Tag Archives: actor

Jim Caviezel is Abrams’ ‘Person of Interest’

News, Television, , , , ,

Jim Caviezel, the man who famously played Jesus Christ in Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ, has been cast as the lead in Person of Interest, the CBS drama from J.J. Abrams and Jonah Nolan. He joins Lost alum Michael Emerson who was also selected to play a prominent role in the show just last month. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show “centers on a paramilitary CIA officer (Caviezel) who is presumed killed in the line of duty, but resurfaces in New York City where he teams up with an eccentric billionaire (Emerson) to clean up the city’s violent underworld.” With Abrams and Nolan attached to it, it’s something you should be following very closely. Now we wait for a teaser…

[Via THR]

Snyder’s Superman is Henry Cavill

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Say hello to the new Superman.  27-year-old British actor Henry Cavill, who is best known in the States for playing Charles Brandon on Showtime’s The Tudors, has been cast to play the Man of Steel in Zack Snyder’s reboot of the franchise.  Said Snyder in a press release: “In the pantheon of superheroes, Superman is the most recognized and revered character of all time, and I am honored to be a part of his return to the big screen. I also join Warner Bros., Legendary and the producers in saying how excited we are about the casting of Henry. He is the perfect choice to don the cape and S shield.”  Interestingly enough, Cavill was tapped for the lead role in 2006’s Superman Returns, but as we all know the role went to Brandon Routh and now they’re rebooting it.  Cavill’s certainly got the looks to play the part, and we’ll soon find out if he’s got the silver screen talent to captivate audiences when he stars in the fantasy-action film Immortals later this year.

Superman was written by David S. Goyer and its producing team includes talents Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Charles Roven, and Deborah Snyder.  The movie’s on track for a 2012 holiday release.

[Via EW]

Ricky Gervais will reprise David Brent in U.S. version of ‘The Office’ next week

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This being Steve Carell’s final season on The Office means big changes and exciting storylines leading up to May.  This was supposed to be a surprise for longtime fans of the series but word got out and here we are: Ricky Gervais will reprise David Brent, the UK version of Carell’s Michael Scott, in the January 27 episode.  More specifically, Brent will make a brief cameo during the cold open.  “It’s a little more than if you blink, you’ll miss it, but if you don’t set your TiVo right, you’ll miss it,” says producer Paul Lieberstein.  So how will Gervais, who created the UK Office and serves as an executive producer on the US version, end up crossing paths with his US alter-ego?  Lieberstein spills, “We had some issues to work out, like how does David Brent live in the world of Michael Scott. It’s outside of the office, and it’s just the two of them interacting. It’s just a llittle nod to Steve and his final year.”

The Office returns with new episodes this Thursday at 9PM on NBC.

[Via NYMag]

Larisa Oleynik joins ‘Hawaii Five-0’

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Larisa Oleynik.  It took me a few seconds to recognize that name.  It’s Alex Mack from the classic Nickelodeon series The Secret World of Alex Mack (1994-1998)!  I grew up watching (idolizing and adoring) Oleynik because she wielded the most awesome superpowers including the ability to instantly morph into a puddle of silver liquid.  Well, now she’s all grown up and ready to star in the CBS reboot hit Hawaii Five-0.  According to TVLine, she will play “Jessica Kaye, an ex-CIA analyst and Harvard graduate with a degree in Political Science and a Masters in Global Security and Intelligence Studies who is fresh off the plane from Langley, Virginia.”  She’s joining the Five-0 team led by McGarrett and Danno because she is in hot pursuit of Wo Fat, McGarrett’s nemesis who had a hand in the murder of his mother (but he doesn’t know this yet).  Jessica “has a personal stake in the manhunt since Wo Fat was responsible for the murder of her fiancé, a well respected CIA field agent.”  Apparently Oleynik’s role will remain recurring for the rest of season one, and there’s an option open for her to potentially become a series regular next season.  Welcome back to the ‘waves, Alex Mack.

[Via TVLine]

Starz picks Aussie Liam McIntyre to be the next Spartacus

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Tough break for the boys of Prison Break.  Starz overlooked Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell, among others, and selected Australian actor Liam McIntyre (The Pacific) to be the next Thracian warrior.  After star Andy Whitfield dropped out of the Spartacus star role due to health issues, the producers came up with an ultimatum: close up shop or recast.  Whitfield gave his blessing to the recast the role, and so the network began its search.

“Since no one can really replace Andy, we realized that we should instead find an actor who can truly lead Spartacus forward,” said Starz’s CEO Chris Albrecht. “It was important to us to have Andy endorse the idea of recasting this part, which he did in the same heroic manner that he’s dealt with his whole ordeal. And that, coupled with our fortune in finding a young actor with the gladiator credentials and the acting ability of Liam, makes it easier for us to keep this hit franchise going.”

And so Spartacus: Blood and Sand will carry on.  Production on season 2 is expected to resume this spring.  The six-part prequel series Spartacus: Gods of the Arena premieres Friday, January 21 on Starz.

[Via Deadline]

Andrew Garfield is the new Spider-Man

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Goodbye Tobey Maguire.  Hello Andrew Garfield.  “Andrew who?” you ask.  He’s a 26-year-old Brit who is best known in the UK for his film Boy A.  In the U.S. he’s appeared in The Other Boleyn Girl and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and has roles in the upcoming movies The Social Network and Never Let Me Go.  After a falling-out between previous Spider-Man director Sam Raimi and the studio heads, Sony Pictures decided to scrap Spidey 4 and start from scratch with a Spider-Man reboot that will focus largely on Peter Parker’s teenage years in high school.  An official press statement shares the pertinent news:

After a comprehensive worldwide casting search, Andrew Garfield has been chosen to portray Peter Parker when Spider-Man swings back onto the screen in 3D on July 3, 2012. The new film will begin production in early December directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt. Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad will produce the film from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.

Director Marc Webb ((500) Days of Summer) on Garfield as the new Spidey: “Though his name may be new to many, those who know this young actor’s work understand his extraordinary talents. He has a rare combination of intelligence, wit, and humanity. Mark my words, you will love Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker.”  Look after the break for the full press statement.

Will Garfield be able to pull it off as the next Spider-Man?  Somehow he was able to beat out fan favorites Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief), Anton Yelchin (J.J.’s Star Trek), and Aaron Johnson (Kick-Ass).  The only concern I have is his age.  At 26 years old, I’m worried about how they plan to make us believe he is a teenager.  Lerman, who is only 18 years of age, feels to me like he’d fit the suit best.  With a release slated for 2012, the studio has plenty of time to transform Garfield just as they did with a young Maguire back in 2002.

[Via SciFiWire] Continue reading Andrew Garfield is the new Spider-Man →

RoboThespian deserves an Oscar (or two)

Technology, Video, , , , ,

Meet RoboThespian, a robot that, according to Wired, “shows more acting range than some Hollywood stars.”  This is the third and obviously most advanced version of his kind created by Engineered Arts.  He’s powered by compressed air and air valves that aid in movement.  Lifelike detail can be found in his facial expressions and body movement.  The coolest part about him is that he can be programmed to perform a script at anyone’s whim and translate text to speech in English, Spanish, Germany, French, and Mandarin Chinese!  If you like what you see here, look after the break for additional videos showing off RoboThespian’s acting chops.

[Via Wired; Gizmodo; RoboThespian]

Continue reading RoboThespian deserves an Oscar (or two) →

Tom Cruise & J.J. Abrams join forces again for Mission: Impossible IV

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This Tuesday Paramount Pictures announced that actor Tom Cruise will star in the next installment of the Mission: Impossible series.  J.J. Abrams returns as well, this time as producer not director.  Josh Applebaum and Andre Nemec are penning the script that’s based on a story arc formulated by Cruise and Abrams.  Mission: Impossible IV is due out in theatres Memorial Day weekend in 2011.

[Via The Canadian Press]