PBS launches U.K. net

Ken Burns docu mini 'Prohibition' will help kick off programming for PBS' U.K. channel.The network also will offer doc series such as 'Nova' and 'Frontline.''Frontline'LONDON -- An American TV network is preparing to take on the Brits at what the Brits do best -- public broadcasting. On Nov. 1, PBS will launch its first channel outside the U.S. on satcaster BSkyB, ironically, an aggressive commercial operator. Another irony is that the U.S. pubcaster and its member affiliates rely heavily on British imports for programming. The American web comes into a market dominated by the BBC, and commercials webs that must also deliver public service programming. Negotiations for carriage on cabler Virgin Media are expected to be concluded soon."U.K. audiences already enjoy the best of American drama and comedy," explains Richard Kingsbury, the Brit who is general manager of PBS U.K. "PBS will bring the best of American history, science, music, current affairs, arts and culture. It is the last great TV archive to be opened up to U.K. viewers."Kingsbury, who comes from a marketing background, is an experienced hand at getting new channels off the ground.During an eight-year stint at UKTV, then owned jointly by the BBC and Virgin Media, he launched pay channels specializing in history, food and drama.He and his three full-time colleagues at PBS U.K. -- the rest of the team is employed as freelancers -- will likely find their work cut out for them in attempting to establish PBS in such a crowded and competitive market.BBC4 and More4 already provide a hefty chuck of the kind of thinking person's TV that PBS specializes in. Moreover, the U.K. enjoys a global reputation for production of high-end documentaries.Part of the idea behind the British PBS channel is that since Brits have been addicted for decades to imported shows -- from "Dallas" to "Desperate Housewives" -- they will come to love such fare as PBS science strand "Nova" or public affairs show "Frontline." Yet paradoxically, while PBS in the U.S. is a not-for-profit organization famous for its pledge drives, the U.K. upstart is avowedly commercial; unlike the U.S. channel, commercial breaks will be broadcast during the shows.PBS PR and marketing head Rebecca Edwards says that the advertising won't change the content of the shows. "We have to stay true to the brand, its heritage and the quality that is associated with that," she says.Ad sales are being handled by Channel 4, which has provided a U.K. showcase for PBS' best-known show, "Sesame Street." But as uncertainty mounts regarding the strength of the TV advertising market in what is a fragile economy, Kingsbury isn't worried about the business model."We've worked on channels of this sort of size before, so we know how to get value for money and how to max out the revenues and keep costs under control," he says. "The idea is to attract upscale, viewers (who generally don't watch a great deal of TV) and extract a premium for that."The U.K. PBS is run as a joint venture between Canadian venture philanthropist David Lyons, who made his fortune in gas and oil, and PBS Distribution, the company set up in 2007 by WGBH, the Boston PBS member and the network's chief producer of programming, and PBS.The scale of the investment is undisclosed, but since Lyons owns international rights to most of PBS' catalog, that key cost can be stricken from the P&L statement. In success, it aims to funnel some of its profit back to the U.S. pubcaster and its 360 affiliates.The launch lineup looks strong and may, eventually, give the BBC and Channel 4 a run for their money.Weekday evenings revolve around "Nova," kicking off at 7:50 p.m., "Frontline," at 9 p.m., followed by history strand "American Experience" at 10:05 p.m. "PBS Newshour" airs at 11:15 p.m. Programs have not been cut in order to fit the slots.PBS topper Paula Kerger has said she wants the Brits to share "another perspective on the United States separate from Hollywood," and in that context "Newshour" could prove especially valuable, offering an alternative to CNN and Fox News.Ken Burns' latest docu, the five-part "Prohibition," will bow on launch night, airing at 10:05.Daytime, meanwhile, is skewed toward lifestyle fare, led by the U.S. version of Brit stalwart "Antiques Roadshow."PBS aims to deliver what commercial competitors Discovery and History -- now successful in the unscripted space -- have been moving away from: straightforward factual shows dealing with science, nature, history and arts.Still, PBS is facing a tough market already populated by dozens of other channels already aimed at viewers who prefer docs to drama. "We will cherrypick," says Kingsbury. "There is a filter there that says, 'Will this be of interest to U.K. audiences?'" Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Liam McIntyre Talks Walking In To The Role Of Spartacus

First Released: October 27, 2011 4:17 PM EDT Credit: Starz Entertainment La, Calif. -- Caption Liam McIntyre in Spartacus: Vengeance Thats a wrap! Filming has become complete around the next season of Starzs Spartacus franchise, and Liam McIntyre stated the cast and crew from the 10-episode series, which returns in The month of january, desired to do right by original series star, the late Andy Whitfield. I believe everybody really was excited to complete the show and check out and do him proud and extremely enter there and making the show, Liam told AccessHollywood.coms Laura Saltman of the items things were really like on day one he hit the brand new Zealand Spartacus: Vengeance set captured. It had been a large year within the Spartacus franchise world. In The month of january, Starz started airing the prequel small-series Spartacus: Gods from the Arena, starring Dustin Clare, after which with Andys blessing moved on with Season 2 from the Spartacus-as-the-star drama, getting in Liam because the new freeman-switched-gladiator-switched-soldier. Sadly, though, the cast and crew from the show were shipped a blow in September, when, during production on Spartacus: Vengeance, this news broke that Andy, who was simply struggling with non-Hodkins lymphoma, had died. Thats most likely the saddest things Ive ever observed in my whole existence, Liam stated from the moment a producer on the program told the ensemble. But, the emotional moment offered to inspire individuals active in the series that also stars Lucy Lawless and Manu Bennett to operate harder. It had been awesome to determine everybody pull together and say, this provides us grounds to complete a level better show because well provide him when we are able to, Liam stated. Actually, lengthy before he even began filming, Liam (who had been a large fan from the show before he was cast) was investing in an expert athlete-style effort in becoming the B.C. guy who brought an uprising from the Romans. Used to do this other job and virtually the next day of, they stated, Come lower to Nz, you may be the man thatll play Spartacus within the next season. I kind of chuckled and went OK, Ive seen that demonstrate, I like that demonstrate and that i dont look anything like Spartacus, he stated, a mention of the his former skinny physique for any role within the film, Frozen Moments. But, you realize, four several weeks of hard training later and apparently they believed that would exercise. As well as on the set, Liam started the brawn, participating in fight moments and sword fighting, departing him with pains and aches most times of shooting the experience-packed series. I certainly beat my body system into submission Its just like a tenderizing factor. Its good --this means theres awesome things within the show, the industry positive thing, he noted. Spartacus: Vengeance premieres on Starz in The month of january. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Sylvester Stallone punished inside the Expendables

Film author Marcus Webb has filed suit against Sylvester Stallone in Manhattan Federal Court.He's suing the Hollywood hardman for breach of copyright, stating that 2010 film The Expendables is "from time to time identical" to his work The Cordoba Caper, they tried to market in Hollywood between 2006 and 2009.If effective, Webb might be entitled to significant damages.The suit also demands a order in the court barring further breach, that may customize the relieve The Expendables 2, presently on diary for an August 2012 release.The Expendables 2 will once again feature a thrilling-star cast of action heroes, using the type of Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme employed for your follow-up.Reps of Stallone have by yet been unavailable for comment.

WGA East Protests Outdoors ITV Galleries

EXCLUSIVE: After her year-lengthy daytime stint on CBS’ The Talk, Leah Remini is coming back to primetime having a talent development deal at ABC and ABC Galleries. The pact, which requires the network and also the studio to build up a comedy work for Remini to star in and convey, comes from a conference the actress lately had with ABC Entertainment Group leader Paul Lee. Together with Carol Robinson Peete, Remini designed a surprising exit in the Talk recently after CBS elected not to get their options, resulting in an outpouring of support from fans, together with a campaign to find the two back around the daytime talk show. (Robinson Peete also lately reserved her first publish-Talk gig, an arc on CBS’ Mike & Molly). Remini, most widely known on her starring role around the lengthy-running CBS sitcom The King Of Queens, continues to be sought after for comedy series having a string of talent deals at any given time when such deals happen to be few in number. This past year, she'd a development/talent holding cope with CBS and CBS Galleries. Before that, Remini, repped by UTA and attorney Jon Moonves, spent a few years at ABC, where she also were built with a talent deal and starred in 2 comedy projects. UPDATE: For those individuals individuals who requested, yes, Jon Moonves relates to CBS topper Leslie Moonves. They're siblings.

Eliminate: Archie Cookson

A Real Estate Agent Pictures production. (Worldwide sales: Seven & Seven, London.) Created by Ioanna Karavella. Executive producer, David Bunker. Directed, compiled by Take advantage of Holder.With: Paul Rhys, Claire Skinner, Paul Ritter, Georgia King, Ewan Stewart, Nicholas Day, Phillip Manikum, Richard Cambridge, Freddy Downham, Juan Herrera, Gabriel Vick, Marc Danbury.An ambitious Brit indie that does not quite satisfy the anticipation it boosts, "Eliminate: Archie Cookson" begins like a droll sad-sack spin on spy spoofery, but through the finish has moved from comedy toward a dramatic heft its spindly legs can't support. That can be a awkward tonal mix ultimately creates an offbeat curio as opposed to a fully satisfying evening out, d.p.-switched-author-helmer Take advantage of Holder's debut feature remains a directing harbinger of better try to come. Offshore home-format sales look likely. Title figure (Paul Rhys, in the first bigscreen lead since 2002's "Food of affectionInch) is really a failure by any standard, particularly those of his ex-wife, Camilla (Claire Skinner). Once an Intelligence Dept. up-and-comer, he's now slunk sufficiently lower the ladder to keep his position -- nowadays nothing more than office hard work -- exclusively because of pitying, influential in-laws and regulations. While former spouse and horribly precocious boy Hector (Freddy Downham) still occupy tony digs and social status, Archie stays nights consuming in the dreary flat, days sleepwalking through Russian-to-British translation responsibilities. He's literally asleep at work (declined from sight within an audio transcription booth) when assassins with silencers gun lower his co-employees over some missing old Cold War audiotapes that may compromise the integrity of government, in addition to two seniors gentlemen spymasters (Philip Manikum, Nicholas Day). The 2 coolly choose that Archie -- who presently has the incriminating reels in the possession -- must die too, dispatching veteran Ennis (Paul Burns) to complete the deed. Consider Ennis and Archie were co-workers in better days, Ennis gives him 24 hrs to come back the products and hopefully save their own existence. Naturally, everything doesn't go as planned, though once "Eliminate" becomes a comparatively straightforward espionage film, its financial and imaginative restrictions be apparent. What begins out like a dry sendup of "The Spy Who Arrived In the Cold"-type mellers develops continuously less comedy, and with no emotional weight or clever, suspenseful twists required to in the narrative ante. Particularly, the film takes too seriously the protag's associations with Camilla and new squeeze Lucy (Georgia King), a rather ditzy bombshell of suspect loyalties. The finale flirts with tragedy, however the lightweight pic can't handle it. You will find enough appealing elements here to create one want a remake that properly balances the seriocomedy, ideally hewing more toward the ironic, satirical tenor David Hamill's score (breezily nodding to '60s genre photos) keeps throughout. Holder demonstrates a sure hands together with his accomplished cast, a pleasant sense of deadpan scene pacing, as well as an ease using the bricks-and-mortar facets of creating a modest enterprise seem like a more expensive one. Rhys is definitely watchable, however the show is fairly well stolen by Burns, whose American-highlighted friendly foe improves fair-to-good material having a very funny mixture of deep-dyed cynicism and unpredicted hominess.Camera (color, HD), Stein Stie editor, Valentina Riva music, David Hamill production designer, Nicola Dietmann art director, Tanya Burns costume designer, Amanda Hambleton seem, Daniel Chu Owen seem designers, Mark Kenna, Alex Hudd visual effects supervisor, James Cost assistant director, Simon Haveland casting, Camilla Evans. Examined on DVD, Bay Area, March. 4, 2011. (In Mill Valley Film Festival -- World Cinema Montreal World Film Festival.) Running time: 87 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Sibling Writers Tim & Michael Hobert Sell Sibling Comedy To NBC

This is a case of art imitating life times two — NBC has bought a single-camera comedy written by brothers Tim and Micheal Hobert based on their experience working together. The single-camera comedy, produced by Warner Bros. TV, centers on Mike, a twentysomething man who lands a dream job as the assistant to a commercial director, his older brother Tim, only to learn that his job is mostly about keeping his brother’s hectic home life running smoothly. The project stems from a script deal Tim Hobert had with Warner Bros. TV where he works as a co-executive producer on the studio’s ABC comedy The Middle. It is inspired by real-life events. Years ago, comedy writer-producer Tim Hobert had a development deal with NBC that provided a little money for him to hire an assistant. His baby brother Mike, who is 12 years his junior, had recently graduated from USC and was interested in a career as a writer, so Tim tapped him as his assistant. But the job quickly turned to Mike doing chores and babysitting his brother’s 4 small kids. “I wanted to get into writing but I was being used as the guy who cleaned his house, served as a nanny to his kids and made sure his life was running smoothly,” Mike Hobert recalled. Added Tim Hobert, “I basically bait-and-switched him. I duped him into becoming another me.” Tim and Mike Hobert, the middle and the youngest of 5 brothers, are writing and executive producing the project. This actually is the fifth time the two have worked together. Tim also hired Mike as a production assistant when he served as executive producer/showrunner on the Fox comedy series ‘Til Death. Additionally, Mike had recurring roles on two series where ICM-repped Tim worked as a writer-producer, Scrubs and Spin City. Mike Hobert’s experience, which he describes as a lot of “random stuff”, also includes producing a documentary on malaria for the UN and recently producing his friend, Parenthood‘s Sam Jaeger’s, indie Take Me Home, which is doing the rounds at the festival circuit.

'Glee': Chord Overstreet in Foretells Return

Chord Overstreet might be coming back to Fox's "Glee.""The Hollywood Reporter" has confirmed the actor who performed Mike around the musical dramedy from Ryan Murphy and Kaira Falchuk is within foretells reprise his role inside a recurring capacity, as first reported by "TV Line."The actor separated ways using the series last season having seen co-stars Darren Criss (Blaine) and Harry Shum Junior. (Mike) marketed to series regulars.The actor guest starred on ABC's "The CenterInch this year.In accordance to "TV Line," Overstreet could return inside a recurring capacity in Episode 8 from the series' third season.Overstreet's Mike was last seen romancing Mercedes (Amber Riley) within the series' Season 2 finale. What this signifies for Mercedes' new love interest, Marcus (LaMarcus Mess) is unclear."Unlike other 'Glee' associations, they might stay together completely towards the finish of the season,Inch Riley told THR lately. "I believe what you are likely to see is exactly what an optimistic relationship appears like with individuals two." The Hollywood Reporter

'Lazhar' preem, party start Abu Dhabi Fest

ABU DHABI -- The fifth Abu Dhabi Film Festival bowed Thursday with "Monsieur Lazhar," Canada's entry for foreign-language Oscar consideration. While you will discover some changes for the event -- the emirate's Circle Conference confab, which frequently draws a slew of worldwide industryites, remains nixed -- that didn't stop the fest from beginning immediately. "Lazhar," starring Mohamed Fellag, Emilien Neron and Sophie Nelisse, was examined inside a new outdoors venue powering the Fairmont Hotel, marking the first time the opening-evening film has unspooled outdoors. No matter the Gulf warmth, the large event came a substantial crowd and auds later made the short walk for the trendy after-party within the hotel. "I used to be nervous to look for the way the crowd would sit from it being outdoors," mentioned Abu Dhabi Film Fest professional director Peter Scarlet. "But everyone made an appearance to relish it." "Monsieur Lazhar," directed by Philippe Falardeau, follows an Algerian immigrant in Montreal hired just like a alternative teacher. A notable change as of this year's opening might be the heavy presence of Arab and Gulf industryites as well as the slightly reduced volume of bizzers off their corners in the globe -- a manifestation, possibly, in the fest's intention to put more focus on developing a regional film infrastructure. A slew of Arab thesps attended the after-party, including Egyptian actor Mahmoud Abdel Aziz, Egyptian actress-singer Bushra and Syrian thesp Faris Alhilo. Egyptian thesp Laila Elouis, Iranian thesp Fatemeh Simin Motamed-Ayra and French actress Marianne Denicourt -- all jury people -- also mingled. This Years fest includes world preems of Mike Neave's "Almost for one another,Inch Amr Salama's "Asma'a," Michael Brandt's "The Double," Safinez Bousbia's "El Gusto" and Nawaf Al-Janahi's "Sea Shadow," the initial Abu Dhabi production within the emirate's $1 billion production arm Image Nation. Fest shuts March. 22. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

Leonardo DiCaprio to see Alan Turing

Mathematical genius, enigma codebreaker, architect in the modern computer and many types of-round British legend Alan Turing looks set to find the Hollywood biopic treatment, with Leonardo DiCaprio installed on Warner Brothers' acquisition of Graham Moore's script The Imitation Game.Ron Howard is mooted to direct Game, which will cover the occasions from the incredible existence which wasfilled with great excitement and deep tragedy.Despite being one of the key figures inside the defeat in the Nazis, Turing was criminally punished for his homosexuality, expected to undergo chemical castration and lastly committed suicide by consuming a cyanide-laced apple.Which might clearly lead to an incredibly dark third-act, by getting an insider explaining the script to become "The King's Speech without any huge advantageous ending."Which seems being something from the understatement. But Turing's story could really have a very fairly advantageous ending, following Gordon Brown's official apology this past year for Turing's treatment through the war.That apology is below - reveal you do not need to hear it read out inside the credits."thousands of people have meet up to demand justice for Alan Turing and recognition in the appalling way he was treated. While Turing was labored with beneath the law of occasions which we can not put the clock back, his treatment was clearly absolutely unfair and i am pleased to offer the chance to express how deeply sorry I which we each is that happened to him...""So regarding the British government, and many types of people who live freely due to Alan's work I am very proud to convey: we're sorry, you deserved better.Inch

The Fantastic Tarantino/McQueen Slave-Movie Duel, and 5 Other Tales You'll Be Talking About Today

Happy Wednesday! Also in today’s edition in the Broadsheet: Another possible Leonardo DiCaprio project surfaces… Aaron Sorkin declined Jobs’s invitation to produce a Pixar film… Hilary Duff desires to function as next Stephenie Meyer… Occupy Wall Street’s celebrity dynamic will receive a closer inspection… plus much more. · Two good turns deserve another for filmmaker Steve McQueen and also the muse Michael Fassbender (pictured at right), who'll follow their triumphant tandem Hunger which fall’s Shame while using drama 12 Years a Slave. Chiwetel Ejiofor is coming initially from along for your true story of Solomon Northup, a NYer who was simply kidnapped and located in captivity in Louisiana inside the mid-1800s. Sounds good, but… [Variety] · …Quentin Tarantino will dsicover McQueen’s Fassbender and lift him a Don Manley. Or something like that like this: After apparently several days of arm twisting, QT has essentially set Manley with an undisclosed role within the own slave saga Django Unchianed. Two auteurist slave films in one year! A lot better than Snow White-colored, I guess. Whose will reign? [Variety] · Leonardo DiCaprio remains connected with another project noisy . development: The Imitation Game, a biopic about Alan Turing, the, um, “English math wizzard, logician, cryptanalyst, computer investigator, criminally punished homosexual, and tortured soul who committed suicide by consuming a cyanide-laced apple.” Warner Bros. paid out seven figures for Graham Moore’s spec script Ron Howard’s title has apparently achieve direct. [Deadline] · I’m somewhat late with this, but nevertheless: Jobs. Wanted Aaron Sorkin. To produce a Pixar movie. I'm speaking about! Sorkin switched the late visionary lower, alas, explaining, “The the truth is I don’t learn how to tell people tales. I have got a young kid who loves Pixar movies and he or she’ll turn cartwheels essentially remind her I’m writing one which i don’t desire to dissatisfy her by writing really the only bad movie inside the good status for Pixar.” Nuts. [The Daily Animal] · I'd not a clue Hilary Duff can be a novelist now. A Couple-time novelist, surprisingly, absolutely attempting to have her supernatural youthful-adult potboiler pair Elixir and Devoted changed into movies. Just throwing that available the greater understanding you've, etc. [MTV via THR] · “Do protestors feel celebrity support helps or doing harm to their cause?” Good question for your demonstrators at Occupy Wall Street. Seriously! Good question. [EW] · Whoops! An autopsy-room picture of Michael Jackson’s nude, dead body — along with his sex organs blacked (ahem) out — was briefly proven on tv Tuesday throughout Conrad Black’s wrongful dying trial. That's all. [People] [Photo: Getty Images]

CNBC hawks more 'Squawk'

Melissa Lee, co-anchor, "Squawk all the timeInch CNBC has canceled "The Telephone CallInch and "Strategy Session" and extended "Squawk all the timeInch to three several hours, with Carl Quintanilla hosting the completely new 11 ayem hour, which will focus on global marketplace changes, specially the European bourses."Carl will in all probability be grew to become an associate of by others in the 'Squawk round the Street' team, for instance Simon Hobbs," mentioned CNBC honcho Nik Deogun. "Furthermore, Gary Kaminsky and Ron Santelli might have recurring roles round the program."While using development of "Squawk," the finance net's 11 o'clock show "The Telephone CallInch is not anymore series was moored by Melissa Francis and Ray Kudlow.The web may also be getting rid of its halfhour 12 p.m. show "Strategy Session," growing its 12:30 show "Quick Money Halftime Report" in to the slot, which causes it to be an entire hourlong."Host Scott Wapner together with an in-depth bench of seasoned traders will break lower analyst calls, market-moving corporate news, options action and technical analysis," mentioned Deogun. Contact Mike Thielman at mike.thielman@variety.com

Berlin Film Festival Sets Up $20,000 Prize for Young German Directors

COLOGNE, Germany The Berlin Film Festival has launched a new prize to support young German directors, which will provide 15,000 ($20,000) towards the development of a new project by an up-and-coming director.Any of the directors whose films screened in the festival's young German cinema sidebar, Perspektive Deutsches Kino, are eligible to apply for award, called the Made in Germany Perspektive Fellowship.A three-member jury made up of director Thomas Arslan, actress Anna Bruggemann and producer Gian-Piero Ringel will pick the winner from project submissions. The inaugural prize will be presented at a ceremony at next year's Berlin Film Festival.The fellowship is backed by German watchmaker Glashutte Original. The Hollywood Reporter

Lifetime Apparently Developing Rhianna Biopic

Rhianna Rhianna has divulged plenty about her existence, but we'll view it in film. Lifetime is developing a biopic chronicling the artist's existence titled Fame Monster: The Lady Gaga Story, in line with the Hollywood Reporter.Have a look at television's most fit starsLifetime, however, is keeping a texas hold'em face. "We don't discuss things in development, so were not departing comments in regards to the Rhianna project at this time around around," Ces Eisner, Lifetime's v . p . of publicity, mentioned.This isn't really the only factor the Grammy -winning recording artist has inside the pipeline: in August, it absolutely was reported that Gaga might be starring as herself inside an episode in the Simpsons, set to air in 2012.

'Bourne Legacy' Star 'Sure' More Sequels in the Works

Director Tony Gilroy wasn't taking any chances with set secrets escaping from "The Bourne Legacy," the fourth film in the franchise. (But the first to star Jeremy Renner instead of Matt Damon.)"I had to hand back the pages every day. I was never in possession of a script. I got to read it once," Corey Stoll -- who plays an "amoral scientist" in the action flick -- told "The Hollywood Reporter" Friday at the NY Film Festival premiere of "Carnage.""It was like nuclear codes. At the time it seemed a little silly, but you see what happens online when one little bit of information, whether it's true or not" added Stoll, who played Detective Tomas 'TJ' Jaruszalski on the short-lived "Law & Order: L.A."Stoll read the script once. "The meter on my car was running out, so I was quickly flipping through the pages and I was really excited.""It takes the story as we know it and makes it more ambitious on a larger scale," he says. "It's ridiculously action packed."Stoll admits he had his doubts about the film living up to the first three takes, but they were quickly eased: "When I heard they were doing a fourth one, I didn't understand what they could do [and thought they'd be] just doing retread. But [Gilroy's] opened up the story in this way that's just you could really mine this material for a bunch of movies, and I'm sure they'd love to. And I'd love to be a part of it!"Is there discussion already in place? "I'm sure there is," he says.The film was shot throughout "seven or eight" countries, Stoll says.He also speaks highly of Renner, calling him, "such a great choice as the new lead." Damon wasn't on the set.Stoll also recently played Ernest Hemingway in Sony Pictures Classics' "Midnight in Paris.""It was a dream job from the very first meeting," he says.Woody Allen even wrote him a letter of recommendation to land his "Law & Order" role."[Producer] Dick Wolf didn't think I could be tough enough, so then I contacted Woody's assistant and producer to ask for some sort of letter or email from Woody, a sort of letter of recommendation," Stoll tells THR. "At first, my manager and I went back and forth with drafts of emails trying to write a letter of recommendation so he could sign off on it. But it was just ridiculous! We're trying to write in the voice of Allen, so we thought, 'Why don't we just ask him to do it?' And he was so amazing! He wrote me a litter of recommendation and I got the role."To thank him, Stoll "sent him a gift bag from H&H" he says, referring to the famed NY City bagel shop, while Allen was still filming in Paris. The Hollywood Reporter

Watch X-Men: First Class Online

Rose McGowan to Star in Romantic Thriller 'Napa'

Rose McGowan will headline the romantic thriller Napa, playing a woman who after three tours of duty in Afghanistan returns to her hometown, where she is given the job of sheriff.our editor recommendsRose McGowan on Law & Order: SVU (Video) STORY: Rose McGowan Horror Movie 'Rosewood Lane' to Premiere at Screamfest Writer-producer Michael Kerr is making his feature directorial debut with the project, which is filming in Napa Valley, Calif. Kerr wrote the script with Hans Ostrom, based on Ostrom's novel Three to Get Ready, and he is producing with Nellie Nugiel through his Michael Kerr Company. Film Bridge International's Ellen Wander is serving as executive producer, with Film Bridge handling worldwide sales. STORY: Rose McGowan's $5 Million 'Conan the Barbarian' Demand McGowan, repped by Gersh, most recently appeared in Conan the Barbarian. Related Topics Rose McGowan Movie Casting

Pam Grier on Jackie Brown, Quentin Tarantino, and Her Reign as the Queen of '70s Action Cinema

Grindhouse icon Pam Grier blazed a trail through the blaxploitation era, was dubbed “the baddest One-Chick Hit-Squad that ever hit town” (a title that remains uncontested four decades later, one might argue), and commanded the screen with a combination of ferocity, empathy, and a look so striking Roger Ebert once described her as an “actress of beautiful face and astonishing form.” Years later, in 1997, Quentin Tarantino paid homage to the work and the woman in Jackie Brown, adapted from Elmore Leonard’s Rum Punch, one of the filmmaker’s best and most underrated films and the spark that jump-started a career revival for its stars. Grier earned a Golden Globes nomination for her turn as Jackie Brown, a flight attendant who turns the tables on a local gun-runner (Samuel L. Jackson) and the feds with the help of a sympathetic bail bondsman (Robert Forster, who was Oscar-nominated for the role). In honor of the film’s Blu-ray debut this week, Movieline spoke with Grier about the legacy of Jackie Brown, Tarantino’s appreciation of a certain kind of woman, her legendary career as the queen of exploitation cinema, and her upcoming turn in rapper-turned-director RZA’s martial arts film The Man with the Iron Fists. How do you feel about Jackie Brown and its impact on your own career when you look back on it now? Pam Grier: Well, the fact that the film had legs because of the wonderful talent of Quentin Tarantino and his ensemble and the film that he invested two years of his life to write for me — and for me, I wrote a journal of how wonderful it was to work on the film. My experience was very emotional; I wouldn’t reveal it to other people. It’s very sentimental, on and off camera. Moments, Quentin’s direction, and how he worked with me and other actors, his belief in me… but I really believe that if I hadn’t done theater and that process of rehearsal, because when you’re on stage people are eating sandwiches, sneezing, there are noises and you can’t lose that focus. So that prepared me to work at his level of intensity. Jackie Brown meant a lot. I would always say, ‘If I never work again, I have been to the mountaintop.’ This was an extraordinary experience with someone who loves films. And he loves your films in particular, as well. Do you remember the first time you met Quentin? Grier: Yes, it was frightening! I thought he was a stalker. It was for Pulp Fiction, I’m going in and all my posters are on his wall. I said, ‘Did you put this up for me?’ He said, ‘No, but I would have.’ I realized he was a real, true filmmaker. And the nuances of the films that we made, not only with Roger Corman but with AIP [American International Pictures] in the ’70s, the women’s movement and sexual revolution, political liberation movement, he knew what they meant and what they meant to me. He embraced it, and it wasn’t something where he felt challenged, or intimidated. A lot of conservative men were upset that I had taken their roles, or they were objecting to me being so progressive and thought I should be in the kitchen barefoot and pregnant. That was a conservative movement toward the films, where the ‘blaxploitation’ term was made up to divide and ‘let’s dismantle this women’s [movement].’ But they forgot that pioneer women such as my mother and my aunt, who were in Wyoming huntin’ and shootin’ and fishin’ and riding horses and doing things to survive, but not emasculating men or taking away their jobs. Just being the best women that they could be. That frightened a lot of men. But Quentin’s generation, the younger generation, were saying ‘Yeah, that’s what our single moms have to do! They have to do that.’ So there was a different mindset. I could see that he was open — a-ga-pe — to not only my work, but other work of women. He really likes what women do, and you can really see that in his films after Jackie Brown but he really embraced that character. Quentin is known for his fondness for grindhouse cinema, including the films you become known for which were termed “exploitation” movies. How do you view that label? Grier: Well, what is it? Look at martial arts. I saw martial arts films with my ex, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, he was studying with Bruce Lee and we used to go see martial arts films. And later, The Bride with White Hair and Seven Samurai. Those are exploitation films — the first two seconds, decapitations, stabbing, children being burnt! But that’s action film. Is it exploitation or action? So it evolved into action, because a lot of films are very exploitative today. When you look at how the female action star has evolved from your time to now, it seems that the sexualized component that largely made it exploitative is no longer on the table anymore. Why do you think that is? Just a product of the time in which these films were made? Grier: I don’t know, you’ll have to ask men and ask other women. But I think it’s been played out because I established it in the ’70s. Forty years later now women are just coming into a story and it’s not about sex, it’s about survival and being stealth and powerful. Then, we could play at sexuality just to show them we could play at this, it’s really silly and it’s not that important. But we had to play that out then. A lot of films then would not work today, because it’s already been established — the sexual mores, how people have relationships and open marriages, it’s so different today. It’s just a different social and cultural difference, sexual difference. It’s completely different today. People couldn’t even say certain words. You would never hear the word ‘vagina’ then, even though it’s exploitation, it’s hard core, it’s this and that. Today, you’re gonna hear everything. So it’s different, but I’m glad I was a part of that. It was tongue in cheek, we were making fun of men making fun of us and saying, back atcha! “Fearless” and “confident” are adjectives that have been applied to you and your film roles over the years, qualities that really shine through onscreen. What would you attribute that to? Grier: It comes from my personal life. It comes from me experiencing very tragic circumstances when I was six and again at 19, and again at 21, where I finally felt I had to survive, I had to live through these circumstances. That gave me confidence. I fight a little harder, I challenge people… there are things that happened to me personally that I bring to the screen. But also, I wanted to show other women that they, too, won’t lose their femininity or castrate their men by being assertive. It’s okay to be confident… if you’re right. But it’s subjective, like art. Because of what’s happened to me personally in my life, I bring that to the screen. Handling guns, if you will, the action, there’s not really any hesitation. Just make sure I’m not on fire at the end of the stunt! But there weren’t stunt women for me, or at least black stunt women. Only when I did Coffy was that invented. I was a scuba diver, I water skied, and in Sheba, Baby when they had the jet ski, the personal watercraft, Kawasaki wanted to show that — the first time it was in a movie — with me in Sheba, Baby. I got on that thing and I didn’t even get wet. I came back dry. They said, ‘Oh, this is going to be fun.’ But they had the confidence, this major brand, to show this in my film. So I felt I was doing something right, for other women. You know, you don’t have to be pregnant to have fun, just get out of the house! Speaking of fun, part of your legend has it that you once punched a journalist in the junk during an interview. True or false? Grier: Well actually, he wrote that but he exaggerated. I did not. Because if I had really punched him, he wouldn’t be walking. He wouldn’t be able to finish the article. So he basically made it seem like I was kind of tough, but I didn’t really. I wanted a correction but he says, ‘No, I want you to look strong!’ I said, ‘I can do that without this.’ But I really didn’t punch him in the family jewels. I think he would have sued me if I had! There’s one thing I learned in martial arts, we would never joke around with our form, with our art. We’re always very respectful. So I would never hurt someone or punch someone outside of a dojo. I’m curious to hear about your very first screen credit, which was in Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. Grier: It’s Beyond the Valley of the Dolls! I went to the set to visit a friend; I was a starving student working six jobs, and I just kind of went with him and the next thing I know they say, ‘Hey, we need more extras!’ They said, ‘We’ll put you in a dress, and you’ll say something.’ That was my first credit. It was Russ Meyer and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, and I wasn’t even union. I was like, ‘Well, okay.’ I had no intention of being an actor. Really? What convinced you to become one? Grier: I still haven’t been convinced. [Pauses] Just kidding! At the time I wanted to be a camera person. I didn’t feel like I was attractive enough, with the glamour you see on television and the images that were portrayed. And I was a revolutionary, I was into the Black Panthers, being independent, feeding your own, give them a pole they’ll learn how to feed themselves, and all of that. The womanly stuff was foreign to me. I came to Hollywood in a flannel shirt, Timberland boots, and Levis, with a big ‘fro in my family’s hunting jeep with no roof, no doors, no windows. They’d see me hiking up Sunset Plaza Boulevard, it’s a long winding road, because I was used to hiking in Colorado. They said, ‘No one in Los Angeles hikes! What are you, nuts?’ No, it’s just what I do. So I brought all of those differences, a different type of woman. They could dress me up, I clean up well. But that was my first credit. And I didn’t know what I was saying. I didn’t know anything of what to do. Are you glad you did it? Grier: Um… It was tuition money! Anything for school. I was saving every dime. What was your recent work with RZA like? Grier: Yes! The Man with the Iron Fists, I play his mother. We shot it in Shanghai. He’s going to be an extraordinary director as well. He’s excellent. And of course I loved Wu-Tang Clan, I loved his art form there, but this is a film where I play his film in the mid-1800s. It was a great experience.

Image Nation Separates Hollywood Division

Image Nation has separated its U.S. business in the local filmmaking activity. Michael Garin, who was simply hired new Boss in February, it's still overall mind of Image Nation, while running overseas business Image Nation Worldwide. Its American partners include Participant Media, Hyde Park Entertainment, Parkes/Macdonald and Warner Bros. Former UAE ambassador Mohammed Al Otaiba remains hired mind of lately-produced Image Nation Abu Dhabi, which has produced two local movies up to now: Sea Shadow and Djinn, directed by Tobe Hooper. Garin described recently he's remained restructuring deals initially signed by his predecessor Erection dysfunction Borgerding, trying to provide Image Nation really a say over what's going to get eco-friendly-lit. He's up-to-date Image Nations deal with National Geographic Films particularly. Before I turned up, the procedure was much more passive, he described. The partners have changed substantially. Before I turned up Participant and National Geographic were structured with techniques that gave us minimum remedies for projects. People aren't structures I'd have became a member of into on that basis. Garin mentioned any time hundreds of vast amounts invested, Image Nations worldwide exposure can be quite low. Through its Participant tie-up, Image Nation has co-produced two movies presently in strong spots within the U.S. box office: The Help, which spent 25 days at # 1, and Contagion, which has made nearly $68 million within monthly at movie theaters. Which will help ease the discomfort of movies that Garin confesses the Abu Dhabi fund needed a baby shower on, including Peter Weirs The Means By Which Back and Robert Rodriguezs Shorts.