Eckhart 's next project was '' Thank You for Smoking '' , in which he played Nick Naylor , a tobacco lobbyist whose firm researched the link between smoking cigarettes and lung cancer . Eckhart said that he felt challenged playing the role : " You have to say these words that are crazy , and yet do it with a smile on your face and have the audience like you . At one point , I 'm doing a talk show with a kid who 's dying of cancer , and he 's going through chemotherapy and the whole thing , and I spin it so the anti-smoking people are the bad guys and I 'm the good guy , and I 'm this guy 's best friend . I mean , it 's whacked out . " The film was screened at a special presentation at the 30th annual Toronto International Film Festival in 2005 . It had a limited release in March 2006 and was released worldwide the following month . For his performance , Eckhart received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy . A contributor of '' USA Today '' wrote that he gave a " standout , whip-smart performance " citing that as Nick Naylor he kept him " likable even in his cynicism . " In the '' Seattle Post-Intelligencer '' review of the film , it was reported that " Under his chummy but compassionless smile " Eckhart radiated charm and " Naylor 's true joys : manipulating arguments , steering debate , cooking words . " In this same year , he starred with Helena Bonham Carter in '' Conversations with Other Women '' ( 2006 ) . While promoting this film , Eckhart revealed that he wishes not to be typecast or repeat himself , saying he does not want to play any more villains . He appeared in the 2006 film noir '' The Black Dahlia '' — based on a real 1947 crime — as Sergeant Leland " Lee " Blanchard , a detective investigating the murder of Elizabeth Short , later dubbed the " Black Dahlia " . The film premiered at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival . Reception for the movie was mixed , but many critics enjoyed Eckhart 's performance ; '' Time Out '' magazine praised Eckhart and co-star Hilary Swank for their performances , writing " ... both are great in their secondary roles . " Internationally viewed as a sex symbol , he was named one of '' People '' magazine 's 100 Most Beautiful People in 2006 . The following year , Eckhart was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . He starred in '' No Reservations '' ( 2007 ) , a remake of the 2001 German romantic comedy '' Mostly Martha '' . He starred opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones as an up-and-coming hotshot chef . The film was met with mixed reviews and was unfavorably compared to the original film . Eckhart starred in the 2008 comedy '' Meet Bill '' , in which he played the eponymous character , a sad executive working at his father-in-law 's bank . He gained 30 pounds and donned a fat suit for the role
63rd Venice International Film Festival
63rd Venice International Film Festival
Aaron Eckhart