I hear you.

You need to get rid of the visual of my dad peeing.

Perhaps Colin Firth wearing a headset might help?

Here he is, at the Apple Store on Regent Street in London, promoting The King’s Speech with director Tom Hooper. He looks great. Really, really great given his travel schedule lately. Can you imagine? From New York to LA to London and he has to be back in LA again next week for the SAGs and whatever other campaigning opportunity is made available. Then again, this is the season. And he is the film’s best hope at winning, seeing as they say The Social Network simply won’t stop.

Did you know that originally, the screenwriter, David Seidler, wanted Paul Bettany for the part? One day I’m going to start a section on this site called Hollywood Sliding Doors. Like, we would never know the Chosen One Shiloh if Nicole Kidman hadn’t dropped out of Mr & Mrs Smith. Don’t steal my idea!

As for Colin, he gave another great interview recently about his approach to the role of stammering Bertie. I liked this quote in particular for its insight into the struggle experienced by those with a speech impediment:

“David (Seidler) overcame a stammer, as well, and he gave me poignant insights into what it’s like trying to negotiate around it. It’s heartbreaking. He said he would never say hello on the phone because the ‘H’ wouldn’t come out. So, he would say, ‘This is David.’ You wouldn’t order beef in a restaurant because you can’t get the ‘B’ out—so you get fish, instead. You’re not living your own life. You have to make choices that aren’t you at all.”

To read the full interview, and it’s a good one, click here. I love that he always tries to make it fresh, to find a new way to give an answer to a question he’s probably been asked over and over and over again.


Photos from Reimschuessel/Splashnewsonline.com and Chris Jackson/Gettyimages.com