The Girl With the Rising Career

Rooney Mara isn't just the girl with the dragon tattoo. She's the girl who reportedly beat out every A-list (and B- and C-list) actor in Hollywood who wanted the coveted role of punk computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, the female protagonist of Stieg Larsson's wildly popular novels and Swedish film adaptations. She's the girl who shaved her long, beautiful locks into a Mohawk; dyed it jet-black; got eyebrow, lip, and nipple piercings; and learned to ride a skateboard and a motorcycle. She's the girl nobody knew who put Jesse Eisenberg's Mark Zuckerberg in his place in "The Social Network." David Fincher's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" is engrossing and has many great actors (Daniel Craig, Stellan Skarsgrd, Christopher Plummer), but it's Mara's film. She is brilliant, immersed in her character to the point that one wonders where Mara ends and Salander begins. Her performance is intense, brash, and dangerous, yet her expressions are subtle, almost deadpan. She even brings comedy to the role. It's an exciting performance that everyone is talking about. The soft-spoken and surprisingly introverted actor talked to Back Stage about how director David Fincher encouraged her to have a voice, how her role in "The Social Network" almost hindered rather than helped her chances of getting the part of Salander, and how she prepared to play the role of a lifetime.What got you into acting? Rooney Mara: I grew up going to Broadway plays. My mom would take me and my sister [actor Kate Mara], and we always loved that. She would show us old movies, and [we took] kids' acting classes, and we always were putting on little plays. I loved acting, but I was a very shy child, so it was just like a fun thing for me to do. My sister's been acting since she was 12. I didn't want to do that. I wanted to go to school first and see if there was anything else that would interest me. So I didn't start actually pursuing acting work until I was, like, 20, when I was at NYU. Did you take classes? Mara: No, not really. I never really was properly trained. I took some classes with [acting coach] Bob Krakower, and he's great. But I was never really part of an acting troupe or anything like that. Was Kate helpful? Mara: Of course. It was helpful to see her go through the process, definitely. But it was kind of scary. My sister's incredibly talented, so it was also very intimidating.What was the first role you booked? Mara: My first part ever was in a "Law & Order" episode. Then, things were very slow. I moved to Los Angeles, and I was auditioning constantly and not getting any work. Finally, I got a part in an independent film called "Tanner Hall," which was my first real part in a feature film. That was a great experience. I did a bunch of independent films from there on and a few TV things, and it all just kind of came. But it was a slow process. How did meeting and working with Fincher on "The Social Network" turn into your part in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"? Mara: It didn't. I only worked for four days on "The Social Network," and he was really happy with the work I did, and I had a tremendous amount of respect for the way he worked, but I barely knew him. We didn't have any sort of relationship. I think, actually, the work that I did in "The Social Network" made him think that I wasn't right for "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," because [the characters are] the complete opposite of each other. I had to do a little bit of work to convince him otherwise. What was that process like? Mara: It was just your regular audition process. I went in; I read for Laray [Mayfield]; she put me on tape. David watched my tape and was then really interested in me. From that point on, I had a lot of screen tests. It was a long process.How did you start trying to find your character? Mara: It all starts and ends with the book. There's an endless amount of information in there. You never get that much information on a character. And then, obviously, there were physical things I did. That always helps you get into the role. [Lisbeth is] a very physical part her mannerisms, the way she walks, the way she talks, the amount of eye contact that she givesall that was super important to the character. Was there ever a time when you were preparing when you felt like "I think I've got her"? Mara: No. There was so much work that went into it, I never had one moment where I felt like that. We were always constantly trying to figure it out and make it better and make it right.Was Fincher specific with what he wanted from you for your character, or were you able to create on your own? Mara: Both. The books did the work for us. They spelled out who the character is, so we had a very similar vision. It was a very collaborative process.What was your biggest challenge in trying to find your character? Mara: I don't know that I had one. She never felt that foreign to me. I felt like I really understood her. There was obviously a lot of work that went into it, and I had to learn a lot of stuff, but I never felt at a loss for who the character was. Were you concerned about being compared to Noomi Rapace, who had already played Lisbeth Salander [in the Swedish version of the film]? Mara: No, I had a different idea of who the character was, and I just didn't think about that.Were you nervous about the nudity in the film? Mara: No, I read the books, so I was really aware of what was expected of me. That's a huge part of who the character is, so I couldn't have gone into it if I had any sort of hesitation or hang-ups about that. In my interview with Yorick van Wageningen [who plays Nils Bjurman], he said shooting the rape scene was "frighteningly endless" and "the harshest" of his career. What was shooting it like for you? Mara: It was really intense. It's a really challenging scene physically and emotionally. But I was really well prepared for it. It's a scene that really drives the whole trilogy and a scene that we talked a lot about. I felt very safe. Of course, it was hard because it's a disturbing thing to have to act out.There has been a lot of talk about David Fincher and the multiple takes he does as a director. Can you explain his style and why he does so many? Mara: It's very exaggerated. He does do a lot of takes, but I don't know why everyone gets so interested in that. It's just the way that he works, you know? David, he doesn't just shoot all these takes and hope he gets it. Every single time he asks for a new take, there's always a specific direction, whether it's to the lighting, the camera, the costume, the set dressing, or the actors. The way we look at it is, we spent all this money and put all this time into putting all this stuff together, we flew all the way to Stockholm, we're here, and then we're going to shoot three takes? What's the point? We may as well really figure it out and get it right. It seems like you two had such a great actor-director relationship. Mara: I wouldn't have been able to get through an experience like this without it. I had to go into it really trusting him 100 percent, and I did. I probably would have done anything for him, almost to a fault. But, at the same time, it was such a collaborative experience. We definitely disagreed on some things, but we always talked everything through. David's an incredible director. He knows the story better than anyone in the room. What did you learn from this experience? Mara: I guess I learned I'm much more capable than I thought I was. As a young actress, you have to really learn to have a voice and speak your mind. I think it's easy for women in this industry who have an opinion or who have a point of view to be coined as "difficult." David always really empowered me to speak my mind, to have an opinion, and to have a choice. How do you feel about playing Lisbeth Salander in parts two and three of the trilogy? Mara: I'm not thinking about that yet. We have to wait and see if there's an audience for this film first. But I would definitely be happy to do it again. I don't feel finished with the character. Do you have advice for the actors reading Back Stage? Mara: I think it's a good thing to have a strong opinion and make strong choices. If you're super passionate and you're willing to do the hard workI've been auditioning for stuff for years, and it's always hard. Rejection is always hard, and it's always devastating when you don't get a part that you really wanted. But when I look back, if I had gotten some of the parts that I really wanted, then I might not have been able to do this movie. I think everything happens for a reason, and you just have to keep at it. OUTTAKES -- Other film credits include 2010's remake of "A Nightmare on Elm Street," "Dare," "The Winning Season," and "Youth in Revolt"-- Is the great-granddaughter of Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr. and NY Giants founder Tim Mara. Her father, Timothy Christopher Mara, is the vice president of player evaluation for the Giants.-- Set to film Terrence Malick's "Lawless" with Ryan Gosling and Christian Bale in fall 2012

Movie Crowds Dip to 16-Year Low as Apathy Lingers

LOS ANGELES (AP) Hollywood has more tricks in its bag than ever with digital 3-D and other new film tools. Yet as the images on screen get bigger and better, movie crowds keep shrinking down to a 16-year low as 2011's film lineup fell well short of studios' record expectations.Through New Year's Eve on Saturday, projected domestic revenues for the year stand at $10.2 billion, down 3.5 percent from 2010's, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com. Taking higher ticket prices into account, movie attendance is off even more, with an estimated 1.28 billion tickets sold, a 4.4 percent decline and the smallest movie audience since 1995, when admissions totaled 1.26 billion.Just what has put the movie business in the dumps is anyone's guess though safe bets include the tight economy, rising ticket prices, backlash against parades of sequels or remakes, and an almost-limitless inventory of portable and at-home gadgetry to occupy people's time.The year got off to a dismal start with what could be called an "Avatar" hangover, when revenues lagged far behind 2010 receipts that had been inflated by the huge success of James Cameron's sci-fi sensation.A solid summer lineup helped studios catch up to 2010, but ticket sales flattened again in the fall and have remained sluggish right into what was expected to be a terrific holiday season."There were a lot of high-profile movies that just ended up being a little less than were hoped for," said Chris Aronson, head of distribution for 20th Century Fox, whose sequel "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" has been part of an under-achieving lineup of family films for the holidays. "The fall was pretty dismal. There just weren't any real breakaway, wide-appeal films."Big franchises still are knocking it out of the park. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," the finale to J.K. Rowling's fantasy epic, was the year's biggest earner and the top-grossing film in the series at $381 million domestically and $1.3 billion worldwide."Transformers: Dark of the Moon" pulled in $352 million domestically and $1.1 billion worldwide, while "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" has climbed to $271 million domestically and $650 million worldwide.Other franchises did well in 2011 but came up short of their predecessors on the domestic front, among them "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," ''The Hangover Part II," ''Kung Fu Panda 2," ''Cars 2" and "X-Men: First Class."Strong overseas business has helped make up for shrinking domestic revenues and declining DVD sales. But 2011 was the second-straight year that domestic attendance declined sharply, and audiences generally have been shrinking since 2002, when admissions hit a modern high of 1.6 billion.It could be a case of the same-old same-olds, with fans growing tired of over-familiar characters and stories. It could be overcrowded weekends such as Thanksgiving, when studios loaded up on family films that cannibalized one another's audiences. It could be the economy, with fans growing more selective on how often they spend their spare cash to catch a movie, particularly at a time when so many films play in 3-D with premium ticket prices.And it could be the times we live in, when audiences have so many gadgets to play with that they don't need to go to the movies as much as they once did."It's not any one thing. It's a little bit of everything," said Jeff Goldstein, general sales manager at Warner Bros., whose Robert Downey Jr. sequel "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" has done solid business, yet is coming in well short of the first installment. "But consumers are being more specific with their choices on how to spend their money. The options are a little greater than they were a few years ago with gaming and social-networking opportunities."The year's animated slate failed to produce a $200 million hit, the first time that's happened since 2005. Likewise, comic-book superheroes slipped in 2011, the genre unable to deliver a $200 million hit for only the second time in the last 10 years.Even Adam Sandler, one of Hollywood's most-bankable stars, had a mixed year, managing a $100 million hit with "Just Go With It" but barely crossing $70 million with "Jack and Jill."Studio executives typically blame slow business on "the product" weak movies that leave fans indifferent. But during the first few months of the year, when business lagged as much as 20 percent behind 2010's, studios were confident they had great product coming, with many executives predicting that 2011 would finish with record revenues, topping the all-time domestic high of $10.6 billion in 2009.The movies themselves turned out fairly good, and surprise smashes such as "Bridesmaids," ''The Help," ''Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "The Smurfs" boosted business.But the year was littered with duds ("Happy Feet Two," ''Tower Heist," ''Cowboys & Aliens"). And with only days left in 2011, Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol" is leading a batch of holiday releases that so far has done only so-so business, despite generally good reviews and high marks from the fans that are showing up.Hollywood is left right where it was 12 months ago, finishing the year quietly and looking ahead to a promising lineup to turn its fortunes around next year.Even more so than 2011's schedule once looked, the 2012 film list looks colossal. Among the highlights: the superhero tales "The Dark Knight Rises," ''The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Avengers"; the latest in the animated franchises "Ice Age" and "Madagascar," along with "Brave," the new adventure from animation master Pixar; Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones' "Men in Black 3"; Daniel Craig's new James Bond thriller "Skyfall"; Johnny Depp's vampire story "Dark Shadows"; Ridley Scott's "Prometheus," a cousin to his sci-fi classic "Alien"; and Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," the first in a two-part prequel to his "Lord of the Rings" films.That's just a small sampling of 2012's big-screen titles, which also include 3-D reissues of "Titanic," ''Finding Nemo," ''Beauty and the Beast" and "Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace."Looking ahead, there's good reason for optimism in Hollywood. Looking back, though, the past year spells caution."I'm not prepared to be Chicken Little yet, but if the films coming in 2012 can't reverse this trend, then I think we need to reevaluate our expectations," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "We are living in a different world today than we did in the mid-'90s in terms of the technology available to deliver media. That may finally be having an impact."Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By David Germain December 28, 2011 "Transformers" LOS ANGELES (AP) Hollywood has more tricks in its bag than ever with digital 3-D and other new film tools. Yet as the images on screen get bigger and better, movie crowds keep shrinking down to a 16-year low as 2011's film lineup fell well short of studios' record expectations.Through New Year's Eve on Saturday, projected domestic revenues for the year stand at $10.2 billion, down 3.5 percent from 2010's, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com. Taking higher ticket prices into account, movie attendance is off even more, with an estimated 1.28 billion tickets sold, a 4.4 percent decline and the smallest movie audience since 1995, when admissions totaled 1.26 billion.Just what has put the movie business in the dumps is anyone's guess though safe bets include the tight economy, rising ticket prices, backlash against parades of sequels or remakes, and an almost-limitless inventory of portable and at-home gadgetry to occupy people's time.The year got off to a dismal start with what could be called an "Avatar" hangover, when revenues lagged far behind 2010 receipts that had been inflated by the huge success of James Cameron's sci-fi sensation.A solid summer lineup helped studios catch up to 2010, but ticket sales flattened again in the fall and have remained sluggish right into what was expected to be a terrific holiday season."There were a lot of high-profile movies that just ended up being a little less than were hoped for," said Chris Aronson, head of distribution for 20th Century Fox, whose sequel "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" has been part of an under-achieving lineup of family films for the holidays. "The fall was pretty dismal. There just weren't any real breakaway, wide-appeal films."Big franchises still are knocking it out of the park. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," the finale to J.K. Rowling's fantasy epic, was the year's biggest earner and the top-grossing film in the series at $381 million domestically and $1.3 billion worldwide."Transformers: Dark of the Moon" pulled in $352 million domestically and $1.1 billion worldwide, while "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" has climbed to $271 million domestically and $650 million worldwide.Other franchises did well in 2011 but came up short of their predecessors on the domestic front, among them "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," ''The Hangover Part II," ''Kung Fu Panda 2," ''Cars 2" and "X-Men: First Class."Strong overseas business has helped make up for shrinking domestic revenues and declining DVD sales. But 2011 was the second-straight year that domestic attendance declined sharply, and audiences generally have been shrinking since 2002, when admissions hit a modern high of 1.6 billion.It could be a case of the same-old same-olds, with fans growing tired of over-familiar characters and stories. It could be overcrowded weekends such as Thanksgiving, when studios loaded up on family films that cannibalized one another's audiences. It could be the economy, with fans growing more selective on how often they spend their spare cash to catch a movie, particularly at a time when so many films play in 3-D with premium ticket prices.And it could be the times we live in, when audiences have so many gadgets to play with that they don't need to go to the movies as much as they once did."It's not any one thing. It's a little bit of everything," said Jeff Goldstein, general sales manager at Warner Bros., whose Robert Downey Jr. sequel "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" has done solid business, yet is coming in well short of the first installment. "But consumers are being more specific with their choices on how to spend their money. The options are a little greater than they were a few years ago with gaming and social-networking opportunities."The year's animated slate failed to produce a $200 million hit, the first time that's happened since 2005. Likewise, comic-book superheroes slipped in 2011, the genre unable to deliver a $200 million hit for only the second time in the last 10 years.Even Adam Sandler, one of Hollywood's most-bankable stars, had a mixed year, managing a $100 million hit with "Just Go With It" but barely crossing $70 million with "Jack and Jill."Studio executives typically blame slow business on "the product" weak movies that leave fans indifferent. But during the first few months of the year, when business lagged as much as 20 percent behind 2010's, studios were confident they had great product coming, with many executives predicting that 2011 would finish with record revenues, topping the all-time domestic high of $10.6 billion in 2009.The movies themselves turned out fairly good, and surprise smashes such as "Bridesmaids," ''The Help," ''Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "The Smurfs" boosted business.But the year was littered with duds ("Happy Feet Two," ''Tower Heist," ''Cowboys & Aliens"). And with only days left in 2011, Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol" is leading a batch of holiday releases that so far has done only so-so business, despite generally good reviews and high marks from the fans that are showing up.Hollywood is left right where it was 12 months ago, finishing the year quietly and looking ahead to a promising lineup to turn its fortunes around next year.Even more so than 2011's schedule once looked, the 2012 film list looks colossal. Among the highlights: the superhero tales "The Dark Knight Rises," ''The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Avengers"; the latest in the animated franchises "Ice Age" and "Madagascar," along with "Brave," the new adventure from animation master Pixar; Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones' "Men in Black 3"; Daniel Craig's new James Bond thriller "Skyfall"; Johnny Depp's vampire story "Dark Shadows"; Ridley Scott's "Prometheus," a cousin to his sci-fi classic "Alien"; and Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," the first in a two-part prequel to his "Lord of the Rings" films.That's just a small sampling of 2012's big-screen titles, which also include 3-D reissues of "Titanic," ''Finding Nemo," ''Beauty and the Beast" and "Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace."Looking ahead, there's good reason for optimism in Hollywood. Looking back, though, the past year spells caution."I'm not prepared to be Chicken Little yet, but if the films coming in 2012 can't reverse this trend, then I think we need to reevaluate our expectations," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "We are living in a different world today than we did in the mid-'90s in terms of the technology available to deliver media. That may finally be having an impact."Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Which Vampire Diaries Original Is Coming Back with a Vengeance?

Claire Holt Elena's back-stabbing ways may come back to haunt her on The Vampire Diaries. In the CW series' midseason finale, Elena (Nina Dobrev) proved that she, too, was capable of killing when she stabbed and killed Rebekah (Claire Holt) as she prepared for the homecoming dance. But since when has being dead stopped a vampire? First Look: Torrey DeVitto on The Vampire Diaries "We haven't seen the last of Rebekah," executive producer Julie Plec tells TVGuide.com. "The fact that Elena killed Rebekah is going to come back to bite her in the butt." When the series picks up in January, not only does the Original sister return in a flashback, but she also makes her presence felt in the present day. Exclusive: Vampire Diaries casts Klaus' Original brothers "I'm not going to say when she makes her reappearance, but certainly her being undaggered is not in Elena's best interest," Plec teases. The Vampire Diaries returns to the CW on Thursday, Jan. 5 at 8/7c. What do you think is in store for Elena?

Golden Globe Surprises and Snubs: So Many New Faces, But Still No Breaking Bad

Zooey Deschanel, Bryan Cranston Oh, Golden Globes. You never fail to amuse and bemuse us with your quirky, awesome and weird nominations. After coming up empty with the Screen Actors Guild, Homeland landed three nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and was just one of the many new shows that reaped nods. And with so many shiny new toys to play with, the HFPA once again forgot about Breaking Bad. But those weren't the only things that caught our attention Thursday.Homeland, New Girl and new shows lead Golden Globe nominationsSurprisesScore one for the newbies: It's no secret that HFPA members love new shows, being the trendsetters that they are, but rarely have they gifted nods to so much new blood. Homeland, American Horror Story, Game of Thrones, The Killing, Boss, Revenge, Episodes, Enlightened and New Girl are just some of the freshmen series that earned nominations. We expected the ones for, say, Claire Danes and Zooey Deschanel (both of whom are totally winning, by the way), but the mentions for HBO's underrated and under-watched Enlightened will go a long way in helping it get renewed.USA is officially an awards magnet: We floated the question Wednesday after Suits' Patrick J. Adams garnered a nod and now we know the answer, following Callie Thorne's unexpected nomination in drama actress for Necessary Roughness. Beside these two nods, in the past year, USA has nabbed an Emmy nomination for Burn Notice's Sharon Gless (which wasn't that surprising since this is Sharon Gless we're talking about) and a Golden Globe nod for Covert Affairs' Piper Perabo. And with Thorne, who's tough yet fragile on Roughness, having replaced Perabo in the lineup, it seems like USA has a permanent spot in the category. And why not? It is the top cable network after all.Madeleine Stowe: The best part of Revenge, which is not exactly topping awards-worthy lists, is the marvelous and campy Stowe. So, of course, leave it to the HFPA - which worships film stars who head to TV - to recognize the actress and her fabulously icy, but sympathetic turn as Victoria Grayson that often times makes us root for her more than Emily Thorne.Amy Poehler: Parks and Recreation finally scored its first Globe nomination in comedy actress for the very deserving and hilarious Poehler. But what's most surprising about Poehler's nod is that she made it in over Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) and former champ Toni Collette of the defunct United States of Tara. The sorta-funny ladies of dark comedies have dominated the category in recent years (reigning champ The Big C's Laura Linney is nominated), so for Poehler to break in is a big achievement. On the flip side, the HFPA still hasn't ended its love affair with Thomas Jane (Hung) and David Duchovny (Californication), who made the cut again, while Steve Carell - his final chance to be nominated for The Office - did not.SAGs surprises and snubs: Patrick J. Adams makes the cut, but where's Homeland?SnubsBreaking Bad: For the second year in a row, Bryan Cranston is the sole representative for the superb AMC drama. We'd be a lot more upset if we didn't know to expect the cold shoulder. While armed with buzz, Breaking Bad is not splashy, high-brow or conceptual like the type of fare the HFPA adores (Glee, American Horror Story, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones). At this rate, we may have to make peace with the fact that Breaking Bad might never be nominated for series.Melissa McCarthy: McCarthy had two chances for nods - for Mike & Molly and Bridesmaids - and came away empty-handed. The Mike & Molly slight is less surprising than the Bridesmaids one since she's been picking up steam (and critics awards and nominations) left and right the past few weeks for her scene-stealing performance in the film. McCarthy wasn't the only Emmy champ snubbed: Reigning two-time Emmy and Golden Globe winner Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) was dropped in favor of co-star Johnny Galecki. Also MIA: Last year's drama actress champ Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy).The Kennedys: Who would've ever thought the Emmys would be the ones to embrace the controversial miniseries, while the Globes, who loves them some big-name stars, would give it the shaft? Think about it: They could've nominated Katie Holmes and set a place setting for Tom Cruise, but resisted the urge. Did they learn a lesson from last year's comical The Tourist fiasco?The Good Wife and network dramas: Cable reigned supreme in drama - the series and lead actor nominees are from cable. We can make a case for the brilliantly crafted and acted Good Wife to be nominated, but it's hard to pick some other broadcast-network replacements. Time to step up your game, networks!What were you most surprised by? Who do you wish had been nominated?

'The Dictator' Trailer: Sacha Baron Cohen Reigns Supreme (Video)

Getty Images Anne Heche has signed with UTA. The Tony- and Emmy-nominated actress appears opposite Thomas Jane in HBO's Hung. She can currently be seen in the feature Rampart opposite Woody Harrelson.Heche was previously represented by CAA. Heche recently finished filming Arthur Newman, Golf Pro, a dark independent comedy that also features Emily Blunt and Colin Firth. Her feature credits include Cedar Rapids, John Q and Wag the Dog; her television credits include Ally McBeal, Men in Trees and Nip/Tuck. Heche is managed by Alissa Vradenburg and Jason Weinberg at Untitled Entertainment and also represented by attorney Kevin Yorn at Morris Yorn Barnes. Email: Daniel.Miller@THR.com Twitter: @DanielNMiller Anne Heche UTA Hung

5 Pieces of Elizabeth Taylor Movie Memorabilia I'd Actually Pay For

Long live the memory of our most-perfectly-nosed savior Elizabeth Taylor, whose Oscar cred and Crayola eyes shall live on in fabulous montages for eternity. Now, part of the matrimonial legend’s legacy can be ours: Her glorious Cleopatra wig — made from real human hair — is hitting the auction block. Oooh! I wonder if there are traces of Richard Burton’s saliva on it. Actually, I wonder if we can score a deal on other Liz Taylor movie memorabilia. Cleopatra is a decadent, but pretty uninteresting note in her career. No prestige, just bombast. Here’s the Liz stuff I’d rather bid on this holiday season. 1. Her pearl earrings from A Place in the Sun I figure if you’re going to buy a piece of memorabilia, you want it to represent something special: Well, Liz Taylor vaulted from darling child star to sensual screen beauty in 1951’s A Place in the Sun, playing aristocrat Angela Vickers, who compels George Eastman (Montgomery Clift, looking fiiiine) to, tell his homelier girlfriend Alice to — ahem — jump in a lake, figuratively. Elizabeth Taylor was fine onscreen before A Place in the Sun, but this film marked the first time she exhibited true spellbinding glamor. To live without those luxurious earrings would be An American Tragedy. (Best Theodore Dreiser joke of the day.) 2. This eye-popping headgear from Raintree County What kind of world do we live in where we don’t celebrate that Elizabeth Taylor, the most gorgeous brunette of all time, costarred in a film with Eva Marie Saint, who is arguably the most gorgeous blonde of all time? Throw in Monty Clift’s appearance, and this movie is essentially Hottie Cavalcade. We all adore Liz’s southern sultriness in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, so why not celebrate her twangy repartee with the looniest piece of headgear she ever wore in Ole Dixie? I’m gettin’ fluh-stuhd just thinkin’ abaht it. 3. The fetching white swimsuit from Suddenly Last Summer Finally, we’re getting to the movie that first pinpointed Liz’s true gift for histrionics. Tennessee Williams’s startlingly insane play makes for a hammy, unforgettable movie, and it even affords Liz the chance to predate Ursula Andress’s iconic beachside arrival by a couple years. In Suddenly, Liz wears the sexiest swimwear of the ’50s, surpassing even Burt Lancaster’s shorts in From Here to Eternity — but let’s not get competitive. The important thing is both garments thrilled the daylights out of Monty Clift. 4. The “Sunday chapel dress” from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Since I can’t buy Sandy Dennis’s RAW POWER at auction, I’ll settle for the other definitive Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? adornment: The busty, ballsy outfit Liz dons after her guests have arrived and the psychological warfare with her husband George (Richard Burton) commences. When Liz shimmies and twists in the climactic bar scene near film’s end, she makes that Melissa-Leo-in-The-Fighter getup seem like the raunchiest outfit in cinema history. I’m getting hysterically pregnant just revisiting that scene. 5. The headband from Reflections in a Golden Eye In this vastly underrated adaptation of the Carson McCullers novel with Liz and Marlon Brando, our girl enjoys a hasty, defiant stripping scene that drives Vito Corleone right up the wall. Sexiness and fussiness have rarely gone so well together, and after Liz flings off her bra with pure gusto — like some power-drunk competitor in a Real World/Road Rules Challenge — she’s left with a bedazzled headband and Brando’s harsh admonishment: “You disgust me!” Anything that could feasibly disgust Marlon Brando deserves its own gallery at the Smithsonian. Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra wig up for sale [Guardian]

10 Images That Come to Mind When Viewing Lindsay Lohan's Playboy Cover

Bad news about Lindsay Lohan’s Playboy cover: It’s kinda cute! Sure, it’s waterlogged with Photoshop tricks and the Marilyn Monroe thing’s been done 145,000,090 times, but it’s an undeniably successful photo. Unfortunately, it’s also calls to mind a number of questionable images. Here are the first 10 things that Lindsay Lohan’s Playboy debut reminded me of — please add your own recollections after the jump. 1. A really sultry pre-sneeze 2. RuPaul’s Drag Race fan favorite Pandora Boxx 3. A dubious gynecologist exam 4. Jayne Mansfield’s last attempt at Marilyn’s throne 5. Jenna Maroney’s crossdressing lover on 30 Rock played by Will Forte 6. SNL’s “The Robin Bird Show” sketch with Cheri Oteri 7. Mamie Van Doren right now 8. Some self-congratulatory HBO miniseries starring Evan Rachel Wood as a call girl 9. Elle Fanning? Anyone? 10. The perfect cover for the burn book Lindsay Lohan’s Spread Leaks [DListed]

'Young Adult' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals

Garry Marshall's star-packed ensemble pic New Year's Eve opens this weekend at the domestic box office and is widely expected to wrest the No. 1 spot from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, which has dominated the box office for three weeks.our editor recommendsYoung Adult: Film ReviewNew Year's Eve: Film ReviewTinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: Venice Film ReviewBox Office Report: 'Twilight' Leads Second Slowest Weekend of 2011 With $16.9 Mil Early and mid-December are always sluggish at the domestic box office, and New Year's Eve is only expected to open in the low $20 million range, far less than the $72 million bow of Marshall's Valentine's Day over the four-day Valentine's Day/President's Day weekend in 2010. PHOTOS: 'New Year's Eve' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals New Line and Warner Bros., however, expect the $50 million film to have a strong multiple and play through New Year's Day, since it's the only holiday romantic comedy. The pic's cast includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Lea Michele, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Hilary Swank and Seth Meyers. Also opening nationwide is David Gordon Green's R-rated comedy The Sitter, starring Jonah Hill in his first starring vehicle. The 20th Century Fox pic is tracking to open in the $9 million to $11 million range, although some think it could skew slightly higher. The Sitter, which cost under $25 million to produce, is tracking strongest among younger males, who have been notoriously absent from the multiplex in recent months. PHOTOS: 'New Year's Eve' Film Stills In the film, Hill plays a college student on suspension who is prodded into babysitting the kids next door. Things go askew when he takes them for a wild ride across NY City after being promised sex with his girlfriend. Michael De Luca produced the comedy. Martin Scorsese's 3D family friendly film Hugo continues its roll out this weekend, expanding its theater count from 1,840 to 2,600. Through Wednesday, Hugo's domestic gross was $26.8 million. Hugo is among a slew of awards contenders positioning themselves as The Hollywood Foreign Press Association prepares to announce Golden Globe nominations on Dec. 15, preceded a day early by SAG nominations. On Saturday, 20th Century Fox will hold sneaks of Cameron Crowe's Christmas film We Bought a Zoo, starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson in hundreds of theaters across the country. The pic, which also snuck over Thanksgiving weekend in a bid to build buzz, opens Dec. 23. Specialty pics opening this weeked that hope to ride the wave of awards attention include British espionage pic Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, based on John Le Carre's bestselling book and starring Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy. Directed by Thomas Alfredson from an adapted screenplay by Peter Straughan and the late Bridget O'Connor, Tinker Tailor was produced by Working Title and StudioCanal. Tinker Tailor has already done strong business in the U.K., where it opened in mid-September and has grossed nearly $22 million to date. In the U.S., Focus Features opens the critically acclaimed film in four theaters in Los Angeles and NY. Paramount opens Charlize Theron starrer Young Adult -- which reteams director Jason Reitman with Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody -- in eight theaters NY, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Minneapolis, where Cody got her start as a stripper. A number of other platform pics will continue to expand this weekend as awards season heats up, including Fox Searchlight's The Descendants, which adds 300 theaters to its run for a total locaiton count of 874. The Alexander Payne-directed film has grossed a stellar $19 million to date. Searchlight's Shame, hoping to overcome the stigma associated with the NC-17 rating, adds 11 theaters to its run for a total count of 21. Directed by Steve McQueen and headlining Michael Fassbender, Shame opened last weekend to strong numbers despite the rating. The Weinstein Co. expands awards darling The Artist, which played in six theaters in Los Angeles, NY and San Francisco last weekend, into an additional 10 theaters. Madonna's W.E., from the Weinstein Co., and Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay's edgy indie film We Need to Talk About Kevin, starring Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly, both begin one-week award qualifying runs this weekend in Los Angeles. Oscilloscope Laboratories acquired U.S. rights to We Need to Talk About Kevin out of the Cannes Film Festival in May. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Biggest Box Office Bombs Related Topics Box Office New Year's Eve Young Adult Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Hugo The Sitter

Iger to guide Acad museum fund-raising

Inside a major move toward creating a motion-picture museum in La, Academy leader Tom Sherak introduced Wednesday that Wally Disney Co. leader and Boss Bob Iger assists as fund-raising chairman for that Academy Museum of Movies. Annette Bening and Tom Hanks will join as co-chairs. "The momentum continues to be building for any very long time," Academy Boss Beginning Hudson noted, "along with the enthusiasm Bob, Annette and Tom all bring -- and also the respect they're approved through the industry -- we now have marked the start of a brand new chapter with this project." Sherak told Variety he needs to boost a lot of the funds needed inside a year, though he rejected to speak total dollars. When the initial fundraiser is finished, the Academy will endow the museum with $50 million. He added the Academy was already contacted by a few industry figures who wish to donate money towards the project, decreasing to title names. "We coping a constituency that really wants to display to the world what we should do," Sherak stated. Although the org continues to be speaking in regards to a museum for many years, recruiting Iger may be the first real step because the Academy put its intentions of hold in 2008. "The weather conditions are still hard," Sherak stated. "I do not think it's as tough because it was. We do not have to raise anywhere near what we should needed to raise in 2007, but could it be a smart choice? No it isn't.Inch The Academy introduced a partnership using the La County Museum of Art in October to lease the previous May Co. building at a corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue for everyone because the movie museum's home. Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com

Guy Pearce Has an Interrogation Problem in the First Trailer For Lockout

When Luc Besson isn’t directing standing ovation-worthy biopics these days, the French filmmaker is busy co-writing action thrillers for his studio EuropaCorp to produce like Taken, Transporter, Colombiana and up next Lockout — the sci-fi adventure flick that sees Guy Pearce as a wrongly-accused government agent whose only shot at freedom comes at a very risky, space-age price. The price being that Pearce’s badass character — who refuses to wilt under Peter Stormare’s interrogation tactics in the above trailer — must rescue the President’s daughter from a space prison that has been overtaken by its own convicts. Judging from the preview, the gunfire-laden thriller features no less than three space crafts, two explosions, one highly choreographed bathtub stunt, a single escalator chase and three clever interrogation retorts from Pearce’s character (“People love me — just ask your wife.”) Lockout, co-written and co-directed by James Mather and Stephen St. Leger, arrives in theaters April 13. VERDICT: I’m all in for any film that combines brutal interrogation room violence with “your wife” jokes. [via /Film]