Rough surfaces. Visible brushstrokes. The impression of art as stylized, not true to life. When an art critic describes a painting as "painterly," this is what they mean.

It's also what Martin Freeman means when he describes his new film with director Peter Greenaway -- "Nightwatching" -- the same way.

"You're not going to be seeing 'Pearl Harbor,'" Freeman joked of his role as Rembrandt van Rijn in the upcoming film. "Greenaway has a style, he's very painterly film director. We've made the film we wanted to."

The story centers on the legendary Dutch painter during the time he painted "The Night Watch," (More properly called "The Company" since it's actually, in fact, a day lit scene). Biopics, of course, are big business these days (Just ask Jamie Foxx or Joaquin Phoenix) but it wasn't the role that attracted Freeman so much as the chance to work with Greenway, he said. Read more...

I guarantee this is the most charmingly angst-ridden and utterly honest actor you'll hear from today. Chatting with Martin Freeman about his new film, "The Good Night," directed by Jake Paltrow (and co-starring his sister Gwyneth), it's immediately clear that the former star of "The Office" can't help but be forthright about the business and the challenges he faces in his career, not to mention nudity, and premature mid-life crises. Oh and he has the mouth of a sailor too.

MTV: What was your initial take on the script?

Martin Freeman: I was just about to finish "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" and I got the script from Jake Paltrow. I didn't know him. I just liked it. It was the combination of liking it and being surprised that you'd been sent it in the first place. Apart from "The Office," I don't know what Jake would have seen of mine. I'm guessing nothing. Read more...

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" ended with Zaphod, Trillian, Marvin and Arthur traveling toward Milliways, the Restaurant at the End of the Universe - oddly appropriate, perhaps, given that the Great Prophet Zarquon will return before another movie adaptation of Douglas Adams' sci-fi comedy, said "Guide" star Martin Freeman.

"There isn't [any possibility of a sequel] at this point," Freeman said, insisting that a sequel was deader than Hotblack Desiato (and not just for tax purposes). "I found that out from the horse's mouth, [director] Garth Jennings. I had dinner with him and he said [the first one] just didn't do well enough." Read more...

Should a "Hobbit" movie ever actually get made (and, frankly, we sometimes have our doubts), we want as many of the actors from "Lord of the Rings" to reprise their roles as possible - even the ones, like Viggo Mortensen and Orlando Bloom, whose characters aren't actually even in the book. In the last few months, we've made it our mission to ask as many of them as we could about their potential involvement.

But one actor we wouldn't want to see return is actually the actor when it comes to a Hobbit movie. While wizards and elves and part elf-men all age slowly (or not at all), hobbits get old quick, and we can't imagine a 51-year-old Bilbo played by the same actor who brought him to life on his eleventy-first birthday.

But if not Ian, than who? How about "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" star Martin Freeman? Internet scuttlebutt has him front and center as a replacement candidate, and no one can argue that he doesn't looks the part. So when we caught up with "The Office" alum while he was promoting his new film "The Good Night," we asked him to address the hubbub. Read more...