Watch: Logan Lerman and Co. Return in First Trailer for “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters”

April 1, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos 1 Comment

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Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson and friends are back for more YA action disguised as ancient Greek mythology in the first trailer for “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters”, the sequel to the 2010 somewhat successful adaptation “Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief.”

Thor Freudenthal directed the sequel, which sees the trio, along with newcomer Leven Rambin as Clarisse, the daughter of Ares, travel into the Sea of Monsters (known to humans as the Bermuda Triangle) in search of Zeus’ golden fleece. The YA adaptation landscape has changed a lot since the first film premiered, so it’ll be interesting to see if “Percy Jackson” can find an audience again amidst an increasingly crowded pool that’s seeing more flops (“Beautiful Creatures”, “The Host”) than successes.

“Sea of Monsters” will be released on August 16th, just one week ahead of another YA franchise hopeful, “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.” Watch the first trailer for the risky sequel below.

“The Hunger Games” star Leven Rambin joins Logan Lerman in “Percy Jackson” sequel

April 9, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

She conquered “The Hunger Games” and now Leven Rambin is ready to take on another successful teen franchise as Variety reports the rising actress has joined Logan Lerman in “Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Sea of Monsters”, the sequel to the 2010 modestly successful adaptation.

Lerman will reprise his lead role as Jackson, an ordinary teenager who discovers he’s the son of Poseidon, and also returning from the original film are Alexandra Daddario as Annabeth, daughter of Athena, Brandon T. Jackson as Grover, a satyr, and Jake Abel as Luke, son of Hermes. Rambin will be playing Clarisse, daughter of Ares, the god of war. Douglas Smith is also a new addition to the cast, as Tyson, Percy’s half-brother and a cyclops. “The Sea of Monsters” sees Jackson and his friends heading into the legendary Sea of Monsters to find Zeus’ Golden Fleece. Shooting begins next week in Vancouver under the direction of Thor Freudenthal.

Rambin’s Glimmer may not return for “The Hunger Games” (spoiler alert), but Clarisse does appear in more sequels to “Percy Jackson” so her stay in this new franchise may last longer. A veteran of TV guest-starring roles, Rambin is now making a nice transition to film, having also recently completed work as the female lead on surf drama “Of Men and Mavericks”, a biopic about surfing icon Jay Moriarty. She plays Kim, Moriarty’s best friend, girlfriend and eventual wife.

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.

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.

The Reaping is complete; Alexander Ludwig and Isabelle Furhman final two Tributes entering “The Hunger Games”

May 11, 2011 | Posted by Lindsey Young in Casting Leave a comment

After weeks of stringing us along with daily announcements of unknown actors cast in the roles of mostly nameless characters, the list of the 24 Tributes of Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games” has been completed. The final pair to join the group are Alexander Ludwig and Isabelle Furhman who will be portraying Cato and Clove, the deadly duo from District 2 who are among Katniss’ greatest enemies while in the arena. Ludwig and Furhman will join Jennifer Lawrence who plays protagonist Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson as her partner/love interest Peeta in the post-apocalyptic battle royale.

Both Ludwig and Furhman’s past roles definitely give them an advantage in portraying the fearless Cato and menacing Clove. Furhman is best known for her appearance in the thriller/horror film “Orphan” in which she portrayed the mysterious title character. Currently, she is working on the dark comedy “Salvation Boulevard” which also stars Marisa Tomei and Pierce Brosnan. Ludwig’s most notable roles to date include leads in “The Seeker: The Dark is Rising,” a film based on a YA fantasy series and “Race to Witch Mountain,” a remake of the 1975 picture.

Newcomer Willow Shields will be Prim Everdeen in “The Hunger Games”

April 20, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

[UPDATE]: Director Gary Ross has released his thoughts on the new casting: “It’s so exciting to find an amazing young actress like the one we just met .Prim is an emotionally demanding role and in many ways she is the cornerstone of the story. Willow Shields will make an amazing Prim and we’re very lucky to have her.”

Jennifer Lawrence has a little sister! Lionsgate announced today that newcomer Willow Shields has been cast in the pivotal role of Primrose (Prim) Everdeen, Katniss’s 12 year old sister, in “The Hunger Games”. When the annual Hunger Games rolls around, it’s Prim’s name that is called to represent District 12 in the televised fight to the death, prompting Katniss to volunteer herself to go in her sister’s stead.

Since landing leads Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth (as Peeta and Gale, respectively), casting on the Gary Ross directed film has been firming up fast, with assured daily announcements so far this week. Leven Rambin and Jack Quaid jumped on board yesterday as District 1 Tributes Glimmer and Marvel, Amandla Stenberg and Dayo Okeniyi as District 11 Tributes Rue and Thresh were announced the day before, along with Elizabeth Banks entering talks to play Effie Trinket, Katniss’s pushy handler.

Shields only has an episode of USA Network’s “In Plain Sight” and the upcoming Lifetime Movie of the Week “Beyond the Blackboard” starring Emily Van Camp on her resume, making “The Hunger Games” one hell of a feature film debut for the young thesp. The film starts filming in North Carolina in May, aiming for a March 23, 2012 release.

Leven Rambin and Jack Quaid are District 1 Tributes in “The Hunger Games”

April 19, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 4 Comments

“The Hunger Games” news is coming fast now as May 23 draws nearer, and today, Deadline reports that up and coming actress Leven Rambin has been set for the role of Glimmer, the District 1 Tribute who comes face to face with Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss in the arena. Joining Rambin from District 1 as Marvel is Jack Quaid, announced via the official THG Facebook. Facing off against them are Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, Katniss’s fellow District 12 Tribute and love interest, and newcomers Dayo Okeniyi and Amandla Stenberg as Thresh and Rue, the Tributes from District 11.

The Gary Ross directed teen action pic, adapted from the first of Suzanne Collins’ best-selling trilogy, sees 24 kids selected by random draw and forced into an arena fight to the death where only one can survive and be the victor. Outside the arena, Katniss’s circle of friends and foes also include Liam Hemsworth as her best friend Gale, Elizabeth Banks as Effie, Katniss and Peeta’s chaperone and many characters still to be cast, including Haymitch, Katniss and Peeta’s alcoholic mentor and Prim, Katniss’s younger sister.

Rambin, primarily a TV actress, 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″. Quaid, the son of Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid, recently signed with management company Anonymous Content but appears to have no prior acting credits.

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