Spike Puts Scripted Development On Hold

The writing have been about the wall for some time, and Spike professionals started silently telling agents in the last handful of days the network is escaping . from the scripted business, a minimum of for the moment. Among the network’s 2 scripted professionals, Laurence Sullivan, has departed to become listed on Conan O’Brien’s production company Conaco. The final time Spike introduced a scripted development slate was last October. From the 7 projects onto it, one, the Wally Becket-created and Andy Tenant-directed Thunderballs, visited pilot but hasn’t been acquired to series. Spike also handed down its 2 aircraft pilots purchased this past year, Back Nine and Having fun with Guns. (Having Fun With Guns was later redeveloped by Comedy Central). Spike’s only remaining scripted executive Dustin Davis continues to supervise existing development, together with a script the network bought recently a good NYPD explosive device squad, in addition to Spike’s sole scripted series, Blue Mountain Condition. Spike’s lately acquired 4 new series, all within the reality genre in which the funnel has already established rankings success with your hits as Auction Predators and Repo Games.

5 Favorite Senior High School Comedies

5 Favorite Senior High School Comedies By Christy Lemire August 26, 2011 Photo by Universal Pictures "16 Candle lights" La (AP) That magical time is here again: the beginning of the new school year. Time for you to start thinking about new ways to ditch class and blow off homework.Here is a suggestion should you seem like waiting: five of my favorite comedies about senior high school. Don't be concerned, there will not be considered a quiz after: "Fast Occasions at Ridgemont High" (1982): A lot of classic lines. So many great tunes. And the like a good youthful cast of then-unknown stars, brought by Sean Penn, Phoebe Cates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold and Forest Whitaker. Individuals people who was raised within the 1980s most likely appreciate everyday "Fast Occasions" with great fondness and nostalgia. In the day, though, it appeared pretty racy it matter-of-factly portrayed a personality getting an abortion, after all. However it was refreshingly honest concerning the way teens talk and relate the way they get wasted making mistakes within an early illustration showing author Cameron Crowe's excellent ear for dialogue. "Rushmore" (1998): Clever, sweet and crackling with artistic energy, this really is still Wes Anderson's best film. His trademark stylistic methods and dependence on detail felt new and fresh back then, plus they offered the storyline perfectly. Rushmore Academy's ultimate joiner, Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), is a little of the lonely, odd duck with a few romantic, misguided notions. Sure, he's a compulsive liar, but you will naturally wish to emulate him: He's prepared to try anything or befriend anybody. And despite the fact that he's usually wisest guy within the room, he's never cynical. He's observant and kind. He sees the great in people and that is how he will get his heart damaged. "16 Candle lights" (1984): While "The Breakfast Club" remains my favorite John Hughes movie ever, it will get heavy and angsty because it goes along. You may like "Ferris Bueller's BreakInch best, that would be also a suitable answer. But this story of the regular girl (Molly Ringwald) whose family does not remember the most crucial birthday of her existence is simply rapid-fire amusing from begin to finish. It entirely will get the absurdity of adolescence and precisely delineates the rigid caste system of senior high school without ever taking sides. Everyone's a freak or perhaps an idiot in their unique way and everyone's were built with a secret crush with an not possible Mike Ryan type. "Election" (1999): This early feature from director Alexander Payne would be a dead-on, dark satire of how senior high school energy struggles go a long way while shrewdly supplying a metaphor for the own political system. Reese Witherspoon is simply insanely adorable in her own irritatingly perky way as Tracy Flick, who'll visit absolutely nothing to be chosen student body leader. You do not blame Matthew Broderick as her social studies teacher from walking in and seeking to contain her ambition. However the script from Payne and Jim Taylor also finds the inadequacy and vulnerability in Tracy, which prompts our unpredicted sympathy. "Heathers" (1988): Like "Election," this pitch-black comedy required an unflinching consider the means by which senior high school kids shoot for control and, on the other hand, the means by which they are prepared to fall in line to become recognized. In director Michael Lehmann's increased version of reality, the Heathers rule the college three women with exactly the same title who cruelly dominate everybody around them. Winona Ryder plays the rare Veronica who's permitted in their clique, but she sees her peers clearly making her easy pickings for the subversive J.D. (a youthful, exciting Christian Slater). The large hair and shoulder pads are as abundant because the classic, biting lines. It's all regulated so ... very.Copyright 2011 Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 5 Favorite Senior High School Comedies By Christy Lemire August 26, 2011 "16 Candle lights" PHOTO CREDIT Universal Pictures La (AP) That magical time is here again: the start of a brand new school year. Time for you to start thinking about new methods to ditch class and blow off homework.Here is a suggestion should you seem like waiting: five of my personal favorite comedies about senior high school. Don't be concerned, there will not be considered a quiz after: "Fast Occasions at Ridgemont High" (1982): A lot of classic lines. A lot of great tunes. And the like a good youthful cast of then-unknown stars, brought by Sean Penn, Phoebe Cates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold and Forest Whitaker. Individuals people who was raised within the 1980s most likely appreciate everyday "Fast Occasions" with great fondness and nostalgia. In the day, though, it appeared pretty racy it matter-of-factly portrayed a personality getting an abortion, in the end. However it was refreshingly honest concerning the way teens talk and relate the way they get wasted making mistakes within an early illustration showing author Cameron Crowe's excellent ear for dialogue. "Rushmore" (1998): Clever, sweet and crackling with artistic energy, this really is still Wes Anderson's best film. His trademark stylistic methods and dependence on detail felt new and fresh in those days, plus they offered the storyline perfectly. Rushmore Academy's ultimate joiner, Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), is a little of the lonely, odd duck with a few romantic, misguided notions. Sure, he's a compulsive liar, but you will naturally wish to emulate him: He's prepared to try anything or befriend anybody. And despite the fact that he's usually wisest guy within the room, he's never cynical. He's observant and kind. He sees the great in people and that is how he will get his heart damaged. "16 Candle lights" (1984): While "The Breakfast Club" remains my personal favorite John Hughes movie ever, it will get heavy and angsty as the story goes along. You may like "Ferris Bueller's BreakInch best, that will be also a suitable answer. But this story of the regular girl (Molly Ringwald) whose family does not remember the most crucial birthday of her existence is simply rapid-fire amusing from beginning to end. It entirely will get the absurdity of adolescence and precisely delineates the rigid caste system of senior high school without ever taking sides. Everyone's a freak or perhaps an idiot in their unique way and everyone's were built with a secret crush with an not possible Mike Ryan type. "Election" (1999): This early feature from director Alexander Payne would be a dead-on, dark satire of how senior high school energy struggles go a long way while shrewdly supplying a metaphor for the own political system. Reese Witherspoon is simply insanely adorable in her own irritatingly perky way as Tracy Flick, who'll visit absolutely nothing to be chosen student body leader. You do not blame Matthew Broderick as her social studies teacher from walking in and seeking to contain her ambition. However the script from Payne and Jim Taylor also finds the inadequacy and vulnerability in Tracy, which prompts our unpredicted sympathy. "Heathers" (1988): Like "Election," this pitch-black comedy required an unflinching consider the means by which senior high school kids shoot for control and, on the other hand, the means by which they are prepared to fall in line to become recognized. In director Michael Lehmann's increased version of reality, the Heathers rule the college three women with similar title who cruelly dominate everybody around them. Winona Ryder plays the rare Veronica who's permitted in their clique, but she sees her peers clearly making her easy pickings for that subversive J.D. (a youthful, exciting Christian Slater). The large hair and shoulder pads are as abundant because the classic, biting lines. It's all regulated so ... very.Copyright 2011 Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Exclusive First Look: Brandy on Drop Dead Diva

Drop Dead Diva Drop Dead Diva is breaking out the Brandy. TV's former Moesha will guest-star as a sexy nurse on the Sunday, Sept. 4 episode of Drop Dead Diva for a multi-episode arc that may stretch into next season, and TVGuide.com has the exclusive first look. 90210 elects Brandy for recurring role Brandy's character is an old flame of Parker (Josh Stamberg) and seeks out his legal advice when her father's life insurance company refuses to pay out his policy. "I've been a huge fan of Brandy from her earliest days in television," creator Josh Berman tells TVGuide.com. "When we met to discuss her role on Diva, she was so warm and kind. I was thrilled to discover that she had actually watched every episode of the series and is a huge fan. I'm excited for the viewers to see Brandy's arc." Brandy, who was also a Dancing with the Stars finalist, will kick off her acting comeback this season with the Diva role and then will recur on the upcoming season of 90210 this fall. Drop Dead Diva airs Sundays at 9/8c on Lifetime, with this week's episode marking Millionaire Matchmaker Patti Stanger's acting debut.

Bachelor Pads Vienna Girardi States She & Kasey Kahl Will Marry

La, Calif. -- Vienna Girardi is likely to marry her Bachelor franchise fellow, Kasey Kahl Were gonna got married eventually, were gonna get engaged, Vienna told Package Hoover and guest co-host Kevin Jonas on Tuesdays Access Hollywood Live. Vienna revealed this news when Package raised that they flinched when Kasey presented a jewellery box on Bachelor Pad, something she thought may have been an gemstone. For me personally, I dont desire a TV engagement again, she stated. I would like that to become our engagement, ours alone. Vienna and Kasey have produced a stir since striking Bachelor Pad this year, and she or he revealed it's become the pair some not-so-friendly Tweets. Dont send us nasty mean comments, its entertainment, she stated. Just relax and revel in it. Were pretty good people. Nobody about the shows bad. Kasey stated despite what is been show, he's no damaging feelings toward his ladys ex-fiance, Mike Pavelka. I dont wish harm upon anybody. I dont really wanna punch him hard, Kasey described. I seriously wish the very best for him. Were happy. Hopefully the very best for him. On Monday nights Bachelor Pad, the show came to the conclusion having a Sopranos-style fade to black screen. Kasey and Mike remained as up for elimination because the moment happened and merely prior to the screen went black, show host Chris Harrison stated Kaseys title. On Access Hollywood Live, Vienna cast doubt on whether hes being removed once the show returns in a few days. I'll say this, Kasey got his named known as, so in each and every rose ceremony [youve] seen, if you achieve your title known as, you receive a rose. In case your title does not get known as, you decide to go home, she stated, showing up to hint it had been Mike who does be packing his bags. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved.These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Ben Stiller To Receive Britannia Award

Ben Stiller will receive the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award For Excellence In Comedy from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts/Los Angeles, the organization said today. The ceremony is Nov. 30 at the Beverly Hilton. BAFTA has already announced fellow Britannia honorees Helena Bonham Carter, John Lasseter and David Yates; the Stanley Kubrick Award For Excellence In Film is due to be unveiled soon.

Ghost Musical Hits Broadway This Spring

Keeping with the trend of bringing movies to the stage, London’s musical adaptation of Ghost — the embarrassingly awesome ’80s classic featuring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg and the most erotic pottery wheel scene in the history of cinema — will hit Broadway this spring. Matthew Warchus, who is directing the Piccadilly Theatre production of Ghost will shepherd this one overseas, though no word yet if stars Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy will come along. Ghost, Dirty Dancing, the Red Dawn remake — what Patrick Swayze property will get re-done next? Road House? [NYT]

The Company

A Tent Filled with Wild birds presentation Created by Maggie Betts, Ben Selkow, Joedan Okun, Benjamin Prager. Executive producer, Roland Betts. Directed, compiled by Maggie Betts.With: Mutinta Mweemba, Abarcon Mweemba, Patrick Nchimunya, Matildah Mweemba. (Tonga dialogue)Sober highlighting on funereal, "The Company" is really a painterly, poetic docu in regards to a polygamous family in Zambia the mother and father are Aids-positive, the ladies are pregnant and everything is so dysfunctional that giving birth is really a mixed blessing at best. It's difficult to suggest what else helmer Maggie Betts may have completed with a topic she clearly likes you. However the movie's tirelessly morbid tone is not likely to have it much play, ill serving its tries to raise awareness about Africa's Helps crisis and methods to prevent infant Aids. Utilizing a surfeit of portraiture along with a score too melodramatic for that film's overall aesthetic, Betts informs the storyline of Mutinta Mweemba, the 2nd from the three spouses of Abarcon Mweemba, a player within the village of Keemba as well as an easy villain. His spouses -- who include Brenda, the first one to die, and Matildah, the final to obtain examined -- perform the work Abarcon struts while seated. The household's a lost cause, so any dramatic tension is supplied by the fate of Mutinta's unborn baby, a reveal pulled out to the stage of absurdity.Camera (color, HD), Kat Westergaard editor, Flavia p Souza music, Daniel Burns, David Della Santa. Examined on DVD, New You are able to, August. 16, 2011. (In DocuWeeks, Tribeca Film Festival.) Running time: 88 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Ray Bradbury's 'Dandelion Wine' Set for the Big Screen

Happy birthday, Ray Bradbury. The dean of American science fiction turns 91 Monday, and what better way to celebrate than to announce that he has teamed with Mike Medavoy and Doug McKay of Phoenix Pictures. RGI Productions' Rodion Nahapetov and producer Natasha Shliapnikoff to produce the feature film adaptation of Bradbury's classic 1957 novel 'Dandelion Wine.' Nahapetov will pen the screenplay. "'Dandelion Wine' is my most deeply personal work and brings back memories of sheer joy as well as terror," Bradbury said in a statement. "This is the story of me as a young boy and the magic of an unforgettable summer which still holds a mystical power over me." 'Dandelion Wine' is a series of short stories connected together to tell the story of a 12-year-old boy's magical summer in 1928 in the fictional town of Green Town, Ill. Many of Bradbury's books and short stories have been turned into films and TV productions, the most famous being 'Something Wicked This Way Comes,' 'The Martian Chronicles' and 'Fahrenheit 451.' Medavoy has an enviable Hollywood track record, having run Orion and TriStar Pictures and shepherding dozens of Academy Award-winning films. Most recently he produced 'Shutter Island' and 'Black Swan.' Tip o' the hat to Deadline.

Hooters Snow Angels 2011

What type of girl could rock a bikini on the ski trip? A Hooters Girl! Join twelve from the mobile phone industry's most popular Hooters women because they mind to Aspen, Colorado to warm up the Rockies.Its requires a special kind of girl to rock a bikini on the ski trip. The Hooters Women certainly suit you perfectly. Get looking for spills, thrills and many chills because this fun-loving crew assumes Aspen, Colorado and also the star-studded slopes by storm and provides new meaning towards the term moguls. And lastly, what all Spike audiences are awaiting, they complete their stick with the mobile phone industry's most popular bathing suit pageant within the snow.

Film directors reign at Emmys

Todd Haynes directs Kate Winslet on the set of HBO miniseries 'Mildred Pierce.'Feature film director Olivier Assayas earned an Emmy nom for 'Carlos.'Starting in the late 1950s, television invaded the movies in a two-fold attack. First, it seized the moviegoing audience, offering up enough free entertainment in the comfy safety of home that the notion of bothering to go out to theaters became a burden that had a simple solution: Stay in. Second, TV style infiltrated the cinema, from directors like Sidney Lumet and John Frankenheimer to actors like Steve McQueen bringing their smallscreen talents to the bigscreen.Now, the invasion has reversed course. Filmmakers from the cinema world are shifting to TV with unprecedented speed and gusto, giving up little if any of their artistic vision in the process and snatching Emmy noms along the way.No fewer than 11 of the 15 directing nominees in the drama, nonfiction and miniseries-movie categories are feature film helmers, including such world-class filmmakers as Olivier Assayas ("Carlos"), Martin Scorsese (with twin noms for the pilot of "Boardwalk Empire" and the doc profile on Elia Kazan, "A Letter to Elia"), Todd Haynes ("Mildred Pierce"), Neil Jordan ("The Borgias") and Curtis Hanson ("Too Big to Fail").Add to this impressive roster the likes of Canadian filmmaker Jeremy Podeswa (the "Boardwalk Empire" episode, "Anastasia"), "Monster" director Patty Jenkins ("The Killing" pilot) and feature doc filmmakers Josh Fox ("Gasland"), Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman ("Cinema Verite") plus Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato ("Becoming Chaz"), and the roster begins to resemble the Oscars more than a traditional Emmy rundown.And as these directors note, their tube projects were, for all intents and purposes, movies with fewer strings attached."I approached this like a regular movie, in terms of its shooting," says Hanson of "Too Big to Fail," his HBO drama based on Andrew Ross Sorkin's book-length account of the 2008 fiscal crisis that verged on economic meltdown. "The challenge was that it was largely contained to offices with guys talking, so how do you make that visually interesting? My choices weren't to compromise for the television screen at all, but to come up with the most interesting camera setups I could find."Haynes' adaptation (with screenwriter and novelist Jon Raymond, who usually collaborates with filmmaker Kelly Reichardt) of James M. Cain's novel "Mildred Pierce," may prove to be a test case in how a highly developed cinema language and style cedes no ground to the supposedly limiting TV confines. Effectively a five-hour and 40-minute movie, it emphatically reduces the impact of Michael Curtiz's Oscar-winning version with Joan Crawford, while displaying all of Haynes' exceptional gifts for aesthetic textures in color and light. As a sign of its inherent cinematic punch, the film will screen in its entirety at the Venice Film Festival."Cain had written his 'Madame Bovary' with 'Mildred Pierce,' a social novel with a domestic narrative," Haynes says. "Jon brought the novel to my attention, and it was such a shock to discover since I so much loved the movie. I jettisoned any noir touches, and turned to the American style in '70s films like 'Chinatown,' 'Klute' and the 'Godfather' films, many shot by (cinematographer) Gordon Willis, which stressed a cool, sophisticated camera that was more observant and less intrusive."Assayas, whose films from "Summer Hours" to "Irma Vep" consider a host of topics from genre to economic and cultural globalization, was offered "Carlos" by Canal Plus. The Euro cable giant, he says, "understands cinema, since they have one foot producing in the film world and one foot in television. They allowed me not only a budget far exceeding anything I had before ($15 million), but also the chance to make a film without compromising an inch."When "Carlos" appeared last year, it premiered in an out-of-competition Cannes slot, and its astonishing screening inspired many observers to note that had the festival's rules not applied -- that a pic set for tube play can't compete -- "Carlos" may very well have won the Palme d'Or.Docmakers like Fox made "Gasland" for the bigscreen first -- it preemed at last year's Sundance Film Festival -- and then was picked up by HBO. But fellow docmakers Pulcini and Berman, who shifted from docs to narrative movies a few years ago with "American Splendor," made "Cinema Verite" for the premium cabler, and even further, determined to "make a movie that was TV commenting on TV itself," Berman says."We never conceded to filming for the TV screen," she adds, "except for perhaps a few more closeups than we'd normally do."ROAD TO THE EMMYS: THE DIRECTOR Film directors reign at EmmysDrama | Comedy | Minis, Movies and Dramatic Special | Nonfiction | Variety, Music and Comedy Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Emmys 2011: 10 Lengthy Shots Worth Watching

Emmy commentators tend to be in the commercial of suggesting who'll win. But sometimes, just being nominated signifies a large victory, and probably the most fascinating and culturally important shows and stars within the race are nominees whose hopes would be the cheapest. Sadly for commentators, sometimes they win anyway. Even when they don't, here's why we applaud the dark horses of 2011.our editor recommends'30 Rock,' 'Mad Men' take top EmmysEmmy Nominations 2011: Snubs and ShockersRelated Subjects•Emmys 1. Melissa McCarthy Lead Comedy Actress Each year with two other challengers of unconventional stature, Kathy Bates (Harry's Law) and Margo Martindale (Justified), Mike & Molly's McCarthy is the one that enables you to go, "Whoa!" Bates is definitely an legendary superstar propping up a so-so show, and Martindale is really a respected character actor breaking out large-amount of time in an excellent one, but 14 years after she first made an appearance on her behalf cousin Jenny McCarthy's show, Melissa McCarthy is indeed a phenom. She won a teenager Choice scene-stealer award for Bridesmaids and may most likely win a most adorable Emmy contender prize. What's her secret? She combines facets of her two comedy symbols, Gilda Radner and Jane Curtin of Saturday Evening Live. "Things I loved about Jane was how straight she performed stuff," McCarthy informs THR. "Even while just a little kid, I had been strangely enthusiastic about that demonstrate. I don't think I understood why it had been so funny." From Radner, McCarthy required unfortunate-free approach: "Gilda Radner didn't come with an ounce of pride to her. Which was among my personal favorite characteristics in anybody." McCarthy's persona shows no fear and doesn't think she's being funny. "To that particular person, they're creating a excellent point. It may't be funny or strange towards the person," she states. "It will all appear like one plus one equals two. You're just stating details." Fact: Nobody is funny in quite the way in which McCarthy is. And when you're amazed at her nomination, she am shocked she almost flattened on camera. VIDEO: Emmy Roundtable: Comedy Stars 2. Mireille Enos Lead Drama Actress Playing a homicide detective as broodingly moody because the Dallas skies above her within the Killing, Enos out-underacts anybody else on television. Overlook the show's controversially tricky, red-colored-sardines-happy plotline while focusing on her behalf face. Its stoic resolve may be the most radical factor concerning the most significantly original gumshoe show around. It's the anti-SVU, and hers may be the complete opposite of a Mariska Hargitay performance -- maybe too opposite to obtain eight noms like Hargitay. Emmy or no Emmy, Enos is really a somebody now, rather than one of individuals spouses on Large Love who's so excellent but her title escapes you. 3. Michelle Forbes Supporting Drama Actress Because the precariously angered mother from the girl whose killer is hunted within the Killing, Forbes most likely has less possibility of winning than Enos, but both of them are posting episodes by which their figures frantically seek their missing kids. Forbes' performance may be the more searing and frightening she's mobile phone industry's from the usual blubbering victim's mother on procedurals. She's not really a sentimental prop her fury propels the tragic plot. Forbes' mind-stealing maenad involved probably the most intense character on True Bloodstream, too. VIDEO: Emmy Roundtable: Drama Stars 4. Parks and Entertainment Comedy Series Somewhat just as much an expression of their SNL comedienne inventor as 30 Rock is, Parks has faced a rockier, less-Emmy-fortunate road. But Amy Poehler non-stop enhanced the show, mucked around together with her role as bureaucrat nerd-in-chief, put a lot of literally brilliant Take advantage of Lowe within the mix and started this year having a best comedy nom to choose her lead comedy actress nom. Otherwise because of its easy rival Modern Family, Parks is probably not this type of dark equine. 5. James Forest Supporting Miniseries/Movie Actor As Dick Fuld, "the Gorilla of Wall Street," Forest will get the bellowing villain role within the movie Too Large to Fail, a mostly supportive portrait from the designers from the 2008 going under (and also the shaky, dicey bailout). Fuld switched his billion-dollar personal stock in Lehman Siblings into $56,000 through sheer brazen denial, a personality flaw Forest feasts on just like a banker on the sucker investor. The very best salesperson sells themself lower the river first. He won't get observed in this star-studded cast (Paul Giamatti, Billy Crudup, Tony Shalhoub, Bill Pullman, Matthew Modine, Topher Sophistication, John Heard, Cynthia Nixon), plus they're all overshadowed by lead William Hurt, but Forest reasserts his ongoing role because the 800-pound gorilla of high-IQ villains. Forest thinks about financial titans as resembling celebrities: You're only just like your last grosses or share cost, which means you gotta have confidence in the ideal. Forest is really a credible obsessed believer. VIDEO: Emmy Roundtable: Drama Stars 6. Timothy Olyphant Lead Drama Actor The Justified star's revolver won't likely outdraw the Boardwalk Empire tommy guns of Steve Buscemi, but his dramatic goal is equally as deadeye, his dialogue is purer tough-guy poetry, and that he's more dynamic than Buscemi and more lively than Mad Males's Jon Hamm, another leader. The ironic issue is, Olyphant might really be overshadowed by his own castmates. Martindale, on the face a guest actor on the program, posted as supporting actress rather (perfectly reasonable considering the fact that she's Olyphant's p facto co-star) and also got much more Emmy buzz for this than his campaign has. (He's not too a lot better than he was last season, and she or he's the large reason this year sizzles.) Supporting nominee Walton Goggins will get more ink for his stunning work this year than Olyphant, as well as surprise guest actor nom Jeremy Davies upstages the easygoing star together with his jagged, worked up tempos. It sometimes will pay for talent to not be rather so encircled by other talent, from an Emmy strategy perspective. 7. Edgar Ramirez Lead Miniseries/Movie Actor The Carlos star is really a dark equine of the different color. Many commentators really favor SAG and Globe nominee Ramirez to win for that animal magnetism of his performance just as real-existence terrorist Carlos the Jackal. I initially rated his chances in front of Hurt's for the reason that other terror story, Too Large to Fail. However I believe the 2011 fiscal crisis makes Fail more timely. Also, Ramirez is really a lengthy shot due to the confusing character of Carlos' success. He also it were large figures in last season's movie-honours race, despite the fact that its origin like a TV broadcast made Carlos ineligible to have an Oscar. But experts and film festivals treated it just like a movie, taking a shower it with kudos. Now it appears like old news in another medium. It's amazing this type of sprawling polyglot drama even got made. "It's a 5½-hour movie which was never practiced," Ramirez informs THR. When he told director Olivier Assayas he and the co-stars had no clue how you can play their roles, Assayas stated he was relieved while he had no clue how you can shoot the film. So everything was improvised. "It had been a happening factor, just like a happening within the ླྀs," states Ramirez. "Very cinema verite, very nouvelle vague." Not Emmy meat, however it's a starmaking role. PHOTOS: Emmy Nominations 2011: Snubs and Shockers 8. The Kennedys Miniseries/Movie Dissed in the start sight unseen, driven by howls of protest from History funnel to teensy upstart Reelz, the pulpy miniseries defied experts by nabbing 10 Emmy noms. Belittled for sensationalizing its subjects, Kennedys really sentimentalizes them, soft-pedaling their plutocrat cynicism and omitting their stinging wit. In tangible existence, Jackie's relation by marriage, Gore Vidal, stated she and Jack were really like the denizens of Harmful Liaisons. It could face a less uphill fight for the best miniseries/movie whether it were meaner and fewer safe. Still, you need to admire its pluck because the little cleaning soap opera that may. Greg Kinnear is nice as JFK, Tom Wilkinson is much better as his callous father, and when Katie Holmes can't capture Jackie's spirit, she's got the appearance. Jackie once quipped concerning the famous pillbox Oleg Cassini created for her, "He got a great deal of mileage from that little hat." The same is true Katie. 9. Friday Evening Lights Drama Series They stated a show so quiet and deliberate and psychologically realistic would face certain dying. It did. Frequently, for five seasons. And today it's finally over and it has one further opportunity to beat the chances. It most likely won't, but you need to respect Emmy for visiting its senses and nominating FNL before it's gone. VIDEO: Emmy Roundtable: Drama Showrunners 10. Bet on Thrones Drama Series Probably the most bold, strange, bewilderingly complex show of year, there's not a way it may overcome Emmy's anti-fantasy tradition and win. However, even its designers doubted Thrones might be nominated the very first year. Who knows? Debuting late within the Emmy race, that the showrunners thought will be a disadvantage, switched to be considered a positive thing, since it made Thrones the most recent rage. The show is much like its sole acting nom, supporting actor Peter Dinklage: It's a proud dwarf that stands mind and shoulders over the competition. Related Subjects Mad Males Justified Mike and Molly Carlos Boardwalk Empire Parks and Entertainment Bet on Thrones The Kennedys Friday Evening Lights The Killing Too Large to Fail Melissa McCarthy Michelle Forbes Edgar Ramirez Mireille Enos Timothy Olyphant Emmy Honours Emmys 2011

The Talls

Christa Scott-Reed and Shannon Esper are mother and daughter in Anna Kerrigans one-act The Talls, presented by Second Stage. An exhibition from the Second Stage Theater Uptown of the play in a single act by Anna Kerrigan. Directed by Carolyn Cantor. Russell James - Gerard Canonico Nicholas Clarke - Timothee Chalamet Isabelle Clarke - Shannon Esper Catherine Clarke - Lauren Holmes Christian Clarke - Michael Oberholtzer Mr. John Clarke - Peter Rini Mrs. Anne Clarke - Christa Scott-ReedSee one coming-of-age play and you've seen Them all. Well ... not. The bookish girl using the growing pains in "The Talls," Anna Kerrigan's version of the genre staple, lives inside a household of lengthy-limbed strivers being groomed within the competitive sports of high-school athletics and California politics. But that can be a atypical background (circa seventies) adds a piquant note towards the heroine's rebelliousness, it does not affect the fundamental family dynamic, that is as non-stop dull and self-apparent every other coming-of-age play. Whatever buddies, family and your customers in the market will make of early-career productions, they are a principal teaching tool for neophyte playwrights. So let us hope that Kerrigan accumulates some valuable tips in the professional treatment she's getting from Second Stage Uptown, which developed her play because of its summer time festival series. Maybe she's learned, for example, the dramatic occasions spinning the plot wheels should ideally occur onstage. While there's plenty happening within the lives from the Clarke family -- father (Peter Rini) is running for political office mother (Christa Scott-Reed) would go to pieces when her closest friend is wiped out inside a street accident a couple of the children (Lauren Holmes and Michael Oberholtzer) are competing in championship sporting occasions and also the 17-year-old heroine, Isabelle (Shannon Esper), manages to lose her virginity -- however it all happens offstage. Hopefully, the tyro scribe has additionally determined that figures have to interact for drama to occur. (Teenaged brothers and sisters punching one another on the couch don't count.) Which when one character does cope with another's protection, something significant should come from it. (After Isabelle's cold and distant mother stops working -- inside a good scene that requires more flesh on its bones -- she goes back to being cold and distant.) Gleam lot to become learned from workshop audiences, beginning with the truth that we would love to be aware what your play is all about. Kerrigan designed a point of calling her play "The Talls," and helmer Carolyn Cantor behaved on that directive by casting (relatively, not freakishly) tall thesps. But no petty squabbles that bust out in the household family room (were household furnishings really that bland within the '70s?) has anything related to height. Whenever the topic does show up, it's incidental towards the disjointed occasions that pass for any plot. Only Isabelle's height matters whatsoever -- not since it troubles her, but to setup the sight gag when she impulsively throws herself at her father's campaign manager, Russell James (Gerard Canonico), a youthful guy of modest stature. Canonico ("Spring Awakening") is really a personable actor having a gift for light comedy, and that he values the humor of Russell's shocked delight at finding themself the item of Isabelle's flirty lust. Although wise, sensitive Isabelle is the standard problem coming-of-age heroine, Esper ("This Will Be Our Youth") plays in the verbal skill that provides the smoothness an indication of originality. But what some of it has related to being tall is anyone's guess.Set, Dane Laffrey costumes, Jenny Mannis lighting, Japhy Weideman seem, M.L. Dogg production stage manager, Winnie Y. Lok. Opened up August. 15, 2011. Examined August. 12. Running time: one hour, 20 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Jonathan Demme Makes Time for Stephen King's JFK Novel

On Nov. 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? That's the premise behind Stephen King's new novel, '11/22/63,' about a man who travels back in time to prevent the JFK assassination. And although the book won't be published until Nov. 8, Jonathan Demme has optioned the feature rights and will produce, write and direct the film. The 1,000-page books revolves around Jake Epping, a 35-year-old high school English teacher from Maine who travels back in time -- to 1958 -- and starts another life in preparation for his attempt to prevent the Kennedy assassination. According to Variety, the project has yet to land a distributor, though Demme wants to begin shooting in fall 2012. Demme should have no problem raising funds: He's done well with pop novels, from Thomas Harris' 'The Silence of the Lambs' through Richard Condon's 'The Manchurian Candidate.' Time travel to save assassinated presidents has long been a staple of science fiction TV and film, with the most notable being the 1961 episode of 'Twilight Zone,' 'Back There,' in which a man goes back in time to prevent the assassination of President Lincoln. A 1990 telefilm, 'Running Against Time,' and a 2000 feature, 'Timequest,' both revolved around attempts to change history by preventing the Kennedy murder. It will be interesting to see how King handles the time travel quandaries (we suspect most of the book will concern life in the late 1950s) -- and Demme handles the book -- but without a time machine, we'll just have to wait until -- well, 2013. Stephen King Talks About the Art of Storytelling

Bad Movies We Like: In Recognition of Glee: The three dimensional Concert Movie, Take A Look At Can't Stop the background music

Ryan Murphy — the candid, theatrically hostile Svengali behind Glee — maybe have you believe Glee: The three dimensional Concert Movie may be the first motion picture musical rich in production value, identifiable pop hits, and abject homosexuality. Not too! In 1980, director Nancy Master (YES, OF RHODA) fortunate us with Can’t Stop the background music, the stylish-poppin’ extravaganza starring the Village People, Steve Guttenberg, Bruce Jenner, along with other American ancestors and forefathers. It's wonderful, enchanting, stupid, a tad too lengthy, gay being an elf’s sneeze, the very first Razzie champion for Worst Picture, and memorable. Respect. Let’s revisit. How cliche wouldn't it happen to be to select Xanadu now? I’m glad we’re all awesome enough to comprehend the wit behind a variety like Can’t Stop the background music, that is both under-loved and under-hated. Its story concerns a budding youthful DJ named Jack (Steve Guttenberg, xoxo) who seeks the aid of his roommate Samantha (the comely Valerie Perrine) in climbing the New york city club scene and achieving a pop sensation. When she decides the vocals on his demo tape won’t do, she recruits the help of a few of her buddies, who turn to function as the Village People. The relaxation from the story warrants no real explanation, since we’re mostly just for the shimmering, remarkable gay majesty of the picture — but please realize that a significant athlete makes his startling debut here. We’ll reach that inside a second. Listed here are 5 finest perks of Can’t Stop the background music, the film that can take macho males, strips these phones their slimest t-t shirts, and shows them the lost art of thrusting. 5. Put lower your damn Jamba Juice and “do the Shake”! I swear exceptional musical amounts with eye-popping production value may just appear, but let’s begin our descent into disco doo-doo with a glance at “The Shake,” a very choreographed, high-in-dairy routine that will make Kelis say, “Isn’t mtss is a little suggestive?” Note Oscar nominee Valerie Perrine’s mega-feathered getup. Just like a 40-year-old JonBenet Ramsey in an intergalactic LGBT gala. I said you’d love this. 4. The thespian prowess from the Village People Throughout some unfortunate stretches of the 120+ minute trip, acting attempts to happen. Please don’t watch individuals! Worse, the familiar Village People — the Indian, the development worker, the G.I., the officer, the biker — provide the sourest attempts of. The Indian is really a particular weak spot, and also at one juncture, he enacts a rain dance after water is leaking on him. But let's not obsess with the Village People’s scant couple of weak points here’s the development worker opining about fame in “I Adore You to Dying,” several that mixes the tiered backdrop of “Jailhouse Rock” using the freakish libidos of the actual jailhouse. 3. Steve Guttenberg The Gutte! With years to visit before Police Academy, Short Circuit, and Three Males along with a Baby, he's constantly on the planet here to curler-skate through Manhattan, push his demo tape with the gay ranks, and puff up his pseudo-afro just like a swaggering Bert Convy. He's, frankly, super hot. His biceps glisten like his darling eyes, despite the fact that he’s constantly drumming his fingers and singing, he handles to become damn charming. I am unable to the same for Valerie Perrine, whose womanliness within this film appears so unnecessary here. Since it is so redundant. 2. Bruce Jenner, while you’ve never desired to see him Children today might not realize that Bruce Jenner — now famous for stepfathering individuals amebic Kardashian things — used to be the finest athlete on the planet. In 󈦬, Jenner won a lot of gold for his Decathlon antics, and the extreme fame warranted a fast foray into film. He didn’t land the titular role in 1978’s Superman despite the fact that he auditioned, but he did land the role of the edgy dude with fetching John Davidson tresses in Can’t Stop the background music. Same factor. He was nominated for any Razzie, that is most likely what dissuaded him from future movies — well, might the glory of putting on one half shirt and daisy dukes. He most likely figured costuming got no much better than this. Behold, a dress-up costume that actually showcases his javelin-tough physique. 1. There’s miracle within the music! Apart from “Y.M.C.A.,” the perennial “favorite” of receptions that turns up within a decadent montage in a real Y.M.C.A., we obtain a few fabulous disco tracks among this glitterball gluttony. The title song is really a musical journey that begins the film, also it’s beyond glorious. It’s an aural map from the The Big Apple. “Listen towards the seem from the city!” it calls. “Listen towards the seem of my town!” Yes, mister! Seems like a 2-star bathhouse! Another jewel is “Magic Evening,” an ebullient search for love, jazz hands, and excitement. It’s the Cucamonga rap of Can’t Stop the background music — that's, its most ethereal, vitalized moment. Forget that Xanadu also featured an audio lesson about miracle that one’s threatening to drag a rabbit our of the hat and provide it employment like a burly bouncer at Studio 54. Abracadabra!

Jay-Z and Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne': Track-by-Track

Watch the Throne isn't a request, it's an order. The edict of Jay-Z and Kanye West, two of the world's most popular rappers and free spenders, connoisseurs of rhymes, beats, boutique menswear and Basquiats, when they announced the collaboration nearly a year ago, it may have been the biggest ad hoc supergroup since the Traveling Wilburys.our editor recommendsJay-Z, Kanye West's Watch the Throne Called 'Instant Classic'Jay-Z, Kanye West Dedicate 'Watch the Throne' Track to Slain College StudentJay-Z, Kanye West Announce Trimmed Tour Dates Assuming the pseudonym, "The Throne," the duo took nearly a year to deliver the finished product: 12 official songs, four bonus tracks, and enough fine art references to get either man a job as curator at New York's MOMA. The liner notes cite a litany of music's bold-faced names -- Beyonce, Swizz Beatz, Q-Tip, RZA, Odd Future crooner Frank Ocean, The Neptunes -- along with the ghosts of Otis Redding and Curtis Mayfield. Apparently, Isaac Hayes could not be summoned by séance. Raising the ire of independent music retailers for signing an exclusive distribution deal with iTunes and Best Buy, Watch the Throne(released August 8)is maximalism as mantra: two race-conscious rappers detailing the conquests and costs of living on Olympus where, at times, it seems the oxygen is a little thin. Read on for a track-by-track breakdown of the braggadocio. "No Church in the Wild" (feat. Frank Ocean) Setting the tone, the velvet-voiced Frank Ocean moans about "what's a God to a King." Presumably, Kanye first pondered this during a trip to the Pyramids to study Khufu's headdress for a forthcoming fashion line. Jay-Z goes full DaVinci Code, invoking "blood on mausoleum floors" and "blood on the Colisseum door." There is a Phil Manzanera prog-rock sample and Socrates, Plato, and Jesus references. Plus, auto-tune on the hook-because Jay forgot that he had already killed it. "Lift Off" (feat. Beyonce) The album's most transparent bid for radio play, "Lift Off" finds Beyonce in Melisma mode, singing about having "so many scars" and "taking this whole thing to the stars." It features an old NASA movie sample and Kanye showing off his tattoos and inflexible singing voice. Jay-Z is mad about something. Probably because this isn't as Glee-ready as "Empire State of Mind." "Niggas in Paris" Consider this enlightened monarch rap with year 3000 synthesizers and caveman drums a club banger -- for Parisian discotheques. Swapping boasts, Jay-Z laughs about a meager sum ($50,000), while Kanye hypothesizes: if a girl wants to marry him at the mall, she should have sex with him in the mall bathroom. Although early Kevin Smith would seem to be the most appropriate sample choice, Kanye and Jay instead opt for a snippet from the Will Ferrell ice skating romp, Blades of Glory. "Otis" (feat. Otis Redding) Only Jay-Z and Kanye would have the hubris and budget to sample Otis Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness," and credit the late great soul legend as a featured guest. Although Redding's piercing hell-struck wails and heaves offer a spiritual underpinning, it's made agnostic by Jay and Kanye's Robb Report raps. Jay smokes Cubanos in Havana with Fidel Castro, and claims to have invented swag. Kanye has private jets and Maybachs. It's less sitting on docks, more being docked on yachts. "Gotta Have It" The first of several attempts to break down racial inequities and bias, Kanye lambastes "white America trying to assassinate his character." By the 90-second mark, he forgets about that and starts talking about his racks and Maybachs. Jay-Z planks on a million. The Neptunes' beat is a spooky ghost wail full of chattering synths. The brags seem less confident bluster, more a reflection of the lack of new stories that either veteran artist has to offer. "New Day" Kanye reportedly requested that co-producer RZA send him something raw as Wu-Tang. On "New Day," he serves up spookyfuture soul that finds West and Jay-Z exploring the difficulties of raising children, in light of the fame and pressures that will accompany them out the womb. Kanye half-jokes that he will make his son vote Republican to show how much he loves white people. This is a bit hyperbolic. No one who has seen his love of Tom Ford would dare question Kanye's affinities for white people and white Gucci suits. "That's My Bitch" Lacing the track with a familiar Incredible Bongo band break beat, "That's My Bitch" has a modernized but retro boom bap feel -- with uh, Bon Iver. You can infer the subject matter from the title, but Jay-Z opts to put a particularly fine art spin to it, namedropping Picasso and the Mona Lisa. He also rhymes "Larry Gagosian" with "museum" (pronounced, "mo-seum"). If you think that sounds cool, you will inevitably enjoy this record. "Welcome to the Jungle" Over an insistent Swizz Beatz keyboard line that resembles a more garish update of his Ruff Ryders aesthetic, Kanye references an Outkast song in the opening lines and Jay-Z calls himself the Black Axl Rose. He later calls himself a tortured soul who lives in disguise. This would explain those Steve Urkel glasses he's been rocking the last few years. "Who Gon' Stop Me" Over a dubstep-like beat, Kanye starts comparing "millions of our people lost" to the "Holocaust." It's unclear what Kanye's referring to by "our people." Judging by the lyrical content of the previous songs, it's possible that he's alluding to Playboy bunnies who got lost at his estate during a heated game of nude hide n' go seek. Jay-Z admits that he still likes Picasso, but now he also likes Rothko and Rilke. Somewhere the ghost of Jackson Pollack is very disappointed. "Murder to Excellence" A Quincy Jones sample, a Swizz and S1 beats, and the most focused writing on the record makes "Murder to Excellence" a clear stand-out. Split into two parts, "Murder" explores black-on-black murder, while "Excellence" is a celebration of the new black elite. Jay-Z expresses his alienation at the shortage of black faces in the top tier of society. Thankfully, he has Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow to keep him company in the interim. If you're looking for illuminati evidence, this is where you would start. "Made in America" (feat. Frank Ocean) With a nod to the HBO showHow to Make It in Americais a scattershot exploration of the art of the hustle and how to profit against all odds. Frank Ocean sings about sweet baby Jesus and various civil rights icons. Ostensibly, Malcolm X wore Fendi. "Why I Love You" (feat. Mr Hudson) Sampling French house duo Cassius, Jay-Z tells his story using imagery of Rome burning, castle walls rising, and inevitably referring to the friends and collaborators he's lost over the last few decades. And then he quotes Waka Flocka's "Bustin At Em." Mr. Hudson swoons in the background, presumably with a gladiola. Bonus Tracks: "Illest Motherf**ker Alive" Kanye makes puns about wearing fur and sleeping with centerfolds as a serious teardrop celestial choice beat unfolds behind him. It is unclear whether Manolo Blahnik had to pay money for product placement. Jay-Z says that Basquiats and Warhols are his muses. It is also not clear whether Jeffrey Deitch ghostwrote Jay's verse. "H.A.M." The project's underwhelming first leak finds Jay and Kanye riding out Lex Luger's Valkyrie crunk. Apparently, they sell really cool Viking helmets at Barney's. "Primetime" The forever underrated producer No I.D. continues his sterling second act with a gorgeous twinkling burner. Perhaps the best song on the record, "Primetime" is a bonus track because it doesn't fit into the grandiose ambition of the album. It just tries to be good. "The Joy" (feat. Curtis Mayfield) Originally leaked during Kanye's "G.O.O.D. Fridays" series, Pete Rock and West redeem a pitch-perfect Curtis Mayfield sample, turning into a slow cruising head nodder. Related Topics Beyonce Jay-Z Kanye West

'Smurfs' Sequel Set for Aug. 2013 Release

Since The Smurfs has established itself as one of the summer's hits, triumphing over higher-profile fare like Cowboys & Aliens, Sony Pictures is moving forward with a sequel.our editor recommends'The Smurfs' Reviews: What Critics SayBox Office Update: 'Smurfs' is No. 1 Pic in North America, 'Cowboys' Falls to No. 2 It is targeting a release date of August 2, 2013 for The Smurfs 2. Jordan Kerner will return as producer of the project. The Smurfs, a CG/live action combo, has grossed $78.8 domestically and $135 million worldwide to date. Last weekend, it opened in the number one position in 23 markets overseas. Related Topics The Smurfs

Hurry Up and Watch This 'Dark Knight Rises' Leaked Video Before It Gets Taken Down

More 'Dark Knight Rises' footage! Although, this isn't nearly as juicy as the last videos that came out last week (which included Batman along with a hundred extras fighting Bane and his goons on the steps of City Hall) we finally get to hear the voice of Tom Hardy's Bane -- and boy is it strange. In the video, which was filmed at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field, Hardy steps out onto the field and tells Gotham fans to "take control of your city" and that "this is the instrument of your liberation" as he marches what appears to be a hostage out with him. As the folks over at CinemaBlend point out, Hardy's voice seems to be channeling an "affected English accent" even though the Bane in the comic books is from the Caribbean. Watch the video below and let us know what you think. Image courtesy of Warner Bros.

TCA: Is 'Person Of Interest' J.J. Abrams' Next "Kick-Ass" TV Show?

Diane Haithman is contributing to Deadline's TCA coverage. At todays TCA panel for Person of Interest, a new CBS crime thriller series from the producing team of J.J. Abrams, Bryan Burk, Jonathan Nolan, David Semel and Greg Semel, star Taraji P. Henson said she took the role in the series because you cant go wrong with J. J. Abrams. But it seems that you can -- 2010s one-season failure Undercovers for NBC being a case in point. Co-executive producer Nolan answered a question about that this way:One of the things I love about J.J. is that hes not precious. He creates material, he likes to work, he likes to put kick-ass TV shows out there. The nature of the TV format is, its a big risk, its not like a movie its kind of a one-shot gig. TV, as Im discovering, is a marathon. Personally, I think J.J.s record in TV and movies is unsurpassed. But that was said at the end of the session. Before that, the panel -- via satellite from New York and also including stars Michael Emerson (veteran of Abrams hit Lost) and Jim Caviezel (Jesus Christ in Mel Gibsons The Passion of the Christ) -- collectively raved about how excited they were to be attached to the latest Abrams effort.Nolan joked that he had such confidence in the show, about trying to track a mystery figure before he commits a crime, that he was willing to give it a title that critics could easily have their way with -- as in Person of Disinterest or Show of No Interest. A person of interest, he said, can mean a suspect, victim or witness. A lot of what our show is about is uncertainty, he said. The show deals with surveillance and secrets, and panel members joked that Abrams had inserted a device in their microphones that would make them go dead whenever a plot twist or secret about the show was to be revealed (indeed, there were some silent pauses when questions got too pointed). Nolan, making his foray into TV, said the new show is tapping into the same brooding darkness he brought to The Dark Knight Batman installment.I love crime procedurals, I love cop shows, [but] I was interested in writing something a little more dangerous, he said. Ive always been drawn to that aspect of Batman maybe we are tapping into some of that. Emerson said he hoped his role in this show as software expert Finch will allow him to grow beyond the type of character he portrayed in Lost a success he never expected. My part on Lost was just another guest spot as far as I knew. Every character actor's secret dream is that theyll hit it out of the ball park and theyll be asked to stay that kind of happened on Lost -- I was never allowed to go home from the Hawaiian island, he said. He added that in the new role he hopes to do an odd turn once in awhile: I would like it to have a limp or an accent. Caviezel said he took the role because his character, in search of the mystery figure, is searching for a purpose I think, like it hit me, its going to hit other people theres something besides all the technology in the story.As an aside, Caviezel addressed the experience of being part of Gibsons hotly controversial Christ movie. It was a little more controversial than I thought it would be, he admitted, joking. "For a while there, I thought we might have been more popular than the Beatles. It was one of the things that I did and I just kept moving on. When asked specifically about his relationship with Gibson, he said: He certainly directed it, but I always look when Im going to do anything at the material. Im a basic, simple, small-town guy."

5 Things to Know About Ben Foster

Ben Foster, who was recently cast in director Barry Levinson's film about the Gotti family as John Gotti Jr., has been in the business for years.Foster joins John Travolta, Al Pacino and Kelly Preston in "Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father," being produced by Fiore Films. Filming begins on the indie film in New York early next year and follows John Gotti Jr.'s relationship with his father, John Gotti Sr.Foster's resume includes films like "The Laramie Project," "The Messenger," "Bang Bang You're Dead," "Alpha Dog," "The Mechanic," "3:10 to Yuma" and "X-Men: The Last Stand" and he has also appeared on television in series such as HBO's "Six Feet Under," from Alan Ball.Here are five things to know about the actor:1. He has a younger brother who also acts. Foster's younger brother Jon has starred mostly in television, with series regular roles on ABC's shortlived "Life as We Know It" opposite Sean Faris and Chris Lowell, NBC's "Windfall and CBS' "Accidentally on Purpose" with Jenna Elfman.2. He appeared in NBC's "Freaks and Geeks." Foster appeared the cult series, produced by Judd Apatow. His character, Eli, was seen in the pilot and in the episode "Carded and Discarded"; it was one of Foster's early roles before landing his first meaty role: the 2001 teen film "Get Over It," in which he played Berke, opposite Kirsten Dunst, Sisqo and Shane West.3. He was a Disney actor. Appearing in the original Disney Channel series "Flash Forward" (not to be confused with ABC's canceled drama that aired from 2010-11) from 1996-97, Foster played Tucker, a 13-year-old who just started the eighth grade. Jewel Staite, Theodore Borders, Ricky Mabe and Rachel Blanchard were among his co-stars in the kids series.4. He likes actors who take chances. "Gary Oldman has done a lot of fine work. He really excites me, he always puts himself on the line and takes a lot of great chances," Foster said in a 2007 Charlie Rose interview touting his film "3:10 to Yuma." 5. He made his feature film debut opposite Hilary Swank. The 1997 film "Kounterfeit," directed by John Mallory Asher, starred Foster, Swank, Corbin Bernsen and Bruce Payne. It was a little-known film that centered on a seasoned former criminal who is drawn into a counterfeit money deal that suddenly turns into a shooting spree that turns deadly. Foster played a minor role, Travis, which led to 1999's "Liberty Heights," where he played a Jewish teen in a forbidden relationship. (Adrien Brody and Joe Mantegna co-starred.) The Hollywood Reporter

Charlyne Yi Joins House as Series Regular

Charlyne Yi House has added another dose of oestrogen for Season 8.Charlyne Yi (Knocked Up, Paper Heart) has signed on like a series regular, joining fellow newbie Odette Annable among House's new team paperwork, a show repetition verifies. Not sure yet on her behalf character, but Yi will first come in the season's second episode, based on TV Line, which first reported the casting.Odette Annable joins the cast of HouseThe two will effectively replace Martha Masters (Amber Tamblyn) and 13 (Olivia Wilde, who will not come in every episode) about the diagnostics team. They're, however, still outnumbered through the boys - Hugh Laurie, Jesse Spencer, Omar Epps, Robert Sean Leonard and Peter Jacobson - within the cast, particularly with Lisa Edelstein's departure.Yi, a stand-up comedian, most lately made an appearance on Love Bites.House returns Monday, March. 3 at 9/8c.