Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items, covering yesterday and today:

TELEVISION

Actress Amy Acker (Angel) will guest star on the season finale of Person of Interest, which is slated to air on May 17. She will play an attractive psychologist who caters to the rich and powerful; but when the machine spits out her number, Reese (Jim Caviezel) must keep her safe from several clients who could potentially kill to keep their secrets safe. (Adam Bryant at TV Guide)

CONDOLENCES

Dick Clark, the perennial teenager, passed away yesterday at the age of 82. (Twitter)

Actor Jonathan Frid, the original Barnabas Collins of the TV series Dark Shadows passed away last Friday (April 13) of natural causes in Canada. (Zap2It)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Showtime has put into development The Angry Buddhist, a drama series project based on the upcoming novel of the same name by Seth Greenland. The drama, with dark comedy elements, is set in the high California desert between the trailer parks and amphetamine labs of Desert Hot Springs and the classic mid-century architecture of Palm Springs. It will center on three Duke brothers: a cop studying Buddhism, an unrepentant criminal and a wily U.S. Congressman running for his third term. As the Congressman is in for the fight of his political life against the charismatic Mary Swain, a sexy, well-financed, newcomer, none of the Dukes are prepared for the consequences when a murder occurs and threatens to derail all of their lives. The novel comes out next week. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor James Van Der Beek (Apartment 23) and 13-year-old actor Gattlin Griffith, (Changeling, and Green Lantern) have joined the cast of the upcoming box office film Labor Day that centers on a boy (Griffith) and his reclusive, depressed divorced mother Adele (Kate Winslet). Van Der Beek will play a cop. Josh Brolin will also star in the film. (The Hollywood Reporter and First Showing)

Actor Gerard Butler is in advanced negotiations to star in the action thriller called Manhunt that involves a team of FBI agents sent to the North Carolina wilderness to chase the FBI’s most wanted man, a domestic terrorist and survivalist named James Tollan. They enroll the help of a reluctant bear hunter to capture him, but the group finds themselves being hunted by Tollan, who will stop at nothing to survive and defend his territory. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Fun Trailer for ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ Directors’ Comedy ‘Ruby Sparks’

Q&A SECTION (with Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Question: I need a scoop about the NCIS finale! —Jessica

Ausiello: It’s titled “Till Death Do Us Part,” and not just because it features Palmer’s wedding. “It suggests some impending danger for the rest of the team as well,” warns showrunner Gary Glasberg. “There is an unbreakable bond between the members of our NCIS family, and it would take something earth-shattering to change that.” (Sounds like someone’s been taking Professor Hart Hanson’s night class, Introduction to Cryptic Episodic Soundbites.)

Question: Keeping my fingers firmly crossed for a Nikita renewal. Got any scoop? —Frances

Ausiello: Only that it remains very much on the bubble. In more definitive news, there’s a death in this Friday’s episode that, per a source, is both “sad and shocking.”

Question: I am going through major Vampire Diaries withdrawals! Got anything? —Amy

Ausiello: Sounds like Caroline will be busy trying to figure out a way to save her man Tyler in the May 10 season finale. “They’re still forming their master plan on trying to take down the Originals,” says Candice Accola of the show’s big finish. But given that Tyler is part of Klaus’ blood line and killing the Original hybrid would bring about Tyler’s own demise, “They have be much more strategic about it. That’s the big argument — who’s going to be sacrificed at this point? Everyone’s going to be paired up [with an Original] and we’re going to see who’s willing.” Um, sacrificed? Does that mean we can expect a heartbreaking death? “It doesn’t [necessarily] happen in the finale,” Accola replies, coyly.

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actors Dan Futterman (Judging Amy) and Roger Bart (Desperate Housewives) have been cast in recurring roles on the upcoming 6-episode USA Network drama Political Animals, that will take a look at a fictional ex-first family, centering on Elaine Barrish (Sigourney Weaver), the divorced former First Lady and newly appointed Secretary of State who throws herself into the job after recovering from the dissolution of her marriage and losing the presidential nomination. She attempts to keep her family together, while simultaneously dealing with crises of the State Department and hungry DC journalist Susan Berg (Carla Gugino) bent on destroying her career. Futterman will play Alex Davies, Bureau Chief of the Washington Journal and love interest to Susan Berg. Bart will play Barry Harris, new President Garcetti’s Chief Of Staff, a weasely guy who politely despises Elaine and loves cutting her out of policy decisions. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Bree Turner has been promoted to series regular on Grimm when it returns for its second season next year. She plays Rosalee Calvert, the sister of the spice shop owner who was tragically murdered and whose death was investigated by Det. Burkhardt (series star David Giuntoli). (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide)

Actress Laura Vandervoort (Smallville) will guest star in an upcoming episode of White Collar, which is back with new episodes starting on July 10 on the USA Network. She will play a New York City socialite who stands to receive a large life insurance payout when her wealthy husband dies, but little else seems to be known about her character as of yet. Actor Michael Weston (House) will also show up on the series, playing David Cook, an overconfident and elusive criminal mastermind who Peter has been trying to put away since the beginning of his FBI career. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line and Philiana Ng at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Emily Blunt will join Tom Cruise in the action film All You Need is Kill, where they will both play soldiers fighting an epic battle against aliens. (Vulture)

Actor Lucas Till (X-Men: First Class) is in talks to join the espionage thriller called Paranoia for which Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman are in advanced negotiations to star. Till would portray a friend and co-worker of Liam Hemsworth’s character in the film, which is set in the world of dueling telco giants. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actress Christine Lahti (Chicago Hope) has joined Evan Peters (American Horror Story) and Juno Temple (Year One) in the 1970’s coming-of-age film called Truck Stop. Lahti will play Peg, the relationship-scarred owner of a truck stop. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Actor T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy) has joined the cast of the Jackie Robinson biopic called 42, where he will play Harold Parrott, the Dodgers traveling secretary who has to deal with the repercussions of housing once Robinson joins the team. Chadwick Boseman (Lincoln Heights and Persons Unknown) and Harrison Ford also star. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

Actress Julianne Moore is in talks to play Carrie’s mother (Chloe Moretz from Kick-Ass and Let Me In) in the latest remake of the Stephen King classic novel. (Bloody Disgusting and First Showing)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Read Full Post »