Pilot Casting: Mena Suvari and Kyle Howard Co-Star in NBC Sitcom; Michael Raymond-James to Star in MIDNIGHT SUN; Jonathan Jackson Joins NASHVILLE
by Brendan Bettinger[1] Posted:February 22nd, 2012 at 9:29 pm
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NBC has brought Mena Suvari and Kyle Howard in to co-star in the untitled single-camera sitcom created by Hilary Winston (Community). The story centers on “a shy, focused woman who, after being dumped by her fiance, leans on her co-workers to help her come out of her shell and plot her revenge.” Suvari and Howard play two of the woman’s co-workers. Suvari is described as a “hard partyer and unabashedly promiscuous.” Howard is a former football player.
Hit the jump for more pilot casting news.
NBC cast Michael Raymond-James as one of the leads lead in the thriller Midnight Sun. Based on an Israeli series, Midnight Sun centers on “the mysterious disappearance of Midnight Sun, a group living on a cult-like commune in Dugan, Alaska, and a female FBI cult specialist leading the investigation that uncovers a larger conspiracy.” Raymond-James will play an Alaskan lawyer who serves as the second-in-command of the Dugan Police. I first noticed Raymond-James from across the room in True Blood. I fell in love after Terriers. Really happy to see him land the lead in a network pilot, no matter where it leads.
Finally, Deadline[2] reports that Jonathan Jackson has joined the cast of Nashville. The ABC pilot revolves around “the rising and fading stars” in the Nashville music scene. Jackson will play one of the rising, a “bad boy musician” and aspiring writer. Callie Khouri (Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood) wrote the script. RJ Cutler (The September Issue) will direct.
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References
- ^ Posts by Brendan Bettinger (collider.com)
- ^ Deadline (www.deadline.com)
Categories: Entertainment Tags: News, star
New Posters for WANDERLUST, STARLET, and 2 DAYS IN NEW YORK
We have three new posters to share with you:
- Wanderlust[1] – One last poster before the Paul Rudd/Jennifer Aniston comedy hits theaters this Friday, February 24.
- Starlet[2] – A smoky shot of Dree Hemingway to promote the SXSW premiere.
- 2 Days in New York[3] – The French one-sheet for Julie Delpy‘s follow-up to 2 Days in Paris; in addition to directing, Delpy stars opposite Chris Rock.
Hit the jump for the posters and more information on each project.
I liked the last collaboration between Rudd and director David Wain, Wanderlust. The supporting cast is great, too: Justin Theroux, Alan Alda, Malin Akerman, Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio, Kathryn Hahn, Lauren Ambrose, Jordan Peele, Kerri Kinney. But there’s nothing about this particular material that draws me in, so I have been eagerly awaiting the first reviews. They are starting to come in, and thank god, it’s good.
Official synopsis:
George (Rudd) and Linda (Aniston) are an overextended, stressed out Manhattan couple. After George is downsized out of his job, they find themselves with only one option: to move in with George’s awful brother in Atlanta.
On the way there, George and Linda stumble upon Elysium, an idyllic community populated by colorful characters who embrace a different way of looking at things. Money? It can’t buy happiness. Careers? Who needs them? Clothes? Only if you want them.
Is Elysium the fresh start George and Linda need? Or will the change of perspective cause more problems than it solves?
Dree Hemingway and Besedka Johnson star in Sean Baker‘s drama Starlet, which will have its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival in March. Baker co-wrote the screenplay with Chris Bergoch about “the peculiar friendship between a 21-year-old girl and an 85-year-old woman in the San Fernando Valley.” Stella Maeve, James Ransone and Karren Karagulian co-star. Poster via THR[4]:
Official synopsis:
STARLET explores the unlikely friendship between 21 year-old Jane (Dree Hemingway), and 85 year-old Sadie (Besedka Johnson), two women whose worlds collide in California’s San Fernando Valley. Jane spends her time getting high with her dysfunctional roommates, Melissa and Mikey, while taking care of her Chihuahua, Starlet. Sadie, an elderly widow, passes her days alone, tending to her flower garden.
After a confrontation between the two women at Sadie’s yard sale, Jane uncovers a hidden stash of money inside a relic from Sadie’s past. Jane attempts to befriend the caustic older woman in an effort to solve her dilemma and secrets emerge as their relationship grows.
2 Days in New York premiered to positive reviews at the Sundance Film Festival in January. The film will hit French theaters in March. For us here on the other side of the ocean, Magnolia will release 2 Days in New York on VOD and in North American theaters later this year. Poster via Allocine[5]:
The synopsis:
Writer/director Julie Delpy follows-up her 2007 comedy 2 Days in Paris with this tale of a happy couple who finds their comfortable relationship put to the test during an tumultuous family visit. Marion (Delpy) and Mingus (Chris Rock) both come from failed relationships. But by bringing their children together, they’ve managed to form a small yet happy family. Tensions in their household soon begin to spike, however, when Marion’s jovial father (Albert Delpy – the director’s real-life father) show up on their doorstep with his randy daughter and her peculiar boyfriend in tow. Later, as the motor-mouthed houseguests shatter every taboo imaginable, the happy couple begins to question their commitment. [MSN[6]]
References
Categories: Entertainment Tags: movie, star
SAFE HOUSE Director’s SNABBA CASH to Be Released July 27th as EASY MONEY
Although it’s been two years since The Weinstein Co. picked up the Swedish thriller, Snabba Cash, the movie finally has a release date of July 27th. Directed by Daniel Espinosa (Safe House), the film (being released as Easy Money) is based on a novel by Swedish author Jens Lapidus and follows a taxi driver (Joel Kinnaman) in Stockholm who gets caught up in a drug-running operation. The novel itself was at the heart of the film’s release delay because the English translation is only just arriving on American shores this April. Pointing to the success of the Stieg Larsson (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) books and banking on the box-office magic of Espinosa’s Safe House, Harvey Weinstein hopes the wait will be worth it. Hit the jump to see what he had to say.[1][2][3]
The LA Times[4] 
reported on Snabba Cash/Easy Money’s new release date. The film had previously gone to the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival, but then disappeared without further progress. In regards to the delay, Weinstein had this to say:
“We love the movie, but we needed the book to be out here. We were getting mixed messages on the publishing.”
It doesn’t hurt that Safe House is currently experiencing a successful box office run and Weinstein will be able to use that fact in marketing Easy Money:
“Audiences that see Safe House don’t necessarily go to see a Scandinavian-subtitled movie. But we still feel the movie could do well for a foreign-language picture. It could make four or five million dollars.”
If successful, there’s the possibility of Easy Money turning into a trilogy, something alluded to by AMC’s The Killing star, Kinnaman in a previous interview with Steve[5]. Look for Easy Money on July 27th.
References
- ^ Snabba Cash (collider.com)
- ^ Safe House (collider.com)
- ^ Easy Money (collider.com)
- ^ LA Times (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
- ^ previous interview with Steve (collider.com)
Categories: Entertainment Tags: movie, star
TV Casting Call: Brandon Routh to Play Vegan Nurse in CBS Comedy PARTNERS; Justin Bartha Set as Lead in Ryan Murphy’s Comedy Pilot THE NEW NORMAL
We’ve got a couple of TV casting stories to share with you this evening. First up, Superman Returns star Brandon Routh, Elizabeth Regen (The Professional), and Lucy Davis (Shaun of the Dead) have joined the CBS half-hour comedy pilot Partners. The multi-camera show comes from Will & Grace creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan and centers on two lifelong friends and business partners Charlie, who’s straight and Louis, who’s gay. Michael Urie plays Louis and Deadline[1] reports that Routh will play Louis’ partner, “a former alcoholic, club hopping model, now a sober, vegan nurse.” Sadly, the nurse is devoid of any vegan-infused superpowers.
Regen will play Ro-Ro, Charlie and Louis’ colorful assistant while Davis (who starred on the original British version of The Office) will play a bookkeeper for Charlie’s fiancé, played by Sophia Bush. Routh is no stranger to the small screen as he had a memorable recurring character on NBC’s Chuck, and I think his infectious charm suits him well for this role. Hit the jump for casting news concerning The Hangover star Justin Bartha joining Ryan Murphy’s high-profile comedy pilot.
Additionally, Glee/American Horror Story creator Ryan Murphy has found his two other leads for the half-hour comedy pilot The New Normal[2]. The series is described as “a heartwarming comedy about a blended family of a gay couple, Bryan and David, a gynecologist, and a woman, cash-strapped waitress and mother of one Goldie, who becomes a surrogate to help them have a child. Book of Mormon star Andrew Rannells is already set as Bryan, and Deadline[3] reports that Justin Bartha will play David while Scottish actress Georgia King is poised to play Goldie.
Murphy co-wrote the pilot with Ali Adler, and Ellen Barkin is set to appear as Goldie’s mother. There’s no guarantee that the single-camera comedy will go to series, but I’d say it’s a pretty safe bet given Murphy’s “God of Television” status as of late. Murphy’s great at coming up with novel ideas for series, but his long-term execution generally becomes spotty. Nip/Tuck crashed and burned after a few seasons, and Glee has been suffering creatively for quite a while now. Hopefully Adler will have a solid hand in the show should it go to series in order to keep it from going full-on soap too quickly.
References
Categories: Entertainment Tags: actress, News, star
Sacha Baron Cohen Banned from the Oscars?
Sacha Baron Cohen is not someone you would describe as uncontroversial. Now, his over-the-top antics may have gotten him banned from the 84th Annual Academy Awards. He’s been a British hip-hop artist (Ali G Indahouse), a Kazakhstani immigrant (Borat) and a flamboyant Austrian fashionista (Bruno), each one more polarizing than the last. Apparently his new character from The Dictator, General Aladeen, is not welcome at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ annual awards show. Hit the jump to find out what got The Dictator banned and to see why this might all just boil down to a publicity stunt one way or another.[1][2]
Deadline[3] reported 
on the MPAA’s withholding of Cohen’s tickets to this year’s Academy Awards. Cohen, who is known for doing live stunts in character to drum up interest in his movies, had petitioned the Academy to allow him to strut the red carpet as The Dictator. Rather than simply turning down the idea, they had reportedly banned him from the show, even though Cohen’s movie, Hugo[4], is up for eleven nominations, including Best Picture[5]. An insider from the Academy summed it up nicely as follows:
“Unless they’re assured that nothing entertaining is going to happen on the Red Carpet, the Academy is not admitting Sacha Baron Cohen to the show.”
Without Cohen in attendance, “nothing entertaining” is exactly what the Academy will get. However, THR[6] is reporting that the Academy hasn’t yet banned Cohen, they’re just waiting him out. So says an Academy spokesperson:
“We don’t think it’s appropriate. But his tickets haven’t been pulled. We’re waiting to hear back.”
On one hand, if the Academy allows Cohen to publicize his movie, they’ll open the door for others to do it in the future. Only this year, they made an exception to let movie-related advertising run during their commercial breaks. Then again, I’m reminded of Ben Stiller dressed full-out in an Avatar costume, complete with blue makeup. So where is the line to be drawn?
Except for the return of Billy Crystal to the host’s podium[7], the broadcast is unlikely to contain any surprises, either in the scheduled program of events or in the winners’ bracket. Perhaps this is all just a stunt dreamed up by Cohen and the Academy to up the shock value when General Aladeen makes an uninvited appearance, but that may be too much excitement to hope for. Starring Cohen, Ben Kingsley, John C. Reilly, and Anna Faris, The Dictator opens May 11th.
References
- ^ 84th Annual Academy Awards (collider.com)
- ^ The Dictator (collider.com)
- ^ Deadline (www.deadline.com)
- ^ Hugo (collider.com)
- ^ eleven nominations, including Best Picture (collider.com)
- ^ THR (www.hollywoodreporter.com)
- ^ return of Billy Crystal to the host’s podium (collider.com)
Categories: Entertainment Tags: movie, star