Blog Posts by Mark Deming

Actress Zhang Ziyi sporting some bling at Cannes ((Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage)While Sofia Coppola's new movie "The Bling Ring" premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, some real life jewel thieves have been taking advantage of the pricey baubles on display at the prestigious film festival.

A selection of jewelry belonging to Chopard, the exclusive Swiss jewelry design house, was stolen on Thursday evening from Suite Novotel Cannes Centre, a hotel located in the Cannes business district. An American Chopard employee was looking after the jewels; however, while the valuables had been locked in a safe, Cannes police are reporting the entire safe was heisted from the hotel. Authorities believe that the robbery may be an inside job, and employees of the hotel are being questioned.

Chopard has been a longtime supporter of the famous film festival on the French Riviera. They've been among the event's sponsors for sixteen years, and designed the Palme d'Or trophy, the coveted award for best film. Chopard has a team of forty employees at Cannes who work with celebrities to

Photo Credit: Getty Images/WireImageFrom "Henry & June" and "Dangerous Liaisons" to "Kill Bill" and the upcoming "Nymphomaniac," Uma Thurman is an actress who isn’t afraid to take a risk. For her next project, Thurman will take on one of the most unusual roles of her career – she'll play the woman who was once America's most outspoken anti-gay activist.

It was announced at the Cannes Film Festival Thursday that Thurman will star in "Anita," a film biography of Anita Bryant, the once-popular singer and orange juice spokesperson who in the late 1970s took it upon herself to campaign against gay rights legislation in Florida. Bryant's militant stance would in time alienate much of her audience, and ultimately derailed her career.

Alberto Rodriguez/NBCSlowly but surely, pieces are falling into place for the long-awaited sequel to the cult classic "Trainspotting," and chances are good we'll see the follow-up in time for the 20th Anniversary of the original.

"Trainspotting" star Ewan McGregor recently participated in a special screening of the movie, staged as a fundraiser for the London Film School, with director Danny Boyle, actor Robert Carlyle, and producer Andrew Macdonald in attendance. While McGregor was unable to appear in person, he spoke to the audience via telephone, and said he'd be eager to make a sequel.

"It's funny, Irvine Welsh's novel, 'Porno,' is set ten years after 'Trainspotting', but I wasn't ready to do it then, for lots of reasons," McGregor said. "But now there's talk of it happening in a few years' time, and I'm totally up for it. I'd be so chuffed to be back on set with everybody and I think it would be an extraordinary experience."

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She beguiled Bill Murray in Japan, served as Woody Allen's muse (for a while), and kicked some serious butt as Black Widow. Now Scarlett Johansson is about to tackle a new challenge – proving she's as talented behind the camera as she is on the big screen.

It was announced Thursday that Scarlett Johansson will be making her first feature film as a director with an adaptation of Truman Capote's novel "Summer Crossing." Aldamisa Entertainment are backing the project, and will be shopping the film to foreign markets at the Cannes Film Festival, which opened on Wednesday and will run through May 26.

ABCIf some fans have their way (some of them famous), the 'Star Wars' universe is going to get a whole lot sexier in Episode VII … especially if you're a wookiee.

Well, not really, but when writer and director J.J. Abrams stopped by to talk up "Star Trek: Into Darkness" on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Wednesday night, he got some unsolicited advice on his upcoming "Star Wars" reboot that had the audience howling with laughter.

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Grace Kelly was one of the most beautiful and enduring stars of her era, the movie queen who literally gave up Hollywood to become a princess. Now director Olivier Dahan is bringing an episode from her life to the big screen, with Nicole Kidman playing Princess Grace, and the first images from the upcoming film have been released.

Jason Merritt/Getty ImagesThey say too many chefs spoil the soup … and make things confusing in the movie business.

Bradley Cooper, riding high on "Silver Linings Playbook" and the upcoming "Hangover Part III," has just signed on to star in a new drama from director John Wells called "Chef." If that title sounds familiar, it should: it was also announced this week that Robert Downey Jr. has committed to appear in a comedy called "Chef," which is being directed by Jon Favreau, who will also star.

Making the story more complicated, Sony Pictures, who were attached to the Wells film before the project moved over to The Weinstein Company, has issued a cease and desist letter to Favreau and his production company Fairview Entertainment. Sony claims they registered the title "Chef" with the Motion Picture Association of America and passed along the rights to TWC, meaning Favreau's project is in violation.

Splash NewsWhere else would Captain America spend his time but the nation's capitol, checking out the historic sights?

On Tuesday, the cast and crew of "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" rolled into Washington D.C. to do some filming on the national mall, with the dome of the Capitol serving as their backdrop.

Fans and local press soon spotted the good Captain himself, Chris Evans, wearing a snug grey S.H.I.E.L.D. T-shirt and doing push-ups to keep himself pumped up between takes. Meanwhile, Scarlett Johansson, looking typically tough but sexy, was in costume as Black Widow. Anthony Mackie, who plays Falcon, was also on hand.