- Notes provided by Warner Bros. -
Ben "Finn" Finnegan (Matthew McConaughey) is an affable, modern-day treasure hunter who is obsessed with finding the legendary 18th century Queen's Dowry-40 chests of priceless treasure that was lost at sea in 1715. In his quest, Finn has sunk everything he has, including his marriage to Tess (Kate Hudson).
Just as Tess has begun to rebuild her life, working aboard a mega-yacht owned by billionaire Nigel Honeycutt (Donald Sutherland), Finn discovers a vital clue to the treasure's whereabouts. Much to Tess' consternation, Finn maneuvers himself aboard Nigel's yacht and, using his roguish charm, convinces the tycoon and his celebutante daughter, Gemma (Alexis Dziena), to join him in the pursuit of the Spanish riches. Even Tess can't resist the lure of finally uncovering the treasure that had eluded them for so long.
But they are not the only ones after the prize. Finn's one-time mentor, Moe Fitch (Ray Winstone), and a ruthless local gangster named Bigg Bunny (Kevin Hart) are intent on beating Finn to the trove. Let the treasure hunt begin...
The romantic comedy adventure "Fool's Gold" was directed by Andy Tennant, who broke records at the box office with the comedy "Hitch." The film also reunites Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson, who had previously teamed on the romantic comedy smash "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."
Rounding out the main cast are veteran actor Donald Sutherland ("Pride and Prejudice"), Ewen Bremner ("Match Point"), Alexis Dziena ("Broken Flowers"), Kevin Hart ("Epic Movie") and Ray Winstone ("Beowulf").
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a De Line Pictures/Bernie Goldmann Production, an Andy Tennant Film, "Fool's Gold." Tennant ("Hitch," "Sweet Home Alabama") directed the film from a screenplay he wrote with John Claflin & Daniel Zelman, story by Claflin & Zelman. Donald De Line, Bernie Goldmann and Jon Klane produced the film, with Wink Mordaunt and James R. Dyer executive producing and Stephen Jones serving as co-producer.
The behind-the-scenes creative team included Oscar-nominated director of photography Don Burgess ("Forrest Gump"), production designer Charles Wood, editors Troy Takaki and Tracey Wadmore-Smith, multiple Oscar-nominated composer George Fenton ("The Fisher King," "Dangerous Liaisons," "Gandhi," "Cry Freedom"), and Oscar-winning costume designer Ngila Dickson ("The Lord of the Rings" trilogy).
"Fool's Gold" will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
This film has been rated PG-13 for action violence, some sexual material, brief nudity and language.
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ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
CASTING OFF
Andy Tennant had been looking to explore new territory on screen when he was given an early draft of the script "Fool's Gold," by John Claflin & Daniel Zelman. "I read the material and I thought it had really good bones, no pun intended, and was a golden opportunity to make a really big, fun movie with all the elements I would want to see in an adventure comedy," Tennant recalls. "I felt I could bring a lot to it, so I embarked on a seven-month rewrite during which time, I admit, I became a little obsessed. I did quite a bit of research into the legend of the Queen's Dowry, things that have happened with real treasure hunters and what they've found."
Producer Bernie Goldmann offers, "When I read the script, I thought it was a great concept for a romantic adventure movie. I have always found Andy's movies to be highly entertaining, so I sent the script to him. I knew it would be a great fit."
Producer Donald De Line adds, "You look at the body of his work and, obviously, Andy is wonderful with comedy. He's got an incredible instinct for where the humor and the heart is and has great affection for his characters. I knew that what he does so brilliantly with relationships combined with a great adventure story would make for a really fresh take on a romantic action comedy."
Tennant notes, "I think part of the reason I was attracted to this particular story is that the treasure hunt is not only about the money. It's about this couple who fell in love over a shared passion for research and discovery. But in the real world maybe that wasn't enough, so when we meet them they are on the brink of a divorce. For them, the treasure may be finding a way back to each other. That, to me, was fun."
To play the lead roles of Ben "Finn" Finnegan and his now ex-wife, Tess, the filmmakers reteamed Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson, whose proven chemistry had already won the hearts of moviegoers in the 2003 hit "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."
"It was great to come into this and already have that comfort zone with Matthew," states Hudson. "I have a total soft spot for him. He's so endearing; there's really not a mean bone in his body. We can goof around and have a great time, but we also know how to push each other's buttons perfectly. We both have a little bit of a competitive nature and throw little jabs at each other, which suited our characters and the dynamic of their relationship."
"Kate and I fight and flirt really well," McConaughey smiles. "Chemistry is more about what goes on between the lines than what goes on during the lines and, for whatever reason, it seems to work between us. Kate has a special sparkle that's very easy to be attracted to. She's also very sharp with great comedic timing, so it keeps the comedy buoyant, but with a little edge to it."
"We needed a couple that could spar; they had to be equally balanced so you'd know that each could give as good as he or she got," Tennant remarks. "Matthew and Kate are both so talented and they embraced their characters so completely, there was an immediate spark. And because of their previous collaboration, the audience has sort of seen what they're like when they fall in love, so we could skip right over the marriage and go right to the divorce," he laughs.
In fact, the story begins on the very day that their divorce is to become final. But while Tess is an emotional wreck convincing herself that she's doing the right thing, Finn is dealing with a wreck of a different kind. Underwater and oblivious to the disaster developing on the surface, Finn has managed to sink his boat and, with it, any hope of making it back to town in time to try and stop Tess from ending their marriage once and for all. But out of the disaster, a shard of hope emerges-a piece of a plate that proves he is closer than ever to finding the Queen's Dowry, an untold fortune in gold and jewels that has mystified treasure hunters for almost 300 years.
McConaughey says, "As it so happens, the same day that his wife is divorcing him, Finn finds a new clue-a big clue-to the treasure they've been searching for for the last eight years. It's proof that the treasure is there, and if he can show her that they're on the right track after all, maybe she'll give him another chance and won't go through with the divorce. Finn has a gift for talking his way in and out of things, and luck-or is it fate?-is on his side more often than not. If you stick with him long enough, you'll be okay...it's just that you're not quite sure where he's going or how the hell he's going to get there. He screws up all the time, but that's part of why Tess fell in love with him, I think."
As it turns out, Finn's instincts are right. The couple had fallen in love while researching the Queen's Dowry and spent their entire marriage searching for it. Now that they may be on the brink of finally unraveling the mystery, Tess finds herself drawn back into the hunt. Try as she might, Tess can't ignore the importance of Finn's latest discovery any more than she can resist Finn.
"You get the sense that Finn makes Tess crazy," Hudson admits. "She loves him, but he is completely irresponsible and doesn't think before he acts and Tess has a difficult time trusting his judgment. As you get to know their relationship, you understand why it's that kind of `I love you, but I can't be near you, but I can't walk away from you' kind of thing. Of course, when Tess finally makes the leap to end the marriage, Finn manages to work his way back into her life and continues to drive her insane," she laughs.
NEW FRIENDS AND OLD FOES
With her divorce decree in hand, Tess has set a new course for her life, working on the fabulous luxury yacht Precious Gem, owned by billionaire Nigel Honeycutt. To the delight of the filmmakers, award-winning actor Donald Sutherland accepted the role of the wealthy tycoon, who got more than he bargained for when he hired Tess to serve as a steward on his yacht.
De Line, who previously collaborated with Sutherland on "The Italian Job," says, "I've been fortunate to work with Donald Sutherland twice now, and he brings something special with him every time he walks onto a set. We were thrilled when he loved the script and the role. Everyone knew he was a brilliant actor, but then he wrote a beautiful, impassioned letter about how he saw the character of Nigel and that just sealed the deal. It was really something."
"There are times in a director's life when you meet actors that transcend their roles, and working with Donald was one of those times," states Tennant. "This is a man who has done an amazing amount of work. He doesn't have anything to prove and yet he came to the read-through and had the entire script memorized-not just his lines or his scenes, he knew the whole script. It was just amazing and it immediately raised the bar for everybody else. He is not only a consummate professional, he is a fascinating guy. I could listen to him talk all day, so it was quite a treat to work with him and to spend time with him off the set."
Tess had just begun to believe that she had made a clean break from Finn when, to her utter consternation, he manages to finagle his way on board the Precious Gem with a daring at-sea rescue of a wind-driven hat belonging to Nigel's spoiled celebutante daughter, Gemma.
Gemma is played by up-and-coming actress Alexis Dziena, who, Tennant says, "has a real gift for comedy and is as sweet as they come. When we were casting the role, Alexis came into the room and was just the best of the bunch. She was fun and funny and nailed the character, so it was an easy decision on my part to cast her."
Dziena observes that while, at first glance, Gemma might appear somewhat shallow, there is more to her character than meets the eye. "The challenge with this character was to make sure she was coming from a positive place and did not come off completely vain and one-dimensional. One of the things Andy and I talked about was her `Gemma-isms,' the little things she comes up with that define her more than what was on the page. We also had a really fun time defining the character by the outfits she wears. She has very expensive taste, so I got to wear things I couldn't afford to buy."
Costume designer Ngila Dickson offers, "We wanted to make Gemma as outrageous as we possibly could, in contrast to Tess, who is more sporty and practical. We could get very creative, even with Gemma's swimwear, like that red-stripe suit with the suspenders, which just jumped out at me. It was perfect for the character, so we dropped everything else and put her right into it."
Dziena adds that another side of Gemma emerges through her relationship with her father. "I think it's one of those things where you love someone and you know they love you, but you don't quite know how to interact. They haven't spent a whole lot of time together over the years and have never really talked about things. I wouldn't say they have an estranged relationship as much as an awkward one."
Once on board the Precious Gem and having earned the eternal gratitude of Gemma for the salvation of her hat, Finn sees a golden opportunity to get new backing for his treasure hunt. Before long, he is enthralling Nigel and Gemma with the story of the doomed 18th-century ship the Aurelia and her lost cargo, the legendary Queen's Dowry. Finn's zeal reignites Tess's own, and their shared passion proves infectious, leading Nigel and Gemma to join enthusiastically in the quest.
Unfortunately for Finn, he had previously infected a less-scrupulous investor and clued him in to the fact that he was getting close to the treasure...in fact, a little too close. Now that one-time backer-a powerful local gangster with the deceptively warm and fuzzy name of Bigg Bunny-has claimed ownership of the treasure and with good reason: everything points to the fact that it is hidden somewhere on the small Caribbean island that Bigg Bunny bought and paid for with the money he made as a rap star.
Kevin Hart, who plays the part of Bigg Bunny, explains, "Bigg Bunny was making it in the music industry, but once he did all there was to do, he decided to invest his money in an island. And it just so happens that there's treasure there, but you can't come into somebody's backyard and just take it-and when I say backyard, I mean island. Bigg Bunny bought this island. It's his, and anything on it, under it or around it is his. That's how he feels."
Making matters worse, Finn is already deep in debt to Bigg Bunny, who has run out of patience with him. "Finn has become a constant pain in Bigg Bunny's behind because he has a way of always getting out of situations," says Hart. "Bigg can't catch him, he can't kill him, he can't get rid of him-every time he sends his guys after him, Finn keeps popping back up and it's frustrating."
Tennant comments, "It's a tricky business when you're doing an adventure comedy like this because there has to be some danger and suspense, but the villainy can't go too far. The tone has to be slightly skewed. Kevin Hart was perfect as Bigg Bunny because he is really funny even when he's trying to be ruthless."
Bigg Bunny's two henchmen, Curtis and Cordell, are equally hapless and are more likely to trip over themselves than trip up Finn. Brian Hooks and Malcolm-Jamal Warner appear as Curtis and Cordell, respectively.
Finn doesn't get much help from his own right-hand man, a Ukrainian transplant named Alfonz, played by Scottish actor Ewen Bremner. Once on the Precious Gem, Alfonz proves better at having eyes for Gemma than keeping an eye out for Bigg Bunny.
What Bigg Bunny has in money and power he lacks in expertise. So he wastes no time in enlisting the help of the one person with the experience and know-how to beat Finn to the treasure: Finn's former mentor, Moe Fitch. A veteran treasure salvor, Moe taught Finn everything he knew before, from his point of view, Finn betrayed him. Now their one-time partnership has become a heated competition. And to the winner goes the spoils-namely the Queen's Dowry.
Ray Winstone, who plays Moe, observes, "You start out figuring Moe to be a bad guy, but people are not always what you perceive them to be. Moe must have seen something in Finn as a kid that he really liked, so he took him under his wing and taught him the game. But Finn, being very strong-headed and maybe lacking in morals at the time, disappointed him. It broke Moe's heart in a way. But underneath, he still has a soft spot for Finn. It's kind of like a father-son relationship."
In researching the role of an inveterate treasure hunter, Winstone says he gained a great respect for those who dedicate their lives to uncovering relics of the past. "The people who devote their lives to salving and hunting for treasures have to be part scientist, part oceanographer, part gambler... And once you make your first find, you get a fever for it. If you love the sea and love exploring and love learning, it's a great way to live."
The allure of finding untold wealth beneath the ocean has long captured the imagination of would-be treasure hunters. Tennant says, "The amount of jewels and riches that are still hidden under the sea is staggering. To uncover it would be like finding a needle in a haystack, but there are people who spend their whole lives trying. It's a crazy bunch."
"They say the earth is about 75 percent water and 95 percent of it is unexplored, so there's a lot out there that has never been found," poses McConaughey. "If you can put together a few clues, then anything is possible...and it's going to be an adventure no matter what."
Hudson adds, "When you start hearing the stories of people who have actually discovered old shipwrecks, it's mind-boggling. The challenge of finding these things that have been preserved for hundreds of years beneath the ocean is thrilling. It's that same type of thrill-seeking passion that Tess and Finn share."
DOWN UNDER
"Fool's Gold" is set in the Caribbean and the original plan was also to shoot the movie there. However, certain logistical concerns, not to mention the impending hurricane season, forced the filmmakers to change the plan. They eventually found everything they needed in and around Queensland, Australia. Filming took place in Port Douglas, Lizard Island, the Whitsundays and the Gold Coast.
Production designer Charles Wood notes, "Andy had his heart set on the movie being set in the Caribbean. So once we knew we would be filming in Australia, I had to replicate the look of the islands there. We looked for similar environments on the coast of Australia and then a major part of my job was to capture the essence of the Caribbean."
Andy Tennant comments, "As a director, you have to trust that a production designer is going to somehow interpret your vision, and Charles Wood was equally invested in all the details and the nuances of the story. He is as meticulous as you could ever want a production designer to be, and he has the talent to back it up."
Wood traveled to St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John islands to research the designs and to get a feel for the overall atmosphere there. To design the Queen's Dowry, he also spent a considerable amount of time at the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum in Key West, Florida, which boasts an extraordinary collection of treasures, documents and other relics dating back hundreds of years. The designer says the visit was invaluable because "I could see actual Spanish treasure and understand exactly how it would look. It's all been very well documented through illustrations and photography, so it allowed us to make the treasure as detailed and accurate as possible."
Real-life treasure hunters spend much of their time exploring the ocean depths, so much of the action in "Fool's Gold" takes place near, on or under the water, which came with its own inherent set of challenges. Tennant remarks, "Everyone told me working on water is tough, and it is. The weather changes in an instant, the skies change, the water changes, things can even sink. You've got to anticipate that things will go wrong and be prepared. In these situations, the team you put together makes or breaks you and I was extremely fortunate to have (director of photography) Don Burgess, who worked on films like `Cast Away' and `Forrest Gump' and knows about working on water. He was an incredible asset."
Donald De Line, who was on set throughout production, adds, "I think the biggest challenge in moviemaking is filming on water so that was a major concern. You can spend lots of time planning everything, but in the end you're at the mercy of the elements and things don't always go right. We were shooting from boat to boat, from air to boats, from land to boats...every variation you could think of. Everything had to be carefully choreographed. Luckily, we had an amazing marine coordinator named Lance Julian."
Julian was responsible for gathering the flotilla of boats used in the production, including the few seen on camera, as well as the dozens more that were utilized as camera boats, transport boats and dive boats. One of his most important finds was the 140-foot yacht that doubled as Nigel Honeycutt's luxurious Precious Gem. The right ship was ultimately found in Fiji, and Charles Wood says it fit the bill perfectly. "We needed it to have multiple decks and have a diving area off the stern and this one had it all. It's not easy to find boats of that scale that are available for this kind of work, so we were lucky to find one that was close to Australian waters and one that the owner would allow us to film on."
"I know if I owned a yacht like that, the last thing I would do would be to let a movie crew on board," Tennant laughs. "It's a beautiful boat and we really appreciated that they let us take it over for all that time."
For the cast, working on water meant the first order of business was getting their diving certifications. Veteran stunt coordinator R.A. Rondell (the "Matrix" sequels, "Superman Returns") offers, "We had extensive water sequences, so everybody had to go through the certification process. The biggest thing was to teach them the basic mechanics and walk them through all the safety procedures so we could get their comfort levels up to a certain point, which was different for everybody. Matthew is a natural athlete and a very quick study. He really can do everything that's asked of him. For a stunt coordinator, he's a godsend. I had never worked with Kate before, but she's a good listener and asks all the right questions. She learns what needs to be done and then goes right at it."
McConaughey, who already had his dive certification, took it to the next level, earning his advanced certificate during the course of production. For most of the cast, however, it was a new world.
Hudson remarks, "It was a great bonding experience for the actors because we all got to dive together, which was pretty cool. It's one of those situations where you have to learn to trust one another in an environment where you really need to trust somebody the most."
Dive master Tye Zinck, who oversaw the film's diving operations and water safety, reveals, "They all turned out to be good divers, which was a little surprising because we were taking people with little or no diving experience and pretty much throwing them into an underwater setting. Matthew, of course, was already a diver and very strong in the water-no worries about him at all. Kate was a little apprehensive at first, but as soon as she saw what was down there, she was totally exhilarated. She made it look like she'd been doing it all her life."
"I thought it was going to be easier than it was," Hudson admits. "When I had my first real dive, I was terrified to get into the water, but the marine crew and all the dive masters were amazing. And once you get down there, it's just incredible. I mean, to be able to do my first dive on the Great Barrier Reef is mind-blowing. The sea life is phenomenal. It was like being in a whole other world. Now I'm in love with diving; I can't wait to get back in the water."
On the other hand, Kevin Hart contends that he was satisfied to admire the sea life...from afar. "The ocean is not my home. It is the home of sharks, jellyfish, stingrays-things that can basically kill you-and I do not want to trespass in their home. That's how I look at it. I don't care if everyone says it's the most beautiful water they've ever seen in their lives. I can see it from on top of the boat. Always on the boat," he says only half-jokingly.
Of course, safety was a top priority, and the cast was always surrounded by professional divers ready to move in at the first sign of trouble...or unwelcome aquatic sightseers. In fact, an unexpected influx of the deadly Irukandji jellyfish, which are native to northern Australian waters, did force everyone out of the water and halted filming for a time. When the jellyfish showed no intention of leaving, the production briefly moved to real Caribbean waters to complete those scenes.
"You never know what Mother Nature is going to do when you're out in the middle of the ocean," McConaughey attests. "As beautiful as the locations are, there is also danger, whether it's the wind or the waves or those dreaded jellyfish. But there's nothing you can do about it, so you just have to work with it."
Nevertheless, certain underwater sequences in the film required a more controlled environment than the open ocean could provide. Unfortunately, there was no water tank in Queensland, so the decision was made to build one. Wood notes, "I've done some underwater work, but nothing on this scale so building the tank was new territory for me.
I worked very closely with my art director, Peter Russell, who has a strong engineering background and was incredibly helpful in the process. We also worked in conjunction with several local contractors who came in and gave us great advice."
The first question was size. Wood explains, "What initially set the scale for the tank was the sinking of Finn's boat, the Booty Calls, which was one of the first scenes to be shot in it. We knew the boat was 40 feet long and we needed 20 feet on each side of it to give ourselves enough clearance."
The resulting dimensions of the tank were 140 feet long and 100 feet wide, with a minimum depth of 16 feet and a maximum depth of 21 feet. It could hold 7.2 million liters of water, making it, by Wood's estimation "the largest tank in the southern hemisphere and one of the largest in the world."
The construction of the tank was only the beginning. "The maintenance and running of the tank was far more complex," states Wood. "The filtration and heating systems were huge issues in their own right. I mean, we could build whatever we wanted in the tank, but if the water wasn't clear enough to film in it, it would be problematic for all of us."
"Having the tank was amazing," states Tennant. "One day, we shot the sunken boat at the bottom of the tank. Then we went away and came back and there was an entirely different set ready to go. Then the actors got in and I got in and we all got to play under water," he smiles.
"Part of the reason I love making movies is the opportunity to have new experiences, and on this film I was able to do so many things I've never done before," the director reflects. "I got to work in Australia and shoot under water and do some big action sequences. It was a great time."
# # #
ABOUT THE CAST
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY (Finn) most recently starred in the critically acclaimed feature "We Are Marshall," playing a football coach in the inspiring story of a small West Virginia town's struggle with devastating loss.
In 2005, McConaughey starred in the action adventure comedy "Sahara," with Penelope Cruz and Steve Zahn. He earned a People's Choice Award for his role in the film, which opened at the top of the weekend box office and marked the first major motion picture produced by his production company, j.k. livin productions. McConaughey followed with a starring role opposite Al Pacino in the drama "Two for the Money" before closing the year as People Magazine's "Sexiest Man Alive."
His recent film credits include the popular romantic comedies "Failure to Launch," with Sarah Jessica Parker, and "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," opposite Kate Hudson; the sci-fi adventure "Reign of Fire," with Christian Bale; the ensemble drama "Thirteen Conversations About One Thing"; the horror thriller "Frailty," written and directed by Bill Paxton; and Adam Shankman's hit romantic comedy "The Wedding Planner," opposite Jennifer Lopez.
McConaughey also starred in the World War II action drama "U-571," Ron Howard's "EDtv," Steven Spielberg's "Amistad," Robert Zemeckis' "Contact" and Joel Schumacher's critically acclaimed courtroom drama "A Time to Kill," as well as "Lone Star," "Angels in the Outfield" and Richard Linklater's "Dazed and Confused."
McConaughey's production company, j.k. livin, executive produced the feature documentary "Hands on a Hard Body," and is currently in development on numerous projects with various studios and production companies, including the upcoming comedy "Surfer Dude." McConaughey will next be seen in "Tropic Thunder," opposite Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black, slated for release in summer 2008.
KATE HUDSON (Tess) won a Golden Globe Award and earned Academy Award, BAFTA Award and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award nominations for her work in Cameron Crowe's acclaimed 2000 film "Almost Famous," set in the world of 1970s rock `n' roll. Hudson's performance as legendary "band aid" Penny Lane also captured the hearts of audiences and brought her honors from critics groups around the country, including the Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Breakthrough Artist. In addition, she received a second SAG Award nomination for Outstanding Cast Performance, shared with an ensemble cast which included Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Patrick Fugit, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jason Lee and Anna Paquin.
Hudson next starred in Robert Altman's "Dr. T & the Women," once again joining an acclaimed ensemble cast, which included Richard Gere, Helen Hunt, Laura Dern and Liv Tyler. She was then seen in the romantic comedy "About Adam," with Stuart Townsend and Frances O'Connor, and in Shekhar Kapur's epic period film "The Four Feathers," starring opposite Heath Ledger and Wes Bentley.
In 2003, Hudson starred opposite Matthew McConaughey in the hit romantic comedy "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days," which earned over $200 million at the box office worldwide. That same year, she starred with Luke Wilson in "Alex & Emma" for director Rob Reiner, and in Merchant-Ivory's contemporary comedy "Le Divorce," with an all-star international ensemble including Naomi Watts, Glenn Close, Stockard Channing, Leslie Caron and Stephen Fry. Hudson then took on the title role of Garry Marshall's comedy drama "Raising Helen," followed by the psychological thriller "Skeleton Key," opposite Peter Sarsgaard and Gena Rowlands. Most recently, she starred in the hit comedy "You, Me and Dupree," opposite Owen Wilson, Matt Dillon and Michael Douglas. She will next be seen opposite Dane Cook in "My Best Friend's Girl" and recently made her debut as a writer and director with the short film "Cutlass," part of the Glamour Reel Moments program.
Hudson had made her studio feature debut in Risa Bramon Garcia's "200 Cigarettes," co-starring with Ben Affleck, Courtney Love and Martha Plimpton. Her other early credits include Morgan J. Freeman's "Desert Blue," with Christina Ricci and Casey Affleck, and "Gossip," a psychological drama which also featured James Marsden and Joshua Jackson.
This spring, Hudson and hairstylist David Babaii will launch DAVID BABAII FOR WILDAID, an innovative new brand of professional hair care products which are free of sulfates, parabens, animal products and animal testing, with a percentage of the revenue from the line to benefit the global wildlife conservation organization WildAid.
DONALD SUTHERLAND (Nigel Honeycutt) is one of the film industry's most prolific and versatile actors, with an impressive list of well over 100 credits, ranging from the biting political satire of Robert Altman's "M*A*S*H" and the intimate drama of Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" to the subtle intricacy of Alan J. Pakula's "Klute" and the eccentric romanticism of "Fellini's Casanova." He also garnered Golden Globe nominations for his roles in "M*A*S*H" and "Ordinary People."
Sutherland's career has encompassed collaborations with some of the most esteemed film directors working in the medium, on such projects as Bernardo Bertolucci's "1900"; "Don't Look Now," directed by Nicolas Roeg; "The Day of the Locust," directed by John Schlesinger; Paul Mazursky's "Alex in Wonderland"; "The Dirty Dozen," directed by Robert Aldrich; "The Eagle Has Landed," directed by John Sturges; Herbert Ross's "Max Dugan Returns"; Louis Malle's "Crackers"; "Backdraft," directed by Ron Howard; Oliver Stone's "JFK"; "Six Degrees of Separation," directed by Fred Schepisi; "Without Limits," directed by Robert Towne, for which Sutherland earned another Golden Globe nomination; Clint Eastwood's "Space Cowboys"; Anthony Minghella's "Cold Mountain"; and "Pride and Prejudice," directed by Joe Wright.
His more recent credits include "Reign Over Me," with Don Cheadle and Adam Sandler; "Ask the Dust," written and directed by Robert Towne; "Land of the Blind," with Ralph Fiennes; "An American Haunting," opposite Sissy Spacek; "American Gun," with Marcia Gay Harden and Forest Whitaker; and "Fierce People," directed by Griffin Dunne.
Also honored for his work on television, Sutherland was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as Manhattan patriarch Tripp Darling in the new hit ABC series "Dirty Sexy Money," in which he stars opposite Peter Krause and Jill Clayburgh. He previously won both Golden Globe and Emmy Awards for his performance in the HBO movie "Citizen X." Sutherland won another Golden Globe for his portrayal of Clark Clifford, advisor to President Lyndon B. Johnson, in director John Frankenheimer's historical HBO drama "Path to War." In 2006, he earned dual Golden Globe nominations: one for his starring role as ambitious Speaker of the House Nathan Templeton on the series "Commander in Chief" and a second for his performance in the acclaimed Lifetime movie "Human Trafficking," for which he was also Emmy nominated.
On stage, Sutherland was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award as Best Actor for his role in the critically acclaimed, sold-out Lincoln Center engagement of Jon Robin Baitz's "Ten Unknowns." He also starred in the London, Los Angeles and Toronto productions of "Enigmatic Variations," an English-language translation (by his son Roeg Sutherland) of Eric-Emmanual Schmitt's renowned French play.
EWEN BREMNER (Alfonz) has over 25 feature film credits to his name. His appearance in Mike Leigh's acclaimed 1993 film "Naked" marked the turning point early in his career, and quickly led to roles in such films as Danny Cannon's "Judge Dredd," starring Sylvester Stallone; "Royal Deceit," with Gabriel Byrne and Helen Mirren; and "The Phoenix and the Magic Carpet," starring Peter Ustinov.
As the perpetually unfortunate Spud in Danny Boyles' gritty, internationally successful film "Trainspotting," Bremner delivered one of his most memorable and celebrated performances to date. His other major feature credits include "The Life of Stuff"; "The Acid House"; "Julien Donkey-Boy," in the title role of a troubled, schizophrenic young man, opposite Chloe Sevigny; the thriller "Paranoid"; Guy Ritchie's "Snatch"; Michael Bay's "Pearl Harbor"; Ridley Scott's "Black Hawk Down"; the musical comedy "Fancy Dancing"; "16 Years of Alcohol"; "The Reckoning," with Paul Bettany and Brian Cox; Peter Berg's "The Rundown"; "Around the World in 80 Days," with Jackie Chan and Jim Broadbent; "AVP: Alien vs. Predator"; the romantic drama "The Zero Sum"; "Marvelous"; and Woody Allen's critically acclaimed "Match Point." His most recent credits include the romantic drama "Mister Foe," with Jamie Bell and Sophia Myles, and a standout role in the ensemble-based black comedy "Death at a Funeral," directed by Frank Oz.
For British television, Bremner has played dramatic roles in "The Virgin Queen"; "Elizabeth I," starring Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons; "The True Adventures of Robert Louis Stevenson"; "The Baader Meinhoff Gang Show"; and "Surrealissimo: The Trial of Salvador Dali," in which he played the famously eccentric artist.
Bremner was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and his stage work in the UK includes Kathy Burke's Donmar Warehouse production of "God of Hell," as well as acclaimed productions of "Trainspotting," "Gormenghast," "The Present and Bright Light Shining," "Slab Boys," "Greenfingers," "The Funeral" and "Conquest of the South Pole."
ALEXIS DZIENA (Gemma Honeycutt) has portrayed an eclectic collection of roles in such films as Jim Jarmusch's "Broken Flowers," opposite Bill Murray and Sharon Stone; "Sex and Breakfast," opposite Macaulay Culkin; "Havoc" with Anne Hathaway; and "Strangers with Candy," starring Amy Sedaris.
On television, Dziena co-starred in the ABC series "Invasion," as well as in the CBS television movie "Stone Cold," with Tom Selleck, and Lifetime's "She's Too Young," opposite Marcia Gay Harden.
A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Dziena is an accomplished singer, pianist and cellist, and is currently honing her skills on drums and guitar.
She will next be seen in the dramatic features "Tenderness," starring Russell Crowe, and "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist," opposite Michael Cera.
KEVIN HART (Bigg Bunny) began his entertainment career on amateur night at a Philadelphia comedy club. He soon quit his day job at an athletic shoe store chain and began performing full-time at clubs such as the Boston Comedy Club, Caroline's, Stand-Up NY, The Improvisation, The Laugh Factory and The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, eventually branching out internationally to perform at clubs in Amsterdam and London.
It was his performance at the Montreal Comedy Festival which led to his work in feature films. His screen credits include "Epic Movie," "Scary Movie 4," "The Last Stand," "In the Mix," "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "Soul Plane," "Along Came Polly," "Scary Movie 3" (for which he wrote his own role), and "Paper Soldiers."
For television, Hart executive produced, wrote and starred in the ABC sitcom "The Big House," loosely based on his family in Philadelphia. His other television appearances include UPN's "Love, Inc.," Showtime's "Barbershop" and MTV's "Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out." Currently, he can be seen as the host of MTV's hit show "Celebrity Rap Superstar."
Hart's upcoming films include the comedies "Starship Dave," starring Eddie Murphy; "Not Easily Broken," directed by Bill Duke; "Something Like a Business"; "Extreme Movie," with Jamie Kennedy; and "Superhero!" opposite Leslie Nielsen.
RAY WINSTONE (Moe Fitch) was recently seen in the title role of "Beowulf," the groundbreaking motion-capture action film directed by Robert Zemeckis. Prior to that, he appeared in Martin Scorsese's Oscar-winning drama "The Departed" and in Anthony Minghella's "Breaking and Entering," opposite Jude Law and Juliette Binoche.
Winstone won a 1998 British Independent Film Award for Best Actor and earned a BAFTA Award nomination for his performance in Gary Oldman's "Nil by Mouth." The following year, he earned another British Independent Film nomination for his work in Tim Roth's drama "The War Zone." He received his third British Independent Film Award nomination for Best Actor for his work in "Sexy Beast." Additionally, he shared a National Board of Review Award for Best Ensemble for the 2001 film "Last Orders." Winstone earned an Australian Film Institute Award nomination for Best Actor for his work in "The Proposition."
Born in Hackney in the East End of London, Winstone was a champion boxer in school and fought twice for England. He studied acting at the Corona School before director Alan Clarke cast him in the controversial project "Scum," which was originally produced as a BBC play but was banned for its brutally violent content. Later remade as a feature film, "Scum" launched Winstone's career. His subsequent credits include "Quadrophenia," "Ladybird, Ladybird," "Face," "The Sea Change," "The Very Thought of You," "Agnes Brown" and "Fanny and Elvis." His more recent films include Anthony Minghella's "Cold Mountain" and Antoine Fuqua's "King Arthur." Additionally, he was the voice of Mr. Beaver in the fantasy blockbuster "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."
He has also worked extensively in television, starring in series and made-fortelevision movies. His credits include the title roles in the British tele-films "Henry VIII" and "Sweeney Todd."
This summer, Winstone will be seen starring opposite Harrison Ford and Shia LaBeouf in the eagerly anticipated "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," Steven Spielberg's fourth installment of the popular Indiana Jones series.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS
ANDY TENNANT (Director/Screenwriter) helmed the romantic comedy "Hitch," starring Will Smith, which broke box office records upon its February 2005 opening on its way to becoming a worldwide hit. He previously scored a hit with the romantic comedy "Sweet Home Alabama," starring Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas and Patrick Dempsey. In 1999, Tennant directed Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat in "Anna and the King." He earlier co-wrote and directed the romantic fable "Ever After," starring Drew Barrymore, Dougray Scott and Anjelica Huston. He made his feature film directing debut with "It Takes Two," and subsequently directed Matthew Perry and Salma Hayek in "Fools Rush In."
A native of Chicago, Tennant studied theatre under John Houseman at the University of Southern California. For television, he directed such hits as "The Wonder Years," "Parker Lewis Can't Lose" and "The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr."
Tennant will next helm the romantic comedy "Around the World in 80 Dates" for producer Reese Witherspoon's Type A Films.
JOHN CLAFLIN (Screenplay/Story) worked as a development executive for producer Frederick Zollo on "Quiz Show" and for Albert "Cubby" Broccoli on "GoldenEye" before turning to screenwriting and selling his first spec script, "The Longest Night," to a major studio. He and Harvard classmate Daniel Zelman then partnered for several scripts, including the USA Network movie "They Nest," the production rewrite on "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid," the original spec screenplay "The Tomb" and the original pitch and screenplay "The Watch."
In addition to his work in film and television, he has a background in theatre. With noted Broadway composer Laurence O'Keefe, he wrote the music and lyrics for "La Cava," which opened in London's West End and ran for eight months.
Claflin is currently working on another spec screenplay and an original television pilot. He resides in Los Angeles.
DANIEL ZELMAN (Screenplay/Story) is currently executive producer and cocreator of the critically acclaimed FX series "Damages," starring Glenn Close. The series, which just completed its first season, was nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, including Best Drama. Additionally, Zelman is a co-nominee for a Writers Guild of America Award for Best New Series.
Zelman began his career as an actor, receiving his MFA from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Acting Program. He went on to appear in film and television and on stage in New York, including the Broadway production of Tony Kushner's "Angels in America."
Since then, he has co-authored several projects with John Claflin, including a TV movie for USA Network, the production rewrite on "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid," the original spec screenplay "The Tomb" and the original screenplay "The Watch." In addition to his collaborations with Claflin, he is the author of the original screenplay "Cowboy Dad."
Zelman resides in Los Angeles and New York with his wife, actress Debra Messing, and their son.
DONALD DE LINE (Producer) is today one of the film industry's most respected independent producers. He previously served as President and Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures and President of Touchstone Pictures.
De Line's past producing credits include the hit action adventure "The Italian Job," starring Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron and Donald Sutherland; and "The Stepford Wives," starring Nicole Kidman and Matthew Broderick.
De Line started his studio career in 1985 at the Walt Disney Company as Director of Production for Filmed Entertainment, and within five years had worked his way up to President of Touchstone Pictures at the age of 35. Under his guidance, Touchstone experienced an unprecedented string of box office hits, including Julia Roberts' launch to stardom in Garry Marshall's "Pretty Woman"; "Sister Act," starring Whoopi Goldberg; "Phenomenon," with John Travolta; Ron Howard's "Ransom," starring Mel Gibson; "Con Air," starring Nicolas Cage; Michael Bay's worldwide blockbuster "Armageddon," starring Bruce Willis; Robert Redford's "The Horse Whisperer"; and "The Waterboy," starring Adam Sandler. He also oversaw Wes Anderson's first studio feature, "Rushmore," starring Bill Murray, and Tim Burton's critically acclaimed biopic "Ed Wood," starring Johnny Depp, among others. In all, the films he oversaw grossed in excess of $2.5 billion worldwide and garnered an impressive 24 Academy Award nominations.
De Line's list of collaborators during that time also includes such esteemed directors as Martin Scorsese, Michael Mann and Jonathan Demme, and marquee actors including Steve Martin and Al Pacino, among others.
De Line most recently wrapped production on a thriller based on the David Ignatius book Body of Lies, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe, slated for a Fall 2008 release. Other current projects from De Line Pictures include the animated "Guardians of Ga'hoole," based on the bestselling young adult books of the same name, to be directed by Zack Snyder; and the comedies "Observe and Report," starring Seth Rogen and to be directed by Jody Hill, and "I Love You, Man," from writer-director John Hamburg.
BERNIE GOLDMANN (Producer) produced Zack Snyder's ferocious retelling of the ancient Battle of Thermopylae, the 2007 blockbuster "300," based on Frank Miller's graphic novel. The film broke box office records and was embraced by audiences and critics worldwide.
Goldmann more recently co-directed "Meet Bill" with his wife, Melisa Wallack. The comedy, starring Jessica Alba, Elizabeth Banks, Aaron Eckhart and Timothy Olyphant, was purchased by First Look Studios at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released in April 2008.
His other feature producing credits include "George Romero's Land of the Dead"; "Taking Lives," starring Angelina Jolie; and "Looney Tunes: Back in Action."
Goldmann served for three years as President of Production for Village Roadshow Pictures. During his tenure, the company co-financed and produced "The Matrix," "Training Day," "Ocean's Eleven," "Space Cowboys," "Analyze This," "Miss Congeniality," "Three Kings," "Cats and Dogs," "Deep Blue Sea," and "Saving Silverman."
As Senior Vice President of Production for Walt Disney Pictures from 1993 to 1998, Goldmann oversaw such projects as "My Favorite Martian," "Mystery, Alaska," "Blank Check," "Tom and Huck," "Homeward Bound II," "Rocket Man," "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Bicentennial Man."
Goldmann entered the industry as a production assistant at the Steve Tisch Company, leaving eight years later as its President. During this time, he executive produced or co-produced "Corrina, Corrina," "Bad Influence," "Heart Condition," "Soul Man" and "Victim of Love."
JON KLANE (Producer) produced the dark comedy "Grilled," starring Ray Romano, Kevin James and Juliette Lewis. He also served as executive producer on the A&E television movie "Karrol's Christmas," directed by Dennis Dugan. Previously, Klane owned The Jon Klane Company, a motion picture literary management firm. During his fifteen years as a talent representative, he was instrumental in packaging such films as "Falling Down," "Menace II Society," "Ransom," "Volcano" and "Saving Silverman."
Klane is currently a partner in Klane/Young Entertainment, which has a first-look deal with Phoenix Pictures. A native New Yorker, he is the son of writer-directorproducer Robert Klane and began his career in the CAA mailroom in 1985.
WINK MORDAUNT (Executive Producer) continues her association with Andy Tennant, with whom she is partnered in Film Buff Productions. Mordaunt first collaborated with Tennant on "Ever After," and continued their collaboration as a coproducer of "Anna and the King" and executive producer of "Sweet Home Alabama." Most recently, Mordaunt served as executive producer of Tennant's hit romantic comedy "Hitch," starring Will Smith.
Mordaunt began her film career in England, working on such films as "Braveheart," "Wings of the Dove" and "Sliding Doors." Her physical production expertise has been put to the test in such varied locations as Malaysia, France, Thailand, China, Ireland, Scotland and the United States.
Mordaunt is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh with a Masters degree in Economics.
JAMES R. DYER (Executive Producer) last served as co-executive producer on HBO's highly acclaimed "Rome," the award-winning series set during the last years of Julius Caesar's reign. Previously, he was executive producer of the films "Underclassman"; "The Italian Job," produced by Donald De Line and starring Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron; "Crazy in Alabama," directed by Antonio Banderas; and writer-director Zalman King's "Wild Orchid." Dyer was co-producer of the thriller "Domestic Disturbance," also produced by De Line and starring John Travolta and Vince Vaughn. As unit production manager, his credits include the Revolutionary War drama "The Patriot," directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger; "The Deep End of the Ocean," starring Michelle Pfeiffer; Antoine Fuqua's "The Replacement Killers"; and "Anaconda."
His numerous production credits also include Brian De Palma's "Raising Cain," "Blow Out" and "Carrie"; Walter Hill's "Another 48 Hrs.," "Johnny Handsome" and "Red Heat"; "Dead Bang," directed by John Frankenheimer; and Roger Spottiswoode's "The Best of Times."
DON BURGESS (Director of Photography) most recently lensed the smash hit comedy fable "Enchanted," blending live action and animation.
Burgess was previously honored with an Academy Award nomination for his cinematography on Robert Zemeckis' Oscar-winning hit "Forrest Gump." Burgess also received BAFTA and American Society of Cinematographer Award nominations for his work on that film. He has enjoyed a long association with Zemeckis, having also lensed the directors' films "The Polar Express," "Cast Away," "What Lies Beneath" and "Contact." He earlier won a CableACE Award for his work on a Zemeckis-directed episode of "Tales from the Crypt."
Burgess' diverse feature film credits also include the blockbuster action hits "Spider-Man" and "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines"; the adventure film "Eight Below"; and the comedies "My Super Ex-Girlfriend," "13 Going on 30," "Christmas with the Kranks" and "Forget Paris."
CHARLES WOOD (Production Designer) began his entertainment industry career in 1991 as a visual effects art director, working on such projects as "The Fugitive," Peter Weir's "Fearless," "Under Siege" and "Army of Darkness." Segueing to design work, he has since collaborated on projects ranging from big studio movies to independent films. His credits include Michael Apted's "Amazing Grace," "Flyboys," directed by Tony Bill, "Laws of Attraction," "The Italian Job," directed by F. Gary Gray, "Get Carter" and "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation."
Wood earned an Emmy Award nomination in 2000 for the television movie "Geppetto" and a 2007 Satellite Award nomination for "Amazing Grace."
TROY TAKAKI (Editor) has previously collaborated with Andy Tennant as editor on the director's blockbuster romantic comedies "Hitch," starring Will Smith, and "Sweet Home Alabama," starring Reese Witherspoon.
Takaki moved to Los Angeles in 1990 to pursue his career after graduating cum laude with a degree in Cinema from San Francisco State University. Breaking into television, he worked on such series as "Desperate Housewives," "Ally McBeal," "Tales from the Crypt," "SeaQuest DSV," "JAG," "Dark Skies" and "Nash Bridges," among others.
Takaki made the switch to feature film editing with the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival entry "Sweet Underground" and the Sundance Film Festival selection "The Pornographer." He has since worked on both mainstream and independent films, with credits including "Because I Said So," starring Diane Keaton; "Stick It," starring Jeff Bridges; "Cheats"; "Jawbreaker"; the 2003 Sundance entry "One Point O"; "Drum," starring Taye Diggs; "This Girl's Life," with James Woods and Rosario Dawson; Eriq La Salle's "Crazy as Hell"; HBO's "Scarred City," starring Stephen Baldwin and Chazz Palminteri; and "Slow Burn," starring Minnie Driver, Josh Brolin and James Spader.
TRACEY WADMORE-SMITH (Editor) has worked extensively with Andy Tennant, serving as editor on the director's box office hits "Hitch," starring Will Smith, and "Sweet Home Alabama," starring Reese Witherspoon, as well as on his television pilot "Mysteries of 71st Street." She also worked as an assistant editor on Tennant's "Anna and the King" and "Ever After." Her other credits as editor include the features "The Brothers Solomon," "Life and Lyrics," "The List," "London" and "Love Relations."
She has also served as assistant editor on such projects as "The Majestic," "The Salton Sea," "Here on Earth," "American Beauty," "The Crucible" and "Gentlemen Don't Eat Poets." As associate editor, she worked on "The Upside of Anger," starring Kevin Costner and Joan Allen; "Open Range," directed by Kevin Costner; and HBO's "Fatherland."
Wadmore-Smith was born in Sutton, England, and studied graphic design at Reigate School of Art Design & Media.
GEORGE FENTON (Composer) is marking his fifth collaboration with Andy Tennant, having composed the scores for the director's films "Hitch," "Sweet Home Alabama," "Anna and the King" and "Ever After."
Fenton received Academy Award nominations for Best Original Score for "The Fisher King," "Dangerous Liaisons" and "Gandhi," and was double-nominated for "Cry Freedom," for Original Score and Original Song. He is a 15-time BAFTA Award nominee for his work in film and television, and has won three times for his television scores, including the BBC/Discovery documentaries "Planet Earth" in 2006 and "The Blue Planet" in 2001; he also won an Emmy Award for each of these scores. Fenton is also a four-time BMI Film Music Award winner, for his work on "Hitch," "Sweet Home Alabama," "You've Got Mail" and "Groundhog Day." He earned a Golden Globe nomination for his score to "Cry Freedom," and was a double nominee, for Original Score and Original Song, for "Anna and the King." Additionally, his scores for "Cry Freedom" and "Gandhi" each earned a Grammy Award nomination. In 2007, he was awarded a fellowship of the British Academy of Composers & Songwriters.
Fenton's other film credits include "The Madness of King George," "Shadowlands," "Stage Beauty," "Mrs. Henderson Presents" and "The History Boys." He has scored many of director Ken Loach's films, including "Land and Freedom," "My Name is Joe" and the recent "The Wind That Shakes the Barley."
Fenton's scores for "Deep Blue" and "Earth," feature film adaptations of the earlier BBC/Discovery television documentaries, have been performed by the Berlin Philharmonic - the first time the legendary orchestra has recorded a film score. Fenton, a London resident, has conducted performances of his concert "Blue Planet Live" with many of the world's leading orchestras, and will embark on a new UK tour in April 2008.
STEPHEN JONES (Co-Producer) served as executive producer on the upcoming family adventure film "Nim's Island," starring Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster and Gerard Butler. His co-producer credits include the feature films "Superman Returns," directed by Bryan Singer, "Son of the Mask" and director P.J. Hogan's adaptation of "Peter Pan." Jones was associate producer on "Ghost Ship," "Scooby-Doo" and "Red Planet"; line producer on "The Well," "Offspring" and "Fatal Past"; and production supervisor on George Lucas' "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" and "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge Of The Sith." His unit production manager credits include "Quigley Down Under," "The First Kangaroos" and "The Time Guardian."
For television, Jones has worked in a number of capacities. He produced the television film "Noah's Ark," starring Jon Voight and Mary Steenburgen. He served as co-producer of the series "Water Rats," unit production manager on the series "Naked" and line producer on the series "Big Sky." Additionally, he was production supervisor on the ABC made-for-television movie "Dadah is Death," starring Julie Christie.
NGILA DICKSON (Costume Designer) won an Academy Award in 2004 for her work on Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." She earned dual nominations that year, also being honored for her costume designs for Edward Zwick's "The Last Samurai." Dickson had previously gained her first Oscar nomination and a BAFTA nomination for Best Costume Design for "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring." In addition, she won a BAFTA Award for her work on "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," and won a Costume Designers Guild Award and received her third BAFTA Award nomination for "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King."
She more recently designed the costumes for "Blood Diamond," starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Djimon Hounsou and Jennifer Connelly; and "The Illusionist," starring Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti and Jessica Biel, for which Dickson received another Costume Designers Guild Award nomination.
Hailing from New Zealand, Dickson first worked with director Peter Jackson on his directorial debut feature, "Heavenly Creatures." Her early credits also include the 1989 television project "The Rainbow Warrior Conspiracy," about the sinking of a Greenpeace ship, and the feature film version of the same story, "The Rainbow Warrior." Dickson also designed the costumes for the internationally successful television series "Xena: Warrior Princess," for which she received a New Zealand Film and TV Award for Best Contribution to Design.
