Morgan Freeman is back in the saddle

You know who I haven't heard a lot about in a while? Morgan Freeman. The voice of gravitas in our current age of instant stardom and minor talent.

Part of the reason the 73 year old actor has been a bit quiet is obviously due to the car accident he had in 2008. That left him with a broken elbow, shoulder and other damage. For a man of his age, it was a potentially deadly accident, but he has recovered and looks healthy again.

Another reason is that he has been working on a film, and the rights of another. The most recent film will be Invictus - a film about Nelson Mandela (who Freeman will portray). The film was directed by Clint Easatwood making 3 films the pair has worked together on (as I recall). Expectations are high for the film, and it seems that the typecasting of Freeman as a larger than life figure continues to grow.

And its that image of grave seriousness and immense respect that I think is holding Freeman back a bit. Hollywood just doesn't know how to use him. He is a great actor, but he is equated with quality and power - 2 things that Hollywood tends to avoid using Black actors for.

Freeman broke that image a bit with his role as the main antagonist in WANTED. He even cursed! But Hollywood seems unwilling to take a chance. That is until news of the next project that Freeman is reported to be working on.

Dirty Old Men is about a pair of friends. Both are bachelors. One (potentially Jack Nicholson who worked with Freeman in The Bucket List) finally falls in love and intends to get married. His friend (Freeman) seeks to break the marriage plans at all costs. Don't take this all to seriously, it's a comedy so hijinks will abound.

Will this break the typecast of Morgan Freeman? Do we really want it to? I mean of all the things to be typecast as, being the guy that everyone can accept as God is hardly the worst thing that could happen.

Honestly, for me, if the role diminishes Freeman I won't watch it. He is a role model and a goal to be reached for. He is perfect for roles that require wisdom, intensity, and intellect. And I really prefer him that way. But I can understand if that doesn't pay the bills (which I doubt even with all his chritable donations) or leaves a need to expand his abilities.

But we will see.

Who will replace Sean Penn as Larry in Three Stooges movie

Well there are a few changes that are coming up in several movies being planned for 2010 or so. Several high profile movie stars have been added or left planned movies. How this might affect these films is anyone’s guess. But at least you are forewarned.

The potentially big news is that Sean Penn has pulled out of the star studded Three Stooges movie, in addition to the film Cartel. The 3 Stooges movie includes Jim Carrey and Benicio Del Toro. So even without Penn this is a huge powerhouse to this film. The real question is who might be the actor to replace Penn as Larry.

So far, some of the rumors – or hopes – I have heard of include the following names: Johnny Depp, Ben Stiller, Jack Nicholson, Chris Tucker, and Ludivine Sagnier. Talk about a huge range of styles and skill. Each changes the dynamics completely.

In my opinion, Ben Stiller would be a horrible choice. I can imagine Stiller turning the film into Starsky & Hutch –esque style of bad acting. While his latest films have been good (Night at the Museum), his history of playing the same character, and badly, in each film would inevitably harm the quality of the film and drive potential viewers away. Plus he is no where near the abilities of Carrey or Del Torro.

Jack Nicholson is a stellar actor. I have no doubt that he could pull off the role. But he is older. Too much so to have a smooth mix with the very energetic Del Toro and Carrey. Plus I just can’t see him getting slapped around. That image just throws me off.

Johnny Depp seems like a great choice. He has the ability, range, and youth. He will drive in fans of all ages and backgrounds. He is a powerhouse on his own. And he has done comedic roles well. The only negative is that he might be too good looking. But makeup can fix that.

Going into the realm of something completely different, Chris Tucker would fit the bill. A Black Larry would really shake up the film. It puts a spin on the movie that I honestly can’t imagine right now. But to say that this would be a good thing is a statement I can’t make for sure. The best role I have seen Tucker in is arguably his support in Fifth Element, or perhaps the first Rush Hour film. Can his eunic like voice and race add to a film with far better actors and intense physical comedy?

Lastly there is Ludivine Sagnier. This choice has to be simply because the actress likes to be topless, and has had most of her film roles done in the nude. That is not to say that a woman could not be Larry. Just that I cannot imagine this woman in that role. Maybe Geena Davis, but not Sagnier.

Actually, now that I think about it more, I don’t see a woman in the role. Being slapped and hit, by men, with the intent of cruelty and punishment – it just doesn’t work with a woman. It crosses a boundary. It can too easily be taken the wrong way.

So of the above choices, minus Sagnier, who would I pick? Depp. He has the ability to match up with Del Toro and Carrey. He is the right age. He can easily capture the tone and essence of the character. And he can deliver.



With Penn gone, Depp is the perfect replacement. In fact, it can be easily argued that Penn should never have been in the film to start with. At least with Del Toro and Carrey in the mix.

But as a wildcard I will throw in one other name. Robert Downey Jr. While he is a bit too world-weary in his looks, there is no question of his ability or range. He might be a bit older, but not too much so. He is a powerhouse actor, and can commit to the film with as much dedication as Depp.

But who do you want as Larry in this Three Stooges remake?

Models, actresses, and Valerie Bertinelli on People magazine

So here is a question. What is fat? Because the answer is very different for men and women. And that answer is the motivation of tens of millions of dollars in weight loss programs, ads, diet fads, magazines and so on.

I was wondering this recently as I was looking for models for my upcoming model photo shoot for my designer clothing lines. I decided to write on it after seen the cover of People magazine with Valerie Bertinelli.



Now there is no question that Ms. Bertinelli looks good. Considering her age and being a mom, very good indeed. But it was not like she was a slobbering mass of fat previously. In fact, if you look across the nation, at 172 pounds and 5’2” just 2 years ago she was about the norm.

But such a shape won’t get you on the cover of a magazine, or in many a movie role. For a woman. Yet I have to wonder why?

I recall how the nation was ogling the shape of Jennifer Lopez. Because she was considered by Hollywood standards to be voluptuous and extremely curvy. But in fact she was just the normal size of just about any Hispanic/Latino woman of her age in New York City. Hell, in the Bronx you can walk down the street and see a dozen women with better figures every day of the summer.

I recall how I had a conversation with a friend, who informed me that Beyonce is a plus-sized woman. I still reel with amazement at that. Most Black women I know have her shape and weight – again if not better.

So why is it that women must strive to look like Gabrielle Anwar from Burn Notice. Who I equate with anorexia and would never want to touch for fear of breaking her.

This is especially true when you consider men are not held to the same standard. Jack Nicholson, which Hollywood still considers sexy, is hardly fit or trim. And there are a host of men, Will Pertersen, Sean Connery, Laurence Fishburn, ect. that have varying degrees of extra weight and yet are still considered good looking and ready to work.

Now there is nothing wrong with anyone who wants to lose weight. Or anyone losing an extra person in fat off of them. It’s great that looking and being healthy is acknowledged. But I don’t get the drama associated with it.

I have been told that some models and actresses are just too big. That they are not thin enough by industry standards. Yet I know that most men find the more realistic female models and actresses to be very attractive. In fact every model I have used or will be using in my next photo shoot is an attractive successful real woman. As opposed to the look of starvation found in say America’s Top Model.

So, I want to ask the women out there. Does it matter to you. Beyond any one woman losing weight, does it matter when you see an actress in a movie how much she weighs? Will a woman buy clothing modeled by a woman that looks anything but anorexic?

And to the guys, virtually all of whom date and marry a woman that is anything but a size 0, do you really want a woman with the shape of one of the Olsen twins – or Beyonce?

I really want to know, because I think all my models are beautiful and real examples of women. And I will not go with an anorexic looking model for my clothing lines. So I want to know if that’s shooting myself in the foot or not. I won’t change, but I want to know the battle I am facing.