Colin Farrell + Magic Horse= Double Swoon-worthy Cinema

November 14, 2013Shara RutbergUncategorized#FILM3 Comments

Even if you’re a bitter single person who prefers stall mucking to dating, this Valentine’s Day’s going to be good.

That’s when the movie Winter’s Tale, starring COLIN FARRELL ON A MAGIC HORSE is set for release. Looking at pics, it’s hard to decide who is better looking.

The flick’s based on the book by the same name by Mark Helprin that’s a love story featuring a thief, a flying horse and dying girl that jumps between modern day and 19th century New York. Jessica Brown Findlay, Downton Abbey‘s Lady Sybil, falls for a boy with a brogue once again in this story. Russell Crowe appears as a scowling pursuer–though thankfully he does not sing in this production. Will Smith and Matt Bomer, the easy-on-the-eyes con man in TV’s White Collar, are also in the film, which is directed by A Beautiful Mind‘s Akiva Goldsman.

The true star, of course, is Listo, the 17-year-old Andalusian stallion who plays Athansor, the magic horse. The stallion is trained by Rex Peterson and Cari Swanson of Swanson Peterson Productions. Peterson has trained a whole stable of Hollywood stars for movies including Hidalgo, Black Beauty, The Runaway Bride, The Horse Whisperer and Flicka. Swanson is a USDF Silver Medalist, FEI competitor and “L” judge.

[swansonpetersonproductions.com]

Here’s clip of their crew working with horses on the set of A Winter’s Tale.

Swanson posted some great images from Listo’s visit to their home.

What? Doesn’t your kitchen include a breathtaking Andalusian stallion?

Not like he needs anything to make him more attractive, but Colin Farrell’s not a bad rider. In this footage of him and Listo on set from StarFeine, he’s not too grabby with the reins and shows an admirably relaxed, long leg:

Of course, he spent lots of time in the saddle training for Alexander. And though that movie may be better known for Farrell’s scenes with Jared Leto than with any equine actor, director Oliver Stone had him ride for months before shooting so he’d look Great in the saddle.

Papparazzi caught some stunning shots of the Irishman galloping his white steed through the streets of New York (why did I never see this when I lived there?). But whattup with the bad hair cuts on horseback, lad?