THE OBSERVER – If you ask Gemma Arterton if she regrets her career choices to date, she will look you straight in the eye and tell you it’s complicated. The year she graduated from Rada she appeared in Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla; in a Brit comedy with Mackenzie Crook; as the lead in Tess of the D’Urbervilles; and as Bond girl Strawberry Fields in Quantum of Solace. From there, she went straight on to blockbusters Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Clash of the Titans. On her first day working on Quantum of Solace she filmed her death scene, lying naked for two hours on Bond’s bed, covered in black oil. It seems now that the experience gave her time to think.

It’s a hot afternoon in Soho and she is mixing a drink with the casual swing of someone just home from holidaying with her best friend; she’s tanned, freckled, quick to laugh. At the weekend, for her belated 30th birthday party, she tells me she’ll be performing TLC’s “No Scrubs”. Suddenly she’s rapping. “See if you can’t spatially expand my horizon. Then that leaves you in the class with scrubs, never rising…” And then my hands are clapping, because that’s what happens to your hands when a girl spontaneously raps.

We’re at the Dean Street Townhouse – and the sun has brought out celebrities like rain does snails. At every table is a doubletake. Arterton, her back to the room, seems profoundly at ease with herself, which makes her stories about the anger she suppressed – about her “freak-outs” after bad experiences at work, about her decision to quit films altogether – all the more compelling.

It happened slowly. Once, she remembers, she was working on a film where, apart from the make-up artist, she was the only woman on set. “Everyone just behaved so badly, people were getting fired left, right and centre. It was just power, power, power.” She hated it. “After that, for a while I was doing ‘Fuck You’ work, because I was angry about the industry. I wanted to do these aggressive films to show that I was badass and could kill people.”

THE STAGE.CO.UK – Gemma Arterton’s performance in Saint Joan at the Donmar Warehouse is to be broadcast live to cinemas around the world.

The production, directed by Josie Rourke, will be the fourth at the Donmar Warehouse to be screened by NT Live following Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Coriolanus and King Lear.

It will be broadcast live from the theatre on February 16, 2017.

The play has design by Robert Jones, sound by Christopher Shutt and video by Duncan McLean.

Hadley Fraser and Matt Bardock will star alongside Arterton, as well as Richard Cant and Elliot Levey. (source)

VARIETY – ROME — The Venice Film Festival has announced the full roster of its main jury that will comprise Laurie Anderson, Gemma Arterton, and Joshua Oppenheimer alongside Italian writer Giancarlo De Cataldo, German actress Nina Hoss, French Actress Chiara Mastroianni, Venezuelan director Lorenzo Vigas and Chinese actress, director and singer Zhao Wei.

Vigas won the Venice Golden Lion last year with his first feature “From Afar,” about a middle-aged gay man who cruises the streets of Caracas searching for young companions.

Zhao made her directorial debut in 2013 with college romancer “So Young,” which is the highest grossing film ever made by a female Chinese filmmaker. One of China’s most popular actresses, also known as Vicky Zhao, she recently came under fire from the Communist Youth League for casting Taiwan thesp Leon Dai as the lead in her sophomore film directorial effort, “No Other Love,” and was forced to drop him. Dai is allegedly a supporter of Taiwanese independence from mainland China.

As previously announced, Sam Mendes will serve as jury president.

Venice has also announced jury members of its Horizons section, dedicated to more cutting edge fare and headed by French director Robert Guediguian.

They are: U.S. film critic and historian Jim Hoberman, longtime senior critic at “The Village Voice” and now a New York Times columnist; Egyptian actress Nelly Karim who has played several groundbreaking Arab female roles, most recently in Mohamed Diab’s “Clash”; Italian actress Valentina Lodovini (“Things From Another World”); South Korean actress and director Moon So-ri (“Oasis”); Spanish critic Jose Maria Prado, who heads the Spanish film archives in Madrid; and Indian director Chaitanya Tamhane whose first film, legal drama “Court” won the Venice Lion of the Future in 2014.

Last but not least, the members of the Lion of the Future jury presided by Italian actor and director Kim Rossi Stewart, who will select Venice’s award for first feature, are: U.S. actor and director Brady Corbet, whose historical mystery drama ”Childhood of a Leader” scooped the Lion of the Future last year, as well as the Horizons’ section nod for best director (awarded by separate juries); Spanish actress Pilar Lopez de Ayala (“The Strange Case of Angelica”); and French film critic Serge Toubiana, who co-directed docu “Hitchcock Truffaut.”

The Lion of the Future Jury will award a $100,000 dollar cash prize to the best debut feature across all competitive sections at the fest, to be divided equally between the director and the producer.

The 73nd edition of Venice will run August 31-September 10. The full lineup will be announced on July 28.

THE EVENING STANRDARD – Home is…
South London. I grew up in Kent but I often visited my family in Brixton and Greenwich when I was a kid. They’re my happiest memories and I think that’s why I’ve always been drawn to living in south London.

Last play you saw?
Henry V at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, where my friend Michelle Terry is the lead. Playing a male warrior king is a huge part to take on as a woman, but she was brilliant.

Best thing a cab driver has said to you?
One asked me what I did, and I told him I was an actor. When I got out he said: ‘You’re a lovely girl. Mark my words, you’ll be in a Bond film one day.’

Favourite London designer?
Stella McCartney. Her clothes really suit me.

How do you stay in shape?
With vinyasa flow yoga classes at Good Vibes in Covent Garden. My teacher Nahid de Belgeonne is amazing.

Biggest extravagance?
Travel. If I’ve got any free time, I’ll hop on a plane to Europe. I will often invite friends and pay for them — spending money on something like that makes me happy.

Earliest London memory?
Going to summer parties in Brockwell Park or Ally Pally with my family. I remember seeing a Paul Daniels magic show at the Adelphi Theatre when I was about six. They got me up on stage, which is funny because I was back up there when I did Made in Dagenham last year.

Most romantic thing someone’s done for you?
Back in the day, one of my boyfriends bought a really nice bottle of Dom Pérignon, and we sat on the South Bank, drinking it out of the bottle and nibbling on a couple of little tubs of Tesco olives.

Favourite place to let your hair down?
When I was a student I’d go to Koko all the time or I’d end up in Fabric.

Best piece of advice you’ve been given?
My RADA teacher John Beschizza told me: ‘You’ve got incredible instincts, always listen to them. They will never be wrong.’

Best meal you’ve had in London?
A fancy breakfast at The Wolseley. I had scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, plus an almond-milk cappuccino — very middle class.

What’s in your beauty bag?
Neutrogena Lipcare lip balm; I apply it obsessively. I don’t like to wear much make-up, but when I do I shop at Nars counters. I love their blusher in Orgasm and their Radiant Creamy Concealer.

First thing you do when you arrive back home?
Dump my bags, go into the kitchen and open the fridge. I won’t have anything in there, but it’s force of habit!

Favourite London theatre?
The Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. It’s a candlelit theatre and it’s beautiful – like a little jewellery box. (source)

GRAZIA – She charmed us as the titular ingénue in the BBC’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles; held her own opposite 007 in Quantum Of Solace and jump-started a million girl crushes in Tamara Drewe. Now, Brit actress Gemma Arterton has added beauty spokesmodel to her already impressive CV as the new face of Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost range.

An effervescent presence who’d be a firm fixture in our imaginary A-list girl squad, Gemma sees the new role as ‘a natural fit’ for her. ‘My father was a welder with proper welder’s hands so when I was growing up, there were always tubes of Neutrogena hand cream lying around,’ she explains.

We caught up with Gemma to find out the secret to that flawless complexion, look back on her earliest beauty memories and find out why she really hates brushing her teeth (yes, really)…

Beauty wise, would you describe yourself as high or low maintenance?
I’m naturally quite low maintenance – I don’t like anything that takes too long. If I’m getting ready to go out, I give myself about half an hour maximum so anything quick that ticks the boxes is good for me – I’ve got too many other things to do with my life!

What’s your skincare routine like?
I really have to make myself take off my make-up. I really hate doing that, and and brushing my teeth! At the end of the day, when you decide you’re ready to go to bed, it’s yet another thing to do… I’m really religious about it now, though, because I have had bad skin in the past, and for my job I have to look alright. Cleansing in the morning is something that I’ve recently started doing – I thought you just had to leave the natural oil, but it’s actually good for your skin, so I’m quite vigilant about that now.

Which are your favourite products from the Hydro Boost range?
I’m a big fan of the Water Gel moisturiser; it just melts into your skin. The cleanser is really easy to use as well. Before I started using the range, I’d have one product for removing eye make-up, one for cleansing the skin, then a serum, an eye cream… Now I can just use a couple of products, so my routine’s more streamlined.

Which beauty product always lifts your mood?
I know it doesn’t sound very glamorous but I can’t really go without under eye concealer – that’s the one thing that’s always in my bag. I can go without anything else but that, and a little bit of lip balm. A touch of bronzer is always good, too, especially if you’re feeling tired and your skin is looking a bit dull. Brand wise, I really like Nars, Tom Ford and Bobbi Brown.

What’s your earliest beauty memory?
Back in the ’80s, my mum used to use so much hairspray; she’d have an afro comb and backcomb her roots, then spray it and go – that would be her style! She always had a metallic purple lipstick – I remember taking it and putting it on my cheeks, thinking that was how you wore blusher. I’d take the same lipstick to school and put it on in the hallway before I went into lessons. My teacher told me to take it off but I said, “No, I’ve just been drinking hot Ribena!” because that was what you drunk at school, of course. He was like, “Shut up, go and take it off now!”

VARIETY – The world premiere of Scottish director Colm McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic thriller “The Girl with All the Gifts,” starring Glenn Close, Gemma Arterton, Paddy Considine and newcomer Sennia Nanua, will open the 69th Locarno Film Festival.

The buzzed-about zombie pic, which unfolds in an underground bunker where children are being examined by scientists hoping to find a cure for a fungal spore that has infected the planet, will kick off the Swiss fest dedicated to indie cinema on August 3. “Girl” will screen on Locarno’s 8,000-seat Piazza Grande venue with talents Arterton and Nanua in tow. Nanua, 13, plays a uniquely gifted child in the lead role.

Based on the novel by M.R. Carey, “Girl” is financed by the BFI (British Film Institute), Creative England, and Altitude Film. Camille Gatin and Angus Lamont produced. U.S. rights were acquired in Cannes by Saban Films. Warner Bros. is releasing in the U.K.

“Aside from how well the film is made – and its great cast – we were impressed by the way the zombie theme, which is ultimately about ‘other people,’ is handled in a political sense,” artistic director Carlo Chatrian said.

He added that he sees “an underlying will [in the film] not necessarily to welcome ‘other people’ but at least to understand them.” (source)

EVENING STANDARD – Gemma Arterton has revealed she had a taste of fame aged six when she was brought on stage by Paul Daniels — at the theatre where she went on to make her West End musical debut.

The actress was raised in Kent but used to visit family in London. She told ES Magazine: “[I remember] going to summer parties in Brockwell Park or Ally Pally with my family. I remember seeing a Paul Daniels magic show at the Adelphi when I was about six. They got me up on stage, which is funny because I was back up there when I did Made In Dagenham last year.”

On Saturday, she is presenting a celebration of Shakespeare — with speeches, dialogues and theatrical anecdotes — at Cadogan Hall with Sir Patrick Stewart. She told BBC Radio: “It’s interesting for me because I get to speak Shakespeare and stuff that I wouldn’t normally get to speak. It’s great, so I’m excited if not nervous… because I’m also singing a little bit in front of everyone with the orchestra.”

The actress said her first brush with the Bard was her first stage job in Love’s Labour’s Lost at the Globe, and recalled having to shriek to scare off a flock of pigeons as they flew down to “devour” brioche that had been used in a bunfight in her scene.

“It did make sense of my final line, which was ‘Excuse me so, a heavy heart bears not a nimble tongue’.”

She has just finished a starring run in Nell Gwynn in the West End and will next be seen in romantic comedy We Happy Few. She has also signed up for the BBC’s remake of Watership Down.

Arterton said: “I do enjoy [musical theatre], but I think it is so nerve-racking, singing, and also the demands it makes on you physically… But I’m sure I will be singing again in some capacity, I seem to always sing in things now. My next play, I’m doing Saint Joan at the Donmar — there’s no singing in it so I’m quite pleased.”

The Rada graduate, 30, rose to fame in the 2008 Bond movie Quantum Of Solace. She told ES Magazine this was once foretold by a black-cab driver: “One asked me what I did, and I told him I was an actor. When I got out he said, ‘You’re a lovely girl. Mark my words, you’ll be in a Bond film one day’.” (source)