Ansel Elgort Is Augustus Waters in "The Fault in Our Stars" Opposite Shailene Woodley

From siblings to star-crossed lovers! EW reports rising star Ansel Elgort has been offered the male lead in "The Fault in Our Stars" opposite Shailene Woodley - who plays his sister in the currently-filming dystopian adaptation "Divergent." The two Read more

Dylan O'Brien Lands "The Maze Runner" Lead; Ki Hong Lee Also Joins

UPDATE: Director Wes Ball tweets that Ki Hong Lee has also joined the cast as Minho, a fellow Glader and ally to Thomas throughout the series. Lee is probably best known as a regular on short-lived ABC Family Read more

Shailene Woodley Confirmed for "The Fault in Our Stars"

I mean, duh, we called it. It has now been officially confirmed with glowing quotes from director, producer and author in tow that the increasingly in demand Shailene Woodley will play the lead role of Hazel Grace Lancaster Read more

Up and Comers Presents: 20 Faces to Watch in 2013

After a somewhat unpredictable year in which the stars we expected to break out largely didn't but fresh faces came out of nowhere to surprise us all, we are ready to look ahead to the new talent waiting to Read more

Up and Comers Presents: The Breakout Stars of 2012

Another year, another new crop of fresh talent. Just like last year, the hardest part is narrowing down which of the dozens of the year's rising stars shone the brightest. This year we heralded the arrival of the unlikeliest Read more
•••••

gerard butler

First Look: “The Hunger Games” star Leven Rambin and newcomer Jonny Westin on “Of Men and Mavericks” set

March 17, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images Leave a comment

Newcomer Jonny Westin embodies that carefree California cool in our first look at him on the set of “Of Men and Mavericks”, the biopic of legendary surfer Jay Moriarty, in which he plays the lead. The film, directed by Curtis Hanson – then finished off by Michael Apted when Hanson had health issues – chronicles Moriarty’s quest to ride the infamous waves at Mavericks, a Northern California surf spot that produces up to 80 foot waves in winter. He made the cover of Surfer magazine at the age of 16 for successfully surfing Mavericks (which four days later killed a much more experienced surfer), and is partly credited for bringing worldwide attention to the previously hidden spot. He survived the treacherous California waves, but died in 2001, apparently drowning during a free-diving expedition in the Indian Ocean at the age of 22.

Also pictured is “The Hunger Games” co-star Leven Rambin, who plays Kim, Moriarty’s best friend, girlfriend and eventual wife. Head to The New York Times (via The Playlist) for even more pictures of the rest of the cast, including Gerard Butler as Moriarty’s mentor. Westin and Rambin pics are below.

“Of Men and Mavericks” is set for a fall 2012 release.

Read more

Surf’s up for Taylor Handley in “Of Men and Mavericks”

October 8, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Psycho Oliver’s at it again. That crazy kid from the first season of “The O.C.” who took Marissa hostage at gunpoint will still be messing with people’s lives, according to Variety. Taylor Handley has signed on to play the villain role in Curtis Hanson’s surfing drama “Of Men and Mavericks” (formerly just “Mavericks”), a biopic of surfing legend Jay Moriarty.

Newcomer Jonny Weston has the lead role of Moriarity, a Northern California surfer who became renowned for surfing the treacherous waves at Mavericks, a surf spot near Santa Cruz. He made the cover of Surfer magazine at the age of 16 for successfully surfing Mavericks (which four days later killed a much more experienced surfer), and is partly credited for bringing worldwide attention to the previously hidden spot. He survived the treacherous California waves, but died in 2001, apparently drowning during a free-diving expedition in the Indian Ocean at the age of 22. Gerard Butler will be Rick “Frosty” Hesson, friend and mentor who trained him for over a year, and “The Hunger Games” star Leven Rambin will play Moriarty’s best friend and love interest, who is an avid surfer herself. Elisabeth Shue and Abigail Spencer also star as Moriarty’s mother and Hesson’s wife. Handley plays a bully surfer who never follows surfers’ codes, which makes Moriarty’s laid back attitude even more of an idol to their peers.

Handley has stuck mainly to TV after his big break on “The O.C.”, headlining failed series “Hidden Palms” with Amber Heard and guest-starring every series from “Southland” to “CSI: NY” to “Law & Order: LA.” He was last seen on the big screen with Lucas Till and Aaron Eckhart in alien invasion actioner “Battle: Los Angeles.”

“The Hunger Games” star Leven Rambin surfing “Mavericks” with newcomer Jonny Weston

September 20, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

“The Hunger Games” Tribute Leven Rambin will be going for a different sort of sport as Variety reports the actress has landed the female lead in surfing darma “Mavericks” opposite Gerard Butler and newcomer Jonny Weston, who has the male lead.

Curtis Hanson directs the biopic of late surfing legend Jay Moriarty, chronicling his quest to ride the infamous waves at Mavericks, a Northern California surf spot that produces up to 80 foot waves in winter. He made the cover of Surfer magazine at the age of 16 for successfully surfing Mavericks (which four days later killed a much more experienced surfer), and is partly credited for bringing worldwide attention to the previously hidden spot. He survived the treacherous California waves, but died in 2001, apparently drowning during a free-diving expedition in the Indian Ocean at the age of 22. Weston will play Moriarty, Butler will be Rick “Frosty” Hesson, friend and mentor who trained him for over a year, and Rambin will play Moriarty’s best friend and love interest, who is an avid surfer herself.

Rambin, primarily a TV actress up until now, has appeared on shows ranging from “All My Children” to “Grey’s Anatomy” to “One Tree Hill” and Disney’s “Sonny with a Chance”. She was last seen on the big screen in 2010 indie “Case 219″ but will surely get a huge boost in her profile when she stars as Glimmer, the Tribute who comes face to face with Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss in the arena in Gary Ross’s highly anticipated “Hunger Games”, out next March.