Disney's PoP DVD promotion continues and Mike Newell on Jake Gyllenhaal: 'a devastating emotional actor'

Disney's promotion of the DVD and Bu-Ray release of Prince of Persia continues - making me wonder once more that the abundance of videos and behind the scenes snippets they've given us over the last year is the reason why there aren't many extras on the DVD. There can't be much left.... except for that gag reel? The video of Jake Gyllenhaal from the last post was just the latest in a series of featurettes released by Disney this month. Many thanks to Monica for the heads up!








In the videos you will not only enjoy Jake and Gemma Arterton, you will also find the gorgeous Toby Kebbell and Gisli Orn Gardarsson talking about their characters - in Toby's case: throwing Jake around the set.



Tamara Drew is about to hit the theatres and in this, of course, Gemma Arterton leads. Its release on 10 September in the UK coincides with the Prince of Persia DVD and so she has been speaking a little more about the film: '“The whole scale of Prince of Persia was out of this world. When we were in Marrakesh before we started filming they took me to visit the set for the kingdom where my character, Tamina, lives. It was unbelievable. There were streets you could walk around and palaces and fortresses and market squares. And I was thinking, ‘I’m playing the princess of this place, just little old me’. It’s humbling because after everybody’s done all this work, you think, well, now I really have to come up with the goods. The princess is a bit of a tomboy sometimes, and she even has to pretend to be a sort of fictional 6th century cocktail waitress at one point. I’ve also got some great costumes with henna tattoos and jewels in my hair and things like that. I’m the only girl in the film, so I have to try to look good.”'



'When told she had the part, she said: “It was surreal. I just sat there on my bed not quite taking it in. It’s weird to think you’re going to be a princess.” And she gets to kiss Gyllenhaal, saying: “My friends were always asking if I kiss him. And I say, ‘Yes, I do, so there!’ They’re all wildly jealous.”'



Back in the days of Rock'n'Rolla, Toby Kebbell talked to Little White Lies about his new project: 'I’m doing Prince of Persia, playing a Prince of Persia, head of the Persian army and I’ve got a brother who’s going to be the future king if our father dies. Then there’s Jake Gyllenhaal who’s the Prince of Persia (from the title). It’s great. We’re shooting in Morocco and it’s hot and continuous days. I’m in a full set of armour it’s tough, but it’s great too. I get to learn to ride a horse, it’s phenomenal. It’s the hardest work I’ve done – that’s like moaning about my diamond shoes being too tight – but it’s great fun to do. I do all the things you wanted to do as a kid – wear armour, scream around the place and so on. I’m loving it really.'



Richard Coyle, who, in the words of Jonathan Ross alone, played the other ugly brother (Tus), talked about how the pressure was all on Jake her: 'The pressure off aspect is clearly a part because I’m part of an ensemble behind Jake Gyllenhaal really. I just get behind his huge frame. No, it’s pressure off because it’s Jake’s thing but also to be honest the movie is the star of the movie. What I try to do, whatever I’m going into whether it’s a piece of TV or a film or a play, it’s very important to me to get the tone right, to know the tone that I’m going into. So I spent a lot of the time getting my head around that. Once I’d nailed the tone I knew that the movie was going to be the star of the movie, and Jake Gyllenhaal, obviously, and it did take the pressure of. But also it was a challenge – It’s an opportunity for me to make an impact so there’s a pressure that you put on yourself in a way, in that sense. But the whole question of pressure and who’s the star of the movie is a fallacy because these films are all about big business; it’s a big, huge business juggernaut and you’ve all got to come up with the goods – you’ve got to do the business. So there is a pressure regardless.'



To finish with the words of director Mike Newell about his star: 'I thought Jake was perfect for the main role from the very beginning because he is such a devastating emotional actor. He is so open and available, especially in movies like Brokeback Mountain. I’d actually known Jake since he was a little boy. I knew his parents very well and I had worked with his sister, so I kept my eye on him growing up. I knew he had a wonderful sense of humour and he’s got a zany laugh. I also thought he looked right for the role. He’s not a royal-looking guy, but a street kid in the wrong costume. I thought that would be a great thing to have in the film.'



Here is a link to the entire playlist.

If you want to see more of Gisli, here is an interview with him on the PoP set:



And some Toby while I'm about it:

Make believe - Morocco, NYC, Hollywood

Although I am on holiday, today, in the name of doing research for Jake Gyllenhaal's Prince of Persia Disney Experience (sure to have a ride of its own one day), I did a tour of Disney World's own World Showcase at EPCOT and headed straight for Morocco. The photos yesterday from the PoP set at Pinewood were in my mind, and the authenticity of the Disney Morocco was verified for good when I spotted the camel wearing a fez. I half expected to see the Prince and his brothers leading vast cavalries through the narrow streets and casbahs. Just as well they didn't, or they would have been in Italy or France. No Persia at EPCOT, I'm afraid, so Morocco stood in for it.



Other countries experienced today include Mexico, with the pesky ibises, the American Adventure (where I was presented with a 'Malibu veggiburger') and the United Kingdom's Rose and Crown pub. I also managed to make time to go into space, land on Mars and soar over California (I didn't spot Jake). My heart was warmed indeed to see so many people wearing I Love WDW sweatshirts, even though they featured a mouse and not Jake...



Uncertainty also surrounds which continent Jake is on at the moment, and that will continue until we get to see the first fresh photos of him out and about - will he need a bobble hat, scarf and mittens? Or will a t-shirt and a light sweater do? Little clues suggest perhaps that filming is done. The Daily Mail is reporting, in its inimitable fashion, that the Princess of Persia, Gemma Arterton, has moved on from her handsome riding instructor Eduardo, who was also a stuntman on PoP, and he is now home in Spain and not in Pinewood. (Reading this article, I discover that the first name of Gemma's character in Quantum of Solace, Miss Fields, was Strawberry.)



PoP has an abundance of handsome men - another is Icelandic actor Gisli Orn Gardarsson, whom, we learn from The Times, is shortly to take to the boards of the RSC in Stratford. It seems Gisli impressed PoP's Mike Newell during his trampolining and bungeeing turn as Romeo. In PoP Gisli plays an assassin - no doubt a fearsome opponent for Jake's Prince. His theatre credentials are impressive - one hopes that appearing in PoP will give Gisli the means and opportunities to fund and develop further unusual interpretations of classic characters. One hopes the same for Jake.


The North East of the US is suffering from some cold chills at the moment, but that can't get in the way of Christmas (or birthday present) shopping. Three generations of Gyllenladies have been seen out in NYC - Maggie, Ramona and Naomi. You can see some pictures here of Ramona - who looks the spitting image of her mother. Maggie looks amazing here.


I must thank Stephanie at IHJ for posting a scan of the new triple feature DVD cover, which I mentioned a few days ago. She knows I love this picture and I'm very pleased to see it look so good and so big when clicked on.


And finally

Almost completely off topic (not that that usually stops me), I wanted to post a picture of Cate Blanchett receiving her star in Hollywood this week, with directors Stephen Spielberg and David Fincher by her side. I hope that one of these days we will see David and Ang Lee stand on either side of another talented young actor as he leaves his mark on the streets of Hollywood.


Includes pictures from IHJ, WDW and links.