Fall Preview Featuring: Ides of March, Warrior, Rum Diary and a Moneyball Mention

Who's Hotter, Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp? Alex Pettyfer Decides

Walking into Alex Pettyfer's hotel suite high above the stars on the Walk of Fame, the Hollywood sign glistening in the sun behind him, you can't help but fall a little bit in love. Not with the young heartthrob who is being heralded as the next Robert Pattison with this week's release of "I am Number Four," but with Oliver, his adorable seal-grey puppy recently adopted from the rescue organization, Barks ‘n’ Bitches.

"I got him two weeks ago," Pettyfer says in the British accent he suppressed while filming his starring role as John Smith, one of nine aliens infants sent to hide on Earth after their home planet is destroyed. Assigned a guardian and an order, they can only be killed in the sequence of their numbers. Following the murders of Numbers One, Two, and Three, Number Four (Pettyfer), is living on high alert in Paradise, Ohio, disguised as an American high school student, when he falls in love (with his real-life sweetheart, "Glee"'s Dianna Agron) and realizes he has something to fight for.

Sporting a simple band on his wedding ring finger—which went uncommented on despite rumors he and Agron were engaged (rumors have since surfaced that they've split)—Pettyfer told me that he appreciates comparisons to tween phenomenons like Pattison and "Twilight," but felt the buzz was premature.

"I hope we have the success of 'Twilight' by half or even a quarter," the 20-year-old began. "Obviously, you've got that central story of falling in love with something different and that's comparable between 'Twilight' and 'I am Number Four,' but I don't think we're anything like them. We're a lot less serious. I think people are looking for the next 'Harry Potter' or 'Twilight' as they're coming to an end, and hopefully we can fill that gap."

With Michael Bay, "the king of action" according to Pettyfer, and Steven Spielberg, "the godfather of film," producing, "…Number Four" is expected to easily inherit that mantle.

Since the film is all about gaining powers, I wondered what innate human ability Pettyfer would give up if he had to.

"Taste," he replied easily. "I don't really enjoy food. I'm not a big eater. I only eat certain things, [like] In 'n' Out Burger, pasta, pizza. I think sight is the most important."

Considering the media maelstrom surrounding the film, replete with screaming, crying fans at Hot Topic signings, I wondering if losing his anonymity was difficult.

"I haven't been witness to it; I've been holed up in hotel rooms [promoting the movie] for the last five weeks. Maybe in five weeks, after the film comes out, it will be."

Pettyfer, who says he'd like to emulate the career of Gary Oldman, "an actor who challenged himself and took the bar to a whole new level," has the added blessing/curse of being Tigerbeat-friendly. A former model, I asked if being too handsome was ever a detractor from an actor who wanted to follow an Oldman-esque path.

"I don't see myself as attractive or ugly. I think attraction is in the eye of the beholder," Pettyfer said (as only a handsome man could). "If I put Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt up, fifty percent of the women would go for Brad Pitt and fifty percent would say Johnny Depp."

So who would Pettyfer choose? "Johnny Depp! All the way," he smiled.

Behind the Scenes of "Megamind" and "Your Cold Blue Heart"-Romaine Hearts with Fennel, Orange, Blue Cheese and Pepitas

A press conference with Tina Fey and Will Ferrell isn’t the place you want to be if you’re looking for any sort of James Lipton-y answers to questions about the performer’s “craft.” Parked in what appears to be a wedding reception tent (the first inspiration for many jokes to come) at the back of the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills on a cold, blustery October afternoon, Fey and Ferrell are doing what they always do, making people laugh. Even if it means totally disregarding the matter at hand; which should be discussing their new animated film, Megamind.

But what else would you expect from the former Saturday Night Live cohorts who were responsible for some of the best comedy that show had seen since the early 90s when Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Dana Carvey and Chris Rock where churning out sketches like Wayne’s World, Coffee Talk and Opera Man?

Megamind is the latest 3D animated offering from DreamWorks, whose last film, How to Train Your Dragon, set a new bar for those looking to contend in the genre. Produced by another comedic dynamo, Ben Stiller, the movie is about Megamind (Ferrell), the most brilliant and committed supervillain the world has ever known. And also the least successful. Over the years, the bulbous headed blue villain has tried to conquer Metro City time and again, failing epically each time thanks to a caped superhero who’s taunted him since childhood, Metro Man (voiced by Brad Pitt). But when one of Megamind’s evil schemes actually goes according to plan, he’s forced to reevaluate his life choices, especially when it brings him closer to Metro City’s comeliest reporter, Roxanne Ritchi (Fey).

“I am one of America’s foremost fake reporters. I’m gonna have a fake show on CNN,” Fey deadpans before straightening up for a moment to deliver a half-serious answer. “It was fun to step into this very archetypal Lois Lane character. I really liked that in this story she’s a modern version of that; she’s active and intelligent--and she looks like Sharon Osbourne, a young Sharon Osbourne.”

Director Tom McGrath (Madagascar) explains that the original concept for the movie was born out of the seed question: What would happen if Superman were out of the picture and Lex Luther and Lois Lane realized they had more in common than they thought? Asked who she’d be more likely to go after, a studly caped crusader like Metro Man or a misunderstood evil genius who looks like a Smurf Conehead, Fey replies, “I think I would go for Megamind. He’s very smart and I really do find the purple undertones of his skin attractive. Beautiful skin. And he’s smaller than me. I like that, I could physically dominate him!”

“He is more petite,” Ferrell agrees.

As for her own rendering as Roxanne, Fey only has the kindest words for her avatar. “I like how she looks,” Fey begins, “I like her short hair, I like that she's brunette and I like that she has an ample can, I'm not gonna lie.”
Attempting to swing them back toward the film, the subject of recording sessions is raised and, shockingly, the pair settles down long enough to offer thoughtful, composed, un-ironic answers.

“I found the recording sessions very freeing because you can really try things,” Fey says. “When you’re filming something, if you’re improvising on film, you don’t want to waste film and waste [the] cameraman's time. If you’re recording things first, you can try a bunch of stuff and it doesn’t matter how you look when you’re doing it, there’s no vanity. I found it really fun.”

“There is a great amount of freedom, feeling you can come up with things on the spot,” Ferrell seconds, before adding. “What is lost in these projects is how hard it is to articulate any sort of emotional gearshift just with your voice. Those are the hardest parts for me. Playing the comedy is one thing but I think there’s real skill for actors who can effectively do that.”

But then, just as quickly as they settled down, they’re off and running again, offering answers like this one from Ferrell: “Traits that I share with the character? There is a part of my body that I cannot go into detail on that is blue.”

Megamind opens November 5.

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I was trying to come up with blue food ideas. I thought maybe a Blue Hawaiian dessert, like a cheesecake or ice cream, or Peruvian purple potato salad. But then I decided the color didn’t need to be as blue as Megamind bulbous head and settled on this salad which is zesty, nutty and accented with blue cheese. Easy to throw together and good for any season, from winter to summer, this is one recipe that doesn’t take a genius.

Romaine Hearts with Fennel, Orange, Blue Cheese and Pepitas
Serves two

1 head of Romaine, outer leaves removed
1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced
2 navel oranges, segmented, juice reserved
1/4 cup good quality blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup Pepitas, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons walnut oil
salt and pepper to taste

Slice romaine heart in half, from top to bottom, revealing two hearts.

Combine fennel, oranges, orange juice, blue cheese, Pepitas, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.

Toss romaine in dressing and then place one half on each plate, drizzling vinaigrette, orange segments, cheese and nuts decoratively across the heart.

True Blood Star Tackles Charles Manson Bio-Pic

I don't consider myself much of a scoop-ster, but I broke this story for NBC's Popcorn Biz on Tuesday.

Jason Stackhouse is going helter skelter.

At the press day for his new film, "Red Hill," a nouveau spaghetti western set in the Australian high country (which perhaps makes it a boomerang western), "True Blood" star Ryan Kwanten told us that he's moving into a new phase in his career, one that allows him a bit more creative control over some of his future projects, which include next year's satirical self-help book (not the sex guide it's been erroneously hyped to be) "The G Strategy," a handful of acting jobs and upcoming hyphenate turns as actor-producer of the Australian film, "The Twenty-Something Survival Guide" and "The Family," as in the Manson Family, with Kwanten both producing and starring in the role of Charles Manson.

Though still in the early stages of development, Ryan also told us Brad Anderson, who previously directed one of Christian Bale's finest performances in the brilliantly chilling 2004 film "The Machinist," is attached to the film which would delve into Manson and the murders his followers committed.

What's truly unsettling to us is how appealing that sounds.

Kwanten would bring a whole new dimension to Manson, one of the most disturbing and loathsome human beings ever to walk the face of the earth. When looking at the atrocities Manson convinced people to commit, its nearly impossible for people to imagine him as anything but a monster (which he is). But there had to be a reason his followers were swayed and we're fascinated by the idea of watching Kwanten illuminate the magnetic, charismatic, alluring side the cult leader must have possessed.

Best known for his shirtless antics as Jason Stackhouse, one of Bon Temps stupidest and most oversexed residents, shunning the easy eye candy parts Kwanten is undoubtedly offered in favor of demanding, complicated work confirms our theory that the young Aussie might be one of the most promising actors on television. Incredibly serious about his craft, thoughtful and intelligent, we fear he suffers from the Heath Ledger-Brad Pitt Syndrome; men better recognized for their beauty and body than formidable talents.

And that isn't a euphemism.