Rueben's Ramblings

Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Jerry O’Connell (Crossing Jordan) has been cast as Herman Munster in the upcoming NBC drama reboot of the classic 60’s sitcom that will be known as Mockingbird Lane from the mind of Bryan Fuller (the man behind Pushing Daisies). O’Connell joins already cast Eddie Izzard as grandpa, Charity Wakefield, as their “plain” cousin and Mason Cook as Eddie. Word has it that actress Marianna Klaveno (True Blood) could potentially play Lily Munster, but that will only happen if she is released from her contract to Marc Cherry’s new pilot Devious Maids that was up for consideration at ABC (but not picked up there) but still in potential play at Lifetime. (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline and William Keck at TV Guide)

Syfy has picked up season three of the Canadian hit series Lost Girl with plans to air it next January. (Shilo Adams at TV Overmind)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIE NEWS

Actors Eddie Cibrian and Michael Beach (both of Third Watch) will star in the Hallmark Channel movie called Playing Father that revolves around a former musician (Cibrian) who, despite having fans around the world, opts to return home to take a job teaching music to disenfranchised children so he can repair his relationship with his own family. Beach will play a custodian who works at the school. The film will premiere next year around Father’s Day. (The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Danielle Panabaker, singer-actress Naomi Judd and Travis Milne (Rookie Blue) will all star in the Hallmark Channel movie called The Nearlywed. The project revolves around three friends who have dream weddings only to find out that the pastor who married them failed to complete the key paperwork required to make them official. Panabaker will play Erin, whose husband David (Ryan Kennedy) invites his manipulative mother Renee (Judd) to stay with the couple. Milne will play Nick, one of the other husbands. The film will premiere in January. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Garret Dillahunt (Raising Hope) has joined the cast of the upcoming film called Twelve Years A Slave where he will portray Armsby, a fellow field hand who works alongside Solomon Northup (Chiwitel Ejifior), a free black man who’s brought South against his will and sold into slavery. Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) also stars. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Actors Douglas Booth (The Pillars of the Earth) and Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) are set to play Noah’s son Shem and Ham in the upcoming epic film entitled Noah that is set to star Russell Crowe. (Mike Fleming at Deadline)

Actor Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory) has joined the cast of the upcoming film called CBGB, the legendary New York club where American punk rock and New Wave got its start in the mid-1970’s. Galecki will play band manager Terry Ork. The cast includes Alan Rickman, Rupert Grint and Malin Ackerman. (Dominic Patten at Deadline)

Actress Rebecca Hall (The Town) will star in the upcoming film called A Promise, which is an adaptation of the Stefan Zweig novella entitled Journey into the Past. The film will be set in Germany in 1910 and centers on the wife of an older, wealthy man who falls hopelessly in love with her husband’s teacher, a young and ambitious engineer from a modest background. They embark on a passionate liaison and quickly vow to live together. When WWI breaks out and they are separated, they promise to go on loving each other. (Variety)

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

Question: Any good Teen Wolf scoops? —Alysia

Ausiello: JR Bourne, who plays big, bad Argent, would neither confirm nor deny buzz that one and possibly two major characters will bite the dust this season, but he did issue this frighteningly cryptic warning. “I think [the fans] will be shocked, surprised and maybe even upset,” he told TVLine at the ATX Fest. “I think they’re going to cry. I think they might maybe pee a bit in their pants out of nervousness. There’s going to be a lot of stuff going on.”

Question: Any Teen Wolf scoop on Lydia? —Jen

Ausiello: By the third episode you’re going to get some hints of what’s to come with Lydia… and she’s not OK,” teases the show’s creator/showrunner Jeff Davis. “She is definitely feeling the effects of the bite that was taken out of her side. She has a very big arc this season. I told [her portrayer], Holland [Roden], at the start of the season that her role is going to become a lot more important, even though the character doesn’t know it yet. There’s a lot for her to play and she’s part of a big mystery.”

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

The Starz drama Spartacus will come to an end after its upcoming third season. This version will be called Spartacus: War of the Damned and is slated to air in January of 2013. (The Futon Critic and E! Online)

Actress Diane Neal (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit) will make a guest appearance on Suits, playing Allison Holt, a legal eagle who digs up a secret that could jeopardize Harvey (Gabriel Macht) and Donna’s (Sarah Rafferty) working relationship. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

Actor Dougray Scott (Ever After) is expected to make an appearance in the 7th season of Doctor Who; but no other details are available at this time. (Screen Crush)

Actor Victor Webster (Mutant X and Continuum) will appear in an episode of White Collar, playing Eric Dunham, an aggressive top Wall Street trader. White Collar is back on July 10 on USA Network. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

Actor Brian White (Men of a Certain Age) will appear in an upcoming episode of Burn Notice, playing Agent Woods, a hard-edged and by-the-book FBI agent who has devoted much of his career to bringing down a ruthless Boston Mob syndicate. (Jeff Labrecque at Entertainment Weekly)

Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) has landed the lead role of Hannibal Lecter in the upcoming NBC drama series Hannibal. The new drama received a 13-episode order for next season. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

MADE-FOR-TV MOVIES

Actress Frances Conroy (Six Feet Under) and music pioneer/actor John Doe (Roswell) have joined the cast of the Lifetime movie called Ring of Fire (formerly known as The June Carter Cash Story) that will star singer Jewel in the lead role of June Carter. Conroy will play June’s mother Maybelle Carter and Doe will play June’s uncle, A.P. Carter. The film will follow June’s early childhood growing up in the rural mountains of Virginia to her relationship with Johnny Cash (Matt Ross). (TV By the Numbers)

Actor Ralph Macchio (best known for The Karate Kid) will star in the Lifetime holiday film called Holiday Spin that will star Disney’s Garrett Clayton (Teen Beach Musical) as rebellious teen Blake, who is forced to go live with his father after his mother is killed in a car accident. Macchio will play Ruben, Blake’s father, who runs a famed dance studio that has fallen on hard times and is preparing his star student — and future step-daughter, Pia, for the annual Christmas Eve ballroom dance competition, the Holiday Spin, when Blake arrives. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

CONDOLENCES

Actor and Family Feud host Richard Dawson (Hogan’s Heroes) passed away over the weekend. He was 79. (E! Online)

Actress Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives and The West Wing) passed away over the weekend. She was 72. (E! Online)

ME: RIP Mr. Dawson and Ms. Joosten. Deepest condolences to their family, friends and fans.

MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE…

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here is the top 10 box office films for this past weekend courtesy of TV Guide and Box Office Mojo:

1. Snow White and the Huntsman – 56.2 million
2. Men in Black 3 – 29.3 million
3. The Avengers – 20.2 million
4. Battleship – 4.8 million
5. The Dictator – 4.7 million
6. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – 4.6 million
7. What To Expect When You’re Expecting – 4.4 million
8. Dark Shadows – 3.8 million
9. Chernobyl Diaries – 3 million
10. For Greater Glory – 1.8 million

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Logan Lerman & Emma Watson in ‘Perks of Being a Wallflower’ Trailer

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

First came news that actor Tim Daly would not be back on Private Practice this fall now the news comes that lead actress Kate Walsh will only appear in 13 episodes of the medical drama this fall. And now, ABC has announced the sixth season that is expected to air this fall will only have 13 episodes, but there are no current plans to end the season after those 13 episodes. Where the show will go without Walsh is anyone’s guess. (Kate Stanhope at TV Guide, Deadline and Lynette Rice at Entertainment Weekly)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

The new 3D CG-animated film called Epic, about a teen girl who finds herself transported into a magical deep forest where she must band together with a rag-tag team of fun and whimsical characters to save that world which will in turn save our real world, will include the voice talents of Beyonce, Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Knoxville, Aziz Ansari, rapper Pitbull, Jason Sudeikis and Steven Tyler. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Actor Chris Lowell (Veronica Mars and Private Practice) will make his feature directorial debut on the independent film called Beside Still Waters that will star Ryan Eggold (90210) as a young man on the verge of losing his childhood home following the death of his parents. He struggles to maintain the friendships of his youth as he invites his high school pals over for one last celebration and attempts to win back his ex-girlfriend. Lowell co-wrote the script as well. (The Chicago Tribune and Dark Horizons)

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock and the upcoming Star Trek 2) has joined the cast of the upcoming film called Twelve Years a Slave where he will play a 19th century Louisiana cotton plantation owner who is won over by the engineering skills of his “forced into slavery” slave (to be played by Chiwetel Ejiofor). (The Guardian and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: Gordon-Levitt’s ‘Premium Rush’ New Trailer Arrives On Time

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific weekend!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items, few though they are, for today:

TELEVISION

Actress Tina Majorino (Bones and Veronica Mars) has landed a recurring role on True Blood, which is set to return on June 10. She will play a key member of the Vampire Authority’s support staff. She will first appear in the episode set for June 24. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Australian actor Aden Young (Killer Elite) will appear in the first in-house drama series from Sundance Channel called Rectify. Young will appear as Daniel Holden, who must put his life back together after serving 19 years on Georgia’s Death Row before DNA evidence calls his conviction into question. The supporting cast includes Abigail Spencer (Mad Men) and Clayne Crawford (The Glades) [among others]. (Marisa Guthrie at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Mireille Enos (The Killing) will appear in the West Memphis Three-themed drama flick called Devil’s Knot alongside Reese Witherspoon and Colin Firth. She will play Vicki Hutcheson, an important witness in the case, who was a link between two of the trio. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Singer/Dancer/Actress Julianne Hough (Rock of Ages and Footloose) will star in the film adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel Safe Haven, playing a young woman with secrets struggling to rediscover love after moving to a small coastal town. Josh Duhamel will play the male lead. (Yahoo News and Dark Horizons)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

Watch: Jeremy Renner in New Action-Packed ‘Bourne Legacy’ Trailer

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Adam Harrington (The Secret Circle) and Currie Graham (Raising the Bar) will guest star on Drop Dead Diva this season. Harrington will appear as Paul Hewitt, a charming and relentless lawyer for a grieving stepmother who’s suing for custody of her dead stepson’s cremated ashes. Paul will call a witness whose testimony may derail the entire defense for Jane and Grayson. Meanwhile, Graham will appear as Simon Grundy, a lawyer who works with Jane when Deb’s mother, Bobbi Dobkins (Sharon Lawrence), is sued for a young girl’s personal injury in Bobbi’s dance studio. Drop Dead Diva will be back on June 3. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Actor Tim Daly will not be returning to Private Practice when the show comes back this fall for its sixth season. (Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actress Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) has joined the cast of the sci-fi mystery film called I’ll Follow You Down that will star Rufus Sewell (Zen) as a scientist who mysteriously disappears during a business trip, devastating his wife Marika (Anderson) and son Erol (Haley Joel Osment). Erol and his grandfather (Victor Garber) years later make a shocking discovery about the man’s whereabouts. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

Q&A SECTION (with Adam Bryant and Natalie Abrams at TV Guide)

Question: Is NCIS getting new digs next year? — Jennifer, via Twitter

ADAM: Not really, but the cleanup of the team that will be more significant, says executive producer Gary Glasberg “There are psychological ramifications that will carry over,” he says, in particular Ducky’s heart attack. “How will that affect his character as a medical examiner and his approach to dealing with the dead? How might it change him and the way he views things?” he asks.

Question: How will Brenda handle the instatement of “The Johnson Rule” when The Closer returns? — Whitney

ADAM: Although she’s still bitter about it (wouldn’t you be angry if your boss named a rule about what not to do after you?), she actually uses the new code to her advantage: She takes a reluctant-to-speak rape victim home with her in order to keep her out of a “hostile environment.” The move also conveniently gives Brenda time to arrange a scenario in which the victim can identify her attacker. However, Brenda’s continued coloring outside the lines will have further consequences. Let’s just say Brenda’s going to have a whole new level of oversight that she’s not going to like.

Question: Will the public still have suspicions that the president is a cheater on Scandal? — Jaime

NATALIE: Despite the vice president denouncing what Billy said, there will still be people who believe that the president not only had an affair, but also had a hand in the death of Amanda Tanner. Little does Fitz know that Cyrus was behind that little act. “Every president has little stains on their record and people whispering about those conspiracy theories,” executive producer Shonda Rhimes says. “This will be part of that for Fitz’s presidency.”

Question: I am still heartbroken that Hank and Evan went their separate ways last season on Royal Pains! How far after that night will Season 4 pick up? —Heather

NATALIE: The Season 4 premiere will start, literally, the day after the Lawson brothers’ breakup, and, as fans saw in the final moments of the finale, Evan won’t waste any time replacing Hank. Opposites attract when Evan must hire two docs who could not be more different: the charismatic but too carefree Dr. Paul Van Dyke (Kyle Howard) and the brilliant yet awkward Dr. Jeremiah Sacani (Ben Shenkman). And just because he’s no longer part of HankMed proper, don’t expect Hank to put down that first aid kit anytime soon, especially when the season premiere ends with a dangerous and fiery cliff-hanger!

Question: Is Henry going to survive being shot in the Psych cliff-hanger? — Bridget

ADAM: I’d say it’s a safe bet. Actually, I’d tell you to bet the house limit because I hear an upcoming episode will involve Henry and Juliet’s stepfather Lloyd traveling to Mexico to settle one of Lloyd’s gambling debts with a notorious Mexican crime lord. (Gus, Shawn and Juliet naturally give chase when they realize the pair is “missing.”) Bonus: The episode, hilariously titled “No Country for Two Old Men,” also features Lassiter’s Mexican doppelganger!

Question: How long will this rift between Maura and Jane last on Rizzoli & Isles? — Sarah

NATALIE: They will eventually reconcile, but don’t expect it to be an easy turnaround. In fact, they’ll even have a catfight that has to be broken up by the police in the season premiere.

Question: Got any Leverage scoop? — James

ADAM: The show is picking up where Chuck left off! Well, sort of. One of Nate & Co.’s upcoming targets is the regional team leader for Buy More, a nationwide chain of stores that moves into town and quickly puts all the Mom-and-Pop shops out of business. Though they preach honest, American values, they succeed by bribing county officials and slashing prices by selling goods made in sweatshops. We don’t think the Nerd Herd would approve.

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items for yesterday and today:

TELEVISION

Actress Zuleikha Robinson (Rome and Lost) will have a major recurring role on the second season of Homeland. She will play a Middle Eastern woman Roya Hammad, a field journalist with a special relationship to Abu Nazir (Navid Negahban) who delivers an ultimatum to Brody (Damian Lewis). (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actress Wanda de Jesus (CSI: Miami) has been cast in a multiple-episode arc Sons Of Anarchy. She will play Carla, a smart and sexy associate of Nero (Jimmy Smits), a Latino gangbanger with an exit strategy who becomes a dangerous mentor for Jax (Charlie Hunnam). (Nellie Andreeva at Deadline)

Actor Michael Weatherly (NCIS) is the first high-profile guest star for the new TNT series Major Crimes, which is the spinoff from The Closer. He will play Arthur “Thorn” Woodson, a charming con artist who currently works as an “intuitive life strategist” for a group of Israeli mob wives (all of whom he is bedding). Major Crimes will debut on August 13 at 10 right after the series finale of The Closer. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

Actor James Frain (True Blood) has been cast as the brother of Captain Sean Renard (Sasha Roiz) on Grimm. He will play Eric Renard in what is being described as a recurring guest star. It seems the brothers don’t have that great of a relationship; and he is in town after a very bad creature makes its way into Portland. (David Eckstein at Zap2It)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Here are the top 10 box office moves for the long holiday weekend courtesy of Box Office Mojo and E! Online:

1. Men in Black 3 – $70 million
2. The Avengers – $46.9 million
3. Battleship – $13.8 million
4. The Dictator – $11.8 million
5. Chernobyl Diaries – $9.3 million
6. Dark Shadows – $9.4 million
7. What to Expect When You’re Expecting – $8.9 million
8. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – $8.2 million
9. The Hunger Games – $2.9 million
10. Think Like a Man – $1.8 million

Actress Malin Akerman (Watchmen) will play Blondie singer Debbie Harry in the upcoming independent film called CBGB, after the iconic New York hotspot that she and her band often frequented. The film will chronicle the legendary music venue that stars Alan Rickman as Hilly Kristal, the owner of CBGB, and Rupert Grint as Cheetah Chrome, the guitarist for the Dead Boys. (Bruna Nessif at E! Online)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All

Here are the news items for yesterday and today:

TELEVISION

Actress Vanessa Ray (Suits and White Collar) will guest star in an upcoming episode of Pretty Little Liars, playing Cece, a charming blonde who works as a stylist in a hip boutique, but as it turns out, she is actually Jason’s ex-girlfriend and the person that schooled Alison in the wicked ways of the world, she taught her everything she knows. Pretty Little Liars will be back on ABC Family on June 5. (Megan Masters at TV Line)

WEB SERIES

Actor Ryan McPartlin (Chuck) will co-star in Daybreak, a six-episode web series loosely connected to Touch, the FOX drama. This web series will center on the Dodecahedron, an object that was recently introduced on the Kiefer Sutherland series. The web series will launch following the May 31 Touch finale episode. (TV Line)

DEVELOPMENT NEWS

Lifetime is developing a drama series based on Clarice Starling, the character created by novelist Thomas Harris and portrayed by Jodie Foster in Silence of the Lambs. The project would follow a pre-Hannibal Lecter Clarice soon after she graduates from the FBI academy. (TV Guide and TV Line)

MADE FOR TV MOVIE NEWS

Actor Grant Bowler (True Blood) will portray Richard Burton opposite Lindsay Lohan in the Lifetime original movie Liz & Dick, the biopic about Elizabeth Taylor. (Lesley Goldberg at The Hollywood Reporter)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor Rupert Grint (of Harry Potter fame) will appear in two upcoming films. The first is called The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman in which actor Shia LaBeouf plays a young man who falls for a woman (Evan Rachel Wood) who belongs to a dangerous crime boss (Mads Mikkelsen). Grint’s role is unknown at this point. The second is CBGB, the film about the famous New York nightclub and its effects on the underground music scene in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Alan Rickman leads the cast as club founder Hilly Kristal while Grint will play Cheetah Chrome, lead guitarist of short-lived ‘70s punk band The Dead Boys. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actor Gary Oldman will star opposite actor Joel Kinnaman (The Killing) in the remake of Robocop. Kinnaman plays Alex Murphy who is brought back from the brink of death and turned into a cyborg police officer. Oldman will play Norton, the scientist who creates Robocop and finds himself torn between the ideals of the machine trying to rediscover its humanity and the callous needs of a corporation. (Heat Vision and Dark Horizons)

Actress Nikki Reed (Twilight Saga franchise) and actors Michael Angarano (Almost Famous), Paul Ben-Victor (In Plain Sight) and Chris Diamantopoulos (The Starter Wife) have joined the cast of the film Empire State. The film is set in 1980’s and is about two friends who plan to rob an armored car company. Dwayne Johnson, Emma Roberts and Liam Hemsworth are already part of the cast. (Deadline and Dark Horizons)

That’s it. Enjoy!

Have a terrific holiday weekend!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items, few though they may be, for today:

TELEVISION

Four actors have been ousted from the NBC musical drama Smash. The actors who are not expected to be around next season (or at the very least appear perhaps once or twice to complete their storylines) include: Raza Jaffrey, who played Karen’s philandering fiancé Dev, Jaime Cepero, who played devious assistant Ellis, Brian d’Arcy James, who played Julia’s husband Frank and Will Chase, who played Julia’s former lover Michael and is Joe DiMaggio in the musical “Bombshell”. (James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly)

Actor Seth Gabel will not be back as a series regular on the fifth and final season of Fringe; but it is possible he could make an appearance or two during the final 13 episodes. (Michael Ausiello at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE TRAILER

The First Trailer for Baz Luhrmann’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ Adaptation

Watch: First Official TV Spot for Len Wiseman’s ‘Total Recall’ Remake

That’s it. Enjoy!

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Hey All,

Here are the news items, few though they may be, for today:

TELEVISION

Actor Gabriel Byrne has been cast as Earl Haraldson in the History channel’s first scripted series called Vikings that will premiere next year. He will play a powerful figure in the historical telling of the Norsemen who raided and explored during Medieval times. Vikings will be a 10-episode drama. (Deadline)

Actor Jason Gedrick (Luck) will appear in a multi-episode arc on Dexter, which is back with new episodes starting on September 30. He will play the manager of a Miami-area gentlemen’s club that becomes linked to a high-profile murder case. (Matt Mitovich at TV Line)

BOX OFFICE NEWS

Actor James McAvoy and actress Jessica Chastain are to star in the dual-film project called The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby that tells the story of a New York restaurant owner and his wife, who goes back to college. The twist is the story will be played out across two feature-length movies — one from the husband’s perspective and the other from the wife’s. Each film will be stand-alone though watching them both will give better insight into their relationship. (Variety and Dark Horizons)

Actresses Jessica Biel and Chloe Moretz and actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan will star in the upcoming film called The Devil in the Deep Blue Sea that will be set in New Orleans and tells the story of a grieving widower (Morgan) who recently lost his wife (Biel) in a car accident. He will find refuge helping a wisecracking young girl (Moretz) fulfill her dream of building a raft and sailing across the Atlantic. (The Hollywood Reporter and Dark Horizons)

Actress Rachel McAdams has joined Philip Seymour Hoffman in the film adaptation of the John le Carre novel A Most Wanted Man. The story follows a mysterious man who comes to Germany searching for a Russian fortune. Hoffman plays a German spy out to find this man’s true identity, and McAdams will be a civil rights lawyer who is caught in international espionage. (First Showing and The Hollywood Reporter)

Actress Natalie Portman is expected to star and produce the upcoming film called Jane Got a Gun, which will center on a woman whose outlaw husband returns home barely alive and riddled with bullet wounds. She is forced to reach out to an ex-lover and ask if he will help defend her farm when her husband’s gang eventually tracks him down to finish the job. (Borys Kit and Pamela McClintock at The Hollywood Reporter)

That’s it. Enjoy!

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