Kim Basinger

Kim Basinger defined Hollywood glamour in the 1980s and 90s. She transitioned from a successful modeling career to become an Oscar-winning actress. Furthermore, she starred in some of the highest-grossing films of her era. Consequently, her life off-screen has been just as dramatic and interesting as her movie roles. Explore these fascinating details about the star.
Kim Basinger
  1. In 1989, Kim Basinger ambitiously bought the town of Braselton, Georgia. However, she eventually had to sell the property at a significant loss. Therefore, her dream of building a movie studio there never came true.
  2. Interestingly, her failed investment inspired the hit show Schitt’s Creek. Specifically, the creators read about how she purchased the town for 20 million dollars. Consequently, they developed the comedy series based on the idea of a wealthy family owning a small town.
  3. Unfortunately, she suffers from severe agoraphobia. For instance, she once stayed inside her house for six months because she felt too afraid to leave. Eventually, she had to relearn how to drive a car after undergoing therapy.
  4. At one point, she dated Prince and recorded an album with him. During the filming of Batman, the two had a passionate relationship. Furthermore, they produced an album called Hollywood Affair, although it was never released to the public.
  5. Surprisingly, she turned down the lead role in the classic movie Sleepless in Seattle. She read the script and thought the premise of falling in love over the radio was unrealistic. As a result, the movie became a massive success without her participation.
  6. Early in her career, Kim Basinger threw her modeling portfolio into the East River. Although she was a top model for the Ford agency, she actually hated the profession. Thus, to mark her transition into acting, she tossed her professional photos into the water.
  7. Before she became a movie star, she was the face of Breck Shampoo. In fact, she appeared in numerous magazine ads and TV commercials for the brand. Consequently, her blonde hair made her one of the most recognizable models in the country.
  8. Eventually, she won an Oscar for her role in L.A. Confidential. Critics praised her performance as Lynn Bracken, a Veronica Lake look-alike. Moreover, this victory proved she was a serious actress and not just a sex symbol.
  1. She met her second husband, Alec Baldwin, on a movie set. They played lovers in the film The Marrying Man. However, their subsequent marriage and divorce became intense tabloid fodder for many years.
  2. Despite her fame, she is extremely shy by nature. As a child, her parents even had her tested for autism because she refused to talk in school. Similarly, she struggled to speak during her Oscar acceptance speech due to stage fright.
  3. She played a Bond girl in Never Say Never Again. Specifically, she starred opposite Sean Connery in his final appearance as James Bond. Subsequently, this role helped launch her career as a major international sex symbol.
  4. Additionally, she is a strict vegetarian and animal rights activist. Therefore, she has posed for several PETA anti-fur campaigns to raise awareness. She often credits her youthful appearance to her plant-based diet.
  5. She played Eminem’s mother in the movie 8 Mile. Reportedly, she took the gritty role to challenge herself as an actress. The rapper praised her performance, and consequently, they maintained a friendship after filming ended.
  6. Her father was a big band musician. Don Basinger played jazz in the army, and as a result, he influenced her love for music. This background helped her later when she sang in various movie roles throughout her career.
  7. Finally, she washed her own hair for her Batman audition. To explain, she wanted to look disheveled and frantic like the character Vicki Vale. The director loved her messy look, and he cast her immediately.

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Picture of Martin Roháček

Martin Roháček

Oscar Statuette

Every year, millions of Americans tune in to watch Hollywood's brightest stars weep, cheer, and clutch a little golden man on stage. But behind the glitz and glamour of the Academy Awards lies a fascinating history baked right into that iconic trophy. From top-secret wartime makeovers to surprisingly strict ownership rules, the Oscar statuette holds more secrets than a classic film noir. Let us pull back the velvet curtain and explore what really makes this little guy so legendary.
Oscar detailed

  1. He is heavier than he looks. If you ever get the chance to hold an Oscar, prepare for a workout, because this solid bronze trophy weighs in at a hefty eight and a half pounds.

  2. His real name is quite a mouthful. While the whole world calls him Oscar, his official government name is actually the Academy Award of Merit.

  3. The nickname remains a total mystery. Legend says an Academy librarian thought the statue looked exactly like her Uncle Oscar, but Bette Davis also claimed she named the award after her first husband.

  4. He is a knight in shining armor. If you look closely at the design, Oscar actually depicts a crusader knight gripping a broadsword, standing proudly on a reel of film.

  5. The film reel hides a specific meaning. The reel he stands on features exactly five spokes, which represent the five original branches of the Academy: actors, directors, producers, technicians, and writers.

  6. He went on a diet during World War II. Because the military desperately needed metal for the war effort, the Academy handed out painted plaster Oscars for three whole years. Winners later traded these temporary trophies for metal ones. 

  7. You literally cannot sell him. Before a winner can take their trophy home, they must sign a strict agreement. If they ever want to sell the award, they must offer it back to the Academy first for the grand price of one single dollar.

  8. Artisans craft him in New York. While the awards happen in Los Angeles, a fine art foundry in the Hudson Valley hand-casts and polishes the statuettes.

  1. Making just one takes serious time. A dedicated team of artisans spends about three solid months producing fifty statuettes for the big night.

  2. They always bring extras. Because the Academy never knows exactly how many people will win in categories with multiple nominees, producers always keep a few extra golden guys waiting in the wings.

  3. The winners remain totally secret until the envelope opens. To keep things incredibly secure, organizers do not attach the nameplates to the statues during the ceremony. Instead, they screw the plates on at the Governor’s Ball afterward.

  4. He had a brief identity crisis. In the very early days of the ceremony, the Academy experimented with a few different finishes before settling on the stunning 24-karat gold plating we know today.

  1. Thieves once hijacked a massive shipment. Back in 2000, someone stole a delivery truck carrying 55 brand new Oscars, though police eventually recovered most of the trophies near a trash can in Los Angeles.

  2. Only one person named Oscar has ever won an Oscar Statuette. The famous composer Oscar Hammerstein II took home two trophies, making him the only guy to share a name with his award.

  3. Oscar Statuette is absolutely priceless. While the actual metal and gold plating only cost a few hundred dollars to manufacture, the immense cultural weight and prestige of the statuette make it the most valuable prize in entertainment history.

 

Sources & References

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: https://www.oscars.org/oscars/statuette

The L.A. Film School: https://www.lafilm.edu/blog/oscar-fun-facts/

Marketplace: https://www.marketplace.org/story/2015/02/20/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-oscars

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Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson stands as the biggest movie star on the planet. You likely know him for his massive muscles and his wrestling catchphrases. However, his life began with failed football dreams and poverty. He originally wanted to join the CIA. Furthermore, he eats hundreds of pounds of cod every year to stay in shape. Let’s explore the life of The Rock.
Dwayne Johnson
  1. Dwayne Johnson originally wanted to work for the CIA rather than become an actor or wrestler. He studied criminology at the University of Miami with hopes of joining the agency. However, his professor told him he needed a law degree first, so he abandoned the idea to pursue football.
  2. He holds a Guinness World Record for the highest salary ever paid to an actor for a debut starring role. Studios paid him 5.5 million dollars to play the lead in The Scorpion King. This massive paycheck instantly established him as a bankable Hollywood star.
  3. His production company is named Seven Bucks Productions for a very specific reason. After the Calgary Stampeders cut him from their roster in 1995, he looked in his wallet and found exactly seven dollars. That moment of poverty motivates every business decision he makes today.
  4. He consumes an enormous amount of codfish to maintain his physique. His diet requires him to eat over 800 pounds of the fish every single year. Consequently, he spends thousands of dollars annually just on seafood.
  5. Dwayne Johnson played his own father in an episode of That ’70s Show. The writers cast him as Rocky Johnson in a wrestling-themed episode early in his acting career. He even listed his own real-life accomplishments during the dialogue.
  6. He accidentally knocked out a stuntman during the filming of The Scorpion King. He swung his elbow too hard during a fight scene and connected with the other actor’s jaw. To apologize, he bought the man a custom Rolex watch.
  7. The Rock owns the rights to the name “The Rock.” Most wrestlers lose their stage names when they leave the WWE because the company owns the intellectual property. However, he negotiated a deal that allows him to take the famous moniker wherever he goes.
  8. He appeared as an alien wrestler in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager. Producers cast him as the champion fighter in the Delta Quadrant before he became a movie star. He performed his signature eyebrow raise even under heavy prosthetic makeup.
  1. His family boasts a massive wrestling lineage. For instance, his grandfather, Peter Maivia, and his father, Rocky Johnson, both belong to the WWE Hall of Fame. Currently, his daughter, Simone, continues the legacy as the first fourth-generation wrestler in history.
  2. Tim Burton actually considered him for the role of Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Specifically, the director listed him as the second choice if Johnny Depp turned down the part. Ultimately, it remains hard to imagine the muscular action star playing the eccentric candy maker.
  3. He eats massive “cheat meals” that have become legendary on the internet. For example, on Sundays, he often devours dozens of pancakes, pizzas, and sushi platters in one sitting. He documents these caloric feasts on Instagram to show the fun side of his strict diet.
  4. Dwayne Johnson bought the XFL football league to save it from bankruptcy. He purchased the entire organization for 15 million dollars in 2020. In doing so, he gave other athletes the second chance at professional football that he never got himself.
  5. He suffers from a genuine fear of spiders despite his tough image. He admitted that he totally freezes up whenever he sees a large arachnid. Consequently, his time filming Jumanji in the jungle required him to face this phobia constantly.
  6. His famous tribal tattoo took sixty hours to complete. A traditional Samoan artist tapped the ink into his skin over three intense sessions. Furthermore, the intricate design tells the story of his ancestors, his family, and his spirit warrior.
  7. He officially ordained a fan’s wedding as a surprise prank. He invited the comedian Nick Mundy to a press junket, but instead walked him down the aisle for an impromptu ceremony. Actually, he got legally licensed just to perform the wedding for his friend.

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