by Oliver Lyttelton

For a director who made his name with the excellent adaptation of Angela Carter’s gothic deconstructed fairy tales with “The Company of Wolves” and his big studio breakthrough with “Interview with the Vampire,” it’s been a while since Neil Jordan traveled into more horrific territory. There were genre elements to his last film, “Ondine,” but that was more of a warm, romantic fable (and a very underrated film). It’s really been thirteen years since 1999’s “In Dreams,” when Jordan tackled the darker side of the supernatural world.

But “Byzantium,” the director’s latest project, certainly marks a return to that kind of territory with a vampire tale from writer Moira Buffini (“Jane Eyre“) that stars Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan as a pair of vampires causing havoc in a British seaside town. And when we spoke to him in Toronto, where the film premiered this week at TIFF, Jordan says that the film was in a way, a conscious decision to return to his spookier roots. Read More

Saoirse Ronan has said Byzantium star Gemma Arterton was very maternal to her, which helped the pair to bond on set of new film Byzantium.

The pair play a couple of vampires who are mother and daughter in the fantasy thriller from Interview With A Vampire’s Neil Jordan, which was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Saoirse said: “She’s lovely, she’s very, very sweet and somebody who I got on with pretty much straight away. And she’s got a real maternal instinct as well, which I think helped for us to get along even better from the off. Read More

Visit Saoirse Ronan Online to keep posted on everything that’s related to the young Irish actress.

GALLERY LINKS:
– Events > 2012 Toronto International Film Festival – Variety Studio Presented By Moroccanoil At Holt Renfrew
– Events > 2012 Toronto International Film Festival – “Byzantium” Premiere

The rising stars play vampires in Byzantium, and they’re a lot more alive than that girl from Twilight
By Radheyan Simonpillai

It’s Sunday afternoon and I’m finally getting a chance to have a conversation with Gemma Arterton and Saoirse Ronan in a private booth at the Maison Mercer.

The two of them kick off their heels and curl up beside each other, getting comfortable after a long day at TIFF promoting Byzantium. They star as vampires on the run in the new film from Neil Jordan, which premieres tonight.

They’re still giddy with excitement since this is the first day they’ve had the chance to talk about the film with the press – ever.

“We’ve been moving about a bit,” says Ronan, the Oscar-nominated actor from Atonement and Hanna. “And we’ve seen you everywhere we’ve gone.” Read More

Hello everybody! I’m Nicole and I’m gonna be from now on the new help on Gemma Arterton Online. I’m really happy and honored Mariana asked me to join her and Mata in running this amazing source about my favorite actress. In my first update, I’ve added some “Byzantium” Tiff Portraits that Gemma’s done for the magazine Self Assignment. She looks stunning!

GALLERY LINK:
– Photoshoots > “Byzantium” Portraits – 2012 Toronto International Film Festival for Self Assignment

Much more tomorrow. Stay tuned! ;)

Visit Saoirse Ronan Online to keep posted on everything that’s related to the young Irish actress.

GALLERY LINKS:
– Events > 2012 Toronto International Film Festival – The Hollywood Reporter TIFF Video Lounge presented by Canon
– Events > 2012 Toronto International Film Festival – “Byzantium” Premiere

Thanks to Elena for the heads-up. ;)