The other other movie shooting in New York

New York City never lacks film sets, not even in the blazing, humid heat of summer. I feel like 90% of acting is just pretending like you’re not face-meltingly hot or freezing cold. 

Anyway, the production everyone is talking about is The Devil Wears Prada 2, with a constant stream of photos coming in from that set. The other highly visible NYC production is Katie Holmes’ latest directorial effort, which reunites her with Joshua Jackson. But don’t forget about Natalie Portman! She is also working in New York this summer, on Lena Dunham’s new movie, Good Sex. Portman was seen on set yesterday in a perfect pair of cutoffs. Also hanging around were her co-stars, Mark Ruffalo and Rashida Jones. 

Lena Dunham is enjoying a comeback, between this and her new series, Too Much, which stars Meg Stalter and Will Sharpe. Lots of people have been enjoying Too Much, especially as a star vehicle for Meg Stalter, a scene stealer in Hacks. I wonder if Dunham’s second act will be defined by her NOT being the star of the show? The work of hers I enjoyed the most is Catherine Called Birdy, which she produced, adapted, and directed, but did not star in. 

It’s not like her fingerprints aren’t all over it—or aren’t all over Too Much—but I have never liked Dunham as an actor, which no one ever believes because you cannot have a normal conversation about Lena Dunham. The assumption is always that I don’t like Dunham because she is annoying or whatever the most recent complaint about her is, but she always strikes me as the same character, like she’s just projecting herself into the scene. That impression was enhanced earlier in her career, because I think she wanted us to conflate her with her characters, but that never made her or her work interesting (I think early on she confused “attention” with “interest”). But when she’s just focused on telling a story, she actually IS an interesting creator. 

Lately it seems like she’s focusing more behind the camera, and on writing, and I am curious to see how she develops when she’s concentrating more on filmmaking, and less on acting. I certainly like the cast she’s assembled for Good Sex, which also includes Tramell Tillman, the improbably named Tucker Pillsbury, and THE Meg Ryan. Oh, you’re making a movie about dating in New York, and it co-stars Meg Ryan? Yeah, I’m going to watch it.