In the mood for a hilarious and heartwarming comedy? This December, Gerard Butler stars in Playing for Keeps, which is all that and more. Don't believe us? SheKnows has an exclusive trailer for the film, co-starring Jessica Biel and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Gerard Butler is heading to a soccer field near you. The Scottish actor, alongside Jessica Biel, headlines the upcoming film Playing for Keeps. It's a combination of a romantic comedy mixed with a coming-of-age story.
Playing for Keeps centers on George, a former soccer star who's fallen on hard times. His career is in shambles and he's gone from pride of the league to an afterthought. The film follows him as he struggles to get his life in order. That means becoming an adult and changing his reckless ways.
In an attempt to connect with his son, he gets roped into coaching a junior soccer team. As you might expect, he catches the eye of his fellow moms and dads. Catherine Zeta-Jones, Judy Greer and Dennis Quaid are just some of the parents captivated by George's charms.
One person not impressed by his presence is his ex-wife, Stacie . She's moved on with her life and plans to remarry. The news is a major blow for George and just fuels his desire to change. Even though he's being chased by countless soccer moms, Stacie has his heart.
Here's a new trailer for Playing for Keeps that features interviews with both Butler and Biel.
Playing For Keeps Exclusive Trailer
New Trailer for Playing for Keeps
Playing for Keeps also stars Uma Thurman and is directed by Gabriele Muccino . The film opens in theaters Dec. 7.
Gerard Butler laces up his Adidas for a homely stroll through small-town America in search of a life and son he's left behind. Sorry, soccer moms, it appears Jessica Biel, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Uma Thurman have already called first dibs.
SheKnows posted the trailer a few days back, but for the minority who may have missed it — or rather, the majority hoping to see more Butler — we wanted to share some movie stills that just went live!
"I'm playing a guy from Scotland who was at the peak of his soccer career and suddenly he's in small-town America," Butler said of his role as George in Playing for Keeps. "He's trying to put his life back together with a former relationship and his boy. He just wants him so much to be a part of his life but he doesn't know how to go about it."
George cements his sincerity by taking on the responsibility of coaching his son's soccer team. His talent — and perhaps his looks — earn him the attention and respect of the kids and their mothers, although his ex, Stacie , isn't entirely convinced.
"It's a great, funny, powerful, emotional movie that really makes you reflect on life," Butler said.
"This movie is filled with so much emotion and so many things left unsaid," Biel added.
Ladies love Butler for his sultry accent, and dudes hate him because they'll never look as good as he did in 300, but maybe the surfer-dude look is going a little too far...
SheKnows was excited to score this exclusive picture of Gerard Butler as surfer Frosty Hesson in the upcoming film Chasing Mavericks, but it had some of our staff wondering where he was in the picture.
I mean, I personally rock the shaggy hair, and it's become a bit of a personal trademark, but they weren't a fan of the new look on the typically clean-cut Scotsman — so much so that they hardly recognized him!
I'm not really one to judge, and even if I were, I wouldn't really be the first in line to critique the former Leonidas. I'm guessing he still remembers some Spartan moves, long locks or not.
Let's get back on topic, though.
Looks aside, we're excited to share the picture, and word on the street is we've got some awesome coverage with the stars of the film filtering in early next week. So keep an eye out!
Butler's been busy lately, cranking out all sorts of films like Playing for Keeps, but this one throws a whole new persona his way as he assumes the role of a surf-legend-turned-mentor for young Santa Cruz daredevil Jay Moriarty . The film chronicles their pursuit of the largest wave that may or may not define their relationship.
Gerard Butler shows that underneath all of that brawn, he has lot of heart in this true-life surf tale, Chasing Mavericks.
At The Movies - Chasing Mavericks
SheKnows talk with Jonny Weston and Gerard Butler about their new movie Chasing Mavericks.
On Oct. 26, the world is going to learn about the true life tale of Jay Moriarity, who, at the age of 17, chased his dreams and made surfing history by tackling some of the biggest waves up at Half Moon Bay in Northern California.
The film, Chasing Mavericks, starring Gerard Butler and newcomer Jonny Weston offers a story of inspiration and heart for a boy who was always the underdog in his Santa Cruz neighborhood.
Weston, in his first big studio film, was inspired by playing the title role of Moriarity, who died in 2001 at age 22 after drowning in an apparent diving accident in the Indian Ocean.
"Personally, when I was working on the film I took away going after your dreams as hard as you possibly can and bowling down everything in your way," he said.
Butler, who plays Moriarity's gruff mentor, Frosty Hesson, also executive-produced the film, so the story was a very personal one for him.
"It's a beautiful tale for following your heart and having something in your mind and… really going for it," Butler said.
Even though the film has a lot of soul, the set was not without its own challenges because the actors had to do some of their own stunts. In fact, Butler was injured and hospitalized after a falling into the rough surf.
The Scottish actor says, "It was pretty dangerous. It's not a movie just about surfing, it's a movie about big wave riding."
While the accident did give him a scare, Butler was back on set the next day.
However, the set wasn't always so serious because the two clearly developed a genuine friendship throughout filming. When SheKnows asked Weston one little secret about the handsome Butler, he said, "Gerard secretly wears his wet suit to bed."
With spectacular footage of near tsunami-sized waves, this movie is based on a true story that will inspire you to dig deep and face your fears. After nearly drowning during the shooting, Gerard Butler gives a fearless performance that will linger in your imagination for weeks to come.
5 stars: Perfect for those seeking inspiration
Based on the real lives of teenager Jay Moriarity and stoic surfer Frosty Hesson , Chasing Mavericks takes place in their hometown of Santa Cruz, California, in the late 1980s.
Raised by single mom Kristy , 15-year-old Jay convinces die-hard surfer Frosty to mentor him when he learns that the giant, mythical Mavericks surf break is real. Surfing the 50-foot waves is a near death wish, however. To survive the waves — let alone surf them — Jay agrees to a 12-week training program in which Frosty will help him build endurance and teach him to hold his breath for nearly five minutes.
The physical training is grueling, but Jay has set his sights on facing the Mavericks. What he doesn’t expect is the mental component or having to write essays on fear. Frosty wants Jay to internalize every aspect of this incredible challenge and tells him to dig deep into his fears — something few teenage boys are able to do.
This whole experience proves life altering for Jay, who received a letter from his dead-beat dad several years ago, but never had the courage to open it. Here, surfing the giant waves becomes a metaphor for becoming a man. There’s no room for error in this challenge and Frosty knows the danger Jay will be swimming into. But these are people who don’t want to live their lives in fear, they want to live with a bold lust for life, to be in the moment and feel their hearts racing. They are children of the tides.
Gerard Butler is magnificent as Frosty, whose name sums up his character's personality perfectly. The most emotionally riveting part of this film isn’t Jay’s journey, but Frosty’s. He’s a man who has dealt with great loss in his life and Jay becomes the bridge to help him cross over from the darkness to the light. Both men are eternally changed.
Bottom line: This is a beautifully crafted story with amazing cinematography that will have you inspired not only by nature, but also by the human experience. Never would I have thought a surf movie could bring me to tears, but a word to the wise: bring your Kleenex. Enjoy!
Photo credit: 20th Century Fox
Chasing Mavericks Frosty Trailer 2
CHASING MAVERICKS is the inspirational true story of real life surfing phenom Jay Moriarity . When 15 year old Jay discovers that the mythic Mavericks surf break, one of the biggest waves on Earth, is not only real, but exists just miles from his Santa Cruz home, he enlists the help of local legend Frosty Hesson to train him to survive it. As Jay and Frosty embark on their quest to accomplish the impossible, they form a unique friendship that transforms both their lives, and their quest to tame Mavericks becomes about far more than surfing. Chasing Mavericks was made with the help of some of the biggest names in the surfing world, and features some of the most mind-blowing real wave footage ever captured on film.
Jessica Biel is apparently totally over Justin Timberlake. Now that Timberlake is rumored to be spending time with Mila Kunis and Olivia Wilde, Biel's decided to get to know her new co-star Gerard Butler a little bit better.
Shooting their new movie, Playing the Field, in Shreveport, Louisiana last month, the two stars got to know one another. Were they just hanging out together? Maybe -- or maybe not.
Last weekend, Biel, 29, was spotted hanging on to Butler, 41, for dear life when the two celebs took a spin on Butler's motorcycle along the Pacific Coast Highway. Their rep says the two are "just friends," and the duo was described as acting "friendly and professional" while on set. But getting close on Butler's hog sounds a little more intimate than professional.
Biel and Butler seem like something of an odd couple. Biel is more of a relationship-type while Butler is known for playing the field when it comes to women.
One onlooker, who spotted the stars dining together before shooting on the movie started, noted, "He knows he looks good," and reports revealed Butler was eating off Biel's plates. "If I were her, I'd hook up with him," the witness added. "She looks good, too, and she knew she looked good, swinging her hips around."
Perhaps Biel got tired of watching Timberlake get seen around town with starlets ranging from Mila Kunis to Olivia Wilde to Ashley Olsen. She's so over it.
Biel and Butler -- a match made in heaven or hell?
The two actors have a new movie coming out, but few people know their love story could have really happened in real life.
Jessica Biel and Gerard Butler have a new movie coming out. But allegedly, the two actors were more than just co-workers while shooting the film.
According to RadarOnline, the two reportedly had a relationship during filming of Playing for Keeps. Since Biel just married Justin Timberlake, the timeline doesn't seem to work out at first glance, but filming happened while Biel and Timberlake were broken up in 2011.
It looks like the 42-year-old Butler may be having regrets about splitting with the actress.
"Gerard doesn't have many regrets, but not treating Jessica with the respect she deserved while they dated is one of them," a source told RadarOnline, according to The Huffington Post. "He genuinely believes she was the one that got away."
The relationship apparently ended because Biel was ready to settle down and Butler wasn't, but it looks like he won't ever make that mistake again. Biel married Timberlake just a few weeks ago, after dating on-and-off for years, and their commitment came very soon after Butler and Biel ended their relationship.
"Jessica liked Gerard a lot — she was into his boyish nature, but she wanted something more serious. She was ready to settle down," said the source. "That's why, after getting close on the set of Playing for Keeps back in 2011, their relationship soon fizzled out."
Playing for Keeps is about a woman who falls in love with her son's soccer coach. It will be in theaters Dec. 7.
"The relationship wasn't meant to be, and when things petered out in Oct. 2011, Biel patched things up with Timberlake — who wasn't about to let Biel be the one who got away from him, either," said The Huffington Post. "Timberlake proposed in January, and the two tied the knot in Italy in October."
Timberlake and Biel are closer in age and seem to be meant to be, and hopefully, Butler will soon meet a woman he won't let get away.
Okay, so maybe "hate" is too strong a word, but the point is, women love this dude no matter what he's up to, and all us guys, myself included, wish we could compete.
Butler's played a plethora of roles, from soccer dad to sworded slayer, Scottish smooth-talker to shaggy surfer.
The common denominator — this fool always pulls it off, always.
Granted, not all of us have the time or justification to spend as much time in the gym as Leonidas, but that doesn't change the fact that ladies love their Gerard Butler.
So let's take a walk down memory lane.
I'll show you why I'm jealous, and you... well, you can just bask in the pictures.
Don't say I never did nothin' for ya.
Gerard kills it
Not only does Gerard get to wield all the incredible weaponry like this here spear, but he leads a heroic brigade of soldiers to imminent death only to slay the majority of the opposition and look that chiseled all the while. It's one perk to get cast in the epic role, but it's another thing to look that stoic in real life. And yes, Gerard managed both. Oh, and he gets to hook up with babes like Ms. Leonidas, actress Lena Headey.
I bet you give me a half hour, and I'll come up with 300 reasons why I envy Mr. Butler.
Shaka brah
As if being the international man-wonder isn't good enough, Gerard gets to work and live near the beach. The dude is a frequent surfer on and off set, and even a bad day on the waves gets him good coverage.
And yes, that is, indeed, me being bitter.
If anyone would like to pay me to surf, I wouldn't mind. Just sayin'.
Oh, so he's a family man?
Apparently, when he's got a shirt on it's to cover the heart on his sleeve. Somehow, Gerard can shake his inner jock and stand in as a father figure like his upcoming role in Playing for Keeps for instance, or the perfect husband in P.S. I Love You. Apparently, his roles run deep too as there's some speculation as to whether or not he and the newly-married Mrs. Timberlake had some chemistry off set too.
What the hell?!
If I walk around in just a towel, I look like I'm homeless. And I'm in good shape. Gerard just has to rub it in, doesn't he? I wonder if there's a clause in all of his contracts: "Mr. Butler agrees to the following under the notion that at least one — if not, and preferably, more — scenes allow Mr. Butler to shed clothes for the purposes of female satisfaction and further assassination of fellow man's any remaining chance."
What'd you do, a million sit- ups before getting into the shower and another set right after, just for the heck of it?
Keep your wetsuit on, man. Give us a shot.
Sincerely,
Males.
The list could go on and on, but truthfully, compiling more and more pictures for all you at home just doesn't make me feel too awesome about myself.
But that doesn't mean I'm through feeding your craving.
Yeah, when you're a male and you don't look like Gerard, you have to get through this world being friendly.
So before I take one last jab at Gerard, I'll be nice and give you the link to this gallery, replete with 32 more pictures of your dream man.
But before we close the curtains, I'd like to reveal this:
I had to.
Gerard is starring as this wee little lad in the upcoming comedy, Movie 43.
Suckerrrr.
Images Courtesy of WENN/20th Century Fox/Paramount Pictures/Relativity Media
Gerard Butler plays a ladies’ man with a heart of gold in the holiday rom-com, Playing For Keeps. Find out why the role hit so close to home in our interview with the sexy Scottish actor.
In Playing for Keeps, Gerard Butler plays a conflicted father, ready to settle down and move past his bachelor prime, but unable to stay out of trouble with women constantly throwing themselves at him.
Sound familiar? Well, it’s probably because the role so closely parallels the apparent struggle in Butler’s own life: Balancing the desire for a family and being a Hollywood heartthrob.
WATCH OUR INTERVIEW WITH GERARD BUTLER
“There’s definitely some mirroring going on as [my] life as an actor and George’s life as a soccer star,” Butler told us of his character, an aging pro athlete who ends up coaching his son’s soccer team. “They’re all throwing themselves at him. What are you going to do? He’s trying his best. A man’s got to be a man. You can’t help it.”
Hey, we can’t really blame him. But when we hear that he wants kids someday, and would even be into coaching their soccer team in real life, a girl can’t help but dream.
“I see myself being a dad,” Butler told SheKnows. “I could coach a sports team. All the kids, they were amazing. I had the best time playing with them and hanging out with them.”
But we’re jumping way too far ahead here. Butler will have to find himself a woman first! Rumored fling Jessica Biel is obviously off the market. Whether or not that reported hook-up actually went down — we’re not going to speculate here — the two are currently on great terms.
Butler had an abundance of nice things to stay about the starlet during our chat.
“Jessica is amazing,” Butler said. “She’s really talented. This is the best role I’ve ever seen her in. She’s so sensitive, and she’s sexy, and she’s beautiful. But she’s sweet, she’s protective, and she’s compassionate and she’s hilarious. She really had it all. I was constantly like, ‘This girl is good.’ I had a great time with her. She’s a fun girl to hang out with. It was nice.”
Wow, quite the compliment. Butler wasn’t too bad himself though, and watching him turning tricks on the soccer field was pretty impressive.
“I played soccer my whole life when I was younger. I was a player that scored goals. I was never the tricky player, so in this film I want to be more of that, because the camera’s only going to see you for a second.”
But is he as good as David Beckham, who is referenced several times in the film?
“No,” Gerard answered. “We almost had him in the movie, and his kid. It would have been amazing.”
Butler and Beckham shirtless on the soccer field? It certainly would have.
Be sure to catch Gerard Butler and Jessica Biel in Playing for Keeps, in theaters today!
Down-on-his-luck soccer star Gerard Butler returns home to spend time with his son. But learning to be a dad isn’t as easy as scoring a goal, especially when every lady in town is chasing after him. Butler's so sexy — who can blame them?
4 stars: Perfect for soccer moms, married and single
George lived a life of glory as a Scottish soccer star in the 1990s. He had it all: Fame, fortune, a loving wife and son. Now, it’s 2012 and it’s all gone. Some bad investments in a bad economy did him in financially and a playboy lifestyle did in his marriage to sweet Stacie , who’s always been the responsible one. But George wants his family back.
Now in Virginia, ex-wife Stacie has moved on romantically and is now engaged to marry nice guy Matt . Discovering that Stacie has found someone else proves a real psychological blow to George.
To prove he can be a good dad, George agrees to coach his son Lewis’ soccer team. Not only does he become a hero to the kids on the team, the soccer moms chase George around town like cats in heat — single and married moms are both desperate to score.
When it comes to being a hero to his own son, however, Lewis shows his dad a red card. All the athleticism in the world can’t make George a better father. For that, he’ll need an assist from Stacie. She’s kind, patient and knowledgeable, and it’s killing George that he messed up the whole thing.
Like many men, George can’t appreciate what he has until it’s gone. With nothing left to lose, he decides it's time to grow up and fight for his family, but his many rendezvous with the local ladies are getting in the way.
As George, Butler is hunky, lovable, and gives a very heartfelt portrayal of a man who sincerely wants to change his life.
In what may be the most honest performance of her career, Biel shines as a mom who is struggling to give her son the best life possible.
Dennis Quaid and Uma Thurman play a distinctly unhappily married couple and stir up big problems for George, while Catherine Zeta-Jones dazzles with classy sex appeal.
Bottom line: Playing for Keeps makes love and family the grandest prize of all. If you haven’t yet fallen for Gerard Butler, this movie will make you a convert by the 20-minute mark, so move over David Beckham, there’s a new soccer star in town.
Gerard Butler may have been playing for keeps this weekend, but the box office numbers are showing Bond isn't playing around. Reclaiming the top seat this week, Skyfall proves it's not done just yet.
Box office Top 10
Find out what topped the charts this weekend!
1
Skyfall
Skyfall won't stop now. It's going to take more than five weeks to break Daniel Craig and the latest Bond endeavor. But what more would you expect from the highly skilled secret agent? Skyfall fought back to the top this weekend, scoring $11 million at the box office.
2
Rise of the Guardians
Rise of the Guardians climbed up a spot to our No. 2, with $10.5 million, kicking the vampires down a spot to No. 3. Rise of the Guardians is great for the holiday season, featuring the animated world of Santa Claus and a whole array of magical characters the kids are sure to love!
3
Breaking Dawn — Part 2
The vampires seem to be losing traction with the coming holiday season, dropping down a spot since last week. Breaking Dawn— Part 2, starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, managed $9.2 million to round out the weekend.
4
Lincoln
Staying put at No. 4 was the dramatic biopic, Lincoln, featuring Daniel Day-Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones. The film maxed out at $9.1 million, bringing its cumulative five-week total to $97 million. Perhaps we should consider putting Abe's face on a bigger bill!
5
The Life of Pi
The Life of Pi, inspired by the Yann Martel novel, maintained its No. 5 spot from last week, coming in with $8.3 million. If you enjoy a good spiritual adventure, you'll love this. The film chronicles a hearty survival journey and the birth of the most unlikely of friendships.
6
Playing For Keeps
Gerard Butler and Playing For Keeps were looking to score some major points in their debut weekend, but the numbers didn't quite add up. Coming in at No. 6 with $6 million, Playing For Keeps stars a family-oriented Butler on a mission to win back the love of his son and maybe even his former wife through his skills with a soccer ball.
7
Wreck-It Ralph
Disney and Pixar's Wreck It-Ralph fell down a seat to No. 7 this weekend, earning some $4.9 million. Wreck-It Ralph is a funny family flick cast in a video game world and featuring the voice of John C. Reilly.
8
Red Dawn
Red Dawn stayed right at No. 8 — again. The revamped plot from the cult classic features an all-new cast that includes Chris Hemsworth. The film has only managed some $37 million in its first three weeks, proving that maybe Hemsworth should just stick to his adventures as Thor.
9
Flight
Flight held its own near the top for quite a while, but it couldn't soar past No. 9 for the second week in a row.
10
Killing Them Softly
Killing Them Softly was the real dud of the weekend, featuring Brad Pitt as a violent Mafia fixer on a mission to track down valuable assets and the goons that thought they could get away with a makeshift heist. I know they say you can't judge a book by its cover, but the preview for this flick seemed to show a bit more promise than a $2.7 million weekend.
Tell us
Which movie did you see this weekend? Share in the comments below!
Gerard Butler vehicle Playing for Keeps failed to connect with audiences, earning a miserable $2,115 per theater average. Do Americans hate soccer movies? Or is Butler's career in need of some CPR?
Gerard Butler and Jessica Biel's soccer rom-com Playing for Keeps debuted in sixth place at the box office this weekend, behind weeks-old releases such as Skyfall, Rise of the Guardians, and Breaking Dawn — Part 2.
It's the fourth misfire for Butler, whose last wide release, surf movie Chasing Mavericks, earned an anemic $5.8 million during the entire run of the film. The 2011 Shakespeare adaptation Coriolanus pulled in $757,195 and Machine Gun Preacher a mere $538,690.
Yikes! What hath become of the shirtless, grimacing "It guy" of 2007, whose King Leonidas in 300 thrilled the ladies and the gents alike? Butler isn't even in sequel 300: Rise of an Empire, set to bow in 2013.
It could be argued that the studio didn't have high hopes for Playing for Keeps, given that it handed the movie one of the ugliest, Photoshop wrecks of a poster imaginable:
Elegant Catherine Zeta-Jones is almost unrecognizable, that is the least flattering image of gorgeous Uma Thurman one can imagine, and Butler's look could be most charitably termed "fuzzy."
Also, this poster strongly resembles that of several other so-so romantic comedies. To wit:
Critics savagedPlaying for Keeps, most notably Richard Roeper who summed up the film thusly: "Smarmy. Dopey. Sloppy. Lazy. Creepy. Tone-deaf. Predictable. Embarrassing. Lousy." Rotten Tomatoes' consensus was "Witless, unfocused and arguably misogynistic" and a "lowest-common-denominator Hollywood rom-com."
Seattle Times critic Moira Macdonald had kinder words… for Butler's hair: "Absurdly thick and manfully curly" that's subtly highlighted "as if from a finger from heaven." It's the man-hair equivalent even of "Hugh Grant in his floppy-bangs period; a great era for male movie hair."
The movie itself? Not so good, says Macdonald. But the hair, it's a movie star. Oh, and Butler does appear shirtless in the movie. At least it's something.
It's Women's History Month, so what better way to honor strong women in history than with a new film that features a strong, powerful woman? That's exactly the type of character Angela Bassett plays in Olympus Has Fallen.
On Monday, Gerard Butler confirmed to Howard Stern what many of us knew all along. Yes, he slept with The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Brandi Glanville.
When Washington, D.C. gets invaded by a foreign paramilitary group, it’s up to Gerard Butler to single-handedly take down the Korean terrorists and save the country from becoming a nuclear wasteland. This film is like drinking three Red Bulls after a Trenta-sized latte for its heart-racing action.
For years we thought of Jennifer Aniston as the mostly-good-girl Rachel from Friends. Sure, “Rachel” wore plastic nipples in her bra to make her look braless, but there was no nudity or stripping. Let’s review Aniston’s more provocative movie moments.
Physical chemistry can make you do weird things — like get busy with another guy’s girl. It’s a major no-no in the bro-code handbook, especially if the girl is your buddy’s friend. Here are a few celebrities who thumb their, er nose, at bro-code.
When news broke that Ben Affleck would be donning the Dark Knight cape in the Man of Steel sequel, detractors took to the internet to suggest everyone from Betty White to Carrot Top as better choices to play Batman. We personally like Ben, but here are seven other fellas we think could hold their own as the superhero.
Tell us
