RENÉE NEWS - JUNE 2004

Me, Myself & Renée: A Texas Star Shines in Hollywood
eonline.com
June 27, 2004

It's Good to Be Renée Zellweger

Premieres: June 29, 10 p.m.
Encores: July 2, 5 p.m.; July 3, 10 a.m., 11:30 p.m.

She's come a long way from being a small-town tomboy to becoming an Oscar winner commanding millions of dollars, as you'll see on "It's Good to Be Renée Zellweger", premiering June 29 at 10PM (EDT) on the E! entertainment network.

http://www.eonline.com/On/ItsGoodtoBe/Episodes/Zellweger/index.html

THE BRITISH ACADEMY ANNOUNCES DATE OF FILM AWARDS IN 2005
moviecitynews.com
June 24, 2004

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts today announced that the Orange British Academy Film Awards in 2005 will be held on Saturday 12th February, and will be broadcast on BBC ONE.

In recent years, the Orange British Academy Film Awards have grown significantly in stature, cementing their position within the awards calendar as the largest globally recognised international film awards ceremony outside of the United States. The BAFTA Awards, voted for by the British Academy's 5000 film voting members, recognise excellence among the 400 or so films shown on British cinema screens in the previous year.

The Awards evening has become an important date for both the British and international film communities, with this year's attendees as nominees or presenters including Bill Nighy, Sir Ian McKellen, Anne Reid, Emma Thompson, Renée Zellweger, Scarlett Johansson, Naomi Watts, Johnny Depp, Laura Linney, Holly Hunter, Jon Voight, Benicio Del Toro, Jude Law, Paul Bettany, Judy Parfitt, Anthony Minghella, Peter Jackson, Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter.

The ceremony will again be held at London's Odeon Leicester Square.

The stars come out at night : NBA playoffs attract the bold and the beautiful
washingtonpost.com
June 15, 2004

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. Scores of entertainers attend NBA games because they are fans. Penny Marshall, Dustin Hoffman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Denzel Washington, Dyan Cannon, Sylvester Stallone, Meg Ryan and, of course, Jack Nicholson regularly attend Lakers games. Film director Spike Lee, news anchor Tom Brokaw and rapper Jay-Z are fixtures at Madison Square Garden, home of the New York Knicks. Singer Jimmy Buffett loves the Miami Heat and was even ejected for cursing the referees during a 2001 game with the Knicks.

Detroit has its supporters, too. Actress Renee Zellweger attended Game 3 of the finals in Auburn Hills, accompanied by Jack White of the Detroit band White Stripes. Also sitting behind the Lakers' bench that night was rap star Eminem and D12 rapper Proof.

Some celebrities deny that there are those within their ranks who would attend an NBA game to further their careers.

Nonetheless, publicists have been known to call the Lakers' front office to convince the team to make sure their client's visage goes up on the video scoreboard and on television, according to Lakers spokesman John Black.

Relatively few stars own season tickets. A great many receive tickets from studios, TV networks, management companies, entertainment lawyers and agents, Black said.

Motown Buzz
nba.com
June 14, 2004

Who says all the stars are in Tinseltown? The Motown faithful have come out in full force.

Led by hometown boy and Game 4 America the Beautiful singer Kid Rock, Detroit has represented quite nicely after two games. Celebs joining Kid Rock and enjoying the action at the Palace have included Renee Zellweger, Eminem, Anita Baker (Game 3 anthem singer), Vince Neil, Tom Izzo, Steve Mariucci, Swin Cash and Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns.

The Buzz caught up with Zellweger, rumored to be dating Detroit native and White Stripes front man Jack White, who was effusive with her love for the NBA: “I love it! It’s my favorite game. I’m kind of disappointed that my hometown Spurs aren’t here, but I’m still enjoying it."

The Lakers eliminated the Spurs, and she is allegedly dating White. Guess she's a Pistons fan.

Renee Allowed to Lose Weight
teenhollywood.com
June 13, 2004

Renee Zellweger has been given permission to start losing weight - after filming for 'Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason' has finished.

The stunning actress had to gain almost 30lbs to play the famous singleton and she wasn't allowed to lose weight until producers had decided that there was no need to re-shoot any of the scenes.

A source said: "Renee is thrilled that she can stop gorging on fatty food. She's started eating healthily again and is working with two personal trainers in a bid to lose the excess weight.

"She liked having curves, but she is looking forward to being slim again."

Celebs light up Palace
detnews.com
June 11, 2004

It’s a wonder Pistons fans could watch Game 3 of the NBA Finals for all the star spying they did — at least those lucky enough to sit near the celebs.

Among the stars were rapper Eminem, actress Renee Zellweger and filmmaker Spike Lee. Actor Jack Nicholson was said to be there but was never spotted.

Eminem sported a No. 3 Ben Wallace jersey, red baseball cap and prescription glasses. The homegrown rap star sat behind the Lakers bench with his little brother, Nate Mathers, and D12 rapper Proof.

Zellweger sat just behind Em sans her reported love interest, Jack White of the Detroit band the White Stripes. The “Bridget Jones’ Diary” star chatted with a girlfriend.

 

Date With Bridget Sequel Changed
hollywood.com
June 9, 2004

Universal Pictures and Miramax Films, which co-financed the sequel Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason, have changed the release date and distributor of the film. Universal will now distribute the film, in which Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth reprise their roles, and will open the film Nov. 19. Variety reports both studios attributed the distribution shift to the fact that Universal had more opportunities, while Miramax's slate got full suddenly with Martin Scorsese's The Aviator, starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

The Tony Race: It Just Might Make History
JESSE McKINLEY - nytimes.com
June 4, 2004

The Tonys may not have the same audience appeal as the Oscars, but they do still have the ability to make a career, honor artistic achievement and — sniff, sniff — make reality out of dreams.

As in years past, CBS is making a concerted effort to improve the show's flat Nielsen ratings; the Tonys have drawn slightly fewer than 8 million viewers each of the last two years. That's down sharply from those halcyon days of 1997, when Rosie O'Donnell was the host, and the show attracted almost 13 million viewers. This year, the broadcast is also facing stiff competition from the season finale of "The Sopranos" and the National Basketball Association finals.

Eclectic Presenters

To counter that competition, the show's producers have assembled an eclectic group of film-pedigreed presenters, including the "Cold Mountain" brigade (Nicole Kidman and Renée Zellweger), some independent-film-world darlings (Scarlett Johansson and Laura Linney, who is currently on Broadway in "Sight Unseen") and, of course, a couple of celebrities with almost no theatrical credits at all (the "Saturday Night Live" comedian Jimmy Fallon, the hip-hop diva Mary J. Blige).

"I think we've booked the show better than ever," said Ricky Kirshner, who is producing it with Glenn Weiss. "I think we've tried to go for people you wouldn't necessarily think of when you think of Broadway."

Zellweger, Falco and Fierstein Added to Tony Presenters List
By Andrew Gans
03 Jun 2004

The list of presenters for the 2004 Tony Awards continues to grow.

Renee Zellweger, Edie Falco, Harvey Fierstein, Swoosie Kurtz, Victor Garber, Rob Marshall, John Rubenstein and Carol Channing are the latest additions to the ever-growing list.

These artists join the previously announced Tony Bennett, Mary J. Blige, Sean Combs, Taye Diggs, Jimmy Fallon, Joel Grey, Ethan Hawke, Anne Heche, LL Cool J, Billy Joel, Scarlett Johansson, Nicole Kidman, Jane Krakowski, Peter Krause, Nathan Lane, Laura Linney, John Lithgow, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Dame Helen Mirren, Sarah Jessica Parker, Anna Paquin, Bernadette Peters, Phylicia Rashad, Chita Rivera, Carole Bayer Sager, Martin Short, Sigourney Weaver, Patrick Stewart and Marissa Jaret Winokur.

The 58th Annual Tony Awards will be presented Sunday, June 6 at Radio City Music Hall. CBS-TV will broadcast the event live, 8-11 PM ET. The Boy From Oz's Hugh Jackman returns as host for the theatre's biggest night.

For more information visit www.tonyawards.com.

"ONSTAGE, I make love to 25,000 people, and then I go home alone," said queen of the blues, Janis Joplin.
Page Six - Liz Smith
nypost.com
June 1, 2004

JOPLIN'S SHORT, frantic life and fabulous career is going to be examined on the big screen, starring either Pink or Renée Zellweger. Or both. Listen, if Alexander the Great can have two biopics in the works, why not this icon of sex, drugs, and rock and roll? (Despite her above complaint, Janis didn't miss much in the bedroom, though the distortions of fame and her own insecurities often left the earthy, hard-drinking singer dissatisfied with her partners.)

Both Pink and Renée are prepping to step into Janis' bell-bottoms, feathers, beads and bracelets, and practicing her famous raw wail.

Now the ladies have a bit more Janis they can study. A long-lost concert film, "Festival Express," has been found. Shot in 1970, this shows Janis, the Grateful Dead, The Band and Buddy Guy performing and traveling through Canada. The movie will be released to theaters in the fall (exclusive showings this summer), but producers have kindly sent Renée and Pink their own copies.

Janis' death in 1970 at age 27 was one of music's great losses, right up there with Judy Garland, Billie Holiday and Patsy Cline. Especially tragic in that Janis was at a creative peak when she overdosed on heroin. (Her biggest hit, "Me and Bobby McGee" was released posthumously.) Capturing her unique blend of raunch, soul and little-girl-lost vulnerability will be no easy task for the untested rocker Pink or even the Oscar-winning Renée.

As to further research, the dueling wannabes should look at "The Rose," Bette Midler's Oscar-nominated take on a Joplin-esque singer. Not only does this stand as Bette's peak as a dramatic actress, but also as one of the best screen performances by a female ever.

Cold Mountain's Soundtrack and DVD are available on this site.

The soundtrack to the film Cold Mountain features two new songs from Alison Krauss. Known for helming the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, T Bone Burnett produced the project, which also includes new music from Norah Jones, James Taylor and the White Stripes' Jack White. The film Cold Mountain, starring Jude Law, Nicole Kidman and Renée Zellweger, was released nationally on Dec. 25, 2004. You can purchase your copy of the soundtrack or place your order for your DVD here and save though our affiliation with amazon.com.

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