Gone Baby Gone

Amy Ryan of ‘Gone Baby Gone,’ ‘The Wire’ Signs Onto New Episodes of NBC Hit TV Show ‘The Office’

HollywoodChicago.com — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:22:52 -0700

CHICAGO – Amy Ryan’s star just keeps rising. The breakout actress from HBO’s “The Wire,” who was nominated for a Golden Globe and Academy Award for her role in “Gone Baby Gone,” will be featured in at least five episodes on this coming season of NBC hit TV show “The Office”.

Amy Ryan from “Gone Baby Gone,” “The Wire” and “The Office”.
Photo credit: (source)

In season four’s finale of “The Office” (entitled “Goodbye, Toby”), Amy Ryan’s character (Holly Flax) took over the HR position from Toby Flenderson (played by Paul Lieberstein).

With the 2007 finale being her first episode, Holly was teased as a potential love interest for branch boss Michael Scott (portrayed by Steve Carell). Last week, Carell signed on to do three more seasons of “The Office”. Ryan and Carell appeared together in 2007’s “Dan in Real Life”.

“I don’t know what they’re going to do with the character,” Ryan said in a Sunday Variety report, “but as it was written, there’s certainly a lot of potential. It’s a funny thing to enter a show … you’re a great fan of and it’s nice to tell lighter stories. I love the dark, grittier side of life, but it’s nice to take a break from that, put a skirt on and brush your hair.”

Though the fan-favorite Toby is gone from the screen, Lieberstein – a writer and actor on the show since the first season – will continue on as an executive producer through the fifth season of “The Office”. Lieberstein added in the Variety report: “Amy gave the character of Holly an openness and matured innocence that exposed a new side of Michael. She placed her character right on his level.”

Ryan has more projects set for the big screen including “Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq’s Green Zone” and Clint Eastwood’s “Changeling”.

By DUSTIN LEVELL
Senior Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com
dustin@hollywoodchicago.com

Film Festival to Unroll Red Carpet For John Cusack in ‘Grace is Gone’ on Friday

HollywoodChicago.com — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 13:52:43 -0700

CHICAGO – If you missed Wednesday night’s red-carpet affair with Ben and Casey Affleck for “Gone Baby Gone,” you can still hit up the Music Box Theatre at 3733 N. Southport Ave. in Chicago on Friday night for John Cusack’s turn in the limelight.

John Cusack in “Grace is Gone”.
Photo courtesy of IMDb
Just like Wednesday, press will arrive at 5 p.m. on Friday and Cusack’s red carpet is scheduled for 6 p.m. That means it’ll be more like 30 to 45 minutes from then. The event is part of the Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF).

This time, Cusack’s motivated to show not just for press and fans but because he’ll be receiving a Gold Hugo award for career achievement. “Grace is Gone” will be shown after the red carpet around 7 p.m.

Joining Cusack will be young Chicago first-time actresses Shelan O’Keefe and Gracie Bednarczyk. They play his two daughters in the film about losing his wife in war and what it’s like on his family in the U.S.
If you miss the night’s festivities, I’ll again be on the carpet to bring you full coverage. Also, stay tuned for Sunday night’s appearance by Anthony Hopkins. He’s the writer, director and star in “Slipstream”.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com

Chicago Rolls Out ‘Gone Baby Gone’ Red Carpet For Ben, Casey Affleck

HollywoodChicago.com — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 13:38:08 -0700

CHICAGO – On a frigid Chicago night, the Chicago International Film Festival on Wednesday rolled out the red carpet for Ben Affleck and brother Casey Affleck to pump Ben’s directorial debut film “Gone Baby Gone”.

Press began arriving at 5 p.m. to set up cameras. Casey arrived first at about 6:40 p.m. sporting eccentricity with his stylish brown hat. Ben arrived at about 6:50 p.m. to a barricaded crowd of enthusiasts.

Both gravitated like magnets to WGN-TV entertainment reporter and film critic Dean Richards and then entertainment reporter and film critic Bill Zwecker of the Chicago Sun-Times and CBS 2 Chicago.

A devout fan (above) flaunted her life-sized human poster. At first, Ben didn’t pay it any attention. Even though his face was plastered on someone else’s body, I pointed out that the body was James Dean. Flattered, he responded: “It could have been much worse.”

See below for a video I shot of an animated Ben Affleck in a TV interview. Below the video, you’ll find more photos to help you capture the scene.

11:51 p.m. update: Metromix film critic Matt Pais just posted his video footage from the event with brief Ben and Casey Affleck interviews.

By ADAM FENDELMAN
Editor-in-Chief
HollywoodChicago.com
adam@hollywoodchicago.com