Accents
Okay, this has been bugging me and I have to see if anyone else noticed this...
Why was the Italian gigilo speaking with a Spanish accent?
Well, since Olivier Martinez was born and raised in France and can't act at all, let alone speak with a convincing Italian accent, he came out sounding Spanish.
I watched this movie only because I thought it looked like an amazing cast. I ended up liking it ONLY because of Helen Mirren (she raises the class factor in anything she's cast) and Anne Bancroft. Olivier Martinez was simply horrible.... horrible.... HORRIBLE! He over-acted in ever single scene. The role of Paolo could have cast much better.
Interesting.... a Brit was cast as an American, an American was cast as Italian and a Frenchman was cast as an Italian.
...and that's all I have to say about that.
I agree with you that Helen Mirren makes anything worth watching. The Southern gentlemen writer (perhaps a way of bringing Tennessee Williams into the play?) had a bad accent also. Helen looked terribly uncomfortable with him in his scenes, as if she was mortified at his terrible acting. What do you think?
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Olivier Martinez was born and raised in Paris. The last name (hello back at ya) doesn't come with an accent.
Ms. Mirren's looks were *supposed* to go south at the end. That would be why the shallow Paolo lost interest.
And props should be given to Martinez for doing love scenes with Mirren? ANY actor would kill to do a love scene with her... male OR female. She oozes sexuality. Or were you too fixated on the flat Martinez to notice?
...and that's all I have to say about that.
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Olivier did mention in the next segment that it was "fantastic" to work with Helen Mirren. Anne Bancroft is an American icon - stage and film. Mirren is fantastic too. Both are class acts for sure!
The southern accent of the playwright was horrifyingly BAD! I didn't notice Mirren wincing though! ha ha I believe Mirren lives in New Orleans, it must have been painful to have to listen to that man. Fake southern accents are horrifying to listen to. ugh! GIVE IT UP! Like in Cold Mountain - Kidman and Law. Of course Zellweger nailed the accent.......being from Texas.
Olivier was convincing to me. He's one of those men who you do not care what comes out of his mouth,....he's that good looking. What a body!
Meclac..you are SO worng..his father is of Spanish/Morrocan descent..his mother French... not that it matters... the tiny bloke still cannot act his way out of a wet paper bag.....
shareI've perceived that most americans don't like Olivier Martinez at all. I think he's really gorgeous and very sexy. Maybe his acting is not superb, but it is still much better than that of many amercian actors.
About the accent discussion, why is everyone complaining? In the first version of this film, Warren Beatty played Paolo with an "italian" accent that was absolutely ridiculous. At least Olivier Martinez puts a true "Mediterranean" flavor in the character.
I agree with you: Warren Beatty's accent in the original was Terrible! Mr. Martinez's accent at least is Mediterranean. Maybe it is not perfectly Italian but I thought he was good.
Martinez was also the right age for the part. The movie makes it clear that everyone is getting older, and for a gigolo also that becomes a problem.
So, Esther, I am one American who thinks Olivier Martinez was very good in the remake. Thank you for your message.
I just have to say that I completly agree with you. Ms. Mirren is the queen of strong sexually comanding older women - or women in general as far as I'm concerned. She has an amazing presence and it should never be suggested that someone had to "suffer through" a love scene with her. They should be honored and jazzed about the opportunity to spend some "sexy" time with the goddess. She really makes anything she does tolerable. And she is truly lovely. Kudos to Helen!
shareAn actor wouldn't care for who he is shooting a love scene with,the question is not the actress is "old or young,beatiful or not,sexy or not",the question is how he should perform.It depends on his talent, concentration and effort.So don'T you worry about how on earth Martinez could shoot those scenes with Mirren,or how lucky he is that he shot it with her...it really makes no difference,believe me.
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I think that actors who tend to fall in love with their co-stars aren't being professional. Just like doctors who get involved with their patients. A real actor can be nice with his/her co-workers but doesn't necessary have to get romantically or sexually involved with them. It's just work, it doesn't matter what they do in the script.
It is true that some have found their partners inside the cast of a movie they are also part of, but it's not usual and IMHO makes things a bit harder. Any wise professional knows that...
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Im from Dominican Republic, we speak Spanish and like in Spain we use the father's Last name first then our mother's; so if Oliver is Martinez is because his FATHER was the Spanish one not the mum. Just for the record.
It is very silly to say that Oliver Martinez (who I don't find that pretty- too short!) had a problem with the fact that Mirren could be his mother. The age difference is notorious, but also -and more obvious- is their quality as actors. Oliver doesn't have to be respected for making a romantic scene with an older woman, an actor is respected for acting with all of his/her cojones! (I mean, with guts).
One can easily see that the weight of the script lays above Helen Mirren and Ann Bancroft's shoulders. They could have casted somebody else instead of Martinez. They didn't have to look that hard because there are a lot of young actors (and by the way better actors) who would have gladly agreed to work with such wonderful actresses.
The problem it's not his Spanish accent because but most of people don't notice this unless they are familiar with the language, the problem is that he seems unsalted and unspicy, honestly, (not at all Italian). it was like he was too concentrated looking good with this old woman.
Um OLD what a cheek! Helen was only just 50 u call that OLD what are you 12???????
shareOk ok she was 56 but that is STILL not old....
shareYes, how funny I thought that too.. I kept expecting her to laugh at him..at the wrong mments of course....But of course Helen was brilliant
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