The Girl With the Rising Career

Rooney Mara isn't just the girl with the dragon tattoo. She's the girl who reportedly beat out every A-list (and B- and C-list) actor in Hollywood who wanted the coveted role of punk computer hacker Lisbeth Salander, the female protagonist of Stieg Larsson's wildly popular novels and Swedish film adaptations. She's the girl who shaved her long, beautiful locks into a Mohawk; dyed it jet-black; got eyebrow, lip, and nipple piercings; and learned to ride a skateboard and a motorcycle. She's the girl nobody knew who put Jesse Eisenberg's Mark Zuckerberg in his place in "The Social Network." David Fincher's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" is engrossing and has many great actors (Daniel Craig, Stellan Skarsgrd, Christopher Plummer), but it's Mara's film. She is brilliant, immersed in her character to the point that one wonders where Mara ends and Salander begins. Her performance is intense, brash, and dangerous, yet her expressions are subtle, almost deadpan. She even brings comedy to the role. It's an exciting performance that everyone is talking about. The soft-spoken and surprisingly introverted actor talked to Back Stage about how director David Fincher encouraged her to have a voice, how her role in "The Social Network" almost hindered rather than helped her chances of getting the part of Salander, and how she prepared to play the role of a lifetime.What got you into acting? Rooney Mara: I grew up going to Broadway plays. My mom would take me and my sister [actor Kate Mara], and we always loved that. She would show us old movies, and [we took] kids' acting classes, and we always were putting on little plays. I loved acting, but I was a very shy child, so it was just like a fun thing for me to do. My sister's been acting since she was 12. I didn't want to do that. I wanted to go to school first and see if there was anything else that would interest me. So I didn't start actually pursuing acting work until I was, like, 20, when I was at NYU. Did you take classes? Mara: No, not really. I never really was properly trained. I took some classes with [acting coach] Bob Krakower, and he's great. But I was never really part of an acting troupe or anything like that. Was Kate helpful? Mara: Of course. It was helpful to see her go through the process, definitely. But it was kind of scary. My sister's incredibly talented, so it was also very intimidating.What was the first role you booked? Mara: My first part ever was in a "Law & Order" episode. Then, things were very slow. I moved to Los Angeles, and I was auditioning constantly and not getting any work. Finally, I got a part in an independent film called "Tanner Hall," which was my first real part in a feature film. That was a great experience. I did a bunch of independent films from there on and a few TV things, and it all just kind of came. But it was a slow process. How did meeting and working with Fincher on "The Social Network" turn into your part in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo"? Mara: It didn't. I only worked for four days on "The Social Network," and he was really happy with the work I did, and I had a tremendous amount of respect for the way he worked, but I barely knew him. We didn't have any sort of relationship. I think, actually, the work that I did in "The Social Network" made him think that I wasn't right for "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," because [the characters are] the complete opposite of each other. I had to do a little bit of work to convince him otherwise. What was that process like? Mara: It was just your regular audition process. I went in; I read for Laray [Mayfield]; she put me on tape. David watched my tape and was then really interested in me. From that point on, I had a lot of screen tests. It was a long process.How did you start trying to find your character? Mara: It all starts and ends with the book. There's an endless amount of information in there. You never get that much information on a character. And then, obviously, there were physical things I did. That always helps you get into the role. [Lisbeth is] a very physical part her mannerisms, the way she walks, the way she talks, the amount of eye contact that she givesall that was super important to the character. Was there ever a time when you were preparing when you felt like "I think I've got her"? Mara: No. There was so much work that went into it, I never had one moment where I felt like that. We were always constantly trying to figure it out and make it better and make it right.Was Fincher specific with what he wanted from you for your character, or were you able to create on your own? Mara: Both. The books did the work for us. They spelled out who the character is, so we had a very similar vision. It was a very collaborative process.What was your biggest challenge in trying to find your character? Mara: I don't know that I had one. She never felt that foreign to me. I felt like I really understood her. There was obviously a lot of work that went into it, and I had to learn a lot of stuff, but I never felt at a loss for who the character was. Were you concerned about being compared to Noomi Rapace, who had already played Lisbeth Salander [in the Swedish version of the film]? Mara: No, I had a different idea of who the character was, and I just didn't think about that.Were you nervous about the nudity in the film? Mara: No, I read the books, so I was really aware of what was expected of me. That's a huge part of who the character is, so I couldn't have gone into it if I had any sort of hesitation or hang-ups about that. In my interview with Yorick van Wageningen [who plays Nils Bjurman], he said shooting the rape scene was "frighteningly endless" and "the harshest" of his career. What was shooting it like for you? Mara: It was really intense. It's a really challenging scene physically and emotionally. But I was really well prepared for it. It's a scene that really drives the whole trilogy and a scene that we talked a lot about. I felt very safe. Of course, it was hard because it's a disturbing thing to have to act out.There has been a lot of talk about David Fincher and the multiple takes he does as a director. Can you explain his style and why he does so many? Mara: It's very exaggerated. He does do a lot of takes, but I don't know why everyone gets so interested in that. It's just the way that he works, you know? David, he doesn't just shoot all these takes and hope he gets it. Every single time he asks for a new take, there's always a specific direction, whether it's to the lighting, the camera, the costume, the set dressing, or the actors. The way we look at it is, we spent all this money and put all this time into putting all this stuff together, we flew all the way to Stockholm, we're here, and then we're going to shoot three takes? What's the point? We may as well really figure it out and get it right. It seems like you two had such a great actor-director relationship. Mara: I wouldn't have been able to get through an experience like this without it. I had to go into it really trusting him 100 percent, and I did. I probably would have done anything for him, almost to a fault. But, at the same time, it was such a collaborative experience. We definitely disagreed on some things, but we always talked everything through. David's an incredible director. He knows the story better than anyone in the room. What did you learn from this experience? Mara: I guess I learned I'm much more capable than I thought I was. As a young actress, you have to really learn to have a voice and speak your mind. I think it's easy for women in this industry who have an opinion or who have a point of view to be coined as "difficult." David always really empowered me to speak my mind, to have an opinion, and to have a choice. How do you feel about playing Lisbeth Salander in parts two and three of the trilogy? Mara: I'm not thinking about that yet. We have to wait and see if there's an audience for this film first. But I would definitely be happy to do it again. I don't feel finished with the character. Do you have advice for the actors reading Back Stage? Mara: I think it's a good thing to have a strong opinion and make strong choices. If you're super passionate and you're willing to do the hard workI've been auditioning for stuff for years, and it's always hard. Rejection is always hard, and it's always devastating when you don't get a part that you really wanted. But when I look back, if I had gotten some of the parts that I really wanted, then I might not have been able to do this movie. I think everything happens for a reason, and you just have to keep at it. OUTTAKES -- Other film credits include 2010's remake of "A Nightmare on Elm Street," "Dare," "The Winning Season," and "Youth in Revolt"-- Is the great-granddaughter of Pittsburgh Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr. and NY Giants founder Tim Mara. Her father, Timothy Christopher Mara, is the vice president of player evaluation for the Giants.-- Set to film Terrence Malick's "Lawless" with Ryan Gosling and Christian Bale in fall 2012

Movie Crowds Dip to 16-Year Low as Apathy Lingers

LOS ANGELES (AP) Hollywood has more tricks in its bag than ever with digital 3-D and other new film tools. Yet as the images on screen get bigger and better, movie crowds keep shrinking down to a 16-year low as 2011's film lineup fell well short of studios' record expectations.Through New Year's Eve on Saturday, projected domestic revenues for the year stand at $10.2 billion, down 3.5 percent from 2010's, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com. Taking higher ticket prices into account, movie attendance is off even more, with an estimated 1.28 billion tickets sold, a 4.4 percent decline and the smallest movie audience since 1995, when admissions totaled 1.26 billion.Just what has put the movie business in the dumps is anyone's guess though safe bets include the tight economy, rising ticket prices, backlash against parades of sequels or remakes, and an almost-limitless inventory of portable and at-home gadgetry to occupy people's time.The year got off to a dismal start with what could be called an "Avatar" hangover, when revenues lagged far behind 2010 receipts that had been inflated by the huge success of James Cameron's sci-fi sensation.A solid summer lineup helped studios catch up to 2010, but ticket sales flattened again in the fall and have remained sluggish right into what was expected to be a terrific holiday season."There were a lot of high-profile movies that just ended up being a little less than were hoped for," said Chris Aronson, head of distribution for 20th Century Fox, whose sequel "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" has been part of an under-achieving lineup of family films for the holidays. "The fall was pretty dismal. There just weren't any real breakaway, wide-appeal films."Big franchises still are knocking it out of the park. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," the finale to J.K. Rowling's fantasy epic, was the year's biggest earner and the top-grossing film in the series at $381 million domestically and $1.3 billion worldwide."Transformers: Dark of the Moon" pulled in $352 million domestically and $1.1 billion worldwide, while "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" has climbed to $271 million domestically and $650 million worldwide.Other franchises did well in 2011 but came up short of their predecessors on the domestic front, among them "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," ''The Hangover Part II," ''Kung Fu Panda 2," ''Cars 2" and "X-Men: First Class."Strong overseas business has helped make up for shrinking domestic revenues and declining DVD sales. But 2011 was the second-straight year that domestic attendance declined sharply, and audiences generally have been shrinking since 2002, when admissions hit a modern high of 1.6 billion.It could be a case of the same-old same-olds, with fans growing tired of over-familiar characters and stories. It could be overcrowded weekends such as Thanksgiving, when studios loaded up on family films that cannibalized one another's audiences. It could be the economy, with fans growing more selective on how often they spend their spare cash to catch a movie, particularly at a time when so many films play in 3-D with premium ticket prices.And it could be the times we live in, when audiences have so many gadgets to play with that they don't need to go to the movies as much as they once did."It's not any one thing. It's a little bit of everything," said Jeff Goldstein, general sales manager at Warner Bros., whose Robert Downey Jr. sequel "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" has done solid business, yet is coming in well short of the first installment. "But consumers are being more specific with their choices on how to spend their money. The options are a little greater than they were a few years ago with gaming and social-networking opportunities."The year's animated slate failed to produce a $200 million hit, the first time that's happened since 2005. Likewise, comic-book superheroes slipped in 2011, the genre unable to deliver a $200 million hit for only the second time in the last 10 years.Even Adam Sandler, one of Hollywood's most-bankable stars, had a mixed year, managing a $100 million hit with "Just Go With It" but barely crossing $70 million with "Jack and Jill."Studio executives typically blame slow business on "the product" weak movies that leave fans indifferent. But during the first few months of the year, when business lagged as much as 20 percent behind 2010's, studios were confident they had great product coming, with many executives predicting that 2011 would finish with record revenues, topping the all-time domestic high of $10.6 billion in 2009.The movies themselves turned out fairly good, and surprise smashes such as "Bridesmaids," ''The Help," ''Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "The Smurfs" boosted business.But the year was littered with duds ("Happy Feet Two," ''Tower Heist," ''Cowboys & Aliens"). And with only days left in 2011, Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol" is leading a batch of holiday releases that so far has done only so-so business, despite generally good reviews and high marks from the fans that are showing up.Hollywood is left right where it was 12 months ago, finishing the year quietly and looking ahead to a promising lineup to turn its fortunes around next year.Even more so than 2011's schedule once looked, the 2012 film list looks colossal. Among the highlights: the superhero tales "The Dark Knight Rises," ''The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Avengers"; the latest in the animated franchises "Ice Age" and "Madagascar," along with "Brave," the new adventure from animation master Pixar; Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones' "Men in Black 3"; Daniel Craig's new James Bond thriller "Skyfall"; Johnny Depp's vampire story "Dark Shadows"; Ridley Scott's "Prometheus," a cousin to his sci-fi classic "Alien"; and Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," the first in a two-part prequel to his "Lord of the Rings" films.That's just a small sampling of 2012's big-screen titles, which also include 3-D reissues of "Titanic," ''Finding Nemo," ''Beauty and the Beast" and "Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace."Looking ahead, there's good reason for optimism in Hollywood. Looking back, though, the past year spells caution."I'm not prepared to be Chicken Little yet, but if the films coming in 2012 can't reverse this trend, then I think we need to reevaluate our expectations," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "We are living in a different world today than we did in the mid-'90s in terms of the technology available to deliver media. That may finally be having an impact."Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By David Germain December 28, 2011 "Transformers" LOS ANGELES (AP) Hollywood has more tricks in its bag than ever with digital 3-D and other new film tools. Yet as the images on screen get bigger and better, movie crowds keep shrinking down to a 16-year low as 2011's film lineup fell well short of studios' record expectations.Through New Year's Eve on Saturday, projected domestic revenues for the year stand at $10.2 billion, down 3.5 percent from 2010's, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com. Taking higher ticket prices into account, movie attendance is off even more, with an estimated 1.28 billion tickets sold, a 4.4 percent decline and the smallest movie audience since 1995, when admissions totaled 1.26 billion.Just what has put the movie business in the dumps is anyone's guess though safe bets include the tight economy, rising ticket prices, backlash against parades of sequels or remakes, and an almost-limitless inventory of portable and at-home gadgetry to occupy people's time.The year got off to a dismal start with what could be called an "Avatar" hangover, when revenues lagged far behind 2010 receipts that had been inflated by the huge success of James Cameron's sci-fi sensation.A solid summer lineup helped studios catch up to 2010, but ticket sales flattened again in the fall and have remained sluggish right into what was expected to be a terrific holiday season."There were a lot of high-profile movies that just ended up being a little less than were hoped for," said Chris Aronson, head of distribution for 20th Century Fox, whose sequel "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" has been part of an under-achieving lineup of family films for the holidays. "The fall was pretty dismal. There just weren't any real breakaway, wide-appeal films."Big franchises still are knocking it out of the park. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," the finale to J.K. Rowling's fantasy epic, was the year's biggest earner and the top-grossing film in the series at $381 million domestically and $1.3 billion worldwide."Transformers: Dark of the Moon" pulled in $352 million domestically and $1.1 billion worldwide, while "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" has climbed to $271 million domestically and $650 million worldwide.Other franchises did well in 2011 but came up short of their predecessors on the domestic front, among them "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," ''The Hangover Part II," ''Kung Fu Panda 2," ''Cars 2" and "X-Men: First Class."Strong overseas business has helped make up for shrinking domestic revenues and declining DVD sales. But 2011 was the second-straight year that domestic attendance declined sharply, and audiences generally have been shrinking since 2002, when admissions hit a modern high of 1.6 billion.It could be a case of the same-old same-olds, with fans growing tired of over-familiar characters and stories. It could be overcrowded weekends such as Thanksgiving, when studios loaded up on family films that cannibalized one another's audiences. It could be the economy, with fans growing more selective on how often they spend their spare cash to catch a movie, particularly at a time when so many films play in 3-D with premium ticket prices.And it could be the times we live in, when audiences have so many gadgets to play with that they don't need to go to the movies as much as they once did."It's not any one thing. It's a little bit of everything," said Jeff Goldstein, general sales manager at Warner Bros., whose Robert Downey Jr. sequel "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" has done solid business, yet is coming in well short of the first installment. "But consumers are being more specific with their choices on how to spend their money. The options are a little greater than they were a few years ago with gaming and social-networking opportunities."The year's animated slate failed to produce a $200 million hit, the first time that's happened since 2005. Likewise, comic-book superheroes slipped in 2011, the genre unable to deliver a $200 million hit for only the second time in the last 10 years.Even Adam Sandler, one of Hollywood's most-bankable stars, had a mixed year, managing a $100 million hit with "Just Go With It" but barely crossing $70 million with "Jack and Jill."Studio executives typically blame slow business on "the product" weak movies that leave fans indifferent. But during the first few months of the year, when business lagged as much as 20 percent behind 2010's, studios were confident they had great product coming, with many executives predicting that 2011 would finish with record revenues, topping the all-time domestic high of $10.6 billion in 2009.The movies themselves turned out fairly good, and surprise smashes such as "Bridesmaids," ''The Help," ''Rise of the Planet of the Apes" and "The Smurfs" boosted business.But the year was littered with duds ("Happy Feet Two," ''Tower Heist," ''Cowboys & Aliens"). And with only days left in 2011, Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol" is leading a batch of holiday releases that so far has done only so-so business, despite generally good reviews and high marks from the fans that are showing up.Hollywood is left right where it was 12 months ago, finishing the year quietly and looking ahead to a promising lineup to turn its fortunes around next year.Even more so than 2011's schedule once looked, the 2012 film list looks colossal. Among the highlights: the superhero tales "The Dark Knight Rises," ''The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Avengers"; the latest in the animated franchises "Ice Age" and "Madagascar," along with "Brave," the new adventure from animation master Pixar; Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones' "Men in Black 3"; Daniel Craig's new James Bond thriller "Skyfall"; Johnny Depp's vampire story "Dark Shadows"; Ridley Scott's "Prometheus," a cousin to his sci-fi classic "Alien"; and Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," the first in a two-part prequel to his "Lord of the Rings" films.That's just a small sampling of 2012's big-screen titles, which also include 3-D reissues of "Titanic," ''Finding Nemo," ''Beauty and the Beast" and "Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace."Looking ahead, there's good reason for optimism in Hollywood. Looking back, though, the past year spells caution."I'm not prepared to be Chicken Little yet, but if the films coming in 2012 can't reverse this trend, then I think we need to reevaluate our expectations," said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "We are living in a different world today than we did in the mid-'90s in terms of the technology available to deliver media. That may finally be having an impact."Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Which Vampire Diaries Original Is Coming Back with a Vengeance?

Claire Holt Elena's back-stabbing ways may come back to haunt her on The Vampire Diaries. In the CW series' midseason finale, Elena (Nina Dobrev) proved that she, too, was capable of killing when she stabbed and killed Rebekah (Claire Holt) as she prepared for the homecoming dance. But since when has being dead stopped a vampire? First Look: Torrey DeVitto on The Vampire Diaries "We haven't seen the last of Rebekah," executive producer Julie Plec tells TVGuide.com. "The fact that Elena killed Rebekah is going to come back to bite her in the butt." When the series picks up in January, not only does the Original sister return in a flashback, but she also makes her presence felt in the present day. Exclusive: Vampire Diaries casts Klaus' Original brothers "I'm not going to say when she makes her reappearance, but certainly her being undaggered is not in Elena's best interest," Plec teases. The Vampire Diaries returns to the CW on Thursday, Jan. 5 at 8/7c. What do you think is in store for Elena?

Golden Globe Surprises and Snubs: So Many New Faces, But Still No Breaking Bad

Zooey Deschanel, Bryan Cranston Oh, Golden Globes. You never fail to amuse and bemuse us with your quirky, awesome and weird nominations. After coming up empty with the Screen Actors Guild, Homeland landed three nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and was just one of the many new shows that reaped nods. And with so many shiny new toys to play with, the HFPA once again forgot about Breaking Bad. But those weren't the only things that caught our attention Thursday.Homeland, New Girl and new shows lead Golden Globe nominationsSurprisesScore one for the newbies: It's no secret that HFPA members love new shows, being the trendsetters that they are, but rarely have they gifted nods to so much new blood. Homeland, American Horror Story, Game of Thrones, The Killing, Boss, Revenge, Episodes, Enlightened and New Girl are just some of the freshmen series that earned nominations. We expected the ones for, say, Claire Danes and Zooey Deschanel (both of whom are totally winning, by the way), but the mentions for HBO's underrated and under-watched Enlightened will go a long way in helping it get renewed.USA is officially an awards magnet: We floated the question Wednesday after Suits' Patrick J. Adams garnered a nod and now we know the answer, following Callie Thorne's unexpected nomination in drama actress for Necessary Roughness. Beside these two nods, in the past year, USA has nabbed an Emmy nomination for Burn Notice's Sharon Gless (which wasn't that surprising since this is Sharon Gless we're talking about) and a Golden Globe nod for Covert Affairs' Piper Perabo. And with Thorne, who's tough yet fragile on Roughness, having replaced Perabo in the lineup, it seems like USA has a permanent spot in the category. And why not? It is the top cable network after all.Madeleine Stowe: The best part of Revenge, which is not exactly topping awards-worthy lists, is the marvelous and campy Stowe. So, of course, leave it to the HFPA - which worships film stars who head to TV - to recognize the actress and her fabulously icy, but sympathetic turn as Victoria Grayson that often times makes us root for her more than Emily Thorne.Amy Poehler: Parks and Recreation finally scored its first Globe nomination in comedy actress for the very deserving and hilarious Poehler. But what's most surprising about Poehler's nod is that she made it in over Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie) and former champ Toni Collette of the defunct United States of Tara. The sorta-funny ladies of dark comedies have dominated the category in recent years (reigning champ The Big C's Laura Linney is nominated), so for Poehler to break in is a big achievement. On the flip side, the HFPA still hasn't ended its love affair with Thomas Jane (Hung) and David Duchovny (Californication), who made the cut again, while Steve Carell - his final chance to be nominated for The Office - did not.SAGs surprises and snubs: Patrick J. Adams makes the cut, but where's Homeland?SnubsBreaking Bad: For the second year in a row, Bryan Cranston is the sole representative for the superb AMC drama. We'd be a lot more upset if we didn't know to expect the cold shoulder. While armed with buzz, Breaking Bad is not splashy, high-brow or conceptual like the type of fare the HFPA adores (Glee, American Horror Story, Boardwalk Empire, Game of Thrones). At this rate, we may have to make peace with the fact that Breaking Bad might never be nominated for series.Melissa McCarthy: McCarthy had two chances for nods - for Mike & Molly and Bridesmaids - and came away empty-handed. The Mike & Molly slight is less surprising than the Bridesmaids one since she's been picking up steam (and critics awards and nominations) left and right the past few weeks for her scene-stealing performance in the film. McCarthy wasn't the only Emmy champ snubbed: Reigning two-time Emmy and Golden Globe winner Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) was dropped in favor of co-star Johnny Galecki. Also MIA: Last year's drama actress champ Katey Sagal (Sons of Anarchy).The Kennedys: Who would've ever thought the Emmys would be the ones to embrace the controversial miniseries, while the Globes, who loves them some big-name stars, would give it the shaft? Think about it: They could've nominated Katie Holmes and set a place setting for Tom Cruise, but resisted the urge. Did they learn a lesson from last year's comical The Tourist fiasco?The Good Wife and network dramas: Cable reigned supreme in drama - the series and lead actor nominees are from cable. We can make a case for the brilliantly crafted and acted Good Wife to be nominated, but it's hard to pick some other broadcast-network replacements. Time to step up your game, networks!What were you most surprised by? Who do you wish had been nominated?

'The Dictator' Trailer: Sacha Baron Cohen Reigns Supreme (Video)

Getty Images Anne Heche has signed with UTA. The Tony- and Emmy-nominated actress appears opposite Thomas Jane in HBO's Hung. She can currently be seen in the feature Rampart opposite Woody Harrelson.Heche was previously represented by CAA. Heche recently finished filming Arthur Newman, Golf Pro, a dark independent comedy that also features Emily Blunt and Colin Firth. Her feature credits include Cedar Rapids, John Q and Wag the Dog; her television credits include Ally McBeal, Men in Trees and Nip/Tuck. Heche is managed by Alissa Vradenburg and Jason Weinberg at Untitled Entertainment and also represented by attorney Kevin Yorn at Morris Yorn Barnes. Email: Daniel.Miller@THR.com Twitter: @DanielNMiller Anne Heche UTA Hung

5 Pieces of Elizabeth Taylor Movie Memorabilia I'd Actually Pay For

Long live the memory of our most-perfectly-nosed savior Elizabeth Taylor, whose Oscar cred and Crayola eyes shall live on in fabulous montages for eternity. Now, part of the matrimonial legend’s legacy can be ours: Her glorious Cleopatra wig — made from real human hair — is hitting the auction block. Oooh! I wonder if there are traces of Richard Burton’s saliva on it. Actually, I wonder if we can score a deal on other Liz Taylor movie memorabilia. Cleopatra is a decadent, but pretty uninteresting note in her career. No prestige, just bombast. Here’s the Liz stuff I’d rather bid on this holiday season. 1. Her pearl earrings from A Place in the Sun I figure if you’re going to buy a piece of memorabilia, you want it to represent something special: Well, Liz Taylor vaulted from darling child star to sensual screen beauty in 1951’s A Place in the Sun, playing aristocrat Angela Vickers, who compels George Eastman (Montgomery Clift, looking fiiiine) to, tell his homelier girlfriend Alice to — ahem — jump in a lake, figuratively. Elizabeth Taylor was fine onscreen before A Place in the Sun, but this film marked the first time she exhibited true spellbinding glamor. To live without those luxurious earrings would be An American Tragedy. (Best Theodore Dreiser joke of the day.) 2. This eye-popping headgear from Raintree County What kind of world do we live in where we don’t celebrate that Elizabeth Taylor, the most gorgeous brunette of all time, costarred in a film with Eva Marie Saint, who is arguably the most gorgeous blonde of all time? Throw in Monty Clift’s appearance, and this movie is essentially Hottie Cavalcade. We all adore Liz’s southern sultriness in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, so why not celebrate her twangy repartee with the looniest piece of headgear she ever wore in Ole Dixie? I’m gettin’ fluh-stuhd just thinkin’ abaht it. 3. The fetching white swimsuit from Suddenly Last Summer Finally, we’re getting to the movie that first pinpointed Liz’s true gift for histrionics. Tennessee Williams’s startlingly insane play makes for a hammy, unforgettable movie, and it even affords Liz the chance to predate Ursula Andress’s iconic beachside arrival by a couple years. In Suddenly, Liz wears the sexiest swimwear of the ’50s, surpassing even Burt Lancaster’s shorts in From Here to Eternity — but let’s not get competitive. The important thing is both garments thrilled the daylights out of Monty Clift. 4. The “Sunday chapel dress” from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Since I can’t buy Sandy Dennis’s RAW POWER at auction, I’ll settle for the other definitive Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? adornment: The busty, ballsy outfit Liz dons after her guests have arrived and the psychological warfare with her husband George (Richard Burton) commences. When Liz shimmies and twists in the climactic bar scene near film’s end, she makes that Melissa-Leo-in-The-Fighter getup seem like the raunchiest outfit in cinema history. I’m getting hysterically pregnant just revisiting that scene. 5. The headband from Reflections in a Golden Eye In this vastly underrated adaptation of the Carson McCullers novel with Liz and Marlon Brando, our girl enjoys a hasty, defiant stripping scene that drives Vito Corleone right up the wall. Sexiness and fussiness have rarely gone so well together, and after Liz flings off her bra with pure gusto — like some power-drunk competitor in a Real World/Road Rules Challenge — she’s left with a bedazzled headband and Brando’s harsh admonishment: “You disgust me!” Anything that could feasibly disgust Marlon Brando deserves its own gallery at the Smithsonian. Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra wig up for sale [Guardian]

10 Images That Come to Mind When Viewing Lindsay Lohan's Playboy Cover

Bad news about Lindsay Lohan’s Playboy cover: It’s kinda cute! Sure, it’s waterlogged with Photoshop tricks and the Marilyn Monroe thing’s been done 145,000,090 times, but it’s an undeniably successful photo. Unfortunately, it’s also calls to mind a number of questionable images. Here are the first 10 things that Lindsay Lohan’s Playboy debut reminded me of — please add your own recollections after the jump. 1. A really sultry pre-sneeze 2. RuPaul’s Drag Race fan favorite Pandora Boxx 3. A dubious gynecologist exam 4. Jayne Mansfield’s last attempt at Marilyn’s throne 5. Jenna Maroney’s crossdressing lover on 30 Rock played by Will Forte 6. SNL’s “The Robin Bird Show” sketch with Cheri Oteri 7. Mamie Van Doren right now 8. Some self-congratulatory HBO miniseries starring Evan Rachel Wood as a call girl 9. Elle Fanning? Anyone? 10. The perfect cover for the burn book Lindsay Lohan’s Spread Leaks [DListed]

'Young Adult' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals

Garry Marshall's star-packed ensemble pic New Year's Eve opens this weekend at the domestic box office and is widely expected to wrest the No. 1 spot from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, which has dominated the box office for three weeks.our editor recommendsYoung Adult: Film ReviewNew Year's Eve: Film ReviewTinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: Venice Film ReviewBox Office Report: 'Twilight' Leads Second Slowest Weekend of 2011 With $16.9 Mil Early and mid-December are always sluggish at the domestic box office, and New Year's Eve is only expected to open in the low $20 million range, far less than the $72 million bow of Marshall's Valentine's Day over the four-day Valentine's Day/President's Day weekend in 2010. PHOTOS: 'New Year's Eve' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals New Line and Warner Bros., however, expect the $50 million film to have a strong multiple and play through New Year's Day, since it's the only holiday romantic comedy. The pic's cast includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Lea Michele, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Hilary Swank and Seth Meyers. Also opening nationwide is David Gordon Green's R-rated comedy The Sitter, starring Jonah Hill in his first starring vehicle. The 20th Century Fox pic is tracking to open in the $9 million to $11 million range, although some think it could skew slightly higher. The Sitter, which cost under $25 million to produce, is tracking strongest among younger males, who have been notoriously absent from the multiplex in recent months. PHOTOS: 'New Year's Eve' Film Stills In the film, Hill plays a college student on suspension who is prodded into babysitting the kids next door. Things go askew when he takes them for a wild ride across NY City after being promised sex with his girlfriend. Michael De Luca produced the comedy. Martin Scorsese's 3D family friendly film Hugo continues its roll out this weekend, expanding its theater count from 1,840 to 2,600. Through Wednesday, Hugo's domestic gross was $26.8 million. Hugo is among a slew of awards contenders positioning themselves as The Hollywood Foreign Press Association prepares to announce Golden Globe nominations on Dec. 15, preceded a day early by SAG nominations. On Saturday, 20th Century Fox will hold sneaks of Cameron Crowe's Christmas film We Bought a Zoo, starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson in hundreds of theaters across the country. The pic, which also snuck over Thanksgiving weekend in a bid to build buzz, opens Dec. 23. Specialty pics opening this weeked that hope to ride the wave of awards attention include British espionage pic Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, based on John Le Carre's bestselling book and starring Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy. Directed by Thomas Alfredson from an adapted screenplay by Peter Straughan and the late Bridget O'Connor, Tinker Tailor was produced by Working Title and StudioCanal. Tinker Tailor has already done strong business in the U.K., where it opened in mid-September and has grossed nearly $22 million to date. In the U.S., Focus Features opens the critically acclaimed film in four theaters in Los Angeles and NY. Paramount opens Charlize Theron starrer Young Adult -- which reteams director Jason Reitman with Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody -- in eight theaters NY, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Minneapolis, where Cody got her start as a stripper. A number of other platform pics will continue to expand this weekend as awards season heats up, including Fox Searchlight's The Descendants, which adds 300 theaters to its run for a total locaiton count of 874. The Alexander Payne-directed film has grossed a stellar $19 million to date. Searchlight's Shame, hoping to overcome the stigma associated with the NC-17 rating, adds 11 theaters to its run for a total count of 21. Directed by Steve McQueen and headlining Michael Fassbender, Shame opened last weekend to strong numbers despite the rating. The Weinstein Co. expands awards darling The Artist, which played in six theaters in Los Angeles, NY and San Francisco last weekend, into an additional 10 theaters. Madonna's W.E., from the Weinstein Co., and Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay's edgy indie film We Need to Talk About Kevin, starring Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly, both begin one-week award qualifying runs this weekend in Los Angeles. Oscilloscope Laboratories acquired U.S. rights to We Need to Talk About Kevin out of the Cannes Film Festival in May. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Biggest Box Office Bombs Related Topics Box Office New Year's Eve Young Adult Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Hugo The Sitter

Iger to guide Acad museum fund-raising

Inside a major move toward creating a motion-picture museum in La, Academy leader Tom Sherak introduced Wednesday that Wally Disney Co. leader and Boss Bob Iger assists as fund-raising chairman for that Academy Museum of Movies. Annette Bening and Tom Hanks will join as co-chairs. "The momentum continues to be building for any very long time," Academy Boss Beginning Hudson noted, "along with the enthusiasm Bob, Annette and Tom all bring -- and also the respect they're approved through the industry -- we now have marked the start of a brand new chapter with this project." Sherak told Variety he needs to boost a lot of the funds needed inside a year, though he rejected to speak total dollars. When the initial fundraiser is finished, the Academy will endow the museum with $50 million. He added the Academy was already contacted by a few industry figures who wish to donate money towards the project, decreasing to title names. "We coping a constituency that really wants to display to the world what we should do," Sherak stated. Although the org continues to be speaking in regards to a museum for many years, recruiting Iger may be the first real step because the Academy put its intentions of hold in 2008. "The weather conditions are still hard," Sherak stated. "I do not think it's as tough because it was. We do not have to raise anywhere near what we should needed to raise in 2007, but could it be a smart choice? No it isn't.Inch The Academy introduced a partnership using the La County Museum of Art in October to lease the previous May Co. building at a corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue for everyone because the movie museum's home. Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com

Guy Pearce Has an Interrogation Problem in the First Trailer For Lockout

When Luc Besson isn’t directing standing ovation-worthy biopics these days, the French filmmaker is busy co-writing action thrillers for his studio EuropaCorp to produce like Taken, Transporter, Colombiana and up next Lockout — the sci-fi adventure flick that sees Guy Pearce as a wrongly-accused government agent whose only shot at freedom comes at a very risky, space-age price. The price being that Pearce’s badass character — who refuses to wilt under Peter Stormare’s interrogation tactics in the above trailer — must rescue the President’s daughter from a space prison that has been overtaken by its own convicts. Judging from the preview, the gunfire-laden thriller features no less than three space crafts, two explosions, one highly choreographed bathtub stunt, a single escalator chase and three clever interrogation retorts from Pearce’s character (“People love me — just ask your wife.”) Lockout, co-written and co-directed by James Mather and Stephen St. Leger, arrives in theaters April 13. VERDICT: I’m all in for any film that combines brutal interrogation room violence with “your wife” jokes. [via /Film]

Comic Patrice O'Neal dies

Standup comedian Patrice O'Neal died Tuesday, November. 29, in NY from complications from the stroke experienced March. 19 carrying out a extended fight with diabetes, his booking agent, Matt Frost, confirmed. He was 41.O'Neal came out in September on "The Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen" and taken by having an episode of "Late Evening With Jimmy Fallon." He will be a regular guest on "Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn" combined with guested on "Letterman," "Ellen" together with other talkshows. He appeared to become a normal guest on radio's "The Opie and Anthony Show."The comic also guested on sitcoms, plus a recurring role as Lonny on "Work,Inch and came out in films including "25th Hour," "Mind of Condition" "Inside the Cut" "Frightening Movie 4" and "Furry Vengeance."O'Neal is managed to get by his wife, Vondecarlo a stepdaughter a sister and also the mother. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Pathe U.K. ink deal with Stigma

LONDON -- Pathe U.K. has inked a preliminary-look deal with fledgling producer Matt Wilkinson's Stigma Films. Stigma's focus will probably be on creating "high-concept genre fare" with an worldwide audience. Wilkinson formerly labored at Working Title Films, where he labored just like a development executive monitoring new talent for your shingle. The initial-look deal with Stigma will run parallel to Pathe U.K.'s existing producer deal with Christian Colson's Cloud Eight Films, that Pathe co-funded Danny Boyle's "127 Several hours" which is presently co-financing Boyle's approaching pic "Trance." In addition, Pathe U.K. has hired Bradley Quirk as creative executive for that organization. Quirk, who formerly labored just like a story editor and talent tracker within the U.K. Film Council and British Film Institute, will join Pathe within the month of the month of january 2012 and may account to Pathe's mind of creative matters Colleen Woodcock. "We're delighted to welcome both Matt and Bradley for the team getting a view to growing our amount of production," mentioned Cameron McCracken, controlling director of Pathe U.K. "Gifted and smart, they offer a go of latest blood stream together with a totally different perspective. Through them hopefully to attain a wider choice of filmmakers and forge a completely new relationship getting a far more youthful audience." Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

Thanksgiving TV: Your Best Guide towards the Marathons, Special offers and Sports

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Buffy the Vampire Slayer If you are likely to spend a lot of the Christmas around the couch - in the end, you will have plenty of food to digest -- there's lots of TV to look at. Take a look at our roundup of marathons, special offers and games. All occasions are Eastern (ET): Parades and Special offers: Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (9 a.m.-12 p.m., NBC) The Nation's Dog Show (12 p.m.-2 p.m., NBC) Miracle on 34th Street (2 p.m.-4 p.m., NBC) Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas (8 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Fox) A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (8 p.m.-9 p.m., ABC) The Actual Story of Thanksgiving (8 p.m.-9 p.m., History) Punkin Chunkin 2011 (8 p.m.-10 p.m., Science & Discovery) Dr. Seuss' Horton Listens to a Who! (8 p.m.-10 p.m., NBC) Happiness Is really a Warm Blanket, Charlie Brown (8:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Fox) Swampsgiving (9 p.m.-10 p.m., History) A Really Gaga Thanksgiving (9:30 p.m.-11 p.m., ABC) The 85th Anniversary of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (10 p.m.-11 p.m., NBC) Here It Is (10 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Friday, VH1) Sports: Eco-friendly Bay Packers at Detroit Lions (12:30 p.m., Fox) Miami Whales at Dallas Cowboys (4:15 p.m., CBS) Bay Area 49ers at Baltimore Ravens (8:20 p.m., NFLN) Marathons: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (6 a.m-4 p.m., Chiller) Cake Boss (6 a.m.-8:30 p.m., TLC) Supernanny (6 a.m.-3 a.m Friday, Style) Arrested Development (6 a.m.-6 a.m. Friday, IFC) Roseanne (7 a.m.-7 p.m., Oxygen) Awesome Tools (7 a.m.-4 a.m. Friday, DIY Network) Top 30 Family Videos for Thanksgiving (7:30 a.m.-11 a.m., CMT) My Spouse and youngsters (8 a.m.-5 p.m., Wager) IRT Most harmful Streets (8 a.m.-8 p.m., History) Deal or No Deal (8 a.m.-night time, GSN) The Very First 48 (8 a.m.-4:00 a.m. Friday, A&E) Star Trek: Generation X (8 a.m.-5 a.m Friday, BBC America) Mission Impossible films (8 a.m.-5:30 a.m Friday, Syfy) The Andy Griffith Show (8 a.m.-7:30 p.m., TV Land) What It Is Made (9 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Science) American Guns (9 a.m.-8 p.m., Discovery) Bones (10 a.m.-8 p.m., TNT) NCIS (10 a.m.-8 p.m., USA) Braxton Family Values (10 a.m.-10 p.m., WEtv) The Godfather Parts 1 and a pair of (11:30 a.m.-8 p.m., AMC) Creating Women (3 p.m.-8 p.m., TV Guide Network) Siblings & Siblings (5 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday, SOAPnet) Reed Between your Lines (5 p.m.-night time, Wager) Buddies (9 p.m.-5:30 a.m., Nick at Nite) The Comedy Central Roast (10:30 p.m.-1:40 a.m. Friday, Comedy Central) What exactly are you likely to watch on Thanksgiving?

'Super 8' Casting Agent Seen to become Billed Child Molester

A billed sex offender has been doing the casting of youngsters in films, including J.J. Abrams' Super 8, in line with the La Occasions.our editor recommends'Ferris' actor doesn't register as sex offenderStates request Bebo for sex offender data Jason James Murphy, which has used the professional title Jason James, has aided cast numerous films with child stars, for instance Cheaper With The Dozen 2 and School of Rock, according toIMDB. His listing round the National Sex Offender Public Website reported his current residence to stay in West Hollywood. Murphy was billed in the kidnap and molestation from the eight-year-old boy in Dallas in 1996, and offered five years, in line with the report. The problem was the subject of the chapter of "America's Popular,Inch which introduced to Murphy's arrest in NY. He gone after California in 2005, experienced a needed evaluation and registered just like a sex offender, but provides his shorter alias on the market. Abrams mentioned he was expected by his manager, David Lonner, who had notice Murphy's background."It's shocking plus it's devastating, not just just like a filmmaker but just like a father and somebody that's entrusted to ensure that everyone Sometimes with, especially children, feel at ease,In . Abrams mentioned inside the report. You will discover no known complaints against Murphy, although his concealment of his real title may well be a breach in the regards to his sex offender registration. Related Subjects Super 8

'Catching Fire': 'Hunger Games' Follow up Could Get 'Slumdog Millionaire' Film writer

'The Hunger Games' will not be out until March 23, 2012, but Lionsgate has already been planning for that follow up, 'Catching Fire.' Based on Deadline, the studio hopes to employ Simon Beaufoy to create the script. Beaufoy, whose credits include 'The Full Monty' and '127 Hrs,' won an Oscar last year for his 'Slumdog Millionaire' script. The script for that first 'Hunger Games' film was compiled by Suzanne Collins, the writer from the books. Just in case you have not seen the awesome 'Hunger Games' trailer, which opened on Monday, take a look here. [via Deadline] [Photo: Lionsgate] 'The Hunger Games' Character Posters See All Moviefone Art galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Longtime collaborators help dress the parts

'Hugo''The Rum Diary'Ask any filmmaker or actor to name the most essential skills a costume designer can have, and the answer is never an eye for color or an encyclopedic knowledge of fashion. What makes a costumer most invaluable to the movie-making process is a deep understanding of character and story and the ability to intuit how clothes can translate these nuances onscreen.In this regard, Wendy Chuck, who has worked with director Alexander Payne dating to 1999's "Election," sees herself as a "social detective," especially when it comes to the kind of contemporary, character-driven dramas for which Payne is known, and that are often taken for granted when it comes to a costume designer's efforts.In speaking about her work on Payne's "The Descendants," which takes place in present-day Hawaii, where flowery, short-sleeved shirts and flip-flops are the norm, Chuck says subtle distinctions are key."Working in the contemporary field, especially the kind of dramatic comedy (Payne) does is not the easiest thing to do," Chuck says. "You have to think a lot about your choices because you have to strike the right notes, and I never want the clothes to speak louder than the actors. I want my costumes to support the characters."Unless the scene is asking for something to be outstanding, I think subtlety works better."The kind of laid-back, comfort-clothes vibe that permeates the Oahu of "The Descendants" is not alien to Chuck, hailing as she does from beachy Brisbane, Australia. And for George Clooney's well-to-do lawyer in the film, she worked with such established resort-wear venders as Reyn Spooner and Tori Richard to make his character Matt King just a fashion cut above his peers, whose business attire would be hard to distinguish from that of flip flop-wearing vacationers.But make no mistake, this is not the sartorially resplendent Clooney people are used to seeing. "If Clooney wore shorts they didn't have cargo pockets, they were more refined," Chuck says. "He got into character by wearing his pants high and maybe they're a little ill-fitting. He left his ego at the door."Compared to Chuck and Payne's working relationship, which is relatively brief, costume designers Deborah Hopper, Colleen Atwood and Joanna Johnston have collaborated with Clint Eastwood, Johnny Depp and Steven Spielberg, respectively, through decades of work and dozens of films.Hopper, the costume designer behind Eastwood's "J. Edgar," first worked with the actor-turned-director in 1984 on a movie called "Tightrope," back when, as she recalls, women did wardrobe for the female characters and men dressed the men. "Blood Work" (2002) represented her first costume designer credit with Eastwood, and she has held that title for every one of his projects since. "I've kind of worked my way up in Clint's group," she says. "He allows that to happen."Sometimes, particularly when Eastwood is also acting in a film, "he has his own ideas about a hat maybe he'll want to wear, but he's pretty good about clothes. Whatever I bring in he usually wears."Hopper says some people are surprised by the pace at which Eastwood works (he did, after all, release both "Changeling" and "Gran Torino" in 2008), but this just means more preparation. "I try to prep the whole movie before we start shooting," she says. "He shoots so fast we have to stay two steps ahead of him."No matter what the film -- a contemporary drama like "Mystic River" or a period biopic such as "J. Edgar," where the clothes are fine and scenes take place at glamorous locales like the Stork Club (and in which Leonardo DiCaprio dons a dress) -- Hopper's job is to represent reality, be it drab or dazzling. "Most of his stories are character-driven or about everyday life, and the clothes also have to portray that Things should look natural, and I think our working relationship is like that as well."For "War Horse," which ranges from the bucolic bliss of Southwest England circa 1913 to the killing fields of France at the height of WWI, Johnston's research included old family photos (she had an ancestor in the English cavalry) and poring through archives of the Imperial War Museum, which has three of its five branches in London."They keep lots of uniforms, so we would ask to see specifics," Johnston tells Variety from Atlanta, where she's working on Spielberg's "Lincoln." "They have not only British, but they have a lot of German stuff as well, which was incredibly helpful. Seeing all of that visually, and seeing so many details, that was all a complete springboard to go forward."In contrast to "Lincoln," which deals with actual historic figures (and a reliance on the iconic photographs of Civil War chronicler Matthew Brady), "War Horse" afforded Johnston and Spielberg a bit more creative leeway, even if both were adhering to period accuracy."When you see 'War Horse,' and the clothes don't jump out at you in any way, then I'd say the job is well done," says Johnston. "They shouldn't draw attention, they should be just right within that place."Johnston's relationship with Spielberg dates back to "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" (1984), on which she assisted Anthony Powell. She graduated to costume designer on "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," which Spielberg produced, and took over the mantle on the director's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" (1989) and has worked in that capacity for Spielberg since."In the work I've done with Steven, he's taken me in each one them -- apart from the 'Indiana Jones' movies and 'War of the Worlds' -- into these incredible history lessons, with 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'Munich,' 'War Horse, 'Lincoln.' My knowledge has expanded through my medium. How nice is that?""The Rum Diary" is just the latest in a long list of wildly imaginative films Atwood and Depp have collaborated on since she first dressed him in intricate leather bondage wear for Tim Burton's "Edward Scissorhands," in 1990. That roster includes other Burton films, from "Ed Wood" to "Sweeney Todd" to "Alice in Wonderland" (which earned Atwood an Oscar), to the forthcoming campy vampire pic "Dark Shadows," which has wrapped, and 2009's "Public Enemies.""Johnny's always made amazing, kind of individual choices," Atwood says.After 22 years, the designer considers Depp almost like a member of her family, not least of all because the intense time spent on set can mimic a family dynamic. "We have a lot of shared humor and pain together, so there's a real connection there."On "The Rum Diary," the family dynamic was a literal one, as Depp's sister Christi Dembrowski was a producer. Although Depp's character could be construed as his version of Hunter Thompson, take two, Atwood says, "Johnny didn't want to look exactly like Hunter. The connection is definitely heartfelt but at the same time it's more an attitude."One of the signature wardrobe pieces was a pair of borderline sleazy gold wraparound sunglasses Depp "pulled out of the bag" and Atwood was able to replicate enough for him to wear throughout the film."He really feels his costumes and the mood of them in a way that's very visceral," she observes of Depp's process. "He actually spends less time looking in the mirror than any actor I've ever worked with. I guess when you look like that you don't need to."Award Season Focus: The WomenThesps seize career reins | Brains and brawn fuel nouveau action heroines | Longtime collaborators help dress the parts | Startling discoveries Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Kryptonite! (La kryptonite nella borsa)

A Lucky Red-colored discharge of an Indigo Film production, together with Rai Cinema. (Worldwide sales: Rai Trade, Rome.) Created by Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima. Executive producer, Viola Prestieri. Directed by Ivan Cotroneo. Script, Cotroneo, Monica Rametta, Ludovica Rampoldi, in line with the novel "La kryptonite nella borsa" by Cotroneo.With: Valeria Golino, Cristiana Capotondi, Luca Zingaretti, Libero p Rienzo, Fabrizio Gifuni, Luigi Catani, Vincenzo Nemolato, Monica Nappo, Massimiliano Gallo, Lucia Ragni, Gennaro Cuomo, Sergio Solli, Antonia Truppo, Rosaria p Cicco, Carmine Borrino, Nunzia Schiano.A sizable, colorful Neapolitan family in early seventies go through the decade's radical social alterations in microcosm in Ivan Cotroneo's uneven helming debut, "Kryptonite!" Condensed in the noted scripter's own novel, the pic needs further distillation to get rid of unnecessary figures and produce towards the forefront the meat from the story, which will get lost among nostalgic period detail. Cotroneo (author on "I'm Love," "Loose Cannons") demonstrates a sure submit the pointing chair but oddly proves less strong on structure. Local success will rely on your competition, while offshore exposure will probably be restricted to scattered Euro play and Italo showcases. Italian photos occur another era have grown to be too reliant onvoiceover, and "Kryptonite!" is not safe from the popularity: Peppino (Luigi Catani), 9, informs the storyline of his family as though it were a story book. There's mother Rosaria (Valeria Golino), father Antonio (Luca Zingaretti), and three older brothers and sisters. Titina (Cristiana Capotondi) is his beautiful, stylish sis Salvatore (Libero p Rienzo), his Casanova brother and Federico (Gennaro Cuomo), the so-known as smart brother. Additionally, there are Gennaro (Vincenzo Nemolato), a rather cracked cousin who thinks he's Superman (hence the pic's title). They are an average Naples middle-class family circa 1973: Mother's a typist, Father runs a Singer sewing-machine shop, and also the brothers and sisters are experimentation using the era's newly found liberties like bra burning, drugs and free love. The pull between tradition and "modernity" isn't not even close to the top, for example when Peppino's teacher Miss Lina (Rosaria p Cicco) reminds her class every one has three moms: their mother, the Madonna and Miss Lina herself. Rosaria finds out Antonio's getting an affair and adopts a depressive tailspin, practically relinquishing Peppino's choose to her teenagers, who wrongly expose him to discos, a lesbian love-in along with other fads. Peppino feels as rudderless as his mother, in different ways obviously, until Gennaro, lately wiped out inside a bus accident, returns like a spirit to steer him toward an appreciation of difference. Cotroneo does a great job of taking the feeling of a household around the cusp of the " new world ", both economically and socially, but he things his story having a surfeit of figures and flashy moments, just like a flower-energy Greek dancing sequence that owes an excessive amount of to "Hair." Rosaria's friend Assunta (Monica Nappo) is particularly poorly integrated, a grotesque object of ridicule presented as ugly and guy-desperate. Unquestionably the very best moments are individuals between Rosaria and her shrink, Dr. Matarrese (Fabrizio Gifuni), which have a very palpable emotional depth that appears in the future from the different movie. Maui of insight originates from not just excellent writing, but additionally terrific thesping thanks to Golino and Gifuni, both projecting a feeling of existence going past the surface. Capotondi, too, proves she's an all natural talent for getting complexity to roles that feel incomplete it's the perfect time she was handed something really meaty to experience with. Pictures capture the attention-popping tones from the era, together with the greater moderate, even dull colors remaining in the austerity years Cotroneo and the design team understand this crucial duality absolutely right, supporting the feeling of a period uneasily straddling two sensibilities. As the tunes, like certain moments, from time to time push a feeling of nostalgia purely to induce a simple smile, they are well selected and help drive mood.Camera (color), Luca Bigazzi editor, Giogio Franchini, together with Donatella Ruggiero music, Pasquale Catalano production designer, Lino Fiorito costume designer, Rossano Marchi seem (Dolby Digital), Emanuele Cecere connect producer, Carlotta Calori assistant director, Davide Bertoni casting, Pino Pellegrino, Costanza Boccardi. Examined at Rome Film Festival (competing), November. 1, 2011. Running time: 99 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Diamond Kuts Talks Female DJs, Compilation Albums and Being a Trend Setter

Fresh off a record breaking performance at the MTV O Music Awards -- where she DJed the Guinness World Record's longest dance marathon -- DJ Diamond Kuts is releasing a new album.our editor recommendsMTV's O Music Awards Audience Nearly Doubles From Inaugural Show "It's called Herstory In The Making," Diamond told The Hollywood Reporter. "It's usually 'History,' but Herstory is my story as a female DJ. It's rare to find female DJs putting together compilation albums, so I'm kind of making history in my own way." PHOTOS: Top 10 Highest Paid Music Artists The album features R&B, hip hop, reggae and club music with a series of up-and-coming artists, as well as club staples Nicki Minaj and Trina. "I actually put all the songs together from the bottom up," she explained. "I'm excited to hear what people have to say about it." As a brand ambassador for Dove's Fresh Spin campaign, Diamond (born Tina Dunham) shares her tech savvy style with girls across the country. A trend setter in her own right, Diamond is most inspired by the audiences she plays for. "There's not a lot of female DJs out there. For Dove to connect with three different types of female DJs is pretty cool," she said. "Having other females come up and look at what I'm doing, I feel like that's inspiring within itself... learning and seeing what [the audience] loves makes me love what I do even more." STORY: MTV O Music Awards Audience Nearly Doubles From Inaugural Show Supporters of President Obama during 2008 elections may remember Diamond from her performances on the campaign trail. She is excited to announce that she will be joining the President once again as he travels the country rallying for support. "As far as Pennsylvania goes I've already done a few events for the Obama campaign here," she explained. "But I'm definitely doing his campaign run helping him get the crowd going, especially the younger audience, getting them amped and ready to vote." Diamond also continues to team up with fellow female pioneer, Minaj, for several performances. She'll be promoting her latest work with new music videos and even explore the world of producing. It's a busy life, but for Diamond, "That's the only way to live!" Listen to Herstory In The Making here. Related Topics Barack Obama Nicki Minaj

Helen McCrory Joins Micro-budgeted U.K. Project 'Flying Blind'

LONDON -- Helen McCrory, recently announced as part of the cast for the upcoming James Bond film Skyfall, has joined the cast of Flying Blind, a microbudget movie shooting in Bristol, England. McCrory will star in what is the third film to go into production backed by the U.K. regional funding agency South West Screen's iFeatures funding pool. McCrory stars alongside Kenneth Cranham, Najib Oudghiri (Rendition) and Tristan Gemmill in the project that marks the directorial feature debut of Polish helmer Kasia Klimkiewicz. Naomi Wallace, Bruce McLeod and Bristol-based writer Caroline Harrington penned the script, billed as a post 9/11 love story. It details the story of an older woman who works for a military manufacturer who embarks on a passionate affair with a French Algerian student only to discover that he may not be what he seems. iFeatures executive producer Chris Moll said: "This shoot has a real international flavour, and demonstrates our commitment to forging collaborations between emerging talent from different countries. I look forward to seeing the team make their mark with this microbudget, which boasts a really exciting multinational cast." Related Topics International

Video sub losses knock Cablevision

Big NY-area cabler Cablevision Systems Friday saw earnings for the September quarter fall, revealing a loss of 19,000 video subscribers from the previous 3-month period partly offset by an uptick in voice and high-speed Internet biz.Net income plunged to $40 million from $112 million. Company cited higher programming, sales and marketing costs as well as a $16 million hit from Hurricane Irene in the NY metro area in late summer.Revenue rose 8% to about $1.7 billion, including contributions from Bresnan, a smaller cable operator acquired last December. Excluding Bresnan, Cablevision said revenue would have been essentially flat.Cablevision's numbers emphasized what Time Warner Cable illustrated the day before, a slippage of video subs to competition from telecom services like Verizon's Fios and possibly, although it's still early days, nascent inroads by new video streaming services like Netflix and Hulu and others.The company had 3.626 million customers at the end of Sept. The number of video customers dipped 19,000 to 3.264 from the quarter ended in June.On the upside, the company added 17,000 new voice customers and 38,000 new high-speed data customers. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Miramax proposes refinancing plan

Miramax has announced a plan to refinance its outstanding debt.Company will conduct an asset-backed securitization -- using the library and receivables to issue notes to investors.According to a release, Miramax hopes to close the deal by fourth quarter of 2011."The Miramax film library securitization is subject to market and other conditions, so there can be no assurance that it will be completed on terms that are satisfactory to Miramax or at all," the company said in a statement. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com

Source: No Truth To Gossips Nicole Scherzinger & Boyfriend Have Split

First Launched: October 22, 2011 6:26 PM EDT Credit: Getty Premium Caption Lewis Hamilton and Nicole Scherzinger cope with towards the 2011 National Movie Honours held at Wembley Arena, London, on May 11, 2011LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Gossips of Nicole Scherzinger and her longtime love, Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton, splitting arent true, an origin near the singer told Access Hollywood. On Saturday, the UKs Daily Mail reported the X Factor judge, 33, and Lewis, 26, had separate, after greater than four years together. An origin told the newspaper, their work agendas were keeping them apart. Nicole works stateside just like a judge round the X Factor, while Lewis, a Brit, travels for his job just like a Formula 1 driver. But, an origin told Access on Saturday there's virtually no truth for the story in regards to the pair separating. Within This summer time, more reviews made an appearance in regards to the pair inside the Uk press, suggesting the two were engaged, but Nicoles repetition shot lower the rumor in those days. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

News Int'l. verifies Dowler payment

LONDON -- It's been confirmed the group of the killed British schoolgirl Milly Dowler, whose phone was compromised by News around the globe journalists, will be to get a two million ($3.two million) payout from News Worldwide, the paper's writer. Furthermore, Rupert Murdoch will personally give a million ($1.six million) to 6 non profit organizations selected through the Dowlers. Inside a statement, Murdoch stated: "After I met using the Dowlers in This summer, I expressed how deeply sorry I had been for that hurt we'd triggered the household. "The behaviour the News around the globe showed for the Dowlers was abhorrent and that i hope this donation underscores my regret for that company's role within this awful event. "I additionally hope that with the personal donation something positive could be completed in memory of the daughter." Meanwhile it's emerged that British police looking into the murder understood nine years back that voice-mails left on her behalf cell-phone have been intercepted through the News around the globe, but required no action. It had been the thought in This summer through the Protector newspaper that Milly's phone have been compromised through the Murdoch-possessed paper that increased the hacking scandal into front-page news over the British press and beyond. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Protesters rally outside ITV

About 25 supporters of the Writers Guild of America East have staged a protest outside the NY offices of ITV Studios as part of a long-running dispute over unionization. The guild has asserted that a majority of writers and producers at ITV, which produces ''The First 48'' and ''Four Weddings,'' voted for WGA representation in a secret ballot conducted in December but that the company has since tied up certification of the vote with various legal maneuvers. About 80 people would be covered by the WGA. Friday's event elicited demands that the company give its American employees the same rights as their unionized British counterparts. The WGA East reported that it was joined in the action by members of the Writers Guild of Great Britain, Irish Writers Guild, Scriptwriters Guild of Israel, Societe des auteurs de radio, television et cinema (SARTEC) , the Quebec guild , Writers Guild of America, West, La Guilde (French Writers Guild), Australian Writers Guild and New Zealand Writers Guild. The International Affiliation of Writers Guilds passed a resolution Thursday calling upon ITV Studios and its U.S. subsidiary to recognize the WGA East as the bargaining rep and to negotiate in good faith. Robert Taylor, Chair of Writers Guild of Great Britain said in a statement, ''We bargain collectively with ITV Studios in Britain, and we are shocked that the company is using shareholder money to fight the Writers Guild in the US. We believe the employees in the US should have the same rights as our members.'' The WGA East attempted to organize ITV as part of its efforts over the past year to bring its coverage to the non-fiction sector of the TV industry. It has successfully organized Atlas Media and Lion Television as part of that campaign. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

'Paranormal Activity 3' and also the Most frightening Ghost Moments in Movies

Audiences are required to become massive for 'Paranormal Activity 3' a few days ago, and when the film does its job, they'll potentially have to hurry home soon after to alter under garments. Like fans of ghost tales have one particular-to-follow request: "provide us with a great scare!" While audiences watch for 'Paranormal Activity 3' to provide on that advertise, you are able to rattle your anxiety at this time with a glance at probably the most memorable paranormal moments in movie history. Warning: not for that average person! 'The Haunting' (1963) This British thriller -- set within the dark and ominous Hill House -- has freaked audiences out for nearly half a century because of its "less is much moreInch approach. Pitch-black shadows that slip within the room and eerie moans that reverberate with the walls achieve a spine-tingling crescendo for poor Nell within this memorable scene. 'The Amityville Horror' (1979) The allegedly true story of the family terrorized by evil spirits within their new house, where a number of grisly killings happened years before, features lots of legendary scares (the flies, your eyes within the window, "Escape!Inch). However the most legendary -- and nasty -- moment from the film goes for this bloody fresh paint job. 'The Shining' (1980) During the period of two-and-a-half hrs, Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece completely disarms the crowd with unsettling imagery -- which interaction between little Danny and also the ghostly twins kicks the film into terrifying overdrive. 'Poltergeist' (1982) Should you thought getting into a pleasant, new suburban neighborhood would help you stay safe, reconsider. This ghost story by means of Steven Spielberg (who created) features incredible effects, but all it requires is a little stuffed clown toy to haunt individuals reminiscences for three decades. 'The Sixth Sense' (1999) The Oscar-nominated sensation required popular culture by storm because of Haley Joel Osment's enormous lead performance along with a truly shocking twist ending why is this moment stick out is a straightforward "Boo!" Click Osment's face to look at the clip 'The Others' (2001) Nicole Kidman stars within this publish-The Second World War thriller like a widowed mother attempting to raise two sickly children... oh, as well as investigate mysterious sounds heard in the center of the evening. The film's success owed a great deal to the ad campaign which capitalized about this skin-moving moment. 'The Orphanage' (2007) The The spanish language-language film -- in regards to a lady on the quest for her missing adopted boy -- grew to become an worldwide hit because regardless of what language you speak, we are able to all agree that several stone-faced, quiet youngsters are terrifying. 'Paranormal Activity' (2009) The film that began the phenomenon required the classic haunted house formula and removed it bare by having an innovative home-video approach. The movie's final moments however pack the greatest punch.[SPOILER ALERT] [Top Photo: Everett Collection] Take a look at these 31 ghost-filled classics for that 31 times of October. Classic Ghost Movies See All Moviefone Art galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Stephen Gaghan Focuses On Smuggling Of Cocaine And Human For Next Two Films

EXCLUSIVE: Stephen Gaghan has set up his next two directing projects, one covering the smuggling of cocaine from Mexico, the other human cargo from China. Gaghan, who last directed Syriana, has made a deal with Warner Bros for an untitled Cartel Project; and he has made a deal with Flashlight Pictures to direct an independent drama based on the book The Snakehead: An Epic Tale Of The Chinatown Underworld And The American Dream. The latter is the title of a book by NYer writer Patrick Keefe; it will be Keefe who writes the script for the Cartel project at Warner Bros. Gaghans Unsupervised Shingle is producing the Cartel project along with Kevin McCormacks Langley Park. The Warner Bros film will be partly based on Richard Marosis four-part series published in the Los Angeles Times this summer, about how an extensive DEA wiretap operation cracked a variety of smuggling rings transporting tons of cocaine from Sinaloa, Mexico, into Los Angeles and then across the country. Those methods included loading cocaine into everything from cars with elaborate hidden compartments to small airplanes and tractor trailers covered by pallets of frozen chicken. The wiretaps elicited highly personal information on smugglers, including one who would not make a move without the advice of a psychic. It’s the second project McCormick has set up from journalistic sources; Warner Bros is in production with the Ruben Fleischer-directed Gangster Squad with Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling, Josh Brolin and Emma Stone. The studio sees this as a star-driven crime drama that is The Departed meets an updated Traffic. Gaghan won an Academy Award for scripting the latter Steven Soderbergh-directed 2000 film, which illustrated the futility of Americas war on drugs in the 1990s. Marosis reporting indicated not a lot has changed. The wiretap operation led to arrests and the seizure of thousands of pounds of cocaine but barely dented a secret economy worth over $50 billion annually. Keefe, who scripted Marauders for Jerry Bruckheimer, spent the last year attached to the Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon focused on drug enforcement and security issues. Illegal drugs have fallen behind the war on terror, but that just means the enormous business of addiction is quieter, Gaghan told me. Law enforcement has made great strides infiltrating the cartels, but when you are generating $50 billion in untaxed income, you are able to buy a lot of sources and the cartels are just as busy infiltrating the interdiction side. There are networks all over the country like a pulmonary system for illegal drugs that you can get in any town in America. Any time a system of demand is so deeply penetrated into the heart of a country, it becomes a war with human nature. After Traffic I felt there was too much money spent on interdiction and not enough on treatment, and I still feel that you have to change the consumption engine in human behavior. In Snakehead, Gaghan will focus on the unlikely kingpin in an entirely different but profitable smuggling network. Sister Ping, a grandmother who operated a small noodle shop on Hester Street, spearheaded a multimillion-dollar operation in which she smuggled illegal immigrants from China. They would disappear in the underground Chinatown economy, working endless hours to pay off $18,000 transport fees for a piece of the American dream. Sister Ping made over $100 million in the 1980s and was a Don Corleone in the closed community of Chinatown, until authorities became wise to her empire in 1993 when a ship loaded with 300 undocumented immigrants ran aground off a beach in Queens. An FBI task force known as the Jade Squad spent the next decade untangling the network and chasing its elusive leader, who got a 35-year prison sentence. The film will be scripted by Nic Pizzolatto, who wrote the novel Galveston and two episodes of AMCs The Killing. Gaghan is producing with Richard Brown. Development will be financed by Flashlight Pictures, whose principals Allyn Stewart and Kipp Nelson will also produce. Gaghan said that Snakehead will focus on the intersection of Sister Ping’s empire with young Chinatown gangsters who wanted in when they realized how lucrative her smuggling business was. Gaghan doesnt look at Sister Ping as a villain, noting that the grandchildren of some of those illegal immigrants realized their parents’ dreams and became doctors. There are statues of her in China. The story is relevant today, he said. Humans are tribal but we migrate, and the forces driving that are hunger and opportunity, and now many of us are the ones migrating for jobs. Gaghan’s intention is to make the Cartel project first.

Patty Jenkins Confirmed to Direct Thor 2

Congrats are in order to Patty Jenkins, who was confirmed today as Marvel’s pick to helm their 2013 sequel, Thor 2. Jenkins, who directed Charlize Theron to an Oscar in 2003’s Monster, her feature directorial debut, inherits the helm of the Thor comic book movie franchise from Kenneth Branagh. Full press release after the jump. The hire launches Jenkins into vaunted company in the world of big budget studio franchises — not to mention the world of studio filmmaking overall, where few women land major action projects — and marks an interesting choice by Marvel Studios, given Jenkins’ past work. Monster,the biopic of Aileen Wuornos, made quite the mark for a debut film, while Jenkins also earned kudos (and an Emmy nod) for directing the pilot of AMC’s The Killing. Most recently, she directed a segment of the Lifetime original film Five, which Movieline assessed here. From Marvel Studios: Marvel Studios announced today that Patty Jenkins will direct THOR 2, which will be released in theatres on Friday, November 15, 2013. Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman will return to star in the film along with Tom Hiddleston. Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige will produce the sequel to this summer’s blockbuster THOR, which has grossed over $448 million worldwide to date.Patty Jenkins previously directed MONSTER starring Charlize Theron, who won an Academy Award for her performance in the film. Jenkins, who received an Emmy nomination for directing the pilot of AMC’s acclaimed series The Killing, has also directed episodes of Entourage and Arrested Development. Most recently, she directed “Pearl,” one of the five short films that comprise Lifetime’s original movie FIVE.In addition to THOR 2, Marvel Studios is currently scheduled to release MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS on May 4, 2012, and IRON MAN 3 which is slated for release on May 3, 2013. TOLDJA! Patty Jenkins Confirmed As ‘Thor 2 Director [Deadline]

Hatchery, Jane Startz option 'Angel' book series

La-based production company the Hatchery and Gotham-based Jane Startz Prods. have teamed to option scribe L.A. Weatherly's book trilogy, "Angel." The series follows the complicated romance of Willow, half-angel and half-human character, and Alex, a CIA assassin designated to look her lower. "Angel Burn," the initial book inside the "Angel" series, was released in your area by Candlewick Press in May and showed up a higher ten perfect the American Assn. of Booksellers' Indie Next List. "Angel Fire," the second book inside the series, will released inside the U.K. this month, which is slated for just about any U.S. release within the month of the month of january 2012. The best book inside the "Angel" trilogy is predicted being launched in fall 2012. Startz, recognized for creating book-to-film adaptations for instance "Ella Enchanted" and "The Newborn-Sitters' Club," known to "Angel" as "most likely probably the most thrilling, romantic and imaginative books I have read in a really, super very long time," while Hatchery partner Serta Angel named the trilogy a "rare property which hits on all cylinders." Candlewick Press topper Karen Lotz added, "We simply cannot wait to find out how (it) translate for audiences using what promises to become thrill ride feature film." Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Lamberg to UMPG leader

Filling vacuum pressure towards the top of among music publishing's greatest firms, Evan Lamberg continues to be marketed to leader of Universal Music Posting Group, The United States. Lamberg was formerly professional Vice president of creative for UMPG, New England. In the new role, he'll oversee the business's United States procedures, including its pop, urban, country, Latin, Christian/gospel and Canadian divisions. Move installs a brand new topper in the pubbery, that has didn't have an innovator since former UMPG chairman-Boss David Renzer ankled the organization in April. Renzer, who spent fifteen years using the posting unit, held the title of UMPG leader through 2004. Lamberg depends in UMG's Santa Monica office and report collectively to Universal Group leader-chief operating officer Zach Horowitz and UMG chairman-Boss Lucian Grainge. Like a creative professional at UMPG, Lamberg has signed or labored with your top songwriters and functions as Attacking Young Boys, Owl City, Desmond Child, Sean Garrett and Jackie Evancho. Younger crowd inked a partnership posting agreement with Lady Gaga's creative team of Troy Carter and Vincent Herbert. Before joining UMPG, Lamberg was at EMI Music Posting, where he rose to professional Vice president of creative, The United States, and also at Gibson Guitar, where he was professional Vice president of procedures. Horowitz stated inside a statement: "Evan's stellar history for finding, signing and taking care of the most effective songwriting talent, coupled with his managing, business and business abilities, makes him your best option to develop UMPG's market leading position and also to take our United States procedures one stage further.Inch UMPG also introduced the roll-out of a worldwide board "to help maximize possibilities for UMPG talent and partners on the worldwide basis." The worldwide board includes Lamberg, Paul Connolly (leader, U.K. and Europe), Eddie Fernandez (senior Vice president, Latin America), Andrew Jenkins (professional Vice president, Asia Off-shore/industry matters), Gary Gross (worldwide prexy, Universal Posting Production Music) and Michael J. Sammis (professional Vice president, procedures, and worldwide chief financial officer). Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Ridley Scott, BBC prep U.K. 'Life'

ScottCANNES -- Ridley Scott is working together using the BBC on the feature docu inspired by feature "Existence per day,Inch which aims to produce a self-portrait from the U.K. throughout just one day. The concept involves Britons filming themselves for any project which will air in your area in 2012 included in the pubcaster's Cultural Olympiad, which seeks to focus on existence and mores in Blighty as London gears as much as host the Olympic games. Scott stated: "Filmmaking happens to be about just obtaining a camera, escaping . there and doing the work. "Our goal with this new project is to buy everybody behind the lens and provide us a window onto eventually in great britan.Inch "Existence per day,Inch that was created by Scott's shingle Scott Free, was helmed by Kevin Macdonald. He edited a lot more than 4,500 hrs of footage posted by people from around the globe right into a 90-minute documentary, which bowed theatrically within the U.S. in This summer. Macdonald is professional producer around the new docu, to become helmed by Morgan Matthews, maker of "The Fallen," the BAFTA-winning film naming all British soldiers wiped out in Iraq and Afghanistan. "(Matthews) uses the wealthy chest of fabric posted to craft just one, coherent story that captures the range and excitement of existence in great britan today," stated the BBC. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

New Girl Can get First Full Season Pick-Up

New Girl Fox has recognized the completely new Girl around the Tuesday block. The network has bought 11 additional cases of the hit comedy - making New Girl the initial newcomer series to obtain a complete season pick-up. "We love to the charming Zooey Deschanel as well as the entire cast, we're knocked out while using work that Liz Meriwether as well as the whole workers are doing which we're really psyched in regards to the approaching episodes inside the pipeline," mentioned Kevin Reilly, Fox's leader of entertainment. "It's good that audiences have responded so positively up to now and that we are sure that a lot more people will embrace the show - plus much more comedy on FOX - this season.In . Fall TV: Start to see the 17 stars as well as sturdy . eyes relating to this year New Girl stars Deschanel as Jess, a awesome school teacher who moves together with three males after she finds her boyfriend cheating on her behalf account. The "adorkable" series opened up to 10.08 million audiences the other day and attracted in 9.26 million audiences due to its second episode on Tuesday. Wednesday's order brings the summer season total to 24 episodes. Approaching guest stars include Justin Extended and Lake Bell. New Girl airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Fox. Are you currently presently excited for further New Girl?

Rankings: New Girl Opens Large, Larger Than Glee

Zooey Deschanel Adorkable is really a winning trait. Zooey Deschanel which precious description introduced 10.08 million audiences towards the series debut of recent Girl - which did substantially much better than the growing season 3 premiere of Glee (8.91 million). Read our Glee recap Overnight Nielsen rankings further demonstrated the new Fox sitcom obtained a 4.7 rating among industry-valued 18-to-49-year-olds, also beating Glee (3.8 -- lower a challenging 32 percent versus. last year's start). Another large debut from the evening - Memorable, starring Poppy Montgomery - had 13.98 million people recalling to stay tuned, posting a couple.9 demo rating and beating your competition in prime time's final hour: the growing season premiere of Body of Proof (9.sixty five millionOr2.3) and Week 2 of Being a parent (5.26 million/2.1). The brand new show also did much better than it is time slot predecessor, The Great Wife, by 9 % as a whole viewership (16 percent in demo rating). Fall Preview: Get scoop in your favorite coming back shows It achieved positive results obviously by using the rankings juggernaut tandem of NCIS, which attracted 19.55 million individuals to its Season 9 opening episode, and spin-off NCIS: La, which attracted 16.69 million to its third season debut. The first kind enhanced by 3 % over its previous begin in viewership the second by 14 %. According to this auspicious start, it appears like Tuesday evening will stay a stronghold for CBS. The sophomore oncoming of Fox's Raising Hope at 9:30/8:30c arrived at 6.87 million people -- a good start. Photo timeline: The emasculation of males on television Against NCIS and Glee at 8/7c, the very first hour of Dwts snagged 10.74 million audiences versus. the growing season 12 premiere from the Greatest Loser on NBC (6.09 million) and also the CW's 90210 (1.56 million) At 9/8c, DWTS' first results show loved an uptick to 14.54 million as did Loser (6.17 million) versus. the 2nd outing of Ringer - that 1.96 million marked a virtually 30 % decrease from the premiere amounts (2.7 million).

CBS dramas, Fox's 'Girl' shine Tuesday

CBS, with a boost from newbie "Unforgettable," impressed on the opening Tuesday of the season, but the standout performer of the night was Fox's new comedy "New Girl" - the net's top new fall comedy bow in 10 years.Preliminary Nielsen estimates show "New Girl" averaging a potent 4.7 rating/12 share in adults 18-49 and 10.1 million viewers overall in the 9 o'clock half-hour hour -the night's top show in 18-49 and a big improvement over "Raising Hope" in the timeslot a year ago (3.1/8 in 18-49, 7.3 million viewers overall). Fox hasn't done better with a fall comedy premiere since "Bernie Mac" in November 2001.The performance was even more impressive considering that its lead-in, "Glee" (3.8/11 in 18-49, 8.9 million viewers overall), was down about 30% from its big start of last year. Also for Fox, "Raising Hope" (3.1/8 in 18-49, 6.9 million viewers overall), now airing at 9:30 p.m., matched its series premiere score of last year (when it followed "Glee" at 9 p.m.), but lost a good chunk of its "New Girl" lead-in. "Glee" was surpassed among adults 18-49 at 8 o'clock by CBS vet "NCIS" (4.2/12 in 18-49, 19.5 million viewers overall), the night's No. 1 show in 25-54 (5.8/15) and total viewers. "NCIS" was up vs. its debut performance of last fall, as was 9 o'clock drama "NCIS: Los Angeles" (3.6/9 in 18-49, 16.7 million viewers overall). And at 10, new CBS crime drama "Unforgettable" (2.9/8 in 18-49, 14.0 million viewers overall) led its hour in key demos and was down only slightly in 18-49 from a second "NCIS: Los Angeles" on premiere Tuesday a year ago (and up a bit in total viewers); the Poppy Montgomery series also started stronger than "The Good Wife," which bowed in the second week of last season to a 2.5 demo score.ABC was paced by "Dancing With the Stars" (2.8/7 in 18-49m 14.5 million viewers overall), though it was down about 35% from last year, and NBC by "The Biggest Loser" (2.3/6 in 18-49, 6.1 million viewers overall), which was down by about 20%.In the 10 o'clock hour opposite the debut of "Unforgettable," NBC's "Parenthood" held up well (2.1/6 in 18-49, 5.3 million viewers overall), down just a tick from last week's early premiere against softer competition but off by about 15% vs. its second episode of last year. And for ABC in the hour, "Body of Proof" (2.3/6 in 18-49, 9.7 million viewers overall) was on par with last year's debut of "Detroit 1-8-7" in the time period, with the Dana Delany crime series topping the ratings for its last four original episodes in the spring.CW's "Ringer" (0.9/2 in 18-49, 2.0 million viewers overall) took a hit in its second week but held up best in the net's core demos of adults 18-34 and women 18-34, where it retained more than 80% of its premiere scores.Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: Fox, 3.9/10; CBS, 3.6/9; ABC, 2.4/6; NBC, 2.2/6; Univision, 1.8/5; CW, 0.8/2.In total viewers: CBS, 16.7 million; ABC, 11.6 million; Fox, 8.7 million; NBC, 5.8 million; Univision, 3.9 million; CW, 1.8 million. Contact Rick Kissell at rick.kissell@variety.com

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Showtime to tap Trisha Cardoso as PR topper

Showtime is close to naming studio vet Trisha Cardoso becasue it is new PR topper.Cardoso will be a longtime Vital Network TV praiser who most recently has labored just like a consultant to Chuck Lorre Prods., among other clients.Cardoso is poised to move into the job vacated in August by Richard Licata, which has reunited along with his former Showtime boss, NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt, as mind of PR for your Peacock's entertainment wing. Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com

Fall TV Popularity Contest: Did The Secret Circle Cast a Spell on You?

The Secret Circle The witching hour began Thursday with the premiere of The CW's latest supernatural drama, The Secret Circle. Based on a series of books from the author behind The Vampire Diaries, The Secret Circle stars Britt Robertson as Cassie, a teenage girl who moves from California to Washington only to learn her new town is full of witches and that she also possesses magical powers. We want to know to know your thoughts - and what you think of every new series this season. Vote: Which fall premieres won you over? Which flopped? Do you want to join The Secret Circle? Are witches the new vampires? Or did the series feel like a Diaries copycat? Vote now! And don't forget to tell your friends and other fans to vote too. Check back to see what TVGuide.com users think of your favorite - and least favorite - new shows. And stay tuned to see the final rankings of the season's most liked and disliked freshman series. Here's our full calendar to help you keep track of when everything premieres and when to vote.

Paul Telegdy Upped at NBC

Mark Gordon is bringing his feature film Source Code to the small screen. His Mark Gordon Company, which is locked into an overall deal at ABC Studios, has sold a TV version of the sci-fi thriller to CBS with a meaningful penalty.The news marks ABC Studios' first off-network sale of the development season. Like the film on which it is based, the action/procedural follows three former federal agents who are part of a top-secret program. Each week, they'll use "Source Code" technology to jump into the consciousness of people involved in tragic events. Gordon (Grey's Anatomy, Criminal Minds) will produce the project, with Vendome Pictures' Philippe Rousselet serving as a consulting producer. Steve Maeda (Lie to Me, Lost) is on board to write. This follows a flurry of development season deals for Gordon's company, including a contemporary Miami Vice-style crime drama Untouchable, a Crazy Stupid Love-esque emotional procedural Winging It and an adaptation of Candace Bushnell's One Fifth. Gordon is repped by ICM. Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com; Twitter: @LaceyVRose Related Topics ABC Jake Gyllenhaal CBS Source Code Criminal Minds Grey's Anatomy TV Development

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Copyright Curmudgeon Harlan Ellison Sues To Avoid Relieve New Regencys With Time

If director Andrew Niccol and New Regency’s Justin Timberlakethriller With Time is founded on a pilfered idea,asis mentioned in the copyright suitfiled yesterday in L.A. federal court, they may have selected on thewrong guy. Within the wrong time. The suit was created by sci-fi author Harlan Ellison, who states the film is just too close to his 1965 novel “Repent, Harlequin! Mentioned the Ticktockman” and wantsits scheduled March. 28 release blocked. A copyright curmudgeon, Ellison includes past filing high-profile copyright cases. Hereceived an acknowledgment credit after he punished inside the Terminator, proclaiming it required it's origin from two Outer Limits episodes her written.And in line with the suit, after a period of waiting,Ellison recentlyhad a third party write an adaptationof it and was likely to approach thestudios from it. Ellison’s suit alleges plot and character parallels, and heapparently isn’t the only real individual who sees parallels. The author notes within the suit that critic Richard Roeper within the Fall Movie Preview, states the film “is with various short story with the great Harlan Ellison.” Furthermore to impeding the film’s release, Ellison is seeking award for damages.