Javier Bardem on acting

In Character: Actors Acting

World renowned photographer Howard Schatz sits down with comedian/actor/director Ricky Gervais to gain insight on his career hand what he loves about the trade.

Get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at his photoshoot for Vanity Fair and Howard's "In Character" series.

Ricky Gervais is known as the creator of The Office, and star of the British version of the show. He is also known for The Ricky Gervais Show, Extras, and The Invention of Lying.

French & Saunders - Actresses

Blackadder - Don't mention Macbeth

The palace entertains two distinguished and highly superstitious actors. Blackadder is careful not to mention the name of the Scottish play.

The Scottish Play and the Bard's play are euphemisms for William Shakespeare's Macbeth. The first is a reference to the play's Scottish setting, the second a reference to Shakespeare's popular nickname. According to a theatrical superstition, called the Scottish curse, saying Macbeth inside a theatre will cause disaster. A variation of the superstition forbids direct quotation of the play while inside a theatre.

Another Oscar for Penélope?

Last year's Best Supporting Actress winner Penelope Cruz says she's happy to be nominated for another Academy Award for her role in the film Nine, but doubts she'll win second time round.

Ellen Degeneres jokes that she thinks Penélope should have thanked her for predicting her Oscar in Vicky Cristina Barcelona last year.
Penélope talks about her appearance in a cameo in Sex in the City, where she plays a banker (she pronounces it "bunker") and then goes on to tell Ellen how she discovered she wanted to be an actress when she was a child in her mother's beauty salon, which was her first acting school.
She became very famous when she did the film Jamón, jamón, and soon she discovered contradictions of being famous, when people screamed "I love you" at her and 10 seconds later "Whore!".
She also talks about her role in Broken embraces by Almodóvar and finally she plays a game with Ellen: Guess the lips.

Penélope talks with Oprah about how she prepared her role of a sultry mistress in the film Nine and how scared she was to sing professionally.
She remembers how she started her career: Her acting curiosity began in her mother's beauty salon but it was after seeing Almodóvar's film Tie me up, tie me down at the cinema that she decided to find an agent and become an actress.
Finally she talks about her Oscar for Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Matt Damon on playing Francois Pienaar in the film Invictus

Matt Damon explains how Clint Eastwood made him look taller and how he had to get beefy and learn to speak with a South African accent for the role.

NB. Matt Damon is 5'10'' (175cm) and Francois Pienaar is 6'4'' (190cm).

Eric Bana interviewed by Craig Ferguson

Michael Palin talks about acting