Interview: Jamie Bell on falling in love with Annette Bening and his "Billy Elliot" reunion

by Nathaniel R

Jamie Bell has been famous since he was 14 years old. His debut film Billy Elliott (2000) about a young boy who discovers a passion for dancing that puts him at odds with his blue-collar community, became a global sensation. The charming film earned over $100 million (on a $5 million budget), received 3 Oscar nominations multiple BAFTAs, and eventually spawned a similarly popular stage musical which took yet more prizes.

The film also earned its young star the BAFTA for Best Actor in February of 2001. And, seventeen years later, here we are again. Jamie Bell is BAFTA nominated for Best Actor for his latest movie Film Stars Don't Die In Liverpool. The romantic drama, now in limited release, is about the last days of Oscar winner Gloria Grahame's (Annette Bening) life and the young unknown actor Peter Turner (Jamie Bell) she falls in love with, and whose life she essentially takes over moving into his parents home (where they're both mothered by Julie Walter). 

I had the opportunity to speak with Jamie Bell a few times this season at events which was a gift since the actor is so charming and his talent somehow still undervalued 17 years later. Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool should change that as his best performance yet. Our interview is after the jump..

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Annette Bening as Gloria Grahame

by Murtada

We just got the news that Annette Bening will be presiding over the Venice Film festival jury. Now we get two new photos of her as Gloria Grahame in the anticipated biopic Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool. And that's not all. The film has a UK release date of November 17. A US distribution and release date news must be imminent. Unfortunately Bening presiding over the Venice jury not only rules the film out of that festival, but also out of Telluride which takes place at the same time, and the first and more important week of buzz building at TIFF. Unless they unspool the film without its star which seems unlikely. And we'd like her to get that festival buzz that is important for awards later on.

Till then enjoy the Bening and Jamie Bell as Grahame and Peter Turner, an actor she befriended late in her life while appearing in a production of The Glass Menagerie in London. The film is based on Turner’s memoir about the time Grahame spent recuperating at his family home in Liverpool when diagnosed with cancer. Directed by Paul McGuigan (Victor Frankenstein), it also stars Julie Walters and Kenneth Cranham as Turner’s parents.

Will Bening follow Blanchett and win an Oscar for playing an Oscar winner? 

"Brooklyn" Bounces to TV

The big screen to TV spinoff window keeps getting smaller, now with an adaptation truly worth fawning over. Brooklyn producers Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey are bringing a spinoff of the Best Picture nominee to the BBC.

As if that wasn't enticing enough, the series is to center around house matron Mrs. Keogh with star Julie Walters set to reprise her role. We're well on the record about adoring those boarding house scenes, from the charmingly tart to the emotionally resonant. If the show can be as inspired as everything we got from the time spent under Mrs. Keogh's roof, we're in for something special indeed.

The concept of the show itself leaves much to obsess over as details develop on this one. Will any of the original ensemble members be returning along with Walters? Has Dolores found any chill? Who is *ahem* trustworthy enough to inherit the basement room from Eilis? We want answers and we want them now!

Walters is the only returning talent so far, and who knows if director John Crowley and screenwriter Nick Hornby might contribute. While it's too much to ask for Saoirse Ronan to commit, it'd be sinful to recast the undersung minor actresses from the film if their characters continue. Whose story are you most hopeful to see more of on the small screen?

"Brooklyn" Beyond Saoirse

Chris here. We're pleased as punch with all of the precursor love that's greeted Saoirse Ronan's timeless star turn in Brooklyn. Today though, in light of SAG's virtually female-free Outstanding Ensemble list, let's give some love to this film's unnominated but vibrant ensemble.

Yes, Saoirse Ronan is getting the majority of the prizes and praises for the film - heck, she could share an ensemble prize for the film with just herself and her multitude of emotions  in the film and you'd have no complaints from me. However, Eilis's journey in the film is more fully realized with the lived-in actors that surround Ronan's protagonist.

THE FAMILIAR FACES

• Emory Cohen as Tony Fiorello - I'll join those who were happily surprised with his performance, after ghastly work in The Place Beyond the Pines and elsewhere. Not just a pining lothario, he's also believably accepting of Eilis's need to be her own woman. Dreamboat of the Year.
• Domnhall Gleeson as Jim Farrell - A much more bland love interest to Eilis, but intentionally so. He really sells Jim's uncomplicated ambitions
• Julie Walters as Mrs. Kehoe - Archly hilarious as the matron of Eilis's boarding house for girls. She'd be a Supporting Actress contender if it weren't for competition with more screen time and *ahem* narrative focus
• Jim Broadbent as Father Flood - As charming as ever in a tiny role

And here's where it get's really good after the jump...

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Supporting Actress Chatter: Alicia, Julie, Kristen, Judy, Etc...

Alicia Vikander as Gerta Wegener in "The Danish Girl": Supporting or Lead?2015 hasn't brought us much in the way of stellar supporting actressing quite yet, with the exception of César winning Kristen Stewart in Clouds of Sils Maria. It helps that it's practically a lead role and she holds her own with one of the world's most hypnotic talents (Juliette Binoche). The other possibly key player that's already been seen by the lucky ones who attended the Sundance Film Festival is Julie Walters from Brooklyn (reviewed). She's a scene stealing delight as the strict landlady of the girl's boarding house where the heroine (Saoirse Ronan) lives and definitely has enough screentime to make a play for a nomination should the film be well received in general release. 

Otherwise for Oscar Predictions we have to venture into the great unknown.

Most Likely To Succeed, at least sight unseen, is 2015's 'it girl' Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, The Danish Girl, Seventh Son, The Light Between Oceans, The Man From UNCLE, Testament of Youth, Adam Jones, Tulip Fever ...Yes, she has 8 movies slated for US release this year - take that Jessica Chastain!) It's tough to imagine her missing if The Danish Girl is any good because she's a terrific actress and the role is amazing, too. She's playing the erotica painter Gerda Wegener who supported her husband (Eddie Redmayne) as he became the titular character in the world's first sex reassignment surgery. Is the role large enough to campaign in Best Actress? This early in any film year most questions have no answers.

Early 'anything could happen' oscar predictions give us a unique opportunity to fantasize about comebacks too, should the films play and the reviews be kind. Which of these possible comeback queens will you be rooting hardest for: Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight; Judy Davis, The Dressmaker; Parker Posey, Irrational Man; Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs (well comeback to Oscar glory that is)?

Kate Winslet and Judy Davis on the set of "The Dressmaker". They play mother & daughter.

See the Supporting Actress Chart here and please do discuss EVERYONE in the comments. You know you want to and you know you you love this category almost or as much as Best Actress (which will be our grand finale to the April Foolish Predictions tomorrow).