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
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gugu mbatha-raw

First photos of Sarah Gadon and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in true life historical drama “Belle”

November 2, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Images 1 Comment

THR and Britain’s The Daily Mail have the first two production stills from BAFTA winning director Amma Asante’s true life historical drama, “Belle”, starring Gugu Mbtha-Raw in the titular role and Sarah Gadon, Sam Reid, Tom Wilkinson, Miranda Richardson, Penelope Wilton, Tom Felton, Matthew Goode, James Norton and Emily Watson in supporting roles.

Mbatha-Raw, one of BAFTA’S Brits to Watch of the year, plays Dido Elizabeth Belle, who was born to an African slave mother and British Naval officer father, and who was raised as an aristocratic lady in 18th century England. Gadon plays Belle’s cousin, and Reid the handsome lawyer/love interest. The backdrop of the story involves a legal case concerning the end of slavery in England. As The Daily Mail points out, “Belle” marks one of very few historical stories featuring a black heroine who does not play a slave, and the film will wrap up shooting on November 9th.

The first two photos from “Belle”, which does not yet have a release date but is expected to bow in the UK first, can be viewed below.

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Sam Reid to replace Sam Claflin in historical drama “Belle” after “Hunger Games” causes scheduling conflict

September 10, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Casting Leave a comment

Not all “The Hunger Games” fans may have been pleased with Sam Claflin joining the cast of the hotly anticipated sequel “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire“, but for one lucky actor it’s been a blessing.

Deadline reports that Sam Reid, a British actor who also studied at LAMDA where Claflin graduated in 2009, has taken the lead role in the historical drama, “Belle“, after Clafin was forced to exit due to scheduling conflicts.

The film, directed by Amma Asante, is based on the true story about a mixed-race young woman raised as an aristocratic lady in Great Britain at the end of the 18th Century, set against the backdrop of a legal case concerning the end of slavery in England. Fellow British actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw will play the titular character, full name Dido Elizabeth Belle Lindsay, while Canadian Sarah Gadon, most recently seen on screen in David Cronenberg’s “Cosmopolis” will play her cousin. Reid will take the lead male character, John Daviner, a man of high social standing who Dido falls in love with.

The film also stars Miranda Richardson, Tom Wilkinson and Matthew Goode, and production begins at the end of the month.

Reid has recently finished filming on “The Railway Man” with Colin Firth and Jeremy Irvine, and stars alongside Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in the upcoming “Serena“.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sam Claflin and Sarah Gadon to star in historical drama “Belle”

May 15, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

British rising stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Sam Claflin, along with Canadian up and comer Sarah Gadon, will star in historical drama “Belle”, according to Variety. Miranda Richardson, Tom Wilkinson and Matthew Goode will also be part of the ensemble cast.

BAFTA-winning director Amma Asante will direct the film based on the true story about a mixed-race young woman raised as an aristocratic lady in Blighty at the end of the 18th Century. Mbatha-Raw will play the titular Belle while Gadon will play her cousin. The film is out to buyers this week at the Cannes Film Festival.

Mbatha-Raw, one of BAFTA’s Brits to Watch this year, is currently a regular on Fox series “Touch” and can be seen opposite Anton Yelchin in the upcoming “Odd Thomas.” Gadon will be twice represnted at Cannes this year as the star of David Cronenberg’s “Cosmopolis” and Brandon Cronenberg’s “Antiviral.” Claflin was last seen in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and will soon be seen as the Prince in “Snow White and the Huntsman.”

William and Kate to meet BAFTA’s inaugural class of Brits to Watch: Juno Temple, Harry Lloyd and more

July 6, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Features, Lists 5 Comments

On July 8th, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be in Los Angeles attending the inaugural BAFTA Brits to Watch event, during which they will meet and hob nob with 42 hand-picked British writers, directors, cinematographers, producers and more filmmakers, who have shown great promise and are on their way to hugely successful careers. BAFTA said the names are “generally not complete beginners in their industry, and will have already begun to show real promise.”

Among the 42 names, which also include writer/directors like Joe Cornish (“Hot Fuzz”) and Gareth Edwards (“Monsters”), are 8 up and coming British actors, who we will take a closer look at below. William and Kate, get ready to meet Talulah Riley, Tom Hughes, Jessica Brown Findlay, Daniel Kaluuya, Juno Temple, Owain Yeoman, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Harry Lloyd.

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