Chord Overstreet, Emma Roberts Split

Chord Overstreet and Emma Roberts It's over between Chord Overstreet and Emma Roberts.The happy couple has split after nine several days of dating, Us Weekly reviews. "Both are youthful kids, they'd crushes on each other nevertheless the relationship went its course," an origin told playboy. Have a look at photos of Chord OverstreetThe Glee actor, 22, and Roberts, 20, were first taken photos of together in April. They attended the Golden Globes after-parties captured, but Overstreet visited Sunday's Screen Stars Guild Honours solo.

Taking apart Alcatraz's Mysteries: Who's Lucy, Really?

Sarah Manley and Jorge Garcia Lucy is alive! Kind of. Even though third outing of Alcatraz didn't present an answer whether Dr. Lucy Banerjee (Parminder Nagra) awoke within the coma she wound up into carrying out a sniper shooting, we wound up obtaining a glimpse into her sixties past round the island. Not only was she a mental health specialist, but she planned to reform the crooks of Alcatraz with... memory-getting rid of experiments?! That's among the new mysteries that Alcatraz introduced now. Let's take a look within the others: Taking apart Alcatraz's Mysteries: The amount of '63s works with Hauser? How come not Hauser (Mike Neill) go semi-public while using particulars concerning the '63s? When Cal Sweeney (Eric Manley), a '63, falls to his old practice of gradually wrecking banks, Rebecca (Sarah Manley) & Co. need to help him escape lest the cops catch him and see who he's really. Sure, it could appear crazy to confess you'll find some time-traveling convicts round the loose, but maybe if Hauser just completed a few San Francisco Bay Area greater-ups, they may catch the '63s faster. Just us? How did Lucy think she could rewire the crooks? At Deputy Warden E.B. Tiller's special birthday, Dr. Lucille Sengupta (or Sanguppy, as Dr. Beauregard referred to as Lucy) describes they plans to access the primary of all the prisoners' problems by utilizing their recollections. By getting rid of whatever recollections that triggered their criminal activity, she thinks she'll rewire those to do well. But wait, how? Was all the bloodletting in the earlier episodes part of the plan? Was Lucy's memory-tampering experiment part of the reason behind the '63s' disappearance? Again, what's while using amounts? As evidenced with the first three episodes, the Alcatraz producers appear to experience a adoration for no. 3. Sniper Ernest Cobb (Joe Egender) ongoing a shooting spree over 72 hrs, Package Nelson (Michael Eklund) kidnapped boys for three days before killing them, and Sweeney wooed three banks tellers to make the most of three banks. And there's a preoccupation with no. 11: Diego (Jorge Garcia) was kidnapped at 11, the ultimate time he drove was age 11 and Package destroyed 11-year-old boys. Parminder Nagra's reaction to Alcatraz premiere: "Already? You're killing me off?" What's space the mysterious secrets unlock? Whoever is yanking the strings have recently sent both Jack Sylvane (Jeffrey Pierce) and Sweeney after large silver secrets, even though the two '63s have no idea why they're essential. Hauser posseses an idea: These secrets may be the clue to "how a crooks hopped." However, the secrets are laser-cut and came from from the period before that little bit of technology existed, precisely how is always that possible? The secrets apparently unlock a secret door inside the lower part of the prison. Could this function as inexplicable "downstairs" that Thomas Madsen (David Hoflin) stated inside the series premiere? What burning questions do you have about Alcatraz? And therefore are you attentiveness to uncover the solutions? Just just in case you missed our previous Dissections: Week 1: That are the '63s? Week 2: The amount of '63s works with Hauser? Alcatraz airs Mondays at 9/8c on Fox.

Nominee reaction: Octavia Spencer

SpencerEven after her win in the Golden Globe Honours, Octavia Spencer did not would like to get her hopes up excessive a good Oscar bid until Tuesday morning. Actually, a number of "The AssistanceInch gang were built with a sleepover to assist one another cope with a nervous evening."I'm never presumptuous because these kinds of situations are beyond our control and that i did not desire to be setup for disappointment," Spencer stated. "Most of us really visited dinner last evening and rested over and thought about being together whenever we discovered, so just in case we did not have that call we thought about being nice hungover." Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

Came Barrymore On Her Behalf Account Fiance: Hes A Great Guy

First Launched: The month of the month of january 21, 2012 10:39 AM EST Credit: Universal Pictures Caption The Best 45: Came Barrymore Stars In Large Miracle (The month of the month of january 18, 2012) La, Calif. -- Came Barrymore spent Friday morning in La marketing her film, inspired having a true story, Large Miracle, through which she sets in order to save a family group of whales trapped by ice, nevertheless it was another kind of ice that caught Access Hollywoods Take advantage of Robinson suddenly the actress gem. Hes a great guy, Came mentioned of her fianc, Will Kopelman, as Take advantage of respected her ring. He bought her a torch for doing things, Drews Large Miracle co-star John Krasinski who plays a news reporter inside the film chimed in, referencing the sparkling qualities of Drews gem. Its very sweet. Practical. Came got engaged inside the holidays while she and may were in Sun Valley, Idaho. He's an very romantic and artistic person, Came told Take advantage of of Will. Hes wonderful. Came mentioned she loves the steadiness of her relationship with Will, something she opened up up up about inside the February problem of InStyle magazine. Its funny, once i was youthful, Used to do formerly say Id hate a collection linethat I'd like the pros and cons, the rollercoaster. But Im really really experiencing the flat line, she told the mag. When asked for about her quote, Came extended on her behalf account original ideas, telling Take advantage of they loves how her existence has switched out. In my opinion that you'd like a great deal type of craziness and excitement when you're youthful after which it its really just being with pals and family and becoming that quiet weekend together that's just perfect method of investing your time and energy, she mentioned. Totally, John chimed together with a grin. Which he referred to as and asked for my permission first (laughs) Hes really sweet. Also sweet is Came and Johns film, which allowed the actress to get a whale advocate who knots with multiple government government bodies by having an emotional journey to be able to save three whales. I really like prone to work and requiring to cry. I really like requiring to begin working and be strong or feisty, which i acquired to get this done several things as this amazing lady Came mentioned of her character, Rachel. I obtained to fight for something I completely love and trust. As well as the story, generally, motivated the actress too. I merely loved the story. I really like family oriented movies, I really like if theres something for children, however like if theres something for grownups too, that is atmosphere, which is political, which is sincere, which is emotional, she mentioned. Its advantageous. I don't come with an unfortunate umbrella over my thoughts. If only to determine items that are inspiring. Large Miracle hits theaters on February 3. Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

'Southland' draws 1.8 million for debut

TNT's cop drama "Southland" got off and away to a pokey start Tuesday evening. From Warner Bros. Television, the 4th-season premiere came 1.8 million audiences because of its initial 10 p.m. telecast. Which was lower in the 2.a million the show received last year in the season three debut episode. "Southland," which averaged 1.9 million audiences last season because of its initial telecast every week, saw single million increase each week when live+7 was incorporated. Show, from professional producers John Wells and Chris Chulack, features an ensemble which includes Ben McKenzie, Michael Cudlitz and Regina King. Competition was tough Tuesday at 10 o'clock. USA Network's "Whitened Collar" received 3.two million audiences and Forex drama "Justified" collected another 3.a million. Since it released on NBC in '09, "Southland" is a critical hit but hasn't been a large rankings draw. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com

'Contraband' bests weekend newcomers

'Contraband' Universal's launch of smuggling thriller "Contraband" easily corralled the top slot at the domestic box office with $24.1 million at 2,863 locations for its Friday-Sunday opening. The Mark Wahlberg vehicle, co-produced by Relativity and Working Title for about $25 million, should wind up the four-day holiday frame with $28.4 million. The opening of Disney's 3D post-converted "Beauty and the Beast" finished a solid second with $18.5 million at 2,625 for the three days and a projected $24.7 million for the four days with impressive returns on the Monday school holiday to observe the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King. Mouse distribution prexy Dave Hollis said the "Lion King" conversion cost the studio $8 million to $9 million, making the return of "Beauty" nicely profitable.Paramount's fifth frame of "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol" narrowly won the third slot with $11.5 million at 3,346, edging out Warner Bros.' opening of gospel music comedy "Joyful Noise" at $11.3 million at 2,735. Monday biz could reverse those positions with Par-Skydance's "Ghost Protocol" on track to cume $14 million for the four days while "Noise" could take in as much as $14.5 million."Ghost Protocol" is projected to hit a domestic cume of $189.2 million by the end of Monday.Overall biz for the frame was about even to up slightly compared to the year-ago weekend, following last weekend's 28% surge in moviegoing, fueled by the stunning opening of Par Insurge's "The Devil Inside." Warner's fifth frame of "Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows" came in fifth with $8.4 million at 3,155 for Friday-Monday to edge the soph sesh of "Devil" with $7.9 million at 2,551. "Devil," made for $1 million, should take in $9 million for the four days for a heavenly $47.3 million cume in its first 11 days."Devil" declined by 77%, not a surprise after setting a record for best early January debut. A trio of holiday season entries followed with respectable holds as Sony's fourth frame of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" finished seventh, down 40% to $6.8 million at 2,674 for the three days and an $88 million domestic cume. "Girl" also took in $16.5 million at 3,920 screens overseas for a foreign cume of $49.7 million. Fox's fifth outing of "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" came in eighth, off 39% to $5.8 million at 2,849 and a domestic cume of nearly $119 million. "Chipwrecked" also pulled in $14.4 million at 6,527 in foreign markets for a $154.1 million international take.Disney/DreamWorks' fourth weekend of "War Horse" rode into ninth, down 35% to with $5.6 million at 2,856, with a four-day projection of $6.8 million for a $67 million domestic cume. Internationally, "Horse" grossed $6.8 million in a dozen markets for a $17.3 million foreign cume.The Weinstein Co.'s aggressive expansion of "The Iron Lady" took the final slot in the top 10 with $5.4 million at 802 for a cume of $6 million. Its per-screen average of $6,716 was the third best in the top 10, following $8,405 for "Contraband" and $7,044 for "Beauty and the Beast."TWC's eighth frame of "The Artist" -- one of the awards season frontrunners -- pulled in $1.2 million at 216 to lift domestic cume to $8.8 million.On the speciality front, Oscilloscope's launch of "We Need to Talk about Kevin" debuted impressively with $44,000 at two locations. The Tilda Swinton starrer now has a cume of $83,297 including its one-week Oscar-qualifying run.IFC's "Pina" continued to perform well with $108,000 at half a dozen screens for a $540,000 cume for the Wim Wenders dance pic."Sherlock Holmes" was the dominant title in overseas markets with $27.4 million from 57 markets, including a $3.4 million soph sesh in Australia and a $3.3 million Brazilian launch, to push foreign cume to $222 million. That's 13% ahead of the original -- which had a final foreign total of $315 million -- at the same point of its release.Par saw plenty of foreign pop from its holdovers -- "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol" continued minting foreign coin with $16.8 million at 5,847 in 58 territories to lift the international total to $320 million while "Puss In Boots" snagged $14.6 million at 5,679 for a foreign cume of $331.7 million. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Artist Wins 4 Trophies At Experts Choice Honours

First Launched: The month of the month of january 13, 2012 9:18 AM EST Credit: The Weinstein Company Caption Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo in Weinstein Companys The Artist, 2011LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The Artist waltzed away having its first wins of Hollywoods honours season. The black-and-white-colored ode for the quiet-film era directed by Michel Hazanavicius introduced individuals who win with four honors at Thursdays 17th annual Experts Choice Honours, which are presented with the 250 people in the Broadcast Film Experts Association. The Artist needed the nights top prize, best picture, too honors to find the best score, costume design and director. I developed a quiet movie, French director Hazanavicius joked in British while accepting the award to find the best picture. I dont would rather speak a great deal. The Help, the variation of Kathryn Stocketts best-selling novel about black service personnel speaking out regarding white-colored companies through the civil-rights movement, adopted behind The Artist with three wins inside the ceremonys acting groups: Viola Davis in addition to actress, Octavia Spencer in addition to supporting actress as well as the films cast in addition to acting ensemble. I absolutely understood I seriously considered an actress because I seriously considered somebody, a mental Davis mentioned accepting her award. I desired to dream large creating a mark in some manner. Thats something absolutely that Aibileen wasn't given. I considered it my recognition to cover homage to individuals women at this time around around period who've been not allowed to dream and not allowed to discover their purpose. Individuals that recognized trophies within the lavish Hollywood Palladium ceremony incorporated George Clooney in addition to actor for your Descendants, Christopher Plummer in addition to supporting actor for beginners and Thomas Horn in addition to youthful actor for Very Noisy and very Close. Frankly, I didn't even imagine I'd appreciate this, however have, beamed a surprised Horn. Funnymen Paul Scheer and Make the most of Huebel situated the ceremony, which was broadcast survive VH1. Other individuals who win incorporated Bridesmaids in addition to comedy movie, Drive in addition to action movie, Rango in addition to animated feature, Evening amount of time in Paris in addition to original script, Moneyball in addition to modified script, The Woman While using Dragon Tattoo to find the best editing and Harry Potter as well as the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 to find the best makeup and greatest appear. Copyright 2012 with the Connected Press. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Richard Schiff joins 'Man of Steel'

SchiffRichard Schiff has joined the cast of Warner Bros.' "Man of Steel," playing a character dubbed Dr. Hamilton.The Zack Snyder pic has been lensing in Vancouver and Chicago.Schiff, an Emmy winner for his role on NBC's "The West Wing," has most recently guested on a number of TV skeins, including ABC's "Once Upon a Time," NBC's "Up All Night" and USA's "White Collar." Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

VH1 Benches Celebrity Rehab and Sober House

Dr. Drew Pinsky Dr. Drew Pinsky's programs Celebrity Rehab and Celebrity Rehab Presents Sober House will not air in 2012, though they may return.A VH1 rep says the shows are not cancelled, citing "scheduling issues" as the reason for the benching, according to EW.Has Dr. Drew sold out?The news doesn't come as that much of a surprise, considering Dr. Drew's increasing presence on both daytime television (his CW talk show, Lifechangers) and his self-titled show on HLN. Not to mention, the show has been under scrutiny in light of the deaths of former cast members Jeff Conaway and Mike Starr.Former Alice in Chains bassist Mike Starr dies at 44The most recent Rehab season, called "Revisited" checked in on some of the show's most notorious former patients, including Rodney King, Andy Dick, Heidi Fleiss, and Janice Dickinson. The finale aired Dec. 12.Instead, VH1 is set to launch Relationship Rehab - a spin-off of the show that seeks to fix damaged relationships. No word yet on the show's premiere date.

SAG Award Nominees on Breaking In and the Art of Having Fun

SAG Award Nominees on Breaking In and the Art of Having Fun By Jenelle Riley January 4, 2012 Photo by Dan Busta Jonah Hill had no idea what day it was until his phone began exploding with calls and texts. Armie Hammer was asleep when he got the call, as was Demin Bichir. Brnice Bejo was in the midst of Skyping with her father when she got the news. Octavia Spencer admits she tried to ignore all the hype but woke up at 2:45 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. And Nick Nolte didn't find out until the following day, when a publicist broke the news. All six actors are worthy nominees for a 2012 SAG Award for their recent film roles. Bejo charmed her way into voters' hearts as a rising star in the silent black-and-white hit "The Artist." Bichir earned his nomination for perfectly embodying an undocumented gardener raising a combative 14-year-old son in "A Better Life." Hammer, a nominee for his work in the ensemble of last year's "The Social Network," scored an individual nod this year for his touching portrayal of J. Edgar Hoover confidant Clyde Tolson. Hill received a nod for a rare dramatic turn as a statistical genius in "Moneyball," in which he steals scenes from Brad Pitt. Nolte has been nominated twice beforeas part of the ensemble of "Hotel Rwanda" and individually for "Affliction"but his heartbreaking turn in "Warrior" earned him recognition this year. Spencer landed her nom for bringing life to the frank and funny maid Minny in "The Help," a role she helped inspire. A few days after the nominations were announcedwhich also happened to be Hill's birthdaythe heralded actors sat down at Smudge Studios to talk with Back Stage about the roles that brought them such acclaim.Back Stage: Now that you're all SAG Award nominees, can you recall how you got your SAG cards? Demin Bichir: I did this Jack in the Box commercial where I was actually talking to a taquito. "Hey, little taquito." At the same time, I was thinking, "I was doing Shakespeare a year ago in Mexico. I don't think this is working."Nick Nolte: I'm really not sure. I think it was "Death Valley Days," the Ronald Reagan show. It could have been that, or it could have been this Disney thing, "Feather Farm." Armie Hammer: It was a small, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny little independent film. I don't know if it actually was ever finished or released in any way. It was called "Laura Smiles" or "Laura's Smile," something like that. I played a waiter, and you only saw me from the nipple down. And I had a line, which was "You done with that?" And he goes, "Does it look like I'm done?" And then I turn around and walk away. That's how I got my SAG card.Jonah Hill: My SAG card was a David O. Russell film called "I Heart Huckabees." That was my first movie. Dustin Hoffman recommended me for it.Hammer: How did you know him?Hill: I was friends with his kids from school and from college. I wanted to be a writer, and Dustin was like, "You should be an actor, not a writer." He called up David, and he said, "You should meet this guy; he's really talented." And I went in and auditioned, and I was awful, and for some reason David took pity on me and let me be in the movie. Octavia Spencer: I had one line in "A Time to Kill" with Sandra Bullock, and then I did a short that she directed. The DP on that was doing a Disney movie, "The Sixth Man," and I had to join after that. Even though I was cut out. Nolte: How does it feel to be cut out?Spencer: Well, let me tell you, it made me take an acting class. I was in class three to four times a week after that.Nolte: You want to hear a good story? Adrien Brody in "Thin Red Line" was cut out. He came out to the house, and he said, "Am I a bad actor, Nick? Is it because I'm bad?" I said, "No, Adrien, Terry Malick has enough for three films. He just couldn't go down that path; that's all the reason." I don't know if he believed me or not, but shortly after, he won an Academy Award. If I see him again, I am going to say, "Adrien, do you still wonder if you're a good actor or not?"Back Stage: Can you talk about your process of booking your roles? I believe for some it was an audition, for others it was an offer? Brnice Bejo: I slept with the director. Back Stage: Okay, but you're married to him, so that's fair. Did he tell you he was writing the part for you? Bejo: Yeah. We worked together for six years. But I felt like I was doing the audition during the movie, because, of course, all the crew was like, "That's the wife." Everybody was American, and nobody knew me. So my first big scene, I was like, "Okay, Brnice, you're going to have to be really good, because you have to show to everybody that the reason you're on set is because you're the character, not because you're the wife of the director."Back Stage: Demin, I know director Chris Weitz wanted you for "A Better Life," but did you still have to audition? Bichir: Yeah, I slept with Chris. [Laughs.] He called me to audition for "New Moon," the vampire thing; then he started talking about this gardener. I didn't know if it was a vampire gardener or what. Then he explained he was talking about this other filmit was called "The Gardener" thenand he had wanted me to play the role since day one. I had to read for the rest of the guys, the producers and everyone. And then I got it. But I didn't get "New Moon." Back Stage: Jonah, did you have to audition? Hill: No, I didn't audition. Catherine Keener kind of set up the whole movie. Catherine is friends with myself and friends with [director] Bennett [Miller], and friends with Brad, all independently. And she was like, "Brad, Bennett should direct 'Moneyball.' You should meet this guy." And then Bennett got hired as the director, and then they needed to cast a second lead, and Catherine was like, "Bennett, you should hire Jonah."Spencer: Is she a producer on the movie?Hill: No, she is just the coolest lady I know. And we were making a movie called "Cyrus" at the time together.Hammer: Which is awesome.Hill: Thank you, I appreciate that. And she was like, "Jonah is doing this thing in this other movie that you've never seen him do; I think it's going to be pretty cool." The film was unfinished, and I said to the directors, "Can I show my parents before they go away? They're not going to be able to come to the premiere." And they felt bad, so they said, "Yes, you can do a friends-and-family screening." But it was actually all for Bennett. And then Bennett watched it and then cast me. Back Stage: Armie, is it true you almost skipped your audition? Hammer: Yeah, they sent it to us and asked me to come in and read, and I initially turned it down just because I felt I didn't understand it well enough. I recognized that it was great, and I thought it was a fantastic script, but I didn't quite understand the character as well as I wanted to if I was going to go in and do an audition for Clint [Eastwood]. So I turned it down. And then Fiona [Weir], his casting director, called and was like, "Please, just come in. I want to show Clint this tape; ask any question you want." So I went in with her and had like a two-hour conversation and just asked her all the questions I had on the script. And later that night I went to dinner with a friend of mine who was older and gay. I asked him a ton of questions and finally started to really understand it and understand the complexities of what it was like to live then. And I just started to fall more and more in love with it. So I went in and did an audition, and they called me a week later to read some more scenes. A couple weeks later, I got a call saying, "So Clint's going to give you the job; show up on Monday." It was like Thursday or something like that.Back Stage: Nick, Gavin O'Connor wrote the role for you, so you got to skip the audition process, correct? Nolte: Yes, which skips a lot of anxiety and worry about it. But then there's also something good about the audition process too, because you get keyed up, and you get the passion up for the piece. So when you miss that, you better have it all full when you get to the set. Gavin is wonderful. I was supposed to do an earlier film with him, "Pride and Glory," but I backed out. Back Stage: And he still wanted to work with you? Nolte: He understood. I got to a point finally where, if there's chaos, I won't join up. Once I'm there I'm locked, but if I see it coming, I'll back away from it. Because even if the film is great, it's not worth that pain. Back Stage: Octavia, many people think your role was written for you because you knew [Kathryn Stockett], the author of "The Help." Spencer: I did whatever it took to get this part; I slept with the writer, the director, everybody. [Laughs.] But no, the role wasn't written for me. When I met the author of the book, she was thinking about characters. I'm best friends with her childhood best friend, Tate Taylor, who directed the film, and he decided that we should meet. When we met, I was a hundred pounds heavier, it was 108 degrees, we were in New Orleans, and Tate thought it was a good idea to do a walking tour of the city. So she met me on a day where I was just complaining and combative. So Minny's physicality and that combative nature was based on me. But I still had to audition for the role. Tate wanted me, Brunson Green the producer wanted me, Chris Columbus wanted me, but those guys aren't writing a $25 million check. That was DreamWorks and Participant, so I had to go in and sell them on that idea.Nolte: Do you know who DreamWorks wanted?Spencer: Well, you know, they never said that they didn't want me. I read everywhere things like "Octavia Spencer beat out Queen Latifah and Jennifer Hudson!" I don't know if that happened; I just know that in my own mind, it would have gone through all these famous actresses before it got to me. But it worked out, and everyone has been very good to me; I'm thrilled. Back Stage: What was the hardest part of making your film? Spencer: Well, for me, it was the time period of "The Help." Being a very modern woman, I can't imagine what it was like. My family and friends are Asian, white, black, Greek, gay, not gaythey're just the gamut of people. And to be playing in such a homogenous society where society dictated who you had to be was really, really tough emotionally.Hammer: I also had trouble understanding the mindset of such an antiquated way of thinking. Especially when it came to homosexuality in the 1920s; it was the kind of thing that if you came out or got caught doing anything, it would cost you your family, your job, your social standing. Your life. It was a very hard thing to understand, having to live that sort of closeted life for so long and to protect yourself so vehemently. But physically, I think the hardest part was actually just doing all the makeup. It was like Super Gluing a quarter inch of latex to your face. Sitting perfectly still in a chair for eight hours and then starting your full workday, those were long days.Hill: There's one scene, it's my favorite scene I've ever shot in a movieit's the hardest scene I ever shot. It's a scene where my character has to tell someone he's been traded. Up until that point, my character, Peter, has been plucked from obscurity and given all of this power, and all he's known about responsibility has been really fun and exciting and exhilarating. And now, for the first time, he has to be told there's a real ugly side to becoming a man, and there's an ugly side to responsibility. And you need to go tell a man that your ideas have negatively affected his life. And it was only 30 or 45 seconds long, but it was so hard.Bichir: I had two difficulties. The physical part of it was, Chris and I wanted him to be bigger and have this tummy because, you know, they don't have time to take care of a diet or anything. I had just lost a bunch of weight that I had gained to play Fidel Castro in "Che." That was hard. But then emotionally, it was a really difficult ride too. I'm an immigrant, also, but I didn't cross the border through the desert or through the river or anything, so I needed to really feel what it's like being invisible and keeping your life in a low-key kind of manner and understanding that feeling. Again, coming from playing Fidel Castro, that was a big leap for me. So the whole ride was really, really difficult in that sense. Nolte: The toughest part is if you are working on a bad film. Fortunately, I didn't have to worry about that here. But that's when it's tough. If you've convinced yourself it's a good script and it's not, and somebody is yakking in your ear that you've got to do it, you just pay so much for doing it. Because those situations are impossible to get right. To think you can go in without the script locked down tightit's only worked once in my life, and I don't know why it worked.Hill: What movie was it?Nolte: "48 Hrs." Bejo: I totally agree with you; when you have a great script, it's easy to have fun. So for me, I guess the most challenging part was the tap dancing. We worked for six months almost every day.Nolte: But that's fun, though, isn't it?Bejo: It was a lot of fun, but it's a lot of work. But when you have a good script, a good director, when everything is donecostume, hairto make you feel the best you can, it makes it so much easier. Back Stage: What's the best advice anyone's given you about acting? Bejo: Have fun. Have pleasure. It's all about pleasure. Because at the beginning of my career I just wanted to be the best I could, and I was always thinking about the result. When I learned to let go and concentrate on working with others, it really changed things for me.Bichir: Righthave fun and don't take it too seriously. And of course, the key words for any aspiring actor: patience and perseverance.Hammer: For me, I think it was the opposite. I got into acting with just the idea of fun in mind. Like, how fun it will be to be an actor; I'll lay around and watch movies all day as research. That was my attitude for a long time, way too long, until someone finally sort of explained to me that it's like, this is an art, just like any other sort of creative art form is an art. And you can take it as far as you want to take it, but you have to choose to take it, you have to inform yourself, you have to learn about this. Bejo: But having fun does not mean that you don't take your job seriously.Hammer: But that's the thing. Like Winston Churchill said, "You find a job you love, you never have to work another day in your life." And that's exactly how this feels. Like you wake up every morning excited to go to set. That's a great feeling. And that makes it worth all the stuff that you have to do at this job that we're not good atlike photo shoots. You're like, "How do I stand? Where do I put my hands? This is not what I do, I am an actor, but I guess I have to do this to perpetuate my job." If I could have fun at a photo shoot, I'd be a damn model.Spencer: I love that you guys are saying that, because I feel the same way in photo shoots. I guess the best advice I was given as an actor would be to live in the moment, whatever that moment isboth in your private life and in your professional life. And the best advice that I would give an actor is probably in tandem with what Armie was saying. I think believing in yourself is probably 30 percent of it; the other 75, 95, 150 percent is know what you're doing. Study, study, study hard. That way you can be free to enjoy the living-in-the-moment part of it. And I'm having a great time now.Nolte: Enjoy it. This should be fun. I'll tell you about the best time at an awards show I ever had. The year I was up for the Oscar for "Affliction," Ian McKellen was up for "Gods and Monsters" and Ed Norton was up for "American History X." We kept running into each other at all these awards shows and got to know one another. And the night of the Academy Awards, Ian said, "Nick, I don't care if you get it, or if I get it, or if some kid with a bald head and tattoos gets it, but if that little fucking Italian guy gets it, I'm going to have a shit fit tonight." I said, "Okay, that's good; I'm with you on that." And then we're sitting there, and they go "Roberto Benigni!" And he's doing his bit, walking over the chairs. I look over, and I saw Ed was gone and Ian was gone, so I got out of the chair, I walked off, and I knew they'd be at the bar. As I walked up to Ian he said, "Nolte, I don't know why you thought you'd get an award; you only play yourself." And Ian was playing a gay guy, so I said, "Look who's calling the kettle black." And we both turned on Ed and said, "What, did you think you'd win just because you shaved your head and got tattoos?" And Ed said, "Well I'm just proud to be here with you guys." And we laughed and had a great time, a great time. SAG Award Nominees on Breaking In and the Art of Having Fun By Jenelle Riley January 4, 2012 PHOTO CREDIT Dan Busta Jonah Hill had no idea what day it was until his phone began exploding with calls and texts. Armie Hammer was asleep when he got the call, as was Demin Bichir. Brnice Bejo was in the midst of Skyping with her father when she got the news. Octavia Spencer admits she tried to ignore all the hype but woke up at 2:45 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep. And Nick Nolte didn't find out until the following day, when a publicist broke the news. All six actors are worthy nominees for a 2012 SAG Award for their recent film roles. Bejo charmed her way into voters' hearts as a rising star in the silent black-and-white hit "The Artist." Bichir earned his nomination for perfectly embodying an undocumented gardener raising a combative 14-year-old son in "A Better Life." Hammer, a nominee for his work in the ensemble of last year's "The Social Network," scored an individual nod this year for his touching portrayal of J. Edgar Hoover confidant Clyde Tolson. Hill received a nod for a rare dramatic turn as a statistical genius in "Moneyball," in which he steals scenes from Brad Pitt. Nolte has been nominated twice beforeas part of the ensemble of "Hotel Rwanda" and individually for "Affliction"but his heartbreaking turn in "Warrior" earned him recognition this year. Spencer landed her nom for bringing life to the frank and funny maid Minny in "The Help," a role she helped inspire. A few days after the nominations were announcedwhich also happened to be Hill's birthdaythe heralded actors sat down at Smudge Studios to talk with Back Stage about the roles that brought them such acclaim.Back Stage: Now that you're all SAG Award nominees, can you recall how you got your SAG cards? Demin Bichir: I did this Jack in the Box commercial where I was actually talking to a taquito. "Hey, little taquito." At the same time, I was thinking, "I was doing Shakespeare a year ago in Mexico. I don't think this is working."Nick Nolte: I'm really not sure. I think it was "Death Valley Days," the Ronald Reagan show. It could have been that, or it could have been this Disney thing, "Feather Farm." Armie Hammer: It was a small, tiny, tiny, tiny, tiny little independent film. I don't know if it actually was ever finished or released in any way. It was called "Laura Smiles" or "Laura's Smile," something like that. I played a waiter, and you only saw me from the nipple down. And I had a line, which was "You done with that?" And he goes, "Does it look like I'm done?" And then I turn around and walk away. That's how I got my SAG card.Jonah Hill: My SAG card was a David O. Russell film called "I Heart Huckabees." That was my first movie. Dustin Hoffman recommended me for it.Hammer: How did you know him?Hill: I was friends with his kids from school and from college. I wanted to be a writer, and Dustin was like, "You should be an actor, not a writer." He called up David, and he said, "You should meet this guy; he's really talented." And I went in and auditioned, and I was awful, and for some reason David took pity on me and let me be in the movie. Octavia Spencer: I had one line in "A Time to Kill" with Sandra Bullock, and then I did a short that she directed. The DP on that was doing a Disney movie, "The Sixth Man," and I had to join after that. Even though I was cut out. Nolte: How does it feel to be cut out?Spencer: Well, let me tell you, it made me take an acting class. I was in class three to four times a week after that.Nolte: You want to hear a good story? Adrien Brody in "Thin Red Line" was cut out. He came out to the house, and he said, "Am I a bad actor, Nick? Is it because I'm bad?" I said, "No, Adrien, Terry Malick has enough for three films. He just couldn't go down that path; that's all the reason." I don't know if he believed me or not, but shortly after, he won an Academy Award. If I see him again, I am going to say, "Adrien, do you still wonder if you're a good actor or not?"Back Stage: Can you talk about your process of booking your roles? I believe for some it was an audition, for others it was an offer? Brnice Bejo: I slept with the director. Back Stage: Okay, but you're married to him, so that's fair. Did he tell you he was writing the part for you? Bejo: Yeah. We worked together for six years. But I felt like I was doing the audition during the movie, because, of course, all the crew was like, "That's the wife." Everybody was American, and nobody knew me. So my first big scene, I was like, "Okay, Brnice, you're going to have to be really good, because you have to show to everybody that the reason you're on set is because you're the character, not because you're the wife of the director."Back Stage: Demin, I know director Chris Weitz wanted you for "A Better Life," but did you still have to audition? Bichir: Yeah, I slept with Chris. [Laughs.] He called me to audition for "New Moon," the vampire thing; then he started talking about this gardener. I didn't know if it was a vampire gardener or what. Then he explained he was talking about this other filmit was called "The Gardener" thenand he had wanted me to play the role since day one. I had to read for the rest of the guys, the producers and everyone. And then I got it. But I didn't get "New Moon." Back Stage: Jonah, did you have to audition? Hill: No, I didn't audition. Catherine Keener kind of set up the whole movie. Catherine is friends with myself and friends with [director] Bennett [Miller], and friends with Brad, all independently. And she was like, "Brad, Bennett should direct 'Moneyball.' You should meet this guy." And then Bennett got hired as the director, and then they needed to cast a second lead, and Catherine was like, "Bennett, you should hire Jonah."Spencer: Is she a producer on the movie?Hill: No, she is just the coolest lady I know. And we were making a movie called "Cyrus" at the time together.Hammer: Which is awesome.Hill: Thank you, I appreciate that. And she was like, "Jonah is doing this thing in this other movie that you've never seen him do; I think it's going to be pretty cool." The film was unfinished, and I said to the directors, "Can I show my parents before they go away? They're not going to be able to come to the premiere." And they felt bad, so they said, "Yes, you can do a friends-and-family screening." But it was actually all for Bennett. And then Bennett watched it and then cast me. Back Stage: Armie, is it true you almost skipped your audition? Hammer: Yeah, they sent it to us and asked me to come in and read, and I initially turned it down just because I felt I didn't understand it well enough. I recognized that it was great, and I thought it was a fantastic script, but I didn't quite understand the character as well as I wanted to if I was going to go in and do an audition for Clint [Eastwood]. So I turned it down. And then Fiona [Weir], his casting director, called and was like, "Please, just come in. I want to show Clint this tape; ask any question you want." So I went in with her and had like a two-hour conversation and just asked her all the questions I had on the script. And later that night I went to dinner with a friend of mine who was older and gay. I asked him a ton of questions and finally started to really understand it and understand the complexities of what it was like to live then. And I just started to fall more and more in love with it. So I went in and did an audition, and they called me a week later to read some more scenes. A couple weeks later, I got a call saying, "So Clint's going to give you the job; show up on Monday." It was like Thursday or something like that.Back Stage: Nick, Gavin O'Connor wrote the role for you, so you got to skip the audition process, correct? Nolte: Yes, which skips a lot of anxiety and worry about it. But then there's also something good about the audition process too, because you get keyed up, and you get the passion up for the piece. So when you miss that, you better have it all full when you get to the set. Gavin is wonderful. I was supposed to do an earlier film with him, "Pride and Glory," but I backed out. Back Stage: And he still wanted to work with you? Nolte: He understood. I got to a point finally where, if there's chaos, I won't join up. Once I'm there I'm locked, but if I see it coming, I'll back away from it. Because even if the film is great, it's not worth that pain. Back Stage: Octavia, many people think your role was written for you because you knew [Kathryn Stockett], the author of "The Help." Spencer: I did whatever it took to get this part; I slept with the writer, the director, everybody. [Laughs.] But no, the role wasn't written for me. When I met the author of the book, she was thinking about characters. I'm best friends with her childhood best friend, Tate Taylor, who directed the film, and he decided that we should meet. When we met, I was a hundred pounds heavier, it was 108 degrees, we were in New Orleans, and Tate thought it was a good idea to do a walking tour of the city. So she met me on a day where I was just complaining and combative. So Minny's physicality and that combative nature was based on me. But I still had to audition for the role. Tate wanted me, Brunson Green the producer wanted me, Chris Columbus wanted me, but those guys aren't writing a $25 million check. That was DreamWorks and Participant, so I had to go in and sell them on that idea.Nolte: Do you know who DreamWorks wanted?Spencer: Well, you know, they never said that they didn't want me. I read everywhere things like "Octavia Spencer beat out Queen Latifah and Jennifer Hudson!" I don't know if that happened; I just know that in my own mind, it would have gone through all these famous actresses before it got to me. But it worked out, and everyone has been very good to me; I'm thrilled. Back Stage: What was the hardest part of making your film? Spencer: Well, for me, it was the time period of "The Help." Being a very modern woman, I can't imagine what it was like. My family and friends are Asian, white, black, Greek, gay, not gaythey're just the gamut of people. And to be playing in such a homogenous society where society dictated who you had to be was really, really tough emotionally.Hammer: I also had trouble understanding the mindset of such an antiquated way of thinking. Especially when it came to homosexuality in the 1920s; it was the kind of thing that if you came out or got caught doing anything, it would cost you your family, your job, your social standing. Your life. It was a very hard thing to understand, having to live that sort of closeted life for so long and to protect yourself so vehemently. But physically, I think the hardest part was actually just doing all the makeup. It was like Super Gluing a quarter inch of latex to your face. Sitting perfectly still in a chair for eight hours and then starting your full workday, those were long days.Hill: There's one scene, it's my favorite scene I've ever shot in a movieit's the hardest scene I ever shot. It's a scene where my character has to tell someone he's been traded. Up until that point, my character, Peter, has been plucked from obscurity and given all of this power, and all he's known about responsibility has been really fun and exciting and exhilarating. And now, for the first time, he has to be told there's a real ugly side to becoming a man, and there's an ugly side to responsibility. And you need to go tell a man that your ideas have negatively affected his life. And it was only 30 or 45 seconds long, but it was so hard.Bichir: I had two difficulties. The physical part of it was, Chris and I wanted him to be bigger and have this tummy because, you know, they don't have time to take care of a diet or anything. I had just lost a bunch of weight that I had gained to play Fidel Castro in "Che." That was hard. But then emotionally, it was a really difficult ride too. I'm an immigrant, also, but I didn't cross the border through the desert or through the river or anything, so I needed to really feel what it's like being invisible and keeping your life in a low-key kind of manner and understanding that feeling. Again, coming from playing Fidel Castro, that was a big leap for me. So the whole ride was really, really difficult in that sense. Nolte: The toughest part is if you are working on a bad film. Fortunately, I didn't have to worry about that here. But that's when it's tough. If you've convinced yourself it's a good script and it's not, and somebody is yakking in your ear that you've got to do it, you just pay so much for doing it. Because those situations are impossible to get right. To think you can go in without the script locked down tightit's only worked once in my life, and I don't know why it worked.Hill: What movie was it?Nolte: "48 Hrs." Bejo: I totally agree with you; when you have a great script, it's easy to have fun. So for me, I guess the most challenging part was the tap dancing. We worked for six months almost every day.Nolte: But that's fun, though, isn't it?Bejo: It was a lot of fun, but it's a lot of work. But when you have a good script, a good director, when everything is donecostume, hairto make you feel the best you can, it makes it so much easier. Back Stage: What's the best advice anyone's given you about acting? Bejo: Have fun. Have pleasure. It's all about pleasure. Because at the beginning of my career I just wanted to be the best I could, and I was always thinking about the result. When I learned to let go and concentrate on working with others, it really changed things for me.Bichir: Righthave fun and don't take it too seriously. And of course, the key words for any aspiring actor: patience and perseverance.Hammer: For me, I think it was the opposite. I got into acting with just the idea of fun in mind. Like, how fun it will be to be an actor; I'll lay around and watch movies all day as research. That was my attitude for a long time, way too long, until someone finally sort of explained to me that it's like, this is an art, just like any other sort of creative art form is an art. And you can take it as far as you want to take it, but you have to choose to take it, you have to inform yourself, you have to learn about this. Bejo: But having fun does not mean that you don't take your job seriously.Hammer: But that's the thing. Like Winston Churchill said, "You find a job you love, you never have to work another day in your life." And that's exactly how this feels. Like you wake up every morning excited to go to set. That's a great feeling. And that makes it worth all the stuff that you have to do at this job that we're not good atlike photo shoots. You're like, "How do I stand? Where do I put my hands? This is not what I do, I am an actor, but I guess I have to do this to perpetuate my job." If I could have fun at a photo shoot, I'd be a damn model.Spencer: I love that you guys are saying that, because I feel the same way in photo shoots. I guess the best advice I was given as an actor would be to live in the moment, whatever that moment isboth in your private life and in your professional life. And the best advice that I would give an actor is probably in tandem with what Armie was saying. I think believing in yourself is probably 30 percent of it; the other 75, 95, 150 percent is know what you're doing. Study, study, study hard. That way you can be free to enjoy the living-in-the-moment part of it. And I'm having a great time now.Nolte: Enjoy it. This should be fun. I'll tell you about the best time at an awards show I ever had. The year I was up for the Oscar for "Affliction," Ian McKellen was up for "Gods and Monsters" and Ed Norton was up for "American History X." We kept running into each other at all these awards shows and got to know one another. And the night of the Academy Awards, Ian said, "Nick, I don't care if you get it, or if I get it, or if some kid with a bald head and tattoos gets it, but if that little fucking Italian guy gets it, I'm going to have a shit fit tonight." I said, "Okay, that's good; I'm with you on that." And then we're sitting there, and they go "Roberto Benigni!" And he's doing his bit, walking over the chairs. I look over, and I saw Ed was gone and Ian was gone, so I got out of the chair, I walked off, and I knew they'd be at the bar. As I walked up to Ian he said, "Nolte, I don't know why you thought you'd get an award; you only play yourself." And Ian was playing a gay guy, so I said, "Look who's calling the kettle black." And we both turned on Ed and said, "What, did you think you'd win just because you shaved your head and got tattoos?" And Ed said, "Well I'm just proud to be here with you guys." And we laughed and had a great time, a great time.