By Sharon Kholle
Source: Moviefone

Director Bruce Robinson said that if Aaron Eckhart hadn’t agreed to play ambitious real-estate developer Sanderson in ‘The Rum Diary,’ “we’d still be casting.” In the movie, lots of rum is swilled and cigars are smoked. Turns out Eckhart only indulges in one of those vices in real life: “I got addicted to cigars while making this movie,” he admitted to Moviefone. Interestingly, he was one of the few who wasn’t lighting up at the movie’s press conference, where Johnny Depp smoked five hand-rolled cigarettes in quick succession, moderator Elvis Mitchell sucked on a huge stogie and Robinson smoked and drank a beer. By comparison, Eckhart says things were pretty tame on the Puerto Rican set.

Your character has a very nice spread on the beach in this movie.
We filmed it in the beach in Puerto Rico, which is great because that’s where it actually takes place. Often these days, you go somewhere like Eastern Europe and that’ll double for New York or Los Angeles or whatever. It’s nice to go to a place because the story takes place there.

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Aaron gives his views on Occupy Wall Street, taken from The Rum Diary press junket.

I’ve added photos of Aaron at the 21st Annual IMWF Courage In Journalism Awards where he presented an award to BBC war correspondent Katie Adie.

The 21st Annual IMWF Courage In Journalism Awards (10.24.11)

Finally! A clip of Aaron and Johnny Depp in “The Rum Diary”. Check it out below!

Aaron appeared in a PSA for Feeding America. Check out the video below and visit FeedingAmerica.org to donate.

MovieWeb has posted a feature on “The Rum Diary” including an interview with Aaron. Only days to go until the movie hits theatres this Friday!

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Aaron Eckhart contemplated transitioning from Hollywood to fashion design.

“It would be fun to do it,” he said. Befitting his upcoming role producing, acting and performing music as Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson in “The Drummer,” he described his style as “a California beachy guy.”

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Source: WWD

I’ve added photos of Aaron at the 2011 CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Finalists at the Chateau Marmont. He is sitting with the lovely Michelle Monaghan. Check out the photos in the gallery.

2011 CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund Finalists (10.20.11)

….And welcome back aviators! I’ve added photos of Aaron out and about in Malibu.

Out And About In Malibu (10.15.11)

Thesp to play Beach Boys drummer Wilson
By ANDREW STEWART

Aaron Eckhart has signed on to play Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson in helmer Randy Miller’s indie music biopic “The Drummer.”

Miller and Jody Savin, who were behind 2008′s “Bottle Shock,” are producing through their banner Unclaimed Freight Prods., along with music industry vet Brad Rosenberger. Savin wrote the script.

Eckhart, who recently landed the lead role in Lionsgate’s “I, Frankenstein,” had been in negotiations to play Wilson for several months. He will serve as exec producer and record his own renditions from Wilson’s solo album “Pacific Ocean Blue,” released in 1977.

“We’d been trying to figure out who the right person would be to fill this role,” Miller told Variety. “It’s quite a demanding role so it had to be a great actor who could sing.”

Pic, which is skedded to start shooting next year during late spring-early summer, chronicles the last six years of Wilson’s life, before his death in 1983. “There’s a discovery about Dennis with this film,” Miller said. “Everybody knows Brian, but nobody really knows Dennis’ music.”

The filmmakers have secured an overall deal for rights to the music, with two of Wilson’s children, Carl and Jennifer, co-producing.

Jonathan Gardner of Cohen/Gardner negotiated the deal on behalf of the producers, as well as CAA’s Tracey Brennan and David Matlof of Hirsch/Wallerstein for Eckhart.

Thesp recently finished shooting the lead role as an ex-CIA agent in “The Expatriate” and stars with Johnny Depp in the upcoming “The Rum Diary.” He’s repped by CAA.

Source: Variety