Latest from CinemaBlend in Uma-thurman

The Story Behind How Kill Bill Inspired Zazie Beetz’s Protagonist In They Will Kill You

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Sat, 13 Jun 2026 22:21:00 +0000

If you look hard enough, everything’s a reference – especially since Hollywood has been making movies for over a hundred years now. If you’re a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill, you might notice that one of the 2026 movie releases, They Will Kill You, pulls from the modern classic, and its writer/director told CinemaBlend exactly how.

As soon as Warner Bros’ They Will Kill You trailer dropped, the comment section was flooded with people talking about how much it reminds them of Tarantino’s beloved flick mashed in with great horror movies like Ready or Not and You’re Next. Here’s what writer/director Kirill Sokolov told us on the topic:

[Kill Bill] was [an influence] in a way. I was just thinking about the cult characters, they stuck with us and are characters that you want to dress up [as] and you want to follow and support and have this inspirational power. The Bride from Kill Bill for me was the last one that actually, like, really made me crazy.

A simple benchmark of whether a movie reaches “iconic” status is whether you dressed up as one of the characters and people can clock the character right away. Uma Thurman’s role as The Bride in Kill Bill definitely remains a Halloween favorite 22 years after its release. The writer/director of They Will Kill You was inspired by emulating the kind of “power” the character has represented over the years. As he added:

And I just always dreamt about trying to make a character like that… that will inspire people and that would be strong and has flaws, but also would be so kind of lovable. And I mean, Zazie, I think she managed to do that. She did an incredible job. And so that's why Kill Bill was a really awesome reference in that way.

Sokolov came up with the idea for They Will Kill You after moving into a massive 17-floor apartment building with his wife. It must have been an odd place to live because they started a “running joke” that it was owned by a cult. That then morphed into the filmmaker deciding to make the movie revolve around Asia, a young woman posing as a maid in an exclusive high-rise in order to find her long-lost sister Maria. It’s not long before Asia discovers she's trapped in a temple for Satan, and she is their latest intended sacrifice.

From a shot of Zazie Beetz’s feet to severed limbs to a rageful protagonist who fights her way through hordes of people, it’s not hard to see why Kill Bill is often talked about in association with this new release, which is now available to stream with an HBO Max subscription.

While They Will Kill You was certainly influenced by Kill Bill, Sokolov also pointed out the myriad of other references the movie has. In his words:

This movie also absorbs a lot of references for different types of genres and films from different countries. And it has a little bit like anime, influences, Hong Kong action movies, Japanese samurai movies and like Sam Raimi kind of horror elements.

And of course, Kill Bill is a reference in of itself to kung-fu movies, spaghetti westerns and anime films Quentin Tarantino was inspired by. If you dig They Will Kill You, Sokolov also shared his thoughts on a potential sequel in our interview as well. Until then, it feels like the two films would be a bloody fun double feature!

How To Watch Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair And Stream Quentin Tarantino's Full Epic From Anywhere

Nick Venable — Fri, 22 May 2026 01:00:00 +0000

How to watch Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair in the U.S.
How to watch Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair while traveling abroad
More details about the combined version

Back in 2003, esteemed director Quentin Tarantino delivered his fourth film to audiences, following up the laidback criminality of Jackie Brown with the energetic viciousness of Kill Bill Vol. 1, with its tethered sequel Vol. 2 slicing into theaters six months later. The director’s goal was always to make The Bride’s story a single release, and after limited theatrical appearances and a stint on VOD, Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair is finally available to stream for the masses.

Read on to learn how to stream Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair from anywhere in the U.S. or around the world. (And don’t trust that Chuck guy with any of your passwords

How To Watch Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair In The US

(Image credit: NBC/ Comcast)

Making its subscription streaming service debut, Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair will arrive on Friday, May 22. and will be available to stream exclusively via Peacock (Sign up now!).

Peacock subscriptions starts from $10.99 a month. Alternatively, pay more and skip the commercials by opting for its Premium Plus plan, which costs $16.99 a month.

Ahead of the combo-film's arrival on Peacock, neither Kill Bill Vol. 1 nor Kill Bill Vol. 2 have been available to stream via traditional subscription platforms. Which makes this release quite worthy of anticipation from Tarantino fans who haven't watched Uma Thurman wax poetic with a sword in a while.

(Fun fact: signing up for Walmart+ means you can get Peacock's ad-supported plan as an add-on, with the option to swap to Paramount+ every 90 days.)

How To Watch Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair From Anywhere

If you're from the U.S. and traveling abroad, worry not. And if you're already residing elsewhere in the world without living in the U.S., it's still easy enough to get yourself set up for a night of Kill Bill mayhem.

Because Peacock is only available in the U.S. and certain other U.S. territories, and because Tarantino's two-part mash-up is only going to Peacock, viewers outside the States will need to utilize a VPN such as NordVPN to access one's Peacock account. New to VPNs? No problem.

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More Info On Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair

What Are The Differences Between The Whole Bloody Affair And Vols. 1 & 2?

While the bulk of the two volumes' runtimes remain intact for the combined film, certain changes were made, along with one major addition.

Total Runtime: 253 minutes
The cliffhanger ending from Vol. 1 has been removed
The recap sequence that starts off Vol. 2 has been removed and replaced by a brief intermission
The "Showdown at the House of Blue Leaves" climax from Vol. 1 has been restored to full color, after Tarantino was forced to theatrically screen the sequence in black and white to avoid an NC-17 rating
Now includes The Lost Chapter: Yuki's Revenge, an animated short (directed by Quentin Tarantino) whose events are based on an early draft of the Kill Bill screenplay that included a gunfight sequence between the Bride and Gogo Yubari's sister.

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair Cast

Uma Thurman as Beatrix "The Bride" Kiddo
Vivica A. Fox as Vernita Green
Lucy Liu as O-Ren Ishii
Daryl Hannah as Elle Driver
Michael Madsen as Budd
David Carradine as Bill
Sonny Chiba as Hattori Hanzō
Michael Parks as Earl McGraw
James Parks as Edgar McGraw
Grdon Liu as Pai Mei and Johnny Mo
Miyu Ishidate Roberts as Yuki (voice)

‘A Pretty Fun Lil A-- Beater.’ Pretty Lethal Dance-Fights Its Way To Mixed Reviews

Heidi Venable — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 14:14:23 +0000

It’s rare (but not unheard of, thanks to last year’s John Wick spinoff Ballerina) that the leads of your action thriller come in the form of ballet dancers. Pretty Lethal hits the 2026 movie release calendar on March 25, featuring a handful of ballerinas who are forced to use their training to fight their way out of an inn full of dangerous gangsters. Critics screened the movie, and while opinions are mixed, they mostly agree there’s some “bonkers” ballet-fu fun to be found.

Pretty Lethal has acquired a great cast, including Maddie Ziegler, Lana Condor, Iris Apatow, Millicent Simmonds and Avantika, with Uma Thurman playing the owner of the inn who has a tragic history with ballet. Matt Donato of Daily Dead rates it 3.5 out of 5, saying that it’s not a perfect movie by any means, but for a streaming popcorn flick, it’s “a pretty fun lil' ass-beater.” The critic says:

It is, as expected, a ridiculous concept. Writer Kate Freund doesn't care all that much about having us believe the scenario is plausible. Pretty Lethal is a loopy action flick tailored for women, made by women, and caters to its target audience first. Sure, that leaves some preposterous details dangling, and hinges much of the audience's enjoyment on adrenaline-fueled entertainment that can be thinly written. Freund's story ping-pongs between tonal shifts in a jumble, whether it's sleek reenactments of over-the-top action spectacles, comedic drug-trip hallucinations, or the darkness of merciless survival thrillers.

Glenn Garner of Deadline says Uma Thurman leaves “no crumbs” in her performance and is complemented by the talented young dancers around her, as director Vicky Jewson puts her twist on the action genre through a “darkly comedic, emotionally wrought female lens.” Garner continues:

In Pretty Lethal, Jewson manages to walk that line of gritty dark action, a la John Wick and Tarantino’s entire toxically masculine oeuvre, balanced with unapologetic laughs and an emotionally satisfying story of sisterhood. It’s proof positive that the boys club of Hollywood’s go-to action directors is long overdue for a shakeup.

Grant Hermanns of ScreenRant isn’t quite as enthusiastic about the new action movie, rating it a 5 out of 10. The critic says there are some unique, if a little sloppy, action sequences, but with an underwhelming script and no depth to the characters, the “ballet-fu” can only take it so far. More from the review:

With a few sequences that nicely incorporate some ballet with the fight choreography, and a mostly compelling cast, Pretty Lethal isn't entirely a miss. It would have been nice to see the ballerinas infuse more of their dance skills into the action, much in the way David Harbour's Violent Night mixed a lot of its Santa magic in with its hand-to-hand sequences. But, for those looking for a reasonably diverting and fast-paced ode to female empowerment, this remains worth tuning into.

Angie Han of THR says one third-act fight scene seems to be the entire reason Pretty Lethal exists in the first place with its “John Wick-meets-The Nutcracker choreography.” While that’s undeniably fun, Han says, the movie is ultimately forgettable. The critic continues:

Once Pretty Lethal finally reaches its big showcase, it’s possible to see what this project could and should have been: a bonkers marriage of fantastical choreography and graphic brutality, classical beauty and a very modern griminess. With that bright shining number, the film simultaneously justifies all the work it took to get there — and throws into sharp relief just how drab the rest of it has been by comparison.

Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert rates the movie 1.5 stars out of 4, citing minimal character development, Hostel levels of brutality that throw off the tone and a criminal underutilization of Uma Thurman. The critic says:

Pretty Lethal is a film rife with solid wind-ups but almost no follow-through. Even Thurman’s character is given a rich back story of a ballet career derailed by the crime lord father of the thug who incites the action of the night with a gunshot, but it ends up running too parallel to the troupe’s story instead of really interacting with it. Almost criminally, Thurman isn’t even given an action scene. You don’t hire The Bride and give her a part that it feels like anyone could pay.

It sounds like Pretty Lethal shines the brightest when we’re seeing the ballerinas do their John Wick-esque thing, though a shallow script, tonal imbalances and a waste of Uma Thurman’s talents have left some critics less than enthused. If you want to check out the ballet-fu action thriller, Pretty Lethal is streaming now with a Prime Video subscription.

I Noticed One Scene In Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair Was Cut, And I Really Missed It

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Ever since it was announced that Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair would finally be getting its full version in theaters on the 2025 release schedule, I knew I wanted to go out of my way to see it on the big screen, and I’m so happy I did. I’d only seen the movie as Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, and like many people would join the discourse about which part is better. But, now that I’ve witnessed Kill Bill as one movie across over four hours, I know it’s the only way I want to experience it from now on…

Although I do have one problem with The Whole Bloody Affair. They cut one of my favorite scenes.

(Image credit: Miramax Films)

The Kill Bill Scene I Missed In The Whole Bloody Affair

In Vol. 2 of Kill Bill, there’s an iconic black and white sequence where Uma Thurman’s Beatrix Kiddo looks into the camera while driving, where she says things like “I roared. And I rampaged. And I got bloody satisfaction” as she speeds to the residence of her final mark, Bill. Here’s what else she says:

I've killed a hell of a lot of people to get to this point, but I have only one more.The last one. The one I'm driving to right now. The only one left. And when I arrive at my destination, I am gonna kill Bill.

It’s the only time that Beatrix says the title of the movie, but that’s not exactly the selling point for me; it’s the excellent delivery of the line that I just know would have given me chills and my own “bloody satisfaction” if it were part of The Whole Bloody Affair. Given the moment is less than one minute, and has become one of the most quotable parts, I’m bummed I had to look it up on YouTube rather than it simply being interwoven into the four-hour experience.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Aside From That, I Think Kill Bill Is The Ultimate Version Of The Story

My disappointment aside, I had a blast with The Whole Bloody Affair. While it lacked in the black and white monologue (which I assume was cut for redundancy), it made up for it with things like an extended anime sequence that fleshed out O-Ren’s backstory, and the story flowed well as one feature. I loved that we learn that BB is alive alongside Beatrix in the second half rather than us learning before the intermission. Oh, and I loved an intermission! There are a lot of long movies that have come out without one, and having a few minutes to restock on snacks and use the facilities.

I’ve personally always split up Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 as separate viewings, and while I’m not ruling out ever doing that again, I’ve never enjoyed the story more than this way – all in one go. It made me realize that the first and second parts perfectly balance each other out, and truly are meant to be one movie (of course, as Tarantino intended all along).

I Saw Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, And I’m Obsessed With How A Single Line Changes The Experience

Eric Eisenberg — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 14:03:46 +0000

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains significant spoilers for Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair. If you have not yet seen the film, proceed at your own risk!

Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, Quentin Tarantino’s original vision for his kung-fu epic before it was cut into two separate theatrical releases, includes a number of details that audiences don’t get from simply watching Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2 as a double-feature. The four hour-plus film that arrived on the big screen this weekend includes an expansion of the anime sequence (with more of the origins of Lucy Liu’s O-Ren Ishii); a longer, full-color version of the Crazy 88 battle; and it nixes the black-and-white introduction scene from Vol. 2 (the exposition delivered being rendered unnecessary in the single-sitting cinematic experience).

All of these alterations contribute to the specialness of The Whole Bloody Affair and make it superior to the bifurcated cuts… but there is another change that I feel deserves special notice, as it has the effect of transforming the way in which we watch the tale of Uma Thurman’s Beatrix Kiddo a.k.a. The Bride a.k.a. Mommy. What makes it particularly fascinating is that the effect is created simply by eliminating a single line of dialogue.

(Image credit: Miramax Films)

The Big “Twist” From Kill Bill Vol. 1 Doesn’t Make It Into The Whole Bloody Affair

I imagine that anyone who has seen Kill Bill Vol. 1 would have no issue recalling what plays out in its final scene. David Carridine’s notorious Bill goes to see Julie Dreyfus’ Sofie Fatale – who is in the hospital after having both of her arms chopped off by The Bride. As instructed by the film’s violent heroine, Sophie recaps everything that happened to her and the information that she gave up while being tortured, and instead of reacting to these revelations with anger, Bill reacts with sympathy.

In The Whole Bloody Affair, a bit more violence is added to what is the pre-intermission sequence, as we actually see Sophie’s remaining arm get chopped off (having lost the first earlier at the House Of Blue Leaves), but that’s not the big change in question here. In the four-hour-plus cut, the scene concludes and cuts to black with the Bride’s line, “And I want them all to know they'll all soon be as dead as O-Ren”... which notably isn’t the final line in Kill Bill Vol. 1. What’s missing is this big revelation from Bill:

One more thing, Sofie: is she aware her daughter is still alive?

Its purpose in Vol. 1 is obvious: it's a cliffhanger that is meant to juice your anticipation for the second part of the story, which was released in theaters less than a year later (though if we're being totally real, I think there is plenty of juice simply in the unfinished business presented in the title). Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, on the other hand, cuts out that big twist, and it’s fascinating what kind of impact it makes on the second half of Tarantino’s epic.

(Image credit: Miramax Films)

Not Knowing That Bebe Is Alive Changes How We View The Bride’s Story

I’ll state it bluntly: I desperately wish that I had seen Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair instead of Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2, and it’s purely because of the aforementioned change. I appreciate all of the other alterations that the four-hour-plus cut offers, but cutting Bill’s big question substantially alters the way in which the audience takes in the narrative, and I’m sad that I can never watch Tarantino’s story as he intended it to be watched.

When we watch Kill Bill Vol. 2, we know something that The Bride doesn’t know, and we subconsciously wait for her to catch up – which she only does when she bursts into Bill’s bedroom with homicidal intentions and finds young Bebe playing “cowboys” with her father. There are no other hints or clues dropped along the way in the movie that lead her to wonder about her daughter’s survival; it’s a pure bombshell that appropriately leaves the heroine shellshocked. And we would be shellshocked too… if it weren’t for the fact that Vol. 1 already told us that moment of emotional discovery was coming. The audience is robbed of the experience of being alongside the main character when she receives news that wholly upends her entire existence.

The consequences extend beyond a spoiled moment too, as the final line of Vol. 1 very much has an impact on the way that we view the protagonist’s arc. Tarantino’s intention is for us to see Beatrix Kiddo as a pure weapon of vengeance, righteously slaying those who betrayed her and murdered her friends, fiancée and unborn child – but that purity is soiled with the twist. She may not know it herself, but she is fighting toward a reunion with her daughter. In addition to coloring how we watch her struggle for survival when she is buried alive by Michael Madsen’s Budd, advanced knowledge of her motherhood also diminishes the impact of Beatrix’s honesty about her violent nature while under the influence of Bill’s specially designed truth serum in the final chapter. Nothing is “ruined,” but the impact is significant, as everything is taken in via a different lens.

Until time travel is invented or science delivers us services that allow us to edit our own memories a la Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, I’ll have to make peace with the fact that a part of the Kill Bill experience was tainted by the decision two decades ago to split the film into two parts. That being said, if you have friends/family who have never seen Kill Bill and you’re looking to introduce them to it, do them the favor of showing them The Whole Bloody Affair and ensure that they have the truest possible Kill Bill experience.

Quentin Tarantino Explains Why And How He Brought Unused Kill Bill Scenes To Life With Uma Thurman, And Wow

Dirk Libbey — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 18:46:24 +0000

While Quentin Tarantino is still working on what he continues to promise will be his last movie, fans will still have a reason to go to the theaters soon for what will likely be a new experience for many. Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, a combination of Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Volume 2, is getting a wide release in December, and it will also include a previously unseen chapter, thanks to Fortnite.

Fortnite has become the new mecca of all things pop culture, as it has combined nearly every media franchise under the sun. Even Disneyland recently came to Fortnite. The new season also includes The Bride and other elements from Kill Bill, and in November, it hosted the premiere of The Lost Chapter: Yuki’s Revenge, a piece of the story that was never filmed. Tarantino recently told THR how the whole thing started, saying…

They very innocently asked me, ‘Do you have something that’s, like, eight to 12 minutes long that could be good for our purposes?’ Now they didn’t say, ‘Can you make sure that your iconic characters are wrapped up inside of that?’ But that was implied.

Quentin Tarantino admitted that he expected Fortnite would only really want to get the rights to put some of his characters in the game, but they wanted more than that: a short film that could be a way to draw people to the game. It's similar to the way Fortnite recently added animated shorts of The Simpsons when Springfield became a playable map in the game.

Tarantino went back to the original Kill Bill script and found a sequence that he’s never filmed, in which Yuki, the sister of Gogo Yubari, one of the bodyguards of Lucy Liu’s O-Ren Ishii, hunts down Uma Thurman’s The Bride in order to get revenge. Tarantino explained why the scene was never filmed, saying…

We couldn’t do it, it was just too crazy, it was just too much action.

He sent the scene to the people behind Fortnite, and they apparently loved it. They proceeded to animate it, putting the sequence clearly in the world of the game. Uma Thurman returned to voice The Bride, as well as provide motion capture for the physical performance. Tarantino voices an unseen Bill, taking over for the late David Carradine.

(Image credit: Epic Games)

The Lost Chapter is pretty wild. It’s a lot of fun, and while it’s tonally more than a little strange, considering all the ancillary characters are from the world of Fortnite, leading to strange interactions like The Bride screaming at a sentient bipedal banana, it’s still a piece of Kill Bill that Tarantino says he’s glad finally exists. He added…

I think it’s a really good way to launch the new season. This is a lost chapter that I always wanted to see the light of day.

Fans who weren't able to see Yuki’s Revenge in Fortnite will still have their chance, as it will be included when Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, the single film that Quentin Tarantino wanted Kill Bill to be, arrives in select theaters on December 5.

Uma Thurman Brought Back The Foot Fetish Debate With Four Funny Words Of Advice When Her Daughter Started Work With Quentin Tarantino

Corey Chichizola — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 16:41:18 +0000

Quentin Tarantino's movies are truly iconic, and the filmmaker is known for his very specific vision. He's also known for his penchant for featuring actors' feet, whether it's in Kill Bill or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The latter is one of the best Maya Hawke movies, as she was a member of the Manson Family. And it turns out that her mother Uma Thurman offered a four-word piece of advice about working with the Oscar-winning filmmaker.

The Django Unchained filmmaker has been synonymous with actors' feet over the years, including Margot Robbie's dirty feet in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. While Tarantino has defended himself against this discourse, it sounds like his collaborators have a different perspective. When appearing on Good Hang with Amy Poehler, Maya Hawke revealed the advice her famous mother (and frequent Tarantino collaborator) gave her ahead of filming. Namely:

Keep your shoes on.

Honestly, that's some solid advice. Uma Thurman's feet got plenty of screen time, especially in Kill Bill Vol. 1. So when Hawke was going to work with Quentin Tarantino on Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, her mother told her to keep her shoes on. Indeed, plenty of actors on the project ended up going barefoot.

The acclaimed 2019 movie helped the internet become obsessed with Margot Robbie's feet, but Maya Hawke didn't let her tootsies show on screen. The star of Stranger Things (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription) took her famous mom's advice, but the same can't be seen for the rest of the cast. Margaret Qualley's were on full display throughout its runtime, as were Dakota Fanning and Sydney Sweeney's during the Spawn Ranch Scene.

(Image credit: Sony)

Amy Poehler and Maya Hawke met while collaborating on Inside Out 2 (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription), which is likely why the latter was so honest about her famous mother's Tarantino-related advice. Her role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood came right before she became a household name thanks to Stranger Things, and she was one of many young actors to appear in the Manson Family sequences.

Aside from filming the two Kill Bill movies, Uma Thurman also famously worked with Quentin Tarantino on 1994's Pulp Fiction. She knows the acclaimed filmmaker well, which is why she was able to give her daughter some practical advice about collaborating with him.

Of course, there are plenty of moviegoers who want to see Thurman and Tarantino reunite on a third Kill Bill movie. There's been no indication that this project is actually coming together, but that hasn't stopped fan from crossing their fingers (and swords).

Stranger Things Season 5 will premiere on November 26th as part of the 2025 TV schedule. I'm definitely hoping that Maya Hawke's Robin manages to survive the final battle against Vecna and the Upside Down.

Dexter: Resurrection's Finale Just Did The Impossible, And I'm Not Even Mad That It Debunked Some Of My Theories

Nick Venable — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 00:05:29 +0000

Major spoilers below for Dexter: Resurrection’s Season 1 finale for anyone who hasn’t yet streamed it via Paramount+ subscription.

Somebody better call the local PD’s glee spatter expert, because I spattered glee all over the damned place several times while watching Dexter: Resurrection’s first season finale. (Okay, I guess no experts are required, since I just willingly confessed.) The last time I felt this enthusiastic about a Dexter finale was well over 15 years ago, when the titular vigilante took down John Lithgow’s Arthur Mitchell, only to discover the Trinity Killer’s final victim was Rita. Since then? Not so wonderful.

The next few season finales from the OG series were more miss than hit, with Debra learning Dexter’s secret and her killing LaGuerta being the two main highlights, and the eight season’s final episode has notoriously been viewed as one of the worst series endings of all time. Clyde Phillips spoke years ago about wanting to repent, though the ball was dropped once more when Dexter: New Blood seemingly killed Michael C. Hall’s character off. The prequel Original Sin raised the ante somewhat, but not enough, and its out-of-nowhere cancellation destroyed any positive momentum.

Despite all that, and against all my expectations, Dexter: Resurrection still managed pulled off quite the impossible victory within the 2025 TV schedule. So grab your camera-thwarting hoodie and let’s dive in.

(Image credit: Paramount+)

Dexter: Resurrection Did The Impossible By Restoring My Faith In This Franchise's Ability To End A Season Pleasingly

Like many other longtime Dexter fans, I’ve been having a total blast with Resurrection’s New York City-set plotline and Leon Prater’s killer club meetings, and I think everything involving Harrison has worked worlds better than it all did in New Blood. Yet, given everything that came in the years prior to this spinoff’s existence, I went into “And Justice For All…” expecting to be let down or disappointed in one or more ways.

The egg is all up in my face, though, because the episode was as close to a perfect finale as I could have forced myself into imagining against my own will. It was also a top-notch episode of Dexter: Resurrection overall, which is indeed a separate but equal distinction here, since it could have been a great finale while not matching up with the rest of the season, and vice versa.

The creative team managed to get Dexter out of his seemingly doomed situation
from the penultimate episode’s cliffhanger, and in ways that were both suspenseful and sensible (enough), and without the Morgan gents suffering too much. I would have absolutely flipped my lid had Dexter allowed Batista’s phone to die without giving Harrison the password, but that shitshow of a trope was thankfully avoided.

Leon Prater, both the guiding force and the guiding threat of the season, lost the upper hand while gaining his bloodlust, and was taken down without any big unbelievable showdowns, while also allowing for Uma Thurman’s Charley to escape from Prater’s grip and take better care of her mother. (For now, at least.)

Even Detective Claudette got a happy ending, as she was able to hit the dancefloor for "Stayin' Alive" before having the New York City Ripper's identity handed to her on a silver platter, along with the ensuing investigation into Prater's incriminating collection. The same goes for Blessing, whose temporary foul feelings quickly faded.

(Image credit: Paramount+)

A Clear And Logical Route Was Set Up For Dexter: Resurrection Season 2

Had Dexter: Resurrection been a one-and-done season, that ending would have been absolutely perfect, at least within the parameters of this fictional universe. But thanks to its quick success, Paramount+ confirmed its future by ordering up another season. Thankfully, Clyde Phillips likely had an inkling that could happen, and worked the story so that there's a natural next step to this storyline.

While he doesn't seem to have kept the vast extent of Leon Prater's connections to serial killers around the country (and possibly beyond), it does appear as if Dexter curated a list of future targets, that includes the only surviving member of Prater's club that we've been made privy to, including Eric Stonestreet's Rapunzel killer. I can only imagine he'll be among the first to be tracked down when new episodes start again.

I'm sure there are others who will be affected by learning of Prater's death, though. Is it possible that one or more of those other killers will get suspicious about the details behind his death, and will try to avenge him? I like the idea of other killers chasing Dexter, although I don't want to end up with another Rita situation, especially if Gigi is the stand-in for Rita.

(Image credit: Paramount+)

None Of My Endgame Theories Panned Out, And I'm Perfectly Fine With Being Wrong

One sign that a show nailed the ending is when a whole host of one's theories turned up empty, and it doesn't even matter. Such was the case here, as evidenced by some of the speculation highlighted below.

Theory: Det. Melvin was the actual New York Ripper.
Result: Debunked completely, probably.

We'd previously theorized about the New York Ripper’s identity tying back to Dominic Fumusa's Detective Melvin Oliva, thinking that his boyish fascination with her would be exactly how a serial killer cop would react to being in such a situation. However, Prater's file on the guy had "Don Frampt" as his government name. So unless Melvin legally changed his name at some point while also rising in the NYPD ranks, then this theory is busted.

Theory: Leon Prater would fund Dexter to track down killers around the world.
Result: Debunked completely.

To be sure, this idea was more or less shot down (literally) when Prater shot Batista to death and locked Dexter up. But cooler heads have prevailed from more strenuous circumstances, so I still held out hope that Prater might suggest this as a last-minute way to have his life spared. But he only appealed to Dexter as a father by saying he could pay for future generations' educations.

Theory: Blessing Kamara would catch Dexter in the act.
Result: Debunked for now.

Part of still wants to think that Ntare Mwine's Blessing has even darker skeletons in his closet than the ones that Dexter let slip out. But for the most part, I was able to tamp that idea down in place of the theory that Blessing would catch his downstairs tenant in the act of something murderous and force him to choose whether or not to break his code and kill a mostly innocent person. That said, it could still happen in the future.

Theory: Harrison's gal pal Gigi would be revealed as the daughter/relative of another major character.
Result: Debunked for now.

I'm not saying that Harrison isn't the kind of guy who could easily attract women at unforeseen times of life, but I was immediately suspicious after Gigi went so hard on flirting with him from the jump. Granted, I think they're a genuinely cute couple, and I HOPE she's not a vile person in any way. But how many times has a show like this introduced a new love interest with a great personality who was legitimately only around as a source of pleasure and sympathy? I'm holding off on throwing this theory out as we make our way to Seaosn 2.

While the finale didn't fully reverse the heartbreak of Batista’s death, I did appreciate Dexter making it clear that Angel was a great person, though he could have taken on more direct responsibility for making the dude's life spiral. Perhaps that's part of why Dexter chose then to let his brother Brian out of the mental cupboard, to rub it in that he's always been surrounded by darkness.

Other than that, though, this is as close to a perfect 10 dismount as can be, and is far better than anything I was ready for. I dunno if I like Dexter knowing that I need him, per his final words, but I'm okay with it if it means he'll continue operating on all cylinders.

Dexter: Resurrection Set Up A Showdown With Angel Batista, And I Have Two Theories On How This Will End

mick.joest@CinemaBlend.com (Mick Joest) — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 21:00:00 +0000

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Dexter: Resurrection episode "Course Correction." Stream it with a Paramount+ subscription and read at your own risk!

Angel Batista was never able to discover the identity of the Bay Harbor Butcher whilst working right alongside him for a couple of decades, but he's determined to close the case in Dexter: Resurrection. The seventh episode ended with an awkward reunion in New York City, after Dexter gave Angel the slip in Iron Lake, and their eventual showdown is now seemingly locked in.

Unfortunately, I have a feeling the 2025 TV Schedule is going to close out with David Zayas' Angel not having survived to make it to a second season. That said, I don't necessarily think Dexter has it in him to kill a longtime friend, and I have two theories about the actual people who will end up taking out the Miami detective.

(Image credit: Zach Dilgard/Paramount+)

Theory #1: Charley Will Kill Batista

Leon Prater has shown he has a lot of power in New York City and connections all across the board. If he finds out Angel is hot on "Red's" tail and close to bringing him in, I think it's safe to say he'll send out Charley to handle the problem. He already tasked her with having Mia Lapierre killed to ensure his serial killers' club wasn't exposed to those outside of his influence.

Now that we've seen his relationship with Red grow tremendously in the latest episode, I would expect Prater to do some deeper digging into Dexter's life. He might even be able to uncover that he's the real Bay Harbor Butcher, and thus have Batista taken care of before our protagonist even has the chance to handle it on his own.

Dexter has been more than a little overconfident as of late after taking out a few killers, for all that he called Gareth the egomaniac. I think he's certainly underestimated the type of monster his wealthy benefactor can be when properly motivated to protect things that are in his best interest.

(Image credit: Zach Dilgard/Paramount+)

Theory #2: The New York Ripper Will Kill Batista

For those out of the loop, there's been a pretty interesting theory circling the internet about Dexter: Resurrection involving the New York Ripper. Someone on Reddit has suggested that Dexter's landlord, Blessing Kamara, is the New York Ripper. I've enjoyed the idea of this, and I'm close to thinking it may end up being true.

Uma Thurman Gets Candid About Specific Scenes That Give Her The Most Anxiety, And I'm Honestly Surprised More Actors Don't Have This

Carly Levy — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 22:24:02 +0000

Uma Thurman was seen as a total badass actress once she took on the action role of The Bride in the Kill Bill series. Those action sequences couldn’t have been easy, as well as anxiety-inducing, if you consider the physical demands of fighting choreography, swordplay and wirework. However, Thurman got candid about specific scenes that give her the most anxiety, and I’m surprised other actors don’t talk about this.

You would think working with weapon props for the Kill Bill movies or dancing under pressure for Pulp Fiction would fill Uma Thurman with anxiety. However, she got candid on The Tonight Show about what really sets her on edge during filming:

Eating when you’re acting is… First of all, you have to do lots of takes. Second of all, you don’t pick what’s on the menu, and you have to speak sometimes and swallow, and then you start to worry about choking because you don’t want to be chewing when you say that line.

All of these anxiety-induced worries about eating during filming are so spot-on! I’ve always wondered if actors ever have to suffer eating room-temperature food after so many takes or having to spit any out when the cameras are off. Stars clearly need to look to Brad Pitt, who tends to catch a bite in plenty of his films.

It’s also true that actors have to worry about swallowing their food fast enough to say their next line. After all, you want to be able to hear what they’re saying and not look like a mess when eating. When I chew my food in public, I’m constantly worried about talking with food in my mouth. I can dreadfully imagine that grossness being captured on film.

The Gattaca actress laughed with Jimmy Fallon when she hit the DSM checklist with a question about having anxiety while eating in front of people. Because of this neurosis, Uma Thurman got honest about a bucket list task she has for her career going forward:

A good eating scene should be on my bucket list of stuff I haven’t nailed. It’s like skinny-dipping or something, like one of those things you know that you haven’t done.

I never would have thought that eating in a movie would be a craft to master. You’d think other actors would have the same worries when they’re caught on camera mid-chew. If I’m to think closely about the eating scenes Uma Thurman has had, she’s eaten a wedding cake sample in The Accidental Husband, as well as plenty of goodies playing a food critic in the delicious food movie Burnt.

But the one eating scene that the one-time Oscar nominee has done that still lives in my mind rent-free was in Pulp Fiction (which is streaming on your Paramount+ subscription). As her character, Mia, went out to dinner with Vincent at the '50s-style diner Jack Rabbit Slim’s, Uma Thurman proved how seductive eating a maraschino cherry and a burger can be. In my opinion, I would say she nailed chewing and swallowing in the iconic ‘90s movie role.

It’s hard to believe that more actors don’t talk about their anxiety of eating in scenes. However, that’s why it’s good stars like Uma Thurman get more candid about this: to show even the most accomplished actresses get vulnerable during filming scenes like that. Maybe this will spark a conversation with other actors going forward. But if Thurman was capable of kicking ass in Kill Bill, I’d like to believe she’ll do eating scene she’ll one day feel comfortable pulling off. Just remember to chew and swallow!

I Know Tarantino Considers Kill Bill To Be One Long Movie, But Here's Why I Think Vol. 2 Is Way Better Than Vol. 1, And It's Not Even Close

Rich Knight — Mon, 26 May 2025 16:01:00 +0000

I know Tarantino has stated that his tenth movie will be his last (and I'm still upset that it won't be The Movie Critic), I honestly feel like Tarantino already filmed his tenth film…and it was Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.

Because even though Tarantino considers Kill Bill to be one long movie, I distinctly remember seeing Kill Bill Vol. 1 in 2003, and Kill Bill Vol. 2 in 2004. So, in my mind, Kill Bill Vol. 2 is a sequel, and not just a continuation of the first film (Hey, nobody considers Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 to be one long movie, do they?).

Okay. I'm being cheeky. But, in all seriousness, Kill Bill Vol. 2 and Kill Bill Vol. 1 feel so tonally different that I don't even know how you can consider them one long movie. Vol. 1 is one of the best martial arts movies of all time, and Vol. 2…is not. And, that's mostly because…

(Image credit: Miramax Films)

Vol. 2 Has A Much Slower Pace Than Vol. 1, And I Think That Works In Its Favor

I'll never forget talking to my college professor about Kill Bill Vol. 2 back when it first came out. I remember how he said he much preferred Vol. 2 to Vol. 1, and I thought he must have lost his marbles.

I mean Vol. 1 is fast-paced, cool, and full of martial arts action, and Vol. 2 is slow-paced, background-heavy, and more like a western. How could he possibly prefer the latter to the former?

But as the years have flown by, and the gray hairs have settled in at my temples, I find that my professor was right. Kill Bill Vol. 2 IS the better half to the whole. And, I think it purely comes down to pacing. The Whole Bloody Affair, which I haven’t seen, but want to, might fix some of the pacing issues that I have with Vol. 1. But, as it stands, the first half of this two-part saga is frenetic, busy, and a little too jam-packed for my tastes now.

Yes, upon seeing it in 2003, I was all for the fast-paced martial arts action and storytelling. I liked having Beatrix Kiddo/Black Mamba/The Bride take out her adversaries in segments, which made the movie move at a brisk pace.

But today, I think Vol. 1 moves too quickly. Vol. 2 doesn’t have that problem. It takes its time, gives us a lot more backstory for both Beatrix and Bill, and feels a lot more cohesive because of it. So, Vol. 2 didn’t change. I did. And, Professor Miller was right!

(Image credit: Miramax Films)

It Also Feels More Like A Western Than A Martial Arts Film, And As We've Seen, Tarantino Makes Good Westerns

Here’s another thing. I love martial arts movies. In fact, I think Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon should have won Best Picture back in 2001. I also think the martial arts action in Kill Bill Vol. 1 is the best thing going for it, as it’s really exciting to watch and take in.

But, be that as it may, I think I might like westerns better as a genre overall. And, if we’ve learned anything since Tarantino has dipped his toe into the genre, it’s that the man knows how to make a good western. In fact, on our list of the 30 best westerns of all time, Tarantino’s two more traditional films in the genre–those being Djanago Unchained, and The Hateful Eight, which is my second favorite Tarantino movie–both landed pretty high on that list.

That said, one could argue that Tarantino made his first western with Kill Bill Vol. 2, as the movie certainly feels like one; and a spaghetti western at that. We have the stare downs, the wide shots, the slower pace, some desert settings, and Michael Madsen wearing a straight up cowboy hat, talking like a former gunslinger (“That woman deserves her revenge…and we deserve to die.”).

Everything just takes its time more like a western, and Beatrix feels more like The Man With No Name (Or, for a more apt comparison, Yojimo, since she has a sword) than ever. The “fights” are more constrained, and they feel more like duels than anything else.

In every way, Kill Bill Vol. 2 feels more like a western than a martial arts flick, and I just love westerns, which is something else that I had to learn with age.

(Image credit: Miramax Films)

I Like The Villains More, Including Bill Himself

Don’t get me wrong. Kill Bill Vol. 1 had some cool villains. For example, I love Vivica A. Fox as Vernita Green, and her death is one of the reasons why I think Kill Bill Vol. 3 should ultimately be Tarantino’s “last” movie. I also love Lucy Liu as O-Ren Ishii (“Oh, what a specie”).

And, who can forget Gogo Yubari, played by Chiaki Kuriyama? She was almost like a miniboss during the Crazy 88 fight scene. In every way, as I said earlier, I think all of the martial arts in Kill Bill Vol. 1 is supreme, and I love all of the villains who we meet along the way.

That said, I like the enemies in Kill Bill Vol. 2 even more. Michael Madsen, who plays Budd, aka Sidewinder, seems tired and ready to meet his fate. He’s nothing like O-Ren Ishii (Cottonmouth), or Vernita Green (Copperhead). There’s no long, drawn-out fight scene between the two. In fact, The Bride doesn’t even kill him at all. Instead, Elle, who we saw in the first film and is played by Daryl Hannah, kills him and tells Bill that she killed the Bride, only for Beatrix to rip out her other eye, leaving her blind and defeated.

And then, you have Bill himself, played by David Carradine. This is another instance where we don’t get the battle we may have anticipated given the fights from the first film. No, this is a discussion between two people who once loved each other, and then Beatrix delivers the coup de grace in a very dramatic fashion.

The villains just seem more like regular people in this film, rather than the larger than life enemies we got in the first film, and I prefer Vol. 2’s baddies for that very reason.

(Image credit: Miramax Films)

It Also Has Pai Mei, Who Is My Favorite Character In The Entire Project

Okay, while Vol. 2 doesn’t have a lot of martial arts action like Vol. 1, it does have my all-time favorite character in the entire saga, that being Beatrix’s and Elle Driver’s teacher, Pai Mei.

Played by Gordon Liu (Who played Yakuza leader, Johnny Mo, in Vol. 1) Pai Mei is that traditional, Shaolin Monk character that you’d see in some of the old Wu tang movies back in the day (Which makes sense, since he directed and starred in Shaolin and Wu Tang).

His scenes where he’s training Beatrix are undoubtedly my favorite in the whole movie, and I honestly wish we got even more of his character, besides just a few flashbacks.

And it’s not like he’s just there to liven up the film. His role in teaching Beatrix enables her to escape from her confines in the coffin. She also uses his Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique to take Bill down.

In a lot of ways, besides Beatrix and Bill, Pai Mei is the most important character in this movie, and I love him for that.

(Image credit: Miramax Films)

In The End, It Feels A Lot More Complete, Which Makes Sense Given That It Closes The Story

Lastly, Kill Bill Vol. 2 feels a hell of a lot more complete than Vol. 1. Now, this may seem obvious (and the best argument for why Kill Bill really is just one long movie, broken up into two), but Vol. 1 really doesn’t feel like a complete film, even though Beatrix Kiddo has a genuine showdown at the end of it.

Because unlike, say, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and The Two Towers, those do feel like separate stories even though they make up a cohesive whole that ends with the triumphant The Return of the King.

But, Kill Bill Vol. 1 doesn’t feel like that. It actually feels like an unfinished story, and if it had ended where it did and The Bride never faced off against Bill, then the whole first film wouldn’t even make sense.

However, Kill Bill Vol. 2 does feel like a complete film. In fact, if the battles with O-Ren Ishii and Vernita Green were told in flashback, I don’t think it would even take away from Vol. 2, which kind of renders Vol. 1 a little useless if you ask me.

But, what do you think? Is Vol. 2 better than Vol. 1? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

I Didn't Think Dexter: Resurrection's Cast Could Keep Getting Better, But They Just Keep On Giving Michael C. Hall Amazing Co-Stars

Nick Venable — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 02:40:27 +0000

Plenty of upcoming 2025 TV shows can show off having great casts, but which franchise can boast two star-studded lineups across two different timelines centering on the same titular character? That tricky distinction is best exemplified by Showtime’s Dexter series, which concluded its prequel series Original Sin in a theory-sparking way in February, just a few months before the impending spinoff Dexter: Resurrection premieres. The latter started filming in January, and there’s been no end to the exciting cast reveals.

While major details are still somewhat scarce, we know that Resurrection will center on the killer-killing vigilante at some point after he was killed off in New Blood and then brought back to life in Original Sin’s premiere. And we also know that this may well be the most impressive ensemble cast yet to join Michael C. Hall in the world, although it’s technically impossible to beat Original Sin’s mirror images of the O.G. cast.

Check out all the big names who have signed on for the new spinoff since it was first announced, starting with new recruits and ending with the few known returning stars. (Note that while Jennifer Carpenter addressed her potential to return, she currently isn’t within this lineup.)

Eric Stonestreet - "Al"

(Image credit: TODAY)

The Modern Family and Santa Clauses vet is reportedly set to appear in four episodes.
He'll portray a midwesterner named Al who is believed to be one of the serial killers that the namesake vigilante will be tracking down.

Krysten Ritter - "Mia"

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.)

Jessica Jones vet Krysten Ritter joins Dexter: Resurrection in a guest-star capacity as a character named Mia Lapierre, who is rumored to be a well-respected sommelier that may
It's unknown how many episodes "Mia" will be featured in, but she's also believed to be a potential serial killer who catches Dexter's eye.

Neil Patrick Harris - "Lowell"

(Image credit: Netflix)

Following the cancellation of his comedy Uncoupled, whose second season was initially picked up by Showtime before the 2023 strikes messed those plans up, Neil Patrick Harris is indeed teaming up with Showtime for this guest-starring spot on Dexter: Resurrection.
Harris will be portraying a character named Lowell, and little else is known about the role, though set photos revealed the actor will be rocking a rather different hairstyle in the horror-thriller.

Steve Schirripa - "Vinny"

(Image credit: CBS)

Sopranos and Blue Bloods vet Steve Schirripa doesn't factor into a ton of TV horror, but he'll be making his mark on the Dexter-verse in a recurring capacity.
Schirripa will portray a character named Vinny, who will apparently be a greed-mongering landlord of a less than reputable living establishment.

David Dastmalchian - "Gareth"

(Image credit: IFC FIlms)

Late Night with the Devil and Oppenheimer vet David Dastmalchian is no stranger to horror and genre projects, so it's no surprise he's joining this franchise in a guest-starring capacity.
Unfortunately, beyond the "guest star" distinction and the lone character moniker "Gareth," nothing else is known about what to expect from Dastmalchian's character.

(Image credit: HBO)

Fans have waited ages to see Game of Thrones alum Peter Dinklage's debut as Toxic Avenger, but we'll have to settle for his next TV role as a series regular in Dexter: Resurrection.
Dinklage will star as a billionaire venture capitalist named Leon Prater, whose publicly philanthropic nature is buttressed by darker interests and urgest.

Uma Thurman - "Charley"

(Image credit: Freestyle Releasing)

The first additional cast member to be announced for Dexter: Resurrection alongside Michael C. Hall, esteemed Hollywood icon Uma Thurman landed what is arguably her biggest TV role yet as a series regular within this universe.
Thurman will portray a polished and dependable character named Charley, who serves as the Head of Security for Peter Dinklage's billionaire Leon Prater, after having previously taken on a variety of upper-level security positions.

Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine - "Blessing Kamara"

(Image credit: Netflix)

The Lincoln Lawyer vet Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine is set as the series regular named Blessing Kamara, a driver for a rideshare company. He's an extremely positive guy who is dedicated to both his family and his local community, which will either be a good thing or a bad thing for Dexter.

Kadia Saraf - “Claudette Wallace"

Kadia Saraf, who has portrayed Attorney Anya Avital in both Law & Order: SVU and Organized Crime, will play NYPD Detective Claudette Wallace, who has a reputation for being rigidly methodical and sharp as a tack.

Dominic Fumusa - "Melvin Oliva"

(Image credit: CBS)

Best known for Nurse Jackie and Godfather of Harlem, Dominic Fumusa is joining Dexter: Resurrection as fellow NYPD Detective Melvin Olivia, who seems to be the only investigator who totally understands his partner Claudette.

Emilia Suárez - "Elsa Rivera"

(Image credit: Emilia Suarez)

Musician and Up Here co-star Emilia Suárez is set to play the confident and outgoing Elsa Rivera, a workplace buddy of Harrison Morgan's at the Empire Hotel.

Returning Stars From The Dexter-Verse

(Image credit: Showtime)

Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan
James Remar as Dexter's late father Harry Morgan
Jack Alcott as Dexter's son Harrison Morgan
David Zayas as Angel Batista
David Madigoff as Iron Lake PD's Teddy Reed (from Dexter: New Blood)

Dexter: Resurrection is currently in production, which kicked off in January, and the eventual goal is for the spinoff to debut on Showtime and Paramount+ with Showtime in Summer 2025.

See Keanu Reeves And 31 Other Iconic Leather Jackets In Movies

Hugh Scott — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 13:31:00 +0000

There is nothing more iconic than a good looking leather jacket on a movie star. There are as many styles of jacket as there are stars, which makes looking good easy. From Marlon Brando to Keanu Reeves, leather jackets have been a part of some of the most incredible looking costumes ever. So, here is our list of some of the most iconic leather coats and jackets in Hollywood history.

(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)

Marlon Brando In The Wild One

This list wouldn't be complete without including the O.G. leather look on Marlon Brando in The Wild One. The 1953 film about a biker gang was not only a big hit in theaters, but it was a huge influence on society. From the outlaw biker gangs who took inspiration from the look to regular folks who saw the leather jackets as the coolest of cool.

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Wesley Snipes In Blade

Wesley Snipes is the coolest-looking superhero in Blade with his iconic look in leather and sunglasses. Everything about the costume and the character oozes cool and defines Blade's renegade nature.

(Image credit: Tri-Star Pictures)

Arnold Schwarzenegger In The Terminator Movies

Leather jackets definitely provide a look for someone to say "Don't mess with me," and nowhere is this more true in Hollywood than when Arnold Schwarzenegger wears one in the Terminator movies. Starting with the first movie, he's usually seen in one and you definitely don't want to mess with him.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Rooney Mara In The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Leather jackets have always been a symbol of rebelliousness in Hollywood. In The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, it's the perfect look for Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) to portray both her anti-social nature and her tough exterior. You can't imagine wearing anything else.

(Image credit: Paramount)

John Travolta In Saturday Night Fever

In the 1970s, no one was cooler than John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. The strut, the hair, the dancing, and the leather jacket all made that possible. The look is so iconic that people are still imitating it today, five decades later.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Carrie-Anne Moss In The Matrix Movies

It's safe to say that The Matrix movies would not be the same if the characters were dressed in anything but the coolest and toughest-looking leather jackets and coats. From Neo to Morpheus to, of course, Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) in her amazing looking long leather coat. It's just such an amazing bit of costume.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Brad Pitt In Fight Club

Not every leather jacket has to be black to look completely awesome. Tyler Durden's reddish-brown jacket in Fight Club has become one of the most famous looks in Hollywood. Of course, it's easy for Brad Pitt to pull off almost any look, but he might just look his coolest in Fight Club.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Hugh Jackman In The X-Men Films

Leather jackets have been used a lot over the years to depict both heroes and anti-heroes. Nowhere is this more clear than on Logan aka Wolverine, as depicted by Hugh Jackman in the X-Men and now in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Logan is anti-social to an extreme and his leather jacket definitely indicates that you don't want to pick a fight with him.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Olivia Newton-John In Grease

The costumes in Grease are amazing. Of course, the T-Birds' jackets are fantastic, but it's the leather jacket that Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) dons in the last act that looks the most amazing. She completely changes her look and the jacket is what inspires the whole thing.

(Image credit: Summit Entertainment)

Keanu Reaves In The John Wick Movies

Keanu Reaves loves to wear leather in his movies, but the brown leather jacket in the first John Wick movie is probably the coolest. It's great because it's cool as heck, but it's not too over the top for the retired assassin. It makes John Wick seem normal, yet completely cool and ready for anything.

(Image credit: Paramount)

Eddie Murphy In Raw

In his standup movie Raw, Eddie Murphy takes the cool leather look to the next level. Not only does he have an amazing purple leather jacket, he compliments it with matching leather pants. It wasn't the first time he wore a leather outfit on stage, he wore a similar red one in his first standup movie, Delirious, but the purple one in Raw tops the red one in every way.

(Image credit: Hollywood Pictures)

Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds

Dangerous Minds isn't the best movie in Michelle Pfeiffer's filmography, despite having an amazing soundtrack, but for an actress who had a whole bunch of iconic looks in the '80s and '90s, her jeans and leather jacket look in the movie is one of the most memorable. It's a costume that tells you so much about the character without saying a word.

(Image credit: United Artists)

Steve McQueen In The Great Escape

It's hard to argue that Steve McQueen isn't one of the coolest stars in Hollywood history. Of course, you can earn that kind of praise without at least one leather jacket. In The Great Escape, McQueen's brown leather bomber jacket is the epitome of cool. Even when he is covered in dirt, he looks great, but it's when he's wearing the jacket that he looks his best.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Tom Cruise In Top Gun

In the '80s, there was no movie cooler than Top Gun and there was no cooler character than Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise. The leather bomber jacket Cruise wore in the movie became so iconic and such a key characteristic of the role that when Top Gun: Maverick released its first teaser, the jacket was a big part of it.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Harrison Ford In Raiders Of The Lost Ark

There is something about a distressed leather jacket that brings authenticity to a character that few other costume pieces can. Nowhere in film history is this more true than with Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in all of the Indiana Jones movies. The jacket, along with the hat and the whip, completely define the character in every way. Is there any other kind of jacket you could ever see Indy wearing? Of course not.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Uma Thurman In Kill Bill

There are a lot things that make Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill cool, but Uma Thurman's yellow leather motorcycle jacket tops the list. It's become an iconic costume over the years, and while not everyone could pull off the look, Thurman certainly does and everyone loves it.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Mel Gibson In The Mad Max Movies

As distressed leather jackets go, Mel Gibson's in the Mad Max movies is among the best looking. Looking into a dystopian future, it makes complete sense that leather jackets would still be part of the fashion. They are almost indestructible and have that classic look that almost no other piece of clothing has.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Joey Lauren Adams In Chasing Amy

This one flies a little bit under the radar, but it's an amazing look and deserves to be on this list. Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams) in Chasing Amy has a lot of "rock and roll" to her style and nothing says rock star like leather.

(Image credit: Marvel)

Samuel L. Jackson In The MCU

As Deadpool asks in the post-credits scene in the original Deadpool movie, "Did you expect Samuel L. Jackson in a saucy leather number?" Well, yes, frankly we might have, since Jackson, playing the cooler-than-cool Nick Fury often shows up in a fantastic-looking leather jacket in the MCU. It is something we expect (even if Deadpool wasn't in the MCU at the time).

(Image credit: Warner Bros)

Tom Hardy In The Dark Knight Rises

Great Villains are often in leather. In The Dark Knight Rises Bane wears one of the greatest leather coats ever. The fur-lined brown leather number is perfect for his character and it's a look that not every villain could pull off, but Bane (Tom Hardy) certainly does.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Halle Berry In Die Another Day

Halle Berry has a few iconic outfits in the Pierce Brosnan-led James Bond film Die Another Day and while her bikini may be the most famous, the red leather jacket she wears for a lot of the movie is one heck of a look too. Sure, the movie isn't the best Brosnan-era Bond film, but you can't deny how great Berry looks in her costumes.

(Image credit: Warner Bros)

James Dean In Rebel Without A Cause

Seven decades after his death in 1955, James Dean is still the epitome of cool. Though he only starred in three movies, his impact on pop culture is immense. His red leather jacket in Rebel Without A Cause is one reason why. Because Dean's career was so brief, we don't have a lot of "looks" from him, making the jacket that much more iconic.

(Image credit: AVCO Embassy Pictures)

Kurt Russell In Escape From New York

If you want to look cool and look like you just don't care about anything, a distressed leather jacket can tell a lot of people just how you feel without saying a word. Take the look of Snake Pilsson (Kurt Russell) in Escape From New York. Has anyone ever looked tougher, cooler, and more aloof in an action film? No, not really.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Sigourney Weaver In Aliens

Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is one of the most amazing characters in action movie history. Of course, that means she must look cool as heck in leather, and she does in Aliens. It's not her most iconic look, but come on, you can't deny how awesome it is.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Tom Cruise In Mission: Impossible

Let's be honest, Tom Cruise always looks good in a nice leather jacket, but if you're ranking his costumes by how good looking they are, the jacket he wears in the first Mission: Impossible is at the top. When he is doing his sleight of hand with the disc with the NOC list on it while wearing the jacket is one of the best non-action scenes in the whole series.

(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)

Peter Fonda And Dennis Hopper In Easy Rider

If you wanted to be a rebellious hippie in the late 1960s, a leather jacket was a good place to start with your look. Especially if you were on a motorcycle like Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in Easy Rider. Fonda has a more traditional biker look with his black leather jacket, but Hopper's character goes for a sweet suede jacket with some awesome fringe. Both look amazing.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. )

Anne Hathaway In Get Smart

Get Smart might not be the best movie that Anne Hathaway has ever been in, but her white leather coat looks fantastic in it. It's not the only time Hathaway has shown up in an iconic leather look, who could ever forget her look in The Dark Knight Rises, it is a unique look that you don't see in a lot of movies. Of course, she completely pulls it off.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Matt Dillon In The Outsiders

The greasers in The Outsiders are mostly known for their jean jackets, but one greaser, Dally (Matt Dillion) wears a leather jacket and he looks exactly the part in it. It's not the cleanest jacket in the world, we wouldn't expect it to be, but man it looks so cool!

(Image credit: Roadshow Entertainment)

Laurence Fishburne In The Matrix

Like many of the characters in The Matrix, Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) looks totally iconic in his leather duster. Sure it's not a "jacket," but there was no way we could leave it off of this list!

(Image credit: United Artists)

Jon Voight In Midnight Cowboy

Midnight Cowboy is a little bit of a forgotten movie these days, but it was a massive hit when it was released. Those who know, know. Jon Voight's suede jacket with the long fringe isn't a look everyone can pull off, and even in the movie it's not always the best look, but looking back, it's safe to say it belongs on this list as one of the best in Hollywood history.

(Image credit: Universal)

Jason Momoa In Fast X

It's not hard for Jason Momoa to look cool, I think we can all agree. Still, in Fast X, that black and white snakeskin-looking leather jacket is simply amazing. It's not a look that anyone can pull off, in fact, many would look ridiculous in it, but not Momoa, not by a longshot.

(Image credit: Lionsgate/Summit)

Emma Stone In La La Land

Red leather is a fantastic look, though not everyone looks good in it. Emma Stone in La La Land isn't just anyone though. Stone just looks fantastic in the jacket and it, along with all the others on this list, has become iconic.

Arnold Schwarzenegger Had A Message For Batman After Reuniting With Poison Ivy Uma Thurman In Fun Pic

Ryan LaBee — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 16:08:22 +0000

No matter how you feel about today’s upcoming superhero movies, none have earned quite the same infamy as 1997's Batman & Robin. When it comes to live-action Batman films, Joel Schumacher’s neon-soaked, pun-heavy flick is widely considered a low point for the franchise. Yet, if there's one aspect that keeps it memorable, it’s the villains. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played the ice-cold Mr. Freeze, just gave all us '90s kids a delightful throwback by reuniting with co-star, Poison Ivy actress Uma Thurman, and sending a message to the Bat.

In true Schwarzenegger fashion, the former bodybuilder posted the reunion photo to Instagram. He and the Kill Bill icon were arguably, the two biggest stars of the over-the-top camp fest of a superhero film at the time. Now, seeing them together again is bound to stir up memories of one of the wildest superhero films in history. Check out the lovely snapshot for yourself:

A post shared by Arnold Schwarzenegger (@schwarzenegger)
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The photo comes with a playful warning that takes fans straight back to the dynamic partnership these two villains shared in the flick. The Jingle All The Way star couldn’t resist dropping a fun reference to their time as Gotham’s most chilling and botanical baddies, captioning the post:

Freeze and Ivy, reunited. Watch out, Batman.

It’s the perfect nod to their mischievous alliance in the most maligned entry in the '80s and '90s Batman run of movies. But I’m sure longtime fans can appreciate the throwback.

This isn’t the first time the '80s action movie icon has given fans a fun throwback to his days playing a Gotham villain alongside other Batman franchise legends. Earlier this year, at the 2024 Academy Awards, Schwarzenegger reunited with Danny DeVito (who played Penguin in Batman Returns) for a hilarious bit. The two stars had the audience in stitches, as they cracked Caped Crusader-themed jokes aimed at Michael Keaton, who was seated in the crowd.

We Need To Talk About The Inherent Queerness Of 1997's Batman And Robin

Corey Chichizola — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 00:20:42 +0000

While superhero movies are everywhere thanks to the various cinematic universes in play, there was a time when they were big risks for the studio. Given how popular the Caped Crusader is, fans spent years watching Batman movies in order, including the franchise that ran through the '90s (which is streaming with a Max subscription). And while it's usually listed lower when ranking the Batman movies, Joel Schumacher's 1997 movie Batman& Robin is campy fun that I've always loved. But we need to talk about the queerness of this comic book flick.

To be clear, there aren't any LGBTQ+ characters or storyline in this movie. But there are various elements of it that feel inherently queer. And speaking as a nerdy kid from the '90s, I'm not the only one of my peers who shares the same connection to Joel Schumacher's delightfully bonkers classic. So without further ado, here are the biggest moments that have made Batman & Robin into a queer cult classic.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. )

Chris O'Donnell, especially after kissing Poison Ivy

For many LGBTQ+ kids who grew up in the '90s, Chris O'Donnell was a major heartthrob, one who some queer fans have claimed as their gay awakening. He had (and still has) extremely handsome features, and was the dreamy bad boy of the franchise.

In Batman & Robin he spent way more time suited up as a bonafide hero, although he did clash with George Clooney's Bruce Wayne from time to time-- primarily about their shared attraction to Uma Thurman's villainous Poison Ivy. This plot point boils over in the movie's final act, where Robin eventually goes to Ivy's lair because her pheromones are so strong. The two kiss, which should kill the young hero... if he weren't wearing latex over his lips.

The after affects of said kiss, and the image of O'Donnell peeling off his rubber lips (which are essentially... condoms?) has been cemented on the memory of countless queer millennials who grew up watching the Batman franchise. And that's before he continued his career as a dreamboat in Grey's Anatomy and NCIS: Los Angeles.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. )

Uma Thurman is in drag, including a burlesque number.

Perhaps the most queer-coded thing about Batman & Robin is Uma Thurman's truly iconic take on Poison Ivy. Let's be very clear: the Kill Bill actress is doing drag in this role. She's got her eyebrows blocked, with new ones drawn on and a Divine-inspired large eye shape. She's truly chewing the scenery throughout the movie, and her line deliveries are over the top and completely campy. I mean, who can forget her fight with Alicia Silverstone's Batgirl, where she famously declared:

As I told Lady Fries when I pulled her plug, this is a one woman show.

Late filmmaker Joel Schumacher was an openly gay man himself, so I can only imagine that the costuming and overall direction for Poison Ivy was purposeful in Batman & Robin. And nowhere does she feel like more of a drag queen than Uma Thurman's bonkers and iconic burlesque number, where she starts as a big purple gorilla and is eventually lifted by ripped muscle guys. If this wasn't a formative movie for you and you need a reminder, you can re-watch that sequence below:

I mean, come on. If you weren't recreating this dance scene and doing all of Ivy's moves, were you even a closeted kid from the '90s? This striptease number didn't bring much to the plot of Batman & Robin, yet it remains one of the most iconic scenes from the 1997 blockbuster. I personally would love to know what kind of direction Uma Thurman was given by Schumacher about her performance the film. Both she and Arnold Schwarzenegger are over the top with their portrayals of Batman villains, although I have to say that Uma steals the movie as a whole thanks to her slinky, drag-infused take on Doctor Pamela Isley.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. )

The infamous Bat-butts and nipples

Over the years Batman & Robin has synonymous with a few aspects of Joel Schumacher's vision for the film. One of these is George Clooney's open disdain for the project, including his performance as Bruce Wayne. Another is the truly wild costume design for Batman and Robin's signature super suits. The look changed for each installment of the franchise, but Batman & Robin made the bold swing of making them more anatomically correct. That includes the infamous Bat-nipples, as well as multiple close-up shots of the heroes' butts.

Giving the two title characters realistic-looking nipples was something that nobody was asking for, but they did end up being iconic... for the better or worse. Batman & Robin opens on the two heroes suiting up to fight crime in Gotham City. We're treated to close-up shots of their chest plates, utility belts, and spiked gauntlets. All that seems fine enough, but then we're given bonkers close up shots of both George Clooney and Chris O'Donnell's butt armor. This is yet another memory that is burned into the minds of '90s kids who were still discovering themselves and their sexuality.

The TV and film industry had a very long way to go regarding LGBTQ+ representation in the 1990s, but movies like Batman & Robin offered some queer-coded characters that young people could identify with... even if younger fans like myself originally didn't understand why we felt so strongly about the1997 DC flick. So while George Clooney and other members of the cast and crew might not love the film's legacy (although Clooney reprised his role recently for a cameo in Andy Muchietti's The Flash), Batman & Robin has had a lasting impression on queer kids who went to see the movie in theaters (or had their own VHS copy.) And since a gay director was at the heart of the movie, I have to assume that it was a purposeful gift to young LGBTQ+ fans. I only wish I could have thanked Joel Schumacher before his passing.

Batman & Robin is streaming now on Max, which is the home for all things DC. The Caped Crusader is expected to return to the big screen in The Batman Part II on October 2nd 2026. In the meantime, check out the 2025 movie release dates.

Maya Hawke Brings Up The Nepo Baby Debate Herself When Admitting Why She Got Cast By Quentin Tarantino After Mom's Kill Bill Run

Riley Utley — Sat, 01 Jun 2024 19:12:38 +0000

These days, Maya Hawke is likely more known for her role in the megahit project Stranger Things than for being the daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. However, it’s not lost on the public or the actress that she is part of the nepo baby debate, considering the A-list status of both her parents. With all that in mind, she recently opened up about how her mom’s relationship with Quentin Tarantino probably helped her land a role in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.

While some call the nepo baby debate “lame,” like Dakota Johnson did, or get defensive when the topic of nepotism is brought up, Maya Hawke took a different position. In an interview with The Times of London, via Deadline, Hawke spoke about this topic and how it probably helped her land a role in Tarantino’s movie thanks to her mom’s working relationship with him:

I never meant to imply that I didn’t get the part for nepotistic reasons — I think I totally did.

Thurman played major parts in both the Kill Bill movies and Pulp Fiction. So, it’s hard not to draw a connection between that and her daughter’s role in the Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio-led movie.

Along with Hawke, the Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood cast featured more actors with famous parents, as Margaret Qualley, who is Andie MacDowell’s daughter, and Rumer Willis, whose parents are Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, were also part of the movie. The Stranger Things actress explained that Tarantino wanted to “cast a lot of young Hollywood” in the film.

Continuing to speak about nepotism and the role it plays in her career, Maya Hawke was honest about it. When asked if she “deserves” the opportunities she’s gotten, she told the interviewer:

‘Deserves’ is a complicated word. There are so many people who deserve to have this kind of life who don’t, but I think I’m comfortable with not deserving it and doing it anyway. And I know that my not doing it wouldn’t help anyone. I saw two paths when I was first starting, and one of them was: change your name, get a nose job and go to open casting roles. It’s OK to be made fun of when you’re in rarefied air. It’s a lucky place to be. My relationships with my parents are really honest and positive, and that supersedes anything anyone can say about it.

Maya Hawke Will Be Back For The Final Season Of Stranger Things

(Image credit: Netflix)

Stranger Things Season 5: What We Know About The Netflix Series So Far

This isn’t the first time Maya Hawke has spoken about nepotism and her career. She worked with her dad on the film Wildcat, which recently premiered on the 2024 movie schedule, and while they were promoting it, they weighed in on the debate.

Much like her recent comments, the actress told Variety that it’s fine that people criticize her over this topic, and in the end, she simply just wanted to work with her father on a project. As for Ethan’s thoughts, he noted his daughter’s fame and talent, saying he’s a “nepo dad.” Before that, the Dead Poets Society actor also gushed over his daughter’s work on Stranger Things, which makes it even clearer how much he respects her as an artist as well as his kid.

The Asteroid City actress is by no means the only famous person who has gotten candid about being a nepo baby. For example, Tilda Swinton’s daughter was honest about how her mom’s fame helped her develop important professional connections.

These quotes illuminate the idea that Maya Hawke understands and accepts the role her parents and their fame have played in her career. Overall, she seems to have a very level-headed perspective on the nepo baby debate, and she gets where it comes from. However, she’s also proven herself over the years that she’s just as good an actor as her parents.

32 Actors Who Have Been Seriously Injured While Filming

Hugh Scott — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 10:04:47 +0000

Whether it's doing stunts or just freak accidents, even the biggest Hollywood stars aren't immune to getting injured on set. While we mostly think of stars chilling in their posh trailers while their stunt people take the biggest risks, sometimes it's the celebrities themselves who get the worst of things. Here is our list of big stars who have been injured while filming, and what happened after.

(Image credit: Danjaq, LLC and MGM)

Daniel Craig

You can't just pick one of the James Bond movies that Daniel Craig was injured during the filming of, because the truth is, he's been injured a lot. In No Time To Die, it was his ankle, which required surgery and he was off-set for a couple of weeks recovering. In Casino Royale, he knocked out two teeth filming a fight scene. In Quantum of Solace, he injured his shoulder, and in Spectre, it was his knee. It's easy to see why Craig has retired from the role, filming James Bond movies can be dangerous.

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Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise famously does many of his most intense and dangerous stunts himself. It's become his brand, but it doesn't mean he doesn't get hurt. In fact, while filming Mission: Impossible – Fallout, it was one of his more innocent stunts, jumping from building to building, that caused an injury when Cruise broke his leg landing the jump. Filming halted for a few months while Cruise recovered, but the footage was included in the movie.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford has a long history of getting injured on movie sets. Maybe the most high-profile time was when a door fell on his leg while shooting Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He broke his leg and director JJ Abrams injured his back helping pull the door off the Han Solo actor.

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Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone is one of the premiere action stars of the last 50 years, and as such, he's been injured a few times on set doing stunts. The worst, according to Stallone, came while filming the boxing match with Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) in Rocky IV. Lundgren hit him so hard in the chest at one point that it caused his heart to swell and he ended up in intensive care for eight days.

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Isla Fisher

One of the best scenes in Now You See Me is when Isla Fisher's character performs the underwater escape trick. It wasn't so great for the actress though, as she nearly drowned during the filming. Luckily a stuntman was there to flip the safety switch and save her.

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Leonardo DiCaprio

One of the most intense scenes in Django Unchained is Leonardo DiCaprio's speech after dinner. He bangs his hand on the table and slices his hand on a glass. DiCaprio, ever the pro, kept going without missing a beat. It's so good, director Quentin Tarantino left that take in the final cut.

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Kristin Chenoweth

TV stars aren't safe either. Kristin Chenoweth was almost killed on the set of The Good Wife when part of the lighting rig fell on her. According to the actress, she had a "skull fracture and a rib issue and a hip issue" as a result.

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Bruce Willis

Like a lot of action stars, Bruce Willis has had his fair share of injuries in stunts gone wrong. In Live Free or Die Hard, the Hollywood legend suffered a serious cut above his eye that required stitches, after Maggie Q's stunt doubled kick him with high heels on.

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Mariska Hargitay

Sometimes, the extent of the injury isn't immediately understood, as was the case with Mariska Hargitay after a fall on the set of Law & Order: SVU. Hargitay performed a stunt that required her to land on some pads, but, in her words, something went wrong. She shook off the injury at first, but a few months later, she felt a sharp stabbing pain and ended up in the hospital with a collapsed lung. She recovered after surgery, though a second surgery was needed later.

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Charlize Theron

Æon Flux is not one of Charlize Theron's best movies, and it did almost leave her paralyzed. The actor fell on her neck performing a stunt and had she not been lucky and fallen just a centimeter differently, according to her, it could have been very bad.

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Malcolm McDowell

One of the more terrifying scenes in A Clockwork Orange is when Malcolm McDowell's character is "rehabilitated" by being forced to watch violent videos while his eyes are held open. For McDowell, it was even worse, as the setup caused his corneas to be scratched and he was blinded temporarily as a result.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Brad Pitt

In the weirdest of coincidences, there is Brad Pitt in Troy. In the film, Pitt plays the Greek hero Achilles. Achilles is famous for one thing, his armor not covering that one tendon in a person's heel... Well, it just so happens that while filming Troy, Pitt tore his Achilles Tendon.

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Uma Thurman

During the filming of the Kill Bill movies, Uma Thurman crashed a car she was driving into a palm tree in Mexico and suffered injuries to her knees and a concussion. Years later she exposed what she claimed was a cover-up by the film's producers in an Instagram post.

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Orson Welles

The great Orson Welles really gave everything he had to make Citizen Kane. That includes chipping a bone in his ankle that forced him to use a wheelchair on set for two weeks while he directed. The injury occurred when he fell down some stairs while filming, and the scene made it into the final cut.

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Linda Blair

During the iconic scene in The Exorcist when Linda Blair's character, Regan, thrashes around as the bed levitates, the scream queen injured her back due to a mechanical default. The injury caused scoliosis, which still causes her problems today, though she's found ways to make it less painful.

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Jim Caviezel

The list of injuries that Jim Caviezel suffered while filming The Passion of the Christ has become the stuff of internet legend. Some injuries are hard to verify, but others aren't, the most notable of which is that as Caviezel prepared for the Sermon on the Mount scene, he was actually struck by lightning. That's got to be some sign, right?

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

George Clooney

The head injuries George Clooney sustained while filming the torture scene in Syriana were so debilitating that the actor says he even contemplated suicide. Eventually, doctors were able to alleviate the headaches after surgery, but in the meantime, Clooney called it "the most unbearable pain I've ever been through."

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Orlando Bloom

There were a few injuries on the set of the Lord of the Rings movies, and one notable one was Orlando Bloom. Bloom broke some ribs when he fell from a horse while filming LOTR: The Two Towers. His fellow cast members gave Bloom a little...uh... ribbing in a behind-the-scenes video as well.

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Martin Sheen

There may be no more infamous Hollywood production than Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now. No one had it worse than the film's star, Martin Sheen. As told in the documentary about the filming, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, Sheen not only suffered a near-fatal heart attack during production, but he also suffered a nasty cut on his hand. In the famous opening scene, Sheen punched a mirror and sliced his hand open and it bled badly. If you've seen the movie, you know what it looked like, because Sheen continued the scene and all the blood is very real.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Michelle Yeoh

As an actor known for doing her own stunts, it's no surprise that Michelle Yeoh has been injured a few times on set. The most notable came when Yeoh tore her ACL during the production of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She was flown from China to Baltimore where surgery was performed to fix the injury at Johns Hopkins.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Tom Hanks

Sometimes the most innocent-sounding injuries can be the worst. Such is the case for Tom Hanks, who cut his leg filming Cast Away. While a cut doesn't seem all that serious, it caused sepsis and landed Hanks in the hospital, who almost died as a result of the blood poisoning.

(Image credit: Paramount)

Buddy Ebsen

The Beverly Hillbillies star Buddy Ebsen could claim one of the weirder injuries on this list. Ebsen was the original actor cast to play the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz and as part of the role, he was painted silver. The aluminum powder in the paint caused a reaction that landed Ebsen in the hospital due to breathing problems and he was recast by actor Jack Haley in the role.

(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)

Winona Ryder

Accidents happen, even on movie sets of comedies, not action movies. Such was the case for Winona Ryder while filming Mr. Deeds with Adam Sandler. While filming the scene on the bike in Central Park, Ryder took a tumble off it and broke her arm in three different places. Ouch.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Matt LeBlanc

Injuries even happen on sitcoms. Even the biggest ones. While filming a scene for Friends, Matt LeBlanc fell into a chair and dislocated his shoulder. Production was delayed briefly, but the evidence is still on the screen, as LeBlanc was seen wearing a sling for a couple of episodes as his shoulder healed.

(Image credit: Universal/Amblin)

Michael J. Fox

One of the scariest injuries didn't happen during a proper stunt. In Back To The Future III, Michael J. Fox almost died in the scene where his character, Marty McFly, is hanged. A mishap meant that he was actually getting choked and at first no one noticed. He passed out before he was lowered to the ground.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Ed Harris

Ed Harris was almost killed while filming The Abyss. In one of the many underwater scenes in the movie, Harris ran out of oxygen and no one else on set realized he'd signaled that he did. He passed out from a lack of oxygen, but luckily someone finally noticed and they got him some air.

(Image credit: Warner Brothers)

Vincent D'Onofrio

Marine boot camp is intense, even for actors just playing Marines. Vincent D'Onofrio, who played Private Pyle in Full Metal Jacket, injured his knee so badly during filming one of the training scenes that he ended up needing surgery to fix it.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Melanie Griffith

One of the most notoriously dangerous movies ever shot is Roar by director Noel Marshall. In the 1970s, Marshall was married to Tippi Hedren, which also made him Melanie Griffith's stepfather. The movie filmed Hedren and Griffith (who was a kid at the time) living with lions. Real lions. According to legend, at least 70 people were injured by the big cats, including Griffith, who was "mauled near the eye" and needed plastic surgery to fix it.

(Image credit: Golden Way Films)

Jackie Chan

One actor you won't be surprised to see on this list is Jackie Chan. The martial artist and stuntman has pulled off some of the most insane stunts in film history, so it's no surprised he's been injured along the way. One notable time was while shooting Police Story. In one scene, Chan slides down a metal pole, which he did so quickly he suffered third degree burns on his hands. The shot was used in the movie.

(Image credit: Universal)

Al Pacino

Injuries can occur when actors don't quite make the best decisions. Take, for example the great Al Pacino. While filming a scene in Scarface, Pacino grabbed the business end of a gun that had just been fired and severely burned his hands. According to Brian De Palma, the actor was off for the next two weeks.

(Image credit: ABC)

Matthew Fox

Every now and then, one actor will injure another one, as is the case with Terry O'Quinn and Matthew Fox on the set of Lost. In a fight scene, O'Quinn stabbed Fox with a knife, which O'Quinn thought, incorrectly, was a prop knife, but it was very real. Thankfully, Fox was wearing a protective Kevlar vest that saved him from actually being stabbed.

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Dylan O'Brien

Dylan O'Brien was almost killed while shooting The Maze Runner: The Death Cure. While shooting a scene, the star of the movie was struck by a car. According to Vulture, O'Brien had a "concussion, facial fracture, and brain trauma among his injuries." Production on the movie was halted as he recovered, which, according to O'Brien, was one of the worst periods in his life.

(Image credit: FOX)

Dominic Purcell

Even without stunts and other action, injuries happen. Prison Break star Dominic Purcell broke his nose and had other facial injuries while filming for the show in Morocco. It was a freak accident as a lighting truss fell from the set and hit him. It could've been very scary, as those kinds of accidents have killed people, but luckily for Purcell, his injuries healed quickly and production on the show wasn't impacted.

Most of the time, when actors are injured on set, the injuries are minor, thankfully. Of course, that isn't always the case, and though deaths on movie sets are rare, they happen, so anytime someone is injured seriously, production is usually halted. Just looking through this list, you can see just how close some of these big names came to serious injury, and in a way, they're lucky (and we're lucky) that they are still around.

32 Celebrities Who Have Been Married To Multiple Famous People

Hugh Scott — Sun, 26 Nov 2023 10:04:42 +0000

Celebrities are naturally attracted to other celebrities. They work together and run in the same circles, so it's not strange that they would marry each other often. Here's a list of examples of stars that have been married more than once to other famous people.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez has been married four times, including twice to fellow celebrities. The Latin superstar married another superstar, Marc Anthony in 2004, after her engagement to Ben Affleck ended. Lopez has twins with Anthony, and the two divorced in 2014. “Bennifer” fans rejoiced when they rekindled their flame in 2021 and finally married in 2022, twenty years after they first dated. Sadly, it wouldn't last and the couple divorced in early 2025 after separating in April 2024.

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Elizabeth Taylor

There is no more famous Hollywood bride than the great Elizabeth Taylor. The global superstar was married seven times in her life, including twice to actor Richard Burton. Before marrying Burton, she was wed to singer (and father of Carrie Fisher), Eddie Fisher. Her first marriage was to hotelier Conrad Hilton, Jr. and later in life, she married Senator John Warner.

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Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise’s marriage to Katie Holmes is his most infamous relationship, but before Holmes, the Mission: Impossible star was hitched to Nicole Kidman, after they starred together in Days of Thunder. Tom Cruise’s first wife was Bosch star Mimi Rogers, whom he married in 1987 and divorced in 1990.

(Image credit: MGM)

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie met her first famous husband on the set of one of her first movies, Hackers. She married co-star Jonny Lee Miller in 1996. With the ink barely dry on her divorce from Miller, she began a whirlwind romance with Billy Bob Thornton, which led to a Las Vegas wedding in 2000, with the relationship ending in divorce in 2003. Jolie’s most publicized marriage was to long-time boyfriend Brad Pitt, whom she married in 2014 after dating for nine years. Together they have six children.

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Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian has been married three times. First to record producer Damon Thomas, then NBA star Kris Humphries for two years. In 2014 she married rap superstar Kanye West and together they have four children. Of course, much of their wild marriage was documented on Keeping Up With The Kardashians, until the two split in 2022 in one of the most high-profile divorces of all time.

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Scarlett Johansson

Two of the biggest superhero movie stars, Black Widow’s Scarlett Johansson, and Deadpool’s Ryan Reynolds were married from 2008 until 2011. When they split, Johansson married French ad exec Romain Dauriac, before divorcing in 2017. In 2021 Johansson married SNL star Colin Jost, whom she has one child with.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman was married to Tom Cruise from 1990-2001. The two have two adopted children together. After her breakup with Cruise, Kidman dated Lenny Kravitz and was engaged for a short time to the singer. The Big Little Lies star wed Country musician Keith Urban in 2006 and they’ve been happily married ever since.

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Mariah Carey

“All I Want For Christmas Is You” is one of the most enduring Christmas songs of all time, but sadly both of Mariah Carey's marriages to celebrities have been less so. Her first marriage, to music business tycoon Tommy Mottola, lasted five years, from ‘93 to ‘98. She walked down the aisle with America’s Got Talent star Nick Cannon in 2008, but after eight years and two kids (twins), the couple walked away from each other in 2016.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Brad Pitt

It’s appropriate that one of the biggest stars on the planet, Brad Pitt, would also be in two of the most high-profile marriages of all time. Pitt married America’s sweetheart, Friends star Jennifer Aniston, in 2000. Their breakup in 2005 amidst Pitt’s rumored relationship with Angelina Jolie was one of the most widely covered stories in the tabloids of all time. Pitt married Jolie in 2014 after years of dating, but it too ended in divorce, in 2019.

(Image credit: United Artists)

Frank Sinatra

Old Blue Eyes, as Frank Sinatra is often called, charmed actress Ava Gardner with those eyes into marriage in 1951, though it was to be short-lived, as they split less than two tumultuous years later and were completely divorced by 1954. Sinatra married another actress, Mia Farrow, in 1966 who was 29 years his junior. They divorced less than two years later but apparently stayed very close for the rest of his life.

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Rebecca Romijn

X-Men star Rebecca Romijn has been married to two famous people. Her first wedding was to John Stamos in 1998. She even changed her name to Rebecca Romijn-Stamos. The beautiful couple split up in 2005 and two years later, in 2007, Romijn married actor Jerry O’Connell.

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Pamela Anderson

What more can be said about Baywatch star Pamela Anderson’s personal life that isn’t already out there in the zeitgeist? Anderson has been married five times over the years, her first husband was Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee. She married another musician later, Kid Rock. She’s also been married to poker player Rick Salomon, film producer Jon Peters, and her former bodyguard, Dan Hayhurst.

(Image credit: Cinemablend.com)

James Cameron

James Cameron has directed some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters, and he’s had two big-time Hollywood marriages as well. His first was to fellow director Kathryn Bigelow that lasted three years in the late '80s/early ‘90s. His second was to actor Linda Hamilton, the star of Cameron’s Terminator films. The two were together for seven years but only married the last two before divorcing in 1997.

(Image credit: Showtime)

Lisa Bonet

Lisa Bonet was a big deal in the late ‘80s and some part of that was due to her high-profile marriage to musician Lenny Kravitz. After six years of marriage, and one child, Zoe Kravitz, who you may have heard of, the two split in 1993. In 2005, she began dating Aquaman star Jason Momoa. The two finally wed in 2017, but sadly separated in 2022, after having two children together during their relationship.

(Image credit: High Stakes Poker)

Rick Salomon

Professional poker player Rick Salomon is the least famous person on this list, but he has been married to three very famous people. His first wife was actress E. G. Daily, better known as the voice of Tommy Pickles on Rugrats. His second wife was the great Shannen Doherty, and his third wife was Pamela Anderson, whom he married and divorced twice.

(Image credit: MGM)

Cher

Cher broke into show business alongside her first famous husband, the late Sonny Bono. Just days after her divorce was settled with Bono, Cher married another musician, Allman Brothers Band singer and keyboardist Gregg Allman. They divorced in 1978, but by then she was already living with KISS bass player Gene Simmons, though they never married.

(Image credit: NBC)

Blake Shelton

NBC’s The Voice is not only responsible for launching the careers of singers like Morgan Wallen and Melanie Martinez but also for bringing together two of the coaches, Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani. The two married in 2021 after falling in love on the show. Both had been married before to famous people. Stefani to Bush lead singer Gavin Rossdale and Shelton to country star Miranda Lambert.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds is one of the most famous people on earth these days, so it’s appropriate that he’s been married to multiple famous people. First to Scarlett Johansson from 2008-2011 and then to Blake Lively, whom he has been married to since 2012.

(Image credit: FOX)

Heather Locklear

It’s pretty easy to say Heather Locklear has a “type.” The actor, and 1980s superstar, married Tommy Lee in 1986. The couple divorced in 1993 and Locklear married another famous ‘80s rocker, Bon Jovi guitar player Richie Sambora. Together with Sambora, she has one daughter, Ava Sambora.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Demi Moore

Demi Moore was married and divorced by the time she turned 18. Her first husband, musician Freddy Moore, was never really famous, but her next husbands certainly are. Moore married Bruce Willis in 1987 and the couple had three children together, including Once Upon a Time in Hollywood actor Rumer Willis. After Moore and Willis' amicable divorce in 2000, Moore eventually started dating Ashton Kutcher, who is 16 years younger than her. The two were married for eight years before splitting in 2013.

(Image credit: Open Road)

Ashton Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher's first wife was Demi Moore, and his second was Mila Kunis. Moore and Kutcher had a rocky go of it, but still managed to last eight years. When they divorced, Kutcher found his way back to an old friend and former co-star on That ‘70s Show, Mila Kunis. The two were engaged in 2014 and married in 2015 after Kunis gave birth to their first child. A second kid would come along in 2016, and they are still a happy family.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Marilyn Monroe

There are few stars bigger, and with a more enduring legacy, than the legendary Marilyn Monroe. Monroe was married to a police officer named James Dougherty when she was in her early 20s, but it was after she found fame in the 1950s that she ended up marrying two very famous people. In 1954 she married New York Yankee great Joe DiMaggio. Though the two were only married for just over a year, their friendship lasted the rest of her life. In 1956, Monroe, at the height of her fame, married playwright Arthur Miller. They would be married for 5 years, before divorcing in 1961. Monroe died in 1962 at age 36.

(Image credit: Disney)

Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage married Patricia Arquette in 1995 as both were on career hot streaks. The marriage lasted six years, and the couple broke up in 2001. One year later, Cage married his second famous person, the late Lisa Marie Presley. Cage and Presley’s marriage would be incredibly short-lived, filing for divorce just 107 days later, which was finalized in 2004.

(Image credit: Lorraine)

Lisa Marie Presley

Before Lisa Marie tragically died in 2023 at the young age of 54, she was famously married four times, including two very highly publicized marriages to famous men. Her first marriage to Danny Keough lasted six years. Her second marriage, to the King Of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, lasted less than two. Still, she went on to an even shorter marriage to actor Nicolas Cage, which lasted less than four months before they filed for divorce in 2002.

(Image credit: Lakeshore Entertainment)

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston became one of the biggest stars in television history when she starred in Friends. That stardom led to a very high-profile marriage with Brad Pitt in 2000. Aniston and Pitt’s divorce in 2005 was tabloid fodder for months (and even years), but the actress eventually found her way back to marriage with another actor, Justin Theroux, whom she married in 2015. The two split in 2017, but have remained friends.

(Image credit: Orion Pictures)

Madonna

When Madonna married actor Sean Penn in 1985 it was a huge deal. The gossip pages were filled with details about their romance, but sadly, the marriage only lasted about four years. More than a decade later, after numerous rumors and stories about her dating life, Madonna settled down again, this time with British director Guy Ritchie. Ritchie and Madonna have two sons together but divorced in 2008.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Melanie Griffith

Melanie Griffith is Hollywood royalty as the daughter of The Birds star Tippi Hedron. She married her first husband Don Johnson before either was famous, in 1976, though the marriage would last less than a year. The two would reconnect years later and marry again in 1989. In Between, she was married to Breaking Bad actor Steven Bauer. Johnson and Griffith would divorce in 1996 and Griffith married Antonio Banderas later that same year. Griffith and Banderas divorced in 2015.

(Image credit: CBS)

Eddie Fisher

Eddie Fisher’s first marriage, to actress Debbie Reynolds, produced his most famous child, Carrie Fisher. That marriage was doomed when he infamously had an affair with Elizabeth Taylor, whom he married in 1959. Five years later the couple would divorce and Fisher married singer Connie Stevens in 1967.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Ali MacGraw

Ali MacGraw was a budding star when she married notorious producer movie Robert Evans, who was played by Matthew Goode in The Offer. As shown in that show, that marriage broke up when she left him for Steve McQueen. She and McQueen married in 1973 but divorced in 1978. She hasn’t married since but has been in some high-profile relationships.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Will Arnett

Before Will Arnett became a household name in Hollywood, he had a truly whirlwind romance with actor Penelope Ann Miller. They started dating, got married, and then divorced within about three months in late 1994 and early 1995. His next marriage to a famous person lasted much longer when he married Amy Poehler in 2003. That marriage lasted until 2012.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Uma Thurman

Uma Thurman burst onto the Hollywood scene in the early 1990s and at just 20 years old, she married fellow actor Gary Oldman. That marriage fell apart after just two years and Thurman didn’t marry again until 1998 when she walked down the aisle with Ethan Hawke, whom she met on the set of Gattaca. Thurman and Hawke have two kids together but split in 2003 before finalizing their divorce in 2005.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)

Jennifer Garner

The original “Bennifer” might have been Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, but Bennifer 2.0 was in full swing when Affleck and Jennifer Garner got married in 2005. Their marriage produced three children and while they divorced in 2017, the two have remained very close. Before Affleck, Garner was married to Party of Five star Scott Foley for five years.

While some Hollywood marriages do indeed last the test of time, some simply do not. Many of the stars on this list have had long marriages to famous people, though most have not. Still, it’s better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, as they say.

32 Famous Actors That Got Completely Cut From A Movie

Jason Wiese — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 14:04:53 +0000

It is not unusual for an actor just starting out in the business to film scenes for a movie that, ultimately, never see the light of the day. In fact, it's not out of the ordinary for that same thing to happen to an established A-lister either. See for yourself by taking a look at some of the biggest stars you did not realize were almost in some of your favorite film, if not for the magic of editing.

(Image credit: Universal)

Ana De Armas (Yesterday)

Yesterday is a universe-altering movie that takes place in a reality in which the Beatles never existed. Coincidentally, there exists an alternate cut of the film featuring Ana de Armas as a Late Late Show guest Himesh Patel’s Jack Malik romantically sings “Something” to. Per writer, Richard Curtis explained that the character was cut to avoid making Jack’s relationship with Ellie (Lily James) any more complicated. Though De Armas did appear in the trailer, and fans pursued legal action against Universal over the marketing.

(Image credit: Orion Pictures)

Kevin Costner (The Big Chill)

In one of the best movies of the ‘80s, The Big Chill, a group of friends reunite for the funeral of their friend, Alex, who was supposed to be played by the future Oscar-winning star and director of Dances with Wolves (pictured), Kevin Costner. Star Jeff Goldblum told Yahoo! that the Yellowstone cast member was “wonderful” in a flashback scene that was ultimately cut from the 1983 ensemble dramedy, in which his character finds himself reluctant to carve a Thanksgiving turkey and ruin its perfection.

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Christopher Lee (The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King)

One of the most important characters from the Lord of the Rings movies, Saruman, is not in the third installment, The Return of the King. Per Ain’t It Cool News, Peter Jackson felt his scene — which was originally shot for The Two Towers — served as more of a wrap-up to the previous film than a suitable beginning for this one. While appearing at University College Dublin, Saruman actor Christopher Lee shared how shocked he was to learn his scene from the Best Picture Oscar winner — in which he stands off against the Fellowship — was cut before recommending the crowd “buy the extended DVDs.”

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Harrison Ford (E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial)

Steven Spielberg told EW that, as a favor to him and writer Melissa Mathison (also his then-girlfriend), Harrison Ford shot a scene for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial as Elliot’s (Henry Thomas) school principal that can be found on YouTube today. It never made the final cut of the 1982 box office smash, but know that had it been included, the star of the Indiana Jones movies (pictured) still would have gone mostly unseen as the camera never shows his face.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Andy García (Dangerous Minds)

Andy García told BlogTalkRadio (via Express) that when he was approached to star in 1995’s Dangerous Minds as a love interest for Michelle Pfeiffer’s inner city teacher, Louanne Johnson, he openly expressed that he found the role unnecessary. Still, the star of Father of the Bride (pictured) shot the scenes that were written for him (but not included in the initial script). But they were indeed removed from the final cut.

(Image credit: HBO)

James Gandolfini (Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close)

The late James Gandolfini shot scenes for 2011’s Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close as a man Sandra Bullock’s widowed character meets at a 9/11 victims support group meeting. The Sopranos cast member (pictured) was even credited on the Oscar-nominated drama’s poster. According to the LA Times — his role was removed following a poor test audience reception.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Eric Stoltz (Back to the Future)

One of the most infamous examples of an actor cut from a movie — save one frame — is Eric Stoltz, who led the Back to the Future cast for about a month before director Robert Zemeckis and others realized his “intense” approach to the role was not working. As Collider recalls, Zemeckis got approval to reshoot most of the movie and replace Stoltz with their initial choice, Michael J. Fox, whose performance in the time travel movie classic as Marty McFly is iconic.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Ashley Judd (Natural Born Killers)

In a sequence cut from Natural Born Killers (which can be found on YouTube), Ashley Judd plays Grace Mulberry — the sole survivor of Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory Knox’s (Juliette Lewis) mass teenager murder. She appears in court to be personally cross-examined by Mickey, who then stabs her to death with a pencil on the stand. In an interview for Metrograph, director Oliver Stone recalls removing it for its “length, and violence,” but now believes the “touching” scene belongs in the controversial 1994 satire.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Releasing)

Tobey Maguire (Life Of Pi)

In 2012’s adaptation of the novel, Life of Pi, the title character (portrayed as an older man by Irrfan Khan) recalls his unbelievable story of survival to a writer, played by English actor, Rafe Spall. However, according to USA Today, the role was originally played by Tobey Maguire until director Ang Lee decided the sSpider-Man star (pictured) was too distractingly recognizable and opted for reshoots.

(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)

Chris Cooper (The Ring)

Anyone who ever wondered who Naomi Watts’ Rachel passes the curse tape along to at the end of The Ring should know it was Chris Cooper. The Oscar-winning star of Adaptation. (pictured) told Sci-Fi Wire (via MovieHole) that he shot bookend scenes for the 2002 horror movie classic. One establishes his character as a serial killer and the other shows him receiving the tape. Both were cut for disrupting the flow.

(Image credit: ABC Family)

Shailene Woodley (The Amazing Spider-Man 2)

The Amazing Spider-Man franchise was meant to introduce of Shailene Woodley as Mary-Jane Watson to Andrew Garfield’s Peter Parker. Per MovieWeb, the Divergent star did shoot a cameo for TASM 2, which was later cut so she could officially debut in the next film — a plan ruined when the franchise was cancelled completely.

(Image credit: Summit Entertainment)

Robert Pattinson (Vanity Fair)

Before Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson played lovers in Water for Elephants, they played mother and son in the 2004 period drama, Vanity Fair. But the then-teenage actor — who went on to hit it big in Twilight (pictured) — was cut from the move, which he discovered while attending the premiere, according to his 2017 W Magazine interview.

(Image credit: The CW)

Skeet Ulrich (Cursed)

The 2005 werewolf movie, Cursed, marked a reunion for director Wes Craven, writer Kevin Williamson, and original Scream cast member Skeet Ulrich that audiences never saw. According to MovieHole (via Killer Movies), Ulrich — also known for Riverdale (pictured) — was removed in lieu of studio-optioned rewrites and reshoots. But in 2022, the Scream fan site, Hello Sidney, revealed his role via stills from an unreleased director's cut.

(Image credit: TriStar Pictures)

Michael Biehn (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

Despite Kyle Reese' death in 1984’s The Terminator, Michael Biehn reprised the role in the 1991 sequel, which is now regarded one of the greatest action movies of all time. However, according to ScreenRant, the sequence — in which he comes to Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) in a dream — was cut from Terminator 2: Judgment Day to maintain a tighter pace, but was later restored for an extended special edition.

(Image credit: New Regency)

Angela Bassett (Mr. & Mrs. Smith)

Technically, Angela Bassett is in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but her part as Brad Pitt’s boss was originally meant to be more than an uncredited voice role. On YouTube, you can find deleted scenes from Doug Liman’s 2004 romantic action-comedy with the two-time Oscar nominee appearing in person alongside Keith David as Father.

(Image credit: Fox 2000)

Adrien Brody (The Thin Red Line)

Several major actors had their roles were either severely trimmed or completely removed from Terrence Malick’s 1998 war epic, The Thin Red Line, like including Mickey Rourke and George Clooney, as ScreenRant recalls. However, Academy Award-winner Adrien Brody’s character, Cpl. Fife, was the central lead of James Jones' original novel and had even done press for the film when he discovered right before the premiere that he was barely in it, per The Independent (via Eskimo).

(Image credit: Werner Herzog Filmproduktion)

Mick Jagger (Fitzcarraldo)

Mick Jagger’s underrated acting skills were praised by Werner Herzog (per Playboy, via The Local), who cast the rock star in his 1982 adventure film, Fitzcarraldo. Unfortunately, according to Far Out, multiple problems facing the production — including star Jason Robards’ dysyntery, as the New York Times reported — caused a delay that interfered with The Rolling Stone's touring schedule. Thus, Herzog was forced to recast Robards’ title role with Klaus Kinski and write Jagger’s character out entirely.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Matt Damon (Ocean's 8)

Ocean’s 8 had some fun cameos from members of Steven Soderbergh’s Ocean’s Eleven cast — namely Elliott Gould’s Rueben and Shaobo Qin as Yen — but we almost saw more. In addition to the late Carl Reiner telling Vanity Fair he filmed a scene with Sandra Bullock, THR reports that Matt Damon's cameo as Linus Caldwell from the 2001 heist favorite (pictured) was taken out due to “editorial and storytelling reasons,” as director Gary Ross claimed. The article does, however, mention a petition to remove Damon following comments he made about the #MeToo movement and Harvey Weinstein scandal.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Michelle Monaghan (Constantine, Syriana)

When Michelle Monaghan spoke to MovieHole to promote Mission: Impossible III, it was mentioned that she was removed from two different movies released in 2005: Constantine and Syriana. The fantasy comic book movie did preserve one of her scenes, but she's nowhere to be found in Steven Soderbergh’s Oscar-winning political drama, which already had many storylines to juggle, as Monaghan herself mentioned.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Tim Roth (Once Upon A Time In Hollywood)

Tim Roth is in many of Quentin Tarantino’s best movies — including Pulp Fiction (pictured) — and came very close to joining 2019’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. But Tarantino was orced to remove Roth's part to avoid a five-hour runtime. Roth did share in an interview with Uproxx that he appreciated, at least, being mentioned in the credits as “cut.”

(Image credit: Focus Features)

Ellen Pompeo (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind)

As a video essay by Film Radar demonstrates, if Ellen Pompeo role’s in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind had not been removed, we would have seen Michel Gondry’s trippy romantic sci-fi dramedy in a whole different light. In deleted scenes, the Grey’s Anatomy star plays Naomi — the woman Jim Carrey’s Joel left for Clementine (Kate Winslet) and whom he reconciles with after his memory wipe. Though he leaves her again when he meets Clementine on the train, unaware he has done this before.

(Image credit: Universal)

Paul Rudd (Bridesmaids)

The Bridesmaids cast included plenty of funny people, but did you know Paul Rudd was also part of it for a moment? Director Paul Feig told EW he “felt bad” cutting the Ant-Man actor’s darkly funny cameo as Annie’s (co-writer Kristen Wiig) deranged blind date, but did so to shave down the runtime and avoid distracting from Annie’s love triangle with Ted (Jon Hamm) and Rhodes (Chris O’Dowd).

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Katherine Langford (Avengers: Endgame)

In a deleted scene from Avengers: Endgame, immediately after Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) “snaps” Thanos (Josh Brolin) away, he is given the chance to say one final goodbye to an older version of his daughter, Morgan (Katherine Langford), in the Soulworld. At least the sequence’s omission gives Langford a chance to play a different Marvel character at some point, hopefully.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Uma Thurman (Savages)

The 2012 crime drama Savages could have been touted as a reunion between John Travolta and Uma Thurman, who first worked together on Pulp Fiction (pictured), had the latter’s role as Ophelia’s (Blake Lively) mother not been removed. Director Oliver Stone revealed to Huff Post that Paqu was actually one of several character from Don Winslow’s novel did not make it into the movie due to time constraints.

(Image credit: Paramount)

Amy Poehler (Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy)

When mentioning her axed cameo as a bank teller in 2004’s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy with Vulture, Amy Poehler admits she correctly predicted the movie was already too long to keep her scene, which also featured fellow SNL star Maya Rudolph as a gang leader. Thankfully, the Parks and Rec cast member did appear in the 2013 sequel alongside her buddy, Tina Fey.

(Image credit: Focus Features)

Rachel Weisz (To The Wonder)

In 2012, Rachel Weisz spoke to La Stampa (via EW) about how she had the pleasure of working with Terrence Malick on To the Wonder, but would “not have the pleasure of seeing [her] work.” For unknown reasons, the Oscar-winning star of The Constant Gardener (pictured) was removed from the romantic drama starring Ben Affleck and Olga Kurylenko. And she wasn't alone, as IndieWire later reported that Barry Pepper, Michael Sheen and Amanda Peet were also missing from the final cut.

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Viggo Mortenson (The Purple Rose Of Cairo)

One of the first movies Academy Award nominee Viggo Mortenson worked on was Woody Allen’s 1985 fantasy rom-com, The Purple Rose of Cairo. The star of the Lord of the Rings movies (pictured) spoke to ABC News' Peter Travers about how his frustrating experience shooting the film turned out to be meaningless since he was edited out the movie after it was released.

(Image credit: Paramount)

Matthew Fox (World War Z)

The 2013 adaptation of Max Brooks’ World War Z was plagued by rewrites and reshoots that resulted in an entirely new third act from what was intended. As a result, Lost cast member Matthew Fox’s role as a paratrooper was scaled down to just one line of dialogue, which may have been disappointing for the self-proclaimed fan of the OG book, per Huff Post.

(Image credit: Paramount)

Jack Whitehall (Frozen)

In a clip shared to Jack Whitehall’s official YouTube channel, the British comedian shares with an audience how his one-line role as a troll in Disney’s Oscar-winning animated film, Frozen, was reduced to a non-speaking part. The Jungle Cruise cast member and star of Clifford the Big Red Dog (pictured) goes on to say that, after discovering his line was removed when he first saw the movie, a friend of his found a photo of him at a Frozen press junket and meme-ified it.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

James Van Der Beek (Storytelling)

Tom Solondz’s 2002 anthology dramedy, Storytelling, consists of two segments dealing with various challenging topics, but there were original three. As EW reported, the omitted third chapter starred James Van Der Beek — known for being part of the Dawson’s Creek cast and Varsity Blues (pictured) — as a high school football player discovering he's gay.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Sienna Miller (Black Mass)

Before the 2015 crime thriller released, it was already confirmed tha Sienna Miller had been cut from Black Mass. She was cast as Catherine Greig, who had a relationship infamous gangster, Whitey Bulger (played by Johnny Depp in the film). Director Scott Cooper admitted to The Boston Globe that it was a difficult decision to remove the English actor -- then best known for American Sniper (pictured) -- but it ultimately “came down to narrative choices.”

(Image credit: Warner Bros. / DC)

Jena Malone (Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice)

Following previous rumors that she would play Robin, Jena Malone’s comic book movie debut in Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice actually never made it to the big screen. Luckily, her role as head S.T.A.R. Labs scientist Jenet Klyburn — first revealed in leaked footage — would be included in the 2016 DC movie’s three-hour “Ultimate Cut."

So if your friends ever quiz you about has or hasn't starred in major movies, this list should provide you with some interesting loopholes.

I Finally Watched Kill Bill For The First Time And I Have A Lot Of Thoughts About The Quentin Tarantino Classic

Sarah El-Mahmoud — Sun, 15 Oct 2023 13:04:16 +0000

SPOILERS are ahead for Kill Bill.

So, Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill just turned 20 years old, and I recently realized I’ve gone all that time without sitting through the cinematic classic that’s highly regarded as one of the best movies of the 2000s. But hey, you gotta cut me some slack here. I was only a couple years older than B.B. when the R-rated bloody revenge flick first came out.

I can actually recall briefly passing the living room, probably in between playing Barbies with my sister or something, when my parents were viewing the showdown between The Bride and O-Ren Ishii, and being intrigued by the mere sight of two fierce and blood-soaked women holding swords. Now that I’ve finally watched both Volume 1 and Volume 2, and witnessed The Bride get through her unfinished business, I have a lot of thoughts to get into about the famed action epic.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Uma Thurman Slays As The Bride, And I’m Never Getting Over It

The number one reason why I'm talking this out is Ms. Uma Thurman’s The Bride. To be honest, from the outside in, Uma Thurman is a revelation in Kill Bill, which I did expect, but not to this degree. If you’ve seen it, I’m preaching to the choir here, but I totally get why The Bride is absolutely one of the most iconic movie characters there is.

She has a Clint Eastwood quality to her where less is more when it comes to dialogue. Not only does she make every single line count kick some serious butt, she also somehow manages to make The Bride feel both larger than life and very much human all at once. She carries the audience through this cathartic feminine rage journey throughout her performance, which reminds me of the very reason why action movies can be so great.

(Image credit: Miramax)

I Love That The Bride Has Both Style And Substance

I expected a movie centered on a woman from the early ‘00s in a skin-tight yellow tracksuit (which Thurman apparently “hated” while filming) and a sword to be some hyper-sexualized male fantasy, but thankfully, I assumed wrong. Kill Bill is not only a blast of an original action story packed with amazing fight sequences and quotable dialogue, it absolutely does justice to its heroine in every way, and with greater care than most leads I’ve seen in the genre over the years.

The showdown at House of Blue Leaves especially had god-tier cinematography and fight choreography, but it’s Thurman’s incredible performance that grounds every shot of Kill Bill in the best way for me. Clearly this collaboration between Tarantino and Thurman was written in the stars. The Bride is a badass action hero in Kill Bill, but I was pleasantly surprised that there was weight to the whole thing as well.

(Image credit: Miramax)

It’s Wild How Much Of A Pop Culture Minefield Kill Bill Is

Throughout my viewing of the Kill Bill movies, I was also struck with how familiar the imagery was to me despite never truly seeing them before. From the needle drops to various shots and scenes throughout, it became very clear to me that Kill Bill is one of those cultural moments in cinema that has undeniably influenced the moviemaking generation across the past 20 years. Of course, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé’s “Telephone” music video, along with SZA’s big hit “Kill Bill,” which has Vivica A. Fox making a cameo, come to mind, but now I know there's so many more.

Kill Bill itself draws from so much of Quentin Tarantino’s own influences that I felt he mixed in a unique and exciting way. It's simultaneously grabbing influences from martial arts, blaxploitation and spaghetti Western films all at once, while also calling back to things like Star Trek and Superman, but somehow it works. How did Tarantino pull that off?

(Image credit: Miramax)

The Anime Sequence Caught Me Off Guard In The Best Way

Speaking of a wealth of influences, one standout scene in Kill Bill was Chapter 3: The Origin of O-Ren, which is an anime sequence in the middle of Vol. 1. It’s an absolutely gorgeous sequence that covers the traumatic childhood of Lucy Liu’s O-Ren Ishii. The scene caught me off guard because I had no idea there would be an animated scene in the middle of the flick. I feel like the moment enriches the film.

There’s a real depth in the chapter through the animation that I don’t think would have hit the same in live action. I love that Tarantino brought in a Japanese anime studio, Production I.G, to produce the scene too. It’s moments like The Origin of O-Ren that offer a richness to Kill Bill that sets it apart from most action movies.

(Image credit: Miramax)

‘Elle And I’ Is Definitely My Favorite Chapter

Upon my first viewing of Kill Bill, my biggest reaction occurred during Chapter 9: ELLE and I in Kill Bill Volume 2. In my opinion, It’s a perfect sequence that encapsulates why I connected with Tarantino’s revenge film. There’s a grimeyness to the scene as Michael Madsen’s Budd messily makes a margarita for Daryl Hannah’s Elle in his trailer. As the scene unfolds, we see Budd’s deadly snake bite, Elle slyly reading from a notebook about the Black Mamba as he meets his end to Elle, and The Bride’s showdown that ends with The Bride taking Elle’s other eye after saying “Bitch… you have no future.” It’s brutal and super fun at the same time.

(Image credit: Miramax)

The Final Showdown Between The Bride And Bill Blew Me Away

Revenge is fun and all, but I’m not one to enjoy senseless violence. So the fact that Kill Bill provides such a great storyline that backs all of The Bride’s bloody acts, it leveled up my love for this film. Not only did this woman almost get murdered by her ex just one day before making plans to get married and move on, it happened while she was pregnant and in her wedding dress.

Bill is certainly among the most horrible movie bosses that got what was coming to him. Their final showdown was also such a great scene too, especially because of how emotional it was for both parties involved. I love that it wasn’t this drawn-out sword fight. It was an intimate death that builds the moment she gets to his home. Who Bill is and how everything wraps up shocked me in the best way.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Kill Bill’s Happy Ending Made All The Difference For Me

I also loved that Kill Bill had a happy ending. It wouldn’t have been the same movie if The Bride went through all this trouble and rode off into the sunset alone. The moment when she cries on the bathroom floor before returning to her daughter also struck me because it made The Bride a three-dimensional character. She’s not this robotic killing machine. The journey was emotional and meaningful to her. She took back her life and I love that Tarantino put space in there for The Bride to have a good cry after all that.

(Image credit: Miramax Films)

I Understand The Kill Bill Movie Debate Now

From the outside, I’ve heard about this controversy about whether Kill Bill is one or two movies for years without understanding what people are talking about. Now that I’ve seen both movies, which turned into two volumes at the studio’s request, I totally get why it’s a conversation that has remained fresh over the years. It’s clearly one story, and I don’t think you can possibly watch the first movie by itself. I’m happy it’s two because if Tarantino had decided to cut down the story to one movie, some of my favorite scenes, like The Origin of O-Ren, might have been removed.

(Image credit: Miramax)

I Found The Volumes To Be Uneven On Their Own

At the same time, sitting through four hours in one go is rather excessive, in my opinion. I opted to watch Kill Bill on separate nights, which made me feel a bit unsettled about how it was presented to audiences. Vol. 1 is more focused on the action and establishing the story and its style, whereas I felt a lot more happens in Vol. 2 in regards to dialogue and the plot moving forward.

Now that I’ve seen it, I know what’s coming in each part, but after quitting it at Vol. 1 on the first night, I had a ton of questions. Honestly, that had to be purposeful, but on their own, each volume is a tad uneven to me. All in all, I’d say Kill Bill is just one of those uniquely ambitious stories and while I find the Volume 1 and Volume 2 as separate projects disjointed, getting through the whole thing is worth the journey.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Kill Bill Is My New Favorite Tarantino Movie

Going into this viewing, I totally respect Quentin Tarantino movies and see why he’s thought of as one of the most iconic filmmakers of our time, but plain and simple, it’s just not always my cup of tea. I haven’t seen them all, but the one's I have pressed play on I haven't felt any mind-altering way about. Pulp Fiction has been my favorite Tarantino movie up to this point (because, duh), but Kill Bill gave me a newfound respect for the filmmaker that’s making me do a double take on my prior feelings about his work.

Now that I’ve seen both Kill Bill movies, I am pleased to report that it’s definitely a pair of movies I’ll be watching again and recommending to fellow friends who have skipped out on it like I had over the years. It’s safe to say Kill Bill exceeded my expectations, and the only “R” I feel is regret for not getting to this classic sooner. It holds up rather well, and now I've found my new favorite Tarantino project.

The Kill Room Was Supposed To Star Uma Thurman And A ‘72-Year-Old Jewish Man.’ How Samuel L. Jackson Was Cast Instead

Jeff McCobb — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 02:05:05 +0000

The Kill Room, the sophomore effort of Friendsgiving director Nicol Paone, is a quirky and thrilling crime-comedy with equal parts laughs and violence. The film gives cinema buffs of all tastes something to look forward to, but the obvious buzz surrounding the flick is going to be that it reunites Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson in a starring capacity for the first time since 1994’s Pulp Fiction. This in itself is exciting, but to take things up a notch, CinemaBlend learned that Thurman herself was the one to bring Jackson on board, and in the process got his character a pretty substantial rewrite.

I recently caught up with Nicol Paone to discuss The Kill Room, and when I asked how she got these two icons to reunite, she provided the following anecdote:

Sam was all Uma's idea. She texted me and said, ‘is Sam Jackson an option?’ And I was like, ‘let me think about that for a moment, please. Of course, Sam Jackson is an option!’ And then we, Jonathan (Jacobson) and I, rewrote the script for Sam because the role was a 72 year old Jewish man named Herschel. And so we rewrote it to be The Black Dreidel who speaks Yiddish. And top of 2022, I got a call from Sam's agent saying Sam would love to do The Kill Room. And that's when I realized, ‘my God, what have I done?’

Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Gordon Davis, a.k.a. The Black Dreidel, is a crime boss who runs his operation out of a kosher bakery. Not only is that one of the best mob nicknames of all time, but Samuel L. Jackson is perfectly suited for the role. Had Uma Thurman not brought him on board, the character and the film itself would have gone in a completely different direction. This is just another one of those happy accidents that makes for a fun Hollywood story.

It’s important to note that while The Kill Room is Uma Thurman and Sam Jackson’s first time leading a film together in decades, they obviously haven’t been estranged. After all, he was just a phone call away, and the two were spotted kicking it backstage at a Broadway production last year. Samuel L. Jackson also appeared in the Thurman-led sequel Kill Bill Vol. 2. Even though it was more of a cameo than a starring role, it does rank pretty high when it comes to Tarantino/Jackson badassness..

To make the Hollywood connections even more bonkers, The Kill Room also stars Uma Thurman’s daughter Maya Hawke, who at one time was rumored to join Tarantino and her mother in the long-anticipated (and possibly fabricated), Kill Bill Vol. 3. Tarantino recently got honest about the realities of the threequel actually coming to fruition, but hey, anything can happen.

No matter how often their paths cross, folks will always associate a collaboration between Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson with Pulp Fiction. Not only is it how the two earned their only Oscar nominations, but it’s widely considered to be Quentin Tarantino’s best film. Now they’ve added a new chapter together with The Kill Room, which is in movie theaters everywhere right now! Go check it out for yourselves, and put a cap on this September’s new movie releases with something special.

30 Really Famous Actors Who Have Been Nominated For Exactly 1 Oscar

Hugh Scott — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 13:04:03 +0000

Some of the biggest stars in Hollywood are also some of the most often snubbed by the Oscars when it comes to Best Actor and Actress Academy Awards. Legends like Harrison Ford, Jamie Lee Curtis, and many others have somehow had some of the most successful careers in film, but have only been nominated for one Academy Award in the acting categories.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Harrison Ford - Nominated For Best Actor (Witness)

Harrison Ford is a national treasure, most everyone will agree. Everyone, it seems, except The Academy, as he has only ever nominated once, for 1985’s Witness. This actor has been in two of the biggest franchises in history, plus the two Jack Ryan movies and so much more. He should’ve been nominated for The Fugitive at least.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Eddie Murphy - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (Dreamgirls)

Another icon of the late 20th Century and early 21st Century is Eddie Murphy, who has only been nominated once, for Dreamgirls in 2007. This is probably more testament to the Academy's apparent lack of appreciation for some of his best comedic performances because I dare you to find better ones in history than Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop or Coming To America.

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Gwyneth Paltrow - Nominated For Best Actress (Shakespeare In Love)

Gwyneth Paltrow will likely be a polarizing name on this list because the actor herself tends to be, but she’s had a number of wonderful performances over the years. Roles in The Talented Mr. Ripley, Emma, and The Royal Tenenbaums are all worthy of more consideration than she’s received over the years. She's earned just one nomination for Shakespeare in Love, for which she also won.

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Taraji P. Henson - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button)

Taraji P. Henson has been nominated for more than thirty acting awards across her sterling career. Somehow, only one of those was for an Academy Award. Her lone Oscar nomination was for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in 2008, and it’s frankly astounding that’s the only one. At a minimum, she should have been nominated for Hidden Figures alongside her cast-mate Octavia Spencer. Hopefully, this changes with her role in the upcoming remake of The Color Purple.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Hugh Jackman - Nominated For Best Actor (Les Misérables)

Hugh Jackman is one award away from achieving EGOT status. The “O” is missing and shockingly he’s only been nominated once for an Oscar, for his performance in Les Misérables. The multi-talented Jackman has won so many awards, but is shut out yearly at the Academy Awards. The Oscars may not show much respect to comic book films, but everyone else does, and saying he should have been nominated for Logan isn’t a stretch, nor is saying it about his performance in The Greatest Showman.

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Jamie Lee Curtis - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

Jamie Lee Curtis is one of the most versatile actors of her generation. Horror, comedy, drama, she does it all. And yet, she has little to show for it in terms of Oscar nominations. She finally was nominated (and won) for Everything Everywhere All At Once but where were the nominations for My Girl and A Fish Called Wanda?

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Salma Hayek - Nominated For Best Actress (Frida)

It’s been more than two decades since Salma Hayek was first nominated for an Oscar, for 2001’s Frida and she’s not been nominated since. Hayek is an icon and one of the most beloved actors today, yet never seems to get the attention of the Academy. This is likely in part due to the discounting of action films, which have become Hayek’s bread and butter, but that doesn’t mean her performances in movies like Traffic and Beatriz at Dinner weren't worthy of attention.

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Matthew McConaughey - Nominated For Best Actor (Dallas Buyers Club)

When Matthew McConaughey won the Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club after being nominated for the first and only time, he led his speech with his trademark “Alright, alright, alright” and while his role in Dazed and Confused is a classic, he certainly deserved nominations for other roles, like how about a nod for his supporting role in The Wolf Of Wall Street or his performance in the vastly underrated Mud?

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Samuel L. Jackson - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (Pulp Fiction)

If there is anyone on the list that should be a perennial nominee, it’s Samuel L. Jackson. His lone nomination came from his unforgettable and meme-able turn in Pulp Fiction, but he’s an actor who steals every scene he's in, in a good way. Just his roles in Quentin Tarantino films alone, like Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, are worthy of nominations, but it hasn’t happened, sadly. Thankfully for all of us, Jackson was given an honorary Oscar in 2021 for his contributions to film, which is some consolation.

(Image credit: Miramax Films)

Uma Thurman - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (Pulp Fiction)

Speaking of Pulp Fiction, the Tarantino classic also led to Uma Thurman’s one and only Academy Award nomination. Despite being one of the biggest stars on the planet, Thurman seems to have no luck getting the attention of the Academy. One role that really stands out is in the under-appreciated Prime.

(Image credit: The Weinstein Company)

Benedict Cumberbatch - Nominated For Best Actor (The Imitation Game)

One has to believe that more nominations will be coming for Benedict Cumberbatch. Thus far, his only acknowledgment from the Oscars was for his wonderful performance as Alan Turing in The Imitation Game. There are plenty of other roles he could have been nominated for, especially as William Bulger in Black Mass and Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate and that’s just the roles in which he’s played real people!

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Mark Wahlberg - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (The Departed)

In 1990, no one would have expected “Marky” Mark Wahlberg to appear on any kind of list like that, but almost 35 years later, it’s astounding his only Oscar nomination has been for The Departed (one of our picks for the 100 best movies of the 2000s). You have to question why he was ignored for Boogie Nights, for sure. The Fighter is another clear snub, though he was technically nominated for Best Picture as a producer of the film.

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Halle Berry - Nominated For Beat Actress (Monster's Ball)

When Halle Berry earned her one Oscar nomination for 2001’s Monster’s Ball, she was the odds-on favorite to win. She had become one of the biggest stars of the 1990s and now was her time to shine. She won, of course, but sadly, it would be the last time Berry would be nominated, so far, at least. It’s a shame because there are plenty of roles she’d be deserving of a nomination, like Frankie & Alice, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe.

(Image credit: Buena Vista Films)

Laurence Fishburne - Nominated For Best Actor (What's Love Got To Do With It)

This could be the most shocking on the list. At first thought, you might guess Laurence Fishburne was nominated for his amazing work as Furious Styles in Boyz n the Hood or Professor Phipps in John Singleton’s other masterpiece, Higher Learning. Alas, the Matrix star has only one nomination, for playing Ike Turner in What’s Love Got To Do With It, and he didn’t win.

(Image credit: Focus Features)

Josh Brolin - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (Milk)

Josh Brolin has been a favorite since he was a teenager in The Goonies. He’s also starred in some powerhouse movies, like Sicario and, most of all, No Country For Old Men. No Country won a slew of Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor for Javier Barden, and yet Brolin wasn’t even nominated. It frankly doesn’t make sense. Brolin’s lone nomination came from his wonderful performance in Milk, but that was the year that the late Heath Ledger won for The Dark Knight.

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Sharon Stone - Nominated For Best Actress (Casino)

You could argue that while Sharon Stone was brilliant in Casino, it wasn’t even her best performance, though it’s the only time she’s been nominated. She wasn’t nominated for Basic Instinct, despite winning the Golden Globe for the role, nor for the underrated The Muse in 2000. At least we have Casino.

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Tilda Swinton - Nominated For For Best Supporting Actress (Michael Clayton)

2007's Michael Clayton was awash in acting nominations, including George Clooney for Best Actor and Tom Wilkinson for Best Supporting Actor. The only winner of the night, though, was Tilda Swinton for Best Supporting Actress. Over her incredible career, Swinton has been honored for other roles, like her parts in The Deep End, We Need to Talk About Kevin, and even Snowpiercer, but this remains her only Oscar nod.

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Liam Neeson - Nominated For Best Actor (Schindler’s List)

Long before Liam Neeson re-invented himself as an action star in summer blockbusters, he was a character actor carving out a nice career in film. Then came the epic Schindler's List. He was nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor in a movie, though he lost out to Tom Hanks for Philadelphia. In the 30 years since, Neeson has not been nominated, not even for fantastic turns in The Gangs of New York, Michael Collins, or Rob Roy. For shame.

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Lupita Nyong'o - Nominated For Best Actress (12 Years A Slave)

Lupita Nyong'o burst onto the Hollywood scene with her heartbreakingly beautiful performance in 12 Years A Slave. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress and has since been racking up the accolades everywhere... except the Oscars. Despite well-received turns in Us and Queen of Katwe, not to mention her roles in the Black Panther films, she hasn't again been nominated.

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Sean Connery - Nominated For Best Supporting Actors (The Untouchables)

Sean Connery was one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and yet he was virtually ignored by the Academy for his whole career. Setting aside his brilliance as James Bond, Connery should’ve earned nods for The Hunt For Red October, and The Name Of The Rose, at least. Instead, his only nomination came for The Untouchables, which, thankfully, he won.

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Alec Baldwin - Nominated For Best Supporting Actor (The Cooler)

Another fantastic performance in The Hunt for Red October that didn’t get recognition is Alec Baldwin’s as Jack Ryan. Baldwin could’ve been nominated for either of his two on-screen performances in 1992, Glengarry Glen Ross, and Prelude To A Kiss, but again he was snubbed. His only nomination came for his role in The Cooler.

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Diane Lane - Nominated For Best Actress (Unfaithful)

Diane Lane found her footing in film in the late 1990s with outstanding performances in movies like A Walk on the Moon and The Perfect Storm, either of which could've been award-winning. Instead, it wasn't until 2002's Unfaithful that she got the recognition she deserved when she was nominated for Best Actress.

(Image credit: Focus Features)

Bill Murray - Nominated For Best Actor (Lost in Translation)

The Academy has missed out on great performances by one of the best comedic actors the world has ever seen in Bill Murray. Stripes, Ghostbusters, What About Bob?, and Groundhog's Day are some of the most beloved comedies of all time, and Murray was never recognized. Nor was he for his brilliant turns in Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums. Murray's sole nomination came, deservingly, for 2003's Lost In Translation.

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Jennifer Connelly - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (A Beautiful Mind)

Jennifer Connelly has been wowing audiences for decades, including in 2022's massive hit Top Gun: Maverick. It appears though, that she has not been wowing the Academy, as she's only ever been nominated for one Oscar, which she won, for her role in 2001's A Beautiful Mind. Other roles have earned her other awards, like her parts in Requiem For A Dream and The House of Sand and Fog, but to date, nothing from the Academy Awards.

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Kathleen Turner - Nominated For Best Actress (Peggy Sue Got Married)

Despite massive hits like Body Heat, Serial Mom, and of course, Romancing The Stone, Kathleen Turner has only earned one Oscar nomination, for the vastly underrated Francis Ford Coppola film from 1986, Peggy Sue Got Married. Surely this icon of the screen deserves more.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Robert Redford - Nominated For Best Actor (The Sting)

It’s astounding that the great Robert Redford has only one acting nomination in his whole career, for The Sting. Though he defined what a movie star is, Redford never received Oscar attention for roles in All The President’s Men, All Is Lost, Out Of Africa, and Three Days of the Condor, among many others. The list is endless here. He has been nominated twice for Best Director, for Ordinary People and Quiz Show, and won for the former. Redford also received an Honorary Oscar in 2002.

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Catherine Zeta-Jones - Nominated For Best Actress (Chicago)

At the 75th Academy Awards, Chicago was the biggest winner of the night, garnering 13 nominations and winning six of them, including Catherine Zeta-Jones for Best Actress. Alas, this, so far, is the only time the Welsh actress has even been nominated, despite powerhouse roles in Traffic and Entrapment. At least she shares this dubious distinction with her husband Michael Douglas.

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Micheal Douglas - Nominated For Best Actor (Wall Street)

Gordon Gekko in Wall Street is one of the all-time great cinema villains and Michael Douglas richly deserved the Academy Award he won for playing the part in 1988. An actor with a slew of amazing performances from Falling Down, to Traffic, to Fatal Attraction and more, with only one acting nomination. He was also nominated/won for Best Picture in 1976 as the producer of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.

(Image credit: TriStar Pictures)

Lauren Bacall - Nominated For Best Supporting Actress (The Mirror Has Two Faces)

Lauren Bacall was one of the true icons of the Golden Age of Hollywood, starring in such films as The Big Sleep, Key Largo, and many, many more over her career. Shockingly, it took until 1997 for the Academy to recognize her work when she was finally nominated for a Best Supporting Actress role for The Mirror Has Two Faces. She did finally receive a well-deserved honorary Oscar in 2000.

(Image credit: Orion Pictures)

Kevin Costner - Nominated For Best Actor (Dances With Wolves)

Dances With Wolves was the darling of the Oscars in 1991. It was nominated for 12 awards, winning seven, including Best Director for Kevin Costner and Best Picture, which Costner won as a producer. It was also the one and only time Costner has been nominated for an acting Academy Award. There are so many other iconic parts he should’ve gotten more credit for, like JFK, Bull Durham, The Untouchables, and Hidden Figures, just to name a few.

It just goes to show that even being a huge box office draw, and a megastar doesn't mean you'll get recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Oscars are incredibly hard to win and even being nominated is an honor, they say. Still, for everyone on the list, you'd think they'd have more than one.

Another Streaming Series Has Been Canceled After One Season, This Time On Apple TV+

Riley Utley — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 18:40:27 +0000

As streaming service after streaming service continues to cancel shows after their first seasons, Apple TV+ has added another series to its list of cancellations. After axing High Desert in July, the thriller Suspicion, which stars Uma Thurman, will also officially end after a single installment.

News about this cancellation comes over a year after Season 1 of Suspicion aired. The show was not on the 2023 TV schedule, and it premiered in February of 2022. Deadline, reported the news about the series coming to an official end, noting that it was quietly canceled a year ago, while the official notice about it came out in 2023.

Suspicion was created through Apple’s office in the United Kingdom, and was announced in March 2020. It was delayed because of the pandemic, and was eventually released in February 2022. Along with this show, Slow Horses and Bad Sisters are also produced through this branch of the company, and they are in the midst of working on new seasons.

It’s also important to note that this news comes in the middle of the actors’ and writers’ strikes. Apple TV+’s most-watched drama Silo has been delayed indefinitely because of the strikes. Meanwhile, Bad Sisters Season 2 is remaining in production because it's under an Equity contract. Also, Slow Horses filmed Gary Oldman’s scenes before the SAG-AFTRA strike began, because he’s a member of the union.

As for Suspicion, it was let go before the strikes began, even though the news was only just announced.

(Image credit: Apple TV+)

The series followed a 21-year-old’s abduction from a hotel in New York. A video of the crime went viral, and four British people became primary suspects. Suspicion starred Uma Thurman, who appeared in six out of eight episodes, Kunal Nayyar of The Big Bang Theory, Elizabeth Henstridge of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as well as Georgina Campbell, Katherine Newman, Noah Emmerich, Elyes Gabel and Angel Coulby.

This show was one of three cancellations from Apple TV+ when it comes to freshman shows. The aforementioned High Desert was another one, and The Mosquito Coast also got the bad news about their show this year.

We see shows canceled after one season all the time, however, it feels like streamers have been doing it constantly this year. Netflix has done this a lot especially, as it ended Man vs. Bee in May, and it dropped Uncoupled at the beginning of the year (although the comedy was saved by Showtime). They've also canceled a handful of other shows after one or two seasons. Along with Netflix, these cancellations happen on network TV too as well as other streaming services. So, Suspicion is the latest in a very long list of series that came to a close after only one season.

While it is a big bummer that Apple TV+ canceled another series, luckily Suspicion hasn’t gone anywhere. So, you can still stream the thriller with an Apple TV+ subscription.

Viola Davis And 18 Other Women Who've Led Blockbuster Movies With Amazing Performances

Alexandra Ramos — Sat, 18 Mar 2023 22:04:24 +0000

Let me tell you something that truly changed my life as a young girl – women in movies. There are so many blockbuster films that I watched as a kid and fell in love with because of not only the content I was viewing, but the badass actresses I was watching on the screen. From sci-fi horror movies to dystopian young adult films, I have and will always be in love with these amazing actresses who put their all into leading these blockbuster movies to success – or having standout roles that I truly can’t forget. Here are some of my favorites, from Viola Davis to Sigourney Weaver.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment)

Viola Davis (The Woman King)

Obviously, we need to start this list with a killer performance from 2022, Viola Davis in The Woman King cast. She's had plenty of awesome roles before that you might recognize her from, but her portrayal of General Nanisca, of the real-life warrior women, the Agojie, did something to me and wow, I’ve never been terrified of Viola Davis kicking my butt, but here we are. If you haven’t had the chance to watch her in this fantastic Black-led film, please do so.

(Image credit: Village Roadshow Pictures)

Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road)

The Mad Max: Fury Road cast was filled with stars who have gone on do plenty, but everyone always talks about Charlize Theron, who portrayed Furiosa in the critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic action film. There’s a reason why there’s a prequel film coming out about her character – she was badass, a killer, and I would watch her over and over again if I could.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Letitia Wright And Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

After the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman in 2020, the Marvel Cinematic Universe took a different turn in the world Black Panther, putting T’Challa’s sister, Shuri, and his mother played by Letitia Wright and Angela Bassett, at the forefront. Through their strong performances in a story about Wakanda post-T’Challa, and their journey through grief, they gave compelling performances. Bassett was even nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the film.

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Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde)

If you want to talk about one of the most iconic college films of all time, Legally Blonde needs to be on that list. The story is of a former fashion student, played by the lovely Reese Witherspoon, who goes to Harvard in order to win her boyfriend back. Elle Woods is the picture perfect example of when you put your mind into something and being able to achieve it – and she did that and more once she got into that school. Witherspoon's Elle was the perfect casting.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Zoe Saldana (Avatar Films)

Let’s be honest – when it comes to the Avatar films, we all remember Neytiri more than Jake. He’s cool and all, but Neytiri.

Avatar: The Way Of Water Review: James Cameron Strikes Gold Again With A Gorgeous, Thrilling Return To Pandora

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

Check out our review for Avatar: The Way of Water.

In both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, Zoe Saldana gave an incredible performance as Neytiri, not only as a warrior but as a mother in the sequel, showing amazing emotions through a motion capture performance.

While Zoe Saldana is known for many other amazing roles (like playing Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy series, and Uhura in the Star Trek franchise), showing just how much of a badass she is, there's really nothing quite as amazing as her role in these films.

She’s right up there with Andy Serkis with these incredible motion-capture roles. You can’t help but love her.

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Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All At Once)

If you haven’t had the chance to watch the Best Picture winner, Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, I’d highly suggest watching it, if not just for Michelle Yeoh’s incredible performance. Winning the Oscar for Best Actress, Yeoh is electric in her starring role as the matriarch of this movie’s family, and displays an impressive range of emotions and badass martial arts that makes this film fantastic. Trust me when I say every bit of time viewing this movie is worth it.

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Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games Series)

Jennifer Lawrence was someone that I grew up watching in The Hunger Games franchise, and while I am excited for the prequel film that will star another great young actress (Rachel Zegler), no one can defeat the powerful performance that Lawrence gave through all four movies. A revolutionary like Katniss, living in a world that is overcome with chaos and unfairness, and leading a war for freedom is the perfect example of what a reluctant leader is, even though she rocked her responsibilities at the same time.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow)

You want to hear a fun story? When I saw Marvel’s Avengers with my dad, way back in 2012, when I was thirteen years old, I knew nothing about superheroes, only that most of the popular ones were male. Then I saw Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johansson) and looked up at my dad and said, “she’s a girl.”

Ever since then, my love of superheroes blossomed, but it always started with me seeing someone like me on the big screen. While I personally believe Black Widow should have happened sooner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s no denying that Johansson delivers a stellar final performance playing the role that made me love Marvel in the first place.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman)

Let’s talk about another female superhero – one I did know way back when, Wonder Woman, and how Gal Gadot is literally the perfect person to play the iconic role, both in Wonder Woman and its sequel. She had the beauty of the famous character, but was able to bring a fierceness I had never seen, a bravery that made me want to go out and be as strong as her. I’ll always be upset that the chances of her continuing to play her are low now, but I enjoyed her as the hero for the time that we got her.

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Uma Thurman (Kill Bill Vol. 1 And 2)

God, do I love a vengeful woman. There’s something about watching a girl be a complete badass and take down her enemies that I adore, and both Kill Bill movies, starring Uma Thurman, are just that. While she has been in plenty of other amazing films, her as the Bride was utter perfection and I would, hands down, dress up as her for Halloween if I could. Definitely one of Quentin Tarantino’s best – and yes, I still want to see a sequel years later.

(Image credit: Twentieth Century Fox)

Sigourney Weaver (Alien)

An icon among icons; you can’t have a list like this and not bring up Sigourney Weaver. Famous for her role in the sci-fi horror film, Alien, she is the blueprint for badass female action stars. Ellen Ripley is an iconic character in every shape and form, but she could only become as historic as she is now thanks to Weaver’s portrayal. She was even nominated for an Academy Award for her performance.

(Image credit: Disney)

Angelina Jolie (Maleficent)

Disney villains sometimes get a bad rap, but let me tell you, I never thought I would feel bad for Maleficent, who seemed to be the pure portrayal of evil in Sleeping Beauty – that was until the live-action Maleficent, where she was portrayed by Angelina Jolie.

I swear, anything Jolie touches ends up turning to gold, but her as Maleficent did something to me. She was able to still accurately portray that viciousness that made her such a good villain in the first place, but add so much heart to the character I never thought possible, including a backstory that truly shook me. In terms of live-action Disney villain movies, you can’t get better than this.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Sandra Bullock (Gravity)

Fun fact – Gravity is one of the only films in my life that I ever felt sort of sick while watching – because who wants to imagine spinning around in space for hours. But that doesn’t mean Sandra Bullock’s performance wasn’t amazing. Featuring the story of astronauts who are stranded in space after their shuttle is destroyed, Bullock truly shows what terror is like with her performance, and made me quite scared of space. She even got an Academy Award nomination for it.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Carrie Fisher (The Star Wars Movies)

While we can talk about iconic Star Wars characters like Luke Skywalker or Han Solo, let’s be honest – they wouldn’t have gotten anywhere without Princess Leia, played by Carrie Fisher. Featuring an iconic performance in all three original films, as well as the sequels later on, Carrie Fisher made young girls want to travel the galaxy and be just as brave as her, as she did for me. While Natalie Portman and Daisy Ridley also brought us iconic characters like Padme and Rey, there’s no one quite like Leia.

(Image credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution)

Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman)

Julia Roberts is a queen of rom-coms and has truly helped create some of the best movies, and one of my favorites from her is Pretty Woman. An iconic film about a sex worker getting to live a life of luxury after being hired and falling in love with a rich man, Roberts gave the performance of a lifetime and made us all believe in love – also receiving several nominations and awards for her performance in the film.

(Image credit: Dimension Films)

Neve Campbell (Scream)

Scream is probably one of the most iconic horror franchises of all time and certainly one of the best horror movies ever, but what is Scream without its final girl, Sidney Prescott? Portrayed by Neve Campbell, the actress brought the character to life for five Scream films before ultimately not coming back to the role for Scream VI. However, she became many people's favorite final girl with how she always made it out alive – with a gun in her hands.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Meryl Streep And Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia!)

Last but not least, we need to talk about Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried, both of whom are just amazing in Mamma Mia! Admittedly one of my favorite movies, these two actresses perfectly capture the relationship between a mother and daughter, while also having their own compelling storylines of finding love on a remote Greek island. You really can’t get better than them.

These are just few performances from blockbuster movies that are led by women, and I’m sure there are some I'm missing, but if you choose to watch any of these films for any reason, you won’t be wasting your time. Every single one of them is absolutely amazing.

Red, White And Royal Blue Movie: Release Date, Trailer, And Other Things We Know

Alexandra Ramos — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 09:04:52 +0000

Are you ready for another amazing romantic comedy movie? Because I am.

Yes, we live in an age where romantic comedies and just normal romance films continue to be loved. From legendary films such as Crazy Rich Asians to some newer ones that have caused controversy, like Purple Hearts, romance films remain popular among those who just love love. And now, Red, White & Royal Blue is only going to add onto that list – as well as the best LGBTQ+ love stories.

The book – which features an enemies-to-lovers story centered on the first son of the U.S. and the prince of England – has been incredibly popular since its release in 2019, and is finally getting the adaptation that it deserves. Now, we are here to let you know what we know so far about the upcoming film adaptation, including the release date, the cast and more.

What Is The Red, White And Royal Blue Release Date?

(Image credit: Amazon Prime)

Get ready, romantic-comedy fans, because Red, White and Royal Blue releasing on August 11, 2023 as part of the 2023 movie release schedule. The film is set to drop on Amazon Prime that day, so thankfully, we won’t need to wait much longer. This just makes me even more excited for the summer to come. Bring on the love story.

Watch The Trailer For Red, White And Royal Blue

(Image credit: Amazon Prime)

After a long wait, we have finally received a trailer for Red, White and Royal Blue, showing our two main stars in several scenarios and starting off on this wacky adventure filled with comedy and romance. Check it out below:

Taylor Zakhar Perez And Nicholas Galitzine Will Play Alex And Henry

(Image credit: Amazon Prime)

With a story like Red, White & Royal Blue, there is going to be a big cast featuring several stars, but we can’t have a film without the two romantic leads, and thankfully, we know who those are. According to Deadline, both Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine are going to be taking on the lead roles in the romance adaptation, playing Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry respectively.

These two actors have done plenty in Hollywood prior to their roles in this film. With Perez, you might recognize him from his role in both The Kissing Booth 2 and The Kissing Booth 3 cast, where he was a keen source of drama for those two undeniably popular Netflix films. For Galitzine, this isn’t the first time he’s been in a prince outfit – he actually portrayed the prince in the 2021 Amazon adaptation of Cinderella, one of the many adaptations of the classic fairytale. Galitzine also appeared in the 2022 film Purple Hearts, a romance film on Netflix, but now, he’s heading to rom-com territory. And I can’t wait to see what else these two bring to the roles.

In Deadline's article, the author of the novel, Casey McQuiston, spoke about their excitement for the upcoming film and the casting. To be honest, I am also here for this because I simply can’t wait until I get to see Alex and Henry on screen.

Uma Thurman, Sharon D. Clarke, Thomas Flynn, And More Will Also Star

(Image credit: Amazon Prime)

While we do have the two actors that are set to lead Red, White & Royal Blue, we also have several other stars that are set to appear in the adaptation, and boy, is it a cast list. According to Variety, Uma Thurman, Sharon D. Clarke, Thomas Flynn and more are among the cast of Red, White & Royal Blue.

Several other cast members have been confirmed to join the movie, including Clifton Collins Jr., Stephen Fry, Sarah Shahi, Rachel Hilson, Ellie Bamber, Aneesh Sheth, Polo Morin, Ahmed Elhaj, and Akshay Khanna.

Not much is known about many of their roles in the film, however, we do know Thurman’s role, as she is set to play the U.S. President (and the mother of Alex). Mark me down as excited to see Thurman and Perez act together.

The Movie Is Based On A Book By Casey McQuiston

(Image credit: Amazon Prime)

For those who don’t know about Red, White & Royal Blue, the book was written by Casey McQuiston, and is a rom-com about two opposing political forces that end up falling for each other.

The story follows Alex, the first son of the United States, and Henry, a prince within the U.K. royal family. When the two spark controversy over an altercation that finds its way into the tabloids, relations between America and the United Kingdom take a turn for the worse. In order to solve it, Henry and Alex form a fake friendship that slowly starts to turn into something deeper – and gets even more complicated when politics get involved and could potentially ruin Alex's mother’s re-election campaign.

The Film Will Be Like A “30s Or 40s Screwball Comedy”

(Image credit: Amazon Prime)

If you’re as excited for this film as I am and can’t wait to laugh, you’re going to love what was said about it. Sarah Shahi, one of the stars of the film, talked to SlashFilm ahead of her role in Black Adam, and said that the upcoming adaptation of Red, White and Royal Blue feels like movies from the ‘30s and ‘40s, almost like a screwball comedy.

It was fun and it was different. Stylistically, the movie is going to feel like some of the old movies from the '30s and '40s, like a Howard Hawks, like a Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, that kind of screwball comedy. So yeah, it was just amazing. It was all in London and it was almost like a paid vacation.

That makes me even more excited considering we haven’t had a good comedy, screwball film like that in a while – and considering the book is sweet and funny, I can’t wait to see how that translates to the big screen – or, rather, small TV screen for streaming.

Matthew Lopez Directed And Wrote The Adaptation

(Image credit: Amazon Prime)

If you were wondering who was taking on the directing and writing role for Red, White & Royal Blue, that would be Matthew Lopez. If you’re not too familiar with his work in terms of movies and television, that’s not surprising, as Lopez has spent a good amount of his career writing plays. He wrote the film alongside Ted Malawer.

His most notable work has been writing The Inheritance, a play that has won several awards, but he’s also worked on The Whipping Man, Somewhere, The Legend of Georgina McBride and more.

Lopez has also had some experience in the world of television, where he wrote for several episodes of the HBO original series, The Newsroom. Red, White & Royal Blue is going to be his feature directorial debut, as well as his feature film writing debut.

Filming Has Wrapped

A post shared by Nicholas Galitzine (@nicholasgalitzine)
A photo posted by on

According to a TikTok post from Galitzine and Perez, the film wrapped in August of 2022, proudly saying “that’s a wrap!” And you can see Nicholas Galitzine's Instagram post celebrating the end of production above. With an August 2023 release date for the film, we hopefully won’t have to wait much longer to see a trailer.

Red, White & Royal Blue is coming and I don’t think any of us are prepared for what we are about to receive. There have been plenty of queer romances that we have come to love, such as Heartstopper on Netflix, but move over – we have a new LGBTQ romance that we are obsessing over and I am counting down the days until we get to watch this adaptation.

NC-17 Movies With Famous Actors (And How To Watch Them)

Philip Sledge — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 14:58:13 +0000

As far as ratings go, at least those handed out by the Motion Picture Association, there is nothing more extreme these days than NC-17. That means no one under the age of 18 can be admitted to a movie with this rating for a multitude of reasons.

Some directors, producers, and studios will re-cut their films to get an R-rating, but there are plenty of NC-17 movies that have been left unedited and sent out into the wild as is, which has resulted in limited releases of some of the most notorious movies of all time. Find out why these films were branded this way, as well as how you can watch them if you are curious, in the following list.

(Image credit: Universal)

Henry & June (1990) - Fred Ward, Uma Thurman

What better way to start than with the very first movie to earn the NC-17 rating – according to SlashFilm – Henry & June. Director Philip Kaufman’s adaptation of Anaïs Nin’s memoir focuses on a love triangle between novelist Henry Miller (Fred Ward), his wife, June (Uma Thurman), and the French-American author (portrayed by Thurman’s future fellow Pulp Fiction cast member, Maria de Medeiros) in 1930s Paris. Despite its controversially explicit sexual content, the drama was a mild critical and commercial success and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography.

Buy Henry & June on Blu-ray on Amazon.

(Image credit: LD Entertainment)

Killer Joe (2012) - Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple

Directed by the late William Friedkin and written by 2019’s Little Women cast member Tracy Letts (also based on his stage play), Killer Joe stars Emile Hirsch as an indebted young man who hatches a plan to have his mother (played by Gina Gershon) killed to collect insurance money. Matthew McConaughey gives one of his most underrated performances as the titular hitman he hires, whose fee is so high that he agrees to let his teenage sister (Juno Temple) be treated as collateral.

According to Deadline, the shamelessly twisted crime thriller was released with an NC-17 rating after Friedkin and distributor LD Entertainment opted not to change its ending. While an R-rated version of the film was later made available for home viewing, those interested in seeing it in its original form could also seek out the unrated director’s cut of Killer Joe instead.

Rent or buy Killer Joe on Amazon.
Buy Killer Joe on Blu-ray on Amazon.

(Image credit: Antidote Films)

Mysterious Skin (2004) - Joseph Gordon-Levitt

One of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s best movies from earlier in his career is Mysterious Skin, in which he plays a gay teen making a living as a sex worker who recalls a disturbing encounter from his childhood through narration. Meanwhile, another teen, played by Brady Corbet, struggles to figure out the truth behind a blackout he suffered when he was younger, leading the two men to cross paths unexpectedly.

Writer and director Gregg Araki is notorious for including pervasive sexual content in his films, but the NC-17 rating for Mysterious Skin – also starring Elisabeth Shue and Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast member Michelle Trachtenberg – was largely determined by its graphic depiction of pedophilia. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the challenging subject matter sparked controversy when the Australian Family Association feared child predators could use the film as a grooming tool or for their own gratification.

Rent or buy Mysterious Skin on Amazon.
Buy Mysterious Skin on Blu-ray on Amazon.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1989) - Antonio Banderas

In one of his many racy collaborations with writer and director Pedro Almodóvar, Antonio Banderas stars in Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! as Ricky, who is released from a mental hospital with the intent of finding love. So, he tracks down a former adult film star, played by Victoria Abril, whom he once shared an intimate encounter with and takes her prisoner in hopes he can convince her to be his wife.

According to Gwyne Edwards’ 2001 book Almodóvar: Labyrinths of Passion, the controversial subject matter of Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! was instrumental in the creation of the NC-17 rating itself. Thus, the MPA branded it as such in 1990 for a “scene of strong adult sensuality with nudity,” according to FilmRatings.com.

Stream Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! on Max.
Rent or buy Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! on Amazon.
Buy Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! on Blu-ray Amazon.

(Image credit: Netflix)

Blonde (2022) - Ana de Armas

Based on the book by Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde is director Andrew Dominik’s in-depth and fictionalized look at the tragically short life of Norma Jeane Baker, better known as Marilyn Monroe. Ana de Armas disappears into the role of one of Hollywood’s most iconic figures, portraying a side of the actress and model that was long kept hidden from the public.

Dominik once said that he anticipated his nearly three-hour biopic would be rated NC-17 before the MPA made it official in June 2022, citing “some sexual content” as the reasoning. The film’s more hardcore scenes would inspire some strong reactions from both critics and audiences since it was made available to stream in 2022.

Stream Blonde on Netflix.

(Image credit: Alliance Communications)

Crash (1996) - James Spader, Holly Hunter

Not to be confused with director Paul Haggis’ Best Picture Oscar winner from 2005, Crash is one of the more bizarre and inventive movies directed by David Cronenberg (which is really saying something). Based on the novel by J.G. Ballard, it stars James Spader as a TV producer who becomes seduced into an unusual and dangerous obsession with car wrecks and the intense, sexually stimulating effect they seem to have on him and others, including his mistress (played by Holly Hunter).

Just from learning the plot, it seems pretty clear why a movie like Crash would have been given the NC-17 rating and why it inspired controversy so pervasive that it was chronicled in a 2001 book called The Crash Controversy: Censorship Campaigns and Film Reception. Nonetheless, it was still relatively well-received by critics, according to Rotten Tomatoes, and earned Cronenberg a Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, despite vehement opposition from the jury’s then-president, Francis Ford Coppola.

Buy Crash on DVD on Amazon.

(Image credit: City Lights Pictures)

Descent (2007) - Rosario Dawson

Not to be confused with the Scottish 2005 horror movie THE Descent, this film sees Rosario Dawson giving her most provocative and extreme performance since she broke out in another controversial classic, Kids. This time, she plays a woman who undergoes a dramatic and violent change of character after she is assaulted by a man she meets at a fraternity party.

This brutal and upsetting revenge drama was actually released with two alternative cuts: one rated NC-17 and an R-rated edit that omits seven minutes of footage. Still, both versions contain brutal rape, language, some sexual content and drug use.

Buy Descent on DVD on Amazon.

(Image credit: Umbrella Entertainment)

Showgirls (1995) - Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan

Perhaps the most infamous movie on this list, Paul Verhoeven’s 1995 erotic cult classic, Showgirls, stars a post-Save by the Bell Elizabeth Berkley as a young drifter named Nomi Malone. As she hitchhikes to Las Vegas with dreams of becoming a famous dancer on the Strip, she has some ups and downs on her journey, but finally makes her dreams come true, at a price…

According to the MPA, Showgirls was given its NC-17 rating due to the amount of nudity and erotic sexuality throughout the movie, as well as graphic language and sexual violence. If you’ve seen the movie (and not the VH1 version with digitized bras), you’re well aware of the film’s graphic nature.

Stream Showgirls on Tubi.
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Buy Showgirls on Blu-ray on Amazon.

(Image credit: Momentum Pictures)

Shame (2011) - Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan

Released in 2011, Steve McQueen’s psychological drama, Shame, stars Michael Fassbender as Brandon Sullivan – a successful and dashing executive who is secretly a traumatized sex addict who will do anything and everything to get his kicks in New York City. Just when he thinks life can’t get any worse, his equally damaged sister (Carey Mulligan) storms into his life, causing more complications.

Upon release, Shame was given an NC-17 rating by the MPA for explicit sexual content as well as some truly troubling scenes. I’ve walked out of several movies before, but this was the first I exited simply because what was happening on the screen was way too real and unnerving to finish.

Rent or buy Shame on Amazon.
Buy Shame on Blu-ray on Amazon.

(Image credit: Wild Bunch)

Blue Is The Warmest Color (2013) - Léa Seydoux

Abdellatif Kechiche’s 2013 French drama, Blue is the Warmest Color, stars Adèle Exarchopoulos as a high school student who experiences a sexual awakening after meeting an art school student and aspiring painter named Emma, played by James Bond movies actor, Léa Seydoux. Over the years, the two form a contentious and highly-emotional relationship that opens their eyes to a whole new world around them.

Though tamer than some of the other titles on this list, Blue is the Warmest Color was given an NC-17 rating because of the explicit sexual content the MPA felt was unsuitable for younger audiences. However, at least one theater allowed teens to watch the movie upon release.

Rent or buy Blue is the Warmest Color on Amazon.
Buy Blue is the Warmest Color on Blu-ray Amazon.

(Image credit: Aries Films)

Bad Lieutenant (1992) - Harvey Keitel

Abel Ferrara’s 1992 crime thriller Bad Lieutenant follows Harvey Keitel as a broken NYPD detective whose stress over his job, life, and gambling habits get the best of him. From one interaction to the next, the unnamed lieutenant falls deeper down the rabbit hole of depravity, committing some irredeemable crimes of his own along the way.

If there has ever been a movie deserving of an NC-17 rating it would have to be Bad Lieutenant. With an abundance of sexual violence, intense sexual situations, endless drug use, and extreme language throughout, it’s no wonder the MPA came down hard on the movie, which later inspired a sequel only in name, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Werner Herzog.

Stream Bad Lieutenant on Tubi.
Rent or buy Bad Lieutenant on Amazon.
Buy Bad Lieutenant on Blu-ray on Amazon.

(Image credit: October Films)

Orgazmo (1997) - Trey Parker, Matt Stone

Co-writer and director Trey Parker plays a normal Mormon missionary trying to find enough money to support and marry his longtime girlfriend. But when he stumbles upon a porn set, the once strait-laced and deeply devoted young man becomes the biggest thing going in the adult entertainment industry in Orgazmo.

It should come as no surprise that a movie written by the creators of South Park, and one centered on the porn industry, would receive an NC-17 rating from the MPA in 1998. It should come as even less of a surprise that the rating was handed down due to the sexual content and dialogue featured throughout.

Rent or buy Orgazmo on Amazon.
Buy Orgazmo on Blu-ray on Amazon.

(Image credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)

Bent (1997) - Clive Owen, Ian McKellen

After being discovered and arrested by the Gestapo in Nazi Germany, Max – a proud gay man played by Clive Owen – is sent on a perilous journey to the Dachau concentration camp where he is subjected to indescribable horrors while still being able to find love.

Possibly one of the most harrowing movies about the Holocaust, Sean Mathias’ 1997 drama Bent is absolutely heartbreaking and disturbing with its graphic displays of violence. Upon its release, the movie received an NC-17 rating from the MPA due to its graphic sexual nature.

Stream Bent on Peacock.
Stream Bent on Tubi.
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Rent or buy Bent on Amazon.
Buy Bent on Blu-ray Amazon.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Classics)

Matador (1986) - Antonio Banderas

In one of his most disturbing roles, Antonio Banderas plays Angel, a young student who confesses to an attempted rape and a series of murders he may or may not have committed, in Pedro Almodóvar’s 1986 dark comedy, Matador.

Just like some of the other movies featuring the director and actor, Matador pushed the limits with its dark, twisted, and oddly humorous story. Still, the MPA would later give the film an NC-17 rating in 2005 (nearly 20 years after initial release) due to “aberrant sexuality” and violence.

Rent or buy Matador on Amazon.
Buy Matador on DVD on Amazon.

(Image credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures)

The Dreamers (2003) - Eva Green, Michael Pitt

In the midst of the 1968 Student Riots in Paris, an American student named Matthew (played by Michael Pitt) finds himself getting caught up in the lives of formerly conjoined twins – Louis Garrel as Théo and Eva Green as Isabelle – whose relationship is far from normal. When asked to spend a month with the siblings, Matthew falls deeper into their wild and free-flowing lifestyle.

Bernardo Bertolucci’s 2003 erotic drama, The Dreamers, pushes several boundaries and deviates from societal norms to tell a story about young love in the midst of a chaotic time. With the extreme sexual content and nudity, it’s no surprise the MPA gave the movie an NC-17 rating upon release.

Buy The Dreamers on DVD on Amazon.

(Image credit: Fine Line Features)

A Dirty Shame (2004) - Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville

A John Waters movie receiving an NC-17 rating? You don’t say! The filthy filmmaker’s 2004 comedy, A Dirty Shame, follows Tracey Ullman as Sylvia Stickles– a puritanical resident of the Hatford Road area of Baltimore who experiences a sexual awakening after being hit by a car.

Selma Blair, Johnny Knoxville, and Chris Isaak also star in A Dirty Shame, which (no shocker here) was given the NC-17 rating by the MPA due to its pervasive sexual content. And if you’ve seen the movie, you are all too aware of just how pervasive and graphic it is.

Rent or buy A Dirty Shame on Amazon.
Buy A Dirty Shame on DVD on Amazon.

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Pink Flamingos (1972) - Divine

When Connie (Mink Stole) and Raymond Marble (David Lochary) attempt to steal Babs Johnson’s (Divine) title of “the filthiest person alive,” the down and dirty criminal and her family make it their mission in life to prevent the newcomers from accomplishing their mission by any means necessary.

With scenes featuring incest, people eating dog poop, flashers, and an infamously notorious scene involving a chicken, it shouldn’t shock anyone that John Waters’ classic exploitation comedy film, Pink Flamingos, was given an NC-17 rating by the MPA upon re-release in 1997, 25 years after it first shocked audiences around the world. Maybe that’s why Roger Ebert hated the movie.

Buy Pink Flamingos on Blu-ray on Amazon.

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

The Evil Dead (1981) - Bruce Campbell

Bruce Campbell stars in the film that kickstarted the Evil Dead franchise as Ash Williams who – along with his girlfriend and a small group of friends – set off for a night away in an isolated cabin. However, the night quickly takes a turn for the worst after they discover the Necronomicon – a powerful book that awakens possessive, malevolent spirits.

Sam Raimi’s classic horror film, The Evil Dead, was initially released with an X rating back in 1981 on account of its substantial graphic violence and gore. It was later given an NC-17 by the MPA when the movie was re-released back in 1994.

Rent or buy The Evil Dead on Amazon.
Buy The Evil Dead on Blu-ray on Amazon.

(Image credit: Kino Lorber)

BONUS: Elles (2011) - Juliette Binoche

The title of Elles refers to the French magazine, Elle, for which Juliette Binoche’s character is researching an article about an underground sex worker ring orchestrated by female college students in Paris. However, the closer she gets to the facts behind the story, the more she begins to question her own personal interests. Graphic sexual content that goes as far as urinary fetishes initially earned this drama from Polish filmmaker Malgoska Szumowska an NC-17 rating.

Buy Elles on Blu-ray on Amazon.

(Image credit: Good Machine)

BONUS: Happiness (1998) - Philip Seymour Hoffman

The late Philip Seymour Hoffman plays one of several interconnected people all searching desperately for the most coveted emotion there is: happiness. Of course, their chosen ways of acquiring it are exactly the kind of reasons this Golden Globe nominee was initially given an NC-17 rating.

Also starring the likes of Trick ‘r Treat’s Dylan Baker, Twin Peaks cast member Lara Flynn Boyle, and SNL’s Jon Lovitz, Happiness is one of the darkest comedies of its time. However, that does not mean so much when you learn it comes from writer and director Todd Solondz.

Buy Happiness on DVD on Amazon.

Elles and Happiness are some of a few notable examples of films that surrendered their NC-17 ratings upon release and are now deemed “unrated,” such as the aforementioned Kids. However, they are just as challenging and provocative as any of the films listed above, which is why we’ll still count them as NC-17 in our book.

Check Out Pulp Fiction’s Samuel L. Jackson And Uma Thurman Reuniting Backstage At Broadway Production

Adam Holmes — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 00:40:11 +0000

In 1994, two years after Quentin Tarantino made his filmmaking debut with Reservoir Dogs, the writer/director delivered an even bigger hit to the masses with Pulp Fiction. Among the movie’s starring actors were Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman, who respectively played Jules Winnfield and Mia Wallace. Nearly three decades after Pulp Fiction’s release, these two actors recently reunited with each other backstage at a Broadway production.

Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman met up with one another at the Broadway revival of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, which is currently in previews showings at the Barrymore Theatre. Jackson is starring in the play alongside John David Washington and Danielle Brooks, and Jackson’s wife, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, is directing. Naturally this reunion didn’t go unnoticed by people nearby, so check out the photo that was snapped of the two actors hanging out on a staircase backstage.

(Image credit: (Photo by Noam Galai/WireImage))

This reunion follows over half a year after Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman presented the Best Actor Oscar at the 94th Academy Awards together with John Travolta, who played Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction. While it’s nice to see Jackson and Thurman paired together again, it is worth noting that the two of them never shared any actual screen time together in Quentin Tarantino’s sophomore film outing. They were strictly tied together through Vincent Vega, who was tasked by his and Jules’ boss, Ving Rhames’ Marsellus Wallace, to look after his wife while he was away.

Whether or not you agree that Pulp Fiction ranks high among Quentin Tarantino’s movies, if not belongs at the top of the list, there’s no question that the 1994 flick is one of the standouts on Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman’s respective resumes. This wouldn’t be the last time either of them worked with Tarantino too. Thurman memorably played The Bride in the Kill Bill movies (which she found gratifying), and Samuel L. Jackson appeared in Jackie Brown, Kill Bill: Volume 2, Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight, as well as narrated Inglorious Basterds.

For those of you who were jazzed about seeing Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman together in the real world, good news, it’ll be happening on screen in the near future! The actors are appearing in the upcoming movie The Kill Room, which also stars Stranger Things’ Maya Hawke, Thurman’s daughter with Ethan Hawke. Nicol Paone directed the feature and Jonathan Jacobson wrote the script, but there’s no word yet on when The Kill Room will specifically be released.

If you’re now in the mood to watch Pulp Fiction, you can stream it with an HBO Max subscription. Disney+ subscribers can stream Uma Thurman’s latest film appearance, Hollywood Stargirl, and Samuel L. Jackson can be heard voicing Jimbo in Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank. As for Quentin Tarantino, he hasn’t revealed yet what his 10th and final movie will be about, although the filmmaker did rule out it covering his own life.

Netflix's The Old Guard 2 Has Recruited Two Major Action Stars To Join Charlize Theron

Adam Holmes — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 18:16:03 +0000

Among the many ways Charlize Theron has shined over the years has been acting in action-related movies, and she won’t stop doing this anytime soon. In addition to continuing her run in the Fast & Furious universe as Cipher for Fast X, as well as likely being part of yet-to-be-officially-announced Doctor Strange 3 thanks to her debut as Clea in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Theron is also set to reprise the immortal warrior Andy in the The Old Guard 2. While knew about some of the familiar faces who would return alongside Theron in the Netflix sequel, it’s been revealed that two major action stars have been added to the cast.

Netflix has announced that Uma Thurman and Henry Golding have been brought aboard for The Old Guard 2. Sadly, no details were revealed about either of their roles, so Netflix subscribers will have to keep waiting to learn how they fit into the sequel’s picture. This will be both Thurman’s first time starring in a Netflix original movie, although does already have ties established with the streaming service through the series Chambers, which aired for one season back in April 2019. Golding’s first Netflix movie is Persuasion, which will be released on the platform next month.

As far as their action bonafides go, Uma Thurman is arguably best known within the genre for playing The Bride in the Kill Bill movies, and her other notable credits in this entertainment space include Batman & Robin, The Avengers (the 1998 one based off the British TV series, not the Marvel movie), Paycheck and My Super Ex-Girlfriend. In Henry Golding’s case, he made his action debut last year playing Snakes Eyes in the same-named G.I. Joe spinoff. Thurman most recently starred in the Disney+ movie Hollywood Stargirl, and along with Persuasion, Golding is attached to Downtown Owl and a film adaptation of The Tiger’s Apprentice.

Uma Thurman, Henry Golding and Charlize Theron will be joined in The Old Guard 2 by KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Veronica Ngo and Chiwetel Ejiofor, all of whom are reprising their roles from the first movie. The Old Guard, adapted from the same-named comic book series, followed a group of immortal mercenaries who discover a new member of their kind and set out on a revenge mission. 78 million households checked out the movie during its first four weeks of availability.

Talk of potentially making The Old Guard 2 started shortly after the first movie came out, and it was reported in January 2021 that the sequel would indeed move forward, although it didn’t end up hitting the early 2022 film start date that Charlize Theron mentioned was being eyed the following July. Victoria Mahoney has inherited helming duties for the sequel from Gina Prince-Bythewood, who didn’t return for The Old Guard 2 because the success of its predecessor led to her taking other work opportunities. Just like with The Old Guard, Greg Rucka, who wrote the original comic book series that was illustrated by Leandro Fernandez, penned the sequel too.

While we wait for more news on The Old Guard 2, including when it will begin filming, look through the many Netflix movies that are available to watch, and continue visiting CinemaBlend for more movie and TV news.

29 Actresses In Truly Iconic '90s Movie Roles

Alexandra Ramos — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 20:04:12 +0000

When it comes to the '90s, there are so many iconic movies that I’m sure every single one of you has seen reading this article. But with these iconic movies comes iconic film roles, and these actresses were some of the best in the business. Here are several actresses with some truly iconic film roles in '90s movies.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Kate Winslet (Titanic)

Considering Titanic was once the biggest film in the world, it’s not surprising the first pick here is Kate Winslet, who played Rose DeWitt Bukater. It’s certainly one of Winslet’s best films so far, and put her on the fast track to become the famous actor she is today.

(Image credit: New Line Cinema)

Gwyneth Paltrow (Se7en)

While Gwyneth Paltrow known amazingly well now from her variety of film performances, her role of Tracy Mills in Se7en is certainly an iconic one, with her character playing an essential role throughout the story. It wasn’t that long after she would star in Shakespeare in Love and win an Academy Award for her acting.

(Image credit: TriStar Pictures)

Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct)

Yes, this is Sharon Stone from that controversial scene in Basic Instinct. But no one can deny that her performance in this film was great, and she acted her butt off in this erotic thriller. Every single scene she was in, she stole the show.

(Image credit: Orion Pictures)

Jodie Foster (The Silence Of The Lambs)

The '90s were filled to the brim with iconic horror films like The Silence of the Lambs, and was only the third film in history to win the Big Five at the Academy Awards - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actress and Best Actor. Best Actress went to Jodie Foster for her amazing portrayal of Clarice Starling.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Sandra Bullock (Speed)

While Sandra Bullock is currently busy in 2022 with her film, The Lost City, one of her first big roles ever was starring alongside Keanu Reeves in the action film, Speed, portraying Annie Porter, the main love interest of the film and a total badass.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Winona Ryder (Edward Scissorhands)

This is definitely one of Winona Ryder’s best movies. Playing Kim Boggs in Edward Scissorhands, Ryder perfectly captured what true kindness is meant to look like, and her love story with Edward is one for the history books that anyone would adore to witness.

(Image credit: Miramax Films )

Rachel Leigh Cook (She’s All That)

While the reboot, He’s All That, made plenty of references to the original film, She’s All That just can’t be beaten, and that includes Rachel Leigh Cook’s iconic performance as Laney Boggs. I mean, who could forget that memorable “Kiss Me” scene? It’s the epitome of teen movie makeovers. You have to love it.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Meryl Streep (The Bridges Of Madison County)

Meryl Streep has been around for many years in the movie industry and has some amazing films under her belt. And while she did plenty of movies in the '90s, my personal favorite performance of hers was in The Bridges of Madison County, where she played Francesca Johnson, a married mother who has a steamy four-day love affair with a photojournalist. Her chemistry with Clint Eastwood is second to none.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Meg Ryan (Sleepless In Seattle, You’ve Got Mail)

A legendary queen of romantic comedies, you could not stop Meg Ryan in the '90s. Not only was she in two iconic roles in romantic comedies, Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, both of those films were alongside Tom Hanks and showed just how amazing their chemistry is.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Demi Moore (Ghost)

That damn pottery scene has been recreated by so many people - I mean, even Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart recreated it! - but no one can quite beat Demi Moore's performance. She shined in her leading role of Molly Jensen alongside Patrick Swayze. I think all of us have wished at least once we were in her shoes.

(Image credit: Columbia Pictures)

Sarah Michelle Gellar (I Know What You Did Last Summer)

While plenty of folks know Sarah Michelle Gellar for her portrayal of Buffy in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gellar starred in another horror hit that same year portraying Helen Shivers in I Know What You Did Last Summer, giving a masterclass in chase scenes in horror movies.

(Image credit: Touchstone Pictures)

Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act, Ghost)

Whoopi Goldberg is certainly an iconic name that I am sure you’ve heard of plenty of times before, and she had not one but two iconic roles in the '90s. To me, my favorite is her lead role in Sister Act, starring as Deloris Van Cartier and bringing some soul into religion, but I can’t not mention her Academy Award-nominated performance as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost.

(Image credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution)

Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman)

It’s one of Julia Roberts' best movies. Pretty Woman has some pretty iconic scenes, but none of them could have been accomplished if not for the charming performance that Roberts delivered as Vivian. I’m pretty sure every time I’ve watched that movie, all I want is to be in that bathtub. That looks so damn nice.

(Image credit: Dimension Films)

Drew Barrymore (Scream)

Drew Barrymore was only in the first twelve minutes of the first Scream movie, and yet her scene has become iconic in every sense of the word. You go up to a horror movie fan and ask “do you like scary movies?” and they’ll know exactly what film its from as well as what scene - and Drew Barrymore is the star of it.

(Image credit: Dimension Films)

Neve Campbell (Scream)

Even if Drew Barrymore was the star of the first twelve minutes, it was Neve Campbell that became the star of the Scream franchise, reprising her role in every single new film since, showing just how badass she is as the ultimate final girl.

(Image credit: Youtube)

Reese Witherspoon (Cruel Intentions)

Witherspoon has been in many movies and some great TV shows, but back in the '90s, she was still just starting out, and Cruel Intentions was a breakthrough role for her. She played Annette Hargrove, a young woman who was the target of the two main characters of the film. In this '90s movie, she showed just how talented she is at acting.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Alicia Silverstone (Clueless)

Ugh, as if! Alicia Silverstone truly stole the screen when she played Cher in Clueless, a story about a teenage girl who ends up befriending a new student and decides to give her a makeover. I mean, those outfits alone are definitely iconic enough for her to be on this list.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Laura Dern (Jurassic Park)

Raise your hand if you’re excited to see Laura Dern back in Jurassic World: Dominion. *Raises hand* Regardless, Laura Dern in the original Jurassic Park was freaking amazing, and Dr. Ellie Sattler was a badass that I looked up to, and I can’t wait to see what she’s been up to after all these years.

(Image credit: Disney)

Julia Stiles (10 Things I Hate About You)

Ugh, 10 Things I Hate About You is one of my favorites, and it’s legit because of the chemistry that Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger have in this film. They are my all-time favorite romantic couple and Julia Stiles rocks it as Kat.

(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Halle Berry (Jungle Fever)

While Halle Berry has been in plenty of badass roles over the last two decades, there was a time where she was just getting started in Hollywood. One of the first films that she had a supporting role in was Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever, where she played Vivian. While she's gone on to play more prominent roles since then, it was one of the movies that broke her out onto the scene and paved the way for bigger things down the line, like X-Men and Monster’s Ball.

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

Natalie Portman (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace)

Padme Amidala, known as the Queen/Senator of Naboo and Anakin Skywalker's lover (later wife) was a Star Wars character that made her debut in 1999, and was a badass in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Natalie Portman portrayed the legendary Star Wars character for the prequel trilogy, and inspired young girls everywhere - but we don’t need to talk about how her character ends in Revenge of the Sith.

(Image credit: Miramax Films)

Uma Thurman (Pulp Fiction)

While my personal all-time favorite Uma Thurman performance is her role in Kill Bill, one of her biggest roles prior to this was portraying Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction, earning her a nomination at the Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor. I mean, she was the literal character featured on the poster for this film, and honestly, I can see why. She has such star appeal. She has plenty of great performances but this is one of her best.

(Image credit: DreamWorks Pictures)

Mena Suvari (American Beauty)

This 1999 film, American Beauty, told a captivating story about a man having a midlife crisis, but the main star to me of this was Mena Suvari as Angela Hayes, the object of affection for the main character, Lester Burnham. Even if the film didn’t age too well, I think we call agree Suvari was phenomenal in it.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Robin Wright (Forrest Gump)

If you’re not saying “Jenny” by the end of Forrest Gump in a Southern drawl, I don’t think we were watching the same film. This Academy Award-winning film starring Tom Hanks told the story of Forrest Gump and his legendary life, often times where he would think of his young love, Jenny, played by Robin Wright. Their love story is a tumultuous one, but a memorable one as well.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Kirsten Dunst (Interview With The Vampire)

Kirsten Dunst in Interview with the Vampire is iconic for many reasons, showing how amazingly talented she was as an actress at the tender age of eleven. She later went on to star in films like Bring it On and Spider-Man, but no one can quite forget her character, Claudia.

(Image credit: Sony Pictures Releasing )

Salma Hayek (Desperado)

Salma Hayek has been in many different kinds of films, such as being a part of the Grown Ups cast or starring in The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, but Desperado was one of the early films that made her the star she is today. Starring alongside Antonio Banderas as Carolina, Hayek was badass and her character was just as amazing. It’s definitely one of her best movies, and I would watch another film with both her and Banderas.

(Image credit: Buena Vista Pictures)

Angela Bassett (What’s Love Got To Do With It, Waiting To Exhale)

Angela Bassett is a master-class actress, and has shown just how amazingly talented she is in any role. I mean, there are so many movie parts that she should have been nominated for an Oscar, However, one of her most iconic roles from the '90s did indeed earn her nominations - her portrayal of Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do with It. And another great role for Bassett in the '90s was Bernadine Harris in Waiting to Exhale. Both of these movies were great showcases of her acting prowess.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Whitney Houston (The Bodyguard)

“And I will always love you.”

You know the song, I know you do. It’s one of the most iconic songs of all time and has been performed by so many people. Even though it was originally written by Dolly Parton, Whitney Houston sang this iconic song for the soundtrack for The Bodyguard, where she played Rachel Marron, a famous singer who falls for the bodyguard tasked with protecting her.

(Image credit: MGM)

Michelle Yeoh (Tomorrow Never Dies)

Last but not least, we have Michelle Yeoh in Tomorrow Never Dies. While she’s been in plenty of amazing movies such as Crazy Rich Asians and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, one of my personal favorites of hers is her role as Wai Lin, a Chinese spy and an ally to James Bond.

Yeoh is a bloody badass. This James Bond alum truly defined the term “kick ass and take names” because she was one of the best Bond girls ever, in my opinion. I would gladly see her return to the franchise alongside Pierce Brosnan, but I don’t think that’ll happen anytime soon, so I’ll just re-watch this movie over and over.

There are truly so many other iconic roles, but these are some of the best that you should check out again next time you want to watch a great movie. Now, if you don’t mind me, I’m going to re-watch Jurassic Park again before the latest sequel.

10 Actresses I Didn't Realize Were Total Badasses Until They Took An Action Role

Alexandra Ramos — Tue, 15 Mar 2022 22:04:24 +0000

There are some actresses out there that are so good at what they do, they often stick to those roles for their career. A great example is Meryl Streep, a queen of dramas (and sometimes hilarious comedies). But other times, actresses who started off in one or two genres, like comedies or dramas or others, take on an action role.

And it’s then that you realize just how amazingly badass they are.

From some Marvel superheroes that have become icons for all to gunslingers in zombie worlds, these are ten actresses that have proved they are just as badass at kicking butt as they are acting in general.

(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Angelina Jolie (Lara Croft: Tomb Raider)

At this point Angelina Jolie is known for taking roles in all kinds of genres these days, but it wasn’t until Lara Croft: Tomb Raider that she cemented herself as an action star. Prior to her taking this role, she had appeared in films like Lookin’ to Get Out (alongside her father), Hackers, and even won an Academy Award for Girl, Interrupted - none of which were action roles.

But as soon as she portrayed the famous video game icon, Lara Croft, in the 2001 adaptation, she showed just how badass she could be. And after that, she went on to be in other badass roles too, including Mr. And Mrs. Smith, and most recently, was a part of the Eternals cast. Thank goodness she ended up taking the role.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Uma Thurman (Kill Bill)

Uma Thurman had a career long before both Kill Bill parts came out in the early 2000’s. Prior to that, she had appeared in the film, Dangerous Liaisons (a romantic drama) and Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (a black comedy crime movie). Besides that, she also made appearances in other films like Les Misérables, Batman & Robin and more.

But Kill Bill was the ultimate role for her. I mean, have you seen how badass this woman is here? I could re-watch that scene of her taking on the Crazy 88 every day and still not get sick of it. She’s skillful with a sword and will knock your ass out. Now, if Kill Bill 3 could happen, I could die happy.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox/Marvel)

Zoe Saldana (Avatar/Guardians Of The Galaxy)

Zoe Saldana, at this point in her career, is known for how badass she is, but at one point, she got her start in drama films like Center Stage, Crossroads, The Terminal and more. But then 2009 came along, and the mega-hit that was Avatar released to the world, alongside Saldana as Neytiri, a badass alien that had no qualms about taking her enemies down.

Saldana further pushed how badass she was by taking on the role of Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy, a space assassin and a role she would reprise several times in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Seeing as how she is set to both appear in Avatar 2 and Guards of the Galaxy 3, the next couple of years for Saldana are looking quite badass.

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox)

Halle Berry (X-Men)

Before she became a superhero, Halle Berry starred in several different kinds of projects, including the romantic comedy, Boomerang, the comedy Bulworth, and even the television film, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, which she won an Emmy for.

But in 2000, she took on the role of Storm, a mutant who can control the weather, in X-Men, and she would reprise it for several years afterwards. This in turn led to her appearance in many other badass roles - so much so that she directed her own badass film, Bruised, in 2021.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Scarlett Johansson (Iron Man 2)

I remember the first time I saw Black Widow in Iron Man 2, I turned to my dad and said “girls can be just as superpowered as boys!” And while he wholeheartedly agreed, it wasn’t until now, as an adult, that I realized just how much Black Widow, and Scarlett Johansson in general, impacted me as a child.

Scarlett Johansson had done so much prior to stepping into the role of Black Widow in Iron Man 2, and furthermore, in the MCU. She’s been in dramas like Girl with a Pearl Earring, The Prestige, Match Point, and so many more, but when she donned that classic Black Widow suit and kicked the asses of bad guys all around her, I wonder if she knew how many girls would aspire to love her and want to be just like her - a pure badass.

It’s because of Black Widow originally that I got into the MCU - and now, with the conclusion of her story in Black Widow, I can say she is one of the most iconic female superheroes ever.

(Image credit: Screen Gems)

Kate Beckinsale (Underworld)

Kate Beckinsale was primarily known for dramas prior to her badass role, appearing in Much Ado About Nothing, Cold Comfort, Emma, Pearl Harbor, and more, but in 2003, she decided to step into the badass world with Underworld.

She played Selene (based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name), who was a vampire-warrior and could freaking kick ass any day. While her movies weren't all super-well received by critics, there’s no denying that they’re a heck of a lot of fun, and opened many doors for Beckinsale to continue starring in action films after, like Total Recall and Van Helsing.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Charlize Theron freaking scares me in Mad Max: Fury Road - and I mean that in the best way.

I was so used to her in dramatic roles, such as The Italian Job, or North Country, and while Theron had experience with action films before this one, like in Hancock or Prometheus, this film was where she truly shined. There were so many great standouts in Mad Max: Fury Road, but Charlize as Imperator Furiosa was an amazing pick and I could watch her drive across a desert and beat men down anyway. While she isn’t going to be returning to the role for the Furiosa prequel, I can still look back and love her role here.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Emily Blunt (Edge Of Tomorrow)

I have to admit - when I first saw Emily Blunt in The Devil Wears Prada cast, I didn't pictured her as a badass. But Edge of Tomorrow changed that.

Blunt made her way in Hollywood through both dramatic and comedic roles, with some of her biggest being The Young Victoria, The Devil Wears Prada, The Adjustment Bureau and more. But in 2014, she starred in Edge of Tomorrow alongside Tom Cruise, and damn does she know how to shoot a gun. She’s badass in all the right ways and I will gladly watch her again if there’s ever a sequel.

(Image credit: Marvel Studios)

Brie Larson (Captain Marvel)

Captain Marvel (in my opinion) is the next Black Widow for the next generation of superhero loving girls, a badass figure to look up to that is so powerful. And she is portrayed by the lovely Brie Larson.

Prior to this role, though, Larson was not known for being an action star - in fact, she was quite the opposite. Some of her biggest roles were the comedy, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, 21 Jump Street and Room, a serious drama that she won an Academy Award for.

But in 2019, she entered into the MCU with Captain Marvel, becoming one of the most powerful Avengers there is - while also kicking some Skrull butts along the way. I for one can’t wait to see her in The Marvels soon enough.

(Image credit: Lionsgate/20th Century Fox)

Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games Series/X-Men)

Last but not least, we have Jennifer Lawrence. While Lawrence was still establishing herself as an actor before she appeared in these roles, action roles weren’t what got her famous originally. She appeared in films such as The Poker House, Winter’s Bone (which got her nominated for an Academy Award) and more, but 2011 and 2012 were game changers for her.

In 2011, she took on the role of Mystique, a shapeshifting mutant in the X-Men series, a role she reprised several times. In 2012, she starred as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games series, which made her a household name.

Seeing her both as a mutant as well as a heroic woman with just a bow and arrow cemented her spot in history as a badass, and I wish I could get to see her in more roles just like that - besides, don’t lie, you wanted to be Katniss’ bestie and storm the Capitol together, because I was that person too.

With so many amazing actresses, it’s no wonder most of them ended up going in the direction of action roles and freaking rocking them. Now I need to rewatch all of Black Widow’s appearances again - for research purposes. Where’s my remote?

Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber Cast: Where You've Seen The Showtime Series Stars

Jason Wiese — Mon, 28 Feb 2022 02:03:31 +0000

The world of pubic transportation has never been the same since the invention of ridesharing companies and one of the more - if not the most - recognizable of the bunch is Uber. However, even the most frequent users of the reliable service may not be aware of the ups and downs that it faced after becoming one of the most the valuable startups in the world, but the new miniseries Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber can fill you in.

Based on the book of the same name by Mike Isaac and co-developed by Brian Koppelman and David Levine, the Showtime original miniseries has employed an impressive rotation of A-list actors and A-plus talent to portray the people who were involved with the true story that inspired it. We have accepted your request to learn who plays who on the Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber cast, starting with the lead.

(Image credit: Showtime)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Travis Kalanick)

Playing Uber’s co-founder and ex-CEO, Travis Kalanick, is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who previously played real people in Oliver Stone’s Snowden, Robert Zemeckis’ The Walk, Netflix’s The Trial of the Chicago 7, Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln, and the fact-based dramedy 50/50. The 40-year-old also has been acting for decades, having started at a very young age before breaking out in movies like Disney’s Angels in the Outfield and TV shows like the sci-fi sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun as a teen.

The Emmy winner’s rebirth as a leading man (and longtime working relationship with Looper director Rian Johnson) began with the 2005 Neo-noir thriller Brick, leading to an impressively diverse filmography including romantic comedies like (500) Days of Summer, sci-fi blockbusters like Inception, and comic book movies like The Dark Knight Rises. Gordon-Levitt has also tried his hand at writing, directing, and producing - most recently the Apple TV+ series Mr. Corman, which he also stars on.

(Image credit: Showtime)

Kyle Chandler (Bill Gurley)

As Uber investor Bill Gurley, we have Kyle Chandler - who is always a delight on screen whether in a lead role (such as his Emmy-winning performance as Eric Taylor on the Friday Night Lights cast) or a supporting role (such as FBI agent Patrick Denham in The Wolf of Wall Street). After leading the supernatural mystery series Early Edition in the late 1990s, he eventually landed parts in blockbusters like Peter Jackson’s King Kong remake and acclaimed dramas like Ben Affleck’s Argo in 2012.

This streak of box office gold and Oscar gold only continued with appearances in Best Picture nominees like Carol and Manchester By the Sea or crowd-pleasers like the hilarious Game Night and action-packed Godzilla vs. Kong in 2020. Chandler’s last notable small screen ventures before Super Pumped were Netflix’s dark family drama Bloodline and Hulu’s lighter war satire Catch-22.

(Image credit: Showtime)

Uma Thurman (Arianna Huffington)

Better known as co-founder of The Huffington Post, Arianna Huffington also once served as a board member for Uber and is portrayed in Super Pumped by Uma Thurman. The former model’s transition into acting was met with modest success early on with acclaimed films like Dangerous Liaisons and 1991’s Robin Hood, but she really exploded in Hollywood for her Oscar-nominated performance on the Pulp Fiction cast in 1994.

After playing Poison Ivy in Batman & Robin and starring alongside one-time husband, Ethan Hawke, in Gattaca, Thurman reunited with Quentin Tarantino to lead the two-part revenge thriller Kill Bill. She has since made decidedly smaller, but nonetheless impressive, appearances in films and TV shows like 2010’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief as Medusa and the Apple TV+ series Suspicion, most recently.

(Image credit: Showtime)

Kerry Bishé (Austin Geidt)

Uber intern-turned-executive Austin Geidt is played by Kerry Bishé, who made her acting debut as “College Girl” in the drama The Lucky Ones in 2007 before appearing in the first Sex and the City movie as “Twenty-Something Girl Dreaming” the following year. In 2009, she joined the Scrubs cast and took over as narrator for the medical comedy’s final season.

The New Zealander has since risen to prominence on the big screen in movies like Kevin Smith’s 2011 horror satire Red State, Argo (alongside Super Pumped co-star Kyle Chandler), and the funny romantic crime thriller Happily with Joel McHale in 2021. Some of Bishé’s most notable small screen work includes a recurring role on Netflix’s Narcos, a starring role on Halt and Catch Fire (another fact-based series about the tech industry), and Showtime’s Penny Dreadful spin-off subtitled City of Angels in 2020.

(Image credit: Showtime)

Babak Tafti (Emil Michael)

As Uber’s former Senior Vice President of Business and Chief Business Officer Emil Michael, we have Babak Tafti, whose first role in a major motion picture was as an Iraqi prisoner in the political drama In the Valley of Elah in 2007 before scoring a larger role in a different kind of war movie: Terminator Salvation in 2009. He more recently appeared in the bizarre drama Swallow with Haley Bennett and the inventive LGBTQ+ drama Tu me Marques in 2019.

Super Pumped marks the actor’s first starring role on a TV series after making smaller appearances on countless acclaimed hits like Blue Bloods, Orange is the New Black, Ramy, and even CBS’ Murphy Brown revival in 2018. Taft has also had recurring spots alongside HBO’s Succession cast, and on The CW’s Vampire Diaries spin-off Legacies.

(Image credit: Showtime)

Elisabeth Shue (Bonnie Kalanick)

Travis Kalanick’s mother, Bonnie, is played by Elisabeth Shue, who previously worked with JGL in the 2004 drama Mysterious Skin. However, audiences will more likely recognize her as an ‘80s icon for playing the lead of 1987’s Adventures in Babysitting, Tom Cruise’s girlfriend in Cocktail, or from the second and third Back to the Future movies as Marty McFly’s sweetheart, Jennifer.

The Academy Award-nominated actress (for 1994’s Leaving Las Vegas) has also made several notable big screen appearances in the 21st Century - such as in House at the End of the Street as Jennifer Lawrence’s mother, Greyhound as Tom Hanks’ love interest, Battle of the Sexes as Priscilla Riggs, and the 2008 comedy Hamlet 2 as herself. In 2012, she joined the CSI cast, later starred on Amazon Prime’s The Boys as Madelyn Stillwell, and reprised her character from The Karate Kid, Ali Mills, on Netflix’s Cobra Kai in 2021.

(Image credit: Showtime)

Jon Bass (Garrett Camp)

As Uber co-founder Garret Camp, we have Jon Bass, who, like JGL, also played a real-life lawyer once in 2016’s Loving and also played a fictionalized version of an unspecified real person in Molly’s Game that same year. His big break, however, was replacing Josh Gad as Elder Cunningham on The Book of Mormon cast on Broadway.

Bass would later land small roles on shows like HBO’s Girls and The Newsroom in 2014 and a starring role on Comedy Central’s limited series Big Time in Hollywood, FL the next year before making a memorable splash on 2017’s Baywatch cast opposite The Rock and Zac Efron. He has also been a starring cast member of TBS’ seasonal anthology comedy Miracle Workers, along with Steve Buscemi and Daniel Radcliffe, since the beginning.

(Image credit: Showtime)

Bridget Gao Hollitt (Gabi)

Playing a violinist named Gabi, who captures the heart of JGL’s Travis Kalanick, is Bridget Gao Hollitt. Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber is actually the second acting credit ever for the model and musician. She previously appeared in a 2016 episode of Home and Away - a popular soap opera on which dozens of Aussie actors, such as Samara Weaving, also landed their big break.

(Image credit: Showtime)

Mousa Hussein Kraish (Fawzi Kamel)

Fawzi Kamel, an Uber driver who made headlines after his recorded confrontation with Travis Kalanick went viral, is played by Mousa Hussein Kraish, who previously worked with Kyle Chandler in 2008’s The Day the Earth Stood Still and, like Babak Tafti, had a guest spot on Blue Bloods. He made his feature-film debut in Man Push Cart in 2005 - the same year he appeared in Steven Spielberg’s Munich before starring in hit comedies Superbad and You Don’t Mess with the Zohan.

After landing a small part in Fast & Furious, the Brooklyn-raised actor appeared on shows like Chuck and Homeland, played a soldier in Sacha Baron Cohen’s The Dictator, and later starred as a cook on AMC’s short-lived culinary drama Feed the Beast. After doing a few episodes of Amazon Prime’s Transparent, Kraish played the Jinn on Starz’s series adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.

(Image credit: Miramax)

Quentin Tarantino (Narrator)

Uma Thurman is not the only the only Quentin Tarantino movie alum joining the Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber cast as the legendary, groundbreaking, Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind classics like Inglourious Basterds and Once Upon a Time In Hollywood is serving as the series’ narrator. This is actually not the first time he has done such a role, having provided a voice over that would prepare audiences for a very gross plot twist in 2015’s The Hateful Eight.

He also made a physical cameo in his previous western, Django Unchained, in 2012 after previously casting himself in major roles in Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Grindhouse. Tarantino also starred in a few movies by his buddy, Robert Rodriguez (From Dusk Til Dawn and Desperado), played a blind demon in Adam Sandler’s Little Nicky, had a recurring role on Alias, and has portrayed himself a few times, such as in The Muppets’s Wizard of Oz.

Also be sure to look out for Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber cast member Hank Azaria - known for a multitude of great work from his recurring role on Friends to multiple characters on The Simpsons (Apu no longer one of them) - as current Apple CEO Tim Cook. With a cast this talented, the story behind the ridesharing company sounds more interesting than ever.

What’s Going On With Kill Bill Vol 3? Here’s What Uma Thurman Says

Sean O'Connell — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 16:14:26 +0000

Because director Quentin Tarantino has committed to only doing one more movie, bringing his complete filmography to a nice round 10, fans are eagerly paying attention to any new scraps of news regarding what that final film could be. There was talk that it was going to be a Star Trek movie, even though Quentin later admitted that even if he did a Star Trek movie, he’d say it didn’t count to the overall ten. And some want the last movie to be the long-discussed Kill Bill Vol. 3, or an extension of the story of The Bride. Only, Uma Thurman’s latest comments make it sound like she’s not expecting that phone call to come in.

Uma Thurman played The Bride, or Beatrix Kiddo, in Quentin Tarantino’s two-part vengeance saga Kill BIll. There has been talk of a third part of the story, possibly focusing on the young daughter of Vivica A. Fox’s character, Vernita Green. But during a recent conversation with Thurman, SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show asked about a third Kill Bill, and the actress said:

I can’t really tell you anything about it. I mean it has been discussed over the years. There was real thought about it happening, but very long ago. I don’t see it as immediately on the horizon. I hate to disappoint people. Everybody wishes it would be the case, but I think it’s not immediately on the horizon.

Especially not with Quentin Tarantino planning to move on from filmmaking after his next, and last, movie. He has spoken about his last film being something more low key. Sort of an epilogue in a lengthy book, especially following up the epic scale of his magnum opus, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. When Tarantino was a guest on CinemaBlend’s ReelBlend podcast, he shared some specifics about his thoughts regarding his last movie, and he did talk about Kill Bill 3, and his hopes for it. Listen to the full interview here.

You might be wondering how the Kill Bill story could continue, given the fact that The Bride eliminated every character in her universe. Except, Tarantino left himself an outlet. In Kill Bill Vol. 1, Vernita Green’s child, Nikki, witnesses The Bride killing her mother. Before she leaves, The Bride gives Nikki permission to seek revenge when she gets older, and some had speculated that Nikki vs. The Bride could be the plot. Kill Beatrix? At one point, Zendaya even expressed interest in playing a grown Nikki, which Vivica A. Fox approved had probably had to appeal to Tarantino, even a little bit.

But Uma Thurman’s comments seem to slam the coffin shut on Kill Bill 3, especially because she had a few issues while filming it. So we still have to wait and see what Quentin Tarantino eventually tackles for his tenth movie. While you wait, surf our 2022 Upcoming Movies calendar to see what other films you can see in theaters that aren’t named Kill Bill 3.

Poison Ivy: 7 Great Depictions Of The DC Villain In Batman Movies And TV Shows

Jason Wiese — Sat, 12 Feb 2022 16:04:04 +0000

There is not a single member of Batman’s rogues gallery whose threatening nature should ever be taken lightly (OK, maybe Condiment King, at least). However, Poison Ivy is one DC villain who has proven to be quite a challenge for the Dark Knight time and time again - not just for her supernaturally hypnotic abilities, but her naturally seductive appeal, as well.

The question is, which depiction of the half-woman, half-plant formerly known as botanist Pamela Isley, outside of the comics, has managed to win over DC fans the most? Well, to be honest, I have no interest in awarding supremacy to any one of the following seven actresses who played Poison Ivy in Batman movies and TV shows in the past, but would like to give them each a proper moment under the sun, starting with her earliest moment on television.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Diane Pershing (Batman: The Animated Series)

On a TV show that most Batfans consider to be the definitive depiction of the Dark Knight (as voiced by Kevin Conroy), it is no surprise that it is also remembered for having one of the most definitive depictions of Poison Ivy (as voiced by Diane Pershing). In her debut appearance on a 1992 episode of Batman: The Animated Series called “Pretty Poison,” the eco-terrorist seeks revenge on Harvey Dent (before he was Two-Face) for breaking ground on a field of wildflowers to build a new prison, by making him fall ill with a toxic kiss after asking her to be his wife.

Her devious plans would only continue to blossom into much creepier territory, such as Batman and Robin discovering her seemingly reformed and newly married self was growing plant-based humanoid creatures in her garden.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Piera Coppola (The Batman)

Rino Romano’s Bruce Wayne is the one who succumbs to Poison Ivy’s hypnotic control on the mid-2000s animated TV reboot, The Batman, which leaves it up to Batgirl (voiced by Danielle Judovits) to save the day. As voiced by Piera Coppola of Warcraft video games fame, this Ivy has everything that made the BTAS depiction great, but ups the ante in terms of when she bests the Caped Crusader in combat. Unfortunately, his fists are no match for her vines and branches, which are strong enough break full-sized columns in half and throw them across a room like pieces of chalk.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Katee Sackhoff (Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two)

An even more brutal display of man vs. plants could be seen in the second half of the 2021 adaptation of Jeph Loeb’s seminal graphic novel, Batman: The Long Halloween. After the concerningly long absence of Bruce Wayne (the great Jensen Ackles) and his alter ego, Catwoman (the late Naya Rivera) finds him hopelessly under Poison Ivy’s spell, convincing him to sign away his company to mob boss Carmine Falcone. Catwoman claws her way through the vegetation surrounding Wayne Manor, which telepathically harms Ivy and puts an end to the one-sided affair. While her time in the film was brief, Katee Sackhoff’s Poison Ivy owned one of the character's memorably nightmarish moments.

(Image credit: Fox / DC)

Clare Foley, Maggie Geha, And Peyton List (Gotham)

Camren Bicondova’s Selina Kyle actually became friends with Poison Ivy when she made her live-action TV debut on Fox’s Batman prequel series, Gotham, as a young, orphaned girl named Ivy Pepper, played by Clare Foley...at first, that is. Mutagenic compounds caused a growth spurt that makes her look like Maggie Geha and gives her deadly powers, such as causing poisonous plants to grow within her enemies with one scratch. She became even more demented when she was reborn once again as Peyton List, who would charm the likes of Bruce Wayne and Lucius Fox to do her bidding.

(Image credit: The CW / DC)

Bridget Regan (Batwoman)

On Season 3 of Batwoman, it was Renee Montoya (Victoria Cartagena, reprising her role from the Gotham cast in Season 1) who became charmed by Pamela Isley until her transformation into a mutant eco-terrorist tests their relationship. The Gotham City police officer had no choice but to render her girlfriend comatose with a dehydration serum developed by Bruce Wayne, but they were able rekindle their relationship after she was revived and rehabilitated.

Reinventing Poison Ivy’s story as an LGBTQ+ tragic romance was a wonderful way to differentiate Bridget Regan’s portrayal from previous interpretations, but I also give props for a costume design that is slightly similar to her look in the Batman: Arkham video games.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Lake Bell (Harley Quinn)

It was more fun, however, to see the unusually level-headed Poison Ivy’s story reinvented as an LGBTQ+ rom-com on Harley Quinn. After a season’s worth of “will they, or won’t they,” she (Lake Bell) and the titular Clown Princess of Crime (Kaley Cuoco) finally admitted to each other (and themselves) that they meant more to each other than as just BFFs at the end of Season 2. Granted, Harley and Ivy’s romance is borrowed from the comics, but done in such an endearing way on the HBO Max animated series that Season 3 cannot come quick enough so fans can see more.

(Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Uma Thurman (Batman & Robin)

I realize that, by including this particular portrayal, I could be putting myself at risk of being met with some intense backlash, much like the backlash that Batman & Robin was met with in 1997 and continues to be haunted by to this day. However, for the same reasons I still enjoy the 1960s Batman show with Adam West, I have come to look back on director Joel Schumacher’s egregiously cartoonish film in a somewhat more appreciative light - especially for Academy Award nominee Uma Thurman’s performance as Poison Ivy, which calls to mind the iconic femme fatales of film noir classics from the 1940s.

Love this movie or hate it, I do not blame you either way, but Thurman gives 100% as Pamela Isley and deserves to be recognized for it in a more positive light.

I will say, however, that I would not be surprised if it was because of Batman & Robin that we still have yet to see Poison Ivy on the big screen again, which is a shame, because there are so many actresses with amazing potential to nail the role. Maybe there is a chance she could show up in a sequel to Matt Reeves’ The Batman or even in the DCEU. Margot Robbie has already expressed interest in exploring Harley Quinn and Ivy’s romance in live-action and there is no reason not to go for it at this point.

Batman And Robin's Uma Thurman Reflects On Playing Poison Ivy 25 Years Later, And She Certainly Remembers The Rubber

Adam Holmes — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 23:06:38 +0000

Batman & Robin may not be the most beloved of the Batman movies, but one thing it wasn’t lacking in was star power. Along with George Clooney taking over the Caped Crusader mantle from Val Kilmer (who found the role “isolating”) and Clueless star Alicia Silverstone being recruited to play Batgirl, the 1997 blockbuster also starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Uma Thurman as lead antagonists Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy, respectively. Batman & Robin celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and Thurman recently reflected on playing the popular Batman villain, including all the rubber involved.

Uma Thurman was the first actress to play Poison Ivy in live-action, and in the two and a half decades since then, the character has also been played on camera by Clare Foley, Maggie Geha and Peyton List in Gotham (it’s a long story) and Bridge Regan in Batwoman (the latter series also saw Nicole Kang’s Mary Hamilton transforming into Poison Ivy 2.0). For Thurman though, she was pleasantly surprised to realize that this June, two and a half decades will have passed since her Poison Ivy outing, telling ET:

Oh my goodness, that’s amazing. I was just talking about Joel Schumacher, the director who is a friend I love so much. ... I loved Joel Schumacher.

Batman & Robin was Joel Schumacher’s second Batman movie, having inherited the directorial reins from Tim Burton for 1995’s Batman Forever. Uma Thurman’s version of Poison Ivy, a.k.a. Pamela Isley, was originally a botanist who turned into a plant-manipulating, poison and pheromone-emitting supervillain after her colleague, John Glover’s Jason Woodrue, knocked a shelf of toxins on her after she saw him turn serial killer Antonio Diego in Bane with the Venom drug. After arriving in Gotham City, Poison Ivy partnered with Mr. Freeze, but she was eventually defeated by Batgirl and later earned Freeze’s ire when he learned she tried to kill his wife, Nora.

Although Batman & Robin was widely criticized, to the point that George Clooney has apologized for the movie on numerous occasions, Uma Thurman’s performance as Poison Ivy drew some praise in various reviews. From her end, Thurman has an enjoyable time working on the movie, even though she had to wear a lot of rubber. As the actress recalled:

That was a fantastic experience. I had to wear lots of rubber suits. I did not have a rubber mask. I had my own face. But I had some rubber appliances on my face sometimes. That was about as much rubber as I've ever worked with, personally.

Because of its poor critical reception, Batman & Robin marked the end of the original Batman film series, which relaunched in 2005 with Batman Begins. In 2020, Batman & Robin writer Akiva Goldsman said he was sorry for how the movie turned out, and also revealed that the story was originally intended to be darker. As for Uma Thurman, her notable post-Batman & Robin credits include Gattaca, the Kill Bill movies, My Super Ex-Girlfriend and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, and this year sees her starring in the TV series Suspicion and Super Pumped.

A new era of Batman cinematic history kicks off on March 4 with the release of Matt Reeves’ The Batman, starring Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne. Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck will also reprise their respective versions of Gotham City’s Dark Knight in The Flash, which comes out on November 4.

What The Pulp Fiction Cast Is Doing Now, Including John Travolta And Samuel L. Jackson

Will Ashton — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 09:04:00 +0000

While Reservoir Dogs turned Quentin Tarantino into a hot, up-and-coming filmmaker, Pulp Fiction, his sophomore film, paved the way for the director to become one of the most adored (and controversial) storytellers in Hollywood. With its inventive non-linear structure, endlessly quotable lines, and a number of iconic performances from John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Bruce Willis, Ving Rhames, Christopher Walken, and Samuel L. Jackson, it's no wonder that the endlessly cool classic is one of the most beloved movies of all-time — let alone the '90s. Now that we're only a few short years away from its 30th anniversary, what's the Pulp Fiction cast working on now? Let's find out!

John Travolta (Vincent Vega)

As Vincent Vega, a cool, long-haired hitman, John Travolta is the protagonist (such as there is one) of 1994's acclaimed masterwork, Pulp Fiction. First rising to fame through Welcome Back, Kotter, John Travolta transitioned into stardom through his acclaimed Oscar-nominated performance in Saturday Night Fever, as well as his lead roles in Grease, Urban Cowboy, Blow Out, and the Look Who's Talking movies. Pulp Fiction's Oscar-nominated role rejuvenated the actor's fledgling career, resulting in him starring in Get Shorty (for which he won a Golden Globe), Face/Off, Primary Colors, Broken Arrow, and Wild Hogs. His other famous (and infamous) film credits include Battlefield Earth, Swordfish, Hairspray (2007), Old Dogs, The General's Daughter, The Punisher, From Paris With Love, The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009), Gotti, Bolt, and The Fanatic.

Additionally, on television, John Travolta won an Emmy for producing The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story, where he also played Robert Shapiro. Most recently, Travolta starred in Quibi's Die Hart. The actor also played Santa Claus in a Capital One commercial. Currently, Travolta is filming Paradise City, which will also star Bruce Willis.

Samuel L. Jackson (Jules Winnfield)

In the role of Jules Winnfield, a self-righteous hitman working alongside Vincent Vega, Samuel L. Jackson became a household name playing the deuteragonist in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. He was Oscar-nominated for this foul-mouthed, star-making performance. He would later reunite with Quentin Tarantino with Jackie Brown, Django Unchained, and The Hateful Eight. His other film credits include Do the Right Thing, Jurassic Park, True Romance, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Shaft (2000), Goodfellas, Hard Eight, Coming to America, The Negotiator, Eve's Bayou, Snakes on a Plane, School Daze, and Unbreakable. Additionally, Jackson played Mace Windu in the Star Wars prequels and Nick Fury in the MCU. He also voices Frozone in The Incredibles movies.

Most recently, Samuel L. Jackson starred in Spiral: From the Book of Saw and The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard. He also reunited with John Travolta for a Capital One commercial. Next, the A-list actor reprises his role as Nick Fury in What If...? and Secret Invasion. Also, Jackson will be seen in The Protege and heard in Blazing Samurai.

Uma Thurman (Mia Wallace)

Playing the part of Mia Wallace, Marsellus Wallace's mysterious, drug-addled wife, Uma Thurman was the female lead in 1994's Pulp Fiction. Outside of this Oscar-nominated performance, Thurman starred in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill movies. She also starred in Dangerous Liaisons, Gattaca, The Truth About Cats & Dogs, Henry & June, My Super Ex-Girlfriend, and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. Thurman's other notable film credits include Batman & Robin, Les Miserables (1998), The Avengers (1998), The House That Jack Built, Nymphomaniac, The Producers (2005), Paycheck, Sweet and Lowdown, and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. She also reunited with John Travolta for Be Cool.

Outside of film, Uma Thurman played main characters in NBC's The Slap and Netflix's Chambers. Her other TV credits include Imposters and Smash, the latter for which she was Emmy-nominated. She also won a Golden Globe for HBO's Hysterical Blindness. Most recently, Thurman played a supporting role in The War with Grandpa. Next, she'll be seen in Hollywood Stargirl. Currently, Thurman is filming Apple TV+'s Suspicion. She's also signed on to star in Tau Ceti Four.

Harvey Keitel (Winston Wolfe)

As Winston Wolfe, a professor cleaner who tidies up other people's messes, Harvey Keitel plays a sharp-dressed character in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. Prior to this performance, Keitel worked with Tarantino on Reservoir Dogs, which he co-produced. He also starred in Bad Lieutenant, Blue Collar, Mean Streets, The Piano, and Cop Land. Additionally, Keitel was Oscar-nominated for Bugsy. His other big film credits include Thelma & Louise, The Last Temptation of Christ, Taxi Driver, From Dusk 'Til Dawn, Red Dragon, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Youth, Sister Act, Clockers, Get Shorty, U-571, Little Nicky, Little Fockers, The Congress, National Treasure, Isle of Dogs, and The Irishman.

Additionally, on TV, Harvey Keitel starred in ABC's Life on Mars. He also appeared in N.Y.P.D., Kojak, Hogan's Heroes, Amazing Stories, Dark Shadows, and Inside Amy Schumer. Most recently, Keitel starred in Lansky and Blood on the Crown. Last year, the actor appeared in The Painted Bird and Fatima. Next, he'll be seen in Gandhi of the Month, The Baker, Unto the Sun, The Legitimate Wiseguy, and Live Fast, Die Laughing.

Tim Roth (Ringo/"Pumpkin")

In the role of Ringo, i.e. "Pumpkin," a small-time stick-up artist, Tim Roth plays a supporting antagonist in Pulp Fiction. Prior to this performance, Roth appeared in Reservoir Dogs. Later, the actor reunited with Quentin Tarantino with Four Rooms and The Hateful Eight. Most notably, Roth was Oscar-nominated for his supporting turn in Rob Roy. Additionally, his other film credits include Vincent & Theo, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Gridlock'd, Everyone Says I Love You, Planet of the Apes (2001), The Incredible Hulk, Youth Without Youth, Hardcore Henry, Selma, Funny Games (2008), Invincible, The Musketeer, The Hit, and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover.

Additionally, on television, Tim Roth starred in Fox's Lie to Me and Sky Atlantic's Tin Star. Outside of acting, Roth directed The War Zone. Most recently, the actor had a supporting role in The Misfits. He also stars in Bergman Island, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Next, Roth will be seen in The Jesuit. He'll also appear in Punch. Additionally, Roth reprises his role as Emil Blonsky/Abomination in Disney+'s She-Hulk.

Bruce Willis (Butch Coolidge)

Playing the part of Butch Coolidge, an over-the-hill boxer who agrees to lose a match for a bride from Marsellus Wallace, Bruce Willis was a protagonist in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. Following his two-time Emmy-nominated role in ABC's Moonlighting, Willis became an action superstar for his portrayal of John McClane in Die Hard, spanning a film franchise. Additionally, he's known for starring in 12 Monkeys, The Sixth Sense, The Fifth Element, Hudson Hawk, Sin City, Armageddon, The Whole Nine Yards, Tears of the Sun, Unbreakable, Looper, RED, and RED 2. Also, the A-list actor was seen in Moonrise Kingdom, Cop Out, The Expendables, The Last Boy Scout, Planet Terror, Four Rooms, The Siege, Surrogates, Four Room, and Glass, reuniting him with Samuel L. Jackson.

Most recently, Bruce Willis was seen in Cosmic Sin. Next, he'll appear in Out of Death, Midnight in the Switchgrass, Reactor, Apex, American Siege, Gasoline Alley, The Fortress, Soul Assassin, and A Day to Die. Currently, Willis is filming Paradise City. Also, the actor is signed on to appear in Killing Field, White Elephant, and Hair of the Dog.

Amanda Plummer (Yolanda/"Honey Bunny”)

As Yolanda, i.e. "Honey Bunny," Pumpkin's small-thief girlfriend, Amanda Plummer plays a supporting antagonist in 1994's Pulp Fiction. Most notably, Plummer won a Tony for her 1982 performance in Agnes of God. Furthermore, she was Tony-nominated for 1981's A Taste of Honey and 1987's Pygmalion. Her other notable film credits include The Fisher King, Joe Versus the Volcano, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, A Simple Wish, The Prophecy, Needful Things, The World According to Garp, Made in Heaven, Freejack, and So I Married an Axe Murder. Moreover, Plummer is heard in Hercules.

Additionally, on television, Amanda Plummer won an Emmy for her supporting turn in NBC's Miss Rose White. Furthermore, she won two additional Emmys for her guest performances in The Outer Limits and Law & Order: SVU. Plummer was also Emmy-nominated for L.A. Law. Most recently, the actress played a recurring role in Netflix's Ratched. She also appeared in Night Raiders, which recently premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. Currently, Plummer is filming Kelly Reichardt's Showing Up.

Ving Rhames (Marsellus Wallace)

In the role of Marsellus Wallace, the boss of Vincent, Jules, and Butch, Ving Rhames takes on a powerful personality in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. Outside of this performance, Rhames is known for his recurring part in the Mission: Impossible movies — the only other actor besides Tom Cruise to appear in all six. Additionally, Ving Rhames is recognized for Bringing Out the Dead, Con Air, Entrapment, Out of Sight, Jacob's Ladder, Striptease, and Dawn of the Dead (2004). His other notable film credits include Baby Boy, Dave, The People Under the Stairs, Native Son, Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, Blood In Blood Out, Dark Blue, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Piranha 3D, and The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard. Also, Rhames is the voice of Cobra Bubble in Lilo & Stitch.

Additionally, on television, Ving Rhames was Emmy-nominated for his title role in HBO's Don King: Only in America. The character actor also appeared in Kojak, The District, and ER. Next, Rhames will reprise his role as Luther Stickell in Mission: Impossible 7 and 8.

Rosanna Arquette (Jody)

Playing the part of Jody, Lance's wife, Rosanna Arquette has a minor role in 1994's Pulp Fiction. Away from this film, Arquette was Emmy-nominated for her work in NBC's The Executioner's Song. She also received a BAFTA nomination for her supporting turn in Desperately Seeking Susan. Her other notable film credits include After Hours, Crash (1996), The Big Blue, Buffalo '66, The Whole Nine Yards, Gone Fishin', The Wrong Man, Nobody's Fool, Silverado, New York Stories, and Nowhere to Run. Additionally, Arquette directed two documentaries, Searching For Debra Winger and All We Are Saying.

Furthermore, on TV, Rosanna Arquette starred in ABC's What About Brian. She also led Sideswiped and Shirley. Her other notable TV credits include Private Practice, Girls, Ray Donovan, Law & Order: SVU, Medium, Grey's Anatomy, Malcolm in the Middle, and The L Word. Most recently, Arquette had a recurring role in Netflix's Ratched. Coming up next, the actress is expected to appear in Aramingo Avenue, Not Born, and Futura Days. Additionally, Arquette will star in The Playboy Interview and The Velvet Gentlemen.

Christopher Walken (Captain Koons)

As Captain Koons, a Vietnam War veteran with a personal connection to Butch's past, Christopher Walken provides a memorable cameo in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. An acclaimed actor with over 100 film and TV credits to his name, Walken is best known for his Oscar-winning supporting turn in The Deer Hunter. Additionally, he was Oscar-nominated for Catch Me If You Can. His other notable film credits include Annie Hall, A View to a Kill, Batman Returns, The Dead Zone, Wedding Crashers, Click, Vendetta, Seven Psychopaths, Joe Dirt, and The Prophecy. Furthermore, Walken was seen or heard in The Jungle Book (2016), Antz, Irreplaceable You, Kangaroo Jack, The Stepford Wives (2004), Balls of Fury, Domino, The Rundown, Hairspray, and Blast from the Past. Also, he was at the center of Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice" music video.

Most recently, Christopher Walken starred in Percy Vs. Goliath. He also appeared in The Jesus Rolls, The War with Grandpa, and Wild Mountain Thyme. Next, Walken frontlines AppleTV+'s Severance and Amazon/BBC's The Offenders. He's also expected to return for Wedding Crashers 2, with Owen Wilson.

Maria de Medeiros (Fabienne)

In the role of Fabienne, Butch Coolidge's French girlfriend, Maria de Medeiros plays a secondary character in Pulp Fiction. A Portuguese actress-singer with over 100 acting credits to her name, Medeiros is best known for her work in Adao e Eva, Midsummer Madness, The Saddest Music in the World, The Forbidden Room, Chicken with Plums, Polygraph, Henry & June, My Life Without Me, and The Killer. Additionally, the actress wrote and directed A Prince's Death and wrote, directed, and starred in April Captains. She's also helmed Our Children, Welcome to Sao Paulo, Repare Bem, Je t'aime... moi non plus: Artistes et critiques, and several short films. Outside of film, Medeiros has four albums on her discography, including 2016's The Piano's Playing the Devil's Tune.

Most recently, Maria de Medeiros was seen in Moral Order and In the Country of Last Things. Additionally, this year, the actress appeared in Ordem Moral - A Minissérie — an extension of the film. Next, she will be heard in What Spring Does with the Cherry Trees.

You can stream Pulp Fiction on HBO Max.

Uma Thurman: 11 Great Movies And TV Shows She's Done Since Kill Bill

Jason Wiese — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 20:04:00 +0000

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When you hear the name Uma Thurman, what is the first movie title that comes to your mind? It could be Quentin Tarantino’s instant classic crime drama Pulp Fiction from 1994, or the actress’ second time working with the acclaimed director on the two-part revenge epic Kill Bill, or even one of the more infamous Batman movies: 1997’s Batman & Robin, in which she plays Poison Ivy. Well, I cannot help but say that, if those are the only three titles from the Academy Award nominee’s resume you recognize, we have many other recommendations of Uma Thurman movies and TV shows from more recent years you should check out, starting with a powerhouse collaboration between two of Hollywood’s most talented leading ladies.

Prime (2005)

A divorced, career-driven photography producer in her late 30s (Uma Thurman) falls into a passionate affair with an artist who is 10 years younger than she is (Bryan Greenberg in his first credited feature film role). However, her therapist (three-time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep) ruins this long awaited moment of bliss when she reveals that the man she has recounted vividly intimate details about is her son. If not for the charming performances by Thurman and Streep, Prime is a romantic comedy from Ben Younger (also the writer and director of Boiler Room and Bleed for This) that will amuse you with its inventive concept, engaging wit, and surprising amount of heart.

The Producers (2005)

Uma Thurman continued to flex her comedy muscles in 2005 with this uproarious satire set in the world of musical theater directed by five-time Tony Award-winning stage choreographer Susan Stroman. In The Producers, based on the hit musical based on a hit movie by Mel Brooks, Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick reprise roles they once played on stage as a disgraced Broadway producer and his accountant who cook up a scheme to profit off of the worst play that they can find in the late 1950s. Thurman enters the picture as a desirable, but quite dim, Swedish woman who is cast as the leading lady in the centerpiece show, Springtime for Hitler - written by an escaped Nazi (Will Ferrell).

Smash (2012-2013)

Years later, Uma Thurman would return to the world of musical theater on television with this short-lived, but much-acclaimed, series which lasted 32 episodes on NBC. Also featuring American Idol star Katharine McPhee and future Academy Award nominee Leslie Odom Jr. before scoring Hamilton, Smash follows the drama that occurs onstage and backstage among the performers and crew of a Broadway show inspired by the life of Marilyn Monroe. Thurman was nominated for an Emmy for her recurring stint in Season 1 as a movie star pushing for a role in the production, only to be forced out by nearly deadly means.

The Life Before Her Eyes (2008)

Speaking of deadly circumstances, Uma Thurman’s character in this adaptation of the novel by Laura Kasischke is a wife and mother haunted by a devastating school shooting that resulted in the death of her best friend (Eva Amurri Martino) 15 years earlier. Her flashbacks to when she was a teen (as played by Evan Rachel Wood of the Westworld cast fame) begin to cause complications for her in her present day life, worsening the survivor’s guilt she has lived with since the day of the tragedy. There is more to The Life Before Her Eyes, however, that I will not give away, but makes this somber, thought-provoking drama a ride worth taking.

Percy Jackson And The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010)

One of the more popular book adaptations starring Uma Thurman is this 2010 young adult fantasy adventure that could be described as “Harry Potter for fans of Greek Mythology.” The first of a franchise that did not continue past its two installments (but reportedly has a Disney+ TV series reboot in the works), Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief stars Logan Lerman as the titular teenager, who discovers that he is the son of Poseidon when he is accused of stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt. His friends Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) and Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario) join him on a quest to clear his name - during which they encounter many mythical legends, such as Thurman as the furious, snake-haired Medusa.

Up next: 2021 New Movie Releases: The Full Movie Release Date Schedule

Nymphomaniac Vol. I And Vol. II (2013)

Uma Thurman gives a brief, yet powerful performance that is less furious, but an inventive mix of helplessly broken and staunchly vengeful, in another drama from a prolific indie filmmaker that is split into two parts. Writer and director Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac is framed as a conversation between a woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and a man (Stellan Skarsgård), to whom she retells the most significant events of her life as a self-diagnosed sex addict after he finds her beaten in an alley. One of these stories involves a sexual encounter interrupted by Thurman as the hysterical wife of the man she has been sleeping with, who decides to bring her children to witness the cause of the their parents’ split.

The House That Jack Built (2018)

Uma Thurman has yet another brief, but undoubtedly memorable, role in her second collaboration with Lars von Trier, which deals with entirely different subject matter than that of Nymphomaniac, but would prove to be even more controversial in 2018. Not to be confused with the cherished nursery rhyme, The House That Jack Built stars Matt Dillon in the title role - a highly intelligent but deeply disturbed man who commits a series of increasingly brutal murders over the course of 12 years which he proudly reminisces on as an art form. Thurman plays his very first victim - a woman who repays him for helping her when her car breaks down on the side the road with persistent rudeness that ultimately unleashes his dark side.

The Slap (2015)

The concept of one seemingly minor incident causing a devastating ripple effect is actually the central focus of this eight-part limited series that aired on NBC. Uma Thurman joins an all-star cast - including Melissa George (reprising her role from the original Australian miniseries that The Slap is based upon), Zachary Quinto from the Star Trek movies, and Emmy-winner Brian Cox - as members of a Greek family and their friends torn apart by one man’s choice to physically punish another person’s misbehaving child at a party. What happens next is a gripping morality tale that challenges its viewers to question who they believe is on the right side of the argument.

Burnt (2015)

That same year, Uma Thurman once again was part of a stellar cast, led by Bradley Cooper, in this redemption story set in the world of culinary arts. The actress puts on a relatively convincing British accent in Burnt as a notoriously cruel food critic who, despite her rocky history with washed-up American chef Adam Jones (Cooper), is convinced to help him achieve his comeback at a top restaurant in London run by an uptight manager (Daniel Bruhl from the Falcon and the Winter Soldier cast). It is yet another brief, but memorable performance in an overall entertaining and flavorful dramedy.

Down A Dark Hall (2018)

Uma Thurman puts on a French accent and an unsettling disposition to play Madame Duret - headmistress of the Blackwood Boarding School in this supernatural horror thriller. Based on the novel by Lois Duncan (also the author of the book that inspired I Know What You Did Last Summer in 1997), Down a Dark Hall stars AnnaSophia Robb as a young woman whose behaviors lead her and a handful of other teenagers to be forcibly enrolled at the facility that promises to correct their troubled ways. However, the girls soon become plagued by unexplainable, horrifying events which Thurman’s character seems to be connected to somehow.

Chambers (2019)

Uma Thurman’s character in this series also seems to be somehow connected to unexplainable, horrifying events plaguing a teenage girl. She plays a wife and mother whose young daughter’s heart was used in a transplant that saved heart attack victim Sasha Yazzie (Sivan Alyra Rose), who soon begins to suffer from strange hallucinations and sudden changes in her personality after the procedure. Also starring Tony Goldwyn from the Scandal cast, Chambers is one of twisted horror TV shows made exclusively for Netflix.

Currently, Uma Thurman is filming the upcoming Apple TV+ drama series Suspicion, along with Kunal Nayyar of The Big Bang Theory cast and, as well as Hollywood Stargirl - a sequel to the Disney+ original film Stargirl - opposite Grace VanderWaal and Judy Greer of Marvel movies fame - and Tau Ceti Four, a sci-fi thriller with Vikings cast veteran Travis Fimmell and Die Hard director John McTiernan at the helm, is now in pre-production. Is there a return to her role as Beatrix “The Bride” Kiddo in a Kill Bill Vol. 3 in her future? Unless Quentin Tarantino wants to make that long-anticipated third installment his tenth and supposedly final film, it is not too likely. But, never say never.

Up next: Kill Bill: 12 Killer Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The Quentin Tarantino Movie

One Thing Uma Thurman Hated About Kill Bill While Filming It

Adreon Patterson — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 22:16:16 +0000

Quentin Tarantino’s long film resume has bolstered many classic films since 1992's Reservoir Dogs and 1994's Pulp Fiction pushed him into the mainstream. However, it was the Kill Bill series that became a pop culture moment. This film series pushed both Tarantino and Uma Thurman’s careers to the next level, but not everything went smoothly with the film’s star, according to the Oscar winner. Tarantino revealed one thing Thurman hated about filming the beloved film series.

Quentin Tarantino made his statement while doing an exclusive interview with ReelBlend. The Oscar-winning director talked about the classic action film while promoting his novelization of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Of course, like any film, Kill Bill would be filled with surprising secrets from the set. With that in mind, the Kill Bill director revealed the thing Thurman could’ve done without filming the two-part saga, saying:

Uma hated the yellow tracksuit. Hated it. Didn't get it. Thought she looked like a Popsicle -- a banana Popsicle. She was just not into it. She had no idea who Bruce Lee, practically. I finally had to show her Game of Death. She sorta kind of got it. Now, since then it's become this totally iconic thing. And she probably doesn't even remember it, But she was like, ‘You're trying to make me look like a clown!’

Of course, without the Bruce Lee reference, Uma Thurman wouldn’t understand the significance of the jumpsuit. Thurman was thinking about how she would look on the big screen. The color and look of the jumpsuit would throw anybody off if no context was given. Even though this was eventually remedied, maybe Quentin Tarantino should’ve told her in the beginning about the Bruce Lee connection. Still, Tarantino’s answer proved just how impactful the film still is.

As the director pointed out, the yellow jumpsuit has become an iconic piece of pop culture. The movie poster with Uma Thurman striking a pose in the jumpsuit alone set the tone for Kill Bill. Thurman and the look have been parodied many times since the film debuted in 2003. So Quentin Tarantino was right about the yellow jumpsuit, but you never know, it could return at some point.

For years, there has been speculation floating around about Kill Bill Vol. 3. Quentin Tarantino threw the idea out around the mid-2000s, but he has gone back and forth over the possibility. In 2020, talks of a third installment ramped up again after co-star Vivica A. Fox supported the idea. She even pitched a possible storyline for the film with Euphoria’s Zendaya as her daughter. Fox’s plot fell right in line with what Tarantino originally pitched. It would be nice if Vernita Green’s daughter “still feels raw about it.” But at this time, the director might have other plans.

After the success of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino has been settling into the idea of retirement with his last film on the horizon. While Kill Bill Vol. 3 may never happen, fans of Kill Bill Vol. 1 and 2 can relive the Bride’s revenge plot on HBO Max, Prime Video and Hulu.

Up next: That Time Kill Bill's Lucy Liu Had To Have Surgery Right Before Filming Iconic Tarantino Scene

Kill Bill 3 Fan Poster Brings Zendaya Into The Fight

Erik Swann — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 16:50:34 +0000

Kill Bill fans have long been hoping that Quentin Tarantino will finally move forward with a Kill Bill 3 and, the momentum for the potential film has been increasing as of late. Vivica A. Fox – who played Vernita Green in the first two films – recently expressed her hopes for a third film and stated that Tarantino should cast Zendaya as her character’s daughter. Although the director has yet to publicly speak on the possibility, fans already seem to like the idea, as a cool, fan-made poster has now put her in the role.

Fan-favorite visual artist BossLogic has released a new poster for a potential third Kill Bill movie called “Kill Bride.” The poster features Zendaya standing tall as Green’s daughter and, based on her bloody sleeves, she’s already scored some kills of her own. Check out the cool image down below:

A photo posted by on

Vivica A. Fox was incredibly high on Zendaya for the role, which already sounded like a winning casting decision but, after seeing this poster, one has to wonder if Tarantino may actually consider moving forward with the idea. As the title suggests, Green’s daughter would be seeking revenge on Uma Thurman’s Bride for killing her mother. And with the action genre experience that both actresses have, a fight between the two of them would be a sight to behold.

Up next: The Cool Way Quentin Tarantino Nodded At Reservoir Dogs In Kill Bill

In the past, Quentin Tarantino has addressed the possibility of a Kill Bill 3, even going as far as to say that it’s “definitely in the cards.” On another occasion, he’s even confirmed that he’s spoken about it with Uma Thurman.

Despite this, updates on the potential project have been scarce, especially since the Oscar-winning director has been busy with other productions over the past few years like his most recent feature, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

As far as we know, Quentin Tarantino is still planning to retire from filmmaking after delivering his tenth film. And with him having now completed his ninth, it looks like Kill Bill 3 only has one shot at making it to the silver screen.

There would be something poetic about Tarantino capping off his career with a new installment in one of his most iconic film series. And it’s hard to ignore Fox’s intriguing pitch and the fact that Zendaya could be a fit for the role and add a layer of star power.

Because Quentin Tarantino is so particular when it comes to his projects, it’s honestly hard to say if he’ll actually pull the trigger on a Kill Bill 3. Still, this awesome poster, paired with Vivica A Fox’s idea, only fuel the notion that it could work with Zendaya. We’ll see if Fox and the fans can make enough noise to help the film get made, with Zendaya in the starring role.

Up next: Kill Bill And 9 Other Great Martial Arts Movies Available Streaming

The Cool Way Quentin Tarantino Nodded At Reservoir Dogs In Kill Bill

Katherine Webb — Sat, 09 May 2020 15:25:38 +0000

It’s no secret that Quentin Tarantino has an incredible eye for detail. That’s how he’s managed to create the unforgettable worlds in his films. He’s even found subtle ways to connect his films together, even though they often tell vastly different stories -- like a moment in Kill Bill that offers a clever nod to Reservoir Dogs.

Michael Madsen offered some really cool insights about the work he’s done with Quentin Tarantino and throughout his career during his conversation with CinemaBlend's own ReelBlend podcast. To hear what he has to say about their collaborations like Kill Bill, take a listen:

Michael Madsen has formed a great working relationship with Quentin Tarantino throughout their numerous collaborations. That means he gets plenty of inside Tarantino scoop that us mere mortals could only dream of. During his conversation on ReelBlend, he revealed that the director clued him in on a thoughtful Kill Bill easter egg in Reservoir Dogs:

Well, I know that he does stuff like that a lot. That’s why my Cadillac is in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. That’s Mr. Blonde’s car, but who’s gonna know that unless they knew that. Quentin’s not gonna announce it, he wants people to find out these things in their own experience, you see? When I saw Kill Bill in London at the premiere, after the movie Quentin was with me at a restaurant. And he said, ‘Did you see it, did you see it? I said, ‘Did I see what?’ He said, ‘You know, when Uma’s buried, did you see it?’ I said, ‘I dunno what you’re talking about.’ He said, ‘Michael, the razor.’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘That was yours. That’s the exact one you used in Reservoir Dogs.’ Yeah, he had kept my prop from Dogs and he gave that to Uma to use in Kill Bill to cut her ropes off.

This only makes us wonder what other little gems he’s left in his movies that we’ve never picked up on. It’s also a really fun anecdote. Sure, it’s a small detail, but it’s one that proves the director considers every single detail he puts on screen and that he looks for ways to keep both his colleagues and his fans on their toes:

He keeps stuff like that and he has this wonderful – I got the idea from him because I started keeping stuff too – and I said, ‘You didn’t tell me. Why didn’t you tell me?’ He said, ‘I was waiting for you to ask me,’ so he figured I would notice it. It never occurred to me that he would do something that cool.

Have you caught any Tarantino Easter eggs or real-life references in other films? There are plenty, but it's still nice to hear cool stories like this one.

12 Actors Who Could've Been Cast In Titanic

Will Ashton — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 16:00:00 +0000

With 11 Oscars to its name and over $2 billion grossed worldwide, James Cameron's ambitious romantic epic, Titanic, was an incredible success, the likes of which are very rarely seen in Hollywood. It was a sweeping sensation, staying in theaters for over a year and continuing to charm audiences all around the world with its tragically beautiful love story. While it pushed Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet into stardom (and superstardom for Leo), they were among several A-list stars who were considered for these parts. Let's take a look at all the actors who could've appeared in the Titanic cast.

Matthew McConaughey Could've Played Jack Dawson (and Cal Hockley)

The casting process for Titanic was a long, extensive one, with several talented actors and actresses being considered for the various roles that needed to be filled. One of the toughest casting decisions was picking the man who would play our romantic lead, Jack Dawson. James Cameron had originally considered River Phoenix for the role, but the young actor tragically passed away before he could be asked to play the leading man part. And Paramount had several actors in mind, including Chris O'Donnell, Billy Crudup, and Stephen Dorff, but the studio's top pick was Matthew McConaughey. Apparently, Kate Winslet even auditioned with McConaughey originally. But Cameron felt he was too old to play 20-year-old Jack, and Cameron also thought the looks DiCaprio got from all the women around him made him an easy pick. He fought to have him in it.

Furthermore, in addition to be sought for the role of Jack Dawson, Matthew McConaughey was also considered for the villainous Cal Hockley, but the actor reportedly turned down this part. It ultimately went to Billy Zane. Alas, it apparently wasn't meant to be for McConaughey in Titanic, though he'd star alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf Of Wall Street several years down the road.

Winona Ryder Could've Played Rose Bukater

There's no doubt that Titanic was a star-making role for Kate Winslet. The then 19-year-old actress fought hard to play the part of Rose Bukater, and it paid off splendidly. Particularly since there were several big-name actresses who were up for the part, including Winona Ryder. As Winslet admitted in a 2012 interview with USA Today, when Titanic was brought back into theaters for a 3D re-release, she was up against some formidable talent, and that included the rising Ryder. The former child star had already proven herself with roles in Beetlejuice, Heathers, and Little Women, the latter for which she was nominated for an Oscar, but Winslet ultimately got the part. No matter. The Stranger Things actress continues to prove herself in a number of roles.

Christian Bale Could've Played Jack Dawson

Christian Bale is one of the most transformative actors in the business today, taking on various challenging roles and continuing to prove himself as a chameleon of a performer. Alas, in his early years, notably before he broke out with 2000's American Psycho, the former child star was turned down for a number of major roles, including several that went to Leonardo DiCaprio. Those include What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Romeo + Juliet, and Titanic. He auditioned for Jack Dawson, as it was noted in the 2012 biography Christian Bale: The Inside Story of the Darkest Batman, written by Harrison Cheung, his former assistant and publicist, but Bale lost out for the role. Of course, it'd only take a few years after Titanic's release for Bale to rise up with other projects.

Uma Thurman Could've Played Rose Bukater

In addition to name-dropping Winona Ryder as a possible candidate for the part of Rose Bukater, Kate Winslet also mentioned in the aforementioned 2012 USA Today interview that Uma Thurman was also being considered. The Pulp Fiction star and future Kill Bill actress was still riding off the former film's success and pushing herself into bigger, more commercial efforts. Certainly, Titanic would've been her biggest film at the time — and probably to date if she had gotten the gig — but it wasn't meant to be. Thurman would go on to star in movies like Gattaca and Batman & Robin, both of which came out the same year as Titanic, before she was given one of her biggest roles to date in the aforementioned Kill Bill movies.

Johnny Depp Could've Played Jack Dawson

In the 1990s, Johnny Depp made his transition from TV star to matinee idol. The transition took place through a number of artistic movies, both big and small, though the actor had to turn down some roles in order to take on some of these titles. The biggest film that he turned down, as he revealed in an interview, was the chance to play Jack Dawson in Titanic. In a phone conversation with Howard Stern back in 2001, Depp revealed that he "labored" through the first few pages of the script, but he ultimately couldn't get into it. Suffice to say, if he had trouble reading the script for the first go-around, it'd be difficult for him to take on this leading role in this blockbuster. The role ultimately went to his What's Eating Gilbert Grape? co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio.

Claire Danes Could've Played Rose Bukater

In 1996, Claire Danes starred in Baz Luhrmann's contemporary re-imagining of Romeo + Juliet opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. If things had gone another way, they would've shared the screen yet again in James Cameron's Titanic. Alas, Danes turned down the role of Rose Bukater in the epic romantic weeper because she didn't want to make another romantic melodrama with DiCaprio. Not because they had a bad experience together, mind you, but because she felt it would've been retracing the same steps she just took; both movies were also filmed in Mexico City. So, it would've felt even more like deja vu for Danes. She admitted on the Armchair Podcast that she "didn't have it" in her. And she ultimately doesn't regret turning the role down.

Paul Rudd Could've Played Jack Dawson

For some actors, getting a role is — among other things — simply a means of furthering your career. But some roles are personal. At least, that was the case for Paul Rudd when he auditioned for Titanic. Although he wasn't quite as famous then as he is today, and he was going up against some of the biggest A-listers in the biz, he really wanted to get the part of Jack Dawson. And he wanted the role for one very specific and wholesome reason: he wanted to honor his father. As Rudd revealed on The Late Late Show with James Corden a few years ago now, Michael Rudd, i.e. Paul Rudd's father, is a member of the Titanic Historical Society. The eldest Rudd has a deep appreciation and fascination in the tragic history of that fatefully cursed ship.

In fact, Michael Rudd has travelled the world to witness key sights relating to the Titanic's voyage. He even served as a tour guide for certain locations. Paul Rudd not only wanted to get this part in this huge movie because it would obviously do wonders for him as an actor, particularly working for director James Cameron in this major blockbuster, but he knew that playing this part in this film dramatization of this historical story would make his dad proud. Alas, while he knew his stuff about the Titanic's doomed history, the casting directors didn't think Paul Rudd was the right fit for this part. There were no sour feelings from Rudd's camp. In fact, on The Graham Norton Show, Rudd claims he was the one who convinced (or, at least, encouraged) DiCaprio to take this part. They worked on Romeo + Juliet together at the time.

Gwyneth Paltrow Could've Played Rose Bukater

During a 2015 interview with Howard Stern, Gwyneth Paltrow revealed many details about her past, including two major roles that she didn't play: Rollergirl in Boogie Nights and Rose Bukater in Titanic. Regarding the latter, the Academy Award-winning actress claimed that she was "really in contention" for Rose and believed she was "one of the last two" actresses up for it. Ultimately, she turned down the role. While she didn't explain the reason why she opted not to play Rose, she admits that in this business, there are times when you accept roles you'll later regret and times when turn down other roles that might've been worthwhile. Alas, Paltrow doesn't seem to regret it much, notably as she won the Best Actress Oscar for Shakespeare in Love in 1998 (in a role Kate Winslet reportedly turned down, ironically enough) — just one year after Titanic's release.

Michael Biehn Could've Played Cal Hockley

Having starred in The Terminator, Aliens, and The Abyss, Michael Biehn and director James Cameron have established a long working history together, and it appears that the two of them almost collaborated once more on Titanic. As it was reported in the Chicago Tribune back in 1997, Biehn was in the running to play Cal Hockley, in the role Billy Zane eventually played, and there might've even been a meeting about it, but it didn't pan out for Biehn. To make matters worse, Biehn later claimed that he spent nine months thinking he would play RDA Col. Miles Quaritch in Avatar, but that antagonistic role ultimately went to Stephen Lang. Hopefully, Biehn and Cameron find the chance to work together again someday.

Reba McEntire Could've Played Molly Brown

Throughout the years, Reba McEntire has split her time being a musician and an actress. Sometimes, those two professions collide and they result in Reba making some tough decisions. That was ultimately the case when it came to Titanic. Although she was previously set to star in James Cameron's three-hour epic as Molly Brown, the production timeline kept getting delayed and it ultimately interfered with her touring schedule. Instead of rescheduling the tour and making the people on her payroll jobless, she opted to turn down the part and focus on her music instead. Ultimately, Kathy Bates ended up playing the unsinkable character instead. Certainly, it must have been a tough decision, but it was certainly noble of Reba to think of her employees and fans first.

Rob Lowe Could've Played Cal Hockley

In addition to Matthew McConaughey and Michael Biehen, Rob Lowe was also considered for the antagonistic Cal Hockley. However, he ultimately lost the part to Billy Zane. Lowe admitted this bit of movie trivia in a conversation with E! News back in 2015, and though there isn't a direct reason given for why he wasn't cast in the part, he suggests that his infamous sex tape might've possibly had an impact on the movie/TV actor not being cast here.

Robert De Niro Could've Played Captain Smith

While Bernard Hill played the part of Captain Smith in Titanic, the small-but-pivotal role was reportedly once set to star one of the biggest acting titans in the business. Indeed, according to a report from The Mirror, De Niro was offered to play this part, but he had to turn it down. Apparently, the Oscar-winning star had a gastrointestinal infection at the time, which prevented him from accepting this brief-but-key role in James Cameron's romantic epic.

In addition to these big name stars, there were several other actors who may have been considered to play a part in Titanic, including (but not limited to) Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie, Madonna, and Reese Witherspoon for Rose and Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Jared Leto, and Jeremy Sisto for Jack. Lindsay Lohan also reportedly auditioned for Cora Cartmell. Suffice to say, this blockbuster's cast might've once looked completely different.

8 Badass Actors Who Would Be Perfect To Join The John Wick Cast

Eric Eisenberg — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 01:00:00 +0000

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In three films released in the last six years, the John Wick franchise has done a brilliant job hiring real badasses to star opposite Keanu Reeves in key supporting roles. The likes of Adrienne Palicki and Willem Dafoe were in on the ground floor starring in the first movie, but since then we've seen actors like Ruby Rose, Common, Franco Nero, Laurence Fishburne, Cecep Arif Rahman, Yayan Ruhian, and Halle Berry tear up the screen in the sequels. As fans, we can’t help but wonder how the movies will continue that trend in future titles, and who they will cast next… so we decided to craft what one might call a wish list.

As of now it’s unclear how long the John Wick franchise will last, but assuming that it will continue ad infinitum, we definitely have some ideas about who director Chad Stahelski should bring on-board – with a particular focus on actors who have the capacity to realistically participate in the ridiculous trademark action sequences.

Uma Thurman

Can anyone explain why Uma Thurman hasn’t done a lot more action movies? Her role as Beatrix Kiddo a.k.a. The Bride in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill is iconic because of the amount of ass she kicks, and yet she has not played the lead in a serious action feature since then (and that was 16 years ago). Having her take on a significant role in the future of the John Wick franchise would make for a dream pairing, and would be a great opportunity to put a sword back in her hands. Plus, the series could go a step further and also cast Thurman’s Kill Bill stunt double, Zoe Bell, alongside her – perhaps even as a sister.

Gina Carano

From Haywire, to Fast & Furious 6, to Deadpool, to The Mandalorian, Gina Carano has consistently demonstrated herself as a consummate badass on-screen, with her background as a professional MMA fighter lending a special authenticity to all of her roles. This is the same authenticity that is deeply embedded in the atmosphere of the John Wick movies, and thus the actor makes for an excellent match for the content. When given proper material she can deliver a great performance, and it’s consistently fun to see her just tear through opponents. She could be a powerful ally, or the titular hero’s worst nightmare, but either way Carano should be a part of this series.

Iko Uwais

I would give you full permission to dismiss this list as invalid if it didn’t include Iko Uwais, so consider this me saving you the need to leave a negative post in the comments section. For those who don’t immediate recognize the name, Uwais is the star of the two movies in The Raid duology (which is one of the most bone-crunchingly incredible pieces of modern action cinema), and has seen his profile grow recently with roles in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Stuber, and the upcoming Snake Eyes. Frankly, the only reason I can fathom that the Indonesian star isn’t already a part of the franchise is because Chad Stahelski has been saving him for some kind of grand finale. And, of course, if the series were to bring Uwais on board, it would also be amazing to see…

Joe Taslim

Those who have seen The Raid will recognize Joe Taslim as one of the main villains in the film opposite Iko Uwais – but their awesome on screen chemistry has continued in the years since then as well with their protagonist/antagonist roles changed in the blistering The Night Comes For Us. Taslim has also been gaining a lot of exposure in Hollywood movies, like Star Trek Beyond, Fast & Furious 6, and the upcoming Mortal Kombat, and it feels like it’s only a matter of time before he is brought into the John Wick universe. It’s insanely fun to watch him do his thing, and we want to see it opposite Keanu Reeves.

Naomi Watts

Known for making dramas like Mulholland Drive, The Impossible, and Birdman, Naomi Watts may not be the first actor you think of when contemplating potential additions to an action franchise like the John Wick movies, but that simply demonstrates a gap in your knowledge about her. While she hasn’t had many opportunities to show off her skills on film, Watts has trained in martial arts for years, participating in Judo contests in the late 1980s/early 1990s, and more recently learning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. To see that background translated on screen with her acting opposite Keanu Reeves sounds like a recipe for surprise and awesomeness.

Tony Jaa

With the exception of small roles in Furious 7 and xXx: Return Of Xander Cage, Tony Jaa doesn't have a great deal of experience working in English-language films, but from a physical perspective he most definitely has what it takes to function well in a John Wick movie. In his native Thailand he has been working in film since the early 1990s, and is best known for whipping all kinds of ass playing the hero in the Ong Bak trilogy. He’ll soon be getting more exposure in America via the release of the upcoming Monster Hunter, and perhaps that will wind up being his springboard into the Keanu Reeves-led series.

Michael Jai White

From Spawn, to Black Dynamite, to Arrow, Michael Jai White’s physical prowess has long been a key part of what he brings to the table as an actor, and his background explains why. While he has a particular focus in Kyrokushin Karate, he practices eight different styles of martial arts. He is exactly the kind of performer you expect to see in a John Wick movie if not simply because action fans actively talk about showdowns like Michael Jai White vs. Keanu Reeves. He’d be an excellent fit for the future of the series.

Forest Whitaker

There probably isn’t a ton of crossover on the Venn diagram of “Best Actor Oscar Winners” and “Black Belts,” but Forest Whitaker actually exists in both categories. He's never been a big action guy on the silver screen, but he is expertly trained in Kenpo Karate (a form originating in America), and is also experienced in Escrima (a weapons-based martial art created in the Philippines). Whitaker has had significant dramatic roles in recent blockbusters like Black Panther and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but it would be great to see him exercise his fighting talents in future John Wick chapters.

What actors would you like to see join the John Wick franchise at some point in the future? Hit the comments section with your thoughts, feelings, and opinions, and stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for updates about future movies in the series.

The Big Bang Theory's Kunal Nayyar Just Landed His First Post-Raj TV Role

Nick Venable — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 21:06:20 +0000

After spending twelve years one the most popular network comedies of the modern TV era, The Big Bang Theory vet Kunal Nayyar is set to join a TV series that doesn't involve comic book fandom, Wil Wheaton, or the word "bazinga." At least, that's what I'm assuming, based on what's been revealed so far. Nayyar has joined the new Apple TV+ thriller Suspicion, which boasts the always excellent Uma Thurman as its lead star.

Based on the acclaimed and award-winning Israeli series False Flag, created by Amit Cohen and Maria Feldman, Apple TV+'s Suspicion is a fast-paced thriller that centers on the aftermath of a kidnapping. Uma Thurman will play a prominent American businesswoman whose 21-year-old son Leo gets abducted from a large and lavish hotel in the middle of New York.

The kidnapping is captured on video, which goes viral across the internet as four British hotel-goers are singled out as the prime suspects. The mystery here, though, is whether the suspects are guilty of the kidnapping, or if they themselves were merely victims of unfortunate circumstances. (The odds seem strong that someone is guilty, right?)

At this time, unfortunately, no further information has been revealed about who Kunal Nayyar will be playing for Suspicion. It's certainly possible that he could be portraying one of the British suspects, or he might be playing a hotel employee or authority figure. What can be easily assumed, though, is that the role won't net Nayyar the same high-dollar paychecks as his former gig did.

Suspicion has a pretty stocked cast at this point, with Kunal Nayyar and Uma Thurman being joined by The Americans' Noah Emmerich, Krypton's Georgina Campbell, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Elizabeth Henstridge, Scorpion's Elyes Gabel and The Tunnel's Angel Coulby. Not a bad lineup in the slightest, with lots of heavy-hitters involved.

The talent extends to behind the camera, as well, with The Man in the High Castle writer/producer Rob Williams on board as the showrunner. Williams also penned an episode of Killing Eve and created last year's thriller The Victim. He'll also serve as an executive producer along with longtime TV writer and producer Chris Long, who has worked on everything from Criminal Minds to Smallville to Gilmore Girls to Apple TV+'s upcoming Amazing Stories anthology. Also signed on as a producer will be Darin McLeod, who served in a similar capacity for HBO's Watchmen TV show.

This marks the very first TV role that Kunal Nayyar will be taking after bidding farewell to The Big Bang Theory and his beloved character Raj. Given that Raj hadn't ended the show with the same relationship status as the other characters, many fans hoped that the character would get his own spinoff, but Nayyar wanted to step out and stretch his acting muscles outside of network comedy for his post-Big Bang career. Fans also hoped he might land some kind of TV or movie project with an idol of his, Kal Penn, but maybe that'll come in the future. You can catch Nayyar in the upcoming Trolls World Tour feature, though!

Considering Suspicion was only just ordered to series, Kunal Nayyar fans will be waiting a while to see the actor back in action on the small screen for Apple TV+. In the meantime, remember that The Big Bang Theory episodes will finally be available to stream when HBO Max goes live in May.

Up next: How Kaley Cuoco Hopes The Big Bang Theory Cast Will Reunite For TV

Kill Bill Vol. 3? Quentin Tarantino Says He's Talked To Uma Thurman About It

Nick Evans — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 17:23:06 +0000

Kill Bill: Vol. 3 is one of those projects that Quentin Tarantino has talked about periodically over the years, but has never materialized. With one movie left on his self-imposed limit of 10, it seems like the time has passed for another bloody tale with the Bride. Not necessarily though, because while making the media rounds for his ninth film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Quentin Tarantino revealed that he’s talked to Uma Thurman about Kill Bill: Vol. 3. The director said:

Me and Uma have been talking about it recently, frankly, to tell you the truth. I’m not sure I’m going to do it but I have thought about it a little further.

Kill Bill: Vol. 3 must still be on Quentin Tarantino’s mind if he and Beatrix Kiddo herself, Uma Thurman, have talked about the project recently. We heard something similar from Quentin Tarantino back in 2015, and now, four years later and 15 years removed from Kill Bill: Vol. 2, he and Uma Thurman are still discussing the third film. That definitely says something that Tarantino has given more thought to the possibility.

It seems that Quentin Tarantino isn’t quite ready to shut the door completely on the idea of doing Kill Bill: Vol. 3. That by no means guarantees it will happen, but it seems that there is at least a chance that the long-awaited third film in Tarantino’s martial arts saga could still materialize. Based on what he said on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, it sounds like he doesn’t know himself whether or not he is going to do it.

Some level of interest is clearly still there though for the director and his star and the fact that he has been thinking about it is something that fans who want to see Kill Bill: Vol. 3 can cling to.

Of course, this isn’t the only sequel/spinoff Quentin Tarantino has talked about over the years that has yet to happen. There’s the Vega Brothers prequel Double V Vega and the World War II film Killer Crow to name a few. But it seems that of any of them, Kill Bill: Vol. 3 has the best odds of happening, as Quentin Tarantino explained:

If any of my movies were going to spring from any of my movies, it would be the third Kill Bill.

That’s cool to hear, and of any of them, Kill Bill: Vol. 3 has anecdotally seemed like the one most fully formed in his mind. It’s also the one that would make the most sense in some ways. Originally, the director talked about the third film following the daughter of Vivica A. Fox’s Vernita Green (code name: Copperhead) as she sought revenge against the Bride for her mother’s death.

It’s unclear if that would still be the plan for a third film, but now 15 years later, the time and ages of the actors would all work for that approach to the story.

Of course, the reason there is so much speculation and urgency around Tarantino’s next film is because it is set to be his last film. The director has imposed a 10-film limit to his career so he doesn’t overextend his stay and leaves a perfect filmography. With Once Upon a Time in Hollywood arriving this week, he has one film left.

There are loopholes to that though, because Quentin Tarantino has said that if he directs a Star Trek film, that could be his last film or he could consider that separate and still make another original film after that. He counts Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 as one film, so would Kill Bill: Vol. 3 count in his mind as a separate film, or is it all part of a singular story, thus allowing for a different ‘10th film’?

Regardless of what he does next, Quentin Tarantino has a new movie hitting theaters this weekend. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood opens on July 26. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all this year’s biggest movies.

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Where Did Uma Thurman Go After Her Quentin Tarantino Movies?

mick.joest@CinemaBlend.com (Mick Joest) — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 20:19:25 +0000

Uma Thurman had been around Hollywood in solid roles nearly a decade prior to appearing in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, although it feels that film is really where it all started. That pattern's continued with Thurman's career since, as the actress found high acclaim for her starring role in Kill Bill. Since then, Thurman might have dropped off the face of the earth as far as some are concerned, but that's not the case.

So what's Uma Thurman been up to since her last appearance in a Quentin Tarantino film? Quite a lot actually, and this list is here to highlight some of the films the actress has appeared in since 2004. Listed in chronological order, here are some of her bigger movies since then audiences eager to see more can check out.

Be Cool (2005)

Just a year removed from Kill Bill, Uma Thurman found herself as one of the key actors in a star-studded comedy that also stars John Travolta and features folks like Danny DeVito, Andre 3000, The Rock, and Vince Vaughn. Be Cool was a sequel to Get Shorty, with Travolta's Chili attempting to break into the music business. Thurman plays Edie Athens, the widow of Chili's friend and on the hook for money owed by the record label.

The film was far less popular with critics than Get Shorty. Director F. Gary Gray has since said part of that was due to him entering the film thinking he was making an R-rated feature, only to be told just ahead of production the goal was for the sequel to be PG-13. Gray told Deadline the film needed edge with its gangsta rap characters and mobsters, and keeping things safe hurt its quality.

The Producers (2005)

Ironically enough, Be Cool wouldn't be the only film Uma Thurman starred in that year with a plot involving a flop. Thurman played the role of Ulla in the 2005 remake adaptation of the successful Mel Brooks movie-turned-play The Producers. Thurman plays Swedish actress Ulla, who manages to get become a part of the show's production even before casting has officially begun. She and Leo eventually elope, and all's well that ends well, for the most part.

The Producers did better than Be Cool in the eyes of critics, but still received middling scores. None of that was due to Thurman's performance, but rather the thought that a lot of the film in general was better suited to the stage than the film world in general. With that said, the movie did go on to get four Golden Globe nominations, so it's not as though it was looked down on by everyone.

My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006)

Superheroes have insane, unique abilities that make them close to gods in terms of power, but they have the same desires as average humans. My Super Ex-Girlfriend examines this somewhat, as Uma Thurman plays a super-heroine smitten by Luke Wilson's Matt who "saves" her from a purse snatcher. The two become the equivalent of Lois Lane and Superman... that is, until things start to get tense.

The two split, and Uma Thurman's G-Girl proceeds to make Matt's life a living hell for breaking up with her. It falls in the genre of superhero comedy, although it may not quite have the tone or action of other films like Thor: Ragnarok or Guardians of the Galaxy. It's a much goofier take, but still features a solid performance from Thurman even if the film isn't quite a cinematic masterpiece.

Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010)

2010 featured a rare appearance by Uma Thurman in a genre she's not seen in all that often: fantasy. Thurman played Medusa in Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief. It's a rather short cameo, which isn't all that bad because seeing Thurman with snake hair is quite a frightening visual!

Thurman's short-lived cameo was almost as short as the prospect of a Percy Jackson film franchise. The franchise had one more film following the first one called Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Sea Of Monsters, and things more or less flat-lined after that. There's been no talk of rebooting it since, although one would think it won't be too long before the idea surfaces given the rich source material to draw from.

Nymphomaniac (2013)

For those looking for a darker performance from Uma Thurman, this is the one to hit up. Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac features a supporting role from the actress, as she plays a distressed wife upset at finding her husband has left her for another lover. It's hard to describe the scene without outright spoiling it, but suffice to say it's a powerful emotional performance from Thurman that is only seen in some of her best work.

Thurman has just a small part of Nymphomaniac which, as the name suggests, isn't a film for everybody. Of course, those who enjoyed her in films like Pulp Fiction or Kill Bill probably won't have a problem with the subject matter, but Lars von Trier does tend to push things quite a bit. It's a film about sex, so just be prepared to see that explored quite a bit.

Burnt (2015)

Uma Thurman is in another supporting role in Burnt, playing a famous restaurant critic named Simone that Bradley Cooper's Adam convinces to review his new restaurant. Thurman has a British accent in this role, and she pulls it off well enough one might be encouraged to double check her birthplace and make sure she wasn't doing an American accent this whole time. For the record, Thurman was born in Boston, Massachusetts.

Overall, Burnt has been sort of a mixed bag in regards to how audiences received it. Many praise Bradley Cooper's performance as one of the high points, but overall the film is thought to be fairly mediocre in terms of plot and dialogue. It's not that it's bad, but more or less a story folks have seen some version of before.

Uma Thurman's done a few things on the independent film circuit since then, and is due to appear in Netflix's upcoming supernatural drama Chambers. Fans will be able to check her out there soon enough, and can share their thoughts on Thurman's best performances outside of a Quentin Tarantino picture in the comments below. For more on Thurman, read up on the major movie opportunity she got some time ago that she now regrets turning down.

Is Kill Bill One Movie, Or Two?

Sean O'Connell — Fri, 17 Aug 2018 15:55:24 +0000

How many films has Quentin Tarantino made? Your answer depends on your personal opinion of the director's sprawling revenge opera, Kill Bill. Is the Uma Thurman-led film Tarantino's fourth AND fifth film? Or just his fourth, forced to be split in two by producer Harvey Weinstein instead of subjecting QT to the demanded edits of "Harvey Scissorhands"?

This is a debate that erupted on the most recent episode of ReelBlend, a weekly podcast hosted by myself, Kevin McCarthy and Jake Hamilton. We were debating our favorite movie openings of all time, and swirled our conversation around Inglourious Basterds and Pulp Fiction. But when I said to my co-hosts that Kill Bill was two films -- and that Vol. 2 is significantly worse than Vol. 1 -- their heads exploded. They only see Kill Bill as one movie, because that's how Tarantino intended it to be shown. For real, listen to their heads explode in this week's episode:

So, we put it to a poll. And ReelBlend listeners largely agreed with me: It's two movies. One story, maybe. But definitely two movies.

ReelBlend listener Chris Folk acknowledging that Vol. 2 feels different from its predecessor.

So, what are the arguments? Those who stand by "Kill Bill is one movie" point to the fact that Tarantino filmed Kill Bill in one shot, and only relented to two Volumes after Harvey Weinstein started pushing for the removal of sequences that he considered vital to the movie's success. Knowing that he didn't want to cut huge chunks out of the overall story, the director allowed them to be split. In fact, Quentin Tarantino has a full cut of the Kill Bill saga, known as The Whole Bloody Affair, which was rumored to make it to DVD and Blu-ray... but hasn't yet. Tarantino screened The Whole Bloody Affair at his New Beverly theater in Los Angeles on the occasion of his birthday. So there's that.

Those who see Kill Bill as two movies point to the fact that Vol. 2 exists. Yes, Quentin Tarantino was pressured by Harvey Weinstein to cut the full movie in half, but the director agreed to do it. Plus, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 don't seamlessly merge together. Vol. 2 actually has its own opening credits, with a full sequence of Uma Thurman explaining everything that happened in the first movie. If Vol. 2 truly was a straight continuation of Vol. 1, these add-ons wouldn't be necessary. And if there was one long cut of Kill Bill, QT wouldn't put credits in the middle of his movie.

Ultimately, it doesn't change much. However you perceive Kill Bill doesn't alter the story. But we found it funny that different groups of Tarantino fans can have staunchly different takes on the perception of the director's film (or films). So tell us, in the poll below, where you stand on this heated topic!

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Would Uma Thurman Ever Work With Quentin Tarantino Again? Here's What She Said

Matt Wood — Sat, 05 May 2018 18:34:00 +0000

While filming Kill Bill: Vol. 2, star Uma Thurman was involved in an on-set car stunt accident that left her with permanent damage to her knees and neck. The actress first opened up about the incident to the New York Times earlier this year, placing the blame and the alleged cover-up on the producers -- which included Harvey Weinstein. Thurman claimed that she was pressured into the stunt, but would she ever work with director Quentin Tarantino again? Yes, but only if it were a good part. Here's what she had to say:

If he wrote a great part! I understand him and if he wrote a great part and we were both in the right place about it, that would be something else.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Uma Thurman considered if she would ever work with Quentin Tarantino, her director on Pulp Fiction and the Kill Bill films, again following her accident on the set of Kill Bill: Vol. 2. The answer was yes, but only if it were a good part and they were "both in the right place." However, Thurman went on to note that she didn't think that was likely to happen, given Tarantino's plan to retire after he makes his tenth film. The award-winning director is currently working on his ninth movie: a 1960s-set film using the Charles Manson films as a backdrop. Should he stick to his plan (which Thurman thinks he is likely to do) then the two would not have time to work together again.

In addition to claiming sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein, Uma Thurman detailed the car accident back in February to the Times. Thurman alleges that she was pressured into doing a car stunt that she was uncomfortable with. The actress then sustained injuries after the car veered off course during a take. Footage of the incident was made public, which Tarantino had helped Thurman find prior to her interview.

According to Keith Adams, the stunt coordinator for the film, no stunts were scheduled for that day, and no one on the stunt team was notified that Uma Thurman would be driving a vehicle. Had he been notified, Adams said he would have recommended a professional driver get behind the wheel of a roadworthy vehicle.

In a later Instagram post, Thurman wrote that she didn't blame Tarantino for the incident and that Tarantino was "deeply regretful and remains remorseful about this sorry event." Tarantino himself later opened up about the incident to Deadline, saying that they had not considered it a stunt at the time; just driving. Thurman had to drive down a straight narrow road with foliage on both sides at about 35 mph. He said that is was "one of the biggest regrets of my life" and that "a trust was broken" between himself and Thurman.

Kill Bill Stunt Coordinator Says He Wasn't Consulted About Uma Thurman’s Crash

Matt Wood — Sun, 11 Feb 2018 19:50:17 +0000

In an article from the New York Times that was published last week, Uma Thurman claimed that she was pressured by production and director Quentin Tarantino to take part in a car stunt that ultimately ended in a crash and left her with a concussion while filming Kill Bill. Thurman alleges that the incident was covered up by the producers -- which included Harvey Weinstein -- and that the circumstances surrounding the event were "negligent to the point of criminality." Now, Keith Adams, the stunt coordinator for the film, has now come forward to state that he, and the entire stunt department, were not consulted about the stunt. According to Adams...

No stunts of any kind were scheduled for the day of Ms. Thurman's accident. All of the stunt department was put on hold and no one from the stunt department was called to set. At no point was I notified or consulted about Ms. Thurman driving a car on camera that day. Had I been involved, I would have insisted not only on putting a professional driver behind the wheel but also ensuring that the car itself was roadworthy and safe.

In a statement sent to The Hollywood Reporter, stunt coordinator Keith Adam says that there was not supposed to be a stunt on the schedule for the day and that no one from the stunt department was present on set. Adam claims to have not been consulted or notified that Uma Thurman would be driving a car on camera, but if he had, he would have recommended a professional stunt driver and roadworthy vehicle be used.

The Pulp Fiction star was allegedly pressured by Quentin Tarantino to get behind the wheel of a rattrap convertible and drive down a curved, sandy, Mexican road at 40 mph. The vehicle ended up crashing, resulting in Thurman receiving a concussion and damage to her knees. According to veteran stunt coordinator Andy Armstrong, the actress could have been decapitated and said that it was irresponsibility on a "mega level." Ordinarily, these types of vehicles are referred to as "picture cars," i.e. cars that look good on camera but are not safe to drive in a stunt. Picture cars are generally towed on flatbed "process trailers" while being filmed, creating the illusion that an actor is driving. Thurman described the car as a "death box" in an interview with the New York Times.

Quentin Tarantino has since come forward about the incident, noting that it was "one of the biggest regrets of my life." According to Tarantino, "no one ever considered it a stunt. It was just driving." Uma Thurman posted footage of the crash (which she writes was provided to her by Tarantino) to her Instagram, writing that while she does not believe there was "malicious intent" she blames the following cover-up on "Lawrence Bender, E. Bennett Walsh, and the notorious Harvey Weinstein."

Uma Thurman On Why Kill Bill Was So Gratifying

Jessica Rawden — Mon, 03 Jul 2017 19:30:28 +0000

Uma Thurman has made a lot of movies over the years, but some of her most prominent roles have been in Quentin Tarantino movies, including Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Vol 2. She recently spoke out about her time in the latter movies, noting that the role of The Bride has been really gratifying, namely because of the impact her Kill Bill character Beatrix Kiddo has had on women. She said:

Women would come up to me and they would say that somehow or other -- they'd share a little bit --- that that film helped them in their lives, whether they were feeling oppressed or struggling or had a bad boyfriend or felt badly about themselves, that that film released in them some survival energy that was helpful, and that is probably one of the most gratifying things that I have ever experienced in response to a piece of art.

Speaking at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival (via Variety), Uma Thurman discussed some of her movie roles, including the character in Kill Bill. She said that after she made the movies (in 2003 and 2004) fans would come up to her and tell her how Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Kill Bill Vol. 2 had given them strength they didn't know they had.

If you haven't caught either of the Quentin Tarantino films, the first one follows Uma Thurman's character, then, The Bride. The Bride is pregnant and shot on her wedding day. She survives, only to take revenge on those who had forsaken her. In the second film, her assassination attempts continue, and she begins tracking down her daughter, aged four, and her former husband, who tried to have her murdered on her wedding day.

The movie is violent and sometimes difficult to get through, but through hardships (including being raped while comatose), Beatrix Kiddo prevails. A lot of the enemies she fights are also women, and when the movies came out more than a decade ago, finding female characters that were so driven and kickass was a whole lot rarer than they have been in the superhero era.

Uma Thurman's comments weren't confined to talking about Kill Bill. As noted prior, she's been involved in a lot of projects, and she also talked fondly about Woody Allen and Lars Von Trier's directing styles. She also said she really finds it profound to contribute to the world of cinema, noting that film festivals help to keep the medium alive.

These festivals are crucial to support, promote and keep alive this 90-minute, 120-minute narrative. It's a form of dramatic storytelling that I fell in love with, and it's a challenge to keep doing it, so it's just being part of that support.

There's been some talk about making Kill Bill 3 over the years, but for now, you can next catch Uma Thurman in a slew of projects including Serenity, The War with Grandpa, Down A Dark Hall and The Brits are Coming. To see what films are hitting theaters sooner, take a look at CinemaBlend's full schedule.

Why Uma Thurman Turned Down The Lord Of The Rings

Corey Chichizola — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 21:02:40 +0000

Maintaining a great acting career is a tricky thing. So often actors up fading away, being type cast into similar roles, or pull a Katherine Heigl and make so many enemies it's hard to book a job. And while attempting to keep their career exciting and fresh, actors and their teams can often pass up on roles which would have actually helped their case. This is exactly the case with Kill Bill actress Uma Thurman, who recently revealed that she turned down a major role in the Lord of the Rings trilogy back in the day.

Uma Thurman recently did an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where the actress revealed that she passed on the role of Eowyn in The Lord of the Rings. And while she had good reason for doing so, Thurman actually thinks its one of the biggest mistakes from her long career. She said told Colbert,

It was a very long time ago, and I do consider it to be one of the worst decisions ever made. But I had just had my first child and, I don't know, I was a little housebound. ... It's really definitely a regret.

Holy wow. It's crazy that, after all these years, new information regarding Peter Jackson's epic trilogy is still being revealed. Alas, it looks like Uma Thurman almost helped with the battle for Middle Earth back in the day.

Uma Thurman was reportedly offered the role of Eowyn, a character which debuted in The Twin Towers. Eowyn is one of the few female characters from the franchise, and is a mixture of badass and ladylike. A niece to King Theoden, Eowyn takes care of her family during all the chaos that ensued. But she's also a fierce swordswoman, and eventually sneaks into the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in order to join the ranks. She comes out with an insane victory for the good guys, killing The Witch King.

It's actually rather surprising that Uma Thurman decided she didn't want to get involved in The Lord of the Rings. To start, the films are based off of one of the most popular series of novels in the history of literature; there was a massive following before the films even hit theaters. Additionally, Eowyn debuted in the second film, meaning that Thurman had the opportunity to see just how successful the first film was. Yet she still passed on the role, and regrets it today.

But while Uma Thurman may regret this decision in retrospect, she was likely doing the responsible thing and focusing on raising her child. Since the films shot in New Zealand, it wasn't like she could just hop into a car and into a Hollywood studio. It was a significantly bigger time commitment, and she would have had to be away from her family for some time.

Plus, it's not like we didn't get to eventually see Uma Thurman kick some ass with a sword. It just happened to be more samurai-based, as she became even more well known for her leading role in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films.

The 10 Greatest Female Action Characters Of All-Time, Ranked

Catarina Cowden — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 01:03:12 +0000

The action genre has been dominated by male actors since it was first created. That’s not to say there aren’t some incredibly awesome male action characters, of course there are. But female action characters tend to be a bit more rare. But, there are always the one’s that stick out--female action characters that to this day we still are talking about, the iconic ones that newer action stars are inspired by. Those are the women that needed their own list.

Lately we’ve seen some awesome female action heroes from Emily Blunt’s Rita in Edge of Tomorrow to Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games. While both are forces to reckon with, they can’t even compare to some of these great female action characters. These are the characters that have held guns, swords, but most of all intelligence. These are the women who are leaders of the action genre itself. And these are the 10 greatest female action characters that you would never want to piss off.

#10 Hanna Heller, Hanna

Saoirse Ronan’s Hanna Heller may be young, but she packs a powerful punch in the 2011 Joe Wright film Hanna. Raised by an ex-CIA operative, the young Hanna was trained in a number of different skill sets from hand-to-hand combat to target shooting. When we first meet Hanna, she is a 15-year-old girl, cold but thoughtful. From the beginning of her story, we can see that she has been a trained killer, but by the end we see how important those qualities are to her survival. Hanna not only is a badass fighter, but her intelligence and carefulness are two of the most interesting aspects of her character, especially considering her young age. Her dedication to the man who raised her, along with the slew of characters she meets in her journey are what made her believable. But as a trained assassin, raised in the wilderness, Hanna Heller is a force to be reckoned with.

#9 Trinity, The Matrix

It’s safe to say Neo would not have gotten too far with out Carlie-Anne Moss’ Trinity by his side in The Matrix movies. The Wachowskis’ sci-fi action trilogy featured a number of kick-ass characters, but the best female badass, Trinity sat high at the top. A computer programmer and hacker, Trinity knew her way around the Matrix and Morpheus’ ship, and though her role in the series is first and foremost to aid Neo in his quest, her skills go far beyond just a romantic counterpart. Trinity’s unique skills range from her use of weapons to operating a range of vehicles and aircrafts. While some of their skills are downloaded from outside of the Matrix, much of Trinity's were trained. She is known famed amongst the hackers for cracking on of the most secure systems in the Matrix to escape. And it’s not only her smarts that get her on this list, but also her crazy combat moves. Trinity’s signature "Double Eagle" move is one of the more memorable of the franchise.

#8 Hit-Girl, Kick-Ass

Another young badass to make the list, Chloë Grace Moretz’s Hit-Girl has skills (and language) far beyond her years. Moretz had dreamed of starring in an action role as she compared to had Angelina Jolie in Wanted, and her role as Hit-Girl couldn’t be a more perfect fit. Though the Kick-Ass franchise focuses on the titular character’s journey to becoming a vigilante, it is Hit-Girl who dominates all of the action scenes. She’s smart, strong, precise, and truly loves take-charge and kicking ass. Oh that and her knives, she really loves her knives. Hit-Girl had all the moves, and at a mere eleven years old, she still could overpower an entire gang of thugs. The initial shock over her age quickly passes when you see how genuinely dangerous this girl is. Raised in an environment where she quickly learned the ways of her vigilante father, and was trained to be just as lethal, Hit-Girl may have missed out on a childhood, but she sure loves fighting the baddies, and we sure love watching her do it.

#7 Lara Croft, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

Throughout the 2000s, Angelina Jolie was the epitome of an female action superstar. And though plenty of her characters should make this list, Lara Croft is definitely the most iconic baddie to take the prize. Based on the popular video game Angelina Jolie’s Lara Croft was an intensely dedicated action hero who works tirelessly to defeat the Illuminati. Though the films of the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider franchise were not received well, Jolie’s embodiment of the female badass was the only redeeming factor. She is smart, stunning and highly athletic and uses her skills as an archaeologist to help in her collection of the ancient artifacts. And despite some of the negativity surrounding the sexualization of Lara Croft in these films, the character broke down big doors to lead towards more female action roles. Her resourceful ways, and smart tactical skills showed off a powerful female action character that no one wanted to mess with.

#6 Leeloo, The Fifth Element

Leeloo is the most adorable badass to make the list. Milla Jovovich’s breakout role in the 1997 sci-fi action flick The Fifth Element was one of best action films to date (another ranking higher in this list). The supreme being who is a necessary element in preventing the Earth’s ultimate destruction looks cute and completely innocent. She has little social skills or understanding of cultural norms, but you mess with her, and you bet that you will be on your knees begging for mercy. The aspect that made Leeloo such an awesome female badass though, was how fragile she actually was. When you saw her fight, it made jaws-dropped, but she was emotionally vulnerable just like any human. Despite being an alien, she was one of the most relatable characters in the film, which it that much cooler to see her in action. Her fight scenes were top notch, but the depth of her character made her the ultimate female action hero.

#5 Alice, Resident Evil

A former security operative turned resistance fighter Alice is the ultimate female fighter. She’s survived years fighting off zombies as well as those who want to take her down for turning against the Umbrella Corporation. Though Milla Jovovich has made this list with another one of her female action heroes, Resident Evil’s Alice is her own iconic character. Loosely based off the Capcom video games of the same name, the Resident Evil franchise wouldn’t bring in terrific critical reviews, but the character of Alice stands as one of the most iconic female action stars of all time. Jovovich's Alice was an original character created for the films, based on many of the strong women in the Resident Evil games. She is a smart leader, a killer fighter, and dedicated to her cause. Her skills grew even greater as the films progressed, and Alice has become the iconic figure associated with the franchise.

#4 The Bride, Kill Bill

Beatrix Kiddo, known primarily by the name The Bride is not only one of the best female action heroes, but best action heroes, hands down. In true Quentin Tarantino fashion, the two part Kill Bill series features a number of graphic, gut-wrenching battles, but with a cold-faced Uma Thurman portraying the vengeance-seeking protagonist, it makes the fight sequences that much more thrilling. Uma Thurman’s The Bride is scary. It is only till later in her story do we start to sympathize and realize the anger that lingers behind her fight. She doesn’t have to speak too much, which sometimes makes your skin crawl, but in seeing her fight to the finish, we realize how deadly of a force The Bride truly is. She is disciplined and highly trained, but more so than her extremely impressive fighting skills, her deadliest weapon is her focus.

#3 Furiosa, Mad Max: Fury Road

The newest action lady to make this top 10 list also ranks high above some of the rest. Mad Max: Fury Road’s Furiosa is quite the extraordinary female action character. While she drives front and center in the newest Mad Max film, it is her intelligence that makes her an even fiercer warrior. Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furiosa is the lead antagonist’s top imperator and driver. On what is supposed to be a routine supply run, Furiosa goes against the everything she stand for to help save a group of women. On the run, we see how deep her character goes. Not only has she lost one arm (which does not hinder her fighting skills in the slightest) but she also knows what it is to fight for survival. And that’s why she risks everything for these women. So that they can raise their children away from such awful conditions. Furiosa never gives up, and by the end of her journey, she is praised by the people of her land, a true heroine, with a heart of gold and a warrior’s fight.

#2 Sarah Connor, Terminator 2: Judgement Day

There’s been many portrayals of Sarah Connor over the years, and that’s what makes this female action character so iconic. Her story is one that still holds, and her fight is one that we still want to watch over and over again. In the first Terminator film, we didn’t see the Sarah Connor we came to love and respect. Still a damsel in distress, it wasn’t until Terminator 2: Judgement Day that the true badass came out to play. Linda Hamilton's Sarah Connor transformed herself into a ferocious warrior all to protect her son. She may sometimes be a bit violent and mentally unstable, but her behavior all stems in being the greatest protector she can be. She is cautious and careful when it comes to any technology and takes much time in building a relationship with Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800. But what makes Sarah Connor rank so high on this list, is that she is first and foremost a mother. Her action-heavy role is created because of her concern for her son. And if that’s not the most incredible feat, I don’t know what is.

#1 Ellen Ripley, Alien

There’s really no debating that Alien’s Ellen Ripley sits atop the list of the greatest female action characters. She is the #1 female action character. Portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, Ripley is not only considered an iconic action hero, but also considered one of the best female protagonists of all time. When the first Alien was released in 1979, putting a female at the lead of a science fiction action film was unheard of. And with Weaver behind the role, it would prove to be even more powerful. Weaver earned an Oscar nomination for the role, but more so than anything, Ellen Ripley became an iconic character in cinema. She’s never a sidekick, only a hero. Ridley Scott’s Alien features a highly aggressive extraterrestrial baddie, and Ripley is one of the few smart and savvy enough to survive it. Through the many sequels of the franchise Ripley had many trials and tribulations, but she was always a relatable character that you admired.