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Writers Guild Nominees Include “The Master,” “Argo,” “Lincoln,” “Silver Linings,” “Moonrise”

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With just hours to go before Oscar first round ballots are due, the Writers Guild of America has announced its nominees. For Best Original Screenplay, the WGA resuscitated Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master,” which has been neglected a lot this season. Others in the original screenplay group are “Moonrise Kingdom,” plus “Flight,” “Looper,” and “Zero Dark Thirty.”

Adapted screenplays included “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Lincoln,” “Argo,” “Life of Pi,” and “Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

Absent from the list of originals is “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love.”

Completely excluded because they were ineligible– ironically, the two box office draws of the moment, “Les Miserables” and “Django Unchained.” Those movies were made under foreign jurisdiction.

 

Oscars Will Salute James Bond’s 50th Anniversary — Paging Sean Connery

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The Academy Awards show in February will feature a special salute to the James Bond franchise. It’s Bond’s 50th anniversary. But it’s also his first billion dollars, as “Skyfall” went through the roof this year and made more money than any other Bond film. Producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron say they’re going to have a “special sequence”– which could mean anything, but no doubt means music. Maybe they’ll get Shirley Bassey to sing “Goldfinger.” And this kind of suggests that they’ve locked up Adele (see my earlier story http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/01/02/adele-must-choose-between-oscars-and-golden-globes-for-skyfall-appearance). As I noted last month, no Bond theme song has ever won Best Song. But this year looks like the breakout year with Adele capping it off. Of course the big ‘get’ would be Sean Connery, who excluded himself from the recent Bond 50th documentary. If the Oscars can get Connery to stand on a stage with Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig– now that would be a coup !

“Django” Bang-O to Number 1 Wednesday, Oscar Voting Closes Today

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“Django Unchained” hit number 1 on Wednesday as adults took the box office back from kids, who went to school finally. “The Hobbit” was pushed to second place and was nearly defeated by “Les Miserables.” Ah, the middle of the week is for us. But not completely: even with the kiddies parked back behind desks and doing homework, “Jack Reacher” couldn’t shoot up “Parental Guidance.” Still Bette Midler and Billy Crystal took Tom Cruise. What gives? Adults sitting in “PG” by themselves? Come on, now. Tom Cruise needs your help!

Anyway, today-Friday–Oscar voting closes at 5pm Pacific Time. A major, major actress (not in competition this year) told me she hadn’t voted because she hadn’t seen all the movies. Whoa! That’s not necessary. Write in the names of the movies you saw and liked, and send in that ballot today. It doesn’t matter if it’s one, three, five, or ten. Same with all categories. I had a similar conversation with  director. These are sensible people. But they’re taking the coward’s way out. Cast a vote for a movie or performance or work you loved. The finish line is coming…

Sigourney Weaver “Vanya” Comedy Looking at Broadway Run

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Broadway is a little short on original plays this season, so I am happy to pass on the news that Christopher Durang’s “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” may be moving there for Tony season. The hilarious, witty send up of Chekhov–directed by Nicholas Martin– is playing its last two weeks of what has been a great run at Lincoln Center’s Mitzi Newhouse Theater. I saw it last night– and yes, I paid $85 like everyone else–and couldn’t have been more pleased. “VSMS” is laugh out loud funny. You don’t need to know much about Chekhov because Durang explains it for you as he goes along. But if you know a little bit about “Three Sisters,” “Uncle Vanya,” or “The Cherry Orchard” you’ll enjoy the inside jokes.

I used Sigourney Weaver’s name in the headline for this item because she’s the star, and she’s also a stitch. Fans of Weaver from “Alien” and serious fare would be surprised to know this is how she started out, with Durang, doing zany comedy. She plays Masha (name checked from “Three Sisters”) who is now a vain, self absorbed shallow movie star supporting two siblings (Sonia and Vanya, played to the hilt by Kristine Nielsen and David Hyde Pierce) living in their beautiful family home in upstate New York. Masha brings with her Spike, her clueless 25 year old boytoy (Billy Magnussen, with sharp comic timing and great abs).  There’s also a voodoo loving housekeeper named Cassandra (Shalita Grant) and a Chekhovian ingenue — Nina, of course–  who threatens Masha on many levels (Genevieve Angelson).

For once, hilarity does ensue. “VSMS” is two and a half hours long but it’s the first time in eons when I checked my watched because I didn’t want a show to end. Durang is very busy dropping literary references, which is fun. But the rest of the writing is so deft, and the players are so perfect, you don’t want them to stop. Of course, Weaver and Hyde Pierce play it like French farce meets Noel Coward, and they’ve got it down. Durang has given them each terrific showcase speeches and moments that provoke laughs and tears.

But the “supporting” cast has to be watched very carefully. Nielsen, in particular, almost steals the show. (Well, they each try and steal it at least once.) Sonia has a madcap side–she can do a killer imitation of Maggie Smith. When she rolls her eyes, Nielsen reminds you of Swoosie Kurtz in “House of Blue Leaves.” She’s wonderful. Magnussen is a proficient himbo, not as dumb as he looks. (I liked him too in Whit Stillman’s movie gem, “Damsels in Distress.”) Grant brings essential extra-comic relief as Cassandra, the Greek mythology spouting maid who foretells much gloom and doom. Angelson is exactly right as the fresh bloom to annoy Masha.

Apparently they’ve been having a lot of fun over at the Mitzi Newhouse. Two nights ago, Durang celebrated his birthday and the audience sang “Freres Jacques” to him in the semi-round. Last night, I ran into actress Lily Rabe with her friend Jason Butler Harner (shooting “Non Stop” now with Liam Neeson), and “Lord of the Rings” co-mastermind producer Michael Lynne. The audience never stops laughing, in a good way. Let’s hope this gang gets to Broadway ASAP. They’re needed.

PS Weaver only has a limited amount of time. She starts the “Avatar” sequels in late summer.

David Letterman Tells Oprah: “I Have No One to Blame But Myself” For Sex Scandal

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David Letterman — who never speaks about his personal life and is almost never seen outside of his own TV show–has a lot to say to Oprah Winfrey this Sunday. In one excerpt offered by Oprah’s PR, Letterman says he has no one but himself to blame for his sex scandal (you remember he was sleeping with women in the office, someone tried to extort him, etc.)

DL: Having lived through that sex scandal, I realized, wait a minute –

OW: Just to say ‘sex scandal’ Dave, you want to get through your whole life and not have the words sex scandal attached to your name.

DL: That’s right!

OW: You didn’t make it

DL: Did not make it. And, have no one to blame but myself. And now, I feel better about myself, my relationship with my wife is never better, and it’s just because I want to be the person I always thought I was and probably was pretending I was. And so far, it’s been great. Things have been great. I hurt a lot of people. I have nobody to blame but myself. I’m not looking to blame anybody. I’m looking to find out why I behaved the way I behaved.

http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/10/16/oprah-david-letterman-will-do-rare-live-interview-at-ball-state-in-indiana

There’s also Dave vs. Jay Leno, as previously leaked in the last 10 days.

OW: You know there’s assumption over the years that because you didn’t get it and Jay Leno did that that’s where the rivalry between the two of you started. Is that true?

DL: No

OW: That’s not true…

DL: The rivalry… Jay and I were friends. We were always friends before all of this happened. He has a way, he’s an usual fellow. I’ve never met anyone quite like Jay. And I will say and I’m happy to say that I think he is the funniest guy I’ve ever known. Just flat out, if you go to see him do his night club act, just the funniest. The smartest, a wonderful observationist and very appealing as a comic. Therefore, the fact that he is also maybe the most insecure person I have ever known, I could never reconcile that.

The interview airs Sunday at 9pm on OWN, just about the time “Downton Abbey” scores the highest rating in PBS history.

 

Steve Jobs Movie Gets Sold; Brad and Angelina Not on Parrot Cay

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Some afternoon updates: Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are not Parrot Cay and didn’t get married there. I spoke to a manager at the Turks and Caicos island resort, who says that “they’re not here.” I believe her. Parrot Cay, where it’s rich rich rich, is also small small small. You have to take a small boat there from T&C. It’s unlikely that the Jolie-Pitt nuptials could be accommodated. Also, Pitt’s bff, George Clooney, has been in Mexico over the holiday as a guest some resort owner who’s gotten a lot of publicity out of it.

Meanwhile, the Ashton Kutcher movie about Steve Jobs, called “jOBS,” has found a distributor. Open Road picked up the film, which also closes Sundance this year. (That’s not a great spot, btw. If “Jobs” were terrific, it would be playing on the first weekend.) Open Road recently distributed the very good but smallish “End of Watch” with Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena. Dermot Mulroney, Josh Gad, Lukas Haas, J.K. Simmons and Matthew Modine co-star in “jOBS.” The movie opens on April 13th.

One last thing about Brad and Angelina: if that story had been true about their Christmas Day wedding, People magazine would already have an issue on the stands with exclusive pictures. Where Brangelina goes, People is there, with an open wallet.

 

Oscar Voters Sing “One Day More” But The Hour Draws Near

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Academy Award voters have one day more, as they sing in “Les Miserables,” to get their ballots in for nominations. Tomorrow, January 4th, 5pm, and it’s over until final round voting. Yes, it’s a mad dash for the last stack of DVDs you’ve avoided all through Christmas. Presumably, you’ve seen the major films, from “Les Miz” to “Silver Linings” to “Lincoln,” “Argo,” and “Zero Dark Thirty.” But what about “Compliance”? (Forget it.) “Bernie” (very funny, well done, but Indie Spirit Awards). “Skyfall” too commercial? Not at all. Javier Bardem over the top? Who isn’t? “Intouchables”? Face it, you loved it. “Django”? It’s great, don’t worry. And what about all these other DVDs? “The Deep Blue Sea,” for example. (In a different year, maybe.) Nicole Kidman? She was good, admit it. Robert DeNiro? Comeback! Actresses, not so easy after Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, and Marion Cotillard. Naomi Watts, Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep, Rachel Weisz. Quick quick quick. If only we had another week! (PS Don’t forget Alan Arkin!)

Brie Larson Will Star in First Feature Produced by George Soros’ Nephew

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Exclusive: Billionaire philanthropist and Democratic fundraiser George Soros has a nephew named Jeffrey, who also happens to lead the board of directors for Los Angeles’s Museum of Contemporary Art. And now Jeffrey, well endowed with funds to produce movies, is going to make his first feature. I’m told “Basmati Blues,” shot entirely in India, will star up and comer Brie Larson (“United States of Tara”).

The blonde ingenue has five films just about in the can including the directorial debut of actor Joseph Gordon Levitt and a possible new film from the great Peter Bogdanovich. The word is that Larson is about to get a push along the lines of Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain. I’m told she beat out a lot of “vets” including (one of my personal faves) Kate Hudson for this American girl in Bollywood musical. Dan Baron is directing, and there’s a ton of original music including new songs by the hot group Sugarland.

As for Soros, he’s produced one documentary, but has a lengthy history preparing for this chapter in his career in Hollywood. Also, having billions in the bank is very helpful. He won’t have to “curry” favor with anyone on this project. A male lead, by the way, who is Indian and can sing (Brie sings, evidently) is being looked for now.

Adele Must Choose Between Oscars and Golden Globes for “Skyfall” Appearance

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The clock is ticking down on the Golden Globes show for January 13th on NBC. But who will perform? Among the music stars nominated for Best Song are Adele, Taylor Swift, and Keith Urban. All three will have decisions to make because the Academy Awards won’t be so keen to have performers who’ve already exposed their artistry on what’s considered a less than rival program.

For Adele, it’s a bigger quandary than for the others. She hasn’t been on American TV since the Grammy Awards in February 2012. Her pregnancy curtailed the rest of her year. And yet she had the biggest album of the year coupled with a huge hit in the theme from “Skyfall.” Even though the song is nominated for z Golden Globe, Adele has to watch it: the Globes are to the Oscars what the American Music Awards are to the Grammys. And the latter doesn’t allow performers who’ve appeared in that year’s former. Will Adele chance not doing the Academy Awards? I should think not. If she’s smart, she’ll wait for the big show and skip the G’s.

Keith Urban and Taylor Swift have the same decisions, but with less impact. Their songs are not guaranteed Oscar nominees. Ironically, this year we’ll all know what is an Oscar nominee on Thursday before the Globes. I suppose any performer could pull out at the last minute on Thursday morning from the Globes show once they know if it’s a conflict with the Oscars. Urban’s song, “For You,” does seem like a cinch though, along with “Skyfall,” “Suddenly” from “Les Miz” and one or two others. Expect a lot of maneuvering with Golden Globe coordinators by 10am on January 10th, after the Oscar noms sink in.

Producers Guild Nominees: These Could the Be the 10 Best Oscar Pictures

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The Producers Guild of America just announced its nominees for Best Picture. Their ten choices are pretty much in line with what should be the Oscar 10 Best Pictures. The PGA didn’t include “Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” which I think might take the place of “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” They also skipped “The Master.” But this list is good to go. There are also lists for feature animation and documentary, as well as TV shows. “Searching for Sugar Man” is my favorite doc of the year. Nice to see it included.

The theatrical motion picture nominees are:

  The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:

  “Argo” (Warner Bros.)

Producers: Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Grant Heslov

  “Beasts of the Southern Wild” (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Producers: Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey, Josh Penn

 

“Django Unchained” (The Weinstein Company)

Producers: Reginald Hudlin, Pilar Savone, Stacey Sher

  “Les Misérables” (Universal Pictures)

Producers: Tim Bevan & Eric Fellner, Debra Hayward, Cameron Mackintosh

  Life of Pi” (Fox 2000 Pictures)

Producers: Ang Lee, Gil Netter, David Womark

  “ Lincoln ” (Touchstone Pictures)

Producers:  Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg

  “ Moonrise Kingdom ” (Focus Features)

Producers: Wes Anderson & Scott Rudin, Jeremy Dawson, Steven Rales

  “Silver Linings Playbook” (The Weinstein Company)

Producers: Bruce Cohen, Donna Gigliotti, Jonathan Gordon

  “Skyfall” ( Columbia Pictures)

Producers: Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson

  “Zero Dark Thirty” ( Columbia Pictures)

Producers: Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal, Megan Ellison

 

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:

 

“Brave” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Producer:  Katherine Sarafian

 

“Frankenweenie” (Walt Disney Pictures)

Producers:  Allison Abbate, Tim Burton

 

“ParaNorman” (Focus Features)

Producers:  Travis Knight, Arianne Sutner

 

“Rise of the Guardians” (Paramount Pictures)

Producers:  Nancy Bernstein, Christina Steinberg

 

“Wreck-It Ralph” (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Producer:  Clark Spencer

 

The television nominees are:

 

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television:

 

“American Horror Story” (FX)

Producers: Brad Buecker, Dante Di Loreto, Brad Falchuk, Ryan Murphy, Chip Vucelich, Alexis Martin Woodall

 

“The Dust Bowl” (PBS)

Producers:  Producer Eligibility Pending

 

“Game Change” (HBO)

Producers: Gary Goetzman, Tom Hanks, Jay Roach, Amy Sayres, Steven Shareshian, Danny Strong

 

“Hatfields & McCoys” (History)

Producers: Barry Berg, Kevin Costner, Darrell Fetty, Leslie Greif, Herb Nanas

 

“Sherlock” (PBS)

Producers: Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat, Beryl Vertue, Sue Vertue

 

The Long-Form Television category encompasses both movies of the week and mini-series.

 

In November 2012, the Producers Guild of America announced the Documentary Theatrical Motion Picture, Television Series and Non-Fiction Television Nominations; the following list includes complete producer credits.

 

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Theatrical Motion Pictures:

 

“A People Uncounted” (Urbinder Films)

Producers: Marc Swenker, Aaron Yeger

 

“The Gatekeepers” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Producers: Estelle Fialon, Philippa Kowarsky, Dror Moreh      

 

“The Island President” (Samuel Goldwyn Films)

Producers: Richard Berg, Bonni Cohen

 

“The Other Dream Team” (The Film Arcade )

Producers: Marius Markevicius, Jon Weinbach

 

“Searching For Sugar Man” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Producers: Malik Bendjelloul, Simon Chinn

 

The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:

 

“Breaking Bad” (AMC)

Producers: Melissa Bernstein, Sam Catlin, Bryan Cranston, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Mark Johnson, Stewart Lyons, Michelle MacLaren, George Mastras, Diane Mercer, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett

 

“Downton Abbey” (PBS)

Producers: Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame, Liz Trubridge

 

“Game of Thrones” (HBO)

Producers: David Benioff, Bernadette Caulfield, Frank Doelger, Carolyn Strauss, D.B. Weiss

 

“Homeland” (Showtime)

Producers: Henry Bromell, Alexander Cary, Michael Cuesta, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Chip Johannessen, Michael Klick, Meredith Stiehm

 

“Mad Men” (AMC) 

Producers: Jon Hamm, Scott Hornbacher, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Victor Levin, Blake McCormick, Matthew Weiner

 

The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy:

 

“30 Rock” (NBC)

Producers:  Irene Burns, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Vali Chandrasekaran, Luke Del Tredici, Tina Fey, Matt Hubbard, Marci Klein, Jerry Kupfer, Lorne Michaels, David Miner, Dylan Morgan, Jeff Richmond, John Riggi, Josh Siegal, Ron Weiner

 

“The Big Bang Theory” (CBS)

Producers:  Chuck Lorre, Steve Molaro, Faye Oshima Belyeu, Bill Prady  

 

“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (HBO)

Producers: Alec Berg, Larry Charles, Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Tim Gibbons, David Mandel, Erin O’Malley, Jeff Schaffer, Laura Streicher

 

“Louie” (FX)

Producers:  Dave Becky, M. Blair Breard, Louis C.K.

          

“Modern Family” (ABC)

Producers:  Cindy Chupack, Paul Corrigan, Abraham Higginbotham, Ben Karlin, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Jeff Morton, Dan O’Shannon, Jeffrey Richman, Chris Smirnoff,  Brad Walsh, Bill Wrubel, Danny ZukerThe Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:

 

“American Masters” (PBS)

Producers: Prudence Glass, Susan Lacy, Julie Sacks  

 

“Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations” (Travel Channel)

Producers:  Anthony Bourdain, Christopher Collins , Lydia Tenaglia, Sandy Zweig

 

“Deadliest Catch” (Discovery Channel)

Producers:  Thom Beers, Jeff Conroy, Sean Dash, John Gray, Sheila McCormack, Bill Pruitt, Decker Watson

 

“Inside the Actors Studio” (Bravo) 

Producers: James Lipton, Shawn Tesser, Jeff Wurtz

 

“Shark Tank” (ABC)

Producers: Rhett Bachner, Becky Blitz, Mark Burnett, Bill Gaudsmith, Yun Lingner, Brien Meagher, Clay Newbill, Jim Roush, Laura Skowlund, Paul Sutera, Patrick Wood

 

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:

 

“The Colbert Report” (Comedy Central)

Producers: Meredith Bennett, Stephen Colbert, Richard Dahm, Paul Dinello, Barry Julien, Matt Lappin, Emily Lazar, Tanya Michnevich Bracco, Tom Purcell, Jon Stewart

 

“Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC)

Producers: David Craig, Ken Crosby, Doug DeLuca, Erin Irwin, Jimmy Kimmel, Jill Leiderman, Jason Schrift, Jennifer Sharron

 

“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” (NBC)

Producers: Hillary Hunn, Lorne Michaels, Gavin Purcell, Michael Shoemaker

 

“Real Time with Bill Maher” (HBO)

Producers:  Scott Carter, Sheila Griffiths, Marc Gurvitz, Dean Johnsen, Bill Maher, Billy Martin  

 

“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)

Producers: Ken Aymong, Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney

 

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Competition Television:

 

“The Amazing Race” (CBS)

Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Elise Doganieri, Jonathan Littman, Bertram van Munster, Mark Vertullo

 

“Dancing with the Stars” (ABC)

Producers: Ashley Edens Shaffer, Conrad Green, Joe Sungkur

 

“Project Runway” (Lifetime)

Producers: Jane Cha Cutler, Desiree Gruber, Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum, Jonathan Murray, Sara Rea, Colleen Sands

 

“Top Chef” (Bravo) 

Producers: Daniel Cutforth, Casey Kriley, Jane Lipsitz, Dan Murphy, Nan Strait

 

“The Voice” (NBC)

Producers: Stijn Bakkers, Mark Burnett, John De Mol, Chad Hines, Lee Metzger, Audrey Morrissey, Jim Roush, Nicolle Yaron, Mike Yurchuk, Amanda Zucker

The following programs were not vetted for producer eligibility this year, but winners in these categories will be announced at the official ceremony on January 26:

 

The Award for Outstanding Sports Program:

 

“24/7” (HBO)

 

“Catching Hell” (ESPN)

 

“The Fight Game with Jim Lampley” (HBO)

 

“On Freddie Roach” (HBO)

 

“Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” (HBO)

 

The Award for Outstanding Children’s Program:

 

“Good Luck Charlie” (Disney Channel)

 

“iCarly” (Nickelodeon)

 

“Phineas and Ferb” (Disney Channel)

 

“ Sesame Street ” (PBS)

 

“The Weight of the Nation for Kids: The Great Cafeteria Takeover” (HBO)

 

The Award for Outstanding Digital Series:

 

“30 Rock: The Webisodes” (www.nbc.com)

 

“Bravo’s Top Chef: Last Chance Kitchen” (www.bravotv.com)

 

“Dexter Early Cuts: All in the Family” (www.sho.com)

 

“The Guild” (www.watchtheguild.com)

 

“H+ The Digital Series” (www.youtube.com/user/HplusDigitalSeries)

 

“Red vs. Blue” (www.roosterteeth.com)