Zeta-Jones wasn’t in over her head on ‘Ocean’s Twelve’
When Catherine Zeta-Jones joined the cast of “Ocean’s Twelve,” it had to be intimidating.
Sure, she has an Oscar for “Chicago” and is married to high-powered producer/actor Michael Douglas. But she entered “a den of lions” when walking onto the set of this sequel.
Zeta-Jones portrays Isabel, a detective on the trail of Danny Ocean and his band of bandits, played by Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle and others.
No, she wasn’t the only woman – Julia Roberts reprised her role from the first movie, “Ocean’s Eleven” – but this time Roberts found out she was pregnant during shooting, and wasn’t around as long when the cast toured Rome, Amsterdam, Sicily and Monte Carlo.
The team of actors is a modern-day Rat Pack, not unlike Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and the rest who made the original “Ocean’s Eleven,” according to producer Jerry Weintraub.
When Zeta-Jones arrived, Weintraub recalls, “She came in, and she was a little worried about walking into this …”
“Den of lions,” interrupts Pitt.
“It was our first day of shooting. Brad had just come back from ‘Troy’ and was still in a dress,” Weintraub continues. “(Zeta-Jones) had lost a lot of weight after having the baby and so on and she looked to die for. She had the high heels on and tight jeans, those low-cut things …”
“Easy, boy,” cautions Pitt.
“Anyway, all the guys were around Catherine within seconds,” Weintraub says. “She was the center of attention as she should be, and she fit right into the group.”
It’s a tough group, by any stretch. They are known to play practical jokes on each other, and razz each other constantly.
The women weren’t immune from the pranks, Pitt says.
“I think that the biggest joke was on Catherine because she actually thought that we were making a movie,” he says. “Being the new kid no one told her. So she was up learning lines and doing character breakdowns and we just let her roll with it.”
She laughs, “I thought that the guys didn’t like me.”
“The great thing about Catherine is that there is this great beauty, this great elegance, but at the same time she’ll drink anyone under the table,” says Pitt, who got to do a romantic scene with her.
Says Clooney: “I think that it might be intimidating to come onboard a show with a group of people that’s already done one of these, and Catherine just jumped in with both feet and had a blast – or that’s what she said.”
Clooney has plans to nail her with one more practical joke.
“I’m doing a love scene with Michael Douglas later to even the score,” he deadpans. “That’ll teach her.”
The birthday bunch
Game show host Bob Barker is 81. Singer Connie Francis is 66. Singer Dionne Warwick is 64. Actor Wings Hauser is 57. Actress Sheree J. Wilson (“Walker, Texas Ranger,” “Dallas”) is 46. Singer Sheila E. is 45. Actress Jennifer Connelly is 34. Country singer Hank Williams III is 32. Actress Mayim Bialik (“Blossom”) is 29.