During the early days of World War II, with the fall of France imminent, Britain faces its darkest hour as the threat of invasion looms. As the seemingly unstoppable. There is no doubt that Darkest Hour belongs to its lead,” she continues. Oldman has every mannerism and inflection nailed down completely, yet he. Watch Blessed And Cursed Online Hollywoodreporter on this page. We've scoured the internet and compiled the darkest SpongeBob SquarePants fan theories under the sea. Prepare to get weirded out.

How Gary Oldman Was Finally Convinced to Play Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour“Gary!” Director Joe Wright called out to his leading man, Gary Oldman, across an empty theater lobby as their new movie, Darkest Hour, screened to a packed house inside. Wright was leaning on a concession counter at the Telluride Film Festival’s Werner Herzog Theater, a converted ice rink where a sign reading “No Spitting,” intended for hockey players, hung nearby. Gary!” Wright called out again. What year was Sid and Nancy?”“Oh Christ,” Oldman answered.

Actually the epiphanic punk performance that introduced Oldman as a major talent hit theaters in 1. Wright was an impressionable 1. North London. “Gary was the man,” Wright said. And Sid and Nancy was revelatory.” More than 3. Telluride for another of Oldman’s electric performances, this time as Winston Churchill, in a role that many believe will win the 5. Englishman his first and long- deserved Oscar (Oldman was nominated in 2. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy).

1. The Darkest Hour is the story of five young people who find themselves stranded in Moscow, fighting to survive in the wake of a devastating alien attack. The 3D.
2. An electric chamber piece that couldn’t more perfectly complement “Dunkirk” if Christopher Nolan wrote it, “Darkest Hour” is as rousing and ferocious as.
3. Over tea at a TIFF afterparty, "Dunkirk" director Christopher Nolan asked: "And how is 'Darkest Hour'?".

Darkest Hour, which Focus Features will bring next to the Toronto International Film Festival on September 1. November 2. 2, follows the first days of Churchill’s term as prime minister, as Hitler’s grip on Europe is tightening and the British Parliament is weighing its failed policy of appeasement. The film, which Wright directs from a script by Anthony Mc. Carten, also stars Ben Mendelsohn as King George VI, Kristin Scott Thomas as Mrs.

Churchill, and Lily James as the prime minister’s secretary. Oldman isn’t a fan of doing press - - he doesn’t have a publicist and he eyed my recorder warily when Wright dragged him into our conversation. But it’s clear the reclusive star has a special connection with his impish 4. They first met in the 1. Wright tagged along with a friend, actress Kathy Burke, for an early screening of Oldman’s 1. Nil By Mouth. Wright, who would go on to direct such films as Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, was then in his 2.

Both men frequented The Old Red Lion pub in Islington, an actors’ hangout where Burke was Queen Bee. Kath said, ‘This is a mate of mine, Joe Wright,’” Oldman said. He’s a lovey and he’s a great kid and he’s gonna be a wonderful director. And I said, ‘Well good luck with all of that.’”Video: Gary Oldman on Gaining Weight, Extensive Make- Up and Becoming Winston Churchill.

Over the decades, Wright nursed his actor- crush on Oldman from afar, and Oldman watched as Wright’s career blossomed. When Working Title’s Eric Fellner brought Mc.

Carten’s script to Wright in early 2. Oldman, “I said abso- fucking- lutely,” Wright said. Oldman had already passed on a different Churchill project a year earlier, feeling ill- suited physically for the role of the heavy- set leader. I thought, I can’t,” Oldman said. I told [manager Douglas Urbanski and agent Jim Osborne], ‘Never mention Churchill’s name to me.

I don’t want to hear it.’” When Oldman’s representatives brought him Darkest Hour anyway, he protested, until they mentioned Wright’s involvement. And I went, ‘Oh well that makes a bit of difference.’”Wright flew to L. A. to meet with Oldman about the part. I was scared,” Wright said.

Gary was scared. He was on the vape. I was on the rollups. I didn’t need to tell him what a great character it was or what a great script it was. I just needed to tell him he was the only man for the job, that he could do it. A director’s job is often giving people the confidence to do their best work. And I knew he could, cause he’s a genius.”Oldman had begun to consider how he might physically inhabit Churchill, and recalled his experience working with Japanese makeup artist Kazuhiro Tsuji on Tim Burton’s.

Planet of the Apes. I know there was one man on the planet, and I mean this literally, one man on the planet who could have done it,” Oldman said of the artist, whom he calls “Kazu.” “His work is absolutely extraordinary and he has retired from the movie business. He does sculptures and… it looks like they’re breathing. Watch Maverick Hindi Full Movie. I knew he was the guy. And we got him.”Ultimately Oldman would end up spending four hours a day in Kazuhiro’s makeup chair, as prosthetics that added up to half his body weight were applied to his slender frame.

The result is an uncanny resemblance. Oldman also worked to master Churchill’s manner of speaking, delivering the orator’s rousing words sometimes with even more power than the recordings of the speeches suggest. Churchill made those recordings years after his first public utterances of the speeches, from his bed, Mc. Carten revealed during a Q& A later that night, explaining why the recordings of the speeches lack a sense of drama.

Yours are better, Gary,” Mc. Carten said. Oldman eyed his screenwriter for a moment, and burst into laughter. Get Vanity Fair’s HWD Newsletter. Sign up for essential industry and award news from Hollywood.