—
HOLLYWOOD — Hugh Bonneville of “Downton Abbey” and “Paddington 1-2-3” recently tweeted, “Until today I had no idea who provided the voice of @paddingtonbear in Ukraine. Speaking for myself, thank you President Zelensky!” That’s right, the president of the Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, is the voice of Paddington the bear in “Paddington 1 & 2.” The Russians knew he was a comedian, but didn’t know they were dealing with the brave and cunning Paddington!
***
James Wolk’s agent recently called him to say he had bad news and good news. The bad news was NBC has canceled his series “Ordinary Joe.” The good news was he’s going to star in a film George Clooney is directing, “The Boys in the Boat.” Wolk will be playing the coach of the University of Washington’s rowing team, which won a gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Joel Edgerton, Callum Turner, Jack Mulhern, Luke Slattery, Sam Strike, Courtney Henggeler, Thomas Elms and Tom Varey co-star. Wolk is best known for “Zoo” (2015-2017), two seasons of “Tell Me a Story” for CBS Access, and HBO’s “Watchmen.”
***
The ever docile and gentile Sam Elliott rarely speaks out about things. However, Sam, a veteran of 10 Western movies, 10 made for TV Western films, guest-starring roles on “Lancer” (1969-70), the classic “Gunsmoke” series (1972) and his series “The Yellow Rose” (22 episodes), was noticeably upset at how cowboys are portrayed in “The Power of the Dog.”
Sam took aim with, “They made them look like those guys in New York wearing bow ties and not much else; That’s what all those f**king cowboys in that movie looked like. They’re all running around in chaps and no shirts. What the f**k does this woman (Jane Campion) — a brilliant director, I love her work — but what the f**k does this woman from New Zealand know about the American West? And why shoot a movie in New Zealand and call it Montana, saying this is the way it was?”
I’ve known Sam Elliott for 50 years, and he’s the gentlest, softest-spoken, kindest guy who rarely, if ever, would stand on a soap box. He’s certainly not anti-gay, but when someone starts showing the West, where men were men, as we’ve been told, someone has to stand up for the macho cowboys of yesteryear, and Sam didn’t even address the scene in which Benedict Cumberbatch pleasured himself. Sam didn’t know “The Power of the Dog” started shooting in January 2020, was shut down in March due to COVID, and thanks to its New Zealand location resumed in June and finished in July 2020. Hats off to the critic who referred to Cumberbatch’s performance as a “stroke of genius!”
(c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.
Photo Credit: Depositphotos
Photo Caption: Sam Elliott
