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David Duchovy on The X-Files: it’s romantic when a man & woman are equals

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Ok folks I know #davidduchovny and #gilliananderson have a few fans out there so I'm going to do a little competion . Best caption for this picture gets a 11 by 14 limited edition print signed by me.. #xfiles ps photographed with @leicacamerausa A photo posted by Mark Mann (@markmannphoto) on Jun 11, 2016 at 5:45am PDT David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson have an long enjoyable joint interview over on Deadline. This is in the Awardsline section, so it must be part of the Emmy push for the X-Files reboot. Apparently the first round of voting closes June 27th, so please if we have any Emmy voters reading consider the new X-Files (and also Master of None and Bates Motel) on your ballots. Ever since I heard David Duchovny promoting his new book on Fresh Air I’ve had a renewed appreciation of just how smart and insightful he is. He has a masters in English literature from Yale and his undergraduate degree is from Princeton. I’ve always found Gillian Anderson a joy to listen to as well, so it’s a treat for me to have this interview to report. The problem is that they both say so many interesting things that I don’t know what to cut. Reading the interview is like having a great meal. If you’re an X-Files fan like me I would recommend that you read the interview at the source, but here are my favorite parts. The good news is that the show is such a hit and that they’ve both expressed an interest in returning, so we’ll probably get more X-Files at some point. Anderson says that no one is is talks yet, though. The second movie was a problem for them as they wanted to do three Duchovny: But after the second movie opened against The Dark Knight, and it was kind of a doomed enterprise in that way, I think we assumed it was dead. As television rearranged itself over the last 10 years, the idea of a season changed from 24 episodes, to 6, 8, 10, 12, or whatever. It became apparent that we could exist there, at least temporarily. Anderson: In my head, at least, was the fantasy of maybe doing three movies. I don’t know where that came from, but it was a shame the second was handled in the way it was. We knew we wanted to continue the conversation and try and trump that experience. They both say that a shorter series arc allowed the show to come back Duchovny:As television rearranged itself over the last 10 years, the idea of a season changed from 24 episodes, to 6, 8, 10, 12, or whatever. It became apparent that we could exist there, at least temporarily. Anderson: But the idea of doing a small pack, and realizing that our series works best when we have an opportunity to show all the elements of it, which you can’t fit into a single feature, suddenly it could be allowed to be all those things it is at its very best. On their gag on Kimmel about how technology has changed, and how that affects the show Duchovny: I honestly think the writers’ time is best spent not even concerning itself with the kind of questions about how the show exists now, because I feel like every 10 years or so people like to run around proclaiming that the world has changed and technology has changed us. And the fact is: we’re still humans. Our human nature is exactly the same as it was 500 years ago, let alone five years ago. And that’s really what the show concerns itself with; human nature, and possibility and the freedom to wonder and wander. On their chemistry on screen Duchovny: What exists in the writing, as well, is that these two people are true partners and they complete one another intellectually and emotionally. I do think that’s very romantic, when you have a man and a woman treating each other as equals. And not just as equals, but as necessary components of one another. Without the other, they fall as people, as entities, as investigators. It’s highly romantic and yet not sexual, though there’s a lot of tension. Anderson: They have a clear depth of caring about one another, and that’s what really gets people. They care about one another’s welfare, and so even if they’re at odds in their beliefs, their caring transcends that, through all nine seasons. On how they had chemistry when they first met Anderson: We didn’t know each other at all, but for some reason there was something in the room between the two of us that wasn’t there with others. To a degree, you can manufacture that as actors, and you have to most of the time, but for some reason there was something tangible and palpable that existed between us, right then. On if we’ll get more X-Files Anderson: I’m open to the conversation, though they haven’t come to us yet. I have no clue when they’re going to. I’m getting on with the rest of my life and I’m booking other jobs, so if it is indeed something that they would like to continue, then that conversation will need to be had. And I have no idea when that will be able to take place at this juncture. [From Deadline] I love how Anderson is very blunt and matter-of-fact about her busy schedule and the fact that she’s not waiting around for producers to come to her about doing more shows. She’s putting producers on notice, which she did before by revealing that she was initially offered half of what Duchovny was for the reboot. You know he’s the one who told her that, and that he has her back. Their rapport has always been palpable, which is so much of why the show works. I do think they had something more happening recently but so many of you have told me that’s wishful thinking on my part. As for Duchovny’s thoughts on how technology should be written into the show in the future, I disagree that it shouldn’t be a consideration. The tech-heavy episodes in the original series were some of my favorites and I absolutely loved The Lone Gunmen. photos credit: WENN and FameFlynet. Header image from Mark Mann for Awardsline

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Jennifer Lopez: Dancers are better in bed, ‘musicians are too self-absorbed’

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Jennifer Lopez’s W Magazine profile just gave me the perfect term for why I love her so much: she is “the people’s diva.” Like, the people’s princess, only in multi-hyphenate diva form. Anyway, I sort of hate Jennifer’s W Magazine editorial – you can see the slideshow here. It’s sort of awful, and they made Jennifer wear a terrible blonde mullet wig in half the pics. As for the interview, it’s longer than most W Mag profiles. It reads like a day-in-the-life piece, and Jennifer is really, really busy. You can read the full piece here, and here are some highlights: The people’s diva: “I’ve been in the grind and the game for a long time. At a certain point, people respect you when they see you fall down and get back up. The more you’re in this life, the more they celebrate your triumphs. When it comes to work, I never get tired. But with personal failures, I have thought, This is too hard. When my marriage ended, it was not easy to find forgiveness. It wasn’t the dream that I had hoped for, and it would have been easier to fan the flames of resentment, disappointment, and anger. But Marc is the father of my children [8-year-old twins], and that’s never going away. So, I have to work to make things right. And that is, by far, the hardest work I do.” She’s fine-boned: “When I first came to Los Angeles, someone told me I would be a star because of my tiny ankles and wrists. They said that was the key to it all.” She’s constantly being swarmed by fans: “It’s been like that since Selena. I never thought about fame until then. After that film, I would have panic attacks. I remember walking down the street, and someone yelled, ‘Jennifer!’ and I didn’t know who it was. I ran home. From that point forward, I realized I couldn’t be alone in public. I don’t think I’ve been alone on the street in over 20 years.” Who is better in bed: “Last time I was here, they asked me who is better in bed—dancers, musicians, or actors? I said, ‘Dancers!’ Musicians are too self-absorbed. They are too concerned with themselves to be great in bed.” On Marc Anthony: “I hung in there for seven years. I knew very quickly that it wasn’t the right thing.” On Casper Smart: “We got together and broke up and are now together again. I still think about getting married and having that long life with someone. I love the movie The Notebook. A dream of mine is to grow old with someone.” On being more accessible after her stint on American Idol: “It has been easier. People may now think I’m ‘nice,’ but they still act surprised when I’m smart. It’s a man’s world, and, truly, people in a business setting do not value a woman as much as a man. I feel like I’m constantly having to prove myself. If a man does one thing well, people immediately say he’s a genius. Women have to do something remarkable over and over and over. And, even then, they get questions about their love life. People underestimate me. They always have, and maybe that’s for the best. It’s fun to prove them wrong.” [From W Magazine] I do think J.Lo is smart… in almost every area of her life. She’s dumb in love, but smart everywhere else. And she’s right about people undervaluing her simply because she’s a woman, just as she’s right about constantly being underestimated. I love the bit about her thin ankles and wrists, I love the shade she has for Marc Anthony and I’m absolutely astonished that she hasn’t been alone in public in 20 years. She’s also wrong about dancers being the best lovers – swimmers are obviously the best lovers! Meanwhile, there’s one thing I’d like to mention – last week, there was a controversy about J.Lo’s new single, “Ain’t Your Mama.” The song is awful, full-stop. But it was written by Meghan Trainor, and there were widespread reports that the track had been “produced” by Dr. Luke. Jennifer got a lot of online hate and shade for that. But E! News reported that Trainor had written the song several years back and her version was produced by Dr. Luke back then, before Kesha’s lawsuit. Then Trainor gave the song to J.Lo and J.Lo didn’t know Dr. Luke had ever had his fingerprints on it. Trainor confirmed that version of events this week, calling the backlash against Jennifer “ridiculous” and “not fair on her, not at all.” Photos courtesy of W Magazine.

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Chiwetel Ejiofor: ‘It’s probably harder to be gay’ than black in Hollywood

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Chiwetel Ejiofor is during the promotional rounds for Triple 9, the cops-and-robbers movie also starring Kate Winslet, Anthony Mackie, Casey Affleck, Aaron Paul, Woody Harrelson and more. I remember that there were a lot of casting rumors going back and forth about this film, and I’m pleased that Chiwetel decided to do it. I’ve wanted good things for his career post-12 Years a Slave, but I think Chiwetel is more focused on diversifying his CV, doing a shoot ‘em action film here, a Marvel film there, a quiet African drama over there, and more. There’s no doubt in my mind that Chiwetel would be a much bigger “star” if he was white. But… I do have my doubts about whether Chiwetel is really interested in being a celebrity or a star. I think he just wants to work, and if he says that he’s living his dream, then I believe him. Anyway, as Chiwetel was promoting Triple 9, he was asked about Hollywood diversity and all of the hot topics of the day. And Chiwetel said something surprising – he thinks it’s harder to be gay in Hollywood than black in Hollywood. The industry has been accused of a lack of diversity following the 2016 Academy Awards nominations, where no African-American actor or director was nominated for a top honour for the second year in a row, but the 12 Years a Slave star believes it’s harder for someone to succeed if they’re homosexual than if they’re black. “I hope this changes (but) I think it’s probably harder to be gay,” he told British newspaper The Times. “I think sexuality is still marginalised in a way that is pretty open. I think it’s tough. I think for one’s own piece of mind, for one’s own sense of self and psychological health, I feel like that’s the horrible thing about ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ and all that f**ked-up s**t, because it produces a sense of shame, and therefore this sense of being ‘less than’, you know? And I hate that. I hate that for anybody.” But Chiwetel argues that at the same time, a person’s sexuality isn’t anyone else’s business, and if the individual wants to, they should be able to declare their preference without fear of it affecting their opportunities in life in any way. When it comes to race, the 38-year-old’s Nigerian heritage has never held him back from his dream of being an actor, having received a Best Actor Academy Award nomination for his role in 12 Years a Slave in 2013, and winning a Laurence Olivier Award for his theatre work in the 2008 production of Othello. “If I hadn’t had the opportunities and the fortune that I have had, of course I would have a very different perspective to that, but I can’t be completely intellectually dishonest about what has happened in my life … It’s a tiny bit more nuanced for me to talk about,” he explained. [From Contact Music] Ian McKellen was talking about this too last month – while #OscarsSoWhite, it’s also important to remember that #OscarsSoStraightCisgenderedandHeteronormative too, at least when it comes to “out” actors. No “out and proud” gay actor has ever won an Oscar. Ian McKellen wants to be the first! As for who has it harder, gay folks or black folks… this isn’t a slam against Chiwetel, who was just trying to be an awareness-raising ally, but it’s not a competition, and of course there is intersectionality, because of course there are black, gay actors and gay Hispanic actresses and bisexual Asian actors and they want to be able to work too. Here are some photos of Chiwetel, Kate Winslet, Anthony Mackie and Aaron Paul at a special screening of Triple 9 last week. Um, seriously, WTF is going on with Winslet’s face these days? Photos courtesy of WENN.

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Ian McKellen: Hollywood still discriminates against gay people & black people

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Over the holidays, I finally got around to seeing Mr. Holmes, the critically acclaimed film about Sherlock Holmes’ last case. Ian McKellen was the ancient Sherlock, and he was actually quite brilliant. So brilliant, I kind of wonder why he wasn’t a bigger part in the awards discussion. Ian has been nominated for two Oscars in his life, along with a slew of other awards for stage and screen. Most of those nominations and awards came after Ian came out of the closet. But I’m willing to acknowledge that Ian is sort of gay unicorn, much like Neil Patrick Harris: they are out gay men accepted by the “mainstream” to a large extent, possibly because they’re white men. Why do I bring this up? Ian has said some words about #OscarsSoWhite, and he draws a larger correlation with the groups shunned by the industry: women, LGBT and actors of color. Sir Ian McKellen has told Sky News he has “sympathy” for black people in Hollywood who feel discriminated against but added that gay people are also still being “disregarded”. The 76-year-old, who is gay and a co-founder of the rights group Stonewall, said criticism surrounding the lack of diversity among nominees at the Oscars is “legitimate”. Sir Ian said: “As a representative of the industry they’re in, it’s receiving complaints which I fully sympathise with. It’s not only black people who’ve been disregarded by the film industry, it used to be women, it’s certainly gay people to this day. And these are all legitimate complaints and the Oscars are the focus of those complaints of course.” [From Sky News] I don’t have a problem with what he says. He’s practicing “yes and” activism/alliance and he seems open to intersectionality. He’s not saying it’s a competition to see which is the most aggrieved group, he’s just saying that these groups (black people, LGBT and women) are largely disregarded by Hollywood stories. And he’s right. In another interview Monday, this time with the Guardian, Ian pointed out something really interesting: no openly gay actor has won the Oscar. He said: “No openly gay man has ever won the Oscar; I wonder if that is prejudice or chance.” He pointed out that Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Sean Penn have all won Oscars for playing gay men but, “What about giving me one for playing a straight man? My speech has been in two jackets … ‘I’m proud to be the first openly gay man to win the Oscar.’ I’ve had to put it back in my pocket twice.” Damn, that actually tugged on my heartstrings a little bit. Even if Ian never wins the Oscar for acting, I have to think he’s got one coming for lifetime achievement, right? Embed from Getty Images Photos courtesy of Getty, Fame/Flynet and Pacific Coast News.

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Cheryl Boone Isaacs calls for more diversity within the Academy’s voting blocs

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As we discussed earlier, Chris Rock is currently feeling the pressure to possibly pull out of hosting the Academy Awards. Also feeling pressure? Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the president of the Academy and an African-American woman (the first African-American woman to hold that position). Cheryl was openly critical of her organization last year when the #OscarsSoWhite debacle first broke, but now it’s the second year in a row with no actors of color up for any awards and with all of the Best Picture nominees being films about white people. Boone Isaacs released a statement last night about the ongoing controversy: “I’d like to acknowledge the wonderful work of this year’s nominees. While we celebrate their extraordinary achievements, I am both heartbroken and frustrated about the lack of inclusion. This is a difficult but important conversation, and it’s time for big changes. The Academy is taking dramatic steps to alter the makeup of our membership. In the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond. As many of you know, we have implemented changes to diversify our membership in the last four years. But the change is not coming as fast as we would like. We need to do more, and better and more quickly. “This isn’t unprecedented for the Academy. In the ‘60s and ‘70s it was about recruiting younger members to stay vital and relevant. In 2016, the mandate is inclusion in all of its facets: gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. We recognize the very real concerns of our community, and I so appreciate all of you who have reached out to me in our effort to move forward together.” [From USA Today] My thought: she’s doing what she can do. She’s not in charge of who gets hired for what project, and she’s not the face of diversity at a studio level. But she can change the makeup of the Academy voters and she can change the way minorities are represented within the Academy. I would also make a suggestion that Boone Isaacs put her finger on the scale about some things, and actively participate in some Oscar campaigns for more diverse films, like she could host Academy screenings for films that are more diverse and give those films the stamp of approval, you know? Meanwhile, David Oyelowo presented Boone Isaacs with an award yesterday for MLK Day. Oyelowo was notably snubbed for an Oscar last year for his work as Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, and he had harsh words about the Academy (not really Boone Isaacs specifically). Some highlights: “The Academy has a problem. It’s a problem that needs to be solved. A year ago, I did a film called Selma, and after the Academy Awards, Cheryl invited me to her office to talk about what went wrong then. We had a deep and meaningful [conversation]. For 20 opportunities to celebrate actors of color, actresses of color, to be missed last year is one thing; for that to happen again this year is unforgivable… The reason why the Oscars are so important is because it is the zenith, it is the epitome, it is the height of celebration of artistic endeavor within the filmmaking community. We grow up aspiring, dreaming, longing to be accepted into that august establishment because it is the height of excellence. I would like to walk away and say it doesn’t matter, but it does, because that acknowledgement changes the trajectory of your life, your career, and the culture of the world we live in… This institution doesn’t reflect its president and it doesn’t reflect this room. I am an Academy member and it doesn’t reflect me, and it doesn’t reflect this nation.” [From The Hollywood Reporter] That made my chest hurt. David really did want an Oscar nomination. Despite what people say, everyone really does want the nomination. They want to be acknowledged by the most prestigious film organization in the world. They want to feel like their voice, their art, their story is being represented. And for a second year in a row, they were told to suck it. Embed from Getty Images Photos courtesy of Getty, WENN.