America's Sweethearts
Encyclopedia
America's Sweethearts is a 2001
romantic comedy film
, directed by Joe Roth
, starring Julia Roberts
, Billy Crystal
, John Cusack
, and Catherine Zeta-Jones
. The film also stars Keri Lynn Pratt
, Hank Azaria
, Stanley Tucci
, Seth Green
, Alan Arkin
, and Christopher Walken
, and features a cameo appearance
by Larry King
as himself. It was written by Crystal and Peter Tolan
.
) is a movie publicist with a major problem with movie stars Gwen Harrison (Zeta-Jones
) and Eddie Thomas (Cusack
). The once golden Hollywood duo formerly known as "America's Sweethearts" is now split, due to Gwen's affair which has caused Eddie to have a nervous breakdown. While Gwen is shacked up with Hector (Azaria
), Eddie has holed up in a New Age retreat. The eccentric director of their last movie, Hal Weidmann (Walken
), has demanded that the first viewing of the film be at a press junket although no one has seen it. To sell the film (since he hasn't seen it to be able to do his job properly), Lee has decided to get the two back together and sell them as a couple.
Both Gwen and Eddie are manipulated into attending the junket: Gwen's ego is massaged into going so she looks better to the press and her fans (as well as being able to present Eddie with divorce papers). Lee gifts the owner of the retreat with a very expensive car in return for convincing Eddie that he should leave. Once there, Gwen immediately plays the martyr and Eddie's delicate psyche is put to the test in the outside world. Complicating matters are both Gwen's personal assistant and sister, Kiki (Roberts
), and Hector, who is overly watchful of his love. Though Kiki has always been in Gwen's shadow, Eddie finds himself drawn to her. However, upon their arrival at the junket, Eddie discovers Kiki is no longer the wallflower, having lost a considerable amount of weight.
As the junket begins, Eddie and Gwen are thrown together although neither wants anything to do with the film or each other. As in high school (and most of her life) Kiki is forced to be the one who does Gwen's dirty work. However, this puts her in Eddie's company quite often and the spark that has always been between them continues to grow. Gwen is oblivious to their attraction but still refuses to be outshone by anyone, least of all her own sister.
When the movie is finally shown at the press junket, the press, actors, others involved with film discover to their horror that Weidmann essentially junked the script and instead delivered a movie composed of footage shot making the movie - much taken without the actors' knowledge. Essentially, Weidmann has delivered Hollywood's first "Reality Movie". The footage shows Gwen as self-centered, conniving and manipulative and Eddie as a man slowly becoming more and more paranoid as he (correctly) suspects his wife is having an affair.
Gwen attempts to resolve the situation by announcing the couple is reuniting, but Eddie finds the courage to admit his love for Kiki. Upon hearing this revelation, Gwen fires Kiki. After the junket, Kiki and Eddie are packing to leave the hotel together.
2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
, directed by Joe Roth
Joe Roth
Joe Roth is an American film executive, producer and film director. He co-founded Morgan Creek Productions in 1987 and was chairman of 20th Century Fox , Caravan Pictures , and Walt Disney Studios before founding Revolution Studios in 2000.-Life and career:Roth was born in New York, New York,...
, starring Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
, Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
, John Cusack
John Cusack
John Paul Cusack is an American film actor and screenwriter. He has appeared in more than 50 films, including The Journey of Natty Gann, Say Anything..., Grosse Point Blank, The Thin Red Line, Stand by Me, Con Air, Being John Malkovich, High Fidelity, Serendipity, Runaway Jury, The Ice Harvest,...
, and Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones, CBE, is a British actress. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of United Kingdom and United States television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as the 1998 action film The Mask of...
. The film also stars Keri Lynn Pratt
Keri Lynn Pratt
Keri Lynn Pratt is an American actress of film and television. She is well known for her role of Missy Belknap on Jack & Bobby or as Dee Vine in the film Drive Me Crazy, which was her debut role....
, Hank Azaria
Hank Azaria
Henry Albert "Hank" Azaria is an American film, television and stage actor, director, voice actor, and comedian. He is noted for being one of the principal voice actors on the animated television series The Simpsons , on which he performs the voices of Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief...
, Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci is an American actor, writer, film producer and film director. He has been nominated for several notable film awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his performance in The Lovely Bones...
, Seth Green
Seth Green
Seth Benjamin Green is an American actor, comedian, voice actor, and television producer. He is well known for his role as Daniel "Oz" Osbourne in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as Dr. Evil's son Scott in the Austin Powers series of comedy films, Mitch Miller in That '70s Show, and the voice of Chris...
, Alan Arkin
Alan Arkin
Alan Wolf Arkin is an American actor, director, musician and singer. He is known for starring in such films as Wait Until Dark, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Catch-22, The In-Laws, Edward Scissorhands, Glengarry Glen Ross, Marley & Me, and...
, and Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New...
, and features a cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
by Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
as himself. It was written by Crystal and Peter Tolan
Peter Tolan
Peter James Tolan III is an American television producer, director, and screenwriter.-Early life and career:Tolan was born in Scituate, Massachusetts where he was a perrenial favorite in the high school's dramatic productions. Before leaving to pursue a career in Hollywood, Tolan founded a theater...
.
Plot
Lee Phillips (CrystalBilly Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
) is a movie publicist with a major problem with movie stars Gwen Harrison (Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones, CBE, is a British actress. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of United Kingdom and United States television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as the 1998 action film The Mask of...
) and Eddie Thomas (Cusack
John Cusack
John Paul Cusack is an American film actor and screenwriter. He has appeared in more than 50 films, including The Journey of Natty Gann, Say Anything..., Grosse Point Blank, The Thin Red Line, Stand by Me, Con Air, Being John Malkovich, High Fidelity, Serendipity, Runaway Jury, The Ice Harvest,...
). The once golden Hollywood duo formerly known as "America's Sweethearts" is now split, due to Gwen's affair which has caused Eddie to have a nervous breakdown. While Gwen is shacked up with Hector (Azaria
Hank Azaria
Henry Albert "Hank" Azaria is an American film, television and stage actor, director, voice actor, and comedian. He is noted for being one of the principal voice actors on the animated television series The Simpsons , on which he performs the voices of Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief...
), Eddie has holed up in a New Age retreat. The eccentric director of their last movie, Hal Weidmann (Walken
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New...
), has demanded that the first viewing of the film be at a press junket although no one has seen it. To sell the film (since he hasn't seen it to be able to do his job properly), Lee has decided to get the two back together and sell them as a couple.
Both Gwen and Eddie are manipulated into attending the junket: Gwen's ego is massaged into going so she looks better to the press and her fans (as well as being able to present Eddie with divorce papers). Lee gifts the owner of the retreat with a very expensive car in return for convincing Eddie that he should leave. Once there, Gwen immediately plays the martyr and Eddie's delicate psyche is put to the test in the outside world. Complicating matters are both Gwen's personal assistant and sister, Kiki (Roberts
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
), and Hector, who is overly watchful of his love. Though Kiki has always been in Gwen's shadow, Eddie finds himself drawn to her. However, upon their arrival at the junket, Eddie discovers Kiki is no longer the wallflower, having lost a considerable amount of weight.
As the junket begins, Eddie and Gwen are thrown together although neither wants anything to do with the film or each other. As in high school (and most of her life) Kiki is forced to be the one who does Gwen's dirty work. However, this puts her in Eddie's company quite often and the spark that has always been between them continues to grow. Gwen is oblivious to their attraction but still refuses to be outshone by anyone, least of all her own sister.
When the movie is finally shown at the press junket, the press, actors, others involved with film discover to their horror that Weidmann essentially junked the script and instead delivered a movie composed of footage shot making the movie - much taken without the actors' knowledge. Essentially, Weidmann has delivered Hollywood's first "Reality Movie". The footage shows Gwen as self-centered, conniving and manipulative and Eddie as a man slowly becoming more and more paranoid as he (correctly) suspects his wife is having an affair.
Gwen attempts to resolve the situation by announcing the couple is reuniting, but Eddie finds the courage to admit his love for Kiki. Upon hearing this revelation, Gwen fires Kiki. After the junket, Kiki and Eddie are packing to leave the hotel together.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Julia Roberts Julia Roberts Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide... |
Kathleen "Kiki" Harrison |
| Billy Crystal Billy Crystal William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes... |
Lee Phillips |
| Catherine Zeta-Jones Catherine Zeta-Jones Catherine Zeta-Jones, CBE, is a British actress. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of United Kingdom and United States television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as the 1998 action film The Mask of... |
Gwen Harrison |
| John Cusack John Cusack John Paul Cusack is an American film actor and screenwriter. He has appeared in more than 50 films, including The Journey of Natty Gann, Say Anything..., Grosse Point Blank, The Thin Red Line, Stand by Me, Con Air, Being John Malkovich, High Fidelity, Serendipity, Runaway Jury, The Ice Harvest,... |
Eddie Thomas |
| Hank Azaria Hank Azaria Henry Albert "Hank" Azaria is an American film, television and stage actor, director, voice actor, and comedian. He is noted for being one of the principal voice actors on the animated television series The Simpsons , on which he performs the voices of Moe Szyslak, Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Chief... |
Hector Gorgonzolas |
| Stanley Tucci Stanley Tucci Stanley Tucci is an American actor, writer, film producer and film director. He has been nominated for several notable film awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his performance in The Lovely Bones... |
Dave Kingman |
| Christopher Walken Christopher Walken Christopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New... |
Hal Weidmann |
| Keri Lynn Pratt Keri Lynn Pratt Keri Lynn Pratt is an American actress of film and television. She is well known for her role of Missy Belknap on Jack & Bobby or as Dee Vine in the film Drive Me Crazy, which was her debut role.... |
Leaf Weidmann |
| Alan Arkin Alan Arkin Alan Wolf Arkin is an American actor, director, musician and singer. He is known for starring in such films as Wait Until Dark, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Catch-22, The In-Laws, Edward Scissorhands, Glengarry Glen Ross, Marley & Me, and... |
Wellness Guide |
| Seth Green Seth Green Seth Benjamin Green is an American actor, comedian, voice actor, and television producer. He is well known for his role as Daniel "Oz" Osbourne in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as Dr. Evil's son Scott in the Austin Powers series of comedy films, Mitch Miller in That '70s Show, and the voice of Chris... |
Danny Wax |
| Scot Zeller | Davis |
| Steve Pink Steve Pink Steve Pink is an American actor, screenwriter and director. He is the director of the comedy films Accepted and Hot Tub Time Machine, and the co-writer of the films Grosse Pointe Blank and High Fidelity.... |
Limo Driver |
| Rainn Wilson Rainn Wilson Rainn Dietrich Wilson is an American actor and comedian. He is primarily known for his role as the egomaniacal Dwight Schrute on the American version of the television comedy The Office... |
Dave O'Hanlon |
| Eric Balfour Eric Balfour Eric Salter Balfour is an American singer and actor of film and television. He is the lead singer of Born As Ghosts, formerly known as Fredalba... |
Security Guard |
| Marty Belafsky Marty Belafsky Marty Belafsky is an American actor/comedian born in Los Angeles, California. He began acting professionally at age 13 and was soon cast as Louis Plumb on the short-lived NBC series Hull High. Shortly thereafter, Marty landed the role of Crutchy in the Disney musical film, Newsies... |
Security Guard |
| Emily Eby | Anna |
| María Canals Barrera Maria Canals Barrera María Canals Barrera is an American actress, voice actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Theresa Russo in Wizards of Waverly Place, Connie Torres in Camp Rock and Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, and as the voice of Shayera Hol/Hawkgirl in Justice League and Justice League... |
Adinah (as Maria Canals) |
| Ann Cusack Ann Cusack -Early life:Cusack was born in Brooklyn, New York, the sister of actors Joan, Bill, John and Susie. Her mother, Nancy, is a former mathematics teacher and political activist. Her father, Dick Cusack, was an actor, producer, and writer... |
Lee Phillips' assistant (uncredited) |
| Emma Roberts Emma Roberts Emma Rose Roberts is an American actress, model and singer. She is the daughter of actor Eric Roberts and niece of Julia Roberts. Roberts became known for her role as Addie Singer in the Nickelodeon television series Unfabulous. She released her debut album, which also served as the show's... |
Girl in Purple Shirt (uncredited) |
| Marco Lopez Marco Lopez (actor) Marco Antonio Lopez , also credited as Marco Antonio, Antonio Lopez, and Marco Lopez, is an American actor who was known for his roles in Jack Webb-produced television series, such as Adam-12, where he played the recurring character of Officer Sanchez, and Dragnet, where he was credited as Marco... |
Photographer (uncredited) |
| Larry King Larry King Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards.... |
Himself |
| Byron Allen Byron Allen Byron Allen is an American comedian. He is the head of Entertainment Studios, a broadcast syndication company responsible for producing and distributing several television shows pertaining to stand-up comedy and the entertainment industry. Allen also hosts some of the shows himself.-Early... |
Himself |