Beverly Hills, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will celebrate the career of Oscar®-winner Vanessa Redgrave with its first-ever European tribute to an actor, on Sunday, November 13, in London. The event, hosted by David Hare, will include special guests Meryl Streep, Ralph Fiennes, Joely Richardson, James Earl Jones and Eileen Atkins. Past Academy President Sid Ganis will introduce the evening.

The salute will explore Redgrave’s dramatic range and exquisite skill. Hare has created three film sequences, each with its own narrative, showing the depth and array of characters that Redgrave has inhabited.

A member of the distinguished Redgrave acting family, Vanessa rose to prominence in 1961, playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Since then, she has made dozens of stage appearances and has appeared in more than 70 films. In addition to the Oscar she received for her supporting performance in “Julia” (1977), and her nominations for “Morgan!” (1966), “Isadora” (1968), “Mary, Queen of Scots” (1971), “The Bostonians” (1984) and “Howards End” (1992), Redgrave’s honors include Olivier, Tony®, Emmy®, Screen Actors Guild and Cannes Film Festival awards. She stars in “Anonymous,” now in release, and the upcoming “Coriolanus.” Redgrave is also appearing in the West End stage production of Driving Miss Daisy.

“An Academy Salute to Vanessa Redgrave” is an invitation-only event.

Pictured: Vanessa Redgrave backstage at the 1977 (50th) Academy Awards ceremony. Courtesy of A.M.P.A.S

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

FOLLOW THE ACADEMY
www.oscars.org
www.facebook.com/TheAcademy
www.youtube.com/Oscars
www.twitter.com/TheAcademy

Whitney Houston has joined the cast of SPARKLE which began principal photography this week in Detroit, Michigan. SPARKLE is a remake of the 1976 film and tells the story of the title character Sparkle (Jordin Sparks), the youngest of three sisters and a music prodigy who struggles to become a star while facing issues that are tearing her family apart. Starring alongside Houston in the musical drama are Grammy® nominated and platinum recording artist Jordin Sparks (“American Idol” winner, Season 6), Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher, Captain America: The First Avenger), Mike Epps (Jumping the Broom, Friday After Next), Carmen Ejogo (I, Alex Cross, Pride and Glory), Tika Sumpter (What’s Your Number?, “Gossip Girl”), Omari Hardwick (Kick Ass, The A-Team) and Grammy® Award winner, Cee-Lo Green.

SPARKLE is being directed by Salim Akil (Jumping The Broom) from a screenplay written by Mara Brock Akil (“The Game”, “Girlfriends”) and produced by Debra Martin Chase (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Just Wright) along with Salim Akil, Mara Brock Akil, T.D. Jakes and Curtis Wallace (Jumping the Broom, Not Easily Broken). Whitney Houston is also Executive Producing along with Gaylyn Fraiche (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2), and Howard Rosenman (Sparkle, The Family Man). Original music provided by multi-Platinum and Grammy® Award-winning artist R. Kelly. “SPARKLE is a movie I have wanted to remake for a long time and I am so glad to finally see my wish come true and to be part of this stellar team of actors and producers,” said Houston.

Last year, Whitney spent the majority of the year on a world tour in support of her album “I LOOK TO YOU” which to date has sold two million copies worldwide. After the tour, she lent her support to her manager and sister in law, Patricia Houston, who has created and developed a line of beautiful organic scented candles, MARION P, named after the nickname Whitney gave to Patricia. There are five different scents, which were chosen based on a trip Whitney and Patricia took to Israel a few years ago. “I’m delighted to be a partner with Pat Houston and the creation of her beautiful candle line. It’s the essence of everything pure. It’s not just a candle, it’s an experience. I have never endorsed anything before this. These candles are truly inspiring – they are 100% soy and also made with shea butter so that when the candle melts down, you can use it as a body moisturizer. Also, you are doing a good deed as a portion of the sales goes to Patricia’s teen mentoring program,” said Whitney. The candles are available on MarionPCandles.com and also through Whitney’s website, WhitneyHouston.com.

Whitney recently attended Teen Summit, Patricia’s annual teen mentoring event which “Rebuilds, Restores and Repairs” the lives of young teens. The event took place in North Carolina and Whitney spoke to the teens, alongside Kim Burrell, Rickey Minor, and Quinton Aaron (The Blind Side) and others. The event was a huge success and a portion of the candle sales will go toward this charity, which is in its 6th year.

With over 170 million combined album, singles and videos sold worldwide during her career with Arista Records, Whitney Houston has established a benchmark for superstardom that will quite simply never be eclipsed in the modern era. She is a singer’s singer who has influenced countless other vocalists female and male. Music historians cite Whitney’s record-setting achievements: the only artist to chart seven consecutive #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits (“Saving All My Love For You,” “How Will I Know,” “Greatest Love Of All,” “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” “So Emotional,” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go”); the first female artist to enter the Billboard 200 album chart at #1 (her second album, Whitney, 1987); and the only artist with seven consecutive multi-platinum albums (Whitney Houston, Whitney, I’m Your Baby Tonight, The Bodyguard, Waiting To Exhale, and The Preacher’s Wife soundtracks, and My Love Is Your Love). In fact, The Bodyguard soundtrack is one of the top 10 biggest-selling albums of all-time (at 17x-platinum in the U.S. alone), and Whitney’s career-defining version of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” is the biggest-selling U.S. single of all-time (at 4x-platinum).

Houston made her movie debut in The Bodyguard (November 1992), in which she co-starred with Oscar-winning actor/director Kevin Costner. The film not only broke box office records worldwide but was ultimately responsible for the biggest selling motion picture soundtrack album of all time, voted the Grammy-winning Album Of the Year. Her film work continued with Waiting To Exhale (which opened December 1995, preceded by the soundtrack album in November). The critically acclaimed film, starring Whitney with Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine and Lela Rochon, and directed by Forrest Whitaker, went on to gross over $70 million (in ‘90s dollars). She followed those up with “The Preacher’s Wife” with Denzel Washington and the Emmy winning “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” which was made for TV and garnered huge ratings for ABC TV at the time.

America’s Highest Honor for a Career in Film to be Presented June 7, 2012

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 9, 2011 -  Sir Howard Stringer, Chair of the American Film Institute’s Board of Trustees, announced today the Board’s decision to honor Shirley MacLaine with the 40th AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest honor for a career in film.

The award will be presented to MacLaine at a gala tribute on Thursday, June 7, 2012 in Los Angeles, CA. TV Land will broadcast the 40th AFI Life Achievement Award tribute on TV Land later in June 2012. The event will celebrate MacLaine’s extraordinary life and all her endeavors – movies, television, Broadway, author and beyond.

“Shirley MacLaine is a powerhouse of personality that has illuminated screens large and small across six decades,” said Stringer. “From ingenue to screen legend, Shirley has entertained a global audience through song, dance, laughter and tears, and her career as writer, director and producer is even further evidence of her passion for the art form and her seemingly boundless talents. There is only one Shirley MacLaine, and it is AFI’s honor to present her with its 40th Life Achievement Award.”

Last year’s AFI Tribute brought together icons of the film community to honor Morgan Freeman. Sidney Poitier opened the tribute, and Clint Eastwood presented the award at evening’s end. Also participating were Casey Affleck, Dan Aykroyd, Matthew Broderick, Don Cheadle, Bill Cosby, David Fincher, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Ashley Judd, Matthew McConaughey, Helen Mirren, Rita Moreno, Tim Robbins, Chris Rock, Hilary Swank, Forest Whitaker, Betty White, Renee Zellweger and surprise musical guest Garth Brooks.

The highest honor given for a career in film, the AFI Life Achievement Award is presented to a single honoree each year based on the following criteria as mandated by the AFI Board of Trustees:

“The recipient should be one whose talent has in a fundamental way advanced the film art; whose accomplishment has been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers and the general public; and whose work has stood the test of time.”

About Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine’s illustrious career comprises more than 50 feature films highlighted by an Academy Award® win and six nominations, six Emmy® Awards nominations and the title of international best-selling author. Recently, MacLaine appeared in the ensemble film, VALENTINE’S DAY, and the Lifetime made-for-TV movie COCO CHANEL. She released her latest New York Times best-seller, “I’M OVER ALL THAT – AND OTHER CONFESSIONS” on April 5th, 2011. MacLaine can be seen next in BERNIE, staring Jack Black and Matthew McConaughey. She can also be seen on stage during her one-woman show tour as it hits cities across the globe.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Oct. 3, 2011 – The 15th Annual Hollywood Film Festival and Hollywood Film Awards, presented by Starz Entertainment, are pleased to announce that five-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close will be honored with the “Hollywood Career Achievement Award” at the festival’s Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony, which will take place October 24, 2011 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.

The announcement was made today by Carlos de Abreu, Founder and Executive Director of the Hollywood Film Festival. “It is a privilege to honor and to celebrate Glenn Close’s extraordinary talent and remarkable career,” said Mr. de Abreu.

The Hollywood Film Awards Gala launches the awards season and in the past eight years a total of 73 Oscar nominations and 27 Oscars were given to the honorees of the Hollywood Awards.

The 2011 Hollywood Film Festival has also announced that they will honor Academy Award-nominated actress Michelle Williams with the “Hollywood Actress Award” for “My Week with Marilyn,” Academy Award-nominated actor Christopher Plummer with the “Hollywood Supporting Actor Award” for “Beginners,” actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt with the “Hollywood Breakthrough Actor Award” for “50/50,” actress Jessica Chastain with the “Hollywood Breakthrough Actress Award” for “The Tree of Life,” “Coriolanus,” “The Debt,” “The Help,” and “Take Shelter,” and actress Felicity Jones with the “New Hollywood Award” for “Crazy Love.” Other honorees include the cast of “The Help” (Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Chris Lowell, Ahna O’Reilly, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone, Sissy Spacek, Mary Steenburgen, Cicely Tyson and Mike Vogel), Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, Editor Stephen Mirrione, Production Designer James Murakami, and Visual Effects Supervisor Scott Farrar at their annual Awards Gala. In addition, Gore Verbinski’s “Rango” will be honored at the Hollywood Film Awards Gala Ceremony, along with additional honorees to be announced in the coming weeks.

About Glenn Close:

Five-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close enjoys a career that has spanned every medium from film to television to the stage. She next stars as the title character in “Albert Nobbs” alongside a distinguished cast that includes Janet McTeer, Mia Wasikowska, and Brendan Gleeson. A passion project of Close’s for nearly 20 years, “Albert Nobbs” is directed by Rodrigo Garcia with whom Close has worked two previous times (“Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her” and “Nine Lives”). In addition to writing the screenplay with John Banville, Close also served as producer of the film, which earned her raves at the 2011 Telluride and Toronto Film Festivals.

Close made her feature film debut in George Roy Hill’s “The World According to Garp,” for which she received her first Academy Award nomination. She was subsequently honored with Oscar nominations for her performances in Lawrence Kasdan’s “The Big Chill,” Barry Levinson’s “The Natural,” Adrian Lyne’s “Fatal Attraction,” and Stephen Frears’ “Dangerous Liaisons.”

Her other films include “Jagged Edge,” “Reversal of Fortune,” “Hamlet,” “Meeting Venus,” “The Paper,” “101 Dalmatians,” “102 Dalmatians,” “Air Force One,” “Cookie’s Fortune,” “The Safety of Objects,” “Le Divorce,” “Heights,” and “Evening.”

Close received the Donostia Award for career achievement at the 2011 San Sebastian Film Festival. She has been honored with Golden Globe Awards, Emmy Awards, and Tony Awards, as well as a Crystal Award from Women In Film, a GLAAD Media Award, a People’s Choice Award, the National Association of Theatre Owners’ Female Star of the Year award, and a Gotham Award for her contributions to the New York independent filmmaking community. She is a trustee emeritus of the Sundance Institute, having served as a board member for 16 years.

The festival and awards will mark their return on October 20 for a weeklong series of screenings and awards. The Hollywood Awards Gala Ceremony will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills on October 24, 2011.

ABOUT STARZ ENTERTAINMENT, LLC:

The festival and awards presenter is Starz Entertainment, LLC, a premium movie and original programming entertainment service provider operating in the United States. The company offers 17 premium channels including the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® brands with approximately 19 million and 32.9 million subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs in total more than 1,000 movies and original series every month across its pay TV channels. Starz Entertainment is recognized as a pay TV leader in providing HD, On Demand, HD On Demand and online advanced services for its STARZ, ENCORE and MOVIEPLEX brands. Starz Entertainment (www.starz.com) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation and is attributed to the Liberty Starz tracking stock group (NASDAQ: LSTZA).

SOURCE: Hollywood Film Festival

BAFTA Los Angeles has announced that Academy Award® nominated and BAFTA winning actress Helena Bonham Carter will be honored with the Britannia Award for British Artist of the Year at the 2011 BAFTA Los Angeles Britannia Awards.

“Helena Bonham Carter is an actress of immense versatility, and her range across movies of all genres is at once remarkable and fearless” says BAFTA Los Angeles Chairman Nigel Lythgoe. “She unwaveringly maintains her integrity and, through her choice of roles, continually challenges both herself and her audiences’ perception of her.”

The Britannia Award is BAFTA Los Angeles’ highest accolade, a celebration of achievements honoring individuals and companies that have dedicated their careers or corporate missions to advancing the entertainment arts.

As previously announced, Academy Award® winning writer/director John Lasseter will receive the Britannia Award for Worldwide Contribution to Filmed Entertainment, and BAFTA winning director David Yates will receive with the John Schlesinger Britannia Award for Excellence in Directing. This year, the gala event will be held on Wednesday, November 30 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The Britannia Awards are presented annually at a gala dinner, where peers and colleagues celebrate the work and accomplishments of the distinguished honorees. Proceeds from the gala ceremony support BAFTA Los Angeles’ ongoing education, scholarship, community outreach and archival projects.

Source: BAFTA/LA

June 24, 2011 – Lionsgate and the producers of the film adaptation of the worldwide bestselling book “What To Expect When You’re Expecting” are thrilled to announce that Jennifer Lopez (MONSTER IN LAW, MAID IN MANHATTAN) has been cast to star with Cameron Diaz in the film, which is expected to begin shooting mid-Summer 2011, and will be released on Mother’s Day Weekend 2012. Lopez will play Holly in one of the film’s the interlocking stories, a woman who adopts a baby from abroad with her husband after difficulty conceiving.

Kirk Jones (WAKING NED DEVINE, NANNY MCPHEE) is directing the film, which was acquired from a script by Heather Hach and re-written by Shauna Cross (WHIP IT). The film is based the book by Heidi Murkoff that has been on the New York Times bestseller list for over 500 weeks. Lionsgate has worldwide rights to the film.

Lopez is represented by manager Benny Medina, UTA, and attorneys Barry Hirsch and Bob Wallerstein.

Rob McEntegart, the Motion Picture Group’s Senior EVP, negotiated the deal on behalf of Lionsgate.  Alli Shearmur, President of Motion Picture Production and Development, and Jim Miller, SVP Motion Picture Production and Development are overseeing the production for Lionsgate.

Mike Medavoy, Arnie Messer and David Thwaites are producing, with Doug McKay co-producing, through their Phoenix Pictures. Heidi and Erik Murkoff will executive produce along with their literary manager Alan Nevins of Renaissance Literary & Talent.

About the film

Based on the 16 million copy best-selling book, WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU’RE EXPECTING is an ensemble romantic-comedy is in the vein of LOVE ACTUALLY and VALENTINE’S DAY. The film is a modern look at love through the eyes of four interconnected couples experiencing the thrills and surprises of having a baby, and ultimately coming to understand the universal truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn’t always deliver what’s expected.

Rob Marshall, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Johnny Depp on hand to celebrate the star of the upcoming “PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES”

In anticipation of the release of her new film, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” in theaters May 20, 2011, Penelope Cruz received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, April 1, at 11:30 am. in front of the El Capitan Theatre, 6834 Hollywood Boulevard, joined by “On Stranger Tides” co-star Johnny Depp, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Rob Marshall. An Academy Award® winner Penelope Cruz has proven herself to be one of the most versatile actresses by playing a variety of compelling characters, and most recently, becoming the first actress from Spain to be nominated and to win an Oscar®.

First introduced to American audiences in the Spanish films “Jamon, Jamon” and “Belle Epoque,” in 1998 she starred in her first English language film, “The Hi-Lo Country” for director Stephen Frears opposite Woody Harrelson, Patricia Arquette and Billy Crudup. In 1999, Cruz won the Best Actress award at the 13th Annual Goya Awards given by the Spanish Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for her role in Fernando Trueba’s “The Girl of Your Dreams.”

Confirming her status as an international actress, Cruz landed a series of coveted roles. She appeared in Billy Bob Thornton’s “All the Pretty Horses,” Fina Torres’ “Woman on Top,” Alejandro Amenabar’s “Open Your Eyes,” and Maria Ripoli’s “Twice Upon a Yesterday”. Additionally, Cruz co-starred in Pedro Almodovar’s “Live Flesh” and the critically acclaimed “All About My Mother,” which was awarded the Golden Globe® and Oscar® for Best Foreign Film.

Next up for Cruz was a role opposite Johnny Depp in “Blow” for director Ted Demme and “Captain Corelli’s Mandolin” opposite Nicolas Cage. After that, Cruz starred opposite Tom Cruise in Cameron Crowe’s thriller “Vanilla Sky.” She then tackled “Masked & Anonymous,” “Fan Fan la Tulipe,” which opened the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, and “Don’t Tempt Me.” She received rave reviews for her performance in “Don’t Move” (“Non ti Muovere”) in which she was honored with a David Di Donatello Award (Italian Oscar) and the European Film Award for Best Actress.

To add to her already diverse choice of film credits, she starred in films including “Gothika,” “Head in the Clouds,” and “Sahara.”

In 2006, Cruz starred in “Volver,” which again teamed her with director and dear friend Pedro Almodovar. Critically-acclaimed for her role as Raimunda, she won the Best Actress awards at the European Film Awards, the Spanish Goya Awards, the Cannes Film Festival, and received both Golden Globe® and Oscar® nominations.

Her recent credits include “Elegy” opposite Sir Ben Kingsley and Woody Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” opposite Javier Bardem and Scarlet Johansson. Cruz won an Oscar®, a BAFTA, a New York Film Critics Circle and a National Board of Review award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.”

In 2009, Cruz and Almodovar were back in action for the fourth time with “Broken Embraces,” for which she again received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Lena. Also that year, she teamed up with “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” director Rob Marshall for the first time and starred alongside Daniel Day Lewis, Nicole Kidman and Marion Cotillard in the film version of the musical “Nine.” Her standout portrayal of Carla garnered Screen Actors Guild®, Golden Globe® and Academy Award® nominations. Her third Oscar® nomination made history as it marked only the third time in Oscar history where the winner of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress was nominated for the same award again in the following year.

Cruz is involved in the following charities: Worldwide (RED) campaign lead by Bono and Bobby Shiver, Artists for Peace and Justice in Haiti (APJ), UNICEF The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). She had the honor of working with Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity; volunteering in a leprosy clinic in India and she also worked with the Dalai Lama for the House of Tibet in Spain.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences will celebrate the life and career of Sophia Loren with a gala evening of film clips and personal remarks from her friends and colleagues, concluding with an onstage conversation with the Oscar®-winning actress on Wednesday, May 4, 2011, at 8 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

In 1961 Loren earned the first Academy Award® presented to a lead performer in a non-English speaking role, for “Two Women,” directed by Vittorio De Sica. Prior to her win, Loren had already made an indelible impression on film audiences both in her native Italy and throughout the world.

De Sica directed Loren to another Oscar nomination in “Marriage Italian Style” (1964) opposite her most frequent co-star, Marcello Mastroianni. The two starred in “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” (1964), the winner of that year’s Foreign Language Film Academy Award for Italy, and “A Special Day” (1977), which was also nominated in that category.

Adept at dramatic, comedic and romantic roles, Loren traveled effortlessly between Hollywood and international productions, delivering memorable performances opposite many great leading men, including Cary Grant (“Houseboat,” 1958), Clark Gable (“It Started in Naples,” 1960), Charlton Heston (“El Cid,” 1961), Gregory Peck (“Arabesque,” 1966), Marlon Brando (“A Countess from Hong Kong,” 1967, directed by Charles Chaplin), Peter O’Toole (“Man of La Mancha,” 1972), and Richard Burton (“The Voyage,” 1974).  Her long marriage to producer Carlo Ponti yielded many roles for the actress, as well as two sons.

Loren’s career and peerless beauty remain impressive today, with memorable turns in such films as Lina Wertmuller’s ”Saturday, Sunday and Monday” (1990), Robert Altman’s “Ready to Wear (Pret-a-Porter)” (1994), again with Mastroianni, and Rob Marshall’s musical “Nine” (2009).

In 1990 the Academy presented an Honorary Award (an Oscar statuette) to Loren in acknowledgment of her status as “one of the genuine treasures of world cinema who, in a career rich with memorable performances, has added permanent luster to our art form.”

Tickets to “An Academy Tribute to Sophia Loren” will be available for purchase beginning Friday, April 1st. There is a two ticket limit for this event. Tickets are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. Tickets may be purchased by mail, at the Academy box office (8949 Wilshire Boulevard, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), or online at www.oscars.org. Doors open at 7 p.m. All seating is unreserved.

The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at the 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

FOLLOW THE ACADEMY:

www.oscars.org
www.facebook.com/TheAcademy
www.youtube.com/Oscars
www.twitter.com/TheAcademy

Photos: Courtesy of AMPAS

Lots of new things going on with Zack Snyder’s SUPERMAN movie which begins shooting later this summer.

First, THE HERO COMPLEX/LA Times broke the news that three-time Oscar nominee Amy Adams will play journalist Lois Lane. Adams was recently nominated for an Academy Award for her work in David O. Russell’s THE FIGHTER and was previously in JULIE & JULIA, ENCHANTED, NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN and JUNEBUG.

“There was a big, giant search for Lois,” Snyder said. “For us it was a big thing and obviously a really important role. We did a lot of auditioning but we had this meeting with Amy Adams and after that I just felt she was perfect for it.”

Snyder declined to discuss the precise prominence of Lois in the story or any plot details about the film but he said the role is “a linchpin” to the project and that he considers it essential that Lois – a Roosevelt-era creation – arrives on screen in 2012 with contemporary appeal and spirit.

“It goes back to what I’ve said about Superman and making him really understandable for today. What’s important to us is making him relebant and real and making him empathetic to today’s audience so that we understand the decisions he makes. That applies to Lois as well. She has to be in the same universe as him [in tone and substance].”

Adams will star alongside Jason Segel in THE MUPPETS movie from Walt Disney Studios on November 23rd. As was recently announced, Kevin Costner will play Jonathan Kent, Diane Lane will play his wife, Martha Kent and the film’s star, Henry Cavill, will play the new Clark Kent/Superman.

Second, Production Weekly posted on their site a preview of the latest films in the works. Most notably among today’s list is:

“Superman: The Man Of Steel” (aka “Autumn Frost”)

Very interesting. What are your thoughts on today’s SUPERMAN developments? Are you looking forward to the movie?

Slated for release in December 2012, the new Superman movie will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Charles Roven, Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Deborah Snyder are the producers of the film. The screenplay is being written by David S. Goyer based on a story by Goyer and Nolan. Thomas Tull and Lloyd Phillips are serving as executive producers.

24-Hour Tribute to Include Taylor’s Academy Award®-Winning Performances in Butterfield 8 (1960) and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (1966), Plus Memorable Roles in Nine Films

OSCAR® WINNER HELEN MIRREN WILL ADD HER HAND
AND FOOTPRINTS TO THE WORLD-FAMOUS STAR COLLECTION AT
GRAUMAN’S CHINESE THEATRE

Internationally renowned actress Helen Mirren will be honored March 28 at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood by placing her hand and footprints in cement in the landmark’s famous forecourt. The ceremony will begin at 11:30 AM, inducting Mirren into a select group of industry luminaries who have left their indelible mark in this grand Hollywood tradition.

Introducing Mirren at the event will be Russell Brand, her friend and co-star in the upcoming romantic comedy ARTHUR.

Mirren has earned worldwide recognition for her work on stage, screen and television. She swept the Academy®, Golden Globe, BAFTA and SAG® Awards and every major critics’ award for her performance in “The Queen.” Additionally, she received Oscar® nominations for her work in “The Madness of King George,” “Gosford Park” and “The Last Station,” and acclaim for a range of roles in such films as “RED,” “The Tempest,” “State of Play,” “Calendar Girls,” “Teaching Mrs. Tingle,” “Cal” and “Excalibur,” among many others. On television, she won an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a SAG® Award for her title role in HBO’s “Elizabeth I,” as well as two Emmys and three BAFTA Awards for her leading role in the series “Prime Suspect.” Her extensive stage credits include two Tony Award-nominated performances, in “A Month in the Country” and “Dance of Death.”

Mirren will next star in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Arthur,” opening nationwide on April 8, 2011. In this fresh look at a classic story, Mirren re-invents the role of Hobson, originally a butler played by John Gielgud, now a nanny, to loveable billionaire Arthur (Russell Brand), an irresponsible charmer who has always relied on her good sense to keep him out of trouble. The no-nonsense Hobson demonstrates great affection for her errant employer though he endlessly tests her patience as she tries to get him to grow up.

Washington, D.C., March 14, 2011 — Academy Award®-winning actress Helen Mirren will receive the “CinemaCon Career Achievement Award,” it was announced today by Mitch Neuhauser, managing director of CinemaCon, which will be held March 28-31, 2011, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Mirren will be presented with this special honor at the inaugural “CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement Awards” ceremony to take place on Thursday evening, March 31st, in The Colosseum of Caesars Palace. The Coca-Cola Company, Official Presenting Sponsor of CinemaCon will host the final night gala awards program.

“A consummate actress, Helen Mirren has entertained audiences around the globe for over four decades with her stunning performances on the big screen,” noted Neuhauser. “With an incredible diversity in role selection, Mirren has graced the screen in such memorable movies as ‘The Queen,’ ‘The Last Station,’ and the ‘The Madness of King George,’ and, more recently, in 2010′s summer action hit ‘Red,’ to name just a few. We can’t wait to see what Helen has in store in her comedic turn in ‘Arthur.’ CinemaCon could not be more honored to present such an amazing actress with the CinemaCon Career Achievement Award.”

Mirren will next star in Warner Bros. Pictures’ romantic comedy “Arthur,” in theaters nationwide on April 8, 2011. In this fresh new look at a classic story, Mirren re-invents the role of Hobson, originally a butler played by John Gielgud, now a nanny, to loveable billionaire Arthur (Russell Brand), an irresponsible charmer who has always relied on her good sense to keep him out of trouble. The no-nonsense Hobson demonstrates great affection for her errant employer though he endlessly tests her patience as she tries to get him to grow up.

Helen Mirren has won international recognition for her work on stage, screen and television. She swept the Academy, Golden Globe, BAFTA and SAG Awards and every major critics’ award for her performance in “The Queen.” Mirren has also been Oscar-nominated for her work in “The Madness of King George,” “Gosford Park” and, most recently, “The Last Station,” and has earned acclaim for a wide range of roles in such films as “RED,” “The Tempest,” “State of Play,” “Calendar Girls,” “Teaching Mrs. Tingle,” “Cal” and “Excalibur,” among many others. On television, Mirren won an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a SAG Award for her performance in the title role of HBO’s “Elizabeth I.” She also earned two Emmy and three BAFTA Awards for her role as Detective Chief Inspector Jane Tennison in the award-winning series “Prime Suspect.” Her long list of television credits includes “Losing Chase,” “The Passion of Ayn Rand,” “Door to Door,” and “The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone.” Mirren has also worked extensively in the theatre, receiving two Tony Award nominations, the first for her work in “A Month in the Country,” and the second for her role in “Dance of Death.”

About CinemaCon
Held March 28-31, 2011 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, CinemaCon is expected to play host to more than 6,000 motion picture theater industry professionals. CinemaCon is delighted to have as its Official Presenting Sponsor, The Coca-Cola Company, one of the industry’s greatest and highly regarded and respected partners in the world of the movies. Additional information on CinemaCon, the Official Convention of NATO, can be found at www.cinemacon.com.

About NATO
The National Association of Theatre Owners is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 30,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and additional cinemas in 50 countries worldwide. NATO’s membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world and hundreds of independent theatre owners, too. For more information, visit www.natoonline.org.

Beverly Hills, CA – Academy Award®-winning actresses Cate Blanchett and Reese Witherspoon will be a presenters at the 83rd Academy Awards ceremony, telecast producers Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer have announced.

Blanchett is a five-time Academy Award nominee, who took home the Supporting Actress Oscar® in 2004 for her performance as Katharine Hepburn in “The Aviator.”  She also received supporting actress nominations for “Notes on a Scandal” and “I’m Not There” in 2006 and 2007, respectively.  Blanchett received lead actress nominations for her performances as Queen Elizabeth I in “Elizabeth” (1998) and “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (2007).

Her other film credits include “Robin Hood,”  “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “The Good German,” “Babel,” “Veronica Guerin,” “Charlotte Gray,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.  She will next be seen in “Hanna,” due out in April.

In 2005 Witherspoon received her first Oscar® nomination and took home the award for her leading performance as June Carter in “Walk the Line.”  She’ll be seen next in “Water for Elephants” and “This Means War.”  Her other film credits include “Monsters vs Aliens,” “Four Christmases,” “Penelope,” “Rendition,” “Sweet Home Alabama” and the “Legally Blonde” films.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2010 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2011, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network.  The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

FOLLOW THE ACADEMY

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With the release of EASY A just a week away, I got a chance to speak with Emma Stone on the good ol’ telephone. So, for your listening entertainment I give you this little audio snippet…

SIDENOTE: I apologize in advance for the loud snippet of my voice in the middle. Phone interviews are weird to record! (I’m having trouble controlling THE VOLUME OF MY VOICE!)

THR is reporting that DRAGON star, Noomi Rapace, has landed a role in SHERLOCK 2 – her first English-language role.

Noomi Rapace, the Swedish star of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, has booked her first English-language role: the plum part of the female lead in Warner Bros.’s SHERLOCK HOLMES 2.

The sequel reunites most of the team from the original: Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Dr. Watson. Guy Ritchie is back as director while Joel Silver, Susan Downey, Lionel Wigram and Dan Lin return as producers. 

The logline is being kept under wraps, although it is known Holmes will face off against Moriarty. Also making an appearance will be Holmes’ brother, Mycroft.

Rapace’s role is shrouded in mystery although sources say the character may be a French Gypsy. It is unclear if the role is romantic in nature. Warners is looking to start production later this year.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

With actresses like Natalie Portman, Ellen Page, Carey Mulligan, Emma Watson, and Scarlett Johansson all vying for the role of Lisbeth Salander in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, it was announced earlier today that David Fincher gave the part to Rooney Mara.

Sony Press Release:

(Culver City, August 16, 2010) — Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara have been cast in the lead roles of Columbia Pictures’ three-picture adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s literary blockbuster The Millennium Trilogy under the direction of David Fincher. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo – the first film of the series, which also includes The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest – begins shooting next month in Sweden. The screenplay is written by Steve Zaillian and the film is being produced by Scott Rudin, Cean Chaffin, Ole Sondberg and Søren Stærmose. Mikael Wallen and Anni Fernandez are executive producers. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is set for worldwide release December 21, 2011.

The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson has been published in 44 countries and has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide thus far. In the U.S. alone, the series has sold over 10 million copies, and the sales were recently calculated at the remarkable rate of one book per second. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo has broken sales records in virtually every country in which it has been published. It has sold over 5 million copies in the U.S. and has out-sold any other e-book in that rapidly expanding market. A literary phenomenon, all three books currently sit atop the New York Times Best Seller lists.

In describing the scale of Larsson’s achievement, The Economist said: “Stieg Larsson’s vivid characters, the depth of the detail across the three books, the powerfully imaginative plot, and the sheer verve of the writing make the trilogy a masterpiece of its genre.” Michiko Kakutani, of The New York Times, described the Lisbeth character: “Lisbeth Salander, Stieg Larsson’s fierce pixie of a heroine, is one of the most original characters in a thriller to come along in a while – a gamin, Audrey Hepburn look-alike but with tattoos and piercings, the take-no-prisoners attitude of Lara Croft and the cool, unsentimental intellect of Mr. Spock. She is the vulnerable victim turned vigilante; a willfully antisocial girl . . . who has proved herself to be as incandescently proficient as any video game warrior.” The three novels have all become #1 worldwide bestsellers, an achievement unrivaled in trade book publishing.

DAVID FINCHER most recently directed this fall’s much-anticipated The Social Network for Columbia Pictures, which opens in the U.S. on October 1st.

DANIEL CRAIG recently starred in the two highest-grossing films in the James Bond franchise, Quantum of Solace and Casino Royale. His earlier film roles include Munich, Enduring Love, Layer Cake, The Mother, Road to Perdition, and Some Voices. He has also recently completed filming on Jim Sheridan’s Dream House, Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, and Jon Favreau’s Cowboys & Aliens.

Rooney Mara will appear this fall in David Fincher’s THE SOCIAL NETWORK. She was in 2010′s A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET and 2009′s YOUTH IN REVOLT.

Source: LA Times

Maaaajor Girlpower from Best Actress Oscar Winner Charlize Theron (MONSTER) as she battles ninjas and saves the day, and Brandon Flowers, in this kickin’ music video for ‘Crossfire.’ Truth be told, I’m really more interested in her performance in the video than the cutesy song. Doesn’t this seems like a great preview for Theron’s 2012 MAD MAX: FURY ROAD? According to some reports, George Miller’s sequel begins shooting in Australia in February 2011.

Music video by Brandon Flowers performing Crossfire. (C) 2010 The Island Def Jam Music Group

From the Associated Press:

Lynn Redgrave died on Sunday, May 2nd at the age 67 after a long battle with breast cancer. In 2003, Redgrave had been treated for breast cancer.

Her publicist Rick Miramontez, speaking on behalf of her children, said Redgrave died peacefully Sunday night at her home in Kent, Connecticut. Children Ben, Pema and Annabel were with her, as were close friends.

Our beloved mother Lynn Rachel passed away peacefully after a seven year journey with breast cancer,” Redgrave’s children said in a statement Monday. “She lived, loved and worked harder than ever before. The endless memories she created as a mother, grandmother, writer, actor and friend will sustain us for the rest of our lives. Our entire family asks for privacy through this difficult time.

The English actress was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar in 1967 for GEORGY GIRL, saw a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination for her work in 1998′s GODS AND MONSTERS and received Tony nominations for “Mrs. Warren’s Profession,” “Shakespeare for My Father” and “The Constant Wife.” Sadly, Redgrave’s death comes just one month after the passing of her older brother Corin Redgrave, and slightly over a year since her niece Natasha Richardson (daughter of their sister Vanessa Redgrave) died from the head injuries she suffered in a skiing accident.

The man rocks a mean coffee mug.  That, we cannot take away from the grizzled, bleach blonde Stephen Lang, who thumped Sam Worthington a time or two in AVATAR.  I guess that makes the guy suited to play the villain role, because news broke today over at Latino Review that Lang has been offered the part of the heavy in the Marcus Nispel-directed reworking of CONAN.

What say us?  Well, before we give our own, person opinion, let’s give a description of who the people behind CONAN were looking for.

Khalar Singh is in his 40s to 50s, Asian or Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Mongol, Turkish, or Persian, open to all ethnicities; commanding in size and manner, a warlord and formidable warrior, brilliant, cruel, weathered and tanned by the many campaigns he has waged and won. He is driven in his quest to find the Queen of Acheron and has been building an empire to do so.

Okay, Lang is 57, and he seems like the kind of man who could easily be driven to build an empire under the bones of his crushed enemies.  He also seems like to hear the lamentations of their women, but that’s another story altogether.  What really cries foul in this whole decision and screams of reactive cinema is the second line of description on Singh.  Asian or Middle Eastern, Central Asian, Mongol, Turkish, or Persian.

Stephen Lang is from New York City, and, were it not for the $2.5 billion AVATAR has made worldwide, his name wouldn’t even be in the running for the CONAN Role.  In fact, I would go so far as to say this is probably the worst example of reactive film making I’ve seen in recent memory.  Okay, Michael Bay using “Battle Without Honor or Humanity” to show off the new Camaro in TRANSFORMERS probably beats it, but this is right up there.

Don’t get me wrong.  There is nothing wrong with Lang.  He is a fine actor, and AVATAR along with PUBLIC ENEMIES last year proved he has what it takes to show off his bad ass side.  However, there are fine Asian and Middle Eastern actors out there who would probably be more suited to play the role of a man whose surname is Singh.  Besides, we want Lang free and clear if they ever decide to bring Cable into the X-MEN movies.

Here are just five of those suitable choices:

Tadanobu Asano

Where he is from: Yokohama, Japan

Where you know him: ICHI THE KILLER, SURVIVE STYLE 5+, MONGOL

Personally, who I think would be the ideal choice is a man whose move to high-profile, Hollywood fare I’ve been championing since first seeing him going crazy in Takashi Miike THE KILLER.  Asano has what it takes to play villainous, charming, and absolutely insane.  Plus, as we’ve seen from most of his movies, he has what it takes to stand up to someone like Conan physically.  He’s young.  Asano only turns 38 this year, but, as proven in MONGOL, he wears the weathered look well.  Of course, worry not if you’re a fan of Asano.  He can next be seen in Kenneth Branagh’s THOR, and that’s just about enough to make up for him not getting this part.

Oded Fehr

Where he is from: Tel Aviv, Israel

Where you know him: THE MUMMY (’97), THE MUMMY RETURNS, RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPE and EXTINCTION

Okay, maybe not the best choice when it comes to acting ability or in regards to filmography pedigree.  Oded Fehr hasn’t made the best choices in his career, and one has to look at his work on Showtime’s “Sleeper Cell” to see the best acting the man has to offer.  Regardless, he is quite cool, and could definitely teach Jason Momoa a thing or two in the charm department.  He is 39, so that puts him just outside the casting’s age requirement.  Of course, they put the offer out to Stephen Lang.  Their requirements are flimsy at best.

Hiroyuki Sanada

Where he is from: Tokyo, Japan

Where you know him: THE LAST SAMURAI, SUNSHINE, SPEED RACER, “Lost”

Sanada should have broken out a long time ago.  It’s been seven years since THE LAST SAMURAI, and it is still easy to reflect how memorable he was in the small but effective part of Ujio.  Since then, he’s had bit parts here and there, and is more than likely going to achieve some notoriety with his turn as Dogen on this final season of “Lost.”  Of course, Sanada has been acting in film since his tiny part in 1974′s THE EXECUTIONER.  Since then, he has put on around 70 films to his credit.  He would be perfect for the part of Singh.  At 49, he’s in the perfect age range for the part, he’s very cool, and he has proven time and time again he has what it takes both in the acting department and the physical department to bring the villainous role to bad ass life.  Oh, you aren’t sure about the physical side?  Just watch the first 10 minutes of this week’s “Lost”. You will be proven wrong.

Choi Min-sik

Where he is from: Seoul, South Korea

Where you know him: OLDBOY, LADY VENGEANCE

Gotta be honest here, I only know Choi Min-sik from three films, the two mentioned above and TAE GUK GI, but only one of these roles proves he has what it takes for the Singh part in CONAN.  Granted, there probably aren’t any Ace Hardwares anywhere in Cimmeria, so it may be hard for Singh to get his hands on a claw hammer.  Nonetheless, I’m sure Min-sik could find other, more dangerous weapons just as suitable as he found that damned hammer in OLDBOY.  Plus, he took on around 50 or 60 guys in OLDBOY and made it look convincing that he was winning.  I’m sure he would have no issues at all with making Momoa look like a chump.

Shohreh Aghdashloo

Where she is from: Tehran, Iran

Where you know her: THE HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG, “24″, “FlashForward”

Okay, I know what you’re thinking.  This is ridiculous and I must be smoking something very pure if I think Shohreh Aghdashloo would make a decent villain(ess) in the upcoming CONAN movie.  But think of how interesting and different it would be for Marcus Nispel and crew to rewrite the character and make it a female antagonist who has, somehow, built an empire around her shoulders.

Sean Hood was recently brought in to do a fresh rewrite on the screenplay, anyway, and, while he isn’t the last bastion for groundbreaking screenwriting, he could have a few tricks up his sleeve.  Sure, there probably wouldn’t be any hand-to-hand action between Singh and Conan if this were to come to pass, but that’s what henchmen are for, right?  I say screw conformity and go with the freshest and most interesting (not to mention about as distanced from “reactive” film making as you can get) choice imaginable.  Role with Aghdashloo as Singh.  If for nothing else, I just want to see what she looks like with bleach blonde hair.

CONAN is set to begin filming later this year.

I never thought one actress’ presence would mean so much to the life of a project, especially an acress whose character died at the end of its predecessor.  Yes, folks, that’s a spoiler for Timur Bekmambetov’s 2008 hit WANTED, and, if you haven’t seen it already, then you probably don’t care that its sequel has hit a brick wall.

Vulture is reporting that Angelina Jolie leaving the project for Alfonso Cuaron’s next film, GRAVITY, is putting Universal in a loop.  Instead of recasting the part, or even writing her out completely (she’s dead, remember?), they are pulling the plug altogether.  This could be an instinctive reaction on Universal’s part, since GRAVITY was, at one time there’s, and they put it in turnaround.

GRAVITY, now under the Warner Brothers umbrella, tells the story of a woman on a space station who is attempting to get back to Earth and her daughter.  The film poses an interesting challenge, as Jolie’s character is, essentially, the only character in the film for large chunks of the film.  With Cuaron on board to, though, I’m sure the film will be breathtaking to say the very least.

As for WANTED 2, die hard fans might not have to cry in their beer just yet.  Universal may revisit the idea of the project down the road a tick, rewriting it around Jolie’s character, casting a new actress in the part, or just waiting for Jolie to come around and take on the role again.  Bad blood at Universal may stop the latter form happening, but you never know.  A burnt bridge today usually ends up flourishing into a Golden Gate somewhere down the line.