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Filming is scheduled to begin Monday,
March 26 on Imagine Entertainment's "A Beautiful Mind,"
a co-production of Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures,
directed by Ron Howard and produced by Brian Grazer.
The film will be distributed in the U.S.
and Canada by Universal, with DreamWorks handling all foreign
territories. With a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, "A Beautiful
Mind" is a powerful drama inspired by the events in the
life of John Forbes Nash, Jr., and in part based on the
biography "A Beautiful Mind" by Sylvia Nasar. Oscar(R) nominee
Russell Crowe ("Gladiator," "The Insider") stars as Nash,
opposite Oscar(R) nominee Ed Harris ("Pollock," "Apollo
13") and Jennifer Connelly ("Requiem for a Dream").
From
the heights of notoriety to the depths of depravity, John
Forbes Nash, Jr. experienced it all. A mathematical genius,
he made an astonishing discovery early in his career and
stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome
and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a painful and harrowing
journey of self-discovery. After many years of struggle,
he eventually triumphed over this tragedy, and finally --
late in life -- received the Nobel Prize.
The production team includes Director
of Photography Roger Deakins (Oscar-nominated for "O Brother,
Where Art Thou?"), Production Designer Wynn Thomas ("Analyze
This"), Costume Designer Rita Ryack (Oscar-nominated for
"Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas"), and Editors
Dan Hanley ("Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas,"
"EDtv") and Mike Hill ("Grinch," "EDtv"). Filming will take
place in Bayonne, NJ, Princeton, NJ, and New York City.
Russell Crowe received an Oscar(R) nomination for his portrayal
of the heroic Maximus in "Gladiator," and was nominated
for an Oscar(R) for his work in "The Insider" last year.
His other credits include "L.A. Confidential," "Mystery
Alaska," "Virtuosity," "The Quick and the Dead" and "The
Sum of Us."
Ed
Harris received an Oscar(R) nomination for his performance
in "Pollock," a film he also directed. He was previously
nominated for his performance in Ron Howard's "Apollo 13."
Jennifer Connelly gave an acclaimed performance this year
in "Requiem for a Dream" and was also featured in "Pollock."
"A Beautiful Mind" marks the first collaboration between
Brian Grazer and Ron Howard since the highly successful
"Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas," which was produced
by Grazer, directed by Howard and released by Universal.
The film, which stars Jim Carrey, has earned more than $260
million domestically, and was the domestic box office champ
for the year 2000. The film has received Oscar(R) nominations
for Art Direction, Costume Design and Makeup.
With more than 22 Academy Award(R) nominations
and 17 Emmy Award nominations for his productions, and as
the recipient of numerous distinguishing tributes, Brian
Grazer is one of the most creative and prolific producers
in the entertainment industry. Mr. Grazer has been responsible
for some of the industry's most critically-acclaimed projects,
and has been the driving force behind some of Hollywood's
most successful box-office blockbusters. Among his films
produced, which to date have grossed more than $4 billion
worldwide, are: "Splash," "Ransom," "Liar Liar," "Apollo
13," "The Nutty Professor," "Life," "Bowfinger," and "Nutty
Professor 2: The Klumps," which has grossed more than $123
million domestically. An accomplished actor, writer, producer
and director, Ron Howard joined forces with Brian Grazer
in 1986 as founders and chairmen of Imagine Films Entertainment,
Inc.
As
a director, Mr. Howard has been responsible for some of
entertainment's most memorable moments, including: "Ransom,"
starring Mel Gibson; the 1995 blockbuster "Apollo 13," which
was nominated for nine Academy Awards(R), including Best
Picture and for which Mr. Howard was named Best Director
of the Year by the Directors Guild of America; and the 1996
box office hit "Ransom." His other directorial achievements
include "Far and Away"; "Backdraft"; "Splash"; "Parenthood";
"Willow"; "Gung Ho"; "Night Shift"; "Cocoon" and "The Paper."
DreamWorks SKG was formed in October, 1994, by its three
principal partners -- Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg
and David Geffen -- to produce live-action motion pictures;
animated feature films; network, syndicated and cable television
programming; home video entertainment; records; books; toys;
consumer products and interactive entertainment.
Universal Pictures is a unit of Universal
Studios (www.universalstudios.com), a part of CANAL +, the
TV and Film division of Vivendi Universal, a new global
leader in media and communications.
SOURCE Universal Pictures
Web site: www.universalstudios.com
(V)
By Jeannie Williams, USA TODAY
News & Views
Whether they win or lose at Sunday's Academy
Awards, two of the best-actor nominees will be heading for
the same place next week — Princeton, N.J. Russell Crowe
(Gladiator) and Ed Harris (Pollock) will begin work on A
Beautiful Mind, directed by Ron Howard. And Howard's producing
partner, Brian Grazer, admits it's a delicate situation.
He's not sure what it will be like if a winner and a loser,
or two snubbed by Oscar, show up to work. He just knows
it's "an amazing coincidence."
Crowe
committed to the project after The Insider and before Gladiator
was released. "He says so much with so few words. There's
a lot going on in his brain and coming out of his eyes,
and that's what you need for John Nash," says Grazer. John
Forbes Nash Jr., now 72, was a math prodigy who early in
his career made important discoveries in the field of game
theory that influenced today's economics. He won a Nobel
Prize for his work. But he also is a paranoid schizophrenic
who lived on the streets, was institutionalized, and had
relationships with women and men.
Harris, Oscar-nominated as tortured painter
Jackson Pollock, has a supporting role as a powerful U.S.
military officer who tried to lure Nash to help crack intelligence
codes in the Cold War 1950s. Recent biopics, including The
Insider and The Hurricane, have run into problems with charges
of inaccuracy from some of those portrayed. Grazer hopes
to avoid that because he's working closely with Nash, his
ex-wife, Alicia, with whom he lives (to be played by Jennifer
Connelly ), and Sylvia Nasar, author of the 1994 biography
of the same title.
"The
heartbeat of the movie is when he is a 25-year-old (grad
student), acutely schizophrenic," says Grazer. Crowe, I
note, will be 37 in April, and hasn't looked 25 on screen
lately. "He will in this movie, it depends on the way you
shoot. They wanted him to look really rough in Gladiator
." Most of the time he'll be playing Nash in his 30s.
Meanwhile, Grazer will be at Vanity Fair's
Oscar party Sunday night, and he'll be more on edge than
most until that best-actor envelope is opened.
--Thanks to ambilurker for posting on the Crowe's Perch:)
Canoe.com: Sunday,
January 13, 2002 Critics love Howard for his Mind
Canoe.com: Sunday,
December 23, 2001 Crowe has formula for success
Calgary Sun: Mind
over all other matters Crowe gives Oscar-worthy show
Calgary Sun: Mind
of her own Jennifer Connelly shines in spotlight opposite
Crowe
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