Lisa Marks Media

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I apologise…my headlines are getting worse. By Christmas I’ll be trotting out ‘Poppadom Preach’ and ‘Shell We?’ regardless of who the story’s about.

My last interview of 2011 was with Elizabeth Banks, who stars in Man On A Ledge, with Sam Worthington, although I know her best from her stint as Jack Donaughy’s wife, Avery, on 30 Rock.

You can read my interview for the Sunday Telegraph’s Insider magazine, here.

I saw the movie at the tiniest screening room at the Dick Clark Studios. I think it had 12 seats – slouchy armchairs, four in a row. The film was great – surprising given that it was about a man on a ledge but then Phone Booth with Colin Farrell was also good. Just shows, you don’t always need a big stage to enthrall an audience.

When I came out of the screening room it was dark and LA was experiencing the worst storm in a long time. The power was out on the west side and a branch fell off a tree hitting my car, as I drove up Santa Monica Boulevard. It was terrifying.

Almost as terrifying as standing on a ledge 22 floors up above New York City…

Never have I met a more poised 14-year-old, but Chloe Moretz is quite remarkable.

What a life she leads too. Flown across the world to audition for Martin Scorsese, she fooled him into thinking she was British. And lo! the role of Isabelle, in Hugo, was hers.

She seemed very grounded – and was in fact travelling with her older brother (who is also her acting coach), her dog Jackson, her mother and her tutor. (Those aren’t necessarily written in order of importance.)

Asked what she thought of her tutor she told me: “Sometimes after long day on set I think, ‘Aaagh, I don’t want to do it!’ but then I think about how I want to go to Columbia (University), and mom reminds me that I won’t go unless I do the work. I want to be more than a smart actress. I want to be well-spoken, intelligent, and well-rounded, so if something does go awry, I’ll be able to  figure out another career path. I’m trying to follow every dream I have.”

We don’t need a tutor to learn something from this delightful young adult.

Read my interview with her for the Sunday Telegraph’s Insider magazine here.

Charlize Theron is an absolute riot. I can’t remember an interview with a female A-lister that involved so many curse words and raucous outpourings, to the point where her publicist literally yelped in shock at one particular phrasing.

I was in New York interviewing Ms Theron for Young Adult, Diablo Cody’s toe-dip into why so many apparently successful (and single) women in their late thirties are unhappy. I described the character of Mavis to Charlize as being in a ‘spinster panic’, and she said, ‘Oh that’s good, I might steal that for the press tour’. I granted her every thievery.

Charlize tells it like it is, as my cover story for the Sunday Telegraph’s Insider magazine shows. She comes from a small town in South Africa called Benoni, and by coincidence the South African reporter at the YA press conference was from the same tiny town. Charlize stopped her as she was asking a question to tell the room that “this bitch is from Benoni – it’s amazing, the place is like, this big!”, and then she did that pinchy thing with her fingers to denote it’s smallness.

Patton Oswalt is her co-star, and also gave good quote. If you don’t know him, check out Big Fan. It’s one of those small gems of a movie that takes you by surprise. I think – and hope – that the role of Matt Freehauf, the sweet nerd that Mavis befriends, will elevate him to a new level of fame.

Him and Charlize seemed to enjoy a hearty banter – but compared to many of the drier female actresses I meet, she must have seemed like a breath of fresh air.

Albeit one who regularly turns the air blue.

Watch the trailer for Young Adult here.

I’m really excited about 2012. Yes, even at this age, it’s possible to be excited about your job. There are still so many people left to interview and no-one’s getting any younger…although you wouldn’t know that living in Botox Central.

I’d like to tick this lot off my interview list (in no particular order): Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Tiny Fey, Gary Oldman, Tom Hanks, Kristen Wiig, Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep, Joe Cornish, Hugh Laurie, Lizzy Caplan, Penn Gillette, Weird Al, Agnes Jaoui, Ricky Gervais, Woody Allen, Michael Sheen, Demi Moore, Sir Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman and Steve Carell (for the second time), Betty White, Madonna, Aaron Sorkin, Kermit the Frog, Christian Bale, Emma Stone, Sandra Bullock…you know what, this could go on forever.

I’m still curious about people; I love movies, art, creativity and California – and I’m hugely grateful that I still get to rearrange the alphabet for a living. Journalism is a noble pursuit – I don’t care what that Leveson bloke says. I was raised on the romanticism of the great writers and reporters, and in my mind’s eye, I’m living the dream. *clacks away at Olivetti*

So here’s to a year that ticks more boxes, brings health, happiness and abundance – and if I’m lucky, a scoop or two that makes you sit up and take notice, as you peruse your iPad for something interesting to read…

Lisa

Contact lisamarksmedia@gmail.com

 

 

There are four Great Kates. Middleton, Moss, Winslet and Beckinsale. (Blanchett doesn’t count because of the spelling – my rules).

And I got to interview one of them last October at the Four Seasons Hotel (naturally), in Beverly Hills.

Kate Beckinsale, the star of Shooting Fish (one of my favourite indie movies of the Nineties), was there to talk about the fourth Underworld movie. I watched a few minutes of kick-ass 3D footage with the publicist, who had to show me how to TURN THE GLASSES ON. What?

Kate had Hollywood hair, a teeny tiny waist, and was happy to divulge her love of Finsbury Park bus station (that didn’t make the final copy).

Read my interview with Kate for the Australian Sunday Telegraph here.

This my last post of the year, so Happy Holidays – may your mince pies be sweet and your Santa hat be fluffy! And thanks for all your positive feedback. It’s much appreciated!

Underworld 4: Awakening trailer.

 

I’ll be honest, I was on very strong pain relievers when I interviewed Scarlett Johansson, which is why I sounded like Mutley when I listened back to the tape.

She called me on it too. “Are you wasted?” she laughed.

Sheepishly, I replied, “Yes. I was suffering from back pain after the flight to New York and took an extra strong pain killer this morning.”

She thought it was hilarious.

I thought the concept of buying a zoo was hilarious.

We got on like a house on fire.

Read my interview with Scarlett for the Sunday Herald Sun, here. 

We Bought A Zoo trailer.

True story. And his shoelaces were undone.

I interviewed Rob at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. He seemed like a thoroughly decent chap and we had a very affable conversation.

You can read my interview for the Australian Telegraph’s Insider magazine here.

It’s speculative but I feel that underneath the movie star sheen he’s pretty terrified of what lies ahead. He talked about his career options becoming so narrow because of the success of Twilight, and that he had more freedom when he was treading the boards doing am-dram.

He’ll always be able to pay the bills but creative souls need more than money.

Watch the trailer for Twilight: Breaking Dawn here.

Twilight is a phenomenon – nothing new there – but can you imagine living in the middle of a phenomenon?

After interviewing Kristen for the Sunday Telegraph’s Sunday Magazine I now have a teeny tiny inkling of what that life in the Twilight bubble must be like.

Unlike any other film junket, the Twilight: Breaking Dawn event was a security lock-down. I walked from the lift to check-in with a publicist, then escorted to the door of the suite where I’d be interviewing Kristen by another publicist and a burly ‘Secret Service’ agent, who looked straight out of central casting in a grey suit and buzz cut.

We then stood outside the suite for a few minutes like we were at the most uncomfortable cocktail party in the world. I wasn’t allowed inside the room which is odd because generally, if it’s free, you’re allowed to go in first and set-up.

While we waited for Stewart to arrive I tried to make the small talk with the security man, who was wearing an earpiece. I don’t know for sure but he may have been packing – I mean, it felt like he could have been concealing a weapon. I had to take a moment to remember where I was.

And look, I get it. I can only imagine how many, shall we say, over-zealous fans might be lurking so security is necessary, and the publicists were working so hard, and doing a brilliant job to make the junket run smoothly, but it was so intense.

Kristen then appeared at the end of the corridor flanked by a publicist and two more hulking men from the security detail, and one of them remained in the room while I did the interview. Yes, really.

It was intimidating, surreal and knowing me the way I do, utterly unneccessary.

At the centre of this was Kristen; slight, smiling (you wouldn’t believe how many people had said to me afterwards, ‘Did she smile?’) and projecting an intensity that translated into the kind of intelligence that only someone in her position could manifest. She worked with ex child-star Jodie Foster on The Panic Room a few years ago, and I imagine Foster also had that same ‘wise owl’ quality in her early twenties.

To be that famous so young, and revered by millions both young and old, must be something you either think very little about (as a way of surviving), or think about all the time (as a way of rationalising).

My interview time was brief. We talked fast, and it became apparent that Stewart sits at the eye of a storm.  A big uncontrollable movie storm, and that her way of hanging on is to focus on her work, which she clearly loves.

She likes to cook, be home at with her family, and is learning to embrace the rehearsal process (she told me that she hates to do things twice).

The early word on Snow White and the Huntsman, with Charlize Theron, is good and On The Road looks fascinating. I think her choices will be considered and interesting.

And as for the craziness around her…well, I’m glad it’s not me. I literally ran from the hotel I found it so claustrophobic. Two Twihards were lingering in the lift. They must have been around 14-years-old, and asked me if I’d seen Rob, Kristen or Taylor.

I told them I couldn’t possibly comment before adding, ‘If you do make it as far as her room, do what the big guy standing outside says. He looks like he means business.’

Watch the Breaking Dawn trailer here.

 BREAKING BONES

Here’s what Kristen said when I asked her how she broke her thumb on the set of Breaking Dawn:

“It happened in a stunt sequence. It was really annoying timing. It was right at the beginning of the two week second unit stunt work, and on the second day in this little girl fight, I broke my thumb on this guy’s chest, and it took so long to mend. The first x-ray showed it wasn’t broken but then I had to get an MRI because it was huuuge and so painful. If wardrobe came up and slightly grazed my thumb I would be screaming. Everyone’s going, ‘It’s just a jam, you’ve got to work through it.’ and I’m working through it in Vancouver in the cold. So I get another MRI, and this time it showed it was broken and I was so vindicated. I’m not a wimp!”

Henny and I had ball on location for Hello! magazine with ex-EastEnder Danniella Westbrook at her home in Orange County.

Words & Wardrobe were there to help produce the shoot (ie do the Starbucks run), with Henny styling, assisted by moi. I’ve discovered that I’m very good at delivering long coffee orders and steaming clothes.

For all your shoot production (and coffee) needs contact us at www.wordsandwardrobe.com

Photos: Alan Olley

Words: Richard Barber

Styling: Henny Letailleur

Make up: Sunnie Brook at Celestine

Some shoot production: Words & Wardrobe

DANNIELLA WESTBROOK – HELLO! October 2011

 

Who’d have thought that the words ‘Congratulations on Kim’s wedding to Kris Humphries…’ would be rendered obsolete within moments of the ink drying.

That was part of my opening question to Kim Kardashian’s mum Kris Jenner, who I met less than two weeks ago – 60 days after the now infamous wedding that lasted 72 days.

Read my interview with Kris and Bruce Jenner for Australia’s New Idea magazine by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page.

I asked Kris directly if the marriage was a fake, and she assured me it wasn’t.

She’s an astute businesswoman and frankly, it doesn’t make sense to arrange a wedding for money, only to dissolve it less than three months later.

I have no idea what the full story is, and I’m not sure it matters to anyone but those directly involved, but I must admit that I enjoyed talking to Bruce Jenner.

I remember Dad and I obsessively watching the ’76 Montreal Olympics, the scene of Bruce’s gold medal-winning triumph in the decathlon. He seemed pleased until I told him that we also really enjoyed watching Daley Thompson beat his record four years later. Fortunately, he took my ribbing well. But then this is a man who is very used to having opinionated women around him!

Kris and Bruce Jenner – New Idea Oct 2011