Edited: I’ve added 27 HQ photos to the gallery.

GALLERY LINK:
TV Productions > 30 Rock > On The Set (April 9, 2012)

GALLERY LINK:
Public Appearances > 2012 Appearances > [2012.04.01]The 5th Annual Nautica South Beach Triathlon (HQ)

James Marsden may play the dopey Criss on NBC’s “30 Rock,” but the actor himself says he feels the need to be extremely up on current events to keep up with the whip-smart “30 Rock” staff.

News and culture references are constantly being added to the scripts, Marsden told us recently, and he feels “the need to keep up in order to maintain the water-cooler talk.”

The actor has been playing Liz Lemon’s love interest in a recurring role, and it’s a character Marsden describes as “a dope, but a loveable one. He has his gourmet hotdog truck, [and] nothing ruffles his feathers, whereas Liz overthinks everything.”

Opposites might attract, but who knows for how long: Marsden said that while he has no idea where Liz and Criss are headed, as a longtime fan of “30 Rock,” he realizes his days are likely numbered, “going by Liz’s track record.”

“It’s her sandbox,” Marsden said, referring to series creator Tina Fey, “but she lets us play in it.”

Marsden spoke to CNN while promoting last week’s DVD/Blu-ray release of “Hop,” the children’s Easter movie that tells the tale (tail?) of a slacker bunny that is heir (hare?) apparent to the Easter Bunny throne.

Aptly named E.B. and voiced by Russell Brand, he leaves his Easter Island home via a rabbit hole and heads for the hills – the Hollywood Hills that is, and tries to make it in Tinseltown. Unable to find a place to live, E.B. stays with Fred (Marsden), his human slacker counterpart, and the pair eventually shed their lazy ways and share the Easter Bunny role.

Marsden told CNN that he made a point to spend time with Russell Brand beforehand so they could gel. “Hop” also features the voiceover talents of Hugh Laurie, Hank Azaria and David Hasselhoff. Marsden also said that, as a father of two, he was excited to be a part of something his kids would get a kick out of.

He also got a kick out of filming “Red Machine,” a thriller set for release next year about two long-estranged brothers who reunite in their rural Alaskan home and get stalked by a grizzly bear while hiking.

The movie co-stars Billy Bob Thornton, and Marsden likened Thornton’s character to Quint from “Jaws.”

When Marsden mentioned Quint, I told him that at my wedding, a friend of mine who was supposed to give a speech wound up forgoing the usual wedding speech niceties and reenacted Quint’s U.S.S. Indianapolis speech from “Jaws” instead.

“That’s genius,” said Marsden, who admitted he is often asked to deliver speeches at weddings. “I wanna be friends with that guy. I’m stealing that. You’re gonna read about me doing the ‘Jaws’ speech at a wedding.”

James Marsden re-enacting the “Jaws” speech: Do we smell a YouTube sensation brewing?

Source: CNN

North American rights to the comedy Bachelorette, which premiered Jan. 23 at the Sundance Film Festival, have been acquired by Radius, the new label launched by The Weinstein Co. late last year, in a deal valued at more than $2 million.

The film stars Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher, Lizzy Caplan, James Marsden, Kyle Bornheimer, Rebel Wilson and Adam Scott; it centers on a hedonistic bachelorette party.

Bachelorette is the debut feature from writer/director Leslye Headland, who adapted the film from her stage play of the same name.

Radius, which will focus on the VOD space, was created to bring new films and other specialty entertainment to audiences simultaneously across multiple platforms. The label is run by co-presidents Jason Janego and Tom Quinn, former executives at Magnolia Pictures, which is known for its pre-theatrical Ultra VOD program.

The Bachelorette producers are Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum for Gary Sanchez Productions; and Brice Dal Farra, Claude Dal Farra and Lauren Munsch for BCDF Pictures.

The executive producers are Gary Sanchez’s Chris Henchy and BCDF’s Paul Prokop.

The deal was negotiated for Radius by Quinn and Janego and by CAA on behalf of the filmmakers.

Source: HollywoodReporter.com

GALLERY LINK:
TV Productions > 30 Rock > On The Set (January 26, 2012)

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and Samuel Goldwyn Films have partnered to pick up North American rights to Robot and Frank. Jake Schreier’s debut feature had its world premiere Friday in Salt Lake City, then played at the Eccles Theatre Saturday night.

Sources say the deal, which also includes all media rights for Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Russia, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, is valued at slightly more than $2 million.

Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Liv Tyler and Peter Saarsgard star in the story of an aging jewel thief who is gifted with a caretaker robot companion by his family. Christopher Ford wrote the screenplay, and Galt Niederhoffer, Sam Bisbee, Jackie Kelman Bisbee and Lance Acord produced for Park Pictures Features.

CAA and ICM repped the sale for the filmmakers. SPWA execs Michael Helfand and Joe Matukewicz negotiated the deal along with Peter Goldwyn of Samuel Goldwyn Films.

“We have loved this project from the script stage and were at the very first Gala screening in Salt Lake City,” said Matukewicz. “This winning film strikes a special chord with audiences, and we are delighted to bring Robot & Frank into the Sony Pictures family. Jake’s film shows us a future that is right around the corner, and I for one, can’t wait for my own Robot!”

SPWA and Goldwyn previously partnered on the 2010 festival drama Welcome to the Rileys, starring Kristen Stewart, Melissa Leo and James Gandolfini.

Wednesday morning, Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions closed a deal to pick up U.S. rights to Arbitrage for a day-and-date theatrical-VOD release, much as they did for the 2011 Sundance thriller Margin Call. The sale price was just north of $2 million.

Other recent sales include Red Lights to Millennium Entertainment (U.S. rights, just under $4 million); Celeste and Jesse Forever to Sony Pictures Classics (North American, Latin American, Eastern European rights, around $2 million); For a Good Time, Call… to Focus Features (worldwide rights, $2 million); and Beasts of the Southern Wild to Fox Searchlight, which also grabbed worldwide rights to The Surrogate for just under $6 million Monday.

Sunday, LD Distribution picked up the thriller Black Rock for just over $1 million, and CBS Films acquired the drama The Words for a combined deal valued at $3.5 million. Competition documentaries Searching For Sugar Man and The Queen of Versailles found homes at SPC and Magnolia Pictures, respectively, on Friday.

Source: HollywoodReporter.com

GALLERY LINK:
Public Appearances > 2012 Appearances > [2012.01.20]T-Mobile Presents Google Music at TAO Nightclub in Park City (HQ)
Paparazzi Photos > 2012 Candids > [2012.01.20]Park City (HQ)
Paparazzi Photos > 2012 Candids > [2012.01.19]Salt Lake City (HQ)

James Marsden, Thomas Jane, Billy Bob Thornton join David Hackl’s Red Machine.

The trio are all set for the Paul Schiff Productions and Indomitable Entertainment thriller which follows two estranged brothers (Marsden, Jane) who reconcile on a camping trip they take with their girlfriends. In the remote wilderness, these go very bad as they are horrifically attacked, then stalked relentlessly by a grizzly bear – the Red Machine.

Thornton is in as a legendary bear expert, as well as hunter in the film produced by Tai Duncan, Paul Schiff and Hadeel Reda, reports Variety.

David Hackl (Saw V) will direct Red Machine, from the screenplay by J.R. Reher, while Dominic Ianno of Indomitable and Stuart Pollok are serving as executive producers.

Source: Upcoming-Movies.com

GALLERY LINK:
Public Appearances > [2012.01.15]The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards – HBO’s Official After Party(HQ)

“People think I’m the guy who never gets the girl,” James Marsden says, and he has a point. Over the course of two decades, he has established an on-screen reputation as the amiable, boy next door who’s sweet enough to take home, but just square enough to leave behind.

Marsden also mixed things up in 2011 by returning to television — where he got his start way back in the 90′s on “The Nanny” — with a cameo role in “Modern Family.” And on Jan. 12, he begins a six-episode run on “30 Rock,” playing Liz Lemon’s latest love interest. (Apparently, being a nice guy has its perks.)

In “Straw Dogs,” it’s frustrating to watch Kate Bosworth’s character get raped by her ex-flame [played by Alexander Skarsgard], but choose not tell David, your character. Why do you think that is?

It’s a great question. And we’ve talked about it a lot, I had several conversations with Rod about that. The answer is this — I don’t believe she thinks that David will do anything. So that right there speaks volumes as to what the holes are in their relationship.

What was the film’s reception?

I know this movie’s not for everybody, and it’s in its DNA to polarize and to stir people up and to create a bit of controversy, yet that’s not its only purpose. I wasn’t that surprised that there were a good chunk of people that didn’t want to see it. But the people that did see it, I was really happy with how they responded to the movie. Roger Ebert comes out and gives it two thumbs up, and top-notch critics are loving this movie. And it’s in their DNA to hate it because when you set out to remake a beloved classic — not everybody think its a classic, but some people do — it’s like you’re just asking to be completely destroyed in the reviews. But I don’t think Rod wanted this to be a sell-out horror movie. I think he wanted it to be an intelligent, psychological thriller that makes people want to go have a drink afterwards.

And stoke the dialogue.

Exactly. God forbid, create something that might stir people up and ruffle their feathers a bit and make them think.

Part of the movie is about peaking in high school and returning back to your hometown after having moved away. Having grown up in Oklahoma, how is it for you returning home?

Well, for me I certainly did not peak in high school. Those weren’t my glory days. I wasn’t really from a small town. I grew up in Oklahoma City, a pretty big city. So when I’m home, I see my family, I see all my friends I grew up with. I’m really happy because my family and all my friends and all the people I knew that I grew up with are proud of me and they’re proud of where my career’s gone, so I’m never met with conflict when I come back.

So no Alexander Skarsgard character waiting in town for you with a rifle.

No, not really. I tend to get along with pretty much everybody, so it’s tough to rattle me. You’ve got to be careful going out to local podunk bars where you get too many drinks — occasionally you’ll get a person who thinks just because you’re an actor, you have a big ego and a big head and you need to be brought down the ladder a few notches. But no, I’m not the guy, I’m never really in danger of those scenarios.

You’ve been in a lot of romantic comedies, can sing, and are in a lot of family-friendly fare. Are you afraid of being typecast?

I’m not worried about it at all. I just go from job to job and I base it on the material, and whether I feel that I can creatively contribute to the movie — I never want to do something if I don’t think I’l be good at it, I don’t care who’s directing or who’s in it. If I don’t feel like I’m right for it, I don’t want to be part of it.

Can you tell us who you’re playing on this season’s “30 Rock”?

I’m having a blast on the show. It’s a lot of fun. I’m in the middle of them and I’m off and on in New York shooting it, come back in a few weeks. But it’s a great opportuntity to work with great people and with Tina and it’s a fun character. I wouldn’t do it if it weren’t a fun character. Same with “Modern Family.” It was just a great, really defined, specific and fun character who’s just got enough off about him. So it’s been great working with the people and the caliber of that cast and the people who have been a part of it. It’s a fun job to have, and you’re in really good company, so I couldn’t pass it up.

Source: HuffingtonPost.com