Demo'd Over

Jake spent the day at JFK filming Demolition and pretty much has demo'd everyone with how good he is  looking in this film.

No tricky hair do's

No dramatic changes bulked up or slimmed down

And no more hiding those devastating dimples under a bushy beard.

Jake looks like he's turned the way back machine on and lost 5-6 years.

Chatting with Demo's director.

And while the dashing Jake might be back some things will never change.

L'Shanah Tova!!

Happy 5775!

I Fest, I Fest ....I Forum

Yesterday was Austin's festival turn of the week, and today it's Jake.

Variety is reporting, Nightcrawler has been set as the opening night screening for the 10th annual Film Independent Forum at the Directors Guild of America on Oct. 24.

Following the screening there will be a Q&A with director Dan Gilroy and producer Jennifer Fox.

Film Independent "champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film industry."

Many will be more familiar with their award, The Spirit Award, bestowed each year prior to the Academy Awards, for the best in independent films.

The Forum will take place during the weekend of October 24-26 at the Directors Guild of America (DGA) in Los Angeles.


Looks like it will to bouncing back and forth from coast to coast for Jake, who started filming Demolition in NYC this week.

Source

Coop'd up

Jake has spoken about his former co-star Chris Cooper before and the advice he gave him when Jake was just starting out as in actor,

Chris Cooper once told me to never have any regrets. After Chris said that to me, I walk into every scene thinking, 'exhaust every possibility.' Once you get to a certain place, it's like you just deliver everything you've got. Don't have any regrets. It pops up in my mind over and over and over again.

Even this year at TIFF Jake mentioned the advice the man who once played his father gave him.

Most thought Jake was just reminiscing but actually it might have been a little hint about his new movie.

Deadline has exclusively confirmed that Chris Cooper has now joined the cast of Demolition. No word on who Cooper's character is or his relationship to Jake's character. The Jean-Marc Vallee movie begins film in New York next week.

Demolition will be the third time Jake and Chris have worked together.  Most remember Cooper as Jake's dad in October Sky,  while some may have forgotten that Cooper played Lt. Col. Kazinski in Jarhead. 

Will "Jake" tweet about his new co-star?  Well someone might, but not Jake.  Here's Jake at TIFF talking to Vanity Fair about how he doesn't have a clue who is tweeting as him.

Rolling with the punches

More scenes of Jake in the Bronx as they finish up filming Southpaw over the past few days.

Notice he's got a few bumps and bruises (courtesy of the make up dept)

Dad out of the ring

Both Jake and Austin have been challenged on twitter to do the ALS Ice Bucket challenge.

Jake this does not count.

Ice Ice baby.

 Come on and step up for a good cause.

And in this corner...

While filming Southpaw has tapped a lot of locals and local talent to fill roles in the movie.  Lawyers, guests at parties, boxing judges, etc.  And now it comes right into the ring.

Mix Martial Arts fighter and gym owner Mark Shrader got a chance to be in Jake's corner, or actually Billy Hope's cornerman.

A cornerman is "coach or teammate assisting a fighter during the length of a bout. The cornerman remains outside the combat area during the fight, but in proximity, and can assist the fighter through instruction. This instruction can take place in between rounds."

"The cornerman occasionally performs cutman duties such as applying ice to reduce swelling and stopping bleeding. The cornerman may also be responsible for throwing in the towel when necessary."

  Shrader  spent two weeks in June shoot with Jake, Rachel and 50 cent filming 14 hour days.  He was called back to shoot for 3 more days in July.

And things must have worked well, Shrader said that Jake, "and co-stars Rachel McAdams and 50 Cent are 'normal people.' At one point, Shrader said Jake "invited him to the spend the day with him in the gym." (source)

Courtside without the (Brooklyn) Nets

Both Jake and Austin took it to the courts. Some traveling involved.

For Jake he shot several scenes for Southpaw at the Washington County (PA)Courthouse.

According to unit publicist Scott Levine, the movie includes several “important” courtroom scenes and Washington County President Judge Debbie O’Dell Seneca permitted the film crew to use her courtroom, two jury deliberation rooms and the downstairs jury lounge to serve as the location for  the New York courts where Billy finds himself after the death of his wife and the downward spiral of his career.  It is thought that these courtroom scene are about the welfare of Billy's daughter, Leila.

 Despite all that comes with filming on location, cast, crew, equipment and security, the daily court proceedings went on without any interruptions.

Actor and Washington, PA native Charles Hoyes was cast in the role of Jake's lawyer. While he couldn’t provide additional details Hoyes gushed about working with Jake.

" 'He’s a fantastic actor to work with,' the Thousand Oaks, Calif., actor said. 'I’m just playing off of him.'

Hoyes said he auditioned for the role a while back but learned only Wednesday that he got the part.

'I wasn’t sure if they were going to change the role or not,' he said."

The chief clerk for the Washington County commissioners, said the they were contacted this summer about using the courthouse and were more than happy to show off their building and courts. The production company was charged only $1,000 to use the space,  with the money earmarked toward a future building restoration project.

While not many pictures have appeared of Jake and crew in action for Southpaw , a couple of pictures from the courthouse did pop up.

Jake wasn't the only hitting the courts, so was Austin via his twitter.

My kind of gal - AUS10

 What kind of gal is that Austy?

The plastic variety?

The one that can pull off wearing a hoop?

Or maybe you just like the mythological ones that don't exist in real life.... ;) 

And while  he may not be The Man in the Yellow Hat,  Austin will be in his yellow suit in the short We Can't Help You  which is now available to watch on Nobudge.com

Extras Extra

Jake's done movies that have needed hundred and thousands of extras (TDAT and PoP for example) and for Southpaw the call went out all over western Pennsylvania for extras, most to play the part of the crowds for the boxing matches.

So what is it like to play an extra?

Short story - lots of waiting, and long days.

For some making new friends,  and others getting picked out of obscurity.

"John Varescak, of Indiana,(PA) was so enthused about being an extra in the movie that’s being filmed partially in Indiana this month that he took two weeks off work so he would be available.

When he went to the casting call, he got more than he bargained for.
Varescak has been chosen to play a ringside boxing official.

 Varescak said a member of the casting department contacted him to ask if he owns a tuxedo. He does, so he was able to send a photo of himself and a brief biography, and he got the part. He said he was fitted recently for his costume — a burgundy blazer with a white dress shirt, black pants and a tie." - Indiana Gazette

Junk Chuck shared this:

"It was a lot of fun.  I met some cool people, and a lot of weird people–some the kind of weird you expect when folks are mass-hired for temporary, low-wage jobs.  Others just weird in the way that doesn’t necessarily show until we’re thrust together in close proximity, in a situation with lots of down time and a lot of external stimuli to react to.  You’re sitting shoulder to shoulder with people, waiting to watch millionaires play pretend, and it’s pretty natural to look to one side and say, “Hey.” Or “having fun?” Or “sandwiches again for lunch?” The next thing you know, you’ve got a fleeting friendship–you’ve got, um, maybe the best word for it is “buddies.” 

"The process–hundreds of us worked for a week to create what can’t end up being much more than 15 minutes of film, and even that feels long.  The costs are astounding.  Extras salaries alone, not counting overtime and the bounty of food they provided, cost somewhere around $60/minute for 14 hours or more a day (I worked 56 hours last week).  Scenes are filmed multiple times from multiple angles, with long waits for “reversals” when the cameras are flipped from one side of the shot to the other. "

He shared that he's playing  "a reporter at a boxing match. Never watched a movie filmed before–it’s pretty interesting, mostly fun, and super long hours (I’ve got 41.5 hours logged in 3 days). "

And told what he could about what was happening on set.  "Gyllenhaal is doing some serious acting–really impressive stuff. It’s going to be tough to wait a year or more to see how it works out. Not much else I can say, and sorry no pictures; we have to sign confidentiality agreements. They’re already thrown out a couple of people for taking cell pictures."

His week of work ended up being over 60 hours- talk about extra hours.

Punch Back

A little more Punch to Southpaw.

Page Six is reporting that 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson) will play a promoter who’s part of the entourage of the cocky, aggressive, volatile boxing champion Billy Hope.

 Jake and 50 at the premiere of End of Watch.

Billy fully expects to ride out his career with his massive winnings, adoring fans, beloved wife, Maureen, and their 10-year-old daughter but when his temper triggers a fight and shootout that leaves his wife dead, Billy’s life spirals out of control. After he loses his house, money and daughter, he begins to find his way back to some kind of balance with the help of an amateur trainer (Forrest Whitaker).

Southpaw is still filming in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and will soon shift to Pittsburgh for the remainder of their summer filming.

and some Throwback (shirts optional)

Punch-ee!

One more (little) punch to the cast of Southpaw.

Oona Laurence has been cast to play Jake and Rachel McAdams daughter Leila Hope according to the Hollywood Reporter.

She has been one of the four young actresses rotating in the starring role as the precocious Matilda in the production of Matilda The Musical based on the Roald Dahl's book Matilda.

"The native New Yorker, Oona started acting at the age of five as the lead in her Dad's experimental film Days Dance. Since then she has played leads in numerous Columbia University graduate films, and last summer was voted "Best Performer" by the audiences of The Turtle Shell's Summer Play Festival for her Philosophical Banana in The Cosmic Fruit Bowl. An awesome jazz, hip-hop, ballet and modern dancer, she has studied drama at The Children's Acting Academy for two years and performed in one of the company's musical stage productions." - BroadwayWorld

 

Knockout Punch

The Weinstein Company is not pulling any punches.

Deadline Hollywood is reporting The Weinstein Company and director Antoine Fuqua have made Rachel McAdams their choice to play the female lead alongside Jake in Southpaw.

 The last time we saw Jake with Rachel was presenting at the 2010 Oscars, having fun and kidding to a "friend" saying, “This is Rachel McAdams, she's the mother of my child!

Far from finalized McAdams is not the only new name mentioned to be joining Jake and Oscar winner Forrest Whitaker on the boxing flick.  The other name  mentioned that TWC wants for Southpaw is another Oscar winner.... Lupita Nyong’o.

While there is no word what McAdams' part would play in the story of the boxer “ 'who tries to overcome adversity to recapture glory' after a personal tragedy shatters his world and puts his young daughter at risk",  the role mention for Lupito would be the social work assigned to Jake's daughter.

No word on if this is a done deal, but with production set to start next month in Pittsburgh it looks more than just dancing around in the ring.  With the story and the powerhouse cast it looks like TWC is banking on Southpaw to take the title.