Saturday, December 21, 2013
First Set Photo of Michael Filming "The Intern"
Thursday, October 17, 2013
New Howard Stern Interview: Discusses Truth or Die and MUCH MORE!!!!
Ok here is the new interview with Michael and Stern. Meyers touches on many many things and says some stuff that is sure to be controversial, but hey it's Michael, did we expect anything else??? Here's what's discussed:
- The plot of Truth or Die
- His relationship with Scarlett Johansson and how they went from friends to lovers
- His dislike of Natalie Portman
- The reason for his falling out with Olivia Wilde
- Him thinking Robert DeNiro is overrated
- His controversial speech to the SFT students
- The controversy surrounding Chants of Reign's "Can't Sleep" music video
- He is currently filming Ted and recording Chants of Reign's fourth album as well as a remix album for Ill Escape
- His favorite porn stars
- Joe Wright, Matthew Vaughn, and Danny Boyle in talks to direct the next Bond film
- He wants to play Bond for as long as he can. He puts no limit on the number of films he'll sign onto
- He and Chants of Reign have signed a new rap group to their label who release their debut album in 2014
MRM: I'm back!
RQ: Seems like you were just here yesterday!
MRM: Yea I was here in May I think.
RQ: Yes you were.
HS: Most exciting actor in the game...I think!
MRM: Most exciting actor in the game. Most exciting interview in the game! Haha.
HS: Damn right. Let's get to it. Let's get to the controversy.
MRM: I'm joking, I'm joking! Don't need anymore of that.
HS: Oh come on, who do you hate???
MRM: But seriously, glad to be back, you guys give the best interview in the business.
HS: Sit down man I need to talk to you.
MRM: Uh oh, about what? What'd I do now?
HS: Your tweets are depressing me. I need to find out why you're so depressed man.
MRM: Depressed? What you talking about?
HS: I follow you on Twitter man, you're one of the few celebrities I care about enough to read their tweets. I think you are super talented and I want to keep up on your mental health and what's going on with you because every other month there is some new drama or rehab or something.
MRM: Nah man I'm steering clear of all that shit man. New leaf. All positivity.
HS: Are you sure because I'm reading some of these tweets man. You seem kinda depressed man. You seem damaged.
RQ: Damaged movie star!
MRM: I dunno what to tell ya man. I mean on Twitter, I just like to speak for the people and to the people. I like to show people I can relate to their struggles in understanding the opposite sex and the complexities of dating and life in general. I try to say stuff that people can relate to, laugh at, create discussion. I really love it. But sometimes that entails saying the dark stuff. It may not necessarily be stuff that I am personally going through but it's stuff I know others are going through, ya know?
HS: Oh so not all of this always applies to you and your life...
MRM: Right.
RQ: Yea see he's fine.
HS: Yea man what you gotta be depressed about? You're rich. You're good lookin'. You get pussy like no one's business. You're famous.
MRM: Hey now!
HS: Hey now! But seriously...you need to cheer up and stop focusing on the negative stuff man.
MRM: I try, I try.
HS: So you still banging Scarlett or what?
MRM: Haha. That's one way to say it.
HS: Well how else am I gonna say it? Are you dating?
MRM: Yes. Yes we are.
HS: What a piece that is.
MRM: She's a great girl.
HS: How'd you get that? How'd you even meet her? At an event or something?
MRM: No, no we did a movie together in 2005. That's how we met. And funny thing is we didn't even get along. We didn't hate each other or anything, but the friendly chemistry that you'd like to be there with a co-star with whom you're gonna have love scenes with, just wasn't there.
HS: So what she was being cold to you...
MRM: Pretty much. She was just coming into her fame at the time and was kind of struggling with how to deal with that, which happens to us all. But she was hard to crack but we got through it. Over the years we'd run into each other from time to time at events and stuff but I was always involved with other people as was she so I never thought about her in that way and really in a way she's not really my 'type' anyway. But last year she reached out to me for tickets to a show for my band Chants of Reign because she was a fan. She came to a show. We re-connected. She just seemed, different. So mature. So kind, so open and friendly. Nothing like before. We started hanging out. She opened up to me about her divorce from Ryan Reynolds. We became good friends. Went on a date but decided there was no spark and to stay friends. Then something weird happened. In August I was on tour with my band in Europe and the news came out about her getting attacked by some fans and my heart broke. I felt it deep. Like anger ya know? How dare someone hurt her. I couldn't wait to get back to the states and just be there for her. It awoke something inside of me for her I didn't even know was there. We been tight ever since.
RQ: So here's what I wanna know. How is that for an actor to have no chemistry with his lead or straight up not like each other?
HS: Yea I've always wondered how do you handle that? Has that happened with anyone, other than Johansson?
MRM: Haha. Maybe...
HS: Come on, give it to me, give us a name.
MRM: Oh boy. You guys want that controversy. I've had enough of that.
HS: Yea like that speech you made for the acting school.
MRM: Yea I'm sick of talking about that. I was just preparing those kids for the real world. I'm sorry if people don't like that truth.
HS: So what actress did you hate?
MRM: Well I didn't hate her, but yea, there was one, who, yea...
HS: Who?
MRM: Well first let me say I'm not saying I hate her or she's a bad person. I just think she's a little...in love with herself.
HS: Who?
MRM: Well, here's the thing... Natalie Portman is a decent actress, but working with her, wasn't fun.
RQ: Oh my but she's American's sweetheart.
HS: I always knew she was a bitch. She looks like she thinks her shit don't stink.
MRM: Haha!
HS: Isn't it true?
MRM: She's one of those straight A valedictorian class favorite types who thinks because her GPA is higher than yours she should always have her way and is always right and that kind of self serving entitlement to being the teacher's pet or in our world the director's pet, can get kind of annoying. But like I said, not a bad person, just a bit self righteous.
HS: So you wouldn't work with her again? Don't like her...
MRM: No I wouldn't. Just not my cup of tea.
HS: Would you fuck her?
MRM: Haha, what?? I just said I don't like the girl.
HS: Yea but do you find her attractive?
MRM: Yea she's a cute girl. She's pretty. I just don't like her as a person. I want to. You hear nice things about her and you think she's gonna be a sweet person but you come to find out she's very...judgmental. I don't find that attractive. She has this attitude of, if you are different from her, she ain't fuckin' with you. She puts you in this box and you stay over there and she will be over here. I just think she grew up very sheltered. She's a very sheltered girl.
HS: Oh I see. I think I got it. So she's one of those girls from the big house in the suburbs who gets around say a black guy or some minority or something she isn't familiar with and go...ok statistics say you guys are scary so I will stand over here and you stand over there because I'm supposed to be afraid of you.
MRM: Well maybe not that exact example but yea pretty much. Very closed minded. Which is shocking for a Harvard grad. I wasn't expecting that. But, like I said. Nice girl. Decent actress. Hard worker. Oscar winner, haha.
RQ: Wait did I hear you call her a decent actress? Just decent?
MRM: Yea.
RQ: You know she won an Oscar right?
MRM: Yea, so? What's that mean?
HS: So you think she's overrated?
MRM: I think a lot of so called great actors are overrated.
HS: Like who?
MRM: Oh boy here we go.
HS: Hey man you opened the door.
MRM: Well I just look at acting from a certain perspective. The actors who I think are overrated, I'm not saying their bad actors. They're good actors, heck even GREAT actors. But not the greatest of all time the way some people rank them. I just don't see it. And I'm very analytical and picky and particular about what is great acting.
HS: So who do you think doesn't deserve their reputation as the greatest?
MRM: Well A lot of people won't agree with this but I think DeNiro is a little overrated, in my opinion.
RQ: What???
HS: The guy hasn't done anything all that great in a while...
RQ: Both of you are crazy!
MRM: Listen I know people will say that but I don't care. I know what I'm talking about. I'm just not impressed. To me acting, again coming from someone who does it for a living...acting is like juggling. And the more balls you juggle the more I'm impressed by what you're accomplishing. So every thing you have to change about yourself is one more ball you're juggling. If you change your accent, ok that's one ball. You gained or lost a lot of weight, that's another ball. You changed your hair or eye color or grew a beard or something, that's another ball. You deepen your voice, another ball. Your mannerisms and movements and ticks, that's another ball. How many actors, each time out, every single time, juggle four or five balls with each performance? Gary Oldman. Daniel Day Lewis. Mark Strong. These are the guys, the real pros who I want to be like. Who I admire as the best of the best of the best of the best. Again, not saying DeNiro isn't real or believable. The guy is a legend and one of the most natural and effortless actors. I love what he does but how do you expect me to be impressed by him juggling one or two balls at MOST and hardly any in the last 15 years when other guys juggle 5 every role they do? How and why the fuck should that impress me? He stopped caring a long time ago. And even his best performances from back in the day and yes I have seen everything he's done, just aren't what I thought. Sorry that's how I feel.
HS: Hey I can respect that.
MRM: Ok now that I have pissed off half of Hollywood, don't I have a movie to promote?
HS: Oh yea, that thing? Yea...let's get to that. So "Truth or Die" right?
MRM: Yea comes out October 18th. Starring myself, Olivia Wilde, Keira Knightley, Sean Penn, Gary Oldman. Just a great thriller. A sequel to Phone Booth. I'm a young politician who gets caught in some lies and Kiefer Sutherland's caller character is back to make sure I start telling the truth. Pretty crazy flick.
HS: Now you and Olivia Wilde play husband and wife in this correct?
MRM: Yea.
HS: But I heard you two aren't even speaking now.
MRM: Correct.
HS: Whoa, whoa what happened there? I thought you two were tight.
MRM: We were man, we were. Like best friends but now we don't speak.
HS: Why, what happened?
MRM: She and I just had a falling out ya know? Shit happens.
HS: No shit doesn't just happened between two good friends, there had to be something going on.
MRM: I don't think it needs to be said. That's all.
HS: Oh come on you always spill the beans. What happened? You guys fucked didn't you?
MRM: I'm ...not...saying...anything!
HS: You fucked her!
MRM: It's more than that. It really is.
HS: Than what is it?
MRM: I gave her some friendly advice she couldn't handle and she chose to cut me out of her life.
HS: Friendly advice? Like what?
RQ: I read he didn't like her boyfriend or something.
HS: Is that so?
MRM: Yea she can do better.
HS: He's a loser?
MRM: He's a director.
HS: So what's the problem?
MRM: Just isn't a good guy. And she told me stuff he's done yet she goes back and one day I blew up on her and said you can do better and said some hurtful things and she basically said don't ever speak to me again.
HS: And that was it?
MRM: We haven't spoke since.
HS: And when was this?
MRM: ...Uh, June or July I think? Of this year.
RQ: You know as a woman, I can speak from experience when I say..I've dated my fair share of bad apples. And while my female friends always have their say and give me advice, they never stop being my friends just because I'm dating a guy they don't think is good for me. But I've had tons of guy friends, always straight ones of course, who the minute they find out I'm back with a not so good guy, they blow up on me, call me all sorts of names, and say the friendship is over. Make a whole production!
HS: Wow.
MRM: Oh yea?
RQ: Yea. And almost every single time...later on I come to find out, that guy friend had a crush on me.
HS: And you see, it's because he wanted you to give them the chance you keep giving this other loser, who doesn't even deserve you.
RQ: Exactly.
HS: So that means Mike you wanted her to give YOU that chance.
MRM: (smiles and rubs his face)
HS: Come on, admit it. You wanted her.
MRM: ...there was a moment in time where, yea I had it pretty bad for her. And she knew. I never verbally said it, but one night we had a moment, and she knew. And she chose to ignore that fact and pretty much rub it in my face she was with someone else. And I never expected that. She went from this great friend to a mean girl cheerleader type who flaunts her relationship in the face of the guy she knows wants her and it turned what I thought was a close friendship into this strange competition where I was dating girls just to show her I was over her and we would compare notes.
HS: Like how?
MRM: Just you know, like if they were having problems, I'd say, well me and so and so are doing great.
HS: Like to see whose relationship is doing better.
MRM: Yea as a way to sort of I guess, prove to other, hey you made the wrong choice. I'm still with so and so and I'm treating her great while your guy is doing dirt. You made a dumb move on your part.
HS: So what do you think her deal was? Why'd she choose this other guy over you?
MRM: Listen over the past couple years I have been doing an insane insane insane amount of research on human psychology and mainly focused on romance and gender relations and why we date who we date and stuff and I am not psychologist or anything but it's a fact we chase the people who fill a void. Who solve a psychological issue we have. And over the year's I've noticed Olivia has always been attracted to power. Her first husband was a prince. This new guy is a director. Rick Yune comes from a rich lawyer family. I dunno. It's just a trend I saw. I think she was dating a very famous DJ too at one point. There may be another common thread these guys have, but we've had many deep conversations about it. But whatever it is, I didn't possess it. Which is fine. Everything happens for a reason. She's not the girl for me. She showed her true colors. She's a very money hungry person, so she's in the perfect industry for that.
HS: Wow. This behind the scenes Hollywood stuff fascinates me. Whose bangin' who? Whose doing what?
MRM: Believe me a lot goes on behind closed doors you have no idea about. Alot of people who you think never even met probably know each other, may be friends, have hooked up, even dated. They just chose to hide it. When you want to hide something you can. Anything that gets "leaked" was leaked on purpose for a reason. Nothing's by accident.
HS: Oh Mike I've been known that. Like when these celebs act all pissed when they see the paparazzi outside following them, they knew they were gonna be there...
MRM: They're publicists told the paparazzi they were gonna be there! They aren't psychic.
HS: Exactly. It's all smoke and mirrors man.
RQ: So when Halle Berry fights off those paparazzi guys she asked them to be there!??
MRM: Well at the time she wanted to prove to the judge in her child custody case that LA was a dangerous place to raise her daughter because of how aggressive and invasive the paparazzi are so that run in was supposed to help her case.
HS: Oh...I see. There ya go.
RQ: Wow.
MRM: Exactly. They tip them off then act shocked they are there. It's all apart of the game. Hollywood is a crazy crazy place. That's why I tell young actors just be careful when you come here. It's not this nice happy place where everyone wants to help you succeed. It's the most fake, backstabbing, insecure, vapid, fame and money hungry and ego driven industry next to politics and wall street, haha. It's crazy!
HS: Well yea like I was saying, like how people made such a big stink about your speech you gave to those acting kids...
MRM: Yea.
RQ: Yea where you basically told them it's impossible to make it in Hollywood as a struggling actor without cutting ties with everyone close to you, sleeping your way to the top, paying off your agent, and basically selling your soul to the devil, haha!
MRM: Well I did those kids a service because I told them something teachers at acting schools NEVER tell them...the truth!
HS: That's right.
MRM: Why should we lie to these kids and not give them ever bit of correct info we can about the industry they are about to get involved with? They spending their time and money on getting an education, head shots, all kinds of things to get work and then you don't tell them the real ins and outs of it. That's a real shame. It's a scam really. I didn't want to do that. I didn't wanna stand up there for 15 minutes and say the standard cliche "just work hard" bullshit they paid me to say. That's all they wanted me to say. But I was like 'fuck that'. I'm gonna tell these kids how it really is. So now there's two things that will hopefully happen. One, the kids who realized, 'Wow I don't wanna be in a world like that..let me go apply for an office job somewhere', will get out now before it's too late and spare them self the pain and heartbreak of finding out they aren't cut out for this shit. I always say, salmon weren't meant to swim with sharks. And the second thing is the actors who decide, 'Ok I know this is gonna be an extremely difficult and very very competitive world to get into where morals are low and ambition is high but I want this more than life itself' then those kids will know now what they are up against and what it's gonna take to compete. I did them a favor. I saved the kids who weren't built for it from a major disappointment and I let the kids who are built for it sage advice on the tools of attack. I gave them priceless advice that will change their lives for the better, no matter which of those choices they make.
HS: I agree.
RQ: But you had another controversy recently with your band's music video where they said some girl was being raped???
HS: Yea???
MRM: No that was a misunderstanding. My band has a song out and in the music video for the song it's about a guy who is in some girl's friendzone and can't get out and ultimately kills himself. There's a scene where he is fantasizing about what it would be like to date her and in that scene he is ripping off her panties in a rough way but people got it confused and thought he was raping her when he wasn't. Guys do that to girls all the time.
HS: Yea I see it in porn all the time.
MRM: I know right. I think whoever started that controversy hasn't seen enough porn.
HS: You still watch porn?
MRM: Come on man. Of course!
HS: Thank you! At least you admit it. So many guys come here and are like 'man i don't watch that shit..i get laid bro'...I'm like Yea ok!
MRM: Bull. All guys watch it. Even when they are getting laid. Maybe not as much obviously, but you still check it out from time to time. Just to keep up with the trends, what's going on. Who the hot new porn star is.
HS: Whose your favorite?
MRM: Porn star?
HS: Yea.
MRM: Man...so many. Sooooo many, haha! Sasha Grey of course.
HS: You dated her.
MRM: Yep.
HS: Aye Marrone. I can't even imagine.
MRM: Who else? This girl named Dina, from backroom casting couch.
HS: Love that site.
MRM: Yea. Um, Asa Akira is this asian one I recently got into it.
HS: Don't know her.
MRM: Bangin' body. Bangin'. You gotta look her up.
HS: Ok I'll make a note of that.
MRM: Um, this blonde chick, forgot her name. But she's from some UK site. A casting couch spinoff from eastern Europe somewhere. I think Czech Republic or something.
HS: Czech chicks are hotttt!
MRM: Oh man...yea! This one looks just like a hotter version of Anna Kournikova.
HS: Oh, wait...I think I know who you're....is it...Veronika something...?
MRM: Veronika..??
HS: Yea czech broad? Veronika Love...something?
MRM: No it's um...
RQ: Wish I could help but uh....
HS: Let me look this up right now....
MRM: I think I know who you are talking about but I think Veronika is just the name they gave her on some early videos she did before she came up with an official porn name because I remember some YouTube interview I saw with her where she said it took her a while to come up with a porn name because she wanted something that was memorable but also represented who she really is or whatever...
HS: Candy Love?
MRM: YES! Yes!!! That's her! (high fives Howard)
RQ: HAHA! Oh my goodness. You guys. You guys. You men and your porn stars.
HS: Yea Robin go somewhere and occupy yourself. Go buy some shoes or do something women do. Leave us men alone here. We're talking about porn here. This is serious business right here.
MRM: This is serious business right here.
RQ: Male bonding at it's finest.
HS: Yea this broad is something...
MRM: I'm telling you man. That's my girl right there. If I ever meet her bro, it's over.
HS: I dunno about dating it but I'd let her do something to me...
MRM: Ok I maybe you're right, haha.
RQ: I think you have enough women in your life.
MRM: Nah, just one. One's all I need.
HS: Ok let me click outta this before I get all hot and bothered.
MRM: Yea man sorry about that. I got a little overzealous there.
HS: No it's okay man. I see what you see. But let me calm down here and get back to this interview before I start touching myself. Whoo! Look at that bod. God I love women. Sexy women!
MRM: They're intoxicating.
HS: So you still doing these James Bond movies right?
MRM: Oh yea. I signed on for two more so that will make four when it's all said and done but I have the option to do more.
HS: So the next one is happening?
MRM: Yea man, start shooting next year sometime, maybe summer or fall. It comes out November 2015. We're talking to three big name directors right now, waiting to see who signs up.
HS: Oh yea who?
MRM: Not sure if I can say...
HS: Come on it's just you and me talking here...
MRM: Haha, yea ok.
HS: Spielberg or something?
MRM: No, haha.
HS: Spike Lee?
RQ: HA! That'd be something.
HS: Who they talking to?
MRM: A couple guys. All British. One guy named Joe Wright. He's worked with Keira Knightley a lot. Pride & Prejudice. Atonement. Anna Karenina. He's very visual with his camera work and he directs actors really well. He's kind of eccentric but very funny and intelligent. Keira swears by him. If he does it I will try to convince him to get her in it too. She's always wanted to be a Bond girl. She's one of my best friends and we've worked together three times now so why not in a Bond film?
HS: Why nothing ever happen between the two of you?
MRM: Me and Keira?
HS: Yea man, too skinny?
MRM: Yea that...and just ya know, she's like a sister. We kinda grew up together. I never looked at her in that way and the few times I did it just felt wrong. Like if we broke up, I dunno how I'd get along without her in my life and there's no dying urge to bang her so the friendship becomes what's most important. I don't wanna risk it. She's one of the sweetest and most genuine people in the world and she's married now anyway.
HS: Oh yea, I didn't know.
MRM: Yea to Nate Foster. Lead singer of a band called Foster the People. But yea anyway so we're talking to Joe Wright and also a guy named Matthew Vaughn. He's married to or dating Claudia Schiffer. He's a real tough as nails old school type A personality director but I love those types. He gets the job done. He makes dark thrillers like Layer Cake with Daniel Craig, but also can jump into sci-fi/fantasy action with stuff like Kick Ass and X-Men: First Class. Then the third guy is Danny Boyle. He's a very celebrated cinematographer and director whose been around a long time. He has a very cool and fast editing style and jumps from genre to genre a lot. He directed James Franco's 127 Hours where he got nominated for the Oscar...
HS: The guy who went hiking and had to cut his arm off right?
MRM: Yea. And he also did Trance with James McAvoy recently. 28 Days Later. Bunch of stuff. Very eclectic filmmaker and personally he is just very friendly and almost Woody Allen-ish in his mannerisms. Like this short old nerdy white guy, but British, but even though he's stumbling over his words and seems nervous he's the smartest guy in the room. The guy's a pure genius. Even if it's not Bond I'd just love to work with Danny someday, on anything.
HS: Well good luck with that man.
MRM: Thanks. It's a dream role. Still can't wrap my head around it. Maybe it will all sink in after it's over.
HS: How long do you plan to do it for? I mean do you ever fear being type cast?
MRM: No, people asked that when I first got the part and I said the same thing I'm saying now. People already knew me before and I'm a chameleon anyway so it won't effect me because of the stage in my career when I took the role and the way I work.
HS: How long do you wanna do it for?
MRM: As long as I can. If they keep asking me I'll keep doing it until they tell me they found someone who can do it better.
HS: So what's next then for you?
MRM: I'm filming Ted right now. That's why my hair's grown out. It's a hilarious R rated comedy written and directed by Seth McFarlane from Family Guy. It's me and Amy Adams. It takes place in Boston. I do a Boston accent. I'm a stoner pothead slacker who won't grow up and Seth voices this CGI stuffed teddy bear named Ted who can talk for some reason. And my character has been friends with him for years. I mean since young childhood. Amy's character has gotten used to it but she reaches her breaking point and demands I choose him or her. It's really really funny man. It's a new challenge for me. Comedy. I needed to do it. And Amy, she's been great to work with. She's easily one of the nicest and most talented actresses in the game now and she's unexpectedly attractive. I mean on TV and movies and stuff you see her on screen and she looks, alright. But in real life, man, she's gorgeous. Her husband is very very lucky. She's like that 'every woman, average girl walking down the street' hot. She really is. Just a natural normal down to Earth person. Very funny. She's giving a great performance in the film. Loved working with her. So that comes out in April and I'm also going to Costa Rica in December and January to film a movie called The Intern with an actor named Alex Pettyfer and Selena Gomez. It's kind of like Training Day in the business world. I take Alex under my wing and he idolizes me until he realizes I'm doing some pretty shady stuff with the company and he realizes he has to bring me down. That comes out next fall. Other than that I'm still focused on music. My band. We're recording out fourth album now. It's an R and B album with some funk and jazz thrown in there. Very romantic. We're working with producers like 40, Timbaland, Daft Punk, so many great people. That will be out next fall as well. But we're also doing a remix album for our last CD, Ill Escape. That's gonna have some new tracks and remixes of a bunch of tracks from that album, which has been our biggest hit yet. That should be out March sometime. We also started a new record label called Chemical Chameleon records and this year we signed two new artists who we're really excited about. One is this rap group from San Diego called Hyper Crush and we can't wait to see them blow up next year. They are a guy, a girl and their DJ and they are all very...um, unique personalities. They are ready for fame, I'll say that. They have an 80's, early 90's type of sound that they mesh with current rap and pop and dubstep and rage music. They are like a raunchier version of LMFAO. They have a good formula. Can't wait for the world to hear their stuff. Another artists we signed is someone who I think is going to take over the music scene. Her name is Lordess. She's a singer from the Czech Republic. We met her this summer overseas. She is insane. Like truly insane. Crazy party girl which I am a little worried about but she has a Lana Del Rey, Lady Gaga, Ellie Goulding, Amy Winehouse kind of vibe. I just wrote a song with her and a guy named Hudson Mohawke that is going to be the biggest song in the world next year. It's her first single. I'm beyond excited about her potential. Also helping both those artists work on their debut albums now as well. So it's all coming along. We keep it moving.
HS: Well good luck with the acting, the music, the women.
MRM: Well thank you, thank you.
HS: We love you here. We have to go but we will see you soon, and everyone go out there and see Truth or Die on Friday. We'll be back after these words.
Saturday, October 12, 2013
Friday, October 11, 2013
Michael Defends Controversial "Can't Sleep" music video and Discusses Scarlett, Nadia Breakup, Beef with Olivia
Dane Dehaan taking a pill in the Chants of Reign "Can't Sleep" music video
On the plot of the video: "The song is about a guy who is stuck in the friend zone with a girl who is involved in a dysfunctional and abusive relationship and it's from his perspective as he vents his anger and frustrations over her thinking this other guy, because of his looks, is the better option. We wanted to make a song and create a video that really captured the raw and gritty reality of that situation. We did not want to water it down or sugar coat it. We wanted the lyrics and the video to really capture the public's consciousness and have them go 'dang, that's really what it's like, and it's not fun'. I directed the video and I co-wrote the lyrics with Al. We wanted scenes that captured the lyrics of the song. The whole thing with Dane getting drunk and pleasuring himself to her Facebook picture, him getting mad when he sees she's on Facebook even though she said she was at work, reading her boyfriend's posts on her wall, him dating a girl but not really into her because he's in love with Tracy, that's all stuff pulled from real life. I can't tell you how many guys have said to me, 'that's my story'."
On the "rape" sequence: "That was totally misconstrued. There's no rape scene. He's not raping her. Listen, throughout the video, if you pay attention, there are little moments of fantasy where Dane is imagining what it would be like if they were together. Which is why we had the lighting get all bright in those scenes. We did that look on purpose. There's a line where Al says 'we could have held hands like field trips' and we see them holding hands and a part where he says 'our sex would have been epic' and we see them having sex and then the part everyone has been getting up in arms over was when Al says the line about ripping her panties off and we see Dane ripping them off, we never see her face. We probably, haha, should have had a shot of her face enjoying it, because it was one of those fantasy scenes where if they were together as a couple, that's how he'd take them off. But people assumed he's raping her or whatever which makes no sense to me. We're supposed to be rooting for her to choose him, why would we make him do that?"
::On the cast::
::DANE::
"We lucked out. We got everyone we wanted. All my first choices said yes. I first saw Dane in Chronicle like everyone else and became a fan. When I first came up with the concept for the video I instantly thought of Dane playing the lead kid and he said yes right away when we called. He had never really heard any of our music but he just really responded to the story of the video. He said it really moved him and reminded him of stuff he'd been through. He said it felt like a short film, just with music. He was excited to be apart of it. He was just worried he couldn't because the thing was he only had one day to shoot because he was filming some pick up shots for Spider Man 2 so we had to change the setting from LA to New York which is where he was to make it more feasible so he wouldn't have to leave set, fly across country and fly back and all that. So we did that, just for him. Just to have him in the video. He did a great job. He's really acting in the video, which most actors don't do when they appear in a music video. They show up and collect a paycheck. Dane took it serious, he was asking me a lot of questions. He never hung around Dez. Didn't wanna meet him. He spent a lot of time with Tracy. Wrote her letters. E-mailed them to her days before the shoot. He really got into character. It was brilliant."
::DEZ::
"Dez, we all know him from The Voice. I wanted someone with that Abercrombie look to play the hot boyfriend and I thought he'd be perfect. I remembered him from that show and thought he'd be perfect for the part. He had never acted before and was super nervous about that but I coached him through it and just told him to be 'smooth yet heartless' when it came to how he treated Tracy on camera. He also had a ton of questions about the fight scenes where he's hitting Tracy and stuff, since that's so not him, but he was real brave and he went there and it was great. Those scenes were tough to shoot but everyone gave their all. I think he has a future in acting if he wants it. I'm proud of the work he did and he thanks me for putting him in it because he's getting offered scripts now. He says he has the acting bug now, haha."
::TRACY::
"Tracy is an interesting story. I met her last December 2012 at an Intermix in L.A. while shopping with Frankie from the Saturdays. I said to Frankie 'Man that girl over there helping the customers looks a lot like Rachel Bilson'. But I knew there was no way Rachel Bilson was working at an Intermix. I mean I know her acting career isn't exactly popping right now but she can't be THAT broke. It can't be that bad, she's engaged to Hayden Christensen. He got that Star Wars money. She should be good. She shouldn't be folding shirts and asking her boss 'can I take my lunch break now?', haha.
So anyway, I had to be sure, and at least do something to tease this worker and let her know she looks like Rachel Bilson. So as a joke I go up to her and pretend to accidentally bump into her then I say 'sorry Rachel' and she's like 'Huh?' and I go 'oh, sorry you look just like Rachel Bilson' and with a 100% straight face, as if she gets this everyday and is sick of it she replies 'that's my sister' and I thought she was just messing with me. She then pulls out her phone and shows me pictures of her and Rachel. Turns out they really are sisters. She says her name is Tracy and I ask if she's an actor and she says no not really. She's been on a few auditions, never got any parts, and just doesn't really actively pursue it. She just works and goes to school. Which I found super weird yet refreshing at the same time. Most people in this town who are related to someone famous are usually so busy trying to leech off that fame and get to the top, yet here is Tracy Bilson, younger sister of Rachel Bilson, with a Hollywood connection most struggling actresses would kill for, and here she is working at a retail store, going to college, making minimum wage, driving a beat up Honda, and she's completely happy with that.
So, we exchanged numbers and I say one day I would like to work with you. Put you in something, whether it be a film I'm doing, music video whatever. And when coming up with the concept for this video I knew I wanted the girl to be a girl next door type, but sexy. Not some cheerleader type super hot tall blonde or bimbo type. But the type of girl who looks kinda troubled. That girl around the way, college girl hot. That girl in the back of the classroom with the seductive eyes and sick body who every guy wants but is too intimidated to talk to. And Tracy really embodied that.
There's just something about her. I always joked with her. If I was 8 or 9 years younger and not famous and we were classmates or something, I'd totally be in love with a girl like her. She has those eyes. Very mysterious and seductive and troubled. Like she's been through a lot. And she may not be an actress but she is very sensitive and vulnerable and in touch with her emotions. She's a damaged soul but so beautiful in so many ways. She's an extremely private person and the more you try to get to know her the more she puts her walls up and I wanted her character in the video to be just like that. I kept telling her on set, 'Don't act. Just be yourself'. She did a tremendous job. I mean such a natural. Dez, Dane, Nicola who plays Dane's girlfriend, they've all been in front of the camera before. Yet Tracy was the only one to nail it every time on the first take. Funny thing is after we wrapped and I showed her how good the footage was I was like 'you're gonna want to start taking acting more serious now' and she laughs at me and goes 'nah, not my thing'. The next day she went back to work at Intermix."
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The interview then switched to his relationships.
-He admitted he and Nadia broke up early July after finding out she was still using drugs.
-He says he and Rosie decided to just be friends.
-As far as Olivia Wilde, he says they are not friends anymore and do not speak after a huge fight in June where he told her "she could do better" than her boyfriend Olivier and he did not like how he was treating her. Meyers said she could not "handle the truth" and they fought. She is no longer involved in their production company and will not be attending the Truth or Die premiere.
-He says he and Scarlett have begun seeing each other. "It's weird. It all started after she got attacked by those kids. I felt this thing inside, like 'man I hope she's okay'. I realized I really really cared for her. I texted her immediately. So anyway, we got together and I was comforting her about that as she was just comforting me, as a friend, about the Nadia breakup. And one thing led to another. We started kissing. We couldn't stop ourselves. We been dating ever since. She's become not only my girl but a good friend. And I think, I hope, no matter what happens in the future, she will remain a good friend and someone who is always there for me and I there for her. She's one of the nicest most genuine people I've ever met. It's so funny. We went on a date last year and felt nothing, and agreed we felt nothing. Moved on...but it took weird circumstances for us to sort of figure out we need each other. I even told her, 'there's a reason we keep finding each other'. I just want us to keep it private, as private as possible. I'm not talking about my relationships in interviews anymore because I always jinx things. I think I know now why celebrities don't discuss this stuff. You look so stupid shouting from the mountaintop that so and so is the love of your life in an interview then 3 months later it's over. Let's just take things slow and see how it plays out. It's just so weird because we been friends for so long and we just started to figure out, 'Hey! Why don't WE date?', haha!"
Friday, September 6, 2013
Michael Makes Controversial 'Inspirational' Speech to Acting Students at SFT
As we all know Michael was a part of the huge hit MTV2 show "The Best Tears" back when it began in 2007 and after leaving when the first season was over his film career took off. One could say he owes the show a great deal. Well, after two seasons the building where the show was filmed actually decided to turn itself into an actual Meisner acting school titled SFT, just like it was in the show. The staff have been trying to get Michael to come back and speak to the acting students there since last year and Michael finally found the time in his schedule to do so, although I hardly doubt they could have anticipated what he would say to the students. Basically his message was "Do whatever it takes to be successful, even the wrong thing. Because this industry is so competitive and shady that's the only way to get ahead. You also need to have some deep issues and crave fame in the worst way because if acting is just something you WANT to do because you kinda like to do it, all the obstacles that get in your way will make you quit. Those who NEED it never even consider quitting." Read the transcript or WATCH the video of it for yourself and tell us if you think what he said was wrong, true but not something you tell young aspiring actors, or right on the money.
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MRM: Hey. Hows you guys doing? I'm not going to sit up here and pretend to know anything about giving speeches or inspiring other people. They asked me to give you guys advice and tips on how to make it so that's what I'm going to do. First of all I can't inspire anyone or any of you to want to make it. You have to be inspired on your own. And second, when people come here and talk to you about how to make it, they tend to always give real weak, generic bullshit answers like TRY HARD and NETWORK and BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. And coming from someone who has now been in the business for over a decade, that makes me laugh, and even more so, it makes me angry. Because they are lying to you. Anyone, other than me of course, when giving you advice on how to make it in Hollywood, is usually lying to you. Why would they want to help you? You are they're competition! Your success could mean their failure. There is way too much money and fame at stake. But I promise I won't do that here today. I will give you guys concrete things to do, names and phone numbers to call, on how to make it. Shit I know that works. Why? Because I want you guys to succeed.
Now let me quickly add, speaking of money and fame, a distinction here. When I was here one was made too. And I'm sure it's the same here and at every other acting school. Half of you here don't give a shit about money and fame. So my speech will be useless to you. Others here do care. That's who I'm here to help. The biggest difference between New York and L.A. is trying to be an actor in New York is much easier. It's still super difficult don't get me wrong but at least your talent matters. If you wanna do stage or theater then great. Good for you. New York is the place for you and you can struggle here for a long time and it's okay. L.A. is a different beast. L.A. is all about "whose your agent?"..."Who are you dating?"..."How much money your last film made?"..."What parties have you been to?"..."How good you look?". All that shit. Most of you probably won't be able to handle L.A.
Now the school might not like the next thing I'm about to tell you but that's okay. I'm here for you, not them. I will say this: If acting is just something you like or even love, something you find fun, but you can still see yourself being happy doing something else....then quit now. Acting is not for you. I mean that. Here's why I say that. This industry, especially for actors, is so competitive, so hard, so much rejection, losing auditions, people telling you that you suck, you aren't good looking enough, aren't funny enough, etc. It will weigh on your ego. And the human ego can only handle so much before it goes, you know what? I don't need this crap. Let me go do something else. But for someone who cannot eat or sleep or breath without acting, someone who NEEDS IT like the body needs oxygen, that thought never crosses their mind. Let me ask you something, when it hurts to touch fire you pull your hand away. Why? Because it HURTS! It burns. And you don't NEED to touch that fire. So you pull your hand away. But when you're sick with the flu and you have some sort of sore throat or chest cold or something and it hurts to breath, do you just stop breathing? No. Why? Why? (A student says: "Because you HAVE to breath") THANK YOU! You HAVE TO! Well look at acting that way. There are going to be times where it gets so hard you will ask yourself do I HAVE to do this? Is this worth sacrificing friendships, relationships, etc. And you have to be able to answer: Yes. Everyone has a different reason for wanting fame or success. I have one. Each of you in this room has one. We don't have to go into it. We're all different. Most of the time, if you do your research in a celebrity's life, there is someone who left. A guy or girl who broke their heart. A parent, usually the father, who didn't love them enough. Someone who you wanted to love you didn't love you and you feel, IF I BECOME FAMOUS, it will SHOW THEM! I don't know. Not every situation is like this but from what I've seen most of the time, that's how it is. But whatever it is, search within yourself and know the answer. Know why you need this so bad, and whenever shit gets hard and you even CONTEMPLATE the thought of quitting, remind yourself why you're doing this. Who you wanna impress. Who you are trying to show up. Maybe you feel if you don't become what you told everyone you will become you will feel like a failure. We all have our reasons. Just know yours. OK? That will give you the strength to fight the many many obstacles and challenges that will come your way. Obstacles are going to come at you and come at you and come at you and you gotta swing at those obstacles like ... (makes punching moves). Wassup? Wassup now bitch? Yes you got nothing to say now because your jaw is fuckin' broke! Make those obstacles your bitch.
Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes. You have to crave this. Like I was saying before, this has to be your LIFE for you to go this path or you won't make it. When friends are partying, you're rehearsing. Memorizing lines. Boyfriend or girlfriend wants to hang out, sorry no time. Family hasn't seen you in 6 months? Oh well. That's what it takes. Obsession. Obsession. Dedication isn't good enough. If you guys only knew. If you guys only fucking knew what your competition was up to while you sleep in bed at night. I swear to God you'd quit now. You wanna know the real truth about Hollywood. You want the dirt. The horror stories. Most of you will fly out to L.A. at some point with this dream and within a year or less I promise you will be back home where ever that is for you broke and in tears because it wasn't this helpful friendly place you thought it was. I have been to industry parties with people doing coke and girls taking a producer or casting agent or director upstairs to blow him for a part. I have been in casting offices waiting to speak to someone and his intern comes in, goes to his desk, she looks at his pile of headshots and takes someone who just walked in and puts their headshot at the top of the pile. I'm like, Hey walk ins head shots go at the bottom. She says to me, No this girl's mother knows the agent. She gets first look. I'm like WHAT? Haha. Yes. That's how it goes. Who do you know? Who are you fucking? Yes. So guess what? That girl at the top of the pile gets the first offer for the part. That's how it is sometimes folks. I know and even have dated some girls who have got on their knees for roles. I won't say who, haha. But it happens. You'd be shocked the number of A list actresses out there who have done it. Whatever it takes.
You think your competition gives a fuck about you and your problems and your rent? Nope. I always tell people, outside things are gonna get in your ear and steer you away from your dream. That 9 to 5 job that needs you Friday at 3 but you have an audition. Friends who wanna hang out that weekend but you have to rehearse. Family or a boyfriend or girlfriend who miss you but you gotta head somewhere to film something. Your life will be full of moments like these. Choices like these. Do I go see them or do I continue to work on my craft? You have choose your craft. Because while you go party or while you go to your stupid job and be someone else's 9 to 5 slave, another actor is working, hustling, networking, paying off agents, sleeping with someone, to get ahead. While you wait tables. Like a fucking loser. You need to ignore these everyday stresses that can get in your ear like a bee or insect and fight them off (makes more punching moves). Get away! Get away! That's how you get distracted off the path. These people, parents, co-workers, bosses, friends, who live the 9 to 5 life, will never understand you. They live inside a box. They think the famous are cut from another cloth. They see these people on TV and movies and magazines and billboards and it might as well be another world to them. And they see you everyday and assume you are one of them. They can't see it yet. That you belong to THAT world, not theirs. You see it, but they don't. So they won't support or truly believe in your dream. They live in a box and go to work everyday and live in a circle. They wake up, go to work, come home, go to bed. Wake up, go to work, come home go to bed. Ever think about that. If you took a map and drew a line of the shit you do everyday, it's like one big circle. Everyday like a rat in a cage, you do the same thing over and over again. I would kill myself if I had to do that. Just the thought of that makes me sick.
You guys aren't like them. So there's gonna come a time, where you start to see the divide. You will get some success, maybe land a small walk on part in a Leonardo DiCaprio movie. Then you have to fly back to Kentucky or where ever you're from and go to work that next week. You will have a moment. Your boss will be like, 'I need you to work an extra shift on Sunday' and come at you with all these 'problems'. Your friends will be like 'my boyfriend did this or that and I'm confused'. All her 'problems'. You will be at family for thanksgiving and hear people talk about their bills or mortgage or whatever. Replacing something that is broke in the house. And you will have nothing to say to these people who you were once so close to. Because they have '9 to 5' problems. You now have 'Leonardo DiCaprio' problems. Meaning, you just did a scene with him and hope it went well. Your agent is working on a deal with his agent. You just got back from Cannes or TriBeca or Sundance film festival hanging out with DeNiro and Clooney. You are now in a mindframe of getting yourself on the level of these people. 24 hours ago you were joking around with millionaire producers in their mansion while famous people walk about and now you are in Ohio with grandma and grandpa talking about what time the next morning they want to take out the garbage. You will be like, what the fuck am I even doing here? I'm wasting time. Ya know?
So here's what it takes. I want you guys to do these following steps. Because honestly this school, they just want your money. They live off your tuition. They will tell you all the cookie cutter things you wanna hear, tomorrow, and from here on out after I leave, but they won't tell you how fucked up and harsh it really it out there. I've been there. I will. Here's what you do. Write this down (waits for students to get out pen and paper). Ok. In this order. One: You study your craft. Get good. Live life. Harness your pain. Use it for your acting. Two: Get a job, a good job and save up your money. Borrow money if you have to. Steal it. I don't care. Save up to 5 to 10 grand. Three: Go online and audition for any type of acting jobs you can get. Local. Small. Student films. I don't care. This is just so you can get a reel of your work and have stuff on your resume. You're gonna get nowhere without a reel. A good one. Put together your reel and have someone professional edit it for you so it's done the right way. You have no idea how fucking stupid Hollywood is about shit like that. They won't even LOOK at your reel if it's not done in the standard way a reel should be done. The way the scenes are titled, at what point your name comes up. No music, just your scenes, with black screen separating each one. Name at the end. Stuff like that. Look it up. People will show you. In the same way a resume or a screenplay has to be in a certain format, so does a reel. So get it right or you're screwed. I mean that. You gotta have your shit looking professional. Four: Go online and find an agent. Contact the ones that are legit and set up a meeting. Even if they are in L.A. Get your ass on a place and fly out here. Even for a weekend. Motels are cheap. Meet with this agent. Many agents. Here's where that money you saved up comes in. YOU PAY THEM to represent you. You may ask 'why would I do that? agents work for free and get a commission of your pay'. Yes that is true...BUT...if you go to an agency that has established working actors there already, why would they push you? They will meet you, take your resume and reel, throw it at the bottom of a pile. Tell you that they will be in touch. They will get on the phone with DiCaprio or some actor they have working on soap operas and make million dollar deals with them, pay their Ferrari bill, and they will never ever call you. You have to give them an incentive to pay attention to you. Once you pay them, you have a binding verbal contract for them to push you. That's industry talk it means they are talking about you to clients and at industry parties. They are actively recommending you for roles and trying hard to get you work. Trust me it works. Now sometimes money won't work but in the case of a pretty girl, haha, hey, do whatever it takes. That's where girls have advantages over guys. Notice how so many young actresses are 'discovered' in Hollywood almost every month...but with young male actors it's only once every couple years? Huh? Haha. Yea.
Now from there you are on your own. But at least you have your foot in the door. Ya know this school, and most schools, they teach you HOW to act in order to get good and learn a technique, a craft. They teach you HOW to prepare once you get a role and how to behave and work on set to execute your performance once you are filming. But there is a HUGE journey between leaving this school with your skills you've been taught...and the day you land an agent and start working. There is a whole WORLD in between no one is preparing you for and that world is called getting your foot in the door. So that's what I hope I can clarify for you guys here today. I hope I was of some use. Yea, this was fun. Thanks guys! Best of luck!
Monday, September 2, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Monday, July 22, 2013
Mel Discusses Michael in September Issue of DETAILS Magazine
On news stands next month will be the September issues of Details magazine and on the cover will be none other than Mel Morley. In it she discusses her rough 2012, which got bad in late July when her affair with Snow White and the Huntsman director Jake Scott got public and caused boyfriend Rob Pattinson to dump her. Her career also took a hit as she got dropped from several projects. It capped off in 2013 when STAR Magazine readers named her the third most hated celeb behind Chris Brown and Kim Kardashian. She also touches on Michael Reese Meyers. Here are the parts involving him:
On Being ranked third most hated celeb by STAR magazine:
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Mel: "I don't get it. What did I do to deserve that. Is it jealousy or what?"
Details: "Well you did cheat on Twilight fan favorite Rob Pattinson and with a married man no less. People think you broke up a home. Scott is divorced now. Also just the way you treated Michael Reese Meyers, whom people adore. He put your name on his neck, formed a band and wrote albums of music just to get over you. A lot of people just have this image of you as a bad girlfriend who doesn't know how to treat a good guy. A guy tons of girls would kill to be with."
Mel: "Well first of all I made a mistake, I cheated. Yea. But so what? So have many others. And it takes two to tango. [Jake] approached me. I didn't chase him. He broke up his own family. I take no responsibility for that. Sorry. I don't. Rubbish. And as for Michael, that was so long ago. What, 6 years ago? Why are people even still harping on that? I guess cause he mentions me in every song, yea? Listen. we were wrong for each other. He was very controlling and possessive. I was too immature for the type of relationship he wanted. I wasn't ready. Not for the type of love he was trying to give. It was an abusive relationship. We hurt each other and are better off without each other. It's as simple as that. I can understand the Rob thing, we had a good thing going and I ruined it, I know that. But me and Mike weren't some fairy tale romance ya know? That was some real dark fucked up shit man. Like Ike and Tina. Not pretty at all."
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On Michael Mentioning her in Chants of Reign songs:
Mel: "You know what? I'm a fan of his acting. I think he is incredibly talented. And to be honest I love his band. They make some wicked songs. I have all the albums. But I know which songs are about me. It's quite hilarious to me he still mentions me. I just wish he'd get off it, ya know? It was 6 years ago. He's been with other girls. I mean really? What could I have done to make such a big impact?"
Details: "Which song bothers you the most?"
Mel: "Probably These Girls are All the Same. From the new album. Only because it's rubbish. Half that shit isn't even true. My daddy never left. My parents are still married to this day. I never cried fake tears. None of it. Not sure what he's remembering."
Details: "Do you think he is still in love with you?"
Mel: "I know he is."
Details: "How?"
Mel: "Because he told me. He said 'I'll always be in love with you. You're the only person that makes me feel alive. I may be with other girls but they'll never compare to you."
Details: "When did he say this to you?"
Mel: "On the set of Inception."
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On Wishing Him a Happy Birthday From Keira's Wedding:
Details: "So what led you to send that video tape message wishing him a happy birthday recently? Was that a way of you reaching out, trying to connect with him again, as a friend, or something more? Because for so long it seemed you hated him, hated talking about him or being asked about him, never mentioned him. You just wanted nothing to do with him or the memory of you and him..."
Mel: "Ok let me clear that one up. Keira put me up to it. Keira and him are close. Real close friends. But she knew this was her wedding day, most important day of her life and she could not be there for his birthday. She knew others were making videos wishing him happy birthday but she did not have time to do one so she asked me to do one and mention her in it and say it was from both of us, because she felt bad ya know? She didn't want him to think she forgot or didn't care. But I could also tell she was ya know, trying to get me to do it so we could bury the hatchet between us. Make peace or whatever. So I did it. I did it for her. Not trying to reach out to him. I don't care. I seriously don't. I'm living my life and I wish he'd just live his."
Details: "So the hatchet isn't buried between you two?"
Mel: "Nope. We don't speak. He doesn't have my number. I don't have his. I was just trying to be nice. But now I wish I hadn't. I knew the minute I sent that [tape] off the whole world was going to read way too much into it."
Friday, July 12, 2013
Michael and Nadia call it Quits
Michael and Nadia Milan have broken up. Reports have been coming out that she is no longer with his band as they tour and Michael confirmed things Wednesday with a tweet saying "Another one bites the dust. Officially single. I cannot allow myself to watch someone I love kill themself with drugs. You can't save them all". In a recent interview Michael revealed Nadia once battled cocaine addiction and used hypnotherapy to get better, and even becoming a counselor herself to abusers. It appears she has not stopped her habit and Meyers, who once had a cocaine (and pill) problem himself, clearly does not want to be around that at this stage of his life. I applaud him for this decision and wish him the best. Let the search for new love begin! The band comes home from their tour in August (they recently added two U.S. dates to the what was once just a UK tour. One in Brooklyn, New York's Barclay's center and one in Staples Center in L.A.).
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Michael's Interview from his July 2013 BLACK BOOK Magazine Cover Spread
WHEN THE CHAMELEON FINALLY FINDS HIS TRUE COLOR
by Evelyn Barton
From movies to music...single life to single father...drama to comedy...brooding loner to smitten boyfriend. Michael Reese Meyers wants the world to know he is a changed man. Happier, more confident, comfortable in his own skin. Responsible. Stable. And yes, in love! While on tour with his band Chants of Reign in Europe, during their London stop, Meyers attended the London premiere of Man of Steel as well as sat down for a brief but in depth interview with Britain's Blackbook magazine to let us inside the life of Hollywood's most talked about rebel and why, for once, it feels good to be him.
Today though, he is in a wonderful mood. The reason becomes all the more apparent when new girlfriend Nadia Milan walks into the room to give Meyers some coffee he has been waiting for. Suddenly his energy shifts. He becomes more calm and timid. He and Nadia have an intriguing way of communicating. They stand very close to each other, close enough to be kissing, and whisper to each other as he gently rubs her mid section. She stares into his eyes deeply. He is clearly smitten. She has a motherly way about her and Meyers melts in her presence. When the interview officially begins, she is all Michael wants to talk about. "Nadia is the reason for everything I do now. She's amazing. Her vibe, her energy is so calming. So zen. It really relaxes me when she's around. I need that" he says. He goes on to reveal how they met and her adventurous past. "She was an extra on the set of Moneyball, in the scene where I first meet Olga's character. She approached me between takes at one point and struck up a conversation. I was instantly in awe of her beauty and how elegant and intelligent she was. She just had this energy about her. So poised and sophisticated." Nadia is of Russian descent. Born and raised in Moscow, an only child, to a billionaire father and mother. Her father is one of the richest land developers in the world. Meyers felt an immediate connection. "She has been through so much and we bonded over that. I mean, this is a woman who was a supermodel and TV show host in Russia for many years, from the time she was a teen, then got into an arranged marriage at 19, developed a full blown cocaine addiction by 21 and took it upon herself to get help. She went to a hypnotherapist to help her stop and it worked. She fell in love with that process and that world so much she decided to become a counselor herself and learned hypnotherapy. She worked as a healer for many years. She began reading all the teachings of the great philosophers. She traveled the world. Worked as a photographer. Worked with charity organizations feeding the poor in Africa. She worked in a soup kitchen for the sick and homeless in Virginia for a whole summer. She was a fashion photographer in Paris for a few years. She became a palm reader in London. She has lived all over. In fact that was her day job while she was on Moneyball. She did that during the week and did acting auditions on weekends. She is really a strange, unique and magical person."
I asked Michael to briefly reveal what happened between him and Scarlett Johansson. He laughed and said "You know, it's one of those things. One of those weird yet wonderful things. We just decided we work better as friends. We've hung out a bunch but decided, let's stop flirting and really go there. Let's go out to eat. A real date, you know? So, we went on a date, had a great time, made each other laugh. At the end of the night we hugged, I think I kissed her on the cheek. Said goodbye. The next day I texted her and said, 'nope felt no chemistry, no spark' and she goes 'yea I felt nothing too'. Then we go, 'alright, I guess we'll just be friends then'. Haha! I mean how often does that happen? Two people who are physically attracted to each other, get along, but just agree there isn't that extra special something to make you want to fall for someone? And I don't even know what it was that was missing. She's an amazing girl. But not at one point did I ever say to myself 'I could fall in love with this girl'. Maybe too much time had passed. I don't know. I really can't put my finger on it...(pauses)...I don't want to say she was too cheerful. But I don't know. Other than Kristen Bell I've never been with a girl who was that visibly happy all the time. And maybe it just didn't feel real, I don't know. Not that she's fake, but, I never felt like she fully let me in. It was like going out for drinks with your boss or co-worker. Everything was just surface. It never got deep or personal. I always look for that moment on a date where the smiles go away and you share something real and that moment never came. And you can't force it to happen. I said some deep stuff. Personal stuff. Just to see if she'd open up as well. She kind of just smiled and went 'that's outrageous, people are outrageous'. Then she changed the subject."
Nadia spoke to me for a few moments before the interview began and I could instantly tell she is a very spiritual person. Not religiously though. Every other word out her mouth is "light" or "shadow" or "dimension" or "centered" or "spirit". She brings everything she sees, hears, thinks, or experiences back to some sort of message or meaning that will enlighten one's soul. She is an incredibly deep thinker and Meyers says that is one of his favorite things about her. "She is very good friends with Deepak Chopra" Meyers adds. Nadia met the now world famous Indian holistic health/New Age guru while doing missionary work in Costa Rica back in 2010. "She gives me a quote from him daily, and it always blows my mind how helpful it is" Meyers says. I ask if she always speaks about "Chakra's" and "energies" and he laughs. "Yes. Yes that is really how she speaks, all the time. At first it took some getting used to let me tell you. I thought she was crazy at first but then I realized she really believes in this stuff and not only that, but it works. At dinner I told her about some night terrors I had experienced in the past and she said she had them too and we did some sort of meditation thing, right there at the table. She got rid of them. I haven't had them since. It's powerful stuff. I am becoming a believer." The pair became serious the night of his 29th birthday party and she is accompanying the band throughout their tour. "She is very familiar with Europe obviously so she is showing us all the sites" Meyers explains. He says if things go well, they plan to move in together once the tour ends and they return to Los Angeles in the fall.
Michael's life and perspective on his life (and career) has changed greatly over the past year. He once "thought acting was his be all and end all" but now sees it as a job. A job he enjoys but something he can live without. He looks to music to truly express himself. "Chants of Reign is my real mark on the world. That's my poetry. My characters I play are fictional and sure the performances can be celebrated, awarded and remembered, but it's my music that is really gonna touch people and change them" he says. Their first album "These Empty Streets and the Lonely Heart That Still Beats" was "meant to be the most depressing album of all time" and a soundtrack to all who were "depressed, suicidal, in the darkest place imaginable". Sonically it's sound was influenced by Irish folk rock, indie rock, and cinematech (short for Cinematic Techno). Their second album "The Epic Mysterious Journey Between Melancholy and Eutopia" was an "experimental album" which had array of sounds and genres, ranging in everything from dance to pop to rap to R and B to trance to rock to even reggae. The emotional theme of the record is getting over a breakup or losing someone and how do you move on with your life and the long ups and downs of that grieving process. Those first two albums were heavily influenced obviously by Meyers' tumultuous romance and (as he calls it) "unhealthy obsession" with Mel Morley. Their new third album "iLL Escape" is more of a party album, with sounds ranging from electronic trance/dance music to techno/dubstep/hip hop as well. "It started out as an instrumental relaxing album, with trance tracks like Sunday In Paris and Rumors and Ghosts In The Hall as well as tracks like Enter The Void which is an homage to all those scratching tracks DJ Hahn does on every Linkin Park album" explains Meyers. "But we started to get beats from other producers of all these half finished songs, like the first single Invincible, came to us as an incomplete track that was meant for Far East Movement. It had the hook and bridge but no verses. Al, James and I heard it and went 'this could be something if we add words'. And a few more tracks like that started to come in, so we went 'okay we will have 3 or 4 or 5 at most songs with lyrics, but it's mostly an instrumental album'. But more and more came along, like really good songs, tracks that could be hit singles, and we just went 'fuck it, let's make this a full on album with tons of instrumentals bridging the tracks together'. And that's what we did". The album includes songs produced by the likes of Bassment Jaxx, DeadMau5, Skrillex, Chillaxx Movement, SnoCap Mishap (they produced the band's most famous song, "Love Misled"), and the band's own DJ James Blaine.
Meyers says the band isn't done yet and already have extensive plans for their fourth and fifth albums as well. "The next album is gonna be an R and B sexy romantic album with slight touches of funk and jazz in there as well" Meyers explains. "The type of CD you put on when you are in your apartment at night, lighting candles, and cooking dinner for that special someone who is about to come over and set the mood. Baby making music. Sexy R and B. A mix of new school, old school, Lite FM jazz, just everything classy and sexy. It will make you wanna drink wine and fall in love, haha". The band has already begun writing for the new record and are scheduled to work with Noah "40" Shebib, Daft Punk, and Timbaland as producers, amongst many others. They will record this album in Los Angeles in the fall of 2013 for a 2014 release. They also have loose ideas for where to go on a fifth record. "We know it will be an all reggae album" Meyers reveals as he nods his head in excitement. "The radio HAS to play us, we're a mainstream band and when was the last time you turned on top 40 and heard a catchy reggae tune? Never. Not since the late 90's/early 2000's when people like Shaggy or Sean Paul had hits and were getting a ton of airplay. We want to bring that back. There's a whole world of reggae fans, people who love 311, 420, Bob Marley, Wayne Wonder, that do not get to hear their stuff in the mainstream and our fifth album will be for them. We're inspired by all those artists and we actually hope and plan to work with some of 311 and 420's producers on that one. It will be good to get back to live instrumentation too because both iLL Escape and our R and B album Funky Fresh Flow don't really have that. It's more beats on those albums. Less guitar and stuff. So it will be good to get back to that."
He admits Nadia is a huge influence on his newfound happiness, positivity, and the romantic angle the band will now take on the next coming two albums which "will celebrate being in love and being in a happy relationship". A band that once prided themselves on how depressing their music could be. "Yea the next album will be all about love, that's the mood I'm in now. I had a funny feeling going into 2012 I was going to find someone, I don't know why, and I did." He is also excited about newfound fatherhood. Up and coming actress Natalia Martinez (strangely with the same NM initials of Nadia Milan) gave birth to their son London Cologne Swagger on May 31st of this year. The child's unique name caught the world's attention but to Meyers, what really stands about his little baby boy is how he has changed Meyers' view on life. "I now know why I'm here. I look into his eyes and I see a fresh start. He can hopefully learn from all my mistakes and make me a better person. A better father and example for him and the person I want him to be" he says. Meyers hopes that by the end of the year once he and Nadia are settled in LA that the three of them can become their own little family. "Natalia is cool with that and she has the main custody of him until that happens. She's been great. I'm really excited to be a dad and to have that life. I've always dreamed of it. The partying, drugs, sex. That wasn't me having fun. That was me numbing the pain of not having the type of love I've always dreamed of having since I was a kid. Now it looks like I will finally have it. I am beyond excited. I just feel like pinching myself that it has finally happened."
Also in the fall Meyers will be filming his first comedy, a filmed called "Ted", written and directed by Family Guy creator Seth McFarlane. Meyers will co-star with Amy Adams in the raunchy comedy as a Boston couple dealing with an unusual roommate, a talking, pot smoking, hooker loving teddy bear. "The concept just seemed so simple yet so genius. Like a rated R Alf movie, haha" says Meyers. Meyers will play a pot smoking slacker who can't hold a job and would rather get high and play video games with his foul mouthed talking bear than grow up. Adams is the reasonable business-minded girlfriend who wants him to get rid of his furry friend and finally be a man. Meyers is nervous but excited to do his first comedy. "I asked Seth to bring Amy in because she is an amazing actress, she did a great Boston accent in The Fighter, I wanted to work with her so bad on that but we had no scenes together. Off the set she was the sweetest and just a breath of fresh air in this industry. Such a down to Earth normal person. Also, she never has done comedy before so I wouldn't feel like I was being paired up with someone whose done this before and then feel like I am slowing them down. We will be learning this comedy thing together."
Meyers said recently he may take a brief break from acting after Ted is done filming and he seems eager to begin the next phase of his life. "I'm not the same person I was when I started acting. I'm such a different guy than the actor you saw in those early movies. I want to be passionate about acting again and I hope I will be again one day but right now, what makes me most happy, is looking in Nadia's eyes when I say something that makes her laugh. I like seeing fans sing along to songs me and my bandmates wrote. I like hearing my son laugh. I want to live life. Real life. Not on a movie set. I just need some time to relax and get away and come back fresh and recharged. I been through so much and been hurting for long. This feeling I get when I'm with Nadia is heavenly. I just want to bask in it for as long as I can. I've been dreaming of it since I was a little boy. I don't feel the same. Food tastes better. Music sounds better. I have never felt like this before. It's hard to explain. I have found a new purpose and pretending to cry or scream at someone isn't it."
When the interview wraps up Michael and his bandmates go in the hallway to sign some autographs for fans who are from their VIP online fanclub. Michael and Nadia are the last to leave and hold hands as they walk out the door. I overhear some of their conversation. She rubs his head and neck, particularly the part where his Mel tattoo was. Apparently she has no idea who Mel was or what was once inked there because she curiously asks him ' Michael, what happened right here?' referring to his laser removal scars which are still visible. Meyers says softly, "Nothing, it was something that happened a long time ago. It's ok now". Nadia kisses it softly, as they walk out, together. Holding hands.
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