Bell's Wary Of the Scary
When "Veronica Mars" hottie Kristen Bell thinks she's the ugliest person in a movie, it's safe to say you're in for some great eye candy -- and Bell promises her new horror flick, "Pulse," delivers the goods.
The actress, who's sexy in her own right, says she was initially intimidated by the model looks of co-stars Ian Somerhalder and Christina Milian.
"Christina Milian is one of the most beautiful people I've seen up close...I actually was angry when the producers first hired Ian. I was like no no no no. Throughout history, the girl has been the pretty one in the movie ... They were like, we'll ugly him down, we'll ugly him down. It didn't work."
Her latest film, which centers on the dead using the Internet as a means to take life from the living, definitely heads into scary territory, something Bell was nervous about.
"I've never done a horror movie before and I'm always very, very wary of scary things ... Literally, if you were to jump out from behind a corner I would instantly be in tears ... I saw the preview for 'Leprechaun' and I still have dreams about that guy."
"Pulse" makes its way into theaters August 11.
OutKast -- The Movie
The Who had "Tommy," the Beatles had "A Hard Day's Night" and Britney had "Crossroads." Now, OutKast is hitting the big screen with the first feature film featuring both Andre 3000 and Big Boi -- "Idlewild."
Andre has already played roles in two 2005 films such as "Be Cool" and "Four Brothers," and Big Boi acted in 2006's "ATL." Still, this is the first movie to feature both performers as well as new music by the band.
Why have we had to wait so long? "We didn't have enough Q scores," says Andre, referring to the industry measure of popularity and name-recognition. "I guess our weight wasn't up, you know? Didn't have enough popularity I guess."
Hard to believe, since the break-out hit "Hey Ya!" seemed like the official song of the summer of 2003.
But at least the wait is almost over -- "Idlewild" hits theaters August 25th.
Lindsay Parties On -- Ignores Studio "Advice"
After a scathing letter from the studio head of her latest movie, detailing her lack of professionalism, one would think the starlet would stop, or at least slow, her partying ways. Lindsay proved everyone wrong though by heading to Vegas this weekend and hitting up Hollywood hot spot Hyde last night, continuing her streak of late nights.
Lindsay was spotted in the club's parking lot, hugging and talking with friends. She later drove away in her black Mercedes with an unidentified male in the passenger seat.
Lohan and current flame Harry Morton were in Vegas on Saturday for the final Beacher's Madhouse event at the Hard Rock. Morton was executive producuer of the show which was housed the casino his father once owned.
James G. Robinson, the CEO of Morgan Creek Productions, in a letter to Lohan that was leaked to the press, called her "...discourteous, irresponsible and unprofessional" and went on to say that her actions are those of a spoiled child which has caused her co-workers to feel alienated and "has endangered the quality of this picture."
Lindsay's mother, Dina, has since come to her daughter's aid, saying the letter was "too much" and that Lindsay is "a wonderful child."
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Lindsay Gets CEO Smackdown
UPDATE: Our inside sources tell us that Lindsay showed up on time today. Actually, she showed up a tad early for today's call time. Our source also said that Lohan had in fact missed two full days of shooting.
Rumors are swirling that Lindsay Lohan's hard-partying ways have been taking their toll on the filming of her latest film "Georgia Rule." Her recent visit to the hospital due to dehydration only added flames to the fire. Now Lohan is catching hell from her own producer, who's fed up with her behavior.
The Smoking Gun has obtained a letter from James G. Robinson, the CEO of Morgan Creek Production, to Lohan in which he calls her action "...discourteous, irresponsible and unprofessional." He goes on to say that her actions are those of a spoiled child which has caused her co-workers to feel alienated and "has endangered the quality of this picture." The letter concludes by urging Lohan to be on time and act professionally, otherwise "action" will be taken in order to preserve the integrity of the film.
The letter was hand delivered to Lindsay on the 26th, the same night our cameras caught up with her dodging paparazzi in the passenger seat of a friend's car. Glad to see she took Robinson's words to heart.
Scarlett: Woody Is Easy
Easy to work with, that is. According to Scarlett Johansson, the set of Woody Allen's new comedy "Scoop" was great. Says the starlet: "working with Woody is always easy because he likes to make his dinner reservations at, like, 7:30".
"Deadwood" star Ian McShane has his own story of Woody's no-fuss style. He tells of his audition- which basically amounted to a few minutes of talking about the weather, and then "The next day I got the script, 'would you like to do it?' I went back to England and said yes."
Woody's directed over 40 films, and he's over 70 years old. It makes sense that after putting up those kind of numbers, a director would just want things to be simple and easy.
Foxx Outparties Farrell
Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell reveal the truth behind who the real ultimate nightlifer is when it comes to the two of them... and apparently it's Foxx.
Colin says that while shooting "Miami Vice" he would lock himself in his hotel room while Jamie was out making appearances at Miami's hottest clubs. Don't feel too sorry for the newly sober hunk, it wasn't all Ramada Inn scenery. While filming, Foxx threw an impromptu birthday bash for Farrell and a party for hurricane Katrina, where Farrell auctioned off a date with himself. The winner? Seven girls that each pitched in $1,000. Wow! He's cheap!
ICM Buys Broder, Becomes ICBM?
International Creative Management today signed an agreement to acquire The Broder Webb Chervin Silbermann Agency.
For those not up on their Hollywood balance of power, it's the Hollywood talent agency equivalent of Iran announcing it's got nukes.
Says the Hollywood Reporter, "The deal was finalized Thursday after roughly five months of under-the-radar negotiations between the two agencies. As part of the merger, Jeff Berg remains chairman and CEO of ICM, with BWCS founding partner Robert Broder becoming vice chairman. BWCS managing partner Chris Silbermann will become co-president of ICM alongside Ed Limato. Agency veteran Nancy Josephson, daughter of ICM co-founder Marvin Josephson, will leave her post as co-president of ICM."
Broder was always a Hollywood anomaly: Unlike talent shops that employ talent agents like "Entourage's" Ari Gold, Broder eschewed representing actors, instead focusing its efforts on signing writer/directors and producers in TV and film. Despite being unable to "package" projects for studios and networks (pairing actors with writers and directors in one big, fat commission-able bundle), Broder has thrived: It represents creators and executive producers on several series, including "Grey's Anatomy," "My Name is Earl," "Law and Order: SVU," "Scrubs," "Two and a Half Men" and "King of Queens."
We're thrilled that this happened at ICM, because quite frankly, everyone in Hollywood's talent community has been nervously kicking the tires of rivals, eager to bulk up against that school yard menace, Creative Artists Agency.
(Or as most talent agents not employed there call it, "The Death Star." You know: The one that pledged to reach 100% market share at a recent corporate retreat? Gulp.)
More, everyone in Hollywood had been pissing on ICM, calling it an also-ran, which it wasn't and now, clearly isn't.
Only a month ago, Variety's Mike Fleming publicly pooh-poohed ICM's efforts to get larger.
Viz,
"Is it repeating past mistakes and letting key agents walk out the door with their clients? Seven months after ICM re-capitalized with a $100 million cash infusion, agency watchers are asking: Has ICM squandered the momentum that could have come with a restructuring?"
Well, I suppose the answer to that question is now pretty clearly a resounding "No." And, in the meantime, the Hollywood agents' anthem is "Hollywood Agencies Unite! You Have Nothing to Lose Except Your Fear of CAA!"
We fully expect to see a merger between Endeavor and UTA, or UTA and ICM, or William Morris and UTA, or what-have-you.
And when that happens, man is this going to be a fun business to cover.
Where Has Meg Ryan Gone?
Well, Pam -- Meg Ryan recently arrived back on the mainland after spending time in Hawaii with her children -- Jack Henry, her son with actor Dennis Quaid, and newly adopted daughter Daisy. Her time away comes just in time, as she has finished filming for the movie "In the Land of Women," a flick about a broken-hearted man who skips town to be with his ailing grandmother living in Detroit. While in Detroit, he befriends a family of women living across the street who, in turn, help him through his trials.
The exact release date is yet to be set, but expect to see it out next year.
Click here for photos of more celebs who get away to Hawaiian hotspots!
Is Lucy Liu dating? She's never photographed with a boyfriend.
Joe, Lucy Liu was seen a while back taking a stroll through the park accompanied by her dog and a male companion. Now although it appears as if the two could be an item, there is no substantial proof to confirm that they aren't doing more than just walking dogs. Time will have to tell.
Besides working out her pooches, Liu has also been working on her professional life. Expect to see her in several movies in the near future, "Code Name: The Cleaner" among one of them, set for release early next year.
And for the latest in other movies, check this out.
Is Colin Farrell really the playboy he's made out to be?
Last year this time, Jackie, we would have said yes -- Colin Farrell really is the playboy he's portrayed as being. However, it seems as if he may be attempting to turn over a new leaf. And much in part to his two-year-old son James. After leaving rehab, he now knows that it is his son's future he wants to be chasing... not the ladies.
As for his rumored relationship with Lake Bell, Colin has shot down the gossip letting everyone know there is no "significant other" in his life and that he's perfectly content being on his own during this time.
Click here to watch Colin and co-star Jamie Foxx talk about their new movie "Miami Vice," which hits theaters tomorrow.
What happened to K-Fed's other two children with Shar Jackson? Have Kevin and Britney totally blown them off?
Amanda, this is a question we're all dying to know. Fortunately for him, K-Fed was recently spotted with his first two children Kori and Kaleb earlier this month. And he made sure to make the time special as it was just the three in tow. Ex-girlfriend Shar Jackson recently spoke with People magazine giving an interview in which she defended the wannabe rapper's fatherly reputation. "He's an amazing dad," she told the magazine adding that not being around his kids "hurts his heart."
Last year Britney and Kevin celebrated the birthdays of Federline's first two children, Kaleb and Kori, after failing to the year before.
Click here to see how K-Fed makes sure to tend to his professional life.
What ever became of Michael Fishman who played DJ on "Roseanne"?
A sure blast from the past, Jeffrey! Michael Fishman is currently married and the proud father of two children. Sources close to Fishman also tell TMZ that he is presently focusing on his career as a college student, but makes time to coach high school baseball on the side. While he does plan to return to acting in the future, his studies are his priority right now.
One of the last times we saw little DJ, he was playing an extra in the Haley Joel Osment movie "Artificial Intelligence: AI." And prior to that, an episode of "Seinfeld."
Click here for the "Roseanne" photo gallery
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Pee Wee's New Adventures
Paul Ruebens has been riding high since the re-airing of his acclaimed children's show "Pee Wee's Playhouse" on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.
So high, in fact, that in a recent Time magazine interview Ruebens says he is about to make two more Pee Wee movies and the first one going into production early next year!
Ruebens said "In the TV series Pee Wee almost never left the Playhouse. The movie script is just the opposite. This is a road picture, an epic adventure story where all of the characters leave the Playhouse when one of them disappears."
Even though that sounds suspiciously like the first Pee Wee movie "Pee Wee's Big Adventure," we're not going to complain. We're just happy to have the red bow tie back.
Scary Snoop Dogg
Rapor/actor/producer Snoop Dogg unveiled his new movie -- "Hood of Horror" -- at Comic-Con is San Diego last week.
In the film, Snoop plays a host and narrator called the Hound of Hell and, as he says, "I actually connect all three parts of the story together."
Snoop also serves as a producer on the film that "is sort of like a scary movie, but it has a little bit of comedy and reality in there."
As for which he thinks is easier, rapping or acting, Snoop says, "I think rapping is harder, because the rap fans fall off quick. If you make a good movie you are in there for ever. They want a good record every time you come out."
"Hood of Horror" comes out later this year.
Band Bandits Go Legit; Bookstore Becomes Backlot
Sometimes, the techie headlines of the day are so bizarre, we feel the need to lie down.
Go ahead, squeeze the Sharman: Sharman Networks, parent of file-sharing software Kazaa, has agreed to pay more than $115 million in restitution to record labels and a lesser, undisclosed amount to Hollywood's film studios.
And just as Kazaa is getting out of the illegal music and movie biz, Amazon.com announced it's getting into the legal movie business. In a first of its kind deal, the web superstore announced it's moving into film production. Amazon acquired the fearture film rights to Keith Donohue's "The Stolen Child." Interestingly, Amazon says it won't be financing the film. Instead, it plans to select a director and then send the creative package over to a Hollywood studio, presumably with free shipping if the director costs more than $25 dollars.
Revving Up the Red Carpet
Not satisfied with simply walking the red carpet, Will Ferrell and co-star John C. Reilly showed up to the "Talladega Nights" premiere in race cars, driving them down the red carpet.
Though Ferrell's character in the film, Ricky Bobby, is a racer who embraces risky driving, Ferrell himself said he is anything but.
"I'm a fearful driver. I'm not very much like Ricky himself. I'm pretty much a little old granny out there in my little Toyota Prius. But I'm saving the environment. So there."
For Leslie Bibb, most known for the short-lived WB show "Popular," working with someone as funny as Will was intimidating. "It was just like being at comedy boot camp and I felt like the really slow kid who got the AP class, and I was like, if nobody notices I'll keep the job, somehow it worked out."
"Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" opens August 4th.
Getting Steamy in "Miami"
Colin Farrell has never really been one for tact and when promoting his new film, "Miami Vice," he held little back when talking about filming sex scenes with Gong Li.
"It was a great day at the office...I got to kiss Gong Li and be somewhat naked with her," said the Irish actor between cigarette drags. Farrell also took a jab at actors who skirt around press questions about shooting this type of scene, saying "You try to respect the other person...f*** that, respect is overrated."
Farrell's co-star Jamie Foxx has a sex scene of his own with "Pirates of the Caribbean" hottie Naomie Harris, which required him to wear next to nothing. "I wore a sock with a bow on it, just to lighten the mood for Naomie because she was a little nervous."
"Miami Vice" opens this weekend.
OutKast's United Front For "Idlewild"
Big Boi and Andre 3000 showed up in London to promote their new album and movie both named "Idlewild".
The album is OutKast's first release in 3 years, and features 80 minutes of music and lots of love for their fans. They also talk about their new film, set in America in the 1930's. The film chronicles the lives of two friends brought together by music. Hmmmm sound familiar?
The film hits theaters August 25th and the album drops August 22nd.
Harrelson Won't Face Felony Charges
Woody Harrelson will not face felony charges in connection with an incident involving TMZ cameraman Josh Levine outside a Hollywood nightclub last month, according to Los Angeles County prosecutors. The matter will now be referred to the City Attorney's office for review.
On the evening of June 29, Levine approached Harrelson outside LA nightclub Element and, as video footage showed, Harrelson made contact with Levine's camera and grabbed the cameraman's neck with one hand. Levine suffered a laceration as a result of the physical contact, and his camera was damaged.
Deputy District Attorney Alisanne Scolnik Augusta wrote that the incident "doesn't reveal a clear intentional breaking of the camera by the suspect" and that "the force used is not to the level that would cause great bodily injury" in her explaining her decision not to pursue the matter further.
Related link
EXCLUSIVE: D.A. Will Decide Harrelson's Fate
WTC About Ordinary People
Director Oliver Stone and Actor Nicolas Cage discuss their new film "World Trade Center."
The film chronicles two New York Port Authority officers who were trapped in the rubble of one of the collapsed World Trade towers for 12 hours on 9/11. Cage discusses how it is hard to find meaningful roles and Oliver Stone talks about telling the story from the blue collar guy's point of view. "I just like working class people, ordinary people," he says.
"World Trade Center" hits theaters August 9th.