Benjamin Walker Joining Chris Hemsworth in Ron Howard’s “In the Heart of the Sea”

May 7, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

benjamin-walker Stage and screen actor Benjamin Walker has landed a major role opposite Chris Hemsworth and Tom Holland in Ron Howard’s nautical actioner “In the Heart of the Sea”, according to Deadline.

Based on Nathaniel Philbrick’s factual retelling “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex”, Hemsworth will play a first mate aboard whaling ship the Essex, which began a journey from Nantucket bound for the South Pacific in 1819 and was rammed and sunk by a giant sperm whale, the incident that served as inspiration for Meville’s “Moby Dick.” The initial crew of 20, to be led by Hemsworth’s character, dwindled as they struggled to survive aboard three lifeboats, facing hunger, disease and inclement weather. Holland is set for the role of Young Nickerson, an aspiring whaler, while Walker has the plum role of George Pollard, Jr., the unqualified, antagonistic captain of the Essex who would be come to be immortalized in fiction as Captain Ahab. Filming begins in September in London.

Broadway vet Walker starred in cult hit “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson” and most recently in a revival of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” opposite Scarlett Johansson. His big screen metal has not been fully tested following the disastrous “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, while other potential star-making films like Ed Zwick’s “The Great Wall” and Alex Proyas’ “Paradise Lost”, fell apart before filming even began. Luckily this project seems solid and has great potential to be the breakout that the talented and charismatic Walker is long overdue for.

“The Impossible” Star Tom Holland Joins Chris Hemsworth in Ron Howard’s “In the Heart of the Sea”

April 10, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

tom-holland You’d think young British actor Tom Holland must hate the water by now after spending half of “The Impossible” trying not to drown, but you’d be wrong. Deadline reports he’s joined another water disaster flick, Ron Howard’s period whaling thriller “In the Heart of the Sea”, which already has Chris Hemsworth in the lead role.

Based on Nathaniel Philbrick’s factual retelling “In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex”, Hemsworth will play a first mate aboard whaling ship the Essex, which began a journey from Nantucket bound for the South Pacific in 1819 and was rammed and sunk by a giant sperm whale. The initial crew of 20, to be led by Hemsworth’s character, dwindled as they struggled to survive aboard three lifeboats, facing hunger, disease and inclement weather. Holland is set for the role of Young Nickerson, an aspiring whaler. Filming begins in September in London.

Holland, who has a musical theater background and has starred in “Billy Elliot” on the West End, was the best part of tsunami disaster flick “The Impossible”, which also marked his big screen debut. He has wrapped up shooting on adaptation of YA novel “How I Live Now” opposite Saoirse Ronan, which is set for release this year.

Watch: Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl Race For Their Lives in First Trailer for “Rush”

April 8, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos 2 Comments

rushtrailer

Two totally different yet equally competitive racecar drivers are presented to us in the first trailer for Ron Howard’s Formula One biopic “Rush”, which sees Chris Hemsworth as the party-hard James Hunt and Daniel Bruhl as Niki Lauda, his dedicated and intense rival who doesn’t let a little thing like a near-death accident keep him from racing.

The two lived and raced in the 1970s, and the film, scripted by Peter Morgan, will focus on the 1976 race which Hunt won and which almost claimed Lauda’s life in a near-fatal accident. But as the trailer shows, that’s not the end of his story or their rivalry. Olivia Wilde is also on board as supermodel Suzy Miller, who Hunt romances and eventually marries but then ultimately loses to Hollywood actor Richard Burton.

“Rush” will be released on September 20th and the first trailer, which appears to be tailored for UK audiences, can be viewed below.

Watch: first behind the scenes look at Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl in Formula 1 drama “Rush”

May 29, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Videos Leave a comment

It’s only fitting really that the first look at Chris Hemsworth in action for his new role in “Rush” should come during the BBC’s Formula 1 coverage.

In the new film which tells the story of two men’s fight for dominance in the sport in the 1970′s, Hemsworth plays legendary British Formula One race car driver James Hunt in the film.

Daniel Bruhl stars as Niki Lauda, Hunt’s rival, and Olivia Wilde as Hunt’s supermodel wife Suzy Miller.

The new clip premiered during Sunday’s Monaco grand prix and gives us a behind the scenes look at filming as we hear from director Ron Howard, Hemsworth, Bruhl and producer Andrew Eaton.

First Look: Chris Hemsworth and Olivia Wilde get married on the set of “Rush”

April 2, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images Leave a comment

Olivia Wilde is back to blonde as she and Chris Hemsworth film a big wedding scene on the set of Ron Howard’s Forumla One biopic “Rush.” We’ve already seen Hemsworth in action as legendary racecar driver James Hunt on the track, but here’s our first look at Wilde as supermodel Suzy Miller, who married and then divorced Hunt in the 1970s as his rivalry with fellow driver Niki Lauda (played in the film by German actor Daniel Brühl) heated up. Reports indicate Russell Crowe may cameo in the film as actor Richard Burton – who swept Wilde’s Miller off her feet and away from her new husband.

Filming is currently underway in London, and British paper The Daily Mail snapped the first shots of Wilde and Hemsworth as Miller and Hunt, and as evidenced by the comparison pics the paper provided, the duo very much embody their real-life counterparts.

“Rush” is tentatively scheduled for release in 2013. See the new images of Wilde and Hemsworth below and head over to The Daily Mail for more.

First look: Chris Hemsworth is James Hunt in first on set pictures of Ron Howard’s Formula One drama “Rush”

March 9, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Images 3 Comments

Perhaps the breakout star of 2011, Chris Hemsworth is currently on location in London as production begins on “Rush”, director Ron Howard‘s Formula One drama.

Playing legendary British Formula One race car driver James Hunt, Hemsworth is joined by Daniel Bruhl and Olivia Wilde in the story of two men’s fight for dominance in the sport in the 1970′s.
Hunt went on to win the 1976 title, while Lauda (Bruhl) who won the World Championship three times, crashed in a near-fatal accident in the same race. Supermodel Suzy Miller (Wilde) falls for and marries Hunt, but the relationship is short-lived as she soon falls for his actor friend, Richard Burton (who will be a cameo performance from Russell Crowe).

Celebuzz have the first pictures for us, with Hemsworth dressed in his McLaren uniform pictured in what looks to be the pit lane.

“Rush” is set for release in 2013, and you can next see Hemsworth on the big screen this July, when the eagerly anticipated The Avengers” is released.

Olivia Wilde joins “Rush” opposite Chris Hemsworth

October 4, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Olivia Wilde continues her takeover of Hollywood by adding another highly coveted female lead to her growing resume. Deadline reports Wilde will portray onetime supermodel Suzy Miller in Ron Howard’s racing biopic “Rush” opposite Chris Hemsworth as James Hunt and Daniel Bruhl as Niki Lauda, whose rivalry set the Formula One racing world aflame in the 1970s.

The film, scripted by Peter Morgan, chronicles the two men’s fight for dominance in the sport in the 1970′s. Hunt went on to win the 1976 title, while Lauda, who won the World Championship three times, crashed in a near-fatal accident in the same race. Wilde’s Miller falls for and marries Hemsworth’s Hunt, but the relationship is short-lived as she soon falls for his actor friend, Richard Burton. Burton then proceeded to pay Miller’s legal fees in her divorce proceedings, freeing her up to marry him shortly after. Deadline reports Howard is keen to get Russell Crowe to cameo as Burton.

The hard working Wilde will be seen in Jennifer Garner’s ensemble comedy “Butter” and opposite Justin Timberlake in Andrew Niccol’s “In Time”, along with family dramas “Welcome to People” with Chris Pine and “Blackbird” with Eric Bana. She’s also scheduled to shoot “Better Living Through Chemistry” opposite Sam Rockwell this fall and may or may not still be a contender for the last remaining female lead opposite Tom Cruise in the sci-fi epic previously known as “Horizons.” Jessica Chastain landed the first female lead a couple of weeks ago.

“Inglourious Basterds” star Daniel Brühl circling “Rush” opposite Chris Hemsworth

July 18, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Start your engines! German actor Daniel Brühl is getting behind the wheel to play legendary Formula One driver Niki Lauda in Ron Howard’s “Rush”, according to Screen Daily. Brühl will play the chief rival to British driver James Hunt, to be played by Chris Hemsworth, in the 1970s set biopic about the increasingly escalating competition between the two athletes.

The film, scripted by Peter Morgan, chronicles the two men’s fight for dominance in the sport in the 1970′s. Hunt went on to win the 1976 title, while Lauda, who won the World Championship three times, crashed in a near-fatal accident in the same race. Hemsworth is reported to have won his role after impressing Howard and the producers with a video audition, and Lauda seems to have given his blessing for the film, having hosted Howard at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone last weekend.

Although the Spanish-born, Germany-raised actor made his English speaking debut all the way back in 2004 in “Ladies in Lavender”, it was the role of Frederik Zoller, a German war hero in Quentin Tarantino’s 2009 critically and commercially acclaimed “Inglourious Basterds”, that served as Brühl’s introduction to American audiences. His forthcoming English-speaking films include “In Transit” opposite John Malkovich and Juan Carlos Fresnadillo’s “Intruders” opposite Clive Owen.

“Rush” is expected to begin filming in late 2011 or early 2012, after Hemsworth completes work on “Snow White and the Huntsman” and before he goes back into “Thor” mode for the sequel that’s already set for a 2013 release.

Chris Hemsworth gets behind the wheel as Formula One driver James Hunt in biopic “Rush”

July 11, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Chris Hemsworth’s foreseeable future is booking up fast. The breakout star of “Thor” has lined up another high profile role, according to Deadline. The Aussie actor is in talks to rev up to play legendary British Formula One race car driver James Hunt in “Rush”, the next directorial vehicle of Ron Howard.

The film, scripted by Peter Morgan, chronicles Hunt’s rivalry with fellow racer Niki Lauda for dominance in the 1970′s. Hunt’s charismatic personality turned a nation on to the sport. There’s no telling yet how this might affect the James Hunt project Dreamworks Studios had reportedly been planning as a starring vehicle for Alex Pettyfer, though perhaps like in racing, getting there first is all that matters. There’s been no movement on the Dreamworks picture since the first initial report and Pettyfer’s star has fallen a bit since the disappointment of “I Am Number Four”, while the opposite is true for Hemsworth’s career trajectory.

“Rush” is expected to film in early 2012, which gives Hemsworth plenty of time to complete his other commitments, currently wrapping up “The Avengers”, “Snow White and the Huntsman” this August and black ops thriller “Shadow Runner” in late 2011. Presumably, he will then do “Rush” and immediately segue back into “Thor” mode for the sequel that already has a July 26, 2012 release date.

Bryce Dalls Howard to make directorial debut; already has a part for Zoe Saldana

March 2, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting, General News Leave a comment

The beautiful and talented Bryce Dallas Howard is following in dad Ron’s footsteps, preparing to make her directorial debut, according to Showbiz411, who got the news straight from Howard herself over Oscar weekend. The film is called “The Originals” and she co-wrote it with writing partner Dane Charbonneau.

Though plot details are sparse, she tells Showbiz411, “It’s like a “Breakfast Club” for my generation.” She plans on inviting other actors her age to star in the film, and “So far, I wrote a part for Zoe Saldana. But there are so many good choices out there.”

Howard has been a prolific and always well respected actress (no cries of nepotism here!) since her breakout role in M. Night Shyamalan’s 2004 thriller “The Village”, taking on both indie fare like “Manderlay” and big budget franchise flicks like “Spider-Man 3″ and “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”. She’ll next be seen in the highly anticipated “The Help” and Jonathan Levine’s “50/50″, in which she stars opposite Jonah Hill, who also just revealed his own plans to direct.

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