Entertainment News from Eye On Weho

Eye on Entertainment
Nathaniel Grey
Entertainment Editor
February 15, 2011

Real Houswives of the Carrington and Ewing Clans

Dynasty creators Richard and Esther Shapiro, have placed another rock on the headstone that reads 'Television Originality is Dead.' The couple has just finished a script for a prequel to that 1980s hit series which will focus on the early love affair of Blake Carrington and Alexis Morell. Though Dynasty was set in the 80s, does that mean we'll see the Alexis character in the fashionable miniskirts, culottes and go-go boots of the 60s? Joan Collins recently offered her opinion as to who should play the younger power couple and suggested Gemma Arterton (Prince of Persia) and Chris Pine (Star Trek.) Although if she had her way, she'd reprise the role and round out the cast with the grandchildren of Alexis who would be in their 20s. An idea that isn't too far fetched since a spin-off of Dallas is currently in the works, which will center on the offspring of Bobby and JR. Ewing. *** Continuing the theme of revivals, former Smallville writer/producers Al Gough and Miles Millar have chosen Miami as the setting for their updated version of Charlie's Angels. Cast as the Seraphim crime fighters are Annie Ilonzeh (Melrose Place,) Minka Kelly (The Roommate,) Rachael Taylor (Transformers). Ramon Rodriguez (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) will play the young and hunky ‘Bosley’ and Robert Wagner is ‘Charlie’, which was originally voiced by Dynasty veteran John Forsythe.

Catch your favorite stars at the 28th annual Paley Fest, presented at the Saban Theatre at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills March 4 - 18th. Among the list of series being honored with panel discussions, cast interviews and screenings are True Blood, Freaks and Geeks, Supernatural and the biggest hit of the 2010/11 television season The Walking Dead. Get your tickets at www.paleycenter.org *** The LA Gay & Lesbian Center's Village at Ed Gould Plaza will host the world premiere of Award-winning playwright Nick Salamone's latest work, The Sonneteer, Feb. 11 - March 6. Running Friday, Saturdays and Sunday in the Davidson/Valentini Theatre, the play follows a young professor discovering his past and family through secret sonnets left to him by his estranged deceased mother. The production features Erik Palladino (ER), Sandra Purpuro (Days of Our Lives,) and Ed Martin (The Laramie Project.) **

No matter whose house you visit to watch the Oscars on Feb. 27th, make sure you arrive early in order to grab the most comfortable chair in the room cause you know it's going to be a long show. Living only four blocks from the Kodak theatre, I can assure you through my own experience, that the chair you stake out will provide you a better view than if you had ventured over to Hollywood Boulevard and braved the screaming fans, jostling crowds and panhandling out-of-work actors, just to catch a glimpse of celebrity arrivals. But the biggest mystery of the night won't be the winners as much as who the hell chose James Franco and Anne Hathaway as emcees. Sure, I respect the hell out of their acting talents but how much of Steve Martin, Whoopee Goldberg or Billy Crystal's hosting chops do they really have. Although in the wake of the Ricky Gervais controversial jokes at the recent Golden Globe Awards, how bad could they really be? Glee creator Ryan Murphy thinks the folks behind the Oscars are on to something as he has already hired Hathaway for a guest appearance on an upcoming episode of Glee. No word on what her character will be but she recently told Jimmy Fallon how she'd love to play Kurt's long lost sapho Aunt. Could this mean a whole episode salute to the Indigo Girls? ***

Far away from it's hey days being a trendsetter, NBC is trying to capitalize on the success of Glee by greenlighting a musical series pilot centered on the creation of a Broadway show. Titled Smash, it comes from a concept by Steven Spielberg and is being produced by the people behind the films Chicago and Hairspray, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. The network also has high hopes for another pilot called I Hate That I Love You. While the title alone sounds like a biography on my bipolar ex-boyfriend, it's actually about a girl to girl same sex couple. Under the watchful eye of Jhoni Marchenko (Will & Grace) the concept takes a straight couple to introduce their lesbian friend who emulate the Lesbian stereotype and fall instantly in love with each other. Faster than you can say Samantha Ronson the two find themselves a couple and combining their penguin collection. OK, for those who don't get it, 80% of the lesbians I've ever known have collected Penguin statues. Which makes gift buying easy for Christmas, birthdays and the Dinah Shore Weekend.

Bucking Hollywood tradition and corporate pattern of spending millions of dollars on movie marketing, director Kevin Smith will take his latest work, Red State, directly to the public himself with city by city releases starting this month. No high priced print ads and TV commercials what is expected to consists of Internet blurbs, twitter blurbs and word-of-mouth advertising. The story follows a group teenagers who accept an online solicitation for sex but soon discover that the sender is a group of religious zealots with a much more evil purpose. Starring in the feature are Kevin Alejandro (True Blood,) John Goodman (Roseanne,) Michael Angrarano (The Lords of Dogstown,) and Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad.) Smith recently announced that his upcoming hockey film Hit Somebody will features some of the cast from Red State and would be his final directorial effort. He plans to devote himself toward helping others filmmakers find financing, produce and marketing their projects. Practically a movie Guardian Angel. Let's just hope it's nothing like the angels in his classic film Dogma.

The 2011 Film Independent Spirit Awards will be hosted by the hilarious Joel McHale at the Beach in Santa Monica on Feb. 26th at 2:00pm. TV viewers can catch the ceremonies later that night when they are broadcast on the IFC channel starting at 10:00pm. *** Every few years, the rumor mill produces a story as to how Barbra Streisand will be retiring from performing live concerts but such urban legends never involve her acting career. Perhaps fearing that Little Fockers may be listed as her last movie on an obituary, Mrs. James Brolin has agreed to star in My Mother's Curse for Paramount Pictures. Babs teams with Seth Rogan in this mother and son road-trip comedy for director Anne Fletcher. Comedy? "Mother and Son Road-Trip" sounds like a horror movie to me!

Jodie Foster, who is currently in Paris, filming God of Carnage for Roman Polanski, will take a break in order to host the 26th Annual Cesar Awards at the Chatelet Theatre. Foster is the first foreign president of what is best described as the French Oscars, since Marcello Mastroianni in 1993. *** Adding proof to the rumor that Bravo wants to be a campier network than Logo comes the premiere of yet one more Housewives of ... reality series. If you're into over-glammed, overly dramatic characters with excessive make-up and jewelry but have had enough of Ru Paul then Bravo's March. 6th debut of the Real Housewives of Orange County may be right up your alley. *** Janet Jackson's new book 'True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself' was released on Feb. 15th. Though not a guide to masturbation, the work is described as part self help and part biography. I can't wait to read her tips on how to dress for the Super Bowl. It's so important to keep abreast of fashion trends. ***

Until next time, I'm Nathaniel Grey and I was born this way.

Return to Home Page