https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYcx43AmAyY

Here’s the thing: It gives one great hope that one can be, say, an academic, and be portrayed in a film by Rachel Weisz. This isn’t to denigrate Lipstadt’s appearance or Weisz’s acting abilities; they just really don’t look alike. Still, at least Weisz is actually a Jewish woman portraying a Jewish woman.

This got me thinking: Who plays Jewish women in biopics, and what do they look like? I dove down the worst kind of rabbit hole: Wikipedia.

In a list of biopics (film or TV), Jews don’t tend to come up often; we’re a minority, fine. But (with the exception of Holocaust movies, ugh) Jewish women seem to be a rarity, and have films depicting their lives and accomplishments far less frequently than men. Furthermore, the women more often tend to be “glammed up” with their casting. It’s easier to be an accomplished actor without outlying attractiveness if you’re a man, and this is especially clear in biopics.

Male Jewish real-life folks on screen have a range of portrayals— in recent or prominent films depicting Jewish men, we’ve had Peter Sarsgaard as Stanley Milgram, Vincent D’Onofrio as Abbie Hoffman,Kevin Spacey as Jack Abromoff, and Jim Carrey as Andy Kaufman. None of these men (actors or subjects) read immediately as heartthrobs, and none of the actors are Jewish. Or, you can have schlubby-coded Jewish men play these roles (very recently, Jonah Hill has portrayed Michael Finkel and Efraim Diveroli).

Occasionally, you can have heartthrobs portray Jewish characters: take Allen Ginsberg, who’s been portrayed by both James Franco  and Daniel Radcliffe (both of Jewish descent).

So what of the ladies?

It’s so hard to find real Jewish women portrayed on screen, particularly as the leads, and especially if you remove Holocaust victims and Biblical characters (enough Christian-made films about Esther. Please).

Somewhat recent Jewish women on film include:

• Keira Knightley as psychoanalyst Sabina Spielrein— Jon Stewart once aptly said of Knightley that she “acts with cheekbones so improbable they were probably sprinkled with God Dust,” though to be fair, this film also cast Viggo Mortensen as Sigmund Freud, so, an upgrade all around.
  
• Helen Mirren has played Ayn Rand. I’m not even going to touch how ludicrous that is.
  
• An upcoming HBO series about the Madoffs (Bernie is Robert De Niro) has Michelle Pfeiffer as Ruth Madoff.

Note that all of these woman are both Hollywood standards of attractive, and also not Jewish. Once again, there are exceptions; Natalie Portman plays Ruth Bader Ginsburg in an upcoming film, and she’s a Jewish actor. And Gertrude Stein has been played by a range of wonderful actors not cut from the Hollywood glamor mold, both Jewish (like Miriam Margolyes) and Gentile (like Kathy Bates). But honestly, the sample size is too small to get any reliable patterns, which in and of itself is telling.

And so, keep an eye out for my next piece: A list of ideas for Jewish female actresses that could easily star in biopics, and ideas for  who they might portray. We need more examples, period.

In the meantime, please comment below, or tweet Jewcy with your own ideas.  Try to keep both actor and subject of Jewish descent, and if possible, avoid movies about sex symbols,  therefore repeating casting the same three gorgeous Hollywood actors. As in, try to resist casting Mila Kunis as Hedy Lamarr, as great as that might be.

Images via YouTube

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In a case of life imitating art imitating life (or something), the North Korean government has condemned Seth Rogen and James Franco’s forthcoming comedy about the assassination of dictator Kim Jong-un. In “The Interview,” due out in October, the duo play a talk show host and producer who manage to secure a coveted, improbable interview with the North Korean leader—and are then recruited by the CIA to kill him.

The Telegraph reports that a spokesman for the regime, Kim Myong-chol, said the movie “shows the desperation of the US government and American society.” He cautioned President Obama to “be careful in case the US military wants to kill him as well,” and argued that James Bond films “are much more enjoyable” than Rogen-Franco productions. (Clearly, he hasn’t seen their parody of Kanye’s Bound 2.)

Still, Kim Jong-un is apparently planning to watch the movie. And Rogen is delighted by the accidental publicity coup. When crazy dictators condemn satirical take-downs, everybody wins!

Apparently Kim Jong Un plans on watching #TheInterview. I hope he likes it!! http://t.co/5VrsgYlydE

— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) June 20, 2014

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This fall, James Franco and Seth Rogen will attempt to assassinate North Korea’s Kim Jong-un in their new comedy-bromance-spy thriller, “The Interview.”

The actors—who first worked together on cult TV hit Freaks & Geeks (R.I.P.), then co-starred in the apocalyptic comedy “This is the End” (where they were inspired to collaborate on a terrific spoof of Kanye West’s Bound 2 video)—play a talk show host and producer who manage to secure a coveted, improbable interview with the dictator, and are recruited by the CIA to kill him. Lizzie Caplan, who is brilliant in “Masters of Sex,” plays one of the CIA officers. The trailer was released yesterday, and we are cautiously optimistic that it will be a hilarious bromantic romp/satire of authoritarianism/parody of American celebrity culture.

Rogen told Indiewire in May: “It’s our attempt to make our version of a big political spy thriller. But starring me and Franco. It’s kind of the formula we always do which is we take a genre we like and add idiots to it. It’s like “This is the End” is a horror movie with idiots in it and “Pineapple Express” is an eighties action movie with idiots in it. So this is our “3 Days of the Condor” with idiots in it. And Kim Jong-un is one of the main characters in the movie, which is something that I’m curious about how people will react to.”

Also, the movie poster is amazing.

Without further ado, here’s the trailer:

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James Franco likes to be many things to many people, hence his diverse array of career accomplishments. Although many teenage girls and Hollywood funny men love Franco, most art critics take a strong disliking towards his masterpieces.

Most recently, NY Mag’s Vulture published a piece by Jerry Saltz entitled, “At This Point, George W. Bush Is Actually a Better Artist Than James Franco.” How’s that for a mouthful, huh? Saltz gives Franco his due (sort of) by acknowledging his acting prowess in Springbreakers and 127 hours, but thinks his recent Pace Gallery “New Film Stills” show is completely horrendous. Besides that, he notes one of the reasons Pace welcomes such “art” is due to corporate merchandising and the growth of Pace’s desire for publicity.

Franco’s show is inspired by Cindy Sherman’s 1977-80 “Film Stills,” which have been replicated numerously throughout the art community.

Saltz elaborates on the originality of it all, “By now hundreds of young artists have riffed on the “Film Stills.” It’s almost required in art schools; It’s one of the most predictable holding patterns in all of art. I always tell students who do Sherman remakes, “Cool. Get them out of your system, then get back to work, and don’t show these to anyone. It’s just you masturbating and may mean you’re not meant to be an artist.”

This review comes in the wake of other reviews cast for Franco’s Broadway production, Of Mice and Men. Most notably, the New York Times review by Ben Brantley, in which the critic wrote, “The presentation is lucid, stately and neutral. Such traits might make this revival an excellent audiovisual aid for middle-school instructors who are teaching Steinbeck’s novella.”

He also notes both lead characters, Franco and Chris O’Dowd’s “heartthrob” status, suggesting that the excitement that roars from anyone in the crowd is exactly the result of that “celebritism” (I made up a word), and not so much the actors’ talents in their current roles.

James Franco took to his Instagram–he literally posts 5 times a day–to voice his discontent with Brantley, calling the writer “a little bitch” and claiming that the whole theater community hates him.The 36-year-old polymath has quite the ego, but we should give him some credit for attempting to excel in so many different artistic mediums. Most people choose one or two. But, alas, we shouldn’t over praise. The whole Instagram date with a 17-year-old still rings creepy AF. Also, it was likely a publicity stunt, knowing Franco’s antics, which may make the whole thing even worse?

(Image: Getty)

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James Franco and Gary Shteyngart are lovers and friends in Shteyngart’s book trailer for his first memoir, Little Failure. Shteyngart gathered up what seems to be a bunch of kick-ass friends and acquaintances, such as Jonathan Franzen, Alex Karpovsky, and Rashida Jones, to showcase the self-deprecating author preparing for his book release.

In the video, Franco and Shteyngart sit for morning coffee in matching fuzzy, pink bathrobes–but not before Franco gives Gary a smooch–and proceeds to tell Gary he’s written a memoir entitled, “50 Shades of Gary, An Erotic Memoir.”

Keep watching to see Shteyngart vent on his psychiatrist Jonathan Franzen’s couch, pay $13 for non-Fair Trade coffee from “barista” Karpovsky, and pop prescription pills in a sea of people gushing over Franco’s new “erotic journey.”

“Oh my God, it’s even more “Jewcy” on a Tablet device.” Did anyone else catch that?

(Photo by Buzzfeed)

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If it wasn’t enough for you that Zach Braff is starring in Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway, get excited for Leighton Meester and James Franco in Of Mice and Men. Coming to Broadway for the first time in 40 years, Anna D. Shapiro will direct the John Steinbeck classic, The Hollywood Reporter reports.

Produced by David Binder, it begins previews March 19 at the Longacre Theatre, with official opening set for April 16. Tickets go on sale Jan. 11 for the limited engagement, which runs through July 27. Remaining cast is to be announced.

Meester will play Curley’s wife, who attracts the attention of Lennie, played by Chris O’Dowd. Franco takes on the role of George, Lennie’s friend and protector.

Let’s all go see it. Adam Brody will definitely be there.

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After the release of Kanye West’s awful, yet totally amazing “Bound 2” music video (starring wild horses, scenic mountains, and a blonde, sultry Kim Kardashian), James Franco and Seth Rogen decided to recreate their “favorite new video” while working on the set of their upcoming film, The Interview. You will not be sorry you watched this [20 times].

Here you go:

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Ellen DeGeneres, you dancing, gift-giving queen. For the holidays, she’s created an almost, perfect gift for your friends, parents, and pets. A sexy calendar starring Renaissance Man James Franco as Mr. December.

Donning a Santa hat and a speedo, with his lovely face superimposed on the body of some, sufficiently chiseled, man, Franco’s eyes meet yours as the cat on his shoulder inaudibly says/purrs “take us home with you.” Alas, because nothing is ever truly right, the theme is all off. Where’s the menorah at, DeGeneres? Hanukkah may be all up in November this year, but it ends in December. Franco is, in fact, a part of the tribe. So, add that menorah—Photoshop, a glue stick, what have you.

Franco Instagrammed:

Happy holidays.

James Franco Stars in Ellen DeGeneres’ Perfect Calendar: No Clothes, a Cat and Some Photoshop! [E!]

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With a great-looking, talented, and very Jewish cast, the trailer for Tar, which premiered at the Rome Film Festival last year, is finally here. À la I’m Not There, the film portrays poet C.K. Williams with various actors throughout his life. Directed by 12 NYU film students (team work!), Tar stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, Zach Braff, but there’s still no release date. Whatever, we’re still excited for it.

Watch the trailer here:

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By this point, we all know that James Franco is quite the Renaissance Man. He acts, he directs, he studies, and he writes. In his new novel Actors Anonymous, Franco writes about the world of Hollywood in a series of vignettes. Though there’s a character named James Franco, we aren’t to assume that he’s the same person as the author. He doesn’t necessarily hold the same thoughts or beliefs as the real James Franco. We know what you’re thinking, and, no, it’s not confusing— it’s art.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Franco divulges details about his favorite authors (“Melville, Hemingway, Steinbeck, Burroughs, and Kerouac”), his reasons for writing a novel (“…if I’d wanted to write a book about my feelings on Hollywood, I would have just written a memoir”), and the role he’s enjoyed playing most (“My favorite role ever was Alien in Spring Breakers.”). He also explained which of his many trades he’s enjoying the most:

You’ve worn so many hats: screenwriter, director, actor, student, author. What’s the most rewarding or challenging role for you?

I guess what I enjoy most is directing, because it incorporates all aspects of filmmaking. Directing is in the same line as acting—both are popularity contests, and in both you’re trying to tell a story through the film as a medium. But when I direct, I get to decide what the material is, the approach we’re going to take, and often I get to be both in front of and behind the camera. I get to create a collaborative environment—that I love. It’s less about control, or me wanting to be a dictator, and more about my saying, “This is the sandbox I want to play in, and these are the people I want to play with.” That’s great: I can have all the people I love around me.

We’d love to hangout in your sandbox, Franco.

Q&A: James Franco on His First Novel, Actors Anonymous, and Why There Is a Character Named “James Franco” [Vanity Fair]

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