AFFILIATES:

Brafilm.com
Internet.se

Paul and Jennifer were recently spotted at a Balenciaga fashion retrospective at the Museum of Fashion and Textiles in Paris, France. The exhibition runs until the end of January 2007; details can be found here (in French only). See the gallery for a picture.

"Firewall" is out on DVD and VHS in the US, and due out on the 24th of this month in the UK. I personally haven't seen it, but if anyone has and would like to review it, drop me a short text by e-mail!

"Dead Babies" (based on the most excellent book by Martin Amis), "David Copperfield" (with Paul as James Steerforth) and an extended version of "A Knight's Tale" (no word as of yet whether there is more Chaucery goodness) have also been released on DVD while I've been away. "Killer Net" (a semi-old TV movie) is out in August - if I recall correctly this has been released before, and the new release simply features a Paul biography and filmography. It's amazing what film companies will do just to make an extra buck or two from a name.

From pr-inside.com:

PAUL BETTANY was thrilled to be surrounded by luscious ladies when he collected the Man Of The Year trophy at the Glamour Awards last night (06JUN06). The British actor, who was the only man to be honoured by the British edition of women's magazine, was hailed at the London ceremony for his impressive appearance in THE DA VINCI CODE, not to mention his sexy screen presence.

British actor Paul Bettany was awarded the coveted Man of the Year trophy at the Glamour Awards on Wednesday for his performance in the blockbuster film 'The Da Vinci Code'. Bettany, who played the role of the albino monk Silas in director Ron Howard's film, was the only man honoured at the awards for the well-known women's magazine and was apparently thrilled at receiving the prize.

Paul, and others in the know, have denied "the rampant rumours" that confirm him as The Joker in Chris Nolan's follow-up to "Batman Begins". Filmforce@IGN refer to pr-inside.com and say:

According to PR Inside, British actor Paul Bettany addressed the rampant rumors about his being up for the role of The Joker in the next Batman movie while doing press for his upcoming release, The Da Vinci Code. "In truth I haven't heard anything officially. It's a rumour entirely made up by journalists. Or maybe it's a conspiracy by journalists to ruin my negotiation," Bettany said. He added, "So if they did offer it to me, I'd already have told the press I'd love to do it, so the producers would say, 'Wonderful. Now will you do it for $5 please?'" Sources for Batman-on-Film, however, recently advised the site that Bettany is not a contender to portray the Clown Prince of Crime. Warner Bros. reportedly feels Bettany has done "too many creepy villain roles; been there, done that. He was never really in this race, as your site intimated recently."

And to round things off on a comic note, here's an amusing Guardian article on the Pope's taste in music (ok, not really) that mentions Paul ("What better way of clamping down on sacred cacophony than deploying battalions of Paul Bettany look-a-likes to spring unsuspected on the throngs of happy clappers?").

July 4: I sense an upswing in Mr. Bettany's popularity, what with this whole "Da Vinci Code" thing. To start this site up again though would demand a LOT of hard work, and a lot of time - neither of which I am in any way unwilling to put in, were it not for currently working and studying full-time. Still, I shall certainly make an effort - check back in a day or two for more news!

June 7: My God - it's been forever, hasn't it? =)

Paul has been confirmed as playing Silas in "The Da Vinci Code" (2006), which will start filming shortly. I am still in shock by this announcement, but the rest of the cast is brilliant so it looks like this might actually go over well (I had my doubts) - they've managed to snag Ian McKellen, Jean Reno and Alfred Molina for the other three major supporting roles (Sir Teabing, Bezu Fache and Bishop Aringarosa, respectively).

"The Wrong Element" (2006) has been retitled "Firewall" and is currently shooting in British Columbia. They apparently went with director Richard Loncraine - who previously worked with Paul on "Wimbledon" - and the latter should be going on to filming "The Da Vinci Code" shortly after this one wraps, which means another lengthy flight for our hero ("Code" is reportedly filming in France and Great Britain). "Firewall" is apparently being kept under covers, but if I find any production stills you guys will be the first to know! Also starring in this film is Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, whom you may remember from "Wimbledon" (he played Dieter Prohl, the man who according to Paul's commentary on said film is "too good-looking to live").

At the 2005 MTV Movie Awards, Jennifer Connelly had this to say about her husband:

Jennifer Connelly called it "appropriate" that her husband, Paul Bettany, will play the part of an evil albino in The Da Vinci Code movie. "He is kind of a shocking shade of pale," she said. "I suppose someday he could get enough freckles that they connect into a tan." (from USAToday.com)

The Arizona Times include the following in a review for British gangster flick "Layer Cake":

Keeping an eye on Mr. X is Jimmy's second, Gene (Colm Meaney), whose criminal past includes a run-in with a wild gangster similar to Paul Bettany's character in Gangster No. 1. (Layer Cake also features several cast members from that film). This could be homage or accident.

Here's an odd bit about Russell Crowe, from a review of "Cinderella Man":

Other actors who have appeared with Crowe corroborate this opinion. Paul Bettany, who has played downwind of Crowe in deodorant and pre-deodorant roles, says the difference in those experiences is like day and night.

"When I did my brilliantly eccentric turn as John Nash's invisible roommate in 'A Beautiful Mind,'" said Bettany, "there was nothing offensive about the way Russell smelled. In fact, I thought he nailed the scent of a hyper-smart Ivy League student.

"On the other hand, when I turned in my vastly overlooked performance as the ship's doctor in 'Master and Commander,' it was all I could do to sit in the same room with Russell for those silly musical duets, which I thought looked a bit gay, if you must know. He smelled like a side of rotting beef because, like it or not, that's the way most captains smelled in the early nineteenth century."

And finally, Monsters and Critics.com like Paul too:

Beautiful Mind was a great movie, not an Oscar Best Picture winner (which it did) but a great movie nonetheless. (Paul Bettany has been robbed more times than Martin Scorsese has started walking towards the stage when they announce the Best Director winner).

[ETA:] I've e-mailed Warner Independent to ask whether any of the casting rumours (Bettany, Connelly, Law) are in fact true. We'll see whether they find the time to reply or not.

Nov 20: Right crackers - let's get cracking!

"Wimbledon" is slated for a December 28 home video/dvd release, and extras reportedly include the following:

• Commentary with director Richard Loncraine and actor Paul Bettany
• Wimbledon: A Look Inside featurette
• Welcome to the Club - Featurette
• Ball Control - Featurette
• Coach a Rising Star - Featurette

In related news, Working Title (the production company behind "Wimbledon", "Bridget Jones", "Love Actually" and "Four Weddings and a Funeral") have announced their retirement from the rom-com genre. Looks like Mr Grant is out of a job...? He's been their staple for ten years, appearing in no less than six different projects.

And finally, David Yates (confirmed director of mystery project "Brideshead Revisited") is in talks to direct the fifth Harry Potter film, "The Order of the Phoenix". Filming will begin late next year, so it may be that "Brideshead" is pushed further down the road to oblivion. Still, we'll keep our fingers crossed.

Oct 4: Added a cute bit interview with The Age. (I think there might be something wrong with the Yahoo!News notifications as this one was the first I've recieved in several weeks...keep your fingers crossed.)

Oct 1: Added some new pictures to the Gallery, and even more are forthcoming!

Sep 24: Added an interview with The Belfast Telegraph.

Paul's appearance on Jay Leno last Tuesday was very low-key: he talked about Jennifer and Stellan ("You *just* had a baby"? The kid is 8 months old, Jay!) and they showed a clip from "Wimbledon" (the scene where Lizzie/Kirsten's father, played by Sam Neill, comes to Peter/Paul's apartment looking for her and lets it slip that Lizzie is in fact falling for Peter). The most amazing thing about Paul's appearance was his suit: it was maroon, with a matching tie and matching shoes (!). Go Paul and his publicist's crazy fashion sense.

Sep 20: Go here for a 4-minute interview clip with Paul about "Wimbledon". I also added interviews with The Times Online and Empire Magazine (the one with Angelina Jolie on the cover).

Sep 17: A friend of mine found an article in a Canadian newspaper and was kind enough to transcribe it for me. After correcting the multiple spelling mistakes I went ahead and posted it to Articles. Oh, and here's some more Universal spam for you:

The "BUY TICKETS" link goes to Yahoo!Movies.

From The Wimbledon Guardian:

Cinema-goers will get a chance to see the film Wimbledon two days before it is released to the public. The advance screening of the romantic comedy will raise money for charity. Cineworld Wandsworth is showing Wimbledon on Wednesday, September 22, for �10, which includes entrance and a regular popcorn and drink. All proceeds will go to the homeless charity Crisis and Marie Curie Cancer Care as part of a fundraising effort by two cinema staff who are doing the Great North Run. To buy tickets call the box office on 08712 208 000.

Sep 16: Added an interview and some snippets from ComingSoon.Net to Wimbledon News. In the interview he mentions doing "The Wrong Element", so that's a go-ahead and I've added a filmography page. "Brideshead Revisited" and "American Pastoral" are both still up in the air.

This from Ireland Online:

Actor Paul Bettany cites fellow Brit Jude Law as the reason he's securing major Hollywood roles - because he looks similar to the Cold Mountain star but costs less. The 33-year-old husband of actress Jennifer Connelly believes he's cast by directors who turn to him when Law proves too expensive for a film's budget.

But the Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World star refuses to let the trend offend him - because he knows one day studios will be searching for a cheaper version of Paul Bettany.

He says: "I've been the beneficiary of producers saying: 'Get me that guy who looks like Jude Law but is cheaper. What's his name? - Paul Bettany?' And then they go, 'Get me Paul Bettany.' But soon they'll be saying, 'Actually, get me the guy who looks like Paul Bettany but is cheaper.'"

Sep 15: A snippet from Hello! Magazine on the "Wimbledon" premiere:

Wimbledon's leading man, 33-year-old Paul Bettany, brought along his true leading lady, wife Jennifer Connelly, to the Monday night screening. But it was co-star Kirsten, 22, his romantic interest in the movie, who has been singing the British actor's praises.

"It's a delicate balance, because it's so easy to go over the top," she says of the love story. "But with Paul, he's so adorable and respectful. I just cannot say enough nice things about him."

From The Daily Telegraph:

Dunst found a compatible on-screen partner in Wimbledon co-star Paul Bettany, who flew to California to do a screen test with her at the the Hollywood hotel Chateau Marmont. �We got along right from the beginning,� she says. �It was such a relief for me to be able to work with him every day. With him I felt totally comfortable. I�d love to do a more serious movie with him one day.�

From an interview with Kirsten at romanticmovies.about.com:

What was your experience working in the Wimbledon stadium?
Well, [Paul] walked on the court with all the crowds from, you know, during the games. So he had a totally different experience from me. They were filming him step out and the actual Wimbledon crowd was there cheering him on. That�s something that�s lived in him his whole childhood. Like for me, I live here and so it hasn�t been ingrained in me like it has in him. But I definitely felt the weight of this arena and it was an honor to be allowed to step on it and shoot on it. It was kind of weird in the beginning. But for him...I mean, if I had gone out there with the crowd, I probably would have cried. It just overtakes you when a whole stadium is cheering for you. It�s just really overwhelming, for sure.

NB! There's apparently two official sites for this movie. One is http://www.wimbledonthemovie.com and the other http://www.wimbledonmovie.com. The former is more of a teaser, with only the trailer and a brief synopsis, whereas the latter features cast biographies, a photo gallery and various downloads as well as TV spots and clips from the film (!).

I've changed the link on both the Sep 9 News entry as well as the "Wimbledon" filmography page to the latter, more extensive site. Now go look!

Sep 14: The Glasgow Daily Record is proud to announce that "Hollywood actor Paul Bettany has backed the Daily Record's campaign to ensure better treatment of the elderly in care homes. Bettany, 33, who stars in new romantic comedy Wimbledon with Kirsten Dunst, worked in a home in London before hitting the big time in films such as A Beautiful Mind and Master and Commander. And he supports our campaign to ensure care staff are properly qualified and vetted. The London-born actor, who is married to Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly, said: 'It is kind of depressing when you sit talking to these older people who have had such full lives and what they're left with is a suitcase on top of a wardrobe in a bedroom in a home. You need to be a certain kind of person to do that kind of work. And it is important that they're registered to work with people they're supposed to help.'

Elites TV mocks Paul for being "a real hit on the Wimbledon set". Apparently, he "caused a lot of pain on the set of his upcoming movie Wimbledon - leaving both the crew and himself injured. [He] admits he was the cause of a few awkward situations during filming: 'I hit the cameraman three times. Twice they were glancing blows. The third time I bought him a bottle of Scotch because I really hit him in the head.' But Bettany admits he was also his own worst enemy on the set, adding, 'I stupidly asked for a mat since I was diving (for a ball) so many times. They put one down, and I half-missed it. I didn't put my hands down because I saw a fluffy mattress. So I busted my rib.'

Also, there's this, from Digital Spy:

Kirsten Dunst has complained about the bad language that her Wimbledon co-star Paul Bettany used while on set. "He uses the word 'cunt' more than anybody I've ever met, mostly for guys, but he completely uses it like he's saying the word 'water'," she told Dark Horizons.

I've added a review, an article and a rather extensive Wimbledon-centric interview with Paul to Wimbledon News, and a couple of production shots are forthcoming in the Gallery.

Sep 9: My inbox this morning:

Those links obviously won't work now as I'm only posting the unlinked graphic, but these are all features that are available on the official site. Go, play, enjoy!

Here's a press release from Universal/Working Title:

WHAT: The world premiere of the romantic comedy "WIMBLEDON"

WHO: "WIMBLEDON" cast members Kirsten Dunst, Paul Bettany, Jon Favreau, Austin Nichols and James McAvoy; along with Wimbledon champions Chris Evert (who appears in the film) and Pat Cash (who served as tennis advisor on the film); tennis commentator Mary Carillo (who also appears in the film); French open doubles champion Murphy Jenson (also in the film); screenwriters Adam Brooks, Jennifer Flackett & Mark Levin; producers/Working Title co-chairs Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner and producer/Working Title President of U.S. Production Liza Chasin; and director Richard Loncraine.

Plus, additional celebrity guests, including Elizabeth Banks; doubles champions and brothers Bob and Mike Bryan; Lacey Chabert; Jennifer Connelly; Cary Elwes; Akiva Goldsman; Melissa Joan Hart; Brian Helgeland; Josh Hutcherson; Allison Janney; Jeremy Piven; Nikki Reed; Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova; Amber Tamblyn; plus many others.

WHERE: Samuel Goldwyn Theater Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 8949 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills

WHEN: Monday, September 13, 2004 | 5:30 p.m. Press Call Time | 6:30 p.m. Celebrity Arrivals | 7:30 p.m. Screening Begins

"WIMBLEDON" opens in theaters across the country on Friday, September 17, 2004

Paul will be on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" on Tuesday, September 14 (airing in most European countries on Tuesday, September 21), and Kirsten Dunst will be on the same program the following night.

I added a bunch of pictures to the Gallery, of which there are now four sections - rock! Also, Paul won the "Actor of the Year" award at the GQ "Men of the Year" Awards last night, so expect some pics of that soon.

Sep 8: Added an article as well as a couple of short news stories to Articles and Wimbledon News, respectively. Also, there's this, from the Melbourne Herald Sun:

Most new dads swap baby stories - but Wimbledon star Paul Bettany and good mate Russell Crowe have been trading baby clothes.

Bettany and Oscar-winner Jennifer Connelly have a one-year-old son, Stellan (named after actor Stellan Skarsgard). Rusty and Danielle Spencer's son, Charles, is eight months old.

"We send each other clothes that we find," the charming English actor told The Eye. "I got a brilliant one for my bubba -- a Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols T-shirt for a baby."

Aug 31: The month-long "Wimbledon" world promo tour kicked off last weekend in Los Angeles and currently sees Paul on a three-day stint in Australia, where he reportedly landed this morning (according to the Australian Daily Telegraph). Unaccompanied by his family, he'll meet up with them in London, the next stop on the whirlwind tour. Paul, suffering from a viral infection, won't be kicking it up with buddy Russell Crowe as the latter is still in Los Angeles, where Paul's illness kept the two from meeting up (Russell didn't want to risk his children contracting the disease).

Aug 27: The Hollywood Reporter had this to say on July 30: "Paul Bettany, who co-starred with Russell Crowe in both "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" and "A Beautiful Mind", is in final negotiations to join Harrison Ford in "The Wrong Element". The Warner Brothers thriller revolves around the kidnapping of the wife and daughter of a security expert (Ford), who is forced to steal a vast sum of money from a bank he's protecting in order to ransom his family. As his efforts come to the attention of law enforcement officials, he races to complete the illegal transfer of funds. Bettany would play Ford's nemesis."

On Tuesday this week, however, director Mark Pellington bowed out due to "the death of his wife last week after a brief illness. WB has yet to find a replacement for Pellington, though the studio is actively pursuing a substitute to keep the pic's intended early fall shoot date." (KillerMovies)

"Wimbledon" opens worldwide in September (keep an eye out for talkshow appearances!), and "Dogville" is still making ripples on the water a full year after its European release - go Lars!

Speaking of "Wimbledon": "The Tennis Channel, the 24-hour cable television network devoted to tennis and other racquet sports, has partnered with Universal Pictures to help market the upcoming film "Wimbledon," which stars Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany. The network will launch an on-air sweepstakes for a trip to the 2005 Wimbledon tournament, and will also telecast behind-the-scenes programing about the film, host screenings of "Wimbledon" in seven U.S. cities and promote the movie at several tennis tournaments this summer." (says The Hollywood Reporter)

Ace Tennis Magazine (http://www.acemag.co.uk) also has a Behind The Scenes feature on "Wimbledon" in their September issue.

Esquire has named "the world's best dressed men", and the short-list includes the Prince of Wales, Jude Law, Hugh Grant and Paul Bettany, who was described by fashion director Nick Sullivan as 'The classic Brit who knows how to split between dressing up and dressing down'." Pictures forthcoming.

Our favourite tabloid, The Toronto Star, mentions the conduction of a poll by ImagineCasting.com on who the public would like to see cast in the upcoming adaptation of "The DaVinci Code". Paul is in the lead to play "masochistic and murderous albino cleric Silas" (followed by Crispin Glover), and I can only giggle desperately at this (did you all see "The Reckoning" yet?). Bearing in mind that both Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman are attached to the project (the director and screenwriter, respectively, of "A Beautiful Mind") there's a real chance Paul might actually appear in this movie. We'll keep our fingers crossed!

"David Copperfield" - filmed during Paul's days of heavy substance abuse - has finally been released on DVD in the UK. I'll get a hold of a copy of this, as well as "Dead Babies/Mood Swingers" and "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" (that I never got a chance to cap) and spam you all within the next couple of weeks.

May 27: Am so so so busy with real life (TM) right now, but I'm swinging by to wish Mr. Bettany a happy 33rd birthday, and to tell you that Jennifer Connelly has also been confirmed to star in "Brideshead Revisited" (see news a bit further down). I also have in my possession a copy of "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" that I will cap as soon as I have the time (think early next week).

In the meantime, check out Paul Bettany.net!

May 15: Well I'm off to Paris for a week, so you'll have to live without even those highly sporadic updates you should have grown used to by now. I shall return on Thursday bearing gifts of goodness...Ta!

May 9: From an interview with freelance photographer Johnnie Shand Kydd in The Guardian:

The other day he photographed the actor Paul Bettany for Interview and began by asking him to take all his clothes off, which he did, but he doesn't like photographing actors generally, because it means dealing with publicists.

This is of course the somewhat infamous tub shot (to be found in Gallery II, bottom right).

May 6: Tinkered around a bit and added a navigation bar (which you can see to your left) as well as a couple of movie affiliates.

For those of you who saw "Dogville", there's an interesting article on Lars von Trier in the New Zealand Herald, that also briefly mentions Paul (off-site, opens in a new window).

May 3: I have in my possession a copy of "Sharpe's Waterloo", and shall proceed to make completely gratuitous screencaps of a 26-year-old incompetent Prince of Orange. Eat your heart out, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (why didn't they cast him in Velvet Goldmine? It's a SIN I tell you)!

I also added a few caps from "The Heart of Me".

Apr 27: Added a lovely interview from The Scotsman with Paul's father Thane Bettany. It's basically all about Paul.

Apr 26: UK test screenings of "Wimbledon" are getting mixed reviews, many dismissing it as "just another standard romantic comedy with nothing new to offer". Even Kirsten Dunst has expressed doubts about the script, saying it's "fluff". We know Paul's going back for pick-ups, and bad reviews will spawn re-cuts and possible re-shoots, so hopefully the final product will evoke more favourable sentiments.

Also, here's a random snippet from (tabloid) The Toronto Sun:

Jennifer Connelly wanted some personal training while here shooting Dark Waters. The call went out to Amir Roizman of EPOC Toronto, who has sculpted Jude Law and Geena Davis. Roizman met with Connelly for an hour and a half while Connelly's husband, Paul Bettany, played guitar and sang John Lennon's "Beautiful Boy" to their infant son.

Apr 20: "Master and Commander" is out on DVD in North America! As is, apparently "The Heart of Me". No release dates available for "Dogville" and "The Reckoning" as of yet, and "Wimbledon" is still in post-production, awaiting a general theatrical release in September.

Apr 19: The full Leno transcript is up, as well as some caps from the "Dogville" extras.

Apr 18: I'll have the rest of the Leno transcript and some caps from the making of documentary (and possibly deleted scenes) from the "Master and Commander" DVD up by tonight. (I blame the lack of Leno on the evil of my VCR. Remember, kids: electronics are NOT your friends.)

Apr 16: I put up the first part of Paul's appearance on Leno in a new section (still under construction): Talk.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Paul is all set to star alongside Jude Law in the Hollywood remake of the popular British mini series "Brideshead Revisited". For those of you familiar with this 1944 Evelyn Waugh novel (or the 80's TV series), Paul will be portraying the character of Charles Ryder (formerly played by Jeremy Irons). This "quintessentially British tale of aristocratic decadence" will be shot on location at Chatsworth House in Devonshire, England, with a budget of �10 million pounds ($25 million dollars).

No news about "American Pastoral": the unconfirmed cast still includes Paul, Jennifer and Evan Rachel Wood, and pre-production will reportedly start this spring, with a tentative release date sometime next year.

Apr 15: I'm way too lazy to make caps at the moment (do you realize how many hours of work that would entail?? considering I have at least three movies to cover - gah), but I *do* promise to have the transcript of Paul on Leno up by tomorrow afternoon. I'm also still looking for his Conan O'Brien appearance.

Two new photos added, as well as a scan of an Empire article.

Apr 12: Back from spending Easter in Scotland, only to bring you this (much belated if you're in the US) announcement: Paul was/will be on Jay Leno last Thursday/this Thursday (most of Europe are a week behind), with Matthew Perry. The DVD of "Master and Commander" is released in a week or two in the US, so I'm assuming that's mainly what he'll be talking about.

Also, here's an excellent Times article.

Apr 7: "Master and Commander", "The Heart of Me" and "Dogville" have all been released on DVD in the UK/Europe. Expect some screencaps after Easter!

Apr 6: Found an excellent interview from 2002 where Paul talks candidly about drugs, girlfriends and movies. It's the Telegraph one from 16th Nov 2002.

Apr 1: If you don't see me posting for days it's not because I've abandoned you (or Paul) (not this time around!), but rather because all the news I'm getting these days are movie reviews of "The Reckoning" and "Dogville"; and as lovely as they may be (and most of them aren't) I just don't deem them news-worthy.

What I *can* tell you is that Russell Crowe is currently in TO filming "Cinderella Man", and will (if he hasn't already) undoubtedly hook up with the Bettany-Connelly family, who are braving the Toronto weather for "Dark Water" and Stellan, respectively. I'm assuming Russ's wife and baby are on location as well, but I could of course be wrong about this (it's been known to happen on occasion).

Mar 30: A Q&A in NewsWeek, with *painfully* inane questions (beware the patented Bettany snark!):

You married Jennifer Connelly. Ever look at her and think, "How did I manage to snag this gorgeous creature?" No, that's probably how she looks at me. She's very plain. It's all makeup.

Did you get seasick shooting "Master and Commander"? No, I'm so sorry, it would have been a much better story if either Russell or myself did. But a third of the cast and crew did, so that's enormously entertaining.

Did Russell Crowe ever get drunk and pick a fight with you? I never once saw him get into a fight or have a row with somebody. I would love to find out where these stories come from, to be honest.

I read that you like to swear a lot. I do swear a lot. It probably shows an enormous lack of vocabulary. I suppose I'll never be truly chic. But you know, f�- those people.

Why are English people so self-deprecating? It's more pleasant than someone singing their own praises.

What's your next movie? I'm giving up acting. I can't be bothered at the moment. I genuinely can't find anything I really want to do.

Mar 25: The Bond buzz is still on, reaching a peak (or at least a plateau) as Pierce Brosnan has expressed doubt about making another Bond movie after the one currently being scripted (number 21 in the series, set to be released sometime next year). So far, the "serious contenders" speculated upon seem to include Ioan Gruffudd, Jude Law, Hugh Jackman, Clive Owen, Jeremy Northam and Paul. Personally, I don't want to see an Australian as Bond, however much I may adore Mr Jackman; out of Owen and Northam, who were both in "Gosford Park", Northam is the definite classic Bond incarnate; Gruffudd is perhaps too known for being Horatio Hornblower, and also looks a bit youthful; and Paul is blond and lanky and too soft-spoken. Jude Law I think could be brilliant, because he has both the cheek and the steel to portray our dear womanizing agent, and also the face and demeanour to set him off from any previous Bond. He also has that timeless quality which I think Bond requires.

I'm curious as to what you guys think, so feel free to post your views in the guestbook.

Mar 22: Christopher Ecclestone has been confirmed as the new Dr Who. I was rooting for Izzard myself, and I'm sure Paul wouldn't have been bad...who knows how these things are decided.

Mar 21: A couple of new pictures added, as well as an article from the San Bernardino Sun.

Mar 20: According to a BackStage interview with Lars von Trier, "Dogville" is the first in a trilogy depicting "one woman's development to maturity". The second film, which is in pre-production, is titled "Manderlay", and will be set two days after the end of "Dogville". Nicole Kidman will not be reprising her role as Grace, and we all know the rest of the original cast is, well...pretty much out of the picture.

Mar 19: Paul compl...i mean, talks some more about filming "Dogville" with that luna...i mean genius Lars von Trier, here.

Mar 13: From the Belfast Telegraph yesterday:

Fans of Dr Who are keenly awaiting the unveiling of the actor who will play the Time Lord for the revived version of the science fiction series. The BBC has drafted in top television writing talent for the return of the cult series, which is expected on the screen early next year.

The identity of the ninth Doctor may become public in a couple of weeks time, with Love Actually actor Bill Nighy considered front-runner. Tom Baker, who began his seven-year stint in the role 1974, wants to see the comic Eddie Izzard take over. [...] Robert Lindsay, of GBH, has emerged as a candidate, as has Paul Bettany.

Mar 7: Found a four-month-old, rather uneven article about "Master and Commander" - worth reading for some classic Paul quotes.

Mar 4: Paul appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien last night, with Snoop Dogg and Mr. Geography (don't ask). I haven't been able to find a transcript as of yet, but i'm looking. Also, added a US interview (which i'm assuming was conducted on the phone, considering Paul is back in Toronto to babysit Stellan while Jennifer is working).

Mar 2: A couple of great shots from Esquire UK added.

Mar 1: Neither Paul nor Russell attended the Academy Awards last night, and "Master and Commander" was beaten in all categories but two: Sound Editing and Cinematography.

Found an amusing bit in Celebrity News, about the Master and Commander premiere:

Paul Bettany was the real show. He was pulled from the press line to do a cast photo, but promised to come back and finish his interviews. In fact, he did return to fulfill his marketing duties.

Next to me, he told off a journalist who kept interrupting the woman next to him. Thanks for defending us. Then, the offending journalist asked Bettany what it was like to work with Rusell Crowe again. Bettany frowned and shook his head, tired of being asked that all night. But he trooped through it, put on a smile and said, �You know, it was marvelous because the thing about working with somebody twice that you like is you�re able to hit the ground running and there�s some frankness between you, which means he could tell me if I�m being crap and I could tell him if he�s being crap.�

When it was my turn, I promised him I wouldn�t ask about Russell Crowe. He said, �Bless you.�

We don�t see many celebrities so dedicated to coming back and going through the whole press line. Why is this process so important to you?
I love the movie. It�s very easy to sell something that you love. It�s an embarrassing job selling something that you don�t love. It�s a really marvelous movie and I can say that because it�s all down to Peter Weir.

Did you ever get seasick?
No, I didn�t. I didn�t get seasick. I was in Sea Cadets when I was a kid. My dad put me in there to make a man of me, and it didn�t work. But there was a lot of boating involved, so I got my sea legs very quickly.

When you�re working on the water, where could you go to hang out between takes?
There�s a place called The Monkey Bar which is an annoying place because it�s called a bar and it has no booze in it, which is a sin. The other thing it had in it was a very annoying, loud parrot. And you know at the end of the movie where it says, �No animals have been harmed,� it should say, �Except for the parrot in the Monkey Bar� because at five o�clock in the morning, I have to say I was slightly vicious with it, vocally, and I think it�s probably quite emotionally scarred.

It�s a parrot. Did it repeat what you said?
No, it didn�t. It just went �SQUAACK!�

These days, there is no sign of such neurosis, the result, perhaps, of a bit of assistance from her husband of just over a year, the English actor Paul Bettany. �He would sit in my trailer on House of Sand and Fog strumming his guitar and singing, �Ooooh, my name�s Jennifer and I�m a very serious actress and take myself seriously�, and that sort of thing.�

The couple met on A Beautiful Mind, but did not become romantically involved until some time later. Their first child Stellan, born last August, is named for the esteemed Swedish actor Stellan Skarsg�rd, with whom Bettany worked on Lars von Trier�s Dogville. Connelly also has a son, Kai, six, from a previous relationship with the photographer David Dugan.

�I wanted to be a mother from when I was really young,� says Connelly. �I don�t think I was ever certain about what I thought about marriage. But at this point I�m thrilled about the whole marriage thing and I am more into the housewife thing than I ever thought I would be. When I was pregnant with Stellan it was ridiculous. I walked round London in my sandals and little dresses, then went to the fish market before going home and cooking dinner. Paul was like, �God, you�ve become a 1940s housewife.� It was fun. But then it was also fun saying: �OK, now I�m going back to work and I�ll bring the baby with me thank you very much.�

�In the time we�ve been together we�ve made four movies and managed to spend most of our time together. Thanks to me! He hates schedules. He never knows what he�s doing, which means I�m the one who organises all the paperwork.�

If you find any broken links, please tell me.

Feb 27: Added some new pictures, among them some totally gratuitous stills from "The Heart of Me".

Feb 26: Showbiz is basically on hold these days, awaiting the Oscars on Sunday with baited breath. As "Master and Commander" is nominated in multiple categories, Paul is sure to be there - it remains to see if Jennifer is able to fly in from Toronto. Look for him next to the big hairy brute (who am I kidding, I love Russell to pieces).

Feb 20: From an article on "Master and Commander" vs. the Oscars in The Seattle Times:

"It's surprising that "Master and Commander" received no acting nominations. Russell Crowe, who plays Capt. Jack Aubrey with the breezy authority of a born captain, is usually an academy favorite, and Paul Bettany gave a wonderfully detailed supporting performance as Aubrey's friend and shipmate Stephen Maturin. (Watch him in the dinner scenes on the ship � he's always slightly apart, peering at the rest of the crew through his wire-rimmed glasses with faint amusement, not quite a member of the crew.) It's an obvious story of heroism in battle � but, as much as "Lost in Translation," it's also a beautifully acted story of friendship. In this strong year for actors, though, perhaps Crowe and Bettany simply made it look too easy."

Feb 19: A Japanese review (spoilers) of "Dogville" added. The last two paragraphs pertain to Paul and "Dogville Confessions" (the making of the movie), and are enough to make me want to get the DVD.

Feb 17: Paul was named Most Stylish Actor at the Elle Style Awards last night, in his absence. I'm having some difficulty adapting to the "star" now often preceding his name, as I've been following his career for a few years, and it's only with Master and Commander that he has become a household name.

Feb 16: Added some screencaps from "Dogville".

Feb 15: Paul lost the Best Supporting Actor BAFTA to Bill Nighy, for a wonderful performance in "Love Actually". I hate to say this, but he's actually the one I was rooting for, considering I didn't find Paul's performance in Master and Commander that impressive in comparison. [ducks flying bricks]

"Master and Commander" had eight nominations and won four (Direction, Sound, Production Design and Costume Design). The full list of winners and nominees can be found here.

Paul accepted the Best Direction award on behalf of Peter Weir due to the latter's absence (Weir is currently in Australia), and reportedly claimed "Peter is a genius, he is one of the greatest directors of all time. It was a real honour to get to work with him."

Feb 14: Happy Commercial Day of Love to those who celebrate this type of thing.

Added a bunch of screencaps from "Gangster No 1".

Don't forget to tune in to BBC1 at 9pm tomorrow to catch the BAFTA's! With some luck on my part we actually get this channel, and I'll be able to update in realtime should Paul win. I'm assuming Jennifer won't be able to join him at the ceremony as she is still filming Dark Water in Toronto, Canada.

Feb 11: Paul was named Best British Actor for "Master and Commander" at the 24th Awards of the London Film Critics' Circle yesterday. The movie also bagged the Best Film and Best Screenwriter awards.

A college magazine states that "The interplay between the two leads, Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany, is like watching a good tennis match."

I finally added the awards link to the front page; it's been lurking as a text link from here. Also, two new pictures.

Feb 10: A Kermode rant on Paul vs. Russell, as well as an excellent in-depth Telegraph interview, have been added to articles. Also, here's a link to the short film Paul starred in a while back, titled "Euston Road". You can download the 7-minute film from the site.

MTV.com claims casting is confirmed for "American Pastoral", but I have yet to find any other sources stating this. Filming is reportedly scheduled to start this spring.

Paul is up for some serious competition at the BAFTA's this weekend: fellow Best Supporting Actor nominees include Ian McKellen (Return of the King), Albert Finney (Big Fish), Bill Nighy (Love Actually) and Tim Robbins (Mystic River). The fact that Paul is notably younger and less well-known can prove both an asset and a drawback - not denying he's a brilliant actor in his own right, but so are many of the other nominees. Still, if Russell Crowe could snag the Best Actor Oscar from under the noses of such greats as Geoffrey Rush and Ed Harris, I guess we still have a shot.

Feb 9: The filmography section is finally updated.

Feb 8: A review for "The Reckoning" (spoilers) and a review for "Dogville" added.

Feb 7: Screencaps from "A Beautiful Mind", "A Knight's Tale" and "The Reckoning" can be found here, courtesy of the lovely Pauline M.

Feb 6: Incredibly extensive article added.

Feb 5: A bunch of new pictures added, both to gallery (award pics and misc) and filmography (movie stills).

Feb 3: Ye gads. I haven't updated in ages, and I profusely apologize; all I can do is to blame school again, and my own forgetfulness.

I'll try to have a mailing list set up within the next couple of days, so that those of you who do wander on here occasionally can sign up to recieve updates when I've actually posted something. Also, if any of you have anything you'd like to share in the way of DVD screencaps, photographs, scans of articles, etc, feel free to e-mail me (should be working now), or drop me a note in the guestbook, and I will contact you. Thanks.

There's lots of (not so new) news, so here we go:

Despite naming troubles for Bettany and Connelly's little boy, they finally decided on calling him Stellan, after Bettany's good friend, Swedish actor Stellan Skarsg�rd (his co-star in "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" and "Dogville"). Little Stellan will be six months old in two days.

Paul's name has been tossed around in the James Bond discussion, but so far, it seems like Hugh Jackman will be the one to pick up where Pierce Brosnan (who originally only intended to make three films as Bond) left off. One reason for elimination could be that Paul is "a strawberry blond" (not my expression) and there has never been a blond Bond.

"The Reckoning" is out on DVD in the UK and parts of Europe, without ever earning a theatrical release. The US date is now March 5; the only other known date being a Feb 26 for Hungary. Check your local rental place.

Trailers:
"Dogville"
"The Heart of Me"

I'm sure everyone's seen "Master and Commander" by now, and I'm glad to notice the increase in Paul's popularity following his brave portrayal of ship doctor Stephen Maturin in this testosterone-laden adventure. "Master and Commander" has 10 Oscar nominations, mostly technical, but also snagged a Best Picture nom. You can find the full list on Oscar's official site.

"Wimbledon" is in post-production as of late October, and will be opening worldwide this fall.

Feb 2: Paul took the best actor award for his performances in "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" and "The Heart of Me" during the 31st annual Evening Standard British Film Awards. Congratulations! Eluding an Oscar nod, he also recieved a BAFTA (generally considered the British Oscars) Best Supporting Actor nomination for "Master and Commander", bringing the film's total to 8, including Best Picture. The awards will be held on Feb 15.

Jan 29: Paul and Jennifer are in negotiations to star in Phillip Noyce's "American Pastoral", says Hollywood Reporter: "The project, based on the novel by Phillip Roth, revolves around a devoted family man (Bettany) who is living the American dream in postwar America. His picture-perfect life unravels when he and his wife (Connelly) must learn that their daughter (Evan Rachel Wood from "thirteen") has become a revolutionary terrorist."

Jennifer is currently filming "Dark Water" (which I'm assuming is a remake of the Japanese cult horror) in Toronto.

"Not my porn", "A baby named It" and "Meet my penis" (short news stories) added to articles. I realize I could have just posted them here, but I really like being able to make up my own titles for the shortcuts. ;)

On August 5 in London, baby boy Bettany-Connelly was born - apparently bearing a striking resemblance to Paul.

The release date for the US opening of "The Reckoning" has been postponed until May 2004, so don't expect it to turn up anywhere else until then. Some of you might have caught "Dogville" at the US Telluride Film Festival or the Toronto Film Festival, or in selected European countries (it opened here about two weeks ago, but I haven't had a chance to see it yet). UK date is Feb 6 - no US dates available.

Aug: Very little time to do anything but go to school, work and sleep right now...but I promise to get this together as soon as is humanly possible! :)

June 3: Here's a link to the official site for "Dogville". I guess my next project is a links section...lucky I don't have a job! [snicker]

May 27: Happy 32nd birthday to Mr Bettany!

Lions Gate Films has acquired North American distribution rights for "Dogville", so keep an eye out for dates.

May 20: A synopsis and some set photos for "Dogville" (2003) added (I promise to get the filmography section under control sometime soon!).

May 17: Planet Hollywood interview from 2001 added.

May 13: Cute, relaxed interview with Emily Blunt added.

If you're in the UK or the US, keep an eye out for "The Heart of Me". "Dogville" will be premiering at Cannes and touring European theaters this summer (I, however, have to wait until September). No UK or US dates as of yet. "The Reckoning" opens in the US in September (finally!).

Most of Paul's previous work is available on DVD from Amazon.

May 12: I added a new section: Awards & Nominations. Not much there yet, but I expect great things to happen in the future...

May 2: Paul will be starring in "Wimbledon" (2004), about, you guessed it...Wimbledon. Filming is set to begin in England in July. Synopsis: "The world's oldest tennis championship will be the backdrop of a romantic comedy called "Wimbledon," the story of a lowly British tennis star attempting to win against the odds. The story revolves around Peter (Bettany), a British player "clutching to an embarrassingly low position" in the tennis rankings. He gets a wild card for Wimbledon, where he falls for an up-and-coming American tennis player Lizzie (Kirsten Dunst)."

Paul's also set to play deceased Rolling Stone Brian Jones in "The Wicked World of Brian Jones", although a great deal of controversy surrounding the story might keep the film from ever being made (it suggests the guitarist was murdered rather than drowned accidentally, a theory that the rest of the Stones are highly opposed to).

February 14: "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" (they finally decided on the title) is in post-production and will be released in theaters throughout the world in November (hot on the Oscar track). Paul Bettany stars as Ship Surgeon Stephen Maturin, opposite Russell Crowe's Navy Captain Jack Aubrey. Also starring is Billy Boyd, of "Lord of the Rings" fame (Pippin).

January 20: As you all know by now, Paul married his co-star from A Beautiful Mind, Jennifer Connelly, in Scotland on New Year's Day. They're certainly not wasting any time, as their first child is expected at the end of the year...CONGRATULATIONS! Jennifer already has a 5-year-old son, Kai, with photographer David Dugan.

March 27: Another interview that I just discovered (it's almost two years old). Some interesting facts here, among them Paul's obsession with babies...hmm.

March 26: Great interview with Paul, by Brian Logan (The Guardian). Contains a major spoiler for "A Beautiful Mind".

March 18: According to the IMDB, Paul is currently involved in Russell Crowe's new project, Peter Weir's "The Far Side of the World" (2003). With a budget of $135 million, the movie is one of the most expensive ever to be granted funding (Peter Jackson got $300 million to film his triology "The Lord of the Rings"). Set in 1806, the film is based on a nautical novel by Patrick O'Brian, and has Paul playing the part of Dr. Stephen Maturin. Filming is scheduled to start in Mexico in June.

March 17: Paul was one of the presenters at the 14th annual Scripter Award, held on Saturday night. The award went to author Sylvia Nasar and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, for the writing and adaption of "A Beautiful Mind" (2001), respectively.

March 13: "The Heart of Me" (2002) has finished filming and is in post-production. More news as it becomes available.

March 12: "Gangster No. 1" (2000) finally saw its North American rental release. If you're in for a violent ride, go pick it up at Blockbuster.

March 6: Paul has finished filming the upcoming von Trier film "Dogville" (2003), starring Nicole Kidman, Stellan Skarsgard and Chloe Sevigny. The movie, shot entirely in Sweden for the past three months, is slated for release at the Cannes Film Festival in May. Keep an eye out for footage and interviews.

More on the pedigree of talent behind A Knight's Tale: Paul Bettany, who played Geoffrey Chaucer to hilarious and poignant effect in the film, is going to star with Helena Bonham Carter and Olivia Williams in the indie feature Heart of Me. Based on Rosamond Lehman's 1980 novel Echoing Grove, the film is said to be a love triangle centering on a married couple in which the husband has an affair with his wife's sister.

Bettany is also going to be in Lars von Trier's Dogville, the director of last year's indie darling Dancer in the Dark. He was also going to play the serial killer Dolarhyde in Universal Pictures' Red Dragon with Anthony Hopkins, who will once again reprise his Hannibal Lecter persona, but Bettany had to drop out. Still, he's a hot commodity these days--and rightly so.