Hulu released new videos for ‘Pam & Tommy’. There’s also a video interview from ‘Backstage’. Click below to watch and also check out screencaps in the gallery.
Hulu released new featurettes for ‘Pam & Tommy’. Click below to watch and also check out screencaps in the gallery.
Golden Globes – Lily James & Sebastian Stan on Pam & Tommy
Pam & Tommy, starring Lily James and Sebastian Stan, the much-awaited Hulu series directed by Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya, Cruella), explores the relationship between Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee and is an account of their stormy courtship and paparazzi-plagued marriage. The first celebrity couple to fall victim to a sex-tape scandal, the series chronicles the circumstances leading up to the shooting of the video on their honeymoon, and its aftermath following the theft of the tape and illegal distribution to the public.
It was 1996. The Baywatch actress and Motley Crue drummer were at the top of their game; however, the leak of the infamous tape containing the couple’s most intimate moments caused much misery, particularly for Anderson given the sexist and misogynistic culture back then. It also marked the end of Internet privacy as we knew it. Although it negatively impacted Anderson’s career, the sex-tape scandals that followed have, in many cases, launched careers, the likes of Paris Hilton’s and Kim Kardashian’s.
With the application of prosthetics and hours of sitting in the makeup chair each day, the resemblance thereby created between the two actors and the characters they are portraying is truly striking
Lily James says of how she felt when she first saw herself in the mirror as the famed bombshell: “It was shocking … but in a good way,” she laughs. “I spent three or four hours a day [transforming into Anderson], sometimes longer.” Sebastian Stan added, “To me, once I saw myself, it felt like, this is actually going to happen. We’re not just talking about it anymore.”
For Stan, because of the many required tattoos and piercings, he spent considerable time transforming into the quintessential rock god. James glances at Stan and offers, “For a dude, he spent a long time in the makeup chair.” Stan agrees. “Yeah, I had two men applying tattoos at the same time.” Adjusting to the nipple piercings was one of the less pleasant realities Stan had to endure. “It’s a strange sensation when a 45-year-old man is applying things to that area at 4:00 in the morning, so yeah, it took a minute,” he laughs.
The actors came together to answer questions on IMDB.com
Recreating the wedding scene, replete with James’s replica of Anderson’s bridal string bikini as she frolicked with Lee on the beach in Cancun, and as they ran into the ocean together, conjures a familiar image, one which was replayed countless times on TV and in the tabloids throughout the mid-90s.
Stan says, “I remember shooting that day. It was so freezing, and we were told we had to go in the water.” James adds, “Yeah, I felt the dread just rising. We had to run into the sea, and it was one take. It’s funny because it looks so romantic, but we were surrounded by people screaming at us, ‘Go, go, get in the water!’”
Tommy Lee is widely regarded as one of the great rock ‘n’ roll drummers of his generation, and Stan had to rise to the challenge of appearing authentic while playing the drums. “I learned as much as I could for the first three months while we were preparing. I had drums at home, and I had someone come over [to teach me] on a regular basis.”
Stan considers which of Lee’s tattoos, replicated on his own body, is his favorite. “There were so many. There was Mighty Mouse, and that leopard on my arm, but probably it was the MAYHEM tattoo (across his torso).” He grins. “That was pretty epic.”
You can now find 400+ high quality screen captures of Sebastian as Nick from the film ‘The 355’ in the gallery along with Bluray featurette screen captures.
Sebastian filmed ‘The Magic of Passion’, a while ago (and apparently they’re waiting on music to clear before releasing the film). Feel free to check out the trailer from the director below. I’ve added screencaps of the trailer to the gallery.
Deadline –Sebastian Stan On Becoming ‘Pam & Tommy’, Playing A Rocker And Wearing That Talking Prosthetic – The Actor’s Side.
Sebastian Stan certainly picks interesting and challenging projects these days. He joins me for this week’s edition of my Deadline video series The Actor’s Side where we discuss his decision to play Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee as he falls hard for Baywatch star Pamela Anderson and gets immersed in a marriage and sex-tape scandal that dominated the mid-1990s tabloid headlines.
As Stan tells me this isn’t the first time he has taken on the troubled life and times of a real person — he also talks about playing Jeff Gillooly who engineered the infamous Tonya Harding ice-skating scandal in the acclaimed film I, Tonya — but admits this one really brought out his insecurities. He said every week leading up to shooting gave him nightmares, but once they were fully into the transformation (and thanks especially to a game hair and makeup team) it became more comfortable.
Of course it is never that comfortable when you have to wear a talking prosthetic penis, get tattooed like there is no tomorrow, and be completely convincing as an iconic rocker who plays the drums. Stan pulls it all off though and describes every detail. We also get into his current film, also on Hulu, saying Fresh has its own set of challenges, but one he was eager to take on.
And you can’t talk to Sebastian Stan without getting the latest on the Winter Soldier himself aka Bucky Barnes. Stan has appeared in about nine different projects for Marvel where he plays that character, most recently the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and he fills us in on whether he has any plans for more.
To watch our conversation click on the video above, and join me every Wednesday during Emmy season for another edition of The Actor’s Side.
* The full Deadline Actor’s Side interview is now available to view in the link above. Screen Captures have also been added to the gallery.
Variety –Hulu Offers ‘Fresh’ Twist to the Emmy Race, Submits Sebastian Stan Horror Film for TV Movie (EXCLUSIVE)
An exciting and welcomed twist to the Emmy race for outstanding television movie has arrived, as Mimi Cave’s horror-comedy “Fresh,” starring Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones, is being submitted for Primetime Emmy consideration.
This offers an interesting possibility in a category that hasn’t drummed up much excitement over the last couple of years. While buzzy titles like “Bad Education” and three consecutive “Black Mirror” episodes dominated, the soulful purpose of the category has seemed to be missing. Last year’s winner, “Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square,” was the only film of the five other nominees to have another Emmy nomination (for outstanding choreography for scripted programming, which it won for Debbie Allen).
Since the separation of the TV movie and limited series categories in 1992 (merged again in 2011 before being separated again in 2014), there’s never been a traditional horror film nominated in the category. So while the category is stacked with contenders such as HBO’s “The Survivor” from Barry Levinson and Netflix’s animated feature “The House” contending for recognition, perhaps “Fresh” could be the first for the genre?
The switcharoo also highlights the banner year for its star Sebastian Stan, who will now have another shot at gold for his work as Steve, the charming and cannibalistic serial killer — another strong outing alongside his turn in the miniseries “Pam and Tommy,” also from Hulu. While the categories for outstanding limited series and outstanding television movie are separated at the Emmys, the actors from both sides compete in the acting categories. However, while his work in “Fresh” is undoubtedly entertaining, the Romanian-born performer has a significantly better shot for his interpretation of Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee.
The 39-year-old’s alluring talents have been a fascinating journey to watch unfold in Hollywood over the last decade. While getting his start as the gambling addict Carter Baizen in the classic series “Gossip Girl,” he’s churned out incredible performances in films such as “I, Tonya” (2017) and “Destroyer” (2018). His most recognizable character has been Bucky Barnes, a.k.a. the Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, most recently appearing in the Disney+ drama series “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.”
Though Stan has unfortunately garnered few accolades thus far, aside from a Critics Choice nom for “Political Animals” in 2013, he may finally be within arm’s reach for his first major awards nomination. He also has a role in Emmy winner Benjamin Caron’s (“The Crown”) directorial film debut “Sharper,” opposite Julianne Moore and John Lithgow, due out later this year from A24 and Apple Original Films.
“Fresh” is another potential Emmy vehicle for Stan’s co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones, best known for her stunning work in the miniseries “Normal People” and now co-starring opposite another MCU superhero actor, Andrew Garfield, in FX’s crime-thriller “Under the Banner of Heaven.” In addition, Edgar-Jones has an upcoming role in Olivia Newman’s adaptation of “Where the Crawdads Sing” from Sony Pictures, produced by Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter.
Written by Lauryn Kahn, “Fresh” was acquired by Searchlight Pictures ahead of its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January. In March, the film released on Hulu and received positive marks from critics and audiences.
Adam McKay and Kevin J. Messick produced the thriller. McKay is a two-time Emmy-winner for outstanding variety special live (2019 for “Live in Front of a Studio Audience: Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons’”) and outstanding drama series (HBO’s “Succession” in 2020). Off his recent Oscar nomination for Netflix’s “Don’t Look Up,” this marks one of four possible noms McKay can receive this year — HBO’s “Succession” (drama series), “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,” (drama series and directing the episode “The Swan”) and “The Invisible Pilot” (documentary series).
The current Emmy predictions for outstanding television movie are below. The full rankings can be found on Variety Awards Circuit prediction pages and are updated every Thursday.
Deadline –‘Pam & Tommy’s Lily James & Sebastian Stan on Contenders TV.
The full Deadline awards contenders video panel featuring Sebastian, Lily James, and Seth Rogen is now available to view in the link above. Screen Captures have also been added to the gallery.
Sebastian Stan still remembers the piece of acting school advice that fueled him through his early career all the way up to where he is today. “Bring the day with you to work, or to the audition, or to the meeting,” he says in this episode of “In the Envelope.” “You’re on the subway, you’re running late, you’re trying to get to the audition, and then someone bumps into you and you spill coffee, and you’re pissed off…you might as well just own it. Then you’re starting from an honest place.”
One of the most versatile performers working today, Stan has made a career out of balancing blockbusters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe with ferocious smaller-scale character work. The actor followed up an appearance in the biggest box office success in history, “Avengers: Endgame,” with an admirable streak of electric—and occasionally stomach-churning—roles in dark dramas and thrillers like the cannibal potboiler “Fresh” and Hulu’s pitch-black true-story comedy “Pam & Tommy.”
You can check out the interview wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts (Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio etc) — or simply hit the play button below via Spotify!
Deadline –‘Pam & Tommy’s Lily James & Sebastian Stan Sweated The Details While Seth Rogen Played Against Type – Contenders TV
For Pam & Tommy‘s Lily James and Sebastian Stan, capturing the essences of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, in the public eye and privately, while also re-creating their uber-famous images were the central challenges of the Hulu miniseries. Conversely, Seth Rogen found himself working to dial down the many mannerisms that have made him one of contemporary Hollywood’s most likable stars.
Appearing together during Deadline’s Contenders Television panel, the trio revealed the unique approaches they took to convincingly play two enduring ’90s icons in ways both recognizable and revealing, as well as the figure — largely unknown to the general public — who pushed the celebrity couple’s infamous sex tape into the pop culture stratosphere.
Stan explained that to play Lee, he incessantly consumed video and audio of the Mötley Crüe drummer from the era. “It was like an everyday routine,” he said. “I had compiled a two-hour playlist of every single interview I could find, and I was running and trying to get 20,000 steps a day [with it] just on repeat.”
Stan noted that James employed a similar routine to channel the Baywatch actress, to an even greater extreme.
“Even between shots as they were setting up, [Lily was] listening to her constantly,” he said. “It was just a nonstop thing.”
Externally, they were aided by hair and makeup teams that meticulously transformed the actors’ physiques into uncanny doppelgangers for Anderson and Lee. “All the 3 a.m. wake-ups, because he had all his tattoos and I had prosthetics,” recalled James. “It was a long process every day to sort of make that change into someone else.”
“I think we were both kind of just hanging on by thread, texting each other, going like, ‘On a scale of one to 10, how horrible are you feeling about what we’re about to do?’” admitted Stan, who said the nail-biting continued right until their first camera test in character. “We finally got to put tattoos on, try the clothes, try everything, and then I think we both had that moment where we were like, ‘I think we’re gonna be OK, maybe.’ They both required such a massive transformation, I think, for both of us.”
Outside of the imagery familiar to the public, James explained that executive producer Craig Gillespie, who directed the first three episodes of the miniseries, pointed the actors toward finding an authentic sense of behind-the-scenes intimacy between the couple.
“Right from the word go, he really wanted this [to be] an opportunity to see them behind the camera, not when they’re displayed in an interview and being a sort of ‘on’ version – like, what were they like, intimately, privately together,” James said. “And obviously that took a huge leap of imagination, too. We can’t possibly really know, but we based on what we learned and read and watched that was the sort of where we landed.”
In playing Rand Gautheir, Rogen knew he didn’t have to summon a long-established public figure; instead, he had to downplay his own innate likability.
“I know I’m inherently likable as an actor, and I didn’t want the character to be too likable,” Rogen said. “Something that we actually tried to modulate, was how many of the things that I generally do as a performer that make me likable do I do? I don’t laugh in the movie at all. I don’t smile, really, ever. I don’t do any of the affable behaviors that I think make me someone that people feel like they know and can relate to.
“It is the instinct of a lot of actors, I’ve found, to like make their characters highly redeemable in some way, or they have to like something about the character,” he added. “I’m not that kind of actor – like, I liked nothing about Rand. I found him not a great person, by any means, and I found that he was not someone that I related to in any way.”
And like James and Stan, Rogen never met his onscreen alter ego in real life – as far as he knows. “Rand grows weed in Northern California, so I might have met him organically just through my day-to-day life without knowing it,” he laughed.
