Phoenix, who has avoided any press tour or politicking for The Master, now tells Interview magazine.

“Have you ever smoked a dog’s skeleton? Exhilarating.”

Oops. That’s actually not from Interview. That’s his outgoing voicemail. Here’s the actual quote.

“I’m just saying that I think it’s bullshit. I think it’s total, utter bullshit, and I don’t want to be a part of it. I don’t believe in it. It’s a carrot, but it’s the worst-tasting carrot I’ve ever tasted in my whole life. I don’t want this carrot. It’s totally subjective. Pitting people against each other…It’s the stupidest thing in the whole world,” he says. “It was one of the most uncomfortable periods of my life when Walk the Line was going through all the awards stuff and all that. I never want to have that experience again. I don’t know how to explain it—and it’s not like I’m in this place where I think I’m just above it—but I just don’t ever want to get comfortable with that part of things.”

Fair enough. Phoenix has been around long enough to play by his own rules and with two nominations under his belt, he has a suitable amount of perspective to inform his decision. Plus, once you have a guy poop on you, awards and superlatives really lose their luster. It changes a man.

7 photosAmy Adams

The good news here is that when Close and Dourif call up their parents to tell them the good news, they can just say they’re in The Master, not “the Scientology movie” or whatever. Just The Master. (Variety)

7 photosAmy Adams

“Hoffman stars as a man who returns after witnessing the horrors of WWII and tries to rediscover who he is in post-war America. He creates a belief system, something that catches on with other lost souls.”

Man, I should start a belief system. Lot of money in that. (The Film Stage)

7 photosAmy Adams

Megan Ellison‘s Annapurna Pictures is financing and The Weinstein Company will distribute. (Variety)

The role was originally offered to Reese Witherspoon last year, but when production ground to a halt when everyone in Hollywood realized that they were biting the hand that feeds them with the thinly-veiled treatment of Scientology. As such, the project went away, and so did Witherspoon.

It’ unknown exactly how much this project’s subject matter parallels the story of L. Ron Hubbard and Scientology and how critical of the topic it is, especially after a possible rewrite late last year before mega-badass Megan Ellison saved the project, but it’s safe to say that any story about Scientology is sure to raise a few eyebrows in Hollywood. You know, due to all those freaky Scientologists.

Production on the film starts on June 13th.

Ellison, a listed producer on True Grit, is giving Anderson several sacks of money to help make:

The Master, which is about the formation of a Scientology-eque religicult, and Philip Seymour Hoffman is interested in a lead role. Paramount ultimately passed on the movie last year, but now it looks like the project’s thetans are aligning once more.

Inherent Vice, based on a novel by reclusive author Thomas Pinchon, is a psychedelic, late-60′s detective story. Anderson is part-way through the script, and Robert Downey Jr. is interested in a lead role. Of course he is. If your movie doesn’t star Robert Downey Jr., Johnny Depp or James Franco, you’re obviously doing something wrong.

Armed with a gigantic novelty check from Oracle, hopefully Anderson can now make these cool-sounding movies. I’m glad that Ellison wants to produce good movies, rather than star in abominable ones, like some heiresses. (/Film)

_{Look what you’re doing to Paul!!!}

Jeremy Renner just gave us all one ticket to Bummersville. The actor recently revealed to Total Film that The Master has come to a grinding halt:

"I was really bummer about that," Renner revealed. "It really kind of stalled because when we were rehearsing – Phil, Paul and myself – we kept coming up against a wall that we couldn’t overcome. Or at least Paul couldn’t.

I’m sure he didn’t mean for that to sound like a burn, but what a buuuuuuuurn. Jeremy could overcome it, Paul? Why the hell couldn’t you?

At the press junket for Jack Goes Boating, Philip Seymour Hoffman also confirmed that the project is currently whack:

"I don’t have any new information ‘The Master‘]. I really mean that, I’m not being obstuse. I don’t quite know what that is at the moment, but hopefully I will and hopefully I’ll be part of something soon. It would be great to work with him again."

I was really looking forward to Anderson’s take on The Cause — his made up word for Scientology — and Hoffman portraying a version of L. Ron Hubbard, the author of the classic novel Battlefield Earth. Everyone keep your fingers crossed so tightly that they bleed. It’s the only way this project may get back on track. (ThePlaylist)

"NOM. NOM. NOM."

Paul Thomas Anderson has announced that his next project will be entitled, The Master. He’s cast his portly muse Philip Seymour Hoffman in the lead role as a charismatic man who creates his own cult religion. Many assume that this film will damn Scientology but Variety is quick to report:

“The drama does not so much scrutinize self-started churches like Scientology or the Mormons, as much as it explores the need to believe in a higher power … and the point at which a belief system graduates into a religion.”

Sounds interesting though I’m not too sure about the casting. Philip Seymour Hoffman is a great actor but I don’t buy him as a guy who founded a church. A Church’s Fried Chicken perhaps*, but not a church. (Variety)

_{*he’s fat}

Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman