Around the world on Amanda Peet

Source: Reuters ()

By Gregg Goldstein

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - The new “X-Files” movie
will be packing more heat.

Rapper Xzibit, Amanda Peet and Scottish comic Billy
Connolly have signed on for director Chris Carter’s next
big-screen adaptation of the hit TV series.

Citing a policy of secrecy surrounding the plot line, Fox
would not confirm any details regarding the three actors’
roles. But sources said Xzibit and Peet will play FBI agents
alongside David Duchovny’s Mulder and Gillian Anderson’s
Scully.

The supernatural thriller is a stand-alone story, not a
sequel or continuation of the hit 1998 feature adaptation.

Carter and Frank Spotnitz wrote the screenplay, and
production is expected to begin this month in Vancouver. The
film is set to hit theaters in July.

Xzibit recently was cast opposite Bruce Willis and Woody
Harrelson in Oliver Stone’s “Pinkville,” but his schedule was
freed up when that film was put on hold because of the writers
strike. His credits include “8 Mile” and MTV’s “Pimp My Ride.”

Peet was recently in theaters with another alien-related
film, the New drama “Martian Child.” Connolly has appeared
in “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” and “The
Last Samurai.”

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Source: Product Reviews ()

The second X-Files movie is set to start shooting in Vancouver this month so it’s about time we get a few new cast members. It seems that David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson won’t be all alone after all as director Chris Carter has announced some interesting new cast.

It’s been reported that funny man Billy Connolly will be joining Amanda Peet and rapper Xzibit in the supernatural thriller. It’s great to see Billy Connolly in the cast. He’s the funniest thing to come out of Scotland in my opinion and has fantastic screen presence when he acts (which he can actually do!).

There hasn’t been an announcement as to who Connolly, Peet Xzibit will play but it’s been hinted by The Hollywood Reporter that Peet and Xzibit could be FBI agents.

Source

Source: United Press International ()

Actress Amanda Peet, rapper Xzibit and comedian Billy Connolly have all signed on for roles in the new “X-Files” movie, The Hollywood Reporter said.

The trade paper quoted sources as saying Xzibit and Peet will play fellow FBI agents to David Duchovny’s Mulder and Gillian Anderson’s Scully in the big-screen follow-up to the long-running sci-fi series and 1998 film.

Fox declined to confirm any details of the actors’ roles because of the shroud of secrecy surrounding the movie’s plot.

“X-Files” creator Chris Carter and the show’s veteran writer-producer Frank Spotnitz wrote the screenplay, which Carter will direct.

Production the new movie is expected to begin this month in Vancouver, while the film is set for release in July.

Source: Hollywood Reporter ()

Boston is fast becoming Hollywood Northeast.

Nicholas Paleologos, executive director of the Massachusetts Film
Office, noted that 2006’s “The Departed” was set in the Bay State
and more than half of the film was shot on location, but only about
$6 million of its total budget was spent in Massachusetts, with a
larger amount of the location work going to New York.

“Fast-forward 24 months: ‘The Pink Panther 2′ had nothing to do
with Massachusetts and not a single scene takes place in
Massachusetts — but Massachusetts got the lion’s share of the
location spending,” he said.

In large part, this trend can be attributed to an aggressive tax
incentive plan that was revised this year so that productions that
drop more than $50,000 in Massachusetts receive a 25% rebate on
everything it spends in the state.

Paleologos added that 2007 will close with nine major features
having been shot in Massachusetts, pouring more than $125 million
in direct expenditure into the local economy, up 150% from last
year.

“Before (the incentives), those pictures would stay in the state
for a week or two shooting exteriors and then shoot in another
place where they could get a tax credit,” he said.

Contributing to the program’s success to some degree is the value
of the U.S. dollar dropping below that of the Canadian dollar,
prompting producers to look for location options in the States. And
Boston has been met with enthusiasm.

“Everywhere you turn, the camera is a feast for your eyes,”
Lionsgate president of production Mike Paseornek said. “Boston has
not ever been overused as a city for a setting in movies. You have
a fresh look at something audiences haven’t seen for quite a
while.”

Lionsgate recently lensed “My Best Friend’s Girl,” starring Dane
Cook and Kate Hudson, in the Boston area. production team took
full advantage of the city, shooting along the Charles River and
Commonwealth Avenue …

Source: TV Fodder ()

Studio 60 Fodder

Studio 60: New movies open today

As reported earlier, Aaron Sorkin’s movie Charlie Wilson’s War opens today (December 21). Sorkin adapted the screenplay from the book by George Crile.

The movie has been nominated for several awards, notably Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical and Best Screenplay-Motion Picture (as well as actor, supporting actor, and supporting actress). Aaron Sorkin was also nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award from the Broadcast Film Critics Association for Best Writer (along with a best supporting actor nomination for Philip Seymour Hoffman). The actors have been nominated for a number of other awards, but they aren’t directly related to Studio 60.

Aaron Sorkin also won a Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Award for best adapted screenplay (winners were announced December 9).

The film itself was listed as one of the year’s 10 best movies at the Dallas Ft. Worth Film Critics Awards.

Also opening today is Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. This is of note because Simon Helberg, Alex Dwyer on the show, is in the movie playing Dreidel L’Chaim. Harold “Egon” Ramis is playing L’Chai’m, so I’m hoping/assuming those characters are related.

Ayda Field (Jeannie Whatley) is a regular on Back to You.

Chris Carter is working on a new X-Files movie. Amanda Peet (Jordan McDeere) has been signed to appear in the movie. So has Xzibit, but he’s also not related to Studio 60. I just thought it bore mentioning. Amanda also starred in Martian Child with John Cusack and provided a voice for the animated film Terra.

Nathan Corddry (Tom Jeter) was in The Nanny Diaries.

Merritt Wever (Suzanne the PA-Cum-Assistant) was in both Into the Wild and Michael Clayton, both films that are being highly recognized in the awards season.

Columbus Short (Darius Hawthorne) is in This Christmas, which is still playing many/most markets.

Nate Torrence (Dylan Killington) was in the short film Driftwood.

Steven Weber’s been keeping …

Source: SOHH ()

California rapper Xzibit continues to find success in Hollywood, having recently been cast in the newest film adaptation of television hit series X-Files.

While series regulars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson have signed on to reprise their roles as FBI agents Mulder and Scully in the upcoming X-Files film, according to the Hollywood Reporter, Xzibit, Amanda Peet and Scottish comic Billy Connolly have also been cast.

Due to a secrecy concerns regarding the plot, Fox has thus far declined to reveal any information about the actor’s roles; however Hollywood Reporter sources say Xzibit and Amanda Peet will also play FBI agents in the film.

Directed by Chris Carter and written by Carter and Frank Spotnitz, the new X-Files movie stands alone from a previous 1998 adaptation, and is not a continuation or sequel to that feature. Production is expected to begin later this month in Vancouver and the film is projected to hit theaters by July.

As SOHH previously reported, Xzibit was also recently cast in the Oliver Stone film Pinkville, which also stars Bruce Willis and Woody Harrelson. That project has been put on hold indefinitely to the current Writer’s Guild strike.

[For more movie news and to view exclusive video clips peep FreshFlixx.com]

Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune ()

.threshold_hidden {
visibility:hidden;
display:none;
height:5px;
position:absolute;
}

.threshold_visible {
visibility:visible;
display:block;
}

Sir Elton receives a rare Maori honor

Elton John has received a specially made bird-feather cloak for his many visits to Maori communities.

“It’s the Maori equivalent to an Academy Award” and means the 60-year-old British singer is an honored member of the Ngati Te Whiti sub-tribe, group chairman Peter Love said in Wellington, New Zealand.

The cloak was “gifted as recognition of the enjoyment Sir Elton John’s music has given to Maori over the years and his loyal continuance to return to Aotearoa to entertain,” he said. Aotearoa is the Maori name for New Zealand.

John was given the Korowai cloak at a concert a few nights ago. He played before 15,000 people in the regional city of New Plymouth, the traditional home of the Ngati Te Whiti.

The cloak’s presentation “is significant, as it’s rarely given,” Love said.

Boone knows the ‘True Spirit of Christmas’

Pat Boone is no stranger to holiday music. “I think I have sung and recorded more Christmas songs than just about anybody,” the 73-year-old singer says.

But then he heard demos of new yuletide songs written by 85-year-old Paul Alter.

“A musical genius,” Boone said of Alter. “He’s even inked a song about fruitcake.”

The result is Boone’s first Christmas album in decades, “The True Spirit of Christmas.” Sixteen of the 21 songs on the record are new.

The release comes as Boone is recuperating from knee surgery. He had partial knee replacement surgery Nov. 27 in Chicago, publicist Jerry Digney said.

Boone has since returned to his Los Angeles where he is undergoing physical therapy, Digney said.

“He’s planning to hobble into the office this week …

Source: Digital Spy ()

Billy Connolly has signed to appear in the second X-Files movie.

The Scottish comedian will join rapper Xzibit and Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip star Amanda Peet in the film version of the hit sci-fi TV show, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Fox would not release details of the trio’s roles, but Xzibit and Peet are rumoured to be playing FBI agents working with Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson).

The movie, directed by series creator Chris Carter, is a stand-alone feature rather than a sequel to the first X-Files film, released in 1998.

Connolly previously starred in Mrs Brown, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Last Samurai, while Xzibit appeared in 8 Mile and MTV’s Pimp My Ride. on the movie will begin In Vancouver later this month. It is scheduled for release on July 25, 2008.

Source: Detroit Free Press ()

December 17, 2007

You’re sitting there, maybe drinking your morning coffee and idly wondering: What are the best and worst baby names chosen by stars in 2007?

Here, according to Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Redmond Satran, authors of “The Baby Name Bible” (St. Martin’s Press, www.babynamebible.com), are their picks for the most inspiring and most horrifying baby names chosen by celebrities in 2007.

Advertisement

Among the best:

• Story Elias, son of Jenna and Bodhi Elfman. Story is an unapologetically modern word name, with no history beyond the ancient tradition of spinning engaging tales. But the biblical Elias balances Story’s newfangled charm.

• Frances Pen, daughter of Amanda Peet. Proof that not all celebrities go for the attention-grabbing name, Frances is a quiet, gently frayed classic that deserves rejuvenation. And Pen, after Peet’s mother Penny, is an example of a fresh, creative way to honor a family member.

• Ever Gabo, daughter of Milla Jovovich and Paul Anderson. Jovovich has been quoted as saying the couple gave this “Scottish boy’s name” to their daughter as a bow to her husband’s Scottish roots.

Uh, after consulting their sources, Satran and Rosenkrantz don’t think so, though Ever might be the phonetic spelling of the Gaelic girls’ name Eamhair. Or even simply a modern word name.

Whatever, the baby name experts love this evocative choice, and the child’s middle name is another inventive twist on grandparents’ names, in this case Jovovich’s mother, Galina, and father, Bogie.

Among the worst?

• Zeppelin, son of Jonathan Davis. After calling his last son Pirate, the lead singer of Korn chose to name his latest after a dirigible — unless it was in honor of metal group Led Zeppelin. In either case, he’d come up with a zippy nickname — and fast.

• Ptolemy, son of actress Gretchen Mol. …

Source: AllHipHop ()

Nominees for the 50th annual Grammy Awards were announced today (December 6). Hip-Hop star Kanye West led all artists, earning 8 nominations, including Album of the Year for his blockbuster release, Graduation. West was also nominated for Best Rap Collaboration for his single “Good Life” which features T. Pain, Best Rap Song (for “Goodlife and “Can’t Tell Me Nothing̶ and Best Rap Album. Jay-Z, Timbaland and T. Pain followed with five nominations each. Other Hip-Hop artists nominated include 50 Cent, T.I., Soulja Boy, Queen Latifah, Common, Fat Joe and UGK. The Grammy Awards honor recordings released during the months of October 1, 2006 through September 30, 2007. The Grammy’s air February 10, 2008 at 8PM EST from Los Angeles.

A judge refused to dismiss witness-tampering and gang-assault charges against Bronx, New York rapper Remy Martin yesterday (December 5) in court. Remy Ma, born Remy Smith, is accused of ordering a man to assault the boyfriend of a potential witness in her attempted murder. Two men were badly beaten and hospitalized after the altercation the Players Club in the Bronx in August. “We were hoping that we wouldn’t have to deal with those charges in this case,” Remy Ma’s lawyer Ivan Fisher told the New York Post. “That [decision] makes it a longer trial by a significant amount.” Remy Ma will appear in court on January 3 and Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Rena Uviller will set a trial date. Remy Ma is accused of shooting her friend Makeda Barnes-Joseph twice in the abdomen in July, after the women argued over $2000 in cash which went missing from the rapper’s purse. Remy Ma faces up to 25 year in prison if she is convicted.

Internationally known DJ Clinton Sparks has joined E! Entertainment as the music correspondent for The Daily 10 on E!, one of the network’s most popular shows. Sparks , who the internationally syndicated Smash Time Radio Show, will be featured on the “Get Familiar” and “Now …