Archive: April 2009 (1-10 of 498)

Apr 30 2009 08:33 PM ET

Must List Live: Guess next week's mystery guest

Categories: Must List

Last week’s Must List Live covered Lost, Wolverine, and American Idol — jeeze, is anything even left? Fear not! Our trusty Dalton Ross and Jessica Shaw will guide us through the best next week has to offer, and as always, they’ll have a surprise celebrity guest also weighing in. Can you guess next week’s A-list must-lister? 

  • He or she has graced the cover of EW
  • He or she has played both royalty and a Neo-Nazi
  • His or her current star-making turn is as a character from Riverside, Iowa

Put on yer thinkin’ caps and get guessing! See you on Monday for the big reveal. (We’ll see you before then, too, but…also on Monday.)

Apr 30 2009 08:15 PM ET

ABC/Disney shows heading to Hulu: Who'll be our first true, Web-only megastar?

Categories: Tech

Lots o’news in the watch-on-your-computer front today: First,  as we hoped, ABC/Disney has signed a deal with Hulu to put their content on the popular site. Hurray! Full-length episodes of Lost, Grey’s Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, Private Practice, Ugly Betty, Scrubs, Greek, Hope and Faith, Less Than Perfect, Wizards of Waverly Place, Phineas and Ferb, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, General Hospital, The View, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager are all Hulu-bound as part of the deal. 

Second, Sony announced that it’s adding more original content to its own Web video site Crackle. "Dusty Peacock," a comedy series created by Kevin James, is set to debut this summer, and "The Bannen Way," a drama about a reformed con man, is set for later this year.

I’m basically a Web-only viewer at this point, so more content online makes me a happy panda. But as TV moves more and more online, I’m wondering when we’re going to get our first bonafide Web-only celebrity or perfect show or amazing movie — one whose success doesn’t mean moving from the Web to TV or the big screen. Major, high-profile journalism is no longer synonymous with print media; at some point, major, high-profile entertainment won’t be synonymous TV or film. How far away is that day?

Just for fun, here’s my favorite Web-only series maybe ever, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. I’ve watched it, oh, 10 times, and it doesn’t get old:

Apr 30 2009 07:16 PM ET

Is everybubby ready for 'Real Housewives of NJ'?

The following breast-centric preview clip from Bravo’s upcoming The Real Housewives of New Jersey raises a number of hard-hitting issues. Namely: What’s more annoying — children who insist on saying "boobies" or functioning adults who insist on saying "bubbies"? Press play below. Leopard sound!

 

I’m so psyched for the major plot twist wherein we learn that Jacqueline’s breasts are actually little Jewish grandmothers. Or will a controversial lab test prove they are pure Kosher dill pickles? The suspense thickens. How ever will we wait until May 12 to find out?!

Apr 30 2009 06:57 PM ET

Catherine Zeta-Jones to play Susan Boyle in James Cameron-directed biopic? Not so fast, rumor-mongers

Categories: Misc.

Zetajonessusanboyle_l In an article seemingly published to celebrate A Cold Day in Crazytown — or simply to send overworked EW reporters on wild goose chases — the London Guardian announced today that a biopic starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and helmed by Titanic director James Cameron was reportedly in the works.

When reached by phone, Kristen Berbae of Cameron’s production company Lightstorm Entertainment had a good, hearty chuckle before telling EW, "That is complete news to us. He’s still busy making [much anticipated sci-fi adventure] Avatar, as far as we know." Said Zeta-Jones’ rep, CeCe Yorke, "Catherine is a fan of Susan Boyle’s, but there are no plans for her to appear in Ms. Boyle’s biopic."

Shot-down rumors aside, it does beg the question: who should play Boyle, if not the Oscar-winning Chicago razzmatazzer — maybe Dame Judi Dench (perhaps too old at 64, but so well-preserved!)? The ever-amorphous, accent-nailing Meryl Streep? My vote goes to Harry Potter‘s Imelda Stauton, a generally age-appropriate and wonderfully nuanced actress (see her Academy-nominated turn in the devastating 2004 drama Vera Drake).

But you tell me, PopWatchers, who would best fill Susan’s sensible shoes onscreen? And should Simon play himself?

Apr 30 2009 06:50 PM ET

Octomom the Musical: Soon to be onstage eight days a week (okay, just two)

Octomumnadya_lWhat do you get the woman who has everything (including a potential overseas TV deal, a name trademark, and a uterus the size of Cincinnati)? Her own parody musical, Popwatchers!

The L.A.-based Cabaret Voltaire is currently casting the role of Nadya Suleman, the woman who infamously incubated her own tiny rugby team earlier this year, for its Octomom the Musical, which will start a limited 10-week run on Friday and Saturday nights, beginning June 19.

In an interview, Chris Voltaire told EW that the show will be "a fast-paced musical comedy about the unprecedented times America is in — with Octo as the main symbol, since she is the icon du jour. Think SNL, but with a throughline tying things together." As for the musical bits, he says, "the show is always going to be different — special guests! surprises! flying babies! — and there will definitely be singalongs."

So what kind of actress, pray tell, will they be seeking for the role? "A great singer, pole-dancer, and child-rearing comedienne willing to exercise and pump up her lips…Angelina Jolie is obviously the look here," claims Voltaire. But also, he adds (tongue seemingly wedged pretty cozily in cheek), someone who "is not coming in and pre-judging Octo, that’s really important. She’s an American, a patriot, and she’s trying to help the country in the only ways she knows how. She’s an au naturel stimulus package!"

What do you think, readers? Would you be willing to stimulate L.A.’s theater economy with your octo-dollars? Or would you pay this overly-fertile phenomenon to go away?

Apr 30 2009 06:14 PM ET

'Ugly Betty' cast and crew talk musical episode, guest stars, and more at NY panel

Categories: Television, Ugly Betty

Uglybetty_lThe cast of Ugly Betty celebrated tonight’s return with the first of four new episodes (ABC, 8 p.m. ET) and their early season 4 pickup with a panel discussion at New York City’s Paley Center for Media Wednesday night. EW’s own Jessica Shaw moderated the chat, which featured guests Vanessa Williams, Ana Ortiz, Mark Indelicato,  Becki Newton, Tony Plana, and executive producer Silvio Horta among others. Here’s what we learned during the panel, followed by what I uncovered before it, speaking to members of the cast in the lobby (i.e. Vanessa Williams is counting the days until the return of RuPaul’s Drag Race.)   

• Horta said Season 4 will feature the removal of Betty’s braces (!), the long-awaited musical episode (!!), and Justin starting at a performing arts high school (!!!).

• Upcoming guest stars in season 3′s final four episodes include Rachel Dratch (playing twins), Billie Jean King (with whom Wilhelmina plays tennis), Antonio Sabato Jr. (playing himself in a "hot fantasy sequence"),  Tommy Hilfiger, and, of course, as previously reported, Adele. Christopher Gorham will return for one episode as Henry — and he’ll have a girlfriend. Christine Baranski will reprise her role as Matt’s mother. She and Wilhelmina get drunk and end up singing "The Man That Got Away." (That drew excited gasps from the crowd.)  Ralph Macchio returns as Archie and wants to get Hilda involved in his campaign. ("I think she sees herself as sort of the Latina Michelle Obama," Ortiz told me.) Williams’ dream guest star would be Bette Midler. Newton’s? Paul Reubens.

• Other spoilers: There will be two wedding proposals — but only one wedding (at the planetarium). Baby William will be kidnapped. Amanda isn’t worried about her job — but she should be. Wilhelmina and Claire will reignite their feud. Mode will get a new boss…

• Trivia you may have known, but forgotten: Michael Urie (Marc) was only supposed to be a guest star, for one episode. Theoriginal plan was to have Wilhelmina fire a new assistant every week. After trying out a hundred pair of glasses, producers asked the show’scostume designer, Patricia Field, if they could give the pair she waswearing a go — they became Betty’s. Production designer Mark Worthington designed Mode‘s killer lobby based on one line in Horta’s pilot script referring to it as "iPod-esque." Some of the death stares Wilhelmina gives are borrowed from Williams’ mother. Plana (Ignacio) would love to put out a line of aprons and a cookbook. His title: Ugly Recipes for Beautiful Food. Horta will never put Betty and Daniel together. In his pilot script, he had a moment where they looked at each other in a way that would have left that door open, but the chemistry between the actors made them feel more like family.

After the jump, lobby conversation.

READ FULL STORY »

Apr 30 2009 05:34 PM ET

Exclusive: 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' live-action episode, starring T-Pain as the Fryman

Tpain_frylock_2 As a huge fan of Adult Swim’s Aqua Teen Hunger Force, I have to admit that so far the new episodes for season 6, which kicked off in March, have been a bit lackluster ("Creature From Plaque Lagoon" was pretty good, though). But even if the show is starting to show its age, you gotta hand it to these stoners for continuing to come up with weird-ass stuff, like the upcoming live-action episode on May 31, which stars T-Pain as Frylock (pictured). Apparently, Pain is a huge fan of the show (he often wears an Ignignokt pendant around his neck and actuallydid the voice for the "Die" ventriloquist dummy for the "Dummy Love" ep) so he was more than happy to wear his signature stovepipe hat in french-fry yellow for the part. Props to ATHF for getting world’s preeminent Auto-tune maestro to play a floating box of fries, and the hairy-shouldered Dave Long Jr. (cast from an open audition) makes a great Carl (picture after the jump). I am a bit skeptical of Jon Benjamin (Important Things with Demetri Martin) as the live-action Master Shake, though — couldn’t we get a straw jutting out of his head? Plus, it’s hard to imagine Shake as Shake without Dana Synder doing the voice. But if there’s one reason to forfeit 12 minutes of your life to this nonsense, it’s to see how the exercise ball Meatwad, pictured above with T-Pain, will portray a rolling hunk of ground meat. Anyway, I’ll be there. You?

READ FULL STORY »

Apr 30 2009 04:39 PM ET

Natalie Portman's behind-the-scenes movie site

Categories: Site of the Day

Makingof_2When she heard the news that Natalie Portman was launching a website, one of my coworkers pretty much summed up my reaction with a single word: "NOOP?" But after checking out MakingOf.com, I’m happy to report that it has pretty much nothing in common with Gwyneth Paltrow’s me-me-me Web portal (Note: my love for GOOP runs deep, but let’s be honest; it’s nuts).

Created by Portman and her friend, Silicon Valley vet Christine Aylward, MakingOf aims to provide behind-the-scenes access to filmmakers and film lovers alike through intensive interviews with people involved in every step of the moviemaking process, from the gaffers to the directors and stars.

"Anytime someone visits the set with me, they’re always like, ‘Wait aminute. Who’s that person? What are they doing?’" Portman told EW lastweek after presenting the site at the TriBeCa Film Festival. "I feellucky getting to do what I do and live what I live. And to be able toshare that and extend it to people who don’t have that access is reallyexciting."

The site is still brand new, so it isn’t exactly overflowing with content. But what it does have — a chat with Ron Howard about Angels & Demons, a discussion with Whatever Works casting director Juliet Taylor — is impressively in-depth. And unlike many star-centric sites, Portman’s presence here is minimal, save for a company bio and an interview under the "Actors" heading.

Bottom line: MakingOf still has a long way to go if it wants to compete with major movie websites. But if Portman and Aylward make good on their promise to bulk up its resources, it could become our go-to site for straight-from-the-horse’s-mouth film wisdom.

Okay, PopWatchers: Your turn. What do you think of MakingOf.com?

Apr 30 2009 04:24 PM ET
Apr 30 2009 03:56 PM ET

Matt Giraud's 'My Funny Valentine': I can't get enough

Mattgiraud_lStop reading if you haven’t watched last night’s American Idol and think you’re somehow going to get through the day without a SPOILER…We good?…You gone?…Okay. Matt Giraud’s performance of "My Funny Valentine" was my favorite Idol goodbye ever. It made me understand exactly what Simon Cowell meant in his critique on Tuesday, when he said that Matt was the only one in the Top 5 who really got the genre. There was an ease and a patience in his vocals last night, the kind of f— it all freedom that most of us only get after we’ve had a few drinks. (Very Rat Pack.) He caressed those notes, killed those runs, and made you feel the words he was singing. That’s what standards are about — creating a mood. They take you to another time, and yet, remind you that some emotions (oh hell, it’s always love) are timeless. Maybe that prose is a little too flowery for you. All I’m really saying is that as someone who’s seen Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, Michael Feinstein, and Michael Bublé in concert, I appreciated Matt’s vocals last night. Seeing the judges’ standing ovation and remaining Idol contestants’ reactions to it, I know I’m not the only one. But since I couldn’t find a clip of it on YouTube this morning, I’m starting to question it. It was one of the best Idol goodbyes, right?

More American Idol:
Michael Slezak recaps last night’s show
Adam B. Vary: On the scene at the Top 5 results show
Michael Slezak’s five-part video interview with Anoop Desai

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