Known for his work with director Peter Jackson on "Lord of the Rings" films
Oscar-winning Australian cinematographer Andrew Lesnie, best known for his work on "The Lord of the Rings," has died, friends and colleagues said Wednesday. He was 59.
Lesnie died Monday after suffering from a serious heart condition for the past six months, the Australian Cinematographers Society said in a statement, after the group's president confirmed Lesnie's death with his family.
Lesnie, a Sydney native, won an Academy Award in 2002 for "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," the first film in the series. He worked with New Zealand director Peter Jackson on all six "Lord of the Rings" and "Hobbit" films, along with the 2005 remake of "King Kong" and "The Lovely Bones."
In an emotional statement, Jackson said he considered Lesnie a brother who was a calm, steady and supportive presence on set and who never sought admiration despite being one of the greatest cinematographers of all time.
"Andrew was an irreplaceable part of my family and I am in total disbelief that I'll never again hear his infectious laugh, nor benefit from his quiet wisdom, or enjoy his generous praise," Jackson wrote on his Facebook page. "Andrew created unforgettable, beautiful images on screen, and he did this time and again, because he only ever served what he believed in — he was his own artist, separate from me, but always working generously to make what we were trying to create together better."
More recently, Lesnie worked on the Australian war drama "The Water Diviner" with Russell Crowe, who tweeted: "Devastating news from home. The master of the light, genius Andrew Lesnie has passed on."
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More