Anna Kendrick Online

National Exposure Continues

Harry Smith interviewed AK on the CBS Early Show yesterday morning, just as the Golden Globe nominations were being announced. You can read the CBS report on the interview, or you can watch it at the Early Show website.

12/16/09     

On Path to Gold?

The nominations for the 67th annual Golden Globe Awards were announced today by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, and AK was nominated in the category Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture. Her competitors in the category are Penelope Cruz, Vera Farmiga, Mo'Nique, and Julianne Moore.  The film for which she was nominated, Up in the Air, received the highest number of nominations this year, a total of six, including Best Motion Picture-Drama. The awards will be presented live on NBC, January 17, at 8 p.m. Eastern time (5:00 Pacific).

12/15/09     

Rising to Challenge on Leno

     AK was great on the "Jay Leno Show" last night.  Beautiful, genuine, and funny.  Among "new" topics of interest to fans: her parents' occupations, where she gets her "dramatic" tendencies, life as the movie Dazed and Confused, and several cute pieces about her car named "Charlie."  She even took Jay's "Green Car Challenge," driving the race course in her strapless outfit with Converse sneakers in place of her heels, and finishing with a respectable time of 56:32, placing her in the middle of the lineup of previous racers.

     IF YOU MISSED IT: Hulu has her segments isolated into three parts (Part 1; Part 2; Part 3).  But part 1 begins on the couch, so to see her walkon, you'd have to watch on the Leno Show site, where the whole show loads at once.

12/15/09     

Awards Continue

     The New York Film Critics Circle announced their 2009 awards today, with results mirroring the top picks of the L.A. Film Critics Association: The Hurt Locker won for Best Picture, and Mo'nique took Best Supporting Actress.

     And the Broadcast Film Critics Association has come out with its list of 2009 Critics Choice Awards nominees. AK is one of six women nominated in their Best Supporting Actress category (with her co-star, Vera Farmiga, also nominated). Their awards ceremony will be January 15.

12/14/09     

Proud of Her Path but Not Seeking Fame

Barry Kotnow's article for the Orange County Register (CA), posted at VictoriaAdvocate.com today, includes a twenty-two question Q&A with AK.  Lots and lots that you've heard before. But here are some perspectives you might not have.

On the impact of the Twilight Saga on her career:  You know, I only have 65,000 people following me on Twitter. That's it. I didn't get this job because of "Twilight," and I didn't get my next job because of "Twilight." It all goes back to "Rocket Science." All the directors I've worked with recently, including Catherine Hardwicke ("Twilight") and Jason Reitman ("Up in the Air") said they hired me after seeing "Rocket Science."

Her original ambition in show business? I just wanted to be on stage. I didn't know why. I wanted to sing and dance and perform. Why does anyone want to do anything? I wanted to perform, and had no idea why.

Describing the first time she met George Clooney: We met at a camera test, and he immediately made fun of my hair. I had my hair in a ponytail, and he said, "You're not going to wear your hair like that, are you?" I said, "I see how this is going to be, but I'm game."

Was her "look" in Up in the Air her decision? (laughs). Oh no. It was dead-on, but it certainly wasn't what I'd pick. You can't help but want to look your best in a George Clooney movie. I wanted to kill someone for making me look like that. My hair was teased into submission every day.

Comparing her preparation for the Natalie role to the thinking she put into Jessica in Twilight:

I know what my purpose is in those movies. I'm a device to move along certain scenes. I don't need to do extensive investigation into the character's background. But I do feel like I am a piece of the puzzle, and I have to do my piece right or the puzzle doesn't work.

Career goals: big box office or smaller independent films? If I could figure a way to get through my career successfully without being famous, I would. But I know that's the price for doing what I love.

12/14/09     

England Also Knows

British celebrity promotion service and publication, "Red Pages," has included AK in its listing, "2009 Hot 100."  Red Pages describes itself as "the essential celebrity contacts service with management details for over 20,000 international celebrities," and cites many instances in which its picks for its annual listing correctly foretold renown in the following year.

12/14/09     

Another Ascension

Forbes posted a photo story called "Rising Stars of 2010" Thursday, and AK was one of the ten actors named to their list.

12/14/09       

Awards Season Progresses

     The 2009 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards were announced today. AK was runner-up for Best Supporting Actress, coming in second to winner Mo'nique (for Precious). And Up in the Air came in second to The Hurt Locker for Best Picture.

     The Detroit Film Critics Society nominated AK in two categories of its awards: Best Supporting Actress and Breakthrough Performance. (They are supposed to announce winners December 18.) The recognitions are, of course, for her role in Up in the Air.

     Add to that Moviefone's recent listing of AK as one of the Top Ten Breakout Stars of 2009, saying she "has proved to be a mighty talent in both comedy and drama."

12/13/09     

Broadway Memories

For the third time in recent weeks, AK talked about her childhood auditions in New York City. This was part of an interview with Mark Ellwood at the New York Daily News, posted today.  She also talked about

Her six months in the cast of High Society: My dad was a teacher at the time, and it was easier for him to leave and come to New York with me. So we got an apartment in Yonkers and drove in every day - we couldn't find an apartment we could afford in the city, because we were being supported by the minimum wage for Actors' Equity. As a 12-year-old, you'll take whatever's given to you, basically.

Her favorite places to go in The City: I'd say it's probably SoHo or Greenwich Village, because though I never lived there, those were the places that felt like I disappeared into New York. I used to go there with my brother. There was so much of New York that belonged to the rest of the world, but certain places - like SoHo - felt like they still belonged to New York and we were lucky to be a part of it.

Her appreciation for having started as a stage actress: Thank God I started on stage and not in film. On a film set, you're sort of coddled, but when you're on stage, even as a 12-year-old, you're expected to be a professional and deliver every night. It was hard work, and sometimes it was really lonely, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

And there's a nice new pic of her looking a bit waif-like in winter rain.

12/12/09     

Cases Suit Them

Lesley Abravanel's gossip column in today's Miami Herald says that AK and Vera Farmiga both accepted an offer of free luggage from Travelpro, which produces the bags Jason Reitman wrote into Up in the Air. Although George Clooney declined the gift offer, the two actresses supposedly said "they were in desperate need of new luggage."

12/12/09     

AK at Length

     Somehow we overlooked reporting on the AskMen interview with AK that was posted December 3, and it's a big one. First a bio, beginning with her earliest venture to New York, then full text of an eighteen question Q&A. Highlights:

AskMen: Her first stab at acting was a fruitful disappointment. In answer to a casting call for the Broadway adaptation of Annie, Kendrick and her family nabbed a New York agent to secure an audition. The Annie role didn’t work out, but the agent landed Kendrick the role of Dinah in the Broadway musical High Society.

AK on feeling like her character Natalie Keener, the new girl over her head:

I absolutely connected to the idea that Natalie is trying to sit at the grown-up table and constantly trying to prove that she’s good enough to kind of outperform expectations about her age and gender. That was an easy thing to relate to on this film. I’ve worked with phenomenally talented people, but predominantly young actors. I felt like I was trying to sit at the grown-up table and [was] trying to keep up. That pressure was definitely there.

On whether it was a "learning experience":

The scene that I have with George and Vera [Farmiga], where we’re talking about the expectations that we have for our lives -- it was so amazing to get to watch them work. I felt like I was watching Cirque du Soleil.

On similarities to her character in Rocket Science:

Those are both two roles that are so rare. [The characters] are so smart and so strong and they just happen to be young women. I get really excited every time there’s a female character who is really strong because a lot of females in film are really soft. When he told me that he wrote it after seeing Rocket Science, I tried to maintain my best very cool, calm, collected, “oh of course you did” face. But inside I was throwing a party.

On potential romance with Clooney:

We have more of a father-daughter relationship in the film. And I think George is really smart and he cares about the movie. So we almost cultivated that relationship in real life too. George, at one point, set an age limit on boys I was allowed to date. We got along really and he’s unbelievably sweet. So it wouldn’t even occur to me to have a crush on him. [The "age limit"] was something really random. But, you know what, age [doesn't] matter to me and he’s not actually my dad, so he can’t tell me what to do.

On the difference between fan attention to Robert Pattinson and to George Clooney:

From what I’ve seen they get different sides of it. Rob gets a lot of screaming and a lot of prying and a lot of really, really intense praise, which doesn’t necessarily feel good when it’s coming from this hysterical place. Then I see people come to George and because he’s so established, some people try [to] trick him into saying something. And it’s interesting to watch him sidestep that stuff so gracefully and never lose his cool. I don’t know how he does that.

On hysteria towards Pattinson:

Comic Con was pretty intense. We were in smaller theaters, and there were no barriers. I was just thinking, they’re feet away, and he’s standing right next to me. This kid is going to lose an eye right next to me. There were four security guards around him but all it takes is one and your eye is gone.

On social networking technology:

I just got on Twitter because there was some MTV film blog that quoted me on something really innocuous that I supposedly said on Twitter before I was even on Twitter. So then I had to get on Twitter to say: “This is me. I’m on Twitter. If there’s somebody else saying that they’re me on Twitter, they’re not.” Because of the Twilight, thing I had 10,000 followers in 24 hours, which was terrifying. So now I’m terrified of everything I say on Twitter. I try [to] keep it really benign and work-related. I have to think: “Is this something I wish to say to 50,000 people?”

On her how she convinced people that Twitter handle AnnaKendrick47 was really her:

Oh -- easy. I’m a genius. I just took a picture of myself holding a sign that’s my URL. That’s thriller logic, that’s what that is.

Object of Envy

Envy magazine has a page feature on AK in the December 2009 issue, including a five question Q&A. The one new topic is the power suits she wore in the movie: "They were so beautifully tailored that I thought I had some kind of obligation to ask for them at the end. There would never be a situation in my life when I would need a power suit-- ever." With that, several of the 'same old' questions, with some slightly different wording of her standard answers, different enough that fans might want to take a look.  (Click on the scan for a readable enlargement.)

12/11/09     

Third Twilight Will Have Huge Opening

When Eclipse, the third film in the Twilight Saga, opens June 30, 2010, there will be both IMAX editions and standard prints.  IMAX Corporation and Summit Entertainment made the announcement Wednesday.  We look forward to the opportunity to see AK on the big, big screen.

12/11/09     

Letterman in Full View

An HD video of AK's Monday appearance on David Letterman is now on youtube, and it includes the introduction and her complete walkon, both missing from the previous youtube post.  Here you can fully see her alluring outfit. On her first late night talk show appearance AK both enticed and impressed. (You'll want to skip Dave's post-commercial banter and jump right to Anna's entrance at timecode 1:30 of this 9:20 video.)

12/10/09     

Style Scene

The raison d'être for turning to AK's pinup page in the January 2010 issue of Vanity Fair (above) is not Kristin Smith's praise that she "shines" in Up in the Air, nor the actress's comment that when filming that movie and New Moon simultaneously, "It was great because my character in Up in the Air  is so rigid, and it was fun to go to Vancouver [for New Moon] and play the silliest girl on the planet."  The focus of that publication is beauty and fashion. We'll leave it to you to judge what they've done with her, compared, for example, to the December 2009 Angeleno magazine feature (below).

Young and Golden

Wearing yet another new beautiful dress, AK was there last night when the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, together with In Style magazine, presented the second annual Golden Globes party saluting "young hollywood." (You'll have to stop the fashion anxiety claims, Anna. You are clearly a qualified glamour gal.),

12/9/09     

Terrific on Dave

AK's Letterman appearance last night-- her first late night national talk show-- was quite a success. She was smart, cute, funny, pretty, and sexy.  (Watch the youtube HD version, in which you get the full effect of the eye-catching but scant dress. The other video cuts off her intro and walkon.)

Highlights of the seven and a half minute interview:

"When I tell people I'm from Maine, I get one of two things: I get, 'Do you know Stephen King,' and 'Oh, I summered in Maine.'  And every time people say they summered in Maine,' I always feel like, 'Yeah, I wintered in Maine. You should try it. It'll toughen you up.'" Dave was zoned out for this quip, but the audience laughed.

She told how her dad took them winter camping when they were kids. Dave was more tuned in for this story. When he pursued the reason for the displeasing excursion, AK replied, "I don't know if he thought it was like character building or something?"  Then to Dave's, "Do you feel that it built some character?" the pale, slender guest declared dryly, "Oh, I mean I'm incredibly tough, just look at me."  Dave laughed, as did the audience.

AK then told the stories you may already have read in the recent Movieline interview-- about her parents putting her and her brother on a Greyhound bus from Maine to New York for NYC auditions.  Dave was completely into this topic, scolding for their being allowed on this risky venture.  But when AK goes on to the part about how after the kids promised their parents they wouldn't leave the hotel except to audition, they actually pooled their allowance to go down to Greenwich Village for brunch, thinking they "were the coolest kids on the planet," Dave joked, "Yeah, that's what bad kids do, they go to brunch."  (Then Dave asked, "Did you get the gig," but she'd actually already told him earlier in the interview she'd gotten it-- the role in High Society on Broadway.)

 

Dave had seen and genuinely loved Up in the Air, and when he gushed about the film ("I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this film. It's entertaining, it's thought provoking,  it's melancholy, it's funny, it's really-- it's the total package.), AK deadpanned (hilariously), "Go on."  And when Dave's next words are, "And you--," she continued, "Yes, and me--." Perfect, Anna.  You will gain fans from this appearance. 

More laughter from Dave and audience when her reply to Dave's "And you get to be with pretty boy George Clooney" was an understated, "Yeah, he's alright."  She told a story that during the filming, when she asked Clooney's advice for how to be good in interviews, he suggested that if she were ever on David Letterman, "Just be really, really nice, and if he gives you a hard time, just keep complimenting him."  Audience laughter leading to applause as Dave does a "take."

12/8/09     

 

Outside Ed Sullivan Theater for her appearance on the David Letterman Show

December 7, 2009

Photo: Disciullo/Bauer-Griffin

When Popsugar.com includes AK among the eight actors from whom you can choose to vote for as "Favorite Rising Star of 2009," they say this about her: "Love how she shines in comedies and dramas." We agreed and voted for her. Have you yet?

12/7/09  

More from the Flight

The one reason you might want to glance at the just-posted video of Lisa Fuller-Magee's in-flight junket interview of AK is that it includes pans of the entire plane and tape of AK welcoming everyone, neither of which we've seen anywhere else. But to get there you have to wait for the movie clips to end, or jump to timecode 2:00.  The brief interview itself that follows is same old-same old.  This was for Arizona KTVK-TV3.

12/7/09     

AK leaving a screening of Up in the Air

for the Academy of Television Arts and Science

in Hollywood on Saturday.  George Clooney also

attended.

Despite a limited release, the movie reportedly

sold $1.2 million in tickets its first weekend.

Photo: Sam Sharma/Pacific Coast News Online

via Clooneyunlimited.com

12/7/09     

New News on Old Work

If you are a true Anna Kendrick fan, you will surely want to read Kyle Buchanan's interview with her for Movieline (posted December 3). Go to the link that has the entire article, rather than clicking slide by slide.  Or read our archived pdf of the whole article. Rather than the standard questions and answers about Twilight and Up in the Air, here are stories and comments about her earlier work that have never been published before.

Interesting that she even seems to realize she's just shared a lot, when she says at the end, "I feel really strange about giving up so much of the stories and moments that used to be mine. They’re not mine anymore, they belong to everybody else now. I don’t know if that sounds really melodramatic, but I care about these films so much that it’s strange to talk about it and worry that you’re coming off as disingenuous. I’m trying to stay focused and say what I mean, and it’s hard."

12/6/09     

Brit Esteem Too

Today's Sunday Observer (London) has nice things to say about AK and Up in the Air in its article called "Introducing Anna Kendrick."  Arts writer Killian Fox says, "The movie's big revelation is Anna Kendrick, a petite 24-year-old from Portland, Maine."  He further writes that the actress, "who moves from anger to tears to hilariously bad karaoke, threatens to upstage her opposite number [George Clooney] at every step" and that "Up in the Air establishes Kendrick as an actor of real talent who can land a charged emotional exchange one moment and a punchline the next."

12/6/09     

Punctual and Insecure but Not Superstitious

     Steve Persall at the St. Petersburg Times points out that when AK called him Friday morning, five minutes before their scheduled phone interview time, it was "so Natalie."  Fans can add that to personality data about the actress.

There are three other pieces that may be of interest to fans in the December 4 article's eight question Q&A:

On finding out about the National Board of Review awards to Up in the Air, including AK as Best Supporting Actress: I was on a plane from JFK to LAX that was delayed, so we're sitting on the runway and Jason called to tell me. I was trying to be quiet around all the other passengers. Sigourney Weaver was on the plane and I was trying to not disturb Miss Weaver with my good news. We had a little cocktail party planned last night, anyway, and a Q&A, so I actually got to see George and Jason as soon as I got off the plane, so that was great. They're so, so sweet. George is constantly telling people that I steal the movie but that's just a mark of what a gentleman he is.

On performance anxiety: I'm basically completely out of my element in the movie. As much as it was this incredible, supportive environment, there was part of me wondering if I'd be fired every day. It definitely helped.

On whether she's superstitious: Not really. Sometimes I don't talk about roles before I start. I didn't tell anybody about Up in the Air for, like, weeks. I sat on it for ages because I feel as soon as you start celebrating, something can go wrong.

12/6/09     

Anna and Brad Flighty Together

Just put up our transcript of the AK / Sad Brad November 14 in-flight interview for Artist On Artist

(which you can watch here).   These screen caps show some of the fun they had talking to each other.

Also uploaded our transcript of Ryan Seacrest's November 16 New Moon premiere video interview.

12/6/09     

After Natalie Future Is Open

Karen Idelson has a couple of quotes from AK in yesterday's Variety.

Appreciating the Natalie role: "There aren't many roles written for young women like this... She's strong, complex and gets to be a powerful part of the story without ever being a love interest. I thought at some point I would turn a page and the story would move on without her, but that never happened."

Desire to "stay open" to new material: "I feel like I'd be doing myself a disservice if I'd say I want to do a particular part or go a particular way in my career. You don't know what you'll be offered next or what will touch you when you read it."

12/5/09     

Jorge Carreon, LA correspondent for Examiner.com, also posted an article with Q&A yesterday,

but nothing new worth excerpting.

12/5/09  

The only mention of AK in Radheyan Simonpillai's interview with Jason Reitman for AskMen.com (posted 12/4/09) is toward the end, about Reitman's approach to the Natalie character and discovering Anna Kendrick through Rocket Science. It's so 'been said before,' it's not worth excerpting.

     Howard Gensler at the Philadelphia Daily News profiled AK yesterday in his column entitled, "Anna Kendrick's future not up in the air."  He writes that AK "steals scene after scene" from George Clooney.

     He then quotes director Reitman made in Toronto at one of the first showings of the movie (in September).  All are comments fans have heard and read often from Reitman: The Natalie character is "based on many women that I've fallen in love with in my life - extraordinary, young, brilliant women who are just too smart for the room and they're always frustrated. My wife is one of those women. It's very much based on my wife."  And on AK: "I was just knocked out [by Anna in Rocket Science].  I thought, 'What an original voice.' She is this character, and I basically wrote it for her. My big question was whether or not she could do it, whether [that] was some sort of an anomaly, that she could do it once but could not do it again. But she came in and read against every great actress of her generation and she just crushed it."

     Gensler's got some interesting spins from AK, though:

Her reaction to getting the Natalie role:  "Uh, yeah," she said. "Trying not to scream at the top of my lungs was the main objective. I tried to play it really cool, well, of course I did, but inside I was having a little personal celebration."

Maine and Mom's parts in keeping her grounded: "We live in this insane bubble where everyone knows everything that's going on with our films," she said, "but if I said to 50 of my mom's friends that I was making a film with Michael Cera they would have no idea who he was even after I described him in detail and listed everything he'd done."

On the source material and her role prep: "When I was reading the novel of 'Up in the Air,' I realized that there's this whole other world, this business world, where they use all the jargon and the lingo and the side references and it's the same as our world," she said. "But I didn't want to keep re-reading the novel because the novel is sort of Ryan Bingham world and Natalie doesn't really understand that world and she's really thrown by it. So I instead thought about books that Natalie would read - with the kind of corporate lingo that Natalie would pride herself in knowing - and that sort of got me thinking about being one of the boys and trying to think like one of the boys and being a shark, being a killer."

A take on the old Clooney practical jokes interview question: "I was terrified," she said. "I'm so bad with practical jokes because I'm such a control freak, and I was just waiting and waiting for that day to come when I'd be the butt of a joke and I'd never recover. And it never came. And then I began to think that there was something wrong with me that I didn't get the George Clooney prank and I got really upset about it."

After Scott Pilgrim? "I have absolutely no talent for trying to figure out what my next move will be," she said. "Jason is probably better at predicting my life than I am at predicting my own life."

Finally, interesting to us: The article begins by observing "If her career had taken a different turn along the way, Anna Kendrick might be on television now, starring in 'Glee.'"  AnnaKendrickOnline has felt for a while now that "Glee" is the perfect vehicle for her to guest in between the current publicity tours and whatever next big project she'll do.  Maybe we should suggest it to Jason Reitman.

12/5/09     

Opening Day: Where Can You See Up in the Air?

Today's opening is a limited release, with the molvie going "wide" Christmas day.

Look here to find out if you are lucky enough to be in or near one of the twelve U.S. cities where you can see the movie now.

12/4/09     

Reitman on AK: Where Was She Hiding?

Willa Paskin at BlackBook Magazine online interviewed Jason Reitman by phone a few weeks ago and just posted the Q&A today.  Here are pieces about AK:

How did you go about casting Anna Kendrick for this part?

I don’t want to make it sound as though I went into my career thinking, I’m going to discover talented young actresses. This wasn’t an agenda of mine from day one. That’s what I find filmmaking is, it’s only once you’re a few movies in, people look back and go, “Oh you seem to be drawn towards this or you do that.” Anna and Ellen [Page, of Juno] are obviously very different actresses but I guess their commonality is the uniqueness of their voices. Ellen Page is unlike anyone her own age and Anna Kendrick is unlike anyone her own age. There is an authenticity to their voices that really stands out amongst a generation of actresses that feel built for television. Anna Kendrick represents the type of girl I never see onscreen, a girl who is just too smart for her own good and kind of thinks she has the world summed up and at the same time is completely vulnerable. She reminds me of two of the girls I have fallen in love with over the course of my life, including my wife. Young girls are almost tormented by their own intelligence. There is kind of a wicked intelligence to Anna Kendrick that reminds me of actresses from the forties and fifties, like Veronica Lake in Sullivan’s Travels. They just speak a mile a minute and are so smart and so funny and really one of a kind. It’s exciting to put those kinds of voices and faces onscreen. There is so much homogeny and so much that seems the same I feel excited to put a voice up there that’s unlike anything anyone has seen before.

Did you know you wanted to cast Anna after watching her in Rocket Science, and Ellen after seeing her in Hard Candy?

Yeah, absolutely. I remember seeing both those girls and going, “Who is this and where has she been hiding?” I remember thinking about there is just an insane amount of confidence to both of them. I find that more and more people are scared of being unique. You find that not only among actors but among young people. There is just this tendency to be as similar to the next person as humanly possible. I saw Rocket Science and she just kind of burst from the screen. I don’t really know how to articulate how exciting her performance was.

Do you remember as a kid, or younger man, watching films and having a similar feeling about other performances?

It was kind of different because as a kid if I would have seen Anna or Ellen I would have just fallen in love with them and would have been infatuated with them. Now I have a slightly more professional point of view...

12/4/09    

First Prize

The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures, one of several prestigious organizations whose awards come out before the Oscars, has chosen Anna Kendrick as Best Supporting Actress 2009 for her role in Up in the Air. The movie also took their Best Film prize, and George Clooney tied for Best Actor.

12/3/09

She Kept Her Name but She Threw Up

How would you like to be able to see AK in an interview that lasts close to six minutes, in which, aside from having multiple delightful moments and expressions, she tells several brand new stories-- including one about recently having thrown up flying, and another about almost having had a stage name other than her real name.  And how about glimpses of AK filming Up in the Air that are not seen in any of the trailers? Well, that very interview is the Artist on Artist interview you can view here or read here.  It's AK and musician Sad Brad Smith (who has a song in Up in the Air) relaxedly enjoying interviewing each other.  They're on the in-flight interview junket, with the engine roar noticeable in the background.  But this is still a DON'T MISS interview for fans. Thanks, Anna, for alerting us to this video through your latest tweet!

     Addendum: Added screencaps from interview (scroll up to 12/6) and transcript of interview.

"Today" On the Street

AK had warned us yesterday to watch the "Today Show" today. And there she was, shaking hands with Ann Curry, Matt Lauer, Meredith Viera, and Al Roker. Outside. In the cold and wind. And they asked the same old-same old questions. And we've heard the answers before. (Transcribed it anyway.) And in a minute, twenty one seconds, it was over and they were shaking hands good bye. Well, it was nice that she got some national TV exposure (here's the video), looking cute in a short coat, with the gleaming smile and the hair and the hair flicks. And the unpretentious references-- to her disbelief about being in her life situation, or to her crummy apartment.  Wait 'til those new to Anna Kendrick see how her talent is spotlighted by the contrast between that "real" AK and her performance as Natalie. Word is spreading, fans. Now if only she would do a sit down national show.  Preferably with someone who'd be nice to her, would be funny, and would do his homework to make the conversation interesting. How about Kimmel?

12/3/09      

     Two new quotes from AK that interest us. (Both are from Stephen Schaefer's recent conversation with her for the Boston Herald.)

     Through her ever-present kindness, one can sense some level of resentment (or at least puzzlement) about being repeatedly referred to as new: “It’s a little weird to still be thought of as a newcomer. ...At 17 [she's 24 now] I started to do film and television and eventually moved to L.A... But it’s cool, I’d rather be a newcomer than old news.”

     And one can see that her persona of being thoughtful, down-to-earth, and considerate, is genuine and intentional, as she hopes to be able to maintain it through explosive fame: “I have seen some co-workers have their lives altered drastically and privacy taken away from them. George [Clooney] gives me hope about being able to maintain dignity and sanity and being kind to people. He’s been very famous for a very long time and he’s still awesome.”

     In the same article, Jason Reitman has yet another batch of compliments for the actress:  “I thought she was special. She seemed almost a transplant from the ’40s, the way her wit works and the speed of her speech. I needed an actress who could represent all the bright girls who think they have the world figured out and are frustrated."

12/3/09

Calmer than Natalie and Paler than George

We just finished transcripting Mark Dubec's four and a half minute studio interview with AK from November 25. (You can watch it on Youtube.)  Several fun moments from AK and a few strange ones from Dubec (like when he asks her if he's done a good job ironing his suit). Here are excerpts:

About stage work vs. film work, which is more nerve wracking: I started so young on stage. You have a sense of invincibility at that age, in a strange way. Even though there's insecurity, it just feels like everything's going to be fine and I'm not going to mess up in front of 3000 people. This was definitely a big step for me, and I certainly went into it feeling like I had no business being in a George Clooney movie or a Jason Reitman movie. So it was a little more nerve wracking going into it.

 

About whether her views about men are similar to her character's: Natalie has very specific ideas about love. And I just don't have those. I know that I've probably got little mental lists about all kinds of silly stuff, but love is just not one of those things. She's very idealistic about love. And I just-- I have no kind of expectations for that. 

 

About traveling a lot: I'm still not very good at it. I'm trying to be more like Ryan Bingham and get my packing choreographed and like sail through security and into, like, by my gate and stuff. And I'm always lost in airports and like constantly losing things. And I pack too much. I'm like the worst overpacker ever. 

 

About what life is like with two such movies out at the same time:  (joking) I'm talking about Robert Pattinson and George Clooney far more than any human being should ever have to... The next time I see George I'm going to be like, 'I'm so sick of talking about you.' 

 

About whether George or Robert is paler (Yes, that was Dubec's question): George is really tan, man. They actually, they had to, ahem, the euphemism is "warm me up." That's what makeup artists use. The term they use when you look freakishly pale on screen. And because I was next to George they had to "warm me up."

---

Catching Up: Here's AK talk from a few days ago. KABC-TV Los Angeles did a segment about her in its November 30 news broadcast that included an interview.  Among her comments, she appreciates, "I am a really lucky girl, I acknowledge that."  Director Jason Reitman reiterates awe he's expressed often:  "She is just spectacular. She is from another era. She is fast and funny and goes toe to toe with Clooney effortlessly. She is a fearless actress and that's the quality I love most in an actor."

The same day, buzzsugar.com reported on an interview with Reitman, in which he said, "Anna Kendrick is phenomenal and I want to work with her again."

Stage Return Someday?

When JustJaredJr. was preparing to attend the in-flight interview junket, he asked his readers to tweet him questions to ask AK.  Today he posted his article and we were happy to see he asked a question we sent: Will you ever go back to performing on Broadway?  AK replied, "I haven’t done it in so long - it’s sort of daunting - but every time I see a show, I want to be back on stage!"  We hope somebody reads that and makes her an offer.  Three other unusual quotes from the interview:

Her favorite Broadway show: My favorite Broadway musical is a show called Parade, which is really dark and there’s not even really a role for me in it, but I love, love, love that show!

 

Her favorite prop from Up in the Air: I liked my computer. I got to be very mean to my computer - it was very serious typing.

 

A wished for movie romance: Oh my goodness! Well, I’ve had a crush on Julian Casablancas from The Strokes since I was fifteen and they do that all the time, put musicians in movies, so I would cast him.

12/2/09

Avec Glamour

JustJaredJr provides credits for

AK's Up in the Air premiere attire.

Dress: Jenny Packham

Jewelry: 

Shoes: Louboutin

12/2/09

A Movie About People...

Access Hollywood spoke to cast members at the Up in the Air premiere. AK's piece: "There's definitely been a lot of people talking about how it's a movie about the economy or it's a movie about job loss. And I think ultimately it's a movie about people figuring out what they want out of their lives. And I think that's what makes it really special."

12/2/09

Past and Future: Skateboarding and Pool

The MTV-posted video from their interview of AK at the Up in the Air premiere only has a tiny, silly excerpt about screaming New Moon fans.  But the article itself has a Q&A of eleven questions.  Two of her answers:

Comparing red carpet fashion to the old days of talking to MTV in tank top and jeans with an elbow scraped skateboarding: Yeah, nobody really commented on it, because you couldn't see my bruised-up elbow. I haven't tried skateboarding since then; that was a mistake. But I'm trying to look very poised and elegant. I don't know if I'm succeeding.

A goal of hers: I want to learn to play pool. I don't want to be one of those chicks in a bar that needs her boyfriend to set up a shot for her. That would be a life goal.

12/2/09

What's Behind 47?

MakingOf.com posted a 29 second excerpt of a recent AK interview. Asked what 47 on her Twitter handle means, AK explains, "Nicholas D'Agosto from Rocket Science and Jason Reitman on [Up in the Air] would occasionally call me "AK47," and that was like the coolest nickname I've ever had. So Anna Kendrick was taken, by somebody pretending to be me, so I took "AnnaKendrick47" for "AK47."

12/1/09

Air Reviews Arriving Soon

Yes, we are working on a compilation of all the comments about AK in reviews of Up in the Air, which we will publish in a table (as we did for New Moon, which can be read here).  Here's just one example of the plethora of praise the actress is receiving. This is Nicholas Rapold writing for The L Magazine online, December 2:

 

"Clooney, domesticating his teflon glide, is upstaged by Anna Kendrick as a terrier-like consultant fresh from college who sells Bingham's boss (Jason Bateman) on termination via Skype. She's a compelling monster-victim, nervily dissecting Bingham and his counterpart/sex partner (Vera Farmiga), but blubbering in premature quarterlife crisis over following a jerky boyfriend to Omaha."

Wisked in in White

Although of course she posed for PR pics at the photo session (below), on the red carpet at the November 30

Los Angeles premiere of Up in the Air, AK dashed in, as you can see from the ten-second Youtube video (capped above).

Buzz Becomes Honey

     Anna Kendrick has been nominated for an International Press Academy Satellite Award in the category "Actress in a Supporting Role," for her performance in Up in the Air. Her competition for the prize is Emily Blunt (Sunshine Cleaning), Mozhan Marnó (The Stoning of Soraya M.), Mo'nique (Precious), and Penelope Cruz (Nine).  This is likely to be just one of many nominations the actress will receive during the upcoming awards season.

     The IPA describes itself as "the largest and most diverse association of professional entertainment journalists in the world," with membership open to any full-time entertainment journalist in any medium (including "interactive" media).  They have been presenting Satellite awards annually since 1996. Their 2009 awards presentation ceremony will take place Sunday night, December 20, at the Los Angeles InterContinental Hotel.

11/30/09         

Parade's Turn for AK Talk

Not to be outdone by competitor USA-Weekend's AK article yesterday, today Parade Magazine online posted a Jeanne Wolf column interviewing AK.  We archived the full article. Here are highlights:

Mothering George: "There was a lot of goofing around and there were definitely days were I felt like Clooney was the teenager and I was the mom. I was like, 'George come on, I'm trying to focus,' which was a very strange thing to be saying to George Clooney. But he would be playing with Nerf balls on set, so I was trying to dodge Nerf balls while getting prepared for a scene."
 
As for New Moon: "Whenever we shot outside there was always a hundred fans standing around and you felt like you were on display. I'd be trying to have a conversation with Kristen Stewart, but I'd always feels like maybe somebody was watching us who lip reads or something. You'd think if you joked around it was all being captured on somebody's video thing. That made it a little nerve-wracking."
 
The big lip lock you won't see in Up in the Air : "There was a scene that was cut from the film where I get drunk and I make out with a guy that I meet. I thought that we should just give it a test run before we had to do it in front of the cameras. I wanted to be professional about it. So we went into another room and kind of did a little smooching. Afterward, this guy looked as though he'd been like violated. He was like, 'Oh, that was very efficient.' I was like, 'I'm an efficient kisser? That's awesome, that's great news.'"
 
Blackberry: "I'd rather call than text and I'd rather be talking to someone in person than anything. I'm actually not really great on the phone. Texting is good for me when I just want to send a little message like, 'Do you want to do something, do you want to hang out?' I don't know that I've ever texted anything really emotional. When I was 11-years-old, I broke up with my boyfriend in an email. Email was new and we were just learning how to use it."
 
Coping with Oscar buzz for her performance: "I think surreal is absolutely the right word. It's very strange for me to sit in my filthy, unwashed Prius, which I've had since I was 18, or in my room with my pile of laundry, and feel like there are people talking about Oscar buzz. It's very strange because I feel like people who get talked about in that way are these kind of perfect human beings. You're supposed to be really polished and really grownup to get Oscar buzz. There's almost a feeling like, 'If you could just see my life and see how often I'm almost falling apart, you'd understand why I think it's weird.'"
 
Getting that Tony nomination at 12: In my own way I was definitely a very serious little girl ... I guess I just knew what I wanted at the age. I think I was more ambitious as a child than I am now."

 11/30/09         

At the Charity Royal Film Performance

of The Lovely Bones, November 24 in London.

Youtube Rundown

We preview for you recent Anna-Kendrick-related videos loaded to Youtube.

"Seen before" means if you follow our site, we previously have reported on and linked an original of this content.

Content: Tony Toscano (the lunkhead mentioned below) also (inexplicably) scored a studio interview with AK.  On ice cream: "At one point I was eating ice cream during some of the interviews. It made me very happy."  Otherwise, see evaluation of interviewer below. (This time, he says his wife brings her "curlers" when she travels, leaving even AK almost speechless.)  We'll transcript this just for the novelty.

Posted by: talkingpicturestv

Posting date: 11/27/09

Length: 3:23

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCbL3jG74bQ

Content: Tony Toscano of www.talkingpictures.tv posted his in-flight junket interview with AK.  There's enough here that we'll be transcripting this. She again mentions how disorganized a traveler she is. She says Clooney withheld pranking her, and that he has a sensitive side. Most notably, she generously stays professional and charming no matter how much of a lunkhead the interviewer is.

Posted by: talkingpicturestv

Posting date: 11/27/09

Length: 2:40

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ejc8FNQhL4

Content: WORTHWHILE. Studio interview with AK posted by the source: Marc Dubec, film critic for an Indiana Comcast channel.  Our transcript is here.

Posted by: markdubec

Posting date: 11/25/09

Length: 4:32

Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okdK0kTlzco

Content: Teenagers Nikki and Bee posted their whole lineup of New Moon red carpet interviews in this long upload. Here is the AK section:

AK: I think you should drag your boyfriends because I think they'll like them too.

N&B: If you had to be on a deserted island with anyone from Twilight, who would it be?

AK: Any character? Um, jeeze. I guess Alice, because she can tell the future, and that'd be handy on a deserted island, I guess. Unless the future is really boring on a deserted island.

Posted by: BeeNikki

Posting date: 11/23/09

Length: Total 10:00 (AK section 10 seconds from 3:00 to 3:10)

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZDgDTWJRyU

Content: Copy of ABC-7 (unknown city) interview of AK on the New Moon premiere red carpet. Refuting the first question, AK says, "I don't know that everybody wants to know Jessica. She's a little bit of a cat. I don't know that she really is anybody's best friend."  Otherwise, lame content.

Posted by: cullensnews

Posting date: 11/23/09

Length: 1:00

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGvmmiEhjjw

Content: WORTHWHILE. This is posted by the source. Ryan Seacrest interviewing AK at the New Moon premiere in a soundproof portable studio on the red carpet.  No new content from AK, but a very cute entrance, and fans may want to see her interactions.  

Here's the full transcript.

Posted by: ryanseacrest

Posting date: 11/23/09

Length: 3:13

Link to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RxqhmeESMY

Content: Seen before. This is a copy of the Entertainment Tonight interview with AK on the in-flight junket, introduced by AK herself standing in the airport.

Posted by: ThatTwilightSagGirl2

Posting date: 11/23/09

Length: 2:46

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMMg4JNzbHg

Content:  Seen before, but this one's poorer quality. This is a copy of the Access Hollywood interview when they tell her they've named her a Rising Star. To watch this interview go here instead.

Posted by: ThatTwilightSagGirl2

Posting date: 11/23/09

Length: 3:19

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ONCZvEK2IU

Content: Don't bother. A too-far-to-see-anything recording of the New Moon premiere emcee introducing AK. You only hear her say, "You guys are gonna love this movie, I promise."

Posted by: xchantiffany

Posting date: 11/22/09

Length: :21

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAt856B1M8o

Content: This is the newest Up in the Air Trailer ("A Chance for Something Real"). As we told you November 19 when we posted a non-Youtube link to it, it is a "Don't Miss" for AK fans.  The whole conversation between her and Clooney on the dock.

Posted by: DizzyMissLizzie

Posting date: 11/22/09

Length: 1:00

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zRhJdmbIIo

Content: Seen before. This is just a copy of the maximotv.com Red Carpet video of AK, which we linked to and summarized a while ago.  As we said the first time, worthwhile only for the cute moment when she turns away from the camera to scramble cutely from one autograph seeker to another.

Posted by: ricomix3000

Posting date: 11/22/09

Length 1:13

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qxPy_4Svok

Sunday Insert Features AK

Brian Truitt interviewed AK recently and the resulting article is in the current USA Weekend, in national newspapers November 29.

About her real life frequent flying lately: "I'm always the one with the scissors in my carry-on or the belt that sets off the metal detectors," laments the 24-year-old actress. "I'm usually falling apart in the middle of an airport."

 

About red carpet attire: Getting gussied up for premieres isn't quite her style. The good news: She can get back to "my Converse-wearing, video-store existence right after I'm doing something really glamorous," she says.

 

About Dr. George Clooney:  "The first day I showed up on set, I was sick, and he was telling me to eat chicken soup. I questioned him because I thought it was just an old wives' tale," she recalls. "He told me that I should trust him because he played a doctor on TV." (Remember "ER?")

 

Photo: JustJared

Busy Signal

     Here's a sign that November has probably been Anna Kendrick's busiest month in her busiest year. This news page had gotten so big, we just had to create another archive, which contains the news postings from August through October 2009. Our previous, similarly sized archive, includes the news postings from fall 2007 to fall 2009.  So in just three months this year, there was as much news coverage of AK as there had been in the entire previous two years. 

A "Fierce Talent"

     A New York Newsday article printed November 25 observes that although AK was only the third youngest Tony Award nominee in history (age 12 for High Society), the two who were younger never did more of note, while she "continued a steady rise that now finds her 'Up in the Air.'" About her performance in that, they write she "matches [Clooney's skills] blow for blow, showing the same fierce talent she's demonstrated in such disparate roles as a manipulative, high-school debater barracuda in 'Rocket Science' (2007) and boy-crazy best friend Jessica in the 'Twilight' films."

     The accompanying six-question Q&A (archived here) is unremarkable, retreads of information fans already have heard tenfold. One note: she comments about Camp that she wishes people would watch the whole movie, rather than just the famed Youtube clip of her  "Ladies Who Lunch" scene.

More Than a Monkey

The online charity auction of two tickets to Monday's Los Angeles premiere of Up in the Air as well as to the afterparty

fetched $520 that will go to Variety's Kids.  Enjoy mingling with AK and others, winning bidder, whoever you are!

The Los Angeles Times printed an extensive interview with AK November 25. (We have it archived here.)

Here are highlights:

Up in the Air surprise:

When I was cast, I kept thinking for whatever reason, "They know I'm from Maine, right?"

 

George the Joker:

He's definitely a joker. He was playing Nerf football around my head when I would try to prepare for a scene. He has a teenager's energy, and it made me feel like the on-set mom, like "C'mon, you guys, focus..."

 

Friends like Natalie:

It's almost like I know a bunch of girls, myself included, who are almost like Natalie. There's a frustration that comes along with being female, and there's a sense that if you can swim with the sharks and be one of the boys -- if you can conquer that -- that's where a lot of her personality comes from. I don't know anyone who's gone fully into that world, but there is a temptation, I think, in every girl's life to do so at some point.

 

Similar yet different:

I'm a control freak, but I react to being out of control in an entirely different way. I get more awkward and fumble more. I fall apart very quickly. Natalie, on the other hand, her rigidity and self-awareness increases exponentially.

En Garde! 

The newly-posted Access Hollywood interview video has two interesting pieces, both confirming traits of our heroine.

AK is funny: [About the huge New Moon box office] "Take that, Dark Knight!"

AK is a film buff, and funny: [About Oscar buzz for her role in Up in the Air] "I'm going to have to tell my parents to rent For Your Consideration, just so that everybody can calm down for a second."

Will More AK Be on New Moon DVD?

Larry Carroll at MTV.com writes that New Moon director Chris Weitz plans to have 20 minutes of deleted scenes on the DVD of the movie. Speculating about what those extras will include, Carroll lists scenes he knows were filmed but got cut, including "scenes alluding to the ongoing breakup between [character Mike] Newton and Anna Kendrick's Jessica."

11/23/09

Clooney Called "Too Old"

     Nicholas White's article at People online, November 23, quotes AK about George Clooney:

     "He had rules for me about dating and stuff. It was really sweet. It's funny, actually. A friend of his that was his age [48] was dating somebody younger than me. He thought that was fine. I was like, 'What would you say to me if I were dating somebody your age?' He said, 'Oh no, absolutely not.' He had this kind of older brother thing with me. Is he too old for me? Yes. George Clooney is too old for me."

     "I loved yelling at George. I loved telling George off. I loved telling George that he was a 12-year-old. I was so looking forward to that scene almost to the extent that I was concerned that it was going to be a kind of indulgent thing ... It's like every ex-boyfriend I have ever had in the form of George Clooney on a boardwalk. [It] was a lot of fun."

You Could Be With Anna Kendrick!
The charity auction for Variety's Kids of Southern California includes two tickets to the premiere and after party for Up in the Air, November 30 in Los Angeles. The auction closes at 5:00 Pacific Time, November 23.  Go here to bid.

More Laurels

Access Hollywood has named AK a "Rising Star." They interviewed her in conjunction with this (at the Shepard Fairey event, November 12) and posted the interview the following week. Some interesting passages from her. Regarding having filmed New Moon simultaneously with Up in the Air, she jokingly says George Clooney would give her "crap" every time she would come back from some New Moon work.  About the then-upcoming New Moon premiere, she foresees, "It'll be nice to see all the hooligans all dressed up." She comments that the movie's action sequences are "stunning," and that "the scene in Italy where everyone's in red, that the Twi-hards all know about, is absolutely beautiful." She also talks about verbal jousting with Clooney on the Up in the Air set, and she calls Scott Pilgrim vs. the World "Ferris Beuhler's Day Off with the action sequences from Kill Bill."  

As you surely know by now, New Moon had the biggest grossing midnight opening of all time Thursday (well, I guess midnight would actually be Friday). And it's on the way to being at least the third (or possibly higher) biggest opening movie weekend ever. Meanwhile, we've been busy collecting all the movie reviewers' compliments about AK (even many who criticized the film applauded her work).  Go to our New Moon Anna Kendrick Kudos Page to see the praise. Twenty three different quotes so far.  Having posted that, we'll work on catching up with the few other bits that are of interest since the opening. For example, the Access Hollywood interview, and the gradually appearing various interviews she did on the in-flight junket. Stay tuned.

Tired Actress Calls Pat 'n Clooney "Punks"

A tired AK sitting on a back room couch was interviewed on video the night after the New Moon party.  She comments on the financial success of the opening: "I was like, Jeezes!"

Interesting to see AK a bit less perky than usual, and definitely not connecting with this interviewer at moments. (Watch for that "Huh?" look in reply to some interviewer comments.)

Yet AK is still charming-- even when it might just be acting...

AK's understatement: "Yeah, it's been a good year."

 

Her joking nonchalance about Pattinson and Clooney: "Aah, they're ok-- whatever...everybody else is flipping out about it; I'm like, 'What's the big deal with these two? They're such punks. They're like such a pair of hooligans.'"

 

Her appreciation for Clooney's joking attitude: "I couldn't have done that if he hadn't been so generous. If he hadn't made me feel like it was ok to make fun of him off set...It made going toe-to-toe with George Clooney a lot easier when he basically, you know-- gave me crap all day, every day, and I just felt like, ok, you're gonna make fun of me for being short, I'll make fun of you for being old, man."

Writer, Actress Finally Meet

Twilight Saga screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg, blogging for Entertainment Weekly, reveals that she had never met AK before the New Moon premiere:

"We’re starving so we beeline to our table and get some of the delicious food. We hide out there for a while, then go to mill about. I meet Anna Kendrick, surprisingly, for the first time. She’s funny and lovely and wearing a fabulously fun dress."

The actress presumably had some nice words for the writer, considering Rosenberg's past flattering appreciation of Kendrick (see our November 11 posting).

11/21/09

AK Has Fashion Doubts

Zap2it interviewed AK at the New Moon premiere and Elizabeth Snead wrote about the interview at TheDishrag November 21.  A portion of the 1:45 length interview is about fashion, with AK being (unnecessarily, we say) self-doubting:

"I've been told to do research and read more fashion magazines and stuff, but thank god I have somebody kind of helping me out, because I'm certainly not enough of a girly-girl to just know exactly what I want, so--...it's a little intimidating, but, you know, I feel nice right now, so I'm happy that somebody helped me out."

We've got the full interview transcript here.

Great New Trailer Issued

     There's been yet another trailer released for Up in the Air-- this one of definite interest to AK fans. While the first trailer had a section of the dock scene (AK posing with the cardboard cutout....), this one has much more of the dock scene.  It's a "Don't Miss" scene to watch-- second only to the full restaurant table scene--  for showing off her talent and the two leads' chemistry (or anti-chemistry, plotwise).

     The trailer is viewable at Slashfilm.com. And while you're there, check out how gushing Peter Sciretta is about AK. No hiding his fandom!

11/19/09

Hitfix Interview Up

We reported that Gregory Ellwood at hitfix.com was on the Paramount Up in the Air interview flight Saturday, but only teased readers in his article (see below) that he'd be loading the video of his interview this week.  Well, the video's finally posted, so you can now see the interview.

First Sky Talk Hits Net

Stephanie Webb, of Grand Rapids Michigan's WZZM Channel 13, was one of the many reporters who did in-flight interviews with AK on Saturday (scroll down for that story). To watch just AK's part of Webb's report, posted Nov. 18, go to timecode 1:30 of the three minute video. Then you'll get to see the actress answer typical questions in amazingly happy spirits, considering this is one of dozens of interviews AK did in a row during the coast-to-coast ride.

Regarding Up in the Air honors, Vera Farmiga is completely complimentary about and not competitive with her co-star. This is how Sara Vilkomerson reported it for observer.com November 17:

While the early buzz on the film is that it’s assured a slot come Oscar time, those who tend to speculate about such things have wondered if Ms. Farmiga will end up competing with her young co-star in the Best Supporting Actress category. “It’s weird when this comes up,” Ms. Farmiga said. “Because the truth of it is, I think Anna deserves it! It’s refreshing—you look at her generation and who their role models are, and she’s such an intelligent, self-possessed woman. … I’m just so pleased that she’s getting the attention she deserves.” The fingertips drummed more intently.

“I … I … look,” she said, eyes somehow becoming even more blue. “I’m pretty established, I feel blessed in my career and steadily I’m meandering through it. I want the world for Anna, I really do.”

Q: Which are AK's friends more excited

     to see her work with:

     Robert Pattinson or George Clooney?

A: "Most of my friends are really into

     George Clooney."

(At timecode 1:30 of the New Moon

LA Red Carpet montage from popsugar.tv)

New Interview: AK Loosens Up

DP/30 Sneak Peek Interview  (2:38 long)

posted 11/17/09 by TheHotButton

While the content is not too unique (she talks about Twilight and about Twitter),

she's more relaxed and unglamourized than perhaps any video interview

ever recorded of her.

Youtubes: A Couple Worth Skipping

Short New Moon LA premiere interview.

Posted 11/17/09 by annakendricknet with credits for BellaAndEdward.com

Bad picture and uninterestingly typical content.

     You have to be a total AK archivist to want to watch this one minute interview.

     .

Very short New Moon LA premiere interview.

Posted 11/18/09 by nastey with credits for Wireimage/Getty Images.

     Thirty more seconds of bland content you've already heard often.

     The one unique bit is she identifies her dress's designer as Talbot Runhof.

More Video of LA Red Carpet

Posted by Maximotv

This is a minute, thirteen seconds of all AK. But it's mostly her standing still, posing. And too much closeup doesn't give nearly as good a view as our still picture from the event (see below).  But do check out her very cute autograph turns halfway through.

Posted by piamj

Not much to see in this one: You can briefly see her stepping out of her limo at timecode 1:22, but for all the time leading up to that you can sure hear why her tweet said she planned to bring earplugs.

     The New Moon premiere prompted Ryan Michael Painter (inthisweek.com) to publish results of interviews with some of the film's actors conducted "over the past few months."  So while we don't know for sure when AK spoke to him, he does devote thirteen paragraphs to her.

     About whether she felt stressed about reprising her role, she says, "I was in the mind-set that I was just glad to be playing this fun and silly character. I don't think I was aware of any of the high expectations. The cast and crew still felt down to earth, same as the first movie."

     Her thoughts about the Jessica character include a bit of a new twist on how she's spoken in the past about that:  "She's so different from who I am and who I was in high school. I remember auditioning and feeling like I had no business trying out for the alpha-female who tries to intimidate new girls at school. But that's what makes it fun for me. I get to escape into a world where all I do is talk about is shoes and boys. It's interesting and a fun place to visit."

     Again she comments on some jealousy of the more melodramatic roles: "When the 'human clan' all got to Portland to film Twilight, we all admitted that we were bummed that we wouldn't get to do any stunts or cool vampire stuff. Every time a person who isn't familiar with the books asks if I get to turn into a vampire or a werewolf, I'm always disappointed to have to say 'No.' " And similarly, to the "vampire or werewolf?" question: "It's tricky because they're both pretty cool, but I think I'd rather be a werewolf because they seem to have a lot more fun. The vampires have to stay in control. Their whole life is about being measured. The werewolves seem to let loose and have a lot more fun."

     With two Twilights plus Elsewhere on her resume, does she now have an attraction to such genre roles?  "I'm a fan of Harry Potter and 'The Lord of the Rings.' I can geek out every now and then. Yeah, I can get on that train. But it wasn't ever a conscious decision [to take fantasy and horror roles]. I don't think they are my forte. I think that requires a specific and intense skill set. But, to be involved with the Twilight franchise and not having the privilege of being a supernatural character it makes me want to play a supernatural character even more."

The Red Carpet Interviews

On Youtube, there are four interview postings so far from last night's premiere of New Moon.

Here's a summary of each, with the links:

1. Posted by EyeBiteTV

AK talks about what she's wearing and about how others in the cast look.

2. More from EyeBiteTV

She talks about screaming girls watching them film.

3. Posted by FePattz2

This is an interview by ABC Channel 7.

She talks about the character of Jessica Stanley, how much viewers will love the movie, and how nice her fellow actors are.

4. Posted by Junninunna

Don't bother: this is just a duplication of EyeBite's video about the clothing.

Photo: On the New Moon Red Carpet

at the Los Angeles premiere, Nov. 16.

And we don't agree with Amy Wilkinson's (MTV) criticism of your dress. We say it and you look dazzlingly chic.

More Air and AK in L.A.

From acting pros publication Back Stage comes this November 16 announcement:

     On Wed., November 18th at 7 p.m., Back Stage and Paramount Pictures cordially invite you and a guest to "An Evening With... Up in the Air, a special advance Los Angeles screening of the film to be followed by a conversation with the cast members Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick. The screening will take place at 7 p.m. at The Paramount Theatre (on the Paramount Lot)  RSVP Required. To RSVP, please email upintheairbackstage@gmail.com. Photo ID required for admittance.

And this interesting codicil:

      As a courtesy to your fellow actors, please do not RSVP for this screening if you do not intend to stay for the Q&A portion of the evening. This screening will be monitored for unauthorized recording. Seating is on a first-come/first-serve basis. A reservation does not guarantee admittance.

Reitman vs. Kendrick re:Twilight

     Kim Linekin includes lots of fun quotes from AK in her article November 16 for MSN Entertainment.  Read the whole thing archived here, or our rundown:

     "I'm in this really unbelievable position. I get to be in the [Twilight] films and along for the ride whenever I feel like it, but I get to go back to my real life and not have people follow me around everywhere and not have people write horrendous things about me on the internet. So yeah, I completely appreciate the fact that I get to be in this crazy mega-franchise and reap all the benefits and almost none of the bullsh-- that a lot of the cast has to deal with.

     About Up in the Air, she added, "And then I get to be in the movie where I'm trying to sit at the grown-ups table"

     Linekin goes on to quote director Jason Reitman on AK: "Anna's a little genius. She's got a forty pound brain somehow fitting inside that little head of hers." To which AK, told of his compliment, jokingly replied, "Did he say 'a forty pound brain'? What a weirdo!"

     Reitman had further awe for AK:  "I don't know her fellow cast members on Twilight, but I can only presume that ... well, I mean, what's Anna doing in those movies? She's just so f---ing smart and so talented. I look at her and I see kind of the Jodie Foster of her generation and I'm just waiting for her to break out."  Says Linekin about the actress's response about that comment: "Kendrick gasped in a very Jessica way at the diss wrapped inside those compliments, 'Way to throw me under the bus, Reitman!'"  AK went on to defend the franchise: "I'm really happy to be a part of it - we have a lot of fun making [the movies]. And Reitman is a little ... mmm. Superiority complex. I'm gonna punch him in the arm for that one."

     She also goes on to give her take on Jessica's psyche: She "basically sort of exists to represent all the bad things about teenage girls.  I think Bella is what teenage girls hope that they are and want to see in themselves, and Jessica is the needy part and the jealous part and the part that tries too hard to be liked. No matter what she's saying, she's saying, 'please like me.'"

     About snagging the Jessica role without having read the novels: "When I auditioned, I felt like I had no business trying to play a queen bee character so the only way I could think to play it was a little awkward and a little desperate. I think that's what got me the role, actually. So I'm sort of glad that I hadn't read the novels before I auditioned. [Jessica] is pretty straight-up catty in the novels."

     And finally her tidbit about her part in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, coming in 2010: "Mostly I yell at [Scott] on the phone. I don't get to fight. 'Cause I'm not awesome."

Getting High with Reporters

     Gregory Ellwood (of hitfix.com) and around fifty other journalists physically went up in the air with AK Saturday, November 14. Paramount Pictures flew them from New York to Los Angeles. On the way, they were shown Up in the Air and given the opportunity to speak to the actress (as well as to Sad Brad Smith, who sings the song that plays during the film's closing credits).

     Ellwood reported,  "Kendrick is in a great moment in her career. She's still part of the madness around the Twilight saga as Bella's human friend Jessica, but she's also got a key role in Edgar Wright's big screen adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.  Oh, and her breakout role that can't be diminished in Air. Not a bad place to be."

     AK briefly spoke individually to each of the reporters, a high flying twist on the typical press junket. Ellwood videotaped, and hasn't yet revealed what he said to her, instead just asking readers to check back during the week when his video will be posted.

     Meanwhile, the actress used Twitter to thank the press. (See her tweet above.)

AK Fights Intolerance

Lesley Goldberg, from shewired.com, spoke with artist Shepard Fairey and some of the celebrities attending the November 12 launch of his Defend Equality: Love Unites marriage equality fundraising project.  AK is one of the celebrity “artists” whose customized poster is being auctioned online for the charity. Referring to the lack of widespread gay marriage rights, she said,

“I think it’s a little sad that we even have to be here right now, but it’s such a no brainer for me to come out. I think [it’s] pretty upsetting that it’s not just California but in my home state of Maine [which recently repealed its gay marriage sanction]. There’s rationality and there’s intolerance and those are the only two sides to this issue.”

Fan Tries To Give AK a Hand

The first video interview of AK at yesterday's Shepard Fairey marriage equality project fundraiser launch party was posted and written about by E!online the day of the event, November 12. She says (again) that they really were surprised by the success of Twilight.  She 'admits' they were jealous of the actors who got to play vampires ("They get to be so cool all the time. And we [humans were] pretty goofy all the time.") And she tells a funny story (you've got to watch her face) about a girl with a gift for Taylor Lautner:

I had a girl come up to me in Vancouver and ask me to give something to Taylor. And it was as though she kept it with her at all times, in case such an opportunity arose, that she ran into a Twilight cast member. And I decided to not take it. I said I didn't know when the next time I would see Taylor would be. Because I was afraid it was going to be like a human hand or something... She sort of indicated that it was in her bag. But I was like, 'That could be a human hand. I'm not taking that.'

Complete transcript of the interview is here.

AK Joins Artist for Marriage Equality

A few days ago we told you about the Shepard Fairey prints charity auction in which a print customized by AK would be appearing. The reception for the event, sometimes called the "Love Unites/ Shepard Fairey Equality Project," took place last night, November 12, at the Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood. AK was among the celebrities there, looking beautiful as ever.

Photo: Angela Weiss

I love writing for...Anna Kendrick...She is a really talented girl, that one.

Screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg to Makingof.com

November 11, 2009

Screenwriter Relishes-- Guess Who?

Melissa Rosenberg, screenwriter of the three Twilight movies, had great praise for AK in the video interview posted November 11 at makingof.com. Most of the "favorites to write for" she named were species (e.g., the Volturi). The one actor she singled out was our heroine.  Saying she loves writing for Anna Kendrick, Rosenberg explained:

"She is-- I'm always a little bit worried when people start improvving, because I often think to myself, 'I've spent months and months going over that one line-- with the producer or the director-- I've thought about that one line for hours and hours and days and months. You come on set and can it be better than something a lot of people have thought of?  So I'm always worried about improvving. Not with Anna Kendrick. That girl comes up with-- I saw her-- a lot of scenes that she shot for New Moon with Chris and Chris just kind of let her go. [snapping fingers] One line was funnier after the other. So much better than what I had come up with. I don't know what she-- what Chris ended up using. They were all so funny. She is a really talented girl, that one." 

Thanks to AK herself for alerting fans to that video in her recent tweet. If you watch it, jump to timecode 4:20 for the AK part.

I feel sort of fortunate that it hasn’t been this overnight thing. I’m

hoping that it continues to be this slow and steady thing so that I can

take a deep breath and get used to it.

 

AK to Ben Barna, Blackbookmag.com

November 12, 2009

Another New Interview: On silent movies, the West Coast, and of course, George and Rob

Ben Barna posted his interview with AK today (November 12) on Blackbook.com.  It's a worthwhile read, once you get past his rude swipe at her in his lead paragraph.  It's sixteen questions, all posted Q&A style, so fans get to read plenty of her voice.  Not much really new content, though. Beyond the predictable George Clooney and Twilight questions, he does show us that, although she is hesitant to label herself a "film buff," she is a fan of vintage movies, recently having seen The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928, France, silent, B&W) accompanied live by a new age score.

But the interview mainly reinforces all our previous impressions of AK as respectful of her colleagues, awestruck and sometimes overwhelmed by fame, and especially down-to-earth and humble. And we're sure that when she says, "The fans, when you are removed from them and they’re on the internet, can seem a little scary and overwhelming," she's not talking about fans who read our site.

MTV Columnist an Anna Fan

Terri Schwartz at MTV is on board the Anna Kendrick love train.  Her November 10 article, commenting on the recent poll question, "Which of these young actors will be the first Twilight Saga veteran to win an Oscar in their career?," says that, despite what poll respondents say, "In this hypothetical race, Anna is the clear all-star and Robert [Pattinson] is still a bench warmer."  And Schwartz comes out unabashedly critical of RPatt's acting as she describes how wrong it is that he was top votegetter in this poll.

AK Blasts Maine Voters

Joseph Alexiou reported for the New York Observer, November 10, that at the Tomate Rouge Travel and Leisure party, AK criticized Maine's repeal of their gay marriage statute: “It’s really depressing, I was upset. It’s not easy to feel ashamed of where you’re from.”

AK Saying Bye to Twilight?

Although we previously reported quotes from AK about her being named to the 2009 Next Gen list (scroll down to November 6), fans will want to watch The Hollywood Reporter's now-posted video of their interview with her at the Next Gen reception. She told a new George Clooney anecdote and she said she's probably done being part of the Twilight film series.  Plus, the video includes nice clips from her in Up in the Air and New Moon.

Here's exactly what she says:

The first day that you meet George Clooney is obviously going to be very nerve-wracking. And the great thing about him is I think he's aware of how charming that he is. So when I met him for the first time, we were doing camera tests for hair and makeup and wardrobe and stuff, and he came up to me and was like, 'Oh, god, you're not going to wear your hair like that, are you?' And, you know, normally that would be a really insulting thing for somebody to say to you, but you he knows that he's George Clooney and he makes all the girls blush.

It was really nice to work on a film like Up in the Air with Jason Reitman and George Clooney and Vera Farmiga, but to have it feel like a really small, independent movie. I think big movies can feel like there's a lot of pressure, and it's nice to work on something where it feels like this intimate small movie.

New Moon opens in like two weeks. I just finished shooting Eclipse actually. So I'm sort of working under the assumption that that's it for me for the Twilight franchise. It's sort of bittersweet that it's over. It's hard work and it's really time consuming, but it's the rare opportunity to be working on something where you get to go back and work with the same people again.  You know, have these relationships that you build and actually get to see them on another set. So it's a little bittersweet.

Is Dakota as Deserving as Anna?

MTV.com posted on November 10 another video excerpt of an interview with AK.  Questioned about who else (besides herself) she thinks from the Twilight cast is deserving of an Academy Award statue, she replied, "Shouldn't Dakota Fanning have like 12 at this point? She's one of those people where everyone sort of assumes that she has one. I'll go with Dakota, I guess."

Fighting for Love

AK is among twenty celebrities who each have customized prints of Shepard Fairey's "Defend Equality, Love Unites" image, to benefit marriage equality group FAIR. The prints will be unveiled at a reception November 12 at the Andaz West Hollywood in Los Angeles.  They are being auctioned off on the website Charitybuzz.com. You can bid on AK's print there, which she's signed below her words, "LOVE is a RIGHT, not a PRIVILEGE."  Bidding starts at $500 and bidding closes December 9.

WE THE PEOPLE!  You've now got her nominated. Now vote (and vote often) to make her the winner!

Go to the People's Choice Awards voting site, arrow to the screen below, and vote for our heroine!

Sitting Pretty in Print

AK spoke to Nicole Sperling

about her role of Natalie Keener

in Up in the Air,

in the November 13 issue

of Entertainment Weekly.

[Full article here.]

On November 9, EW.com continued to tout AK as its pick for Best Supporting Actress Academy Award.

     NOTE: Just added an EW.com Nov. 5 sultry pose and accompanying brief article. Scroll down to that date to see.

 Photo: Jason LaVeris (Film Magic)                                                                                                     Photo: Jeff Vespa

'Tis Better to Give...

AK looked stunning at the Hamilton "Behind the Camera" Awards, November 8, held at the Highlands in Hollywood.

She and Jason Bateman presented the award film editing award to Dana E. Glauberman, for Up in the Air.

Bateman appears with AK in the film.

The Pain of Rejection

New York Daily News gossip columnists Rush and Molloy (Joanna and George), writing November 8 about Up in the Air

actors' memories of having been fired from jobs, quote AK as saying that although she's never been fired, “I’ve been turned down for acting jobs.  And it still hurts every time, but somehow, you get used to it.”  They spoke to her at the Thursday night Travel and Leisure afterparty.

      NOTE: Great pics from that afterparty just added. Scroll down to November 5 to see.

Not Coming Soon to a Mall Near You

According to the list on hottopic.com, AK is NOT one of the New Moon actors who will be at the many mall tour locations plugging the movie in November.

Top Talent Next Gen 2009

In addition to its annual pick of 35 executives under age 35 to salute as the "Next Generation Class" of the year, the Hollywood Reporter picks Next Generation actors, directors, and writers. In this 2009 "talent" category, AK was one of just two actors recognized (Anthony Mackie was the other). The whole list attended a reception at My House in Hollywood November 6. 

Here is the bio by Denise Abbott published as part of the recognition by HR:

     Kendrick couldn't get too excited by the news that director Jason Reitman wanted her for the coveted role opposite George Clooney in "Up in the Air." With firm commitments to the "Twilight" sequel "New Moon" and the comic book adaptation "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," she doubted she'd end up playing the part. "Every day it would change: it will work, it won't work," she recalls. "I was on such an emotional roller coaster. I finally told everyone to keep me out of the discussions until the end." 

     Everything worked out and next month Kendrick could have an Oscar contender and a mega-blockbuster in theaters at the same time. Despite her youth, it's been a long road from her Tony-nominated performance in the Broadway production of "High Society," which she earned at age 12. "I spent a lot of my childhood on Greyhound buses making the six-hour trip from Portland, Maine, to New York for auditions," she says. Kendrick even graduated high school early so she could appear in "A Little Night Music" at the New York City Opera. Her feature debut in Todd Graff's "Camp" was warmly received at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and became a cult favorite. 

     The APA-repped actress is now allowing herself to entertain the notion that a bigger, broader career is in the cards. "When we started 'Twilight' we had no idea it would be a big deal. But now in a movie with George Clooney, directed by Jason Reitman, I know it's something special. The worst thing would be to be caught off guard." 

AK Explains Inspirations

Amanda Bell has a big interview with four humans of Twilight at examiner.com November 6.

Here are the AK excerpts. She is most revealing when she talks about her comic influences and when she explains how she managed to act Jessica Stanley despite contradictory portraits in the novels.

AB: ...you have a background in theater. I wanted to know how that has helped you with your roles for Twilight and New Moon?

AK: Well on a logistical note, there was a scene when Jessica and Bella go to the movies, when we were shooting that outside there were like hundreds of girls standing and watching as we shot it. It was just a nice tool to have experience in front of a live audience. It seems like a silly comparison, but honestly it helped to kind of block out the fact that all these fans were watching us and to try to just focus on the scene and ignore the face that they’re all kind of videotaping us from the side lines.

AB: What was your favorite scene to shoot?

AK: And I would have to say that there is a scene where Jessica and Bella go to the movies.

That was fun because Jessica really likes to talk about herself and Bella is really depressed. She’s not saying much. We were just kind of trying to do it all in one take, and Chris told me to just keep talking until we came to a natural stop. So I stopped and just kind of monologued as flighty, silly Jessica which was a blast.

AB: You talked about the monologuing. Can you give us some examples of add libbing that you were able to do?

AK: Well, I don’t want to give anything away. Honestly, we were doing these takes where I just had to keep talking to fill space. So I am wondering what exactly it was that I ended up saying just as much as anybody. So I’m looking forward to seeing it and finding out because I have almost no idea what I ended up saying.

AB: You ...are...so great about adding that comedic element into the movies. You both seem to be able to say a thousand words with your facial expressions. So I was just curious who were your comedic inspirations as actors?

AK: I would have to say Parker Posey has been a favorite of mine for a long time and all the players involved in Christopher Guest films. But then at the same time more traditional ladies of comedy, you know, the Tina Feys and Kristen Whigs of the world are very inspirational, I think, as far as women in comedy go.

AB: New Moon is definitely a darker film, but can we expect the same humor that we got from your characters in Twilight?