Danny Elfman Busy Scoring Gus van Sant's Milk

Composer Danny Elfman who hasn't worked with Gus van Sant since his Oscar-nominated score for Good Will Hunting in 1997, is at work composing the score for Milk.

Says Elfman to if magazine: "I'm already deep into the world of Harvey Milk. It's a drama, and a great way to follow Wanted and Hellboy II, because Milk has very little sound effects, no fighting, and I like working with Gus. I've been writing for two weeks, and he’ll hear my music soon. I don't know what to expect from the score in the end, but I do know the performances from Sean Penn and the cast are great. I'm really enjoying myself so far. Hopefully it'll stay on track.

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Sean Penn and Milk Get Some Fanfare [tr]

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Sean Penn and Milk Get Some Fanfare

Sean Penn as Harvey Milk takes the front page of Vanity Fair's August 2008 "Fanfair" section. The film opens November 26.

(via boy culture)

Previously
Harvey Milk Items Up for Auction at Christie's [tr]
Lucas Grabeel: Milk Role 'Changed My Life' — Also, I'm Not Gay [tr]
Harvey Milk Bust Has Coming Out Party [tr]

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First Look: Sean Penn in Gus van Sant's Milk

The first official production photo for Gus van Sant's Milk has been released and shows Sean Penn as Harvey Milk celebrating his 1977 election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, which made him the first openly gay man to be elected to office in a major U.S. city.

Producer Dan Jinks told EW: "[Sean] is playing a guy who's not at all like him, way beyond the sexuality of the character. Harvey was this guy who wants everybody to love him, and he loves everybody else. Sean just completely became that guy. It's a real transformation.''

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James Franco Rates Sean Penn His 'Top' Onscreen Love Interest [tr]
Harvey Milk Bust to Sit Atop Staircase in SF City Hall Rotunda [tr]
The SF Chronicle: Recreating History with Milk [tr]
Sean Penn Directed His Own 'Mighty Real' Man-on-Man Kiss [tr]
Gus van Sant's Milk Finishes up in San Francisco [tr]

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James Franco Rates Sean Penn His 'Top' Onscreen Love Interest

Entertainment Weekly asks actor and fragrance spokesmodel James Franco how Sean Penn rates as an onscreen love interest compared to the actresses he's played opposite — Kirsten Dunst, Neve Campbell, and Catherine Keener.

Says Franco, who plays Penn's lover Scott Smith in the upcoming Milk: "The top! He's a little hairier than those other ones, but oh well..."

Of Milk in general, Franco says: "It's hard to think of a director or actor who I regard more highly than [Gus van Sant and Sean]. Gus has been a hero of mine since Drugstore Cowboy and My Own Private Idaho. And of course Sean is probably the best actor around. It was great. Surprisingly kind of comfortable and easy. Gus has a very soft-spoken, soft-handed approach, so he just brings everybody together, the right elements together, and then he doesn't really have to do much. It just kind of happens. At least that's how it feels...I know the two main questions I'm going to be asked in the next year are (referring to his role in Judd Apatow's Pineapple Express) 'How much pot did you smoke?' and 'What was it like to kiss Sean Penn?'

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Sean Penn and James Franco as Lovers in Milk [tr]

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Emile Hirsch Strips Down for David LaChapelle in Hawaii

Emile Hirsch, who is starring in the upcoming Speed Racer as well as Gus van Sant's Milk later this year, got natural for David LaChapelle in Hawaii in this month's Flaunt magazine.

Hirsch also recently spoke out about Milk for the first time. Said the actor, who plays gay activist (and eventual NAMES Quilt creator) Cleve Jones in the film: "I just did this film called ‘Milk’ with Sean Penn and Gus Van Sant about Harvey Milk. I think it’s going to be a really good film. I don’t want to give anything away by telling you a timeline, but it’s not really giving anything away, because it’s historical fact. Milk represented change for a lot of people, and was a catalyst to that. And his eventual assassination similarly mirrored Martin Luther King."

Check out a little behind-the-scenes shirtless waterfall action on LaChapelle's shoot,
AFTER THE JUMP...

>

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The SF Chronicle: Recreating History with Milk

The SF Chronicle has a great piece about the shooting of Gus van Sant's Milk which includes this anecdote about the final days of production:

"Appearing on the City Hall steps to deafening applause, Penn looked shockingly like Milk. He had his almost Grecian nose and dark wavy hair parted to one side and wore a tight T-shirt that showed off his muscles. 'Brothers and sisters, you must come out to your parents,' Penn/Harvey shouted, pronouncing his vowels distinctly to sound like a New Yorker. 'It may hurt them. But think how they could hurt you in the voting booth.' Penn would do eight takes of this speech all to loud applause from an indefatigable crowd, including people who had stood in the same spot 30 years ago listening to Milk urge gays to protect their rights from those trying to get gay-friendly legislation repealed. A dozen rows back from Penn, John Hershey, 63, started crying. Milk had influenced him to come out to his family, Hershey recalled. 'This is an important thing for me because I want all the kids to know what Harvey did,' he said...

...A production assistant followed Penn around the front of City Hall with a large navy blue umbrella. She held it over his head to shield him from the sun. Seeing he had a captive audience, Penn broke loose of the umbrella to deliver an impromptu speech that Milk would have loved. 'I almost wish Jerry Falwell were alive to see this. Almost,' Penn shouted to the crowd. After dropping some names of conservatives who are still with us - 'Bill O'Reilly, who is too stupid to talk about,' and "Sean Hannity, the butt boy of Rupert Murdoch," Penn said, 'We know something more. We know their end is near.'"

It's a wrap - 'Milk' filming ends in S.F. [sf chronicle]
(image Kat Wade, sf chronicle)

Previously
Sean Penn Directed His Own 'Mighty Real' Man-on-Man Kiss [tr]
Gus van Sant's Milk Finishes up in San Francisco [tr]
Bryan Singer to Cameo in Gus van Sant's Harvey Milk Film? [tr]
Milk Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black Spills [tr]
Josh Brolin on Tackling the Role of Milk Assassin Dan White [tr]

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Sean Penn Directed His Own 'Mighty Real' Man-on-Man Kiss

Mark Martinez (aka drag queen Flava) got more than he bargained for in his role as disco singer Sylvester in Gus van Sant's Harvey Milk biopic Milk, which recently wrapped in San Francisco, reports E's Marc Malkin.

A singing performance at Harvey Milk's birthday party turned out to be a different kind of performance altogether, according to Flava:

"All of a sudden, Sean’s pointing at me, and he’s talking to the assistant director. The AD comes up to me and says, 'Just to let you know, you are now going to break up Sean and [costar] James Franco’s conversation. You’re going to grab Sean, and Sean’s going to be really excited, and he’s going to kiss you.' I’m performing, and he comes onto the dance floor. He grabs me, and he just slaps the biggest kiss on me...It felt like the kiss was forever. I’m like, Is he going to stop? I had to close my eyes. I couldn’t believe it. I’m thinking, We gotta do this thing again. We just didn’t get it right. But Gus was like, 'It’s perfect, perfect, perfect.' I said, 'No! It’s not perfect!' Sean was laughing at me."

Check out a short clip of Flava getting ready for a performance, AFTER THE JUMP...

Sean Penn's Man-on-Man Disco Kiss [marc malkin]

Recently
Gus van Sant's Milk Finishes up in San Francisco [tr]
Bryan Singer to Cameo in Gus van Sant's Harvey Milk Film?
Milk Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black Spills [tr]
Josh Brolin on Tackling the Role of Milk Assassin Dan White [tr]
James Franco Hangs on to Milk Mustache [tr]
Milk in Action on Castro Street [tr]
Sean Penn and James Franco as Lovers in Milk [tr]
Milk: The Transformation of Castro Street [tr]

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News: Brett Favre, Kentucky, Gus van Sant, Dallas, Danny Noriega

Gay Kentucky couple blocked from adopting child through state's foster care system: "Phillips and Parsley said they are outraged because they had already passed a criminal background check and a home survey by a Sunrise employee who was fully aware of their living arrangement. And they have attended two of five classes required for certification through the free program, they said."

Gus van Sant on filming his new film: Paranoid Park. REVIEW: Van Sant "makes another pretty, vacant movie about pretty, vacant boys..."

Babyshambles singer Pete Doherty posts video of himself smoking a cock.

Documentary explores Florida hate crime killing of Ryan Keith Skipper.

Gay porn films pulled from sale in the UK following barebacking investigation: "Two of the DVDs featured footage from a week-long shoot during which eight British models had sex with each other in multiple combinations without condoms. Four of those who took part were diagnosed as HIV positive soon after. One of the men told the BBC he was distressed that footage which he believed showed him becoming infected had been put on sale."

Green Bay Packers Brett Favre to retire. Sportrait flashback...

Lance and Ben document their romance.

Simon Cowell to produce Billy Eliot-Style musical on Britain's Got Talent winner, opera singer Paul Potts: "That particular day was one of the worst, the acts were just terrible, we were fed up and on comes this guy with a funny little suit and bad teeth who looked very nervous. I can remember looking at the other judges, with that 'here we go again' feeling. We had 2,000 people in the audience, and I'll never forget how much the room changed when he began singing." Video Flashback...

Steven Spielberg to launch social networking site for people interested in the afterlife: "The focus will be on users who’ve had or who are interested in sharing paranormal and extraterrestrial experiences. The new social network may also have original video content investigating alleged ghost and UFO stories."

Pink Speedo down under: Carson Kressley definitely not a fashion coward.

Dallas man claims he was assaulted at Station 4 nightclub: "Sid Gonzales, 43, said he suffered two broken bones in his wrist, a puncture wound to his hand and multiple bruises on his backside when two men assaulted him at about 11 p.m. Gonzales said he was near the main dance floor of the Dallas gay nightclub when two men and a woman walked over and stood nearby. Gonzales said he was 'a little buzzed' from alcohol but not intoxicated. He said he tried to be friendly and make small talk with the trio. But he said he was not trying to hit on the men, whom he described as straight-looking, well-dressed and college-aged. When Gonzales asked a few questions, the woman responded but the men said nothing and looked uncomfortable, he said. Gonzales said he reached out to shake hands with one of the men. The man grabbed Gonzales’ arm, twisted it in the air and slammed it against a knee. Gonzales said the first man also stabbed him in the hand with an unidentified object, while the second began kicking him in the backside."

American Idol contestant Danny Noriega wishes you a Merry Christmas.

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Bryan Singer to Cameo in Gus van Sant's Harvey Milk Film?

Bryan Singer, who was working on a competing Harvey Milk film project (The Mayor of Castro Street) when Gus van Sant's Milk sped in into production, may cameo in van Sant's film, Portland's Williamette Week reports:

"In the battle of the gay directors and even gayer projects, score one for Portland’s own Gus Van Sant , who has extended an 'olive branch' to Bryan Singer —the X-Men director he beat out for the biopic on San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk. Singer himself is expected to make a cameo appearance in Gus’ film, Milk, about the life and death of the 'Mayor of Castro Street.' When asked to confirm, Van Sant said he had his fingers crossed that Singer will join his cast. 'We hope so,' Van Sant told WW in between takes on the San Francisco set. 'He said that he will, but scheduling is hard.'"

Last we heard, Singer's project was looking unlikely to come to fruition.

Recently
Milk Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black Spills [tr]
Josh Brolin on Tackling the Role of Milk Assassin Dan White [tr]
James Franco Hangs on to Milk Mustache [tr]
Milk in Action on Castro Street [tr]
Sean Penn and James Franco as Lovers in Milk [tr]
Milk: The Transformation of Castro Street [tr]

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Milk Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black Spills

The Bay Area Reporter interviews Dustin Lance Black who wrote the script for Milk, the Gus van Sant biopic about the slain civil rights supervisor, who, if you're a regular reader here, you've already heard much about.

Says Black: "When I was in high school, we moved from Texas to Salinas, California. My stepdad had been transferred to Fort Ord. I started getting into theatre and acting, working at The Western Stage down in the Salinas-Monterey area, coming up [to San Francisco] for TV auditions, and getting to know, for the first time in my life, out gay men. It was the late 80s, early 90s, it wasn't a hopeful time in San Francisco. The one story of hope you did hear was about Harvey Milk, this one man who accomplished so much in a short period of time, and was really the charismatic leader that people were looking for when I was here. In college, when I first saw a copy of the documentary [The Times of Harvey Milk], I remember just breaking down into tears. I thought, 'I just want to do something with this, why hasn't someone done something with this?'...Texas kept me very quiet. I became intensely shy, I had thoughts of suicide. I was a pretty dark kid, because I had an acute awareness of my sexuality, and was absolutely convinced that I was wrong. In his Hope Speech, Harvey Milk says, 'There's that kid in San Antonio, and he heard tonight that a gay man was elected to public office, and that will give him hope.' And when I first heard that speech, it really did that. It really, really gave me hope, for the first time."

Much more at the Reporter.

How He Got Milk [bay area reporter]

Previously
Josh Brolin on Tackling the Role of Milk Assassin Dan White [tr]
James Franco Hangs on to Milk Mustache [tr]
Milk in Action on Castro Street [tr]
Sean Penn and James Franco as Lovers in Milk [tr]
Milk: The Transformation of Castro Street [tr]

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Josh Brolin on Tackling the Role of Milk Assassin Dan White

Josh Brolin, who is playing Harvey Milk's assassin Dan White in the upcoming Gus van Sant biopic about the slain gay rights leader, talked to MTV Canada about the role.

Said Brolin: "I'm questioning myself, and that's exactly the position I want to be in...I think [Dan White is] a good guy, until the end. [White] is a pathetic guy from my point of view; he's a sad guy. And he just didn't have the wit, and the smarts, and the wherewithal to see the big picture. This was a tough time, the end of one era and the beginning of another one. Harvey Milk, the gay thing ... it was a major transitional thing in San Francisco. [White] couldn't see the big picture. ... This guy can't see beyond the length of his arm. The only way he feels he can have control over anything is by shooting somebody. It's really sad...[The story] is compelling because of what [White] did, and how Harvey Milk came to be. It wasn't a question about money and what they were offering me. ... I read it, and I said, 'I'll do it; I have to do it.' I don't know how I'm going to do it, and I'm scared out of my mind to pull it off."

Here also, are the first shots of Brolin as White which I posted back in January. Lawyers for White, of course, used the astonishing defense that the White's consumption of too many Twinkies and junk food were evidence of his mental instability, a condition which led to the shooting of Milk and Mayor George Moscone at City Hall.

Previously
James Franco Hangs on to Milk Mustache [tr]
Milk in Action on Castro Street [tr]
Sean Penn and James Franco as Lovers in Milk [tr]
Milk: The Transformation of Castro Street [tr]

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James Franco Hangs on to Milk Mustache

James Franco, who has recently been up in San Francisco shooting the Gus van Sant film Milk (in which he plays Scott Smith, Harvey Milk's lover) has either not finished shooting or decided to hold on to the 70's pornstache he grew for the film.

Incidentally, the red-band trailer for Franco's upcoming stoner flick The Pineapple Express (you may remember Franco giving a very in-character interview about it back in December) just came out.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

James Franco Does His Best Tom Selleck [page six]

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Milk in Action on Castro Street

From our friend Jeremy at Good As You comes this video of Castro Street, which captures a portion of the filming of Gus van Sant's Milk. Jeremy notes: "...you can hear for the first time just how much Penn has nailed the slain leader's unique voice."

You can also see activist Cleve Jones briefly alongside Emile Hirsch, the actor who plays him in the film.

Video: Eavesdropping on Milk [good as you]

Previously
Sean Penn and James Franco as Lovers in Milk [tr]
Milk: The Transformation of Castro Street [tr]
Extras Needed for Milk March in San Francisco [tr]
First Look at Josh Brolin as SF Supervisor Dan White in Milk [tr]
Grabeel, Luna, Smith Join Milk Cast as Production Begins [tr]

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Milk: The Transformation of Castro Street

For all our Milk news, click here...

There's been plenty of documentation of the transformation of San Francisco's Castro Street for the Gus van Sant film Milk and I'll attempt to round up everything I've been sent here.

Above is a shot of Toad Hall reconstructed. The black-and-white shot here is how it looked outside Toad Hall in the 70's.

According to Uncle Donald's Castro Street, "Toad Hall was one of the most popular bars on Castro Street, definitely a major 1970's social institution and an exciting part of our neighborhood story. In fact, it may have had a significant influence on the influx of gays to the Castro. The bar was a trendsetter. The management was creative and innovative. Toad Hall was the first dance bar in the Castro and was one of the first bars anywhere to use taped music instead of a jukebox, not just taped music but well-planned programs of songs that flowed into each other seamlessly. When the other bars began to catch up, Toad Hall installed a booth and hired a DJ; another major step in providing the best entertainment for the patrons. At that time, most gay bars were governed by greed. Gays were happy to have ANY place to meet and were at the mercy of slumlords who would accept them. We learned to put up with rundown places in seedy locations, run by people who didn't care about us and were unwilling to make repairs and improvements. Toad Hall welcomed us with a warm friendly smile into a clean, well-decorated establishment. So it is not unrealistic to think that gays would flock to the Castro from all over the City (and beyond) to visit Toad Hall, and in doing so would become charmed by the beauty of the neighborhood."

It opened on May 28, 1971. The bar got its name, according to Uncle Donald, "after the home of 'Toad' in the childrens story Wind in the Willows written by Kenneth Grahame in 1908. Toad was a charming and respectable but wayward frog; a misfit who didn't quite fit into the community of quiet, hard-working, rural creatures, nor could he handle the fast-paced, hectic role of a city dweller."

Our reader David Corbell took these photos as well. You can view more of them on his Flickr page.

Liquor Express, now Swirl on Castro wine shop. (source)

Much more AFTER THE JUMP...

Harvey Milk's camera shop, out of which he ran his campaign office. Quite a stunning transformation considering just weeks ago it was the gift shop Given we profiled earlier on Towleroad.
(photo source for the camera shop)

Castro Theater (source)

More Photos...
Retro-fitting [i'm just sayin]
Castro Milk transformation [flickr david78sf]
More MILK Pictures [gay cities]
Sprouting overnight, it's Toad Hall [castro shopper]
So Here We Go [the milk fanboys]
Increased Milk Production [castro shopper]
Gus Van Sant’s Milk Set Photos [/film]

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Extras Needed for Milk March in San Francisco [tr]
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Grabeel, Luna, Smith Join Milk Cast as Production Begins [tr]
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Singer's Harvey Milk Film in Jeopardy as Van Sant's Gains Steam [tr]

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Extras Needed for Milk March in San Francisco

For all our Milk news, click here...

Gus van Sant and the filmmakers want you to help recreate three 1970's marches through San Francisco's Castro district for Milk, which began shooting this week:

"On Monday night, February 4th and Friday night, February 8th, the feature film MILK (directed by Gus Van Sant and starring Sean Penn as Harvey Milk) will be re-creating three 1970's marches through the Castro. We are looking for volunteers to appear in the these marches in the film. THERE ARE NO AUDITIONS. IF YOU SIGN-UP ON THIS SITE AND SHOW UP, YOU WILL BE USED. All ages, races and genders are welcome. But, you MUST be 18 or over to participate. Filming will take place from 7pm - midnight on Monday night at Castro & Market and from 9pm - 3am on Friday night at Market & Franklin. Come either or both nights. As a thank you for participating, we will host a screening for the marchers of the documentary THE TIMES OF HARVEY MILK on Monday, February 4th at the Castro Theater at 4:30pm, with introductions by the filmmaker, Rob Epstein, Cleve Jones, Gus Van Sant, and members of the cast. The filming will begin immediately after the screening."

Head over to their website to sign up to participate.

Recent Milk News...
First Look at Josh Brolin as SF Supervisor Dan White in Milk [tr]
Grabeel, Luna, Smith Join Milk Cast as Production Begins [tr]
EXCLUSIVE: Victor Garber, Denis O'Hare, Stephen Spinella Join Milk [tr]
Singer's Harvey Milk Film in Jeopardy as Van Sant's Gains Steam [tr]
Gay San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano to Join Milk Film [tr]
Castro Street to Undergo "Time Warp" for Milk Biopic [tr]

AFTER THE JUMP, wardrobe items that are encouraged and discouraged for participants...

Items that are ENCOURAGED:

* Blue Jeans for Men and Women: Traditional brands and simple blue coloring preferred: Levi's, Lee, Wrangler, etc. Tight fitting with straight leg or flare is preferred.
* Corduroy pants, khakis, other simple pants.
* Denim Jackets, Army jackets, Trench coats, corduroy jackets, brown and black Leather jackets, suede jackets, wool jackets.
* Women's skirts: Knee length, denim, suede; worn with higher leather boots.
* Tops: Wool or cotton sweaters, Henley shirts, solid sweatshirts, solid T-shirts, flannel shirts in solids and plaids such as Pendelton-style wool tops
* Shoes: Canvas sneakers such as converse, leather boots such as Frye, clogs; simple rugged shoes with basic materials such as canvas and leather.
* Hats: Wool knit hats, newsboy hats, bandannas for longer hair, etc.

Items that are DISCOURAGED:

* NO trendy designer jeans with overt modern finishes; extremely faded legs, wiskering, embroidery, large logos, etc.
* NO clothing with branding such as Abercrombie, Nike, Gap, etc; NO overt phrases or logos.
* NO clothing items that are made from identifiable modern materials such as Polar Fleece, Velcro, gore tex, etc.
* NO modern-looking sneakers that appear to be made with advanced materials, air pumps, clear rubbers, etc.
* NO Garish bright colors such as BRIGHT white or red, or "Wacky" disco-themed 70's "Halloween Costumes"

Sphere: Related Content

First Look at Josh Brolin as SF Supervisor Dan White in Milk

Gus van Sant's Milk began shooting today in San Francisco's Excelsior district (Supervisor Dan White's district).

CBS5 SF interviewed Josh Brolin who was in costume as White (Milk's assassin), as well as writer Lance Black and producers Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks.

You can see the news report here.

Recently
Grabeel, Luna, Smith Join Milk Cast as Production Begins [tr]
EXCLUSIVE: Victor Garber, Denis O'Hare, Stephen Spinella Join Milk [tr]
Singer's Harvey Milk Film in Jeopardy as Van Sant's Gains Steam [tr]
Gay San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano to Join Milk Film [tr]
Castro Street to Undergo "Time Warp" for Milk Biopic [tr]
Exclusive: Inside Harvey Milk's Castro Street Camera Shop Today [tr]
Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, James Franco Sign on to Milk Film [tr]

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EXCLUSIVE: Victor Garber, Denis O'Hare, Stephen Spinella Join Milk

I have some exciting news to report regarding Gus van Sant's Milk film starring Sean Penn as slain gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk, which begins shooting in San Francisco next week.

Towleroad has learned exclusively from Focus Features that Broadway, film and TV veteran Victor Garber (Titanic) has signed on to play Mayor George Moscone, who was shot and killed by supervisor Dan White just moments before White took Milk's life as well.

Tony-award winning actor Denis O'Hare (Charlie Wilson's War, Michael Clayton, Brothers & Sisters) has been cast as State Senator John Briggs who sponsored Proposition 6 (the Briggs Initiative), the 1978 measure that would have banned gays and lesbians from teaching in California's public schools. Milk was instrumental in the battle against The Briggs Initiative and his success in defeating it made him a figure to be reckoned with in California politics and the emerging gay rights movement.

Finally, veteran Broadway, film and TV actor Stephen Spinella (Angels in America) has signed on to play Milk's gay District 5 political rival, attorney Rick Stokes. Milk defeated Stokes, in his fourth attempt at becoming supervisor, after the Castro was given its own voting district.

The three veteran actors join an accomplished cast led by Penn. Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men) is set to play assassin Dan White, Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild) has been cast as gay rights activist Cleve Jones, a close ally of Milk's who went on to found the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. James Franco (Spider-Man 3) will play Scott Smith, Milk's lover and campaign manager.

San Francisco Supervisor and former teacher Tom Ammiano has been cast as himself in the film.

Last week, I reported that preparations were already well underway by the Milk team to transform San Francisco's Castro district back to the way it was in the 70's by performing a cosmetic facelift that would return classic gay bars like Toad Hall to their original sites.

Recently
Singer's Harvey Milk Film in Jeopardy as Van Sant's Gains Steam [tr]
Gay San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano to Join Milk Film [tr]
Castro Street to Undergo "Time Warp" for Milk Biopic [tr]
Exclusive: Inside Harvey Milk's Castro Street Camera Shop Today [tr]
Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, James Franco Sign on to Milk Film [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Singer's Harvey Milk Film in Jeopardy as Van Sant's Gains Steam

The Mayor of Castro Street, the long-in-development film about SF Supervisor Harvey Milk which is the second of two films in development about the gay rights pioneer, looks less and less likely to be a reality as Gus van Sant's competing production start date of January 22 quickly approaches.

One half of the producing duo behind the Singer project, Craig Zadan, expressed dismay to website Film Stew, and also broke the news that the project was to be the first major crossover dramatic role for actor Steve Carell:

"Bryan was supposed to direct The Mayor of Castro Street immediately following Valkyrie. And out of the blue, Gus Van Sant came along with another Harvey Milk script. So although we have been working on this movie for 16 years, where finally we found the moment in time where we got the right script, the right director and even - we haven’t really discussed this – shall we say, interest in the movie from Steve Carell to play Harvey Milk… Once we started thinking about it [the idea of Carell as Milk], we thought, 'Wow, that’s a great idea.' “So we were all primed to make it; Warner Bros. was primed to make it; and, in theory, we would have been going into production right after the writers strike. But now, with the Gus Van Sant movie going ahead [Milk, with Sean Penn in the lead role], nobody wants to have another situation like Capote. They [Van Sant, Focus] haven’t starting shooting yet, so anything can happen. But the handwriting is on the wall that if they go into production and start shooting, we won’t get to make our movie."

Last week, I reported that preparations were already well underway by the Milk team to transform San Francisco's Castro district back to the way it was in the 70's by performing a cosmetic facelift that would return classic gay bars like Toad Hall to their original sites.

Got Milk? [film stew]

Recent spilled Milk...
Gay San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano to Join Milk Film [tr]
Castro Street to Undergo "Time Warp" for Milk Biopic [tr]
Exclusive: Inside Harvey Milk's Castro Street Camera Shop Today [tr]
Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, James Franco Sign on to Milk Film [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Gay San Francisco Supervisor Tom Ammiano to Join Milk Film

Gus van Sant has offered SF Supervisor Tom Ammiano the opportunity to play himself in the new Milk film, according to the Bay Area Reporter:

"Ammiano, who was friends with Milk during the 1970s, said he did not know what scenes he would appear in during the film. Back in 1975 Ammiano became the first gay public school teacher in San Francisco to come out. That year, the Board of Education voted against including sexual orientation in the school district's non-discrimination policies. One year later the board reversed its decision, and in 1977, Ammiano helped lead the successful campaign against the Briggs initiative, which would have prevented gays and lesbians from teaching in California's public schools. Ammiano speculated his role in the film likely has something to do with his working with Milk to defeat the anti-gay measure."

Said Ammiano, who is now 66: "When Briggs was around, I was a gay teacher and got to ask him some questions. Gus Van Sant said he would like me to be in the movie. I thought it was quite an honor. To me, it is a very gracious gesture."

Yesterday, I posted about the Castro district's upcoming journey back to the 70's, as the film begins shooting there later this month.

Latest Spilled Milk...
Castro Street to Undergo "Time Warp" for Milk Biopic [tr]
Exclusive: Inside Harvey Milk's Castro Street Camera Shop Today [tr]
Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, James Franco Sign on to Milk Film [tr]
Gus van Sant and Sean Penn are First to Spill Milk [tr]
Singer and Van Sant Vie to be First with Harvey Milk Film [tr]

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Castro Street to Undergo "Time Warp" for Milk Biopic

Filming begins later this month on Gus van Sant's Milk film about slain SF supervisor and gay rights activist Harvey Milk (starring Sean Penn as Milk, with Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, and James Franco in co-starring roles), and preparations are fully underway to begin shooting on location in San Francisco's Castro district:

"Longtime denizens are likely to find some old haunts return to Castro Street, like the fabled Toad Hall bar – now part of Walgreens – and Milk's old camera shop – now the home of gift store Given – as the filmmakers recreate the streetscape from the days when Milk reigned over the area as the 'mayor' of Castro Street. 'We want to dress this neighborhood the best we can like the 1970s,' said Jonathan Shedd, the film's location manager. 'We hope to create a feel that works.' Cars from the era will be parked on the streets. Awnings and street signs of businesses postdating that time will be changed. Even the Castro Theatre will be swept up by the time warp. The movie-house's marquee, damaged by a Muni bus that ran into it while PG&E crews were doing work out front this fall, will be repaired next month and repainted to match the color palette it sported four decades ago."

The filmmakers have been meeting with local business owners to alert them of the "circus" that may prevail when shooting begins there on January 22, although the consensus appears to be that exposure from the film is likely to revitalize the area's businesses and make it a tourist destination.

The images you see here are from Uncle Donald's Castro Street, the most complete historical archive of the neighborhood online. If you haven't been there, it's a fascinating visit.

Top image by Jerry Pritikin, who has his own gallery at Uncle Donald's site. Pritikin writes: "A view of the 1977 Castro Street Fair, looking South from Market Street. This was the old style Castro Fair, nothing but two blocks of wall to wall men!"

***NOTE: We'd love to receive photos from anyone in San Francisco regarding the filming of the Milk film or the transformation of Castro Street!

Castro set for movie makeover [bay area reporter]

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James Franco May Be Smokin' in More Ways Than One

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This video recently surfaced of a very out-of-it James Franco giving an interview to MTV about his upcoming projects. One of his next projects happens to be the Judd Apatow-produced Pineapple Express (clip here), a flick about two stoners who get their hands on a special kind of pot called Pineapple Express, set for release in summer 2008.

Perhaps Franco's brand of method acting has simply spilled over into his real life. In that case, Franco is set to play Harvey Milk's lover Scott Smith in the film about the gay rights leader which starts shooting in January, and I know more than a few people who might enjoy helping him get into the role.

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Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, James Franco Sign on to Milk Film

Final negotiations are underway for three actors to join the cast of Gus van Sant's Milk, Gus van Sant's biopic of the slain San Francisco Supervisor and gay rights icon, opposite Sean Penn in the title role.

Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild), Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men), and James Franco (Spider-Man 3) are signing on.

Via the Hollywood Reporter: "Brolin will play Dan White, the rival politician and supervisor who shot Milk and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone to death at City Hall. Hirsch has been cast as gay rights activist Cleve Jones, an intern and close ally of Milk's, who went on to found the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. Franco will play Scott Smith, Milk's lover and campaign manager."

Variety reports: "Pic will shoot entirely in San Francisco, where Milk became the first openly gay man elected to office in 1977. 'Milk' is the first feature about the activist to go before the lens. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron have been developing an adaptation of 'The Mayor of Castro Street' for 15 years, but their project is in strike limbo. Bryan Singer is attached to direct it for Warner Independent, but Chris McQuarrie didn't turn his script in before the WGA strike deadline (Daily Variety, Nov. 19)."

The filmmakers are also holding open casting calls in the city. A Towleroad reader sent us this shot of one of the posters hanging in San Francisco. They're looking for 18-30-year-old men, and they'll be casting at 325 Sanchez Street between 16th and 17th in the Castro between 10am and 4pm this Saturday!

Look for a special bonus Harvey Milk post coming up in just a bit!

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Gus van Sant and Sean Penn are First to Spill Milk [tr]
Singer and Van Sant Vie to be First with Harvey Milk Film [tr]
Harvey Milk to get Bust at San Francisco City Hall [tr]
Vintage Gay Castro Images and Harvey Milk [tr]
Thank God for Harvey Milk [tr]

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Gus van Sant and Sean Penn are First to Spill Milk

Gus van Sant and producers Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks will be first out of the gate with their Harvey Milk biopic, which is set to begin shooting in January with Sean Penn confirmed as the slain gay rights leader.

Back in September I posted that Penn was planning to sign on, news which was confirmed on Friday. According to the Hollywood Reporter, "Bruna Papandrea of Groundswell, William Horberg and 'Milk' screenwriter Dustin Lance Black have come aboard as executive producers. Groundswell CEO Michael London also will serve in a producing capacity on the film."

Van Sant's Milk is one of two dueling projects based on the life of the San Francisco's supervisor. The other, The Mayor of Castro Street, with director Bryan Singer and producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron attached, has apparently been held up by the writer's strike.

Variety reports: "According to producer Craig Zadan, Christopher McQuarrie's script is ready, but it wasn't turned in before the strike. Bryan Singer, who's busy with 'Valkyrie,' is attached to direct that project for Warner Independent. 'Everything's all set; the problem is, because of the writers strike, we can't do anything,' said Zadan, who's been developing the project with producing partner Neil Meron for 15 years."

Towleroad has heard some rumors about who else might be lined up for the Gus van Sant film.

Consider this completely unsubstantiated, but we hear that James Franco is in talks to play Milk's brother Robert, and Mark Wahlberg is in talks to play Milk assassin and fellow SF supervisor Dan White.

Matt Damon had been attached to play White, but according to a spokesperson from Focus Features who spoke to Variety, "Matt Damon was not attached when Focus came on board to acquire the project."

Previously
Gus van Sant Snaps Up Penn and Damon for Harvey Milk Film [tr]
Singer and Van Sant Vie to be First with Harvey Milk Film [tr]
Harvey Milk to get Bust at San Francisco City Hall [tr]
Thank God for Harvey Milk [tr]

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News: Iran, Rosie O'Donnell, Halloween, Zagreb, Gay Ghetto

Amnesty: Death penalty imminent for gay youth in Iran. "Child offender Makwan Moloudzadeh, an Iranian Kurd, is believed to be at risk of imminent execution. He has reportedly been convicted of lavat-e iqabi (anal sex) for the alleged rape of a 13-year-old boy. Makwan Moloudzadeh was aged 13 at the time of the alleged offence. His death sentence has been passed to the Office for the Implementation of Sentences and he is due to be executed in public, near his home."

Confederate flag that hangs at site of Cheney's weekend hunting trip stirs up anger from Al Sharpton: "It’s appalling for the VP to be at a private club displaying the flag of lynching, hate and murder. It’s the epitome of an insult." The good news is, nobody got shot in the face.

Rosie O'Donnell ambushed at book signing by Bill O'Reilly team. (Rosie's Video, O'Reilly's Video)

NYT: Cancellation of Halloween fest in San Francisco a sign that gay ghettos risk becoming passé. "For many in the Castro District, the cancellation is a blow that strikes at the heart of neighborhood identity, and it has brought soul-searching that goes beyond concerns about crime. These are wrenching times for San Francisco’s historic gay village, with population shifts, booming development, and a waning sense of belonging that is also being felt in gay enclaves across the nation, from Key West, Fla., to West Hollywood, as they struggle to maintain cultural relevance in the face of gentrification."

Did Avril Lavigne dress as Chris Crocker for Halloween?

Miller Brewing apologizes for allowing its brand logo to appear on posters for San Francisco's Folsom Street Fair that parodied The Last Supper.

Opposing accounts offered at trial of Navy doctor accused of secretly taping midshipmen having sex: "A Navy doctor who served as a sponsor for U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen 'violated the trust' of the students by using surveillance equipment installed in an air purifier at his Annapolis home to make 'secret sex tapes' of them, a Navy prosecutor said yesterday at the start of the doctor's court-martial. But Cmdr. Kevin Ronan's attorney, William T. Ferris, said the tapes were made by a former midshipman who used them in an attempt to extort money from his client. Ferris said the tapes became public after his client refused to give money to the former midshipman, who had been dismissed from the Naval Academy for academic reasons and needed money for expenses. 'This was a plan to extort money from Commander Ronan that went awry,' Ferris said during his opening statement at the Washington Navy Yard."

Meet the first Mr. Gay Brazil, Luciano Lupo.

Frank DeCaro looks at Paul Lynde's Halloween Special from 1976, along with a clip of Margaret Hamilton dressed as the wicked witch introducing Paul to members of KISS.

Queer community at NYU holds drag ball.

Croatian man charged with hate crime in Zagreb for attack on gay parade: "The man, identified only as Josip S., is charged with endangering lives and property by an act of hatred toward the participants of the Gay Pride parade in July, the Zagreb district prosecutors' office said. The man is the first person in Croatia to face hate crime charges since it was introduced into the Penal Code last year. If convicted, he faces up to eight years in prison. No date for a trial was immediately set. Police spotted the man as he prepared to throw homemade Molotov cocktails — bottles containing gasoline — at the parade participants gathering at Zagreb's main square. He fled the scene, but was tracked down later at his home."

Best Week Ever's Top 10 most humiliating pet costumes, judged by the expression on the pets' faces.

Leak reveals Cheney's plan for Iran attack? "In the scenario concocted by Cheney's strategists, Washington's first step would be to convince Israel to fire missiles at Iran's uranium enrichment plant in Natanz. Tehran would retaliate with its own strike, providing the US with an excuse to attack military targets and nuclear facilities in Iran."

1884: The oldest known photograph of a tornado.

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Gus van Sant Snaps Up Penn and Damon for Harvey Milk Film

Sean Penn has reportedly signed on to play Harvey Milk in Gus van Sant's project about the slain openly gay SF supervisor, and could begin shooting as soon as December, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Matt Damon is reportedly attached to play Milk's assassin, fellow supervisor Dan White, although the project's start date could affect Damon's participation.

Van Sant's project, as yet untitled, has a script from Dustin Lance Black (Big Love) and will be produced by Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks (American Beauty)

In April I posted about the rival Harvey Milk projects that were racing towards production. At odds with Van Sant's project is the long-simmering Mayor of Castro Street, a project being produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron which currently has Bryan Singer attached as director.

In 1977, Harvey Milk became the first openly gay official elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He would serve eleven courageous months before being brutally murdered at City Hall in a homophobic attack by supervisor Dan White, who had eluded metal detectors by climbing in through a basement window. White also murdered mayor George Moscone.

In a stunning sentence, White was convicted of two counts of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to seven years and eight months. The main defense that White's lawyer gave was that he had eaten too much junk food the day of the murders which had somehow influenced his actions. It was labeled by critics as "the twinkie defense." White was paroled after six years and committed suicide soon after.

Milk had been paranoid about a threat of assassination because of his outspoken role in the community and his views on gay rights. On one of many audio tapes that was discovered after his death, on which he had recorded a will, he said: "If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door."

According to the Reporter, "Penn has never portrayed an openly gay character onscreen, but he did play the sexually ambiguous Olivia Newton-John impersonator 'Groovin' Larry' in a section of Trent Harris' 2001 cult hit 'Beaver Trilogy.' Penn's video short was shot in 1981, then combined with Harris' 1979 documentary short on the amateur performer and his 1985 short narrative version 'The Orkly Kid,' starring Crispin Glover as Larry, to create 'Beaver.'"

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Singer and Van Sant Vie to be First with Harvey Milk Film [tr]
Harvey Milk to get Bust at San Francisco City Hall [tr]
Thank God for Harvey Milk [tr]