She chats like you do with Sally Hawkins at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in posh St John’s Wood, north London, and tells me “I’m fine” when I inquire about her well-being.
Our feet are right where the Beatles recorded the song “I Feel Fine,” a single that topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic in 1964. I couldn’t tell if Hawkins chose those words on purpose to indicate where we stand.
My answer got lost in the noise, so I asked my favorite question that people usually run away from when they hear it: “What are you doing that I don’t need to know?”
I’m not looking for thrills, although I will always listen to them. No, I want to know what your career plans are. It is easier to ask such a question face to face than over the phone.
I once asked playwright and screenwriter Alan Bennett (The story guys, The lady in the van) for more details about a new play he was writing for the National Theater at the time. “I’ll hang up now, very politely,” came the ever-so-polite humiliation.
To this day Bennett has no idea why I smiled so widely and then laughed so politely a few days after that call when I stood next to him at our local dry cleaners in Camden Town.
BOUND TOGETHER: Breaking Baz: On Prince Harry’s ‘part’ and behind the long, toxic, symbiotic relationship between Fleet Street and Buckingham Palace
But Hawkins (The shape of the water, happy-go-lucky) felt good, so she happily told me that she was writing a ghost story, more of a screenplay, with her friend and frequent collaborator Craig Roberts.
I started to feel really good.
They have such a history of fencing together. Hawkins played Roberts’ mother in Richard Ayoades’ 2010 film submarine, and a year later they were mother and son again in Cary Joji Fukunaga’s version of Jane Eyre Roberts later sent her inside Eternal beauty and The Ghost of Openness. “He’s brilliant,” says Hawkins.
The proposed film has the working title Without smoking, and it’s in the early stages of development, Hawkins says. Roberts later confirmed production through his press agent Romilly Bowlby at DDA.
Hawkins adds that the rough plan so far is for Roberts to direct the film and have her play the mother of a young girl. While moving to a new address, the daughter discovers that a boy’s ghost is “stuck in the house.”
He died before his time, Hawkins explains, and he’s not ready to go yet. She adds that the boy’s part of the story takes place in the 1860s while the mother and girl live in the 1970s or 1980s. “It’s about a ghost trapped in a house and a mother trapped in fear,” Hawkins continues.
She always wanted to write. In fact, she wrote a story about a mermaid around the same time that Guillermo del Toro was forming The shape of the water writing around them.
Her parents, Jacqui and Colin Hawkins, are authors and illustrators of children’s books (Mig the superstar pig, Jen the chicken). Her creativity “influenced everything”, says Hawkins.
The movie is currently out. Roberts has another film in the pipeline and he and Hawkins need to finish it to write Without smoking. Meanwhile, Stephen Frears’ The Lost King with Hawkins at the helm is out, and Warner Bros. wonkaled by her Paddington Friend Paul King, will be released in time for the December holidays. Hawkins appears in it with Timothée Chalamet, Olivia Colman, Rowan Atkinson and Keegan-Michael Key.
ACCEPT THE TAPE!
The reality is that I was in Abbey Road on behalf of Netflix to hear Maestro Alexandre Desplat conduct a selection of his beautiful score Pinocchio by Guillermo del Toro with a 45-piece orchestra. Many of the same musicians worked on the soundtrack in the same studio – “twice as many musicians as we have tonight,” says Desplat casually.
I sat right behind the man on the bass drums and was mesmerized. “Voila!” said Desplat when I told him how moving it is to hear his music while playing the movie in my head.
BOUND TOGETHER: “Pinocchio” composer Alexandre Desplat on the “joyful melancholy” of the story and the score – production value
“The score is moving and sad, it goes deep into that balance between joy and melancholy,” he says. “It’s a cheerful melancholy. It’s sad though Pinocchio is not sad and we had to find the balance.
I enjoyed watching him deal with del Toro. They rocked each other like a seasoned comedy duo. “Well,” said Desplat, “life is short. You can’t take yourself too seriously; otherwise you’re an asshole.”
It sounds so mean with a French accent.
“We’re having fun. We’re having a good time, we’re enjoying life and we’re saying, ‘Let’s share it with everyone.’ Why suddenly be very serious and conceited, he asked himself with a slight Gallic shrug.
He also had fun, he says, when he recorded Greta Gerwig Barbie Movie. “Playful, very fun,” he says, before reminding me that he’s worked with the director before little woman
by Desplat Pinocchio Scoring was recognized by BAFTA along with the cinematography and production design. However, Oscar saw things differently and nominated the del Toro and Mark Gustafson film in a category, Best Animated Feature, which is still fun!
BOUND TOGETHER: “Guillermo del Toros Pinocchio” composer Alexandre Desplat on working with the director: “If I see him cry, I’m ready” – sound and screen
The composer remains optimistic about this. After all, he has two Oscars for music he wrote for The shape of the water and The big hotel in Budapest and matching BAFT BAG, plus a front The King’s Speech.
Another BAFTA would even the score.
“Now that’s a movie!”
I take another slow walk, traversing Abbey Road Studios. I see Lawrence Atkinson and quickly turn my eyes away.
What I observed cannot remain unseen. The manager of DDA publicity had a hairdresser play with his hair. I ask for a photo for future shenanigans. Okay, let’s call it extortion.
Atkinson was bravely committed. It was pointed out to me that at least he has hair on his legs. Become.
Later I meet Ellen Kuras, who is in town supervising the post for her film lie about Lee Miller, the famous World War II correspondent and photographer. Kate Winslet plays her and is also a producer. The two have been friends since they made them Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind two decades ago. Kuras was the cameraman.
Kuras mentions that a few years ago a close friend showed her an unedited version of Robin Wright’s film Country.
“It’s not a movie,” she reminded her friend.
A little while later, Kuras is shown a fully edited version: “Now that’s a movie!”
Soon after, she and Winslet discuss possible editors. Kuras tells Winslet that she has someone in mind. “WHO?” asked Winslet. “The man who cuts country,” Kuras replied.
“Keep going,” says Winslet.
By the time he signed, Mikkel EG Nielsen had already won an Oscar for his award-winning work sound of metal.
“Now it’s time for a new one!” Kuras shouted, referring to the nomination Nielsen received on Tuesday. The Banshees by Inisherin.
“Look, you did someone a favor and got an editor,” I tell her. Kuras nodded sagely, smiled and said. “Always help when you can.”
WATCH PATRICIA HODGE
As I sat in the stalls of the Donmar Warehouse Theater in Covent Garden last Saturday, a hushed commotion two rows behind me had a pivotal, poignant moment about 15 minutes before the intermission of director Ellen McDougall’s riveting performance of Lillian Hellman’s anti-fascist play interrupted. A watch on the Rhine.
On stage, actor Mark Waschke broke through the fourth wall and asked in character if everything was okay at the back and if they could help. Cue house lights. The stage manager arrives and tells us that an audience member has fallen ill and that we must go to the bar before the play can continue.
I saw a lady being comforted by Donmar staff and helpful onlookers. She took a sip of water and everything seemed fine.
I kept thinking about the effortless transition that brought the show to a halt. Waschke’s sympathetic inquiry was admirable. But it was Patricia Hodge’s face that caught my attention. She didn’t do anything. standing right there Her physicality was that of Fanny Farrelly, the upper-class matriarch in Hellman’s play.
I always say your senses follow the heat of the stage and mine was focused on Hodge. I think it has to do with star quality coupled with half a century of acting skill forged over such diverse performances A little night music, sounds down, sad house, separate tables, Noel and Gertie and private life on stage and the like The Falkland Game and Everyone Big and small creatures on TV and much more.
A watch on the Rhine completes its Donmar run on February 4. Catch him if you can get a ticket and marvel at Patricia Hodge OBE.
She will probably be called a lady soon, I think, for quality service.
By the way, remember the name Henry Hunt. He is 12 and plays Hodge’s youngest grandson.
He also has star quality.
Writer: Baz Bamigboye
Source: Deadline
Bernice Bonaparte is an author and entertainment journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for pop culture and a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest entertainment news, Bernice has become a trusted source for information on the entertainment industry.
