WORKING with acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky has always been hand-in-hand with the start of Austin Butler’s acting career, and a chance to collaborate emerged with Caught Stealing, Aronofsky’s latest crime film. “The first thing I was ever cast in was a student film,” Butler says. “I asked the director of that movie who his favorite director was, and he said Darren Aronofsky. Since I was a child, I had this thing in my head where I wanted to work with Darren.”

In Caught Stealing, Butler plays the central role of Hank Thompson, a former baseball player now working as a bartender in downtown New York City. When his neighbor Russ (Matt Smith) asks him to take care of his cat for a few days, Hank unexpectedly finds himself embroiled in a gang war between the city’s most dangerous criminals.

Watch Austin get in on the action in this featurette: https://youtu.be/4ABphK7FmmA

On set, Butler was completely in his element, enjoying the atmosphere Aronosfly created while filming.  “It’s a pressure cooker, and I enjoyed that,” he says. “He demands a lot of everybody, including himself, but that intensity pulls out the best in every department. It’s a pleasure to work hard when the results justify the work.”

Director Aronofsky could say the same working with Butler, admiring his skill as an actor. “It’s the first time I’ve seen him show up as Austin,” says Aronofsky. “He often plays these incredible characters that he disappears in and brings them to life. But there’s so much of him in this character.”

Charlie Huston, who adapted his novel Caught Stealing as their own screenplay, feels that Butler did justice to a character that is close to his heart. “When we meet Hank, he’s at a crossroads in his life,” says Huston. “When he was younger, he thought he was going to be a superstar baseball player. He had the brightest possible future, and through his own carelessness, it went completely awry. Faced with that, he chose to run away rather than confront it and try to grow from it. He’s been running for 12 or 13 years when we meet him.”

Butler talks about his character’s motivation, and how he keeps going despite the chaos. “He’s moved to New York and become a bartender. He’s numbing himself, just drinking and living a bare minimum life,” says Butler. “And then he’s thrown into this wild set of circumstances that create a life-or-death struggle. It’s a defibrillator that shocks him back into life—to take the responsibility to protect the people he cares about and not die himself.”

Dive into the chaos of Caught Stealing, opening in Philippine cinemas on September 10

(ROHN ROMULO)

KAALIW ang simpleng banat ni Sarah Geronimo tungkol sa pinag-uusapang korapsyon sa Pilipinas.

Parang ito ang unang pagkakaton na nagbibigay ng opinyon ang Popstar Royalty tungkol sa mga kontrobersya na hinaharap ng ating bansa.

Ping-uusapan ngayon sa social media ang naging banat ni Sarah tungkol sa mga “kalsadang tinipid”.

Nangyari ito sa isang event para sa kanyang endorsement kasama ang mag-asawang Dra. Vicki Belo at Dr. Hayden Kho.

Mapapanood ito sa ipinost na video ni Dra. Vicky sa social media, na kung saan makikitang nagpapaliwanag si Hayden, kung ano ang magiging epekto sa mukha ng tao ng chemical na “ceramide”.

Ayon kay Hayden, “yung ceramide, sini-seal niya ang mga butas para hindi lumalabas yung tubig.”

Bigla namang humirit si Sarah at sabay sabing, “Pero yung kalsada doon Doc hindi naa-absorb yung tubig. Kasi tinipid.”

Nagtawanan ang audience kaya nahawa na rin ang mag-asawa.

Bawi pa ng wifey ni Matteo Guidicelli, “buti na lang ang Belo products hindi tinitipid!”

Marami nga ang nagulat at hindi makapaniwala sa paglalabas ng opinyon ni Sarah sa kalat na kalat na isyu at ilan nga sa naging komento ng netizens…

“Etong Sarah ang gusto ko – yun isang SARA?! Ewan ko na lang.”

“You nailed it Sarah! Ikaw na! Louder pa!”

“Lakasan mo pa Sarah para mas marinait pa ng mga corrupt.”

“SG masyadong tumatapang hahaha, you got it Girl!”

“Ang galing naman ng segue ni Mrs. G.”

“Fearless Popstar Sarah G!”

“Top taxpayers ba naman si Queen sa mga celebrity sa ‘Pinas e.  Go Queen!”

“I love how more celebs are not afraid too talk about politics anymore.

“Bravo, Sarah! Bulleye!”

“This, 100% louder… natameme si Doc Hayden!”

“Tawang-tawa si Doc Vicki.”

Samantala, nauna nang nag-post sa X  ng saloobin ang asawa na si Matteo tungkol sa korapsyon.

Banat ni Matteo, “Post, repost, like, share. Expose it all. Good morning!”

“Real change begins with transparency, accountability, and integrity.”

(ROHN ROMULO)