36 MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2014 LIFESTYLE

Gossip Andy Serkis’ Keaton wants to give money to fans

latex ‘horror’ ichael Keaton wants to give money to his fans. The M‘Beetlejuice’ actor thinks it is “amazing” he has forged a career as an actor and feels obliged to hand out money to ndy Serkis is so glad he didn’t have to wear a latex mask to portray Caesar in the his fans to thank them for their support. He said: “It’s kind of amaz- A‘Planet of the Apes’ franchise. The 50-year-old actor used motion-capture technology ing that people are sticking by me. When they come up to me in the to play the part in ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ and this year’s follow-up ‘Dawn of street, I just want to write them cheques.” The 63-year-old star - who the Planet of the Apes’ but insists it would’ve filled him with “horror” if he had to wear simi- is also known for starring in the 1989 ‘Batman’ movie as well as the lar costumes to the stars of the 1968 original ‘Planet of the Apes’ film. He said: “When you 1992 sequel ‘Batman Returns’ - also admitted he is relieved and think back to the originals I remember reading interviews with Roddy McDowall and Kim pleased people have continued to support him throughout his act- Hunter talking about the necessity to keep their faces moving so they could get facial ing life, despite making mistakes. He continued: “I’m just shocked expressions through the latex masks that they were wearing covering their faces - and they and thankful that I’ve gotten away with everything - experimenting still did an amazing job. “The here, trying at this, failing at that, being good in some things, not so thought of having to do that in good in others.” However, the father-of-one - who stars in the criti- the present day fills me with cally acclaimed 2014 movie “Birdman’ as protagonist, Riggan - horror. To have to fight through acknowledged his tendency to swap genres has made for an over- latex but that’s what perform- complicated career during which he could have made more money ance capture allows you to do. It if he had stuck to making commercially successful movies. Speaking allows you to internalize and about hopping between different types of films, he explained to just be the character and The Guardian newspaper: “I suppose I’m patting myself on the back behave in a naturalistic way.” here, but you’ve got to have a sizable pair of balls to be that way. While both recent ‘Planet of the Financially I could’ve done a whole lot better - and by the way, I’m Apes’ movies had some impres- doing just fine. But that’s the short game. Maybe I could’ve gone on sive special effects, Serkis insists doing the same stuff and people wouldn’t have got bored but you the emphasis is still on the char- know what? I would have got bored. acters’ personalities rather than the technology being used. He added: “In the realm of perform- ance capture and all its poten- tial, where it is going it only becomes more transparent and you don’t think about the tech- nology you think about what it can do and how it enables you to tell stories. “That happens as it gets better. Which is why this Rodriguez to direct film, you don’t think about the visual effects you just think about the characters.” Fire and Ice remake obert Rodriguez will direct a remake of ‘Fire and Ice’. The 46-year- Rold filmmaker has joined the project - which is being created by Sony Pictures - which will see the 1983 movie reimagined as a live-action movie. The original animation - which was released by Fox but grossed less than $1 million - was based on characters developed by Ralph Bakshi, who directed the project, and Frank Frazetta, and told the story of an Ice Lord who destroyed a village with a glacier, with the sole survivor determined to get revenge. The movie will be a new proj- ect for the director following the moderate success of ‘Sin City: A Dame Clooney slams lack to Kill For’ which was released earlier this year, grossing $38 million worldwide. So far the film has been funded by Bond Films’ Gary Michael Walters, Matthew Rhodes and Michel Litvak, who have been working on development drafts with the screenwriter. The movie’s announce- ment follows the news Sony Pictures have pulled the planned release of their new movie ‘The Interview’ following a hacking of their computers of support for Sony and threats of terrorist attacks due to the controversial nature of the film, which is about a plot to assassinate the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The studios are now expected to lose up to $75 million on the eorge Clooney failed in a bid to unite Hollywood against the Sony hackers. The film, but have continued to announce new projects including an unti- G‘Monuments Men’ star and his agent Bryan Lourd drafted a petition to film industry tled sci-fi film which will be produced by J. J. Abrams. executives and business people urging them to support the studio in the face of a cyber attack but no one would sign the document. George said: “All that it is basically say- ing is, we’re not going to give in to a ransom. As we watched one group be completely vili- fied, nobody stood up. Nobody took that stand... “It was a fairly large number [who refused McCartney still considers to sign]. Having put together telethons where you have to get all the networks on board to do the telethon at the same time, the truth is once you get one or two, then everybody gets on board. It is a natural progression. So here, you get the first couple of people to sign Lennon’s opinion it and ... well, nobody wanted to be the first to sign on. Now, this isn’t finger-pointing on that. “This is just where we are right now, how scared this industry has been made. Quite honestly, this would happen in any industry.” Following a number of terror threats, Sony ir Paul McCartney still uses John Lennon as a have withdrawn controversial comedy ‘The Interview’ - which is about an assassination S“judge” of his songwriting. The Beatles legend attempt on North Korean leader Kim Jong Un - from release and George is concerned admits he will scrap lyrics if he doesn’t think his late about the repercussions globally, not just in the movie industry. In an interview with bandmate - who was assassinated in 1980 - would have Deadline, he added: “Here, we’re talking about an actual country deciding what content approved of them. He said: “I imagine myself back into a we’re going to have. This affects not just movies, this affects every part of business that we room with John, and I’ll think [about a lyric], ‘Ugh, that’s have. “That’s the truth. What happens if a newsroom decides to go with a story, and a no good.’ And I’ll imagine him saying, ‘No, can’t do that.’ country or an individual or corporation decides they don’t like it. Forget the hacking part So I’m using him as a sort of judge of what I’m doing.” The of it. “You have someone threaten to blow up buildings and all of a sudden, everybody has 72-year-old musician found himself feeling emotional at to bow down.” his wife Nancy’s 55th birthday party in Tokyo last month because the guests were entertained by Queen and Beatles tribute bands and he was overwhelmed by the uniting power of music. He explained to Billboard: “I had a kind of very emotional moment when we were sitting there - it could have been the alcohol. “And I’m thinking, ‘My God.’ The power of British music finally came home to me. All the way across the world, in Japan, these guys were breaking down Queen songs, and the others Beatles songs. They were replicating them amazingly. They got all the orchestra parts on ‘I Am the Walrus.’ They may not even speak the language that well, but they speak these songs beautifully. “I should know that we’ve had that effect, because it’s historically true. But it doesn’t always come home to you in quite the way it did that night. I was welling up and I was [thinking] ‘I can’t well up to a Queen tribute band.’”

Ben Kinglsey: Gandhi role

The Vaccines’ Justin was my father figure slams Christmas songs ir Ben Kinglsey played Gandhi because he wanted to feel close to a father fig- Sure. The 70-year-old actor had a tough childhood, which he previously described as “horrible”, partly because of his absent dad, so portraying the he Vaccines’ Justin Young thinks Christmas songs are leader of India’s non-violent independent movement against Britain in ‘1982’ movie Trubbish. The 27-year-old frontman has slammed fes- Gandhi helped him to plug the gap of his missing parent. He said: “At the time I just tive hits for being of poor quality, saying he thinks felt that Bapu [an affectionate nickname for Gandhi, meaning dad] was something I people only listen to them because they are so familiar. He needed. ‘I need you Gandhiji. Because you are something that’s missing in my life.’ “ said: “I think if you listen to most old Christmas songs, Kingsley - whose birth name is Krishna Bhanji - admitted playing other strong char- they’re not good, but we grew up with them so they’re acter has enabled him to fill a ingrained in us.” The ‘Teenage Icon’ singer went on to say he “vacuum” in his life created by isn’t a fan of any recent seasonal tunes such as Ariana his tough upbringing. He Grande’s ‘Santa Tell Me’ or Leona Lewis’ 2013 single ‘One explained: “I am actually filling a More Sleep’ either because the artists are so desperate to Michael Stipe vacuum with the fathers that I create the perfect track. He continued: “When people write play.”By playing Gandhi, Itzhak a good new one it seems try-hard or overly earnest.” Despite Stern, Massoud Behrani, I am fill- being a scrooge when it comes to Christmas music, the hit- wouldn’t win The Voice ing the vacuum in me. In little maker recalled a cherished memory from a Krishna.” The father-of-four also ichael Stipe doesn’t think he would last “five seconds” on ‘The childhood when he dressed up as Santa had a tough time with his two Voice’. The former R.E.M. frontman doesn’t think his group - who Claus and rode a four-legged animal M brothers and sister, which he separated in 2011 after three decades together - would be suc- on the big day as a surprise for his admits is still a “scar” in his life. cessful if they were starting out now because his vocals are so unusual. He parents. He added to NME maga- He added to The Times newspa- said: “If you look at TV shows like The Voice, I wouldn’t have lasted five sec- zine: “I remember one Christmas per: “All I can tell you is that my onds. “I don’t have perfect pitch. My voice is too odd to have been appreci- dressing up as Father Christmas four children, from different ated in that context. I’m not sure we would have made it to our third and riding a pony - that was a mamas, love each other very album.” The ‘All the Way to Reno’ hitmaker recently worked on the sound- white Christmas. I borrowed it to much. Whereas the sibling rivalry track for his friend Tom Gilroy’s film ‘The Cold Lands’ and though he found surprise my parents. I was, like, between me and my siblings is it “terrifying” at first, he enjoyed the process so much, he wants to work on four. It’s difficult to explain.” — still a scar on us and we are not more music for movies. He told The Sun newspaper: “It was terrifying and I Bang Showbiz close.” loved i. I write melodies and lyrics and I’m a great arranger but I’d never written a piece of music before. I’d always relied on other great musicians. “But this felt really good. I like a challenge so I may do it again.”