Lauren Bittner: A Back Stage Exclusive

"I remember loving movies as a kid and if they would've done a sequel I would've been so disappointed if it didn't live up to my expectations. And I think we did that!" Lauren Bittner admits happily, about her record breaking box office hit "Paranormal Activity 3." Best known for playing Julie in the Paranormal prequel, you might also recognize Lauren from her roles in "Bride Wars" or "The Mighty Macs."Growing up in Long Island Lauren started doing Community Theater, but had no idea that this could be her career. She attended St. John's University and studied English. Sometimes she regrets not having a typical college campus experience. "I wish I had done that, but then again I wouldn't have anything that I have now, and I think it was good, it kind of toughened me up and gave me a metropolitan experience."Lauren's exuberance is contagious and no matter the topic, bad 80's fashion, the NY Mets, her TV obsession or online dating, she's got an opinion and a unique point of view. She's the best girlfriend we all wish we had.Chosen as this week's Actor2Watch, Lauren will be featured in a series of articles, fun facts and social media tweets through this week for subscribers of Girl2Watch.com.While in school Lauren was performing in "Little Shop of Horrors" when a friend helped kick start her professional career as an actor. "Tara became a really amazing friend and was really supportive of my career in a way that I wasn't even. She was a TV and film major and was working and interning in the City at a talent agency. She was like, 'I think you really should get an agent.' I was pretty clueless, it really took people to watch me in a play and say you can do this. I think some people do plays and it's great and they have a great time, but people don't necessarily say you should do this for a living, but people were saying that to me and so I took it seriously. Tara said to meet her in the City one day and I went to meet her at work. I met the people at the talent agency where she worked, who were wonderful and they asked her, 'Is your friend an actor?' She knew what she was doing. At the time I was blond and I looked different and I fit the sort of young soap opera girl thing so they started freelancing with me." How did your experience interning at a Talent Agency help you learn about the business? "I pulled head shots, filed and made copies of scripts. It was like old school back then, you know, people picked up scripts, there was no e-mailing. I was really star struck because I had all these head shots. I would see people on guest spots on "Law and Order." I'd be like I know him; I pull his head shot all the time! It also made me appreciate the work that goes into getting an audition. You have to submit and you have to get the appointment and then when you get it you're lucky." What's your philosophy on auditioning? "You can't focus on the enormity of the situation when you're going in for these things, now that's a big problem of mine just in life, you know, to sort of go through every experience and take it for what it is and appreciate it. Going day by day and not getting overwhelmed by it because that can screw it up, you know. How do you prepare for an audition? Usually I'll glance at the sides to see what I'm looking for when I'm reading the script, just to know I need to know when and why my character is in there at all. Then I read a script and I read it very quickly once, just to get an overall feeling for it then I'll go back. Usually I read them twice. If it's a comedy script I'm looking to see what the tone of it is, the pacing and what the character type is that I'm going to be auditioning for. Do you always go out for the same type? I'm pretty lucky I get seen for a lot of stuff. I think I'm not as specific as I used to be. I used to get seen for the girl next door and now I get seen for mom stuff. I just played a young mom in the movie. I think that I can do the dark folksy girl and I can also do the girl next door, you know, so I've been lucky. Do you ever read a script and just not respond to it? Not often because usually I think that there's probably something great that can come out of it and I probably don't see it yet. Sometimes I have my husband read it and give me another opinion because sometimes wherever you are that day emotionally is how you feel about whatever you just read. So I try to step back and get a little more objective about scripts. I try to give everything a shot for the most part. You just never know, I've done some jobs that have turned out to be the best things that I didn't necessarily think were going to be. Lauren Bittner: A Back Stage Exclusive Actor2Watch presented by Girl2Watch.com December 22, 2011 "I remember loving movies as a kid and if they would've done a sequel I would've been so disappointed if it didn't live up to my expectations. And I think we did that!" Lauren Bittner admits happily, about her record breaking box office hit "Paranormal Activity 3." Best known for playing Julie in the Paranormal prequel, you might also recognize Lauren from her roles in "Bride Wars" or "The Mighty Macs."Growing up in Long Island Lauren started doing Community Theater, but had no idea that this could be her career. She attended St. John's University and studied English. Sometimes she regrets not having a typical college campus experience. "I wish I had done that, but then again I wouldn't have anything that I have now, and I think it was good, it kind of toughened me up and gave me a metropolitan experience."Lauren's exuberance is contagious and no matter the topic, bad 80's fashion, the NY Mets, her TV obsession or online dating, she's got an opinion and a unique point of view. She's the best girlfriend we all wish we had.Chosen as this week's Actor2Watch, Lauren will be featured in a series of articles, fun facts and social media tweets through this week for subscribers of Girl2Watch.com.While in school Lauren was performing in "Little Shop of Horrors" when a friend helped kick start her professional career as an actor. "Tara became a really amazing friend and was really supportive of my career in a way that I wasn't even. She was a TV and film major and was working and interning in the City at a talent agency. She was like, 'I think you really should get an agent.' I was pretty clueless, it really took people to watch me in a play and say you can do this. I think some people do plays and it's great and they have a great time, but people don't necessarily say you should do this for a living, but people were saying that to me and so I took it seriously. Tara said to meet her in the City one day and I went to meet her at work. I met the people at the talent agency where she worked, who were wonderful and they asked her, 'Is your friend an actor?' She knew what she was doing. At the time I was blond and I looked different and I fit the sort of young soap opera girl thing so they started freelancing with me." How did your experience interning at a Talent Agency help you learn about the business? "I pulled head shots, filed and made copies of scripts. It was like old school back then, you know, people picked up scripts, there was no e-mailing. I was really star struck because I had all these head shots. I would see people on guest spots on "Law and Order." I'd be like I know him; I pull his head shot all the time! It also made me appreciate the work that goes into getting an audition. You have to submit and you have to get the appointment and then when you get it you're lucky." What's your philosophy on auditioning? "You can't focus on the enormity of the situation when you're going in for these things, now that's a big problem of mine just in life, you know, to sort of go through every experience and take it for what it is and appreciate it. Going day by day and not getting overwhelmed by it because that can screw it up, you know. How do you prepare for an audition? Usually I'll glance at the sides to see what I'm looking for when I'm reading the script, just to know I need to know when and why my character is in there at all. Then I read a script and I read it very quickly once, just to get an overall feeling for it then I'll go back. Usually I read them twice. If it's a comedy script I'm looking to see what the tone of it is, the pacing and what the character type is that I'm going to be auditioning for. Do you always go out for the same type? I'm pretty lucky I get seen for a lot of stuff. I think I'm not as specific as I used to be. I used to get seen for the girl next door and now I get seen for mom stuff. I just played a young mom in the movie. I think that I can do the dark folksy girl and I can also do the girl next door, you know, so I've been lucky. Do you ever read a script and just not respond to it? Not often because usually I think that there's probably something great that can come out of it and I probably don't see it yet. Sometimes I have my husband read it and give me another opinion because sometimes wherever you are that day emotionally is how you feel about whatever you just read. So I try to step back and get a little more objective about scripts. I try to give everything a shot for the most part. You just never know, I've done some jobs that have turned out to be the best things that I didn't necessarily think were going to be.

00-Who? Difficulties Performs exceptionally well From Bond

NY (AP) The time off work from Mission Impossible continues to be excellent to Difficulties.Within the 3 years because the discharge of "Quantum of Solace," Craig makes his Broadway debut ("A Stable Rain") starred within the The Second World War-era tale of Jewish rebellion, "Defiance" became a member of track of Steven Spielberg again ("The Adventures of Tintin," following their earlier collaboration in "Munich") and starred within the summer time blockbuster "Cowboys & Aliens." Now, he's adding another major franchise to his plate, with David Fincher's remake of "The Lady Using the Dragon Tattoo."At this time, the first worries from the "Blond Bond" appear laughable. Craig has emerged among the greatest British celebrities. In addition to that, he's already handled to prove that maybe a lot more than any previous protector from the tuxedoed spy he will not be pigeonholed through the role. Craig hasn't just developed into Bond, but, possibly, beyond it."It is a very fortunate time for me personally right now," Craig stated inside a recent interview. "So I am just attempting to snap it up with both of your hands.InchAlthough the 43-year-old actor is renowned for fostering of his privacy, Craig, outfitted delicately inside a jean jacket and jeans, results in as relaxed. Self-deprecation is his fallback, and that he frequently chortles sheepishly at their own wit. Though his screen presence is bleak but still, his manner is much more loose and jocular. He meets a reporter within the lobby of the NY hotel for any recent interview, but Craig is not going to this really is his home town now."It had been among individuals choices during my existence where it had been like going, 'I desire to be here.' Fortunately, I have got excellent reasons," he states, most probably alluding to his wife Rachel Weisz and her 4-year-old boy. Craig and Weisz (his co-star in Jim Sheridan's horror flick "Dream House," launched captured) get married independently in June. He's a teenage daughter from an earlier marriage.Though Craig's personal existence is becoming an growing interest to tabloids, he's maintained a diploma of elusiveness. Even just in risible concepts for example "Cowboys and Aliens," he appears in some way over the fray, consistently projecting an aura of professionalism, reliability , intellect.Fincher calls him the "giant planetary body," of "The Lady Using the Dragon Tattoo," around that the other figures (for example Rooney Mara's Lisbeth Salander) orbit. The director is clearly taken by Craig, whom he even compares to Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas agile leading males with calm outside and smoldering eyes."He's clearly got an actual presence and a feeling of menace," states Fincher. "But he's this ability to be shown for that other actor. It is a selflessness. It is a superstar factor. It's understanding how to produce a conduit for that audience."It's what he is able to do in here," Fincher states, gesturing a detailed-up frame.In "The Lady Using the Dragon Tattoo," Craig plays smart journalist Mikael Blomkvist, who teams track of Salander to research a lengthy-dormant missing lady situation that unravels the sordid good reputation for a wealthy Swedish family. It's, obviously, in line with the best-selling books of Stieg Larsson, whose books were formerly modified right into a trio of Swedish-language movies.When the film works how The new sony hopes it'll, it'll generate a minimum of two more films meaning Craig might be concurrently mounted on a couple of large movie series. He's presently another of how through shooting his third Bond film, "Skyfall," directed by Mike Mendes (who formerly directed Craig in "Route to Perdition"). His contract comes with an choice for a 4th Bond film, but in addition to that appears likely. Bond producer Michael G. Wilson lately stated he hopes to sign Craig for an additional five films making him a long running 007.Requested about the possibilities of transporting two franchises, Craig states amusingly, "I am likely to be early. Botox treatment will probably be inside.InchWe will observe how 'Dragon Tattoo' does, but, yes, obviously, I'd like to are available in and do (more)," he states. "This really is something I do believe in and I wish to invest of my effort directly into. I have got to locate time for you to live and that is type of the only real factor that actually matters now."It's no problem. It is good stuff, I believe,Inch he breaks for any beat, then slyly discloses more doubt along with a slight confession. "Speak with me each year. ... I am speaking a great game. I am trying my best."Craig, the boy of the art teacher along with a pub landlord, understood he thought about being an actress by age 6. At 16, he became a member of England's National Youth Theatre and then ongoing into drama school. He began bringing in attention after his performance as Francis Bacon's lover in 1998's "Love May be the Demon: Study for any Portrait of Francis Sausage," an earlier hint of Craig's daring.Hollywood first required notice following a respectable supporting performance alongside Julia Roberts in "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider." He memorably starred in a few Roger Mitchell dramas seen more within the U.K., "Long lasting Love" and "Mom,Inch but younger crowd started a ongoing run in thrillers a popular genre that incorporated "Route to Perdition" and "Layer Cake."It had been surely his smooth fit a steely, purposeful presence having a sinewy (and most from time to time shirtless) frame such films that won him the role of Bond, that they started in 2006's "Casino Royale." The film, probably the most acclaimed within the series, restarted Bond, turning him right into a more realistic, brooding and publish-modern figure.Before undertaking the 007 layer, Craig made his peace with the potential of being pigeonholed."During my mind, I very clearly stated to myself, 'If it will, it will,AInch states Craig. "There is nothing that you can do about this. And there is no shame for the reason that, for Christ's sake."2008's "Quantum of Solace," directed by Marc Forster, was marred through the writers' strike. The film went into production using what Craig calls "another of the script," that they and Forster needed to make an effort to complete. On "Skyfall," more focus was placed on the script to prevent this type of situation. He states he's presently "incredibly happy" about where he's with Bond, willing and able for any new installment that returns some familiar elements.But finding his equilibrium from Bond required some adjustment. Craig appreciates he initially sought out "roles which were diametrically opposed" before learning he ultimately needed to depend on his stomach. "The Lady Using the Dragon Tattoo" European, stylish and lethal might possibly not have qualified underneath the older rubric. But Craig can't refuse to some good, spine-chilling potboiler."I simply thought about being as natural as you possibly can,Inch he states of Blomkvist. "I needed the crowd to simply go, 'OK,' therefore the thriller factor might happen. Without that, we're not at risk. You have to be doing the actual factor each time, after which hopefully the crowd is drawn in because of it. We are attempting to disadvantage them, clearly, but disadvantage them within the best possible way.InchCopyright laws 2011 Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Keck's Exclusives: John Cleese Visits NBC's Whitney

John Cleese Whitney Cummings is seeking mental treatment from John Cleese. The Monty Python alum, whose rare TV looks are actually limited to cases of Will & Sophistication and Third Rock Under the sun, will guest star in the February episode of NBC's Whitney just like a couples counselor. When Whitney and Alex (Chris D'Elia) begin feeling disconnected inside their relationship, Roxanne (Rhea Seahorn) signifies they visit a counselor, Dr. Grant, for a lot of advice. Cleese plays Dr. Grant, who assigns the happy couple some at-home exercises designed to improve communication and closeness. Not remarkably, this can lead to some decidedly awkward moments. Would we expect anything less from Mr. Cleese? For a review of John on set, have a look at Chris's recent tweet: "Pretty awesome moment personally.In . Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

Play author goes electronic

Legit posting house Dramatists Play Services are becoming in to the e-books marketplace utilizing a partnership with mobile application developer MyTheaterApps.com. Electronic versions of DPS scripts will probably be available through Scene Partner, an Apple-based application from MyTheaterApps, by getting a preliminary batch of game game titles being released early next eyar. DPS becomes the second major script author to mind to electronic posting carrying out a recent launch by Samuel French that belongs to them e-sales initiative, beginning served by the iBooks platform and planned to eventually incorporate others including Kindle and Nook. DPS scripts will probably be listed around $10 each when bought through Scene Partner. App's text-to-speech capabilities, familiar with help stars remember lines, will probably be appropriate for people DPS e-scripts. With the completely new e-sales push, DPS activities like the company's historic business printing hard-copy acting models, additionally to handling the leasing rights for the works well with both professional and non-professional troupes. Worldwide agreement between DPS and MyTheaterApps was talked about by attorney Bill Fitzgerald. Exact game game titles being provided via Scene Partner be introduced. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Oprah's Large Go back to TV Marred by Struggle, Deep Financial Worries at OWN (Analysis)

The 18th Slamdance Film Festival, which runs from Jan. 20-26 in Park City, Utah, will showcase 18 feature length films -- 10 narrative films and 8 documentaries -- from first-time company directors in the feature competition programs. 13 from the movies, culled from nearly 5,000 distribution, are world premieres. In announcing the choices Wedneday, Peter Baxter, Slamdance leader and co-founder, stated, "Our competition showcase reflects new methods to filmmaking that mirror the cruel occasions by which we presently live. These films showcase filmmakers who've a significant capability to innovate, experiment, and bring us strongly into the way forward for independent filmmaking. The Slamdance line-up includes: NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION PROGRAM: Bindlestiffs Director: Andrew Edison, Screenwriters: Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin. (USA) Three wise-mouthed senior high school virgins, suspended from soccer practice on the graffiti charge, flee towards the inner city to reside the plot from the Catcher within the Rye. Cast: Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin, John Karna Comforting Skin Director: Derek Franson, Film writer: Derek Franson. (Canada) US Premiere A lonely youthful lady's desperate requirement for physical and emotional companionship draws her right into a surreal and ultimately destructive relationship having a shifting and whispering tattoo she's willed to existence on her behalf skin. Cast: Jane Sowerby, Tygh Runyan, Victoria Bidewell Doppelgänger Paul (or perhaps a Film About How Exactly Much I Personally Don't Like Myself) Director: Dylan Akio Cruz, Kris Elgstrand, Film writer: Kris Elgstrand. (Canada) US Premiere The unlikely relationship of two lonely males whose connection sparks a series of occasions inducing the lack of a thumb, the thievery of the manuscript, and 2 looks on the popular morning talk show. Cast: Kaira Dryborough, Tygh Runyan Belief, Love and Whiskey Director: Kristina Nikolova, Screenwriters: Kristina Nikolova, Paul Dalio. (Bulgaria) World Premiere A youthful Bulgarian lady, engaged to some well-off American, panics and runs home, getting back together with her drifter buddies and also the wild existence of her past and falling deeply in love with her passionate but alcoholic closest friend. Cast: Ana Stojanovska, Valeri Yordanov, John Keabler, Lidia Indjova, Yavor Baharov Heavy Women Director: Axel Ranisch, Screenwriters: Axel Ranisch, Heiko Pinkowski, Peter Trabner. (Germany) US Premiere Sven lives together with his seniors mother Daniel is her health professional. When she wanders off, their misadventure to locate her leads these to uncover their confusing affection for one another. Cast: Heiko Pinkowski, Peter Trabner, Ruth Bickelhaupt OK, Good Director: Daniel Martinico, Screenwriters: Hugo Remedy, Daniel Martinico. (USA) World Premiere A number of demoralizing auditions along with a cultish movement workshop push a battling actor within the edge. Cast: Hugo Remedy Curler Town Director: Andrew Rose bush, Screenwriters: Andrew Rose bush, Mark Little, Scott Vrooman (Canada) US Premiere In the peak of disco-mania, three buddies try to stop a nearby crime syndicate from turning their beloved curler rink right into a video arcade. Cast: Kayla Lorette, Mark Little, Scott Vrooman The Seem of Small Things Director/Film writer: Peter McLarnan. (USA) World Premiere Mike and Cara's make an effort to navigate their youthful marriage is complicated by miscommunication, suspicion and her deafness. Cast: Cara Krippner, Mike Hoolihan Sundowning Director/Film writer: Frank Rinaldi. (Singapore/USA) World Premiere A tale concerning the relationship from a youthful lady that has lost her memory and her mysterious health professional. Cast: Shannon Fitzpatrick, Susan Chau Thanks for visiting Pine Hill Director/Film writer: Keith Burns. (USA) World Premiere A cool drug dealer, now a claims insurer during the day and bouncer by evening, receives earthshattering news that obliges him revisit his past and seek transcendence past the Brooklyn concrete. Cast: Shannon Harper, Mary Meyers, David Williams DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION PROGRAM: Zoysia Women Director: Todd Kellstein. (Thailand/USA) World Premiere Two eight years old women fight in rural Thailand's subterranean child boxing economy to generate money to aid their own families. Danland Director: Alexandra Berger, Screenwriters: Ann Husaini, Alexandra Berger. (USA) World Premiere Amateur porn producer Serta Leal, also known as 'Porno Serta,' looks for closeness despite his industry and regardless of themself. The Very First Season Director: Rudd Simmons. (USA) World Premiere To attain their version from the American dream, the Van Amburg family struggle because they combat relentless toil, financial ruin and also the harsh reality of dairy farming. Getting Out Of Bed Director: Caskey Ebeling, Film writer: Tempt. (USA) World Premiere After being identified with Lou Gehrig's disease and made almost completely paralyzed, Tony "Tempt" Quan, popular L.A. graffiti artist, regains his voice through technology that reads the movement of his eyes and allows him to produce art and write once more. I Would Like My Title Back Director: Roger Paradiso. (USA) Utah Premiere Three decades following the historic recording from the legendary mega-hit "Rapper's Delight," Master Gee & Question Mike return to reclaim their details and rightful devote Stylish Hop history. Kelly Director: James Stenson. (USA) World Premiere Getting fled a provincial past, a youthful, transgender prostitute looks for love and acceptance inside a landscape of damaged Hollywood Dreams. No Ashes, No Phoenix Director/Film writer: Jens Pfeifer. (Germany) World Premiere A locker room expose about youthful basketball gamers in Hagen, Germany who face their fears of losing and challenge enormous odds to achieve success. We're Legion: The Storyline from the Hacktivists Director/Film writer: John Knappenberger. (USA) World Premiere A romantic look inside the field of Anonymous, the radical "hacktivist" collective which has changed civil disobedience for that digital age. Related Subjects

Toronto Film Experts Title 'The Tree of Life' Best Movie of year

The Producers Guild of America introduced Tuesday it'll recognition Jennifer Aniston's Bosnian war film Inside the Land of Blood stream and Honey while using 2012 Stanley Kramer Award within the guild's annual honours ceremony on Jan. 21.our editor recommendsAngelina Jolie and Kaira Pitt Lend Support To '72 Days' inside a Casual Private Party Jennifer Aniston and Luc Besson Thriller Lands at UniversalAngelina Jolie Describes Choosing 'Blood and Honey' for Directorial Debut (Video) PHOTOS: Jennifer Aniston's Top Red-colored-colored Carpet Looks The award was established in 2002 carrying out a dying of legendary director and producer Stanley Kramer--whose films incorporated The Caine Mutiny, Guess Who's Going to Dinner, Judgment at Nuremberg, High Noon as well as the Defiant Ones--and recognizes a movie, producer or other individual whose "achievement or contribution fires up provocative social issues inside an accessible and raising fashion." PHOTOS: Jennifer Aniston and Hollywood's 10 Finest-Paid out Stars Films formerly locating the Kramer award are the Great Debaters, An Iconventient Truth, Hotel Rwanda and Antwone Fisher. A year ago, Sean Penn increased being the initial individual to find the award. Inside the Land of Blood stream and Honey, which marks Jolie's directorial debut and opens in choose theaters 12 ,. 23, follows the story from the Muslim lady and Serb policeman that are dating when the Bosnian war breaks out, and what evolves when she's arrived at a Serbian rape camping where he's now in charge. Jolie both directed and composed the script, and mainly cast Bosnian stars. THR COVER STORY: Jennifer Aniston and Jennifer Yuh Nelson will be the Latest People from the Tiny Club "Inside the Land of Blood stream and Honey is certainly an amazing film that shows a complicated love story set in the terrors in the Bosnian war, especially towards women. This film truly supports the legacy of Stanley Kramer," PGA presidents Hawk Koch and Mark Gordon mentioned. Jolie and Graham King's GK Films became a member of in financing and creating the film, which FilmDistrict, a sister company of GK Films, is disseminating inside the U.S. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Angelina Jolie's Top Red-colored-colored Carpet Looks Related Subjects

'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3' Crosses $1 Billion Sales Mark

NY - The Walt Disney Co. is adding to its popular princesses with a girl princess called Sofia who is aimed at pre-schoolers, or kids ages 2 to 7, and is the company's first princess who is not an adult, the NY Times reported.our editor recommends'Cars 2' Toys, Disney Princesses Help Drive Mattel's Third-Quarter Results'Winnie the Pooh': How the Disney Classic Became New Again Featured in a movie and coming TV series Sofia the First on the Disney Channel and Disney Junior, she joins the line of Disney princesses that have included Cinderella, Snow White and more. The Disney Princess toy line generates about $4 billion in annual retail sales, the Times highlighted. Aware of the potential for criticism, Disney emphasizes that Sofia will focus on teaching viewers age-appropriate themes, such as getting along with siblings and how to be kind and generous, the Times said. Sofia will have "plenty of pretty dresses and sparkly shoes," said Nancy Kanter, general manager for Disney Junior Worldwide, but episodes will teach children that "what makes a real princess is what's inside, not what's outside." Focus group reactions were full of "uniform positivity," she told the Times. "We saw girls have an instant relatability to this character. If kids relate to what they watch - if they can put themselves in that world - that's where real learning can start." Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Topics The Walt Disney Company

Don't Believe Trailer Blasts In

The Harmful Chemicals block-rocking concert filmChemical Siblings concert flick Don't Believe is shaping as much as be an eyeball disco for music fans of ilks. Director Adam Cruz used 20 cameras to complete for that Chemicals what Jonathan Demme did for Speaking Heads and appears like giving the clubbing generation its very own Stop Making Sense. Browse the trailer below to determine what we should mean.Cruz, who's been creating pictures for that Chemical Siblings since their Dust Brother days 18 years back, shot the duo on a single evening at Japan's Fuji Rock festival. Fifty hrs of footage were then edited lower right into a maelstrom of dance music, eyepopping pictures and, because the director puts it, "moments of pleasure, fear and mad escapism"."Normally at concert films it is simply people gurning in to the camera", Cruz informs Empire, "but it was different. We put 5 or 6 cameras just within the audience - little Canon 5Ds - coupled with little signs around the cameras telling people to not look in the cameras, simply to benefit from the show. Plus they did just that.InchBased on the director, the visual dimension is the overall game-changer that'll keep even dance music agnostics happy: "It is a large motion picture experience. Even when you are not really a Chemical Siblings fan, you'll visit their show and that i hope the film has got the same effect." Don't Believe will get a large screen release on Feb 1 which means you will not even need to brave the Glastonbury dirt to visit your favourite electronic masters for action.

Cheers & Jeers: A Really Community Christmas

Community Cheers to Community for heading out on the high note - literally. Want more Cheers & Jeers? Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now! The indefatigable NBC sitcom and recent champion of TV Guide Magazine's Fan Faves cover contest prefaced its indefinite - and undeserved - hiatus having a giddy holiday musical extravaganza just like wonderful as last season's instant-classic stop-motion spectacular. Wickedly parodying Glee (what the heck are sectionals anyway?), the episode boasted a show-preventing guest turn by SNL's Taran Killam like a choir director from hell and foot-tapping amounts from Abed, Troy, Annie and also the gang. Last week's episode was equally wonderful, with Yvette Nicole Brown the standout as Shirley revealed her foosball abilities - and her bullying past - inside a story that suddenly and uproariously moved into anime mode. That's the good thing about Community: Even if it isn't a cartoon, it certainly is animated. How would you cope without Community? Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

'Young Adult' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals

Garry Marshall's star-packed ensemble pic New Year's Eve opens this weekend at the domestic box office and is widely expected to wrest the No. 1 spot from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, which has dominated the box office for three weeks.our editor recommendsYoung Adult: Film ReviewNew Year's Eve: Film ReviewTinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: Venice Film ReviewBox Office Report: 'Twilight' Leads Second Slowest Weekend of 2011 With $16.9 Mil Early and mid-December are always sluggish at the domestic box office, and New Year's Eve is only expected to open in the low $20 million range, far less than the $72 million bow of Marshall's Valentine's Day over the four-day Valentine's Day/President's Day weekend in 2010. PHOTOS: 'New Year's Eve' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals New Line and Warner Bros., however, expect the $50 million film to have a strong multiple and play through New Year's Day, since it's the only holiday romantic comedy. The pic's cast includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, Ashton Kutcher, Katherine Heigl, Lea Michele, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Hilary Swank and Seth Meyers. Also opening nationwide is David Gordon Green's R-rated comedy The Sitter, starring Jonah Hill in his first starring vehicle. The 20th Century Fox pic is tracking to open in the $9 million to $11 million range, although some think it could skew slightly higher. The Sitter, which cost under $25 million to produce, is tracking strongest among younger males, who have been notoriously absent from the multiplex in recent months. PHOTOS: 'New Year's Eve' Film Stills In the film, Hill plays a college student on suspension who is prodded into babysitting the kids next door. Things go askew when he takes them for a wild ride across NY City after being promised sex with his girlfriend. Michael De Luca produced the comedy. Martin Scorsese's 3D family friendly film Hugo continues its roll out this weekend, expanding its theater count from 1,840 to 2,600. Through Wednesday, Hugo's domestic gross was $26.8 million. Hugo is among a slew of awards contenders positioning themselves as The Hollywood Foreign Press Association prepares to announce Golden Globe nominations on Dec. 15, preceded a day early by SAG nominations. On Saturday, 20th Century Fox will hold sneaks of Cameron Crowe's Christmas film We Bought a Zoo, starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson in hundreds of theaters across the country. The pic, which also snuck over Thanksgiving weekend in a bid to build buzz, opens Dec. 23. Specialty pics opening this weeked that hope to ride the wave of awards attention include British espionage pic Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, based on John Le Carre's bestselling book and starring Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy. Directed by Thomas Alfredson from an adapted screenplay by Peter Straughan and the late Bridget O'Connor, Tinker Tailor was produced by Working Title and StudioCanal. Tinker Tailor has already done strong business in the U.K., where it opened in mid-September and has grossed nearly $22 million to date. In the U.S., Focus Features opens the critically acclaimed film in four theaters in Los Angeles and NY. Paramount opens Charlize Theron starrer Young Adult -- which reteams director Jason Reitman with Juno screenwriter Diablo Cody -- in eight theaters NY, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Minneapolis, where Cody got her start as a stripper. A number of other platform pics will continue to expand this weekend as awards season heats up, including Fox Searchlight's The Descendants, which adds 300 theaters to its run for a total locaiton count of 874. The Alexander Payne-directed film has grossed a stellar $19 million to date. Searchlight's Shame, hoping to overcome the stigma associated with the NC-17 rating, adds 11 theaters to its run for a total count of 21. Directed by Steve McQueen and headlining Michael Fassbender, Shame opened last weekend to strong numbers despite the rating. The Weinstein Co. expands awards darling The Artist, which played in six theaters in Los Angeles, NY and San Francisco last weekend, into an additional 10 theaters. Madonna's W.E., from the Weinstein Co., and Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay's edgy indie film We Need to Talk About Kevin, starring Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly, both begin one-week award qualifying runs this weekend in Los Angeles. Oscilloscope Laboratories acquired U.S. rights to We Need to Talk About Kevin out of the Cannes Film Festival in May. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Biggest Box Office Bombs Related Topics Box Office New Year's Eve Young Adult Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy Hugo The Sitter

Jason Aldean, Carrie Underwood Reign Supreme at Second Annual American Country Awards

Carrie Underwood Jason Aldean topped the second annual American Country Awards, which aired on Fox live from Las Vegas Monday. He won six awards including artist of the year. "It's been a helluva year," Aldean said. Carrie Underwood took home three guitar trophies at the show, broadcast live from Las Vegas."I have got an amazing 2012 planned for you guys," she told the crowd. "We're going to have a lot of fun!" Check out red carpet arrivals from the 2011 American Country Awards Toby Keith was named the artist of the decade and received a special video introduction to his performance of "Red Solo Cup" from Stephen Colbert who - yes - raised his red solo cup to Urban. Check out the full list of winners: Artist of the Year, Jason Aldean Male Artist of the Year, Brad Paisley Female Artist of the Year, Carrie Underwood Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Chris Young New Artist of the Year, Scotty McCreery Album of the Year, My Kinda Party, Jason Aldean Single of the Year, "Voices," Chris Young Single of the Year: Male, "My Kinda Party," Jason Aldean Single of the Year: Female, "Mama's Song," Carrie Underwood Single of the Year: Duo or Group, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not," Thompson Square Single of the Year: New Artist, " Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not," Thompson Square Single of the Year: Vocal Collaboration, "Don't You Wanna Stay," Jason Aldean Feat. Kelly Clarkson Music Video of the Year, "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking," Blake Shelton Music Video: Male, "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking," Blake Shelton Music Video: Female, "Mama's Song," Carrie Underwood Music Video: Duo or Group,"Don't You Wanna Stay," Jason Aldean Feat. Kelly Clarkson Music Video: New Artist, "Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not," Thompson Square Touring Headline Act of the Year, Jason Aldean Greatest Hits Award, Alabama Artist of the Decade Award, Toby Keith

Madonna Attracted on For Super Bowl Halftime Show

First Launched: December 5, 2011 10:38 AM EST Credit: Getty Images Caption Madonna arrives onstage popular within the Olympic Stadium in Munich, Germany on August 18, 2009 Indiana, Ind. -- The Material Girl will probably be while using stage on footballs finest evening. Madonna, which has offered greater than 300 million records, will work on halftime in the Super Bowl in Indiana. The Nfl and NBC introduced Sunday through the Detroit-New Orleans game the Grammy Award-winning singer will disclose the show at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 5. The show is regarded as the-seen musical event of year, exceeding 162 million inside the U.S. tuning straight into start to see the Black Eyed Peas performance with Slash and Usher in Dallas at halftime of Eco-friendly Bays Super Bowl conquer Pittsburgh last February. Madonna, a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, will join such functions as Bruce Springsteen&The E Street Band, Prince, U2, Paul McCartney, The Who as well as the Moving Gems to complete throughout recent Super Bowls. She'll collaborate getting a team from Cirque du Soleil, choreographer Jamie King, and artists from Moment Factory. Madonna, presently inside the studio concentrating on a completely new album, features a new film W.E. which she directed, written and produced and may open across the nation a couple of days just before the NFLs signature event. The Super Bowl and halftime show, backed by Bridgestone Americas, will probably be broadcast worldwide on NBC. Copyright 2011 with the Connected Press. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Two More Comedy Pitches Land At Networks

Fox has bought Move Over, a relationship comedy from writer/executive producer Timothy Stack (Son Of The Beach), while the CW has bought The Makery, an ensemble multi-camera/hybrid comedy written by Jason Benoit and executive produced by Teri Weinberg and Scott Aversano. Move Over, from 20th Century Fox TV, centers on a couple in their late 20s who divorce and find themselves in need of living together in the same apartment due to the financial crisis. Paradigm-repped Stack was a consulting producer on NBCsMy Name Is Earl where he also played Tim Stack, a fictional version of himself. He is currently a consulting producer on Fox’s Raising Hope. The Makery, from Weinberg’s Yellow Brick Road and Aversano’s Aversano Films, explores the life experiences of a group of 20-somethings in today’s tech-driven, entrepreneurial generation through the eyes of Ky Harrel and her sex and relationships column.

Considering the 'Consider' Campaign: Warrior

Throw on your fur and gaze sinisterly by a swimming pool, because those collectible toys of Oscar season, the “Consider” campaigns posters, are busting out. The first one up for inspection is the campaign for Warrior, the gritty MMA drama starring Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, and Nick Nolte. Let’s take a look at the wordy one-sheet and see if it makes us feel any differently about its positioning in the Oscar index. So, no. Bye, everyone! All right, let’s dwell: The poster certainly does a good job of reminding us that we enjoyed Warrior overall — Nick Nolte’s performance is indeed heartfelt and fearless, and the balance of “human frailty” and “triumph” was a pungent trail mix, no doubt. But I feel the same way about Warrior that I do about another September release with a 7-letter “W” name — Weekend. Both are solid films, and if we’re being honest, Weekend is the better one. Unfortunately, both movies are proud, but ultimately unassuming showings in familiar genres. Warrior is a boxing flick with one more protagonist than we usually allow, and Weekend is a whispery romance that’s both incisive and sexually frank, though it lacks those indispensable “Oscar moments” (and an Oscar push too). But if anyone from Warrior can exhume the movie’s energized machismo and still nab a fifth-place nomination, Nolte is the man. Comeback stories make for unassailable Oscar kudos — the Academy’s always looking for ways to be liked and inoffensive — though Christopher Plummer is dominating the old-timer niche with his shoo-in performance in Beginners. As such, I enjoyed Warrior, but I don’t see it finding a way to overtake any of the standing and upcoming powerhouses. Consider It…: Mostly KO’d.

Spirit Award Nominations And New York Critics Winners Announced

And with that, the Oscar race is on! Tuesday (Nov 29) morning was a busy one for the films hoping to vie for Academy Awards in February. The NY Film Critics Circle listed its winners and the Film Independent Spirits announced its nominations simultaneously in a couple hours of dizzying Oscar buzz. Both awards are usually the earliest indication of which films could lead the pack when it comes time to announce the Academy Award nominees in January. The NYFCC were so early this year, in fact, that they had to delay their awards until after screening David Fincher's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," to which they awarded nothing. Perhaps the biggest story coming out of both announcements was the emergence of Michael Hazanavicius's ode to golden-era silent film, "The Artist," as perhaps an early front-runner for Best Picture. The film had earned raves during the festival circuit a few months ago, but faced minor backlash during it's limited release last week. Now with a Best Picture and Best Director win from the NYFCC, "The Artist" is the film to beat. A welcome surprise came with Brad Pitt's NYFCC Best Actor win for both "Moneyball" and "Tree of Life." Meryl Streep earned the first of her expected many wins for "The Iron Lady." While the Spirit Awards focus on smaller films, the nominations cemented "Beginners" status as the indie charmer hit of the year. The movie, which stars Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer, surprised the night before when it won Best Ensemble and shared Best Picture with "Tree of Life" at the Gotham Independent Film Awards. Check out both the winners from the NY Film Critics Circle and Spirit Award nominations below. Spirit Award Nominations Best Feature 50/50 Beginners Drive Take Shelter The Artist The Descendants Best Director Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist Mike Mills, Beginners Jeff Nichols, Take Shelter Alexander Payne, The Descendants Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive Best Screenplay Joseph Cedar, Footnote Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist Tom McCarthy, Win Win Mike Mills, Beginners Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash, The Descendants Best First Feature Another Earth In the Family Margin Call Martha Marcy May Marlene Natural Selection Director Best First Screenplay Mike Cahill, Brit Marling, Another Earth J.C. Chandor, Margin Call Patrick deWitt, Terri Phil Johnston, Cedar Rapids Will Reiser, 50/50 John Cassavetes Award Given to the best feature made for under $500,000 Bellflower Circumstance Hello Lonesome Pariah The Dynamiter Best Female Lead Lauren Ambrose, Think of Me Rachael Harris, Natural Selection Adepero Oduye, Pariah Elizabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn Best Male Lead Demin Bichir, A Better Life Jean Dujardin, The Artist Ryan Gosling, Drive Woody Harrelson, Rampart Michael Shannon, Take Shelter Best Supporting Female Jessica Chastain, Take Shelter Anjelica Huston, 50/50 Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs Harmony Santana, Gun Hill Road Shailene Woodley, The Descendants Best Supporting Male Albert Brooks, Drive John Hawkes, Martha Marcy May Marlene Christopher Plummer, Beginners John C. Reilly, Cedar Rapids Corey Stoll, Midnight in Paris Best Cinematography Joel Hodge, Bellflower Benjamin Kasulke, The Off Hours Darius Khondji, Midnight in Paris Guillaume Schiffman, The Artist Jeffrey Waldron, The Dynamiter Best Documentary An African Election Bill Cunningham NY The Interrupters The Redemption of General Butt Naked We Were Here Best International Film A Separation Melancholia Shame The Kid With a Bike Tyrannosaur NY Film Critics Circle Winners Best First Feature: "Margin Call" Best Nonfiction Film: "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" Best Supporting Actress: Jessica Chastain for "Tree of Life," "The Help" and "Take Shelter" Best Actress: Meryl Streep for "The Iron Lady" Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks for "Drive" Best Actor: Brad Pitt for "Moneyball," and "Tree of Life" Best Foreign Language Film: "A Separation" Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius for "The Artist" Best Screenplay: Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin for "Moneyball" Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki for "Tree of Life" 2011 Special Award to be given posthumously to filmmaker Raoul Ruiz Best Picture: "The Artist" Tell us what you think of the awards news in the comments section and on Twitter!

Survivor Restored For 2 More Seasons

Survivor, Shaun Probst CBS has restored Survivor for 2 more seasons, keeping the truth competition series around the air through 2013, the network introduced Thursday. The 25th and 26th models from the series will both debut throughout the 2012-2013 TV season. Survivor had recently been restored for any 24th season, that will premiere Wednesday, February. 15 at 8/7c. Survivor host Shaun Probst to debut talk show in fall 2012 "Survivor is definitely an outstanding franchise," stated CBS' Executive V . P . of Alternative Programming, Jennifer Bresnan, stated inside a statement. "Its format guarantees fresh figures, exotic places and fascinating social dynamics every season. And, the show is backed by a b-plus production team that's as passionate because the die-hard Survivor fans. Many of us at CBS are really happy with Survivor's ongoing success." Shaun Probst will even return as host and executive producer for new seasons. The 4-time Emmy-winning host will need to juggle his ongoing duties on Survivor together with his job as host and executive producer from the approaching daytime talk show, Shaun Probst. Created by CBS Television Distribution, the brand new daytime show will debut in fall of 2012. "I'm thrilled to carry on focusing on a long-running reality competition show using the world's finest adventure crew for 2 more seasons," Probst stated. "We're so grateful for that encouraging fans who remain around every season, and that we promise to provide another year of quality television." Social TV: How Survivor's Shaun Probst bridged the space between CBS and it is audience Survivor's renewal is available in the center of the "South Off-shore" edition, that has been calculating 12.27 million audiences along with a 3.8 rating within the grown ups 18-49 demo. Are you currently glad Survivor is returning? Where do you consider the show should travel next? Would you like these to do another all-stars edition?

Occupy Wall Street Protesters Warned of Police Descent By Unlikely Celebrity

Questlove Questlove, drummer of the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, warned Occupy Wall Street protesters of the impending police eviction via Twitter."Omg, drivin down south st near #ows. Somethin bout to go down yo, swear I counted 1000 riot gear cops bout to pull sneak attack #carefulyall," he tweeted at 11:30 Monday night.Check out the rest of today's newsThe drummer - also of the Grammy-winning band, The Roots - is a Twitter celebrity in his own right, with 1.76 million followers. His ominous tweet was retweeted more than 100 times, drawing the attention of protestors, many of whom doubted his message.Jimmy Fallon spoofs Bieber paternity suit with '(It's Not My) Baby'At 12:39 a.m. he reiterated, "ok once again. South St in NYC. blocks from #OWS. saw a GANG (like at least 500+ geared up) standing in line gettin ready for somethin."As it turned out, police moved in on Zuccotti Park about an hour and 20 minutes after his initial tweet was sent out.

Kaira Pitt Gives Acting Career 3 More Years

Kaira Pitt dropped a bombshell in the Tokyo, japan, japan interview for your Australian an hour or so. When interviewer Tara Brown asked for the 47-year-old, “How substantially longer would you like to do your organization for?” Pitt clarified, “Three years.”She supported with “Three years?” Which he confirmed, “Yeah.” Brown ongoing, “And then what continues after three years?” That Pitt responded, “Hell essentially know. I am really experiencing the creating side and progression of tales and putting people pieces together. And achieving tales for the plate that could have observed a harder time otherwise.” For example the film he was marketing there, Moneyball. There’s a lot more you could watch or read here, that's where everybody else got this and went crazy, but Deadline likes Brown’s question, “Do you obtain a lot of kudos developing a film similar to this along with your kids, a baseball film?” And Pitt’s answer: “I convey more mileage while using zombie film,” mentioning to World War Z, directed by Marc Forster and particular to start December 21, 2012 — right after Pitt turns 49.

IMDb Strikes Back at 'Selfish' Actress Suing Over Age Disclosure (Exclusive)

The Net Movie Database has launched a blistering counterattack in the anonymous actress who punished the service for revealing her age.our editor recommendsSAG and AFTRA Condemn IMDb Revealing Performers' AgesActress Sues IMDb for $millions of for Revealing Her AgeIMDb Can get Into the sport Business With Free Mobile AppEnhanced IMDb.com Application Offers Complete Coverage of Movies, TV Projects Amazon . com . com.com, who is the owner of iMDb, thinks it knows the identity from the lady, plus it notifies a Washington federal court that before she filed the suit, she first attempted to obtain the intend to publish an inaccurate birthdate so she could fool potential Hollywood companies into thinking she was youthful than she is really. Now a judge continues to be asked for to dismiss the suit to be able to not perpetuate a fraud round the public. When the anonymous Texas lady punished lately, she not only sparked a taking a chance game about her identity, but furthermore a larger discussion about ageism in Hollywood. "Inside the entertainment, youth rules,Inch she written in their March. 13 suit, producing a round of applause among fellow stars, like the guilds SAG and AFTRA, which condemned iMDb due to its recommendations and mentioned the business stood a moral obligation not to facilitate discrimination in employment. STORY:Actress Sues IMDb for $millions of for Revealing Her Age IMDb isn't backing lower in the debate about values. Definately not it. Within the motion to dismiss filed the other day and acquired by THR, the business questions when the judicial system should be familiar with help an actress hide her four decades old. According to IMDb: "Truth and justice are philosophical support beams from the Court. The perpetuation of fraud, to have an actress's career, is sporadic using these principals. Complaintant's try to control the federal government court system so she'll censor iMDb's display of her birth date and pretend all over the world they is not four decades old is selfish, unlike everyone interest together with a frivolous abuse from the Court's assets." The business also states be utilising the moral high ground in safeguarding entertainment clients from an actress who want to "simpler trick everyone and prospective companies about her age and potentially be regarded for further roles." The woman is mentioned to own contacted the business formerly to be able to get IMDb to print false birthdates to be able to remove her birthdate altogether. STORY:SAG and AFTRA Condemn IMDb Revealing Artists' Age groups three years ago, in line with the court papers, the woman who iMDb suspects since the complaintant had her lawyer send instructions looking for the website to change her birthdate beneath the excuse the incorrect date was published by her former manager. The woman allegedly faxed a certificate of a birth together with a passport to iMDb's offices, but certain information was redacted so iMDb declined to produce changes. The 2009 May, the woman is mentioned to own hired a completely new lawyer, who sent a reminder letter that threatened a category action suit. The potential risks didn't move iMDB either. And so the lawyer filed a suit lately. According to an assessment of individuals past communications as well as the complaint, IMDb states it's confident the suit was filed using it . lady. Nevertheless, the business states it might't be totally obvious on her behalf identity, pointing to specific discrepencies. Absent certainty, it states that it's going to be prejudiced when the lady is allowed to remain anonymous: "IMDb.com cannot fairly prevent the Complaint in this situation while using identity in the complaintant secreted." The judge continues to be asked for to dismiss the problem because the original suit was an alleged breach of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 10(a). IMDb thinks the complaintant does not have proper reason to file for on her situation anonymously, therefore the organization is looking for the problem overlooked once the lady doesn't advance to exhibit herself. Inside the ninth Circuit, litigants are allowed to proceed anonymously when you're carrying out same goes with justified with the harm that could be triggered round the party when they is revealed. (Here's THR's analysis of whether IMDb can pressure the woman to exhibit herself.) IMDb states the complaintant hasn't made specific accusations or proven evidence of any retaliation beyond "generic damage and economic injuries." However, the business states it'll be hurt if everything is allowed to go to forward in by doing this. E-mail: eriqgardner@yahoo.com Twitter: @eriqgardner IMDB

U.S. Ad Investing Trends Lower for Third Quarter (Report)

NY - Following recent cutbacks in 2012 U.S. advertising investing predictions from Wall Street experts (among a still-weak economy, preliminary data for that first couple of several weeks from the third quarter implies that ad investing might have really rejected for the reason that quarter, the Wall Street Journal reported. The Journal stated that data from Kantar Media implies that ad investing in This summer and August combined fell about 1.five percent. Within the second quarter, ad revenue rose 2.9 %, and also the first-quarter gain arrived at 4.4 %. That growth momentum had been lower in the 6.five percent increase reported in 2010. "Should you plot annually growth on the month basis, the popularity lines are inching downwards with the finish from the third quarter," Kantar's senior vice president of research Jon Swallen told the Journal. The organization is placed release a its third-quarter data only after Thanksgiving. Throughout the most recent quarterly earnings report season for Hollywood conglomerates, Viacom Boss Philippe Dauman stated momentum within the scatter marketplace for ad sales has seen a "slight conditioning." For 2012, experts generally project ad growth thanks simply towards the Summer time Olympic games working in london and also the U.S. presidential election. Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Subjects CBS Corporation

Contender: 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'

'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' Browse the reviewThe name's Smiley, George Smiley -- and he's the alternative of 007 in virtually every way: A tired old bureaucrat, cuckolded by his wife and ignored from his top-ranking intelligence job, but, on his shoulders rides all hope of determining the Soviet mole inside MI6.Gary Oldman wonderfully underplays charge role within this elegant, thinking man's spy movie -- a lengthy-shot picture contender -- as director Tomas Alfredson ("Let the correct one In") takes his signal in the John Le Carre novel: Rather than showing sexy, save-the-world shenanigans unfolding over martinis and games of baccarat, "Mess, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" finds its intrigue happening between crusty old bureaucrats buying and selling secrets in stuffy parlor rooms -- a indication that espionage is government work, in the end.What required the 1979 BBC miniseries a lot more than five hrs to speak, this dense yet remarkably dialogue-light adaptation does in only over two (a credit to scribes Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan), with critical the help of an aspiration team of Brit thesps, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Colin Firth, Tom Sturdy, John Hurt and Mark Strong -- some of whom could nab a supporting jerk, if Focus helps voters choose which someone to fall behind.Launch date: 12 ,. 9 FocusRead the range review Contact Peter Debruge at peter.debruge@variety.com

The Muppets Probably Won't Host the Oscars

Sorry, @muppetoscars! It appears the imagine getting Kermit and Miss Piggy host the 84th annual Academy awards is just that: an aspiration. Variety reviews round the always reliable "good authority" that even though Academy of motion Picture Arts & Sciences comprehend the online movement to obtain the Muppets to host the Oscars rather than Eddie Murphy, they apparently aren't interested. What's that factor Kermit always states? Oh, right: it ain't easy being eco-friendly. [via Variety] [Photo: Disney] 10 Possible Oscar-Host Substitutes Ough GervaisRobert Downey Junior.The MuppetsMeryl StreepTina FeySteve Martin and Alec BaldwinNo OneNeil Patrick HarrisHugh JackmanBilly Very See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

TALENT SIGNINGS: New Customers at CAA, ICM, Gersh, APA

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Thanks to CAAFrom L-R: Azita Ghanizada, Kay Actress Azita Ghanizada, a set regular on Syfy's Alphas, has signed with APA. Ghanizada's television credits include Castle, Ghost Whisperer and just how I Met Your Mother, amongst others. She's also symbolized byKatie Mason at Luber Roklin Entertainment. Nina Fiore and John Herrera, who lately closed an offer to create for Alphas, have signed with CAA.Formerly, these were authors on SyFy's Eureka. They're also symbolized by managerJeff Area of Area Entertainment. Japanese director Ryuhei Kitamura, who made his American debut with 2008 horror filmThe Night time Meat Train, has signed with ICM. Kitamura has directed several Japanese films, including Azumi and Versus. He's also symbolized by Jon Karas of Infinity Management Worldwide. Rapper-singer Kay, whose debut album is going to be launched at the begining of 2012 through Interscope Records, has signed with CAA. This month, she'll tour Canada with LMFAO. She's also symbolized by managerDougie Bohay and attorney Chris Taylor, each of Last Gang Management. Author-producer-actress Laura Kightlinger, who's talking to for CBS' 2 Broke Women, has signed with Gersh. Her television writing credits include Saturday Evening Live and Daria,she's made an appearance on Lucky Louie and offered as talking to producer on$#*! My Father States.Kightlingeris also symbolized by managerDavid Martin at Avalon Management and attorney Erik Hyman of Loeb & Loeb. Chinese director Yang Shupeng, whose film The The almighty from the Subterranean is going to be launched at the begining of 2012, has signed with CAA. The first kind journalist was formerly an editor and program director with Closed-circuit television, China's condition-run television broadcaster. Email: Daniel.Burns@THR.com Twitter: @DanielNMiller CAA Gersh Agency ICM APA

New American Reunion Trailer: Is Stifler a Twihard?

Look, I’m excited to revisit American Pie, all right? Jason Biggs is hilarious, Thomas Ian Nicholas is still winsome in his hirsute state, Chris Klein has hilarious Street Fighter cred now, and Seann William Scott has apparently updated his repertoire to include Twilight jokes — at least according to the movie’s new trailer. Check it out after the jump if, like me, you’re game for yet another hornball summit. American Reunion - Trailer #1 [VO|HD] by cinemakervideo If Eugene Levy hooks up with Jennifer Coolidge, I can’t promise I won’t emit a new human noise of ebullience and fear. I’ll be there April 6 to attempt this breakthrough in evolution. ‘American Reunion’ Trailer Teases a Hookup Between the Series’ Oldest Characters [/Film]

The Academy Throws a little-Film Festival Connected using the Governors' Honours

Kristian Dowling/Picturegroup The Academy of motion Picture Arts and Sciences' classy Governors Honours dinner, searching for November. 12, may be strictly invitation only, with invasive TV cameras pointedly not requested, nevertheless the Academy has made a decision to provide the general public a glimpse, via celluloid, in the nominees. Monday, it introduced its first-ever Governors Honours Film Series. The title itself might be a grand. The series includes just three representative films -Body each for that famous host the famous host oprah Winfrey, who's to find the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, together with the 2 Honorary Award individuals who win, James Earl Manley making-up artist Dick Cruz. The series starts November. 9 within the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Slopes getting a showing of 1973's Alien, through which Smith's work aided transform Linda Blair in to a demonic, mind-spinning, little terror, additionally to looks by Cruz, Academy governor Leonard Engelman, fellow make-up artist Ron Cruz and cinematographer Owen Roizman. The following evening, the program will give you Steven Spielberg's 1985 The Color Crimson, that Winfrey received a best supporting actor nomination. Academy leader Tom Sherak will introduce the evening, which will include actress Margaret Avery, who was simply also nominated for your film. The best feature, on November. 11, will probably be 1970's The Fantastic White-colored Hope, directed by Martin Ritt, that Manley acquired an Oscar nomination that belongs to them. The program includes Sherak, director Phillip Noyce and actor Courtney B. Vance. Tickets will probably be available to everybody beginning November. 1 at internet.oscars.org by mail. Governors Honours James Earl Manley The famous host the famous host oprah Winfrey AMPAS

X-Treme Transformation: Marvel's X-Males Go Anime on G4

X-Males Everyone's favorite mutants are going to TV. The X-Males, Marvel Comics' legendary team of super-powered outcasts, have become a significant transformation in the gritty and dynamic new animated series premiering tonight at 11/10c on gaming/geek-designed cable network G4.Following a wealth of Iron Guy and Wolverine, which opened up the 2009 summer season, X-Males might be the 3rd in many Marvel anime shows round the network. (A fourth show, Edge, starring Lost's Harold Perrineau, launches within the month of the month of january.) Based on story outlines by author Warren Ellis - who created acclaimed comics The Authority, Planetary, Transmetropolitan, Global Frequency and Red-colored-colored - the half-hour episodes were animated by Japanese production company Madhouse, the studio behind Supernatural: The Anime Series.Getting already starred in live-action films and traditional animated programs, anime was the next logical area of the franchise's evolution, according to Cort Lane, Marvel Entertainment's v . p . of animation development and production. "Our adult fans will be clamoring for suggests that speak with them. And joining track of Madhouse made an appearance like a powerful way to do that, to create adult-specific animation," Lane states. "We particularly selected characteristics that needed advantage of the talents of anime. Anime action is actually visceral together with the X-Males you desire to deliver that." The knowledge and dialogue really are a little edgier and more personal and much more personal than most superhero cartoons.X-Males features the fan faves Wolverine, Storm, Animal, Professor Xavier, Emma Frost and Cyclops, voiced by Friday Evening Lights vet (and noted comic-book fan) Scott Porter. They travels to Japan in order to save a teenage girl named Hisako Ichiki, who'll eventually become Armor, a personality who first came out in Joss Whedon's run in the Astonishing X-Males comic in 2004. Throughout the time from the 12 episodes, fans could possibly get nods to classic comic-book tales, together with a dent segment based on what's possibly the widely used story, "The Dark Phoenix Saga.""A Few Things I love relevant for this show is, even though it's a new twist [round the X-Males], you will discover shows a couple of from the classic late '70s and early eighties tales with the season," Lane states. "Fans will get a lot of rewarding stuff." And, he teases, the entrance will probably be left open for just about any second season: "There's some a cliffhanger following a credits of episode 12, that's conventional Marvel."To offer you a concept in the tone in the series, here is a unique clip from episode 6: Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

The Three Musketeers in Film: A Movieline Timeline

This weekend, Paul W.S. Anderson brings his own adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s novel The Three Musketeers to movie theaters. This is hardly the first feature film foray for the titular trio of sword-fighting adventurers though. The Three Musketeers, first published in 1844, has been interpreted for the screen over twenty times in the past century and framed as everything from a silent film to a Russian musical to a Charlie Sheen star vehicle. In celebration of this weekend’s latest rendering of the classic, let’s re-examine the Musketeers’ long cinematic history. 1921: By this time, Hollywood had already cranked out three silent iterations of the The Three Musketeers, the most notable being the 1916 feature starring vaudeville stars Louise Glaum (as Milady de Winter, the beautiful and remorseless spy for Cardinal Richelieu) and Dorothy Dalton. But it wasn’t until 1921 that the U.S. enjoyed its first big Musketeers remake with silent swashbuckling star and that era’s “King of Hollywood” Douglas Fairbanks. As d’Artagnan — the hotheaded youth who is ultimately befriended by the Musketeers and protected as a son — Fairbanks at one point performed a one-handed handspring to grab a sword during a fight scene which was considered one of the greatest stunts of this era. 1939: Four years after Hollywood released its first English-language talking Three Musketeers (one that still paled in comparison to the Fairbanks adaptation), Hollywood decided that the Dumas novel was ready for a comedic take. Hence 1939’s musical comedy Three Musketeers which stars Academy Award winner Don Ameche (Cocoon) as D’Artagnan and comedy trio the Ritz Brothers as his cowardly helpers, who dance and sing about chicken soup. 1948: The Three Musketeers got its technicolor close-up in 1948 with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s splashy adaptation starring Gene Kelly as D’Artagnan, Lana Turner as Countess de Winter and Angela Lansbury (at just 23 years old) as Queen Anne. Although Gene Kelly may have given off more of a dashing vibe than the dangerous and quick-tempered sensibility ascribed to his character in the novel, his physical ability made him one of the most graceful and acrobatic Musketeers in film history.

Theater Actors to Watch 2011

Theater Actors to Watch 2011 October 21, 2011 Patti Murrin in "Lysistrata Jones" Patti Murin Where you've seen her: Patti Murin was most recently seen in an Off-Broadway production at the Judson Memorial Church, playing a determined basketball cheerleader in the Aristophanes-inspired musical "Lysistrata Jones" and garnering rave reviews. Written by Douglas Carter Beane and composer-lyricist Lewis Flinn, the show is now slated to open on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Dec. 14. Previously, Murin understudied the roller-skating female lead in the 2007 Broadway tuner "Xanadu" and went on 40 times, she says. Prior to making her Broadway debut in that zany production, she performed at regional theaters across the country, playing leading or featured roles in close to 20 musicalssome of them revivals but most of them new works, including "Princesses," which almost made it to Broadway; "Clueless: The Musical" and "Give It Up," which morphed into "Lysistrata Jones."Upcoming projects: Besides preparing for her debut as a lead on Broadway, Murin is spending her limited free time participating in readings for various new musicals that are hoping to land backers. But her thoughts are focused on the challenges of doing eight shows a week in a lead and maintaining her physical and especially vocal health. "I never performed eight times a week; the most was seven performances," she says, adding, "I feel very strongly about not taking time off and missing performances because of vocal problems." On the other hand, she feels confident because she created the role and has had a chance to hone her acting and singing chops at the Dallas Theater Center, where the project began, and later Off-Broadway.Breaking in: Brought up in Hopewell Junction, N.Y., Murin had her sights set on a musical theater career at an early age. She majored in musical theater at Syracuse University and moved to New York City two weeks after graduation in 2002. Her career trajectory to date has been steady and workmanlike. She concedes that she was lucky to land day jobsincluding an on-and-off three-year gig with an insurance companythat allowed her to take time off for auditions, callbacks, and work in various regional productions. Other day jobs, as a guide with the "Sex and the City" bus tour and as a freelance babysitter, have been equally flexible. She's now in the enviable position of being able to focus exclusively on her true vocation without worrying about day labor.Keeping a healthy perspective: Part of her good fortune, Murin says, is having a wonderful support system that includes friends, family, and, most central, her husband, actor Curtis Holbrook. Both are committed to the marriage, she says, and don't go out of town for long periods: "My marriage now determines a lot of what I do and don't do. Being married also reminds me that there is something else beyond the next audition." Indeed, she says, it's very important to have friends outside the business for added perspective. Another aspect of a healthy outlook is to make a genuine effort to mitigate feelings of envy when an actor friend walks off with a role you auditioned for, she says. "I now feel if I don't get a part, I should be happy for an actor friend who does. We have no control over it anyway, and whether you get a role or not has nothing to do with who you are. You may be just an inch too tall. So feel good for your friend."Simi Horwitz Edward Tournier Where you've seen him: Edward Tournier, who was born in Paris and grew up in Boston, has been active in Southern California theater since he moved to L.A. five years ago. His many successful and challenging stage roles include characters in "Futura" at Theatre @ Boston Court (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nomination), "Supernova" at the Elephant Theatre (LA Weekly nomination for best ensemble), and "Mercury Fur" for Needtheater (Ovation nomination for best ensemble). About his portrayal of an oversexed, alcoholic teenager in "Supernova," Back Stage wrote, "The superb Tournier juggles his character's boorish behavior alongside the hurt feelings that have festered in the family, creating a compelling portrait of inner turmoil." Tournier is a dedicated member of the theater company Rogue Machine, where he appeared in "Razorback," and has enjoyed the opportunity to cut his teeth as a producer and assistant director with the troupe. "I think those jobs fell to me because I was willing to step up and take them, as often happens in theater," he says. "As I did more and more plays, I got more familiar with how it all works, more skilled and experienced, and started seeing things from a wider point of view. Directing and producing seemed like a natural growth from acting." Tournier also has TV shows to his credit, including "Without a Trace" and A&E's "The Cleaner."Current project: Tournier is playing the unusual role of a bonobo (similar to a chimpanzee) in the world premiere of Henry Murray's "Monkey Adored," at Rogue Machine through Nov. 20. "This species of ape is known primarily for its democratic sex drive, not discriminating by age, gender, or status," the actor explains. The allegorical play, which includes several humanlike animals, is set in a brutally violent world where the repressed animal characters are planning a revolt. Tournier calls his role very challenging, physically and otherwise, but says it's "an absolute blast to play." He adds, "I get to really 'monkey around' and leave my inhibitions at the door."Breaking in: The role that Tournier believes got his career rolling was that of an aspiring actor, who grows from 16 to 26 years old, in "Secrets of the Trade," Jonathan Tolins' bittersweet play, which premiered in 2008 at the Black Dahlia Theatre and was later produced Off-Broadway. Tournier's ambitious young character forges a relationship with a famous middle-aged actor-director (played by John Glover), who becomes his mentor. "That was the first play I did in L.A. that got a lot of attention," says Tournier. "It was very popular with audiences and had a sold-out run. It was a critical success, and there were a lot of good things that came out of it."His philosophy: Tournier says something that happened in his career that he never planned for was working almost exclusively on new plays. He describes it as "incredibly rewarding." Beyond that, his vision includes making a living in film or TV. "That's why I'm out here," he says. "My passion and background are on stage, but when it comes to making a living, that only seems possible if you have a film or TV thing going." Yet he would feel especially fulfilled to be able to do it all. "That's the dream," he says.Les Spindle Annaleigh Ashford Annaleigh Ashford in "Rent" (Photo by Joan Marcus) Where you've seen her: Annaleigh Ashford has been a steady presence on the NY theater scene since she graduated with a bachelor's degree in acting from Marymount Manhattan Collegeat 19. "I was on the fast track," Ashford says. Months after graduating, she landed in the NY Musical Theatre Festival production "Feeling Electric"an early version of the Pulitzer Prize winner "Next to Normal"which she considers her big break. That show got her a gig in the first national tour of "Wicked," understudying Glinda. She went on to create the role of Margot in the musical "Legally Blonde" and play Jeannie in "Hair" on Broadway last summer. She also had a bit part in the first "Sex and the City" movie and is a recurring guest star on the NYbased Web series "Submissions Only."Current projects: Ashford is currently starring as Maureen, the volatile performance artist, in the Off-Broadway revival of "Rent." While she was nervous about following in the footsteps of Idina Menzel, who originated the role on Broadway, Ashford brought her own experience to bear. "When I was in college, I knew quite a few performance artists who were working consistently downtown, so I've seen a lot of performance art," she explains of her new take on the bohemian lesbian activist. "I wanted to explore more elements of the physical. And they understood what I was going for, and it was extremely exciting." While her first love is the theater, she's excited about acting in all mediums. She'll appear in the much-anticipated midseason series "Smash" on NBC. "As an actor, I really would just love to work in any way that I can," Ashford says. "I've been given the opportunity to explore that mediumbecause it is so different from the theater, that's been exciting creatively. It's a different world. But the acting stays the same. The process stays the same. It's just a different medium. I'm partial to anything where I get to act." Endless auditioning: Like any actor, Ashford must deal with the unpredictability of the profession. "I always tell people that I have more job interviews in a week than most people have in their life," she says. "I think that's the hardest part about being an actor: You have to have the continual belief in yourself, in your craft." A self-proclaimed horrible judge of auditions, Ashford says she never knows how to feel after one: "When I auditioned for 'Legally Blonde: The Musical,' I thought I did a terrible job and there was no way I was getting a callback. And then I got a call literally the next morning saying I got the job in one audition." Always be creating: To keep her craft sharp, Ashford values her training. "Working in musical theater, it's like flexing a muscle," she says. She regularly takes dance classes and has kept up with voice lessons since she was 9. She trained in clowning with David Shiner while working on the Cirque du Soleil show "Banana Shpeel," and she has taken Bob Krakower's on-camera class and Craig Carnelia's musical theater class. "It's actually an important part of the creative process, to always be creating," she explains. Ashford's dream roles include Nina in "The Seagull" and Martha in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" "That's not going to happen for years," she says. "As an actor, your career is your whole life, or at least it should be. You can act until the day you die."Suzy Evans Hunter Parrish (Photo by Michael Muller/CPi Syndication) Where you've seen him: Hunter Parrish has been acting since he was about 6 years old but still considers himself a student, always willing to learn from his peers and veteran co-stars. Born in Richmond, Va., and raised in Plano, Texas, Parrish has guest-starred on several TV shows, such as "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." He has also appeared on Broadway as Melchior in the musical "Spring Awakening" and in the movies "RV," "Freedom Writers," "17 Again," and "It's Complicated." For the last six years, he has played Silas Botwin on Showtime's Emmy-winning drama "Weeds." Current project: Parrish is currently making his second appearance on Broadway, starring as Jesus in the revival of "Godspell," now in previews and scheduled to open Nov. 7. Though he's playing a biblical figure, the musical "is about love and community," he says. "People have their personal [ideas] for what or who Jesus is and what he means. I'm staying far away from that and I'm focusing on how much love he as a man had to offer and to teach other people how to spread their love as well."Breaking in: Parrish's interest in performing began at 5 years old. During a church service, he enjoyed singing alongside his family, and the next summer, he visited NY and saw "Cats" on Broadway. "I started crying," he remembers. "From watching people on stage moving, singing, dancing, I was like, 'I got to do that.' I wanted to be on stage." He soon took Peter Sklar's Beginnings workshop and starred in its end-of-term showcase, after which a manager offered to represent him. Parrish began working on stage and moved into film and television roles as he became older, though he never lost his affinity for theater. When he was about 17, he received the script for "Weeds." He was home in Texas at the time, so a friend taped his audition and he mailed it in. He heard nothing for some time and assumed the producers were not interested. Then he was told it was a choice between him and two other actors to play Silas, the son of a pot-dealing suburban mom played by Mary-Louise Parker. Parrish flew out to Los Angeles and won the role. "I guess they saw something," he says. Time leap: When he replaced Jonathan Groff as Melchior in "Spring Awakening," Parrish needed to play a character living in late-19th-century Germany. He found it an interesting challenge: "I spent a lot of time right before each show listening to music that wasn't necessarily from the time period but that took me from present day and focused me." He adds with a laugh, "I have a crazy personality, and my brain is incredibly scattered and needed that to bring myself down." What he's learned: "Trusting myself was the biggest obstacle, and still is," Parrish says. "Every time I sit down with any script, I read it closely and get into it, so I can see where to make big decisions and go for it, because that's what people respond to." Frank Nestor Andre Holland (Photo by Michael Tammaro) Where you've seen him: Andre Holland got bitten by the Shakespeare in the Park bug after his first year in NY University's MFA acting program, when he appeared in the ensemble of the Public Theater production of "Much Ado About Nothing." Last summer he returned to Central Park, playing Bertram in "All's Well That Ends Well" and Claudio in "Measure for Measure." He considers his first professional break after graduating from NYU in 2006 to have been the play "Blue Door" at Playwrights Horizons. "NY Times" critic Charles Isherwood wrote, "On the evidence of this blazingly good performance, I can confidently say that Mr. Hollandis an actor of some serious potential." In 2009, Holland made his Broadway debut in "Joe Turner's Come and Gone," and in 2011 he received rave reviews for his work in Manhattan Theatre Club's production of "The Whipping Man." (Isherwood called him "one of the most engaging young stage actors of his generation.")Upcoming projects: This fall, Holland can be seen guest-starring on the fifth season of USA's "Burn Notice." The final episode of his short-lived TV show "Friends With Benefits" aired in September, and he is taking some time out now to work on writing projects. He's writing his first full-length screenplay, something he is "dying to do," he says. "I'm having a hard time finding the parts that I want to be doing next. I think it's up to me to create those opportunities for myself. Not only do you have to be a good actor, but you also have to be a good creator and care enough about it to go out and make it yourself if you have to. That's tough. But it's also equal parts exhilarating and exciting."Mama's boy: In Alabama, where Holland grew up, his mom was a champion for him and his two sisters, and she put him in a community theater production even though he was too young. "She sort of forced them to let me be a part of it," he remembers. His mother's "you have not because you ask not" philosophy has helped him throughout his career. "Be persistent," advises Holland, who wrote letters incessantly to the Public Theater requesting an audition that first summer. "If you want to do it and you know you want to do it, then knock on every door you can find. Audition for anybody that will let you audition for them. Really go after it."Permission to act: Holland didn't always have acting on his mind. He played baseball in high school and initially studied political science at Florida State University. Walking by the college theater building one day, he saw a flyer for a black theater festival run by Woodie King Jr. of Off-Broadway's New Federal Theatre. Using more of his mother's moxie, he convinced the department to let him participate in the event. "At the end of it," he recalls, "Woodie King Jr. caught me in the hallway and he said, 'Son, I want you to go home, call your mama, and tell her Woodie King Jr. said it's okay for you to be an actor." But he still wrestled with finding his place. While studying in London, he saw Adrian Lester in Peter Brook's production of "Hamlet," which changed Holland's outlook. "In my mind, I never put together [that] a black man could be playing Hamlet well," he says. "Seeing him do it really just broadened my horizons. It gave me permission to be where I am right now. To play in Shakespeare in the Park. Had I not been in that theater, I probably never would have had the courage to risk going after it."Suzy Evans Adam Chanler-Berat (Photo by Norma Walter McBride_Retna Ltd.) Where you've seen him: Adam Chanler-Berat created the role of Henry in the Pulitzer Prizewinning musical "Next to Normal," then went on to originate the character Peter in "Peter and the Starcatcher," the much-raved-about Off-Broadway adaptation of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's prequel to J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan."Current project: Chanler-Berat is now tackling one of the most iconic musical theater roles of the '90s, playing Mark Cohen in the Off-Broadway revival of "Rent" at New World Stages. The show opened in August and has been well-received by critics and audiences.Big shoes: Stepping into an established role was not easy for Chanler-Berat after creating two originals. "It was a little shocking," he says. "It's tough. There is a certain idea of the role that I wanted to honor in some way." Having worked with Anthony Rapp, the original Mark Cohen, in "Next to Normal" (Rapp was the assistant director), Chanler-Berat was especially anxious to pay tribute to the character. "But I think getting caught up in that is just asking for trouble," he says. "And I think Michael [Greif, the director] was so gracious to let us really figure out who these people are."Born this way: "As clich as this sounds, I think it's true that you are born an actor, and I was born with this bug," Chanler-Berat says. "I tried to run away from it at a couple points in my life, and I just found myself back in its loving arms again." As a young boy, he performed for friends and family every chance he got. Every time a costume could be worn, he was in one. "I made a play about the Easter Bunny, and I'm not religious," he says. "And my family is pretty much Jewish. But I made up plays for any holiday I could. I've been doing it privately. Now I just get paid for it."Emily Cegielski Theater Actors to Watch 2011 October 21, 2011 Patti Murrin in "Lysistrata Jones" Patti Murin Where you've seen her: Patti Murin was most recently seen in an Off-Broadway production at the Judson Memorial Church, playing a determined basketball cheerleader in the Aristophanes-inspired musical "Lysistrata Jones" and garnering rave reviews. Written by Douglas Carter Beane and composer-lyricist Lewis Flinn, the show is now slated to open on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre on Dec. 14. Previously, Murin understudied the roller-skating female lead in the 2007 Broadway tuner "Xanadu" and went on 40 times, she says. Prior to making her Broadway debut in that zany production, she performed at regional theaters across the country, playing leading or featured roles in close to 20 musicalssome of them revivals but most of them new works, including "Princesses," which almost made it to Broadway; "Clueless: The Musical" and "Give It Up," which morphed into "Lysistrata Jones."Upcoming projects: Besides preparing for her debut as a lead on Broadway, Murin is spending her limited free time participating in readings for various new musicals that are hoping to land backers. But her thoughts are focused on the challenges of doing eight shows a week in a lead and maintaining her physical and especially vocal health. "I never performed eight times a week; the most was seven performances," she says, adding, "I feel very strongly about not taking time off and missing performances because of vocal problems." On the other hand, she feels confident because she created the role and has had a chance to hone her acting and singing chops at the Dallas Theater Center, where the project began, and later Off-Broadway.Breaking in: Brought up in Hopewell Junction, N.Y., Murin had her sights set on a musical theater career at an early age. She majored in musical theater at Syracuse University and moved to NY City two weeks after graduation in 2002. Her career trajectory to date has been steady and workmanlike. She concedes that she was lucky to land day jobsincluding an on-and-off three-year gig with an insurance companythat allowed her to take time off for auditions, callbacks, and work in various regional productions. Other day jobs, as a guide with the "Sex and the City" bus tour and as a freelance babysitter, have been equally flexible. She's now in the enviable position of being able to focus exclusively on her true vocation without worrying about day labor.Keeping a healthy perspective: Part of her good fortune, Murin says, is having a wonderful support system that includes friends, family, and, most central, her husband, actor Curtis Holbrook. Both are committed to the marriage, she says, and don't go out of town for long periods: "My marriage now determines a lot of what I do and don't do. Being married also reminds me that there is something else beyond the next audition." Indeed, she says, it's very important to have friends outside the business for added perspective. Another aspect of a healthy outlook is to make a genuine effort to mitigate feelings of envy when an actor friend walks off with a role you auditioned for, she says. "I now feel if I don't get a part, I should be happy for an actor friend who does. We have no control over it anyway, and whether you get a role or not has nothing to do with who you are. You may be just an inch too tall. So feel good for your friend."Simi Horwitz Edward Tournier Where you've seen him: Edward Tournier, who was born in Paris and grew up in Boston, has been active in Southern California theater since he moved to L.A. five years ago. His many successful and challenging stage roles include characters in "Futura" at Theatre @ Boston Court (Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle nomination), "Supernova" at the Elephant Theatre (LA Weekly nomination for best ensemble), and "Mercury Fur" for Needtheater (Ovation nomination for best ensemble). About his portrayal of an oversexed, alcoholic teenager in "Supernova," Back Stage wrote, "The superb Tournier juggles his character's boorish behavior alongside the hurt feelings that have festered in the family, creating a compelling portrait of inner turmoil." Tournier is a dedicated member of the theater company Rogue Machine, where he appeared in "Razorback," and has enjoyed the opportunity to cut his teeth as a producer and assistant director with the troupe. "I think those jobs fell to me because I was willing to step up and take them, as often happens in theater," he says. "As I did more and more plays, I got more familiar with how it all works, more skilled and experienced, and started seeing things from a wider point of view. Directing and producing seemed like a natural growth from acting." Tournier also has TV shows to his credit, including "Without a Trace" and A&E's "The Cleaner."Current project: Tournier is playing the unusual role of a bonobo (similar to a chimpanzee) in the world premiere of Henry Murray's "Monkey Adored," at Rogue Machine through Nov. 20. "This species of ape is known primarily for its democratic sex drive, not discriminating by age, gender, or status," the actor explains. The allegorical play, which includes several humanlike animals, is set in a brutally violent world where the repressed animal characters are planning a revolt. Tournier calls his role very challenging, physically and otherwise, but says it's "an absolute blast to play." He adds, "I get to really 'monkey around' and leave my inhibitions at the door."Breaking in: The role that Tournier believes got his career rolling was that of an aspiring actor, who grows from 16 to 26 years old, in "Secrets of the Trade," Jonathan Tolins' bittersweet play, which premiered in 2008 at the Black Dahlia Theatre and was later produced Off-Broadway. Tournier's ambitious young character forges a relationship with a famous middle-aged actor-director (played by John Glover), who becomes his mentor. "That was the first play I did in L.A. that got a lot of attention," says Tournier. "It was very popular with audiences and had a sold-out run. It was a critical success, and there were a lot of good things that came out of it."His philosophy: Tournier says something that happened in his career that he never planned for was working almost exclusively on new plays. He describes it as "incredibly rewarding." Beyond that, his vision includes making a living in film or TV. "That's why I'm out here," he says. "My passion and background are on stage, but when it comes to making a living, that only seems possible if you have a film or TV thing going." Yet he would feel especially fulfilled to be able to do it all. "That's the dream," he says.Les Spindle Annaleigh Ashford Annaleigh Ashford in "Rent" (Photo by Joan Marcus) Where you've seen her: Annaleigh Ashford has been a steady presence on the NY theater scene since she graduated with a bachelor's degree in acting from Marymount Manhattan Collegeat 19. "I was on the fast track," Ashford says. Months after graduating, she landed in the NY Musical Theatre Festival production "Feeling Electric"an early version of the Pulitzer Prize winner "Next to Normal"which she considers her big break. That show got her a gig in the first national tour of "Wicked," understudying Glinda. She went on to create the role of Margot in the musical "Legally Blonde" and play Jeannie in "Hair" on Broadway last summer. She also had a bit part in the first "Sex and the City" movie and is a recurring guest star on the NYbased Web series "Submissions Only."Current projects: Ashford is currently starring as Maureen, the volatile performance artist, in the Off-Broadway revival of "Rent." While she was nervous about following in the footsteps of Idina Menzel, who originated the role on Broadway, Ashford brought her own experience to bear. "When I was in college, I knew quite a few performance artists who were working consistently downtown, so I've seen a lot of performance art," she explains of her new take on the bohemian lesbian activist. "I wanted to explore more elements of the physical. And they understood what I was going for, and it was extremely exciting." While her first love is the theater, she's excited about acting in all mediums. She'll appear in the much-anticipated midseason series "Smash" on NBC. "As an actor, I really would just love to work in any way that I can," Ashford says. "I've been given the opportunity to explore that mediumbecause it is so different from the theater, that's been exciting creatively. It's a different world. But the acting stays the same. The process stays the same. It's just a different medium. I'm partial to anything where I get to act." Endless auditioning: Like any actor, Ashford must deal with the unpredictability of the profession. "I always tell people that I have more job interviews in a week than most people have in their life," she says. "I think that's the hardest part about being an actor: You have to have the continual belief in yourself, in your craft." A self-proclaimed horrible judge of auditions, Ashford says she never knows how to feel after one: "When I auditioned for 'Legally Blonde: The Musical,' I thought I did a terrible job and there was no way I was getting a callback. And then I got a call literally the next morning saying I got the job in one audition." Always be creating: To keep her craft sharp, Ashford values her training. "Working in musical theater, it's like flexing a muscle," she says. She regularly takes dance classes and has kept up with voice lessons since she was 9. She trained in clowning with David Shiner while working on the Cirque du Soleil show "Banana Shpeel," and she has taken Bob Krakower's on-camera class and Craig Carnelia's musical theater class. "It's actually an important part of the creative process, to always be creating," she explains. Ashford's dream roles include Nina in "The Seagull" and Martha in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" "That's not going to happen for years," she says. "As an actor, your career is your whole life, or at least it should be. You can act until the day you die."Suzy Evans Hunter Parrish (Photo by Michael Muller/CPi Syndication) Where you've seen him: Hunter Parrish has been acting since he was about 6 years old but still considers himself a student, always willing to learn from his peers and veteran co-stars. Born in Richmond, Va., and raised in Plano, Texas, Parrish has guest-starred on several TV shows, such as "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." He has also appeared on Broadway as Melchior in the musical "Spring Awakening" and in the movies "RV," "Freedom Writers," "17 Again," and "It's Complicated." For the last six years, he has played Silas Botwin on Showtime's Emmy-winning drama "Weeds." Current project: Parrish is currently making his second appearance on Broadway, starring as Jesus in the revival of "Godspell," now in previews and scheduled to open Nov. 7. Though he's playing a biblical figure, the musical "is about love and community," he says. "People have their personal [ideas] for what or who Jesus is and what he means. I'm staying far away from that and I'm focusing on how much love he as a man had to offer and to teach other people how to spread their love as well."Breaking in: Parrish's interest in performing began at 5 years old. During a church service, he enjoyed singing alongside his family, and the next summer, he visited NY and saw "Cats" on Broadway. "I started crying," he remembers. "From watching people on stage moving, singing, dancing, I was like, 'I got to do that.' I wanted to be on stage." He soon took Peter Sklar's Beginnings workshop and starred in its end-of-term showcase, after which a manager offered to represent him. Parrish began working on stage and moved into film and television roles as he became older, though he never lost his affinity for theater. When he was about 17, he received the script for "Weeds." He was home in Texas at the time, so a friend taped his audition and he mailed it in. He heard nothing for some time and assumed the producers were not interested. Then he was told it was a choice between him and two other actors to play Silas, the son of a pot-dealing suburban mom played by Mary-Louise Parker. Parrish flew out to Los Angeles and won the role. "I guess they saw something," he says. Time leap: When he replaced Jonathan Groff as Melchior in "Spring Awakening," Parrish needed to play a character living in late-19th-century Germany. He found it an interesting challenge: "I spent a lot of time right before each show listening to music that wasn't necessarily from the time period but that took me from present day and focused me." He adds with a laugh, "I have a crazy personality, and my brain is incredibly scattered and needed that to bring myself down." What he's learned: "Trusting myself was the biggest obstacle, and still is," Parrish says. "Every time I sit down with any script, I read it closely and get into it, so I can see where to make big decisions and go for it, because that's what people respond to." Frank Nestor Andre Holland (Photo by Michael Tammaro) Where you've seen him: Andre Holland got bitten by the Shakespeare in the Park bug after his first year in NY University's MFA acting program, when he appeared in the ensemble of the Public Theater production of "Much Ado About Nothing." Last summer he returned to Central Park, playing Bertram in "All's Well That Ends Well" and Claudio in "Measure for Measure." He considers his first professional break after graduating from NYU in 2006 to have been the play "Blue Door" at Playwrights Horizons. "NY Times" critic Charles Isherwood wrote, "On the evidence of this blazingly good performance, I can confidently say that Mr. Hollandis an actor of some serious potential." In 2009, Holland made his Broadway debut in "Joe Turner's Come and Gone," and in 2011 he received rave reviews for his work in Manhattan Theatre Club's production of "The Whipping Man." (Isherwood called him "one of the most engaging young stage actors of his generation.")Upcoming projects: This fall, Holland can be seen guest-starring on the fifth season of USA's "Burn Notice." The final episode of his short-lived TV show "Friends With Benefits" aired in September, and he is taking some time out now to work on writing projects. He's writing his first full-length screenplay, something he is "dying to do," he says. "I'm having a hard time finding the parts that I want to be doing next. I think it's up to me to create those opportunities for myself. Not only do you have to be a good actor, but you also have to be a good creator and care enough about it to go out and make it yourself if you have to. That's tough. But it's also equal parts exhilarating and exciting."Mama's boy: In Alabama, where Holland grew up, his mom was a champion for him and his two sisters, and she put him in a community theater production even though he was too young. "She sort of forced them to let me be a part of it," he remembers. His mother's "you have not because you ask not" philosophy has helped him throughout his career. "Be persistent," advises Holland, who wrote letters incessantly to the Public Theater requesting an audition that first summer. "If you want to do it and you know you want to do it, then knock on every door you can find. Audition for anybody that will let you audition for them. Really go after it."Permission to act: Holland didn't always have acting on his mind. He played baseball in high school and initially studied political science at Florida State University. Walking by the college theater building one day, he saw a flyer for a black theater festival run by Woodie King Jr. of Off-Broadway's New Federal Theatre. Using more of his mother's moxie, he convinced the department to let him participate in the event. "At the end of it," he recalls, "Woodie King Jr. caught me in the hallway and he said, 'Son, I want you to go home, call your mama, and tell her Woodie King Jr. said it's okay for you to be an actor." But he still wrestled with finding his place. While studying in London, he saw Adrian Lester in Peter Brook's production of "Hamlet," which changed Holland's outlook. "In my mind, I never put together [that] a black man could be playing Hamlet well," he says. "Seeing him do it really just broadened my horizons. It gave me permission to be where I am right now. To play in Shakespeare in the Park. Had I not been in that theater, I probably never would have had the courage to risk going after it."Suzy Evans Adam Chanler-Berat (Photo by Norma Walter McBride_Retna Ltd.) Where you've seen him: Adam Chanler-Berat created the role of Henry in the Pulitzer Prizewinning musical "Next to Normal," then went on to originate the character Peter in "Peter and the Starcatcher," the much-raved-about Off-Broadway adaptation of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's prequel to J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan."Current project: Chanler-Berat is now tackling one of the most iconic musical theater roles of the '90s, playing Mark Cohen in the Off-Broadway revival of "Rent" at New World Stages. The show opened in August and has been well-received by critics and audiences.Big shoes: Stepping into an established role was not easy for Chanler-Berat after creating two originals. "It was a little shocking," he says. "It's tough. There is a certain idea of the role that I wanted to honor in some way." Having worked with Anthony Rapp, the original Mark Cohen, in "Next to Normal" (Rapp was the assistant director), Chanler-Berat was especially anxious to pay tribute to the character. "But I think getting caught up in that is just asking for trouble," he says. "And I think Michael [Greif, the director] was so gracious to let us really figure out who these people are."Born this way: "As clich as this sounds, I think it's true that you are born an actor, and I was born with this bug," Chanler-Berat says. "I tried to run away from it at a couple points in my life, and I just found myself back in its loving arms again." As a young boy, he performed for friends and family every chance he got. Every time a costume could be worn, he was in one. "I made a play about the Easter Bunny, and I'm not religious," he says. "And my family is pretty much Jewish. But I made up plays for any holiday I could. I've been doing it privately. Now I just get paid for it."Emily Cegielski