[[ARTICLES]] Selma Blair, la heroína de ojos tristes

Liz Sherman, personaje al que da vida Selma Blair, supo de sus poderes piroquinéticos a los once años y de la forma más dramática, cuando achicharró a los suyos. En «Hellboy. El ejército dorado», la heroína ha asumido su condición de monstruo y está a punto de formar una nueva familia junto al protagonista, otro ser rechazado por los «normales». No hay duda de que el tema le encanta a Guillermo del Toro.

Conocida por títulos como «Crueles intenciones» y «Mi novio es un ladrón», en la que actuó junto a Antonio Banderas, la actriz se sabe condenada al lado oscuro: «Es cierto que el ángel de la muerte me dice en la película que voy a sufrir mucho y aún así elijo el camino peligroso. También es verdad que me siento más cerca de los monstruos que de los humanos, pero a Guillermo siempre le gusta tener humor y no creo que me abandone por completo».

Selma, que presentó en Madrid la película vestida «de punta en negro», como requería la ocasión, es consciente de que fue elegida para el papel porque el director la había visto en «Cosas que no se olvidan» e hizo caso del título. «Le gustó la tristeza de mis ojos. Eso es lo que vio en mí», asegura.

Lo cierto es que desde pequeña tenía vocación de bicho raro. Una vez llegó a decir que soñaba con ser embalsamadora. «Me arrepiento tanto de haber dicho eso... No he estudiado para embalsamar, ni tengo el título. Fue un error en un momento de locura pasajera, pero mi idea de pasar el tiempo no es esa». Con la fama que arrastra, no sorprende que ahora intente esconder sus rarezas. Jamás confesaría, por ejemplo, que ha visto un ovni, como Del Toro. «No lo he visto nunca, pero aunque lo hubiera hecho me lo callaría, porque la gente ya piensa que soy bastante rarita».

En cualquier caso, es reacia a contar de dónde proviene esa tristeza en su mirada: «No lo sé, quizá es sólo cómo está hecho mi rostro», explica. «Puede ser una pena profunda o simplemente tengo los párpados caídos por una cuestión genética». Sea o no la explicación correcta, sin duda es diferente: «Muchos actores se sienten más cómodos en un género determinado. Yo estoy incómoda en todos. Simplemente sigo adelante. Soy sólo una actriz que estoy ahí para ayudar a alguien a contar una historia».

Por si necesitan otro ejemplo del lado oscuro de Selma Blair (y de su sentido del humor, por supuesto negro), vean lo que cuenta sobre su afición a tomar fotografías en los rodajes: «Antes tenía un cuarto oscuro y en realidad lo que más me gustaba era revelarlas. Ahora las guardo en un cajón. Cuando muera, quizá el embalsamador pueda rescatarlas».

Con estos antecedentes, es mejor estar prevenido y no provocar a la «bestia» (bastante bella, por cierto). Alguien pregunta, por si acaso: ¿qué le indigna tanto en la vida real como para arder en llamas? «No suelo enfadarme mucho, pero es difícil decirlo, porque la gente podría intentar ponerme prueba. Pero no me gusta nada la crueldad con los animales. También odio cuando voy en coche y otros conductores arrojan colillas por la ventana. Tampoco me gustan nada los que van contando mis secretos». El lector sabrá comprender por qué no decimos ni la edad que tiene, que es, en todo caso, mayor de la que aparenta.


FEDERICO MARÍN BELLÓN I MADRID

[[PROJECTS]] Hellboy Topples The Dark Knight

Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy II: The Golden Army has topped the UK box office in the film's opening weekend ending The Dark Knight's reign at the top of the box office.

The film, which sees Ron Pearlman, Selma Blair and Doug Jones all reprise their roles grossed almost £3 million and after an ancient truce existing between humankind and the invisible realm of the fantastic is broken, hell on Earth is ready to erupt only the planet's toughest, roughest superhero can save the day.

1. (-) Hellboy II: The Golden Army - £2,969,602

2. (3) Mamma Mia! - £1,837,577

3. (-) Get Smart - £1,542,005

4. (1) The Dark Knight - £1,454,847

5. (3) You Don't Mess With The Zohan - £781,953

6. (4) The Mummy: Tomb Of The Dragon Emperor - £641,421

7. (5) Wild Child - 585,881

8. (7) WALL-E - £459,574

9. (6) Star Wars: The Clone Wars - £347,981

10. (8) Space Chimps - £135,547

[[INTERVIEWS]] Hellboy: Selma Blair

Selma Blair tells us what its like to love the kitten-loving, anti-hero Hellboy.

Selma Blair is heading back to hell this weekend as the pyrokinetic Liz Sherman in Hellboy II: The Golden Army, the follow-up to the 2004 box office hit. Having finally come to terms with her powers, Liz is out to kick (or rather scorch) ass in this latest instalment, which sees Hellboy up against an ancient evil (aka that bloke from Bros) threatening to destroy the fragile piece between mankind and those otherworldly creatures. Selma Blair tells us what its like to love the kitten-loving, anti-hero Hellboy.

In our latest Hellboy interview, Blair chats about returning to the role, Guillermo Del Toro and the possibility of a Hellboy 3!

Selma Blair tells us what its like to love the kitten-loving, anti-hero Hellboy.

Q: Did you have any reservations about reprising the role of Liz in Hellboy II?

No. Not one. How could you ever have reservations working with Guillermo? This is what an actor dreams of, anyone working in film. He is the best there is.
Anything he does he's good at. I sound like a sycophant, but it's true.

Q: Why do you think Hellboy holds such wide appeal?

I think it's a shock to girls that Hellboy is so funny. I'm sure with the first one, some were dragged by their boyfriends thinking 'Oh God, this is some weird horror movie I don't want to go see'. But he's funny and he's sexy. He's just like a regular guy.

Q: So he's more relatable than the perfect superheroes we're used to seeing?

Yes. I think he's so completely relatable. He's in these absurd situations and his girlfriend bursts into flames and there's a guy who looks like a fish who is walking around. There are very strong themes in Guillermo's movies which are so serious. It's not like anything the title would suggest. There's Hell and Boy, one's a scary place and the other, boy, is an adorable image. Even the title is funny.

Q: Hellboy is probably not every girl's ideal mate. Do you agree?

He's a really flawed regular dude (laughs). He's a guy, but he's big, red, he has horns, a tail and he's also just a big sloppy grown up kid.

Q: Why do you think Liz falls so hard for him?

Liz and Hellboy have known each other since she was an adolescent and they've had a bond ever since. There's just an instant love between the two of them. He's funny, he's charming and he goes all out. When he wants to do something, he gets the job done. He's loyal and a good guy. He's also a softie and he loves his kittens. There's a lot to love about him.

Q; The Liz we see in the sequel has grown up and changes a great deal. Were you happy to see a different Liz in Hellboy II?

I was really happy for it. Liz is so different in this one than in the first. In the first, she was like playing a teenager. She was sad and was really uncomfortable in her life. She was trying to move forward.

Q: Is it true that director Guillermo doesn't use as much CGI as what other directors would for a film like this? For example, he builds fantastic sets where in other films the director might rely on animators to fill the background later?

Yes, that's so true. His sets are always incredible. On both Hellboys I was blown away when I walked on set. The costumes are so detailed and impressive as well. It is so great to be an actor on his movies because the surroundings really help you believe you are in this fantastic world. You're basically living inside the brain of this brilliant director.

Q: There are so many complex action scenes in the film, what scene would you say was the most difficult to shoot?

I'd say one of the first action scenes in the movie. It takes place in the auction house and I have a gun. I know how to shoot a gun because my sister was a police officer so she taught me how to use one safely, but it is so different when you're using them in a movie. You have to pretend to be shooting one so you have to mimic the kickback after you fire it. I was so bad at it! Doug Jones is in the scene too and he was the same as me. Guillermo would call us 'Selma and Louise' and that made us laugh even more. There were times when we were trying to do this serious scene where we are being attacked by these creatures, but Doug and myself were rolling on the floor laughing because we were so bad at it.

Q: What would Guillermo say?

He'd laugh too. I'm sure he wondered if we'd ever be able to get through it. Luckily we did and if you watch the movie, you'd swear Doug and myself were professionals with guns. I guess that's why Guillermo is one of the great directors. He made us look so good.

Q: You've now made two Hellboy films and there are rumors of a third. Looking back to when you were first offered the role, what did you know about the Hellboy comics?

I didn't know anything about Hellboy, but I knew a lot about Guillermo. When I heard Guillermo wanted me in the film I said 'yes' without having read a script. Then I looked into Hellboy and knew it would make a fantastic film, especially with Guillermo directing. He has the most incredible vision.

Q: What was your favorite Guillermo film before Hellboy?

My favorite was The Devil's Backbone. It's incredible.

Q: So if Guillermo asked you to do a third Hellboy film, would you be in?

Sure. Try and keep me away! There's a big surprise in the film - I won't say what because I don't want to spoil it - so I would like to see how that turns out. Guillermo has told me a little bit about what he would do with the characters if he makes a third. Personally, I'd like to see how my character, Liz, deals with the changes in her life. There's a lot of potential and growth for my character.

[[PHOTOCALLS]] Hellboy II - Madrid, Spain

[[NEWS]] Selma Blair juggles Kath and Kim and Hellboy II

Selma Blair has her own paparazzi posse these days. The raven-haired actress has had the odd paparazzi shot appear in a supermarket tabloid during her 10-year, 40-film career.

She has also had plenty of success. Her latest film, the action fantasy sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, has earned more than $US100 million ($A114.77 million) at the box office in limited release, with more territories, including Australia yet to open. Blair, 35, also starred in the original Hellboy film and in plenty of other hits, including the thriller Cruel Intentions and comedies Legally Blonde and The Sweetest Thing.

What has the paparazzi salivating and hiding in bushes and buildings these days is Blair’s new project, the US version of the Australian TV sitcom, Kath and Kim. Well, not really. It’s more specific than that. The paps are more interested in the skimpy outfits Blair is wearing for the show, set to air on NBC in the US in October. Photographers who once spent their days chasing Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, are taking up hidden positions outside Blair’s trailer on the Los Angeles set of Kath and Kim. “My clothes are tight,” Blair admits. “Very tight.”

Blair will play spoilt daughter Kim in the US series. The Michigan-born actress is stick thin, so although she will find it difficult to muster up a muffin top equivalent to Gina Riley’s Kim on the Australian show, Blair’s Kim has a similar “princess” personality. “She’s a bit of a juvenile,” Blair explains. “She’s in her 20s, but she acts like a 13-year-old.”

Whether the American version of Kath and Kim - which Riley and Australian co-creator and star Jane Turner are executive producing - is a success is up in the air. Some US TV analysts predict it will fail and will be quickly taken off air. Blair and former Saturday Night Live comedienne Molly Shannon, who will play Kath, just want American audiences and Australians critical of the re-make, to give the show a chance. “It’s a different show,” Blair said. “This one has a little more heart than the Australian one.”

The Hellboy films have also been praised by critics for having heart, despite being based on a popular comic book about a red-skinned, horned creature “born in the flames of hell”. In Hellboy II Blair reprises her role of Liz Sherman, a superhero with an ability to burn down a skyscraper with the click of her fingers. Ron Perlman returns as Hellboy, the cigar-smoking, beer-drinking reluctant saviour of the human race. In the sequel, Hellboy and Sherman are called on to save the world from a underworld prince set to release a formidable army of killing machines that have lied dormant for hundreds of years. The sequel also reveals more details about the dysfunctional romantic relationship Sherman and Hellboy share, although Blair said her character has matured since the first film.




http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=5&ContentID=92848

[[PHOTOCALLS]] Hellboy II - Berlin, Germany

[[INTERVIEWS]] Selma Blair talks weight gain

Selma Blair, 36, made her name by snogging Sarah Michelle Gellar in Cruel Intentions, the teenage remake of Dangerous Liaisons, almost a decade ago. After popping up in a string of supporting roles, Blair enjoyed her first hit as leading lady with 2004's Hellboy. Her new film is its sequel, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, which is released next week.

Were you happy to avoid wearing prosthetics on Hellboy 2? Some of your co-stars weren’t so lucky…
So happy. I’d take the p*** out of everyone. I’d say: ‘God, this cotton shirt is so hot and they made me do up all the buttons on my jacket today.’

You recently turned 36. What did you do for your birthday?
I went surfing for the first time at Venice Beach. I stood up and caught my own waves. I loved it.

But you did have to ‘burn’.
I didn’t know until I saw the film that I would actually be ablaze a lot. I thought there would just be fire coming out of my hands. I was quite grateful in retrospect because nothing covers up bad acting like a good flame. Guillermo Del Toro [the film’s director] knows how to save a girl.

What super power would you want to have?
I’d like to fly. When I was at school and they were going through all the careers, I said I wanted to be an astronaut. I went home and told my mother. She said: ‘It’s going to be such a rocky ride and you’ll be strapped in for a long time.’ I was really disappointed. I thought I’d get wings and just fly to the Moon. That was my first reality check and it hit me hard. I’m still disappointed.

You had to gain weight for your new role in the US remake of Australian comedy Kath And Kim. How was that?
Unpleasant. I’d have lacerations on my body from my shorts being so tight. They’d yell ‘Cut!’ and people would come over with a bathrobe because I was so embarrassed about the flab rolling over. It was so ugly. That and my double chin. I’ve lost the weight but it’s difficult to get it off as you get older.

I thought I’d get wings and just fly to the Moon. That was my first reality check and it hit me hard. I’m still disappointed

How would you describe your own style?
Fashion’s important to me, especially as an actress. It’s wardrobe, it helps tell the story. It’s the first thing you see. It’s such a politically incorrect thing to say but when I was thinner it was easier because everything fit so well. It’s a thin girl’s game. When you’re a regular person you have to fit into regular clothes and things don’t feel as special when you can’t fit into the teeny-weeny things. I don’t get as excited now. I’d love to be richer so I could spend boatloads of cash on something as frivolous as fashion.

Were there ‘Selma Blair is fat’ pictures in the tabloids?
Yes, plus the character’s fashion sense is really horrific. I’m wearing a lot of bright clothes and I don’t wear anything except black and white in real life. I’m wearing orange and blue together. It’s horrible. And wedge flip-flops all the time, toe rings, and an anklet. I have long hair, too, so I have these horrifying extensions and these long nails. It’s so embarrassing.

Did you have any embarrassing experiences while shooting Kath And Kim?
A fan asked me for an autograph and I said: ‘Oh sorry, I’m in wardrobe.’ I was wearing this ridiculous tube top with a big rhinestone star on the side and these little shorts. It was visually appalling. I said: ‘I’m sorry, I’ll try and cover up.’ And she said, ‘I think it looks cute,’ and I thought: ‘Oh, she’s dressed like this too, so I need to be careful what I say, I don’t want to sound like a jerk.’ I said: ‘Don’t pay attention to my nails. Hideous! For the character.’ I gave her the autograph and saw she had the exact same nails. I’ve realised I need to shut up and not condemn people’s fashion choices.

Hellboy is a strange boyfriend. What’s the strangest date you’ve been on?
A guy once said he was surprised at how much better I looked when he first asked me out. It was literally the first thing he said: ‘Wow, you were so pretty that day I asked you out.’ I should have got up and left but I didn’t because I was hungry. That hunger thing makes you endure a lot of insults.

Do you read stories about yourself on the internet?
I did when I was in Budapest [filming Hellboy 2] because I was there by myself and I got lonely at night. I looked at pictures of dogs in LA animal shelters then I got bored and went on gossip sites. Sometimes it’s fun to see someone’s bag or think ‘She looks good’ or ‘Oh my God, who’s that person? Oh, it’s me in the morning!’ Posing for the paparazzi is for the youngsters.

Do you attract comic-book geeks these days?
I guess so. There are some nice geeky fans. They’re cute, too. I like geek boys. I married one [Ahmet Zappa]. I divorced one. But we’re still very good friends. He sent me flowers for the premiere.

by LESLEY O’TOOLE - Friday, August 15, 2008

acceso directo

[[INTERVIEWS]] NO ‘HOBBIT’ FOR SELMA BLAIR - BUT THE ACTRESS WOULD LOVE TO DO ‘HELLBOY III’

The actress talks about director Guillermo del Toro’s two big movie franchises

LOCATION: Middle Earth?

THE SKINNY: While promoting her new NBC comedy KATH AND KIM, Selma Blair spoke about the future of the HELLBOY franchise where she plays firestarter Liz Sherman. While the success of the second installment would seem like a third film would be a no brainer, she says she has heard no additional word, though she wouldn’t hesitate to come back for a return.

“I would be honored,” says Blair. “But I don’t know if that would happen.”

She does hint that writer-director Guillermo del Toro does have some ideas for a third HELLBOY, but nothing has been formally discussed.

“There are some ideas for a storyline,” says Blair. “He likes to keep it close to the vest and we kind of respect that.”

Considering Del Toro will be busy directing the back-to-back THE HOBBIT films for the next few years, HELLBOY III’s prospects look like a dim possibility, but what about Blair being in the director’s latest franchise? Has she bugged him about it?

“I know better than to bug him,” she says. “And I’m also involved in KATH AND KIM so there wold be no point.”

From iF Magazine

[[ARTICLES]] Blair Played It Cool On Hellboy Set

Filming HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY was no sweat for actress SELMA BLAIR - she was one of the only stars on set who didn't wear extensive prosthetics.

The big screen adaptation of the comic book required actors to spend hours in the make-up chair being fitted with heavy make-up and latex prosthetics to play mythical creatures.

But Blair, who plays character Liz Sherman, couldn't help but taunt her fellow cast members about her simple wardrobe.

She says, "I (was) very naughty in that department. On the hottest days, when the other actors (couldn't) breathe in their makeup, I breeze in and say how sweaty I feel in my cotton tank top.

"It's just as well (Hellboy actor) Ron Perlman is my next-door neighbour in real life and knows my sense of humour."

[[APARICIONES PUBLICAS-MEDIA]] Hellboy II The Golden Army Premiere Red Carpet arrivals

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