Side-Job Script: Amy Thomson
Hustling in Hollywood is a brag-worthy right. Every Friday, we’re grabbing the sound bites of our favorite stars to keep your momentum strong and motivation even stronger — especially since Monday is just around the corner.
Of all the music festivals and concerts that have sold out so far this year, the must-have ticket of 2013 was definitely one to One Last Tour of Swedish House Mafia, the electronic dance music group that broke out of EDM’s birthplace — Ibiza, Spain — and into the mainstream music scene, capturing fans everywhere with heartfelt lyrics and intoxicating beats. The group’s most recognizable hit, “Don’t You Worry Child,” is simultaneously an instant sing-along and a beloved club track anticipated by dance-crazed audiences nightly.
The magic — and marketing – of Swedish House Mafia roots back to Amy Thomson, the seasoned EDM artist manager who is currently the musical director of Light. It’s a new nightclub at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, and it’s Cirque du Soleil’s first venture into the hospitality industry — a competitive scene on the Strip. However, the relatively intimate space is dressed in LED screens that span the walls and ceilings, and feature Cirque acrobatics and custom visual effects, every night. It’s a stark departure from the current venues that EDM is enjoyed: either an empty warehouse or a luxe nightclub.
I spoke with Thomson about her vision for Light, which she hopes will push the boundaries of how to enjoy EDM in Las Vegas:
““It should feel like the show is all around you, and hopefully, therefore, you’ll want to join in with the show…We’re gonna give you a memory that will stick with you, that wasn’t just about whose name was on the ticket, which DJ’s face was on that billboard.”
Heard a star say something inspiring about their side job? Email bites to cashleelee@gmail.com.
*HH will be off the grid until mid-May, as this hustler handles a few final papers and freelance projects!
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Working Hard Wednesday: Law for Animal Rights, Supermodel Self-Help
As inspiration to get you through the rest of your relatively uneventful, 9-to-5 workweek, HH has rounded up the hottest headlines highlighting who’s been hustling new partnerships in Hollywood:
- On behalf of the animal protection group PETA, Jude Law has written to the World Trade Organization to urge it to uphold a European Union ban on seal fur. Banned back in 2010, its status is currently being challenged by the Canadian government, with a hearing set for later this month. [HuffPost]
- Former Dior designer John Galliano will be leading a masterclass series at Parsons The New School for Design, which will look at “provoking the power of emotion in context of fashion practice and exploration of intuitive, perceptive manners of investigational making.” The opportunity is open to senior BFA candidates in good academic standing, and require faculty recommendations, a short video or essay and a visual component. [Lucky]
- Pop singer Ke$ha is launching a new and earthy jewelry line with Charles Albert out this summer, complete with arrowheads, stones and fossilized shark teeth. She said of the design process: “Going to their office was like a crazy playground for me — so many fun stones and colors and weird objects. We just sat around and played with all of it for a few days and ended up with a sick collection of pieces in the end.” [HuffPost]
- Stella McCartney is officially the latest patron of Designer for Tomorrow, a Berlin-based competition for up-and-coming designers. Succeeding Marc Jacobs, McCartney will rank her top ten applicants and evaluate finalists’ collections during Berlin Fashion Week, held in July. [FashionUnited]
- Sarah DeAnna, a model who has been featured in fashion spreads in Vogue, Elle and Marie Claire, has a new self-help book out. Entitled Supermodel You: Shockingly Healthy Insider Tips to Bring Out Your Inner Supermodel, the book offers common-sense tips for reaching goals regarding appearance, weight and attitude. [WWD]
And in other news, two Hollywood Hustlers have officially become music’s first billionaire couple — none other than Jay-Z and Beyonce! [Black Enterprise]
Heard about someone working particularly hard in Hollywood? Email tips to cashleelee@gmail.com.
Now Casting: Big-Named Baristas
Each week, Hollywood Hustlers looks at a hot career pursuit that’s drawing everyone from their respective corners of Tinseltown to vie for the role. Got an idea for an upcoming “Now Casting” feature? Email tips to cashleelee@gmail.com.
Bob Romanos, veteran actor of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, may have opened a new espresso bar in Los Angeles’s NoHo Arts District, but he’s not the first Hollywood star to break into the barista scene. Back in January, Grey’s Anatomy actor Patrick Dempsey purchased Tully’s Coffee, outbidding Starbucks with a $9.15 million offer for the entire chain (Dempsey is a member of the investment group Global Baristas).
Here in New York City, Les Miserables star Hugh Jackman champions Laughing Man Coffee & Tea, a charitable coffee chain with three locations throughout lower Manhattan. After visiting Ethiopia as a World Vision ambassador and planting coffee trees with a Kochere regional farmer named Dukale, Jackman opened the shops to benefit entrepreneurial endeavors in poverty-stricken countries — and these Fair Trade and organic drinks both do good and taste good.
I recently interviewed Laughing Man’s CEO and founder David Steingard to find out more about Jackman’s company, which was a natural business endeavor for the actor.
“He is a partner and an operator — he weighs in on the big decisions, and when he’s in town, he comes by,” said Steingard, who explained that Jackman majored in journalism and has always been well-read in economics, since his father was an accountant. “Meeting Dukali was the culmination of all of that coming together. He’s engaged and cares a lot about these issues, as he was before Laughing Man. It’s a very important part of his life, and I think that’s what it so genuine and legitimate.”
So why is the coffee chain called Laughing Man? “Think of the moment when you’re laughing with your best friend: how all barriers go away, all differences and worries go away, only for a moment,” he explained. “Laughter is the expression of freedom — that freedom to laugh, wherever you are, is a sign that we can be free: that could be virtual freedom, economic freedom, whatever. It’s the idea that laughter generates that. It’s a reminder.”
Jackman’s contributions also stretch into Laughing Man’s menu, since the Flat White on the menu comes from Down Under. “Australians have a particularly good coffee culture, so he would definitely describe himself as a coffee snob!” Steingard said of Jackman’s palate. Amidst its Home Blend 184 (named after the first Laughing Man location) and Dukale’s Dream espresso, the actor has made fellow Aussies like Russell Crowe welcome with the signature drink.
Laughing Man Coffee & Tea has two locations in TriBeCa (184 Duane Steet and 54 Reade Street) and is also inside the Mercantile Exchange in Battery Park, at 1 North End Avenue. Check out the company’s website for a sweet selection of sips and gifts as well!
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Side-Job Script: Robert De Niro
Hustling in Hollywood is a brag-worthy right. Every Friday, we’re grabbing the sound bites of our favorite stars to keep your momentum strong and motivation even stronger — especially since Monday is just around the corner.
Besides collecting memorable roles in Sleepers, Goodfellas, Analyze This (and That), the Meet the Parents trilogy and, most recently, Silver Linings Playbook — to name a few — legendary actor Robert De Niro is also one of the founders of the Tribeca Film Festival. Initially created with Jane Rosenthal and Craig Hatkoff to help downtown New York City heal after the September 11 attacks, the film fest has evolved into a record 149 participating projects this year, and includes online screenings for the first time.
Even more so, the closing night of the festival will feature a screening of a digital remastered The Kings of Comedy, in which De Niro stars. The idea to even include restored films in the festival rooted from this film’s director, Martin Scorsese, back when the fest was just getting started. My THR editor sat down with the TFF co-founder for the full story:
“When we started the festival, Marty — who has always been a friend to the festival — was here with us to announce it in November of 2001 and one of the things he did, which wasn’t scripted or necessarily part of the program, was he said, ‘And we are going to have restored and rediscovered films,'” Rosenthal remembers. “He turned and looked at me and I was nodding like ‘OK.’ So the fact that on our 12th year, a dozen years later, it was the anniversary of King of Comedy and this as a restored film. It all came full circle.”
And last night, I got to attend the TFF Filmmakers Dinner, hosted by IWC at Donna Karan’s chic Urban Zen loft in NYC’s West Village. Though I didn’t get to interview De Niro directly, I chatted up his guests — Justin Long, Karolina Kurkova, Blythe Danner and more — about their favorite watch aesthetics and memories instead! Read that one here >>
Heard a star say something inspiring about their side job? Email bites to cashleelee@gmail.com.
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Working Hard Wednesday: Fast Caffeine and Idol-ized Accessories
As inspiration to get you through the rest of your relatively uneventful, 9-to-5 workweek, HH has rounded up the hottest headlines highlighting who’s been hustling new partnerships in Hollywood:
- Bob Romanos of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, has opened a new espresso bar in Los Angeles’s NoHo Arts District. Besides serving Fonte beans from Seattle and beloved baked goods from Porto’s in Glendale, the actor says, “I want it to be a clubhouse for this artistic community.” [THR]
- BJ Novak, the hilarious actor from The Office and a producer of The Mindy Project, has inked a seven-figure, two-book deal. The first book, a work of fiction in the style of Woody Allen’s collection of stories, is set to be published in 2014. [NYT]
- Well-known Renaissance man James Franco has his hand in a fashion documentary on Gucci called The Director, which will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 21. Produced by the actor’s company Rabbit Bandini, the film showcases the process of putting together a collection for the iconic brand. [Refinery29]
- Ty Burrell, who plays Phil Dunphy on Modern Family, just opened a European eatery called Chez Soi, located in Manhattan Beach, just three blocks from the pier. The menu boasts roasted mussels with Indian spices, wood-fired vegetables, and lots of cocktails, developed by a bar in Salt Lake City that the actor also co-owns. [THR]
- A memorable competitor on the second season of American Idol, Kimberly Caldwell has launched a new line of accessories. How did she get the gig? The self-taught sewing entrepreneur stumbled into the crafting business the second she spotted a sack of leather scraps. [Wetpaint]
Heard about someone working particularly hard in Hollywood? Email tips to cashleelee@gmail.com.
Now Casting: Mysterious Musicians
Each week, Hollywood Hustlers looks at a hot career pursuit that’s drawing everyone from their respective corners of Tinseltown to vie for the role. Got an idea for an upcoming “Now Casting” feature? Email tips to cashleelee@gmail.com.
Sure, Hollywood Hustlers know how to make money from their many hobbies, but we at HH gotta hand it to those who don’t exploit their celebrity platform to simply catapult their new project to the top. Instead, they stay grounded, pushing aside their famed persona to enjoy being part of the group — or rather, the band.
Plenty of established actors are (relatively) quietly messing around in musicianship: Kevin Bacon is one half of The Bacon Brothers, who has sold six albums; Jada Pinkett-Smith is the lead singer/screamer of heavy metal band Wicked Wisdom. Dennis Quaid, Kevin Costner, Bruce Willis and Jared Leto have all taken to the microphone during rehearsals, while the elusive Keanu Reeves was bassist for his band Dogstar for ten years (the band was originally called Small Fecal Matter, for some reason).
But the pastime isn’t something an actor must graduate to after an established career in film and television. Plenty of young Hollywood has gracefully taken to the stage as well: Glee actor Cory Montieth is the drummer for Bonnie Dune, Shane West started out as the singer and guitarist for Jonny Was, and Frankie Muniz is the dummer for You Hang Up. Robert Pattinson actually sings the blues, including a few tracks on Twilight soundtracks. As for indie duos, adorable Arrested Development breakout Michael Cera is one half of The Long Goodbye, the beautiful Scarlett Johansson pairs her name and voice with Pete Yorn, and blue-eyed New Girl comedienne Zooey Deschanel is the female component of She & Him.
Some actor have achieved some authentic success while on the stage. Billy Bob Thorton has released a few solo albums, Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers has collected Grammy awards for banjo and bluegrass (plus the hilarious and inevitable one-liners between songs from Martin). One reason Russell Crowe was cast for the film adaptation of Les Miserables was because of his performances with his rock band, 30 Off Foot of Grunts. And of course, Johnny Depp, the man with the Midas touch, is part of the supergroup P, which also boasts members from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Sex Pistols. Most recently, Rita Wilson has indulged in an evolving career in country music.
But not everyone enters the music industry to open arms: Eddie Murphy, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Tyra Banks have each tried to crossover, only to be turned back by fans and curious music lovers alike. Maybe people figured they were just trying to capitalize on their average musical talents — as Disney Channel stars like Selena Gomez and Hilary Duff have done — or maybe it can be blamed on bad songwriting, management or production. Next time, try the not-so-marketed route — it’s not topping the Billboard charts, but at least the others in the post are genuinely welcomed at smaller stages.
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Side-Job Script: Steven Soderbergh
Hustling in Hollywood is a brag-worthy right. Every Friday, we’re grabbing the sound bites of our favorite stars to keep your momentum strong and motivation even stronger — especially since Monday is just around the corner.
As the man who directed twenty-six features in twenty-four years, Steven Soderbergh is ready to retire. He’s said it for years now: he’s done with directing, he’s flushed out all his ideas, and unless he figures out another way to approach the art, he is to retire once he hit fifty. No Ocean’s Fourteen, No Magic Mike 2. The Liberace biopic for HBO, Behind the Candelabra, starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, will be his film industry swan song, even if it’s something that’s on the silver screen.
But cinematic retirement has its own projects, a handful of side hustles that’ll simply keep him busy as he gets some well-deserved rest. I caught up with him about what he’s been up to while on the red carpet of The Sapphires premiere in NYC, an indie film festival favorite and the directorial debut of a very good friend of Soderbergh, Wayne Blair. It sounds like he’s found some fun ways to distribute his free time:
“There’s gonna be some theater stuff, there’s gonna be probably some TV stuff, there’s gonna be one book at least, there’s gonna be some painting, there’s gonna be some photography. There’s gonna be a liquor that I’m importing from Bolivia…It’s good stuff. I’ve decided, unlike everybody else that’s trying to sell liquor, that the way to really become big is to sponsor a girls roller derby team in New York. The Gotham Girls roller derby is being sponsored by my liquor this year. I’m one of many, but I’m just saying. That’s where I’m starting, because I feel like that’s my core base. And I’ve got some very good photographs of the team that I’m sponsoring, after they’ve had some of the liquor that I’ve provided.”
Heard a star say something inspiring about their side job? Email bites to cashleelee@gmail.com.
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Working Hard Wednesday: Weddings by Blake Shelton, Houses for $42 Million?
As inspiration to get you through the rest of your relatively uneventful, 9-to-5 workweek, HH has rounded up the hottest headlines highlighting who’s been hustling new partnerships in Hollywood:
- Here’s a fun one to start us off: country star Blake Shelton is already hustling as a coach on NBC’s singing competition The Voice, but he’s trying out another role at the advisement of his manager, Brandon Blackstock. Shelton will be officiating Blackstock’s wedding to pop singer and American Idol alum, Kelly Clarkson. [LA Times]
- Actor Jason Segel of How I Met Your Mother has apparently picked up the pen for more than just co-writing credits on The Muppets movie. While surprising audiences at an event in NYC, it slipped out that publishing houses are currently in a bidding war over his young-adult trilogy, based on a script he wrote when he was just 21. [The A.V. Club]
- Spring Breakers director Harmony Korine is also adding to his bookshelf. He plans to write a book based on Riff Raff, the rapper and muse for James Franco’s role in Korine’s latest film. [Acclaim]
- As Jay Leno is set to be replaced by Jimmy Fallon next spring, Alec Baldwin is in talks to jump from actor to late night talk show host on NBC. Would you watch the comedy veteran over Saturday Night Live’s current breakout Seth Meyers? [NYT]
- And though it’s not necessarily a side job — since real estate is everyone’s game in Hollywood — it has to be mentioned. Jon Bon Jovi is selling his Manhattan duplex for a whopping $42 million! [THR]
Heard about someone working particularly hard in Hollywood? Email tips to cashleelee@gmail.com.
Now Casting: Avocado Aficionados
Each week, Hollywood Hustlers looks at a hot career pursuit that’s drawing everyone from their respective corners of Tinseltown to vie for the role. Got an idea for an upcoming “Now Casting” feature? Email tips to cashleelee@gmail.com.
As the winter melts away into spring (finally, for us NYC-based hustlers), people are packing away their peacoats and rainboots and dusting off their sundresses and sandals. For those starting to stock up on those summertime food favorites, feel free to order your avocados from your favorite celebrity farmer!
Yes, the rough-skinned, creamy green fruit, grown year-round in California, has attracted a faction of Hollywood to establish — and often retreat into — their own private avocado farms. Acoustic singer Jason Mraz happily harvests from San Diego, and though he does routinely sell his crop at local markets, he’s more proud of his guacamole and “chocomole,” a chocolate mousse made from avocados.
Venture north to Ventura County to find actor Tom Selleck, who proudly oversees a 20-acre avocado farm (which is part of a 65-acre ranch, complete with a horse corral) to relax from filming episodes of CBS’ Blue Bloods in New York City every other week. Selleck started out with over two thousand avocado trees — he lost about 600 to a harsh cold front in 2007 — and remains the largest seller of avocados to the state of California.
Who is Selleck’s neighbor? None other than Django Unchained star Jamie Foxx, who has 800 trees of his own on a ranch that’s separated from Selleck’s by a common fence. Additionally, the late Dallas actor Larry Hagman also indulged in avocado farming, as he had 200 trees alongside a helipad and a 43-foot lap pool.
Enjoy your Hass avocados this season, hustlers. You never which celebrity’s California ranch they’re coming from!
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Side-Job Script: Emma Roberts
Hustling in Hollywood is a brag-worthy right. Every Friday, we’re grabbing the sound bites of our favorite stars to keep your momentum strong and motivation even stronger — especially since Monday is just around the corner.
Glamorous photoshoots have always been part of the fame game — magazine covers, spokesperson deals, movie posters, the list goes on. But to voluntarily serve as a resident muse for a controversial celebrity photographer? That’s not necessarily a requirement, but it sure sounds like a ton of fun…
Such is the situation for Emma Roberts, niece of Julia Roberts and actress of films like Valentine’s Day, Scream 4 and the upcoming Fox drama Delirium. Roberts, along with Clint Eastwood’s daughter Francesca Eastwood, routinely appear in the photo series of Tyler Shields, the edgy photographer known for social commentary stunts like drenching subjects in blood and burning an $100,000 Hermes Birkin bag. For Shields’ new series “Suspense,” Roberts told me what it was like to be captured in midair moments, including a shot where she was being tossed to boyfriend Evan Peters of American Horror Story:
“I think because I’m small, he wanted to use me in all the throwing shots, which were terrifying,” says Roberts, who commonly bombards Shields with new ideas via text and loves trying new stunts on set. “I would just jump and hope for the best, and was shocked at how high I’d gotten when I saw the pictures!”
Heard a star say something inspiring about their side job? Email bites to cashleelee@gmail.com.
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Working Hard Wednesday: Jay-Z Agency, Gwyn’s GOOP Grows
As inspiration to get you through the rest of your relatively uneventful, 9-to-5 workweek, HH has rounded up the hottest headlines highlighting who’s been hustling new partnerships in Hollywood:
- Rapper, mogul and notorious Hollywood Hustler Jay-Z has launched Roc Nation Sports, a full-service sports management company. He’s already scored his first client: New York Yankees star Robinson Cano. [NYP]
- Our other notorious Hollywood Hustler Gwyneth Paltrow of GOOP is not only opening a blow-dry bar in Brentwood, but also launching a new cookbook. Meaning the press tour kills two birds with one stone…genius! [Racked]
- Bravo’s Real Housewives breakout star Lisa Vanderpump was a serial hospitality entrepreneur alongside her husband long before her reality show debut; we just get to watch the couple bring in new business on television from now on. After she finishes up on this season of Dancing With the Stars, watch out for their upcoming West Hollywood hotspot, P.U.M.P. Lounge. [Eater]
- Social fashion site Lookbook.nu is expanding its editorial content to now include video. The street style company has launched a scripted web series that follows the adventures of a fashion blogger and a photographer, starring Cheer Channel personality Neva McIntosh and Young and the Restless actor Daniel Romer. [THR]
Heard about someone working particularly hard in Hollywood? Email tips to cashleelee@gmail.com.
Now Casting: Maternity Moguls
Each week, Hollywood Hustlers looks at a hot career pursuit that’s drawing everyone from their respective corners of Tinseltown to vie for the role. Got an idea for an upcoming “Now Casting” feature? Email tips to cashleelee@gmail.com.
Reality star Kim Kardashian is an empire of her own, well known for turning a life event into a profitable venture. Now that she’s expecting a baby with beau Kanye West, media commenters are speculating that she’s possibly gaining so much weight because she’s eyeing a deal to partner with a weight loss campaign after giving birth. Oh, New York Post, that’s just crazy. Kim’s just pregnant. Leave her alone.
However, we at HH have already outlined how inspiring — and lucrative — a newborn baby can be for a Hollywood hustler. So why would stars wait until the baby’s born? The entire process of pregnancy and birth has actually proven to be yet another promising business opportunity. As the baby bumps get bigger, so do their wallets!
Most famously to have championed this maternity mogul avenue is Jessica Simpson. Though she entered Hollywood as a pop singer and reality television star, she has since launched a booming clothing brand and become a mentor on NBC’s Fashion Star design competition, alongside Nicole Richie and John Varvatos. So just after she gave birth to Maxwell Drew, she expanded her brand to include maternity fashions, and was reportedly eyeing a Weight Watchers deal while still pregnant to her daughter. Currently, Simpson is expecting a second child, and possibly popping out new products soon as well…
Simpson’s not alone in cashing in on the neglected demographic. Supermodel Elle Macpherson features nursing bras in her lingerie line following her frustrations to find one she liked, while fellow runway star Molly Sims launched a selection of baby products when shopping for her upcoming newborn. Tori Spelling, Bethenny Frankel, Kendra Wilkinson, Kourtney Kardashian and Snooki have all featured their pregnancies on reality shows, and practically every star entertains bids for magazine covers that highlight their expectant form. The only thing that could cost more? The first photos of the baby, of course!
Best of luck to you, Kim K. We’re wishing you a happy, healthy and profitable pregnancy.
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Hollywood Hustlers 