USA: Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter promote their new film, The King's Speech
Record ID:
219909
USA: Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter promote their new film, The King's Speech
- Title: USA: Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter promote their new film, The King's Speech
- Date: 11th November 2010
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 08, 2010) (REUTERS ) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) ACTORS COLIN FIRTH AND HELENA BONHAM CARTER POSE FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS WITH THE DIRECTOR AND PRODUCERS OF THE FILM PHOTOGRAPHER ACTOR COLIN FIRTH AND WIFE LIVIA GIUGGIOLI POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES OF FIRTH AND GIUGGIOLI (SOUNDBITE) (English) COLIN FIRTH, ACTOR, SAYING: "It is challenging, but also I think that when something is well-written and you're working with actors of the level of Geoffrey and Helena and Guy Pearce and all the rest, an awful lot of it is taken care of. I mean, their whit, all their virtues as actors just give it, a lot of your work is just given to you for nothing, so in some ways, you know, it could never have been easier." FIRTH SPEAKING WITH REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) COLIN FIRTH, ACTOR, SAYING: "You know, for me it's about a man who reached at least the middle of his life when he'd written himself off and he didn't know what his virtues were until he faced some very very terrible fears. And I don't want that to be any kind of trite message in it, but that's, you know, that I feel is something very truthful and that has applied to this guy. That's what I took away." PHOTOGRAPHERS SNAPPING PICTURES OF ACTRESS HELENA BONHAM CARTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) HELENA BONHAM CARTER, ACTRESS, SAYING: "This one, well I did like the whole script and I thought it was a really moving story about human friendship. I thought, I mean, actually I wanted to play his part. In all honesty, they weren't interested and I actually never said yes to playing the Queen mother. It's just that Tom Hooper, who went that way, he's about the most stubborn man on Earth. He just wouldn't take no for an answer, so I ended up playing it. But it's a good part. I mean, I was playing, I was doing Harry Potter at the same time, so this was my weekend job and I thought it was quite good for me to play a slightly more self-contained kind of performance rather than that externalized screaming three-year-old that insane three-year-old that Bellatrix is." COLIN FIRTH AND HELENA BONHAM CARTER POSING WITH DIRECTOR TOM HOOPER PHOTOGRAPHER (SOUNDBITE) (English) HELENA BONHAM CARTER, ACTRESS, SAYING: "I don't mind because it means you get to do orders, you know, order everyone around and it's fun being a Queen, yeah." HELENA BONHAM CARTER POSING WITH FASHION DESIGNER VALENTINO GARAVANI PHOTOGRAPHERS MUSICIAN MOBY POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS NEW YORK'S ZIEGFELD THEATRE
- Embargoed: 26th November 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA670U9UZIOPSQC0Z5ODSHO8P6R
- Story Text: British actors Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter resembled royalty on the red carpet for the premiere of their new film, "The King's Speech."
No strangers to Academy Award nominations, Colin Firth stars as King George VI struggling to overcome a debilitating stammer, with Bonham Carter as his Queen.
Actor Geoffrey Rush, who did not attend the premiere, coaches the pre-World War II-era King to help rid him of his stutter and overcome his fears.
Firth admitted that acting with an impediment was "challenging."
"But also I think that when something is well-written and you're working with actors of the level of Geoffrey and Helena and Guy Pearce and all the rest, an awful lot of it is taken care of," said Firth, who just recently celebrated his 50th birthday.
"I mean, their whit, all their virtues as actors just give it, a lot of your work is just given to you for nothing, so in some ways, you know, it could never have been easier."
Firth said he has his own take on the film's message, but it will be up to the audience to decide.
"For me it's about a man who reached at least the middle of his life when he'd written himself off and he didn't know what his virtues were until he faced some very very terrible fears," the actor told Reuters.
Bonham Carter said if it weren't for the film's Director Tom Hooper, she wouldn't have taken the role.
"Tom Hooper, who went that way, he's about the most stubborn man on Earth. He just wouldn't take no for an answer, so I ended up playing it," the 44-year-old actress. "I mean, actually I wanted to play his (Firth) part. In all honesty, they weren't interested."
The British actress is no stranger to playing royalty. Earlier this year, Bonham Carter starred in boyfriend and Director Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland," as the Red Queen.
"I don't mind because it means you get to do orders, you know, order everyone around and it's fun being a Queen," she said.
The Academy Award nominated actress, who simultaneously filmed the movie on weekends when she wasn't on the set of the latest installment of Harry Potter, magnified the contrast between her two characters.
"I thought it was quite good for me to play a slightly more self-contained kind of performance rather than that externalized screaming three-year-old that insane three-year-old that Bellatrix is."
Bonham Carter posed for photographers with fashion designer Valentino Garavani.
Electronic music artist Moby also gave some attention to the shutter bugs, before heading in to see the show.
The movie's buzz is echoing from the Oscars to the Indies.
The film is currently leading the British Independent Film Awards this year with eight nominations.
It has been shortlisted for best British independent film, best director (Tom Hooper), best actor (Firth), best supporting actor (Geoffrey Rush and Guy Pearce) and best supporting actress (Helena Bonham Carter).
"The King's Speech" will hits U.S. theatres on November 26. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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