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“Comedy is what takes us away from all the pain and all the hurt and all the turmoil that goes on in life. It takes us away from that, even if only for a brief second, a brief moment.” Maybe you wouldn’t expect this level of depth from a man who’s made a career of being silly. Something else you might not expect? Even 30 years into his comedy career, he was still possessed by a nervous energy before getting on the stage for his 2016 special. So much of what has made Martin Lawrence successful is his ability to channel that nervous energy into something great and, more importantly, something funny.

But what drives that energy? For Martin, it may be the very pain, hurt, and turmoil he’s trying to help us escape. Despite his success, Martin’s life has been marked by challenges, from a difficult childhood to high-profile controversies.

More than 43 per cent of Australian adults don’t have the necessary literacy skills needed for everyday life. That’s about seven million Australian adults, many of whom are not able to read a text message, to decipher the destination of a train or bus, or to use the internet.

Three-part Sbs documentary series Lost for Words, hosted by Jay Laga’aia and produced by Endemol Shine, follows eight people as they undertake an intensive adult-literacy program.

The group is also joined by special guests such as Indigenous chef Mark Olive, author Jackie French and actor, writer and director Marcus Graham during various phases of their journey.

Lost For Words premieres 8.30pm Wednesday September 22 on Sbs and Sbs On Demand.

The post ‘Lost for Words’ (Trailer) appeared first on If Magazine.

A script is written and actors or actresses are chosen to play the parts. But sometimes the situation is flipped and a character is written for a specific actor. For Eddie Murphy, the vast majority of his roles were tailor-made especially for him. His quick-wit and personality could not be matched for over a decade in Hollywood and he was the "it" guy studios wanted for their comedies.

Related: Adam Sandler's 10 Best Movies, According To Rotten Tomatoes

With an extensive list of characters under his belt, Murphy has more than earned his accolades. Was it Sherman Klump who stole viewers' hearts? What about the cockiness of Marcus Graham in Boomerang or the animated wise-cracks of Donkey in the Shrek films? No matter what he's starring in, Eddie Murphy rarely lets his fans down.

Mansoor Noor in ‘The Furnace.’

When Mansoor Noor decided to study at the Actors Centre Australia in 2014 after playing the lead in the ABC sci-fi series Shifters and a supporting role in the ABC docudrama Singapore 1942: End of Empire, it was a big gamble.

“It was a huge investment and risk for me, given there were hardly any people that looked like me on the screen and stages, unless it was a stereotype,” Noor tells If.

“I’m so glad I did because of the changes we are starting to see now, although in the the majority of my on-set experiences, I have yet to see the same shift to diversity we are seeing on screen.”

Noor’s career is flourishing, reflecting his versatility. He played a bad cop in Cleverman, a doctor in Rake, a journalist in The Secrets She Keeps, an impressionable young scientist in Eddie Arya’s thriller Risen,...

‘Point of No Return.’

Vincent Monton is understandably chuffed that Australians have the chance to discover – or rediscover – his telemovie Point of No Return 25 years after it premiered on Network 10.

Umbrella Entertainment released a digitally restored version of the drama written and directed by Monton, which starred Marcus Graham and Nikki Coghill, on DVD and VOD this month.

Graham played the dual roles of Grady, a former soldier who is traumatized by his experiences in war and prison, and his murdered brother Kristian.

Grady escapes from custody after attending Kristian’s funeral. Coghill is Kate, the girlfriend of the protagonist who later hooked up with his brother.

The producer, the late Phillip Emanuel, had raised the budget to make a telemovie about a prison break but was not happy with the script so he approached Monton. The offer was to write a screenplay in three weeks, which he could...

The final season of Sbs’s The Family Law, the first series of ABC’s The Heights and the Sbs miniseries The Hunting have won the 10th annual Equity Ensemble Awards.

The actors who starred in these programs were voted the most outstanding Australian small screen ensembles in their respective categories by the Meaa Equity National Performers’ Committee (Npc).

Equity president Chloe Dallimore, who was among the 33 Npc members who selected this year’s finalists and winners, said: “I can’t think of a better way to spend lockdown than re-watching the incredible small screen performances of the last 12 months. What phenomenal talent we have in this country, both in front and behind the camera.

“It emphasised what’s at stake if we don’t continue to vigorously defend our local content quotas, and why we must continue to remind our government how the arts contribute to our Australian cultural identity.

Vulture Watch

Will viewers return? Has the Boomerang TV show been cancelled or renewed for a third season on Bet? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Boomerang, season three. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?

What's This TV Show About?

Airing on the Bet cable channel, Boomerang stars Tetona Jackson, Tequan Richmond, Leland Martin, Lala Milan, Rj Walker, Brittany Inge, Paula Newsome, Joey Bada$$, and Dreezy. From executive producers Halle Berry and Lena Waithe, the TV series is a sequel to the 1992 romantic comedy feature film of the same name, starring Eddie Murphy as Marcus Graham, Robin Givens as Jacqueline Broyer, and Berry as Angela Davis. The comedy follows Jacqueline’s son, Bryson (Richmond), and Marcus and Angela’s daughter, Simone...

Can Simone and Bryson fufill their dreams in the second season of the Boomerang TV show on Bet? As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like Boomerang is cancelled or renewed for season three. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustration when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we invite you to rate all of the second season episodes of Boomerang here.

A Bet serialized comedy series, Boomerang stars Tetona Jackson, Tequan Richmond, Leland Martin, Lala Milan, Rj Walker, Brittany Inge, Paula Newsome, Joey Bada$$, and Dreezy. From executive producers Halle Berry and Lena Waithe, the TV series is a sequel to the 1992 romantic comedy feature film of the same name, starring Eddie Murphy as Marcus Graham, Robin Givens as Jacqueline...

The ratings weren't very impressive for the first season of Boomerang on Bet. Will the viewership for this comedy series improve this time around or, will they drop even lower? Will Boomerang be cancelled or renewed for season three? Stay tuned.

Airing on the Bet cable channel, Boomerang stars Tetona Jackson, Tequan Richmond, Leland Martin, Lala Milan, Rj Walker, Brittany Inge, Paula Newsome, Joey Bada$$, and Dreezy. From executive producers Halle Berry and Lena Waithe, the TV series is a sequel to the 1992 romantic comedy feature film of the same name, starring Eddie Murphy as Marcus Graham, Robin Givens as Jacqueline Broyer, and Berry as Angela Davis. The comedy follows Jacqueline’s son, Bryson (Richmond), and Marcus and Angela’s daughter, Simone (Jackson), as they try to forge a path outside the shadows their parents have cast and make their...

Vulture Watch

Will Bryson and Simone get a chance to make it on their own? Has the Boomerang TV show been cancelled or renewed for a second season on Bet? The television vulture is watching all the latest cancellation and renewal news, so this page is the place to track the status of Boomerang, season two. Bookmark it, or subscribe for the latest updates. Remember, the television vulture is watching your shows. Are you?  

What's This TV Show About?

Airing on the Bet cable channel, Boomerang stars Lala Milan, Rj Walker, Leland Martin, Tetona Jackson, Tequan Richmond, and Brittany Inge. From executive producers Halle Berry and Lena Waithe, the TV series is a sequel to the 1992 romantic comedy feature film of the same name, starring Eddie Murphy as Marcus Graham, Robin Givens as Jacqueline Broyer, and Berry as Angela Davis. The comedy follows...

Exclusive: Bet’s Boomerang is coming back for season 2 on March 11 and it’s bringing a talented roster of women of color to direct all eight episodes. The network also released a new trailer that gives an extended look at the comedy which puts Bryson (Tequan Richmond), Simone (Tetona Jackson) and the entire Boomerang gang in a whole new — and hyperrealistic — series of life lessons.

Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad Productions have set Angeli Millan and Dime Davis as co-showrunners. Davis, who also worked on the show’s freshman season, directed four of the eight episodes while Tiffany Johnson and Katrelle N. Kindred will direct two episodes each. Kindred was brought on by Davis and is also a member of ViacomCBS’s ViewFinder Emerging TV Directors Program. Boomerang marks her TV directorial debut.

Exclusive: Actors Rj Walker and Brittany Inge have been upped to series regulars on the Lena Waithe and Halle Berry produced romantic dramedy Boomerang on Bet.

Based on the iconic ’90s romantic comedy starring Eddie Murphy and Berry and produced by Paramount Television, Boomerang takes place about 25 years after the events of Marcus Graham’s (who was played by Eddie Murphy in the original feature. It centers on Marcus and Angela Lewis’s (played by Berry in the film) daughter Simone Graham (Tetona Jackson) and Bryson Broyer. The two are making moves as marketing professionals — like their parents. While they attempt to step out of their parents’ shadows, they try to navigate the terrain of relationships with their friends.

Walker plays David Wright, a Wall Street guy turned preacher with a strong moral compass. Fastidious about his looks,...

Spoiler Alert: This article contains details about the season finale of Boomerang.

When it was announced that Lena Waithe was teaming with Halle Berry to bring the wildly underrated ’90s rom-com to Bet as a television series, diehard fans of the original were giddy with excitement as the new iteration set out to struck a curious chord with the younger generation — some of whom have never heard of the TV show. With Ben Cory Jones as showrunner and a team of fresh talent in front of and behind the camera, the first 10 episodes of the series brought a new perspective and look to the continuation of the film starring Eddie Murphy as playboy Marcus Graham who learns to love like an actual adult. Waithe and Berry (who starred in the original) brought the story into 2019 with a raw and real sense of storytelling and tonight’s finale titled “Trust” had...

Are Bryson and Simone making a good go of it during the first season of the Boomerang TV show on Bet? As we all know, the Nielsen ratings typically play a big role in determining whether a TV show like Boomerang is cancelled or renewed for season two. Unfortunately, most of us do not live in Nielsen households. Because many viewers feel frustration when their viewing habits and opinions aren't considered, we'd like to offer you the chance to rate all of the Boomerang season one episodes here. *Status update below.

A serialized Bet sitcom, Boomerang stars Lala Milan, Rj Walker, Leland Martin, Tetona Jackson, Tequan Richmond, and Brittany Inge. From executive producers Halle Berry and Lena Waithe, the TV series is a sequel to the 1992 romantic comedy feature film of the same name, starring Eddie Murphy as Marcus Graham, Robin Givens as Jacqueline Broyer,...

Although Bet original TV series don't get huge ratings, they do develop loyal fanbases, and the network keeps introducing new entries into the Nielsen ratings race. The latest of these is the Boomerang TV show. Does the first season have what it takes to earn a second? Will Boomerang be cancelled or renewed for season two? Stay tuned. *Status update below.

A serialized Bet sitcom, Boomerang stars Lala Milan, Rj Walker, Leland Martin, Tetona Jackson, Tequan Richmond, and Brittany Inge. From executive producers Halle Berry and Lena Waithe, the TV series is a sequel to the 1992 romantic comedy feature film of the same name, starring Eddie Murphy as Marcus Graham, Robin Givens as Jacqueline Broyer, and Berry as Angela Davis. The comedy follows Jacqueline’s son, Bryson (Richmond), and Marcus and Angela’s daughter, Simone (Jackson), as they try to forge a path outside the...

Is it any surprise that a TV show titled Boomerang is coming back? Bet has announced that the serialized comedy series has been renewed for a second season. The show has been running on Tuesday nights and the first season finale airs next week, on April 9th. There's no word on when season two of Boomerang will begin airing.

Boomerang stars Lala Milan, Rj Walker, Leland Martin, Tetona Jackson, Tequan Richmond, and Brittany Inge. From executive producers Halle Berry and Lena Waithe, the TV series is a sequel to the 1992 romantic comedy feature film of the same name, starring Eddie Murphy as Marcus Graham, Robin Givens as Jacqueline Broyer, and Berry as Angela Davis. The comedy follows Jacqueline’s son, Bryson (Richmond), and Marcus and Angela’s daughter, Simone (Jackson), as they try to forge a path outside the shadows their parents have cast and make their own way...

Boomerang will be coming back.

Bet announced on Tuesday that it has renewed its follow-up to the 1992 feature film as well as American Soul, both for Season 2.

“Making Boomerang has been one of the highlights of my career,” executive producer Lena Waithe said in a statement, “and the positive feedback we’ve gotten from fans and critics has been so validating. I’m beyond excited to dive even deeper into these characters’ lives in Season 2.”

Boomerang centers on Simone Graham, daughter Marcus Graham and Angela Lewis (played in the movie by Eddie Murphy and series Ep Halle Berry), and Bryson Broyer (son of Jaqueline Broyer,...

Bet announced today that the subversive relationship comedy Boomerang is coming back around for a new season while the groovin’ Don Cornelius-infused period drama American Soul will also return to the network with some new dance moves.

The news comes ahead of the season finale of American Soul which will air at 9 pm Et/Pt and be followed by a special episode of Boomerang written by Jenny Lee and Emmy award winner Lena Waithe, who serves as executive producer of the series alongside Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry.

“Bet Networks is so proud to be the television home for the compelling scripted series, Boomerang and American Soul,” said Scott Mills, President, Bet Networks. “Our continued partnership demonstrates Bet’s commitment to the elevation of creative and authentic storytelling that viewers expect from the brand.”

Based on the iconic ’90s romantic comedy starring Eddie Murphy and Berry and produced by Paramount Television,...

Lena Waithe and Halle Berry’s comedy series “Boomerang” is one of two shows that have been picked up for a second season at BET, Variety has learned.

Executive produced by Waithe and Berry, “Boomerang” is based on the 1992 American rom-com in which Berry starred alongside Robin Givens and Eddie Murphy.

“Making ‘Boomerang’ has been one of the highlights of my career and the positive feedback we’ve gotten from fans and critics has been so validating. I’m beyond excited to dive even deeper into these characters’ lives in season two,” said Waithe.

The 10-episode first season picks up roughly 25 years after the original film and centers on Simone Graham (daughter of Marcus Graham and Angela Lewis) and Bryson Broyer (son of Jaqueline Broyer), who are marketing professionals trying to step out of their parents’ shadows. The season one finale airs Tuesday, April 9.

“BET Networks is thrilled to partner...

The cast of ‘The Heights’.

With the exception of flagship serials Home and Away and Neighbours, for the last few years, long-form adult drama has all but disappeared from our screens, replaced by high budget, short-run shows.

With that has also come a reduced number of training opportunities for emerging writers and directors, something that producers, writers and directors alike have lamented.

Given the landscape, it was somewhat of a surprise to see the ABC announce last June that it had commissioned a 30 x 30” serial drama in The Heights.

Produced by Matchbox Pictures and For Pete’s Sake Productions, The Heights is set in the fictional suburb of Arcadia Heights and explores the relationships, work lives and everyday challenges of six families living in a social housing tower and the rapidly gentrifying inner-city community that surrounds it.

The diverse ensemble cast includes Marcus Graham, Shari Sebbens, Roz Hammond, Fiona Press, Dan Paris,...

Roz Hammond and Bridie McKim in ‘The Heights’ (Photo: Ben King).

Roz Hammond rates her role in The Heights, the ABC drama serial from Matchbox Pictures and For Pete’s Sake Productions, as the best she’s ever had.

That’s a big call for the Waapa graduate who broke through as Cheryl, one of the “bitchy” bridesmaids in Paul J. Hogan’s Muriel’s Wedding in 1994.

Perhaps best known as a founding member of the cast in Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell, she has featured in a raft of comedies including Please Like Me, The Librarians, It’s a Date and Upper Middle Bogan. She has shown her dramatic chops in Jack Irish, Offspring and Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.

Co-created by Warren Clarke and Que Minh Luu and set in the fictional inner-city neighbourhood of Arcadia Heights, The Heights explores the relationships between a public housing tower...

(L-r) Shari Sebbens, Calen Tassone, Siria Kickett and Marcus Graham in ‘The Heights’ (Photo: Ben King)

When Shari Sebbens graduated from Nida and Waapa she expected her fair complexion would mean she would be cast mostly as white characters in shows about Indigenous people.

Happily she was wrong. After making her screen debut in Wayne Blair’s 2012 hit The Sapphires she starred in a bunch of series including Redfern Now, The Gods of Wheat Street, 8Mmm Aboriginal Radio and Black Comedy, all true to her cultural identity.

“I think The Sapphires confused the hell out of everybody as they thought, ‘She looks white but she says she’s Aboriginal,’ she tells If. “It’s something our community has known since colonisation: our people come in very different shades. I call it the Fifty Shades of Black.”

The actress will next be seen in the Matchbox Pictures/For Pete’s Sake Productions 30-episode drama serial The Heights,...

Network: Bet.

Episodes: Ongoing (half-hour).

Seasons: Ongoing.

TV show dates: February 12, 2019 — present.

Series status: Has not been cancelled.

Performers include: Lala Milan, Rj Walker, Leland Martin, Tetona Jackson, Tequan Richmond, and Brittany Inge.

TV show description:

From executive producers Halle Berry and Lena Waithe, the Boomerang TV show is a sequel to the 1992 romantic comedy feature film of the same name, which stars Eddie Murphy as Marcus Graham, Robin Givens as Jacqueline Broyer, and Berry as Angela Davis.

The serialized sitcom follows Jacqueline's son Bryson (Richmond) and Marcus and Angela's daughter, Simone (Jackson). It traces their journey as they try to forge a path outside the shadows their parents have cast and make a name...

Eddie Murphy’s 1992 romantic comedy “Boomerang” begat Bet’s new sequel series, which doesn’t share its predecessor’s outrageous brand of humor. Instead, the new “Boomerang” is the epitome of Millennial cool — stylish and ambitious, but not willing to be defined in any traditional way.

In the original film, womanizing ad exec Marcus Graham (Eddie Murphy) has the tables turned on him by his co-worker Jacqueline (Robin Givens), who then becomes his superior. Eventually, he falls for the talented artist Angela (Halle Berry). At the time, the film was a revelation of representation — depicting black excellence in a hilarious, heightened environment and boasting a killer supporting cast, including Martin Lawrence, David Alan Grier, Grace Jones, John Witherspoon, Eartha Kitt, and Chris Rock.

Berry joins forces with Lena Waithe (“The Chi”) to produce the Bet sequel series, in which Marcus Graham’s grown daughter Simone (Tetona Jackson) and Jacqueline’s...

The 1992 romantic comedy Boomerang was the last big hit of Eddie Murphy’s remarkable 10-year run as one of the world’s biggest movie stars. In it, Murphy plays Marcus Graham, a commitment-phobic ad executive with impossibly high standards for his conquests (he rejects one gorgeous woman because her feet have bunions), who falls into a love triangle with the similarly ruthless Jacqueline (Robin Givens) and the sweet Angela (Halle Berry). The film isn’t one of the best of that period for Murphy. But it was one of the...

Alastair McKinnon.

A generational change is sweeping through Matchbox Pictures as the NBCUniversal-owned production company develops a raft of projects with emerging writers and producers.

“Talent development has always been a priority for Matchbox,” says Alastair McKinnon, who started as MD last December after three years with the ABC, most recently as head of content investment and planning,

McKinnon signed on just as the company founded by Penny Chapman, Tony Ayres, Helen Bowden, Michael McMahon and Helen Panckhurst was celebrating its 10th anniversary. “That was the perfect time to reflect and think about what Matchbox has done incredibly successfully over that time as the leading drama production company in Australia,” he tells If in his first interview since taking charge.

“But the industry has transformed in that 10 years and is unrecognisable if you think about the sorts of shows, how they are financed and the distribution models of drama.

L-r: Amir Rahimzadeh, Phoenix Raei, Ze Winters, Jasmine Sadati, Yazeed Daher and Rasta Karami in ‘The Heights’ (Photo: Ben King)

After breaking through in Kriv Stenders’ Australia Day, Phoenix Raei landed roles in Mustangs Fc, Romper Stomper and Wentworth.

The Iranian-born actor who came to Australia when he was a kid still feels he is a relative unknown in the wider screen industry – but that could change this month after The Heights premieres on the ABC.

Raei plays Ash, who lives with his uncle Hamid (Amir Rahimzadeh) and his brother Kam (Yazeed Daher) in a social housing tower in the 30-episode serial produced by Matchbox Pictures and For Pete’s Sake Productions.

Co-created by Warren Clarke and Que Minh Luu and set in the fictional inner-city neighbourhood of Arcadia Heights, the drama explores the relationships between the tower’s residents and those who live in the adjoining, rapidly gentrifying community.

Robert Rabiah in ‘Safe Harbour’

After a self-imposed exile, Robert Rabiah is returning to the screen early next year in Maziar Lahooti’s Below, an action-drama set in a refugee detention centre.

The actor decided he needed a break after playing Bilal in Matchbox Pictures’ Sbs miniseries Safe Harbour directed by Glendyn Ivin.

Bilal’s brother Ismail (Hazem Shammas) and sister-in-law Zahra (Nicole Chamoun), Iraqi asylum seekers, were struck by tragedy when their nine-year-old daughter died after their vessel sank.

Rabiah tells If: “Bilal was such a draining character to play. Even though a lot of scenes didn’t make the cut, feeling my stomach turn every morning was intense and I just needed to travel for a while.”

Produced by Nick Batzias of Good Thing Productions, Veronica Gleeson and Kate Neylon and due to shoot in Wa in January, Below stars Ryan Corr as Dougie, a directionless dreamer who...

Caitlin Yeo and Apra Amcos CEO Dean Ormston.

Caitlin Yeo and Matteo Zingales each won two awards at the annual annual Screen Music Awards staged by Apra Amcos and the Australian Guild of Screen Composers (Agcs) at the City Recital Hall in Sydney on Monday night.

Yeo won feature film score of the year and best soundtrack album for The Butterfly Tree, Priscilla Cameron’s movie about an ex-burlesque queen (Melissa George) who puts a curse on single dad Al (Ewen Leslie) and his son Fin (Ed Oxenbould).

The president of the Agsc, Yeo previously won feature film score of the year for Kim Mordant’s The Rocket in 2013.

Matteo Zingales was rewarded for his work on Hoodlum Entertainment’s Harrow as best television theme and for his collaboration with Antony Partos on Bunya Productions’ Mystery Road, which was deemed best music for a miniseries or telemovie.

Nerida Tyson-Chew took...

Robert Connolly.

Writer, director and producer Robert Connolly will receive the 2018 Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen Award at the Screen Music Awards later this month.

Musical director Jessica Wells will be joined by musicians Jared Underwood, Damian de Boos Smith, Julian Langdon and special guest bass player Jonathan Zwartz to pay musical tribute to Connolly on the night.

The Distinguished Services award is selected by the Apra board of directors. Over his career, Connolly has showcased the works of composers such as Lisa Gerrard, Alan John, Bryony Marks, Nigel Westlake, François Tétaz and Evelyn Ida Morris in his film and television projects.

Connolly said: “I remain in awe of the creative insight and impact that composers have contributed to the film and television productions I have worked on. So many times the profound emotional and narrative elements that have eluded me as a filmmaker have been so much more clearly explored by the composer.

Network: SundanceTV. Episodes: Ongoing (hour). Seasons: Ongoing. TV show dates (Us): June 1, 2016 — present. Series status: Has not been cancelled. Performers include: Hunter Page-Lochard, Rob Collins, Iain Glen, Frances O'Connor, Deborah Mailman, Tasma Walton, Rarriwuy Hick, Jada Alberts, Rachael Blake, Tony Briggs, Clarence Ryan, Taylor Ferguson, Rob Collins, Stef Dawson, Ryan Corr, Robyn Nevin, Lynette Curran, Tysan Towney, Andrew McFarlane, Marcus Graham, Leeanna Walsman, Jada Alberts, Tamala Shelton, Luke Ford, Alec Doomadgee, Lasarus Ratuere, Lisa Flanagan, and Jack Charles. TV show description: A supernatural drama the Cleverman TV show draws inspiration from Australian Aboriginal mythological traditions. Set in the near future -- when beings of Aboriginal legend live among humans -- the story moves between two worlds: The City and The Zone.

Natalie Dormer..

Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer will play English headmistress Mrs. Hester Appleyard in Foxtel.s upcoming.Picnic at Hanging Rock miniseries..

FremantleMedia.s six-parter begins shooting later this month. Amanda Brotchie (Agony, This is Littleton, Lowdown).will direct alongside the previously announced Michael Rymer and Larysa Kondracki.

Brotchie joins after the Australian Directors' Guild criticised FremantleMedia over the import of Kondracki, a Canadian, to shoot the series.

In late December, following a protest staged by the Adg and Wift Nsw outside FremantleMedia.s Sydney office, the production company announced it would bring on an Aussie female director to shoot one episode.

Joining Dormer as the teachers of Appleyard College are.Yael Stone (Orange is the New Black), French actress Lola Bessis (Cassandra, Swim Little Fish Swim),.Anna McGahan (The Doctor Blake Mysteries, Anzac Girls) and Sibylla Budd (Tomorrow When The War Began, Winners & Losers).

Schoolgirls will be played by Lily Sullivan (Camp,...

Ben Mingay and Sam Neill star in Nine's new mini-series 'House of Bond'..

Nine has unveiled its programming line-up for the new year, and with it sees the return of Underbelly.—.this time focused on the .untold, uncut. story of Mark .Chopper. Read.

The series, known as Underbelly Files: Chopper, will be once again be produced by Screentime..

Also coming up for the network is the mini-series House of Bond, which tells the rags to riches tale of the controversial business tycoon Alan Bond. Sam Neill, Rachael Taylor and Adrienne Pickering star alongside Hacksaw Ridge.s Ben Mingay as Bond.

Other cast members include Samantha Jade, Gyton Grantley, Marcus Graham, Anne Looby, Johnny Ruffo, Roy Billing, Paul Gleeson and Jack Campbell..House of Bond.was produced by Cjz, with the assistance of Screen Australia and Screen Nsw. The mini was written by Sarah Smith and directed by Mark Joffe..

Karl Stefanovic...

Jacki Weaver returns to Australian television in Secret City.

New Australian political drama Secret City - starring Jacki Weaver, Anna Torv and Dan Wyllie - is set to premiere on June 5.

Filmed in Parliament House and locations across Canberra and Sydney, Secret City is inspired by the best-selling novels The Marmalade Files and The Mandarin Code, written by Canberra political journalists Chris Uhlmann and Steve Lewis.

Amidst rising tension between China and America, Canberra press gallery journalist Harriet Dunkley (played by Anna Torv) forces her way closer to the truth, uncovering a secret city of interlocked conspiracies which will threaten her career, her life and endangers the freedom of every Australian. .

Weaver makes her return to Australian television in the role of Labor powerbroker Senator Catriona Bailey, while Dan Wyllie plays Minister of Defence Mal Paxton.

Weaver said she loved the story and the character.

.It.s very authentic because...

Tomorrow When The War Began has finished filming at Dockland Studios and is scheduled for ABC viewing next year.

John Marsden.s popular stories of teenagers, who return from a camping trip to learn that their country has been invaded by a foreign power, will star Molly Daniels (You.re Skitting Me, The Librarians) as Ellie and Jon Prasida (Hiding) as Lee..

They will be joined by Deborah Mailman, Sibylla Budd, James Stewart and Alison Bell.

Also shot at Docklands Studios, Aquarius Film.s The Berlin Syndrome, is now in post-production..

The film, directed by Cate Shortland and based on the novel of the same name by Australian writer Melanie Joosten, was shot at the Studios following a period on location in Berlin..

A psychological thriller, The Berlin Syndrome examines the themes of obsession, captivity and truth as a young Australian photojournalist, Clare (Teresa Palmer) meets a charismatic stranger, Andi...

Based in the Us for the past three years, Kieran Darcy-Smith had not seen the Jack Irish telepics when he was offered the gig as set-up director of the spin-off series starring Guy Pearce as a former criminal lawyer turned private investigator and debt collector.

After watching the telepics and reading the scripts for the 6-part ABC series by Andrew Knight, Matt Cameron and Andrew Anastasios, Darcy-Smith readily agreed.

In his first TV drama assignment, the director whose breakthrough was Wish You Were Here is directing two episodes and Mark Joffe and Daniel Nettheim are each helming two. Essential Media and Entertainment.s Ian Collie is the series producer.

.The scripts are sensational; this is as good as TV drama gets,. Kieran tells If as shooting is underway in Melbourne to be followed by a week in the Philippines. .I am working with the A-team..

The plot is under wraps so Darcy-Smith is circumspect,...

Former Home and Away stars Samara Weaving and Marcus Graham will begin shooting Before Dawn next month.

The horror movie follows a family in a small country town who must fight against a horde of bloodthirsty infected people in the area, reports the Herald Sun.

Weaving will star as Grace, with Graham playing her father David.

Georgia Chara, William Emmons and Nick Britton have also signed up to appear in the film.

Weaving previously played Indigo Walker for four years on Home and Away, before leaving last year to start a "more versatile career".

"It's exciting," she said at the time. "I get to travel and do things that I've been thinking of for a while."

Meanwhile, Graham recently quit the Australian soap after two and a half years playing Harvey Ryan.

The actor said that his character's exit from Summer Bay is sad, explaining: "Marriages don't tend to last that long these days.

Marcus Graham, Samara Weaving, Julian Roberts

.

Marcus Graham, Samara Weaving, William Emmons and Nick Britton head the cast in Before Dawn, a horror movie which will be the first from Julian Roberts. Arc Storm Pictures.

The enterprising writer-director-producer already has arranged a distribution rep for the privately-funded film in the Us and is looking to negotiate a service deal for theatrical release in Australia.

He is meeting with investors in the next two weeks and aims to finalise the budget by early December so he can start shooting in April/May in Avoca in country Victoria.

Graham will play a Senior Sergeant named David who is assigned to take charge of a police station in a small country town after the death of his wife in a carjacking. David, his daughter Grace (Weaving) and younger brother Dan (Britton) set out for their new home as news breaks of an infection...

Home and Away star Georgie Parker has tipped her character Roo Stewart to get a happy ending with partner Harvey Ryan, despite a variety of dramas in the build-up to their upcoming wedding. Viewers in Australia will soon see Roo tie the knot with Harvey (Marcus Graham), following days of uncertainty as to whether the ceremony will actually go ahead. Roo gets cold feet in the lead-up to the big day, fearing that Harvey isn't taking their nuptials seriously enough. When she later spots Harvey losing his temper in a trivial row with best man Winston (John Batchelor), Roo decides to call off the wedding as she worries that her fiancé could have a nasty side. However, Winston later saves the day by encouraging her to see sense. Parker told TV Week: "Roo starts to get cold feet at this point. She accuses Harvey of not being the man she...

Georgie Parker has backed Home and Away producers' decision to reunite Roo and Harvey. The Summer Bay actress believes that the pair, who soon become engaged for a second time, are a "funny old couple". "They do want the best for each other," she told TV Week. Meanwhile, Marcus Graham - who plays Harvey - reflected: "They are wildly attracted to each other and get along so well. "But because Harvey has been so dodgy there are trust issues that come (more)...

Home and Away's Harvey Ryan will have a difficult confession to make after sleeping with his ex-wife Mel in a forthcoming storyline. Fans in Australia will soon see Harvey left devastated when he spots his fiancée Roo Stewart (Georgie Parker) sharing a warm embrace with her ex-boyfriend Tim (Jonny Pasvolsky). Although Roo's actions are entirely innocent, Harvey gets the wrong idea and immediately leaves Summer Bay to visit his daughter Lottie in the city, needing an escape. However, when it turns out that Lottie is away at a school camp, Harvey ends up alone with Mel (Allison Cratchley) - who takes the chance to make a move on him. Marcus Graham, who plays Harvey, told TV Week: (more)...

Home and Away's Roo Stewart will face a dilemma in upcoming episodes as her ex-boyfriend Tim hatches a plan to win her back. As revealed last week, actor Jonny Pasvolsky has been cast in the role of Tim, who turns up in Summer Bay hoping to rekindle his relationship with Roo. When it becomes clear that Roo is happy with new fiancé Harvey Ryan (Marcus Graham), a persistent Tim schemes to get closer to her - offering an intriguing business proposal which would keep him in the Bay. Georgie Parker, who plays Roo, told TV Week: "I think in her heart she probably thinks that what he's doing is to try and win her back. But there also aren't a lot of employment opportunities in Summer Bay, and he offers her work and that makes her feel good. "She's torn (more)...

Home and Away's Roo Stewart could find herself at the centre of a love triangle when her ex-boyfriend turns up in Summer Bay. Actor Jonny Pasvolsky has been cast in the role of Tim, who dated Roo (Georgie Parker) when she lived in New York. Tim is aiming to win Roo back as he arrives in the Bay unexpectedly, which is likely to stir things up for her existing relationship with Harvey Ryan (Marcus Graham). The newcomer is billed as suave, well-dressed and sporting a "New York energy" following his time in the Big Apple. Pasvolsky told TV Week of the storyline: "[Tim is] someone who doesn't take no for an answer, and he's after the love of Harvey's life (more)...

Eddie Murphy's career has certainly taken a 180-degree turn from his heyday, but that doesn't mean he wasn't making some pretty great films at one time. Over the weekend my girlfriend stopped her channel-surfing on the superb late-'80s comedy Coming to America and as much as I enjoy that film, it got me thinking about another feature. Seeing it reminded me of how she'd never seen what I believe to be the most overlooked Eddie Murphy film of all-time and one of the best romantic comedies of all-time for that matter. Boomerang, which turned 20-years-old on July 1. I don't know how many times I have been in a discussion involving romantic comedies and how bad they are and, in response, have offered up Boomerang as one of the best I've seen only to receive blank stares from those around me. Thing is, it's not like I'm playing pretentious...

Six student short films from the Australian Film Television and Radio School will screen in a specially designated program at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.

Cinema des Antipodes is an organisation directed by Bernard Bories that screens and supports Australian and New Zealand films in France. Its non-competitive program runs parallel to the Cannes Film Festival main program.

The dedicated Aftrs session consists of six films including writer/director Ben Matthews' Emily, which is currently in the running for a Student Oscar in the Best Foreign Film category. The psychological thriller examines teen suicide from the perspective of a parent.

Meryl Tankard, the creator of the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony also has a film in the program. Moth, which stars Sophie Lowe, is a story inspired by accounts from Australian reform schools in the 60's and 70's..

For a complete list of films, see below:..

Moth Written by Alana Valentine...

Allison Cratchley has joined the cast of Home and Away, it has been announced. Cratchley, known for her role as Zoe Gallagher in All Saints between 2006 and 2008, will play doctor Mel - the ex-wife of Harvey (Marcus Graham). Her character will make her Summer Bay entrance next week, according to TV Week. She explained: "She had the break-up with Marcus's character and then they separated and she went to the city with another man and their daughter, Lottie (Morgan Weaving). (more)...

With Eddie Murphy back on screen in the caper comedy "Tower Heist," here are 20 great movie quotes from the funnyman over the years.

The Best Eddie Murphy Movie Quotes'48 Hrs.'

Reggie: "You know what I am? I'm your worst f**kin' nightmare, man. I'm a nigger with a badge which means I got permission to kick your f**kin' ass whenever I feel like it!"

'Trading Places'

Billy Ray Valentine: [after demonstrating some fake karate moves] "That's...

Just Another F-ing Observer - Jafo #12: When Did Eddie Murphy Stop Giving A Sh**? Watching Eddie Murphy in his latest picture Tower Heist I started to wonder just who was I looking at? Don't get me wrong, Murphy provides a great number of laughs in what is basically a poorly conceived comedy. Yet, even he doesn't have his heart in the picture, giving a performance that suggests the mega star is tired and worn out. I didn't go into this film expecting the Eddie Murphy of old; it has afterall been nearly thirty years since he burst onto the silver screen and essentially changed cinema with 48 Hrs. In 1982, Murphy was a young comedian fresh off of TV's Saturday Night Live whose infectious energy stole the thunder in what was intended to be a vehicle for Nick Nolte. Murphy was not only young, but he was hungry, a fresh face...

Drake and Barbie take their flirtation to a new level in clip, with a kiss.

By Jayson Rodriguez

Nicki Minaj and Drake in "Moment 4 Life"

Photo: Young Money / Universal

When Drake met Nicki Minaj a few years ago on Lil Wayne's tour bus, hearts filled his eyes — or did they?

The two have been coy about their relationship, alternating between describing their union as a brother/sister bond and romantically inclined. They announced their marriage last year on Twitter only to annul everything days later as a joke.

Now, the pair star opposite each other in Nicki's new video, "Moment 4 Life." Did they finally put their flirtation to bed? Not quite: The Young Money soldiers managed to stoke the flames even more, with their gazes into each other's eyes and a lip-lock that would make Morganna Roberts blush. Here, MTV News recaps the top four moments in "Moment 4 Life."

Black Magic...

SYDNEY -- Singer Delta Goodrem has taken the title of Australian Performer of the Year at the 29th annual MO Awards for live entertainment, beating pop princess Kylie Minogue, who had won three years running. Minogue also missed out on the Australian Showbusiness Ambassador of the Year award, which went to Hugh Jackman, currently performing in The Boy From Oz on Broadway. Marcus Graham and Sigrid Thornton took home best male and female actor in a play awards for their performances in the Australian production of The Blue Room.