Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Rebecca Mader (Lost) will guest-star on an upcoming episode of White Collar, which returns to the USA Network on July 10 for its fourth season. She will play Abigail, an elusive con woman who blackmails Neal (Matt Bomer) into getting involved in her latest heist. At the same time, she is trying to woo Diana (Marsha Thomason), who is working undercover to bring Abigail to justice. (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

Actresses Mia Kirshner (The Vampire Diaries and The L Word) and Fionnula Flanagan have joined the cast of the new Syfy series Defiance that will be sent in the near future drama. The series will be about a completely transformed planet Earth, inhabited by the survivors of a universal war. Kirshner will play Kenya, the self-assured, dauntless town madam whose unvarying devotion to the town of Defiance has inexorably woven her into many of its complicated affairs. Flanagan will play Nicky, the popular ex-mayor of the town whose intrinsic expertise from her years on the job have made her a trusted mentor to her successor, Amanda (Julie Benz). Other cast members include Graham Greene, Grant Bowler, Jaime Murray, and Tony Curran. (The Futon Critic and Deadline)

The BBC has decided not to move forward with a third season for Upstairs Downstairs. (Stuart Kemp at The Hollywood Reporter)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Troubled actress Lindsay Lohan will portray Elizabeth Taylor in the upcoming Lifetime biopic called Liz & Dick, which will chronicle the late film legend’s romance with actor Richard Burton. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the top 10 movies at the box office this past weekend courtesy of Exhibitor Relations and E! Online:

1. Think Like a Man, $33 million
2. The Lucky One, $22.8 million
3. The Hunger Games, $14.5 million
4. Chimpanzee, $10.2 million
5. The Three Stooges, $9.2 million
6. The Cabin in the Woods, $7.8 million
7. American Reunion, $5.2 million
8. Titanic 3D, $5 million
9. 21 Jump Street, $4.6 million
10. Mirror Mirror, $4.1 million

Actress Maiara Walsh (Desperate Housewives and Switched at Birth) has landed the leading role in the upcoming independent drama film called Grace, about a woman named Grace (Kelcie Stranahan) accused of killing another woman in an accident. The victim reaches out from beyond the grave to help unveil the truth about what happened. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actress Toni Collette (The United States of Tara) and actor Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire) have joined the cast of the upcoming film called Defiant that is based on the true story of a double honor killing in India. Patel will play Hari, a young man who is, along with his girlfriend, trying to escape vengeful parents who want to kill the lovers to stop them marrying. Collette will play Sally Lane, a journalist who in covering the story of the lovers, gets drawn into its dangers. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

Actress Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games) will next star in the film adaptation of the best-selling novel The Glass Castle by famed gossip columnist Jeanette Walls. The movie covers Walls’ childhood, which featured a nomadic lifestyle and parents who weren’t exactly well-adjusted. (Deadline and First Showing)

BOX OFFICE MOVIE TRAILER

Watch: Charming Indie ‘A Buddy Story’ Trailer with Elizabeth Moss

That’s it. Enjoy!