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From
Hulk to sex symbol, 5th May 2004
(Credit:
The Sydney Morning Herald)
It would be safe to say Eric Bana
has reached sex symbol status in the United States.
The
Australian funnyman, turned Hollywood star, has
been touring the US like a rock star with his
new pal Brad Pitt, appearing on major US TV shows.
The
pair are the stars of the ancient Greek epic Troy,
and the response during their publicity tour,
particularly from female fans, would make the
Beatles or Rolling Stones blush.
First
up on Monday, Bana and Pitt shared a couch on
the Oprah Winfrey TV talkshow, launching the studio
audience into a frenzy.
A
few hours later they were swamped at the MTV headquarters
in New York by a studio of screaming teenagers.
One
girl left her seat to give the two stars a hug.
"It's
Brad Pitt and Eric Bana Day, or as I like to call
it, Wives Leave Your Wedding Rings At Home Day,"
MTV host Damien Fahey, standing with Bana and
Pitt, and surrounded by about 100 fans, told his
audience.
"There's
a lot of ladies not wearing wedding rings thinking
they may have a shot with one of you guys. That's
all I'm saying."
Bana
and Pitt looked amused, with Bana responding,
"That's terrible behaviour."
Bana
and Pitt acted like great mates, slapping each
on the thigh and giving each other hugs.
Troy
was shot in barren areas of Malta and Mexico,
and the pair were asked on MTV what they did to
entertain themselves when not on the set.
"We
did close down a few places," Pitt said with
a mischievous smile.
Bana
responded, "Sometimes you get led astray
by people like this guy here. It's not healthy."
When
Winfrey introduced Bana, women of all ages in
her audience were shrieking like schoolgirls,
giving the star of Hulk a 20-second standing ovation.
"Brad
isn't the only heart-stopper, though, in the grand
saga," Oprah proclaimed.
"Not
the only one! The man who plays his mighty arch
enemy is something to behold also."
In
Troy, which opens in Australia on May 13, Bana
plays Prince Hector of Troy and fights a dramatic
battle against the Trojan war's greatest warrior,
Achilles, played by Pitt.
The
actors spend most of the movie with their shirts
off, revealing pumped up physiques they spent
six months sculpturing before shooting began.
Winfrey
quizzed Pitt about his fitness regime and his
bodybuilder-like body, particularly his buttocks.
Then
it was Bana's turn.
"Were
you trying to get your butt tight too?" Winfrey
asked Bana.
"Oprah!"
Pitt interrupted.
Bana
didn't mind, telling the billionaire talkshow
host, "Well, we had to do what we had to
do."
At
MTV, the two actors were asked about their favourite
bands and Bana could not resist giving a plug
to one from his homeland.
"Powderfinger
from Australia. They're hot," he said, probably
generating thousands of US CD sales with the MTV
audience.
Pitt,
recently crowned by People magazine as one of
The 50 Most Beautiful People in the World, also
paid a flattering compliment to his new mate.
The
American heart throb was asked about an MTV reality
show featuring two young men who underwent plastic
surgery to look like him.
Pitt
wished the men "the best", but added,
"I want to look like Eric Bana."
Links:
Media
websites
The
Sydney Morning Herald
Oprah
Winfrey
MTV
People
magazine
Mediaman - Entertainment
Official
websites
The
Hulk official website
Troy
official website
Chopper
the Movie Official Website
Ric
Drasin official website
Lou
Ferrigno official website
Interviews
Ric
Drasin - 18th June 2003
Ric
Drasin - 16th July 2003
Ric
Drasin - 25th August 2003
Gary
Young - 3rd March 2004
Bessie
Bardot - 21st March 2003
Profiles
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Drasin
Mel
Gibson
Articles
Movie
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sex, or even porn, gone mainstream? Greg Tingle
asks people who know!
Sex
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Sex
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