'Stop-Loss' Director Kimberly Peirce Sounds Off About Channing Tatum

Here are two new stills from Channing Tatum and Ryan Phillippe's upcoming Iraq war drama, 'Stop-Loss'.

The production team also recently added a video of award-winning director Kimberly Peirce to the 'Sound Off' section of the new 'Stop-Loss' official site.

In the 'Sound Off' area of the site, you not only get to see videos created by real-life soldiers and their wives, you also get to ask Kimberly questions about the film. If you take the time to read through the questions and Kimberly's thoughtful answers, you really start to learn a lot about how and why she created the movie.

There's one question and answer that CTU readers may find especially interesting. An anonymous Channing Tatum fan (I know what you're thinking...no it wasn't me...this time) asked Kimberly the following question:

“How was it working with Channing Tatum? He looks AMAZING. I think he’s going to be a huge movie star!”

Here's Kimberly's very honest and interesting answer to the question:

"I love Channing -- a real southern boy, good looking, masculine, tough and very physical. I’d read that he’d trained as a dancer, so after his first audition, I asked him to dance for me -- he hit the floor and did some pretty physical break dancing. The second time he auditioned we worked together for a few hours. I was impressed with his emotional depth and maturity, his range and ability to take direction – he brought dignity to the role and brought the audience inside his struggle. We made a tape for [Scott] Rudin and the studio and they hired him. I give all the actors a good deal of research going in – hours of video footage soldiers had shot of each other, documentaries and personal interviews etc. to give them a sense of how soldiers talk and think, the way they move, their sense of camaraderie with one another. Channing, along with the other actors, worked with soldiers to know soldiers’ feelings, drives, fears, and experiences – then trained with experienced soldiers and military advisors to depict soldiers accurately, to protect their dignity, capture their humor and outlook. Channing was wonderful to work with on and offset -- focused, astute, fun and funny, looking out for his fellow actors and willing to go anywhere emotionally to bring the character to life in a real way. He has a lot of what it takes to be successful – he’s great looking, a great guy, charismatic, and very talented. I am looking forward to working with him again and seeing more of his work. (I have looking around some of this audition tape so I can post it)."

First of all, I am so hoping she is able to find Channing's audition tape. It would be really awesome to be able to see that type of behind-the-scenes footage. Secondly, to put Kimberly's glowing review of Channing in perspective, she also directed multiple Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank in her previous success 'Boys Don't Cry'. I'm thinking the woman may know a little about identifying talented actors. Just saying...

Oh and for the record, I totally called it months ago when I gave my completely fictional reenactment of how and why Channing was asked to dance in an audition for a role that seemingly did not call for any dancing abilities. With her desire to see Chan's dancing skills, it seems that you and I may have something in common with Kimberly Peirce. Now it has me thinking I should have totally asked Chan to dance when I met him recently.

No worries. I'll make sure to ask if I get to visit Channing on the set of the movie he's doing with Columbus Short from 'Stomp the Yard'. I figure with the two of them together, there's got to be some kind dancing involved with all of the down time that's inevitable on every set (even if Columbus Short said in a recent interview that there's no dancing in the actual movie).

OK I'm totally kidding, but I was extremely excited to read in one of Kimberly's answers that the premiere of the film may be in Austin, Texas, which is one of the locations where they filmed 'Stop-Loss' and (more importantly) is just a stone's throw from where I live.

Have dress. Will travel. Anyone up for a road trip? ;-)

'Stop-Loss' is scheduled to premiere in theaters in the US March 28, 2008, in the UK April 11, 2008, and in Germany June 19, 2008.

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