FROM SPLASH PAGE: Way back in May, we gave actor Sam Rockwell one of his first looks at Justin Hammer, his "Iron Man 2" character, when we gave him an issue of the comic book during an interview that occurred a few months after he was cast in the blockbuster sequel. When MTV Movies Editor Josh Horowitz recently sat down with Rockwell, he was able to offer us a bit more info about his character—specifically, his relationship with Don Cheadle's character, James "Rhodey" Rhodes.
He also revealed what sort of research he did after that earlier meeting and where he drew his inspiration for Tony Stark's rival.
"I got some research—they sent me over some stuff," Rockwell told MTV News. "I looked it over and that was about it."
Continue reading EXCLUSIVE: Sam Rockwell Explains What Inspired His 'Iron Man 2' Character
FROM SPLASH PAGE: Yesterday, we brought you an update from Don Cheadle about his experiences in the War Machine armor during "Iron Man 2," but today we a few more, exclusive details to share about the much-anticipated debut of the armor Tony Stark isn't wearing in the film (as far as we know).
When "Iron Man 2" actor Sam Rockwell dropped by Splash Page HQ recently, we asked him about the relationship between his character (rival industrialist Justin Hammer) and Don Cheadle's character (Stark's military buddy James "Rhodey" Rhodes). After all, they seemed pretty chummy in the "Iron Man 2" trailer that premiered during Comic-Con in San Diego this year.
Continue reading EXCLUSIVE: Sam Rockwell Describes His War Machine Team-Up With Don Cheadle In 'Iron Man 2'
FROM MTV.COM: Making a sci-fi outer-space movie for $5 million has to be like building a palace on pocket change. English director Duncan Jones has done it, though. "Moon," his first feature, an assemblage of miniature models, carefully applied CGI, meticulous production design and an extraordinary performance by Sam Rockwell, takes — or returns — cinematic science fiction to some fascinating places.
Continue reading 'Moon': The Dark Side, By Kurt Loder
Last Friday night, weary from pondering the mysteries of the MPAA movie-rating system (why is the wonderful “Adventureland” rated an audience-shriveling R? “Hostel” was rated R!), I found refreshment at a screening of “Moon,” a wonderful movie itself, in a very different, dark, brain-knotting way.
In fact, “Moon” is a terrific sci-fi space film, one that moves the venerable genre forward with a one-of-a-kind story and a striking visual design that in no way suggests its modest budget or its brisk production schedule (it was shot in about a month). The picture has one star: Sam Rockwell. He plays Sam Bell, a space worker nearing the end of a three-year corporate contract overseeing mining operations on the dark side of the moon. The lunar surface has been discovered to contain abundant amounts of Helium-3, an (actual) isotope that, in the movie, has revolutionized energy production back on Earth. The mining is done by machines; Sam is there to keep the operation humming. Read more...
Imagine that you're 9-years-old, you've just landed your first big movie role -- and you'll be playing the younger version of a two-time Oscar winning actress. Would you be nervous?
"I'm playing the most beautiful girl!" grinned little actress Bailee Madison, adding that playing a young Hilary Swank won't give her jitters. The youngster begins playing a flashback version of Hilary Swank this week in the lawyer-on-a-mission film "Betty Anne Waters."
"Betty Anne Waters, played by Hilary Swank, tries to free her brother from jail for committing a crime he never did," she said of the plot. "I play her as a kid. They show how in real-life she was always so tough…It's a really cool role for me." Read more...
Last month, we brought you the news that Minnie Driver and Hilary Swank were starring together in "Betty Anne Waters," the true story of one woman's legal battle to rescue her brother from prison. Now, Swank finally has someone to rescue. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sam Rockwell has joined the cast, and will play Waters' wrongfully imprisoned brother. Tony Goldwyn is directing the film, and Swank is executive producer.
While Oscar-winner Swank hasn't been a big name at the box office lately, Rockwell is becoming one of those actors that everyone loves. His presence might be just the thing that tips this film into solid "Million Dollar Baby" territory for Swank, who really deserves to have her popular credibility rise again. Read more...
For those of you who don't live in New York City, let me tell you that yesterday was bitterly cold. The Weather Channel tells me that the high yesterday was 22 degrees, the low 11, and the wind was relentless. Which brings me to my point: Isla Fisher and the other women posing on the outside red carpet for the "Confessions of a Shopaholic" premiere all wore fashionable, short dresses. No jackets.
I totally get that this movie is about the clothes, but, OMG!, can you imagine how freezing they were? You have to hand it to the girls, they are extremely brave. There have to be fashionably fierce coats for these women to wear on such an important occasion -- how did their stylists not insist on those? (Check out the fab mini-dresses after the jump, and then see our photo gallery from the "Confessions of a Shopaholic" premiere here.) Read more...
FROM SPLASH PAGE: Earlier this month, we brought you word that Sam Rockwell and Mickey Rourke were in talks to appear in "Iron Man 2" -- possibly as the pair of villains Justin Hammer and the Crimson Dynamo. Now, Rockwell is ready to talk about his confirmed turn toward super-villainy and expressed excitement in an exclusive interview with MTV News.
According to Rockwell, "Iron Man" director Jon Favreau originally considered casting him for the role of Tony Stark in the first film, but he's now on board to appear as Justin Hammer, a staunch corporate rival for Stark, in “Iron Man 2.”
"We had a phone conversation about it, and then I didn’t hear anything and that was it," Rockwell told MTV of early conversations regarding the part that eventually went to Robert Downey Jr. One blockbuster film later, the phone conversation was accompanied by an offer to play Hammer, and Rockwell accepted.
For more on Sam Rockwell, "Iron Man 2" and his role, check out SplashPage.MTV.com.
Remember when Sam Rockwell told MTV News about his new movie “Moon” way back last February? And his basketball film “The Winning Season” back in August? A year later, he’s ready to break both out at Sundance, and he’s not stopping there. A Sundance veteran, Rockwell is bringing two films to the Utah film festival this year—and much, much more.
“A lot of condoms. Chaps. A thong. Cowboy hat. I'm ready to go!” the “Choke” and upcoming “Iron Man 2” actor said in an exclusive interview with MTV News. If anyone has been to Sundance enough times to know what the standards are, it’s Rockwell.
“This is either five or six for me,” he estimated. “I've lost track. I'm in New York, going there Friday night. Going there for a week.” Read more...
Sam Rockwell has played silly before (think "Galaxy Quest"), but nothing compares to his performance in the upcoming "Gentlemen Broncos," the MTV favorite laughed.
Actually, make that performances, Rockwell said, revealing that he'll be playing double roles in the film. Or rather, double roles in the film within the film. Or rather, the same role but differently named.
You know what? We'll just let Rockwell take it from here.
"The protagonist [of the film] is Michael Angarano and he's an aspiring screenplay writer. He goes to a writer's camp and a famous sci-fi author comes to visit. [The author] is kind of a hack writer and hasn't had a hit in a long time. He's judging all the screenplays at the camp and he plagiarizes Michael's story which is a Flash Gordon-like story called "Bronco, the Yeast Lords.' He changes the names and makes it into a character called Brutus," Rockwell said of the film's set-up. "I play both characters when they are reenacted on the big screen. I play Brutus AND Bronco." Read more...
