Posts Tagged ‘Seth MacFarlane’

Last night, first time host Seth MacFarlane ushered in the 85th annual Academy Awards with a lot of song and dance. While some of his jokes bordered on the offensive, irking critics who panned his hosting abilities as “classless” and “tasteless,” the ratings were the best for Oscar since 2010 and were up a modest 2% over last year’s show hosted by Billy Crystal.

Choosing MacFarlane for host this year came from a concerted effort by the Academy to  reel in that coveted 18-49 demographic, long considered the most valuable by advertisers. Preliminary reports show the ploy worked–ratings were up 11% among those very viewers.

While MacFarlane’s comedic sense was being both panned and in some cases, lauded, his timing certainly pushed it to the limit, literally. The show lasted more than 3 1/2 hours, though not the longest Academy Awards on record, it did last until after midnight in the eastern time zone, often seen as a big no-no. The honor for the longest telecast goes to the 2002 show, hosted by Whoopi Goldberg, which clocked in at 4 hours and 23 minutes.

MacFarlane wasn’t the only notable name representing Hollywood East. Besides the Kent, Connecticut writer and Ted director, Boston’s own Ben Affleck got to take the stage once again as an Oscar winner, nearly 16 years after he first won, along with buddy Matt Damon, for best screenplay in 1997 for Good Will Hunting. This time, he closed out the show, grabbing a second statuette for best picture for his film, Argo, a movie he both directed and starred in.

Summertime and the livin’s easy. TED’s on the big screen with Mark Wahlberg. And all the people in the dance will agree that

Lucky’s Lounge is well qualified to represent the rated R flick this Friday Night, June 22^nd.

Don’t look for a sign. Holding is down the stairs. Let’s spin it out on this set Friday night from 6-9pm for free swag and complimentary screening passes for next week’s premiere of Ted!

Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and Ted, Seth MacFarlane, were all spotted at the Lounge enjoying some cocktails last summer when filming buzzed through Boston. Ted lit up at the Pubic Garden, Mass Ave, the Minibar on Huntington Ave, and even featured Norah Jones at the Hatch Shell. The flick hired hundreds of Boston extras and even more extra concert goers. This sparks Connecticut native Seth MacFarlane’s first motion picture debut. Go Seth!

It goes something like this. Wahlberg and Mila got this relationship but must deal with Wahlberg’s beloved teddy bear that came to life as the result of a childhood wish. Ted refuses to leave Wahlberg’s side ever since. Can you blame him?

No question Ted has Summer-time heat oozing from it. Boston is jonesing for the premiere June 29th. So join the wild night with Ted at Lucky’s Lounge for some free swag and passes. Don’t forget to like Ted on FB. Plus create a photo using “My Wild Night with Ted” app on FB and send it to [email protected] for additional chances to win. Time to roll the dice. See you at Lucky’s!

Long before he had his Funky Bunch or pictures of him in his skivvies on billboards, and eons before his Oscar nominations, Mark Wahlberg was just a troubled kid growing up on the mean streets of Dorchester. What he learned during those formative years no doubt helped him develop as an actor and a successful businessman, who can now even add a happening burger joint to his list of accomplishments over the course of his 41 years. Pretty impressive for a guy who doesn’t even have a high school diploma. That’s right, Marky Mark recently admitted on an appearance on “The Late Show with David Letterman” that he never actually completed ninth grade, and will be going back to school to receive his diploma via an online program.

Wahlberg told Letterman, “It’s an actual diploma. I’ve got to take up all the courses that I missed, and I’m a little nervous. … They’re going to give me whatever credits I already have, which is probably like one or two. But I’m going to make it happen.”

His latest movie, Ted, which was filmed in Boston last summer, will be in theaters on June 29^th. The film also costars the voice talents of Seth MacFarlane, a Connecticut native, and also marks his directorial debut. It was also recently announced that Wahlberg is in negotiations to co-star with Bill Paxton in Universal’s “2 Guns” also starring Denzel Washington.

As temps floated comfortably to the mid to upper 60s on Monday, visitors to Boston’s picturesque Public Garden might have been surprised to find crews filming Mark Wahlberg’s latest motion picture, Ted.

An unidentified crew member said lights, rigging, and extras reported for work at 5AM that morning to start setting up for the scene, which was shot at the corner of the pond nearest the “Make Way for the Ducklings” statue. While police and park rangers kept an eye on the crowd and made sure passersby did not interfere with filming, many of the people strolling through that side of the park were actually paid extras. Dog walkers, children playing by a tree, young men dribbling a basket ball, an accordion player, a guitar player, and people reclining on a blanket are not necessarily unusual sights in the park, but watching them walk back and forth, repeating their same path for an hour helped make clear that these park pedestrians were actually paid performers. There was even a man pushing a baby carriage with a plastic doll wrapped in a blanket strapped in the front of it.

Production assistants stationed on the bridge and along the perimeter of the shooting area helped call out directions for the performers. A few unlucky PAs were even stationed in the pond itself, wearing high water waders to hold reflectors and tent poles that overhung the water, or using nets to corral errant ducks and birds brought in specifically to add to the “natural” scenery of the park. The film, which stars Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, and Giovanni Ribisi, began filming in March in Norwood, and recently shot scenes in Swampscott, and in the South End. Voice-over star and Connecticut native Seth MacFarlane also costars.

The crew continued filming until about noon, wrapping that scene and picking up their equipment before moving on to the next location, also in Back Bay. They continued filming until wrapping around 8PM that night. Parking was restricted along the Boylston Street side of the Public Garden and in front of the Emmanuel Church on Newbury Street specifically for film vehicles. The Emmanuel Church was used for catering and as a holding area for extras. On Tuesday, the crew moved on to an unspecified high-rise in the Back Bay for more shooting.

For more photos of the set spotted downtown, check-out our Facebook page here!

Late last month, film crews surprised residents of Norwood by arriving in town to shoot Mark Wahlberg’s next movie, which costars current “it-girl”  Mila Kunis, Giovanni Ribisi,  and Connecticut native, Seth MacFarlane.

The comedy, called Ted which is set to be released sometime in 2012, follows the story of a man whose teddy bear comes to life as the result of a childhood wish. MacFarlane, the talented creator of the super-popular “Family Guy” series, will be (presumably) playing the role of the teddy bear, as the actor is listed as just a voice talent for the picture. “The Soup” host Joel McHale is also rumored to be appearing in the film.

While there was still plenty of snow on the ground in February, scenes were filmed on Albemarle Road in Norwood using older model cars for what are to be flashbacks to Christmas-time in the early 80s. Crews spent days decorating several of the split-level homes in the area with bright holiday decorations. As per polite movie crew conduct, residents of the neighborhood were sent letters in advance informing them of the project and their intentions to film in the area.

Wahlberg is obviously no stranger to the Greater Boston area, being brought up in Dorchester, and most recently filming and starring in his Oscar nominated picture, The Fighter.

Good vibrations continue to linger in twenty eleven for homeboy Mark Wahlberg even with the recent snub from the Academy Awards for his role in The Fighter. Wahlberg, who didn’t get knocked down by the news, did get a punch for Best Picture, Wahlberg co-produced The Fighter, which banged out a total of seven Academy Award nods.

With the end of his HBO flick “Entourage”, Wahlberg has a new fling this Spring, hooking up with CBS as an executive producer of “Home Game”, inspired by the life of three-time Super Bowl champion and NFL pro Mark Schlereth. The plot will focus on a retired NFL player who returns home to his family.

The vibrations don’t stop there either. The hot to trot producer/actor will return to Mass this month to start shooting the flick Ted.  “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane will direct the estimated 65 million dollar budget film. This will be the first big-budgeted flick to hit the Boston scene in 2011.  Let’s keep it rolling!

Wahlberg will be putting his boxing gloves aside and picking up a teddy bear in this upcoming role. He is rumored to be playing a man from Boston whose bestie is a talking teddy bear that came to life because of a childhood wish. “Family Guy” character Mila Kunis and “Parks and Recreation” cast Adam Scott will be co-staring with Wahlberg.

Despite some of Wahlberg’s hits and misses at the box office over the years, the Dorchester native says the most important role in his life is as a father. Wahlberg has four children with his wife Rhea Durham. “I want to give my kids the world, but I also want them to appreciate everything, to succeed, to be good people, to enjoy life,” he told Boston Common. “This is my most important role. If I fail at this, I fail at everything.”

Coming off a hilariously entertaining role alongside Will Ferrell in the summer hit, The Other Guys, Mark Wahlberg has landed a role in another upcoming comedy. Ted, the directorial debut of Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane, stars an average guy from Boston (Wahlberg) whose childhood wish brought his stuffed bear to life;  years later, the life-size, walking-talking teddy is still his best friend.

However, as one might guess, having a teddy bear best friend poses a dilemma —  a carousing, irresponsible slacker, the bear gets in the way of his buddy committing to adulthood and the girl he loves.

Ted draws inspiration from Neil Swaab’s acclaimed comic, “Rehabilitating Mr. Wiggles,” which appears in various magazines including the New York Press. Universal Pictures acquired the rights to the film last April, and Media Rights Capital agreed to finance the $65 million budget. MacFarlane’s partners in “Family Guy,” Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild, helped write the script for Ted, crossing the line of “racy sitcom” and earning the film an R-rating.

It will utilize a mixture of live-action and CGI to bring the bear to life, and MacFarlane himself will provide the voice-over for the animated character. Some who have predicted a “Family Guy” feature-film in the works believe the success or failure of Ted may be a good indicator of future big-screen projects for the young director.

Dorchester, Mass. native Wahlberg has been busy lately; he also will star as Boston wrestler “Irish” Mickey Ward in David O’Russell’s The Fighter, which will hit theaters in the U.S. on December 10, 2010. According to an interview with Mike Fleming for Deadline New York, Wahlberg comitted wholly to the film.  The moment he learned that the role was his, nearly 5 years ago, he built a boxing ring his backyard, hired two trainers out of his own pocket, and worked out extensively to prepare himself. According to Wahlberg, playing the role of Micky and filming the movie so close to his hometown brought back memories of his own childhood. “There were so many comparisons to my life, my story, my upbringing,” he said. Check out the trailer for The Fighter below.

Walhberg will also appear alongside Kate Beckinsale in Contraband, a remake of the 2008 Icelandic crime drama Reykjavic-Rotterdam. Wahlberg hopes to follow the release of that picture in 2012 with MacFarlane’s Ted.

The Paul Mellon Arts Center in the suburban Connecticut town of Wallingford is part of the Choate Rosemary Hall high school campus. As one of the most prestigious private high schools in the country, the arts center serves as a cultural centerpiece for the school as the host of countless plays, art shows, musical performances, lectures, and other gatherings. A number of famous actors and other celebrities at one time graced Choate’s hallowed halls, including; Glenn Close, Michael Douglas, Paul Giamatti, Jamie Lee Curtis, Rebecca Miller, and Ivanka Trump, participating in many of these events during their enrollment, and all of them landing in the school’s hall of fame.

The building, named for a former student, was designed by the great architect I. M. Pei, who among his other notable achievements, also designed the John F. Kennedy Museum in Quincy. Kennedy was also, at one time, a student at Choate.

The school itself has garnered its own part of the Hollywood spotlight, earning shout outs and references on shows like “MASH”, “The West Wing”, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire”,and even “Family Guy”, whose creator, Connecticut native Seth MacFarlane is a graduate of rival prep school Kent. In 2008, the Choate campus was featured in the Martin Lawrence flick College Road Trip, which costarred Raven Symone as his frustrated daughter in search of the perfect post high school educational destination.

The Arts Center draws both alumni and internationally renowned musicians and other performers on a regular basis for concerts, and their dramatic presentations feature a variety of genres of theater. For more information on performances at the Paul Mellon Arts Center in Wallingford, Connecticut, check out their website here.

According to an October 13 post on Variety.com, Kent, CT native and “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane will appear alongside Alex Borstein in the variety special “Family Guy Presents: Seth and Alex’s Almost Live Comedy Show” on Sunday, November 8 at 8:30pm.

MacFarlane and Borstein provide the voices for Peter and Lois Griffin of “Family Guy,” respectively. In addition to comedy sketches and live performances of popular “Family Guy” music numbers, the half-hour show will feature new animation sequences and celebrity guest appearances.

The airing will be commercial-free…sort of. “Family Guy Presents” is a product of the collaboration between Microsoft and the Fox Entertainment Group sales unit–Fox One–to creatively market the Windows 7 operating system. Universal McCann and Crispin, Porter + Bogusky–along with MacFarlane and Borstein–will produce the marketing messages that will appear throughout the show.

“The format of the show lends itself to collaborating and creating content together,” Fox One president Jean Rossi told Variety. “Having done a lot of branded entertainment, the best results come when you’ve got the creative agencies, the Hollywood writers and talent and the brand coming together.” “Family Guy Presents” is part of an all-Seth MacFarlane night: “American Dad” will air at 7:30pm, “Family Guy” at 8pm and 9pm, and “The Cleveland Show” at 9:30pm.

Despite his fame, MacFarlane still takes time to appreciate his dedicated New England fan base. On October 26, as reported in The Salem News, the local legend visited Connors Farm in Danvers, MA to check out the “Family Guy”-inspired “corn maize.”

On Sunday, September 20, the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards aired on CBS, hosted with much aplomb by Neil Patrick Harris. Some of the more notable winners that evening include Glen Close for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and Michael J. Fox for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. In addition to the winners, gowns, after-parties, and critiques of Harris’s hosting job, yet another interesting aspect of the show was the numerous New England connections to those that attended.

Though they say its an honor just to be nominated, many of the humorously entertaining north-easterners did not get to take home their own awards. Seth MacFarlane’s “Family Guy” was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series.

Though the Connecticut funnyman’s series lost to “30 Rock”, its ability as an animated series to stand alone in a category against live-action sitcoms speaks for itself. New Hampshire’s funny honey, Sarah Silverman, also lost in her category for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, but took it in stride while sporting a fake mustache on camera.

Concord, MA born Steve Carell lost out to Alec Baldwin for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy, so be nice if you see him at the general store he bought in Marshfield. One comedy winner for the evening did include Beverly, MA native, and writer for “30 Rock”, Matthew Hubbard, who won an Emmy that evening in both the Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series category and Best Comedy, for his additional role on the show as a producer.

Though he was neither nominated nor presenting, Brookline, MA’s John Hodgman, better known as “The PC Guy” on the now iconic Mac vs. PC commercials, played sidekick yet again, this time helping announce the show between Harris’s appearances as host on stage and in pre-taped skits.