The word is out, and the Hollywood press has cranked-up the buzz blaster: Freida Pinto has landed her biggest and best role to date. She will play Phaedra, the hero’s oracle, in War of the Gods, a Greek mythological epic currently in pre-production.
One of many in a sudden flurry of mythological mega-movies that includes The Lightning Thief andClash of the Titans, Relativity Media’s $100 million War of the Gods currently is scheduled to hit theatres in time for the 2011 summer blockbuster season. Determined to make the film live up to its “epic” description in every way, director Tarsem Singh has assembled an elite crew of screenwriters and cinematographers, including seasoned veterans from the instant classic 300. Singh recently told the Hollywood press that, apropos of his subject matter, he plans to give his larger-than-life adventure the look and feel of an Italian renaissance painting, a setting well-suited to Pinto’s timeless beauty.
Henry Cavill will headline as Theseus, champion of the human crusade against vengeful gods and demi-gods, who threaten to destroy all of mankind. Pinto co-stars as Phaedra, oracle priestess and hero’s inspiration—a perfect role for the twenty-five year old star millions of men worship as a goddess.
The role marks another evolutionary step in a spectacular career that has rocketed the Indian beauty from obscurity to worldwide super-stardom in the blink of a well-curled eyelash. After several years as an extremely successful international model, Pinto made her big screen debut in Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire. Beguiling critics and audiences alike, Pinto became one of Hollywood’s premier “It” girls for 2009, appearing in People Magazine’s list of the world’s most beautiful people, and landing high top several prestigious lists of the world’s best dressed women.
Since she lit-up the red carpet in the spring of 2009, Pinto has earned leading roles with some of the industry’s premier directors. Pinto recently completed production of You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, a Woody Allen piece that features a typically quirky ensemble cast including Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Naomi Watts, Anupam Kher, and Josh Brolin. She also completed excellent work on Julian Schnabel’s Miral, a poignant historical film about Hind Husseini, founder of the Dar Al-Tifl orphanage in war-torn Jerusalem during Isreal’s 1948 partition from Palestine.
Although Pinto wisely has devoted the majority of her time and attention to honing her considerable acting talent, she has not altogether abandoned modelling. In February, 2010, she graced the cover of Elle magazine, and industry insiders report that she soon will ink a deal making her “the new face of L’Oreal.”
Currently in the UK, Slumdog actress Freida Pinto has been talking about coping with life in the aftermath of the Oscar-winning movie. “I found it all a bit overwhelming at first, but now I’m determined to make the most of it. I don’t want to look back in ten years and think that I missed out,” she says. And what of her relationship with co-star Dev Patel? “He’s a really, really, great guy, and I couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful co-star. He’s adorable, and a good friend. He always will be,” she confirms.
Freida has recently been filming Miral in Israel with Willem Dafoe and Yasmine El Masri, and she will then move on to her Woody Allen project which also stars Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts and Antonio Banderas. With all this traveling, where does Freida call home? “I don’t have a fixed address as I’m making movies all over the world,” she explains, “I’m filming in Israel at the moment and who knows after that, so I’m not making plans to buy my own place yet. Ultimately, Mumbai will always be home. That’s where my family is.”
Miral is based on the life of Palestinian social activist Hind Husseini, who worked to create a children’s orphanage after the Deir Yassin massacre. Initially starting with 55 children, the orphanage later converted to a school housing up to 2000 children, of which at its peak, 300 were orphans. The movie is based on a book by Palestinian-Italian writer Rula Jebreal – “The Road of Flowers of Miral”.
Anupam Kher who celebrates 25 years in films on May 25 with a premiere of Saraansh, couldn’t have received a better silver-jubilee gift. On the morning of May 24, Anupam’s international agent sent him the news that he’s part of the new Woody Allen film, to be shot in London later this year.
In a state of disbelief, Anupam said, “First the amazing response to the screening of Saraansh in the afternoon, then this piece of news. To be in a Woody Allen film is a dream come true for me. Last year, I worked with another international filmmaking legend Ang Lee. Now Woody Allen. What more could any actor ask for in his 25th year in the business?”
Ask Anupam about the ambit of his part on Woody’s film and he protests, “You think I care? All I know is that I play Freida Pinto’s father in the Woody Allen film. Even if it is just one shot I’d be delirious. I’ve grown up and grown older watching Woody Allen’s cinema. And look at my kismet. Do you know the film’s cast? The Woody Allen film features the mighty Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts and Antonio Banderas. To be part of this vast cast is enough for me.”
Dancing with the joy of accomplishment, Anupam says, “Mahesh Bhatt Saab who was present at the screening of Saaransh on Sunday afternoon got on stage at the end of the screening and announced that I had received a Woody Allen film as gift for 25 years in films.”
To share this glorious moment with Anupam at the screening of Saaransh was his brother Raju Kher, wife Kirron Kher and close friends from the industry including Rakeysh Mehra, Dibakar Bannerjee, Neeraj Pandey and David Dhawan who had edited Saaransh.
“It was very moving experience,” says Anupam emotionally.
The next James Bond movie might have either Amy Winehouse or Duffy singing its anthem. Opening up the matter was Michael G. Wilson, the producer and screenwriter of the film series, during an interview with The Sun.
“I would love to get Duffy to sing the next tune. I think she is wonderful. Amy Winehouse would be good too,” Michael said. “We have started work on the new film, which I can’t say anything about. Daniel Craig is very keen to get going.”
Amy Winehouse was billed to write and sing a theme song for 2008 James Bond movie “Quantum of Solace” with Mark Ronson. However, she missed the chance of scoring any music for the film after her health condition got worse due to adverse reaction of her anti-drugs medication. At the time, she and Mark were replaced by Alicia Keys and Jack White, the frontman of The White Stripes.
The next installment of James Bond movie itself has had several actresses, including Angelina Jolie, Freida Pinto and Jennifer Aniston, being linked to its cast ensemble. Additionally, “Slumdog Millionaire” director Danny Boyle is up for the directing role of this “Bond 23″.
L’Oreal just announced that Freida Pinto, Evangeline Lilly, and Elizabeth Banks will now be representing their brand. The president of L’Oreal says, “L’Oreal is delighted that these great stars of world cinema have agreed to represent our brand.”
The girls are excited too. Freida Pinto says “I am very moved to be joining the great L’Oreal Paris family and all these personalities: a family I am now proud to be a part of.”
Lost’s Evangeline Lilly says, “It is a source of great pride for me to represent a brand whose ambition is to respond to every person’s aspirations to beauty, and contribute to the fulfilment and well-being of everyone.”
Elizabeth Banks agrees and says, “I am so honoured to be one of the newest L’Oreal Paris Spokespeople and to join such a distinguished group of women who proudly say the iconic phrase ‘Because you’re worth it.”
Slumdog Millionaire star Freido Pinto returns to her hotel with a mystery male on Thursday (May 7) in Tel Aviv, Israel. The 24-year-old model-turned-actor is in town shooting Julian Schnabel’s new movie Miral, which is based on the novel by Palestinian-Italian writer Rula Jebreal who documented the real-life story of Hind Husseini.
Freida was recently nominated for the 2009 MTV Movie Awards for Breakthrough Female Performance Female. Her boyfriend and costar Dev Patel is also up for Breakthrough Make Performance Male. And of course, as a couple, they were nominated for Best Kiss.
Teen vampire movie “Twilight” led the MTV movie award nominations announced Monday with seven nods, just ahead of Oscar winner “Slumdog Millionaire”, which earned six nominations.
In an online poll, “Twilight” earned nods for best movie, best female performance (Kristen Stewart) and breakthrough performance male (Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner). “Slumdog Millionaire” garnered six nominations, including best movie, breakthrough performance female (Freida Pinto) and breakthrough performance male (Dev Patel).
The awards will take place May 31 in Los Angeles and fans can vote for their favourites at the MTV Movies Awards site.
Joining “Twilight” and “Slumdog Millionaire” in the best movie category are “The Dark Knight”, “High School Musical 3″ and “Iron Man”. The other actors vying in the breakthrough performance male category are Ben Barnes for “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Prince of Caspian” and Bobb’e J. Thompson for “Role Models”. Other breakthrough performance female selections are Ashley Tisdale and Vanessa Hudgens(“HSM 3″) and Miley Cyrus (“Hannah Montana: The Movie”).
Apart from Stewart the best female performance nominees include Anne Hathaway (“Bride Wars”), Angelina Jolie (“Wanted”) and Kate Winslet (“The Reader”). Zac Efron (“HSM 3″), will compete for best male performance against Shia LaBeouf (“Eagle Eye”) and Robert Downey, Jr. (“Tropic Thunder”).
The best fight awards is a battle between Christian Bale and Heath Ledger (“The Dark Knight”) and Seth Rogen, James Franco and Danny McBride (“Pineapple Express”).
The best kiss category will see another smackdown between “Twilight” (Stewart and Pattinson) and “Slumdog Millionaire” (Pinto and Patel), with other nominees including Franco and Sean Penn (“Milk”), and Paul Rudd and Thomas Lennon (“I Love You, Man”).