12/5 -

News updates for Oranges and Sunshine:

1.  Watson, Wenham, and Weaving for Orphan Drama   Katey Rich at Cinema Blend worries, based on Australia, that whenever orphans appear in a movie, David is there to thwart them.  She's afraid he might be playing another villainous douchecanoe in this upcoming movie.  Won't someone please think of the children?

 2,  Filming has wrapped in Notts, UK .  Production is moving to South Australia through January 31.

Meanwhile, Guardians of Ga'hoole is still on track for a December 2010 release in Australia, with a superb cast including David.  Here's a recent tweet:

lolarun89: watched rough cut of guardians of ga'hoole today. animation and art was superb! battle scenes was like watching "300" but with owls....

Awesome!  Prepare for pellets!

The Wayside Chapel is facing a funding crisis, as it seeks to rebuild its deteriorating facility, which is creating unsafe work conditions.  David, a Wayside Ambassador, says the Wayside Chapel provides a valuable service to the King's Cross community: "“There are many reasons why a person might come to Wayside but there is usually one common theme that unites all cases; significant level of mental illness, something that affects one in six Australians. God willing, most people will have a strong support network. For those that don’t there’s The Wayside Chapel.”

Dubai is also having cashflow problems, but it's a little harder to feel sorry for them:

Lastly, here's David with Steven Jenner, the founder of IF Magazine, at the Inside Films 2009 nomination announcements.  (Thanks Nenya!)

 

 

11/8 -

 

Some more Pope Joan premiere goodies:

(from Life magazine)

(from AP images)

Nenya found three interesting You Tube monologues by Lotte Flack, who played teenaged Joan.  Lotte talks about her experiences at the premiere, and her impressions of the actors.  In the TeamPremiere video, she has some nice things to say about David.  Warning: she drops the F-bomb with some frequency, so NSFW.

John Goodman & David Wenham  Video of David being photographed, and signing autographs.  Someday, someone should take a photograph of a painting of a video of David being photographed.  And then film it.  That would be, like, really conceptual.

While you're watching, keep an eye out for the entrance of the actor Anatole Taubman at about 1:45.  You can't miss him.

Coverage of Die Papestin premiere at TV Media Online.  With short interview! of David!

Vienna.at video feature about the film and the premiere.

11/1 -

On behalf of Dessicated Coconut Worldwide Amalgamated Light Industries, I'd like to extend our sincere apologies for the almost month-long hiatus in updates.  We experienced severe disruptions to our supply chain, even while crates of news items and photos were piling up at the docks.  Well, you know how October is.

To recap what's been happening:

David Wenham Digs The Guardian Lifestyle On Oct. 12, David was on hand at the Pavilion Cafe in Sydney for a promotional event to announce this year's IF Award nominees.  Jeremy Sims, Jessica Marais, Ryan Kwanten, and Eddie Perfect were also in attendance.  David will be hosting at the IF Awards in Luna Park on November 18.  Here are some photos from the event:

The article also confirms that he'll be voicing "fluffy owl Digger" in the upcoming Guardians of Ga'hoole film:

 

Cute lil' fella, ain't he?

On October 19, Pope Joan premiered in Berlin.  Within 48 hours there were approximately 93 zillion vrillion blomillion googleplex photos available on the news wires.  If laid end to end, they would stretch from here to the Oort Cloud.  (Actually, they wouldn't, because they're made of pixels, but you know what I mean.)  You can find them here, and here, and here and here and here.  And here.  Also here, here, here, here, and here.

Or you can just go to Daisy Daily to enjoy hi-res, unwatermarked versions.  Here is but a paltry sampling of what's available:

CURSE you, stone-throwing papal-procession ruffians!

This last one, my very favorite, was taken more or less accidentally by missdaisy at the red carpet event.  It succeeds in capturing an aspect of David that normally gets overlooked:

The film was well-received by audiences, and David's performance was praised by the critics, as near as I can tell from the German reviews.  Here's an English language review:  New film tells story of medieval feminism with female pope legend

Three more behind-the-scenes interviews with David at kinofilm (scroll all the way down)

Promotional video footage of the premiere and press conference

Chance To Appear In Hollywood Film (as I discovered belatedly, this is not about an actor named Chance...it's a casting call) has more information about Oranges and Sunshine.  Filming starts in Nottingham next month, then continues in Australia in January.

Speaking of Oranges and Sunshine, actress Alicia Hovell writes on her blog: "I also have managed to sneak in last week an audition for a small role in the upcoming feature “Oranges and Sunshine” with Emily Watson, Hugo Weaving and David Wenham, shooting in Adelaide in 2010. It is a very well written script, and I cried my way through a majority of it – need I say anymore?"

Cure Our Kids With Unbridled Fun This Melbourne Cup Day  David, a Cure Our Kids ambassador, says of this charity event: "As good as or even better than being in the birdcage in Flemington for the Melbourne cup this year, would be to soak up the atmosphere in the stables at Randwick. I have had the privilege of attending previous functions for Cure Our Kids and I now place them in my not to be missed list. Cure our Kids offers extraordinary help and support for kids with cancer. The positive effect Cure Our Kids has on the kids and their families is remarkable!”

 

10/6 - More photos and write-ups from the first annual "Lewo-fest":

David with Samuel Muir (grade 10), winner of the David Wenham Award for Film

David Wenham Goes Back To School Article in the Catholic Weekly

Christian Brothers Highlights  Brief write-up and list of award winners

Another side of David and Kate at Mao's Last Dancer

Hollywood Flick To Tell Story Of Notts Social Worker Oranges and Sunshine skooches a little closer to reality on the Great Cosmic Sofa.

Celebne found a Pope Joan website which contains:

1) a 15-minute trailer of scenes from the movie.  Hypothetically speaking (because we'd hate to spoil anything for anybody), it's possible that one scene theoretically might look something like this:

...and, speculatively,

(police composite sketch)

2) You can also enjoy behind-the-scenes footage (swordfighting practice)

3) and interview footage (David is interview #2)

(thank you Celebne, Minkey, Miwa, Gonerill, Neil)

 

9/27 -

Wenham Award Goes To Creative And Quirky  Remember that photo of David visiting his old school from about a week ago?  It looked kind of like this?

 Well, here's the rest of the story from the Inner West Courier:

MARRICKVILLE-BORN actor David Wenham went back to school for the first time in 26 years last Friday.

Christian Brothers Lewisham, the actor’s old school, invited him to present the David Wenham Award for the best short film by a student.

The competition was one of four in the school’s inaugural Lewofest. Other prizes were for the best short story, best public speaker and best portrait.

Teacher Cathy Angeloni said Wenham inspired the students.

“He told them to take advantage of what the school offered and to follow their dreams and their passions,” Ms Angeloni said.

During a tour of the school, Mr Wenham remarked on how much the school had changed, particularly in terms of buildings and resources.

Year 10 student Samuel Muir won the David Wenham Award for his short film Life of Brady.

Like Tropfest, entries had to include a signature item, in this case a T-Shirt. Samuel’s film starred a T-Shirt battling to overcome its addiction to stain removing product NapiSan.

“It was very creative and quirky,” Ms Angeloni said. “We had a huge reaction and participation from the school in all the categories. There was a lot of enthusiasm.”

Another press clipping (is clipping the right word? It's so hard to cut things out from the internet) from the opening of Mao's Last Dancer:

(thanks Minkey!)

Celebne and missdaisy found a German press publication about Pope Joan.  missdaisy translates the relevant bits:

In addition Wenham had been Donna Cross’ favourite cast for Gerold. “And we didn’t have a hard time to agree upon that…,” Mozkowics says.

“With somebody like David Wenham,” Wortmann adds, laughing. “It had been quite a bit frustrating because he’s doing everything allright immediately….For me as a director it’s a lot more tempting if an actor starts at 50 per cent and I can get him onto 100 per cent.”

Apart from Wenham’s professionalism Wortman had been impressed by his country specific staunchness.

“Austalian people seem to be a lot more relaxed in general,” Wortmann says.

 

9/23 -

 

Eerie images of Sydney during yesterday's epic dust storm, which blanketed eastern Australia for several hours: 

Eyewitnesses report that it was like the Rapture, with red talcum powder.

(see the rest of the Flickr gallery here)

Speaking of end times, the U.S. release of Pope Joan will be in English, not German with subtitles as seen in the officially released trailer.

Quote of the Week

"BEST APOCRYPHAL LADY POPE EVER."

-- beatricks, on Twitter

 

9/22 -

 

Pope Joan fans! Your help is urgently needed this week.  Over the next several days, U.S. distributors will be making decisions about how widely they want to release the film.  They'll be checking out the internet to assess the level of buzz, interest, and excitement among moviegoers.  Please, make your voices heard so that they KNOW there are many of us out here ready, waiting, and anxious to see Pope Joan.  Some good places to post comments and talk up the movie:  Facebook, Twitter, IMDB, and the guestbook section at Donna Cross's website (www.popejoan.com). 

Do it for the puppy.

Otherwise, you'll have to drive 3 hours to see it in a musty, dilapidated arthouse theater with gum-dappled seats, and flakes of asbestos detaching from the ceiling and wafting down into your box of Milk Duds, and a man next to you carrying on a whispered cell-phone argument with his wife.  These are not ideal Gerold viewing conditions.

Pope Joan deserves as wide a release as possible.  Every little bit helps, and your comments will make a difference. 

With The Little Red Carpet - Sydney Morning Herald, 9/21/09

After receiving a standing ovation at the world premiere of Mao's Last Dancer at the Toronto Film Festival last week, cast and crew of the Bruce Beresford bio-pic have returned to Sydney for the Australian premiere at the State Theatre tonight. Among the guests will be the star of the film, Chi Cao, and Li Cunxin, the dancer-turned-author on whose best-selling memoir the film is based. Chi, a dancer with the Birmingham Royal Ballet, plays Li in the film and has a similiar background, having trained at the Beijing Dance Academy before moving overseas. Beresford - who is in London - will be a notable absence from the red carpet that will instead feature the director George Miller and actors including Jack Thompson, Barry Otto, David Wenham, Michael Caton, Robyn Nevin, Tom Burlinson and Brendan Cowell. The premiere is also a fund-raising effort, with ticket sales directed to an Australian Ballet fund that helps dancers retrain for new careers once they have left the stage.

David and Kate at the premiere.  Kate's dress is gorgeous (and so is Kate!)

And now, some incredibly rare and never-before-seen ----

 

 

 

 

 

Yo!  This a pretty good update, I'm really happy for you and Imma let you finish, but  Beyoncé would have been the best Pope Joan of all time.  OF ALL TIME!

 

 

 

 

9/21 -

It's David's birthday today!

Welcome, come on in, grab a hat and noisemaker.  Today's celebration is being catered by Cake Wrecks, a hilarious blog devoted to unusual cakes.  Their selection is somewhat..shall we say...limited when it comes to paying tribute to David's career, but I finally narrowed it down to these four choices:

1) Slice of Seachange-themed fish tank cake, anyone?  (Dibs on the air filter...)

2) Or perhaps something simpler? A hastily airbrushed tribute to Australia?

3) Dead Spartan guy lying on a bed of mustard?

4) I know! You've been holding out for Wall-E and a hover tank re-enacting the Tiananmen Square protests at night amidst a field of caribou droppings, right?  (Well, the cake does say "David" on it...and uh... and I'm sure someday he'll be involved in a film containing these very same elements.  You read it here first!)

In all seriousness, here's wishing David a wonderful day.  He's brought countless smiles to the faces of audiences around the world, donated so much time and effort to worthy causes, and gets better and better with each passing year.  Cheers to the adventures that lie ahead!

While you're busily stashing your cake underneath the sofa cushions, let's open some presents.  Bellis has kindly scanned and shared larger versions of the "Blondie" photos from the Oct. '09 Empire magazine:

From yesterday's Telegraph (thanks Minkey):

 

9/12 -

 

Site news: Tripod's dreaded "Convert Or Die" page migration deadline arrived a few days ago.  After making a test conversion, and discovering that Webon stripped out all the HTML and photos, wrecked the navigation, changed the fonts to 6-point Verdana Extra Ugly, and left all the toilet seats up, it was clear I had to go with alternative #2: Bite the bullet, and upgrade to a paid account.  Moral of the story: Not so happily ever after.  But at least now they've taken the big rusty padlock off of DC, and we can update again.

 

8/21 - Celebrities Turn Out For Avenue Q  David was on hand for the Sydney premiere of "Avenue Q". 

More and more people are climbing aboard the Arthas Rumor Express.  (Two, at last count.)  Rumor, it most definitely seems.  Truthful, it may not be.  Talk like Yoda, have we sudden urge to.

The Sydney Morning Herald has an interesting feature on Joel Edgerton, who also attended Theatre Nepean and was known at university as "the next David Wenham".  (David, for his part, was known as "the last Joel Edgerton".)  Along with David, Joel is signed on to the elusive Last Man project.  Hopefully, we'll get to see them together at some point.

Neil Fletcher on Twitter  Bet you didn't know your favorite beef-bogarting archvillain even had a Twitter account, did you?  Join us in the Grove for a special collection of Neil's snidest tweets.  Bring disinfectant.

Also, did you know Neil Fletcher invented the corn dog?  True story.  (Different Neil Fletcher, but still.)

Update on Impending Tripod Migration Of Doom: Postponed to Sept 9.  Thank you, Expeditus, Patron Saint of Procrastinators, Computer Programmers, and E-Commerce!  Who I'll get around to praying to sometime soon.  Real soon.

 

8/2 -

 

Party Like It's 999 (or, uh, 855....)  Pope Joan is still scheduled for release late this fall (Oct. 29th in Germany and Switzerland).  It's not clear how wide of a distribution it will get elsewhere; at the moment it looks like it may be limited to art-house release in the U.S., but that may change.   Also, a reminder: the Walk The Red Carpet contest is still open for one more week.  According to Donna Woolfolk Cross, they haven't received a whole lot of entries yet, so your chances are still good.

7/10 -

A leaked video for Sony Ericsson's new "Rachel" phone, demonstrating the Android interface, features David prominently.  Now, before you get excited, it's not an official "ad" per se.  I don't think David is actually heartily endorsing this event and/or product (to borrow a catchphrase from Krusty the Klown).  Especially when you take a closer look at the fake chat and status updates featured in the video.  Shall we deconstruct?

It all begins innocuously enough:

Okay, fine....you think.  It's conceivable that David might pause in the middle of packing for an important trip to tweet to his friends that he was packing for an important trip.  Nothing too out of the ordinary there.

Then things get weird.  Rapidly.

First there's this little exchange between David and Liv Tyler:

in which David suddenly turns out to be gay, and dating the bassist for R.E.M.  I'm sure his partner, Kate, would be mightily interested to hear about that.  (Come to think of it, Mike Mills does have dreamy eyebrows.  David's a lucky, lucky man.) 

Next we find out he loves Virgin America's inflight safety movie......

...and speaks fluent dummy typesetting Latin..... 

...and eats Hot Pockets (despite forgetting to pay his electric bill earlier...I guess they're being roasted over a candle?)...

Finally, after pawning Liv Tyler's jewelry and callously celebrating with another round of Hot Pockets, we find David cruising down the street in a Chevy Impala and palling around with Richard Branson, the CEO of Virgin and patron saint of airline safety videos.  Because that's how Daisy rolls, yo.

You know the Kubler-Ross stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, acceptance...)?  Well, it turns out there's four stages of watching this video:

1. Mild euphoria.  "Hey!  David's picture is on this phone!"

2. Bafflement.  "Airline safety videos?...Hot pockets?....What the [firetruck]??"

3. Gales of inordinate laughter.

4. Burning curiosity:  Who?  What? How?  Why???

7/3 - Behind the scenes snapshot from Pope Joan (discovered by Miwa at Arabesque's MySpace).  I gotta say, the open-toed boots are intriguing.

Donna Woolfolk Cross, the author of Pope Joan, viewed an early cut of the movie and shared her thoughts:

David Wenham, voted "Sexiest Australian of 2007"*, lives up to his reputation in the part of Gerold. When he asks Joan to come away with him, leaving all she has accomplished and become, you really understand Joan's temptation! The end of the film is especially moving--it actually brought tears to my eyes-- but I can't reveal it at the moment, for it's something of a surprise. 

*By "Australian", of course, she means "the entire universe", and by "2007" she means "of all time".  Writers can be quite modest and understated sometimes.

Donna Cross is also holding a red carpet contest for fans and first-time readers of the book.  Enter and win a chance to attend the Pope Joan premiere with Cross and her family.

Guardians of Ga'Hoole has a tentative release date: September 24, 2010.  There will be no whining about how farrr awayyyy that daaaate is, or else we're turning this website right around and going back home.  Don't make me do it!

Did you know that Harry Pierpont was from Brazil?  Brazil, Indiana, that is.

Check out this fascinating first-person account of shooting Public Enemies  from actor John Kishline:

"David Wenham, the Aussie, is grabbing me and sticking a .45 in my nose as he spins me around and shoves me up the aisle...We shoot that, or parts of it, 9 or 10 times during the next four hours, breaking to...fix buttons ripped from my jacket by the wired Wenham...."  

Is David more popular than spinach?  Heck yes:

We all know of the success of one Mr. David Wenham, but does this saucy Aussie’s potency prevail against Pop-eye’s favourite pantry pilfer?

The answer: YES! Though one tasty pastry made it into the upper echelons of google results, Sir Wenham was victorious, returning with the top three images and his bride, Rainn Wilson. And although the spinach did have two results, neither of the photos were as enticing as a single image of David Wenham, OM. He ate that spinach. He ate it up!

The Deadliest Warrior controversy  Alright, gang.  Let's talk turkey.  There's been a lot of internetty hubbub lately about David's possible connection to a Spike TV show called Deadliest Warrior. For those not familiar with the format, the show poses questions like "Who would win in a fight: a pirate or a ninja?" and "resolves" the debate by slicing through a side of beef with a samurai sword, then soliciting expert medical opinions on the damage.  (You know, if they want women to watch, they should ask more realistic fantasy questions, like "Who would be more likely to help with the dishes and not leave hair all over the bathtub: Mr. Darcy or Sir Galahad?")

So anyway, it's hotly rumored that David provided the narration for this show.  The voice-over is done in the same gristly, blood-and-guts-relishing voice as Dilios from 300.  The credits list someone named "Drew Skye", which is either a pseudonym, or the most uncanny dead-on David imitator that ever did uncanny dead-on David imitations.  You can judge for yourself  by watching episodes at the Spike TV site.  I happen to think it is David, for three reasons:

1) The voice sounds exactly like David.  Same pitch, same intonation, same accent.  I've heard many a Dilios imitator, on YouTube and Meet the Spartans and in real life, and none of them come very close.  The best of them approximate, but never quite capture, Dilios's silty murderous glee.  This one is so close to the target, I think it actually is the target.

2) It's a little suspicious that Drew Skye has no Google or IMDB presence other than this show.  He's never done any acting or voice work before, apparently.  Are we to believe that Deadliest Warrior Narrator is an entry-level position?

3)  Geoffrey Thor Desmoulin, the resident biomedical expert on the show, more or less acknowledged that David recorded the narration back in Australia.

We'll never know for 100% sure.  If it is David, he (or the producers) prefer to keep it on the down-low, for whatever reason.  A mystery it shall remain. 

In the meantime, consider yourself a charter member of the Drew Skye Fan Club.  As soon as I find pictures, I'll post them here. *wink*  Ow!  There's something in my eye.

Quote of the Week

Hey, if I were David Wenham I’d just call people up and do that. “We Spartans desire a pizza, rich in sauce and deep of crust. Showered in decadent sausage and mushrooms. Their honor rode upon a simple pledge, much revered in Sparta: pizza within 30 minutes, else be cast out as a filthy, lowly wretch…”

-- The Spoony Experiment on Deadliest Warrior (read the rest of the review, it's hilarious)

 

6/27 - Public Enemies premiered last week in Chicago, Wisconsin, and Los Angeles, attended by Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, and Michael Mann.  General release is Wednesday.  Rex Reed liked it.

An interesting glimpse into Guardians of Ga'Hoole is revealed in this short interview with Zack Snyder at SciFiWire.  We don't know yet which character David is voicing, but we have an inkling of which ones he isn't. Ryan Kwanten revealed in a recent interview that he's voicing Kludd, and Jay Laga'aia's official CV at Mark Morrissey Associates lists him as Twilight.  (We can also assume David's not voicing Gylfie, the young female owl.  Barring large quantities of helium, that is.)

Speaking of Zack Snyder projects, rumors continue apace regarding the 300 sequel.  Zack Snyder and Frank Miller are starting to get serious about it.

Some of you may be new fans, visiting this page for the first time (welcome!).  One of the most frequently asked questions about David is "How tall is he, exactly?"  Below is a handy comparison chart that you can use as a guide.

 

6/6 -

B is for

Breakfast at the Roma Bar

Birthdays (DC turned 5 yesterday)

Btranslations of the German dialog from the "Pope Joan" trailer...

Gerold/Wenham: This is Rome Johanna. Here, they get rid of people they don't like.
Voice: You're playing with fire Johanna.
Gerold: Every evening I will wait for you, right here. I don't want you as my lover. I want you as my wife.
Johanna: A life by your side would've pleased and fulfilled me. But this is my destiny.

Benefit gigs (from March's Sound Relief fundraiser in Sydney and Melbourne - thanks Miwa)

Blue-Eyed Boy (photo from the same session as the 2005 Sydney Morning Herald interview, by Lucas Allen - thanks again, Miwa)

Bated Breath, as we wait for Public Enemies (Spelling pet peeve: that's bated breath, not baited breath.  Baited breath means you've recently eaten worms):

(from the July issue of Empire magazine...scans of the whole article are available here.  Thanks Gonerill!)

Bestow: what tender, sentimental gift did David give the Jerry Springer chorus members?

Bygone days: remember this CFM news write-up of David's Q&A session at ORC 2007?  I sure don't, but it's nice to (re) read. (thanks Nenya!)

 

5/23 -           Hark The Gerold Angels Sing

5/10 -

5/8 -  Our next guest is a man who occasionally likes to put on a wig, dress up as a talk-show host, and entertain hundreds of theater-goers....

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

(You may recognize Ursula Yovich (at left) from Australia...she played Daisy, Nullah's mother)

After-party photos

Many more photos at Fotoglif and Zimbio, and you can watch a video clip from the performance at livenews.com.au.

Public Enemies will debut at the Los Angeles Film Festival, June 18 - 28.

And finally...Management regrets that we're out of complimentary breadsticks, but please enjoy this nice long Triple J interview.

 

4/15 -

Jerry Springer: The Photo

Jerry Springer: The Sound Bite

Jerry Springer The Opera Is A Landmark Work, Says David Wenham

Jerry Springer: The Reviews

Jerry Springer Opera Opens In Sydney

Cast In Controversy, Curtain Rises On Operatic Jerry Springer

Jerry Springer: The Opera Confined To Sydney

A Jerry Springer Songwriter Helps The Bawds Light Up

Jerry Springer: The Opera

Jerry Springer: The Oprah

Jerry Springer: The Osprey

 

4/18 -

As part of the Federal Stimulus bailout package, we've been promised some extra David subsidies this week.  You see, I bundled upThe Bank with some credit default swap derivatives and loaned it out to a group of marginal credit risks.  And we're just too big to fail.  So enjoy!

For chronic Faramir/Eowyn Romanceus Interruptus sufferers, there's a new Pope Joan/Die Papstin photo gallery with therapeutic imagery.  It may help.  Ask your doctor if Gerold is right for you.

Here's some reading material you may enjoy: David Wenham on Jerry Springer, Jerry Springer: The Opera and Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!

And some watching material:  At the Sydney Opera House website, a behind the scenes look at rehearsals (click the video button), and another sneak preview from news.com.au

Zack Snyder Reveals 300 Sequel Details  Now, I kind of doubt David is anxious to repeat the intensive physical training he underwent in 300, so who knows if he'd agree to do a sequel, even if Dilios were involved.  But then again, who's to say Dilios didn't let himself go a little bit after Thermopylae?  War is hell on abs. 

A second Public Enemies trailer is out.

Next Week: Dessicated Coconut fits 30,000 swear words into a single update.

Quote of the Week

"Confessional television is such a bizarre phenomenon. It's like eating lollies; it tastes good but it's doing something slightly harmful to you."

-- David Wenham

 

4/4 -

Seven minute David interview on ROVE (with Rove McManus) at YouTube, broadcast date 3/29/09.

Field reporter meaningofhaste sent us this dispatch:  According to the March 30 Sunday Mail article "Hot Seat Q&A with Tim Ross of Merrick and Rosso", David is scheduled to be a guest on the next series of the "Merrick and Rosso" comedy show...

Q: You had some impressive guests in the first season.  Who are you lining up for the new series?

Tim: Myf Warhurst, Tom Williams, David Wenham and Ed Phillips are doing the show and we have them doing some very cool things for us which may surprise people.

The article goes on to discuss some of their new segments, such as drive-by prank calls and "cat spew twister".  (Now when I was growing up, we called it "hairball hopscotch").  No word on when David's episode will air, but we'll keep an eye out for it.

 

3/21 -

Nice and Sleazy  The Sydney Morning Herald assesses Jerry Springer: The Opera and reveals that to prepare for the role, David marinated himself in Springer episodes for three straight weeks.  (Yikes.  Isn't that what they did to Alex in A Clockwork Orange?)

On March 14, David was a presenter at Sound Relief, a concert to raise money for victims of the recent brushfires in southeast Australia.  The lineup included Coldplay, Kings of Leon, and Midnight Oil.  Reports the Australian, "...Actors David Wenham and Jack Thompson, representing the Australian film industry, said it was great to see everyone united."

Radio interview with John Stanley, in which is discussed Jerry Springer: The Opera, fatherhood, the Newtown Jets, and Mardi Gras.

Here's a couple of new pics from Public Enemies (thanks Minkey & Miwa!)  The first is by Michelle Martin.  Note the creatively slanty Batman-villain-lair camera angle:

The second, by a MySpace user named Glenn, shows David at right, among a pretty rough-looking gang of prisoners.  My friend's six-year-old daughter, who happened to pass through the room while I was posting this, studied this picture for a moment, then asked the following Very Important Question:

"What happens if you're in jail, and you need to throw up?  Do they give you a bucket?"

I didn't have the heart to tell her that they probably didn't let John Dillinger's gang bring their special fuzzy blankies and Nuffle Bunnys to jail either.

 

3/6 -

"Eternity is two people and a ham." -- Dorothy Parker

Eternity is also waiting for Public Enemies and Pope Joan to come out.

While we wait, have a gander at the Public Enemies trailer....

....and these pics of David with Barry Otto and John Polson (respectively) from In-I (thanks Nenya):

King of the High Sleaze  Were you wondering about the cuss-word count of Jerry Springer: The Opera?  This article explains much.

From the AAAK!  BLEH! PTOO! news bureau: If you live in Georgia, you might want to bite a little more carefully into your M&Ms for awhile.  Personally, I'm staunchly in the filet camp when it comes to chocolate, but I understand there may be merits to the bone-in option.  Owl pellets are mentioned as a possible cause, but it's not fully explained what owls would be doing inside a candy factory.

Sooo, I suppose it would be tacky to suggest a product tie-in for Guardians of Ga'Hoole.  Or to share my recipe for Owl Pellet Cookies.  (Hint: Rice Krispies are involved.)

 

2/26 -

Attention pillowcase-wearing horse-marrying midget transvestites!  Your prayers have been answered!

Because - yes! - David will be playing Jerry Springer in the Sydney Opera House production of Jerry Springer: The Opera from April 21 - 25:

Oh, come now, don't act so shocked.  It's not like David's previous characters haven't already dabbled in Satan worship, cross-dressing, white supremacy, and leather nappies.  This time, the tables are turned.  Not only turned, but picked up and thrown at a pair of conjoined midgets brawling with a meth-addicted hermaphrodite.

But let's curtail the chit-chat, and get to the goodies:

Sydney Opera House site, official description, and video (video also available on YouTube)

Springer opera: you have been warned  David shares a few thoughts about the opera

Coming up: David Wenham to play Jerry Springer April 21 at the blog The Fool and The Opera, with an excellent analysis

Photocall with castmates Kate Miller-Heidke and Ursula Yovich:

More from the AAP site

From Tito Media:

My God...it's full of stars!

(well, someone had to say it)

Seriously...that is one gnarly watermark pattern.  Every single electron has been tagged.  I think it may be one of those Magic Eye things.  Put your face up close to the screen.  Can you see a locomotive?  Or a tulip?

What's that? You see a glorious golden burst of sunlight?  And lotus-eyed seraphim?  And Abyssinian maids playing dulcimers and singing of Mount Abora?

Actually, that's just David. 

Pattern...permanently....burned....on optic nerve.....

Ability....to use...pronouns.......Gone.....

You'll have to click here  for the rest, because the web page, she canna take nae more.  She will explode.

From the Daily Telegraph, Feb. 25:

Songs of the talk-show devil
By Stephen Downie

musical
Jerry Springer: The Opera
Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House;
April21-26, $89-$129, 9250 7777, sydneyoperahouse.com

YOU might call it sympathy for the devil, but actor David Wenham thinks talk show phenomenon Jerry Springer is misunderstood.

Springer is host of the very trashy and much-reviled but well-known The Jerry Springer Show.

"He's a conundrum," Wenham says of Springer. "He admits his show is one of the worst things to have been put on air and that he does have some horrendous things on it but I think underneath he's an amazing person."

Wenham is set to play the title character in the over-the-top stage musical, Jerry Springer: The Opera. It's the only non-singing role in the production. It's an interesting choice for an actor best known for his movie roles, such as the evil station manager in Australia, a Spartan warrior in 300, as Faramir in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and for his time as Diver Dan in the TV series SeaChange.

"I'm attracted to characters that are really far removed from myself and Jerry is," he says.

While it might be hard to imagine Wenham looking much like Springer, with a pair of glasses, a windswept hairstyle and a nice suit, there is a certain resemblance.

At any rate, the Marrickville-born actor says he'll be "channelling" the talk show host.

Also playing parts in the musical are singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke, who is Baby Jane, an adult who enjoys wearing nappies.

"I enjoy s....ing my pants and getting my arse spanked and so does my lover," Miller-Heidke says. It's an outrageous role, to be sure, but one that sits well with Miller-Heidke, who gave up a career in opera to pursue a life in pop music.

"I could never envision myself doing a traditional opera at this point in my life," she says. "But this one has [swearing] in it and that pretty much sealed the deal for me."

Ursula Yovich plays Andrea, the lover of a character named Montel. London-based Australian Alison Jiear plays Shawntel, who dreams of being an exotic dancer.

Reprising his role as the Warm Up Man who eventually turns into the Prince Of Darkness will be West End star David Bedalla.

The musical, written by Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee, was first staged in 2003 at the UK's National Theatre.

While many have played the title character, the man best known for starring as Springer is former Starsky & Hutch star David Soul.

The Australian production will be directed by Gale Edwards, who also directed the latest Australian revival of the Rocky Horror Show.

Destined to outrage conservative types, the show is packed with swearing (174 expletives in all, according to Lee) and also features tap-dancing Ku Klux Klansmen and a Jesus character who admits he is "just a little gay".

In the UK, thousands of Christians were outraged after the show was televised.

A non-outraged Christian

More Tropfest (thanks Gonerill!)

The Wentworth Courier has a wee diminutive picture of David and Kate at the Australian Premiere of In-i.

You know, something about this Jerry gig rings a bell.  I couldn't put my finger on it.  For a long time, I racked my brains.  Then I suddenly remembered an ancient TORC sigpic I made back in 2004:

Ah yes.....remember the ferocious debate between the Movie!Faramir and Book!Faramir factions?  I wonder if we'll see a similar debate between Opera!Jerry versus TalkShow!Jerry, only this time it will be over which version of Jerry isn't trashy enough?

 

 

2/22 -

Through VIP Looking Glass

Quirky Comedy Tops The Tropfest

At yesterday's Tropfest film festival, David served as head of the judging panel and presented an award to winner Genevieve Clay, for her short film Being My Brother.  Red-carpet photos (via WireImage/wenhamswans):

Rosie found a blog of test screening reviews for Michael Mann's Public Enemies.  It's interesting to David fans in a purely academic sense: no mention of Harry Pierpont, but it gives you the general flavor* of the film.

*Mmm...butterscotch.

The Vatican has set an official date for Father Damien's canonization: Oct. 11.  Pope Benedict XVI will preside over the ceremony, which will also induct four others into sainthood.  Full story here  (thank you, athelas63, for the link)

 

2/15 -

 

David has signed on with the voice cast of Zack Snyder's new animated project, Guardians of Ga'Hoole:

David Wenham is one of Zack Snyder's Guardians

Casting for Watchmen Director's Cartoon

He'll be playing, presumably, an owl.  But an evil, beak-twirling Snidely Whiplash owl, or a noble, knightly owl with one eye, massively pumped up median wing coverts, and long russet feathers?  Only time will tell.

Forgot to post this photo last week:

And finally, in today's Grove, my belated review of Children of Huang Shi.  The usual spoiler warnings apply, so don't click that button unless you .... NOO!  Oh dear God! The humanity!!

2/7 - From yesterday's Sydney Morning Herald:

Lease of life
by Michael Idato

EVEN OFFICES COMMAND RED-CARPET OPENINGS THESE DAYS, COMPLETE WITH AFTER-PARTY. MICHAEL IDATO ATTENDS.

IT IS safe to say that after almost two decades of walking up and down red carpets for a living - a mathematical impossibility in itself given VIP is a mere slip of a thing and has just turned 34* - it should come as no surprise that we've been to the opening of everything. Opening of a window? We caught the breeze, baby. Opening of a wound? We were there, with sponge and forceps on standby. Opening of an office? Well, it's funny you should ask.

The ticket in question was the opening of the new Sydney office for BlackBerry corporate titan RIM, a somewhat disturbing acronym that actually stands for Research In Motion. ("What a relief," Plus One said through her Turkish interpreter when she called from the wilds of Offthebeatentrakistan. "I thought Mardi Gras had started early.")

As tickets go it was an easy lure for Sydney's red-carpet elite, partly because they'd go to the opening of a door if they thought there was a complimentary canape to be snaffled but largely because you only need to whisper the word BlackBerry and even the most humble will put his (or her) hand out.

David Wenham played master of ceremonies, fresh from the set of The Lord Of My Ringtone and a veritable symphony of Titian and Tommy Hilfiger. He seemed a curious choice, partly because he was so distractingly dashing it was difficult to keep focus on the shiny new BlackBerry office but largely because we didn't think mobile phone coverage in Middle Earth was actually very good.

The remainder of the guest list was somewhat more eclectic - Dr Cindy Pan, undoubtedly there to dispense occupational health tips for BlackBerry use; model-turned-modelling mavenista Charlotte Dawson, tutoring people on BlackBerry deportment; and Siobhan Fahey from Bananarama, which my close friend Lady Duckworth assures me is not an ice-cream flavour but a terribly well-known girl band from the British Isles.

While VIP talked music trends with Bananarama and Lady Duckworth, Best Friend seemed preoccupied with Dr Suave deSuave, a dashing Double Bay plastic surgeon who was only slightly more diverting than Mr Wenham himself. (Curiously, by the time we were at a post-function dinner, Best Friend was looking decidedly tauter. Good light? Maybe. But a little backstairs surgique de plaste cannot be ruled out.)

Perhaps the most disturbing discovery of the night is that even office openings have after-parties, so the social set were dispatched to Sydney's almost-ubiquitous Ivy Pool Club, where the fabulous congregate for the purpose of splashing and thrashing. There was chatter, there was hilarity. There was almost certainly something inappropriate going on in Cabana #3 and, unless social mores have changed since my generation, there are a number of young lassies who ought to be having a good, hard think about themselves this morning. Dress code? Tankini and clogs. Chance of getting out alive? 50/50. Just remember - it's women, VIPs and BlackBerrys first.

* Actual age may differ.

Ready for a plethora of photos (courtesy of Minkey)?  Here we go.  Please hold onto the handrail, and keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle at all times. 

By the way, I don't think they put enough watermarks on there.

Toasting with Adele Beachley

With Adele Beachley and Siobhan Fahey of Banarama

With Bianca Dye

With Tom McDonald and his wife

From today's Sydney Morning Herald:

Murdoch matriarch's big day in
by Andrew Hornery

Pssst . . .

Who would have guessed that David Wenham was a closet Bananarama fan? Certainly not one of the band's founders, Siobhan Fahey, who looked a little bewildered after being introduced to Wenham at Tuesday night's BlackBerry party. And how did the cool, calm and collected heart-throb react? Like a giggling schoolgirl on a first date. Sydney is set to host Fahey for at least another month, as the pop music legend, who went on to co-found Shakespear's Sister, is extending her holiday. The London-based 50-year-old has been something of a recluse of late, avoiding the spotlight despite her international fame. Fahey co-wrote many of Bananarama's major hits, including Cruel Summer, Robert DeNiro's Waiting, I Heard A Rumour, and Love In The First Degree, helping the band sell 40 million records. In 1987 she married Dave Stewart of Eurythmics. They had two sons, Sam and Django, before splitting up in 1996. She found success again with Shakespear's Sister, particularly in the ballad Stay. More recently she has been a DJ, dabbling in more off-beat projects and pursuing her musical endeavours.

From today's Daily Telegraph:

Wenham sticks up for Nicole

HE may play the villain in the outback melodrama but Australia actor David Wenham is a nice guy when it comes to his co-stars, sticking up for pal Nicole Kidman and the toxic reviews she has been bombarded with since the film premiered in November.

While the Sydneysider managed to escape a lot of attention associated with the Baz Luhrman flick, with the heat turning to Kidman and Hugh Jackman after international reviews slammed everything from production to performance, Wenham told Confidential the criticisms were "unfair''.

"She [Kidman] has received this barrage of nasty personal press and I just can't work out why,'' he said.

"That movie could never be considered a flop. It's no mega-hit but it's not a flop.''

And he's on to something, with figures showing Australia is the second highest-grossing Aussie movie with $310 million.