#27: Pearl Jam
Still Writing Their Own Rules

Staunch populist Eddie Vedder may soundtrack a film based on the work of people's historian Howard Zinn. Mike McCready will tour with his high school pals in the Rockfords. A new album will arrive when it does. Yet in a sense, the vitality (or Vitalogy) of Pearl Jam is that they feel no pressure about what to do next: Like REM or Tori Amos, though unlike most other peers, they'll continue to worship a slightly abstract rock muse, assured of a sizable cult audience. And by quietly doing the things that seem eminently reasonable to them, like finding the means to officially release all 47 dates of their most recent US tour on CD (plus a new DVD, shot in part by activist actor/director Tim Robbins*), they continue to pioneer a desperately needed model for alt-rock stability.

Note: * Pearl Jam's official press release doesn't mention Tim and simply says that the footage was shot by their crew. I guess we'll know when the video comes out in April. Although if Tim is not in the credits, that still won't mean he wasn't involved... - Polina

Feb 12, 2001
Tim Robbins Discovers 'The Truth About Charlie'
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Tim Robbins has signed on for a supporting role opposite Thandie Newton and Mark Wahlberg in "The Truth About Charlie," a romantic thriller to be directed by Jonathan Demme.

Robbins will play Mr. Bartholomew in Universal's updated version of the Stanley Donen's 1963 thriller "Charade," which starred Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. The Bartholomew role was played by Walter Matthau in the original.

In "Charlie," penned by Demme and Steve Schmidt, a Parisian (Newton) discovers her husband has been murdered and she is being pursued by four strange men. She's rescued by an enigmatic stranger (Wahlberg), but his motives are murky.

The film is slated to start shooting March 14 in Paris.

Robbins stars in the upcoming "Human Nature," written by Charlie Kaufman, directed by Michel Gondry. The picture will be released by Fine Line Features in October.

source: Yahoo!

Jan 27, 2001
AOL Live! Chat with Ryan Phillippe January 11, 2001
Mr. Moviefone: J8m48 says, how was it working with Tim Robbins?

Ryan: I got plenty to say about him. I admire him as an actor, director. There are things I can learn from him also because he's a family man, he has kids, obviously. I appreciate the fact he has an opinion. I've heard him get knocked at that for times, an -- and I feel more people need opinions. We need more people willing to assert and stand up for something. I think that's cool. He's also very down to earth. He came to the set with literally like an acoustic guitar, no assistants, no nothing. And he's got a great sense of humor, too.

Dec 6, 2000
Human Nature Wild, Wild Live from IMC Rant Magazine (Sept-Oct 2000)
"It's Tarzan meets Being John Malkovich," or so screenwriter Charlie Kaufman might have pitched it. The man who brought you Malkovich last year is back with an equally strange and hilarious story about love, jealousy, and trained mice that's nearing completion. Tim Robbins plays Nathan, the scientist; Patricia Arquette, a naturalist with excessive body hair, is Nathan's lover; and Rhys Ifans is the ape boy they're both obsessed with. Award-winning French music-video director Michel Gondry is behind the camera, pulling out every visual effect possible, from in-camera tricks to computer generated imagery for what Good Machine producer Ted Hope calls a "super ambitious" movie. And with Malkovich helmer Spike Jonze also on board as producer, Gondry says, "I really got what I wanted. and I had everyone behind me, really pushing me to be myself." If you've seen any one of Gondry's Bjork videos, particularly the similarly titled Human Behavoir, you might get a sense of his wild imagination; what he describes as "a mix of being childish and a bit perverted." Fine Line will release Human Nature in 2001.

Nov 29, 2000
(Thanks to Polina!)

Eddie Vedder & Susan Sarandon	Tim Robbins
(Click on pictures to see the full size)

Stars Rally for Ralph Nader Robbins, Sarandon, Vedder and Murray Show Support For the Green Party Candidate
by Russell Scott Smith (from Us Magazine 10/30/00)
On October 13, Bill Murray, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Eddie Vedder and a crowd of 15,000 turned out at New York's Madison Square Garden to celebrate the underdog presidential campaign of Green Party candidate Ralph Nader, whom Murray called "the best American I know." "Let's go, Na-der! Let's go, Na-der!" chanted the audience members, who got a 90-minute speech from Nader and musical sets from Ani DiFranco, Ben Harper, Patti Smith and Vedder for a $20 campaign contribution. Phil Donahue emceed the event, Nader Rocks the Garden; Sarandon offered a plea for voter registration; and Robbins sang a song in the guise of handicapped right-wing politician-folk singer Bob Roberts, whom he played in the 1992 movie of the same name. [Actually, he sang two - Pol] "I dedicate this song to W.," said Robbins, referring to Republican George W. Bush. "Or as we call him in the locker room, Boy George." At the end of the evening, Vedder led a rousing version of "The Times They Are A-Changin'," noting that the song's author, Bob Dylan, had given him permission to sing it at the rally. [Another mistake - Eddie sang that song during his own set. It was Patty Smith leading a rousing version of her own song "People Have the Power" - Pol]

Note: Text in [   ] indicated the mistakes in the article by Polina. Thanks again Polina!

Nov 18, 2000
This report was sent to me by Polina (Thanks!)
"Tim was at a lot of Pearl Jam shows on their US tour just recently, and he actually shot the three New York shows - it was him on small camcorder and I think two more people on bigger cameras. It's generally accepted knowledge within the PJ circles that this was shot for a soon to be released concert video that Tim directed and probably co-produced with PJ. They haven't actually announced it officially, but they never do until it actually happens."

"I went to Nader's New York rally (and not just because Eddie Vedder was there, honest!), and you know, they would all do their thing and go backstage... Well, about five minutes before Eddie was coming on stage they all came out into the audience to watch him. Tim and Susan stood right in front of my seat, holding each other, looking up at Eddie like he was god... the same way I always look up at Eddie. I was like, "Yeah, I know what you mean." It just really... I don't know, I was always an admirer of their work, but that totally made me fall in love with them both. All Pearl Jam fans are related."

Nov 16, 2000
Director options death row bio
Director Micki Dickoff has optioned life rights to one of the characters whose oral history of life on death row runs through the upcoming Off Broadway play "The Exonerated."

Such thesps as Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon and Richard Dreyfuss have taken part in the play, which just concluded a three-week benefit run on its way to an Off Broadway opening in fall 2001. "The Exonerated," directed by Bob Balaban, is based on 12 of 40 interviews that Erik Jensen and Jessica Blank conducted with exonerated death row inmates.

Dickoff, who has made documentaries on AIDS (news - web sites) and human rights issues, produced and directed a 1996 ABC film, "In the Blink of an Eye," based on her own intervention in the case of another former death row inmate, a childhood friend, whose story is also featured in "The Exonerated."

Dickoff's new project is based on the life of Kerrey Max Cook, who was acquitted of the rape and murder of a young woman in Tyler, Texas, and who spent 22 years on death row before being acquitted as a result of prosecutorial misconduct.

"It's the most horrendous miscarriage of justice I've ever seen," Dickoff said. "I passionately believe film can make a difference, and if you can touch people's hearts you can change people's minds."

Dickoff bought the option with personal funds. Blank and Jensen, who has just inked a deal to co-star in Fox's Martin Lawrence feature, "Black Night," produced the play through the Culture Project and grants from other nonprofits.

Oct 23, 2000
Independent Expenditure Campaign for Nader Woos Democrats and Independents in 'Non-Swing States'
WHO: Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Michael Moore, Filmmaker (to be confirmed); Greg MacArthur, businessman
WHAT: Conference Call for Reporters. Contact Michael Passoff or Zack Kaldveer, 415-433-9334 or Michael Shellenberger, 415-595-9334 for conference call information.
WHEN: 12 Noon EDT, Wednesday, October 25

In an effort to encourage independents, disgruntled Democrats and McCain supporters to vote for presidential candidate Ralph Nader, a group of celebrities is announcing an advertising campaign in states where Vice President Al Gore or Gov. George W. Bush is strongly in the lead.

Citizens for Strategic Voting says voters in all but a small number of swing states can vote Nader without hurting Gore's chances of beating Bush. This is the first ever national political advertising campaign to target voters in non-swing states.

Political analysts believe that Nader could receive the necessary 5 percent or more of the national popular vote to win matching federal funds in 2004 if people understand that casting ballots for Nader won't help Bush to be elected.

"Why Voting for a Candidate Who Can't Win Is the Smartest Thing You'll Ever Do," the full-page newspaper ad headline reads. "And Don't Worry, a Vote for Nader is Not a Vote for Bush."

Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins and filmmaker Michael Moore will discuss the ad campaign during a conference call with reporters on October 25.

Oct 20, 2000
Actors Union Mulls New Offer From Ad Biz
Negotiators for striking union actors and advertisers will meet again Friday after talking into the night as Hollywood's longest work stoppage hit its 172nd day.

Thursday's talks ended when the ad biz presented the unions with a new proposal at about 7 p.m. EDT. Most of the early sessions, the first since talks collapsed Sept. 27, consisted of sidebar meetings of smaller groups of negotiators to hammer out contract language and other details.

Federal mediators have imposed a media blackout on the substance of negotiations, but sources said the tone of the talks was generally cordial.

Richard Dreyfuss attended the sessions at the Millennium Hotel in midtown Manhattan as part of the delegation representing the Screen Actors Guild (news - web sites) and the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists (news - web sites).

More than 200 union supporters, including Michelle Hurd, Bill Irwin, Dan Lauria, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, demonstrated outside and at a nearby subway stop where a non-union MasterCard ad was being shot.

The actors received a boost Thursday as the casts of seven Paramount TV shows -- ``Becker,'' ``Frasier,'' ``JAG,'' ``Kiss Me Guido,'' ``Kristin,'' ``The Trouble With Normal,'' ``That's Life'' -- made a joint $100,000 contribution to the SAG Foundation's strike relief fund. The gift boosted total donations to the fund to about $1 million.

Oct 16, 2000
'You'll never work in this business again' dept.: Elizabeth Hurley could be expelled from the Screen Actors Guild because she crossed a picket line to film a commercial for

Estee Lauder cosmetics, published reports say.

The SAG has been on strike for five months against the people who make commercials. Hurley made this ad sometime this summer, and has since apologized to the SAG, offering some lame excuse about not knowing of the strike because she lives in England.

"She is extremely apologetic about it," her agent Tracey Jacobs says. "Had she known it was struck work, she would have never done it. She is very supportive of her union."

Maybe, but at a union rally in New York the other day, actor Tim Robbins, a big activist, said: "We're bringing (Hurley) to trial after this is over. She won't get away with it."