SubscribeA truly mad rush to coddle unmasked diva Melissa Leo
In the comments section of my blog item about Melissa Leo's diva fit on the set of "Frozen River," Thelma Adams insists that I target "a slight that did not exist" while I railed against the incident described in Thelma's Huffington Post article (CLICK HERE). To read my rant, CLICK HERE.
Over at AwardsDaily.com, Sasha Stone says I'm making "something out of nothing" (READ MORE) and Jeff Wells lets me have it over at Hollywood-Elsewhere.com too (SEE HERE), dismissing Leo's meltdown as "nothing at all." Sasha and Thelma even accuse me of having this rant for publicity's sake! Hmmm . . . don't you think that, if I wanted publicity, I'd go after an A-lister instead of an obscure actress appearing in a tiny film the public hasn't seen yet? But they're desperate to cook up a reason other than the truth because it's a blogosphere felony to criticize a "cool" art-house star like Leo, you know. That cannot be conceived of — or tolerated — so counter salvos must be launched.
Let's review the undisputed basics of this story again, just to clarify. Writer-director Courtney Hunt is obviously so offended by the way Melissa Leo addresses her while shooting a scene of "Frozen River" that she asks Leo, "softly, whispery," not "to talk to me like that." Leo could've responded respectfully and discussed their disagreement responsibility. Instead, Leo screams to the producer, "Talk to her!" Now we all know what that means: hey, put that serf in her place, pronto! Leo claims she was merely asking for "a clarification" when she caused director/writer Hunt — who went through enormous financial hardship to finance this Oscar vehicle for Leo — to ask Leo to address her with respect, but, obviously, Hunt wouldn't have made that request if Leo was behaving herself. My, my, look how everybody automatically rushes to the defense of the offensive celebrity. Again. As usual. Coddling a foot-stomping star. Can't resist. Shame, shame, shame.
Hmmmmm ... makes me wonder how Thelma, Sasha and Jeff would respond if Leo dispatched her producer to give them a stern rebuke after they merely asked her to address them with respect. I have a hunch they wouldn't shrug all this off so lightly.
(Sony Pictures Classics)
After reading up on this 'controversy,' I have reached the following conclusion: Everybody needs to get laid.
Posted by: alynch | August 01, 2008 at 11:29 PM
Has it been a slow news week or something?
Posted by: johnc | August 01, 2008 at 03:04 PM
Tom, while I continue to state that your conduct towards Ms. Leo has been bafflingly hostile and unprofessional, I wouldn't crow so much about her alleged dinner invitation. Obviously, you don't know much about her personal history, including the end of her run on "Homicide"as well as the business with John Heard. Do you think you're bullying her with this nonsense? Do you think she's running scared from you? Professionally, she has every right to be ticked at you for columns that are direct assaults on her work ethic. Personally, she's faced bigger bullies than you, Tom. She's the better person here, Tom. YOU'RE the one using this blog to blackmail people into interviews and/or exclusives. By the way, Tom, if Katherine Heigl was 47 years old and didn't have beauty model looks, would you have been as forgiving towards HER conduct towards collegues.
Posted by: Pete | August 01, 2008 at 07:07 AM
"But, of course, great bully divas never back down (or see what's wrong with their behavior)"
Yeesh. Lack of ironically self-reflexive awareness much?
Posted by: Ryan Adams | August 01, 2008 at 06:10 AM
Oh, Tom, here's Stephen Holden of the NYT in today's paper: "Ms. Leo’s magnificent portrayal of a woman of indomitable grit and not an iota of self-pity makes “Frozen River” a compelling study of individual courage." Now, Tom, please see the movie.
Posted by: Thelma Adams | August 01, 2008 at 05:42 AM
Dearest Thelma,
Why should I send Melissa Leo a muffin basket when -- see post below -- she's invited me over to her house for dinner? I hope she's cooking up hot crow. If she takes a hearty bite and finally apologizes to Courtney Hunt for the nasty way she treated her, I'll be glad to gobble down my share, too. But, of couruse, great bully divas never back down (or see what's wrong with their behavior) so I'm not worried about having feathers stuck in my teeth or belly anytime soon.
xxoo
Tom Ohhh
Posted by: Tom O'Neil | August 01, 2008 at 05:14 AM
Oh, Tom, awards pundit, go see Frozen River. Today! Now! Step away from the computer screen. Because when the issue is Oscar, shouldn't it really be the performance that matters most? You've clearly lost touch with that. And, once you've seen Frozen River, and Melissa Leo in action, you'll be the one sending the generous, hard-working actress your apologetic muffin basket.
Posted by: Thelma Adams | August 01, 2008 at 05:02 AM
The difference between Thelma Adams' engaging interview with Melissa Leo and Tom O'Neil's unwarranted smear campaign is the difference between HuffPo and Puff Ho'.
Posted by: Ryan Adams | July 31, 2008 at 11:58 PM
Read Thelma Adams' HuffPo piece and you'll see Ms. Leo's emotional engagement and generosity all over the piece. That's what the "incident" is about. Hey, Tom, crawl over your collection of celebrity tabloids, climb out of your mother's basement, and spend some time on a real movie set or in the theater. A season inside your local community theater will present more examples of Diva-licious bad behavior than anything we find in the HuffPo - at least in the Leo article (won't speak for anywhere else).
Posted by: Hayne | July 31, 2008 at 09:26 PM
Just wondering if you have ever spent any time on a set... or spoken to anyone else who has... This is as mild an actor moment as any I have ever heard.
Posted by: Reel1 | July 31, 2008 at 08:25 PM
Dear Tom, Thank you so much for the kind words and publicity. I would love to extend you an invitation for dinner at my home next time you are in Los Angeles.
Best,
Melissa Leo
Posted by: Melissa Leo | July 31, 2008 at 08:03 PM
Just to clarify something -- if an actor makes unreasonable demands just to show their power, that's being a diva. Even taking the incident and blowing it way up the way you are, she was asking her director to direct her, and the director refused to do so. She's an actress -- she needs a director. It's not being a diva to "demand" (if that's what you want to call it) that a director direct you before you can just turn on your acting.
I mean, the whole thing is ridiculous, but especially to label it as a "diva" moment. She's 100% class, in my personal experience, and she takes her work very seriously.
I think it would be a more noble quest to try and derail John Heard's career.
Posted by: Richardson | July 31, 2008 at 05:09 PM
This is STILL going on?
Jeez, give it a rest already.
Posted by: k | July 31, 2008 at 04:28 PM
Keep digging your hole, Tom.
Posted by: Craig Kennedy | July 31, 2008 at 04:04 PM
Um yeah, this post sounds like DRAMA!!!!!!!!!!!! Do we really need award blogs arguing with each other through blog posts? Why not focus on more Emmy coverage?
Posted by: James | July 31, 2008 at 03:28 PM
I recall the principal double standart that you have it, Tom. You're in the defense of Katherine Heigl after she critized Grey's Anatomy and Knocked Up; and you've proclaimed her Oscar buzz for a film that she didn't filming yet!, or what about Lindsay Lohan? her constant scandals and black mail, and you tried to understand her situation, but when a talented and indie like Melissa Leo who has a good shot for Oscar consideration and you attacking her because for a particular fight between a novate director and a consolidate actress. WOW, THAT'S A DIVA SCANDAL!!!!
Posted by: Xavi Rodriguez | July 31, 2008 at 03:18 PM
Ah, the irrational quest to take down an obscure character actress for no apparent reason continues. Happy hunting, Tom.
Posted by: Andrew | July 31, 2008 at 03:01 PM
"Let's review the undisputed basics..."
yeah, lets. Undisputed basic: nobody involved seems outraged but you. Nobody on the set, nobody at the Huffington Post, Awards Daily, Hollywood Elsewhere, or even your own site, Tom, is bothered by what bothers you.
In fact, what bothers everybody everywhere is how you've blown this so out of proportion. Haven't we had enough "verbal assault" hysteria for one week?
You "could've responded respectfully and discussed their disagreement responsibility [sic]" -- but instead you've been inventing words to put in Melissa Leo's mouth and "translating" for us what this all means as a grievous violation of your Miss Manners standards of on-set prim propriety.
We're all able to read the Huffington Post
interview and draw our own conclusions without your snitching and reframing it in layman's terms for us.
Melissa Leo lavishes praise on Courtney Hunt throughout the interview, and credits Hunt's direction for bringing out the best in her performance. ("She knew every heartbeat and turn of her film as we worked so I knew I could trust her.")
Then Leo relates an honest anecdote about frayed nerves and conflicting creative methods. To most of us, this break with typical kissy-face back-patting provides a fascinating glimpse into the process through which artistic collaborations evolve from ego collisions. For Tom O'Neil -- catfight!
Now you plaster your WANTED posters all over associate sites, promising us that "if I catch her continuing to pull more of this bully act and be so inconsiderate to colleagues, I’ll continue to report on her" -- is this what The Gold Derby wants to be? Oscar Hall Monitor?
I'd like to hear about the quality of the work. For gasping gossip, we can go read Cindy Adams.
I find that when I write something and not a single other soul agrees with me, it's sometimes useful to step back and wonder if the whole world is blind -- or if maybe I'm the one who got it wrong.
Somebody's throwing a "hissy fit" alright, but nobody thinks it's Melissa Leo.
Posted by: Ryan Adams | July 31, 2008 at 01:40 PM
Tom, I think there are several reasons why people are bagging on you about this. For starters, my goodness, can you blow this "incident" any more out of proportion. Wowsa...an actress got into an argument with a novice director. My goodness..what a scandal. Considering how many "behind the scenes" books and articles describe substantially worse tension on classic movie sets (consider the Dustin Hoffman/Sydney Pollack dustups on Tootsie), to act as if Melissa Leo has somehow committed some unforgivable sin stretches credibility. Second, there seems something rather unseemly on your part with this rather transparent negative Oscar campaigning against this actress, especially when the movie hasn't really been seen by anyone outside of festivals. It's petty, Tom, and it reeks of you grinding a personal axe against this woman. This isn't the first time you've used personal attacks against other actors in an effort to derail an Oscar bid (hello, remember your crusade against Bill Murray). Seriously, Tom, you're better than this, aren't you? Or are you still smarting from all the ridicule you received when you wrote that ill-informed post about Murnau a few months ago?
Posted by: Pete | July 31, 2008 at 12:54 PM
I read the interview and its still "im-a-c-list-star-and-god-damn-it-you-will-listen-to-me-when-I-speak-to-you-No-More-Wire-Hangers-Ever!" okay maybe not that bad but it still seems like a snot faced moment from Leo. But I dont think you should even bother on this story because clearly (and i wont say miss cos she doesnt deserve it) Leo doesnt deserve any attention if she is going to carry on about on her breakthrough movie.
Posted by: Ussie | July 31, 2008 at 12:40 PM
I'm sorry, Tom, but I don't understand how do you considerate Melissa leo as a diva. I know worste cases between actors and directors (Debra Winger, Edward norton), but I'm sorry I don't considerate Melissa Leo part of this group. it's sound like to obscure obssesion against Russell Crowe
Posted by: Xavi Rodriguez | July 31, 2008 at 12:16 PM