Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

"A Beautiful Mind" Badmouthing Gets Reaction From Director, Actor

Aired March 12, 2002 - 09:22   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: With Hollywood's big night less than two weeks away, the Oscar race is getting down-right ugly. Last week, Sam Rubin told us about an alleged smear campaign against the film "A Beautiful Mind," which is considered the front-runner for best picture by many people. The stories accuse the film's real-life subject, John Nash, of anti-Semitism and of abandoning an illegitimate child.

Yesterday, at the Annual Oscar Luncheon, which I was not invited to, the movie's director, Ron Howard, shot back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON HOWARD, DIRECTOR, "A BEAUTIFUL MIND": For anyone to try to take -- to distort behaviors that are reported to have occurred, you know, at the absolute height of his delusions, in the midst of hellish 35-year period of schizophrenia, is, I think, not doing the world or John Nash or themselves any kind of service. I have nothing -- I have no respect for that whatsoever. And so to the extent that I feel that some of that has occurred, you know I -- I take it personally.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COOPER: Joining us now with more on Oscar's dark side, Sam Rubin, Entertainment Editor for KTLA in Los Angeles. Morning, Sam, thanks for being with us. Unlike me...

SAM RUBIN, KTLA ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: You bet, Anderson.

COOPER: Unlike me, you were actually invited to the luncheon. You went to the luncheon. Did anyone else talk about this whisper campaign?

RUBIN: Yes. I mean, the whispers have really turned into a roar. Now, normally, the Oscar luncheon is this thing that all the nominees look forward to. They get together for an elaborate class photo. Every single person who's nominated for an Oscar has an opportunity to stand with fellow nominees and Oscar, but this idea of other movie studios or movie executives trying to bad-mouth the front- runner, in this case "A Beautiful Mind," certainly was foremost in the minds of Ron Howard, as you heard. And also the movie's star, the man who played John Nash, Russell Crowe, talked about it as well.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSSELL CROWE, ACTOR: This is not necessarily about the film, this is about about the person. I think, you know, it's beyond irresponsible. I mean, the sort of things they have been quoting is one thing, but you could also include the fact that, at some point, he thought he was a mouse. He also declared himself governor of Antarctica. You know? This is a fellow getting messages through -- from aliens through the "New York Times." I mean, he was a very sick man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

RUBIN: And I think that is primarily the point. People are saying that these accusations, what took place in John Nash's real life, people have known about since the book has been out, for years. And, as we discussed, Anderson, last week, why is it coming out all of a sudden right now?

And, finally, you see Ron Howard, Russell Crowe, others are fighting back. And I think they very successfully turned the tide. Ron Howard winning the Director's Guild Award. Russell Crowe winning the Screen Actor's Guild Award. I think "Beautiful Mind" -- this might have kind of backfired a little bit. And this campaign to discredit the movie, is now more about discrediting those trying to discredit the movie.

COOPER: Now, this isn't the first time something like this has happened. I mean, there were -- we all know the race for Oscar has become a big money contest. A lot of ads in a lot of trade magazines. But there have been whispers of -- on other movies before, haven't there? Sort of dirty campaigning?

RUBIN: Well, a lot of -- a lot of people point the finger primarily at a studio, Miramax as an example. "Shakespeare In Love" is a movie that was surprise Best Picture winner. And some people felt that "Shakespeare" won, not necessarily on its merits but because the studio so successfully seemed to diminish the prospects of other movies.

One thing that the Academy has done to try to legislate this to some degree. It used to be that every Academy member would receive a videotape of a movie, or a DVD of movie, to watch at home. But they would be packaged in very ornate fashion. You'd get, essentially, a huge gift bag coming with the movie.

Well, now that has been -- you can't do that anymore. And you have to send them -- in fact, I'll show you one. Here's a brown paper wrapper for "Sexy Beast," the official Jack Cafferty film. But you know, it just comes...

(LAUGHTER)

RUBIN: ...like this. And you can't do all the sort of chachkies (ph) that came with the movie. But they can't seem to legislate, so far at least, people whispering nasty things about movies. When all is said and done, I think "Beautiful Mind" will still do pretty well, come Oscar night.

COOPER: All right, Sam Rubin. I think, by the way, Jack Cafferty starred in "Sexy Beast II." Think you're confusing...

RUBIN: Right. There you go. My mistake. You're exactly right. All right.

COOPER: All right, Sam. Thanks for joining us this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com