"Almost Famous" is easily one of the best coming-of-age films of the past few decades. Just about everyone with a pulse is touched by this road film about an aspiring young rock journalist that joins a band on tour in the early 1970s as they grapple with their newfound commercial success. The cult classic is made all the more compelling by the breakout performance from the teenage lead, Patrick Fugit.
Writer-director Cameron Crowe and casting director Gail Levin were "late in the process" before they stumbled upon Fugit's self-taped audition, Crowe revealed to Comingsoon.net. The filmmaker achieved huge commercial success with his previous films, "Say Anything" and "Jerry Maguire." By contrast, Fugit was "a complete unknown from Salt Lake City, Utah," as the actor himself admitted. Luckily for the 16-year-old, "it turns out that was exactly the kind of thing [Crowe] wanted."
William, the protagonist of "Almost Famous," has an...
Writer-director Cameron Crowe and casting director Gail Levin were "late in the process" before they stumbled upon Fugit's self-taped audition, Crowe revealed to Comingsoon.net. The filmmaker achieved huge commercial success with his previous films, "Say Anything" and "Jerry Maguire." By contrast, Fugit was "a complete unknown from Salt Lake City, Utah," as the actor himself admitted. Luckily for the 16-year-old, "it turns out that was exactly the kind of thing [Crowe] wanted."
William, the protagonist of "Almost Famous," has an...
- 12/30/2022
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
Russell Hammond in “Almost Famous” is one of Billy Crudup’s career-defining roles, but there was a four-month period where writer-director Cameron Crowe worked with Brad Pitt developing the character. Pitt was Crowe and casting director Gail Levin’s first choice for the role. When young Patrick Fugit got to the screen test round of auditions to play protagonist William Miller, Brad Pitt was still attached to the role. Fugit recently spoke to Uproxx about his first meeting with Pitt.
“I went in and Cameron introduced me to Brad,” Fugit said. “He was sitting in Cameron’s office and Brad could tell I was nervous, but I was also excited to get into things. Brad started talking about PlayStation, and he was like, ‘Hey, man, I’ve been playing this game, ‘Cool Boarders.’ Do you play ‘Cool Boarders?” I, by the way, had been playing a fuck load of ‘Cool Boarders.
“I went in and Cameron introduced me to Brad,” Fugit said. “He was sitting in Cameron’s office and Brad could tell I was nervous, but I was also excited to get into things. Brad started talking about PlayStation, and he was like, ‘Hey, man, I’ve been playing this game, ‘Cool Boarders.’ Do you play ‘Cool Boarders?” I, by the way, had been playing a fuck load of ‘Cool Boarders.
- 7/15/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
One of the keys to the longevity of Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous,” a love letter to 1970s rock and roll, is the film’s effortless cool. The iconic image of corkscrew-curled Kate Hudson in bell-bottoms and faux fur tossing up a peace sign was so emblematic of the era that it made the then-unknown actress into a movie star. But after 20 years, Crowe tells Variety, he’s ready to reveal the film’s biggest secret — he and the two actors who played a version of the director in this loosely autobiographical tale are deeply uncool.
“If it’s uncool to show your endless enthusiasm and appreciation, then viva uncool,” Crowe says of the film, which opened in movie theaters in the fall of 2000. “Because just to sit and talk with my Williams here is the coolest uncool thing ever. And they’re the maestros of the uncool.”
In “Almost Famous,...
“If it’s uncool to show your endless enthusiasm and appreciation, then viva uncool,” Crowe says of the film, which opened in movie theaters in the fall of 2000. “Because just to sit and talk with my Williams here is the coolest uncool thing ever. And they’re the maestros of the uncool.”
In “Almost Famous,...
- 10/6/2020
- by Meg Zukin
- Variety Film + TV
Image Source: Netflix
If you've been wondering if Project Power's Newt (better known as the guy on fire) is played by Machine Gun Kelly, the answer is "yes." And if you were surprised to see him appear in the Netflix film, you really shouldn't be. Colson Baker may be better known as a rapper from Cleveland, but believe it or not, the 30-year-old has actually been adding to his acting résumé for a while now. In fact, he made his acting debut back in 2014 in the romantic drama Beyond the Lights.
Related: Bird Box: Yes, Dumplin's Danielle Macdonald Plays Olympia, and Yes, She's Wonderful
In Beyond the Lights - which stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Minnie Driver, Nate Parker, and Danny Glover - Machine Gun Kelly plays a self-important rapper named Kid Culprit who used to date Mbatha-Raw's character (and who tries to force the rising pop star to remove her...
If you've been wondering if Project Power's Newt (better known as the guy on fire) is played by Machine Gun Kelly, the answer is "yes." And if you were surprised to see him appear in the Netflix film, you really shouldn't be. Colson Baker may be better known as a rapper from Cleveland, but believe it or not, the 30-year-old has actually been adding to his acting résumé for a while now. In fact, he made his acting debut back in 2014 in the romantic drama Beyond the Lights.
Related: Bird Box: Yes, Dumplin's Danielle Macdonald Plays Olympia, and Yes, She's Wonderful
In Beyond the Lights - which stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Minnie Driver, Nate Parker, and Danny Glover - Machine Gun Kelly plays a self-important rapper named Kid Culprit who used to date Mbatha-Raw's character (and who tries to force the rising pop star to remove her...
- 8/16/2020
- by Corinne Sullivan
- Popsugar.com
Four minutes into the new Almost Famous podcast, Kate Hudson describes a discussion she recently had with her therapist. “‘I’m feeling like I’m 40 and I just wanna…’ And my therapist goes, ‘You wanna get back on the bus with Stillwater?’ And I was like, ‘Yes! I want to get back on the bus! You’re right, that’s exactly what I want!'”
Hosted by James Andrew Miller, all five binge-worthy episodes of Cadence13’s Origins: Almost Famous Turns Twenty provide insight and incredible details about Cameron Crowe...
Hosted by James Andrew Miller, all five binge-worthy episodes of Cadence13’s Origins: Almost Famous Turns Twenty provide insight and incredible details about Cameron Crowe...
- 7/15/2020
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
The cast of Almost Famous will commemorate the film’s 20th anniversary with a five-part podcast, set to premiere on July 8th.
The sixth chapter of Cadence13’s Origins podcast series, Origins: Almost Famous Turns Twenty, will be hosted by James Andrew Miller. Along with cast members, writer-director Cameron Crowe will discuss the film — a semi-autobiographical account of his career as a teenage writer for Rolling Stone — and reflect on its cultural impact and legacy. You can listen to the trailer here.
Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand, Billy Crudup, Zooey Deschanel,...
The sixth chapter of Cadence13’s Origins podcast series, Origins: Almost Famous Turns Twenty, will be hosted by James Andrew Miller. Along with cast members, writer-director Cameron Crowe will discuss the film — a semi-autobiographical account of his career as a teenage writer for Rolling Stone — and reflect on its cultural impact and legacy. You can listen to the trailer here.
Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand, Billy Crudup, Zooey Deschanel,...
- 6/18/2020
- by Angie Martoccio
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: Patrick Fugit (Outcast) is set as a lead opposite Odette Annable and Chris Wood in the ABC pilot thirtysomething(else), a sequel to Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick’s beloved 1987-91 drama series, playing grown-up Ethan Weston.
Written by Herskovitz and Zwick and to be directed by Zwick, thirtysomething(else) will follow an ensemble of new faces playing the grown-up children of the original cast, the new generation of thirtysomethings. They are being joined by returning original cast members Ken Olin (Michael Steadman), Mel Harris (Hope Murdoch), Timothy Busfield (Elliot Weston) and Patty Wettig (Nancy Weston), reprising their characters in supporting roles.
Fugit will play Ethan Weston, the son of Nancy (Wettig) and Elliot (Busfield). He’s a brilliant musician who refuses to compromise his artistic principles in order to succeed. He’s also a recovering drug addict with a lifelong history of depression, and has now had a baby with his current girlfriend,...
Written by Herskovitz and Zwick and to be directed by Zwick, thirtysomething(else) will follow an ensemble of new faces playing the grown-up children of the original cast, the new generation of thirtysomethings. They are being joined by returning original cast members Ken Olin (Michael Steadman), Mel Harris (Hope Murdoch), Timothy Busfield (Elliot Weston) and Patty Wettig (Nancy Weston), reprising their characters in supporting roles.
Fugit will play Ethan Weston, the son of Nancy (Wettig) and Elliot (Busfield). He’s a brilliant musician who refuses to compromise his artistic principles in order to succeed. He’s also a recovering drug addict with a lifelong history of depression, and has now had a baby with his current girlfriend,...
- 2/14/2020
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: U.S. soccer star Hope Solo is to be the subject of a movie biopic produced by Hacksaw Ridge backers Argent Pictures.
The currently untitled narrative feature about the World Cup winner and Olympic champion will be written and directed by Christine Crokos (Pimp) after Argent optioned the goalkeeper’s life story rights.
Jill Ahrens (American Made), Ryan Ahrens (Chasing Coral) and Ben Renzo (The Birth Of A Nation) will produce for Malibu-based Argent. Executive producers are Argent partners and fellow sports stars Drew Brees, Tony Parker, Michael Finley, and Derrick Brooks. That’s a combined haul on the project of a World Cup, Olympic gold medal, two Super Bowls and five NBA Championships.
From humble beginnings, Solo was heavily recruited by several colleges around the country. She excelled at the University of Washington, breaking numerous records on her way to becoming one of the best women’s goalkeepers in Pac-10 history.
The currently untitled narrative feature about the World Cup winner and Olympic champion will be written and directed by Christine Crokos (Pimp) after Argent optioned the goalkeeper’s life story rights.
Jill Ahrens (American Made), Ryan Ahrens (Chasing Coral) and Ben Renzo (The Birth Of A Nation) will produce for Malibu-based Argent. Executive producers are Argent partners and fellow sports stars Drew Brees, Tony Parker, Michael Finley, and Derrick Brooks. That’s a combined haul on the project of a World Cup, Olympic gold medal, two Super Bowls and five NBA Championships.
From humble beginnings, Solo was heavily recruited by several colleges around the country. She excelled at the University of Washington, breaking numerous records on her way to becoming one of the best women’s goalkeepers in Pac-10 history.
- 4/9/2019
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
If you somehow haven't heard yet, Netflix is coming out with a Mötley Crüe biopic, and it looks seriously wild. Based on Mötley Crüe's bestselling 2001 autobiography The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band, this long-awaited biopic will follow the story of the heavy metal band's rise from obscurity to super stardom and international fame during the course of the 1980s. What's even crazier than the stories drugs, alcohol, and groupies told in the book (which are supposedly all true) is the incredibly stacked cast, and we can't imagine a better person to play Mötley Crüe's founding member and drummer Tommy Lee than Machine Gun Kelly.
Plenty of people were surprised to see Colson Baker playing Felix (better known as the jerk who stole the car) in Netflix's insanely popular post-apocalyptic thriller Bird Box (pictured ahead), but they shouldn't be. The 28-year-old Cleveland-born rapper has actually been adding...
Plenty of people were surprised to see Colson Baker playing Felix (better known as the jerk who stole the car) in Netflix's insanely popular post-apocalyptic thriller Bird Box (pictured ahead), but they shouldn't be. The 28-year-old Cleveland-born rapper has actually been adding...
- 3/20/2019
- by Corinne Sullivan
- Popsugar.com
Christine Crokos, writer/director of the Lee Daniels-produced drama, Pimp, has joined the client roster of Verve.
The film, which hit theaters November 9 via by Vertical Entertainment, stars Keke Palmer, Haley Ramm, Aunjanue Ellis, Vanessa Morgan, and Edi Gathegi. The story follows a struggling female Pimp, Wednesday (Palmer), hustles for a chance at a better life. When her girlfriend, Nikki (Ramm), hits the streets to change their luck, Wednesday’s game starts to rise and so do her stable of girls. In a ferocious battle for street power, Wednesday fights to survive, risking her dream of ever getting out.
The pic, which marked Crokos second directorial outing, recently picked up the Best Narrative Feature Award and the Audience Award for Best Feature at this year’s Urbanworld Film Festival.
Crokos made her directorial debut with the film, Bang-Bang Wedding!. She continues to be managed by Gail Levin.
The film, which hit theaters November 9 via by Vertical Entertainment, stars Keke Palmer, Haley Ramm, Aunjanue Ellis, Vanessa Morgan, and Edi Gathegi. The story follows a struggling female Pimp, Wednesday (Palmer), hustles for a chance at a better life. When her girlfriend, Nikki (Ramm), hits the streets to change their luck, Wednesday’s game starts to rise and so do her stable of girls. In a ferocious battle for street power, Wednesday fights to survive, risking her dream of ever getting out.
The pic, which marked Crokos second directorial outing, recently picked up the Best Narrative Feature Award and the Audience Award for Best Feature at this year’s Urbanworld Film Festival.
Crokos made her directorial debut with the film, Bang-Bang Wedding!. She continues to be managed by Gail Levin.
- 11/15/2018
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Given his credentials — a widely admired essayist, chairman of the New York Film Festival’s selection committee, a noted documentary filmmaker, and a key player in The Film Foundation — and the reputation they create, it may not have been much of a feat for Kent Jones to secure the lineup of his new documentary, Hitchcock/Truffaut, itself based on a book-length series of discussions between the eponymous filmmakers. What’s trickier, then, is fusing these films (among the most famous ever made), the original conversations (among the most seminal in cinematic history), and their participation into a new, worthwhile whole.
The film proves successful, and while some may see a fairly straightforward history-recapping that simply has a stellar lineup — Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, Olivier Assayas, Peter Bogdanovich, Wes Anderson, David Fincher, James Gray, Arnaud Desplechin, and Kiyoshi Kurosawa — pushing things along, there are many complexities underlying its approach. I wanted...
The film proves successful, and while some may see a fairly straightforward history-recapping that simply has a stellar lineup — Martin Scorsese, Paul Schrader, Olivier Assayas, Peter Bogdanovich, Wes Anderson, David Fincher, James Gray, Arnaud Desplechin, and Kiyoshi Kurosawa — pushing things along, there are many complexities underlying its approach. I wanted...
- 12/2/2015
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
In February 2014, writer-director Mary Agnes Donoghue ("Beaches") and producers Michelle Manning and Gail Levin launched a campaign on Indiegogo to raise post-production finishing funds for indie romantic comedy "Jenny's Wedding," starring Katherine Heigl, Grace Gummer and Alexis Bledel. The movie will debut at Outfest on July 10 and will open via IFC Films On Demand and in theaters on July 31. "Jennifer's Wedding," which wrapped production in Cleveland, Ohio in November 2013, is about what happens when Jenny (Heigl), the daughter of a close-knit family, finally decides to marry. Her old-fashioned parents (Tom Wilkinson and Linda Emond) want her to settle down, but react badly when she announces that she is going to marry a woman. While the producers successfully financed the film via Merced Media Partners and PalmStar Media Capital (executive producers are PalmStar’s...
- 7/7/2015
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
Katherine Heigl‘s gay marriage drama-comedy “Jenny’s Wedding” was purchased by IFC, TheWrap has learned. The movie, directed by Mary Agnes Donoghue, is set for release on July 31. Heigl stars as a lesbian woman who celebrates her sexual orientation freely, except around her conventional family. When she chooses to marry the woman her parents thought was just her roommate, the family dynamic is tested. Tom Wilkinson and Linda Emond play her parents. Alexis Bledel appears as her girlfriend. Grace Gummer, Sam McMurray and Diana Hardcastle also star. Also Read: 10 Things We Learned From Katherine Heigl's Live Facebook Q&A Michelle Manning,...
- 6/8/2015
- by Kathy Zerbib
- The Wrap
When Cameron Crowe was casting Almost Famous, he knew he'd found his Lester Bangs before Philip Seymour Hoffman even entered the picture. "He was a forceful presence with a big heart," the filmmaker tells Rolling Stone as part of our new cover story on the actor, who was found dead February 2nd of an apparent heroin overdose. "Both those things collided magnificently in Lester and in Phil."
Peter Travers on Philip Seymour Hoffman's brilliant roles
What lead you to cast Hoffman as Lester Bangs?
Writing the part of Lester...
Peter Travers on Philip Seymour Hoffman's brilliant roles
What lead you to cast Hoffman as Lester Bangs?
Writing the part of Lester...
- 2/14/2014
- Rollingstone.com
Katherine Heigl, Tom Wilkinson, Linda Emond and Grace Gummer will star in Jenny’S Wedding, written and to be directed by Mary Agnes Donoghue (Beaches).
The film is set to start shooting on October 28.
Jenny’S Wedding revolves around Jenny (Heigl) who causes a massive sea-change in the lives of her closely knit, highly conventional family when she finally decides to marry. A pretty and engaging woman, everyone is baffled by Jenny’s lack of a love-life, and her parents (Wilkinson, Emond) particularly have been anxious for her to settle down, but when the announcement comes that she is finally going to wed, her choice of partner tears the family apart. In order to reconnect, everyone including Jenny, must reinvent themselves.
The announcement was made today by producers Donoghue, Gail Levin and Mm Productions’ Michelle Manning.
Mary Agnes Donoghue’s writing credits include The Buddy System, starring Richard Dreyfus and Susan Sarandon,...
The film is set to start shooting on October 28.
Jenny’S Wedding revolves around Jenny (Heigl) who causes a massive sea-change in the lives of her closely knit, highly conventional family when she finally decides to marry. A pretty and engaging woman, everyone is baffled by Jenny’s lack of a love-life, and her parents (Wilkinson, Emond) particularly have been anxious for her to settle down, but when the announcement comes that she is finally going to wed, her choice of partner tears the family apart. In order to reconnect, everyone including Jenny, must reinvent themselves.
The announcement was made today by producers Donoghue, Gail Levin and Mm Productions’ Michelle Manning.
Mary Agnes Donoghue’s writing credits include The Buddy System, starring Richard Dreyfus and Susan Sarandon,...
- 10/24/2013
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Katherine Heigl ( Knocked Up , 27 Dresses ), Tom Wilkinson ( The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel , Michael Clayton ), Linda Emond ( Julie & Julia ) and Grace Gummer ( Frances Ha , Larry Crowne ) are set to star in Jenny's Wedding , written and to be directed by Mary Agnes Donoghue ( Beaches ), it was announced today by producers Donoghue, Gail Levin and Mm Productions' Michelle Manning. Set to start shooting on October 28, Jenny's Wedding revolves around Jenny (Heigl) who causes a massive sea-change in the lives of her closely knit, highly conventional family when she finally decides to marry. A pretty and engaging woman, everyone is baffled by Jenny's lack of a love-life, and her parents (Wilkinson, Emond) particularly have been anxious for her to settle down, but when the...
- 10/23/2013
- Comingsoon.net
Will it be six years until we see the next Cameron Crowe film? That was the hiatus taken between the critical and financial disaster that was Elizabethtown and the upcoming dramedy We Bought A Zoo, starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson [The Playlist].
It would appear not. Crowe has completed his next screenplay and wants to start shooting in March. The man is always generating ideas, whether its a Marvin Gaye biopic, a poten Say Anything… sequel (which he’s admitted is more a pipe dream than anything else) and a film inspired by the slew of talented child actors that auditioned for Zoo.
It would appear this latter idea is the script Crowe spoke of to the New York Times in a recent profile. Features aside, it’s been a busy year for the music lover, premiering two music documentaries (The Union, focusing on Elton John and Leon Russell’s T. Bone...
It would appear not. Crowe has completed his next screenplay and wants to start shooting in March. The man is always generating ideas, whether its a Marvin Gaye biopic, a poten Say Anything… sequel (which he’s admitted is more a pipe dream than anything else) and a film inspired by the slew of talented child actors that auditioned for Zoo.
It would appear this latter idea is the script Crowe spoke of to the New York Times in a recent profile. Features aside, it’s been a busy year for the music lover, premiering two music documentaries (The Union, focusing on Elton John and Leon Russell’s T. Bone...
- 10/28/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
This December will see the release of Cameron Crowe‘s first narrative feature in six years, We Bought a Zoo. His fans will be happy to know that he shouldn’t be gone for that long again, since Crowe told IFC that he’s currently writing his next film, which is inspired by the child actors he worked with on Zoo.
Crowe was quoted as saying that this new movie will come “from auditioning and working with a bunch of actors for ‘We Bought a Zoo.’” As he states below:
“This woman that I work with, Gail Levin, is a great casting director. She’s always finding new faces. The kids she found for ‘We Bought a Zoo‘ are so exciting. We met with all these actors, and they would leave the room and it was a situation where I would turn to Gail and say ‘They’re not right for this one,...
Crowe was quoted as saying that this new movie will come “from auditioning and working with a bunch of actors for ‘We Bought a Zoo.’” As he states below:
“This woman that I work with, Gail Levin, is a great casting director. She’s always finding new faces. The kids she found for ‘We Bought a Zoo‘ are so exciting. We met with all these actors, and they would leave the room and it was a situation where I would turn to Gail and say ‘They’re not right for this one,...
- 9/2/2011
- by jpraup@gmail.com (thefilmstage.com)
- The Film Stage
Cameron Crowe will be extremely busy as the year draws to a close. He.s bringing his Pearl Jam documentary, Pearl Jam Twenty, to the Toronto International Film Festival and in December, he.ll unveil We Bought a Zoo, his first feature since 2005.s disappointing Elizabethtown. But Crowe.s lining up a project to ensure that he.ll stay busy well into 2012. In an interview with IFC News about the Zoo soundtrack and the contributions of composer Jonsi, Crowe said his next project will be an original script he wrote that was inspired by young actors he auditioned but didn.t cast for the Matt Damon dramedy. The Say Anything director said he was so impressed with the talent casting director Gail Levin brought in for Zoo tryouts that he was moved to immediately write a script that would utilize some of those actors. "I.m trying out this prolific...
- 9/2/2011
- cinemablend.com
You think of Cameron Crowe movies, you think of the music in Cameron Crowe movies. John Cusack and the boombox in "Say Anything..." Stillwater singing "Tiny Dancer" on the tour bus in "Almost Famous." Orlando Bloom's mixtape roadtrip at the end of "Elizabethtown." Nobody does movie music quite like Crowe. That's why we're wrapping up our multipart interview on his new movie "We Bought a Zoo" (you can read parts 1 and 2 here and here) with his thoughts on its soundtrack, which Crowe says is totally different than anything else he's done as a director.
A big reason why is Jónsi, the singer and guitarist from Icelandic rock band Sigur Rós, who is serving as "We Bought a Zoo"'s composer. Crowe said he wanted him to score the film, after listening to his music on set while he was shooting.
"We fell in love with the music of Jónsi...
A big reason why is Jónsi, the singer and guitarist from Icelandic rock band Sigur Rós, who is serving as "We Bought a Zoo"'s composer. Crowe said he wanted him to score the film, after listening to his music on set while he was shooting.
"We fell in love with the music of Jónsi...
- 8/31/2011
- by Matt Singer
- ifc.com
On Saturday night, the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills hosted the premiere of "Jeff Bridges: The Dude Abides," the kick-off show for the 25th season of "American Masters." Bridges was on hand to watch the documentary of his artistic life, by writer/director Gail Levin, as were supportive friends and family members, including his wife, brother Beau, Ed Harris and his wife Amy Madigan, and "True Grit" co-star Hailee Steinfeld.
- 1/10/2011
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
Lisa Soltau was living in Seattle when her friend Bonnie Gillespie sent her a book she had written called "Casting Qs," a compilation of interviews with casting directors. "I read it and I absolutely loved all the aspects of the job," says Soltau. "I loved the entertainment industry and movies and television. The process of casting sounded wonderful."She called one of the two casting offices in Seattle and ended up working as an intern there for about six months. But the CD told her she should move to New York or Los Angeles if she really wanted to pursue a career in casting. "I picked L.A. because I had lived there once for about three years and I thought it would be easier to acclimate there," Soltau says. "Plus I wanted to work on 'Six Feet Under,' which was airing at the time.
- 10/20/2010
- backstage.com
Jeff Mitchell on Rue McClanahanI was working on a movie for Paramount called "The Fighting Temptations," directed by Jonathan Lynn and starring Cuba Gooding Jr. We were doing the New York casting. Rue McClanahan was pitched for it by her agent. She was doing a lot of television, but she wanted to do film very badly. We had her in to meet the director, who was British and didn't know her or understand she was a huge star in the United States. Rue took the material and she did her best. We knew what the scene was about and what the director wanted, but the communication between actor and director wasn't working properly. No matter what he was asking, he wasn't getting what he wanted. The casting director has to take a back seat when the director is running the casting session. Even though I thought I could be a...
- 7/7/2010
- backstage.com
"Almost Famous" star Patrick Fugit has joined Debra Messing in ABC's comedy pilot "Wright vs. Wrong."
Melissa Rauch also has been cast in "Wright," Tim Pepper has landed the lead in Fox's comedy pilot "Most Likely to Succeed," Scott Foley has joined ABC's cop drama "True Blue," "Past Life" co-star Nicholas Bishop is set as a lead on ABC's drama pilot "Body of Evidence," Aly Michalka has landed the lead and Gail O'Grady also tapped to co-star on the CW's drama pilot "Hellcats," and James Patrick Stuart and Cheyenne Jackson have come aboard ABC's comedy pilot "It Takes a Village."
Additionally, Michael Cassidy has landed one of the two leads in NBC's comedy pilot "The Pink House," Jessy Schram has a lead on the CW's drama pilot "Betwixt," Dorian Missick has joined NBC's drama pilot "The Cape," and Ryan Hawley has been cast in CW's untitled Wyoming project.
Meanwhile, CBS'...
Melissa Rauch also has been cast in "Wright," Tim Pepper has landed the lead in Fox's comedy pilot "Most Likely to Succeed," Scott Foley has joined ABC's cop drama "True Blue," "Past Life" co-star Nicholas Bishop is set as a lead on ABC's drama pilot "Body of Evidence," Aly Michalka has landed the lead and Gail O'Grady also tapped to co-star on the CW's drama pilot "Hellcats," and James Patrick Stuart and Cheyenne Jackson have come aboard ABC's comedy pilot "It Takes a Village."
Additionally, Michael Cassidy has landed one of the two leads in NBC's comedy pilot "The Pink House," Jessy Schram has a lead on the CW's drama pilot "Betwixt," Dorian Missick has joined NBC's drama pilot "The Cape," and Ryan Hawley has been cast in CW's untitled Wyoming project.
Meanwhile, CBS'...
- 3/8/2010
- by By Nellie Andreeva
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Paramount Pictures convulsed with more staff reductions Tuesday. The studio disbanded its New York literary department, including head Aimee Shieh, as it eliminated 31 positions among studio production departments.
Among those affected by the restructuring are head of physical production Georgia Kacandes, casting head Gail Levin, senior vps of production Ben Cosgrove and Dan Levine and Paramount Vantage executive vp production and acquisitions, Guy Stodel.
Newly installed Film Group president Adam Goodman notified employees of the changes Tuesday morning.
Layoffs, job eliminations and reorganization account for the total reduction in positions in the creative, casting and physical production departments, as well as at the Vantage label. The rest of the studio's New York office remains intact, including its publicity and marketing departments and a few distribution personnel.
A decision is forthcoming about whether the studio will revive a lit presence in New York or Los Angeles.
These most recent cost-cutting moves...
Among those affected by the restructuring are head of physical production Georgia Kacandes, casting head Gail Levin, senior vps of production Ben Cosgrove and Dan Levine and Paramount Vantage executive vp production and acquisitions, Guy Stodel.
Newly installed Film Group president Adam Goodman notified employees of the changes Tuesday morning.
Layoffs, job eliminations and reorganization account for the total reduction in positions in the creative, casting and physical production departments, as well as at the Vantage label. The rest of the studio's New York office remains intact, including its publicity and marketing departments and a few distribution personnel.
A decision is forthcoming about whether the studio will revive a lit presence in New York or Los Angeles.
These most recent cost-cutting moves...
- 6/30/2009
- by By Jay A. Fernandez and Steven Zeitchik
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The following is a list of the top 25 Power Casting Directors in film and television (including Casting Director of the Year, Debra Zane; see page 9). We began with more than 100 candidates. In some cases, collaborations were so closely tied that we considered multiple people as one entity. Several drafts later, all 25 spots were cast.Notably omitted from the list are in-house casting executives at studios and networks, the inclusion of whom would have ballooned our list to 50 or more. But read about them online at www.backstage.com/spotlight. Focusing on independent casting directors leveled the playing field and highlighted people whose puissance is not affected by one scale-tipping affiliation. Now, on to the top 25!Kerry BardenCan you imagine Monster's Ball starring Erykah Badu, or American Psycho starring Leonardo DiCaprio? Kerry Barden can, because he saw them read the parts. "There are so many great actors that sometimes it's a...
- 4/2/2009
- backstage.com
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