Gawker: defamer, the da vinci code

Vatican Amateurs Upstage Tom Hanks in 'Angels and Demons' Preview

STV — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 12:45:10 EST

GMA got in the Boxing Day spirit with an exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpse at Angels and Demons, featuring a nifty dramatic flourish we're afraid may not make Ron Howard's final cut.

The Vatican's disdain toward both Demons and its blaspheming predecessor The Da Vinci Code has been moderately documented here in the past, with Speedoed star Tom Hanks and source novelist Dan Brown each feeling the wrath of various Catholic grievances. As indicated by today's preview from the set, however, the A&D threat that most of us fear — stiff line readings, nonsensical revelations — is a less intriguing commodity than the church's very real antipathy, best represented by a priest whose acknowledged unfamiliarity with the books wouldn't dissuade him from "throwing them into the fireplace after two or three pages."

That's the kind of holiday spirit we'll miss following this last week of 2008, and which hopefully will reemerge as the film's only viable, exciting conflict leading up to its summer '09 release. Bonus: We think we spotted Raffaello Follieri in his big-screen breakthrough opposite Hanks; the camera was a bit removed, but listen closely and the word "palude" comes up at least once in all the stilted English. And rightly so! It wouldn't be a Vatican scandal without him.

'Good Morning America' [ABC]

The 'Da Vinci Code' Sequel Has Its Secret Weapon: Tom Hanks In a Speedo

Kyle Buchanan — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:30:08 EDT

Surely, Hollywood has entered a brand-new golden age of male objectification, whether it's the display of Jason Segel's flaccid member in Forgetting Sarah Marshall or Billy Crudup's irradiated super-schlong in Watchmen. Now, in an interview with USA Today about the Da Vinci Code sequel, Angels & Demons, producer Brian Grazer announces that the 52-year-old Tom Hanks will be the next male actor to bare (almost) all. While the scantily-clad Hanks won't be going full frontal (gotta keep that PG-13 rating!), Grazer promises the next best thing:

"I'm telling you, he's got a scene where he's swimming in Speedos, and he looks fantastic," Grazer says. "He's going to add 10 years to his career with that scene alone, just watch."

Though we've gone on the record as staunch Tom Hanks apologists, the notion of this scene has us worried; after all, not every fiftysomething has the defined pecs of a Grazer. It's been nearly a decade since Hanks whittled his body down to Cast Away shape — and that butt shot from last year's Charlie Wilson's War? All we're sayin' is that we wish it was as forgettable as the movie it was in.

First look: 'Angels & Demons' will fly faster than 'Da Vinci' [USA Today]

Injured Finger the Least Agonizing Part of Tom Hanks's Day Shooting 'Angels & Demons'

STV — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 15:20:00 EDT

As EW spoiler kingpin Steven Daly might have hinted they would, shutterbugs recently got a glimpse of Tom Hanks reprising his role as coiffure-challenged Da Vinci Code symbologist Robert Langdon on the Rome set of Angels & Demons. Everything was going appropriately by-the-numbers when the chronic anguish of complacency rocketed into the Oscar-winner's pinky, requiring a brief stoppage of production as medics attended to the finger. "What ees eet, Tohm?" they were heard to ask.

"It's always the same," Hanks grimaced. "It's like Audrey Tautou's English."

"But Tohm," they cried. "What ees eet?"

"Ask Ron," he said, gesturing his throbbing hand to his director across the way. "That fucker knows. Since Splash! The same fucking finger! Splash, asshole!" Shooting resumed painfully within the hour.

Tom Hanks stops filming on set [Daily Mail]