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February 2009. Legendary late-night talk show host David Letterman introduces his next guest: Oscar-nominated actor Joaquin Phoenix. He’s sporting an unkempt beard, dark sunglasses indoors, and behaving like it was his first talk show appearance rather than his hundredth. Even Letterman, who could improv with the best of them, struggles to keep up with Phoenix’s short answers, insisting that he was done with acting so he could focus on becoming a rapper. Turns out, it was an attempt at viral marketing for the upcoming mockumentary, I’m Still Here. Okay, so maybe the interview didn’t tell us much about the movie or drive anyone t to see it, but it did tell us a lot about Joaquin Phoenix, the person and the performer, his deep commitment to his art form, and his obsession with authenticity that brought him through a difficult upbringing and into a wildly successful acting career.

Billy Burke brings depth to his firefighter role in Fire Country, showcasing complex family dynamics and themes of redemption. Prior to Fire Country, Burke played a comedic firefighter role in Ladder 49 and a more dramatic one in 9-1-1: Lone Star. Burke's versatility shines through as he navigates different firefighter characters, each with their own unique personality and challenges.

Billy Burke has starred in the drama Fire Country since 2022, a firefighter show that feels like a natural progression of his smaller role in an old John Travolta movie. Fire Country stars Max Thieriot as Bode Donovan, a young convict who takes part in a release program where he becomes a firefighter and gets called onto an assignment in his hometown. His father, Vince Leone (Billy Burke), is important to the story because he's the Battalion Chief, a role in which Billy Burke has brought his expertise through his previous similar roles.

At first, I was shocked by the news that Participant Media was dying. Such an appealing company. Smart. Mindful. Vibrant. Forward-thinking. The producer of intelligent films like Spotlight and Green Book, with a distinctly progressive message.

How could this be?

Then it finally hit me. Whatever else may have happened—announcing the shutdown, proprietor Jeff Skoll cited “revolutionary” changes in the entertainment business—Participant went under, I believe, because most of high-end Hollywood jumped into the company’s basically sound but modestly sized boat. The purpose-film niche was swamped.

It’s almost hard to remember that 20 years ago, when Participant was founded, the notion of a self-consciously message-oriented, activist film company was actually novel.

But, cinematically speaking, it was a much different world in 2004. The top movie that year was Shrek 2—not much message there. Culturally, the big story was a religious film, The Passion of the Christ. That hasn’t happened since.

Tubi opens June with an intense WWII drama “Inglourious Basterds.” Allied officer Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) assembles a team of five tough Jewish soldiers to spread fear throughout the Third Reich. They have one assignment: assassinate Nazi leaders. Quentin Tarantino wrote and directed the unconventional war drama. Eli Roth, Melanie Laurent, and Christopher Walz co-star.

Watch the trailer of “Inglourious Basterds”:

The network is also streaming the original documentary “Mystery Unsolved: The Adnan Syed Story” on June 7. The murder of teenager Hae Min Lee was the focal point of a “Serial” podcast, which questioned if boyfriend Syed was her killer. After serving 22 years in prison, Syed was released, still proclaiming his innocence. Now, he may return.

Another streamer original, “Magic Carpet Rides,” arrives June 14. It centers on a social influencer torn between sharing her budding romance or honoring her boyfriend’s request to keep their life private.

Check...

Hulu dropped its first trailer for “Flamin’ Hot,” an Eva Longoria-directed film about Mexican immigrant and former Frito-Lay janitor Richard Montañez, who claims he invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

The film, streaming June 9, stars Jesse Garcia as Montañez, as well as Annie Gonzales, Dennis Haysbert, Tony Shalhoub, Matt Walsh and Emilio Rivera.

Montañez’s story is that while he was working as a custodian at the Rancho Cucamonga Frito-Lay plant, he thought of spicing up Cheetos with chile powder. He contacted executives to pitch the snack and subsequently outsmarted corporate saboteurs, leading him to become a successful author and businessman.

The accuracy of Montañez’s story is disputed by Frito-Lay itself, which, in a Los Angeles Times article from May 2021, said employees located in the Upper Midwest actually created Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Frito-Lay told the Times, “We value Richard’s many contributions to our company, especially his insights into Hispanic consumers,...

MTV's The Real World was basically the beginning of reality television. Before The Hills, Selling Sunset, and The Kardashians existed, MTV paved the way by featuring regular non-famous people living their lives out in the real world. Some of the people featured on The Real World went on to become celebrities in their own right and famous for other things. Those who never watched The Real World may not even be aware of certain famous people who got their start on that show.

Related: This Infamous Real World Momen Was Totally Staged

The series began in 1992, ran for over a decade, and featured all kinds of different people and personalities from all walks of life. Most seasons featured a group of seven strangers as cast members who shared close living quarters. Obviously, the show was full of drama. Let's find out what celebrities got their start on The Real World on MTV.

Exclusive: Lewis Colick (Flamin’ Hot) has signed on to script a feature adaptation of No Grey Areas for 413 Productions and The Entertainment and Education Company.

Joseph N. Gagliano’s critically acclaimed novel is based on his own remarkable true-life story, which is also the subject of a Netflix doc, slated to debut later this year.

At the age of twenty-four, Joe was the mastermind behind the Asu basketball point-shaving scandal; one of the largest scandals in sports history involving the FBI, DOJ, organized crime, and the loss of several promising professional sports careers. His story was widely covered by the nation’s media as a suspenseful journey filled with tension, heartache, betrayal, consequences, and eventually redemption.

Eric Hannah and Jodi Hannah will produce the film, with Gagliano on board as exec producer. The team has already secured all capital necessary to finance the pic, which will be shot next year.

Update: PepsiCo has issued a new statement defending Richard Montañez, in which it says the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos controversy has caused “strain” in its relationship with the Latino community. The company also claims its previous statements have been “misconstrued.”

The screenwriter of an upcoming film about Flamin’ Hot Cheetos defended the project on Tuesday, after the Los Angeles Times report challenged Montañez’s claim to have invented the snack product.

Lewis Colick argued that Montañez, the hero of “Flamin’ Hot,” still has an inspiring story to tell of rising through the corporate ranks at Frito-Lay.

“I think enough of the story is true,” Colick said. “The heart and soul and spirit of the story is true. He is a guy who should remain the face of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.”

Montañez has been claiming credit for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos for years, in books, interviews and motivational speeches. Director Eva Longoria is...

Nobody director Ilya Naishuller joins Josh and Joe to talk about his favorite movies.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Nobody (2021)

Hardcore Henry (2016)

Billy Jack (1971)

My Winnipeg (2007)

The Usual Suspects (1995)

Top Gun (1986)

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Seven (1995)

Bill Hicks: Revelations (1993)

The Mission (1986)

The Killing Fields (1984)

Captivity (2007)

The Killing (1956)

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)

Once Upon A Time In America (1984)

You And I (2008)

Infested (2002)

No Country For Old Men (2007)

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

Goodfellas (1990)

Goldfinger (1964)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)

From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Papillon (1973)

Papillon (2017)

Midnight Run (1988)

Planet of the Apes (1968)

Oldboy (2003)

Parasite (2019)

Assassins (1995)

Ladder 49 (2004)

Waterworld (1995)

Heathers (1989)

Mad Max (1979)

A History Of Violence (2005)

The ’Burbs (1989)

Punishment Park (1971)

The War Game (1966)

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Uncut Gems (2019)

Culloden (1964)

Bonnie Prince Charlie (1948)

Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Fail Safe (1964)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)

Let The Right One In (2008)

Patton (1970)

Hardcore (1979)

Mr. Nobody (2009)

District 9 (2009)

Paths of Glory (1957)

A Clockwork Orange...

As the pandemic lockdown changes the landscape of film and TV, many are shifting the way they tell stories — and a lot of that is shooting remotely. Filmmaker Nick Simon has done exactly that with the film Untitled Horror Movie which recently completed principal photography.

Directed by Simon, who co-wrote it with Luke Baines, the comedy-horror was shot entirely during lockdown with the entire writing, pre-production, and filming process taking place remotely. Set on computer screens and found footage style content, the movie follows six actors who decide to shoot their own horror movie as their hit TV show is on the brink of cancellation. In their search for a plot, they unintentionally summon a spirit with an affinity for violence, who starts picking them off one by one.

Baines also stars alongside Claire Holt, Darren Barnet, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Katherine McNamara and Timothy Granaderos (13 Reasons Why). The cast also features Kal Penn, Kevin Daniels, and Sohm Kapila.

“I’ve always believed that film should be a collaborative art form, and I don’t think there’s a truer example than with this picture,” said Simon, who was mentored by Wes Craven. “The actors did everything from lighting themselves — guided by our incredible Dp, Kevin Duggin — to recording their own sound and doing their own hair and makeup. As crazy as that could have been, it was easily one of the most enjoyable experiences in my professional life. It was one of those once in a lifetime moments when everything aligns at the exact right time.”

The film comes from Sundance and SXSW Grand Jury Award-winning producer Bronwyn Cornelius and Marina Stabile. Randy Sinquefield’s Spectrum Studios financed the picture. CAA Media Finance represents the film’s worldwide distribution rights.

Exclusive: Two-time Oscar nominee John Travolta has inked with ICM Partners.

Travolta has amassed more than $3.8 billion at the global box office throughout his career from a huge cinematic résumé that includes Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Face/Off, The Taking of Pelham 123, Savages, Hairspray, Michael, Wild Hogs, Urban Cowboy, Swordfish, Ladder 49, A Civil Action, Staying Alive and Pulp Fiction.

The Englewood, NJ, native scored his first screen role in California as a fall victim in a 1972 episode of Emergency! He landed the star-making role of Vinnie Barbarino in the ABC sitcom Welcome Back, Kotter, with big-screen breaks during his run on the show in Brian De Palma’s Carrie and the disco-drenched Saturday Night Fever soon after. While the latter movie showed off his dancing skills (along with the Staying Alive and Pulp Fiction), Grease rose the profile on Travolta’s singing. His duets with Olivia Newton-John from the musical included the No.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers ramps up the creepiness in this exclusive first-look image from Hide and Seek, which is complete and debuting to buyers in Cannes.

Rhys Meyers (The Tudors, The 12th Man, Match Point) stars alongside Jacinda Barrett (Bloodline, Poseidon, Ladder 49), Joe Pantoliano (The Sopranos, Memento) and Mustafa Shakir (Luke Cage, The Deuce) in the social horror-thriller, directed by Joel David Moore and building upon themes related to the widening gap between the upper one percent and the lower class. 

As the population in urban areas balloons and real estate prices skyrocket, lower-income segments of society are finding themselves continually getting pushed out. Hide and ...

Jonathan Rhys Meyers ramps up the creepiness in this exclusive first-look image from Hide and Seek, which is complete and debuting to buyers in Cannes.

Rhys Meyers (The Tudors, The 12th Man, Match Point) stars alongside Jacinda Barrett (Bloodline, Poseidon, Ladder 49), Joe Pantoliano (The Sopranos, Memento) and Mustafa Shakir (Luke Cage, The Deuce) in the social horror-thriller, directed by Joel David Moore and building upon themes related to the widening gap between the upper one percent and the lower class. 

As the population in urban areas balloons and real estate prices skyrocket, lower-income segments of society are finding themselves continually getting pushed out. Hide and ...

Unofficially, the awards season ended this evening when the Location Managers Guild International announced the winners of its 5th annual Lmgi Awards.

The motion picture honorees were “Dunkirk,” shot in Malo-les-Bains in France (pictured above), where the real wartime evacuation took place, and “Baby Driver,” shot at locations throughout Atlanta.

In television series, awards went to “Game of Thornes,” filmed in Northern Ireland, Croatia, Morocco, Malta and other locations, and “Ozark,” shot in the Atlanta area.

The Lmgi Awards spotlight features, television and commercials in which the creative use of filming locations “sets the tone, enriches the character and enhances the narrative.”

The awards ceremony and reception took place at the Alex Theatre in Glendale before an audience of 500, including Lmgi members, industry execs and press. Comedian Jonah Ray (“The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail,” “Mystery Science Theater 300: The Return”) served as host.

Writer/Producer Laeta Kalogridis (“Shutter Island,...

Exclusive: Just in time for Halloween, Jay Russell has sold an original horror thriller to Paramount Pictures and Akiva Goldsman. In a twist for the director of the beloved family film My Dog Skip and the heroic Ladder 49, Russell now has an an eye to direct the creepy You’re Not Real. The story follows a young school teacher who reunites with her reclusive, scientific genius grandfather for the first time at his isolated country estate, uncovering disturbing truths about…...

There's been plenty of movies about firefighters such as Backdraft, Ladder 49, The Towering Inferno and countless others, but they've mostly been fictional. Only The Brave, starring Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Taylor Kitsch, Jeff Bridges and Jennifer Connelly, tells the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots and their heroic acts. Watch the new trailer.

Read More ...

I’m not sure if Ron Howard’s Backdraft was the last great firefighter movie (Ladder 49 anyone?) but it looks like Tron: Legacy director Joseph Kosinski may be about to deliver a new one with his upcoming film Only the Brave. The movie is based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite […]...

Exclusive: On the anniversary of his 1939 retirement from baseball, late great New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig will be the subject of a new feature that has gotten a rare endorsement from the Yankees, the only team for which he played. The Luckiest Man on the Face of the Earth will be directed by Jay Russell, the helmer behind My Dog Skip and Ladder 49. Based on the Jonathan Eig biography Luckiest Man, the film has a script by Dan Kay. Branded Entertainment’s…...

John Travolta used to be an A-list actor with an ongoing string of hits, but he hasn’t headlined a major Hollywood production since 2010 action film From Paris with Love barely broke even at the domestic box office. Ever since, Travolta has received steady work from lower-profile outings that typically receive limited, if any, theatrical release before debuting on video-on-demand. Already this year, the Oscar-nominated star of classics like Saturday Night Fever and Pulp Fiction has appeared in action thriller I Am Wrath and Western In a Valley of Violence, alongside Ethan Hawke. Now, he leads his third 2016 release with Life on the Line.

The film centers on a team of linemen, the workers responsible for repairing power lines and maintaining the electrical grid. Travolta stars as Beau, the grizzled veteran of the group and uncle to orphaned niece Bailey (Kate Bosworth), who finds herself at a romantic crossroads with...

Joseph Kosinski has had some trouble getting projects off the ground in recent years, but the Tron: Legacy and Oblivion director has another potential movie in mind that's slowly inching toward the starting blocks.

Variety reports that Josh Brolin and Miles Teller have joined the cast of No Exit, a firefighter action thriller that "tells the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of firefighters that faced one of the deadliest wildfires in history in order to save an Arizona town, resulting in the tragic death of 19 crew members." There have been a handful of firefighter movies throughout history — The Towering Inferno, Backdraft, Ladder 49, etc. — but none in the past few years, so it's about time for that trend to reemerge like a phoenix (nailed it).

No start date has been scheduled for the production yet, though, so even though the fact that these two talented actors...

Jay Hernandez is joining the cast of DC Comics movie Suicide Squad.

The David Ayer-directed movie will star Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jai Courtney as a group of a super-villains on a mission of redemption for the Us government.

Specifics of Hernandez's role in Suicide Squad have not been confirmed, but TheWrap reports that he could be playing a cellmate of the imprisoned Joker (Jared Leto).

Hernandez is a veteran of the films Friday Night Lights, Torque, Ladder 49 and Hostel, and has also worked on television in Nashville and Gang Related.

Director Ayer is also currently casting the role of Suicide Squad leader Rick Flag, due to Tom Hardy dropping out of the project.

Suicide Squad: Everything you need to know about Warner Bros' villainous team

Will Smith on DC Comics' Suicide Squad: 'We have to get it right'

Joel Kinnaman, Jon Bernthal and...

Apa is at the Afm touting North American rights to The Butterfly God, which Jay Russell of Ladder 49 fame has come on board to direct.

Ian Wilson of Sandstone Films produces the story of a young man forced to join an knight on a doomed mission to the Holy Land.

The film, which Apa says is budgeted at $22m, is set to shoot in Germany and Morocco in 2015. No international sales agent was attached at time of writing.

Timothy Burrill and Deborah Sheppard serve as executive producers.

Jean Diamond brokered the deal on behalf of the producers with Will Lowery for Apa.

John Travolta is as fascinating and complex a member of the Hollywood fraternity as you could wish for. Iconic performer, experienced pilot, vocal Scientologist and mangler of pronunciation of Idina Menzel.

He has managed to appear in not just some of the best known, but also some of the best-full-stop films of the past forty years – Saturday Night Fever, Carrie, Grease, Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty, Face/Off, The Thin Red Line, Hairspray and the upcoming Gummy Bear The Movie – whatever one might think of the consistency of his output (and there have been some horrendous misfires), it is hard to imagine too many actors playing Danny Zuko, Vincent Vega, Castor Troy, Sean Archer, Chili Palmer and Edna Turnblad with equal conviction.

After the temporary resuscitation of Look Who’s Talking turned out to be a false dawn, Tarantino did Travolta a favour of inestimable proportions by casting him in Pulp Fiction,...

America is all set to witness the unique convergence of Hollywood and Indian Cinema, as Iifa (International Indian Film Academy) rolls out its Green Carpet in Tampa Bay. The Award Winning Actor John Travolta is set to make an appearance at India’s biggest celebration of cinema, the 15th Videocon D2H Iifa Weekend and Tata Motors Iifa Awards later this month. The actor will also receive a special honour at the Awards ceremony, being the ‘Most Popular All time International star in India’.

The superstar’s presence at Iifa is symbolic to the coming together of the two distinctive film industries. Travolta will grace the extravaganza extending his support and appreciation of the Indian Film Industry and its spectacular influence world over. An iconic name in Hollywood, John Travolta has seen staggering success as an actor, singer and dancer. Travolta has starred in numerous eponymous blockbusters including Saturday Night Fever,...

The Crimson Field won the battle of the dramas on Sunday night for BBC One, according to overnight data.

Oona Chaplin's period drama attracted 6.1 million (26.1%) viewers at 9pm for its debut episode. Earlier, Countryfile topped the ratings overall with 7.1m (32.6%) at 7pm.

Antiques Roadshow appealed to 5.7m (24.7%) at 8pm, while Match of the Day 2 scored 2.4m (17.5%) at 10.35pm.

On ITV, Endeavour rose by around 700,000 viewers from last week to 5.1m (21.9%) at 8pm (370k/1.8% on +1). Earlier, Catchphrase puzzled 3.7m (18.2%) at 6.45pm (293k/1.3%) and Off Their Rockers returned with 2.4m (17.5%) at 10.35pm (302k/1.3%).

BBC Two's Border Country gathered 989k (4.3%) at 8pm, followed by the finale of Louis Theroux's La Stories with 1.6m (6.8%) at 9pm. Coverage from the F1 Grand Prix in Bahrain attracted 2.4m (15.3%) at 10pm.

Channel 4's Secret History documentary appealed to 1.4m (5.9%) at 8pm (265k/1.1%), followed by Liam Neeson film The Grey with 1.2m (6.2%) at 9pm (240k...

Contributed By: Michelle McCue and Melissa Thompson

Well, we’ve just returned from AMPAS with our credentials badge for Wamg to be among the many outlets covering the Academy Awards nominations tomorrow morning.

With the announcement less than 24 hours away, and for the Oscar obsessivas (like us), this has been one of the toughest years to call. Even those of us who compulsively watch the race 365 days a year, all the categories are wide open, with expected surprises and snubs. This is always the best type of Oscar race to watch and we’ll bring you the news of who gets in and who isn’t invited to Hollywood’s biggest party of the year.

Actor, and tall-drink-of-cool-water, Chris Hemsworth and Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs will announce the 86th Academy Awards nominations on Thursday, January 16.

Boone Isaacs and Hemsworth will unveil the nominations at a 5:38 a.

When Adam McKay's Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy was released in theaters during the summer of 2004, it wasn.t exactly a sensation. Opening the week after Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2, the comedy managed to make only $28 million its first weekend (good enough for only #2 on the top 10), and by the end of its domestic run it had only made $85 million, good enough for 30th place overall at the end of the year. Other movies with similar numbers, like Ladder 49, Christmas With The Kranks and Along Came Polly have been all but completely forgotten. and yet Anchorman continues to live on. While Paramount Pictures spent years resisting the idea of an Anchorman sequel due to the first film.s inability to find an audience overseas, the truth is that the film is now considered to be a modern comedy classic. Medium-sized as the movie.s initial audience may have been,...

Exclusive: Lionsgate has hired Jeff Chan to develop to direct an untitled project framed in the vein of End Of Watch, with firefighter protagonists. Sascha Penn has been set to write the script. While there has been talk of a few fact-based firefighter films that fell apart over rights issues, we’ve not seen a big movie on the subject since Ladder 49 and before that Backdraft. This one will be high action, centering around a brave group of firefighters in Detroit. Chan came to prominence in a fairly inventive way. His calling card was spec commercials he made for Call Of Duty, which were done without the gamemaker’s authorization. When they first created buzz online, Activision threatened to sue Chan because the masses thought a new version of the game was coming out. After the strong response, the game company hired him to create its first and only Call Of Duty short film,...

I’m typically a little skeptical when it comes to movies about firefighters battling epic blazes. Some of them are pretty good (“Backdraft”) and others, well, not so much (“Ladder 49″). Let me say this: The first person who posts anything bad about Howie Long’s “Firestorm” is going to have to answer to me. I’m not kidding. Okay, maybe I am. Derek Kwok’s upcoming firefighting flick “As the Light Goes Out” actually looks pretty good. Nevermind that I have a soft spot for Hong Kong movies — I’d watch this thing regardless of where it originated. Besides, it’s always fun to see Nicholas Tse, Simon Yam, Andy On, and Bai Bing doing their respective things. The flames and turmoil are just an added bonus. Check out this synopsis: The bond of brotherhood is always stronger when you can be pitched into a life and death situation...

Chicago – Halle Berry has had a career of diverse and award-winning roles, and takes on another provocative character in the new movie, “The Call.” Her co-star in the film is Morris Chestnut, a versatile lead and character actor with films as varied as “Boyz n the Hood’ and “The Best Man.” They both honor the acting craft.

“The Call” is a tense and symbolic thriller, about a kidnapping in Los Angeles. Halle Berry portrays Jordan, a 911 operator who gets too involved in the crime, and takes it personally. Morris Chestnut portrays Paul, who is Jordan’s boyfriend and a veteran police officer who gets mixed into the case as well. Together they work to bring that kidnapper to some kind of justice.

Halle Berry in Chicago, Promoting ‘The Call’

Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Halle Berry will not be pinned down when it comes to...

This three-time Oscar nominee -- who this year is up for Best Actor for his powerful portrayal in The Master -- shockingly announced in 2008 that he was retiring from acting to pursue a career in hip-hop music. It was later revealed that the announcement -- along with consistently erratic behavior and appearances -- was faked as part of a mockumentary he was filming with Casey Affleck.

1. Born Joaquin Rafael Bottom on October 28, 1974 in Puerto Rico. He was the middle child in a brood of five and his parents were missionaries for the Children of God religious movement.

Pics: Look Who's Presenting at The Oscars!

2. As part of research for his role in the 2004 film Ladder 49, he actually graduated from the Baltimore Fire Academy and spent a month living and working with real firefighters and helping fight real fires.

3. A strict vegan and animal rights activist, he once refused to wear shoes during a photo shoot for designer...

William Ross will conduct the Oscar orchestra for the Academy Awards®, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. “We are happy to have Bill Ross conduct the Oscar orchestra,” said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. “With a show so rich with music, we are so pleased to have someone as talented as Bill on our team.” Ross, who conducted for the 79th and 83rd Academy Awards®, is a prolific award-winning composer and arranger whose work encompasses feature films, television and the music recording industry. He has arranged music for artists such as Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Kenny G., Sting, Quincy Jones, Seal, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston. The records on which he has worked have sold a total of over 250 million copies in the United States. Ross has written original scores for such films as “The Tale of Despereaux,” “Ladder 49,” “Tuck Everlasting” and “My Dog Skip.

© AMPAS

William Ross will conduct the Oscar orchestra for the Academy Awards®, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.

“We are happy to have Bill Ross conduct the Oscar orchestra,” said Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. “With a show so rich with music, we are so pleased to have someone as talented as Bill on our team.”

Ross, who conducted for the 79th and 83rd Academy Awards®, is a prolific award-winning composer and arranger whose work encompasses feature films, television and the music recording industry. He has arranged music for artists such as Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Kenny G., Sting, Quincy Jones, Seal, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston. The records on which he has worked have sold a total of over 250 million copies in the United States.

Ross has written original scores for such films as “The Tale of Despereaux,” “Ladder 49,...

Rear Window is to be adapted into a stage play on Broadway. The rights to Cornell Woolrich's 1942 story have been purchased by Ladder 49 filmmakers Charlie Lyons and Jay Russell, along with Homeland actor Tim Guinee, reports Deadline. The story was most famously adapted into a movie by Sir Alfred Hitchcock in 1952, starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly. Stewart played a photographer bound to his wheelchair who begins spying on neighbours across the street, and eventually witnesses what he believes to have been a murder. Broadway rights for the story have been heavily sought after from the Sheldon (more)...

New York — A producing team has won the theatrical stage rights to "Rear Window," the noir tale that Alfred Hitchcock made into a classic film.

Producer Charlie Lyons, director Jay Russell and actor Tim Guinee announced Wednesday that their two-year hunt for the rights have been successful and they're hoping to mount the show on Broadway.

"Rear Window" is based on a Cornell Woolrich short story, "It Had to Be Murder," that was first published in February 1942 in Dime Detective Magazine.

The 1954 film version, starring Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly, tells the story of a wheelchair-bound witness to a possible murder.

Literary agent Sheldon Abend in 1971 purchased a copyright to the short story on which "Rear Window" was based. The new producing team bought the first stage option ever granted by Abend's trust.

Lyons has produced such films as "The Water Horse," "The Guardian" and "Ladder 49." Russell directed "Ladder 49" and "My Dog Skip.

Producer Charlie Lyons The Water Horse, The Guardian, Ladder 49, director Jay Russell The Water Horse, Ladder 49, My Dog Skip and actor Tim Guinee NBCs Revolution, Showtimes Homeland, Iron Man I amp II worked for two years to acquire the theatrical stage rights to the most famous and beloved of all noir short stories, Rear Window aka It Had to be Murder. This unique producing consortium announced today their plans to mount a Broadway production of the iconic and haunting tale of the wheelchair bound witness to a possible murder in his neighboring New York City apartment. Although the Broadway rights in this story have been repeatedly sought over the years from the Sheldon Abend Revocable Trust and its predecessors, this is the first option ever granted.

Exclusive: Producer Charlie Lyons and director Jay Russell, who’ve teamed on The Water Horse and Ladder 49, have partnered with Homeland actor Tim Guinee to bring the famed noir short story Rear Window (It Had To Be Murder) to the Broadway stage. The trio worked for two years to land theatrical stage rights to the 1942 story by Cornell Woolrich, which most famously was turned into the classic 1954 Alfred Hitchcock thriller. James Stewart played the wheelchair-bound photographer who spies on his neighbors and believes he has witnessed a murder from his window. Although Broadway rights in this story have been repeatedly sought over the years from the Sheldon Abend Revocable Trust and its predecessors, this is the first option ever granted. The deal was negotiated on behalf of the producers by Apa and their attorneys Jackoway Tyreman. Lyons and Russell have collaborated for over a decade on a variety of...

Exclusive: Producer Charlie Lyons and director Jay Russell, who’ve teamed on The Water Horse and Ladder 49, have partnered with Homeland actor Tim Guinee to bring the famed noir short story Rear Window (It Had To Be Murder) to the Broadway stage. The trio worked for two years to land theatrical stage rights to the 1942 story by Cornell Woolrich, which most famously was turned into the classic 1954 Alfred Hitchcock thriller. James Stewart played the wheelchair-bound photographer who spies on his neighbors and believes he has witnessed a murder from his window. Although Broadway rights in this story have been repeatedly sought over the years from the Sheldon Abend Revocable Trust and its predecessors, this is the first option ever granted. The deal was negotiated on behalf of the producers by Apa and their attorneys Jackoway Tyreman. Lyons and Russell have collaborated for over a decade on a variety of...

The big finale of "American Idol"'s 11th season is finally upon us this week, and we noticed that this year's two finalists look as cut out for the camera as they do for the stage (hello Phillip Phillips!).

It certainly doesn't hurt that so many "Idol" alums before them have successfully launched from the show's giant platform into the world of film.

In fact, there have been a lot of reality stars in general who've made a name in the movie scene. Here are our top 15.

15. Carrie Underwood, 'American Idol'

Credits: "Soul Surfer"

For "Idol" Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood, five Grammys, dozens of other accolades, four successful albums, and pretty hair just wasn't enough. She first gave her thespian itch a scratch on the small screen in 2010 with guest stints on "Sesame Street" and "How I Met Your Mother" before going full-blown Hollywood for 2011's "Soul Surfer,...

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the awesome classic buddy cop film Lethal Weapon, The Huffington Post created a great supercut video edit of different movie characters who openly admit that they're "too old for this shit," a line of dialogue that was spoken most memorably by Danny Glover. Enjoy the video, and let us know if you're too old for this shit.

Full list of films featured:

"Lethal Weapon," "The Hurt Locker," "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey," "Aces: Iron Eagle III," "Unleashed," "Vampire in Brooklyn," "Frankie and Johnny," "Showtime," "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," "Stripes," "The Art of War," "Blade," "Blame It on Rio," "The Sure Thing," "Death Proof," "The Night Listener," "For Colored Girls," "Lethal Weapon 3," "The Yakuza," "Black Moon Rising," "Racing Stripes," "Ed Wood," "Ladder 49," "To Live and Die in L.A.," "Space Cowboys," "In the Line of Fire," "Father of the Bride Part II,...

You're getting too old for this: 25 years ago, on March 6, 1987, "Lethal Weapon" was released. The buddy-cop thriller not only cemented Mel Gibson's status as a household name after playing good-natured loose-canon (as opposed to now) Martin Riggs, but also created a social phenomenon still relevant to this day: "I'm getting too old for this shit."

The catchphrase, said numerous times throughout the "Lethal Weapon" series by Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), has appeared in many movies over the last 25 years, often times in reference to the put-upon police detective himself. (The recent trailer for "Men In Black 3" features Will Smith uttering a PG variation on Murtaugh's famous one-liner.)

What you might not know? That "Lethal Weapon" wasn't the first film to utilize some form of the defeated turn-of-phrase. From "North by Northwest" and "The Sting" to Murtaugh himself, enjoy a mash-up of movie characters getting too old for this.

Video...

You're getting too old for this: 25 years ago, on March 6, 1987, "Lethal Weapon" was released. The buddy-cop thriller not only cemented Mel Gibson's status as a household name after playing good-natured loose-canon (as opposed to now) Martin Riggs, but also created a social phenomenon still relevant to this day: "I'm getting too old for this shit." The catchphrase, said numerous times throughout the "Lethal Weapon" series by Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover), has appeared in many movies over the last 25 years, often times in reference to the put-upon police detective himself. (The recent trailer for "Men In Black 3" features Will Smith uttering a PG variation on Murtaugh's famous one-liner.) What you might not know? That "Lethal Weapon" wasn't the first film to utilize some form of the defeated turn-of-phrase. From "North by Northwest" and "The Sting" to Murtaugh himself, enjoy a mash-up of movie characters getting too old for this. Video...

You’ve seen him on Brotherhood, Lost, and The Practice and on the big screen in Unstoppable, Ladder 49, and 21 Grams to name a few. But nowadays, Kevin Chapman is playing a crooked Detective Lionel Fusco on the new hit CBS drama, Person of Interest. And with the mid-season finale upon us, Chapman was able to take some time out to talk to Buzz Focus about tonight’s episode, a great piece of acting advice, and the holidays. Check it out. So what do you hope to see happen for you character and his interaction with the other characters? Jonathan Nolan, the creator of the show, is a visionary. You develop an incredible amount of trust for these writers and just know that this journey that they are going to take your character on is something that is going to have value and something that people will embrace one way or another.

Two bits of casting news on "American Horror Story" today. First up? Sarah Paulson ("Serenity", Martha Marcy May Marlene). She's always been a good actress beset by a lack of exposure and I'm glad that seems to be turning around for her this year. Per E! Online , "A reliable Ahs source tells us that Paulson, who also played the nasty governess in Deadwood, is joining the show for a big four-episode arc as a medium named Billie Dean... most of her scenes will be opposite her Broadway buddy Jessica Lange. " Next up? Morris Chestnut (Boyz N The Hood,, Ladder 49). Per Variety, "Chesnut will play the character of Luke". Think I left some info out? Nope. That's all they had.

FX Network adds Morris Chestnut for multiple episodes on American Horror Story. Chestnut joins as Luke in the Ryan Murphy and Brad Fulchuck (Glee) created series which makes its debut on October 5th. Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton, Jessica Lange, Taissa Farmiga and Frances Conroy star in American Horror Story. McDermott and Britton play a married couple who make their home in an older La home which has a history of hauntings. Chestnut is an experienced film actor with TV work as well. His movie credits like Half Past Dead, Ladder 49, The Game Plan...

FX Network adds Morris Chestnut for multiple episodes on American Horror Story. Chestnut joins as Luke in the Ryan Murphy and Brad Fulchuck (Glee) created series which makes its debut on October 5th. Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton, Jessica Lange, Taissa Farmiga and Frances Conroy star in American Horror Story. McDermott and Britton play a married couple who make their home in an older La home which has a history of hauntings. Chestnut is an experienced film actor with TV work as well. His movie credits like Half Past Dead, Ladder 49, The Game Plan...

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is proud to present the award-winning American classic Boyz N The Hood on Blu-ray for the first time this September 5th. We have three copies of the Blu-ray to give away to our readers.

In celebration of the film’s 20th anniversary, this powerful and timeless story of the three friends growing up in the ghettos of Los Angeles gets the deluxe Blu-ray treatment, featuring stunning new high definition picture and explosive sound. The Blu-ray exclusive Special Features include “The Enduring Significance of Boyz N the Hood,” an all new retrospective documentary with Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Regina King, Nia Long, John Singleton, Laurence Fishburne and Stephen Allen. In addition, the Blu-ray will also feature “Friendly Fire: Making Of An Urban Legend,” Commentary with John Singleton, audition footage with Ice Cube, Angela Bassett, Morris Chestnut and Tyra Ferrell, Compton’s most wanted...

What happens when you mix an ex-priest, flowing amounts of alcohol, some inappropriate jokes about Mexicans, a drunken former lover, and a firefighting father trying (and failing) to avoid a scene?

A Gavin wedding, of course!

Where so many other television shows tend to romanticize nuptials, "Vows" found a fresh and highly entertaining way to experience a bride and groom coming together. In fact, longing gazes and background pop songs were nowhere to be found. It was all about awkward moments and the many possible ways a wedding can go anything but smoothly.

Tommy managed to take part in a majority of the hilariously uncomfortable scenes. From forcing his way into walking his daughter down the aisle to discussing the Black Rainbow with Black Shawn's parents, Tommy was left uneasy, rambling, and without success. Being on your best behavior is a lot harder than it looks.

Sheila knocking over a woman and shouting,...

After achieving worldwide recognition in The Dark Knight, it looks like Aaron Eckhart enjoys getting bruised up in his films. He nearly got demolished by aliens in Battle: Los Angeles this spring and he’ll be seen as a fleeing ex-cia agent in the thriller The Expatriate next year.

EW provides us with our first look above for the film that sees Eckhart heading on the run with “his estranged daughter (Olga Kurylenko)” in order to avoid his employers that “mark them both for termination as part of a wide-reaching international conspiracy.” The film is directed by North Face helmer Philipp Stölzl, but we have no specific info on a release date.

We also have our first look at a firefightin’ Josh Duhamel from Fire with Fire along with Rosario Dawson, thanks to EW. The cast also includes Bruce Willis, Vinnie Jones, Vincent D’Onofrio, 50 Cent and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson.

As writer Steve Niles tweeted recently, “Haley Joel Osment sees dead people again, but this time in pieces.” There are multiple Frankenstein-themed projects in development right now with different studios but this one has just nabbed The Sixth Sense star.

According to Variety, Haley Joel Osment (Sassy Pants, AI) will star as Victor Franklin in a film adaptation of Steve Niles’ (30 Days of Night) graphic novels, Wake The Dead. This modern day Frankenstein tale follows Victor, “a college student experimenting with reversing death.”

Jay Russell (Ladder 49, Tuck Everlasting) will direct the film with a script he adapted along with James V. Hart (Tuck Everlasting, Bram Stokers’ Dracula). Slash, former lead guitarist of Guns N’ Roses, will be producing the project with Michael Williams and Rob Eric of Slasher Films, Slash’s production company dedicated to horror films. Ray Mansfield and Shaun Redick will executive produce.

Other Frankenstein-related...