OUT 143--FLICK-BITZ (SMOKIN ACES)

Music sensations ALicia Keys and Common make film debutS in Smokin’ Aces

In their motion-picture debuts, Grammy-winning singer Alicia Keys and hip-hop artist Common (PICTURED ABOVE) join an incendiary array of stars—including Ben Affleck (Hollywoodland), Andy Garcia (Ocean’s 12), Ray Liotta (Identity), Jeremy Piven (Entourage), Ryan Reynolds (The Amityville Horror), Peter Berg (Collateral), Taraji Henson (Hustle & Flow), Chris Pine (Just My Luck), Martin Henderson (The Ring) and Jason Bateman (The Break-Up) in Smokin’ Aces, the new dark action-comedy from writer/director Joe Carnahan, the creator of Narc. Universal Pictures will release this film January 26th.

This wild story begins when FBI Deputy Director Stanley Locke (Garcia) has just dispatched his top agent, Richard Messner (Reynolds), and Messner’s veteran partner, Donald Carruthers (Liotta), to Buddy “Aces” Israel’s (Piven) not-so-secret hiding spot in Lake Tahoe. Their mission: protect the sleazy Vegas magician from mob boss Primo Sparazza-said to have performed over 130 contract murders-upon whom Aces has agreed to turn state’s evidence to save his own skin.

As the mob learns of his betrayal, they put a million-dollar bounty on Aces’ head. They don’t care who does him, just as long as he gets dead quick. Now, a wild menagerie of mercenaries, mass murderers and gorgeous guns-for-hire descend on Tahoe to locate Aces and collect that money…no matter who gets in their way.

Keys, in her inaugural role in film, plays bad girl/street assassin Georgia Sykes. On approaching her for the part, producer Liza Chasin recalls, “I’m not sure Alicia ever thought she’d make her film debut playing a girl packing a gun, dressed like a hooker. I credit her for flying in the face of that and saying, ‘My audience knows me for who I am as a singer, but I’m going to give them something unexpected for my turn as an actress.’”

Keys initial reaction to the script, she says, “The more I read it, the more intrigued I became. It was not only so interesting that each character had its own life, but I loved the way that every story combined into the next story. Everything you thought that it was, it was not. By the time I got to the end, I was enamored.”

Keys also works with another newcomer to the world of film, hip hop artist and Grammy nominee Common-who won the role of Aces right-hand man and steadfast second-in-command, Sir Ivy. The bodyguard has some hard choices to make when it all starts going down for his boss, and Carnahan was looking for an actor who could portray “the calm center of the storm and a man who has great nobility-understanding that the 11th hour is upon them.”

Common says about his first acting role, “I’ve been writing songs for 20 years. This was new to me. The words become yours, but you’re saying somebody else’s words, hitting certain marks, learning where your light is. This is such a good way to express yourself: a way to tap into yourself and do things that you don’t do as a music performer.”

Carnahan acknowledges his gratitude to this diverse mix of talent for their participation in his massive ensemble piece as he says, “I will be forever thankful that they decided to make my madness theirs for a while.”

Keys also paired by her booker-big pimpin’ Loretta Wyman-with an equally ruthless partner to smoke Aces. Sniper Sharice Watters, played by Taraji Henson, is a little woman with a big gun. Henson, who received acclaim for her role as Shug in Hustle & Flow, found playing Watters a fun exercise in style and attitude. She was not only required to physically transform herself from a naturally striking, petite actress-putting on no makeup, wearing her hair in cornrows and developing a badass attitude-she found herself using language that was brutally street and crazy smooth.

Her attraction to the script, Henson reflects, “The most amazing writers to me are the ones who write dialogue well. Joe Carnahan is writing for mobsters, girls from the hood, straight-laced people. It was just brilliant.”

Keys, a Grammy Award-winning, multiplatinum recording artist has changed the face of popular music since she burst on to the scene in 2001. Now Keys is poised to make her mark on the silver screen as well with two feature films slated for release in 2007.

In addition to her work as a stunning street assassin in Smokin’ Aces, Keys recently completed production on the big-screen adaptation of the bestselling book The Nanny Diaries, directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini for the Weinstein Company. The film is the story of Annie (played by Scarlett Johansson)—a young woman from a working-class family in New Jersey —struggling to find her place in the world.

Choosing to hide from real life for awhile, Annie accepts a position as a nanny for a wealthy Manhattan family. Keys plays Annie’s best friend, Lynette. While Annie is a bit lost after graduation, Lynette has a more solid grasp on what she wants from life. The film also stars Chris Evans, Laura Linney and Paul Giamatti and is scheduled for release in April 2007.

Keys is excited to get back into the studio and is currently at work on her third full-length album. The album is set for release in June 2007.

Keys’ debut album “Songs in A Minor,” was released in June 2001 on Clive Davis’ J Records. The album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 Chart, selling over 235,000 copies in its first week and went on to sell more than 10 million units worldwide.

Keys critically acclaimed sophomore effort, “The Diary of Alicia Keys,” was released in December 2003 and sold over 618,000 copies during its first week of release in the United States . Through different lyrical themes, the album demonstrates her innovative approach to music and the diversity of her own training, combined with classical elements and crazy beats. The album is currently seven-times platinum.

Keys’ third album, “Alicia Keys Unplugged” was both filmed and recorded at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2005 and debuted at No. 1. Her unforgettable acoustic performance features a full set of Keys’ most acclaimed music, along with several new songs exclusive to her “Unplugged” performance. Keys is joined on the album by musical counterparts Common, Mos Def, Damian Marley and Adam Levine (Maroon 5) for several memorable collaborations.

In her five-year music career, Keys has won nine Grammy Awards, 11 Billboard Music Awards, three American Music Awards, three World Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, two MTV Europe Awards, one NAACP Image Award 2004, two Nickelodeon Teen Choice Awards, one BET Award, three Soul Train Music Awards, one Soul Train Lady of Soul Award and a My VH1 Award.

Keys and her producing partner, Jeff Robinson, recently signed a first-look, multi-year motion picture production deal with Disney. The company—called Big Pita, Little Pita—will produce films in a variety of genres, both live action and animated, in a financial range encompassing budgets both independent and mainstream. Keys will participate in projects as both a producer and actress, with the company also spearheading soundtrack production and music supervision.

In 2005, Keys also became a New York Times bestselling author when she released her first published work, Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems & Lyrics by Alicia Keys. In 2004, she also became a travel correspondent for the New York Daily News, writing monthly travel columns throughout the summer that detailed experiences from her world tour.

She generously gives her time and energy as an ambassador and spokesperson for Keep A Child Alive, which provides anti-viral drugs to the millions suffering from AIDS in Africa . She also works closely with Frum Tha Ground Up, devoted to equipping America’s youth with the tools essential for achieving success on all levels; as well as Teens in Motion, a nonprofit organization created to offer teens the opportunity to develop their minds and bodies in a safe and secure environment.

Born and raised in New York , Keys graduated from the Professional Performance Arts School in Manhattan at the age of 16.

In 2006, the Grammy Award-winning artist Common made his big-screen debut as a musical performer in Dave Chapelle’s Block Party.

In 2007, he makes his acting debut in Smokin’ Aces. Later in the year, Common will co-star opposite Denzel Washington in American Gangster, directed by Ridley Scott.
Prior to acting, Common rose to prominence as one of hip-hop’s most poetic and respected lyricists, having recorded six albums including “Can I Borrow a Dollar?,” “Resurrection,” “One Day It’ll All Make Sense,” “Like Water for Chocolate” and “Electric Circus.”

In 2004, he partnered with Chicago native and rap music megastar Kanye West to produce the platinum-selling “Be,” which went on to garner four Grammy Award nominations. In July 2006, his video for the single “Testify” was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards, including Best Hip Hop Video. He and West are currently in the process of recording Common’s seventh album, “Finding Forever,” due in March 2007.

Additionally, Common has written a children’s book entitled The Mirror and Me, which teaches lessons of life, the human spirit and human nature. He’s completed the follow-up book I Like You but I Love Me and is working on M.E. (Mixed Emotions). He also started The Common Ground Foundation, an organization dedicated to utilizing the cultural relevance of hip-hop to serve as an advocate for justice, education, to fight poverty and to increase health awareness among youth in underserved communities throughout the United States .

Henson is best known for her breakout, award-winning performance as Shug in the critically acclaimed Hustle & Flow, opposite Terrence Howard. She performed the Oscar®-winning song “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” at the 78th Annual Academy Awards®. Remembered for her debut film role as Yvette in John Singleton’s Baby Boy, she also appeared in his film Four Brothers, opposite André Benjamin and Mark Wahlberg. Most recently seen in Focus Feature’s Something New, Henson next stars with Don Cheadle (who also produces) in Talk to Me, scheduled for release in late spring 2007.

She is also currently filming the upcoming The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, co-starring with Brad Pitt, on location in New Orleans .

A native of Washington , D.C. , Henson is a dean’s list graduate of Howard University ’s department of theater. Her career also includes television work on such series as ER, CSI, House and Lifetime’s detective drama The Division.

Universal Pictures Presents, in association with StudioCanal and Relativity Media, A Working Title Production of a Joe Carnahan Film. The executive producers are Robert Graf and Liza Chasin. The film is produced by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Smokin’ Aces is written and directed by Joe Carnahan.

Press info courtesy of www.rozstevensonpr.com

BOX OFFICE UPDATE: According to imdb.com, last weekend, Smokin' Aces (2006)
came in No. 2 at the Box Office raking in $14.3M.