web counter
 

What Is Keeping Rachel McAdams From Full-Blown "America's Sweetheart" Status?

By Joanna Robinson | Posted Under Pajiba Love | Comments (45)

rachel-mcadams-113255.jpg

Okay yes, fine, my precious piles of poutine, McAdams is Canadian. But it’s America’s Sweetheart, not American Sweetheart and McAdams is adorable, delightful and sufficiently talented. She should have her pick of any role. And for some reason she’s not there, and I don’t know why. Read her cute-as-a-button interview and try to ignore the part where the delusionals at Evil Beet call Michael Sheen a troll. (Evil Beet)

I’m not of the mindset that a celebrity has to give a certain type of interview, but The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo actress Rooney Mara is burning all kinds of bridges by sh*tting on her previous roles. Lisbeth, love, Rachel McAdams spoke endearingly about a job at MCDONALDS, I think you can stow the vitriol about “Law & Order: Every Actor’s Done It.” (Stale Popcorn)

Our very own Girl With The Corgi Tattoo, Sarah Carlson, sent me this delightful article on “Twilight” as written by other famous authors. (io9)

In “Links That Might Keep You Entertained Until 5pm” news, Splitsider has collected 2011’s Best Humor Writing. With links to the writing! You could be stifling giggles at your cube for hours. Warning, there’s a lot of McSweeney’s in there, so Hipster Haters beware. (Splitsider)

Vulture has the Best Entertainment Photography of December. How did I miss that homoeruptive Jimmy Fallon/Justin Timberlake sailor photo? (Vulture)

Speaking of entertainment photography, someone in the GQ wardrobe department is awfully fond of skin tight blue shirts. This? This is me not complaining. Also, Ewan gives an adorable interview about being the father of 4 girls. (Celebitchy)
McFass.jpg

In retrotechnology news, we’ve got this gorgeous art deco hand made computer. (Boing Boing) And some Victorian Star Wars portraits. Oh, sure, in some cases he just put a ring top hat on it, but the refined Chewbacca is delightful. (The Curious Brain)

See??! I’m not the only one who found Bane incomprehensible! They’ve remixed the movie trailer to fix the hardcore mumblecore. No I am NOT elderly! You shut up! (FSR)

Speaking of incomprehensible, the English language is a mess. Here’s a poem about it, for the erudite among you. (The Poke) For the less erudite, here’s the watermelon-smashing Gallagher on the subject. (Youtube)

Unreality has a great list of TV shows that started off slow but have since hit their stride. I recommend you check out everything BUT “True Blood.” If you weren’t down with the crazy from the beginning, it’s only gotten crazier since. (Unreality)

And for you lovers of television, here’s a super cute megamix of familiar TV theme songs played and acted out by a gang of NY musicians. The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” bit was my favorite.

And for the film lovers, here’s an excellent mash-up of The Lion King and The Dark Knight Rises trailer, with the incomprehensible Bane played by the irrepressible Scar.









Each Time You Like, Share, Tweet or Stumble a Pajiba Post, An Angel Does the Paul Rudd Dance

← The 10 Most Scathing Reviews of 2011 | Celebrity Bullsh*t: 2011's Greatest Gifts of All →









Comments

Jennifer Aniston.
(re: the title question)


/laughs an evil laugh

Posted by: The Dude. at January 3, 2012 1:06 PM

Look what happened to Julia Roberts. And I like Sandra Bullock much better

Posted by: ginmuse at January 3, 2012 1:11 PM

I like Rachel McAdams a lot. I think she's quite lovely. She's certainly been in a lot of movies, so she doesn't hurt for work. Who knows why she's not a "bigger star"? Maybe she doesn't want to be.

And I love her with Michael Sheen, because he deserves a sweet cute honey after being dicked over by Kate Beckinsale.

Posted by: MM at January 3, 2012 1:16 PM

she’s not there, and I don’t know why.

She could try being in interesting movies.

Posted by: Jay at January 3, 2012 1:20 PM

The best thing about Scar is that he may be Disney's only Bond-style villain. His plan is both evil and maniacal; he wants to rule the "world" and has no qualms about murdering family members to do so. He damn near pulls it off, except instead of dispatching Simba once and for all he has to go for the throat (as it were) with "And now here's MY little secret...I killed Mufasa." which invigorates Simba to somehow leap on to the cliff and lay the smack down on his dear old Uncle. He made a classic blunder!
Damn do I love that movie.

Oh yeah, the DKR mash up is cool too.

Posted by: TylerDFC at January 3, 2012 1:23 PM

Michael Sheen is my Welsh god. Come at me, stupid bros at Evil Beet.

Posted by: Pants at January 3, 2012 1:25 PM

The best thing about Scar is that he may be Disney's only Bond-style villain.

I was going to say Ursula, but then her opportunity to seize power from King Triton sort of fell into her lap when Ariel fell in love with Eric, leading to her falling-out with daddy.

I'd say in terms of *potential* influence, unfettered command of the world's oceans probably counts for more than ruling over Pride Rock.

Don't judge me, I have three daughters.

Posted by: Pete at January 3, 2012 1:29 PM

That's a side of Gallagher that I really did not expect. I know his work with watermelons and batshit insane tirades but that word bit actually seemed kind of clever.
And was he wearing a velvet shirt?

Posted by: Optimus Rhyme at January 3, 2012 1:29 PM

not quite sure why, and I haven't seen Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (and probably won't), but I'm starting to really dig Rooney Mara. I like it when people acknowledge they did a crap movie and aren't proud of it.

Posted by: Lucas at January 3, 2012 1:32 PM

Pete: Ursula did cross my mind but Scar actually planned and executed his scheme, it wasn't based on opportunity. Plus, Scar has an army of minions. And I don't think the Lions really saw a world beyond Pride Rock. Which is why Simba being exiled was such a big deal.

Ok this first day back at work from break is killing me. I really don't ruminate on Disney movies (quite) this much normally. Turning off casual-brain mode and tapping in to business-brain is proving harder than I expected.

Posted by: TylerDFC at January 3, 2012 1:33 PM

Is Ewan McGregor trying to turn into David Lynch up there?

Posted by: Todd at January 3, 2012 1:36 PM

Q: Why isn't she America's sweetheart?

A: Hairy nipples.

Posted by: the EPA at January 3, 2012 1:39 PM

Ewan McGregor is 40 years old. Can't they dress him like a grown up?

Here's what we need to do to help him out:

1. Remove all his clothing that is tight or binding.

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at January 3, 2012 1:41 PM

The Crossroads Demon that brokered the deal with Julia Roberts botched the contract and now the Hellhounds will never get to strip the meat off her bones.

Dats why she is getting paid 16 mil a movie to smile wider than a prosthetic wearing Jack Nicholson.

And everyone from hell to heaven is just waiting for her to die from natural causes now so dat we can finally move the fuck on with Rachel McAdams or someone else (my personal pick when she eventually invades and nails romcoms: Jessica Chastain (swooooon)).

Posted by: haplo at January 3, 2012 2:03 PM

IIRC, what happened to Julia Roberts is she quit the business for a while to raise her children. She still managed to fit in a film a year (mostly voice work and cameo/ small supporting roles), and when she decided to go back to work full time, offers started falling into her lap again, resulting in four movies in the past 2 years with 2 more coming out in 2012.

Posted by: Three-nineteen at January 3, 2012 2:13 PM

I always thought of Scar as more of a Shakespeare-type villain, what with the killing of his brother, framing of his nephew, attempting to have said nephew murdered, and (probably) sleeping with his sister-in-law. He also tries to eat the King's Hand at the beginning of the film.

That's what you get when you name your child "dirt or trash", I guess

But yeah, Scar's fucked up, yo.

Posted by: =DocDoom1= at January 3, 2012 2:15 PM

Okay, I just went back over two week's of postings and I don't see a review of The Doctor, The Widow and The Wardrobe anywhere. Did one go up that resulted in some massive flame war and had to be taken down or are we just being deprived?

Posted by: PaddyDog at January 3, 2012 2:28 PM

Really? Rachel McAdams?

Can anyone tell the difference between Rachel McAdams and Elizabeth Banks?

Aren't they the same person?

Posted by: MRod at January 3, 2012 2:28 PM

I think erudite is the word of the week.

Posted by: Katie at January 3, 2012 2:41 PM


GQ, Skinny ties, tight shorts, tight pants. I'm in decent shape, but that magazine does a pretty spectacular job at always making me feel fat. T__T

Posted by: PG13 at January 3, 2012 2:56 PM

or are we just being deprived?

Regarding the discussions it's more like "spared".

Posted by: Jay at January 3, 2012 2:56 PM

*Sigh* That's the price of equality, PG13.

This world just sucks so hard for men these days.

Posted by: Socrates_Johnson at January 3, 2012 3:04 PM

Rachel McAdams looks cute but bitey in that picture. Soooo, there's your answer. She's like your next door neighbor, who's real, real pretty and sweet, but there's always an undercurrent of something dangerous that you can't quite put your finger on. Like, that time when you were little kids together and you stumbled across that dead dog and she was a little too excited and kept wanting to go back to look at it day after day? Sure, she's just a curious little girl, but she never seemed so curious about playing sports, or games. Why this fixation on the rotting corpse of a dog? Is her behavior innocent or the slightest hint of a dark, cruel obsession? Of course, she's too smart to ever let you really know what she thinks. She just shows you a little bit, like a shark just deep enough under the surface that you can barely make out its silhouette. but you know it's there. And when you try and bring this up in conversation with other people, they'll think you are being paranoid and brush it off. Then, once you've finally allowed them to convince you that it was all in your head, McAdams will corner you in a hallway at a party while everyone else is distracted and whisper "You were right, you know. See you later, honeybunch," peck you on the cheek, flash you that smile, which now seems more like a baring of teeth, and glide into the crowd, making a beeline for the one you love most.

Posted by: Matty at January 3, 2012 3:50 PM

PaddyDog: I haven't see a Doctor review either. To make matters even worse, I was in a place with no BBCA access, so I didn't even get to see the episode, and do you think anyone would REPLAY it? NO. Do you think I can find it for free online? NO.

Can anyone help me out?

Thanks, BWeaves

Posted by: BWeaves at January 3, 2012 4:03 PM

Matty, you're thinking of Erika Christensen, and it's probably time to put down the copy of Swimf@n.

Posted by: branded at January 3, 2012 4:18 PM

BWeaves:

If you have OnDemand, it's now available there.

I believe you can also find a link to it here:
http://community.essence.com/forum/topics/watch-the-doctor-the-widow-and-the-wardrobe-online-full-video

Posted by: PaddyDog at January 3, 2012 4:25 PM

Oh my God, branded is back! Release the doves, batten the pleonasms, tether the octopus!

(In my previous line of work, "tethering the octopus" would run you an extra 20.)

Posted by: Mrs. Julien at January 3, 2012 4:34 PM

Rachel McAdams needs to feature that sweet plump ass more.

Posted by: L.OV.E. at January 3, 2012 4:36 PM

McAdams is to Banks what Isla Fisher is to Amy Adams.

Posted by: L.O.V.E. at January 3, 2012 4:42 PM

I stand by what I said, branded.

And swimf@n isn't just a movie. It's a way of life.

Posted by: Matty at January 3, 2012 4:55 PM

I'm curious. On the topic of Fassbender and Law and Order: Every Actor's Done It:

I just finished watching the entire series of Band of Brothers on HBO GO (fine feature if you want to catch up on their library of superlative series). My friends and I watched it during its initial airing: drinking beer, farting loudly, being manly, and eating a gallon of pudding out of an industrial size can (if you were there, you would know why...never forget the pudding.) I searched Pajiba for any mention of it or any review. While there is some mention, specifically of the wonderful book it is based on, I think it needs to be revisited. Especially for those who wear frilly underwear.

Let me explain.

Yes, it is a war movie, in the capital WWII sense. There is gore. There is blood. There are limbs in states of dismemberment. But in 2001, we are treated to stars, cameos, and minor roles of future objects of female (and some male) dreams.

-Damien Lewis
-Simon Pegg
-Michael Fassbender
-Neal McDonough
-Tom Hardy
-James McAvoy
-(the underappreciated) Ron Livingston
and several others who I could probably look up in imdb.

Having survived the Why We Fight episode in a fetal ball, I have to recommend watching it with a friend. Just don't forget the pudding. You'll thank me.

Posted by: W. E. Coyote at January 3, 2012 5:17 PM

@Matty - Hmm. I'd think all that would make her even more qualified to be America's sweetheart. But then, I've been told I'm a cynical bastard.

Posted by: NateS1973 at January 3, 2012 5:26 PM

@Socrates_Johnson: Agreed. I guess that goes for women too. But I have no idea who has it worse...

Posted by: PG13 at January 3, 2012 5:32 PM

"IIRC, what happened to Julia Roberts is she quit the business for a while to raise her children. She still managed to fit in a film a year (mostly voice work and cameo/ small supporting roles), and when she decided to go back to work full time, offers started falling into her lap again, resulting in four movies in the past 2 years with 2 more coming out in 2012."

I thought people finally caught on that she's a hag. Why you gotta harsh my buzz? :(

Posted by: Craig at January 3, 2012 5:45 PM

W.E., go out and buy the boxset right now! It's an all-time favorite of mine. Also, Donnie Wahlberg, Jamie Bamber, and Jason O'Mara.

Posted by: branded at January 3, 2012 6:02 PM

Love me some Rachel McAdams. But she came to fame as a complete bitch in one of those Lindsay Lohan movies, Mean Drama Queen Girls Confess, or some such thing. It's tough to shake that first impression. And, of course, she reprised the role recently in Midnight in Paris. So it's probably a little late for the America's sweetheart title. Best white arse in Hollywood will have to do.

Posted by: James S at January 3, 2012 7:07 PM

Rachel McAdam's smile makes rainbows happen. I have a ginormous girlcrush on her. SHE IS SO PRETTY I CAN'T STAND IT.

And yeah, English is complicated as fuck. But that's why I LOVE IT. I mean, I've been speaking English since the 5th grade, I'm a hardcore movie and TV watcher...and I can STILL get some words wrong--specially if I've read them but never heard them spoken. It leads to a lot of giggling on the part of MrFig.

Posted by: figgy at January 3, 2012 7:07 PM

"Rachel McAdams needs to feature that sweet plump ass more."

That famous ass-gif is a body double. McAdams weighs about 85 lbs.

I also think her choices in roles aren't great. I don't know if that is by choice, or just what she gets offered. I think she tries to be likeable. She should take a bitchy role again. Or a villain role. There has to be something interesting. She is a capable actress. Not great, but decent. She sometimes seems out of her league. Like in State of Play. There is a scene where Russell Crowe and Helen Mirren yell at each other. Rachel just stands there with a weird look on her face. Like she is thinking "I am not doing the same job as these two"

Posted by: Sean at January 3, 2012 8:00 PM

"McAdams is to Banks what Isla Fisher is to Amy Adams."

Exactly!

Thank you.

Posted by: MRod at January 3, 2012 8:06 PM

Love me some Rachel McAdams. But she came to fame as a complete bitch in one of those Lindsay Lohan movies
Posted by: James S at January 3, 2012 7:07 PM
_____

Actually, she was quite awesome in Slings and Arrows, which happened (I think) before that.

Posted by: The Dude. at January 3, 2012 8:51 PM

branded- done and done. Bought the blu-ray. Now I need to buy a blu-ray player.

Posted by: W.E Coyote at January 3, 2012 9:05 PM

haplo, that deal didn't turn sour. It just wasn't your standard deal.

See, the devils knew if they'd play it just right, Julia Roberts would become a woman who plays women that loads of other women idolize and would do anything to be like them. The turn-over in souls is immense.

Posted by: FabMax at January 3, 2012 9:39 PM

Well played sir, very well played.

Posted by: haplo at January 3, 2012 11:30 PM

That's a more enjoyable trailer than the real thing.

Posted by: Lucas at January 3, 2012 11:31 PM

Rachel McAdams being Canadian makes her perfect for the title of America's Sweetheart - the original America's Sweetheart, silent film star Mary Pickford, was also Canadian.

so there.

Posted by: causaubon at January 4, 2012 2:08 PM