Wild Target is a 2010 comedy film, directed by Jonathan Lynn.^[2] It is based on the 1993 French film Cible Emouvante.^[2] Lucinda Coxon wrote the screenplay,^[2] and it was produced by Martin Pope and Michael Rose.^[1]

Production began shooting in London on 16 September 2008, with Bill Nighy, Emily Blunt, Rupert Grint and Eileen Atkins heading the cast.^[2] Filming also took place on the Isle of Man.^[2]

Story[link]

Victor Maynard (Bill Nighy) is an expert and effective assassin living a lonely life in accordance with his family's business. Victor follows a family line of professional assassins, and he completes his assignments quickly and without remorse. One afternoon, after killing one of his targets, he hesitates in killing the pet parrot, Roger, and instead takes him as a gift to his mother, Louisa (Eileen Atkins) a formidable woman who was, until recently, also Victor's housemate. In celebration of his 55th birthday, she gives him a leather bound book with newspaper clippings of each of his kills from his first to his most recent, leaving pages for future hits to be included. She also expresses concern that he might be gay, wondering why he hasn't produced a successor.

Rose (Emily Blunt) is a not-so-average girl with a talent for thievery. Her most recent theft involves the sale of a fake Rembrandt painting (painted by her friend in the Restoration Department of the National Gallery) to Ferguson (Rupert Everett), managing to swindle him out of £900,000. Ferguson soon discovers the swap and hires the best hitman, Victor Maynard, to dispose of her. Victor takes the case and immediately tracks Rose down, missing several opportunities to kill her, and accidentally killing a random stall customer in a changing room. He follows her to a balcony opposite her hotel room and tries to shoot her through the window, but is interrupted by the arrival of the front doorman. Victor sets up a microphone and headset to keep her under surveillance, but falls asleep, unable to listen to their noisy lovemaking. He wakes the following morning, just as she is leaving. He has the opportunity to shoot but hesitates.

His mother, Louisa, is upset by this missed target (and has apparently killed Roger with a knitting needle) and suggests that Victor apologize to his employer and offer to do the hit for free. He tracks Rose down in a parking garage where he sees another hitman ready to kill her. He takes the preemptive shot, killing the other assassin. He and Rose get into her car, only to be forced out again by Mike (Gregor Fisher), another assassin hiding in the back seat of her Mini. Mike knocks Victor's gun away and lines them up on the wall to be shot and killed, but instead is wounded by Tony (Rupert Grint), an apparently homeless young man who had picked up the dead man's gun. Saying it was his first time handling a firearm, he impresses Victor enough to consider a protégé. But he sends Tony home and Victor and Rose flee. Mike starts firing at them and they nearly run over Tony on his way out of the garage, forcing him to join the ride. Rose offers Victor his price of 30,000 pounds a week for her protection, believing that he is merely a private detective. They travel to a luxury hotel where they can lie low, but by chance get a room on the same floor as Ferguson. Ferguson hires Dixon (Martin Freeman), reputed to be second only to Maynard in proficiency, to kill Rose and Maynard. After several close calls, Mike, who is also Ferguson's bodyguard, discovers their whereabouts when he spots a pair of boots that Rose had stolen from his dead partner. Tony is attacked in the bathroom and nearly drowned in the bathtub by Mike, but he turns the tables and accidentally shoots Mike's ear off before the three of them escape the hotel. Ferguson and Mike pursue them in a high-speed chase through the streets of London until Mike loses control and crashes, sending the pair to the hospital.

They travel to Maynard's home, a quaint farm far in the country, where his furniture is shrink-wrapped and his cat, Snowy, resides with him. Maynard takes Tony on as his apprentice in "private detective" work. One night, Rose is attacked by Louisa, who had come back to the house to finish what her son had started. He eventually talks her down and after she leaves, the three of them work on becoming friends. Rose and Tony help Victor celebrate his birthday, and, after a brief period of sexual confusion between Tony and Maynard, Victor falls in love with and sleeps with Rose. Afterward, his attitude becomes more cheerful, and Victor peels off the plastic coverings on all of his furniture and opens up the house. Meanwhile, Rose snoops around Victor's room, finding the leather book that his mother had given him and learning that she was actually his target for assassination. She also finds Victor's father's first gun, a Broomhandle Mauser, and takes it for self-protection. She storms out of the house after making it clear that she trusts neither Victor nor Tony, and returns to the National Gallery, only to find her friend dead and Dixon and his assistant, Fabian, (Geoff Bell) waiting for her. They quickly return to Victor's home, and Tony and Victor gain the upper hand when Louisa appears, killing Fabian with a machine gun. Dixon withdraws the old gun Rose had taken from Victor's room and fires at Victor. It backfires, sending the bolt into his skull. Victor, Tony and Rose bury the pair in the back yard and return to their lives.

Three years later, Victor and Rose are married with a daughter named Angel and Tony has moved in with them. While Angel is playing one morning, Tony comes outside asking Victor and Rose where the cat had gone off to. They look at Angel in awe as she is innocently patting soft dirt into the yard, suggesting she killed and buried the cat. Victor smiles with pride.

Cast[link]

• Bill Nighy as Victor Maynard: A middle aged hit man who is hired by Ferguson to kill Rose after she cons Ferguson out of £900,000. After missing an opportunity to shoot Rose, Ferguson sends his henchmen to do the deed. Victor kills one henchman and injures another when he is looking for Rose and, concealing his true profession, helps her escape with the help of nearby lay-about, Tony. He adopts Tony as his apprentice and Victor realizes he's fallen in love with Rose.
• Emily Blunt as Rose: A bold con artist who oversteps the mark when she cons Ferguson out of £900,000 and fobs him off with a convincing copy of a Rembrandt self portrait. Realizing the danger she is in, she sticks with Victor and Tony in an attempt to escape her attempted assassination. Her mad-cap lifestyle takes a turn when she realizes her enjoyment of Victor's company.
• Rupert Grint as Tony: A young man who witnesses Victor shooting Ferguson's bodyguard and decides to stick with Victor for safety. Victor employs him as an apprentice (with Tony thinking Victor is a private detective and later, upon learning Victor is a hit man, taking it in stride) and he soon realizes he has a 'killer instinct'.
• Eileen Atkins as Louisa: Victor's formidable mother who, while impressed with his profession, is concerned as to what will happen to the family business.
• Rupert Everett as Ferguson: A gangster who hires Victor to kill Rose.
• Martin Freeman as Dixon: A sadistic assassin who plays second-fiddle to Victor Maynard. While in awe of Victor, Dixon jumps at the opportunity given to him by Ferguson to dispose of the greatest hit-man ever known.
• Gregor Fisher as Mike: Ferguson's bumbling henchman whose several attempts to kill Victor, Rose, and Tony leave him in hospital ... and with one ear.
• Geoff Bell as Fabian: Dixon's half-witted partner.

Critical reception[link]

Wild Target was met with a largely mixed and negative critical reception, with Timeout London only giving it two out of five stars, saying that it feels like nothing has been "thought through."^[3] The verdict given by Empire online is equally negative; it says that the "talented cast keep some low-key action and tired gags from derailing this disappointing farce".^[4] Flick Filosopher enjoyed the film, saying "Movies hardly ever make me laugh out loud, but this one did, more than once, with its unpredictable twists... and unexpected punchlines growing out of the deliciously twisted characters". The film aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, which averages out professional reviews, gave the film a 32% average.^[5]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Wild Target at AllRovi
• Wild Target at Box Office Mojo
• Wild Target at the Internet Movie Database
• Wild Target at Metacritic
• Wild Target at Rotten Tomatoes

Emily Blunt
Emily Blunt at the Toronto International Film Festival (2011)
Born	Emily Olivia Leah Blunt (1983-02-23) 23 February 1983 (age 29) London, England
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2003–present
Spouse	John Krasinski (2010–present)
Relatives	Crispin Blunt (uncle) Peter Blunt (grandfather)

Emily Olivia Leah Blunt (born 23 February 1983) is an English actress best known for her roles in The Devil Wears Prada (2006), The Young Victoria (2009), and The Adjustment Bureau (2011). She has been nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, two London Film Critics' Circle Awards, and one BAFTA Award. She won a Golden Globe Award for her work in the BBC television drama Gideon's Daughter (2007).^[1]

Early life[link]

Emily Blunt was born 23 February 1983 in Roehampton, London, England. She is the second of four children born to Joanna, an English teacher and former actress, and barrister Oliver Simon Peter Blunt, QC, one of the highest-profile barristers in the United Kingdom, earning an estimated £1million annually.^{[2][3][4][5][6]} Her siblings are Felicity, Sebastian, and Suzanna. Her grandfather was Major-General Peter Blunt and one of her paternal uncles is Crispin Blunt, Conservative Member of Parliament for Reigate.^[7][8]

Blunt attended Ibstock Place School and, at the age of 16, went to Hurtwood House, a private sixth-form college known for its performing arts programme.^{[citation needed]} There, she was discovered by an agent.^{[citation needed]} Blunt made her professional debut in Bliss, a musical written by Paul Sellar, at the 2000 Edinburgh Fringe while she was still an A-level student.^{[citation needed]} She went on to perform at the National Theatre and at Chichester Festival Theatre.^{[citation needed]}

Film career[link]

In 2003, Blunt made her screen debut in the British television drama Boudica, about the life of the ancient Celtic warrior-queen who fought the Romans. That same year, she was praised for her performance as the 16th century queen Catherine Howard in the two-part British television drama Henry VIII.

In 2004, Blunt delivered her breakout performance as Tamsin in the dark British film, My Summer of Love, a story of deception and lesbian love in the English countryside. She shared an Evening Standard British Film Award for Most Promising Newcomer with co-star Natalie Press.

In 2005, Blunt co-starred with Bill Nighy and Miranda Richardson in the British television drama Gideon's Daughter, an original screenplay written and directed by Stephen Poliakoff, in which she played the troubled only child of New Labour spin doctor Gideon Warner, played by Nighy. Blunt won a Golden Globe for her performance.

Blunt at the British Academy Film Awards in February 2007

In 2006, Blunt appeared opposite Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway in the box-office success The Devil Wears Prada. Streep and Hathaway received most of the critical attention initially, but Blunt proved to be equally memorable, with Entertainment Weekly naming her the Best Female Scene-Stealer in their end-of-summer special issue. She appeared at the 79th Academy Awards where she co-presented the award for best costume design with her Prada co-star Hathaway. Blunt spoke about the weight loss, claiming she had to go "painfully thin".^[9] That same year, Blunt co-starred with Susan Sarandon in the independent drama Irresistible. Following production, Sarandon strongly suggested to director David Auburn that he cast Blunt in his next film, The Girl in the Park— a role she did not accept.

In 2007, Blunt appeared in four films: Wind Chill, The Jane Austen Book Club, Dan in Real Life, and Charlie Wilson's War. In 2008, Blunt appeared in two films, Sunshine Cleaning in the role of Norah Lorkowski, and The Great Buck Howard as Valerie Brennan.

In 2009, Blunt played Queen Victoria in The Young Victoria, directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Julian Fellowes. She also starred in the Toby Spanton-directed short film Curiosity. She was director Jon Favreau's first choice to play the Black Widow in Iron Man 2 but scheduling conflicts with Gulliver's Travels forced her to cede the role to Scarlett Johansson.^[10] She voiced Angelina's mother, Matilda Mouseling, in the television series, Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps.

In 2010, Blunt co-starred with Benicio del Toro and Anthony Hopkins in the big-budget movie The Wolfman, which was released on 12 February. She also starred in Gulliver's Travels and in The Adjustment Bureau, alongside Matt Damon, as a ballet dancer "being mysteriously kept apart" from Damon's character.^[11][12] Blunt was offered the female lead in the Captain America: The First Avenger film but turned it down.^[13]

In January 2011, Blunt began filming an American science-fiction film Looper, directed by Rian Johnson and co-starring Bruce Willis. She appeared in the British comedy film Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, directed by Lasse Hallström and co-starring Ewan McGregor and Kristin Scott Thomas.^[14] She briefly appeared in The Muppets as Miss Piggy's receptionist. She also starred in the 2012 film The Five-Year Engagement, directed by Nicholas Stoller and co-starring Jason Segel. She is scheduled to star in Arthur Newman, Golf Pro with Colin Firth in 2012.^[15]

Personal life[link]

Blunt had a three-year relationship with Canadian singer Michael Bublé. They met in Melbourne backstage at the Australian television Logie Awards in 2005 and later shared a home in Vancouver, Canada. They broke up in 2008.^[16]

In November 2008, Blunt began dating American actor John Krasinski. On 10 July 2010, they married in Como, Italy.^[17]

Her sister Felicity, who works as a literary agent, became engaged to actor Stanley Tucci in 2011 after the pair were introduced by Emily.^[18] Her brother Sebastian is an actor.^[19]

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Emily Blunt

• Emily Blunt at the Internet Movie Database
• Emily Blunt Interview: Blunt Force Los Angeles Times Magazine
• Emily Blunt Video Interview Los Angeles Times Magazine

Rupert Grint
Grint at the premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in July 2011
Born	Rupert Alexander Grint (1988-08-24) 24 August 1988 (age 23) Hertfordshire, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2001–present
Parents	Nigel Grint (father) Joanna Parsons (mother)

Rupert Alexander Grint (born 24 August 1988) is an English actor, who rose to prominence playing Ron Weasley, one of the three main characters in the Harry Potter film series. Grint was cast as Ron at the age of 11, having previously acted only in school plays and at his local theatre group. From 2001 through 2011, he starred in eight Harry Potter movies alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson.

Beginning in 2002, Grint began to work outside of the Harry Potter franchise, taking on a co-leading role in Thunderpants. He has had starring roles in Driving Lessons, a dramedy released in 2006, and Cherrybomb, a small budgeted drama released in 2010. Grint co-starred with Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt in Wild Target, a comedy. His first project following the end of the Harry Potter series will be Into the White, a 2012 anti-war release in which he stars as the main role.

Early life[link]

Rupert Alexander Grint^[1] was born and raised in Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom.^[2] His mother, Joanna Grint (née Parsons), is a housewife, and his father, Nigel Grint, is a memorabilia dealer.^[2] Grint is the eldest of five siblings.^[3] He attended St Josephs Primary School in Hertford, a Roman Catholic primary school. While there, Grint took an avid interest in theatre. He started performing in school productions and joined the Top Hat Stage and Screen School, a local theatre group that cast him as a fish in Noah's Ark and a donkey in another nativity play. He continued performing in school plays as he moved up to Richard Hale School.^[2] However, Grint had never acted professionally before the Harry Potter series.^[4] At the age of 16, he left school^[5] to focus on his acting career. "I didn't really like school that much," the actor later commented.^[3]

Career[link]

[edit] Harry Potter (2001–11)

Rupert outside at the 2007 premiere of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in Toronto, Canada.

Handprints, footprints and wand prints of (from left to right) Watson, Radcliffe, Grint.

Starting in 1999, casting began for the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the best-selling novel written by British author J.K. Rowling. Rowling personally insisted that the cast be British and assisted Susie Figgis and director Chris Columbus in casting the roles.^[6] Grint chose to try-out for the part of protagonist Ron Weasley, one of Harry Potter's best friends at Hogwarts, because he had ginger-coloured hair, and was a fan of the book series. Having seen a Newsround report about the open casting, he sent in a video of himself rapping about how he wished to receive the part. His attempt was successful as the casting team asked for a meeting with him.^[7] On 8 August 2000 Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and an 11-year old Grint were selected to play the roles of Harry, Hermione Granger and Ron, respectively.^[8] Grint is the oldest member of the trio.^[9] The release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 2001 was Grint's debut screen performance. Breaking records for opening-day sales and opening-weekend takings, it was the highest-grossing film of that year.^[10] With a total of US$974 million in its theatrical run, Philosopher's Stone stands as the second most commercially successful entry in the series.^[11] It was also critically well-received, scoring mainly positives reviews from reviewers. However, a number or critics found the adaption staying faithful to the book to be both its best and worst quality.^[12] Grint won a Satellite Award in the category of "Outstanding New Talent", and a Young Artist Award for "Most Promising Young Newcomer".^[13][14]

A year later, Grint again starred as Ron in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), the second instalment of the series. The film opened to positive reviews and critics generally enjoyed the lead actors' performances. Both Los Angeles Times and New York Magazine observed that Grint and his peers had matured between films,^[15] with the latter pointing out that Grint had become "more proficient" and said they missed "the amateurish ardor" the actor and Watson carried in Philosopher's Stone.^[16] Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) was released on 31 May in the UK. The film sees all three of its lead characters hover on the brink of adolescence, "and while they look braver and more capable than before, the dangers they face seem far more grave and their own vulnerability more intense."^[17] Academy Award-nominee Alfonso Cuarón took over direction for Prisoner of Azkaban which remains the lowest-grossing Harry Potter film with US$795 million in revenue.^[11][18] Nonetheless it was the second highest-grossing movie of 2004 behind Shrek 2.^[19] Despite this it remains the second highest rated in the series in terms of critical reaction.

Grint signing autographs at the 2009 premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

In 2005, Grint reprised his role again for the fourth movie in the series – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The adaptation, unlike previous projects, explored romantic elements and included more humour.^[20] In a 2005 interview with IGN, all three lead actors singled out the humour as being a reason for the movie's success.^[20] This project was helmed by Mike Newell. According to the actor, the director was "really loud and not afraid to swear at you, but he was really cool."^[21] Goblet of Fire stands as one of the best reviewed instalments within the series, and is noted for the maturity and sophistication of its characters, darker and more complex plotline, writing, and performances of the lead actors.^[22] Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifth film in the Harry Potter franchise, was released to theatres in 2007. A huge financial success, Order of the Phoenix set a record worldwide opening-weekend gross of US$394 million, superseding Spider-Man 3 as the title holder.^[23] This entry was directed by a new filmmaker, David Yates,^[24] who would continue to direct all of the following movies. Grint said the laid back director was "really good" and helped keep the material fresh.^[21] As the fame of the actor and the series continued, Grint and fellow Harry Potter cast members left imprints of their hands, feet, and wands in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood.^[25]

On 15 July 2009, the series's sixth instalment, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was released. This adaptation centred around more being learnt about Lord Voldemort's dark past. It did considerably better financially than the previous movie, again setting new box office records.^[26][27] In its total theatrical run, Half-Blood Prince totalled in US$933 million ticket sales.^[11] Also, Half-Blood Prince remains one of the most positively reviewed entries within the series among film critics, who praised the movie's "emotionally satisfying" story, direction, cinematography, visuals and music.^[28][29] Grint observed a change in Ron in this entry, pointing out that his once insecure, often overshadowed character started to become more secure and even began to show a dark side of himself. The actor found it fun to personify a more emotional Ron.^[4] Between 2009–2010, his work received three nominations, including one win – an Otto Award from the German magazine Bravo.^[30]

Radcliffe, Watson and Grint at the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 premiere in London.

Despite the success of the past movies, the future of the franchise was put into question as all three lead actors were unsure about signing on to continue their roles for the final two episodes.^[31] However, by March 2007, Grint agreed to return for the last instalments.^[32] For financial and scripting reasons, the last book has been divided into two films which were shot back to back,^[33] with filming concluding in June 2010.^[34] Of completing the final movie he said: "I mean it literally has been my childhood and suddenly it all came down to really just one random scene, with us jumping through a fireplace, and then it was over. [...] But because you shoot out of sequence, it’s often just 'Turn left, cross the room, okay, that’s a wrap.' And you’re done. [...] Yeah, it’s very odd. Because suddenly it was all over, just like that. It was really emotional for all of us, realising that we’re never going to be doing this again.^[4]

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010) was released in November and made over US$950 million.^[11] It set several box office records^[35] and opened to mostly favourable reviews in the media.^[12] His portrayal of Ron again earned him critical praise. Reviewing the adaption in Slate, Dana Stevens called all three of the leads "terrific."^[36] Despite giving Deathly Hallows: Part 1 a negative rating, Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal publication stated "Grint has grown up to be a skilful actor who knows the value of a slow burn".^[37] New York Post writer Lou Lumenick, however, observed that both Grint and Radcliffe had grown weary of playing the same characters and expressed it in their performances.^[38] Grint's performance scored him nominations from the MTV Movie Awards and National Movie Awards for Best Fight and Performance of the Year in 2011.^[39][40] Grint reprised his role for the eighth time, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the last Harry Potter instalment. This movie picked-up from where the previous project left-off and included a lot of action, whereas the first part had focused more on character development.^[41] Rupert, along with the film,^[12] was critically acclaimed: Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post asked, "Who could have predicted that Radcliffe, Grint and Watson would turn out to be good actors?".^[42] The film broke several box office records, including biggest midnight release,^[43] biggest first-day opening,^[43] and biggest opening-weekend.^[44] Deathly Hallows – Part 2 is currently the third-highest grossing film in the world, and the highest-grossing non-James Cameron film, with more than US$1.3 billion worldwide.^[45]

Other work (2002–present)[link]

Grint at Alice Tully Center, New York City in November 2010.

In 2002, Grint starred in his first non-Harry Potter movie: Thunderpants, which revolves around Patrick (played by Bruce Cook) whose remarkable capacity for flatulence scores him a job as an astronaut. In this film, Grint portrayed the co-lead, an anosmic male who is Patrick's only friend. It was generally ignored by critics and audiences alike. Most of the critics that did take notice of Thunderpants did not respond well to it, with one writing: "This movie should be shown in prisons so that inmates have a good reason to never return."^[46] Another movie he appeared in was Driving Lessons, a comedy-drama released in 2006, where he starred opposite Julie Walters. The film was met with a mixed reception by critics, but his portrayal of an oppressed teenaged boy was generally praised. "Grint, on the other hand, is a revelation" and he "displays an innate naturalness mixed with personal charisma that turn a potentially pathetic" character into a more likeable and comedic person, wrote ALT Film Guide's Andre Soares.^[47]

In July 2008, it was announced that Grint would star in the independent gritty thriller Cherrybomb with Robert Sheehan and Kimberley Nixon. Grint found shooting this to be very different from the Harry Potter movies since he had to adjust to doing a dozen scenes per day.^[48] Grint's character – Malachy, a worker at Belfast – goes to high lengths to impress his boss's daughter whom he is infatuated with. This film, like his next project, would involve him playing violent roles.^[48] Despite premiering at the 2009 Berlin Film Festival, it was initially unable to find a distributor. An online campaign by Grint's fans was credited with helping to secure a deal for distribution in the UK in 2010.^[49]

Jonathan Lynn directed Grint in Wild Target, a 2010 comedy thriller release, which he starred in alongside Emily Blunt and Bill Nighy. A remake of the 1993 French film Cible Emouvante, Wild Target was made on a relatively low production budget of US$8 million.^[50] However, it was a commercial failure, only earning back US$3.4 million.^[51] It also garnered mostly negative reviews in the media, who criticised it for dishonouring the original film and wasting the comedic potential of its cast.,^[52] but it was also said “It’s nice to see Rupert Grint perform well in a role other than that of Ron Weasley, and it’s clear that he’s got a career ahead of him.” ^[53]

In January 2011, Grint made a cameo appearance in BBC Popular Comedy Show “Come Fly with Me” starring comedy duo Matt Lucas and David Walliams (Little Britain).^[54] In March, Grint was cast as the lead character in the small budgeted anti-war Norwegian film Into the White, which will be directed by Petter Næss.^[55] Principal photography started in April, and the project, which was shot on location,^[56] is slated for a 2012 release. Into the White is based on a true story that took place on 27 April 1940, when German Luftwaffe pilot Horst Schopis’s bomber was shot down at Grotli by an RAF fighter, which then crash-landed. The several German and English crew members found shelter by chance during a strong winter there.^[56]

In August 2011, Grint did a Photoshoot with his friend and Harry Potter co-star Tom Felton in Los Angeles for the Fall/Winter Collection of the Fashion Label Band of Outsiders.^[57] In September it was announced that Grint will voice a Character in the Movie Adaptance of Postman Pat named Postman Pat: The Movie - You Know You're The One next to David Tennant, Stephen Mangan and Jim Broadbent with a planned 3D theatrical Release for spring 2013.^[58] In his next movie, Rupert will play the part of Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards in a biopic of his heroic failure at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary.^[59] He has also appeared in the music video for a song by Ed Sheeran called "Lego House", the video was released on 20 October 2011.^[60]

In March 2012 the "Visit Britain" TV Ad was released, where he is a Part of it alongside Julie Walters, Michelle Dockery and Stephen Fry . The TV ad should People convince to do their Holidays Home and to boom the Tourism ^[61]

On March 14, 2012 Variety reported that Grint was casted in "The Drummer" alongside Chloë Moretz, a Bio Topic about Dennis Wilson Drummer of The Beach Boys At the same Day Hollywood Reporter confirmed it and Filming is scheduled to begin in June 2012 in California and Savannah, Georgia ^[62][63]

Personal life[link]

The actor enjoys a close friendship with his Harry Potter co-star Emma Watson adding that they have a sibling-like relationship, having known each other from an early age.^[4] Like his character, he has arachnophobia, a fear of spiders.^[64] Grint has an ice cream van.^[65] He is also involved with charity, having donated items such as clothes^[66] to charity auctions, as well as participating in the Wacky Rally in 2010 with James and Oliver Phelps, which raised money for England’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution.^[67] He was one of more than 40 participants to produce designs for Chrysalis Collection for Keech Hospice Care in London. His piece, a painted butterfly, was auctioned off on eBay.com in March 2010.^[68]

In May 2011, along with other celebrities, Grint took part in the ad campaign for Make Mine Milk promoting daily milk drinking. His ads can be seen on thousands of bus sides and posters across England, Scotland and Wales.^[69] Rupert supports this year’s Little Star Award, in support of Cancer Research UK, joining Leona Lewis among others. “I think that it’s wonderful that Cancer Research UK is helping to bring a little bit of magic to the children’s lives in this way” said Rupert.^[70]

He is a fan of Tottenham Hotspur F.C.^{[citation needed]}.

Filmography[link]

Music videos[link]

• Ed Sheeran - "Lego House" (2011)

Awards[link]

See also[link]

• List of Harry Potter cast members

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Rupert Grint

• Rupert Grint at the Internet Movie Database
• Rupert Grint: Overview at MSN Movies site
• Rupert Grint at TV.com web site

Bill Nighy
Bill Nighy, 2007
Born	(1949-12-12) 12 December 1949 (age 62) Caterham, Surrey, England
Nationality	British
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1975–present
Partner	Diana Quick (1980–2008)
Children	Mary Nighy
Parents	Alfred Martin Nighy and Catherine Josephine Nighy (née Whittaker).
Relatives	Martin (brother), Anna (sister)
Signature	150px

William Francis "Bill" Nighy (pronounced NYE  /ˈnaɪ/;^[1] born 12 December 1949) is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof. Mark Carleton, whose extra-marital affairs kept him "vital".^[2]

He became known around the world in 2003 for his critically acclaimed performance in Love Actually. Other notable roles in cinema include his portrayal of Davy Jones in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, as well as Viktor in the Underworld film series.

He is also known for his roles in the films Lawless Heart, I Capture the Castle, Shaun of the Dead, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Hot Fuzz, Valkyrie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, and Rango. His performances were also acclaimed in the State of Play series and in the TV movies The Girl in the Café, Gideon's Daughter and Page Eight, for which he earned Golden Globe nominations, winning one for Gideon's Daughter.

Early life and education[link]

Nighy was born in Caterham, Surrey. His mother, Catherine Josephine Nighy (née Whittaker), was a psychiatric nurse who was born in Glasgow,^[3] and his father, Alfred Martin Nighy, managed a car garage after working in the family chimney sweeping business.^[4] Of part Irish descent, Nighy was raised Roman Catholic, serving as an altar boy.^[5] He has two elder siblings, Martin and Anna. Nighy attended The John Fisher School, a Roman Catholic Grammar School in Purley, where he was a member of the school theatre group. He left the school with two O-levels and then took a job with the Croydon Advertiser as a messenger boy.^[6] He went on to train at the Guildford School of Acting, known at the time as The Guildford School of Dance and Drama.^[7]

Career[link]

After two seasons at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, Nighy made his London stage debut at the National Theatre in an epic staging of Ken Campbell and Chris Langham's Illuminatus!, which opened the new Cottesloe Theatre on 4 March 1977, and went on to appear in two David Hare premieres, also at the National. During the 1980s, he appeared in several television productions, among them Hitler's SS: Portrait in Evil, alongside John Shea and Tony Randall.

He has starred in many radio and television dramas, notably the BBC serial The Men's Room (1991). He claimed that the serial, an Ann Oakley novel adapted by Laura Lamson, was the job which launched his career.^[8] More recently he has featured in the thriller State of Play (2003) and costume drama He Knew He Was Right (2004). He played Samwise Gamgee in the 1981 BBC Radio dramatisation of The Lord of the Rings (where he was credited as William Nighy), and appeared in the 1980s BBC Radio versions of Yes Minister episodes. He starred alongside Stephen Moore and Lesley Sharp in the acclaimed short radio drama Kerton's Story first aired in 1996. He had a starring role in the 2002 return of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, portraying crooked politician Jeffrey Grainger. He has also made a guest appearance in the BBC Radio 4 series Baldi.

Two of Nighy's most acclaimed stage performances were in National Theatre productions. Taking the role of Bernard Nightingale, an unscrupulous university don, in Tom Stoppard's Arcadia (1993), he engaged in witty exchanges with Felicity Kendal, playing the role of Hannah Jarvis, an author; and he played a consultant psychiatrist in Joe Penhall's Blue/Orange (2000), for which he won an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor, and which transferred to the West End at the Duchess Theatre the following year.

Nighy outside the Music Box Theatre on Broadway following a performance of The Vertical Hour, 15 January 2007

Nighy received some recognition by American audiences for his acclaimed portrayal of overaged rock star Ray Simms in the 1998 film Still Crazy. In 1999 he gained further prominence in the UK with the starring role in "The Photographer", an episode of the award-winning BBC-TV mockumentary comedy series People Like Us, playing Will Rushmore, a middle aged man who has abandoned his career and family in the deluded belief that he can achieve success as a commercial photographer.

In 2003, Nighy played the role of the Vampire Elder Viktor in the American production Underworld and returned in the same role for the sequel Underworld: Evolution in 2006 and again in the prequel Underworld: Rise of the Lycans in 2009. In February 2004, he was awarded the BAFTA Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as shameless, washed-up rocker Billy Mack in Love Actually (a role foreshadowed by his Still Crazy character) and followed this up at the BAFTA Television Awards in April with the Best Actor award for State of Play. He also appeared in the comedy Shaun of the Dead.

In early 2004, The Sunday Times reported that Nighy was on the shortlist for role of the Ninth Doctor in the 2005 revival of the BBC television series Doctor Who.^[9] Christopher Eccleston ultimately filled the role.

In 2005, he appeared as Slartibartfast in the film adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He also appeared in the one-off BBC One comedy-drama The Girl in the Café. In February 2006, he appeared in scriptwriter Stephen Poliakoff's one-off drama, Gideon's Daughter. Nighy played the lead character, Gideon, a successful events organiser who begins to lose touch with the world around him. This performance won him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Mini-series or TV Movie in January 2007. Also in 2006, Nighy made his Broadway debut at the Music Box Theatre alongside Julianne Moore in The Vertical Hour, directed by Sam Mendes.

In 2006, Nighy featured in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, where he played the principal villain, Davy Jones, although his face was entirely obscured by computer-generated makeup and he voiced the character with a Scots accent. He reprised the role in the 2007 sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, in which his real face was briefly revealed in one scene. He also provided the narration for the Animal Planet series Meerkat Manor. Recently, he played the role of Richard Hart in Notes on a Scandal, for which he was nominated for a London Film Critics Circle award. Nighy also appeared as General Friedrich Olbricht, one of the principal conspirators, in the 2008 film Valkyrie. He had played an SS officer in the 1985 Hitler's SS: Portrait in Evil. Nighy has starred in the film Wild Target.^[10]

In July 2009, he announced that he would play Rufus Scrimgeour in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.^[11] Nighy had already worked with director David Yates three times, and with the majority of the Harry Potter cast in previous movies. He has said of his role as Rufus Scrimgeour that it meant he was no longer the only English actor not to be in Harry Potter.^[11]

Nighy voiced Grandsanta in the 2011 CGI animated movie Arthur Christmas.^[12] In 2012, he starred in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Wrath of the Titans, and will appear in Jack the Giant Killer and the remake of Total Recall.^[13]

Personal life[link]

Nighy had a 27-year-relationship with English actress Diana Quick, with whom he has a daughter, actress Mary Nighy. The couple "amicably separated" in 2008.^[14]

He is a supporter of Crystal Palace and is the Patron of the CPFRIS (Crystal Palace F.C. Fast Results & Information Service) Disabled Children's Club, and of the Ann Craft Trust.^[15] He is also one of the Honorary Patrons of the London children's charity Scene & Heard.^[16] He suffers from Dupuytren's contracture, a condition which causes the ring and little finger of each hand to be permanently bent inwards towards the palm.^[7]

Nighy is also a patron for The Milton Rooms, a new Arts centre in Malton, North Yorkshire, along with Imelda Staunton, Jools Holland and Kathy Burke.^[17]

Filmography[link]

Films[link]

Television[link]

Video game[link]

Selected performances[link]

Theatre[link]

• The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore by Tennessee Williams – Watermill Theatre, Newbury
• Landscape and Silence, by Harold Pinter – Gateway Theatre, Chester
• Entertaining Mr Sloane by Joe Orton – Gateway Theatre, Chester
• Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, by Tom Stoppard – Arts Theatre, Cambridge
• The Immoralist, from the novel by André Gide – Hampstead Theatre
• Speak Now, by Olwen Wymark – Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh (1971)
• Freedom of the City, by Brian Friel – Everyman Theatre, Liverpool
• Under New Management, by Chris Bond – Everyman Theatre, Liverpool
• Occupy! – Liverpool Everyman Theatre (1976)
• Illuminatus!, Ken Campbell/Chris Langham – NT Cottesloe (The theatre's first production, 1977)^[20]
• Comings and Goings, by Mike Stott – Hampstead Theatre Club (1978)
• The Warp, by Neil Oram/ Ken Campbell – ICA (1979)
• Illuminations, by Arthur Rimbaud – Lyric Hammersmith (1980)
• A Map of the World, by David Hare – NT Lyttelton (1983)
• Pravda, by David Hare/ Howard Brenton – NT Olivier (1985)
• King Lear, by William Shakespeare – NT Olivier (1986)
• Mean Tears, by Peter Gill – NT Cottesloe (1987)
• Betrayal, by Harold Pinter – Almeida Theatre, London (1991)
• Arcadia, by Tom Stoppard – NT Lyttelton (1993)
• The Seagull, by Anton Chekhov/ad. Pam Gems – NT Olivier (1994)
• Skylight, by David Hare – NT production at Vaudeville Theatre, London (1995)/ UK tour (1997)
• A Kind of Alaska, by Harold Pinter – Donmar Warehouse (1998)
• Blue/Orange, by Joe Penhall – NT Cottesloe (2000), Duchess Theatre (2001)
• The Vertical Hour, by David Hare, Broadway production at the Music Box Theater, NY (2006)
• Valkyrie, by Christopher McQuarrie (2008)

Radio[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bill Nighy

• Bill Nighy at the Internet Movie Database
• Bill Nighy: A Life in Pictures Interview at BAFTA
• Bill Nighy at the British Film Institute's Screenonline
• Silk Sound Books

Martin Freeman
Martin Freeman during filming of Sherlock in 2010
Born	Martin John C. Freeman (1971-09-08) 8 September 1971 (age 40) Aldershot, Hampshire, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1997 – present
Awards	BAFTA TV - Best Supporting Actor for Sherlock (2011)

Martin John C. Freeman (born 8 September 1971)^[1] is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Tim Canterbury in the BBC's Golden Globe-winning comedy The Office, John in Love Actually, Arthur Dent in the film adaptation of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Dr. Watson in Sherlock and Paul Maddens in Nativity!. He has been cast in the lead role of Bilbo Baggins in Peter Jackson's two-part adaptation of The Hobbit.^[2]

Early life[link]

Martin Freeman was born in Aldershot, Hampshire, the youngest of five children. His father, Geoffrey, a naval officer, and his mother, Philomena separated when Freeman was a child, and when Freeman was ten, Geoffrey died of a heart attack. Freeman was raised Roman Catholic. As a child, Freeman was asthmatic, and had to undergo a hip operation due to a "dodgy" leg. He was schooled at a Catholic comprehensive before attending London's Central School of Speech and Drama.^[3][4]

In an edition of Who Do You Think You Are? aired on 19 August 2009, he discovered that his grandfather, Leonard Freeman, was a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War II.^[5] Private L W Freeman, a Territorial Army volunteer in the 150(N) Field Ambulance Regiment, was killed in Northern France on 24 May 1940 in a Stuka dawn attack. His unit was evacuated from Dunkirk two days later.

Career[link]

Freeman joined a youth theatre group at 15, but it was not until he was 17 that his confidence in his acting had led to the decision to pursue it as a career.^[3]

Freeman has appeared in at least 18 TV shows, 14 theatre productions, and several radio productions. He is notable for his role as Tim Canterbury in The Office. He also appeared in the sitcom Hardware. Additionally Freeman has appeared in several films, including Sacha Baron Cohen's Ali G Indahouse (2002) and Richard Curtis' Love Actually (2003). As well as his various comic roles, Freeman has also appeared in serious dramatic parts. He began to move into more serious dramatic roles on television with his appearance as Lord Shaftesbury in the 2003 BBC historical drama Charles II: The Power and The Passion. He can also be seen making a brief appearance in the first episode of the second series of This Life. Freeman also starred in the BBC's television series The Robinsons and had a cameo performance in episode 1 of Black Books.

He had a cameo in Hot Fuzz (2007), a film written by Shaun of the Dead writers Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, and had a brief non-speaking role in Shaun of the Dead as Yvonne's boyfriend, Declan. He is in the 2007 film The All Together written & directed by Gavin Claxton. He also appeared alongside Roger Lloyd Pack, Jamie Hogarth and Christopher Mellows in the 2007 Bill Kenwright theatre production of The Last Laugh.

He also features in the video for Faith No More's cover of "I Started a Joke". He has recently covered a few shows on BBC 6 Music. In May 2009 he starred in a comedy, called Boy Meets Girl – a four part drama that charts the progress of characters Veronica and Danny after an accident which causes them to swap bodies.^[6]

He has starred in a 48 hour film project entitled 'The Girl Is Mime'.

Freeman plays Dr. John Watson in Sherlock, the BBC contemporary adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes detective stories. The first episode, "A Study in Pink", was broadcast on 25 July 2010 to critical acclaim. For his performance in the role he won the BAFTA award for Best Supporting Actor, 2011.

Freeman will play Bilbo Baggins, the main character in the two-part Peter Jackson film series The Hobbit.^[7][8]