'Angels & Demons' actors: What controversy?

Three years heat shrink tubing ago, the http://www.sz-yunlin.com/enindex.asp film based on Dan Brown's novel "The Da Vinci Code" was the focus of protest and controversy, with a Vatican archbishop calling for a boycott and Catholics at many levels refuting plot points.
But when it comes to the new film based on a Brown novel, "Angels & Demons," star Tom Hanks says talk of controversy is much ado about nothing.
"Everybody is looking for some scandal whether a scandal exists or not," Hanks said of the film. "I think a kind of natural reaction is now that somehow because it's the second Robert Langdon mystery that there is some degree of controversy over it. And there is really not."
The movie ventures into similar waters as its predecessor, "The Da Vinci Code," with Hanks reprising the role of Robert Langdon, a Harvard symbology expert, and conspiracy theories galore.with director Ron Howard, who helmed "Da Vinci," and teams Hanks with actor Ewan McGregor and Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer.
While "The Da Vinci Code" centered on the complex investigation of a murder in the Louvre and the theory that a marriage between Jesus and Mary Magdalene produced descendants, the new film features a murder at the Vatican and a secret and powerful society known as the "Illuminati."
McGregor, known for his role as a young Obi-Wan http://www.sz-yunlin.com/enindex.asp Kenobi in the "Star Wars" films, said that while "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels & Demons" are inextricably linked, the latter can stand on its own.
"If I thought [Angels & Demons] was pinned to 'The Da Vinci Code' in some way then it would've been a lesser script to read and it wasn't," McGregor said. "It's a standalone movie ... it's not relevant whether you've seen 'Da Vinci Code' or not."
Both films, like the Brown novels they're based on, have been met with criticism for their melding of history and storytelling.
"I have a strong objection to the genre of mixing fact with fiction," said Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League. "You've got [Dan] Brown, [Ron] Howard and [Tom] Hanks in the movie all alleging that the Illuminati was this secret society which was brutalized by the Catholic Church in the 1600s."
"It's all a lie," Donohue said. "[The Illuminati] never even existed until May 1, 1776, but they have to pitch it back into the 1600s so they can trot out their favorite victim, Galileo. What happens is you get the audience thinking 'Well, maybe it's not all true, but probably some of it is true.' "
Ted Baehr, founder of Movieguide and the Christian Film & Television Commission, first issued an advisory alert about the film in April and reiterated it days before the movie's May 15 release.
"Now that we've previewed 'Angels & Demons,' Movieguide has decided to keep in effect our caution alert," Baehr heat shrink tubing said. "Faith is often denied throughout the movie."
Director Howard wrote in the The Huffington Post that he believes Donohue is on a mission "to paint me and the movie I directed, 'Angels & Demons,' as anti-Catholic," a claim Howard emphatically denies.
The director told CNN that he attempted to reach out to the Catholic Church regarding the film, but had no success. He also downplayed reports that Rome and the Vatican tried to hinder filming.
Hanks said shooting the movie in the ancient city was complicated given the vibrancy of Rome. At one point, Hanks said, make-believe collided with one woman's fairy tale.
"We had a lady showing up who was getting married at the Pantheon and she had to get married and we had to get our shot," Hanks said. "She showed up right between shots, when we were moving cameras."
Fortunately, both the wedding and the day's filming were able to be completed, Hanks said.
McGregor said Howard was to be credited for how well the production came together. Howard's background as an actor undoubtedly helped enhance the heat shrink tubing actors' performances, McGregor said.
"A lot of directors are able to tell you what they're after, but Ron's able to tell you what he's after and help you for how you might play that ... which is kind of total directing," McGregor said.
Zurer said she had a blast being the only female lead in the film.

Margaret Cho geared up for 'Dead'

Comedienne heat shrink tubing Margaret http://www.sz-yunlin.com/enindex.asp Cho knows a great deal about Hollywood's obsession with body image.
The once-zaftig actress is co-starring in a new series for Lifetime titled "Drop Dead Diva" about a brilliant plus-size attorney who finds her body inhabited by the soul of a shallow wannabe model.
The Sony Pictures Television-produced heat shrink tubing show debuts July 12 and stars Broadway actress Brooke Elliott as lawyer Jane Bingum.
Cho plays Bingum's gal Friday, Terri, and it's a more serious role than fans might expect of Cho, known for her irreverent, and often political, humor.
She recently spoke with CNN about her new project, how President Obama helped inspire her upcoming music album (seriously, she really does have a music album coming out) and why some folks in the gay community are a little peeved with her.
CNN: What drew you to this particular character in "Drop Dead Diva"?
Margaret Cho: I heat shrink tubing thought, what a wonderful part. To me, it's kind of like Moneypenny in James Bond. [My character] gives Jane all of her assignments and gets her on track with this amnesia story that she gives her.
It's a comic foil, but I also kind of help her back into the world, and I love that sort of midwifery character. It's very fun.
CNN: You've talked before about your less-than-positive experiences working on a sitcom ["All-American Girl"]. Any apprehension about doing this series?
Cho: I've been back to TV doing stuff now for a couple of years. I have a lot more confidence and a lot more awareness about what I would like to do. And I think television has really changed in a good way.
This show, I absolutely love. It's really funny, but it's also touching. It has a lot of heart, and I think the acting is really incredible. I'm really proud to be a part of this show. CNN: How do think television has changed?
Cho: There's more diversity in general. There are like two more Asian people on television now then there was 10 years ago, and that's pretty heat shrink tubing impressive. Before, it was just me and Connie Chung, but now there's me, Sandra Oh and Connie Chung.
Wait, Connie Chung's not on anymore, so there's Ann Curry. She's kind of Asian-adjacent.
CNN: I loved your VH1 reality show, "The Cho Show." Your parents were great on that.
Cho: They're so famous now among Koreans. They can't go anywhere anymore!
CNN: You are such an icon in the gay community, but some people took you to task for an interview with The New York Times where you said you identified yourself as gay, although you are married to a man.
Cho: I identify as queer. I've had a lot of same-sex relationships in my life, and I guess it would be bisexual, but to me it's more appropriate to say I am queer. I am also attracted to transgender persons, and bisexual doesn't cover it. I feel like being queer is my politics, it's my life; it's the community I do the most political work in, for the gay, lesbian and the transgender community.
Being married made it much more important for me to fight for gay marriage, because I believe marriage is vital for heat shrink tubing us as people.
CNN: How important is it to have a show like "Drop Dead Diva" which features a main character who is plus-sized?
Cho: I don't think of her as plus-size. I just think of her as beautiful.
I think people are going to fall in love with Brooke and the character Jane and realize that beauty comes in all sizes. That's something we are trying to promote with the show. The idea of being plus-size is somewhat ridiculous, because most women are. I mean, I am, and most women are.
CNN: You, plus-size? You are so tiny!
Cho: But I'm not a size 4, and that's the standard in Hollywood. When you look at women in movies and TV, it's an unrealistic view of what women really look like. With the show, we are promoting a real woman who is beautiful with real curves, has a real attitude and is fabulous.
CNN: You make so many people laugh. What makes you laugh?
Cho: I'm kind of crazy about "Flight of the Conchords" right now, and I love Sarah Silverman. I love music and comedy, and that's my new my passion, trying to do some funny songs. I love Weird Al Yankovic, and he's kind of my hero, so that's the direction I want to go in right now.
CNN: You have an album coming out next year. What's the title?
Cho: "Guitarded," because it's just so guitarded and silly. There are heat shrink tubing songs on the album that are super dirty and super silly.
I did so much hard-hitting, political critique humor for so many years, and now I feel like the world has changed a lot, especially with Obama in office. I feel like I don't have to be as angry with the government and the status quo anymore.
CNN: Are there any song titles you can share with us, keeping in mind that we are trying to be family-friendly here?
Cho: Then, no, I don't think so. I think people are going to have to buy the album if they want to know titles.