From Vanity Fair:

Alfred Hitchcock created some of the most arresting images in film history. For this year’s Hollywood Portfolio, the heart of our 14th annual Hollywood Issue, 21 of the finest actors working today have joined with four regular Vanity Fair photographers to re-create 11 of Hitchcock’s most iconic scenes.

“What makes these scenes so impressive is that they don’t last long in the movies, but they have become classic,” says photographer Art Streiber, who shot two of the portfolio pictures. “They hold up 50, 60 years later, as stills, without dialogue. You know immediately what it is.”

One reason the images endure is that Hitchcock was such a stickler about getting things on set exactly the way he wanted them, and everybody working on the Vanity Fair shoots was mindful of making sure the details were correct this time, too. That wasn’t always easy. Given the lack of phone booths today, it was impossible to find one the right size for the picture inspired by The Birds (with Jodie Foster in the Tippi Hedren role). So senior photography and beauty editor SunHee Grinnell, who oversaw the portfolio, had a 1960s-vintage phone booth built for the occasion.

Getting the man-versus-biplane scene from North by Northwest right began with a suit. Knowing it was important to match the one worn by Cary Grant in the original, Grinnell handed the assignment to senior style editor Jessica Diehl, who styled all 11 photos. “I asked Jess, ‘Can you find out who made Cary Grant’s suit in that film?,’ and it turned out to be Norton & Sons, on Savile Row, which still exists,” Grinnell says. After a phone call to the London clothier, and a set of measurements for Seth Rogen, who took on the Cary Grant role, a replica was on its way. Meanwhile, Streiber found a piece of unplanted farmland northwest of Los Angeles, rented the right plane, and hired a pilot. Things got tricky when an official on the ground, charged with making sure no aviation regulations were violated, demanded that anyone within 500 feet of the plane be sent away. “There were farmworkers just north of where we were shooting,” Streiber says, “and we had to clear them out. Then we had to track down the owner and pay their salaries for the day.” The next challenge was Rogen. “We probably did a dozen passes where Seth was actually running,” Streiber says. “At each go he probably ran for about 20 yards at a full sprint, which is not something Seth Rogen does on a regular basis.”

The Lifeboat still was taken in the water tank of a Hollywood back lot. Contributing photographer Mark Seliger had a dock built so that he could lean in with his camera when the light was just right. “It was a perfect Hollywood moment,” Seliger says. “The weather was great, we were outdoors, and the water was controlled. Everything is perfectly orchestrated by Hitchcock, so my job was remarkably easy.”

The stars didn’t merely model, but engaged in some real acting. Especially notable was Renée Zellweger, who stood in for Kim Novak’s Vertigo heroine. “Renée was watching the scene over and over while getting her hair and makeup done,” says Grinnell, “and when she came on set she started breathing really hard, almost hyperventilating.” Says contributing photographer Norman Jean Roy, “She just absolutely exploded on the set and truly became that character like I’ve never seen before. We were in awe.”

Features editor Jane Sarkin had the grand task of figuring out which actors would not only be right for the parts but also give readers a Hollywood Who’s Who for 2008. The performers who were kind enough to take part include six Oscar winners: Zellweger, Foster, Charlize Theron, Gwyneth Paltrow, Julie Christie, and Eva Marie Saint. Other participants had breakout performances in 2007: Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men), Tang Wei (Lust, Caution), Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma), Casey Affleck (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford), Rogen (Knocked Up), Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), James McAvoy (Atonement), and Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose). Still others have proved themselves masters of two domains, doing huge box office while pleasing critics: Naomi Watts (of Eastern Promises and the Ring movies) and Keira Knightley (of Atonement and the Pirates of the Caribbean series). There’s also a go-to character guy, Omar Metwally (so good in Munich), and two “actor’s actors”: Jennifer Jason Leigh and Robert Downey Jr. Throw in a talented beauty to rival any Hitchcock heroine—Scarlett Johansson—and you’ve got the entire, ridiculously star-studded cast.

VF Go here to watch a behind-the-scenes video from this photoshoot.

These pictures are so good, that I didn’t want to crop them down. Click on each picture to see them in full view. They are amazing - amazing pictures. Annie Leibovitz never fails.

Casey Affleck is on a hot streak – scoring a best supporting actor Oscar nomination for his role in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and starring in the critically acclaimed Gone Baby Gone.

But his most rewarding role to date? Playing dad to his two young sons.

“[Being a parent] sort of changed everything,” the 32-year-old actor (little brother to Ben Affleck), told reporters at Monday’s 80th annual Academy Awards Nominees luncheon. “It’s far and away the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Affleck’s wife, Summer Phoenix, gave birth to son Indiana, 3, in 2004, and to another son, whose name has yet to be announced, in January.

“It’s been transformative,” he said. When Phoenix was first pregnant, he added, “I remember… getting a lot of advice from people that I really trusted and… after I had the kid, thinking why didn’t anyone tell me this is the way it was going to be?”

Explaining parenthood is “a little bit like trying to describe to somebody… what life is like on another planet, in another galaxy,” Affleck said. “Until you’re sort of there in that other galaxy, then you’ll never really know what it’s like.”

After his recent professional success, Affleck said he’s been enjoying some quiet time at home with his little ones.

“I love being around the house and being with the kids everyday,” he said. “Being an actor means that, if you’re successful anyway, you can kind of work for three or four months out of the year and then you’re home a lot of the time.”

Source, WENN

UsMagazine is reporting that Casey Affleck and Summer Phoenix have welcomed their second child, a boy!

He and Summer Phoenix, 30, wed in June 2006.

They have a son, Indiana August, 3.

WENN

I went and saw “Gone Baby Gone” over the weekend.  I’ve been mulling over the movie ever since Saturday, because I’ve been torn over what I would say here on ICYDK.

The movie was good - I wouldn’t say great, I’d say good.  As far as I can tell, Ben Affleck did a great job directing the movie.  Casey Affleck just steals the show, yet again.  I saw him better Brad Pitt in “Jesse James” and in my opinion he should win some sort of award for that performance.

“Gone Baby Gone” is intense.  It’s not easy to watch - and there is one scene involving a young boy (same age as my son) that has haunted me since I left the theater. I was a bit disappointed that scene was in the movie - because without it - I would probably recommend the movie to others.  This was a dark movie, and honestly - just not my type of film.  I know there’s a whole gaggle of people that will like this movie, I just can’t.  I think it’s because I have children of my own.

All this said - I think it’s safe to say that I will be seeing any future Casey Affleck film.  He truly is AMAZING.

Brad Pitt lightly roasted his “Jesse James” co-star, Casey Affleck, from the stage of the Hollywood Awards in Los Angeles on Monday. He noted that their film, which struggled with critics and at the box office, was “playing now at a theater nowhere near you.”

Calling him “Cassie,” Pitt wryly noted Affleck’s “hits and misses” before presenting the young actor with the Breakthrough Actor of the Year award.

Source 

Casey Affleck became the brunt of Brad Pitt’s practical jokes on the set of western The Assassination Of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford - the movie hunk would tip cigar ash onto his co-star’s hat.

Pitt, who plays outlaw James in the film, set Affleck up for the movie’s most tense scenes by tapping burning ash onto the actor just before cameras rolled.

Affleck says, “Right before they say action, Brad will put ash on you or light your pants on fire or just slap you. That’s a good way to start the scene as far as he’s concerned. Brad’s a fun man. He’s really fun to work with.

“It’s strange how he can stay in character and do his thing, but also put ash in your hat right before they say action.”