When Hollywood rolls into New York City, you better believe they hit all the hot spots: Marquee, Butter, Nobu, and…Pop Burger? It was here at this Manhattan burger joint that the cast and crew of the comedy Harold (slated for a summer 2008 release) celebrated their pre-wrap party — and stars Cuba Gooding Jr. (pictured), Nikki Blonsky, Spencer Breslin, Chris Parnell, and Ally Sheedy consumed POP Burgers, French fries, shrimp cocktails, and, of course, alcohol. The film is about a 12-year-old boy (played by Breslin) who must deal with male-pattern baldness and some unlikely friends (Blonsky and Gooding).
Because the event was really more of a dinner party (set to techno beats), some of the cast brought some family members to chow down. Blonsky had her mother in tow, Breslin chilled in the corner with his parents, and Gooding even brought his cousin (who, it turns out, is Cuba’s stand-in for all of his movies). Absent were Rachel Dratch (darn!) and Colin Quinn, but there to fill the SNL quota was Chris Parnell (reprising his role as Dr. Leo Spaceman on 30 Rock) and ex-SNL writer T. Sean Shannon, who happens to be the director of Harold.
As I navigated my way through the crowd, I felt like I was travelingthrough time. First stop: 1996, when Gooding played Rod Tidwell in Jerry Maguire (and Daddy Day Camp never existed). When Gooding invited me to join his table, I surely didn’t decline. He radiates joie de vivre— all smiles, all laughs, very “show me the money” if you will. It mademe pine for the good old days, when Cuba made good choices in filmroles.
Back to the party. Next stop: 1985. Though I tried to control myself, I couldn’t not tell Ally Sheedy, who plays Harold’s mom, that I loved The Breakfast Club,even though I knew every 20-something probably accosts her on thestreet about it. Fortunately, she was gracious and didn’t mind my JohnHughes-geekdom. My next and final stop was the present, where Blonskyseems to be thoroughly enjoying her newfound fame.
Tell me, PopWatchers, how long do you think her run will last? Isour new Tracy Turnblad here to stay? And will Cuba be able to reclaimsome fame in the upcoming Russell Crowe-Denzel Washington movie American Gangster?
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I sincerely hope Blonsky is here to stay. She was SO good in “Hairspray” and I’m so not a musical guy. It’s just a shame that “Hairspray” isn’t quite as Oscar-friendly as “Dreamgirls” was because I think Blonsky did a much better job than Jennifer Hudson did last year. Of course, it helps that she’s incredibly cute too. Just an added bonus on top of her already amazing talent. (Can you tell I thought she was good? Just checking.)
I’m such a nikki lover. duh, she’s here to stay. she was AMAZING in hairspray.
Hollywood better makea place a place for Nikki Blonsky. She got more talent than alot of these young girls out there. But, if they don’t, I hope she’ll develop enough clout connections to make her own way out there.
Cuba is in American Gangster? That is like the smartest film choice he’s made since Jerry Maguire. I do wonder about what roles are offered to him. Halle Berry made the comment that just because she’s won an Oscar, she is still not offered all of the great roles that are ‘worthy’ of Oscar winners.
Forget his questionable film choices…why is Cuba Gooding Jr. stalking Michael Jordan in those (homoerotic) Hanes commercials. They’re almost as weird as MJ’s Hanes spots with Kevin Bacon, where it appeared they were flirting.
WoW, the guest list at this dinner party reads like a who’s who of has beens. Slow (current) celebrity news day?
I’m not jumping for joy yet for Nikki. Not that I don’t think she was good in Hairspray, I just didn’t see much acting there. I’ll have to wait to see her in Harold to make that choice.
am i the only one who thinks that ally sheedy should be on lost? she’s off-beat enough, i think, to fit perfectly on that show.
Oh gosh i just realized that this is based on an snl digital short (written T. Sean Shannon) that they used to play on the show when they had a few extra minutes of airtime. I love snl, but they honestly need to STOP making their sketches and shorts into movies. I’m hoping this one goes more the way of Wayne’s World than say, the Ladies Man.
I think that Nikki Blonsky has a promising career ahead of her. She’s amazingly talented, and she also seems very down-to earth as well. From what I’ve read, I think she is has the right attitude about her chances of “making it” in Hollywood. Her breakthrough performance in Hairspray will certainly allow more opportunities for auditions and that’s a definite plus. I hope Hollyywood sits up and takes notice because we need Nikki and more young actresses like her in the enteratinment industry. They are better role models than any of the current Hollywood startlets -i.e., Paris, Lindsay, Nicole, and Britney.
I look forward to seeing her in “Harold”.