Celebrity relationships are often a point of interest among fans, particularly when the couple in question does everything they can to evade media attention. But every once in a while, a famous couple will open up about their journey, endearing fans to them even more. Such is the case with Melanie Lynskey and Jason Ritter, the latter of whom shared his personal account of their relationship.
Where fans have seen Jason Ritter and Melanie Lynskey before
Ritter and Lynskey have both been balancing careers in film and television for decades. In Ritter’s case, the actor — son of the late John Ritter — has appeared in movies such as Freddy vs. Jason, Frozen II, and The Wicker Man. And on TV, he’s starred in Joan of Arcadia, Gravity Falls, and Parenthood, the latter of which landed him an Emmy Award nomination.
Lynskey, meanwhile, landed significant roles in shows such as Two and a Half Men,...
Where fans have seen Jason Ritter and Melanie Lynskey before
Ritter and Lynskey have both been balancing careers in film and television for decades. In Ritter’s case, the actor — son of the late John Ritter — has appeared in movies such as Freddy vs. Jason, Frozen II, and The Wicker Man. And on TV, he’s starred in Joan of Arcadia, Gravity Falls, and Parenthood, the latter of which landed him an Emmy Award nomination.
Lynskey, meanwhile, landed significant roles in shows such as Two and a Half Men,...
- 4/19/2023
- by Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Jason Ritter is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his roles in Joan of Arcadia and Gravity Falls.
Jason Ritter Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education
Jason Ritter was born on February 17, 1980 (Jason Ritter: age 42) in Los Angeles, California. His parents are actors Nancy Morgan and comic actor John Ritter, who was the star of hit 70s sitcom Three’s Company. He has three siblings.
Ritter went to high school at the Crossroads School in California. He graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Ritter also attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Jason Ritter Biography: Career
Ritter started his career in 1990 as Harry Neal Baum in the television movie The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story. He co-starred as Frank Baum’s son alongside his own father, John Ritter.
Some of Ritter’s other roles include the movies...
Jason Ritter Biography: Age, Early Life, Family, Education
Jason Ritter was born on February 17, 1980 (Jason Ritter: age 42) in Los Angeles, California. His parents are actors Nancy Morgan and comic actor John Ritter, who was the star of hit 70s sitcom Three’s Company. He has three siblings.
Ritter went to high school at the Crossroads School in California. He graduated from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Ritter also attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
Jason Ritter Biography: Career
Ritter started his career in 1990 as Harry Neal Baum in the television movie The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story. He co-starred as Frank Baum’s son alongside his own father, John Ritter.
Some of Ritter’s other roles include the movies...
- 3/20/2023
- by Hailey Schipper
- Uinterview
Horror short film marks the directing debut of artist Thomas Hodge
The post Poster Art Legend The Dude Designs Unleashes Teddy Bears Picnic appeared first on ComingSoon.net.
The post Poster Art Legend The Dude Designs Unleashes Teddy Bears Picnic appeared first on ComingSoon.net.
- 8/3/2017
- by Chris Alexander
- Comingsoon.net
With twenty-six films over three days, including ten World, four European and seven UK premieres, Horror Channel FrightFest’s short film showcase unleashes this year’s eclectic mix of the bold, brave, bloody and barmy with films programmed to entertain, frighten, enlighten and simply amaze.
From the press release:
There are twelve films from the United Kingdom, forming the centerpiece of this year’s line-up. These include James Moran’s Blood Shed, starring Shaun Dooley and Sally Phillips, where a man’s love of his garden shed takes a rather murderous turn. In Judgement, Neil Maskell stars as a single man looking for love in all the wrong places and Laurence R. Harvey shines as a mutated children’s’ toy in Teddy Bear’S Picnic. Then there’s Katie Bonham’s Mab, about a girl who turns to witchcraft to teach someone a lesson.
The other home-grown offerings see people...
From the press release:
There are twelve films from the United Kingdom, forming the centerpiece of this year’s line-up. These include James Moran’s Blood Shed, starring Shaun Dooley and Sally Phillips, where a man’s love of his garden shed takes a rather murderous turn. In Judgement, Neil Maskell stars as a single man looking for love in all the wrong places and Laurence R. Harvey shines as a mutated children’s’ toy in Teddy Bear’S Picnic. Then there’s Katie Bonham’s Mab, about a girl who turns to witchcraft to teach someone a lesson.
The other home-grown offerings see people...
- 8/3/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
Six years later and Mariah Carey remains obsessed with "dem babies." While Moroccan and Monroe may have marked their official birthday on April 30, the twin's mom decided to celebrate once again by sharing new photos of their celebration on Instagram. With help from celebrity event designer and planner Kat Minassi, Mariah created a "magical" bash that will likely be remembered for years to come. E! News has learned the theme was blue and pink to reflect the children's favorite colors. Teddy bears were also incorporated into the theme as both kids keep a teddy bear stuffed animal on their beds at home. Guests enjoyed delicious desserts from Rafi's Pastry, bouquets of baby...
- 5/20/2017
- E! Online
It's teddy bears versus unicorns in acclaimed director Alberto Vazquez' upcoming Unicorn Wars. And, yes, Vazquez appears to be making this every bit as dark and absurd as you may hope from that premise. Teddy bears and unicorns have been at war for as long as anyone can remember. Private Bluet craves unicorn blood because it confers eternal beauty, according to the prophecy in the new religion’s sacred book. His brother, Tubby, is not cut out for war. He lacks confidence and is an emotional eater. All he wants is for his brother to love him. A teddy bear regiment leaves the training camp for a mission that will end in a brutal and disastrous final battle. Unicorn Wars was a participant of this year's...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 3/13/2017
- Screen Anarchy
Congrats to Jason Ritter and Melanie Lynskey! The two are engaged! The 39-year-old Kiwi actress and former Two and a Half Men star announced the happy news on the show Hollywood Today Live this week. "Now he's my fiancé," she said. "I'm announcing it." She said Jason, 36, proposed while they were on a sofa and that she did not know it was coming. The two had been dating for four years. Jason, who is one of the late John Ritter's four kids, and Melanie have starred in several three movies together—The Big Ask in 2013, We'll Never Have Paris in 2014 and The Intervention in 2016. "It...
- 2/16/2017
- E! Online
Prepare for the tears: Holiday commercials are here.
Every year, advertisers manage to make us experience a year’s worth of emotions in a number of 30-second spots, whether it’s joy, sadness, or just simple Christmas spirit.
Here’s a few commercials that already have us reaching for the tissue box — and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet!
John Lewis’s Buster the Boxer
If you want an advertisement that will make people cry, just add a puppy. This ad shows a number of animals discovering the joy of a trampoline, and Buster the Boxer seems to love it...
Every year, advertisers manage to make us experience a year’s worth of emotions in a number of 30-second spots, whether it’s joy, sadness, or just simple Christmas spirit.
Here’s a few commercials that already have us reaching for the tissue box — and it’s not even Thanksgiving yet!
John Lewis’s Buster the Boxer
If you want an advertisement that will make people cry, just add a puppy. This ad shows a number of animals discovering the joy of a trampoline, and Buster the Boxer seems to love it...
- 11/25/2016
- by dianapearltimeinc
- PEOPLE.com
The Weekend Read: Our Saturday essay on the great topics in entertainment and culture today. It is 1983 and there is a consensus sweeping the land that the Ewoks are the worst thing to ever happen to Star Wars. Those idiotic teddy bears were the final sign that George Lucas had completely lost his edge. It was obvious that rather than wanting to tell a great story, he had created these characters to pander to children and sell toys. I was 17 days old when “Return of the Jedi” was released in theaters and like most children of the 80’s, I missed the memo on hating these Endor natives. I have vague memories of a curly blonde-haired girl with a sparkly headband and a gruff bearded hermit surviving in the forest with a living teddy bear. A quick Google search reveals I would’ve been two and a half when “Ewoks: The Battle for Endor” aired,...
- 3/14/2015
- by Donna Dickens
- Hitfix
Six family members, including two adults and four children, are missing after a fire destroyed a waterfront mansion in Annapolis, Maryland, according to NBC Washington. The house, which the news outlet likened to a castle, was owned by It executive and philanthropist Don Pyle, chief operating officer of ScienceLogic, and his wife, Sandra. All efforts to contact the family have been unsuccessful, and the Maryland home was their last known location. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Teddy bears and flowers have been placed near the front gate of the house. The four-alarm fire broke out early Monday morning,...
- 1/20/2015
- by Caitlin Keating, @caitkeating
- PEOPLE.com
Six family members, including two adults and four children, are missing after a fire destroyed a waterfront mansion in Annapolis, Maryland, according to NBC Washington. The house, which the news outlet likened to a castle, was owned by It executive and philanthropist Don Pyle, chief operating officer of ScienceLogic, and his wife, Sandra. All efforts to contact the family have been unsuccessful, and the Maryland home was their last known location. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Teddy bears and flowers have been placed near the front gate of the house. The four-alarm fire broke out early Monday morning,...
- 1/20/2015
- by Caitlin Keating, @caitkeating
- PEOPLE.com
In addition to her successful acting career and delicious restaurant ventures, Eva Longoria has a heart for helping girls all over the world get access to good education. The “Desperate Housewives” star is featured in the January 2015 issue of Glamour magazine and in her interview she discusses her new documentary “A Path Appears” as well as the inspiration behind her charity work.
Of her recently trip to Cartagena, Columbia, Eva notes, “Every step we took, there was another pregnant child, and none of them were in class. It was epidemic.”
Stars Give Back: Eva Longoria, Heidi Klum & Alicia Keys Design Teddy Bears for Operation Bobbi Bear
Longoria also shares what drives her to keep going- “My older sister Liza was born with special needs, and I watched my mom become a teacher’s assistant so that she could stay with her in the classroom.”
She adds, “I never dreamed of...
Of her recently trip to Cartagena, Columbia, Eva notes, “Every step we took, there was another pregnant child, and none of them were in class. It was epidemic.”
Stars Give Back: Eva Longoria, Heidi Klum & Alicia Keys Design Teddy Bears for Operation Bobbi Bear
Longoria also shares what drives her to keep going- “My older sister Liza was born with special needs, and I watched my mom become a teacher’s assistant so that she could stay with her in the classroom.”
She adds, “I never dreamed of...
- 12/11/2014
- GossipCenter
For the past five years, Branson Rector has taken veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder out onto the water not just to experience the warm Miami breeze - but to heal and rebuild their lives. After retiring from the Army in 2009 as a logistics officer, he saw that veterans dealing with Ptsd and other issues were not adjusting well to their lives that awaited them at home. "I thought, why not take them out on the water, and in this beautiful and relaxing setting tell them about the help they can receive," Miami-based Branson, 50, tells People. "We took eight to 10 guys on that first sail,...
- 11/13/2014
- by Caitlin Keating,@caitkeating
- PEOPLE.com
Welcome back, my creeps! We-hell… this week brings us yet another column packed to the burstin’ point with gruesomely groovy goodies! Time’s a’ wastin’—let’s dig into this F’er like a grave!
Housebound
Release Date: Now In Theaters, on VOD, and iTunes Written By: Gerard Johnstone Directed By: Gerard Johnstone Starring: Morgana O’Reilly, Rima Te Wiata, Ross Harper
I’m not even going to start this thing off with any of my patented act-a-foolishness and monstrous malarkey. Instead, I’m going to tell ya to get off yer buttocks and immediately see this film… seriously!
If my commands are not ample impetus enough for ya, I will of course give my standard sub-standard rundown and score (although you would have to be as dense as the unabridged The Stand not to guess my rating).
Anyway, Housebound tells the tale of small time thief and professional “not...
Housebound
Release Date: Now In Theaters, on VOD, and iTunes Written By: Gerard Johnstone Directed By: Gerard Johnstone Starring: Morgana O’Reilly, Rima Te Wiata, Ross Harper
I’m not even going to start this thing off with any of my patented act-a-foolishness and monstrous malarkey. Instead, I’m going to tell ya to get off yer buttocks and immediately see this film… seriously!
If my commands are not ample impetus enough for ya, I will of course give my standard sub-standard rundown and score (although you would have to be as dense as the unabridged The Stand not to guess my rating).
Anyway, Housebound tells the tale of small time thief and professional “not...
- 10/24/2014
- by DanielXIII
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
Between films like The Big Ask to 10 Things I Hate About You and television’s long-running series, Numb3rs, chances are you’ve seen a David Krumholtz joint. His latest project has him dressing in drag and talking about cumulus clouds, which is indeed a 180 from Bernard the elf.
Weather From is an online weather channel where daily outlooks are delivered by a delightfully frisky older woman named Gigi aka Krumholtz after four and a half hours of makeup. The comedy website is a new creation from Barry Sonders, Zach Golden and Ricky Mabe and features 35 pre-taped segments with forecasts from the National Weather Service. For Krumholtz, wearing prosthetics was a dream come true, and transforming into a fiesty retiree gave him a chance to pay tribute to his own grandmother. VH1 spoke to the actor about his latest gig, the sexual exploits of the Aarp set and a long-awaited grudge...
Weather From is an online weather channel where daily outlooks are delivered by a delightfully frisky older woman named Gigi aka Krumholtz after four and a half hours of makeup. The comedy website is a new creation from Barry Sonders, Zach Golden and Ricky Mabe and features 35 pre-taped segments with forecasts from the National Weather Service. For Krumholtz, wearing prosthetics was a dream come true, and transforming into a fiesty retiree gave him a chance to pay tribute to his own grandmother. VH1 spoke to the actor about his latest gig, the sexual exploits of the Aarp set and a long-awaited grudge...
- 6/17/2014
- by Emily Exton
- TheFabLife - Movies
I liked Fol Chen's album "The False Alarms," released last year. The band has a real sense of sequence, tempo and placement. They don't beat a chorus to death. (And "A Tourist Town" freaking rules.) All things that also help to make a good score and soundtrack. Julian Wass knows this. Maybe that's why the Fol Chen band member has already helmed a number of film sounds, his hands full with three scores in just a few scant months this summer. "The Pretty One" is the latest movie of these, with the film out on VOD tomorrow (June 3); Jenée Lamarque, Wass' wife, directed. For the film, Wass put together a cover of "It Might Be You," the theme from 1982's "Tootsie," an enchanting electronic re-imagining with singer Karryn on the mic. Speaking on the music for "The Pretty One," Wass said, “Around the same time as we started envisioning the score,...
- 6/3/2014
- Hitfix
Unafraid of digging into the most personal, often painful, fibers of their personalities, married co-directors Thomas Beatty & Rebecca Fishman created a film that feels brutally honest and human, while constantly easing away the drama with colorful humor. In their feature debut The Big Ask, the characters are not always likeable. They can be stubborn, selfish, and hurtful at times. Of course, there is also a pprofound love between all of them, and the kind nature of people is also highlighted, but it is perhaps in the way they express their negative emotions that the real greatness of the film shines.
After losing his mother to cancer, Andrew (David Krumholtz) finds himself incredibly lost. He and his girlfriend Hannah (Melanie Lynskey) invite his friends over to spend a week together at a house in the California desert to show support. What the group is not expecting is an odd request that Andrew thinks will save him from his depression. Bluntly and unashamed he explains he wants to have sex with both of his friends' girlfriends. What is perceived as a joke at first escalates to hilarious and heartbreaking proportions that expose the deep loneliness and need for compassion that afflict him.
Showcasing great performances from the entire cast, this is a powerful and tonally interesting first effort from the directing duo. Clearly Thomas Beatty has shown that his talent and ambition are equally as great, but separate from those of his famous father - who also appears briefly in the film. Here is what the directors had to share about the personal journey to create the story, the challenges of being new parents in the film world, and their protagonist's issues.
Aguilar: There is such a tangible human quality to the interactions between the characters that feels incredibly honest, both in the way they love each other and their conflicts. What was the origin of this story?
Thomas: Rebecca and I had a really tough year a couple years ago that definitely tested our relationship, but we made it out of it. When we came out the other side, we both knew it was something we wanted to make a movie about. A lot of what we went through had to do with me going through a really tough time. I felt like I was unfairly asking Rebecca to be there for me in a way that wasn’t necessarily appropriate, but which I found myself incapable of not doing. I wanted to write about that but I didn’t know how to do it without it being the saddest movie ever. Then, this idea came to me and it made me laugh, but it also felt like it got at what it means to be in pain in a way that makes you crazy.
Aguilar: As a married couple making a film about other couples, what kind of experience was it? Was it therapeutic, cathartic, crazy?
Thomas: Yes! [Laughs]
Rebecca: Definitely all of those things. It was a challenge to be directing together but also really fun. Since this is loosely based on our lives we drew some of the characters from people in our life. We were working through a lot of different stuff both through the movie and by making the movie.
Aguilar: Andrew, the protagonist played by David Krumholtz, has so many nuances and layers of complexity. How did you come about casting Krumholtz in this role ?
Thomas: David actually auditioned, which is pretty crazy to think that an actor of his caliber would audition for a movie of this scope, but he really responded to the script. Of course we were immediately interested, but there were some reservations whether this was something that he could pull off. Then he came in and gave the greatest audition I’ve ever seen anyone give, to this date I’ve never seen anything like it. He blew it out of the water.
Aguilar: Why does Andrew feel this is the only way that he could be happy? He could ask for a hundred different things, but why this? Is it the boundaries that it crosses?
Thomas: That’s a really good question. I was trying to get at what happens when as a child you don’t get the kind of love you need, and you are left as an adult with a child’s need for love. You need to be taken care of in a way that a parent takes care of a child, but that is not appropriate to ask of your partner or to ask of anyone else in your life. It just felt to me that if you needed nurturing that badly, specially when you are grown up and sexuality is a part of your life, this would be a way to tap into that. He is so earnest about thinking that is going to be a good thing. The fact that it is so taboo for everyone involved, made it feel like it was a way to approach the subject in a way that would be interesting even in a contained small movie.
Aguilar: The rest of the cast was also great, they are all at the edge between comedy and a nervous breakdown throughout the film. How did you divide the directorial duties on set?
Rebecca: We divided the directorial duties differently. I’m actually a photographer as my day job; therefore, I took on more of the visual side of storytelling and Thomas worked primarily with the actors, but there was definitely a lot of overlap.
Thomas: My dad is an actor and both Rebecca and I were actors for a long time, so we put a lot of importance on creating an atmosphere where actors felt comfortable and encouraged to do really good work and try things. In what little rehearsal time we had we focused on the relationships between these people and how vital it was for it to feel like they were all intimately close with each other. That’s why they stick around. We worked a lot with them on this, and I’m proud of that aspect of the movie. I think it shows that we have a good eye for great actors because everyone is on excellent and they feel like real friends.
Aguilar: The location is another interesting aspect of the film. This isolated house in the desert adds to the emotional isolation Andrew feels. Is that why you chose it?
Rebecca: The house that we shot in is actually the house that we go out to with our friends every year to celebrate New Years. We knew we wanted to set our movie in the desert and we chose this house in particular because the landscape is something we both really love. There is just a lot of built in production value in Joshua Tree, when you are making a movie for such a small budget you have to look for that added production value whatever you can. We also wanted to set it in an isolated place because it means we are removing these people from their actual life allowing us to create sort of a fairytale environment. Here you might do things that you might not otherwise do in “real life.” We wanted to add this fantastical, fairytale element.
Aguilar: Thomas, how difficult or emotional was it to work with your dad, Ned Beatty, in that small scene in the film?
Thomas: It was really wonderful. I was really scared to show him the script and ask him to do it, not because I thought he would say no, but because this is something he is so accomplished at. He was totally supportive the whole time. He really appreciated the script, and he got a real kick out of it. He was just so prepared and he was so “on” when the camera started rolling. I’ve enjoyed him in so many movies, and it was inspiring for me to be making a movie and see the quality of work that he does. It was really special for me.
Aguilar: Do you guys plan to keep working together in the future making films as a couple?
Rebecca: We definitely want to work together again. Now we have a baby so it’ll be tougher to do something where we are both on set at the same time, just because is so time consuming and all involving. But we are collaborators through and through, so I’m sure we will be doing this again.
Thomas: There are so many things to learn on your first movie. The second this movie was done we wanted to get back out there because we’ve learned so much and we feel there is so much more to learn.
Aguilar: What are you working now? What’s your next project?
Thomas: We really love working in the indie world because the opportunity to do something different is there. However, within that world there are still limitations on what you can do at any given time. Therefore, we are simultaneously developing projects. One is a play that I wrote that is very dear to our hear, and we know is going to take a while to get done. We are also working on some genre scripts and trying to get one of them to where we feel it is ready to go out.
Aguilar: There are a lot of emotions and distinct themes in The Big Ask. What is at the core of the film? Is it Andrew's issues and the way he tries to solve them?
Rebecca: I understand that Andrew is a dislikable character but he does say what he wants. There is something about how he is trying to get in touch with how he feels that is real even as misguided as it is. At the end of the film he starts to go down the road of learning to take care of his own needs. What I would like people to take away from the film is that you have to be there for yourself. You can’t ask other people to be there for you until you learn to take of yourself.
After losing his mother to cancer, Andrew (David Krumholtz) finds himself incredibly lost. He and his girlfriend Hannah (Melanie Lynskey) invite his friends over to spend a week together at a house in the California desert to show support. What the group is not expecting is an odd request that Andrew thinks will save him from his depression. Bluntly and unashamed he explains he wants to have sex with both of his friends' girlfriends. What is perceived as a joke at first escalates to hilarious and heartbreaking proportions that expose the deep loneliness and need for compassion that afflict him.
Showcasing great performances from the entire cast, this is a powerful and tonally interesting first effort from the directing duo. Clearly Thomas Beatty has shown that his talent and ambition are equally as great, but separate from those of his famous father - who also appears briefly in the film. Here is what the directors had to share about the personal journey to create the story, the challenges of being new parents in the film world, and their protagonist's issues.
Aguilar: There is such a tangible human quality to the interactions between the characters that feels incredibly honest, both in the way they love each other and their conflicts. What was the origin of this story?
Thomas: Rebecca and I had a really tough year a couple years ago that definitely tested our relationship, but we made it out of it. When we came out the other side, we both knew it was something we wanted to make a movie about. A lot of what we went through had to do with me going through a really tough time. I felt like I was unfairly asking Rebecca to be there for me in a way that wasn’t necessarily appropriate, but which I found myself incapable of not doing. I wanted to write about that but I didn’t know how to do it without it being the saddest movie ever. Then, this idea came to me and it made me laugh, but it also felt like it got at what it means to be in pain in a way that makes you crazy.
Aguilar: As a married couple making a film about other couples, what kind of experience was it? Was it therapeutic, cathartic, crazy?
Thomas: Yes! [Laughs]
Rebecca: Definitely all of those things. It was a challenge to be directing together but also really fun. Since this is loosely based on our lives we drew some of the characters from people in our life. We were working through a lot of different stuff both through the movie and by making the movie.
Aguilar: Andrew, the protagonist played by David Krumholtz, has so many nuances and layers of complexity. How did you come about casting Krumholtz in this role ?
Thomas: David actually auditioned, which is pretty crazy to think that an actor of his caliber would audition for a movie of this scope, but he really responded to the script. Of course we were immediately interested, but there were some reservations whether this was something that he could pull off. Then he came in and gave the greatest audition I’ve ever seen anyone give, to this date I’ve never seen anything like it. He blew it out of the water.
Aguilar: Why does Andrew feel this is the only way that he could be happy? He could ask for a hundred different things, but why this? Is it the boundaries that it crosses?
Thomas: That’s a really good question. I was trying to get at what happens when as a child you don’t get the kind of love you need, and you are left as an adult with a child’s need for love. You need to be taken care of in a way that a parent takes care of a child, but that is not appropriate to ask of your partner or to ask of anyone else in your life. It just felt to me that if you needed nurturing that badly, specially when you are grown up and sexuality is a part of your life, this would be a way to tap into that. He is so earnest about thinking that is going to be a good thing. The fact that it is so taboo for everyone involved, made it feel like it was a way to approach the subject in a way that would be interesting even in a contained small movie.
Aguilar: The rest of the cast was also great, they are all at the edge between comedy and a nervous breakdown throughout the film. How did you divide the directorial duties on set?
Rebecca: We divided the directorial duties differently. I’m actually a photographer as my day job; therefore, I took on more of the visual side of storytelling and Thomas worked primarily with the actors, but there was definitely a lot of overlap.
Thomas: My dad is an actor and both Rebecca and I were actors for a long time, so we put a lot of importance on creating an atmosphere where actors felt comfortable and encouraged to do really good work and try things. In what little rehearsal time we had we focused on the relationships between these people and how vital it was for it to feel like they were all intimately close with each other. That’s why they stick around. We worked a lot with them on this, and I’m proud of that aspect of the movie. I think it shows that we have a good eye for great actors because everyone is on excellent and they feel like real friends.
Aguilar: The location is another interesting aspect of the film. This isolated house in the desert adds to the emotional isolation Andrew feels. Is that why you chose it?
Rebecca: The house that we shot in is actually the house that we go out to with our friends every year to celebrate New Years. We knew we wanted to set our movie in the desert and we chose this house in particular because the landscape is something we both really love. There is just a lot of built in production value in Joshua Tree, when you are making a movie for such a small budget you have to look for that added production value whatever you can. We also wanted to set it in an isolated place because it means we are removing these people from their actual life allowing us to create sort of a fairytale environment. Here you might do things that you might not otherwise do in “real life.” We wanted to add this fantastical, fairytale element.
Aguilar: Thomas, how difficult or emotional was it to work with your dad, Ned Beatty, in that small scene in the film?
Thomas: It was really wonderful. I was really scared to show him the script and ask him to do it, not because I thought he would say no, but because this is something he is so accomplished at. He was totally supportive the whole time. He really appreciated the script, and he got a real kick out of it. He was just so prepared and he was so “on” when the camera started rolling. I’ve enjoyed him in so many movies, and it was inspiring for me to be making a movie and see the quality of work that he does. It was really special for me.
Aguilar: Do you guys plan to keep working together in the future making films as a couple?
Rebecca: We definitely want to work together again. Now we have a baby so it’ll be tougher to do something where we are both on set at the same time, just because is so time consuming and all involving. But we are collaborators through and through, so I’m sure we will be doing this again.
Thomas: There are so many things to learn on your first movie. The second this movie was done we wanted to get back out there because we’ve learned so much and we feel there is so much more to learn.
Aguilar: What are you working now? What’s your next project?
Thomas: We really love working in the indie world because the opportunity to do something different is there. However, within that world there are still limitations on what you can do at any given time. Therefore, we are simultaneously developing projects. One is a play that I wrote that is very dear to our hear, and we know is going to take a while to get done. We are also working on some genre scripts and trying to get one of them to where we feel it is ready to go out.
Aguilar: There are a lot of emotions and distinct themes in The Big Ask. What is at the core of the film? Is it Andrew's issues and the way he tries to solve them?
Rebecca: I understand that Andrew is a dislikable character but he does say what he wants. There is something about how he is trying to get in touch with how he feels that is real even as misguided as it is. At the end of the film he starts to go down the road of learning to take care of his own needs. What I would like people to take away from the film is that you have to be there for yourself. You can’t ask other people to be there for you until you learn to take of yourself.
- 5/31/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
I am going to share with you a hypothetical scenario. As I do, imagine yourself in this scenario. You can choose to be any one of the characters involved in the scenario, but I challenge you not to feel the raw emotion of the moment…
Andrew is suffering from the loss of his mother, who recently died of cancer. At Andrew’s request, his girlfriend Hannah, his two best friends Dave and Owen, and their two girlfriends Emily and Zoe, all meet up at a rented house in the rural desert to support Andrew in his time of grief. What they all find out is that Andrew, as a way to cope with the pain and sadness of his loss, would like to sleep with all three women, Hannah, Emily and Zoe, simultaneously, in an effort to help him heal, emotionally, by submerging himself in overwhelming love.
Now, in whose shoes are you standing?...
Andrew is suffering from the loss of his mother, who recently died of cancer. At Andrew’s request, his girlfriend Hannah, his two best friends Dave and Owen, and their two girlfriends Emily and Zoe, all meet up at a rented house in the rural desert to support Andrew in his time of grief. What they all find out is that Andrew, as a way to cope with the pain and sadness of his loss, would like to sleep with all three women, Hannah, Emily and Zoe, simultaneously, in an effort to help him heal, emotionally, by submerging himself in overwhelming love.
Now, in whose shoes are you standing?...
- 5/30/2014
- by Travis Keune
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Prolific indie producer Jennifer Westin has three low-budget features being released in 2014, including "The Big Ask," "Mutual Friends" and "Dead Within." Below, in a guest post for Indiewire, Westin provides advice for aspiring and first-time producers working on a micro-budget feature. 10 Tips for Successfully Producing a Micro-Budget Feature 1. Make sure the script is written as a micro-budget feature. That the script must be excellent is a given. You can't make a good movie from a mediocre script. But if you're intending to shoot a micro-budget movie, you also need a script that works with -- rather than fights -- your budgetary constraints. Of course that means avoid car chases, tons of VFX and period pieces. Moreover, think about where your film fits in the marketplace. Don't make a $200K version of a studio romantic comedy – you won't have the star power or marketing budget to compete with "Valentine's Day." "Mutual Friends,...
- 5/29/2014
- by Jennifer Westin
- Indiewire
We all handle grief in our own ways. Where one person may seek to drown their sorrows in busy work or the bottle, someone else might just shut down and bury themselves in bed for a few weeks. And then there’s Andrew (David Krumholdtz). His mother’s death from cancer has been increasingly hard on his mental state, and in an effort to heal he and his girlfriend Hannah (Melanie Lynskey) invite four of their closest friends to a rental house in Arizona to celebrate his birthday. Owen (Jason Ritter) and Emily (Gillian Jacobs) are dating, and Dave (Zachary Knighton) and Zoe (Ahna O’Reilly) are pre-engaged. It’s expected to be a week of relaxation, conversation and libation, but Andrew has a special request — the fulfillment of which he believes with heal his soul. He wants to have group sex with Hannah, Emily and Zoe. Andrew poses that question in the opening minutes of The Big Ask...
- 5/28/2014
- by Rob Hunter
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Editor's Note: This post is presented in partnership with Time Warner Cable Movies On Demand in support of May's Indie Film Month. "The Big Ask" is currently available to view On Demand. Today's TWC Indie film is "The Big Ask,' starring David Krumholtz, Melanie Lynskey and Jason Ritter. From the film's synopsis: "Andrew's mom has just died of cancer. It hits him hard and his closest friends worry about his sanity. When Andrew and his girlfriend Hannah invite everyone to spend a week in Joshua Tree to celebrate Andrew’s birthday, the friends rally around them. The first night goes well until Andrew announces that he’s figured out how to cure his depression-- by sleeping with all of them at the same time. His friends are not psyched. Andrew doesn’t know that Dave has just proposed to Zoe, and that Owen and Emily are on the rocks,...
- 5/21/2014
- by Casey Cipriani
- Indiewire
Our resident VOD expert tells you what's new to rent and own this week on the various streaming services such as cable Movies On Demand, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, and, of course, Netflix. Cable Movies On Demand: Same-day-as-disc releases, older titles and pretheatrical exclusives for rent, priced from $3-$10, in 24- or 48-hour periods 3 Days to Kill (action; Kevin Costner, Amber Heard; rated PG-13) About Last Night (comedy; Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy; rated R) The Monuments Men (historical action; George Clooney, Matt Damon; rated PG-13) Pompeii (action/disaster; Kit Harington, Carrie-Anne Moss; rated PG-13) Vampire Academy (anemic Ya supernatural comedy; Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry; rated PG-13) The Big Ask (comedy; Gillian Jacobs, David Krumholtz; pretheatrical release...
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- 5/20/2014
- by Robert B. DeSalvo
- Movies.com
The Big Ask
Written by Thomas Beatty
Directed by Thomas Beatty & Rebecca Fishman
USA, 2013
Friendship is all about compromise. Any true bond that lasts and endures relies heavily on the notion that he, she, or they will do almost anything for the good of the relationship. Such a bond is tested in the new dramedy The Big Ask. In this honest, slightly gritty indie film, we see just how much one person relies on his friends and how a rather unusual request can instill random emotions and reactions from a small group of people.
Andrew (David Krumholtz) has just lost his mother to cancer. He moves into a new house in Joshua Tree with his girlfriend Hannah (Melanie Lynskey). To cope with his grief, Andrew invites two other couples/close friends to his home to basically sit shiva with him. Andrew, however, has other plans in mind. He asks the...
Written by Thomas Beatty
Directed by Thomas Beatty & Rebecca Fishman
USA, 2013
Friendship is all about compromise. Any true bond that lasts and endures relies heavily on the notion that he, she, or they will do almost anything for the good of the relationship. Such a bond is tested in the new dramedy The Big Ask. In this honest, slightly gritty indie film, we see just how much one person relies on his friends and how a rather unusual request can instill random emotions and reactions from a small group of people.
Andrew (David Krumholtz) has just lost his mother to cancer. He moves into a new house in Joshua Tree with his girlfriend Hannah (Melanie Lynskey). To cope with his grief, Andrew invites two other couples/close friends to his home to basically sit shiva with him. Andrew, however, has other plans in mind. He asks the...
- 5/16/2014
- by Randall Unger
- SoundOnSight
Sometimes there’s a little bit of legwork involved in being a Jason Ritter fan. With a career that’s toggled between interesting character roles in limited-release movies (2005’s Happy Endings, 2008’s Good Dick) and bigger parts in short-lived TV shows (Joan of Arcadia, The Class, The Event), his always-nuanced performances can often prove hard to catch. That changes today with the Vimeo On Demand release of I Am I, a Kickstarter-funded movie about a woman posing as her recently deceased mother in order to get to know her long-lost father, who is suffering from memory loss. The actor co-stars with Jocelyn Towne, who also wrote and directed the film, and her husband The Big Bang Theory's Simon Helberg, who has been a friend of Ritter’s since high school. Next week will see the release of The Big Ask, another indie Ritter shot with a cast of TV thespians,...
- 5/13/2014
- by Rose Maura Lorre
- Vulture
Exclusive: Gillian Jacobs has landed the female lead in MGM’s Hot Tub Time Machine 2, the Steve Pink-directed sequel that stars Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Adam Scott and her former Community co-star Chevy Chase. Jacobs has Walk Of Shame in the can, which she stars in opposite Elizabeth Banks and James Marsden, with Film District releasing September 20. Jacobs also will be seen this fall in the Jacob Vaughan-directed comedy Milo opposite Ken Marino and Peter Stormare, following its SXSW premiere. She also has the Thomas Beatty-directed Teddy Bears opposite Jason Ritter and Melanie Lynskey. Related: Chevy Chase In For ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’ Sequel Jacobs returns for the fifth season of NBC’s Community, for which she got a 2012 nom from the Broadcast Television Journalists Association for Best Supporting Actress. Jacobs separately wrapped Life Partners opposite Leighton Meester and Adam Brody, and the Richard Gray...
- 6/7/2013
- by MIKE FLEMING JR
- Deadline
[Editor's Note: Today's guest blogger is the actress Melanie Lynskey. Her new film, the Sundance hit "Hello I Must Be Going" opens on September 7th. Don't miss it! -Nathaniel R]
Photo Time. I'm sharing photos
(see part 1 for Venice with Peter Jackson and the upcoming feature Teddy Bears)
Cast & Crew of "They Came Together". © Melanie Lynskey
This photo above is of me saying "How in the hell did I get so lucky?" It is from the set of They Came Together, which is a romantic comedy that was written by David Wain and Michael Showalter and directed by Mr. Wain. Back row L-r: me, Amy Poehler, our first Ad Lyda Blank, Paul Rudd, Erinn Hayes, Cobie Smulders, Kenan Thompson (on arm of sofa) Front row L-r: Michael Showalter, Ed Helms, Jason Mantzoukas, David Wain. Funny funny funny people!!
The next three pictures are from the set of Hello, I Must Be Going. It comes out September 7th -- so soon!
Photo Time. I'm sharing photos
(see part 1 for Venice with Peter Jackson and the upcoming feature Teddy Bears)
Cast & Crew of "They Came Together". © Melanie Lynskey
This photo above is of me saying "How in the hell did I get so lucky?" It is from the set of They Came Together, which is a romantic comedy that was written by David Wain and Michael Showalter and directed by Mr. Wain. Back row L-r: me, Amy Poehler, our first Ad Lyda Blank, Paul Rudd, Erinn Hayes, Cobie Smulders, Kenan Thompson (on arm of sofa) Front row L-r: Michael Showalter, Ed Helms, Jason Mantzoukas, David Wain. Funny funny funny people!!
The next three pictures are from the set of Hello, I Must Be Going. It comes out September 7th -- so soon!
- 8/30/2012
- by SPECIAL GUEST STAR
- FilmExperience
[Editor's Note: The Film Experience is pleased to welcome Melanie Lynskey, star of Hello I Must Be Going (opening September 7th), as today's special guest blogger - Nathaniel R]
Photo Time. I'm sharing photos! (Part 1)
Most of my old photos are at my parents house in New Zealand, but I did find one good oldie. So I will post one old one, and the rest are from four films I finished filming in the last year. That way I can totally plug those movies!
© Melanie Lynskey for The Film Experience
The first photo was taken at the Venice Film Festival in 1994. I want to tap myself on the shoulder and say, "hey, you're at the Venice Film Festival! Put some mascara on!" But I was going through a time in my life where I refused to wear makeup or high heels or anything form-fitted, partly to drive my mother crazy and partly because I was reading "The Beauty Myth" every few months and getting angrier every time. Also it would really delight Peter Jackson when I showed up to a premiere in Converse,...
Photo Time. I'm sharing photos! (Part 1)
Most of my old photos are at my parents house in New Zealand, but I did find one good oldie. So I will post one old one, and the rest are from four films I finished filming in the last year. That way I can totally plug those movies!
© Melanie Lynskey for The Film Experience
The first photo was taken at the Venice Film Festival in 1994. I want to tap myself on the shoulder and say, "hey, you're at the Venice Film Festival! Put some mascara on!" But I was going through a time in my life where I refused to wear makeup or high heels or anything form-fitted, partly to drive my mother crazy and partly because I was reading "The Beauty Myth" every few months and getting angrier every time. Also it would really delight Peter Jackson when I showed up to a premiere in Converse,...
- 8/29/2012
- by SPECIAL GUEST STAR
- FilmExperience
Jason Ritter is at the Tribeca Film Festival* with his new film Free Samples, in which he and his friends try to operate an ice-cream truck, but very little work actually gets done: The head of operations (played by Halley Feiffer) is busy organizing an intervention for her brother, her main helper (played by Jess Weixler) is hungover, and Ritter's character is trying to reach the ice-cream dispenser without revealing to customers that he has no pants on. The actor, who could probably use some ice cream himself since he's stuck shooting a movie in the California desert, chatted with Vulture, prior to the film's world premiere on April 20, about time travel, worshiping Fred Savage, and baring it all for co-star Jesse Eisenberg.You're in Joshua Tree shooting a movie at the moment?Yeah, Teddy Bears. It's about this guy [played by David Krumholtz] who invites his girlfriend and two other...
- 4/20/2012
- by Jennifer Vineyard
- Vulture
With the dark comedy "Teddy Bears," first-time feature filmmaking duo (and spouses!) Thomas Beatty and Rebecca Fishman revisit the tough year leading up to their marriage for all the world to see. Talk about creative marriage counselling. "We were both ready for it to be very difficult," Beatty told Indiewire over the phone from Joshua Tree National Park, where the production is currently on its 10th day of a 17-day shoot. "Rebecca's dad has a funny expression, I guess it's a golf expression called 'ham and egging it' -- where when you're playing with a partner and one person is having a really great day and the other person isn't, you just learn to tap it out. That's been the case with us." The script, written by Beatty, loosely uses their premarital stress as the basis for a story centering on Andrew, a guy who after losing his mother, invites...
- 4/13/2012
- by Nigel M Smith
- Indiewire
• After rising to the top of a tight pack, as we reported yesterday, Chloë Grace Moretz has found herself in the spotlight and soon to be covered in pig blood since she was offered the title role in Kimberly Peirce’s Carrie reboot, based on Stephen King’s 1974 and the subsequent Oscar-nominated film directed by Brian de Palma. Jodie Foster and Julianne Moore are reportedly being considered to play Moretz’s mother. [Variety]
• Forest Whitaker has been replaced by Jeffrey Wright in the thriller A Single Shot. Juliette Lewis and Jennifer Jason Leigh were once each slated to play the female lead in the casting merry-go-round,...
• Forest Whitaker has been replaced by Jeffrey Wright in the thriller A Single Shot. Juliette Lewis and Jennifer Jason Leigh were once each slated to play the female lead in the casting merry-go-round,...
- 3/27/2012
- by Lanford Beard
- EW - Inside Movies
Teddy Bears snuggles up with David Krumholtz, Melanie Lynskey, Jason Ritter, Gillian Jacobs and more
Teddy Bears indie lands cast. David Krumholtz, Melanie Lynskey, Gillian Jacobs, Jason Ritter, Ahna O'Reilly, Zachary Knight and Ned Beatty have all joined Thomas Beatty's indie dark comedy Teddy Bears, reports Variety. Scripted by Beatty and his wife Rebecca Fishman, and helmed by Beatty, the story tells of three couples who go to the desert in order to aid a friend in healing after the passing of his mother. Apparently, they will do anything for him, except the one thing he wants. Teddy Bears is produced by Cover Productions' Jennifer Westin, while Karina Miller...
- 3/26/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Teddy Bears snuggles up with David Krumholtz, Melanie Lynskey, Jason Ritter, Gillian Jacobs and more
Teddy Bears indie lands cast. David Krumholtz, Melanie Lynskey, Gillian Jacobs, Jason Ritter, Ahna O'Reilly, Zachary Knight and Ned Beatty have all joined Thomas Beatty's indie dark comedy Teddy Bears, reports Variety. Scripted by Beatty and his wife Rebecca Fishman, and helmed by Beatty, the story tells of three couples who go to the desert in order to aid a friend in healing after the passing of his mother. Apparently, they will do anything for him, except the one thing he wants. Teddy Bears is produced by Cover Productions' Jennifer Westin, while Karina Miller...
- 3/26/2012
- Upcoming-Movies.com
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