Thorne Joins Voice Cast of The Weinstein Co.’s “The Guardian Brothers”

Posted on January 18, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Bella Thorne has a new guardian…

The 19-year-old half-Cuban American actress/singer has joined the voice cast of The Weinstein Co.’s The Guardian Brothers.

Thorne, best known for starring in the Disney Channel series Shake It Up, joins a cast that includes Edward Norton, Jim Gaffigan, Meryl Streep, Mel Brooks and Nicole Kidman in the U.S. version of the animated movie.

Initially distributed in China by Alibaba Pictures in early 2016 (under the original title The Little Door Gods), the film is being re-voiced in English by The Weinstein Co.

The Weinstein Co. acquired worldwide rights, with the exception of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau, for the film.

The original movie follows the comedic adventures of two “door guardians” — figures from Chinese folklore who protect the entranceway of one’s home — who are out of work because contemporary Chinese people are so busy with modern consumer life that they have forgotten about the spirit world.

Gary Wang wrote and directed The Little Door Gods, which grossed $12 million during its China release in 2016.

Miranda Takes Final “Hamilton” Bow

Posted on July 11, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the final curtain call for Lin Manuel-Miranda…

The 36-year-old Puerto Rican actor, composer, rapper and writer took his final bows last night with the original cast of Hamilton, along with fellow departing stars Leslie Odom Jr. and Phillipa Soo in an emotional night at the Richard Rodgers Theatre.

After a few minutes, with no words spoken, the cast left the stage to the theme from The West Wing television series.

Javier Muñoz, Miranda’s alternate since the beginning of the journey Hamilton has taken from workshop to off-Broadway to its recent 11 Tony Award wins including Best Musical, takes over the title role beginning on Monday.

Among those in attendance for Miranda’s final performance, in which tickets ran upwards of $12,000 a seat, were Aaron Paul, Rosie O’Donnell, Secretary of State John Kerry, Mariska Hargitay, Edward Norton and Jennifer Lopez, who recorded a charity single with Miranda to benefit the victims of the Orlando Shooting.

A video of the final curtain call was posted on the Hamilton: An American Musical Facebook page.

Armisen to Appear on the “Saturday Night Live” 40th Anniversary Special

Posted on February 13, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Fred Armisen is coming home, so to speak…

The 48-year-old half-Venezuelan actor, who currently stars on IFC’s recently renewed Portlandia series, has been added to the list of guests for Saturday Night Live‘s SNL 40th Anniversary Special on Sunday.

Armisen, who was a cast member on the long-running NBC late-night sketch comedy series from 2002 until 2013, had quite a number of memorable characters and impersonations during his run, including President Barack Obama, Garth (of Garth and Kat), Steve Jobs, Liberace and Prince.

The special will be expanded to 3 1/2 hours to accommodate the growing roster of guest stars, including SNL icon Billy Crystal; Bradley Cooper and Edward Norton; singer Miley Cyrus; and ex-castmembers Kevin Nealon, Ana Gasteyer, Colin Quinn, Joe Piscopo, Tim Meadows and Will Forte.

The SNL 40th Anniversary Special will air from 8:00 – 11:30 pm ET/PT on Sunday, February 15 on NBC.

Here’s the full list of guests set for the special:

Fred Armisen
Dan Aykroyd
Alec Baldwin
Jim Carrey
Dana Carvey
Chevy Chase
Dane Cook
Bradley Cooper
Billy Crystal
Jane Curtin
Miley Cyrus
Robert De Niro
Jimmy Fallon
Will Ferrell
Tina Fey
James Franco
Will Forte
Zach Galifianakis
Ana Gasteyer
Bill Hader
Jon Hamm
Tom Hanks
Derek Jeter
Norm Macdonald
Peyton Manning
Steve Martin
Melissa McCarthy
Paul McCartney
Tim Meadows
Seth Meyers
Garrett Morris
Eddie Murphy
Bill Murray
Mike Myers
Kevin Nealon
Laraine Newman
Jack Nicholson
Edward Norton
Joe Piscopo
Amy Poehler
Colin Quinn
Chris Rock
Paul Rudd
Maya Rudolph
Andy Samberg
Adam Sandler
Jerry Seinfeld
Molly Shannon
Martin Short
Paul Simon
David Spade
Emma Stone
Jason Sudeikis
Taylor Swift
Justin Timberlake
Christopher Walken
Kerry Washington
Kanye West
Betty White
Kristen Wiig

Leto to Serve as a Presenter at This Year’s Screen Actors Guild Awards

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It’s another night with The Actor for Jared Leto…

The 43-year-old part-Spanish American actor, who picked up a SAG Award, also known as “The Actor,” last year for his performance in Dallas Buyers Club, will serve as a presenter at Sunday’s 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

In addition to Leto, other presenters just added to the roster include Matthew Beard, Colin Farrell, Jeff Goldblum, Allen Leech, Lupita Nyong’o, Emmy Rossum, Andy Samberg, Liev Schreiber and Reese Witherspoon

They join previously announced Patricia Arquette, Adrien Brody, Ellar Coltrane, Kevin Costner, Laverne Cox, Bryan Cranston, Benedict Cumberbatch, Eric Dane, Viola Davis, Carrie Fisher, Ethan Hawke, SAG-AFTRA President Ken Howard, Felicity Jones, Rashida Jones, Michael Keaton, Lenny Kravitz, Matthew McConaughey, Edward Norton, Eddie Redmayne, Julia Roberts, J.K. Simmons, and Emma Stone.

The SAG Awards will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS at 8:00 pm ET/ 5:00 pm PT.

González Iñárritu to Receive Director of the Year Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival

Posted on December 21, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro González Iñárritu may have a little extra spring in his step after his latest award…

The 51-year-old Mexican film director will receive this year’s Director of the Year Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival‘s 26th annual Awards Gala on January 3.

Inarritu, who has said that Birdman is a semi-autobiographical project, has already received Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice nominations for his co-writing and direction of the project.

He previously received PSIFF‘s Director of the Year Award in 2007 for his work on Babel (2006).

Other previous recipients of the PSIFF prize include Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave (2013), Robert Zemeckis for Flight (2012), Stephen Daldry for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011), David O. Russell for The Fighter (2010), Jason Reitman for Up in the Air (2009), Sean Penn for Into the Wild (2007) and Alexander Payne for Sideways (2004).

“By creating the illusion that the film was shot in one take and directing award-worthy performances by Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, Emma Stone and a star-studded cast, Inarritu,” PSIFF chairman Harold Matzner said in a statement. “Inarritu has created a brilliant and original dark comedy.”

The film festival will run January 2-12.

Diaz Engaged to Good Charlotte’s Benji Madden

Posted on December 20, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Forget My Best Friend’s Wedding… Cameron Diaz will be heading down the aisle in the near future.

The half-Cuban American actress is engaged to Good Charlotte‘s Benji Madden, according to People.

“It happened a few nights ago,” a Madden pal tells the magazine about the proposal. “All of Benji’s friends are aware and happy for him.”

Spending quality time with Diaz’s family in Florida earlier this year, the rocker went the traditional route when asking for his future wife’s hand in marriage.

“Her mom is a fan of him as well and gave her blessing,” says the pal.

Diaz, who starred opposite Julia Roberts in My Best Friend’s Wedding, started dating the musician in May after Nicole Richie set them up (Richie is married to Madden’s twin brother Joel).

“I approve of anything that’s going to make Benj happy,” Richie told Watch What Happens Live host Andy Cohen in July.

“Since she started dating Benji, Cameron has changed in a very positive way,” a source said earlier this year. “She can’t stop smiling and seems much happier.”

This is the first engagement for Madden, 35, and the second for the Annie star. She was briefly engaged to Jared Leto in 2000 and previously dated Alex Rodriguez, Justin Timberlake, Matt Dillon, Diddy and Edward Norton.

Gonzalez Inarritu’s “Birdman” to Close the New York Film Festival

Posted on August 6, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro González Iñárritu is bringing his bird to the Big Apple…

Birdman, a dramedy co-written and directed by the 50-year-old Mexican filmmaker, has been selected as the closing night film at this year’s New York Film Festival on October 12, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film, which is being distributed by Fox Searchlight and will be released in theaters on October 17, will have its world premiere on the opening night of the Venice Film Festival on Aug. 27.

Birdman stars Michael Keaton as a washed-up movie star trying to revive his career on Broadway. The cast also includes Emma Stone, Andrea Riseborough, Zach Galifianakis, Merritt Wever, Edward Norton, Amy Ryan and Naomi Watts.

The film was lensed by Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity), reportedly in a way that gives the appearance that the entire film is one continuous shot.

A González Iñárritu film closed the NYFF once before: 21 Grams screened in that slot in 2003. (The director’s first trip to the fest, though, was in 2000, with Amores Perros.)

International Trailer Released for González Iñárritu’s “Birdman”

Posted on August 2, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s ready give audiences the bird(man)…

Fox Searchlight has released the international trailer for the 50-year-old Mexican filmmaker’s black comedy Birdman, which will have its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

Michael Keaton leads the ensemble cast that includes Edward Norton, Emma Stone, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis, Amy Ryan and Andrea Riseborough.

He portrays an actor, famous for having portrayed an iconic superhero, who struggles to mount a Broadway play.

Birdman marks a big departure from González Iñárritu’s more gritty and dramatic fare, including Babel, 21 Grams and Biutiful.

“It’s inventive and light” and full of surprises, says one of the film’s critics.

González Iñárritu’s Black Comedy “Birdman” to be Released in October

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s next project will be migrating to theaters in October…

Fox Searchlight co-president Stephen Gilula has announced that the 50-year-old Mexican filmmaker’s Birdman will open in theaters on Friday, October 17.

The film isn’t expected to complete post-production until late May or early June, with producers it eyeing fall festivals for its premiere.

It’s González Iñárritu’s first black comedy, following the Academy Award-nominated director’s dramatic films Amores perros (2000), 21 Grams (2003), Babel (2006) and Biutiful.

“It’s the heart of the fall, and a great time historically for us with films like Sideways, 12 Years A Slave, and historically Slumdog Millionaire and Black Swan,” Gilula tells Deadline.com. “We’ve had great success launching films at festivals, but this hasn’t been screened for anyone, despite the speculation. Alejandro is famous for his meticulous work in post-production, and this film is unusual for him in that is has some visual effects, and an unusual sound design. The most important thing is to make sure that the film is right.”

The film has an all-star cast that includes Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Emma Stone and his muse Naomi Watts, who appeared in the director’s Babel and 21 Grams.

Keaton plays a washed up actor who once played an iconic superhero who tries to mount a stage play despite his dysfunction and the dysfunction of others in his repertoire.

Inarritu wrote the film with Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. and Armando Bo.

Hayek to Lend Her Voice to Seth Rogen’s R-Rated Animated Film “Sausage Party”

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Salma Hayek’s next project may be animated, but it might not be family friendly…

The 47-year-old Mexican actress will lend her voice to the raunchy animated tale of a sausage’s quest to discover the truth about his existence.

The Oscar-nominated actress will play Teresa the Taco in Sausage Party, the R-rated animated film written by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir.

Hayek joins a voice cast that includes Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, Michael Cera, Edward Norton and David Krumholtz.

After falling out of a shopping cart, the hero sausage and his new friends embark on a journey through the supermarket to get back to their aisles before the Fourth of July sale.

Sony Pictures is planning to distribute the film worldwide with a 2015 release date in the plans.

Hayek most recently appeared in Grown Ups 2 and Here Comes The Boom. She next stars in How To Make Love Like An Englishman and Everly.

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