Jake is due to take to the Broadway stage with Constellations, a play that has a great deal in common with If There Is - same writer (Nick Payne), same director (Michael Longhurst), and both enjoyed great success during their London seasons.
The Guardian tells us about the play: 'It considers the idea of a multiverse – parallel universes with slightly differing possibilities – where the play's central couple sometimes live harmoniously in love, sometimes fractiously'.
Constellations will begin previews on 16 December at the Manhattan Theatre Club and opening night will be on 16 January. More details here. Looks like a busy birthday and Christmas for Jake again!
An interesting sidenote from the Guardian: 'His actor sister Maggie will also make her Broadway debut this year, opposite Ewan McGregor in Tom Stoppard's comedy The Real Thing.'
Demolition
In other news, Deadline has reported that Jake is in early talks to appear in Demolition directed by Jean-Marc Vallée of Dallas Buyers Club fame: 'The story centers on a young investment banker struggling to understand his emotional disconnect after the tragic death of his wife. He begins to tear apart his life in a distraught effort to see where he went wrong but ultimately is rescued by a woman he meets in a chance encounter.'
Ubuntu Education Fund
Lots to catch up on! I do wish, though, that Jake would return to the West End (actually, we have a perfectly decent theatre in Oxford...).
ReplyDeleteHope you're all well!
Thanks for the update. Seriously considering flying over to the US... there can't be a better constellation than him lol.
ReplyDeleteHope you are well too :)
Jake back onstage, yeah!
ReplyDeleteShame I will not be able to watch this play, either, but my Central European hometown and my humble bank account are too far away from NYC.
Same here, Antje! ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou're still not looking forward to 'Southpaw', Kate? All these reports sound very promising!
I am both excited and crestfallen about the news of Jake's Broadway debut. Excited that he will be impressing the theater-going crowd with his talent while crestfallen with the realization that I won't get to see him in that one. It was a total fluke and the once-in-a-lifetime alignment of the stars that I got to see him If There Is. I will happily recall those memories every time I think about not getting to see The J on Broadway.
ReplyDeleteMust go for now - I need to buy a lottery ticket. If I win, I just might have to make travel plans for January to a certain play on Broadway...
Thanks, Snow! I know what you mean...
ReplyDeleteYou're not alone, Antje.
Hi Sonja! No, this one's not for me. It's such a shame but I just can't abide boxing in any form. I'm looking forward to Everest!
Hi Susan - bitter and sweet. But I'm glad you saw If There Is. I just wish Jake would come over and do another play here instead of doing British plays over there!
What if Southpaw turns out to be Jake's best performance? Better than Brokeback, better than Prisoners. In addition to the physicality and technical aspects of the sport, he will play a broken man, grief-stricken and guilt-ridden, a drug and alcohol addict who learns to be a responsible father and a better man.
ReplyDeletesynopsis:Southpaw centers on cocky, aggressive, volatile middleweight champion Billy Hope. He expects to ride out his career with his massive winnings, his adoring fans, his beloved wife Maureen and their 10 year old daughter Leila.
When Billy's temper triggers a fight, and then a shootout that leaves Maureen dead, Billy finds his life spiraling out of control. He takes to drinking and doing drugs, ignores the heart-broken Leila, and ignores his finances. When he loses his house, his money and finally Leila, who winds up in a group foster home, he begins to find his way back to some kind of balance with the help of amateur trainer Titus "Tick" Willis, who has his own demons but who turns out to be the perfect trainer for Billy.
another synopsis from Gyllencrazy
Losing the chance to see Jake playing a complex character because of a few boxing scenes? Never in a million years!
Hi Southpaw :) I've read the synopsis. Not all films are for everyone, though I am sure I will see it, but I have no doubt that Jake will give a fantastic performance - he always does.
ReplyDeleteI think, I'll give SOUTHPAW a chance, boxing scenes in it or not. I would even watch a film with Jake playing ... say "Little Red Riding Hood". I'm just so interested in his performing art and all his career moves that I could never miss a film of his. That does not mean that I automatically love ALL of his films. I hope, I still judge objectively whenever a new movie is out. For instance, the topic of PRISONERS is definitely not my cup of tea. Yet, I watched it and enjoyed the mesmerising acting of all the actors. That was fab, fab, fab. LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS was a complete failure in my point of view. Jake not wearing very many clothes and looking helplessly sexy does not automatically mean it's a good movie, i.e. a quality piece of art.
ReplyDeleteSo, dear Kate, if you really cannot develop any feelings for boxing, don't worry. We'll tell you what SOUTHPAW is all about next year.
;-)
PS:
ReplyDeleteCan't help it but I miss the topknot a lot!!
;-)
I totally agree on LAOD. I watched it last Monday (again...), but it really isn't a very good film. It's just bland - no matter how many times Jake's naked in it. In fact, I quite liked LAOD at first, but the more I see it, the less I enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I compare LAOD to his last two (or three?) roles, Loki and Adam / Anthony... I don't know, there's such a huge difference in his on-screen presence, those roles (and films) are so much more layered. Love him in those dark, complex roles - just like so many of you! :-)
So yeah, despite the boxing, I'm looking forward to 'Southpaw' enormously!
@Sonja
ReplyDeleteI'm off sick today and cannot work. I think I'll go back to bed and watch LAOD this afternoon to confirm that there are better Jake-films indeeed. Even though it's not an artistic masterpiece the sight of Jake's lovely behind might help cure my flu.
*grin*
*smile*
Great update here - a little bit of everything! It's so great to have such a variety of things going on with Jake for all of us to enjoy! I agree that not everything is for everyone...I enjoy just about everything Jake does but each thing is for different reasons. Like anyone's body of work I guess each individual finds things to pull from that they appreciate and rolls with the rest.
ReplyDeleteI loved seeing Jake on stage last year and went multiple times but I hated the whole stage door scene - yuk! I've been to movie premieres, red carpets, Q&A's, film festivals, etc. but nothing was as "non-true fan like" as a stage door in New York! Yes there were some real fans there but the majority there are unfortunately people who "stage door" (yes, that's what they call it - they literally ask each other "are you going to stage door tonight?") - they're there to get a picture or autograph of someone they know is a celeb but don't really see much of his or her work and often do not even pay a dime to go see the play - they just time it right to be up in front when the play ends so they can "stage door" - it's so weird!! Maybe they don't have a lot going on in their lives?! So although the stage door is not for me seeing Jake live on stage again is definitely a good thing (although a real crappy time to be in New York). (Don't forget, Kate, you have an open invitation to stay with me if you can make it here for Jake's Broadway debut...think about it my friend)! :-)
Sorry for the long ramble...I don't get here as often as I use to and it's good to "chat" I guess! :-)
"Jake's lovely behind might help cure my flu."
ReplyDeleteI hope so, Antje! ;-) Get well soon! x
@Sonja
ReplyDeleteIt didn't. I watched the film on DVD and, oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, most of the plot/script/story is soooooo silly and embarrassing, let's face it. My flu is still there.
BUT:
Last night MOONLIGHT MILE was on TV. A very young Jake in a very lovely movie. Watching it was a real treat and a real compensation.
:-))
Oh, so you watched MM for three reasons, I guess: as a compensation for LAOD, to cure your flu and to escape the World Championships Football. At least, that's what I would do... Yesterday, the Dutch team played a match against Australia, and nearly 8 million Dutch people watched it! Unbelievable :-( Needless to say I wasn't one of them.
ReplyDeleteI don't think all of LAOD was that bad. The Jake / Anne chemistry is definitely there. It's just that there's something missing in the film and I don't know what it is. Which is a real shame, cos Jake and Anne seemed to believe in the film and the story. I've seen a lot of promo interviews on YouTube and they kept saying how much they loved working with each other again after Brokeback, how dedicated they were while working on it, and so on and so forth. Their chemistry during those interviews was awesome, by the way - even better than in the film. I suppose they're real good friends.
I honestly don't know where LAOD went wrong in the end. Was it the director? The editing, which is really bad? The script? The annoying supporting roles? All of those things? ;-)
If I had to choose one of Jake's 'younger' films, I'd go for Moonlight Mile as well. Even at that age, you could tell Jake was well on his way to become a fine, fine actor. Loved Ellen Pompeo in it too!
Hi Antje! Love and Other Drugs is definitely a film of two halves - but it does have its compensations :) I hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteHi Sonja!
Good to see you BBMISwear :-) That stage door thing doesn't grab me either but I do like the idea of watching Jake in a play for a couple of hours! The Apple shop talk was so great alst year as it was a full hour.... How I would love to see the play with you, my friend! Finances and the time of year make it unlikely but it's such a dream x
Hallo Antje
ReplyDeleteIch kann nicht viel Englisch lesen,
aber ich habe wohl verstanden das
Du krank bist.Ich wünsche Dir gute
Bsserung und siehe, zu das Du bald
wieder gesund bist.
Glad to see Jake looks like the old Jake we all love now :0)
ReplyDeleteSo many news - great !
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see Jake on stage on Broadway, although I can't see it happen - at least not across the pond.
Thank you for the update, Kate.
Have a nice day everyone.
Christina
I just got back from seeing "Jersey Boys," a film musical about the Four Seasons. The only Jake link was Annie O'Donnell, who was in "The Good Girl."
ReplyDelete"Southpaw" got me very excited until I realized it wasn't based on Mark Harris's book about a baseball team. I just finished reading an exciting baseball book called "The Art of Fielding," which may someday be a HBO series.
I wish Jake would film a baseball movie. Wasn't he going to be involved in a remake of "Damn Yankees"?
Hi Christina!
ReplyDeleteOne of these days, Paul, Damn Yankees might happen.... :)
11140Tonight I saw "Tammy," with Melissa McCarthy and Susan Sarandon. The latter is, of course, a Jake link.
ReplyDeleteLast night I saw "begin Again," in which Jake-linked actors Mark Ruffalo and Kathy Keener played estranged husband and wife. Mark plays a washed-up record producer who happens to hear Keira Knightly sing in a coffeehouse, and is inspired to get her a recording contract. So there's no money to hire a recording studio to make a demo? Well, why not record in the open air at different spots around new York City?
ReplyDeleteTonight I saw "Earth to Echo," which had two Jake links:
ReplyDeleteCassius Willis, who was in "Zodiac," and Valerie Wildman, who was in "Josh and S.A.M.