2003's Gigli and why he's glad the tape of his work is seemingly gone. Rogen auditioned for the role of a "boy with a cognitive disability" in the Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez film. The part ultimately went to Justin Bartha and the film became a notorious critical and commercial flop, reported People. He appeared on the recent episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and shared, "It has been a long time," adding, "And man, honestly thank God it was mostly physical VHS tapes and stuff like that that was being used when I was auditioning for things, because the things I auditioned for, in retrospect, if they were out there in the world, it would end my career very, very fast, I believe," reported People. "Well, there's a movie called Gigli ... that stars Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez and in the film, they're assassins or something like that," he said. The 2003 romantic crime drama was a notorious critical and commercial flop. "In Gigli, they're assassins who are sent to watch over a boy who -- and this was not the words they used at the time - but had a cognitive disability, let's say," Rogen continued. "And so I, as an aspiring young actor ... I auditioned for this boy with a cognitive disability and I don't think the script was written in what, by today's standards, would be the most sensitive portrayal of a boy with a cognitive disability," reported People. Rogen, who at the time had starred in the TV series Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared, also said that he "didn't get a lot of auditions," and he knew the movie was being helmed by "great director," Martin Brest, who had done Beverly Hills Cop and and Midnight Run. "I don't think I wore a helmet into the audition itself, but it was at play," Rogen said. "And I'm tempted to do an impression of what I did, but I can't even do it! I can't! That's how bad it was! It's so bad I dare not even portray what I did in this audition, because I went for it. I saw myself at the Oscars." "And truthfully if that tape was out in the world today, this would be the last interview you ever saw me do, other than my apology tour," he said. The role Rogen auditioned for, Brian, was ultimately played by Justin Bartha. The A.V. Club wrote in a 2021 article in which they revisited Gigli, "Pretty much everything about the depiction of Brian's disability falls into the 'oh no' category," reported People.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Seth Rogen Admits There Are Old Videos Of Him That Could 'End His Career Very Fast' If Unearthed
Seth Rogen has opened up about his past movie auditions during the start of his career in Hollywood. The actor admitted to being relieved that clips of his auditions from early on would not see the light of day, as they would "end his career very fast." Seth Rogen made mention of one particular audition for a role in a movie starring Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, and how the role of a boy with a cognitive disability wasn't well written. During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Rogen, known for his hit roles in "Superbad," "Knocked Up," and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," opened up about a particularly regrettable audition from his early days in Hollywood when he was just another struggling actor trying to break into the industry and willing to take any opportunity he could get. Speaking to Kimmel, he said: "Thank god it was mostly physical VHS tapes and stuff like that that was being used when I was auditioning for things. Because the things I auditioned for, in retrospect, if they were out there in the world, they would end my career very, very fast, I believe." The Canadian actor revealed that one early audition he's relieved never saw the light of day, as he believes it could have completely derailed his career, was his audition for the role of Brian, a character with a cognitive disability in the infamous 2003 romantic comedy "Gigli," starring Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. He admitted that portrayal of the character was not handled with sensitivity in the script or his performance, saying: "I don't think the script was written in what, by today's standards, would be the most sensitive portrayal of a boy with a cognitive disability." Recalling the audition, Rogen admitted he was so embarrassed by his performance that he couldn't even bring himself to reenact it for the audience. "I'm tempted to do an impression of what I did and can't even do it," he confessed, per the Daily Mail. "That's how bad it was. Truthfully, if that tape were out today, this would be the last video you see of me today - outside of my apology tour." Rogen even joked that he would go to extreme lengths to make sure the tape never resurfaces. "Please, if you have it, burn it. Please sell it to me. I will buy it," he said. Ultimately, the role went to Justin Bartha. "Gigli" would go on to become one of the biggest box office flops of the early 2000s, pulled from theaters just three weeks after its release due to overwhelmingly negative reviews and poor ticket sales. In 2023, Rogen spoke about his successful movie career and shared how his and his wife's decision not to have children had a positive impact on their lives. "That has helped me succeed as well, definitely," he shared during an appearance on the "Diary of A CEO" podcast with Steven Bartlett. "There's a whole huge thing I'm not doing, which is raising children." Rogen continued by saying that the choice was not made accidentally because he and his wife had always discussed it, and that, at the moment, they are "grateful" they don't have kids. "Some people want kids, some people don't want kids," he explained. "Honestly, you just are told, 'You go through life, you get married, you have kids.' That's what happens. And me and my wife, neither of us were like that." Rogen continued, "Honestly, the older we get, the more happy and reaffirmed we are with our choice to not have kids." According to Rogen, one benefit of not having kids is gaining the freedom to pursue any interests he and his wife may have. "Now more than anything, the conversation is like, 'Honestly, thank God we don't have children.' We get to do whatever we want, we're in the prime of our lives," he said. The actor continued by listing his and his wife's numerous accomplishments with children out of the pictures, noting that he has more free time than his friends and colleagues, who are parents. "I'm not saying that kids don't bring them joy," he acknowledged. "But Me and my wife seem to get a lot more active enjoyment out of not having kids than anyone I know seems to get out of having kids." Rogen's comments about his past auditions come on the heels of his jokes about Donald Trump, which were cut from the broadcast of April's Breakthrough Prize ceremony, one of the world's most prestigious science award shows. Often referred to as the "Oscars of Science," the high-profile event honors exceptional achievements in scientific research and is backed by some of the most prominent names in the tech world, including Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. While presenting a special prize in fundamental physics alongside actor Edward Norton, Rogen reportedly took aim at Trump. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he quipped to the elite audience: "It's amazing that others [who have been] in this room underwrote electing a man who, in the last week, single-handedly destroyed all of American science." The "Pineapple Express" star went on to say, "It's amazing how much good science you can destroy with $320m and RFK Jr, very fast." However, despite being delivered at a live event, the jokes were notably absent from the so-called "full" YouTube upload of the ceremony.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
James Franco's girlfriend Izabel Pakzad, 29, stuns in a sheer co-ord as she and the actor, 47, join Carla Bruni at Biarritz Film Festival
James Franco and his girlfriend Izabel Pakzad attended the Opening Ceremony during the 3rd Nouvelles Vagues International Biarritz Film Festival on Thursday. Walking the red carpet in France, the actor, 47, and the actress, 29, were joined by Carla Bruni, 57. Izabel, who has been dating the Spiderman star since 2017, looked stunning in a sheer co-ord consisting of a crop top and knee length skirt. She teamed the sequinned number with a pair of strappy black heels and styled her hair into curls. Meanwhile, James opted for an oversized suit which he paired with a striped shirt and sunglasses. Carla wore an elegant figure-hugging midi dress, that featured a ruffled neckline for the event. The festival, which takes place over six days, will showcase eight feature films that have yet to be shown in French theatres. James' appearance comes after Seth Rogan made it clear that he isn't paying much attention to comments made by his former friend and collaborator. The Long Shot actor, 42, publicly cut off his Pineapple Express co-star James after he was accused and sued by his students over behaving inappropriately and sexually towards them. Years after Seth publicly announced he had distanced himself, James went on to confirm that the friendship was officially 'over.' Now Seth has admitted he wasn't even aware of his former friend's comment, telling Esquire in a new interview: 'Honestly, I absorb so little media that it really wasn't on my radar.' He then noted: 'That is all he wants to say about that.' Over the course of their friendship, James and Seth had starred in a number of projects together, including the NBC Cult classic Freaks and Geeks. They also appeared in films such as Pineapple Express, This Is the End, The Disaster Artist, and The Interview. Speaking again about the rift in October last year, James told Variety: 'I haven't talked to Seth. I love Seth, we had 20 great years together, but I guess it's over. 'And not for lack of trying. I've told him how much he's meant to me.' In January of 2018, five women told the Los Angeles Times that James had been sexually inappropriate or exploitative with them. One detailed how James removed plastic guards from actress' vulvas during a sex scene while simulating oral sex. Two of the women, Sarah Tither-Kaplan and Toni Gaal, sued James in 2019, claimed that he tried to 'create a pipeline of young women who were subjected to his personal and professional sexual exploitation in the name of education' while they attended his Studio 4 acting school. At the time, James denied the allegations via his attorney. He eventually settled the lawsuit for $2.2 million in July 2021. James' appearance comes after Seth Rogan made it clear that he isn't paying much attention to comments made by his former friend and collaborator Initially, when the allegations came out in 2018, Seth told Vulture that he would continue to work with James. But in May 2021, he publicly revised his position, telling Britain's Sunday Times that he would not. 'What I can say is that I despise abuse and harassment and I would never cover or conceal the actions of someone doing it, or knowingly put someone in a situation where they were around someone like that,' Seth told the publication. He added that it was 'not a coincidence' he hasn't worked with Franco in recent years, as he faced sexual misconduct accusations in 2014 and again in 2018. That December, James said it was 'hurtful' that Seth had 'no plans to work with him in the future.'
