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Behind The Candelabra, the Steven Soderbergh movie about the glamorous but closeted life of Liberace, may be Michael Douglas' moment to (literally) shine, but the wide-eyed performance of Matt Damon makes sure the viewer never forgets it's through his character's eye you witness the story. Based upon Scott Thorson's autobiography about his time as Liberace's live-in lover, the made-for-TV flick is already garnering serious critical steam.
Premiering on HBO Sunday, the movie was originally intended to be a theatrical release, but no studio would finance it. In fact, director Soderbergh has come forward and said that studios believed it was "too gay," and they didn't know how to market such an overtly homosexually themed film. But that didn’t keep it from making its world premiere at Cannes last week.
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A Boston native, Damon dropped out of Harvard just before graduating because he thought his first movie, Geronimo: An American Legend, was destined to be a big hit. Behind The Candelabra has him reuniting with his longtime collaborator Soderbergh for the eighth time — after the Oceans trilogy and hits like Contagion and The Informant.
The Oscar-winning screenwriter has a full schedule in front of him, appearing in George Clooney’s Oscar hopeful, Monument Men at the end of the year, as well as Neill Blomkamp’s follow up to District 9, Elysium. But for now, he is still letting his Brazilian tan lines fade and hoping the film crew can "unsee" his bronzed backside, which, as he tells us, was a major concern of his.
Did you know Liberace? Had you ever heard of him?
What’s it like to be in bed with Michael Douglas and have him tell you you’re snoring?
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Photo: Courtesy of HBO
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Did it ever get awkward?
The two characters undergo a lot of cosmetic surgery. How did you change your outward appearances?
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Did you meet with Scott?
Why do you think their relationship became so vitriolic in the end?
Photo: Camilla Morandi/Rex/Rex USA