Dustin Lance Black products
Quicklinks
Top Links
biographyby votesawardsNewsDeskmessage boardFilmographies
overviewby typeby yearby ratingsby votesby TV series awards by genre by keywordBiographical
biography other works publicity photo galleryTwitterblogNewsDeskmessage boardExternal Links
official sites miscellaneous photographs sound clips video clipsNews for
Dustin Lance Black More at IMDbPro »
2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007
1-20 of 146 items from 2012 « Prev | Next »
Interview With Dustin Lance Black On Virginia
21 May 2012 4:57 PM, PDT | We Got This Covered | See recent We Got This Covered news »
The most touching films that resonate most with viewers are often the ones that are based on real experiences that people contend with during their lives. Set through the eyes of both a mother suffering from an illness and her teenage son who is in essence raising her, the new drama Virginia is loosely based on the childhood experiences of writer Dustin Lance Black. Making his feature film directorial debut, Black draws on his own Mormon upbringing with a sick mother to show what people would do in order to make their dreams come true.
Read more at We Got This Covered »
- Karen Benardello
Weekend Box Office: 'Battleship' & 'The Dictator' Flop Hard As 'The Avengers' Continues To Dominate
20 May 2012 10:12 AM, PDT | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Disney sure picked the right time to get in on that Marvel action. After the first Marvel films proved to be decent-sized hits, Disney came in like a shark, swiping the studio up for a few billion, expecting similar results. But not only has “The Avengers” handily outdrawn every other superhero film thus far, it's number one at the domestic box office for a third weekend running, with a $55 million haul, and is actually now Disney’s highest grossing film of all time. Take that, “Flubber”!
On the one hand, this is a shared victory with Marvel, so it’s not exactly the in-house success story that Disney was hoping for. Moreover, there are large back-end deals in place for most of the other participants, particularly the $50 million Robert Downey Jr. is set to take in. And yet what remains is still one sick piggy bank to divvy up. It »
- Gabe Toro
Interview: Dustin Lance Black Talks Virginia
20 May 2012 7:06 AM, PDT | ShockYa | See recent ShockYa news »
Childhood experiences can often leave a lasting effect on the way people develop and perceive life. That’s certainly the case with Dustin Lance Black, the writer-director of the new drama ‘Virginia,’ which is now playing in select theaters. Loosely basing the screenplay on his own childhood experiences, including growing up with a handicapped mother, family members with schizophrenia and in the Mormon religion in the south, Black fearlessly showcased his untraditional upbringing in the film. ‘Virginia’ follows the title character, played by Jennifer Connelly, a single mother with schizophrenia struggling to raise her teenage son Emmett, portrayed by Harrison Gilbertson. Her long-time affair with the married, Mormon Sheriff Richard Tipton, [ Read More ] »
- Karen Benardello
Dustin Lance Black Talks Re-Editing & Taking A Second Stab At His Directorial Debut 'Virginia'
18 May 2012 1:40 PM, PDT | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
Dustin Lance Black had a rude awakening with his directorial debut "What's Wrong with Virginia?" when it first premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2010 -- critics hated it, including The Playlist. Even though he'd won an Academy Award for his screenplay of "Milk," Black discovered that the goodwill from his Oscar acceptance speech only went so far. But if it had been up to him, he wouldn't have shown the film before he was confident with what he had shot. "We were out of money, and out of time, in a big way," he told The Playlist. "I was being told, 'You're finished,' and so it was a bit of a cross-your-fingers situation, which is never a good way to show your film."
People were not kind -- and the headlines mirrored the film's title. Even though Black expected the criticism, "it didn't make it hurt any less. »
- Jen Vineyard
Dustin Lance Black Talks "Virginia," Pushing the President and More!
18 May 2012 12:21 PM, PDT | AfterElton.com | See recent AfterElton.com news »
Dustin Lance Black not only wrote but also directed the new film Virginia.
While he’s best known for writing landmark biographical motion pictures like Milk and J. Edgar and dramatic television like HBO’s Big Love, Dustin Lance Black’s latest film is much more personal to him. In Virginia, which opens this weekend in New York and Los Angeles, actress Jennifer Connelly plays the title character, a mother who is raising her young son (Harrison Gilbertson), and having an affair with the town Sheriff (Ed Harris) who happens to be Mormon and also happens to have a form of schizophrenia.
While the film is not exactly autobiographical, Black talked to AfterElton earlier this week about how he pulled from his own life for the script, which he also directs, how the initial negative reactions he received for the film only made him work harder, and what he’ll say to President Obama, »
- nyjimmy67
Virginia
18 May 2012 10:23 AM, PDT | Pastemagazine.com | See recent PasteMagazine news »
With a cool name like Dustin Lance Black, it’s not surprising to find out he was raised in the South. Fresh off of two headline-grabbing political biopics in Milk and J. Edgar (with several episodes of HBO’s Big Love thrown in), Black takes a trip back home of sorts in Virginia, which mixes some political elements of J.Edgar with the near-obscene family dynamic of Big Love. Unlike most hybrids, Virginia doesn’t get much mileage from the mix in its tank. »
New to Theatres This Weekend: Battleship, The Dictator, What to Expect When You’re Expecting
18 May 2012 6:02 AM, PDT | FilmJunk | See recent FilmJunk news »
There are three major films competing for your attention this weekend (yes, one of which is based on a board game) and a decent slate of smaller releases as well. Battleship will attempt to sink The Avengers and Sacha Baron Cohen's The Dictator will simply try to overcome its poor marketing campaign while What to Expect When You're Expecting is likely to attract a strong female turnout. Elsewhere, Morgan Spurlock's latest documentary Mansome hits select theatres, along with Panos Cosmatos' trippy Beyond the Black Rainbow, and Dustin Lance Black's Virginia. There's also Lovely Molly, a new horror flick from the director of The Blair Witch Project, and Hysteria, a Victorian era comedy about the invention of the vibrator starring Maggie Gyllenhaal. What will you be watching this weekend? Battleship The Dictator What to Expect When You're Expecting Beyond the Black Rainbow (limited) Lovely Molly (limited) Mansome »
- Sean
Dustin Lance Black Funnelled His Cash Into Virginia
17 May 2012 6:41 PM, PDT | WENN | See recent WENN news »
Scriptwriter Dustin Lance Black funnelled his own cash into Virginia to pay for re-editing after the Jennifer Connelly movie bombed at its debut.
The Milk writer makes his directorial debut with the drama, which stars Connelly as Virginia, a mentally troubled woman who has an affair with a married sheriff, played by Ed Harris.
The film, originally titled What's Wrong With Virginia, premiered to largely negative reviews at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival, prompting Black to head back into the editing room.
Now he admits he was forced to cough up his own money to complete the passion project to his liking.
He tells New York Magazine, "We never felt we had enough time in the editing room... We didn't even have time to watch it with an audience. We showed it to friends and family - which I'm now thinking is a terrible idea, because they're always going to say they love it and that's not very helpful. And although the audiences in Toronto were very supportive, just watching the film through their eyes, I felt like I was watching a film that didn't know if it was a drama or a comedy, until maybe about an hour in. For me, that was too late in the film.
"And for the critics, that was definitely too late in the film. And I got beaten up by critics, in some ways deservedly so. So I went to my producer... and I said, 'We have to cut this thing.' It was tough, because we had distribution offers, and people said, 'If you don't take them now, these will go away.' So it was a bit of a fight. I had to pony up some of the money for the re-edit."
But Black reveals he did have some help from celebrated filmmaker Gus Van Sant: "He told me a story about re-cutting a film (Even Cowgirls Get the Blues) that didn't go well, and gave me some advice about what to watch out for." »
Dustin Lance Black on Virginia, Mitt Romney, and Recutting His Movie at the Last Minute
17 May 2012 10:00 AM, PDT | Vulture | See recent Vulture news »
It’s been a hectic couple of weeks for Dustin Lance Black. For starters, his directorial debut, Virginia, is finally hitting theaters, after a postproduction process that involved him dramatically recutting the film after a critically blasted Toronto Film Festival premiere (more on that later). But this also happens to be just a few days after President Obama came out in favor of gay marriage, an issue for which Black has been actively organizing for years now. And of course there’s the whole Mitt Romney issue — Black was raised Mormon, and still has Mormon family he’s close to. (He’s also written for Big Love.) So it’s understandable that when we start our chat he admits to being simultaneously wired, overjoyed, and rather exhausted. “I’m overcaffeinated right now,” he says. “I was out last night drinking, celebrating the movie. My mom just sent me pictures, and »
- Bilge Ebiri
Best Movie Ever?: "Clue"
16 May 2012 11:26 AM, PDT | AfterElton.com | See recent AfterElton.com news »
In the short history of "Best Movie Ever?", I've covered enough cinematic treasure to render Leonard Maltin catatonic and super-gay for yeeeears. From Nine to Five and Working Girl to Clueless and Mean Girls, we've reexamined a lot of staggering celluloid and, more importantly, women in blazers. Today, I offer up a movie that I can hardly judge as a mere admirer. It's my favorite movie, it's probably your favorite movie, and when we add up its five most unbelievable elements, we'll be so high on glamorous (and Inconceivably Silly) goodness that we'll strike each other with candlesticks, lead pipes, and Colleen Camp's triumphant bazooms. Can you dig it? It's the zany whodunit Clue, darlings, and it's what makes Western civilization good.
Now, full disclosure: I've already written one magnum opus about Clue, and it's pretty comprehensive. But I wrote that for (gasp!) a largely straight audience, and now »
- virtel
Dustin Lance Black Talks About Recutting 'Virginia' and What He Really Thought of His First Version
16 May 2012 10:03 AM, PDT | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Nobody knew quite what to expect from "What's Wrong With Virginia," Dustin Lance Black's directing debut, when it premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. But few expected the critical backlash that followed. The Southern-set film, based loosely on his childhood experiences, stars Jennifer Connelly as schizophrenic mother engaged in a long-time affair with Mormon sherrif Richard Tipton (Ed Harris), who's struggling to raise her son who also has the hots for Tipton's daughter (Emma Roberts). That's a heady plot for a newbie director, but Black wasn't just any newcomer. Prior to arriving in Toronto, the California native was fresh off of winning an Oscar for penning the screenplay to "Milk." In the process he became a gay icon and had just completed collaborating with Clint Eastwood on their J. Edgar Hoover biopic. Black was experiencing a career high. That ended with the reviews for "What's Wrong With »
- Nigel M Smith
Exclusive Clip From Dustin Lance Black's Virginia
16 May 2012 | Comingsoon.net | See recent Comingsoon.net news »
ComingSoon.net has an exclusive clip from Oscar-winning Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black's directorial debut Virginia , starring Jennifer Connelly in the title role of a single mother living in the South and trying to raise her son Emmett (Harrison Gilbertson). For years, she's been having an affair with the town's highly-religious and married sheriff Richard Tipton (Ed Harris) who may or may not be Emmett's father, but when the sheriff decides to run for office, he has to end the relationship immediately. Meanwhile, Emmett has gotten into his own relationship with the sheriff's daughter (Emma Roberts) and the two of them want to run off together. In the clip below, we get a good idea of the kinky relationship between Virginia and Sheriff Tipton before her son Emmett gets »
Virginia Movie Review
14 May 2012 3:26 PM, PDT | ShockYa | See recent ShockYa news »
Title: Virginia Director: Dustin Lance Black Starring: Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris and Emma Roberts Creating an emotional main character that is also complex and challenging, and who isn’t afraid to go after what they want while also protecting the ones they love, isn’t the easiest task for a filmmaker. When that character is also coping with a mental illness, the task is even harder. But writer Dustin Lance Black successfully did just that with the lead title character in his directorial debut, the new drama ‘Virginia.’ While Virginia heavily relies on her son to take care of her, she also realizes that she needs to give him a better life, [ Read More ] »
- Karen Benardello
Obama's Gay Marriage Support a Hit in Hollywood, But Will It Help Fundraising?
10 May 2012 7:02 PM, PDT | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
President Barack Obama's endorsement of gay marriage Wednesday didn't just galvanize supporters in Hollywood, it convinced some entertainment industry progressives to abandon their criticism and get involved in his campaign. Take Dustin Lance Black. The Oscar-winning "Milk" screenwriter was so angered by Obama’s lack of movement on marriage equality that he publicly suggested he might sit out this presidential race. On Thursday, he told TheWrap he is considering being a co-host for a Los Angeles fundraiser on June 6 geared toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (Lgbt) community. “I am moving from »
- Brent Lang
Dustin Lance Black Mulls Obama Fundraiser After Shift on Gay Marriage (Exclusive)
10 May 2012 1:52 PM, PDT | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
Dustin Lance Black went on Thursday from fierce critic of Barack Obama to full throttled supporter after the president shifted his position on gay marriage -- and he's ready to open his checkbook. So angered by Obama’s lack of movement on marriage equality, the Oscar-winning "Milk" screenwriter had publicly suggested that he might sit out this presidential race. But because the president spoke out in favor of same-sex marriage on Wednesday, Black told TheWrap that he is considering co-hosting a Los Angeles fundraiser on June 6 geared toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual »
- Brent Lang
Hollywood Embraces Obama's Same-Sex Marriage Statement
10 May 2012 1:07 PM, PDT | Huffington Post | See recent Huffington Post news »
Hollywood executives and celebrities supported candidate Barack Obama in his rise to power. They felt betrayed by the president when he held back from backing same-sex marriage. And now, after his historic announcement Wednesday, many are rushing to lend their support once again.
Few illustrate this shift as well as prolific TV director Paris Barclay. The Chicago native has been supporting Obama since he ran for his Illinois senator seat. In 2008, he was a member of Obama's Lgbt Leadership Council.
"To me, it was kind of a no brainer; compared to the McCain-Palin ticket, which was so obviously against gay rights, I knew Obama was the one to support," Barclay told The Huffington Post. "It was fortunate for us that the choice was so stark and so easy to make."
But his enthusiasm for the president waned as Obama failed to deliver on his promise to push for gay rights. »
- Joe Satran
Obama Has Dustin Lance Black Saying 'Yes We Can' Again
9 May 2012 4:37 PM, PDT | Huffington Post | See recent Huffington Post news »
Dustin Lance Black, Oscar-winning writer of the movies "Milk" and and "J. Edgar," is back on Team Obama.
Black told the Huffington Post Wednesday afternoon that he was deeply moved by President Barack Obama's statement in support of gay marriage, which he called "a game changer."
"It does show leadership. It shows strength. And all these things I've been waiting to see," Black said. "I've caught myself saying, 'Yes we can' again."
Black's enthusiasm stands in sharp contrast to his strongly-worded op-ed in the Hollywood Reporter on April 26. He called for those in the Lgbt to consider withholding support for the president because of his spotty record on gay rights. (Black later said the Hollywood Reporter's headline misconstrued his position.)
Black said the stridency and passion of Obama's statement on Wednesday convinced him of the president's commitment to equal rights.
"This was such a bold statement -- more than I ever expected, »
- Joe Satran
Dustin Lance Black's Star-Studded Prop 8 Play Reading Getting Digital Release
3 May 2012 8:52 PM, PDT | Vulture | See recent Vulture news »
The March reading of Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black's Prop 8 play 8, which featured George Cloone, Brad Pitt, Jane Lynch, Kevin Bacon, and everyone else, will be available as a digital audio download beginning June 1, and on demand at latw.org starting June 9. The 90-minute production took place at Los Angeles's Wilshire Ebell Theatre and "served as a benefit for marriage equality that raised more than $2 million," the L.A. Times reports. If you can't wait, it's on YouTube, too. »
- Zach Dionne
Morning Meme: "Teen Wolf" Says Trust Your Instinct, "Newsies" With Bed Head Watch the Tony Nominations, and Is "Glee" Immoral?
3 May 2012 5:37 AM, PDT | AfterElton.com | See recent AfterElton.com news »
Elijah Wood has signed on to star in Grand Piano, in which he sits down to play and discovers a message in the sheet music threatening his family. So it's basically speed for the classical music set.
Evangelist Billy Graham is coming out strong in favor of North Carolina's awful Amendment One, taking out ads in fourteen papers around the state in favor of writing discrimination into the state constitution.
A gay Indiana teen is facing expulsion for carrying a stun gun that his mother gave him to protect him from bullies. Towleroad has the video.
The Weinstein Company has acquired Quartet, about opera singers in a retirement home who stage a concert every year for the birthday of Verdi. The main draw to me is the cast - Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Michael Gambon and Pauline Collins, and directed by Dustin Hoffman.
Over at Think Progress, they've declared Glee »
- lostinmiami
Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth on the Set of the Railway Man
1 May 2012 1:11 PM, PDT | AwardsDaily.com | See recent AwardsDaily news »
Photos posted at JustJared. An interesting year for Kidman so far, with this and the Dustin Lance Black films with Lee Daniels, Philip Kaufman and Chan-wook Park. And Mr. Firth is barely recognizable. »
- Sasha Stone
2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007
1-20 of 146 items from 2012 « Prev | Next »
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.
See our NewsDesk partners
Copyright © 1990-2012
IMDb.com, Inc.
Terms and Privacy Policy under which this service is provided to you.
An 
company.