Legal Eagle Rose Byrne

By Winnie Bonelli

Actress Rose Byrne slept with Brad Pitt in “Troy,” and attempted to save the world with Nicholas Cage in “Knowing.” Yet her regular Emmy and Golden Globe nominated gig finds her verbally sparring with Glenn Close on F/X’s “Damages” that returns for a third season on Jan. 25th.

Backstabbing is an integral part of “Damages,” and more recently minted attorney Ellen, Byrne’s alter ego, still expresses a secret desire to duke it out with Patty Hewes, Glenn Close’s character, in the courtroom. Yet producer Glenn Kesseler expressed another priority, “At the end of season two, Patty and Ellen were very separate. Will they or won’t they encounter one another and interact? And if so, how will that go?”

Byrne added, “I think this season will be exploring the theme of family. You get to see Ellen with her parents and her sister and I think it reveals a lot about where she came from. It’s the polar opposite of her life with Patty and at the office. Ellen hasn’t spoken to Patty for six months and she’s really moved on in a real genuine kind of sense.

“The complexity of their relationship is definitely something that we still kind of end up exploring throughout the season.”

Also in the forefront is the investigation of a Bernie Madoff-esque situation, casting Len Cariou in the spotlight with Lily Tomlin playing his wife, while Martin Short appears as the formidable family attorney.

Despite the award nominations, Byrne’s career has managed to fly just below the radar. The native of Balmain, a suburb of Sydney, was only 12 when a talent agent landed her a role in Sandra Bernhard’s “Dallas Doll.” The native of Balmain, a suburb of Sydney, was next seen in the Australian soap “Echo Point.”

In hindsight, it was “a six month crash course in getting famous,” one that abruptly ended with the cancellation of the show.

Fortunately, Byrne rebounded three years later when director Gregor Jordan cast her opposite another relative unknown, Heath Ledger, in the crime caper “Two Hands.” Heating up beyond the screen, Byrne became romantically involved with Jordan, who took her to Los Angeles. As for Ledger, the subject remains off limits.

Seldom lacking for work, a partial list of credits include Sophia Coppola’s “Marie Antoinette,” the sci-fi thriller “28 Weeks Later” and Danny Boyle’s “Sunshine,” plus Paul McGuigan’s thriller “Wicker Park with Josh Hartnett.

Byrne recently wrapped the latest installment from Judd Apatow titled “Get Him to the Greek” with Russell Borand. Set for release by Universal in April, Byrne plays a pop star, a role that requires her to render a few tunes.

That wasn’t a problem, but the costumes were. “You really have to have a lot of confidence to wear them,” she laughed. Judging from the hype that’s already begun to build, “Get Him to the Greek” could be just the vehicle needed to officially propel Byrne to A-list status.

*Winnie Bonelli writes for the North Jersey Media Group, New Jersey Monthly Magazine, Coleman-Rayner LLC Celebrity Syndicate, (201) Magazine, Irish Connections, The Independent on Long Island, and Life & Style Magazine. She is a member of The Women Film Critics Circle.

Making 'House' Calls With Olivia Wilde

By Winnie Bonelli

Olivia Wilde parlayed “the kiss” into a high profile career. What made this simple gesture so memorable was its recipient – Mischa Barton on Fox’s hit series “The O.C.”

“It was certainly a learning experience,” the actress confessed. “Before I played the bisexual Alex Kelly, I was unaware of what a phenomenon the series was. It pushed me into the next realm. Afterward, I was done with the character and ready to grow up.”

Indeed, the 25-year-old, teal-green eyed actress did exactly that, costarring as Jenny Reilly in “The Black Donnellys.” Earning accolades for its exceptional acting, the character-driven television drama, about a splintered Irish-American family, failed to build a fan base fast enough to satisfy impatient television executives and was cancelled.

Quickly rebounding, Wilde took up residence on Fox’s medical drama “House,” as Dr. Ramy Hadley, aka Thirteen. “For a female to have such intelligent material is rare. Especially joining a cast that is already established is such a huge honor. It’s like being adopted by Angelina (Jolie) and Brad (Pitt). It just gets better every single day,” said Wilde, who is married to documentary filmmaker/flamenco guitar player Tao Ruspoli.

“Hugh Laurie is a perfectionist, but he’s also so diplomatic. Instead of giving the cast notes, he might suggest something like, ‘I wonder what would happen if…’ His instincts are so right that I keep hoping Hugh will direct an episode soon.”

Aside from making the weekly “House” call, Wilde has been moonlighting non-stop. Last year, she ventured back to Biblical times in director Harold Ramis’ “Year One.” Getting the heave-ho from fellow villagers, slackers Jack Black and Michael Cera embarked on a journey that found them in Sodom, ruled over by Wilde as the clueless Princess Inanna.

Around the same time, Wilde trumped the competition on Maxim magazine’s “Hot 100 List.” It was an honor that Wilde found flattering, but also a bit surprising. “That’s now how I think of myself. Sure, I was honored to be picked, but fortunately I was holed up in Vancouver Island at the time filming ‘Tron-2’ so it didn’t interfere with my daily life,” she commented.

A reworking of the 1982 original “Tron,” Jeff Bridges is reprising his role as programmer Kevin Flynn. Back then, Disney was the first major studio to use computer graphics. Rumors are already swirling on the Internet, even thought the highly anticipated film isn’t slated for release until 2011.

Closed-mouthed, Wilde apologetically begged off, “I really can’t talk about the production; it’s shrouded in silence. I will say that Jeff Bridges has become a close confidant and proved once again what a brilliant actor he truly is. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he won that Oscar Award for best actor.”

The daughter of Irish journalist Andrew Cockburn and Leslie Cockburn, a “60 Minutes” producer/journalist, Olivia prides herself on being “really critical and analytical.”

Nevertheless, Olivia has a secret passion – cooking. “I’ve got this great blackboard-like paint in my kitchen which I write recipes on. This year, I made myself a promise to master one new recipe a week.”

*Winnie Bonelli writes for the North Jersey Media Group, New Jersey Monthly Magazine, Coleman-Rayner LLC Celebrity Syndicate, (201) Magazine, Irish Connections, The Independent on Long Island, and Life & Style Magazine. She is a member of The Women Film Critics Circle.

From The Women's Desk: Ellis Island: Blueprint For Guantanamo?

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Incarcerated without due process on Ellis Island in 1948 along with countless other political prisoners for their leftist views, the eminent forgotten journalist and activist was eventually sent into exile in the UK.
A conversation with Left Of Karl Marx author Carole Boyce Davies, with a spotlight on the Jones burial site next to Karl Marx, and a tale of two political exiles in the UK.
Also....Workers Of The World Divide? Class Struggle Vs. Identity Politics.
And....The Wedding Gift: The History Of US Slavery From A Woman's Perspective. Vanessa Cooper in a conversation with writer Marlen Bodden.

LISTEN TO THE SHOW HERE

Vanessa Cooper can be heard on WLIB Radio, WBLS Radio and the Gary Byrd Experience Radio Networks, and she writes for the Amsterdam News. Vanessa is a member of the Women Film Critics Circle.

American Radical: The Trials Of Norman Finkelstein

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The Arts Magazine Screening Room: Creation

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A look at the Darwin biopic, Creation, and conversations with Charles Darwin's great great-grandson Randal Keynes, author of the biography Annie's Box on which the film is based, and actor Paul Bettany, who stars as the conflicted scientist. And how Darwin was a product of evolution himself, in terms of the converging politics and economics of his 19th century historical moment that made his revolutionary discovery possible.

LISTEN TO THE SHOW HERE