Catherine Zeta-Jones Will Sing and Dance Again
We were worried about her there for a moment, but it looks like Velma Kelly is going to be A-OK, hoofing it once more in a big showy musical. Also today: bad news for Kathleen Turner, good news for some random child, and the best news for Gabourey Sidibe.
- Another glitzy name has been added to this big Adam Shankman-directed Rock of Ages movie: Catherine Zeta-Jones! Though the actress has had some troubles recently, it seems she's still ready to work. She'll play a part created specifically for the movie, a character described by Shankman as: "if Tipper Gore and Anita Bryant had a love child. She is this hardcore, moral majority, arch-conservative who wants to shut down rock'n roll in the great city of Los Angeles." Oh, hm, that could be fun. I sure hope the Rock of Ages purists don't get upset, though. I mean, there are some pretty hardcore people out there who are real sticklers. I mean, they take their slapped-together jukebox musicals pretty seriously. Prettyyy seriously. No, ha, this is whateverthafuck. You can do whatever to this and no one cares, so long as there is rocking out and there is cocking out. Less cocking out though. [THR]
- Ugh, I shouldn't even mention this because blogs mentioning it is the whole stupid point of the whole stupid thing, but whatever. Lindsay Lohan was rumored to be cast in this movie about John Gotti that's going to star John Travolta ("Leave the gun, take the SS BubbleButt Cessna plane"). But now, of course, the producers of that movie are like "Uh, actually no." No one is going to cast Lindsay Lohan at this point! Sorry! She was "in talks" with them, appearing at some sort of press conference with the production, but I'm sure it was just her using them for attention and/or them using her and ugh. Ugh is all you can say. I'm wearing my Ugh boots right now, ughing. Ugh. [EW]
- Hungah Gimz! Hongums Grams! Hunger Games! I get so excited, sorry. There is Hunger Games casting news. A tiny person named Willow Smith has been cast as Prim. Haha, just kidding. Her name is Willow Shields. She's little and blonde-ish, so that works just fine. If you really think about it, she's a pretty small part in the first book. She's a pretty small part in all the books! So really who cares? (I care! I care so much. I care so very much.) [Deadline]
- A big ol' yiiiiikes from the world of theatre. And from the world of Kathleen Turner. The producers of her new Broadway show High, for which Turner received good reviews, announced today, one day after opening, that they will close on Sunday. Wah wahhhhh. This is the second early closing in as many years for playwright Matthew Lombardo, whose Tallulah Bankhead bio Looped (starring Valerie Harper — the guy loves old dames, what can he say) closed after a month of performances almost exactly a year ago. Tough times, man. Tough times. [THR]
- Exciting! Oscar-nominee Jacki Weaver, from the wonderful Animal Kingdom, has been cast in the Nick Stoller comedy Five Year Engagement alongside Jason Segal, Emily Blunt, Chris Pratt, and others. Good for her! She deserves something with a little levity after all that Australian crime brooding. Though I wouldn't mind watching her do more of that. [Deadline]
- This person has been cast on next season of The Big C. He's a potential love interest for Gabourey Sidibe. Lucky Gabourey. (NSFW) [Deadline]