TBS Conan OBrien-Produced Comedy Pilot Casts Its Leads

EXCLUSIVE: TBS has cast up-and-coming comedian Jay Malone and UCB performer David Neher as the 2 leads in the half-hour comedy pilot from Conan OBriens production company. The untitled multi-camera project, referred to as BFF, centers on Mark (Malone), a family man who quits his day job and returns to the neighborhood where he grew up. There, he reunites with his quirky childhood best friend Roland (Neher) who still lives with his parents. The project, from O’Brien’s Conaco Prods. and Warner Horizon, was written by Ben Wexler, who serves as showrunner, Ross Novie and Jay Rondot. The three are executive producing with OBrien, David Kissinger and Jeff Ross. The Conaco project is one of 3 half-hour pilots at TBS, along with Men at Work and Sullivan & Son.

Ashton Kutcher: 'Man' finds new man

KutcherAll eyes were on Ashton Kutcher when he stepped in to fill the "Two and a Half Men" void left by Charlie Sheen. Though the first episode's astronomical showing, which saw 28.7 million tune in, could be chalked up to curiosity, the CBS skein continues to impress two months later, as Monday's No. 1 entertainment series in all key demos.Still, not everyone was amused by Kutcher's performance. The season premiere called for him to appear nude in a scene. "We were trying to figure out how we were going to do that in front of a live studio audience," says Kutcher, who dusted off a prosthetic made for his "Naked Man" Internet sketch from a few years back. "When I took my clothes off, the audience could tell that I wasn't really naked. But we didn't tell the Standards and Practices person from CBS that I was going to do that, so she came down screaming from her booth, freaking out."In addition to filling Sheen's shoes, the actor-producer-Internet trailblazer also filled seats at the multiplex in 2011. Kutcher's edgy romantic comedy "No Strings Attached," which nabbed $149 million worldwide, did particularly strong business overseas -- an impressive feat given that such fare typically doesn't travel well. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Ough Gervais on Golden Globes Bubble, and 6 Other Tales You Will Be Speaking About Today

Happy Tuesday! Also in today’s edition from the Broadsheet: Channing Tatum may be the latest subject of Guy From U.N.C.L.E. gossips… Felicity Johnson will Hughes up with Warren Beatty… We’re conveying Meryl Streep and Joel Coen to China… and much more. · The Hollywood Foreign Press Association has before the finish of the week to find out whether it really wants to bring Ough Gervais back for his third Golden Globes hosting gig in The month of january. I'm able to’t even believe this can be a real internal debate — obviously they invite Gervais back (presuming he even really wants to host at this time he’d really have more attention turning this sad, sad group lower than he'd taking their cash and consuming their beer onstage). But here’s the “controversy” because it apparently stands today: “NBC has place the HFPA inside a lose-lose situation. When the Hollywood Foreign Press states ‘Yes’ to Ough, it risks turning the Globes in to the Ough Gervais Show and departing the sense they’re yearly tossing an excellent party while inviting somebody that humiliates all the visitors. Whether it states ‘No,’ the HFPA appears like it's no spontaneity about itself.” Really, no: It puts any nominees who decline to go to within the position of getting no spontaneity about themselves, and also, since everybody’s having to pay to experience anyway, who’s likely to not appear? Get it done, already, HFPA. [Deadline] · Could Channing Tatum function as the lead for that Guy From U.N.C.L.E? Someone’s agent appears to consider so. [Deadline] · Actual headline: “Russell Brand to Star in and convey Comedy The Leader Stole My Girlfriend.” And Russell Brand stole my will to reside. [THR] · Breakout Constantly actress Felicity Johnson has apparently nabbed the feminine lead in Warren Beatty’s lengthy-gestating Howard Hughes film that might really get produced in our lives. [Deadline] · Meryl Streep and Joel Coen are some of the People in america headed to some cultural summit in Beijing, where Streep will screen The Iron Lady the very first time. Tough crowd! [Variety] · With J. Edgar dead both in this area-office and Oscar water, an autopsy in without doubt so as. Who understood it was 9 % Watchmen? That’s enough to kill anything. [Moviefone] · Below may be the only Jobs tribute you’ll ever need, which terrific interview using its illusionist, Paul Gertner, persuasively describes why. Brilliant, heartbreaking items that nonetheless makes me wish to smash my Mac to bits. [Press Play/indieWIRE]

'The Muppets' Premiere Red-colored Carpet Arrivals

Jason Segel, Can Be, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy and also the stars of Disney's family comedy, opening in U.S. theaters November. 23, walked the eco-friendly carpet in the film's premiere on November. 12 at Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre. The feature, composed by Segel and Nicholas Stoller, marks the very first Muppets movie produced in 12 years.

FEINBERG'S 5: Billy Crystal, AFI Fest, 'The Iron Lady,' 'Margin Call,' Morgan Freeman

Kevin Winter/Getty Images These, in my judgment, are the five awards-related stories from the past week that every self-respecting movie buff should know about...our editor recommendsBilly Crystal to Host the OscarsMeryl Streep Movie 'The Iron Lady' to Open Dec. 30Roadside Celebrates 'Albert Nobbs,' Prepares to Mount Late Campaign for 'Margin Call'Morgan Freeman to Receive Cecil B. DeMille Award for Lifetime Achievement at Golden GlobesSteven Spielberg's 'The Adventures of Tintin' Gets North American Premiere as 25th AFI Fest Closes 1. The Academy Makes the Best of It It was a rollercoaster of a week for the Academy. As THR was the first to report, Brett Ratner, who had been named the producer of February's Oscar show, resigned from the job on Tuesday after provoking a firestorm of controversy by stating during a Q&A that "rehearsal is for fags" and explicitly discussing his sex life with Howard Stern. Then, on Wednesday, Eddie Murphy, whom Ratner recently directed in Tower Heist and recruited to serve as the host of the Oscar show, also walked away from the show, leaving things in disarray. But that same day, Brian Grazer, the co-chief of Imagine Entertainment and the Oscar-winning producer of A Beautiful Mind (2001), stepped up to the plate and agreed to replace Ratner, and, on Thursday, Billy Crystal, the popular host of eight previous Oscar shows, agreed to come back and fill in for Murphy. (As a publicist friend said to me, it's a pretty safe bet that Crystal's opening monologue will begin, "Good evening and welcome to the Oscars. I'm your host, Eddie Murphy!") PHOTOS: Oscar Hosts Through the Years Despite the inconvenience and stress that the last week must have caused the Academy, they actually came out of it in pretty good shape; after all, does anyone doubt that they'd have preferred a Grazer/Crystal combo over Ratner/Murphy in the first place? Now, the Academy can devote its full focus to Saturday's third annual Governors Awards ceremony, at which actress/producer Oprah Winfrey will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and honorary Oscars will be presented to actor James Earl Jones (in absentia -- he didn't want to miss a night of his West End play Driving Miss Daisy) and makeup artist Dick Smith. (Click here to read my preview of the event and interviews with all three honorees.) 2. AFI Fest Closes Out Fall Festival Season The fall festival season drew to a close with the 25th annual AFI Fest, a week-long festival that was held in Hollywood (primarily at Grauman's Chinese and Egyptian theaters) and was bookended by two highly-anticipated films. The opening night screening was the world premiere of Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar and the closing night screening was the North American premiere of Steven Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin, both of which generated mixed-leaning-positive responses from critics. PHOTOS: 'J. Edgar' Kicks Off AFI Fest In-between, many other awards hopefuls that have been playing on the festival circuit for months were also screened, including contenders for the big eight categories (Michel Hazanavicius's The Artist, Steve McQueen's Shame, Roman Polanski's Carnage, Luc Besson's The Lady, Ralph Fiennes's Coriolanus, Lynne Ramsey's We Need to Talk About Kevin, Oren Moverman's Rampart, Simon Curtis's My Week with Marilyn, Lars von Trier's Melancholia), foreign language category (Wim Wenders's Pina, Asghar Farhadi's A Separation, Bela Tarr's The Turin Horse), and doc category (Werner Herzog's Into the Abyss). Be sure to check out my recent interviews with Coriolanus's director/star Fiennes (click here) and The Lady's star Michelle Yeoh (click here). 3. Iron Lady to December 30 The Weinstein Company has decided to push back the release date of Phyllida Lloyd's Margaret Thatcher bio-pic The Iron Lady -- which stars Meryl Streep in the title role -- from December 16 to December 30. This move, along with the fact that a trailer for the film has yet to be released, has stirred up doubts about whether the film will provide to be the awards contender that many expected it might be. Indeed, this film will test whether Lloyd will bring her game up to Streep's historic level (Streep seems to get nominated every time she appears in a film), or Streep will bring hers down to Lloyd's (Lloyd is best known for the 2008 big screen adaptation of Mamma Mia!). Either way, Harvey Weinstein will have a stake in the best actress Oscar race: he's also distributing My Week with Marilyn, which features an awards-caliber portrayal of Marilyn Monroe by Michelle Williams, who has been nominated twice in the past. 4. Margin Call Surprises Roadside Attractions has decided to mount a late but aggressive campaign on behalf of the timely Wall Street drama Margin Call, which was written and directed by first-time filmmaker J.C. Chandor and features an incredible ensemble cast led by Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Paul Bettany, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, Demi Moore, and Mary McDonnell. The film, which was released concurrently in select theaters and on VOD on October 21, quickly generated enthusiastic support from critics and phenomenal numbers on VOD, convincing the little studio -- which has previously guided The Cove (2009), Biutiful (2010), and Winter's Bone (2010) to Oscar success -- that they have a second contender on their hands to go along with Albert Nobbs, for which they hope to score a best actress nod for Glenn Close and a best supporting actress nod for Janet McTeer. Margin Call, which one publicist described as "The Help for men," received a best ensemble Gotham Awards nod earlier this month, and seems to have a strong shot a best ensemble SAG nod and a best original screenplay Oscar nod; a so-so shot at best supporting actor SAG/Globe/Oscar nods for Irons and/or Spacey (although both are currently working overseas and therefore unable to do much glad-handing); and a long shot at a best picture Oscar nod. Roadside has already mailed screeners to the HFPA, with others for SAG and the Academy still to come; Quinto is doing SAG Q&As and will probably attend the Gothams, perhaps with Irons and other members of the cast; and the studio is starting to buy ads on various websites that might be read by awards voters. 5. Globes to Fete Freeman The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced that actor Morgan Freeman will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement at the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, January 15. The 74-year-old, whose booming voice has been likened to God's, made his film debut in 1964. In the years since, he has given memorable performances in dozens of critically and/or commercially successful films. Freeman has received five Academy Award nominations and five Golden Globe nominations, winning the best supporting actor Oscar for Million Dollar Baby (2004) and the best actor (musical or comedy) Globe for Driving Miss Daisy (1989). Previous recipients of the honor, which is determined by the HFPA's board of directors, include Alfred Hitchcock, Lucille Ball, Sidney Poitier, Sophia Loren, Sean Connery, Barbra Streisand, Martin Scorsese, and, at last year's ceremony, Robert De Niro. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Most Unforgettable Oscar Speeches PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Actors Who've Played Politicians Billy Crystal Brett Ratner Clint Eastwood Morgan Freeman Oscars Oscars 2012 J. Edgar Tower Heist

'The Descendants': Alexander Payne Goes Behind the curtain of George Clooney Pic

This story first came out inside the November. 18 problem in the Hollywood Reporter magazine. "It's hard to shoot boat moments, it calculates," states author-director Alexander Payne in the resigned deadpan. "I didn't understand that before. Clooney understood it. He mentioned: 'You hate vehicle work? Boat tasks are vehicle concentrate on steroid drugs.' " George Clooney, the star of Payne's new movie The Descendants, certainly understood what he was talking about: Wolfgang Petersen practically drowned the actor 10 years earlier throughout filming in the Perfect Storm. In comparison, the climactic scene Clooney and Payne needed to film for Descendants might have been small -- a grieving father and also the two kids floating in the canoe from the island of the island of oahu's Waikiki Beach -- nevertheless it needed lots of heavy equipment and 40 crewmembers on several watercraft rocking in large increases, in addition to a preteen actress in the meltdown and seasick focus pullers. "You're in Hawaii, and so the weather changes pretty quickly, plus you've got two moving parts concurrently that are not controlled by you -- they're controlled with the moon," states Clooney. "It absolutely was frustrating for him as they wanted it really to become number of people venturing out getting a camera." Payne, 50, pointing his first feature in seven years, typically makes movies that are short on technical complications: His previous film, Sideways, involved two males driving around California's Santa Ynez Valley. But he confesses that on any film, he fears "the frequently unwieldy method of production will hinder the closeness from the products I'm shooting. With this type of intimate little scene, it absolutely was as though the Marine Corps were carrying out exercises throughout them." PHOTOS: George Clooney's Career in Pictures Nevertheless the controlled chaos and uneven waves matched up in the turmoil gone through by Descendants' central family, the Nobleman, inside the wake of non-public tragedy. Clooney's Matt King can be a effective lawyer and heir with a gorgeous little bit of Hawaiian property who must cope with a quartet of sudden challenges: His wife drops in to a coma carrying out a boat accident her absence forces him to navigate a completely new authority role along with his two uncontrollable kids his relatives wants him to promote their valued landholding which he discovers that his hurt wife happen to be getting an affair. Comedy and tears ensue -- and, as this is an Alexander Payne movie, frequently inside the same moment. The project required its come from 2007 when two London agents handed a galley copy in the novel, put together by native Hawaiian Kaui Hart Hemmings, to Payne's creating partner, Jim Burke. He and Payne loved it and optioned it through their Fox Searchlight deal each week before it hit book store shelves, though in those days they basically designed to work as producers. Payne, situated in Omaha, Neb., was deep into writing a considerably bigger project titled Downsizing along with his writing-creating partner, Jim Taylor, so Burke hired comedy actor-authors Jim Rash and Nat Faxon (Reno 911!) to tackle the variation. Although numerous filmmakers came knocking and director Stephen Frears shown serious interest, nobody committed. Once Payne recognized Downsizing may have a hard slog finding financing, he made a decision arrived revisit pointing, so he dove into Descendants rather. "It had all the elements -- a enjoyable human story somewhere and among a category of people which are unique for just about any film," states Payne. "I hopped in solid." With This summer time 2009, he was focusing by themselves adaptation, which was ready to shoot by March 2010. Inside the interim, Payne needed two monthlong excursions for the islands to take the culture, explore locations and choose the mind in the novel's author, who acquired inside the The area of the island of oahu capital of scotland - Kailua and moved back there four years ago, after grad school. "I make narrative films, however greatly hold the attitude from the documentarian too, just what the truth is throughout my fiction films has great resemblance to real existence," states Payne, which has modified the books Election, About Schmidt and Sideways for your silver screen. "Descendants might be it I've been most faithful to and several such as the author because it's her world. It absolutely was a stretch personally, which i needed to be right." PHOTOS: 'Descendants' Star and THR's Next Gen Class of 2011 Once Payne requested Hemmings to the process just like a "guide," she considered in on potential locations, local conversational phrasings, wardrobe options in addition to which accessories should portray natives. She wasn't shy about adding dialogue suggestions, either. The evening of her 33rd birthday, she stopped with the director's accommodation to talk about the script and offered a kind of dialogue for Sid (Nick Krause), the not aware teen who's dating King's older daughter: "I'd put his nuts around the dresser and bang these with a spiked softball softball bat." In those days, Payne was noncommittal. "Now it's inside the movie!" states Hemmings. "It's my proudest moment." Hemmings also inadvertently developed a bigger contribution. "Alexander asked for me whom I saw inside the role, and my first answer was George Clooney," she states. Since it happened, Clooney, 50, had desired to utilize Payne since the filmmaker passed down him for your Thomas Haden Chapel role in Sideways. Ever since then, Payne happen to be busy creating and writing projects (I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Ray) and finalizing the divorce from actress Sandra Oh. However, if Payne, script in hands, met with Clooney again within the Toronto Worldwide Film Festival in fall 2009, the actor readily came onto play what he calls a "schlub," an psychologically detached guy who is able to't even win a quarrel along with his teenage daughter. Shailene Woodley, 19, and Amara Burns, 11, who play King's kids, travelled towards the island of the island of oahu 10 days just before the ten-week shoot to develop a reputable family dynamic with Clooney. "I did so play a physician on the program for five years, therefore i have labored with kids a good deal,In . states the first sort star of ER. "You just spend sufficient time together to ensure that they feel relaxed enough to offer you a hard time.Inch Related Subjects George Clooney Alexander Payne The Descendants Honours Season Preview 1 2 next last

Chernin Buys Foreign Exchange Pitch; Shawn Harwell Writing, Jeff Tomsic To Direct

EXCLUSIVE: Chernin Entertainment has acquired Untitled Foreign Exchange, a comedy pitch that Shawn Harwell will write and Jeff Tomsic will direct. Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark and Jenno Topping will produce for Chernin Entertainment, which won the pitch with a preemptive offer made from the company’s discretionary fund. Tomsic gets the directing job after helming a number of shorts, including I’m Having A Difficult Time Killing My Parents, which debuted at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. He’s also directed shows for MTV and VH1 and campaigns for Dr. Pepper, Hasbro and other brands. Harwell cowrote Dog Fight, the Warner Bros comedy that Jay Roach is directing with Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. He also scripted Hench with Danny McBride for Warner Bros and Neal Moritz, and was a staff writer in McBride’s HBO Series Eastbound & Down. Both are repped by CAA and Tomsic is managed by Generate.