Angelina Jolie brings 'Blood and Honey' to L.A. with Brad

For Angelina Jolie, an intimate gathering would seem impossible given that she's one of the most famous women in the world. But somehow, on Thursday in Hollywood, she and partner Brad Pitt managed just that in support of her film "In The Land of Blood and Honey."

On a promotional tour that has seen broadcast sit-downs and a New York opening, Jolie screened her Bosnian love-and-war epic for industry types and friends, and about 200 of her and Pitt's biggest fans (one had a "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" poster waiting to be signed).

Spending an unusual amount of time on the red carpet to hype the project, Jolie rolled with a team but was never far from Pitt, who held the excess fabric of her blue gown as she descended the stairs at the ArcLight Cinemas.

Her father, Jon Voight, showed up to lend support, as did Jolie's girlfriend and fellow mom Gwen Stefani, but the evening's focus was the devastating ethnic cleansing depicted in "Blood and Honey," which features a cameo by Brad Pitt (his appearance is quick and brutal).

That made for a humble after-party at an event space two blocks from the theater, where maroon drapes gave a holiday vibe to well-wishers like Eli Roth, pals with Pitt since "Inglourious Basterds," and Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal.  

Jolie greeted virtually everyone, indulged in conversation and made sure all were fed and watered. Something she's got to be well-versed at at home with her and Pitt's six kids. But Thursday, as intimately as she could achieve, was about work.

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Photo: Brad Pitt, left, and Angelina Jolie, writer and director of the film "In the Land of Blood and Honey," at the premiere in Los Angeles on Thursday. Credit: Danny Moloshok / Associated Press

Angelina Jolie survived her dark times, still Brad Pitt's 'bad girl'

The Angelina Jolie of yesteryear is essentially unrecognizable, thanks to her bounty of children, her humanitarian work and movie-star life partner Brad Pitt. But it doesn't mean she's closed down Memory Lane.

Jolie, who makes her directorial debut next year with "In The Land of Blood and Honey," still recalls her bad girl days.

"I went through heavy, darker times and I survived them. I didn't die young," she says in a sitdown with CBS' "60 Minutes" to air Sunday, "so I am very lucky. There are other artists and people that didn't survive certain things."  

Like what, Angelina? 

"Nothing I want to go into a lot of detail about. I think people can imagine that I did the most dangerous, and I did the worst and for many reasons, I shouldn't be here," she tells correspondent Bob Simon.

A rather dark allusion to her earlier days, no? That would include her edgy marriage to Billy Bob Thornton and PDA with her brother James. But it's all behind her. Any remaining wild oats are Pitt's to sow.

"I'm still a bad girl," she says. "I still have that side of me ... it's just in its place now ... it belongs to Brad. Or ... our adventures."

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Photo: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie at the Tokyo premiere of "Moneyball" on Nov. 9. Credit: Junji Kurokawa / Associated Press

Brad Pitt: Not putting 'exact deadline' on retirement from acting

Just like Brad Pitt didn't mean life with Jennifer Aniston wasn't interesting when he said he was living an uninteresting live while he was with Aniston, he apparently didn't mean he would be retiring in three years when he told Australian "60 Minutes" he would be retiring in three years.

"I wasn't putting an exact deadline on my expiration date," Pitt said Tuesday at a news conference in South Korea, where "Moneyball" premiered Tuesday. "But I see it coming. I have other interests."

Here's what Pitt told "60 Minutes," according to the show's transcript:

TARA BROWN: If Brad Pitt wants us to be surprised, then he's left the best, and for his fans, the worst, til last. At the height of his fame and game, he's preparing to turn his back on acting. How much longer would you like to do your business for?

BRAD: Three years.

TARA BROWN: Three years?

BRAD: Yeah.

TARA BROWN: And then what happens after three years?

BRAD: Hell if I know. Hell if I know. I am really enjoying the producing side and development of stories and putting those pieces together. And getting stories to the plate that might have had a tougher time otherwise, so ... You know, I have gotten away with a few things in writing and I have been pissed off about a few things. How's that?

Perhaps Pitt is out of practice with the interviews, as he and Angelina Jolie don't do them much outside of when they're promoting projects?

His explanation for the "uninteresting" Aniston comments to Parade earlier this year were as follows:

"It grieves me that this was interpreted this way. Jen is an incredibly giving, loving and hilarious woman who remains my friend. It is an important relationship I value greatly. The point I was trying to make is not that Jen was dull but that I was becoming dull to myself — and that I am responsible for."

At least this time, the only one he has to get it straight with, other than fans and the media, is himself.

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Photo: Brad Pitt signs autographs for fans on the red carpet in Seoul, South Korea, where "Moneyball" premiered Tuesday. Credit: Lee Jin-man / Associated Press

 

 

 

Brad Pitt says he'll quit acting at 50, but his family might grow

You'd better get some Brad Pitt while he's hot, as the 47-year-old movie star says he plans to call it a day as an actor when he turns 50. 

"Three years," Pitt told Australia's "60 Minutes" of when he'll hang up his marquee letters.

"I am really enjoying the producing side and development of stories and putting those pieces together ... getting stories to the plate that might have had a tougher time otherwise," he said.

And though his days as a leading man might be numbered, his brood of adorable kids -- Maddox, Zahara, Pax, Shiloh and twins Knox and Viv -- could still expand.

"You know, I don't know that we're finished" adopting or conceiving more tots with Angelina Jolie. "Those late nights are so fun when one of them's up or those mornings when they get up and make pancakes or something. That's what it's about."

Pitt is still making the international rounds for his baseball flick "Moneyball," and will next be seen in the zombie epic "World War Z."  

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Photo: Brad Pitt at a press conference in Tokyo in support of "Moneyball." Credit: Toru Hanai / Reuters

Jennifer Aniston steps out with Justin Theroux, stays mum on Pitt

This post has been updated, as indicated below.

Plenty of things to pack into Jennifer Aniston's file on Tuesday: The actress has reached new creative heights, landed herself a new love and ain't touching recent comments made by ex-husband Brad Pitt.

In essence, she's staying classy, evidenced by the subtle show she made in New York City on Monday night for the premiere of "Five," a series of film shorts about breast cancer's effect. Aniston directed one of the vignettes -- her debut behind the camera, in fact.

"Jennifer holds her own, baby!" said Patricia Clarkson, a veteran of directors including Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen who was one of Aniston's actors in the Lifetime TV project.

While Jen was holding her own, beau Justin Theroux was waiting to hold the door. At Skylight Soho, the couple arrived and departed together, hand-in-hand, according to People.

Though the duo posed for some fan photos, Aniston had no intention of broaching comments recently made by her ex-husband. (Pitt, who intimated to Parade that the two had shared an uninteresting marriage, later retracted the comments as being taken completely out of context.)

"Oh, Lord, it's not even worth discussing on a night like this," she reportedly said on the red carpet. 

Alicia Keys and Demi Moore are also counted as directors on "Five," to air Oct. 10 on Lifetime.

[Updated, 4:20 p.m. Sept. 28: Holy cows, there was a naked paparazzo of some sort in the picture that originally accompanied this post. The Ministry is embarrassed that we didn't notice -- you know how we are about the naughty bits -- and currently procuring an appropriate replacement photo. Thanks to Twitterverse for pointing it out!]

[Updated, 4:45 p.m. Sept. 28: Phew. That's the same photo up above now, only with less, um, background action.]

[Updated 5:08 p.m. Sept. 28: But wait, there's more! Turns out some folks on the red carpet at the event -- which was the premiere of a short-film collection about breast cancer -- were aware they'd been flashed on the red carpet by a woman Page Six identified as topless paparazzo Holly Van Voast. "I think it's actually pretty great ...," actress Clarkson said. "You know, I'm kind of sad I put on a dress."]

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Photo: Oh, Jennifer Aniston -- if you only knew what was lurking behind you in the crowd as you arrived at the premiere of Lifetime's "Five" at Skylight Soho on Sept. 26. Credit: Larry Busacca / Getty Images

 

Brad Pitt, 'Moneyball' take Oakland out to the ballgame

Brad Pitt's new movie, "Moneyball," played to a hometown crowd for its U.S. premiere, as the red carpet show — including stars Pitt, Jonah Hill, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and more — came to Oakland to screen the story of A's general manager Billy Beane and his renegade bases-on-a-budget approach to baseball.

"This is a special screening for us," Pitt told the Mercury News on Monday. "The people of Oakland gave us such a great response. They stayed up with us for hours on end to tape the baseball scenes [for the film] and never lost energy."

Photos: "Moneyball" premiere in Oakland

"Moneyball," based on Michael Lewis' book about Beane's system-bucking strategies in the early 2000s, was adapted for the screen by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, the latter of whom made it to the Paramount Theatre of the Arts event, as did Lewis.

Beane — whose GM contract with the A's runs through 2012 — was on hand, the Mercury News said, along with retired catcher-first baseman Scott Hatteberg, portrayed in the film by actor Chris Pratt. Though Angelina Jolie didn't make it, A's designated hitter Hideki Matsui managed to pose for a few shots with Pitt.

Also spotted from the cast were Casey Bond, Stephen Bishop and Art Ortiz, who play A's Chad Bradford, David Justice and Eric Chavez; Reed Thompson, the face of the younger Billy Beane; and Kerris Dorsey, who plays a persuasive guitar as Beane's daughter.

Separate from the premiere, Bishop threw the ceremonial first pitch Tuesday at Oakland's game against the Texas Rangers.

"Moneyball," which had its world premiere Sept. 9 at the Toronto International Film Festival, opens Friday in the U.S.

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Photo: Brad Pitt arrives at the "Moneyball" premiere at the Paramount Theatre of the Arts in Oakland on Sept. 19. Credit: Robert Galbraith / Reuters.  

 

Brad Pitt: Quotes on life with Aniston were misinterpreted [Poll]

Brad Pitt wants people to know that he didn't mean married life with Jennifer Aniston was uninteresting when he told Parade magazine that, for a time, he was living an uninteresting life and that he thought his marriage to her had something to do with it.

"It grieves me that this was interpreted this way," Pitt said Friday in a written statement, referring to Thursday's gossip kerfuffle about the remarks. "Jen is an incredibly giving, loving and hilarious woman who remains my friend. It is an important relationship I value greatly. The point I was trying to make is not that Jen was dull but that I was becoming dull to myself — and that I am responsible for."

Guess the "Brad Pitt is finally 'satisfied' " headline on the piece didn't help much in setting the tone — along with those other highlighted quotes about how happy he is. Now. With Angelina Jolie.

Here's the Pitt quote due in print Sunday, as teased by Parade.

I started to get sick of myself sitting on a couch, holding a joint, hiding out. It started feeling pathetic. It became very clear to me that I was intent on trying to find a movie about an interesting life, but I wasn't living an interesting life myself. I think that my marriage [to Aniston] had something to do with it. Trying to pretend the marriage was something that it wasn't.

So, the decision is yours. If the Ministry knows anything, it's that quotes are taken out of context and misinterpreted all the time. That said, the did-he-mean-it-or-not debate is at least, y'know, fairly interesting.

New Aniston beau Justin Theroux might have a foolproof technique for not being misinterpreted: During an interview, simply pose, look pretty and speak about nothing except your relationship with your own facial hair.

Pitt's new movie, "Moneyball," opens Sept. 23.

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— Christie D'Zurilla
Twitter.com/dzurillaville

Reuters contributed to this report.

Photo: Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, then husband and wife, at the 57th Cannes Film Festival in 2004. Credit: Eric Gaillard / Reuters.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie play 'Moneyball' in Toronto

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie do get around -- the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival got a visit from Hollywood's golden couple Friday for the premiere of Pitt's "Moneyball."

The inside-baseball flick was screened at Thomson Hall, attended by his costars Jonah Hill and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Funny couple Chris Pratt and Anna Faris showed, as did director Spike Jonze.

Photos: 'Moneyball' premieres and other sightings from TIFF 2011

Pitt arrived in the Canadian city on a break from filming "World War Z," his zombie battle flick that's had locations in London and Glasgow. Jolie served as arm candy while she preps the release of her directorial debut, "Blood and Honey."

Plenty of other A-listers have hit the festival, or will in the coming days, including Tilda Swinton, George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Seth Rogen and Ewan McGregor. Click the photo link above to check out the scene.

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Photo: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in Toronto at the premiere of "Moneyball." Credit: Nathan Denette / Associated Press

Angelina Jolie: I'm not adopting, pregnant or marrying Brad Pitt

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt won't be getting married any time soon -- nor will the couple be adding to their expansive family. And why do we care about these no-news confirmations? Because this time they're coming from Angelina Jolie herself.

The "Salt" star, who makes her directorial debut with the controversial war romance "Blood and Honey," spoke out about long-gestating rumors that she would marry her movie-star baby daddy.

There is "no secret wedding," she told Vanity Fair. "I'm not pregnant. I'm not adopting at the moment."

So there.

The U.N. goodwill ambassador and Louis Vuitton spokesgal is much more open about discussing "Blood and Honey," the love story set against conflict in Bosnia. If the script runs a little hot, blame it on the feverish inspiration Jolie got when writing the script.

"I had the flu,” Jolie said. "I had to be quarantined from the children for two days. I was in the attic of a house in France. I was isolated, pacing. I don't watch TV and I wasn't reading anything. So I started writing. I went from the beginning to the end. I didn't know any other way."

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Top photo: Angelina Jolie, a U.N. goodwill ambassador, meets Croation President Ivo Jospipovic this month to discuss land mines. Credit: Office of the President of Croatia / AFP/Getty Images

Left photo: Jolie on the cover of Vanity Fair. Credit: Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott / Vanity Fair

 

Brad Pitt saves 'World War Z' extra from being trampled on set

This post has been corrected. See the note below for details. Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt to the rescue: After saving a woman from being trampled on the set of "World War Z," the actor is being hailed as a hero.

Things took a dangerous turn during a chaotic, 700-person zombie-invasion scene in Glasgow, Scotland’s George Square. An extra slipped during filming Wednesday and Pitt stopped to pick her up, saving her from being trampled in the street, the Scottish Sun reports.

"Lots of people hurt themselves, and Brad came to the rescue of a woman who slipped," an insider told the paper. "I don't think she could believe it when Brad picked her up.

"He didn't have time to speak to her as it was mid-shoot. But she said afterwards how grateful she was, despite having a badly grazed knee."

According to the Sun source, Pitt and director Marc Forster were growing "slightly concerned" about the number of injuries that have occurred over the course of filming the action thriller. During the Wednesday battle scene, "loads of extras suffered bumps and scrapes," the source said, adding that during a safety talk, everyone was urged to be as careful as possible.

The apocalyptic action movie, due out in 2012, follows Pitt's character Gerry Lane, a United Nations employee who travels the world in hopes of stopping the zombie pandemic before it's too late. Looks like the actor playing Lane is a real-life hero as well.

[For the record, 5:20 p.m. Aug. 27: This post originally named Peter Mullan as the "World War Z" director. Marc Forster is the director; actor-director Mullan was spotted visiting the George Square set.]

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Photo: Brad Pitt, center, runs with a girl who appears to be his on-screen daughter -- not the extra he helped after she slipped -- during the filming of zombie movie "World War Z" in Glasgow, Scotland, Wednesday. Credit: David Moir / Reuters