PATRICK STEWART MARKS THE SPOT FOR `X-MEN'.Byline: Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith Patrick Stewart This article is about the actor. For the American soldier, see Patrick Stewart (soldier). For the actor who is sometimes credited as "Patrick Stuart", see James Patrick Stuart. Patrick Stewart , who's taken off for the Toronto lensing of the big-screen ``X-Men,'' admits he had misgivings about taking on the high-profile feature that'll shoot through mid-January. Stewart will play wheelchair-bound mind-reader Professor X - leader of the comic book comic book Bound collection of comic strips, usually in chronological sequence, typically telling a single story or a series of different stories. The first true comic books were marketed in 1933 as giveaway advertising premiums. superheroes Superheroes are fictional heroes who possess abilities beyond those of normal human beings. Superheroes may also refer to:
``X-Men'' has ``a following almost as fanatical as `Star Trek  Editing of this page by unregistered or newly registered users is currently disabled due to vandalism. ,' '' notes the actor best-known to many as ``Star
Trek's'' Capt. Picard. ``I have to confess, although
`X-Men' falls into the genre of fantasy rather than science
fiction, I wasn't sure I should put my toe into that particular
water again. Being so closely associated with a genre, it's
sometimes difficult to break away.'' He says talking to
director Bryan Singer and reading the script - ``very strong''
- swayed him.
Stewart, of course, is also very familiar with the upside of having a cult following. He has ``a good half-dozen'' film projects in development via his Flying Freehold Productions banner - which he set up at Paramount after agreeing to re-up as Picard in future ``Trek'' features. The next of those could go into production as early as spring 2000, he says. Or his next project could be the updated version of ``King Lear'' he has in the works for TNT TNT: see trinitrotoluene. TNT in full trinitrotoluene Pale yellow, solid organic compound made by adding nitrate (−NO2) groups to toluene. - with Stewart and Gregory Peck as the heads of a wealthy Texas ranch family. Stewart also has a new, excellent version of ``A Christmas Carol'' coming up on TNT - noteworthy for its faithfulness to the Dickens classic. Pre-`Matrix' job We reported the other day that Keanu Reeves was deciding which film he would do before starting his planned back-to-back ``Matrix'' sequels next year. Now we can tell you he's decided to go dark - very dark - as a twisted genius of a serial killer serial killer Forensic psychiatry A person who commits serial murders Prototypic SK White ♂ age 30; 97% are ♂; 80% are sociopaths. See Dahmer, Depraved heart murder, Ice Man. Cf Megan's law, Son of Sam law. in Interlight Productions' ``Driven.'' The movie has a Nov. 11 start date, with shooting slated for L.A. and Chicago. Wild witch Melissa Joan Hart Melissa Joan Hart (born April 18 1976) is an American actress who is best known for playing the title roles in two successful television series, Clarissa Explains It All and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. managed to stand out from the crowd the other night at Manhattan's Veruka, a contact on the club scene tattles. As the story goes, the ``Sabrina the Teenage Witch'' actress was one of a crowd of nine girls there, celebrating one of their birthdays, who ended up dancing on tables and chairs - Melissa the most noticeable among them. She came back down to Earth - or more specifically, the floor - we're told, after she locked eyes with a handsome fellow with whom she spent most of the evening, acting anything but platonic, next to the disc-jockey stand. Among those on hand were Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Abel Ferrara and Bijou Phillips. Melissa's reps were unavailable for comment. Small-screen noir ``L.A. Confidential'' - the TV series? The pilot is being formulated now for a Jan. 11 production start by Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) . TV and Regency TV. The background is early '60s L.A., with police corruption an issue and a new chief of police ushering in a crackdown on corruption. Could the police scandal headlines around these parts be providing inspiration? Can he carry a tune? Jason Lee probably learned more about the '70s rock 'n' roll rock 'n' roll: see rock music. era than he ever wanted to know to prepare for his role in the still-untitled Cameron Crowe project. ``I listened to a lot of early '70s rock that I normally wouldn't listen to, and I have the video `History of Rock 'n' Roll' that I've seen a few times,'' says the 28-year-old. Lee plays the lead singer in a '70s band in the film he's currently shooting with Billy Crudup, Kate Hudson, Anna Paquin and Frances McDormand. The actor, who's been receiving strong critical notices for his role as a skateboarding billionaire in Lawrence Kasdan's ``Mumford,'' also stars in Kevin Smith's upcoming ``Dogma,'' with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Lee defends the latter film, which has come under attack by the Catholic League for its decidedly irreverent look at the church. ``It'd be different if Kevin had gone out of his way to make a film promoting atheism atheism (ā`thē-ĭz'əm), denial of the existence of God or gods and of any supernatural existence, to be distinguished from agnosticism, which holds that the existence cannot be proved. or something. He didn't. It's very funny, and in the end, it's a very pro-faith movie.'' Well, that's what he says. With reports by Stephanie DuBois. The Celebrities column appears Monday through Friday. CAPTION(S): 4 Photos PHOTO (1) STEWART (2) REEVES (3) HART (4) LEE |
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