NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: Mark Ruffalo

Before he was cast to play the Hulk in the upcoming Avengers, NYGossipGirl got the chance to chat with The Kids Are All Right star Mark Ruffalo. Check out the exclusive interview below!

NYGossipGirl: The Kids Are All Right is such a family movie and it sounds like you guys had a great family vibe on set. How do you think you created that? Everyone seems to be attributing it to you.

Ruffalo: That’s crazy, that’s totally nuts. You know, I think it’s Lisa [Cholodenko]. You’re thrown into one of these things and it’s 23 days and its moving very quickly and you know, you really have to trust each other because you’re throwing yourself into the void and that creates a real camaraderie in people. These guys are great actors and you’re playing outside of your game with these folks.

NYGossipGirl: Your character has been a ladies man, but jumps on the chance to be a family man? Do you think there’s a message in the movie?

Ruffalo: Yeah, I think the novelty of the lesbian couple, the teenage kids and the sperm donor dad is that it kind of goes away quickly. I’ve seen a few audiences now and they’re laughing a lot and they’re laughing because I think they see themselves in it and I don’t care if you’re gay or straight. Any couple that’s been in a long-term relationship is not going to walk out of this movie and not connect to what’s happening in some way.

NYGossipGirl: So do you think that this movie will affect people in terms of the gay marriage debate?

Ruffalo: I mean, I don’t know. It’s not an overtly political film and I think politics can really divide us, but great storytelling and great movie making brings us together, so I’m hoping the movie has that affect on people. Yeah, I would like that.

NYGossipGirl: How about shooting in 23 days?

Ruffalo: [Laughs] Classic. Welcome to independent cinema in the year 2010. Yeah, that’s the way it is. It’s great though. I love it, it’s fast, it’s furious. You know, the ball’s moving fast, it’s turning over. It’s a good way to play outside of your comfort zone.

NYGossipGirl: How’s your own family and kids?

Ruffalo: We’re awesome, they’re great. We’re living Upstate New York and we have a great life and we’re really fortunate

Edited: August 1st, 2010

NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: Josh Hutcherson

NYGossipGirl recently had the pleasure of chatting with The Kids Are All Rights actor Josh Hutcherson.

The film center around two children played by Hutcherson and Alice in Wonderland star Mia Wasikowska, who are conceived by artificial insemination.

Mark Ruffalo plays their birth father and Julianne Moore and Annette Bening play their parents.

The 17-year-old actor will star in and executive produce the indie horror comedy Detention, which will also star Dane Cook.

In the film, a group of teenagers must literally survive their final year of high school as a slasher movie killer comes to life to terrorize them.

The independently-produced feature commences filming next month with a $10 million budget.

Check out NYGossipGirl’s exclusive interview with Josh below!

Edited: July 31st, 2010

NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: Piper Perabo

NYGossipGirl caught up with Piper Perabo at a private screening of her new show Covert Affairs. Perabo plays Annie, a young CIA trainee who  is mysteriously sent out into the field.

NYGG: So congratulations on your new show. You play the lead character, how did the role come about?

Perabo: Thank you! I auditioned for it. There were a lot of folks that wanted it and I was doing my first Broadway play in New York and this sort of just came up. I’m always looking [to play] female heroes and they don’t come up that often and so when this came up I jumped at it.

NYGG: What’s it like playing a CIA agent?

Perabo: It’s really fun. There’s a lot of action, which I haven’t gotten to do in the past, but also, these are really smart powerful people, they travel, they have a great understanding of world politics, so it’s really exciting.

NYGG: Your character has to juggle with being in the CIA and her family life. Was it difficult bringing that to life?

Perabo: I tried really hard to balance the two different sides. And Anne [Dudek] who plays my sister is just such a great actress, I mean [she's been in] House, Mad Men. She and I are really working on creating one role where I play her sister and the rest of the cast is working on creating the other side, where I play the CIA agent.

NYGG: How was it like working with Christoper Gorham?

Perabo: He’s amazing. He’s such a pro at television and he took me under his wing and started to give me the lay of the land.

NYGG: And you’re more known for your roles in movies. What’s the transition like to TV?

Perabo: It’s a little difficult, because in TV you change directors every week and it also comes with an aesthetic change because different directors have different styles of shooting and different ways of telling the story, so it was a big shift at first. I really like it. I think it gives the episode a mini movie feel.

NYGG: In a lot of the scenes, you do a lot of running in heals.

Perabo: Yeah, I wear really high-heeled shoes, so when I’m jumping down elevator shafts or chasing someone down alleys, a lot of times I’ll sneak in a pair of sneakers, just so that I don’t fall as often as I do.

NYGG: And your character speaks six languages right?

Perabo: Now we’re up to nine. We may do more actually. I’m progressing in my language skills [laughs]. Actually, I only speak French and English.

Edited: July 14th, 2010

NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: Julianne Moore

NYGossipGirl recently caught up with Julianne Moore at the premiere of her new film The Kids Are All Right. Here’s what the lovely 49-year-old actress dished about:

NYGG: How was it working on this movie?

Moore: Terrific. [Director] Lisa Cholodenko is just great and is someone that I just admire and I’m excited to finally do something with her. It was a long time coming, it was 5 years, so we’re so happy to finally see it come to life.

NYGG: Do you feel like you and Annette [Bening] captured the spirit of the characters?

Moore: I certainly hope so. That was our goal. Both of us have been married for a long time, we’re parents. I mean, it was an absolute pleasure to do.

NYGG: You’ve been in so many films, but what’s it like working on a movie that’s filmed in 23 days, which this was?

[Laughs] No one really likes to work that fast, it’s not a thrill, but it’s a necessity. When you have a budget that’s limited, you have limited time. You know what, you do what ever you can. You work with whatever you have.

Edited: July 12th, 2010

NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: Yaya DaCosta

NYGossipGirl caught up with America’s Next Top Model alum, Yaya DaCosta at the premiere of her new film The Kids Are All Right.

The 27-year-old actress rocked the red carpet in a black and white Givenchy dress.

DaCosta has been seen on Ugly Betty and The Messenger and plays a supporting role in The Kids Are All Right, where she stars alongside Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson.

The movie centers around two children (Hutcherson, Wasikowska) conceived by artificial insemination bring their birth father (Ruffalo) into their family life.

DaCosta play’s Ruffalo’s love interest, Tanya.

She can be seen next playing a siren in the much-anticipated Tron Legacy.

Watch NYGossipGirl’s exclusive interview with DaCosta below!

Edited: July 5th, 2010

NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: Kristin Chenoweth

NYGossipGirl recently caught up with actress Kristin Chenoweth at the Hot in Cleveland New York premiere.

Chenoweth is currently starring on Broadway opposite Sean Hayes in Promises, Promises.

Chenoweth can also be seen next, alongside Betty White in You Again, about a young woman who realizes her brother is about to marry the girl who bullied her in high school, so she sets out to expose the fiancée’s true colors. The film also stars Kristen Bell and Jamie Lee Curtis.

The 41-year-old actress dished to NYGossipGirl about whether she’ll be back on Glee, who her favorite character is, the ideal song that she wants to perform on the show and if there’s going to be a chance that Wicked will be adapted for the big screen.

Watch the exclusive interview below!

FYI: Hayes is the executive producer of Hot in Cleveland.

Edited: June 27th, 2010

NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: Betty White

NYGossipGirl had the pleasure of chatting with the lovely Betty White at the New York City premiere of her new show Hot In Cleveland.

The show centers around three best friends who are on their dream trip to Paris, but hit turbulence and their plane makes an emergency landing in Cleveland.

They decide to stay once they realize that the locals think they are glamorous.

The show also stars Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick.

Hot in Cleveland airs every Wednesday night on TV Land at 10:00 p.m.

In addition to her new show, White also has a new movie coming out called You Again, where she stars alongside Kristen Bell and Jamie Lee Curtis!

The film is set for a September 2010 release.

Check out NYGossipGirl’s exclusive interview with Betty White below!

Edited: June 16th, 2010

NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: Ari Graynor

NYGossipGirl caught up with Ari Graynor at the premiere of her new film Holy Rollers.

The film centers around a young man from an Orthodox Jewish community who is lured into becoming an Ecstasy dealer by his pal who has ties to an Israel drug cartel.

Graynor plays the dealer’s girlfriend.

The 27-year-old actress previously starred in Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist and Whip It!

Here’s what she shared:

NYGG: Who are you wearing? You look beautiful.

Graynor: It’s vintage! And Jimmy Choo shoes my boyfriend gave me for my birthday.

NYGG: What made you want to play this character. How did the process come about?

Graynor: I just thought that it was such a unique story. It was told from a great point of view. I’m more drawn to characters that are partaking from outside questionable choices and figuring out why they’re doing it and I just liked her being in this role of drugs and partying and feeling this connection to somebody who’s so into his faith and so different from all of the other people in her life. She’s just trying to find herself and it was an exciting challenge.

NYGG: You did a lot of comedy films before and this film is definitely more dramatic.

Graynor: Yeah, once Nick and Norah came out, it was like everyone forgot about those 15 years of work before that [laughs]. I did a lot of dramatic stuff before that. But that’s what so great about this and I have Betty Anne Waters coming out, which is also a drama.

NYGG: Are you writing any of your own scripts?

Graynor: You know what, I’m trying to get some ideas sorted out in my mind, so I’m thinking about it, but nothing concrete yet.

NYGG: Is there someone that you want to work with that you haven’t?

Graynor: I would love to work with Spike Jonze, that would be a dream.

Edited: May 24th, 2010

NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: Justin Bartha

NYGossipGirl had the pleasure of chatting with Hangover star Justin Bartha at the premiere of his new film Holy Rollers.

The film takes place in Brooklyn and tells the story of a young man (Jesse Eisenberg) from an Orthodox Jewish community is lured into becoming an Ecstasy dealer by his pal who has ties to an Israel drug cartel.

NYGG: How did you prepare for this role?

Bartha: We had a lot of time to really own it and do research because just like other independent movies, it took a lot of time to raise the money. So we would go to Williamsburg and Borough Park and we would do a lot of research. We would read a lot and Jesse and I spent a lot of time developing the characters. I had lived with a Hasidic family in Williamsburg for a while and it was a similar tumultuous family.

NYGG: Did you have any corrupting influences growing up?

Bartha: I think we all had corrupting influences throughout our whole lives. I never sank as deep as the character in the movie does, but I think we all know what it’s like and I know people that have, unfortunately.

NYGG: You mentioned you lived with a family, while researching the film. Were they familiar with your work?

Bartha: No, the Hasidic community doesn’t really watch movies and Hasidic kids aren’t running up to me with The Hangover posters [laughs].

NYGG: How’s The Hangover 2 film coming along?

Bartha: I don’t know [laughs]. Only Todd [Phillips] has seen the script. I wish I could talk about.

NYGG: You’re also starring right now in a play on Broadway, how’s that going?

Bartha: Yeah, Lend Me a Tenor. It’s great, I’ve been doing it for a while now. It’s a lot of fun, you should come see it.

Edited: May 20th, 2010

NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: James Pickens

NYGossipGirl recently caught up with Grey’s Anatomy star, James Pickens. The actor was in town promoting his new film Just Wright where he plays the father to Queen Latifah’s character.

“Oh, it was great,” Pickens told NYGossipGirl about working with Latifah. “She was great, very gratuitous, very open. We had a really good time on set.”

Although Pickens didn’t divulge any juicy spoilers about Grey’s season finale, he did say that it’s one of the best episodes to date.

“It’s a two-hour finale and it’s going to be as good of an episode as you’ll see in a while,” he said.

The Grey’s Anatomy two-hour season finale airs tomorrow night (May 19) at 9:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

Edited: May 19th, 2010

NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington rocked a purple and black Zac Posen dress at the premiere of her new film Mother and Child. NYGossipGirl caught up with the actress, who is currently starring in Race on Broadway. Here’s what the 33-year-old had to say:

NYGG: Your new film focuses a lot on the relationship between a mother and child and adoption. Do you plan on adopting one day?

Washington: I don’t know we’ll see. Maybe one day, but not yet. I mean, I’m a really good mom to my dogs.

NYGG: What was it like working with Naomi [Watts]?

Washington: You know what’s so funny, I love Naomi very much, but we have still not done a film together. We have almost no scenes – we actually have no scenes [laughs]. She and I are still looking forward to working with each other.

NYGG: You’re on Broadway now. Do you find you like theater or film more?

Washington: I like them both. Part of why I love my job is that I get to do new things all the time, meet new people, go to places. I love changing it up.

NYGG: What do you have coming up?

Washington: I have the play on Broadway, and a movie called Night Catches Us.

Edited: May 7th, 2010

NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: Naomi Watts

NYGossipGirl caught up with Naomi Watts at the premiere of her new film Mother and Child. The 41-year-old actress opened up about her two boys – Sasha and Samuel – and what she loved about the film. Here’s what she said:

NYGG: What about the script made you sign up to play this role?

Watts: Alejandro [González Iñárritu] who produced this film, brought the script to my attention. He directed me in 21 Grams and he said ‘I think you’ll really like this, have a read.’ I loved my character and I loved her quirkiness and her humor. That’s what I really loved about it. The movie had a lot of great women and it’s filled with very diverse stories.

NYGG: In the film you play a mother, what do you love about having two young boys?

Watts: I grew up a tomboy. I had a big brother, so I never had dolls or girly things. Despite the fact that they’re the opposite sex, I feel that I can relate. The only thing I miss about not having girls is the pretty dresses, but I can do that with my niece.”

NYGG: Were you really pregnant while shooting this movie?

Watts: It was real [laughs]. There was no prosthetics there.

NYGG: And after you had your child you went back to continue filming?

Watts: Yeah, our baby was eight weeks old, so I wasn’t really thinking about keeping fit. I was just feeding my baby at that point. It was very early on, and it was quite hard because my character is so ferocious and scary and sexually promiscuous, and there I was feeling at my most maternal, soft state. There’s nothing like children to keep you in the moment, and they always do. You can’t think about anything but what’s going on at that time, no matter how much you try.”

NYGG: What do you have coming up?

Watts: I have a Woody Allen film coming out and a film called Fair Game with Sean Penn.

Edited: May 4th, 2010

NYGossipGirl Exclusive Interview: Edward Burns

Edward Burns is no stranger to the Tribeca Film Festival.

For his new film, he not only got in front of the camera, but directed too.

His new film, Nice Guy Johnny, centers around Johnny Rizzo, who is about to trade his dream job in talk radio for some snooze-ville gig that’ll pay enough to please his fiancée. Enter Uncle Terry (Burns), a rascally womanizer set on turning a weekend in the Hamptons into an eye-opening fling for his nephew. Nice guy Johnny’s not interested, of course, but then he meets the lovely Brooke, who challenges Johnny to make the toughest decision of is life.

NYGossipGirl had a chance to chat with the 42-year-old actor. Here’s what he had to say:

NYGG: Hi Ed, thanks so much for taking the time to talk. How are you?

Ed Burns: Pretty cool, how are you doing?

NYGG: I’m doing pretty good.  My first question to you is about the movie that you’re doing and your character is Uncle Terry.  Do you see him as the antagonist of the film or do you see him as someone who is helping Johnny reach his goals?

Burns: He’s sort of like – he’s a mentor of sorts, but it’s almost like the devil on one shoulder and the woman he meets on this journey, played by Kerry Bishé, as sort of maybe the angel on the shoulder. The interesting thing is like I think my character is a mentor that is always – he’s sort of the dumbest guy in the room.  He’s always giving this kid terrible advice, but only at the end of the journey when he comes through and you see these decisions he’s made you realize like, oh, maybe the idiot knew something after all, if that makes any sense.

NYGG: Out of all the films that you have done which one would you absolutely, honestly say is your favorite other than Brothers McMullen?

Burns: Obviously, well, hopefully you’re always madly in love with the one you just finished. I think Nice Guy Johnny is definitely my favorite because it is my most personal.  Other than that Sidewalks of New York is hands-down my favorite.

Reporting by Ashley Henry.

Edited: April 25th, 2010