Comedian Steve Hofstetter isn’t an area native – he grew up in Queens, N.Y. – but his career as a stand-up performer brought him to Western Pennsylvania often enough that he opted to move here two-and-a-half years ago. He bought a former Stanton Heights church and turned it into the Steel City Arts Foundation, a member-based organization predominantly for standup comedians, some of whom live there. (The space also contains a podcast studio, green screen studio and a chapel that may someday, with the proper zoning, become a performance space.)

Hofstetter’s latest project to come out of Steel City AF: “Handyman from Hell,” a movie that debuts at 8 p.m. Thursday on cable’s Lifetime Movie Network and streaming Oct. 20 at www.mylifetime.com/lmn.

It’s the story of Maggie Anderson (Liliana Tandon) who’s recently separated from her husband David (Pittsburgher David Santiago) when she hires hunky contractor Nate (Joey Ariemma) to give her home (and life?) a makeover. Viewers learn sooner than Maggie that Nate is a psychopath. His power tools become deadly weapons. Hofstetter co-stars as Maggie’s brother.

“Handyman” filmed under the title “Overhaul” but when Hofstetter and his fellow producers sold it to LMN just two weeks ago the network had a different idea for the title.

“Lifetime’s gonna Lifetime,” Hofstetter said, laughing (“Handyman” is considered an indie – it’s not produced by a struck company — which is how Hofstetter can promote it during the ongoing actors’ strike). “At first I bristled a little bit, mainly because the title is campy and camp is fun but the movie isn’t super-campy. I was worried some people would expect it to be something it’s not. But the more I’ve talked to people about it, the more everybody seems to love [the title]. … So good on Lifetime for tapping into that.”

Directed by Cody Hartman (“Unsinkable”), “Handyman” filmed over 11 days in December 2022 using several crew and supporting cast members from Pittsburgh. That included Hofstetter in his first major supporting role.

“This was the first time I really got to stretch as an actor,” said Hofstetter, who is also a producer on the film, which is trying to qualify for Pennsylvania film tax credits. “I learned so much from the rest of the cast.”

In addition to filming in Pittsburgh, “Handyman” is set in Pittsburgh with some nods to local TV station call letters (KDXI-TV subs for WPXI-TV) and lower-third graphics (“News Now Pittsburgh” has the same yellow background and moving dot graphic in the lower left corner as KDKA-TV displays).

Hofstetter said producers retained theatrical and video-on-demand rights to “Handyman.” He hopes to set up a local theatrical showing in the future. On Thursday at 7:30 p.m. there will be an online watch party where viewers can pay ($10-$40) to see and hear behind-the-scenes scoop from the film’s cast and creators at www.handymanfromhell.com. A portion of the proceeds go to cast and crew as they continue to support the SAG-AFTRA strike.

In addition to the Steel City AF building in Stanton Heights, which is where “Handyman” was mostly filmed, Hofstetter more recently purchased another former church, this time in Ross. Sunken Bus Studios, formerly the Melwood Party Center, is now home to Red Caiman Studios, an events hall and a future co-working space.

Hofstetter’s penchant for buying old churches made its way into the “Handyman” script where it’s mentioned that Maggie lives in a former church even though her place looks nothing like a church interior and the exterior is never shown. Hofstetter said knowing they were aiming to sell “Handyman” to Lifetime, they focused instead on Maggie’s kitchen.

“[‘Handyman’ screenwriter] Jay [Black] has been writing movies for a while, a lot in the Lifetime genre,” Hofstetter said. “Apparently he has learned from Lifetime one of the big things that their demos love to see in a movie is a gorgeous kitchen. Because of that we went from doing the church renovation [which was the original concept for the film’s story] to concentrating on the kitchen.”

Yes, “Handyman” was created with an intent to sell the film to Lifetime.

“I had a teacher in eighth grade who said, ‘Every piece of writing has a purpose and an audience,’ and I very much believe that,” Hofstetter said. “For us, the audience was designed to be Lifetime though we didn’t want to make it formulaic so there are a couple of departures, especially that comic break, which is very different from the average thriller.”

In addition to up-and-comers, “Handyman” features cameo appearances by some bold-face names, too.

Former “Full House”/“Fuller House” star Jodie Sweetin came to town to film her part while a trio of comedians – Michael Ian Black (“The State”), Frank Caliendo (“Mad TV) and Vic Dibitetto (Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2”) – performed via Zoom, playing contractors Maggie interviews via computer before she settles on Nate.

“Jay wrote a part for a hipster contractor and philosopher contractor. We had Michael for 15 minutes and he said he liked the philosopher contractor better,” said Hofstetter, who hosted the syndicated stand-up comedy show “Laughs” in 2014-15. “The only direction I gave him was the premise of the character talking and not saying much and going into ‘what even is a kitchen?’ He took that and ran with it in such an incredible way.”

And yes, there are ideas afoot for a sequel if “Handyman” proves financially successful.

Returning

The creator of “Suits” is developing a new series set in that show’s universe after its summer success in reruns on Netflix.

Peacock finally renewed Kaley Cuoco’s “Based on a True Story” for a second season.

Channel surfing

All 172 episodes of “L.A. Law,” remastered from the original film source now with a 16:9 aspect ratio, will stream Nov. 3 on Hulu. … Upcoming “Daily Show” guest hosts will include Deus Nice (week of Oct. 23), Charlamagne tha God (Oct. 30), Sarah Silverman (Nov. 6), Leslie Jones (Nov. 13) and Michelle Wolf (Nov. 27). … Talks to end the actors’ strike broke down Oct. 11 as the AMPTP declared the differences between producers and SAG-AFTRA were “too great.”

You can reach TV writer Rob Owen at rowen@triblive.com or 412-380-8559. Follow @RobOwenTV on Threads, Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook. Ask TV questions by email or phone. Please include your first name and location.

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For movie theater owners around the country, the same-day release of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” this summer meant record box office sales and a gratifying sign that the public still craved entertainment on the big screen.

READ MORE: Trying To Catch ‘Barbie’ or ‘Mission: Impossible’? Here’s All of San Francisco’s Movie Theaters

But for some employees at the Alamo Drafthouse in Manhattan, “Barbenheimer” was the breaking point.

“That really pushed us to the edge,” says Maggie Quick, a guest attendant. “It was just the constant understaffing and the emotional exhaustion.”

“People were waiting longer than usual for their food and that makes them short-tempered and impatient,” recalls Tyler Trautman, a shift leader. “We’re the ones facing customers. It takes a toll, a mental toll, to be yelled at by guests because their drink has been taking an hour.”

Quick and Trautman were among dozens at the Manhattan theater who decided it was time to form a union. Alamo employees worked with United Auto Workers Local 2179 and this week voted to unionize, with nearly two-thirds in favor. They join Alamo employees at the Brooklyn theater, who voted last month to become part of Local 2179.

“We’re very excited to be moving forward in solidarity with Brooklyn,” Quick said after the vote was announced. “We have strength in our numbers and hope to see some real change.”

An Alamo spokesperson said the company would decline comment.

At a time of labor action in the movie industry and beyond, union activity is expanding at movie theaters themselves, a trend which began during the pandemic. Over the past two years, employees have formed or attempted to form unions at the Film Forum and Anthology Film Archives in New York, the Amherst Cinema in Massachusetts and Alamo Drafthouses in San Francisco and Austin, Texas, home to Alamo’s company headquarters.

The transition to a union shop went smoothly at some theaters. The owners in Amherst voluntarily agreed to recognize the union and a contract was reached earlier this year. Film Forum workers, who unionized in 2022, agreed last summer to a 5-year contract that raises salaries by an average of 12%. Anthology Film Archives employees went on strike for a day last year, but have since agreed to terms.

“Overall, it’s been fairly peaceful,” says Olga Brudastova, president of UAW Local 2110, which represents the Film Forum and Anthology Film Archives unions. In a statement, Chad Bolton, the Film Forum general manager, said the contract was born from “a thorough and thoughtful process.”

But at Alamo Drafthouse, the chain known for its eclectic offerings of films and in-theater food and drink service, employees speak of ongoing resistance from the company. According to images and audio recordings obtained by The Associated Press, Alamo management in New York has posted flyers urging workers not to unionize and brought in speakers from Texas, including Alamo co-founder Tim League.

“We appreciate everything you do for our venue and believe we can work better together to solve problems without the need of a third-party like a union to come between us and charge you dues,” one flyer reads.

Alamo held meetings in Manhattan and Brooklyn in the weeks leading up to union votes. In each gathering, management officials acknowledged discontent among staff members, while reiterating that any issues were better worked out entirely within the company.

In Brooklyn, per the recordings, League reflected on the company’s history, dating back to its origins in the 1990s. He spoke of his dedication to Alamo and of his own progressive affinities, including his “passionate” support for Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Both League and his wife and Alamo co-founder Karrie League have contributed to various Democratic Party candidates. Tim League has publicly praised the pro-labor senator’s 2016 presidential run, telling a CNBC interviewer in 2016 that “Bernie is going to be good for America.”

League emphasized that he “understood” why Hollywood actors and writers were striking, and why auto workers went on strike. But for Alamo, he said, unions would be a step back, a “communication block.”

“I fully recognize my own personal bias here,” he said. “I don’t think that forming a union is the right solution for Alamo, that is my personal opinion. I’m concerned that a union is going to drive a wedge between us.”

Only 6% of private U.S. sector workers belong to unions today, a fraction of the 35% represented in the 1950s. But more workers in numerous industries have begun organizing lately and their actions have public support. According to Gallup, approval of stronger unions stands at 67%, down slightly from the 71% approval seen last year, but mirroring levels last seen in the 1960s. A recent AP-NORC poll found that a majority of U.S. adults sympathized with the striking Hollywood workers.

The Leagues were recent graduates of Rice University when in 1997 they opened the first Alamo, a single-screen venue in Austin. They soon established a word-of-mouth following among movie lovers and within the next few years had opened several other locations around Texas. In 2005, Entertainment Weekly named Alamo Drafthouse the country’s best cinema venue, calling the experience “movie geek heaven.”

The company now has dozens of theaters around the U.S., but endured financial struggles during the pandemic. In March 2021, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, closed some locations and cancelled plans to open new ones. Alamo emerged from bankruptcy at the end of May 2021, under the ownership of League. Altamont Capital Partners and Fortress Investment Group. Michael Kusterman, a former executive at Caveman Foods, has been Alamo CEO since replacing the retiring Shelli Taylor in July.

League, who in 2020 became executive chairman of Alamo, said in the recordings he was “disappointed” Brooklyn workers wanted to unionize, while adding that the company couldn’t meet his high standards for Alamo without a happy staff. He acknowledged past errors, including a “troubling lack of communication,” but said that Alamo was committed to moving forward. He asked the staff to give the management team a year to prove itself.

“I hear you and I’ll keep on listening,” he said. “Like I said, I built this company to be the best damn cinema that has ever, or will ever exist. And it’s an aspirational goal. It’ll never be complete. I personally feel strongly that inserting a union between you and me and the team hinders that goal. So that’s why even after all the work, the hard work that’s been done to get to this point, I ask you to vote ‘no’ in forming a union.”

Within days, Brooklyn employees voted to unionize, by a margin of more than 2-to-1.

“For years the workers of Brooklyn Alamo have tried to solve problems through dialogue with management, to no avail,” the union statement read in part. “Now Alamo Drafthouse must meet us at the bargaining table.”

Questions, comments or concerns about this article may be sent to [email protected]

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Every week, new movies pop up at the theater for hungry film fans to check out. Whether it’s the latest and greatest MCU production or an original drama based on true events, movies have been providing an awesome escape from everyday life for decades. Sometimes, you see a movie trailer and get excited about it months before the movie even hits theaters. Then, the day comes when you finally get to check it out, and… crickets.

Once in a while, a movie with great potential is so bad that it just begs to be redone or rebooted as soon as possible. In 2023, the volume of reboots, remakes, and sequels hitting theaters seems to be overwhelming, but oftentimes, these re-imagined films are just what the doctor ordered. It’s great when a film gets a reboot and the new version hits it out of the ballpark. These are the movies that deserved to be remade.

15 Spider-Man: Homecoming

Sony Pictures Releasing

Spider-Man: Homecoming arrived with a ton of hype in 2017. Not only did Marvel tease Spider-Man’s return in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, but MCU fans were excited to see a full movie featuring Tom Holland as the young web-slinger. The addition of Michael Keaton as the main protagonist Vulture was also welcomed, as it was Keaton’s first return to the screen in a superhero movie since Batman Returns in 1992.

A Spider-Man reboot in the late 2010s was absolutely necessary. Sony Pictures left a bad taste in viewers’ mouths with its lukewarm spidey flick The Amazing Spider-Man in 2012, and somehow the sequel The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in 2014 was even worse. Luckily, fans love Holland as Spider-Man generally thought Keaton was a great villain.

14 The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Universal Pictures

It’s a little insane that it took 20 years for anyone to right the wrongs of the dismal 1993 film Super Mario Bros. While some hardcore fans thought that movie actually got a few things right, the 2023 animated film The Super Mario Bros. Movie did an excellent job of honoring Nintendo’s beloved franchise. Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Jack Black, and Anya Taylor-Joy highlighted an all-star cast of voices that brought the adventures of two plumbing brothers to life.

The original 1993 movie was panned by critics and fans alike for its poor acting, lack of plot development, and corny special effects. The new version was an upgrade on all of those things, and even added many new elements to surprise and delight fans, such as a Mario Kart race, a hilarious song about Princess Peach sung by Bowser, and a battle between Tanooki Mario and a speeding bullet.

13 The Batman

Warner Bros.

Since Christopher Nolan’s superb Batman trilogy of the late 2000s, DC has been all over the place with its big-screen depiction of the character. Ben Affleck’s version of Bruce Wayne/Batman has been met with mixed reviews, and it doesn’t always seem like DC has a clear vision of where they want the next generation of Caped Crusader films to go. By the late 2010s, it became clear that a Batman reboot was badly needed.

Directed by Matt Reeves, 2022’s The Batman was finally a step in the right direction. Robert Pattinson replaced Affleck as Bruce Wayne, and he did an admirable job of filling the role. Colin Farrell and Paul Dano were also met with critical acclaim for their roles as The Penguin and The Riddler, respectively. Unfortunately for DC fans, filming for the sequel of the movie has been delayed to 2024 due to the ongoing writer’s and actor’s strikes in Hollywood.

RELATED: The Best Robert Pattinson Movies of the 2010s, Ranked

12 Mortal Kombat

Warner Bros.

Most kids who grew up in the 1990s are familiar with the video game Mortal Kombat. It features a ton of great characters, like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, and Kung Lao, to name a few. One of the best parts of the game was that the player gets to finish off their opponent with a great move, often involving excessive amounts of blood and gore. It’s not surprising that the game was adapted into a movie, simply titled Mortal Kombat, in 1995. The film, however, didn’t live up to the hype of the game.

In 2021, Mortal Kombat was rebooted, much to the delight of video game fans everywhere. While the film didn’t necessarily improve on the acting or plot of the first film, it did deliver more thrills and much better special effects. 16 years was a long time for MK fans to wait for a new version, but they shouldn’t have to wait quite as long for a sequel.

11 Star Trek

Paramount Pictures

Stark Trek has gone through many incarnations, reboots, and remakes over the years, but 2009’s Star Trek was a remake that was needed. At the time, there was a whole generation that had not experienced a Star Trek movie, and J.J. Abrams’ had the vision to use younger actors, more thrills, and better SFX to pull in a new audience.

Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Karl Urban were a few of the actors enlisted to help bring this vision to life, and they hit it out of the park. Fans no longer saw the franchise as an old, outdated sci-fi show they could tune in to each week. Instead, it became a global phenomenon again and sparked several successful sequels. Many viewers consider his role as Captain Kirk in Star Trek to be one of Chris Pine’s best performances.

10 The Incredible Hulk

Universal Pictures; United International Pictures

2008’s The Incredible Hulk was far from a perfect movie, but it was a vast improvement on Ang Lee’s brutal 2003 version, simply titled Hulk. 20 years later, the debate on whether Hulk is an epic disaster or not rages on. If nothing else, the 2008 update at least does a better job of casting. Edward Norton plays Bruce Banner/Hulk, while Liv Tyler plays his love interest. Tim Roth plays the Abomination and did such a good job that he earned himself a cameo as the same character in the Disney+ series She-Hulk.

The Incredible Hulk wasn’t originally planned to be part of the current MCU, but Marvel thought it was canonical enough to be retroactively added. It was necessary as the 2003 film had visually appealing effects, but was bogged down in story. Critics also argued that Lee wasn’t faithful enough to the comics and instead focused on telling a dramatic story about fathers and sons.

RELATED: Edward Norton’s 10 Best Movies, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes

9 Man of Steel

Warner Bros.

Let’s switch from the MCU to the DCEU for a minute. Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel was released in 2013 and provided audiences with some relief that DC was on the right track when it came to movies. 2006’s Superman Returns didn’t exactly inspire a lot of confidence in moviegoers. Roger Ebert called that movie “glum” and “lackluster”, and criticized the film’s heavy reliance on special effects.

On the upside, Man of Steel introduced viewers to a new Kal-El/Superman in Henry Cavill. The movie featured superb acting from Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, and Russell Crowe, to name a few. All of these actors are still relevant in 2023 and doing exciting projects more than 10 years later. Cavill continued to play the character after Man of Steel, proving that he’s more capable of carrying the Superman franchise than other actors. We’re looking at you, Brandon Routh.

8 King Kong

Universal Pictures

Director Peter Jackson knew exactly what he was doing when he rebooted King Kong in 2005. It’s easily one of the best King Kong movies, and it’s a vast improvement on the corny Kong films that came out of the 1980s. At the time, it had been almost 20 years since a live-action King Kong movie hit the theaters. King Kong crushed box office expectations, raking in $562.9 million ($830.9 million today).

Jackson’s remake starred Jack Black, Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody, and Andy Serkis. Although it was long – carrying a whopping 187-minute runtime – the story was told meticulously and thoughtfully. By the time the audience sees Kong almost an hour into the film, the suspense has been built up and viewers are on the edge of their seats. King Kong modernized the character for a new generation and breathed new life into creature features for the 21st century.

7 Godzilla

Warner Bros. Pictures

Just as King Kong did in 2005, 2014’s Godzilla brought back a classic monster character and enriched it with better special effects. Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Ford Brody, a Navy bomb expert who is called in to help his father (played by Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad) in Japan. The pair realize that Godzilla has risen from the sea and is threatening to take out Tokyo, San Francisco, and everything in between.

While some Japanese fans had some bizarre complaints about Godzilla, most moviegoers agreed that the 2014 version was a huge upgrade from the hokey 1998 version. It holds a solid 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was even nominated for more than a dozen awards in various categories.

RELATED: Here’s Every Godzilla Movie, Ranked

6 Casino Royale

Sony Pictures Releasing

From 1995 to 2002, Pierce Brosnan did an admirable job of playing James Bond in four different movies. He gave the role of the British spy class, elegance, and style, and was a faithful embodiment of author Ian Fleming’s original vision of the character. By 2006, however, audiences were ready for a new actor to bring a sense of freshness and edge to the role.

Daniel Craig stepped in and played Bond for 2006’s outstanding reboot Casino Royale. Armed with a fantastic script and plenty of thrilling stunts, Craig showed moviegoers that there was still plenty of life left in the Bond character, and more of Fleming’s stories to explore on screen. Casino Royale was necessary in the mid-2000s because viewers were starting to feel like Bond was in a funk, rehashing the same spy clichés over and over.

5 X-Men: First Class

20th Century Fox

X-Men has gone through many incarnations since it first arrived on the film scene in 2000. Directed by Bryan Singer, the first movie spawned a sequel also helmed by Singer, followed by a third film directed by Brett Ratner to complete the trilogy. Many fans consider the first X-Men trilogy to be canonical, but the franchise sort of went off the rails after that.

The character Wolverine (played by Hugh Jackman) got its own trilogy, with audiences divided on how they felt about those three movies. X-Men: First Class rebooted the series in 2011, with Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, and Michale Fassbender taking on leading roles. The movie acted as a prequel of sorts and offered audiences a different take on the Marvel team that they know and love.

4 Batman Begins

Warner Bros.

Let’s just be honest: 1997’s Batman & Robin is utterly ridiculous. George Clooney stars as the Caped Crusader, while Arnold Schwarzenegger is the bad guy, Mr. Freeze. Both actors were chosen for their roles for their star power, rather than their acting chops, at the time. The result is a goofy movie with a thin plot and corny special effects. In 2005, DC knew it was time to get people excited about seeing Batman on the big screen again, and they called in the right guy for the job.

Christopher Nolan took the reins of the Batman franchise and crafted a masterful trilogy, beginning with 2005’s Batman Begins. Christian Bale was perfectly cast as Bruce Wayne/Batman, giving the character a seriousness and darkness that he so truly deserved. Batman needed a reboot after the hackneyed versions of the 1990s, and fans benefited from the change.

RELATED: Every Batman Movie’s Version of Gotham, Ranked

3 Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Star Wars fans couldn’t have been more excited when Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens hit theaters in 2015. After a mediocre prequel trilogy that didn’t seem to add much to the beloved franchise, moviegoers got a taste of what happened after the Empire fell. The movie follows a new hero named Rey (Daisey Ridley), an orphan who realizes she may have mystical powers. She’s drawn to the Force and enlists the help of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to help her fight in the Resistance against Kylo Ren (Adam Driver)

To say the Star Wars prequels left a bad taste in fans’ mouths would be an understatement. That trilogy was criticized for everything from its silly characters to its cheesy dialogue to its underwhelming finale. With The Force Awakens, Disney managed to engage a new audience while still paying homage to the original trilogy. The film is considered one of the best J.J. Abrams shows and movies and the rebooted Star Wars train continues to roll on in 2023.

2 Creed

Warner Bros. Pictures

2015’s Creed brought back the beloved character Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) for a new adventure. Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) didn’t know his father Apollo – who was one of Rocky’s greatest opponents – but he believes he has the heart of a boxer. With Rocky’s help, Adonis tackles his demons inside and outside the ring on his way to a title shot.

Critics loved Creed, and it’s considered one of the best Rocky & Creed movies. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, the Rocky films got progressively worse with each sequel. Audiences were tired of the premise by the time Rocky V rolled around in 1990. By using younger actors and a fresh story, Creed pulled viewers back into the boxing world and reminded them why Rocky is such a strong sports franchise to begin with.

1 Mad Max: Fury Road

Roadshow Entertainment/Warner Bros. Pictures

Mad Max: Fury Road roared into theaters in 2015. It was an update on the Mad Max series from the 1980s starring Mel Gibson. Fury Road stars Tom Hardy as Max Rockatansky, a rebel fighting to survive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland ruled by Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). The film took George Miller’s iconic character and upped the ante to 100.

The movie was nominated for ten Academy Awards and ended up winning six. It featured non-stop action, awesome special effects, and a rocking soundtrack that kept the audience on pins and needles the whole time. It was a great reboot that showed Miller still has the magic touch when it comes to creating new worlds for Mad Max.

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In the great tradition of “movies that make you gay,” few stand as tall as the 1975 documentary Gray Gardens.

Of course, movies don’t have the ability to turn people gay, but there’s a special power in a movie like Gray Gardens, an idiosyncratic documentary that practically counts as homework (the funny kind!) for the modern queer — a movie we should know.

Following the strange everyday life of “Big Edie” Beale – the aunt of former first lady Jackie O – and her grown daughter “Little Edie”, Gray Gardens welcomed viewers to the titular estate in the East Hamptons, a run-down house where the women in poverty and (as some would call it) delusions lived.

Over the decades it has become a real cult hit, around which friendly gays will build their entire personality. And among the many fascination of the loyal fandom is the Handyman of Beale, who makes occasional appearances throughout the doc.

Dubbed “The Marble Faun” by Little Edie, viewers spent years contemplating the young man’s identity. But in the 2000s he resurfaced and the world finally got to know Jerry Torre.

Sometime after the events of Gray Gardens, Torre moved to Saudi Arabia where he worked for a palace garden – a job secured through Jackie O’s second husband, Aristotle Onassis. Back in the States, he drove cabs in New York City and ran an art transportation business while pursuing his own passion as a sculptor. He has lived happily with his partner Ted O’Ryan Sheppard for many years.

All of this and more – including memories of his time with the Beales – is told by Torre in his fascinating memoir, The Marble Faun Of Gray Gardens, co-authored with film historian Tony Maietta.

Now Torre becomes the focus of his own film in an adaptation of his famous book. As Deadline reports, The Marble Faun Of Gray Gardens is being adapted into a feature film by Unger Media, which tells the story of “a gay teenage runaway from Brooklyn who portrays Big Edie and Little Edie as misguided guardian angels in his life – and beyond. “

Sounds like another future gay classic to us!

The adaptation is scripted by Leo Geter (who has written scripts for shows like Longmire and The Closer), who is producing along with Torre, Maietta, Jonathan Unger, the CEO of Unger Media, and actor/comedian Drew Droege, who shares that he is “a longtime Gray Gardens fan”. and that Torre is “profoundly inspirational to me as an artist and a queer person.”

Deadline is currently casting for the role of Torre. He was only a teenager when he met the Beales, so we’d expect a young aspiring actor to take on the role of The Marble Faun.

Our two cents? Rising star Daniel Zolghadri has been great in coming-of-age movies like Eight Grade and Funny Pages and could fill the bill. As for Big Edie and Little Edie, Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore’s appearances in the 2009 HBO film are still not over, so why not bring them back?

Or heck, maybe Jinkx Monsoon is available?

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HOLLYWOOD—I was born in the 80’s and grew up with the video game craze. One of the first video games I ever owned and played was 1985’s Super Mario Bros. for the Nintendo Gaming System (NES). There are many people who think the game is pretty easy, but all those people who say that were not victorious when they beat the game. However, I was one of those people.

I’m a fan of seeing an actual animated version of the video game as a movie. This ’90s live-action version just didn’t work. Hello, you’re talking about a cartoon character being made into actual plumbers, not sure who thought that would work. Almost 40 years later we have the version of the flick that fans of the classic game would enjoy, while kids will love it. Look, don’t expect anything narratively original.

Chris Pratt will voice Mario and Charli Day will voice Luigi in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The brothers branched out and started their own plumbing business, hoping to break into business after exiting one of their competitors. The antics are pretty hilarious for kids and adults might get a giggle here or there at first.

The narrative follows the brothers as they try to save Brooklyn, New York from a major plumbing problem. Instead, they stumble across a secret subterranean world that takes them to the Mushroom Kingdom, where they meet Toad (voiced by Keegan Michael-Key), who is hilarious. Toad is without a doubt the comic relief of the whole film. Luigi was transported to the Dark Land controlled by Bowser (Jack Black’s voice). Of course we have Princess Peach (voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy) who is smitten with Mario and the leader of the Mushroom Kingdom. Bowser has been given a “Superstar” that grants him the power of invincibility as he journeys to conquer all worlds, including the Jungle Kingdom led by King Cranky Kong (voiced by Fred Armisen). The character is animated a bit, and Armisen puts that animation into the character’s voice, which goes perfectly with it.

The fight between Mario and Donkey Kong (voiced by Seth Rogan) is just one testament to how the narrative really wants to take adults back to their childhood. The replica sets, even if animated, are much like how we video game fans remember growing up. I love the tongue-in-cheek to Ridley Scott’s 2000 classic Gladiator. There’s the iconic scene reminiscent of Mario Kart, which is hilarious and also full of iconic moments-stealing scenes. The film really hits all the notes of various games in the franchise over the decades.

I love how the film’s visual effects remind adults who played the video game as teenagers. You’ve got the floating bricks, you’ve got the iconic ‘?’ Signs that bestow various powers; The filmmakers do an excellent job of making you feel like you’re in a video game. That scene with Princess Peach and Mario going through that obstacle course was epic. The nostalgia is fantastic and will instantly bring any child born in the 80’s, 90’s or 00’s and Super Mario Bros. back to your youth.

I was more invested in the flick than my nieces and nephews, which only underlines how much things from the past remind you of your childhood or time as a kid, which The Super Mario Bros. Movie effortlessly does. It never feels forced. I love the theme of brotherly love and family bonds against all odds; even those that seem impossible. Will there be a sequel? Without a doubt, and there should be one as to how entertaining this part turned out to be, it was a bigger surprise than I expected.

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In addition to hosting major film festivals like the San Francisco International Film Festival and the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, the venue has long been a bastion of queer cinema and community events. Highlights include the first-ever public screening of the 2008 film Milk, about pioneering openly gay politician Harvey Milk, the annual Frameline Queer Film Festival, and a plethora of drag performance nights.

“The Castro Theater is like a sacred temple for the community,” said Jesse Sanford, board member of the Castro LGBTQ Cultural District. “Here we gather to laugh together, cry together, learn our history and mourn our losses.”

But the recent purchase of the theater’s lease by Another Planet Entertainment, which operates a handful of primarily music-focused venues and festivals in the San Francisco Bay Area, has sparked a battle over the theater’s future.

“The Another Planet plan will mean that films will be screened infrequently and community events will be infrequent,” Sanford said.

Conservationists are fighting back

The Castro LGBTQ Cultural District is one of several local groups opposing Another Planet’s plans to refocus the venue’s programming and undertake major renovations.

“This is a hundred year old theatre. You can’t just alter it any way you want,” said Peter Pastreich, executive director of the Castro Theater Conservancy, a group formed three years ago to address growing concerns about the building’s dilapidated condition.

Castro Theater Conservancy executive director Peter Pastreich at the Castro Theatre. (Chloe Veltman/NPR)

Pastreich said his group welcomed some of the proposed upgrades, such as adding wheelchair access and a new HVAC system, as well as touching up the interior’s large murals, chandeliers and leather-effect ceiling. He estimates that the theater would cost between $20 million and $30 million to renovate.

“We’re not against Another Planet or anyone who’s going to renovate the theater and keep it open,” Pastreich said.

It all depends on the seating

The activists’ main point of contention is the tenant’s plans for seating in the theatre.

“The plan is to remove the seats and level the floor, which would make the theater unsuitable for movies,” says Pastreich.

Thousands of people, including many celebrities such as Francis Ford Coppola, Alice Waters and Tilda Swinton, have signed the Conservancy’s petition to stop the renovations of Another Planet from proceeding.

The building is already partially protected. The City of San Francisco granted the exterior landmark status in 1977. Now these activists are trying to get the city to extend the designation to the inside of the building. In this case, it will be much more difficult for the leaseholder to rip up the theater’s 1400 seats and level the ground.

The interior of the Castro Theater. (Andrew Rosas)

“Changing the seating is a big deal,” said Matt Lambros, a Boston-based photographer of historic cinemas who has written several books on the subject. “You could ruin the sight lines.”

There are a few thousand old single-screen movie palaces like the Castro still operating in the US today, compared to tens of thousands in their pre-WWII heyday.

Lambros said that for these theaters to survive, the seating needs to do more than accommodate moviegoers.

“There is interest in restoring these sites,” he said. “The problem is that you have to find something that attracts people. Unfortunately, for the most part, a 1500 or 2000 seat cinema showing films is just not viable.”

Those wishing to keep the theater’s seating plan intact point out that the Castro has hosted all manner of non-movie events over the years.

“It’s possible that theater can be conducive to movie and concert visits, comedy and spoken word presentations, and community gatherings,” said Anita Monga, director of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. “All of this is possible with the existing seats and the same configuration.”

Another planet is pushing ahead

Another Planet spokesman, Alex Tourk, said that despite its plan to remove the movie-style seating, the company feels an obligation to honor the theater’s legacy. “They’re dying to keep showing movies,” Tourk said. “They have committed to ensuring that 25% of programming is dedicated to the LGBTQ community.”

He said the company was shocked by all of the setbacks, given its solid reputation as a concert and festival producer and its plan to allocate $15 million to the theater’s renovation. “Another Planet expected resistance,” he said. “But the vitriol level was beyond pale.”

Tourk said even if the nomination of the landmark for the theater’s interior comes next year, Another Planet won’t be deterred, at least for now.

“Another Planet will continue to work with the city to find consensus and move the vision forward.”

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

The post Struggle Over Seats May Outline Way forward for Iconic San Francisco Film Theater appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

By Chloe Veltman

If the Castro Theatre didn’t exist, then neither would Sophia Padilla.

“I always joke that I was conceived at the Castro Theatre,” said the San Francisco resident, who happened to be passing by the iconic, 100-year-old movie palace on a recent afternoon while out walking her dog.

Padilla said her parents first met in line to see a movie at the theater, 27 years ago.

“Both of them were on dates with other people, actually,” Padilla said. “They fell in love right here. And I’ve been coming to the Castro to see movies for my entire 26-year life.”

Padilla also said the Castro Theater played a role in recognizing her queer identity.

“The Castro really helped me find who I was,” she said.

San Francisco resident and movie fan Sophia Padilla poses outside the Castro Theater with her dog.Chloe Veltman/NPR

Located in the heart of one of the country’s most high-profile LGBTQ neighborhoods, the Castro Theatre, which has been owned by the same family since 1922, has long been a bastion of queer cinema and community events.

Highlights include the first ever public screening of the 2008 movie Milk about the pioneering openly gay politician Harvey Milk, the annual Frameline queer movie festival, and an abundance of drag performance nights.

“The Castro Theater is like a sacred temple for the community,” said Castro LGBTQ Cultural District board member Jesse Sanford. “It’s where we gather to laugh together, cry together, learn our history and mourn our losses.”

The venue has also hosted major film festivals like the San Francisco International Film Festival and the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.

But the recent takeover of the theater’s lease by Another Planet Entertainment — which operates and programs a handful of mostly music-oriented venues and festivals around the San Francisco Bay Area — has led to a struggle for the theater’s future.

“Another Planet’s plan will mean that films rarely get shown, and community events rarely happen,” said Sanford.

Conservationists push back

The Castro LGBTQ Cultural District is one of several local groups pushing back against Another Planet’s plans to refocus the venue’s programming and make sweeping renovations.

“This is a hundred-year-old theatre. You can’t just change it any way you want,” said Peter Pastreich, executive director of the Castro Theater Conservancy, a group that was formed three years ago to address concerns about the increasingly dilapidated state of the building.

Castro Theater Conservancy executive director Peter Pastreich at the Castro Theatre.Chloe Veltman/NPR

Pastreich said his group welcomes some of the proposed upgrades, such as putting in wheelchair access and a new HVAC system — as well as touching up the interior’s grand mural’d walls, chandeliers and leather-effect ceiling. He estimates renovating the theater would cost $20-30 million.

“We aren’t opposed to Another Planet or anybody else who will renovate the theater and keep it open,” Pastreich said.

It all comes down to the seating

The activists’ primary point of contention is the operator’s plans for the theater’s seating.

“The plans are to take out the seats and level the floor, which would make the theater no longer appropriate for movies,” Pastreich says.

Thousands of people — including many celebrities like Francis Ford Coppola, Alice Waters and Tilda Swinton — have signed the conservancy’s petition to prevent Another Planet’s renovations from going ahead.

The building is already in part protected. The City of San Francisco gave landmark status to the exterior in 1977. Now these activists are trying to get the city to expand the designation to include the building’s interior. If that happens, it will be much harder for the leaseholder to rip out the theater’s 1,400 seats and flatten the floor.

The Castro Theater’s interior.Andrew Rosas

“Changing the seating is a big deal,” said Matt Lambros, a Boston-based photographer of historic movie theaters who has written several books on the topic. “You could ruin the sight lines.”

There are a few thousand old, single-screen movie palaces like the Castro still in operation in the US today, down from tens of thousands in their pre-World-War-II heyday.

Lambros said in order for these cinemas to survive, the seating has to do more than accommodate movie-goers.

“There’s interest in restoring these places,” he said. “The issue is, you have to find something that will bring people. For the most part, unfortunately, a 1500-or 2000-seat theater showing films, that’s just not viable.”

Those who want the theater’s seating plan to remain intact point out that the Castro has hosted all kinds of non-movie events over the years.

“It is possible to have the theater be conducive to movie-going and concert-going and comedy and spoken word presentations and community meetings,” said San Francisco Silent Film Festival Director Anita Monga. “All of that is possible with the existing seats and same configuration.”

Another planet pushes ahead

Another Planet spokesman, Alex Tourk, said, despite his plan to remove the movie-style seating, the company is committed to honoring the theater’s legacy. “They absolutely want to continue to show film,” Tourk said. “They committed to making sure that 25% of programming would be dedicated to the LGBTQ community.”

He said the company has been shocked by the effort these groups have mounted to preserve the theater, given the company’s solid reputation as a concert and festival producer. His plan is to invest $15 million in renovating the theater.

“Another Planet will continue to work with the city to find consensus and move the vision forward,” said Tourk. “Another planet did expect some opposition,” he said. “But the level of vitriol has been beyond the pale.”

The family that owns the theater, the Nassers, did not respond to NPR’s request for comment.

The post A battle over seats might outline the way forward for an iconic San Francisco movie show appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

If the Castro Theater didn’t exist, then neither would Sophia Padilla.

“I always joke that I was conceived at the Castro Theatre,” said the San Francisco resident, who happened to be passing by the iconic, one-hundred-year-old movie palace on a recent afternoon while out walking her dog.

Padilla said her parents first met in line to see a movie at the theater, 27 years ago.

“Both of them were on dates with other people, actually,” Padilla said. “They fell in love right here. And I’ve been coming to the Castro to see movies for my entire 26-year life.”

Padilla also said the Castro Theater helped to forge her queer identity.

“The Castro really helped me find who I was,” she said.

Located in the heart of one of the country’s most high-profile LGBTQ neighborhoods, the Castro Theater has played a prominent role in San Francisco’s cultural and social evolution for decades.

Besides hosting major film festivals like the San Francisco International Film Festival and the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, the venue has long been a bastion of queer cinema and community events. Highlights include the first ever public screening of the 2008 movie Milk about the pioneering openly gay politician Harvey Milk, the annual Frameline queer movie festival, and an abundance of drag performance nights.

“The Castro Theater is like a sacred temple for the community,” said Castro LGBTQ Cultural District board member Jesse Sanford. “It’s where we gather to laugh together, cry together, learn our history, and mourn our losses.”

But the recent purchase of the theater’s lease by Another Planet Entertainment, which operates a handful of mostly music-oriented venues and festivals around the San Francisco Bay Area, has led to a struggle for the theater’s future.

“Another Planet’s plan will mean that films rarely get shown, and community events rarely happen,” said Sanford.

Conservationists push back

The Castro LGBTQ Cultural District is one of several local groups pushing back against Another Planet’s plans to refocus the venue’s programming and make sweeping renovations.

“This is a hundred-year-old theater. You can’t just change it any way you want,” said Peter Pastreich, executive director of the Castro Theater Conservancy, a group that was formed three years ago to address concerns about the increasingly dilapidated state of the building.

Pastreich said his group welcomes some of the proposed upgrades, such as putting in wheelchair access and a new HVAC system, and touching up the interior’s grand mural’d walls, chandeliers and leather-effect ceiling. He estimates renovating the theater would cost $20-30 million.

“We aren’t opposed to Another Planet or anybody else who will renovate the theater and keep it open,” Pastreich said.

It all comes down to the seating

The activists’ main point of contention is the leaseholder’s plans for the theater’s seating.

“The plans are to take out the seats and level the floor, which would make the theater no longer appropriate for movies,” Pastreich says.

Thousands of people, including many celebrities like Francis Ford Coppola, Alice Waters and Tilda Swinton, have signed the conservancy’s petition to prevent Another Planet’s renovations from going ahead.

The building is already in part protected. The City of San Francisco gave landmark status to the exterior in 1977. Now these activists are trying to get the city to expand the designation to include the building’s interior. If that happens, it will be much harder for the leaseholder to rip out the theater’s 1400 seats, and flatten the floor.

“Changing the seating is a big deal,” said Matt Lambros, a Boston-based photographer of historic movie theaters who has written several books on the topic. “You could ruin the sight lines.”

There are a few thousand old, single-screen movie palaces like the Castro still in operation in the US today, down from tens of thousands in their pre-World-War-II heyday.

Lambros said in order for these cinemas to survive, the seating has to do more than accommodate movie-goers.

“There’s interest in restoring these places,” he said. “The issue is, you have to find something that will bring people. For the most part, unfortunately, a 1500-or 2000-seat theater showing films, that’s just not viable.”

Those who want the theater’s seating plan to remain intact point out that the Castro has hosted all kinds of non-movie events over the years.

“It is possible to have the theater be conducive to movie-going and concert-going and comedy and spoken word presentations and community meetings,” said San Francisco Silent Film Festival director Anita Monga. “All of that is possible with the existing seats and same configuration.”

Another planet pushes ahead

Another Planet spokesman, Alex Tourk, said, despite his plan to remove the movie-style seating, the company is committed to honoring the theater’s legacy. “They absolutely want to continue to show film,” Tourk said. “They committed to making sure that 25% of programming would be dedicated to the LGBTQ community.”

He said the company has been shocked by all the pushback, given its solid reputation as a concert and festival producer, and its plan to put $15 million towards renovating the theater. “Another planet did expect some opposition,” he said. “But the level of vitriol has been beyond the pale.”

Tourk said even if the landmark designation for the theater’s interior goes ahead next year, Another Planet will not, at least for now, be deterred.

“Another Planet will continue to work with the city to find consensus and move the vision forward.” [Copyright 2022 NPR]

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Indoor restaurants, cinemas and gyms in San Francisco can reopen within 24 hours, an upbeat Mayor of London Breed announced on Tuesday as the county officially moved to a less restrictive tier as the rate of Coronavirus cases, hospital admissions, and deaths are falling nationwide in California.

San Francisco and Santa Clara counties in the Bay Area are joining five other counties to move to the second most restrictive level of operations. Much of the state’s population remains in the most restrictive purple class, including the Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties.

California reported an additional 2,533 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of known cases in the state to nearly 3.5 million. Officials also announced an additional 303 deaths, bringing the total to just under 52,500 deaths in the state, which is nearly 40 million.

“This is the beginning of a new day in San Francisco,” said Breed of Pier 39, a popular tourist area in picturesque Fisherman’s Wharf.

However, she warned residents to wear masks and maintain proper social distance, even when encouraging them to explore the city.

“When your waiter comes to your table, put on your mask. When you go to the bathroom, put your mask on, ”she said.

Several counties in the San Francisco Bay Area issued strict home stays almost a year ago before a statewide shutdown. Public health officials have largely been more cautious about reopening the economy than their counterparts in Southern California and other states.

Operations in San Francisco shut down in early December after several Bay Area counties were preemptively locked when the positivity rate rose and the case rate rose. Outdoor dining, outdoor museums, and some indoor and outdoor personal services reopened in late January after the state canceled its regional stay-at-home arrangement, but the economic toll has been grim.

Housing and commercial rents plummeted as technicians who could work from anywhere did just that and fled to other parts of the state and county that were cheaper and more flexible. Downtown restaurants that once fed crowds of hungry office workers and tourists for lunch have struggled.

Tourism is also struggling, as airline ticket purchases to San Francisco in late October and November fell 80% year-over-year – much worse than the US average – the city’s financial analysts said in a January report.

Residents’ cautious behavior may have further contributed to the economic downturn, financial analysts said, with data showing that San Francisco residents stayed more at home than residents of other California cities and even other Bay Area counties.

San Francisco’s famous cable cars have been out of service for a year and there is no schedule as to when they could return. The mayor said on social media Tuesday that they will be returning this year.

“Cable cars are part of the fabric of San Francisco. They attract tourists, they help our economy, and I’m not going to make them go away,” she said.

San Francisco, a city and county of about 900,000 pre-pandemic residents, has one of the lowest fall and death rates in the country. 34,000 new cases of the coronavirus and 422 deaths were reported on Tuesday.

Most of California’s 58 counties remain in the state’s most restricted tier. In addition to San Francisco and Santa Clara, the counties of El Dorado, Lassen, Modoc, Napa and San Luis Obispo also moved up one place, The Sacramento Bee reported on Tuesday.

For counties in the red row, indoor restaurants and cinemas may reopen with a capacity of 25% or up to 100 people, whichever is less. Fitness studios as well as dance and yoga studios can be opened with a capacity of 10%. Museums, zoos and aquariums can open indoor activities with a capacity of 25%.

Wineries can open outdoors with changes, but bars and distilleries that do not serve food may not. Other retail businesses such as clothing stores and florists can increase their capacity from 25% to 50%.

AP reporter Kathleen Ronayne contributed from Sacramento, California.

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With all the multi-hyphenates in Hollywood, it’s no longer surprising to see a movie star doubling up as an executive producer, a writer or even a director on the same title.

But some stars aren’t content with just one billing in the acting credits.

From playing twins to whole families, some stars really prove they’re workaholics by taking on multiple roles in the same project. Here are 20 stars who had us seeing double (or triple, or quadruple…)

Eddie Murphy
The Nutty Professor

Actor Eddie Murphy poses for a composite photograph July14, 2000 in Los Angeles as characters he plays in his new movie, “The Nutty Professor 2, The Klumps”. Murphy plays the parts of Granny, Papa, Sherman, Ernie and Mama in the Universal Studios movie.
2000 Universal Studios via Online USA

In the 1996 remake of The Nutty Professor, Eddie Murphy plays not one, not two, but seven characters in the film, including the main character Sherman Klump, his alter ego Buddy Love, and Sherman’s entire family.

Playing the two main roles plus Papa Cletus Klump, Mama Anna Klump, Grandma Ida Mae Jenson, Ernie Klump Sr. and Lance Perkins gained Murphy positive reviews from the critics, while the makeup used to transform him into seven different characters was widely praised. He also reprised the roles for the sequel.

… and Coming To America

Eddie Murphy stars as Prince Akeem in Coming To America.
Paramount Pictures

This wasn’t Eddie Murphy’s first time playing dual roles, though.

In Coming To America, Murphy played Prince Akeem Joffe, Randy Watson of Sexual Chocolate, Saul, the Jewish barbershop customer, and Clarence, the owner of the barber shop.

He reprised the same four roles in this year’s sequel, Coming 2 America.

Peter Sellers
Dr Strangelove

Peter Sellers (1925 – 1980) in the title role of ‘Dr. Strangelove’, directed by Stanley Kubrick.
Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

Considered one of the funniest films ever made, Dr Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb saw Peter Sellers playing three iconic characters: group captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley, and the titular nuclear war expert Dr. Strangelove.

Columbia Pictures had only agreed to finance the movie if Sellers played at least four roles, with director Stanley Kubrick agreeing to the demand.

However, Sellers pleaded to drop the fourth role, and the role of Air Force Major T. J. “King” Kong was played by Slim Pickens.

Mike Myers
Austin Powers

Mike Meyers Stars As “Dr. Evil” In “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.”
Getty Images

Mike Myers played not only the titular British spy in the Austin Powers franchise, but donned a bald cap to play his nemesis, Dr Evil.

However, by the third film, Austin Powers: Goldmember, Myers had also taken on the roles of Fat Bastard and Dutch supervillain Goldmember.

Michael Palin
Monty Python and the Holy Grail

The cast of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, filming.
FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images

The whole Monty Python gang played multiple roles in their movies, but perhaps Michael Palin was the one to take on the biggest workload in this classic comedy.

As well as the main role of Sir Galahad the Pure, Palin also played First Swallow-Savvy Guard, Dennis, Peasant 2, Right Head, King of Swamp Castle, Brother Maynard’s Brother and Leader of The Knights Who Say Ni!, as well as voicing the narrator.

Dick Van Dyke
Mary Poppins

Dick Van Dyke, US actor, poses with a variety of kites in a publicity still for the film, ‘Mary Poppins’, USA, 1964. The film musical, directed by Robert Stevenson (1905–1986), starred Van Dyke as ‘Bert’.
Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

Perhaps you didn’t notice when you first watched Mary Poppins as a child, but Dick Van Dyke doesn’t only play Bert, the chimney sweep with a dodgy Cockney accent.

He also plays Mr. Dawes Sr., the old director of the bank where Mr. Banks works.

The film jokes about the cameo in the credits, as “Navckid Keyd” is first credited as playing the role, before the anagram unscrambles to reveal Van Dyke’s name.

Ralph Fiennes
Sunshine

The 1999 film Sunshine tells a Hungarian-Jewish family’s story through five generations, from the creation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire through to the period after the 1956 Revolution.

Ralph Fiennes plays the three male protagonists in three generations – Ignatz Sonnenschein (Sors), Adam Sors and Ivan Sors.

“There was differences in facial hair and haircut I think, but I thought no…if the storytelling and filmmaking is clear enough, the audience will know,” Fiennes told GQ in April 2019. “It didn’t seem at all the sort of film where the actor completely changes. You’re meant to know it’s me, you’re meant to understand that it’s the same family. The fact that I’m playing all three was the linking element.”

Vanessa Hudgens
The Princess Switch

Vanessa Hudgens stars as Fiona, Margaret and Stacey in The Princess Switch: Switched Again.
Netflix

One of the latest additions to Netflix’s festive fare catalogue, The Princess Switch franchise sees Vanessa Hudgens play the dual roles of American baker Stacy De Novo and Lady Margaret Delacourt, Duchess of Montenaro, who discover they are identical after bumping into each other in the fictional country of Belgravia.

By the 2020 sequel, Switched Again, Hudgens had taken on a third role – Margaret’s evil cousin, Lady Fiona.

A third film is on its way, but Hudgens isn’t taking on a fourth character.

She told The Wrap in November 2019: “No, no, that’s just too outrageous. We’re already at max outrageous here with three characters, we’re just going to keep it at that.”

Michael J Fox
Back To The Future Part II

Michael J Fox stars as Marlene in Back To The Future II.
Universal Pictures

Not content with playing the iconic Marty McFly, Michael J Fox also played his future son and daughter, Marty Jr. and Marlene, in the Back To The Future sequel.

The three characters interacted in the same scene in a complex sequence made possible by new digital compositing technology.

Tom Hanks
Cloud Atlas

Tom Hanks stars in Cloud Atlas.
Warner Bros

Cloud Atlas was notable in that pretty much the entire cast played multiple roles across six different eras: Pacific Islands in 1849, Cambridge / Edinburgh in 1936, San Francisco in 1973, London in 2012, Neo Seoul in 2144, and Big Island in 2321.

Tom Hanks played the main character Zachary in the final era, as well as Dr Henry Goose, Hotel Manager, Isaac Sachs, Dermot Hoggins, and Cavendish Lookalike Actor in the other eras.

Halle Berry, Jim Sturgess, Ben Whishaw, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Doona Bae, Susan Sarandon, Hugo Weaving, Keith David, James D’Arcy, Zhou Xun, David Gyasi and Robert Fyfe all played at least three roles in the film, which is one of the most expensive independent movies ever made.

Alec Guinness
Kind Hearts and Coronets

Alec Guinness stars in Kind Hearts and Coronets.
FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images

This critically acclaimed comedy sees Alec Guinness playing a whopping nine characters—Ethelred, 8th Duke of Chalfont; Ethelred’s four younger brothers, The Reverend Lord Henry, General Lord Rufus, Admiral Lord Horatio and Lord Ascoyne, Banker; Lady Agatha D’Ascoyne, Ethelred’s sister; Ethelred’s nephews, Young Ascoyne and Young Henry, and the seventh duke, Ethelred’s father—in flashback sequences.

Guinness had initially been offered four parts, but said: “I read [the screenplay] on a beach in France, collapsed with laughter on the first page, and didn’t even bother to get to the end of the script. I went straight back to the hotel and sent a telegram saying, ‘Why four parts? Why not eight!?'”

It seems even eight was too few.

Armie Hammer
The Social Network

Armie Hammer plays the Winklevoss Twins in The Social Network.
Sony Pictures

Armie Hammer doubled up in The Social Network playing twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and delivers one of the film’s best lines: “I’m six foot five, 220 pounds, and there’s two of me.”

Hammer acted alongside body double Josh Pence in his scenes as the twins, and his face was then digitally grafted onto Pence’s body, while other scenes used split-screen technology.

Hammer told Vulture in October 2010: “It’s very fair to say that [David] Fincher likes to push himself and likes to push technology. He likes to be the flagship, I think, and he’s paved his way in this industry by being a peerless visual director who’s willing to do things like replace people’s heads in movies. I mean, I think that’s the reason he does all those commercials, still; he can do all that R&D and test stuff that he can break out later for movies. He’s really one of the most technologically minded guys I’ve ever seen.”

Lily Tomlin
The Incredible Shrinking Woman

Lily Tomlin sitting in an over sized chair holding an over sized drinking glass in a scene from the film ‘The Incredible Shrinking Woman’, 1981.
Universal Pictures/Getty Images

In this parody of the 1957 sci-fi film The Incredible Shrinking Man, Lily Tomlin pulled quadruple duty, playing four characters.

She played Pat Kramer, the titular shrinking woman, her neighbour Judith Beasley, and Tomlin’s Laugh-In characters Ernestine, a telephone operator, and Edith Ann, a little girl.

Edith Ann is only seen in the TV version of the comedy, although her deleted scene was also included on the Blu-Ray collectors’ edition.

Paul Dano
There Will Be Blood

Paul Dano stars in There Will Be Blood.
Miramax

In There Will Be Blood, Paul Dano plays both twins Eli and Paul Sunday, but he had initially only been cast in the smaller role of Paul.

Kel O’Neill had been cast as Eli, but left the project just a couple of weeks on. It was reported that he just wasn’t the right fit, but a Daniel Day-Lewis profile in The New York Times Magazine suggested that O’Neill was “intimidated” by the actor, and left due to the pressure.

O’Neill acknowledged that he was removed from the shooting schedule and fired, but denied it had anything to do with his co-star, telling Vulture: “It wasn’t drinks every night with Daniel on set, but there’s a fundamental decency to the way he comports himself in those environments that gets lost in the shuffle of these rumours.

“After we did our first scene, he came over, shook my hand and said — sort of in character and sort of not — ‘Welcome.’ And that sets a tone where that person isn’t your enemy. I would be cautious now, especially when he’s not going to do this anymore, about making him so mythical that there’s no acknowledgement of the human being there.”

Warwick Davis
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II

Warwick Davis as Griphook in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II.
Warner Bros

Many British actors have starred in the Harry Potter franchise, but only Warwick Davis has the distinction of playing two speaking roles.

Throughout the series, Davis played both Professor Filius Flitwick and Griphook, a goblin who works at Gringotts.

He played both roles in the final movie, and also played a bank teller in the first film, The Philosopher’s Stone.

Hank Azaria
Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian

Hank Azaria arrives for the World Premiere of ‘Night at the Museum 2’ at the Empire Leicester Square on May 12, 2009 in London, England.
Jon Furniss/WireImage

Hank Azaria plays three exhibits in the second film in the Night At The Museum franchise.

As well as playing Kahmunrah, a villainous pharaoh, Azaria voices The Thinker, a famous artwork, and a statue of Abraham Lincoln.

Amy Adams also pulls double duty in the film, playing both Tess and Amelia Earhart.

Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale
The Prestige

Actors Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale pose at the premiere of Touchstone Pictures’ “The Prestige” at the El Capitan Theater on October 17, 2006 in Los Angeles, California.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images

The Prestige’s two leading men both played two roles, which must have been rather confusing on set.

Hugh Jackman played Robert “The Great Danton” Angier and magician Lord Caldlow, while Christian Bale played both Alfred “The Professor” Borden and working class magician Fallon.

The multiple roles are very important, as they are the basis of Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending ending for the critically acclaimed film.

Meg Ryan
Joe vs The Volcano

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in a scene from the film ‘Joe Versus The Volcano’, 1990.
Warner Brothers/Getty Images

Kickstarting a string of 1990s rom-coms with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the leads, Joe vs The Volcano actually saw Ryan playing three roles.

Using a trio of wigs to differentiate between them, Ryan plays DeDe, Hanks’ character Joe’s shy co-worker (brunette wig), and feuding half-sisters Angelica (auburn) and Patricia (Ryan’s natural blonde hair).

Deborah Kerr
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

A scene from The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp.
FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images

In this wartime comedy, Deborah Kerr played three roles throughout the Boer War, World War I and World War II: Edith Hunter, Barbara Wynne, and Angela “Johnny” Cannon.

Kerr was just 21 when she was given the three roles, after Wendy Hiller pulled out of the film due to being pregnant.

Jason Isaacs
Peter Pan

It is a stage tradition that in productions of Peter Pan, the same actor plays the fearsome Captain Hook and Mr Darling, the father of Wendy, Michael and John.

So in 2003’s big screen adaptation, Jason Isaacs took on the dual roles.

However, Isaacs said it was more than tradition, telling USA Today in December 2003: “It’s much more symbolic than that. Wendy goes to a place where she’s working out what she wants to do about growing up. … When little kids imagine growing up and having a family, they look at their dad.

“It’s a little creepy, but it’s meant to be creepy. There is someone who represents all the worst things and best things about growing up. Hook is this kind of animal character who she’s strangely attracted to, but also repelled by — and he looks a lot like her dad!”

Tom Hardy
Legend

In this 2015’s biographical drama, Tom Hardy played both Reggie and Ronnie Kray, the identical twins that terrorised London’s East End in the 1950s and 1960s.

Various technologies and filming techniques, including a digital face graft onto a stunt double, were used to allow Hardy to play both twins, with the actor even getting into a fist fight with himself.

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