- Title: USA: Mike Myers premieres his new film "The Love Guru" in Los Angeles
- Date: 18th June 2008
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (JUNE 11, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MANN'S CHINESE THEATER IN HOLLYWOOD SIGN FOR "THE LOVE GURU" VARIOUS OF FANS LINING HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD WITH PAN TO MANN'S CHINESE THEATER "THE LOVE GURU" SIGN VARIOUS OF THE RED CARPET MIKE MYERS POSING FOR PICTURES JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE ON THE RED CARPET ACTRESS MEAGAN GOOD POSING FOR PICTURES ACTOR ROMANY MALCO AND GUEST POSING FOR PICTURES MIKE MYERS GREETING FANS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR MIKE MYERS, SAYING: "Well, my father passed away in 1991, two things emerged, one was Austin Powers celebrating all of the comedy from Britain -- my father was from Britain -- that he introduced me to, and then, and then, another character -- that was Austin Powers -- another character that was Guru Pitka, which was dealing with his death, which really really devastated me, to be honest. And I sort of began a very sort of, not terribly in depth, but it changes your life, and I started reading stuff, and as I was reading stuff and telling my friends what I was reading, this voice emerged, and I started to do this character. In fact, in 1994 I did a stage show with five characters, first time I did Austin Powers, first time I did the Guru Pitka, so it's just one of those ideas that's been in me." (SOUNDBITE) (English) SINGER AND "LOVE GURU" COSTAR JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, SAYING: "You know, this is a, doing this film is like hosting SNL (tv comedy show Saturday Night Live) in a movie. You know, it was a lot of fun, I had a great time working with Mike." REALITY TV STAR TILA TEQUILA POSING FOR PICTURES (SOUNDBITE) (English) MIKE MYERS, SAYING: "You know, Justin Timberlake is just so insanely great at everything he does. You just let him do his thing, you know, he's so great." (SOUNDBITE) (English) JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, SAYING: "It was cool, it was cool. He is so talented. And what I didn't know is how much he workshops his characters before he actually starts writing the film, it's really impressive actually." VARIOUS OF MEDIA COVERING EVENT (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR ROMANY MALCO, SAYING: "They're as happy as clams, I'm gonna tell you right now, that child ain't getting away with nothing at all. Honor, I feel for you, I really do, I hope you see this one day, but daddy will spoil you, I know that Cash will be spoiling his baby, but Jessica's going to be like -- watch." REPORTER SAYS: "Strict." MALCO REPLIES: "Exactly." ACTOR VERN TROYER POSING FOR PICTURES NEXT TO THE STANLEY CUP MIKE MYERS AND ACTRESS MARISKA HARGITAY POSING FOR PICTURES JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE ON THE RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR VERN TROYER, SAYING: "Just awesome, I just feel honored to be able to, you know, in the same movie with him again. And I was here working with him, and I think we just have a good chemistry." (SOUNDBITE) (English) JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, SAYING: "Brush your teeth is a good one, stay away from speedos is another good one I learned, if you cover those two things, you're halfway there." (SOUNDBITE) (English) MIKE MYERS, SAYING: "They had to do a lot of special effects.... to reduce the size. Thank you."
- Embargoed: 3rd July 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVAE67SEAZQ9K9SSZVJ3IGHXX2D8
- Story Text: Mike Myers attends the premiere of his new film "The Love Guru,"
in which he plays a self-help visionary, his first original character since Austin Powers.
Comic actor Mike Myers, well known for playing over-the-top characters like Austin Powers, adds a new one to the roster with "The Love Guru," which premiered in Los Angeles on Wednesday (June 11).
Also attending the premiere at Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood were co-stars Justin Timberlake, Ben Kingsley, and Verne Troyer, who famously paired up with Myers' "Doctor Evil" character in the "Austin Powers" films, as the pint-sized "Mini-Me."
In "Guru," Myers' character, the Guru Pitka, is known as "the second best guru in India," and the idea first came to Myers after a personal tragedy in his life.
"Well, my father passed away in 1991," says Myers, "two things emerged, one was Austin Powers celebrating all of the comedy from Britain -- my father was from Britain -- that he introduced me to, and then, and then, another character -- that was Austin Powers -- another character that was Guru Pitka, which was dealing with his death, which really really devastated me, to be honest. And I sort of began a very sort of, not terribly in depth, but it changes your life, and I started reading stuff, and as I was reading stuff and telling my friends what I was reading, this voice emerged, and I started to do this character. In fact, in 1994 I did a stage show with five characters, first time I did Austin Powers, first time I did the Guru Pitka, so it's just one of those ideas that's been in me."
The lead character in "The Love Guru," Mike Myer's first original character since Austin Powers, is an American who was left at the gates of an Ashram in India as a child and raised by gurus. He moves back to the United States to seek fame and fortune in the world of self-help and spirituality, and his unorthodox methods are put to the test when he must heal a rift between a famous Canadian hockey star and his wife.
During filming, Myers impressed costars with his ability to morph himself completely into this new character, Justin Timberlake included.
"It was cool, it was cool. He is so talented. And what I didn't know is how much he workshops his characters before he actually starts writing the film, it's really impressive actually," says Timberlake.
Absent from the premiere were co-star Ben Kingsley, who won an Oscar for playing another famous Indian in "Gandhi," and Jessica Alba, who gave birth to a baby girl named Honor on June 7. Co-star Romany Malco called Alba to offer his congratulations, and told Reuters his prediction of Alba's parenting style.
"They're as happy as clams," says Malco, "I'm gonna tell you right now, that child ain't getting away with nothing at all. Honor, I feel for you, I really do, I hope you see this one day, but daddy will spoil you, I know that Cash will be spoiling his baby, but Jessica's going to be like -- watch."
Timberlake, who dons a speedo in "The Love Guru," was enthusiastic about wearing the skimpy bathing suit, but wouldn't recommend it to someone trying to find love.
"Brush your teeth is a good one, stay away from speedos is another good one I learned, if you cover those two things, you're halfway there,"
says Timberlake.
Adds Myers on Timberlake's speedo in "The Love Guru,"
"They had to do a lot of special effects.... to reduce the size," says Myers.
"The Love Guru" will be released on June 20. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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