Roger that
I was tongue-tied tonight. I went to one popular local eatery for dinner and across from my table was Roger Corman… I went over and said hello. Nicest - sweetest mensch.
Supportive
“I think the roles go to Brad first. Which is fine. Ask anybody on the street which actors starred in the Ocean’s movies, and they’ll tell you it was George and Brad. I’m ‘support’ in Ocean’s . As I was in Saving Private Ryan — Tom Hanks carried that movie.” — Matt Damon, Sunday Times
Leave it alone!
Warner Bros is thought to be considering a remake The Wizard of Oz.
According to Scifi Wire, there are two treatments being discussed.
The first is called Oz and is being housed at New Line Cinemas and produced by Temple Hill, one of the companies behind Twilight.
The script is being written by Darren Lemke who helped write Shrek Forever After.
The second skews in a darker direction and is being managed directly by Warner Bros. The script was written by Josh Olson who wrote David Cronenberg’s A History of Violence and features Dorothy’s granddaughter returning to fight evil.
The Titanic is sinking…
Evan Rachel Wood has dropped out of the Broadway tuner “Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark,” which the rumor mill says is gearing up to begin its much-delayed preview period in late summer ahead of an official opening sometime around Halloween.
Producers of “Spider-Man,” in which Wood would have played Mary Jane opposite Reeve Carney as Peter Parker and Alan Cumming as the Green Goblin, would not confirm new dates for the production, but did acknowledge that Wood has exited.
Sad News
Corey Haim, the ’80s actor who was once fondly known as “the other Corey,” has died of an apparent drug overdose at 38. He was found Wednesday morning at his home in Oakwood, Calif; his mother was present when first responders arrived. Haim was pronounced dead at 2:15AM at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank.
The former teen idol was known for his roles in 1980s classics ‘The Lost Boys,’ ‘Lucas’ and ‘License to Drive,’ and for his recent reality TV comeback, ‘The Two Coreys,’ in which he starred with Corey Feldman.
What’s next?
Kathryn Bigelow’s choices have been always unpredictable. Her next move? She will be directing the pilot for the HBO series “The Miraculous Year,” a family drama centered on a larger-than-life Broadway composer.
AT home
Several people have emailed me to ask how I spent the Oscars. Quietly at home. No parties. No guests. Wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Mo’Nique and Hattie McDaniel
Mo’Nique mentioned Hattie McDaniel who was the first African American actress to win an Oscar 70 years ago for GONE WITH THE WIND. Last week, Mo’Nique optioned McDaniel’s life story. Mo’Nique was similarly dressed to the way McDaniel dressed for the Academy Awards in 1940.
Another bit of history
Geoffrey Fletcher who won for his Adapted Screenplay for PRECIOUS is the first African American in history to win in that category. A super fellow. He was in our writer’s panel with Jason Reitman, Mark Boal (THE HURT LOCKER) and Pete Docter from UP.
First Timers
All the actors who won awards last night in the acting categories was their first Oscar. Also, Jeff Bridges was the only one who had been nominated before.