UK: Co-stars Tom Cruise, Russell Brand, and Mary J. Blige rock the European premiere of "Rock of Ages" in London

Record ID: 220836

  • Title: UK: Co-stars Tom Cruise, Russell Brand, and Mary J. Blige rock the European premiere of "Rock of Ages" in London
  • Date: 11th June 2012
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 10, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CRUISE SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS AND POSING FOR PICTURES WITH FANS
  • Embargoed: 26th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Reuters ID: LVA5ZASLMIYRSK1DZGUOVPBIQHOW
  • Story Text: Tom Cruise, known more for his dramatic and stuntman roles, takes a hilarious turn as rock god Stacee Jaxx in the musical-turned-film "Rock of Ages", which had its European premiere before screaming audiences on Sunday (June 10).
    The "Mission Impossible" star looks almost unrecognisable sporting leather trousers, long hair, fur and sunglasses for the unusual role.
    But like his tough guy roles, he practiced day and night to get the choreography, singing and look just right.
    "Where are we we going to find the comedy? And comedy is different, from Les Grossman (his character in comedy "Tropic Thunder") to this kind of character and there's no halfway with rock and roll, particularly with (his character in "Rock of Ages") Stacee," he told Reuters Television.
    The actor, who turns 50 on July 3, laughed at jokes he was going through a midlife crisis.
    Based on the Broadway musical of the same name, "Rock of Ages" lovingly spoofs the hard rock and metal era of the 1980s. The film follows small town girl Sherrie Christian, played by Julianne Hough, who journeys to Los Angeles in search of bigger dreams to become a singer. She meets city boy Drew Boley, played by Diego Boneta, who hooks her up with a waitressing job on the Sunset Strip. They fall in love. Their romance and the characters surrounding them are chronicled by the exuberant soundtrack of Def Leppard, Journey, REO Speedwagon and more.
    Russell Brand plays assistant to Alec Baldwin's rock club owner, and after years of building up tension, they realise their both in love with each other and do a duet to "Can't Fight This Feeling" by REO Speedwagon. Brand and Baldwin share an on-screen kiss. When asked who was the better kisser Baldwin or a woman, Brand groped Reuters' microphone and said: "Alec Baldwin! Oh my god, that man's mouth is like a sort of sweet, sensual, endless desert of wonder."
    "Watchman" star Malin Akerman, who plays a Rolling Stone journalist in the movie out to get the cover story on Stacee Jaxx, had her own memorable kissing scene with Cruise which involved close up shots of full-on tongues.
    "No I'm going to use my own tongue. It has it's own stunts," joked Akerman when asked about stunt tongues, "You can't really prepare, it's just part of the role and for me, reading it, it was just such a funny scene so whenever we're laughing at it ourselves, we're like 'alright, this is going to be a good scene and the audience is going to love it.'"
    "Sideways" actor Paul Giamatti talked about his pony-tailed, dubious character in the movie, playing Stacee Jaxx's manager.
    "I think he thinks he's really cool (his character) and I think he thinks he's trying to be really cool and he's trying to let it rub off on him. He has no talent for anything but a sleazeball so I think yeah, I think those guys like to think of themselves as being as close to they can to it, without actually doing it," he said.
    Boneta and Hough talked about their most cringe-worthy moments on stage.
    "I fell on stage at the biggest stage at the biggest stadium in the world in Rio, called the Maracana Stadium, I slipped on stage twice because it was raining and I had wooden soles, so I slipped, I stood up, and slipped again. I said 'Guys, I tried to be a soccer player, tried to do a scissor kick, I'll stick to singing," said Boneta.
    "Actually when I was living here in London, I had this pop group called 2B1G, and the outfits, I looked like living Barbie. I had like the costume and I didn't even have boobs at that point, I had fake boobs, it was hilarious. They were boob cups. I didn't have fake boobs I should say, I had boob cups. But those were some embarrassing moments. That was more 90s, like pop band, ewwww!" yelled Hough.
    Soul diva Mary J. Blige plays a strip club manager who's weathered the storm of life and helps Hough's character get back on her feet again. Blige said she loved belting out the rock songs.
    "It felt good, I mean it was the same energy I sing in my songs, so it was easy to do," she said.
    Director Adam Shankman said his remit was to fill the movie with lots of big stars and he had no regrets about choosing Tom Cruise as the rock and sex god.
    "There's about four months of him (Cruise) singing everyday. By the time the choreography happened, he was dancing six hours a day. I mean, the guy does not quit. We always tease him, he's the guy who invented the 30-hour day. No one works harder than him, it's true. And it's really easy to say because it's just not bullshit," he said.
    "Rock of Ages" hits cinemas in the UK on Wednesday (June 13), the US on Friday (June 15) and global rollouts to follow.
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