Scarlett Johansson’s been busy promoting Avengers: Age of Ultron and one of her stops on the promotional tour was on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon where Fallon tested her ability to lie convincingly. Johansson took on Fallon in a game of Box of Lies, the object of which is to either describe what’s inside a mystery box or lie about its contents. The opponent then has to guess whether the description offered is the truth.
‘Tomorrowland’ New Featurettes Focus on Britt Robertson and Raffey Cassidy
Disney’s Tomorrowland has released two new featurettes, one focusing on Casey (Britt Robinson) and the other spotlighting Athena (Raffey Cassidy). Directed by Brad Bird, the sci-fi action film also stars Oscar winner George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Tim McGraw, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key, and Thomas Robinson.
Disney’s set to release the big-budget mystery adventure in theaters on May 22, 2015.
The Plot:
Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as “Tomorrowland.” What they must do there changes the world—and them—forever.
– Also of interest: Interview with Tomorrowland star Britt Robertson
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Josh Radnor Star in Ridley Scott’s ‘Mercy Street’
PBS’ upcoming Civil War drama has a new title, confirmed directors, and a huge ensemble cast led by Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Josh Radnor. Mercy Street, a six-part series, will be directed by Roxann Dawson (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and Jeremy Webb (Masters of Sex) and executive produced by Ridley Scott, David W. Zucker, Lisa Q. Wolfinger, and David Zabel.
Mercy Street, PBS’ first American drama in more than a decade, will air on Sunday nights in late 2016. Filming just began this month in and around Richmond and Petersburg, Virginia.
“It’s an honor to be able to tell the exciting stories of real experiences and struggles of the war,” said Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming, PBS. “I know this talented and diverse cast and crew will be able to bring Mercy Street to life on screen. We will tell the story of what it was like in Alexandria, Virginia — the crossroads of the Civil War — by delving into the multifaceted lives of those in the hospital wards.”
“I’m delighted to be working with such a talented cast and crew on Mercy Street, a remarkable story that portrays perhaps the most challenging time in our nation’s history,” said executive producer Lisa Q. Wolfinger. “Our diverse and colorful cast of characters — Union doctors, female volunteers, contraband laborers and Southern loyalists — will bring to life the chaotic world of Union-occupied Alexandria, Virginia, and the Mansion House Hospital.”
The Plot:
Mercy Street follows the lives of two volunteer nurses on opposing sides of the Civil War — New England abolitionist Mary Phinney and Confederate supporter Emma Green. The Green family’s luxury hotel in Alexandria, Virginia, has been transformed into Mansion House, a Union Army hospital tending to the war’s wounded. Inspired by memoirs and letters from real doctors and nurse volunteers at Mansion House Hospital, this new drama reveals the stories of those struggling to save lives while managing their own hardships.
The Mercy Street Cast:
– Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Nurse Mary Phinney, a feisty New Englander and widow who is a newcomer at Mansion House Hospital.
– Josh Radnor as Jedediah Foster, the civilian contract surgeon who grew up in a privileged Southern slave-owning household as the son of a wealthy Maryland landowner.
– Gary Cole as James Green, Sr., patriarch of the Green family, struggling to maintain his family business while living in an occupied city.
– Peter Gerety as Dr. Alfred Summers, chief surgeon at Mansion House, who has risen to the rank of major by virtue of his age, not skill.
– Norbert Leo Butz as Dr. Byron Hale, an old-school army surgeon who lives life by the book. While Hale has an eye for the nurses, he has an ongoing relationship with Nurse Anne Reading.
– McKinley Belcher III as Samuel Diggs, a black laborer harboring a secret knowledge and ability in medicine, which he learned as a boy servant.
– Shalita Grant as Aurelia Johnson, a beautiful, stoical ‘contraband’ working as a laundress at the hospital, and trying to bury her past.
– Newcomer Hannah James as Emma Green, an entitled Southern young woman who volunteers as a nurse at Mansion House Hospital, the facility established on the site of her family’s luxury hotel.
– Cherry Jones guest stars as Dorothea Dix, known as “Miss Dix,” the formidable superintendent of Union Army nurses.
‘Extreme Weight Loss’ Season 5 Participants Announced
Season five of ABC’s reality series Extreme Weight Loss will premiere on May 26, 2015, kicking off the 10 episode season with Chris and Heidi Powell back as trainers and “transformation specialists.” ABC’s just released details on this upcoming season’s participants who’ll be helped in the one year process of losing weight by guest stars Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Byron Scott, James Worthy, Ne-Yo, Chris Bosh, LeSean McCoy, Amy Van Dyken, Mia Hamm, Holly Robinson Peete, and Mario Andretti.
The Details: “The participants — whose lives have become unmanageable because of their weight — will undergo a transformation not only of their bodies, but of who they are as individuals. With the proper nourishment, exercise and guidance assured by EWL, they will be afforded a fresh perspective.”
Extreme Weight Loss Season 5 Participants:
Robert & Raymond (Monett, MO) – The Season 5 premiere features twin brothers Robert and Raymond, 381 and 378 pounds. After their mother went to prison and their father skipped town, Robert and Raymond – 13 at the time – were left to raise their two pre-teen sisters, who they still look after to this day. Former high school basketball players – and huge Los Angeles Lakers fans – they will get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet Kobe Bryant & Steve Nash, plus play 2-on-2 with Byron Scott & James Worthy at their six month milestone.
Panda & John (Grand Rapids, MI; Baltimore, MD) – Panda/313 pounds, of Korean descent, is a camp counselor who was adopted and struggled to fit in with his American family; John/531 pounds, is a former pro football player and Army veteran who wants to lose weight before he meets the son he never knew he had. One of them will lose more weight in the first 90 days than anyone in series history, while the other will decide that the program is more than he can handle.
Kim (Honolulu, HI) – Kim/279 pounds, is an up-and-coming fashion designer who doesn’t feel she’s taken seriously in her industry because of her weight. She hopes to go from being a behind-the-scenes seamstress to a model on the runway.
Rachel (Santa Monica, CA) – Rachel/309 pounds, is a former UCLA cheerleader who put on more than 100 pounds after finding out the man of her dreams was cheating on her. She’s now a high school dance coach, but she is embarrassed in front of her own team due to her extreme weight.
Jennifer (Cody, WY) – Jennifer/342 pounds, is a wife and mother of two who has learned her husband’s illness has become terminal. Acknowledging the sad reality of his limited time, she’s decided to get healthy for their kids.
Hannah (Austin, TX) – Hannah/310 pounds, is a successful career woman who seemingly has it all together. But after being told by doctors that she’s gotten too heavy to have children, Hannah reached out to Chris to help her get healthier and lose the weight she needs to complete her family.
Mitzi (Dallas, TX) – Mitzi/262 pounds, is a 53-year-old woman who takes care of everyone but herself. When the only man she ever loved left her for their neighbor, she became a hoarder and hasn’t let anyone into her home in more than eight years. Now, Chris and Heidi will take on their first ever dual-addiction client, as they try to help Mitzi conquer her obesity and hoarding issues.
Jackie (Denver, CO) – Jackie/266 pounds, was a fit athlete in high school, but she put on more than 100 pounds after her newborn baby suffered brain damage, the result of Shaken Baby Syndrome. She is hoping to lose the excess weight that continues to hold her back and gather the strength to forgive the nanny who changed their lives forever.
Josh & Kelli (Omaha, NE; Kansas City, MO) – Josh/399 pounds, is a gay firefighter living in a small town. After losing his father, who was also a firefighter, in a tragic accident, he’s decided to change his life; Kelli/331 pounds, is a former college basketball player who went into depression after hoops ended. Now, she wants to reclaim her life and find the man of her dreams.
Pearls (Wichita Falls, TX) – Pearls/296 pounds, was given her nickname because she is always seen wearing pearls (and has different pearls for every situation). But underneath her shiny exterior, Pearls is hiding a dark past: she has struggled with various eating disorders her entire life, from binging to bulimia and anorexia. Now, for the first time in her life, she wants to develop a healthy relationship with food.
-By Rebecca Murray
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‘Insidious: Chapter 3’ Inspires a Music Video
Focus Features and Cinemand teamed up on a music video inspired by Insidious: Chapter 3 and starring YouTube and Vine stars Meg Deangelis, Eric Ochoa, Brittany Furlan, and Christian DelGrosso. The video, set to the classic tune “Tiptoe Through the Tulips,” starts out innocently enough but then takes a dark and twisted turn once a young woman discovers the guy she’s interested in is interested in someone else.
Insidious: Chapter 3 opens in theaters on June 5, 2015. The latest entry in the franchise was written and directed by Leigh Whannell and stars Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson, Hayley Kiyoko, Lin Shaye, and Whannell.
The Plot: This chilling prequel, set before the haunting of the Lambert family, reveals how gifted psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) reluctantly agrees to use her ability to contact the dead in order to help a teenage girl (Stefanie Scott) who has been targeted by a dangerous supernatural entity.
‘Outlander’ Fans Band Together for Charity
Ask Outlander fan Bonnie Terbush what prompted the creation of a Facebook group to raise funds for charities supported by Outlander stars and she’ll tell you it was the result of Sam Heughan’s My Peak Challenge campaign. ThePeakPosse Facebook group was launched so fans of Diana Gabaldon’s bestselling books and the Starz series it inspired would have an easily accessible outlet for sharing “common goals, health, fitness, motivation and encouragement,” said Terbush. The idea to raise funds in support of Heughan’s chosen charity was a natural extension of the group’s desire to support Outlander, Heughan, and the non-profit organization Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research (a UK charity).
“The Group was formed in January of 2015 in response to a challenge set forth by actor Sam Heughan who portrays Jamie Fraser in the Outlander series. Sam is a fitness junkie. He challenged all of his fans to reach their ‘peak’, whatever that may be, and to get healthy by eating better and exercising. The challenge, entitled MyPeakChallenge, served a dual purpose; to get healthy and to raise funds for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research (LLR), Sam’s supported charity,” explained Terbush. “During the course of the challenge, ThePeakPosse decided to raise funds for LLR by raffling an Outlander-inspired Gift Basket.”
Outlander fans, including the 400 members of ThePeakPosse Facebook group, got behind the raffle and ultimately raised an impressive $25,000 for Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research. The gift basket contained more than 60 items including autographs from cast members, and the success of its auction led to the decision to continue with the fundraising efforts. ThePeakPosse came up with the idea to continue to support the actors of Outlander and their charities, as Terbush says, “one charity at a time.”
Following on the heels of a raffle in support of Heughan’s chosen charity, the group turned to Heughan’s co-star Caitriona Balfe (“Claire Fraser”). Balfe is a supporter of World Child Cancer’s efforts to, per the organization’s mission statement, “improve cancer diagnosis, treatment and care for children across the developing world.” A new gift basket was put together that currently consists of more than 75+ donated items including autographs and trips. This second Gift Basket raffle to raise funds for World Child Cancer kicked off on April 1, 2015 and will end on May 31, 2015 at 8pm ET/5pm PT.
Donations are being accepted at JustGiving.org/cmbthepeakposse/. ThePeakPosse member Heather Lee Ying’s employer Macquarie is generously matching all donations in order to raise more funds for World Child Cancer. (The matching donations will be made only when a donation includes this message: “In support of the fund raising efforts, ThePeakPosse/Heather L.Y.”) Donors will be able to enter the Gift Basket raffle for a chance to win Outlander-related items as well as other donated goodies.
For more information on the raffle or to discover #WhatsInTheBasket, follow @BonnieTerbush and @ThePeakPosse on Twitter or visit ThePeakPosse’s Charity Fundraiser page.
-By Rebecca Murray
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First Look: ‘Risen’ Trailer with Joseph Fiennes and Tom Felton
Sony’s TriStar Pictures has unveiled the first trailer for Risen starring Tom Felton, Joseph Fiennes, Peter Firth, and Cliff Curtis. The action drama, formerly titled Clavius, was directed by Kevin Reynolds (Waterworld, Tristan and Isolde) and produced by Mickey Liddell, Patrick Aiello, and Pete Shilaimon. Reynolds also wrote the script along with Paul Aiello.
Risen arrives in theaters on January 22, 2016.
The Plot:
Risen is the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection and the weeks that followed, as seen through the eyes of an unbelieving Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), a high-ranking Roman Military Tribune. Clavius and his aide Lucius (Tom Felton) are instructed by Pontius Pilate to ensure Jesus’ radical followers don’t steal his body and claim resurrection. When the body goes missing within days, Clavius sets out on a mission to locate the missing body in order to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem.
Watch the trailer:
-By Rebecca Murray
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E! Picks Up ‘The Arrangement’ from ‘Mad Men’ Producer Jonathan Abrahams
E!’s announced the pick-up of The Arrangement pilot, the network’s second scripted dramatic series. The Arrangement comes from Emmy Award winner Jonathan Abrahams (Mad Men) who wrote the pilot and is executive producing. Jimmy Fox, Stephen Lambert, and Eli Holzman are also on board as executive producers.
E!’s first scripted series, The Royals, has been a ratings winner, earning a second season order and increasing in viewership each week.
“Jonathan has written a terrific script that juxtaposes a very public Hollywood romance with darker, more nefarious elements. We are excited to work with Universal Cable Productions and Objective to make this pilot and bring the story to life,” said Kevin Plunkett, SVP Scripted Programming, E!. “The Arrangement is the perfect follow-up to the success of The Royals, taking the E! brand further into the scripted space with young skewing, escapist stories.”
The Plot:
The Arrangement is a Cinderella story for modern times, with a dramatic and complicated Hollywood twist. The drama follows Megan Morrison, a beautiful young actress who auditions for the female lead in a summer blockbuster playing opposite Kyle West, the hottest actor of the moment. After an amazing audition segues into a dream-like first date, Megan’s Cinderella story takes a turn to the bizarre when she is presented with a contract that details an entire relationship with Kyle. Megan must weigh her options and the benefits and consequences to her career and her life overall… and decide whether or not she will accept “The Arrangement.”
-By Rebecca Murray
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Angela Bassett Returns for ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’
Angela Bassett will be taking on her third American Horror Story character with a role in the upcoming American Horror Story: Hotel. Bassett joined the horror anthology series with American Horror Story: Freak Show and followed that up with a scene-stealing role in AHS: Coven.
Bassett joins previously announced American Horror Story alum Sarah Paulson, Kathy Bates, Evan Peters, Wes Bentley, Chloë Sevigny, and Matt Bomer for this fifth season of the FX series.
AHS: Hotel will also star franchise newbies Lady Gaga and Cheyenne Jackson.
Filming’s expected to begin this summer in LA on season five. FX is aiming for an October premiere of the 13-episode AHS: Hotel.
– Also of interest: Angela Bassett interview on AHS: Freak Show
‘The Last Witch Hunter’ Teaser Trailer and Poster with Vin Diesel
Lionsgate’s just released a new teaser trailer and poster for the action/fantasy film The Last Witch Hunter starring Vin Diesel. Diesel also produced the movie along with Bernie Goldmann, Mark Canton, and Samantha Vincent, with Breck Eisner (Sahara, The Crazies) directing. The cast also includes Elijah Wood, Rose Leslie, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Julie Engelbrecht, and Michael Caine.
The Last Witch Hunter opens in theaters on October 23, 2015.
The Plot:
The modern world holds many secrets, but the most astounding secret of all is that witches still live amongst us; vicious supernatural creatures intent on unleashing the Black Death upon the world. Armies of witch hunters battled the unnatural enemy across the globe for centuries, including KAULDER, a valiant warrior who managed to slay the all-powerful QUEEN WITCH, decimating her followers in the process. In the moments right before her death, the QUEEN curses KAULDER with her own immortality, forever separating him from his beloved wife and daughter in the afterlife. Today KAULDER is the only one of his kind remaining, and has spent centuries hunting down rogue witches, all the while yearning for his long-lost loved ones. However, unbeknownst to KAULDER, the QUEEN WITCH is resurrected and seeks revenge on her killer causing an epic battle that will determine the survival of the human race.
Watch the trailer:
-By Rebecca Murray
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