- Title: USA: "A Mighty Heart" starring Angelina Jolie premieres in New York City
- Date: 22nd June 2007
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JUNE 14, 2007) (REUTERS) JOLIE ON THE RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS WHO PLAYS MARIANE PEARL IN "A MIGHTY HEART", SAYING: "It was wonderful, it was wonderful. I had a great experience and it was a great reminder to me that next time I'm in the process of trying to figure out the next film I do, who should be cast, it helped to remind me that I should not think in this small box that is Hollywood but start to think to all the other countries that have really extraordinary talent. I was a bit blown away when I worked with some of the actors - Irrfan especially, and we had scenes where I really, he's the best actor I've ever worked with." PITT ANSWERING QUESTIONS ON THE RED CARPET A CAMERAPERSON (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRAD PITT, ACTOR, WHO WAS ONE OF THE PRODUCERS OF "A MIGHTY HEART", SAYING: "There's great parallels between her (Angelina) and Mariane as far as intelligence and strength. And it was actually Mariane who thought it made sense. I mean I liked the idea, but it would have been little bit of Paul Wolfowitz to suggest it, so I am glad I didn't have to. It's something that made sense to Mariane and made sense to Angie as well." CAMERA OPERATORS FILMING PITT ON THE RED CARPET ACTOR IRRFAN KHAN, WHO STARS IN "A MIGHTY HEART" ANSWERING QUESTIONS ACTRESS ARCHIE PUNJABI, WHO ALSO STARS IN "A MIGHTY HEART" AND KHAN, ANSWERING QUESTIONS ON THE RED CARPET (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRRFAN KHAN, ACTOR WHO PLAYS "CAPTAIN" IN "A MIGHTY HEART", SAYING: "Brad is attempting to make stories which really matter and that's a great thing for an actor, it is a very inspiring thing. As an actor, I keep looking for stories which are connected, which are interesting, which needs to be told, a story which needs to be told. And Angelina herself is such a big, huge celebrity and I think it will bring audience, and this story needs to be seen, so definitely her presence will help the film."
- Embargoed: 7th July 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA886C26AMTKQ61OCELLPJ3VAGN
- Story Text: After receiving a warm welcome at the Cannes Film Festival, "A Mighty Heart" - a film about slain investigative journalist Daniel Pearl and the ordeal faced by his wife, Mariane - premieres in New York City.
With Hollywood's hottest couple, "Brangelina" as they are known, behind it, it was no surprise that the New York premiere of the film, "A Mighty Heart" on Wednesday (June 13) was one fan-studded affair. Only this time the fans opposite the red carpet at the Ziegfeld Theater in Manhattan got lucky too, with actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie turning their full attention towards them, before heading off for the red carpet.
For both Pitt and Jolie, "A Mighty Heart", which relates the intense manhunt launched in Pakistan when jihadists kidnapped Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002, is a film they deeply cared about. Pitt is one of the producers of the film, while Jolie plays Mariane Pearl, the wife of Daniel.
Jolie said she deeply admired Mariane's profound strength in the face of the most terrible adversity. Mariane lost Daniel while she was pregnant with their first child. The actress also added that being pregnant herself during the time of the filming, she was able to relate to Mariane's grief.
"It was one of the happiest times in my life when I was that many months pregnant and months away from sitting in a hospital room and looking across my baby and the daddy and sharing this moment of pure love and joy, and they took that away from that family (Mariane's family)," said Jolie.
When asked what she thought of Brad as a boss, Jolie answered that he was great and that he had the "hardest job" as he looked after the children while the filming was taking place in Pune, India.
While Pitt explained why he thought Jolie was best for the role of Mariane, while underlining that the idea first came from Mariane herself.
"There's great parallels between her (Angelina) and Mariane as far as intelligence and strength. And it was actually Mariane who thought it made sense. I mean I liked the idea, but it would have been little bit of Paul Wolfowitz to suggest it, so I am glad I didn't have to. It's something that made sense to Mariane and made sense to Angie as well," Pitt said.
Jolie was also excited about her experience working with a large cast of Indian and Pakistani actors in the film and said that working with them, reminded her that next time she is producing a film, she should consider talent outside of just Hollywood. She was especially impressed by Indian actor, Irrfan Khan, who plays "Captain", the head of the Pakistani counter terrorism unit in the film, and the actress said she thought he was one of the best actors she'd ever worked with.
Khan too had kind things to say about Pitt and Jolie, praising the fact that they chose to tell a very important story. Khan, who was recently seen in the film "The Namesake" said he was happy about the Hollywood exposure he is getting through "A Mighty Heart" but that the international limelight wasn't what he went seeking with his role, as much as the opportunity to work on a topic that he cared about.
The film is scheduled to be released in the United States later this month and globally by September. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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