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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melissa leo

Haley Bennett Joins “The Equalizer” Opposite Denzel Washington and Chloe Moretz

June 13, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

haley-bennett Rising star Haley Bennett has landed a role in Sony’s remake of “The Equalizer” starring Denzel Washington, according to Deadline.

Antoine Fuqua is directing the film and Washington is playing Robert McCall, the retired CIA officer with a mysterious past who helps people in need, originated by Edward Woodward in the 1980s TV series. Chloe Moretz landed the female lead role of Teri, a young prostitute, after chemistry testing opposite Washington and impressing the actor and filmmakers, leading to a script change that will age down the character originally meant to be in her 20s. Melissa Leo is also part of the cast, though her role and Bennett’s have not been revealed.

Bennett just premiered “Deep Powder” at the Tribeca Film Festival” with Shiloh Fernandez and recently wrapped shooting on Terrence Malick’s untitled next feature opposite Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender and Rooney Mara, as well as college-set horror flick “Random” with Ashley Greene and Lucas Till. She recently joined indie romance “The White City”, reuniting with her “Kaboom” co-star Thomas Dekker.

Paul Dano taking “Prisoners” with Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal

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

Paul Dano has joined kidnap/revenge thriller “Prisoners” opposite Hugh Jackman, Melissa Leo and Jake Gyllenhaal, according to Variety. Denis Villeneuve will direct in early 2013 the actioner that follows a small-town carpenter (Jackman) whose daughter and daughter’s best friend are kidnapped. When the police fail to find them in a timely manner, he takes the law into his own hands, running into opposition from a big-city detective (Gyllenhaal) on the case. Aaron Guzikowski wrote the script.

Dano can currently be seen playing Joseph Gordon Levitt’s best friend in Rian Johnson’s “Looper”, and was last on screen as the writer who breathed life into Zoe Kazan’s “Ruby Sparks” over the summer. A staple of the indie scene as the star of such films as “Little Miss Sunshine”, “Meek’s Cutoff” and “For Ellen”, he also turned up on some big budget blockbuster shortlists over the past year or so, suggesting he may be keen on more mainstream exposure as well. Dano recently wrapped up filming on Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” opposite Micheal Fassbender.

TV star Sarah Ramos joins Jesse Eisenberg in “Predisposed”

May 16, 2011 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Casting Leave a comment

Sarah Ramos, star of NBC’s “Parenthood” has signed on to star opposite Jesse Eisenberg in Phil Dorling’s indie drama Predisposed.

Following the story of the unhealthy releationship between “drug addict mother and her piano prodigy son (Eisenberg), as she prepares to enter rehab and he into Julliard”, this will be the first feature film for Ramos, who so far has only starred on the small screen.

She will be playing Eisenberg’s love interest alongside a great cast which also included Oscar winner Melissa Leo as Eisenberg’s mother, and Tracy Morgan as her drug dealer, Sprinkles.

Jesse Eisenberg to play Melissa Leo’s son in “Predisposed”

March 2, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Newly minted Oscar nominee Jesse Eisenberg and Oscar winner Melissa Leo are teaming up to play mother and son in indie comedy “Predisposed”, according to Vulture. The story is “a macabre look at the unhealthy relationship between a drug-addicted mother (Leo) and her college-bound son (Eisenberg), set on the day of both his interview at Julliard and her planned arrival to rehab.”

Leo’s character can’t be admitted to emergency rehab without already being intoxicated, and further complicated arise between her and her drug dealer, rumored to be played by Tracy Morgan, plus a rival dealer who has yet to be cast. It’s based on the 2009 Sundance short which also starred Leo, co-written by Philip Dorling and Ron Nyswaner with Dorling directing. For the feature film, Nyswaner will be the one making his directorial debut. Shooting is set to begin this summer.

It will be Eisenberg’s first and thus far only upcoming commitment since awards frenzy took hold of “The Social Network”. He’ll next be heard in the animated “Rio”, along with Ocar host Anne Hathaway and also has “30 Minutes or Less” awaiting release.

2011 Academy Awards: Full list of winners

February 27, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Awards Leave a comment

Best Art Direction: Alice in Wonderland
Best Cinematography: Inception
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo, “The Fighter”
Best Animated Short: “The Lost Thing”
Best Animated Feature: “Toy Story 3″
Best Adapted Screenplay: Aaron Sorkin, “The Social Network”
Best Original Screenplay: David Seidler, “The King’s Speech”
Best Foreign Language Film: “In a Better World”, Denmark
Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, “The Fighter”
Best Original Score: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, “The Social Network”
Best Sound Mixing: “Inception”
Best Sound Editing: “Inception”
Best Makeup: “The Wolfman”
Best Costume Design: “Alice in Wonderland”
Best Documentary Short: “Strangers No More”
Best Live Action Short: “God of Love”
Best Documentary Feature: “Inside Job”
Best Visual Effects: “Inception”
Best Film Editing: “The Social Network”
Best Original Song: “We Belong Together” from “Toy Story 3″
Best Director: Tom Hooper, “The King’s Speech”
Best Actress: Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”
Best Actor: Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech”
Best Picture: “The King’s Speech”

“The Social Network” dominates Golden Globes; full list of winners

January 17, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Awards Leave a comment

“The Social Network” continues to dominate awards season by taking home Best Picture (Drama), Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Score at the annual Golden Globe Awards last night, put on by the dubious Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Also continuing their streaks were Natalie Portman, taking home Best Actress (Drama) for “Black Swan”, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo taking home Best Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress for “The Fighter”. On the Comedy/Musical side, Annette Bening took home Best Actress for “The Kids Are All Right” as expected, the film winning Best Picture as well, with Paul Giamatti a surprise win as Best Actor for “Barney’s Vision”.

Full list of winners below, thanks to Awards Daily.

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Watch: First “Red State” teaser trailer

December 23, 2010 | Posted by Linda Ge in Videos Leave a comment

Kevin Smith has been spoiling his fans with glimpses of his first horror film, “Red State”, for weeks, and today, the first real look at the film in action in the form of a teaser trailer. A creepy, quiet sermon set against quick cuts of chaos and horror – gunfire, screaming, is that a kid locked in a cage? – Smith packs in a lot of information but doesn’t reveal much at all, the perfect recipe to get people engaged and interested in the March 2011 release. Here’s what we do know: starring such up and comers as Michael Angarano, Kyle Gallner, Haley Ramm and Kerry Bishe, along with veterans such as John Goodman and Melissa Leo, it tells the story of a band of misfits who encounter religious extremism in middle America. Sensing there might be a metaphor or a message in there somewhere…

The March release date at the end of the trailer is also a bit of news, though the film is still scheduled to premiere at Sundance next month.