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A recent survey of 1,000 U.S. podcast consumers aged 15 to 64 reveals that 77% alternate between audio and video, a major shift towards a hybrid usage of the medium. Less than a quarter of consumers (23%) exclusively use audio or video.

Jay Nachlis, Vice President/Consultant at Coleman Insights, and Steve Goldstein, Founder/CEO at Amplifi Media, presented this data point and more findings from their study, “The State of Video Podcasting 2025,” during the keynote session at Podcast Movement Evolutions, held at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center on Thursday, April 3rd at 9 Am.

The study additionally notes that there is little difference in the podcast consumption habits of younger and older users. “When we look at Gen Z podcast consumers between the ages of 15 and 29, 83% use audio and video interchangeably, only slightly higher than the general population. Video podcasts is not a young-leaning phenomenon,” says Nachlis.

The research also reveals a notable...

First-time Oscars host Conan O’Brien roasted nominees and the industry in his 2025 Academy Awards opening monologue on Sunday night. He’s taking over for repeat host Jimmy Kimmel, who sat this year out but came up in O’Brien’s starting set.

Karla Sofía Gascón, the controversy-embroiled, history-making trans Best Actress nominee who leads “Emilia Pérez,” attended the event after all. Otherwise, she’s abstained from attending American awards shows and events since her inflammatory past tweets resurfaced at the end of January. Gascón, a Spanish actress who has spoken in her narrative language throughout the awards season, appeared to be receiving English translations of O’Brien’s remarks from a companion sitting next to her.

“Little fact for you: ‘Anora’ uses the F word 479 times,” O’Brien said. “That’s three more than the record set by Karla Sofía Gascón’s publicist.” O’Brien then imitated one of Gascón’s reps,...

Today, Liberated Syndication Inc. (“Libsyn”), the leading podcasting platform for creators and advertisers, announced that Libsyn Ads has achieved 24% year-over-year growth for host-read ads in the first half of 2024 with further growth expected in the second half of the year. This momentum is driven by a number of significant new campaigns with Fortune 100 brands, positioning Libsyn as a leader in the podcast advertising space.

To accelerate this growth, Libsyn has bolstered its Libsyn Ads sales team. Rick Selah has been elevated to Chief Revenue Officer. Since joining Libsyn in 2022, Selah has played a crucial role as Executive Vice President of Sales and previously led Content Partnerships. Prior to Libsyn, Selah co-founded and served as President of Pod Ad Reps (Par), where he led advertising sales efforts for a diverse catalog of independent podcasts, culminating in the 2022 acquisition of Par by Libsyn.

Additionally, Stephen Pickens and Anthony Savelli have been promoted...

In a survey of 1,000 15- to 64-year-old podcast consumers in the United States, 75% say a podcast should be defined as “audio-only or available with video,” 22% say a podcast is “audio-only,” while 3% define a podcast as “video-only.” This insight is one of many surprising findings from a comprehensive new study focused on YouTube’s impact on the podcasting universe from media research firm Coleman Insights and podcast consultancy Amplifi Media.

Jay Nachlis, Vice President/Consultant at Coleman Insights, and Steve Goldstein, Founder/CEO at Amplifi Media, will debut the data from the research study titled “The New Rules of Podcasting on YouTube” at the conference’s keynote session at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center on Thursday, August 24th at 8:30Am.

According to Nachlis, the changing podcast definition finding is more remarkable when you dig into users of specific platforms. “It’s not just YouTube podcast users that are warm...

President Trump’s proposed revamp of legal immigration might already lessen the U.S. population by one, if the Anne Frank Center has its way. Reacting to White House adviser Miller’s fiery comments about the Statue of Liberty — and, in particular, the Emma Lazarus poem that accompanies the statue — during a press conference on Wednesday, Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect executive director Steven Goldstein suggested that Miller’s ignorance deems him ineligible for American citizenship and counseled him, “please leave.” “Stephen Miller has turned himself simultaneously into a Statue of Arrogance and a National Monument of Ignorance,” Goldstein said in a.

The Anne Frank Center has demanded that President Donald Trump fire White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer for saying in a news conference Tuesday that Adolf Hitler never used chemical weapons. Spicer’s comment, delivered on the Jewish holiday of Passover, drew immediate widespread condemnation, including from Chelsea Clinton who suggested Spicer visit Washington D.C.’s U.S Holocaust Memorial Museum. “On Passover no less, Sean Spicer has engaged in Holocaust denial, the most offensive form of fake news imaginable, by denying Hitler gassed million of Jews to death,” the center’s executive director, Steven Goldstein, said in a statement.

The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect is calling on Tim Allen to apologize for his controversial comments that compared being a conservative in Hollywood today to “1930s Germany.”

In a statement posted to Facebook , the non-profit’s executive director, Steven Goldstein, said, “Tim, have you lost your mind? No one in Hollywood today is subjecting you or anyone else to what the Nazis imposed on Jews in the 1930s – the world’s most evil program of dehumanization, imprisonment and mass brutality, implemented by an entire national government, as the prelude for the genocide of nearly an entire people.”

Goldstein continued,...

Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday visited the suburban St. Louis Jewish cemetery that was badly damaged by vandals over the weekend.

After touring the historic Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, the vice president delivered remarks condemning the vandalism of 154 headstones. “There is no place in America for hatred or acts of prejudice or violence or anti-Semitism,” he said, according to a pool report.

During his visit, Pence also listened to a rabbi say a prayer and joined Missouri Gov. Eric Robert Greitens in helping clear brush as part of a volunteer event to clean up the cemetery following the attack.

The actor has boarded the voice cast in the lead role as Gilbert in The Ark And The Aardvark, Keith Kjarval’s company confirmed on Monday.

The film tells the story of Noah’s Ark from the perspective of the animals, specifically a group of misfits lead by Teller’s character. Teller currenbtly stars in awards contender Bleed For This.

Oscar-nominee John Stevenson (Kung Fu Panda, the upcoming Gnomeo & Juliet: Sherlock Gnomes) directs the film, currently in production.

Kjarval and Kurt Rauer are producing and Cecil Kramer serves as executive producer alongside Ben Ruffman and Steve Goldstein of Unified, Wayne Godfrey and Robert Jones of The Fyzz, and Kitt Watson of Watson Enterprises.

“Gilbert is young, spirited, sarcastic, and we couldn’t have found a more perfect artist to bring Gilbert to life in Miles,” said Stevenson. “His humourously rebellious and clever repartee are both spot-on and wonderfully entertaining, and I cannot wait to tell this story...

Released two weeks after premiering at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, Peter Sollet’s awards-baiting Lgbt drama Freeheld failed to command an Oscar campaign. Raking in just under six hundred thousand at the domestic office following a demure roll-out from distributor Lionsgate, this depiction of Laurel Hester’s 2005 fight for equality plays like a civil rights footnote eclipsed by more meaningful instances from the past decade. Despite some honorable performances from the likes of Julianne Moore and Michael Shannon (not to mention some woefully clichéd support from Steve Carrell), the film is fettered by its desperation to remain relevant and appealing, though it never captures the gravity clearly seen in Cynthia Wade’s documentary short, which provided the basis for this film.

As far as the importance of awareness and acceptance goes, these films are still important, now that some distance from the period allows the chance for significant introspection...

It’s been said time and again that major changes in the law and society can actually begin with one person,… or two. You know how just a pebble can gather momentum and bring about an avalanche that can alter the landscape. This new feature film docudrama tells such a story. Its subject is one still discussed, especially with the presidential campaigns starting so very early. The story begins just ten years ago, not that long before the sweeping changes concerning marriage which lead to equality throughout these united states. But at this time there were only “civil unions” which we often denied same-sex couples the rights that straight couples took for granted. Yes, this film is based on a true story, one that has been brought to the screen before, as a documentary short subject back in 2007. And it won an Oscar, too! The new dramatic adaptation shares its...

Wamg has your passes to the powerful drama Freeheld.

Based on the Oscar®-winning short documentary and adapted by the writer of Philadelphia, Freeheld is the true love story of Laurel Hester [Julianne Moore] and Stacie Andree [Ellen Page] and their fight for justice. A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard-earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, prevent Laurel from doing this. Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells [Michael Shannon], and activist Steven Goldstein [Steve Carell] unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defense, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.

Directed by Peter Sollett (Nick And Nora’s Infinite Playlist, Raising Victor Vargas) and written by Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia, Ray Donovan), with moving performances from a cast including Academy Award® winner Julianne Moore and Academy-Award nominees Ellen Page, Steve Carell, and Michael Shannon, with supporting performances from Luke Grimes and Josh Charles.

The Equality in Dying: Sollett’s Topical Gay Rights Issue Explores Yesterday’s Nightmares

Had a film like Freeheld been released in the late 2000s, shortly after the trailblazing gay rights victory documented here transpired, it would have seemed courageous and daring even despite its significant flaws as a social issue film about gays made specifically to appeal to heterosexual sensibilities. In recent years, following the increased progress in gay rights, from the repeal of Proposition Eight in 2013 and this year’s Us Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex marriage nationwide, we’ve seen several major prestige pictures nabbing lucrative awards, like 2013’s extremely spruced up The Dallas Buyers Club. As far as the importance of awareness and acceptance goes, these films are still important, now that some distance from the period allows the chance for significant introspection on the ragged road to basic vestiges of equality. The 2005 story of Laurel Hester...

Usually when you think of a movie as “conventional” it’s meant as a kind of insult. It can be a nice euphemism for boring, trite, or unoriginal pieces of filmmaking. But sometimes conventionality and cliché can be used in interesting ways. This is one of the many enjoyable qualities of Freeheld. Much of it is the type of love story we’ve seen in countless movies: couple meets, go through a period of flirtation, become increasingly close and intimate, then something happens, in many instances one of them becomes sick, and the story turns into one of those better to have loved and lost, tearjerker types of movies. They often serve their purpose, some sort of emotional bloodletting (or tearletting?) because all love stories end in sadness.

Freeheld presents this cliché story as an alternate universe version of the actual, real-life story of Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree. The movie shows them meeting,...

Toronto – Nothing is more disheartening than writing a negative review about a movie with admirable intentions. “Freeheld,” which debuted tonight at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, is based on the true story of Laurel Hester, an Ocean County, New Jersey police officer who fought to have her pension benefits assigned to her domestic partner Stacie in 2005. Unfortunately, an impressive cast and significant real-life events can’t trump the fact it’s a badly made movie. When we first meet Laurel (Julianne Moore) she’s in the middle of a stake out with her partner Dane Wells (Michael Shannon). Along with a few other officers they are trying to nail a drug dealer working the boardwalk. When things go wrong, Laurel shows up to save the day which is meant to telegraph the fact that she’s a damn good cop. It’s elementary script writing directed like an episode of...

From big blockbusters to small independent films, here are the movies I.m dying to see this Fall. (Official synopsis provided by studios)

September 18 (Friday)

About Ray When a young woman (Elle Fanning) decides to transition from female to male, her announcement is met with both opposition and support from her mother (Naomi Watts) and her lesbian grandmother (Susan Sarandon).

Black Mass In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James "Whitey" Bulger (Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement, consolidate power, and become one of the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in Boston history. -- (C) Warner Bros

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials In this next chapter of the epic "Maze Runner" saga, Thomas (Dylan O'Brien...

As the days get darker and the cold winds of Autumn approach, it’s time to look ahead at the upcoming movies set to hit cinemas this Fall.

The huge slate includes the return of the Jedis, the rebirth of Frankenstein and a new age of Good Dinosaurs. These movies will take audiences to a Galaxy Far, Far Away, on a voyage to Mars and to the summit of the world’s highest mountain, Everest.

Here’s our list of the 2015 Fall movies that we can’t wait to see!

September

The Visit (Sept 11)

Writer/director/producer M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs, Unbreakable) and producer Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity, The Purge and Insidious series) welcome you to Universal Pictures’ The Visit. Shyamalan returns to his roots with the terrifying story of a brother and sister who are sent to their grandparents’ remote Pennsylvania farm for a weeklong trip.

Slated to have its World Premiere in September at the Toronto International Film Festival, here’s a first look at the final two posters for Freeheld.

Directed by Peter Sollett, Freeheld stars Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, Josh Charles and Steve Carell.

Based on the Oscar-winning short documentary by Cynthia Wade (80th Academy Awards), and adapted by the writer of Philadelphia (Ron Nyswaner), Freeheld is the true love story of Laurel Hester (Moore) and Stacie Andree (Page) and their fight for justice.

A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, conspire to prevent Laurel from doing this.

Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells (Michael Shannon), and activist Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell), unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defense, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.

The San Sebastian Festival is almost here and three new competing titles have recently joined those previously announced for the Official Selection. Chinese director Liu Hao returns to San Sebastian with "Back to the North," five years after competing in the Official Selection with "Addicted to Love;" the Belgian moviemaker Joachim Lafosse will present his new film, "The White Knights;" and Peter Sollett will bring to the Festival the film "Freeheld," starring Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, Josh Charles and Steve Carrell.

For its part, the New Directors section closes with inclusion of the Swedish production, directed by Peter Grönlund, "Thieves Honor."

Official Selection

"The White Knight" Joachim Lafosse (Belgium - France)

Joachim Lafosse brings to the screen the Zoe’s Ark controversy which made headlines in 2007: a story about the limits of the right of interference. Jacques Arnault, head of Sud Secours Ngo, is planning a high impact operation: he and his team are going to exfiltrate 300 orphans victims of Chadian civil war and bring them to French adoption applicants. Françoise Dubois, a journalist, is invited to come along with them and handle the media coverage for this operation. Completely immersed in the brutal reality of a country at war, the Ngo members start losing their convictions and are faced with the limits of humanitarian intervention.

"Freeheld" Peter Sollett (U.S.A)

Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, Steve Carrell and Josh Charles star in this film based on true events. The true love story of Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree and their fight for justice. A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, conspire to prevent Laurel from doing this. Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells, and activist Steven Goldstein, unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defence, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.

"Back to the North" Liu Hao (China)

Xiao Ai is diagnosed with a terminal illness and does not have long to live. She is concerned that her parents will become a "lost family" and have no one to take care of them after her death, so she decides to persuade them to have another child... The latest film by Liu Hao, who competed at San Sebastian in 2010 with "Addicted to Love."

New Directors

"Thieves Honor" Peter Grönlund (Sweden)

An intense social drama about a woman's struggle for survival on the margins of society. When street pusher Minna can't pay her rent she cheats a few young criminals on a drug deal and takes the money. She happens to meet Katja, the mother of a child who has been taken from her by the social authorities.

The Toronto International Film Festival has added 5 Galas and 19 Special Presentations to its huge and highly anticipated international lineup including the Closing Night Film, Paco Cabezas’s Mr. Right.

In July, it was announced that Jean-Marc Vallée’s Demolition will open the 2015 Festival. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper and Judah Lewis, Demolition will have its world premiere on September 10 at Roy Thomson Hall.

Toronto audiences will be among the first to screen films by directors Ridley Scott, Deepa Mehta, Lenny Abrahamson, Brian Helgeland, Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, Jason Bateman, Cary Fukunaga, Catherine Corsini, Stephen Frears, Tom Hooper, Hany Abu-Assad, Meghna Gulzar, Terence Davies, Jonás Cuarón, Julie Delpy, Rebecca Miller, Rob Reiner, Catherine Hardwicke, Pan Nalin, Lorene Scafaria, David Gordon Green, Matthew Cullen, Gaby Dellal, James Vanderbilt and Marc Abraham.

The various films listed below star Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, Susan Sarandon, Gary Oldman, Toni Collette, Drew Barrymore,...

The 40th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival now has something of a slate. Festival toppers Cameron Bailey and Piers Handling presided over a press conference Tuesday morning where more than 34 films were announced including the world premieres of "The Martian," "The Family Fang" and "Demolition." It's an intriguing initial lineup for the venerable Canadian institution and something of a steadying the ship after losing some major debuts to Venice, Telluride and the New York Film Festival over the past few years. Well, maybe. The most impressive world premieres include the aforementioned "Demolition" with Jake Gyllenhaal (officially the best opening night film in recent memory), "The Family Fang" with Nicole Kidman, "Legend" with Tom Hardy, "Trumbo" with Bryan Cranston, "The Martian" with Matt Damon and Lance Armstrong doc "The Program" with Ben Foster and Michael Moore's latest documentary, "Where to Invade Next." Notable films that will have premiered...

The initial lineup for the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, taking place from September 10 to 20 this fall, has been revealed, with Dallas Buyers Club director Jean-Marc Vallee’s dramatic romance Demolition, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts, having been selected to open the prestigious fest.

The first selections lineup reads like a who’s who list of Oscar contenders. Ridley Scott’s The Martian, Roland Emmerich’s Stonewall and Stephen Frears’ Lance Armstrong biopic The Program all have world premieres, and other huge titles screening include Tom Hooper’s The Danish Girl, Cary Fukunaga’s Beasts of Nation, Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight, Scott Cooper’s Black Mass, Peter Sollett’s Freeheld, Brian Helgeland’s Legend and Paolo Sorrentino’s Youth.

Check out the full lineup below, and let us know what you’re most excited for in the comments section.

Opening Night Film.

Demolition Jean-Marc Vallée, USA World Premiere

In Demolition,...

Following up her Oscar-winning turn in Still Alice, Julianne Moore is doing it tough again in Freeheld. This time it's cancer rather than early-onset Alzheimer’s that her character, a New Jersey police ’tec, is confronted with, but the consequences are no less severe. Take a look at the film’s new trailer to see what’s at stake.Moore’s isn’t the only Oscar pedigree at work on this drama. Freeheld is based on Cynthia Wade’s 2007 Oscar-winning short documentary of the same name. Both films tell the true-life story of police officer Laurel Hester (Moore), whose world was shattered when she became terminally ill. Prevented from leaving her pension to her partner, mechanic Stacie Andree (Ellen Page), she enlists the support and help of equality activist Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell, a late stand-in for Zach Galifianakis) and an initially disapproving friend at the department, Dane Wells (Michael Shannon...

Directed by Peter Sollett, watch the powerful trailer for Freeheld starring Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, and Steve Carell.

Based on the Oscar-winning short documentary by Cynthia Wade (80th Academy Awards), and adapted by the writer of Philadelphia (Ron Nyswaner), Freeheld is the true love story of Laurel Hester (Moore) and Stacie Andree (Page) and their fight for justice.

A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, conspire to prevent Laurel from doing this.

Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells (Michael Shannon), and activist Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell), unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defense, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.

Ellen Page is one of the producers on the film.

Opening on October 2nd (limited) & October 16th (wide), this emotional and compelling film...

Here’s a first look at Oscar winner Julianne Moore and Ellen Page in Summit Entertainment’s Freeheld.

Based on the Oscar-winning short documentary and adapted by the writer of Philadelphia, Freeheld is the true love story of Laurel Hester (Moore) and Stacie Andree (Page) and their fight for justice.

A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, conspire to prevent Laurel from doing this.

Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells (Michael Shannon), and activist Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell), unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defense, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.

Ellen Page is one of the producers on the film.

Directed by Peter Sollett (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist), Freeheld opens on October 2nd, 2015 (limited) & October 16th, 2015 (wide).

The post First Photo...

See Full Gallery Here

Production wrapped on Peter Sollett’s forthcoming human rights drama Freeheld late last year, and today, the first clutch of images from the movie have debuted online. Taken from the film’s official Facebook page, the stills showcase Oscar-winner Julianne Moore and her co-star Ellen Page as a couple who rallied against the archaic benefits system in 2005.

Based on the 2007 documentary of the same name, Freeheld follows the story of Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree. The couple fought to change the Domestic Partners Rights Act as its vague parameters – it “grants pension benefits to domestic partners of all New Jersey public employees” – failed to provide those benefits to partners from a same sex relationship. The original documentary stirred up good critical notices upon release and went on to receive the Special Jury Award at Sundance, with its director Cynthia Wade also snagging the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short.

It's safe to say Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller isn't backing down when it comes to her court case against her former co-star Kelly Hyland.

Et was the only outlet to capture Miller on camera before her court appearance in New York City on Tuesday, Jan. 13, where she faced Hyland regarding the ugly Nov. 2013 incident that was actually captured by Dance Mom cameras. Miller and Hyland -- the mother of Brooke, 16, and Paige, 13, both students of Miller's -- were involved in a physical scuffle at a dance event in New York, which escalated into Hyland slapping and pulling Miller's hair.

News: Abby Lee Miller's Student Maddie Ziegler on Filming Sia's Controversial Music Video Opposite Shia Labeouf

Hyland is now on trial for attempted assault.

"I think the judge will handle it, let's hope," Miller told our cameras outside the courthouse. "And I think that the video tape speaks for itself."

But Hyland's...

Julianne Moore took photographs while shooting a scene for her new movie with Ellen Page, Freeheld, earlier this week.

Julianne Moore Films 'Freeheld'

Moore, sporting blond, blown out locks, was shot snapping pictures from the passenger seat of a parked car on the Queens, New York Freeheld set on Thursday. The actress, who plays a police officer in the movie, completed her undercover look with a button down tucked into a pair of jeans and black boots.

In Freeheld, Moore plays Lieutenant Laurel Hester, a real-life figure in Lgbt history, who fought to extend pension benefits to domestic partners in New Jersey after she received a fatal cancer diagnosis, and learned that her domestic partner, mechanic Stacie Andree, would not receive the benefits. Page, who is producing Freeheld, is playing the part of Andree.

Freeheld is based off of the 2007 documentary of the same name that won an Oscar for best Documentary,...

Deadline is reporting that Steve Carell will be replacing Zach Galifianakis in Freeheld, an upcoming film from Peter sollett. Already set to star Julianne Moore and Ellen Page, Freeheld is based on 2007 documentary of the same name which focused on two women, Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree, who fought “to amend the Domestic Partnership Act, which grants pension benefits to domestic partners of all New Jersey public employees.”

According to the report, Galifianakis had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Now, Carell will come in and take over his role, that of Steven Goldstein, “a passionate advocate for Garden State Equality.” Moore and Page are set to play Hester and Andree, respectively.

For those who are unfamiliar with the original doc that this feature film will be based on, it was quite a hit on the festival circuit back when it was released, picking up numerous awards, including the Special Jury Prize at Sundance.

Steve Carell has been cast in Freeheld.

He will join Julianne Moore and Ellen Page in the adaptation of the Academy Award-winning 2007 documentary of the same name, reports Deadline.

Carell replaces Zach Galifianakis, who dropped out of the project due to scheduling conflicts.

The film centres around the battle to amend the New Jersey Domestic Partnership Act in order to allow public employees to give pension benefits to their domestic partners.

The battle was launched by terminally ill police officer Laurel Hester, who wished to pass her benefits to her partner Stacie Andree.

Moore and Carell starred together in Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Carell will play the supporting role of equality advocate Steven Goldstein.

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist's Peter Sollett will direct Freeheld.

Watch a trailer for the original documentary below:...

Peter Sollett’s upcoming drama Freeheld is switching out one comedian for another, as Steve Carell is set to take over for a role previously filled by Zach Galifiankis.

Deadline reports that Carell will play Steven Goldstein in the film, which is based on a 2007 documentary of the same name. The documentary follows Laurel Hester’s battle against the New Jersey’s Domestic Partnership Act. Hester sought to amend the act in an effort to grant pension benefits to her domestic partner Stacie Andree. Carell’s character Goldstein, founder of the civil rights organization Garden State Equality, was a proponent for the cause.

Untitled Robert the Bruce Project

"Starred Up" director David Mackenzie is reportedly keen on reuniting with that film's star Jack O'Connell for an upcoming and very gritty film about medieval Scottish king Robert the Bruce which he's working on.

Mackenzie says: "I’m trying to get Jack involved in that. And I can’t say that’s official, but Jack and I have been in discussion on that. But not as the Robert the Bruce character, as a secondary character, but a very, very sort of close second." [Source: Collider]

Freeheld

Steve Carell is set to replace Zach Galifianakis in Peter Sollett's "Freeheld," a narrative film adaptation of the 2007 documentary about two women who fought for an amendment to the Domestic Partnership Act which grants pension benefits to domestic partners of all New Jersey public employees.

Julianne Moore and Ellen Page star in the project. Galifianakis has dropped out due to scheduling conflicts,...

Steve Carell is replacing Zach Galifianakis in Peter Sollett's drama Freeheld. Zach Galifianakis had to leave due to scheduling conflicts.

Freeheld is based on the 2007 documentary about Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree. The pair fought to amend the Domestic Partnership Act, which gives pension benefits to domestic partners of all New Jersey public employees. The project stars Julianne Moore and Ellen Page. Steve Carell will be portraying Steven Goldstein, an advocate for Garden State Equality.

Peter Sollett is directing from a script by Ron Nyswaner. Ellen Page, Kelly Bush, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, James D. Stern, Richard Fischoff, Duncan Montgomery, Jack Selby and Cynthia Wade are producing.

Freeheld was released in 2012 and stars Ellen Page.

Exclusive: Steve Carell is replacing Zach Galifianakis in Freeheld, the Peter Sollett-directed film based on the 2007 documentary about Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree. They fought to amend the Domestic Partnership Act, which grants pension benefits to domestic partners of all New Jersey public employees. The film stars Julianne Moore and Ellen Page. It’s produced by Page, Kelly Bush, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, James D. Stern, Richard Fischoff, Duncan Montgomery, Jack Selby, Duncan Montgomery, and Cynthia Wade. Ron Nyswaner wrote the script.

Related: Hot Trailer: Channing Tatum & Steve Carell In ‘Foxcatcher’

Galifianakis has dropped out due to scheduling conflicts. Carell will play the supporting role of Steven Goldstein, a passionate advocate for Garden State Equality. Carell, who starred with Moore in Crazy, Stupid, Love, found a spot of availability in his schedule between the time he’ll spend promoting his starring roles in Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No...

Ghost With The Most Rumors about a sequel to Tim Burton's 1988 comedy classic Beetlejuice have been roaming the internet like a lost soul in a haunted house for more than a decade, but it now appears that a sequel might have some (after)life after all. In a recent interview with MTV, the title star of the original, Michael Keaton, revealed that he would be interested in reprising the role in a sequel and that he has even e-mailed Burton "a couple of times" and "talked to the writer" about Beetlejuice 2.

I always said that's the one thing I'd like to do again, if I ever did anything again. But it kind of required Tim to be involved some way or another.

Now it looks like [Burton] is involved. And without giving too much away we've talked to each other, and e-mailed each other, and if he's in, it's going...

The film adaptation of the Oscar-winning short documentary Freeheld is finally gearing up for production, with Julianne Moore and Zach Galifianakis joining Ellen Page in the cast.

When Freeheld hit the festival circuit in 2007, the 40-minute long documentary made a huge impact, winning no less than 14 festival awards, including the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. When its director Cynthia Wade collected the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short in February of 2008, the film received an even greater boost in interest and, by 2010, Ellen Page was attached to star in the narrative re-telling, with a screenplay by Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia, The Painted Veil).

This real-life story is one of extraordinary courage in the face of adversity, as respected New Jersey police detective Laurel Hester is diagnosed with terminal cancer, and discovers that her long-term girlfriend – Stacie Andree – cannot receive the pension benefits that would have been awarded were...

Julianne Moore and Zach Galifianakis have been cast in Freeheld.

The pair will join Ellen Page in Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist director Peter Sollett's indie drama, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Based on the 2007 Academy Award-winning documentary short of the same name, the film centres around the true story of the late New Jersey police detective Laurel Hester (Moore).

When she is diagnosed with a terminal illness, she is refused permission to assign her pension benefits to partner Stacie Andree (Page).

Her plight inspires conservative colleague Dane Wells to lead the defence of the same-sex couple.

Galifianakis will play Garden State Equality activist Steven Goldstein.

Page signed up for the project in 2010.

Moore is currently starring in Non-Stop and Map of the Stars, and is filming The Hunger Games: Mockingjay.

The Hangover's Galifianakis will next be seen in Muppets Most Wanted and Birdman.

Freeheld will begin shooting in the summer.

• Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover) will take on a supporting role in the indie drama Freeheld, starring Ellen Page (Juno) and Julianne Moore (Far From Heaven) as domestic partners battling New Jersey pension laws. Based on Cynthia Wade’s Oscar-winning documentary short, Moore will star as Laurel Hester, a detective who becomes terminally ill. Page would play her partner Stacie Andree, and Galifianakis is set to portray equality activist Steven Goldstein. Philadelphia scribe Ron Nyswaner wrote the script, and Peter Sollett (Raising Victor Vargas) will direct. [THR]

• Odeya Rush (The Odd Life of Timothy Green) has scored the role of Jack Black’s niece in Goosebumps,...

Now that it's safe to say Zach Galifianakis is done with The Hangover franchise, we're glad to hear he's getting back on the big screen in a lower profile project. THR has word that Galifianakis will have a supporting role in Freeland, a new indie drama based on an Oscar-winning documentary short of the same name about the late Laurel Hester a New Jersey police detective whose world was shattered when she became terminally ill and government officials prevented her from assigning her pension benefits to her domestic partner, Stacie Andree. Sounds like a powerful and timely drama So who's playing the two leads? Well, Julianne Moore will play Laurel Hester and Ellen Page will play her partner Stacie Andree. Meanwhile Galifianakis is playing Garden State Equality activist Steven Goldstein, and there's another important role yet to be cast, Laurel's conservative detective partner Dane Wells, who was shocked when he...

Julianne Moore and Zach Galifianakis are attached to star alongside Ellen Page in the indie drama "Freeheld," a feature adaptation of the 2007 Oscar-winning documentary short of the same name.

Moore plays a New Jersey police detective whose world was shattered when she became terminally ill and government officials prevented her from assigning her pension benefits to her domestic partner Stacie Andree (Page).

Her conservative detective partner Dane Wells was shocked when he learned of her sexual orientation, but became the leader in the fight for the same-sex couple's rights.

Galifianakis would play the supporting role of equality activist Steven Goldstein. Peter Sollett directs from a screenplay by Ron Nyswaner and filming begins this Summer.

Source: THR...

Well, here's reminder in case you forgot about this one—it's been a few years. Way back in 2010, Ellen Page signed up to star in the feature film adaptation of the Oscar winning documentary short "Freeheld," with Peter Sollett ("Raising Victor Vargas," "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist") coming on to direct in 2012. And then nothing was heard of the project again, but today two big names are kicking it back to life. Julianne Moore and Zach Galifianakis have come aboard the drama, that has been penned by Ron Nyswaner ("Philadelphia," "The Painted Veil"). The film will follow Stace Andree (Page), a woman who was denied the pension benefits of her longtime female partner and New Jersey police detective Laurel Hester (Moore) when the latter became terminally ill. The story chronicles the pair’s legal battle for the benefits to be assigned to Laurel's partner, with Galifianakis slotted as activist Steve Goldstein.

Zach Galifianakis is not necessarily the first name you expect to be associated with a serious drama, but he’s proven in the past he can do more than play comedy weirdoes. He’s looking to extend even further, joining the cast of Freeheld with Julianne Moore and the already-attached Ellen Page.The Inception star has actually been a part of this one for a few years now, ever since Endgame Entertainment snapped up the rights to Cynthia Wade’s 2007 Oscar-winning short documentary. Moore will play Laurel Hester, a New Jersey police detective whose world was shattered when she became terminally ill and government officials prevented her from assigning her pension benefits to her domestic partner, mechanic Stacie Andree (Page). Galifianakis is aboard as equality activist Steven Goldstein, who helped with their fight.Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist director Peter Sollett is set to call the shots this summer working...

I cringed when I saw the promos for last night's 20/20 and their "exclusive" first interview with former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi, just found guilty on 15 counts -- including invasion of privacy and bias intimidation -- last week for spying with a webcam while his roommate, Tyler Clementi, was on a date with another man in their dorm room. My gut was right, for the most part, as I watched last night.

I was horrified at not only the sensationalism, but the near complete lack of depth to this very complex case that has been the subject of so much media coverage. This piece was a horrible way to give voice to Ravi, who, I think, came off as smug and without any real sense of the consequences and cruelty) of his actions in a manner that was offensive to anyone who has been subjected to bullying of any kind.

The Clint Eastwood ad during the Super Bowl is causing a stir in political circles.

Our colleague Steve Goldstein at MarketWatch writes at the Political Watch blog:

It could be viewed as a simple celebration of the recovery of bankrupt Chrysler. But the political overtones were easy to see as well: “Halftime in America” could be interpreted as a rallying call for a second term for President Barack Obama, who pushed ahead with a bailout of Chrysler and General Motors...

Hey Gang! The full schedule for Comic-Con 2010 has been unleashed on the world today and boy, oh boy does it have a lot of great stuff! We have the full list for you below to check out. I've highlighted all of the events that we are excited about seeing. Check out the list below and start planning out your Comic-Con adventure now!

We will be doing a meet-up at the Con this year, we will fill you in on all the details once we have it all planned out. See ya there!

Special Preview Night Programming

Wednesday, July 21

Attendees at Comic-Con's Preview Night can also experience special programming, games, and Anime and Film screenings in addition to the giant Exhibit Hall! Here's a rundown of the Wednesday night fun, including the chance to get a first look at the new homes for Anime and Films in the Marriott Hotel and Marina.