They are secretive. They are loyal. They are tribal. They often are rude, unless they have reason to fear you.
They are officially “assistants,” but specialized: They only “assist” superstars and, as such, their behavior represents both the best and worst of the celebrity circus.
A smart and appropriately bitchy tell-all about celebrity assistants has been written by Byron Lane, himself a graduate of this trade. A Star Is Bored presents itself as a novel and hence is evasive about naming names, but an alert reader can identify the above-the-line egotists as they demand the best tables, confuse their medications and seem both brilliant and lazy in their starring roles.
The job of the assistant is to protect, assuage and, when feasible, to deftly steal. “Stars need a full-time presence at their side,” writes Charlie, the fictional assistant. “My role is about ‘being’, not ‘doing.’” Lane once worked for Carrie Fisher,...
They are officially “assistants,” but specialized: They only “assist” superstars and, as such, their behavior represents both the best and worst of the celebrity circus.
A smart and appropriately bitchy tell-all about celebrity assistants has been written by Byron Lane, himself a graduate of this trade. A Star Is Bored presents itself as a novel and hence is evasive about naming names, but an alert reader can identify the above-the-line egotists as they demand the best tables, confuse their medications and seem both brilliant and lazy in their starring roles.
The job of the assistant is to protect, assuage and, when feasible, to deftly steal. “Stars need a full-time presence at their side,” writes Charlie, the fictional assistant. “My role is about ‘being’, not ‘doing.’” Lane once worked for Carrie Fisher,...
- 8/6/2020
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
In 2011, Byron Lane was working the midnight to 7 a.m. graveyard shift as a newswriter for TV station Kcal 9 in Los Angeles when a friend reached out and asked, “Want to work for Princess Leia?” The New Orleans transplant spent the next three years as Carrie Fisher’s personal assistant, doing everything from traveling with her to Australia and Japan to meting out her daily medications, prescribed for her bipolar disorder.
Lane, an actor, screenwriter and playwright — his outlandish comedy “Tilda Swinton Answers an Ad on Craigslist,” starring Lane and Tommy Lenk, has played to packed houses in London and New York and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival — is now releasing his debut novel, “A Star Is Bored,” a fictionalized account of a depressed news reporter who lands a dream job as the assistant to film icon Kathi Kannon. With prose in turns incandescent and uproariously funny, as well as poignantly tender and sweet,...
Lane, an actor, screenwriter and playwright — his outlandish comedy “Tilda Swinton Answers an Ad on Craigslist,” starring Lane and Tommy Lenk, has played to packed houses in London and New York and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival — is now releasing his debut novel, “A Star Is Bored,” a fictionalized account of a depressed news reporter who lands a dream job as the assistant to film icon Kathi Kannon. With prose in turns incandescent and uproariously funny, as well as poignantly tender and sweet,...
- 7/23/2020
- by Malina Saval
- Variety Film + TV
‘Maps to the Stars’ trailer and clips: Julianne Moore goes ballistic after losing a role, Robert Pattinson learns that Mia Wasikowska’s parents are brother and sister (photo: Robert Pattinson in ‘Maps to the Stars’) The Hollywood satire Maps to the Stars, the second David Cronenberg-Robert Pattinson collaboration to be screened in competition for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival — following Cosmopolis two years ago — is one of the most anticipated films at the festival for obvious reasons: although an international box office disappointment, the brainy, stream-of-consciousness Cosmopolis earned a number of enthusiastic reviews and was the runner-up (trailing only Leos Carax’s fellow white limo movie Holy Motors) on the list of Best Films of 2012 compiled by the prestigious Cahiers du Cinéma. Check out below the "international" (as in, with French subtitles) red band trailer for Maps to the Stars clip, and you’ll...
- 5/9/2014
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Robert Pattinson and David Cronenberg ‘Maps to the Stars’ gets German distribution, Toronto screening Starring Robert Pattinson, Julianne Moore, John Cusack, and Mia Wasikowska, Maps to the Stars has found a German distributor. Screen Daily reports that Christian Meinke’s Mfa+ has acquired the rights to the David Cronenberg-directed Hollywood satire at the American Film Market, recently held in Santa Monica. Mfa+ also picked up Vincent Grashaw’s feature debut Coldwater and Tobias Lindholm’s Danish thriller A Hijacking / Kapringen, which has a similar premise to that of the Paul Greengrass and Tom Hanks hit Captain Phillips. (Photo: Robert Pattinson on the set of Maps to the Stars.) In Map to the Stars, John Cusack (replacing Viggo Mortensen) plays a Los Angeles analyst and self-help guru whose wife (Olivia Williams) is immersed in the career of their teen star son (Evan Bird), fresh off of rehab. Their daughter (Mia Wasikowska...
- 11/20/2013
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
Rating: 6.5/10
Writer: Byron Lane
Director: Nathaniel Atcheson
Cast: Byron Lane, Ahna O’Reilly, Beth Grant, Octavia Spencer
Studio: Rude Films
An Std-based nickname for the title of a film is going to make people curious and want to check out the film. It certainly worked on me, as I knew nothing about Herpes Boy before I watched it other than its oddly intriguing title. I, of course, hoped that the film was more than just that attention-getting title – well, it is.
Read more on Liff Review: Herpes Boy…...
Writer: Byron Lane
Director: Nathaniel Atcheson
Cast: Byron Lane, Ahna O’Reilly, Beth Grant, Octavia Spencer
Studio: Rude Films
An Std-based nickname for the title of a film is going to make people curious and want to check out the film. It certainly worked on me, as I knew nothing about Herpes Boy before I watched it other than its oddly intriguing title. I, of course, hoped that the film was more than just that attention-getting title – well, it is.
Read more on Liff Review: Herpes Boy…...
- 1/12/2010
- by Rusty Gordon
- GordonandtheWhale
Herpes Boy won the Austin Film Festival Audience Award in the Comedy Vanguard category, which should come as no surprise to anyone fortunate enough to catch either of the sold-out Aff screenings. The filmmakers and stars -- including the charming Beth Grant who also co-produced the film -- chose to stand during both screenings so that more festival attendees could see their film. With such an endearing and supportive force, it's no wonder that heart and passion transfers to the screen in this funny and poignant film.
Herpes Boy was directed by Nathaniel Atcheson and is based on the Herpes Boy YouTube web series created by Byron Lane in 2007. In the screen adaptation Byron wrote, he plays the lead character Rudolph Murray, who hates his life and is a bit of a hypochondriac. He has a large purple birthmark on his upper lip and everyday he finds someone staring, pointing,...
Herpes Boy was directed by Nathaniel Atcheson and is based on the Herpes Boy YouTube web series created by Byron Lane in 2007. In the screen adaptation Byron wrote, he plays the lead character Rudolph Murray, who hates his life and is a bit of a hypochondriac. He has a large purple birthmark on his upper lip and everyday he finds someone staring, pointing,...
- 11/12/2009
- by Debbie Cerda
- Slackerwood
As the year comes to a close on these Take Fivers' adventures, Back Stage seeks five working actors to take their places and write monthly about their 2010 experiences. If you are interested, contact Back Stage Executive Editor Dany Margolies at dmargolies@backstage.com, with "Take Five" in the subject line. Let us know a bit about you and your interest in writing, and include a headshot and résumé. We are seeking working actors from anywhere in the country.Beth Grant, Los AngelesOn the plane, headed back to L.A. from the Austin Film Festival, where the movie I helped produce, the sweet-hearted "Herpes Boy," the kid with a birthmark and an unfortunate nickname, had its world premiere. Our modestly budgeted, truly independent little movie was a great big fat hit. We sold out both screenings, sadly having to turn people away. We got great reviews and did many press interviews,...
- 11/11/2009
- backstage.com
Austin Film Festival (Aff) has announced the 2009 Audience Award winners, and I'm happy to report that among the winners were a few Texas films as well as some of our favorites from the fest. Aff also announced the dates for next year's film festival and conference: October 21-28, 2010.
Throughout the week of the festival, audience members were invited to rate films by ballot after each screening. Check out Jenn Brown's review of Happy Ending, which was written and directed by Atsuriho Yamada, and which won the Aff Narrative Feature Competition audience award.
Another favorite film that won was Herpes Boy, in the Comedy Vanguard Audience Award category. I caught up with writer Byron Lane and director Nathaniel Atcheson at their second screening after-party, and they expressed gratitude to Aff for allowing them to premiere their film in Austin.
Texas writer/filmmaker Tisha Blood also scored a win in the...
Throughout the week of the festival, audience members were invited to rate films by ballot after each screening. Check out Jenn Brown's review of Happy Ending, which was written and directed by Atsuriho Yamada, and which won the Aff Narrative Feature Competition audience award.
Another favorite film that won was Herpes Boy, in the Comedy Vanguard Audience Award category. I caught up with writer Byron Lane and director Nathaniel Atcheson at their second screening after-party, and they expressed gratitude to Aff for allowing them to premiere their film in Austin.
Texas writer/filmmaker Tisha Blood also scored a win in the...
- 11/5/2009
- by Debbie Cerda
- Slackerwood
Austin Film Festival organizers said Thursday that Jason Reitman's "Up in the Air" has drawn this year's Out of Competition Audience Award.
"Herpes Boy," written by Byron Lane and directed by Nathaniel Atcheson, pulled down the comedy Vanguard Audience Award, and "Happy Ending," from writer-director Atsuhiro Yamada, won the Narrative Feature Competition Audience Award.
The winners were determined by audience voting during the festival's Oct. 22-29 run.
Tim VandeSteeg's nonfiction feature "My Run" shared the documentary feature competition audience award with Tisha Blood's "Torey's Distraction." Audience award winners for short films included Kat Candler (narrative), Liliana Greenfield-Sanders (narrative student), T.G. Herrington (documentary) and Chris Perry (animated).
Next year's fest will run Oct. 21-28.
"Herpes Boy," written by Byron Lane and directed by Nathaniel Atcheson, pulled down the comedy Vanguard Audience Award, and "Happy Ending," from writer-director Atsuhiro Yamada, won the Narrative Feature Competition Audience Award.
The winners were determined by audience voting during the festival's Oct. 22-29 run.
Tim VandeSteeg's nonfiction feature "My Run" shared the documentary feature competition audience award with Tisha Blood's "Torey's Distraction." Audience award winners for short films included Kat Candler (narrative), Liliana Greenfield-Sanders (narrative student), T.G. Herrington (documentary) and Chris Perry (animated).
Next year's fest will run Oct. 21-28.
- 11/5/2009
- by By Jay A. Fernandez
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The comedy Herpes Boy sold out both its screenings during Austin Film Festival (Aff) this week. The director, producer and cast gave up their seats at the second screening so more festival attendees could gain admission. Speaking afterwards with writer/lead actor Byron Lane and lead actress Ahna O'Reilly (who is Tim O'Reilly's niece) confirmed the humility and enthusiasm of cast and crew for what proves to be a funny and poignant film. I also enjoyed talking with director Nathaniel Atcheson about the film and festivals, but the true gem was co-producer and actress Beth Grant. I spent more time talking with her over the last few days than any other filmmaker at Aff. Keep an eye on Slackerwood for a special podcast where Beth talks about Herpes Boy along with Donnie Darko, Rain Man, Sandra Bullock, Marlo Brando, Johnny Depp and so much more.
[Photo credit: Byron Lane and Ahna O'Reilly at Herpes Boy Afterparty, by Debbie Cerda. More photos on Flickr.]...
[Photo credit: Byron Lane and Ahna O'Reilly at Herpes Boy Afterparty, by Debbie Cerda. More photos on Flickr.]...
- 10/28/2009
- by Debbie Cerda
- Slackerwood
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